Join us as we delve into the world of student debt. Leave us a voicemail with your story at (510) 479-0323. Tune in on your favorite podcast platform.

Shanna Bennett

Co-Host & Producer

Shanna Bennett immigrated with her family from Jamaica in the early 90s and navigated the higher education lending process as a 1st gen college student. She earned a double major in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Pittsburgh and went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She has worked in the HR field for over 7 years. After realizing that she had accumulated six-figure student debt, she created @studentdebtbrand to learn more about student debt and share what she learned with others. In doing so, she met Nikki Nolan and the rest is history. Learn more about Shanna in Episode 19.
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Talia Molé

Co-Host, Editor & Producer

Talia Molé believes in the artist as a rebellious and revolutionary teacher whose purpose is to disrupt the status quo inspiring conversations that lead to greater questioning and awakening within a communal body. As an artist, she has dedicated her time to understanding social change through different social spaces and disciplines within academia and beyond. She molded and polished her role as an activist/scholar with the help of a B.F.A. in Theatre Performance, an M.S. in Counseling, and a Ph.D. in Anthropology and Social Change. Her field of research and exploration revolves around lived expressions of mother/motherhood/mothering, within marginalized populations, that serve as a radical remembrance of matriarchal ancestry, lineage, and community. Learn more about Talia in Epiosde 52. 

Nikki Nolan

Creator, Producer, Editor & Former / Sometimes Host

Nikki Nolan accrued all of her student debt when she got her MFA in Interactive Media at Pratt Institute. She borrowed $108k in 2009 and by 2017, her student debt peaked at $153k+. She had been paying off her loans on time since 2012, but her debt continued to increase rapidly due to interest. Her overall final loan total reached $162,144, including $53,832 in interest. She paid off her student loans and is fighting to make sure student loans get fully canceled so that no one else has to be held back for wanting an education. She currently works as a software product designer. Learn more about Nikki in Episode 1.

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Emma

Emma Klauber

Producer, transcribers & social media copywriter

Originally from York, PA, Emma graduated from NYU and Royal Central School of Speech and Drama with degrees in Education and Applied Theatre. She spent a decade working in the arts education field, including at The Town Hall in New York City. After a pivot to tech, she became a team member of the Tech for Social Good team at JPMorgan Chase, managing youth programs. Currently, she works at HSBC leading communications and training in the Data Architecture Office. Learn more about Emma in Episode 11.