Women’s Health, Wealth & Happiness: Santa Barbara Literary Festival

Learning from What We Write

From boobs to bank accounts—and everything in between—this candid, empowering conversation tackles the realities shaping women’s lives today.

Authors Leslie Lehr and financial journalist Alison Kosik join moderator Mariel Hemingway for a dynamic discussion on the intersection of physical health, mental well-being, financial literacy, career longevity, and personal fulfillment. Together, they’ll explore the often-overlooked connections between money and mental health, hormones and happiness, ambition and balance.

Blending research, lived experience, and practical insight, this panel confronts the cultural pressures women face while offering tools for greater agency, resilience, and informed decision-making. Expect honesty, humor, and actionable takeaways designed to help women take charge of their bodies, their finances, and their futures.

A must-attend conversation for anyone invested in women’s well-being—in every sense of the word.

Leslie Lehr is a prize-winning author, breast cancer survivor, and women’s health activist. Her memoir A BOOB’S LIFE: How America’s Obsession with Breasts Shaped Me… and You, a “Must-Read” for People, Glamour, and Good Morning America, and a Women’s National Book Association “Great Read,” hit #1 in Feminist History the same day HBOMax optioned it as a comedy. Leslie’s essays appear in Time, Newsweek, Writers Digest, and the New York Times “Modern Love” column. Her novels include What A Mother Knows, Wife Goes On, and 66 Laps; nonfiction includes Welcome to Club Mom and Nesting (featured on Oprah), while her screenplays include the film “Heartless” that screened internationally for ten years. 

Alison Kosik is a freelance correspondent and anchor for ABC News and the former longtime face of Wall Street for CNN, where she spent 15 years as a business correspondent and anchor reporting from the New York Stock Exchange. Her debut book, What’s Up With Women and Money? How to Do All the Financial Stuff You’ve Been Avoiding, helps women build financial literacy and confidence. Kosik has covered major global financial crises, historic market moments, and landmark IPOs, and has interviewed leaders including Warren Buffett, Hillary Clinton, and Mark Cuban. She holds degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from American University.

Mariel Hemingway is an accomplished actress, author, and mental health advocate whose diverse career has inspired many to embrace authenticity and well-being. Renowned for her roles in films like Manhattan and Star 80, Mariel has also made significant contributions as an author and advocate. She has written six books, including Healthy Living from the Inside Out, a guide to holistic wellness, and her powerful memoir Out Came the Sun, which openly addresses her family’s struggles with addiction and mental health.