Episode 108 What Happens After the Crown Comes Off? Miss New Jersey, Ovarian Cancer at 25, and Who You Are Without the Title with Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson
Four crowns sit in an unopened box in Elizabeth Bracken-Thompson’s attic. She was Miss New Jersey and competed for Miss America. Then the final crown came off, and she had to figure out who she was without the title, the privilege, and the open doors.
She went on to vice president at Gannett, helped launch USA Today in the New York market, and became partner at Thompson & Bender. Along the way came workplace harassment before #MeToo had a name, divorce, and ovarian cancer at 25, which ended her chance to have biological children.
In this conversation about her memoir More Than a Crown, Elizabeth shares the principles she’s built a life on: why you can’t rank choices by safety, why she makes the life decision before the career decision, and why hope is a choice. She also tells the disco dance floor story behind her advice for your worst days.
We all have crowns. If you’ve ever wondered who you are when one comes off, this one’s for you. And yes, we ask whether you can have it all, and all at the same time. Her answer depends on how you define “all.”
Episode recorded on October 30, 2026 at the LMC Media Podcast Studio in Mamaroneck, NY
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