I'm here too
Storytelling in public.
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I'm Here Too Podcast

I’m Here Too Podcast

A podcast, hosted by Ara Tucker that explores the intersections of art, culture, creativity, family, identity and all that fills the spaces in between.

We all have a chance to make our own mark, our own impression. Big or small as it ends up being. What a freeing realization that has been for me. Don’t get me wrong. It’s been a long and circuitous road getting to the place where “I” feels authentic and where I don’t apologize for the way I walk through the world.

It took me a long time to get to here, a place where I will be seen and heard. But now that I’m here, I’m eager for some company. I look forward to sharing my journey with you, learning from others, and creating a space where we can feel more connected, inspired and safe to be ourselves.

Off we go!

Honor Your DNA, a conversation with Leelia Strogov

Honor Your DNA
a conversation with Leelila Strogov

You can also find this podcast on YouTube (transcript available), Spotify (video and audio versions), Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts (transcript available) and other fun places where podcasts live so subscribe, follow and tell your friends and your cat to listen and let me know what you think.

In this episode, I talk with Leelila Strogov about ambition, identity, stewardship, and the responsibility that comes with shaping other people’s lives.

Leelila is the Founder and CEO of AtomicMind, where she works with high-achieving students navigating some of the world’s most competitive institutions. But this conversation is less about admissions than it is about formation: how people learn who they are, how confidence develops, and what happens when ambition is either nurtured or imposed.

We talk about honoring identity early, why joyful ambition matters, and how pressure can distort both learning and self-trust. We also explore technology, attention, mentorship, parenting, and the discipline required to protect time, trust, and humanity in an always-on world.

Throughout the conversation is a deeper question:
What does it mean to build lives, relationships, and institutions that expand possibility rather than constrain it?

In this episode:

  • Joyful ambition versus imposed ambition

  • Honoring identity in children, students, and ourselves

  • Midlife discernment and protecting attention

  • Technology as a tool for becoming more human

  • Trust, leadership, and generational responsibility

  • Why one generation’s rise should create possibility for the next

About Leelila Strogov

Leelila Strogov is the Founder and CEO of AtomicMind, a global education consulting firm helping high-achieving students gain admission to the world’s most selective schools. AtomicMind is known for its exceptional success rates at Ivy League and IvyPlus institutions, driven by deep admissions intelligence and insight. Before launching AtomicMind, Leelila was an Emmy Award–winning investigative reporter and producer at Fox News in Los Angeles. She holds a B.S. from MIT and is recognized as a notable alumna. Blending analytical rigor with powerful storytelling, Leelila helps students stand out beyond grades and test scores—ultimately guiding students to craft applications that are strategic, authentic, and compelling.

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