Roads Taken

Leslie Jennings Rowley, Dartmouth Class of 1996•roadstakenshow.com

Welcome to Roads Taken, the show that reminds us that you don’t have to know exactly where you’re going, you just need to be open to the adventure that awaits. In each episode, Leslie Jennings Rowley talks to her guests—all a quarter-century-plus after college—about who they were as they graduated, who they thought they’d be, and how they’ve traveled down various roads to get where they are today. Mid-life crises? Maybe. Exactly where they thought they'd be? Rarely. In the end, each of their stories shows us what Robert Frost was trying to tell us: It doesn’t really matter which way we turn….a full life awaits, regardless of the ROADS TAKEN.

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Episodes

Intelligence Quotient: Pace Duckenfield on lifelong learning and the risk of staying stagnant

Guest Pace Duckenfield , Dartmouth '96, had been pursuing a legal career in the telecom policy and regulation area—just as planned. But he also knew that he would need to make good on his commitment to the military. Instead of continuing to process security clearances—same process, different day—he decided that going active duty would help him develop more skills. Finding himself in the Middle East just after the U.S. invaded Iraq, his days were definitely anything but mundane. His work as an in...

Jul 06, 2020•24 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Superstar Activator: Michelle Villalobos on finding truth and alignment from the depths

Guest Michelle Villalobos , Dartmouth '96, was hanging with Shakira, taking the Latin lifestyle publication biz by storm, and then launching her own consulting firm. But the vida ended up being a little too loca . When she felt she hit bottom she realized she’d been listening to all the wrong voices and what looked cool and shiny on the outside didn’t really reflect the deeper truth somewhere under the surface. Uncovering her own truth, she found a path toward helping others align their own purp...

Jun 29, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Roads Diverged: Gabriel Schlumberger's Covid-19 Response, 3D printing PPE

Recently, ROADS TAKEN sat down to talk with Gabe Schlumberger about his journey from perennial college major-changer to Pixar animator to his new role as CEO of a startup eyewear company, Fitz Frames. Recognizing that they had something to contribute during the coronavirus pandemic, he and the company pivoted. Join Leslie Jennings Rowley as she talks to Gabe about this for a special covid-19 Bonus Episode of ROADS TAKEN. Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley Music: Clancy Rowley on a t...

Jun 26, 2020•7 min

Through a Creative Lens: Gabe Schlumberger on pursuing what intrigues you

Guest Gabe Schlumberger , Dartmouth '96, began his post-college life without a job, but with a nagging feeling that he needed to be creating. He set his sights on animation and worked hard to land at Pixar, adding his hand to some of the company's most iconic animated features. The advent of the iPhone led him to dabble in app development and ultimately in charge of digital efforts for Disney. So how does someone leave not one but two of the most recognizable names in the the entertainment indus...

Jun 22, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Location, Location, Location: Sarah McAlister Woelfle on non-profit burnout, Ivy League guilt, and finding your way home

Guest Sarah McAlister Woelfle , Dartmouth '96, began her post-college life as the first female team manager for the global pediatric health non-profit Operation Smile. Entrusted with the health and safety of scores of people at the age of 21 and seemingly living and breathing the work 'round the clock, she realized that—while she had gotten so much from the experience—she had given a lot, too. Recalibrating, she thought the corporate world would give her the international lifestyle she craved. B...

Jun 15, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 3

In Our Footsteps: Drew Brady on walking with the next generation

Guest Drew Brady , Dartmouth '96, had always been interested in science but learned in college that research didn't feel as immediate as medicine and, in medicine learned that surgery provided the quickest route to results. While a surprise addition to his family didn't derail his straight path through med school to practicing orthopaedics, it did add another layer of complexity. It also added another route to reconnection with his college days. In this episode, find out from Drew how a straight...

Jun 15, 2020•22 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Purpose over Passion: Dan Gonzalez on being industry agnostic and the problem with passion

Guest Dan Gonzalez , Dartmouth '96, left college most concerned with keeping his options open. In the pursuit of breadth, he dabbled in everything from health care consulting and after-school drama programs for kids, and even considered med school. But then he heeded the oft-proffered advice to "follow your passion," realized music-making had been a source of earlier joy, and enrolled in a song-writing program at Berklee College of Music. To make ends meet, he had been tutoring at a test prep co...

Jun 15, 2020•23 min•Season 1Ep. 1

Introducing Roads Taken

They say “Hindsight is 20/20” and don’t we all wish we could have graduated college knowing what we know now? In this year 2020 and into 2021, members of Dartmouth’s Class of ’96 are looking back at the roads they’ve traveled on their way to their 25th Reunion. And we are kicking off a podcast series to share our stories of all the twists and turns and lessons learned. Host Leslie Jennings Rowley '96 will sit down with many different classmates and hear their stories about who they were at Dartm...

Jun 01, 2020•42 sec

Who You'll Hear on Roads Taken

Welcome to Roads Taken, the show that reminds us that you don’t have to know exactly where you’re going, you just need to be open to the adventure that awaits. In each weekly episode for the next year, Leslie Jennings Rowley will sit down with a new guest—all classmates of hers headed down the road to their 25th college reunion—about who they were as they graduated, who they thought they’d be, and how they’ve meandered down various roads to get where they are today. Will they have loved all thei...

Jun 01, 2020•2 min

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