Thanks to a mom who made the “big mistake. Big! Huge!” of letting me watching “Pretty Woman” as a child, I grew up thinking of Hollywood as the “land of dreams.” I’d watch movies in awe and hand-stitch evening gowns for my Barbies so we could all watch the Oscars in formal wear. I could’ve never imagined that one day I’d interview Julia Roberts as an entertainment reporter for USA Today or attend the Academy Awards (in Halston and not whatever haute mess couture I put those Barbies in).

In nearly a decade with the news outlet, I’ve also covered the Grammys and Golden Globes, as well as movie premieres and Austin’s SXSW. I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews, and my favorites are the inspiring conversations that we can all take something from, like talking about the depths of love with Jada Pinkett Smith, what matters most in life with Oprah Winfrey, or the lessons Diane von Furstenberg learned from her mother, an Auschwitz survivor.

In order to have more meaningful conversations, I created two personal growth podcasts that I also host: Hears How and Most Self-Improved. Read on for more.