Coffee & Conversations

What does it take to walk away from a highly successful, 30-year career in television broadcasting? In this episode of Coffee & Conversations, host Jana Angel sits down with beloved former WBTV QC Life host Kristen Miranda at Community Matters Cafe in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Kristen opens up about her decision to leave local television at age 50, the challenges of starting over, and her exciting new role with Blumenthal Arts. Jana and Kristen also address the online rumors about a "rivalry" between them, proving that support, friendship, and collaboration are far more powerful than competition.

If you have been feeling a "stirring" or a "rumbling" to make a major pivot in your own life or career, Kristen’s advice on overcoming comfort and embracing the scary first steps is exactly what you need to hear.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Dispelling the host rivalry myth and celebrating female friendship in media.
• Choosing growth and learning over a comfortable career routine.
• Understanding your unique "superpowers" and how they translate to the real world.
• Dealing with public feedback and staying grounded.
• The transition from television to supporting local theater at Blumenthal Arts.

Host Jana Angel talks with Neshé Conley, MPH, CHES® (Ebony Women Health Corp.) and Porsché Collins, LSCW (Empathic Hues Counseling and Consultation, PLLC) about Black maternal health, postpartum depression and the power of self-advocacy in health care settings.

The conversation highlights real-world experiences, practical steps for preparing for medical appointments, and the importance of community-based support and culturally responsive providers.

What do you picture when you see a police officer? Now zoom out even further, what do you assume about "the Chief"?

If your mind goes straight to the uniform and the badge, Chief Estella Patterson is here to expand that view. In our Coffee & Conversations sit-down, we started with a very unexpected icebreaker: “What are you wearing?” And just like that, the conversation shifted beyond titles and into the person, someone who once considered studying fashion, someone who walks three dogs around town, and someone who will absolutely pause a photographer to make sure the gloss goes on before the camera clicks. Her directness is matched by genuine fun, but what stays with me most is her vulnerability: she speaks openly about mental wellness, she’s grounded in faith, and she’s quick to remind me that while I see her as an incredible leader, God is leading her.

Chief Patterson’s story is history-making and deeply rooted in Charlotte. City Manager Marcus D. Jones announced that the former Raleigh Police Chief and former CMPD Deputy Chief will return to lead the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department as Charlotte’s first female police chief. She began her law enforcement career with CMPD in 1996, rising through roles from patrol officer to academy instructor, recruitment, Internal Affairs, and Deputy Chief assignments over Administrative Services and Patrol Services. Her leadership in Raleigh included a recruitment and hiring plan that reduced vacancies from 150 to 40 in three years, the creation of the Raleigh Police Foundation that raised $4 million to support morale-boosting projects, and a reported 100% homicide clearance rate in 2024, alongside efforts to reduce violent crime. A U.S. Army Reserve veteran who served combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq and reached the rank of Captain, she’s also an FBI National Academy graduate with degrees from UNC Charlotte and the University of Oklahoma.

As she steps into this next chapter, she says her priorities include reducing violent crime, enhancing community engagement by empowering neighbors to speak up and step in, and strengthening employee morale and wellness. After talking with her, I’m convinced she’ll lead with both strategy and heart.

Host Jana Angel welcomes Kayla Binter (creative catalyst) and Will White (fashion designer and musician) for a candid talk about personal style, confidence and creative identity. They share how fashion becomes a daily practice of autonomy — from mixing thrifted pieces with statement items to choosing outfits based on mood, comfort and self-expression.

Binter and White also discuss navigating critique as creatives, finding authenticity in your work, and how style evolves over time and across seasons of life. The episode closes with encouragement for listeners to start small: experiment with what’s already in your closet, lean on community feedback, and remember you “can’t pull it off unless you put it on.”

Coffee & Conversations with Jana Angel is a space for real stories and honest insight — the kind that meets you where you are and gently nudges you forward. Each episode features heartfelt conversations with creators, leaders, and changemakers as they share lived experiences around building something from scratch, leading through transition, finding your voice, shifting your mindset, and navigating recovery, renewal, and reinvention in real time.

Across every story, one message rises to the top: today is the day to go for it — not because life is perfectly lined up, but because progress starts with a decision. This podcast doesn’t ask you to pretend everything is fine; it invites you to get honest about what you need, what you’re ready to release, and what you’re willing to try next. If you’ve been waiting for a sign, consider this your reminder: you don’t have to feel fearless to start, and you don’t have to have it all figured out to take the next step.

New episodes bring fresh perspective, practical encouragement, and the kind of conversation that helps you believe: you can, and you will.

In this episode of Coffee and Conversations, host Jana Angel welcomes her mother, Jan Nieuwstraten Angel, for a personal talk about family, faith and the choices that shaped Jan’s independent path. From free-range childhood adventures in Savannah to a spur-of-the-moment move to Asheville, Jan reflects on responsibility, reinvention and the power of steady composure. She also recounts navigating male-dominated workplaces, demanding fair pay and leading with hospitality, empathy and grit.

Host Jana Angel is joined by Nichole Eaton — therapist, author and manifestation coach — for a candid conversation about what it really takes to move the needle in your life. Nichole draws on her personal story of rising from poverty, food stamps and depression to building a thriving practice, writing two books and living in the home she once only dreamed about — all by learning to shift her mindset and align her energy with what she truly wanted.

Nichole, who holds a master's degree and has worked with clients for 17 years, breaks down the neuroscience behind why people get stuck, how the brain searches for evidence of what it already believes and why visualization is more powerful than most people realize. She shares practical, low-barrier tools — from a five-minute daily manifestation letter to a bullet journal habit tracker — and explains why shooting too far too fast is one of the biggest reasons manifestation doesn't work for most people.

Nichole is also the author of "Rock Your Comeback" and host of the podcast by the same name, where she spotlights stories of resilience and reinvention. This episode is equal parts inspiring and instructional — a must-listen for anyone ready to stop reacting to life and start creating it.

What happens when a rapper picks up a DJ board during a pandemic — and never looks back? In this episode of Coffee & Conversations, Jana Angel sits down with Charlotte's own DJ See Bird Go and her mother, manager, and life coach Mama Bird for a candid conversation about building a sustainable career in the arts, knowing your worth, and the power of a mother-daughter partnership. From learning to DJ on YouTube to sharing a stage at Dreamville Fest with Lil Wayne, See Bird Go's journey is one of intention, preparation, and fearless self-belief. Mama Bird breaks down how she helped craft her daughter's brand — from pricing her talent to curating her signature style — and shares wisdom on why doing the inner work always comes before the outer. Whether you're an artist trying to find your footing, an entrepreneur learning to charge what you're worth, or someone who just needs a reminder to go for it — this one's for you.

Host Jana Angel welcomes Anne Steppe (Step by Steppe Professional Organizing) for a deeper conversation about decluttering—why it’s so hard to let things go, how guilt and identity get tied to “stuff,” and how to create home systems that work long-term. Anne shares tips for reducing overwhelm (especially for ADHD/neurodivergent brains), building simple daily reset habits, and focusing on progress over perfection.

In this episode of Coffee & Conversations, host Jana Angel sits down with Melinda Morris Zanoni, Esq., founder of Apollo Sports & Entertainment Law Group (Chambers-ranked; GGI Global Alliance), to talk about building a firm from scratch and leading at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and media.

Melinda shares insights from representing professional athletes, sports teams, media companies, and celebrities; advising on high-profile transactions totaling more than $21 billion; and navigating emerging issues like NIL rights, broadcast deals, and intellectual property protection.

Key takeaway: real success is sustainable—and it requires intentionally protecting your priorities, your people, and the life that keeps you fulfilled.

UpShot League Coach Trisha Stafford-Odom (Coach Trish) sits down with host Jana Angel for Coffee & Conversations to discuss adaptive coaching, leadership standards, and why women’s basketball is building something entirely its own—bold, fast, and intentionally modern.

Coach Trish shares how she tailors her approach to each athlete to unlock performance and build culture, and we spotlight the new UpShot League and the Charlotte Crown, returning women’s pro basketball to Charlotte at Bojangles Coliseum. 

Learn more at crownupshot.com
Host: Jana Angel

If you’ve ever wondered what real healing can look like, or how to be a better friend, family member, partner, coworker or community member to someone navigating a hard chapter in their life - this conversation is for you.

In the Season 2 finale of Coffee & Conversations, I sat down with Lisa Colson, a beloved part of the team at Community Matters Cafe, and a familiar face to the QC Life crew. What starts as a warm, coffee-table chat becomes a powerful story of transformation, as Lisa describes her shift from survival mode to stability, purpose, and hope.

Often we look at addiction through a singular lens, as if it’s a choice that someone makes. But like many people, Lisa’s journey started with a different battle: fighting cancer. 

Lisa shares how her life looks completely different today, because she chose recovery – and then kept choosing it, one step at a time. With the help of faith, consistent support, and a community that believed in her, Lisa found the structure and encouragement she needed to rebuild her life. 

Now, she’s not only thriving, but she’s also becoming the kind of person who helps others believe change is possible. 

What surprised me most in this conversation was her answer to my question, “What was your first joyful memory of sobriety?” I can’t wait for you to hear her response, because it is something we’ve certainly taken for granted in our own lives. 

The episode also offers practical, compassionate takeaways for anyone involved in or witnessing recovery. 

Lisa and I talk about how to support someone who’s interested in a sober life, from being mindful of triggers to simply asking what support looks like. We also address the reality of loving someone who isn’t ready to get sober yet, emphasizing patience, compassion, and staying connected without judgment. 

Lisa’s message is simple: Lead with love, be curious and not condemning, and connect with someone when you are ready for help. 

Watch the full episode for an inspiring, honest discussion about second chances, the strength it takes to change, and the impact a supportive community can make.

This week on Coffee & Conversations, hosts Jana Angel and Angel sit down with former NASA astronaut and Navy pilot Winston Scott.

Scott shares the story of his path from Naval Aviation Officer Candidate School to flying the F-14 Tomcat, logging more than 7,000 flight hours, and eventually being selected by NASA.

During his time with NASA, Scott flew on two Space Shuttle missions and completed three spacewalks, helping retrieve satellites and test tools that later supported the construction of the International Space Station.

After retiring from NASA and the U.S. Navy, Scott moved into leadership and education. He served at Florida State University, the Florida Space Authority, and the Florida Institute of Technology, where he held several senior roles.

In this conversation, Scott reflects on discipline, curiosity, and the mindset it takes to pursue something bigger than yourself.

Have you ever wondered how nonprofits build a legacy rooted in purpose, or how national brands choose the right partners to serve their communities? In this special on-location episode, host Jana Angel explores what creates meaningful partnerships and lasting impact when mission-driven organizations come together.

This week, Coffee & Conversations spotlights two Carolina staples: The Greg Olsen Foundation and Bojangles, and their shared commitment to heart health through The HEARTest Yard. Jana sits down with Jose Armario, Executive Director of the Bojangles Foundation and CEO of Bojangles, to discuss what it really takes to turn collaboration into action—from corporate social responsibility to community impact and pediatric heart care advocacy.

What can you learn about someone you see on your television every single day, but never quite get to know. Today on Coffee & Conversations, I am sitting down with the man behind the desk, and so many media moments across the Carolinas, John Carter.

For decades, John has been a trusted voice in our community, delivering the news at four, six, and eleven, and sharing unforgettable stories through Carolina Camera. But behind the broadcasts is a journey filled with career pivots, public service, entrepreneurship, and personal challenges that shaped the man viewers welcome into their homes each day.

We talk about his path from a young news assistant at WBTV to anchor, business owner, state senator, and back to the newsroom. We also open up about his battle with prostate cancer and how that diagnosis changed his perspective on life, work, and the importance of early detection for men.

And of course, we dive into one of his most talked about recent interviews, a conversation with the infamous Roof Man, the criminal who once cut holes in restaurant roofs and even hid inside a Charlotte toy store while on the run. John shares what it is like to sit across from someone with a story like that, and how he approaches interviews that capture the attention of the entire region.

It is a conversation about the man and the job, the headlines and the heart behind them, and what it means to spend a lifetime telling other people’s stories while building one of your own.

How do you go from the White House to Broadway in one life?

Host Jana Angel sits down with Paul Oakley Stovall, an actor, writer, producer, and storyteller whose journey spans the Obama White House, Broadway stages, and deeply personal creative work.

Paul portrayed George Washington in the first national tour of Hamilton, is a Tony Award–winning producer of A Strange Loop, and spent seven years working in the Obama White House, including as advance staff lead and media logistics coordinator for First Lady Michelle Obama.

In this conversation, Paul shares the defining moments that shaped his life, including surviving a near-fatal shooting at 21, rebuilding his career one day at a time, and learning to live with intention, grace under pressure, and honesty. Together, Jana and Paul explore what it means to say yes to life, embrace the parts of yourself that stand out, and tell the truth through your work.

The episode also dives into Paul’s most personal project yet, Breaking Free, a cabaret rooted in healing, community, and the beauty that comes from putting broken things back together.

This episode is for creatives, performers, and anyone navigating change while trying to live authentically and with purpose.

Hosted by Jana Angel, this conversation with Chef Sam Hart isn’t about food. It’s about people.

Chef Sam Hart, the mind behind the Michelin-Star restaurant counter-, shares what leadership looks like when care, honesty, and respect come first. From building a people-centered kitchen culture to creating sustainable career paths rooted in fair pay, education, shared ownership, and mental health awareness, Sam offers a clear picture of how leaders can serve well without losing themselves.

Jana first met Sam during a dinner at counter-, expecting an impressive meal but leaving with something deeper. What stood out wasn’t just the experience, but the intention behind it. Every interaction, every story, and every detail reflected a belief that leadership begins with how you treat people.

This isn’t a traditional chef interview. It’s a conversation about purpose, culture, and leading in a way that leaves people better than you found them.

Join Jana Angel as she talks to Meredith Dean, the personal branding coach who's helping creators launch their dreams without the corporate cage.

After 10 years in Charlotte, from CBS to Ryan Seacrest Studios, Meredith made the bold move to go all-in on her passion: coaching entrepreneurs to build authentic personal brands. In this episode, she breaks down:

• The "Forget Me Not" framework—a game-changing way to identify your unique brand
• Why perfectionism kills your content (and what to do instead)
• How to build real social capital and network authentically
• The difference between chasing likes and creating real impact
• Your "9 to 5" to "9 to Thrive" mindset shift

Whether you're thinking about leaving your job, starting a business, or just want to show up authentically online, Meredith's got the receipts (and the advice) to back it up.

Time to amplify your voice and act on your mission.

We all talk about “new year, new me,” but real change doesn’t start with resolutions. It starts with grace. Before growth can happen, we have to forgive ourselves for the past mistakes, the decisions we wish we could redo, and the versions of ourselves we’re still learning from.

The first guest of 2026 is Will Whitlow — a Charlotte native, proud father, and man in recovery. After years working in the nonprofit space and walking alongside others on their recovery journeys, Will found a calling rooted in encouragement, community, and lived experience. He knows firsthand how powerful support can be.

Will recently stepped into entrepreneurship as a small business owner selling home gyms, a move that’s allowed him to be a stay-at-home dad while building something meaningful. Fitness has long been central to his life, and for Will, sobriety is about more than abstaining. It’s about balance — body, mind, and spirit.

In this conversation, hosted by Jana Angle, Will shares his story with honesty and clarity, reflecting on forgiveness, self-grace, and what it takes to move forward. Many people struggle to step into their next chapter not because they lack motivation, but because they haven’t released the weight of past choices.

On a personal note, Jana met Will when Coffee & Conversation first began at Community Matters Cafe. She’s watched him live out the mission, become a father, and now grow into his own as a business owner and leader in the community. This conversation is a reminder that healing and new beginnings begin when we give ourselves permission to forgive.

Coffee & Conversations is a WBTV original series created as a space for meaningful connection with people who made bold choices to build lives they truly wanted to live. Throughout the first season, those choices often meant taking risks, betting on themselves, and embracing uncertainty, and every conversation became a moment of growth and learning for me as the host. At the end of each episode, I ask one simple question, “What fills your cup?” In this special reflection, we revisit those answers and the powerful perspectives that shaped season one.

Have you ever thought about walking away from everything safe, secure, and predictable - because you just had a gut feeling you were meant for something bigger? Did you ever feel like your shine was constantly being dimmed? If you are ready to hear from a woman who amped up her own wattage by walking away from her corporate career to become a full time media maven, then buckle up and tune in to the most caffeinated episode of Coffee & Conversations yet!

Ohavia Phillips-Reed is an author, emcee, radio and tv personality with a megawatt smile and a contagious energy that is not only who she is as a person, but has also embodies her brand. She shares how to dig in and discover how your individual qualities can become your dream career. We talk about the reality and logistics of becoming an entrepreneur, what the math and the calendar look like to be profitable, and she pulls back the curtain on how to stay booked and busy without the burnout. Put a lid on your coffee for this conversation because we are diving headfirst into the #OHMAZING familia! 

If you are faced with unexpected change, the feeling it's time to try something new, or you just want to hear what life at Hallmark is really like, this conversation is for you! 

One of our very own Queen City locals has taken on many roles from First Wives Club to Will and Grace and most recently this season of Hallmark’s “Finding Mr. Christmas”. But before Angel Garrett stepped in front of the camera, he was an athlete that faced a career ending injury and was forced to find his next chapter. He shares how he made the transition from soccer pitch to prime time actor and who he ensured was around him to stay true to his character on and off screen.

Ever wanted to quit your job and travel the world? Have you thought about opening up a restaurant inspired by your favorite places? Have you ever experienced a time where your body was fighting a battle with you and you didn’t know why? If any of these thoughts cross your mind, then this conversation is for you.

This week we are diving into the extraordinary journey of Jamie Brown and Jeff Tonidandel, the husband-and-wife team behind the Tonidandel-Brown Restaurant Group. After getting married, they quit their jobs, traveled the world, and used that inspiration to open their first restaurant with no prior experience. They talk about navigating the unexpected, leaning on their team, and trusting that the next step will appear when you’re willing to take the leap. Jamie also opens up about her battle with food sensitivities and how it shaped their approach to hospitality and the full dining experience. This pair has navigated challenge and changes together successfully with two distinctive personality types. This conversation we learn about the perfect ingredient that makes this recipe for success so right.