On a gray, freezing day in early February of 2025, Lucia Matuonto and Vicky Oliver met for a long, leisurely lunch at Brasserie Cognac on Manhattan’s Upper East Side to brainstorm. Famous for its fluffy omelettes and rich, sumptuous salads, the brasserie provided a cozy environment conducive to bandying about ideas.
Lucia and Vicky settled on the cushy banquettes. That afternoon, the restaurant was filled with powerful “ladies who launch”—launch businesses, that is, and perhaps the vibe was contagious.
“This is the ‘power lunch’ hotspot for women,” Vicky said, glancing at two ladies in Chanel suits, occupying the corner table by the bar.
“We should launch a podcast for women,” said Lucia.
“I love the idea,” said Vicky, eyes flickering with excitement.
Lucia and Vicky spoke for hours about resilience: what it takes for a woman today to overcome the barriers of class, race, age, and gender, plus a hundred other obstacles. Lucia asked if things might be even more challenging for women now than only a few years back, given the current political climate. Vicky wondered aloud who they might ask to share their personal stories of growth, endurance, and courage in the face of these challenges.
Over a delectable, three-hour meal capped by several cappuccinos and iced teas, the idea for the Resilient Women series was launched. And for the inaugural show, Lucia and Vicky are proud to introduce you to Sheri-Lynn Gelo. She personifies not only resilience, but great beauty—both inner and outer. In fact, Sheri once competed for the Miss Canada title.
Sherry was tragically widowed at age 23 (or 24) due to suicide. Sherry used her pain for a purpose and joined beauty pageants throughout Canada, with the platform to raise awareness about mental health. While she was healing from such a terrible loss, this gorgeous woman competed for the place of “Miss Canada”, not because she needed the attention or accolades, but to raise awareness and for the mental health support her husband needed. And, she did it while also working her bad-ass job as an automobile mechanic. Now, something like 11 years later, Sherry is re-married with two beautiful kids. She’s still gorgeous, but no longer participates in beauty pageants.
The Resilient Women series on The Relatable Voice Podcast debuted in April, celebrating
extraordinary women who have overcome challenges and achieved remarkable success. Their
powerful stories serve as a testament to the strength, perseverance, and resilience that define true
success.
You can view more photos of Sheri-Lynn and learn more about her in the April issue of The Relatable Voice magazine. Grab your free copy here: www.relatable-media.com/the-relatable-voice-magazine
You can listen to The Resilient Women’s series here: