Episodios

  • Bibi Hakim: How One Advocate Changed Canada’s Mental Health Policy
    Sep 12 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Bibi Hakim. Bibi is a passionate advocate for mental health and gender equality, with an impressive background in political science and public administration from the University of Ottawa, where she focused on international relations and mental health policy. She previously served as a Legislative Assistant in the Parliament of Canada, where she worked closely with Members of Parliament, analyzing bills, legislative amendments, and committee reports on international trade, science and technology, government operations, and more. Her commitment to global advocacy led her to the United Nations Population Fund’s Asia-Pacific Regional Office in Thailand. There, Bibi championed initiatives to eliminate gender-based violence, promote gender equality, and strengthen international mental health advocacy. She played a key role in regional consultations for the UN Commission on the Status of Women and developed a monitoring and evaluation platform used across UNFPA regional and country offices. Bibi is also the founder of Project Breaking Barriers, a campus-based initiative that creates safe spaces for students to decompress and learn mental wellness practices. Her efforts sparked faculty-wide recognition, leading to the creation of a scholarship supporting students facing mental health and financial struggles. Her advocacy work has reached the federal level—Bibi authored a policy proposal calling for accessible, affordable, and inclusive mental health services. This proposal was adopted by three major political parties during the 2021 election and helped pave the way for the establishment of Canada’s first federal Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Bibi is also a proud recipient of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold, Silver, Bronze, and commemorative Diamond Awards.


    Listen in as we discuss Bibi’s journey advocating for Mental Health. You’ll be inspired by her dedication to inspiring others through advocating for people with depression & anxiety.


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    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    27 m
  • Red Wine, White Lies & Country Truths with Krystal King
    Aug 25 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Krystal King! At three years old, Krystal caught a snippet of Alan Jackson on the radio...and the rest is history. Country music was in her bones. She followed this love of music to college where she studied Music Therapy at Appalachian State University (home of Eric Church & Luke Combs) and worked as a psychiatric music therapist. While she loved being able to use music to help others, Krystal says that country music "haunted" her and she knew she had to follow that passion, bringing her to Nashville. Krystal's sound has been described as 90's country with a bit of folk, blues, soul, and rock. Krystal combines early influences of artists such as Alan Jackson, Dixie Chicks, Lee Ann Womack, & Willie Nelson with modern likes of Eric Church, Chris Stapleton, & Ashley McBryde. When it comes to songwriting, Krystal says "Loretta Lynn is my alter ego." Krystal has released 9 original singles -6 of which were produced by Mike Loudermilk (previously producing and playing guitar for Crystal Gayle). Over the next year, She will be releasing her self produced, Debut Album "Pretty Poison" (CD Available Now). The first single from the project, "Red Wine & White Lies" has over 15K streams on Spotify and "Mind Your Own Backyard," a quirky murder song from the album, has 27K music video views and is featured on the Heartland Network and CountryLine. Krystal has had the honor of performing iconic stages including the Bluebird Cafe, The Listening Room Cafe and Tootsies Orchid Lounge in Nashville and tours nationally visiting NC, TN, WI, AL, AZ, MS, & FL, & Texas. Additionally Krystal has played several festivals with headliners including Walker Hayes (WestHaven PorchFest), Craig Morgan (Keys To Country), Kristian Bush (Meeting of the Minds) and opened for Beth Neilson Chapman (writer of "This Kiss" by Faith Hill.). In 2024, Krystal had the honor of performing the VIP Lounge at Ascend Amphitheater in Nashville for the Lainey Wilson Concert Other notable performances included the National Anthem for the Charlotte FC out of the Panthers Stadium and the Novant Health Thanksgiving Parade in Charlotte, NC.


    Listen in as we discuss Krystal’s journey and her life in Tennessee. You’ll be inspired by her dedication to inspiring others through music.


    Links Mentioned:

    https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/krystalking/pretty-poison


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    About Me:

    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    25 m
  • Behind the Sidelines: Inside Sports with Berkleigh Mezzanotte
    Aug 14 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Berkleigh Mezzanotte! Berkleigh spent 10 years with the CPL and recently made a job for yesterday as the official league sideline reporter. She also serves as a sideline reporter for UCF Athletics and has worked with Living Sport covering several Super Bowls and other large sporting events!


    Listen in as we discuss Berkleigh’s journey and her career in sports. You’ll be inspired by her dedication to inspiring others through reporting.


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    About Me:

    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    19 m
  • Dream Big, Little One: A Storytime with Ditya Viral
    Aug 2 2025

    🎧 On this episode of Talk of Fame, host Kylie welcomes the imaginative and inspiring Ditya Viral for a special storytelling session!


    Need a break from the daily hustle? Or maybe you're working from home and hoping to help your child unwind? Just press play—Story Central has you covered!


    Ditya brings powerful, engaging stories that entertain, empower, and spark creativity. Whether it’s a five-minute tale or a longer journey of imagination, your child will love every second—and all without a screen. These stories are perfect for building listening skills, encouraging curiosity, and helping little ones relax or drift off to sleep.🛌✨


    Tune in for screen-free fun, calming storytime, and empowering messages—one story at a time.


    Links Mentioned:

    https://open.spotify.com/show/0PDS9o2jXpoc6wIEKnt5UF?si=H6-sX5tgQMmEkKNghrBVhw


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    About Me:Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, family, travel, and uplifting others through storytelling. Through Talk of Fame, I spotlight inspiring voices who are chasing their dreams and changing the world.

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    6 m
  • From Harvard to iHeart: Annie Scherer’s Wild Ride Through Music
    Jul 8 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Annie Scherer! Annie Scherer merges her love of rock ‘n roll classics with her passion for alternative music to produce her own unique sound. Her evocative lyrics and haunting melodies have been heard live from New York to Tennessee. In May 2025, Annie had the honor of performing at the 40th Annual Harvard Mayfair in the heart of Harvard University. She also celebrated her Chinese American heritage with her performance at the CMP gala in New York, NY and the Boston International Asian Music Festival. Annie is currently gearing up to release her EP this fall. In 2023, Annie was the runner-up in Lightning 100’s Music City Mayhem competition in Nashville, which had 430+ entries. The finale included a performance at 3rd & Lindsley, where the five remaining artists battled it out live. First and second place were determined by voters and judges, including some of Nashville’s top music industry members. Following the competition, Annie performed at the annual festival series, Musician's Corner in Nashville. She played the festival again on the main stage in 2024. Annie's single, "Everywhere I Go (Everybody's the Same)" earned her the #1 spot on aBreak Music, the number one music platform for independent artists, in August 2023. The song was aired internationally via iHeart Radio, and received press coverage throughout the nation. Annie released her first full-length album “Garden Bed” in March 2021. The album features previously released singles, "Andy Warhol," "Take Me Places," and "After Rain," along with six brand new tracks. Annie wrote and produced all the songs. Garden Bed showcases her skills as a composer and multi-instrumentalist, performing the trumpet, piano, guitar, and ukulele, while arranging string quartet scores for songs like "Kaleidoscope" and "Ashamed." The album was widely praised by American Songwriters, the Times Union in Albany, NY, and NYS Music. A month after its release, Annie was voted the best local musician in New York's Capital Region according to readers of the Times Union. In 2020, three of Annie's songs, including "Kaleidoscope," "After Rain," and "Roses and Lies" received honorable mentions at the international and notable songwriting competition, SongDoor. "After Rain" was selected for special recognition. Annie was awarded the 2018 Producer's Choice for the 'Celebration of Music' PBS special in Troy, NY, hosted by Ethan Bortnick. She won a trip to LA where she was taped performing "Andy Warhol." Annie’s musical career began at age six, when she started classical piano lessons. She devoted 12 years to classical performance. At seven, she wrote her first song, a holiday tune that she sang for a two-person audience: her mom and music teacher. By age 12, Annie had taught herself guitar, and started gigging and writing more seriously. In addition to her musical aspirations, she is a visual artist and practices with charcoal portraits. She is also a fashion model with Rune Models.

    Listen in as we discuss Annie’s journey and her new music. You’ll be inspired by her dedication to inspiring others through music.


    Links Mentioned:

    https://linktr.ee/anniescherer?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacTpyL2SuzAnV4hCvxu4KdtKPOT9aVFuecXhorjmaKzAtkUKLeNkH4fAE0G4A_aem_VSUNtTFGF0rnaMwn4AT6wg


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    About Me:

    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    21 m
  • She Survived 9/11—Now She Fights for Every Victim with Sara Director
    Jun 17 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Sara Director! Sara joined Barasch & McGarry in 2006 and earned her partnership in 2018, after demonstrating her dedication and commitment to the firm’s clients, resulting in numerous multi-million-dollar recoveries. Sara, a 9/11 survivor, interacts with the firm’s 9/11 clients daily, from their initial phone call to submitting their claims to the Victim Compensation Fund. Sara takes a hands-on approach to her cases, working directly with our clients to ensure that they feel comfortable with the process and that their voices are heard. Her own 9/11 experience provides her unique insight and compassion toward our clients. From day one until the case is resolved, Sara is a fierce advocate and has demonstrated herself to be a champion for 9/11 and accident victims. Drawing upon her two decades of court litigation experience, she has successfully won multiple appeals for our 9/11 clients. Her persistence, legal insight, and personal attention to every client have enabled her to win even the most challenging of appeal situations. She has also been honored to lecture at numerous 9/11-related events to help spread the word about the Victim Compensation Fund and World Trade Center Health Care Program. In addition to her 9/11 work, her practice includes all types of general negligence cases, with an emphasis on line-of-duty accidents on behalf of the FDNY and NYPD, as well as motor vehicle, trips and falls, premises liability and labor law accidents. Sara’s accomplishments have been recognized by her peers in the legal community, earning her a place as a Rising Star in the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and a Super Lawyer 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 in the editions of Super Lawyers magazine. She has also been asked to lecture to her peers in the legal community on various legal topics.


    Listen in as we discuss Sara’s journey and her life since 9/11. You’ll be inspired by her dedication to advocating for the victims of 9/11.


    Links Mentioned:

    https://www.post911attorneys.com/attorneys/sara-director/


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    About Me:

    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    16 m
  • Rafe Carlson | From Logging Camps to Lainey Wilson Tour Dates
    May 28 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney talks with Rafe Carlson! Fast-rising Country artist Rafe Carlson (pronounced RAYF) is striking a chord with fans from the Midwest to Nashville and everywhere in between with his high-octane, energetic live shows, guitar driven tracks, and unapologetic, Skynyrd-esque attitude. Right at the intersection of modern Country and Southern Rock, Rafe's lyrics nod to his upbringing in the frigid Northwoods of Minnesota. The 26-year-old multi-instrumentalist grew up hunting, fishing, and working outdoors in one of the continental U.S.'s harshest climates. His bloodline consists of carpenters, loggers, Vikings, home-builders, and WW2 soldiers. Naturally, his country sound is a little rougher-around-the-edges, with gritty electric guitar parts played by cousins Steven and David Carlson. The Duluth native has garnered over 55,000,000 views on social media, worked with Grammy winning producers and prolific hit songwriters in Nashville, and appeared at festivals and events all over the country. The success of his shows in the Midwest led to Rafe joining bills with superstar acts like Jon Pardi, Jake Owen, Trace Adkins, Chris Janson, and dozens more. His most recent release out of Nashville, 'Big City Lights' has seen radio play across the Upper Midwest, on country stations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. 2025 Will see Rafe joining dozens of superstar acts like Riley Green, Lainey Wilson, Hardy, Cody Johnson and more, and performing at WeFest, Hoofbeat Country Fest, and plenty of other iconic Midwest festivals and events.


    Listen in as we discuss Rafe’s journey and touring with some of the biggest country music artists. You’ll be inspired by his dedication to his craft and creating new music.


    Links Mentioned:


    https://linktr.ee/rafecarlson?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaf6SnaefiiQDdFmsgMqtQYv4sCZvmkrZ5yJKa_9Xb8KukNlTzaNmMHxFdcKOA_aem_SuhwBt-wP1_2M9L5emQ4lg


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    About Me:

    Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!


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    29 m
  • The Young Voice of Baseball – How Billy Pinckney is Changing the Game
    May 15 2025

    In this episode of Talk of Fame, Kylie Montigney reconnects with Billy Pinckney! Billy is a 21-year-old digital content creator & author from Little Falls, New Jersey. Pinckney’s passion for the game of baseball was prevalent at a young age when he became a batboy for the New Jersey Jackals independent team in 2013, at age eleven. Pinckney spent his summers in the professional clubhouse where he learned the intricacies of the game. He began to interview players in 2015 and was hired by the organization as the Press Box & Player Procurement Asst. in 2018. In 2019, he assisted the field manager in assembling a league championship winning squad. In 2022, he was named the Director of Digital Content. Pinckney has always had a passion for growing the game of baseball and finding ways to assist the younger generation. In 2023, he published his book Passion Prevails to help youth players navigate their careers as they face adversity. He recently graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in Sports Communication. He discusses attending & interviewing the Pinstripe Pride Event where it is an unforgettable weekend celebrating New York Yankees legends and iconic celebrities! Listen in as we discuss Billy’s journey and growing up in the sports world. You’ll be inspired by his dedication to his craft and talking about sports.Follow Me:Instagram:@Officialkyliemontigney@TalkoffamepodFacebook:OfficialkyliemontigneyTalkoffameTwitter:@Kyliemontigney4About Me:Hi, I’m Kylie! I’m passionate about sports, spending time with family, traveling, and connecting with people who inspire me. I love listening to people’s stories and sharing their journeys with the world!

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    24 m