One of only 33 Black female neurosurgeons in the U.S., Dr. Theresa Williamson joins Bonnie Bernstein to reveal how her Yale soccer experience shaped her path to the operating room.

Williamson currently serves as the Director of Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Surgery at Brown University Health. She explains how sports shaped her ability to perform under pressure, communicate effectively, make critical decisions, and harness the resilience required to thrive as a brain and spine surgeon.

Williamson and Bernstein discuss research illustrating how athletes often outperform their peers in medical training, surgical precision, leadership, grit, and mental toughness throughout medical school and residency.

Dr. Williamson also opens up about the challenges of facing down skeptics early in her career, and becoming a fierce patient advocate after witnessing her family's struggles with the healthcare system.

This conversation explores high performance, women in STEM, sports psychology, leadership, resilience, patient trust, and the powerful connection between athletics and excellence in medicine.

Show Notes:

This episode is dedicated to Karenna Groff: 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year, gifted student, all conference, MIT soccer player, aspiring neurosurgeon studying at NYU. Gone too soon. Research Karenna shared with Bonnie discussed in this episode: https://journals.lww.com/jbjsjournal/fulltext/2009/11000/factors_associated_with_successful_performance_in.34.aspx

Additional Research: From Athlete to Surgeon Examining Sports and Grit Among General Surgery Residents https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1931720424003313

Dr. Theresa Williamson:

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresa-williamson-2a416710/
  https://www.instagram.com/docterwilli/

The Athlete Effect™ :

• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein:

• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

The Champions Edge:

• https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv
• https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv
• https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv

Ginger Zee, ABC News Chief Meteorologist, Good Morning America co-host, and New York Times bestselling author joins veteran sports journalist and host Bonnie Bernstein on The Athlete Effect™ to explore how her experience as a multisport athlete shaped her career in meteorology and broadcast journalism.

She reflects on how sports built confidence, discipline, and mental toughness, and the parallel journey of earning credibility in both competitive cheerleading and science-based weather reporting.

Ginger also opens up about her mental health journey, and how embracing vulnerability has become a strength. Running, which once supported her athletic training, is now a core part of her mental wellness routine.

Show Notes: Ginger Zee, The Athlete Effect™ , Bonnie Bernstein, The Champions Edge on ABC

• https://www.ginger-zee.com/books
• https://www.instagram.com/explore/search/keyword/?q=%23gingerzee
• https://www.danharris.com/
• instagram.com/the_athlete_effect
• tiktok.com/@theathleteeffect
• www.youtube.com/@TheAthleteEffect

Bonnie Bernstein handles:

• twitter.com/BonnieBernstein
• instagram.com/BonnieBernstein
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonnie-bernstein/

The Champions Edge:

• https://www.instagram.com/championsedgetv
• https://www.tiktok.com/@championsedgetv
• https://www.facebook.com/championsedgetv

Once an athlete, always an athlete.

Did you know that 94% of female C-suite executives played sports? The Athlete Effect™ leadership and career development podcast explores the powerful connection between sports participation and professional achievement, delivering actionable insights for anyone striving to be a high performer, long after the final whistle.

Emmy-winning sports journalist and former D1 gymnast Bonnie Bernstein takes you inside the minds of athletes-turned-senior executives, entrepreneurs and newsmakers, from Fortune 500 heavyweights and thriving female founders to powerbrokers in law, medicine, entertainment, media, tech, and beyond.

Each week, guests share real-world stories of how they’ve harnessed life skills honed through sports like teamwork, resilience, discipline and confidence to thrive in their careers. The show offers perspective for athletes and working professionals, as well as parents and coaches of female athletes.

Guests include:

• Cathy Engelbert: WNBA Commissioner
• Dominique Dawes (Olympian): Entrepreneur/investor
• Ginger Zee: ABC News chief meteorologist
• Jessica Mendoza (Olympian): ESPN baseball analyst
• Kit Hoover: Entertainment host, Access Hollywood
• Kristyn Cook: State Farm CMO
• Molly Battin: Home Depot CMO
• Dr. Theresa Williamson: Groundbreaking neurosurgeon
• Vernice “Fly Girl” Armour: U.S. military's first Black female combat pilot

The Athlete Effect™ is the companion podcast to The Champion’s Edge on ABC, where Bonnie Bernstein serves as creator, host, and executive producer.

Download and follow The Athlete Effect™ for more.