Hosted by SUNY Plattsburgh lecturer Wanda Jean Carroll and produced by Plattsburgh broadcaster Woodhouse, the internationally recognized podcast earns two prestigious honors celebrating personal growth, resilience, accountability and meaningful change.
PLATTSBURGH, N.Y., October 20, 2026 – A podcast created and produced in New York’s North Country has earned two major international honors, receiving recognition from both podcast industry leaders and listeners around the world.
Transformative Paths, hosted by SUNY Plattsburgh lecturer Wanda Jean Carroll, has been named both a Gold Award winner and a Listener’s Choice Award winner in the Self-Improvement & Self-Help category of the Individual Episodes division at the 5th Annual Signal Awards.
The winning entry, Transformative Paths: A Journey to Nonviolent Living, earned recognition from the Signal Awards Judging Academy and the listening public, marking a significant achievement for a production rooted in the Plattsburgh community.
For Carroll, the announcement was an emotional milestone in a journey that began with a simple desire to make a difference.
“There are moments in life when you just have to stop and take it all in. This is one of those moments for me,” Carroll said.
Reflecting on the podcast's journey, Carroll added, “What began as a desire to make a difference, one conversation at a time, has become something far greater than I ever imagined. I am humbled beyond words.”
What began as a North Country project has grown into an internationally heard podcast, reaching listeners in 44 countries.
Through candid, thoughtful and often deeply personal conversations, Transformative Paths examines the experiences that shape people's lives and the choices that help them move forward. Topics include personal and professional transformation, resilience, relationships, accountability, mental health and the often complicated process of creating lasting change.
Rather than offering easy answers to life's most difficult challenges, the podcast embraces the reality that meaningful transformation requires reflection, responsibility, support and continued effort.
That philosophy is reflected in the theme of its second season, Change Is a Practice.
TWO AWARDS, ONE POWERFUL MESSAGE
The Signal Awards recognize outstanding achievements in podcasting through two distinct forms of recognition.
Gold, Silver and Bronze awards are determined by the Signal Awards Judging Academy, an esteemed collective of creators, executives, innovators and other leaders within the podcasting industry.
The Listener’s Choice Awards are determined by public voting, giving podcast audiences the opportunity to recognize their favorite finalists.
By earning both Gold and Listener’s Choice in the same category, Transformative Paths received recognition through professional evaluation and direct audience support.
While both distinctions carry considerable significance, Carroll said the Listener’s Choice recognition holds a particularly personal meaning.
“It means that people are not only listening but connecting with the conversations we’re having. They are finding something meaningful enough to share their support,” Carroll said. “For a podcast built around personal growth, accountability, and the belief that we can choose a different path, I cannot imagine a greater gift. I am truly blessed.”
The achievement is particularly meaningful for a podcast created outside the traditional centers of the entertainment and media industries, demonstrating that compelling stories and important conversations can resonate internationally regardless of where they originate.
For Carroll, the recognition also reinforces the fundamental purpose behind the podcast.
“When I started Transformative Paths, my hope was simply to create conversations that might reach someone at the right moment in their life,” Carroll said. “To know that those conversations are resonating with people, and that listeners took the time to support this work, means more to me than I can express. These awards are a beautiful reminder that our stories matter, our voices matter, and change is always possible.”
The dual victory comes as Transformative Paths continues its second season, exploring personal responsibility, healthier choices, emotional awareness, relationships and the understanding that positive change is not a single moment, but a continuing practice.
ROOTED IN THE NORTH COUNTRY, REACHING THE WORLD
Carroll is a lecturer in Supply Chain Management and International Business in SUNY Plattsburgh's School of Business and Economics. Her professional background includes extensive involvement in education, community service and initiatives focused on personal and professional development.
Transformative Paths is produced by Woodhouse, Morning Show Host and Operations Manager of Plattsburgh-based 106.3 NBZ-FM. Both Woodhouse and the radio station are officially credited in the Signal Awards' recognition listing.
The collaboration brings together Carroll's experience in education, community engagement and personal development with Woodhouse's professional expertise in broadcasting and audio production. Together, they have created a podcast that reflects its North Country origins while reaching an audience far beyond the region.
Carroll's commitment to conversations about transformation extends well beyond the classroom and podcast studio.
Through her work with Behavioral Health Services North (BHSN) and the PACT program, Carroll has been involved in initiatives emphasizing accountability, healthier choices and helping individuals recognize their capacity for change.
Those experiences have helped shape the philosophy behind Transformative Paths, particularly the understanding that meaningful transformation requires more than good intentions. It demands reflection, responsibility, support and the willingness to continue practicing healthier behaviors, even when change is difficult.
The podcast's international recognition demonstrates the relevance of those conversations, carrying ideas and experiences shaped in the North Country to listeners around the world.
Carroll has consistently emphasized the importance of the community that helped shape both her work and the podcast itself.
“This podcast was created here. The people and experiences of the North Country have helped shape who I am and the work that I do,” Carroll said.
For a production with its roots in Plattsburgh, earning both professional and audience recognition on an international stage represents a notable accomplishment for the region's creative and broadcasting communities.
RECOGNIZING PODCASTING'S RISK-TAKERS
The 5th Annual Signal Awards honor podcasts that are helping define the future of audio storytelling, recognizing creators willing to explore challenging subjects, embrace innovative approaches and connect with listeners in meaningful ways.
Winners are selected by the Signal Awards Judging Academy, whose members represent influential voices from podcasting, journalism, digital media and entertainment.
Featured Academy members this year include Shayne Topp, host of Smosh Reads Reddit Stories; Dan Roth, Editor in Chief and Vice President at LinkedIn; Crissle West, co-host of The Read; Asma Khalid, co-host of BBC World's The Global Story; Bobby Finger, host of Who? Weekly; Graham Litten of YouTube Podcast Partnerships; and Stephanie Kuo, Vice President of Content at PRX.
“Podcasting is no longer defined by a single format, platform or approach to storytelling, and this year’s submissions make that evolution impossible to ignore,” said Jemma Brown, General Manager of The Signal Awards. “Charts and download counts can only tell us what’s popular. At Signal, our role is to notice the creative risks that are quietly changing what everyone else makes next. This year’s Winners offer a first look at podcasting’s next chapter.”
In 2026, Listener’s Choice voting drew more than 260,000 votes from 94,000 listeners, reflecting the continued growth and influence of podcast audiences.
ABOUT TRANSFORMATIVE PATHS
Transformative Paths is an internationally recognized, award-winning podcast hosted by Wanda Jean Carroll, a lecturer at SUNY Plattsburgh, and produced by Woodhouse, Morning Show Host and Operations Manager of Plattsburgh-based 106.3 NBZ-FM.
Through honest, insightful conversations with guests from diverse backgrounds, the podcast explores personal growth, resilience, relationships, accountability, mental health and the choices that shape our lives.
Its second season, themed Change Is a Practice, emphasizes the understanding that meaningful transformation is not achieved through a single decision, but through continued reflection, responsibility and action.
Reaching listeners in 44 countries, Transformative Paths received both the 2026 Gold Award and Listener’s Choice Award in the Individual Episodes division's Self-Improvement & Self-Help category at the 5th Annual Signal Awards.
Transformative Paths is available on major podcast platforms.
Website: https://ChangeIsAPractice.com
ABOUT THE SIGNAL AWARDS
The Signal Awards recognize the podcasts that define culture. The awards program is dedicated to elevating the podcast medium by recognizing the most compelling, meaningful and innovative audio projects being created today.
Winners are selected by the Signal Awards Judging Academy, an esteemed collective of industry leaders, creators and innovators. The program presents Gold, Silver and Bronze honors alongside the publicly determined Listener’s Choice Awards.
Website: https://www.signalaward.com
Media Contacts:
Wanda Carroll
Transformative Paths
(518) 310-7284
hello@wandajcarroll.com
Website: https://ChangeIsAPractice.com
Woodhouse
106.3 NBZ-FM
(518) 242-0163
woodhouse@wnbz.com
Website: https://www.wnbz.com
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