In this deeply moving episode of The Connection Code, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall sit down with Morgan Radford. She's an NBC News anchor, correspondent, Fulbright scholar, and debut novelist who joins for a wide-ranging conversation about purpose, connection, and the relationships that shape a life.

Morgan describes journalism not as a job, but as a calling and a purpose, explaining why this difficult moment for the press is exactly the moment many journalists were “built for.” She offers a hopeful, service-oriented vision of the profession and why transparency and trust are central to her work.

A centerpiece of the conversation is Morgan’s story about Nancy Han at ABC News, who invested in her early career, pushed her toward excellence, and ultimately helped put her on air. The story becomes a beautiful meditation on mentorship, visibility, and the power of one person believing in you.

The episode then turns deeply personal. Morgan recounts a reporting story that changed her understanding of love and motherhood — a family who chose to adopt a high-school-aged basketball player. Witnessing that “chosen love” expanded her definition of family and later shaped how she thinks about her own life and future possibilities.

Morgan reflects candidly on becoming a mother herself, calling it “the most healing thing” she has ever done. She shares why she wants her daughter to know she is not only loved, but liked, and how parenting has widened (not narrowed) her ambition and creativity.

The conversation also explores Morgan’s debut novel, "Now Then," and how fiction allowed her to give shape, meaning, and emotional truth to experiences that journalism alone could not hold. Writing became a necessary creative outlet and a new way of understanding her own life.

In true Connection Code style, Morgan speaks beautifully about friendship and reconnection and offers advice to her younger self: be bolder, ask for the coffee, and don’t be afraid of connection.

She closes by naming her dream connection: filmmaker Ava DuVernay, whose storytelling across mediums gives life cultural and emotional shape.

This episode is generous, vulnerable, and illuminating — one that lingers long after you press pause.

Find Morgan: @morgankradford on Instagram and on NBC News Daily.

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of breast cancer, medical trauma, and serious illness. Please take care while listening, especially if these topics are close to home.

In this powerful and deeply human conversation, Jeana Anderson Cohen and Rachel Gillman Rischall sit down with Dr. Carlie Thompson, a breast surgical oncologist, mother of two, and breast cancer survivor, to explore how life’s hardest moments can become catalysts for clarity, connection, and profound transformation.

Only days after her final breast cancer surgery, Carlie shares her story with extraordinary honesty: from receiving her own diagnosis as a breast cancer surgeon, to choosing to pause her medical career, homeschool her children, and take her family on a bold global reset. Together, they talk about grief, resilience, friendship, identity, motherhood, marriage, and the people who show up when everything changes.

This episode is about what it means to stop, listen, and realign (and how connection becomes the foundation for healing). We discuss:

✨ Carlie’s diagnosis and the emotional impact of becoming both doctor and patient
✨ The wake-up call that led her to reshape her life and priorities
✨ How community and unexpected support became a lifeline during treatment
✨ Why she chose to step away from her career and begin a year of world travel with her family
✨ The courage to share her story publicly and the overwhelming response that followed
✨ Practical breast health guidance: when to start mammograms and who to see
✨ What true wellness really means — physically, emotionally, and spiritually
✨ The healing power of friendship and family connection during crisis

Dr. Carlie Thompson is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist and associate professor of surgery at UCLA Health. She is also a breast cancer survivor whose personal journey has reshaped her mission: helping women reconnect with themselves and redefine what it means to truly be well.

Follow Carlie’s journey and her work in women’s health at @drcarliethompson on Instagram & Facebook

Season 2 of The Connection Code kicks off with a heartfelt conversation between Jeana and Rachel reflecting on what Season 1 taught them about friendship, creativity, and community — and what they hope to build together in the year ahead. From personal connection goals and the surprising science of friendship to dream guests and real-life Connection Code gatherings, this episode sets the tone for a season rooted in intention, curiosity, and meaningful relationships.

In This Episode: Season 1 Reflections

Jeana and Rachel revisit the original “joy metrics” that guided the podcast:

• Are we having fun? (Yes — this podcast has become their favorite hobby.)

• Are we connecting people? (Absolutely — including real-life introductions sparked by the show.)

• Are we receiving meaningful feedback? (Listeners from beyond their personal networks are engaging deeply.)

• Is it worth the time? (Unquestionably.)

• Are guests recommending new guests? (A powerful “daisy chain” of incredible women.)

They also reflect on how the podcast has deepened their own friendship — shared history, mutual friends, and an expanding sense of “group” in their lives.

Jeana’s Focus: Creating meaningful friendships where she lives and learning to join groups rather than always lead them.

Rachel’s Focus: A “One-a-Day” connection practice: reaching out intentionally to one person every day with a simple message of gratitude, care, or curiosity.

Rachel notices her mood and energy dramatically improve on recording days — something Jeana connects to the neuroscience of friendship: the brain releases oxytocin and dopamine in social bonding, producing effects similar to MDMA. In other words, deep conversation and human connection literally make us feel better.

Rachel’s Pick: A New York Times story by Katherine Rosman about a group of six women who have met consistently for 44 years — a masterclass in commitment, vulnerability, and lifelong friendship.

Jeana’s Pick: Insights from Why Brains Need Friends on the power of “loose ties” — the small, everyday interactions with strangers (baristas, neighbors, commuters) that significantly boost mood and wellbeing. Studies show even brief conversations with strangers improve daily happiness.

Together, they explore how both close ties and loose ties are essential for a thriving social life.

Jeana’s Dream Guests:

• Ty Haney (community-first business building)

• Founder of Girls Who Walk

• Casper ter Kuile (author of How We Gather and The Power of Ritual)

Rachel’s Dream Guests:

• Gayle King

• Jenna Bush Hager

• Priya Parker (The Art of Gathering)

They also share a vision of bringing The Connection Code to life with in-person gatherings — possibly at Petite Acres.