Cocktails, Code, and Conversations

Is the State of Black Relationships Safe?   Welcome to the Cocktails, Culture, and Conversations Podcast! On this episode of The C3 Podcast, Maine and David examine the state of black relationships and love. Fresh off the heels of the relationship scandal that highlighted the partnership between Actress Nia Long and Ime Udoka of the Boston Celtics coaching staff, Maine poses the question to David, “What does it take to build a successful relationship in the black community?” Do men and women communicate their intentions before entering into a relationship? Are “situationships” becoming the norm and is it deteriorating the idea of black relationships?      Highlights from the episode David recalls his history of experiencing relationships and growing up to understand what mutually respectful relationships are supposed to look like.     Maine discusses the invention of the “situationship” and the failures of engaging in relationships that lack effective communication  David talks about having his eyes opened to the potential of polygamous/polyamorous relationships and the value of being happy in a relationship that works for all partners involved! Maine examines the historic insistence on having leadership dynamics in a relationship. This leads to a discussion regarding Gary Chapman's book The Five Love Languages which helps people understand how they both give and receive affection in relationships and Personality Plus    Pick up a copy of the books we discussed here:  The 5 Love Languages; https://amzn.to/3yx7gut   Personality Plus; https://amzn.to/3VfylvU   Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @EbonyAscent Twitter: @EbonyAscent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup YouTube: www.youtube.com/EbonyAscent 

This week on the C3 Interview series, we have newly minted Principal Marvin Smith stopping by to talk be an educator and administrator. The challenges and opportunities he sees in the education system for black children and what teaching means to him.    Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @EbonyAscent Twitter: @EbonyAscent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup YouTube: www.youtube.com/EbonyAscent 

Welcome to the Cocktails, Culture, and Conversations Podcast! On this episode of The C3 Podcast, David, Laurel, and Maine dig into the feasibility of African American descendants of slaves FINALLY getting reparations from the government. Are we STILL suffering from the impacts of these practices that were put in place in the 1860s? How has society adjusted since the implementation of the Civil Right's Act of the 1960s? And why is the GOP so adamant about returning the power to impose governance back to the states? It may be much deeper than we've originally expected. The C3 Squad tackles all of this and more in the latest episode!     Highlights from the episode Laurel kicks off the discussion by breaking down where the idea of black reparations came from, when the discussion was introduced to the government, and why we never really got our “40 Acres and a Mule”.     David provides the importance of viewing how the agricultural independence that getting “40 Acres and a Mule” from the government would have bolstered the economic power of African Americans starting back in the 1800s. Where would we be economically today had that actually been done?  Laurel questions the validity of the U.S. government actually following through on the promise of reparations or will they create additional obstacles to continue stifling the progress of black Americans? The trio discusses exactly what they believe would be viable alternatives to just financial compensation being paid out to black families and how do we get white Americans to buy in to the idea of black families receiving compensation that they are excluded from.       Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @EbonyAscent Twitter: @EbonyAscent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup YouTube: www.youtube.com/EbonyAscent 

  Welcome to the Cocktails, Culture, and Conversations Podcast! On this episode of The C3 Podcast, Maine, Laurel, and David explore the legacy of the Jim Crow era practices imposed by the state governments throughout the country. Are we STILL suffering from the impacts of these practices that were put in place in the 1860s? How has society adjusted since the implementation of the Civil Right's Act of the 1960s? And why is the GOP so adamant about returning the power to impose governance back to the states? It may be much deeper than we've originally expected. The C3 Squad tackles all of this and more in the latest episode!     Highlights from the episode David breaks down the history and implementation of the Jim Crow era practices that were implemented following the abolition of slavery at the federal level. This led to the conservative desire to control governance at the state level and ushered in the violent opposition and formation of the Ku Klux Klan.     The trio discusses the conniving ways that state governments and corporations have adapted the language in their local constitutions and company policies to appear to legally respect the intent of the Civil Right's Act while continuing to target and exclude people of color.  Laurel describes the unique instances of African Americans living in a society that expects forced assimilation and code switching in order to be accepted in roles that were never created for black people to thrive in. Laurel poses the question, “How do we as a culture continue to advance forward despite the embedded obstacles of white supremacy continuing to stifle our upward mobility?” as Maine and David provide passionate opinion on how and why it is important to fight for more black representation in political and commercial leadership.       Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @EbonyAscent Twitter: @EbonyAscent Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup YouTube: www.youtube.com/EbonyAscent 

Let's Talk About Sex…Baby Welcome to the Cocktails, Culture, and Conversations Podcast! On this episode of The C3 Podcast, Maine, David, and Laurel tackle the sexualization of media in pop culture and discuss how it has affected the development of young black children. Are black kids exposed to sexual images too early in their formative development? How does society respond to sexually explicit stimulation and what impacts does that have on cultural interactions regarding black kids? How do we identify problem areas and what can we do to solve it? The C3 Squad discusses all of this and more in the latest episode.   Leading with historical context, the trio engage in a passionate discussion seeking to map out the ways in which the Constitution authorizes the direct oppression and suppression of marginalized communities and imagine solutions for a better future that is inclusive of all people.     Highlights from the episode Maine kicks off this week's episode by defining two key terms for the discussion; what is “Sexualization” verses what is “Sex Positivity” and how these key definitions can often be misappropriated in pop culture.     The trio discuss the different areas in media in which sexualized imagery is being targeted to younger audiences and what impacts these have on developing minds, emotional maturity, and realistic expectations of relationships.  David describes the psychological connections that people are making based on unrealistic sexual images and the importance of understanding the differences between realistic sexual interactions and constructed sexual interactions for media. Laurel brings the conversation into the realm of understanding women's bodily autonomy and ponders the ways that parents should bring sexual discussions to the table with their children.       Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @ebonyascent Twitter: @ascentebony Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup

Special Guest: Jermaine Murray aka "The Jobfather", aka "Audio Chocolate" stops by the podcast to talk about his mission to get 500 Black people jobs in tech. He tells his story about how he got into the job matching game, and what his vision is for his company Jupiter HR.    Links: https://www.jupiterhr.ca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jermainelmurray/ https://twitter.com/JermaineJupiter

Welcome to the Cocktails, Culture, and Conversation Podcast! On this episode of The C3 Podcast, Laurel, David, and Maine reckon with the legacy of white supremacy imbedded in the U.S Constitution and how it has affected the Black community from its inception. Can we ever rise up and make a change under a government structured to negate BIPOC people? What would that change look like?    Leading with historical context, the trio engage in a passionate discussion seeking to map out the ways in which the Constitution authorizes the direct oppression and suppression of marginalized communities and imagine solutions for a better future that is inclusive of all people.     Highlights from the episode David introduces the C3 Squad to our new host, Ms. Laurel Berryman who came out the gates firing as she inquired about everyone's earliest memories of learning about the U.S. Constitution.     The trio discusses the necessity of the U.S. Constitution's framework despite its original design lacking representation for minorities and women.  Maine juxtaposes the role of his military service's requirement to support and defend the constitution with the progressive need to improve and update the originating document and the trio dissect the situations that lead to civil war. Finally, Laurel leads a passionate conversation that touches on the nation's ability to break itself away from the inherent flaws of the constitution and what it would take to completely overhaul the laws and policies that founded our country.   Podcast Network Info: Connect with Ebony Ascent via Website: www.EbonyAscent.com Instagram: @ebonyascent Twitter: @ascentebony Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ebony-Ascent-102276362483660 TikTok: @OnTheCornerMediaGroup

This week C3 hosts David Lee and Maine Terry sit down with Real Estate Agent Lynette Jones and talk about the racial undertones of the homebuying process, the history of housing covenants and HOA's, and financial literacy. It's a jam-packed episode with a ton of gems. The cocktail of the week is the Manattan, brought to you by Minajza.    Episode Links: The Color of Law - https://amzn.to/3BERqQU Lynette Thompson - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLyUTqDRBTAHFF4HDQi3V_Q    

Whatup C3 SQUAD!!! Welcome to Season Four of the Cockails, CULTURE, and Conversations podcast. We done change some things up around here! New title, same logo, new hosts, same energy, new topics! After much planning and scheduling, we are EXCITED to launch this new format of the C3 Podcast. We welcome two new hosts: Maine ( Chief) Terry and Laurel ( L-Boogie) Berryman. ( Side note, don't really know if Laurel likes the nickname L-Boogie, but we'll see how that goes during the season.) You'll be hearing more about them in the coming days. Also, we've reintroduced the cocktail portion of the podcast....kind of. Every episode, we'll have a cocktail associated with it, and we'll even show you how to make the cocktail of choice. Instructions brought to you by Minazja. Now I can't promise you the hosts will always have cocktails, but we'll try our best. Ok without further ado, let's get to the new pod. This episode Maine Terry and I are talking about wealth disparity in America. This was an in-person podcast that Maine and I recorded in Greensboro, NC, and we had a ton of fun doing it.

We're BAAAACKKKK!! C3 Squad stand up, and we are back with another episode of the C3 podcast. It's been a long time, we shouldn't left you.... But TRUST when I tell you we have been in the lab cooking up something special for you C3 SQUAD. We've got a brand new format coming to the show, and we can't wait for you to see it, but first we wanted to finish out our original format with this very special guest Ms. Kym Caldwell. Meet Kym: Kymberly Caldwell , a native of Asheville, NC resides in Charlotte, NC. A former medical office manager for 24 years now turned serial entrepreneur and advocate for network marketing, multiple streams of income specifically residual and leveraged income. Kymberly is a by product of a 38 year old family owned business where she learned the ins and outs, ups and down of owning a small business firsthand. While blessed to have a working relationship with her father, mother and brother she also learned the toll of family owned business and the impact on family from a traditional business. At 45 , when the family business closed after 38 years , Kymberly decided to embark upon life as a serial entrepreneur. She is the CEO and President of 4 businesses and a non-profit organization that serves the residents of the state of North Carolina through economic empowerment.To add to her repertoire, Kymberly manages several properties and is also a real estate developer. In her addition, Kymberly is a world Class traveler, who has traveled to several countries and over 20 states. Kymberly is not just a leader, she is an ambassador to a team of 400 entrepreneurs and is known as The Residual Income Builder. Kymberly is a woman of faith and she uses her voice, her wisdom and her courage to lead an organization called A Tribe Called Faith and Faith Girl, The Identity Brand. With her latest project Jump, Kymberly is educating others on how to take the leap of faith and monetize. Through the different dynamics of Kym's life she still finds time for community projects.  Kymberly is a dedicated philanthropist.  She works on several community outreach projects for the homeless population, senior citizens, families in need, at-risk-youth and she believes in supporting African American Small Business Start Ups. Kym is also committed to the overall physical betterment of families including the well-being of her own family. Kym is a wonderful daughter, a dedicated sister, niece, cousin and friend.  However, quality time with her 90 year old Great Aunt Rose is a must. Kymberly Caldwell is a Visionary and a Leader in her own right and she strives to inspire, empower and improve the quality of life for humanity as she spreads the message of faith, fun, fitness and financial freedom to impact the lives of those that she encounters.  

This episode of the C3 podcast ChangeAgent Phillip Cooper stops by the pod to talk about his passion for helping citizens re enter the world after incarceration. We talk about the services his organization offers to those coming home, and why he is so passionate about making sure they have someone there to help them.    Meet Change Agent Cooper Philip Cooper is a Western North Carolina native that fell in love with the streets at a young age. While growing up in poverty, he identified the drug dealers as role models, as they were the ones that appeared to run a more lucrative business. While in the streets, he started using hard drugs which contradicted his career as a drug dealer and landed him years in prison for high level offenses. While in prison he completed self-help courses, rededicated his life to Christ, and was mentored by a man who had been in prison over 10 years. He is known for his statement, “prison saved my life.”   Upon release from prison, Philip immediately connected with the recovery community, which is where he found his love for counseling and peer mentoring. He became a peer mentor and worked as a case manager for 3 years before he transitioned into reentry services, serving as an advocate for returning citizens. Since then he has become a regional organizer and advocate for policy change. Philip has over 10 years of experience working with those that have barriers to employment and has committed his life to helping others “level up.” Philip says that he continues to reach back and help others because the only way to keep what he has is by giving it away.

First live podcast of the season! Three subjects I wanted to cover in this podcast, and spark some conversation. The cocktails are back, grab your glass, take some sips, and lets talk. 00:00 Intro and Conversation About Ebony Ascent 05:42 Open Door Conversations Podcast 13:42 New Feature Coming to Ebony Ascent 16:00 Conversation about race 19:10 Story time with Dave. 33:50 The Horror movie that is corporate america 40:00 The New Normal

Chimere Brown stops by the podcast and talks about her journey from being a career in chemical engineering to a career in tech. The ups the downs, and all the twist and turns in the middle. We also chat about the power of networking and Chimere shares her story of how a strong network lead her current place of work. And FINALLY we bring back the cocktails….kind of.. We've got wine, which I would argue is just as good!    Meet Chimere: Chimere S. Brown, PMP, MBA is a Senior Sales Programs Manager that hails from the “Windy City” of Chicago, IL. Chimere's educational background includes a bachelor's degree in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA in Marketing and Operations from the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. Her professional career spans nearly a decade in both the technology and pharmaceutical industries where she's held a variety of roles such as Validation Specialist, Pre - sales Solutions Architect, Project Manager, and Sales Programs Manager. Additionally, she has worked for a number of Fortune 500 companies such as Abbott Laboratories, Oracle, CareerBuilder, and now Salesforce. Her most recent accomplishment was sp earheading the sales programs business for Public Sector- EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa- Region) at Salesforce. She served the global team by producing award-winning customer stories and sales support content that included films, presentations, social media, print, and digital case studies. Chimere's work garnered recognition within Salesforce for being the Biggest Content Build FY22 Q2. Currently, she is applying the same innovation and creativity to the Public Sector-Federal/Civilian line of business. In her spare time she serves as tutor at Erie House-Chicago READs Program. The literacy intervention program provides extra layers of after- school support to ensure that the children (1st - 3rd grade) develop the reading skills that are critical to their success in the classroom and in life. Chimere is also an international traveler that has been to 20+ countries and counting.

This episode I welcome Jon Logan to the podcast and we dive into the details around finance. Monetary policy, banking deserts, and bitcoin are just a few topics we jump into as we both share a passion for finance and how it affects the black community.    Meet Jon: Jonathan D. Logan wants the economic system here in the USA and globally to be inclusive. The mission aimed at leveling the economic playing field so that all humanity can engage equitably is no easy task.Jonathan is a local civic leader in Queens NY where he works to make local government policy and procedure to serve all its members more equitably. Jonathan has dedicated his professional life to protecting life and property in NYC with over 20 years in the Fire service. For Jonathan, BankBlackUSA and The COWRIE initiative (Cooperative Wealth Reinvestment And Empowerment Initiative) are a labor of love and peace. The work he does within the organization is a natural extension of his personal and professional endeavors. The mission starts and is sustained wi th education and truth telling. BankBlackUSA and the COWRIE Initiative are laser beamed focused on providing resources, tools, education and data that narrate the story of how the legacy and current economic systems have explicitly worked to disenfranchise certain groups and empower others.   Resources:  https://bankblackusa.org/ http://cowrieinitiative.org/ https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fractionalreservebanking.asp https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/economics/fiat-money-currency/ https://bitcoin.org/en/bitcoin-paper

This episode I sit down with Julian Mocine-McQueen and talk about the art of storytelling. We discuss the importance and impact of a person's story and how it's Julian's passion to help people tap into that with his organization the Million Person Project. From running around the streets of Oakland, to traveling the world helping people find their voice and tell their stories.    Meet Julian: Julian Mocine McQueen is an Oakland Ca. native raised in rural Northern California.He brings years of organizing, facilitation and training experience to his role as the co-founder, Training Director and Lead Facilitator for the Million Person Project. The Million Person Project exists to support leaders to harness the power of personal narrative to serve the most important movements of our time.Since 2011 they have worked with over 3,000 leaders from across the US and 71 different countries. The Million Person Project team has formed partnerships, coached leaders and facilitated trainings in Vietnam, South Africa, Uganda, Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Turkey, and Brazil. In addition to his work with the Million Person Project ,Julian utilizes story to help organizations explore their relationship and commitment to justice and equity so that they may ensure their structures, norms, practices and culture are inclusive,safe and generative for all people. Prior to the Million Person Project Julian was a founding team member of Van Jone's nationally renowned  green  economy  organization  Green  For  All.  His  career  is fueled  by  a  strong belief  in authentic  movements  that  are  powered  by  people. To  this  end, he co- created Green For All's College  Ambassador  program,  which  cultivates  environmental  leaders  at  Historically  Black Colleges and Universities. And launched Green For All's Fellowship program, working to weave together and support the leadership of 135 seasoned organizers from all over the United States. In  2015,  Julian was  recognized by  Huffington  Post  as  one of  “10  Leaders  reshaping the Environmental Movement.” He and  his  Partner  Heather  Box  were  recognized as  one  of  16 projects  to  watch in 2016 by Grist, and Julian was a member of the inaugural “Grist 50” environmental  change  makers  list.  In  2019, he co- wrote the book, “How Your Story Set You Free,” published by Chronicle Books. He is the father to Roman, who is now walking...watch out!

This episode I have the pleasure of sitting down with one of my first mentors, and good friend Mr. Reggie Gibbs. I first met Reggie when I was in college through a mutual friend. Since then we've formed a friendship and he has been an inspiration to me and many others. We talk about how that connection with people has fueled Reggie in his endeavors and the importance of networking.

This episode I sit down with CEO and Co-Founder of SailPoint Technologies Mark McClain. Now I wouldn't necessarily say that Mark and are besties, ( Although he does have a t-shirt with my face on it…kidding..or am I?)  but over the course of my career at SailPoint I was fortunate enough to forge a relationship with him that led to many conversations, jokes, and just all around good time. He's a genuine person, and loves to laugh and along the way drop an occasional gem or two. We catch up and talk about his path as an entrepreneur and the principles behind his success. Of course we talk about his venture into being an author, and his favorite Navigate moments. ( Navigate is the SailPoint annual conference). All in all a good conversation, with some notable gems dropped. Enjoy!   3:45 - The Entrepreneurship start 9:38 - The ups and downs of entrepreneurship 22:40 - Values then vision 33:33 - Best piece of advice 30:55 - Favorite Navigate moment.

This week I sit down with Shana Baylis ( The best realtor in Atlanta!) and we talk about success in real estate and what it takes to build a successful business.  Tips for potential homebuyers, and what's next for the Baylis group.    Meet Shana: Shana, a Chicago native turned Atlanta peach, is the oldest of five girls and a twin! She received her undergraduate degree in Human Services Management from Northern Illinois University. Shana began her real estate career in Chicago managing multimillion dollar commercial and multi-family residential properties. With over ten years of real estate experience, today, Shana is a powerhouse in the Atlanta real estate market.  Shana is on the leadership board in her office and leads her own team. In less than one year Shana's team, The Baylis Group, has sold millions of dollars in real estate and is part of the top 10% in an office that sold $1 billion in real estate in 2021 alone.  In addition to being a leader of her team and in her office, Shana loves educating buyers and sellers by helping them build a foundation for their future through real estate.  She founded the organization "The Mom Start Up" which partners with moms to birth their business. Shana is also writing a book titled “Before You Buy” which educates those who want to purchase their first home, but aren't sure where to start. “Before You Buy” will be available Fall 2022.  This year, Shana will be celebrating 14 years of marriage with her husband Andre. They have four amazing children, two boys and two girls, ranging in age from 8 to 14. Shana's family drives her passion for her education and empowerment. Shana is determined to impact her community through the education of Black Americans on the power of home ownership and how to leverage it to build wealth for their future. Shana believes that everything you want is already yours; all you have to do is claim it and go after it.

This episode I Welcome Ty Wilson to the podcast as we talk about his journey in the Cybersecurity space, mentorship, our connection through Black Tech Twitter, and of course legacy. 1:06 Black Tech Twitter 8:36 Ty's Background 15:05 The Cybersecurity Grind 25:00 Mentorship 34:30 Looking for Love   Meet Ty Wilson Mr. Tyrone E. Wilson is a passionate information security professional with 25 years of experience in information technology. Wilson also has extensive knowledge in computer network defense, vulnerability assessments, cyber threat analysis, and incident response. Currently, Wilson is the Founder and President of Cover6 Solutions, LLC; which teaches companies and professionals various aspects of information security, penetration testing, and IPv6. Wilson is also the organizer of The D.C. Cyber Security Professionals. With over 8,500 members, it is the largest #Cybersecurity meetup group in the United States. In addition, Wilson is also on the Review Board of BSides NoVA, Howard University, and Hacker Halted and has presented and/or taught classes at many of the major tech conferences.

SEASON THREE!! We are back! Kicking season three with Special Guest Serge Ngatta. In this conversation we talk about Serge's journey into the world of Identity and Access Management, Chick-Fil-A and their awesomeness, and financial literacy within the black community. A wide ranging conversation, with some laughs thrown as always.    Meet Serge My name is Serge Ngatta, I'm a global product leader with Equifax Identity Fraud and Compliance business, focusing on digital-identity-as-a-service products and services. We recently launched our Digital Identity Trust product in theUS.I'm fully aligned with EFX values to "help people live their financial best". Also I'm passionate about financial literacy/inclusion in underserved communities, and a firm believer in servant leadership and lifelong learning. I'm originally from Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in West Africa, so I'm fluent in French.I'm also a devoted husband and a loving father of 3 girls, who currently reside in Atlanta north east suburbs.In my spare time, I like to play basketball. I love to listen to music (hip hop andRnB) live and/or recorded. I enjoy going to concerts with my spouse, or to the park with my kids, or to the beach for family vacation.

In this Season 2 Finale of the the C3 podcast special guest Triune stops by the pod to talk about connections, the glory days of high school, and Hip Hop.    Join the conversation with the C3 Squad on the C3 Hotline 909-487-8741   Check out the latest from Triune at www.therealtriune.com

The ultimate barbershop conversation. Who're the Top Ten rappers of all time? In part two of this conversation, David Rhodes and I go through our list. Join in on the conversation by texting the C3 Squad Hotline 909-487-8741.

In this episode of the C3 podcast I get the chance to catch up with my fellow Aggie David Rhodes, and yeah did we catch up! A 4-hour conversation! Shout out to my editing team for helping me put this together. So having said that this is Part One of the conversation we had. From our time at A&T to the best concerts we've seen, and navigating careers, David and I have a pretty good convo. Check it out.

This episode of the C3 podcast special guest Juliet Okafor stops by and we talk about how cybersecurity professionals can better work with the business, the b.s behind the Bootcamp race in Cybersecurity, and much more.    Meet Juliet:  Juliet Okafor, J.D., is a cybersecurity professional who has combined her knowledge of the legal system and cybersecurity solution models into success stories across fortune 500 industries throughout the USA. Her ability to scope, plan and design the creation of an OT Cybersecurity Management System framework for one of the largest cruise lines in the world is a testament to her commitment and leadership regardless of the challenge. She is a passionate security solution visionary and strategist who builds the Fortune 500 enterprise’s overarching security strategy that governs all other smaller strategies within. She is the person who determines how to solve the company’s problem, be it vulnerability management, incident response, or reducing the risk associated with technology or vendors, and then puts a plan into action or roadmap to remediate the risks in place – using a combination of people, transforming operations and an array of emerging security technology. Juliet’s collaboration with key infrastructure cybersecurity leaders from the energy, manufacturing, maritime, transportation, and chemical sectors have led to realistic and integrated IT/OT cybersecurity programs with positive security results. The unique value of Juliet’s ability within the cybersecurity field is also evident in her relentless and dynamic approach to understanding the expectations, needs, and requirements of her clients in concert with providing the best cybersecurity technologies and services required. Okafor has also helped build startup security organizations from the ground up, negotiating contracts, forging partnerships, selecting tools, leading strategic initiatives, and partnering with key customers and security stakeholders to create, identify, measure, and report the maturity of their enterprise security programs to senior leadership to justify the additional financial investment or demonstrate continuous improvement. Juliet graduated from UMass-Amherst with a B.A. in Communication, Fordham University with an M.A. in Public Communication and Media Studies and received her Juris Doctorate from Temple University – Beasley School of Law. She is currently the CEO of RevolutionCyber.

In this episode of the C3 Podcast I sit down with Marcus Carey and talk about knowing your super power, being like Jay-Z, and the process of writing a book, and of course much more.    Meet Marcus: Marcus J. Carey is an Enterprise Architect at ReliaQuest where he does security research and product development. Prior to joining ReliaQuest, Marcus was the founder and CEO at Threatcare (acquired by ReliaQuest) and has 20 years of cybersecurity experience. Marcus has worked in penetration testing, incident response, and digital forensics with federal agencies such as NSA, DC3, DIA, and DARPA.

This week on the C3 podcast special guests: Shameka Ottman and Darryl Foster swing by the pod to talk about a couple of things. One their company Nexus Federal. They give the behind the scenes story of how it came together, and what they want to accomplish going forward. We also get into the significance of HBCU's and the impact it's had on their lives and careers. And of course, we wrap up with the Last Sip and talk about legacy.  Meet Shameka: Shameka has over 16 years of experience working in the intelligence community as both a Systems and Software engineer.  Her education includes a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, and a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and Engineering Management from The George Washington University. Shameka excels in providing end-to-end solutions to meet customer needs by utilizing best practices for COTS integration, front-end UI/UX development, middle-tier Java development, AWS solutions integration, and leveraging existing enterprise capabilities to provide complete solutions for our core customers. As co-founder of Nexus Federal Inc., she leads talent acquisition and business processes within the organization. Meet Darryl:Darryl has spent his entire 16-year working career contracting with the federal government in various roles from configuration management through every phase of the software development life cycle, with a significant focus on software development. Foster's past experience with software development technologies includes Ruby on Rails, Java desktop and web applications, JavaScript and libraries such as jQuery and Vuejs, along with Oracle, MySql and PostgreSQL relational databases. Darryl is originally from Newark, NJ and grew up in College Park, GA just outside of Atlanta. He earned his B.S. in Computer Science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. He has lived in Alexandria, VA since 2004 and spends his free time working on software projects to keep his skills current. He also plays the saxophone in the Main Street Community Band with the City of Fairfax Band Association.

This week I sit down with my buddy Dutch Scwartz and just catch upon all the things. We talk about music, security, and even Bruce Lee! And of course, we end the episode with the world-famous "Last Sip" in which we get a chance to hear what Dutch want's his legacy to be. Cocktails of the day: Old Fashioned.  Meet Dutch:Dutch Schwartz has more than 20 years of experience in technology from startups to the world’s largest companies. He’s recognized as a thought leader in cybersecurity and his LinkedIn content has over 130k views in 2020. A sought-after speaker, he has been a panelist on popular podcasts including CISO Series, Security Metrics, CISOlife, CyberHub, Conversations with Dr. Cybersecurity, and the EC-Council.  Having worked with more than 50 CISOs of Fortune 500 companies to create cybersecurity solutions, he understands the evolution of CISO responsibilities and the challenges which security teams face.  Dutch holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Global Management and was a strategy and planning officer in the US Army.  He melds his formal training with his practical experience in cybersecurity to develop cloud security strategies for customers of Amazon Web Services.

I absolutely could not wait to have this conversation! This is legit one of the few podcasts I actually planned the topic of conversation. I knew JeNae would bring the passion, insight, and just all around a great conversation that would be fun, and inspiring! In this episode, we talk about JeNae's mission to eradicate systemic racism in corporate culture, her beloved Howard University, and what it was like hearing the news about Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris, and of course the question everyone is asked on this podcast. What does JeNae want her legacy to be?LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geniusrescue/Website: www.ctmunlimited.comMeet JaNae:I rescue geniuses. This is the mantra and belief that JeNae Johnson operates as a leading consultant. Starting with the premise that everyone has genius within them, JeNae equips leaders and teams with proper tools, guidance, strategy and courage to accomplish their business objectives. Her approach to forging a path for racial equity in the workplace is no different. Leaning into her experience in behavior change, JeNae leverages proven methodologies and strategies to help companies build equitable workplaces. She partners with executives and ERG leaders to gauge the effectiveness of current DEI initiatives and identify specific focus areas for change. She created Bold x Brave Conversations(TM)—a facilitated workshop for leaders to start engaging their teams in productive conversations about race and disparity that ultimately lead to strategic action. JeNae’s team at CTM Unlimited has also created a strategic framework known as Project Equity to help organizations define the future state for an equitable workplace and create short term and long term strategies to build and sustain equity and inclusion for its workforce. 

This week I sit down with Aubrey Turner, Executive Advisor Ping Identity. Aubrey and I discuss his journey into the Cybersecurity space, his love of going fast, and the importance of having a platform as a person of color. Oh, and he also issues a little challenge to yours truly. Enjoy! Meet AubreyAubrey Turner – Executive Advisor, Ping IdentityCareer BIO - Highlights Aubrey Turner has extensive background in successfully delivering strategic, enterprise cybersecurity solutions to Fortune 1000 companies that address business problems, strengthens organizations, reduces risk, and delivers positive business outcomes. Aubrey has demonstrated rapport and consensus building with key stakeholders. Additionally, he has proven leadership, communication, management, collaboration, and sales skills. Aubrey's background is comprised of the following:20 years of cybersecurity experience comprisingOver 12 years in identity access management starting in the early 2000s through the present (Deloitte/FishNet Security/Optiv/Ping Identity)Five years of experience in data security (governance/DLP) and privacyMulti-domain experience also includes risk management, BCP/DRP, network/software security, application security, threat, and vulnerability management20 years of customer-facing strategic advisory consulting, implementation, and solution sales experienceExperience covering financial services, healthcare, retail, software, telecom, and other sectorsHold the following certifications: CISSP, CIPP, CISA, and CRISC

This week I sit down with Co-Founders Savitha Bilgikar and Roopa Chowbey of Formmi Inc. We talk about the process of starting a company, diversity and inclusion in the tech field, and their cover profile in CIO Review Magazine!https://magazine.cioreview.com/magazines/October2020/IAM/https://www.formmi.com/ Meet Savitha and Roopa:Roopa Chowbey, President and Founder Roopa has over 22 years of experience in Information Technology, the most recent 10+ years have been in Security, Access, and Risk Management. Roopa has a breadth of experience in Media, Federal, Higher Ed, Financial, and supply chain industries, solving business problems with technology solutions. She has architected solutions and implemented Enterprise applications for HR, Supply Chain, Finance, Risk & Compliance, and Information Security.  Roopa has initiated and managed Global IAM programs with a high rate of success at multiple organizations, starting from assessment, roadmap planning, vendor selection, project planning and implementation. She has helped organizations save money and increase productivity by implementing global Identity and Access Management programs from scratch within a few months, leading M&A integrations and enabling Compliance/ Attestation campaigns. Roopa has an MBA in Global Management from the Kenan-Flagler Business School of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Roopa is ITIL certified and is a member of ISACA (Information Systems Audit and Control Association).  Savitha Bilgikar, Founder and Chief Operating officer Savitha brings over 20 years of experience in Information Technology as a corporate leader as well as an entrepreneur. For the last 10+ years her focus has been program & portfolio management, process improvement, risk management and customer engagements. With her deep expertise in solving business problems with technology solutions, she has successfully managed and implemented enterprise applications for marketing, insurance, supply chain, finance, retail, higher education, risk & compliance, and information security.  Savitha has led IAM programs with a high rate of success at multiple organizations, starting from pre-sales, professional services engagement, roadmap alignment, program management and implementation. She is known for her calm demeanor and keeping pulse on customer engagements. Savitha’s leadership has helped organizations save cost and increase productivity by implementing robust & streamlined engagement process for Identity and Access Management programs. Savitha has hands on experience managing IAM applications from leading vendors such as SailPoint and has led enterprise risk & change management boards for large insurance company.  Savitha has a Master’s in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and holds a Bachelor’s in Electrical & Electronics engineering. Savitha is PM, BA and ITIL certified and a member of PMI, IIBA and ISACA. Outside of work she is involved with multiple non-profit organizations.

Elevate your destiny with this week's special guest Belinda Enoma! Tune in for the gems that are dropped on building confidence, and walking in your purpose. Excited to be back to doing interviews, and no better way to kick it off than with this interview here. Fair warning we had some video issues, but the audio quality is good and the gems are not lost!  Learn more about Belinda here:https://istartandfinish.com 

This episode I continue the Implementer Series with a conversation with Alisha Scott as we talk about her career in Identity and Access Management.  Meet Alisha:Alisha Scott has developed some of the largest and most secure Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions for nearly a decade. Directly from college, Alisha was selected into a government program to rapidly grow new identity solutions engineers and placed into a highly complex customer implementation pushing the products and standards to new lengths.  Throughout this program, Alisha made a significant impact on the project and continued growing her knowledge base. Over the last seven years, Alisha has led the creation of many successful governance systems for both the government and commercial sectors, including those for Capital One and the Department of Homeland Security. Utilizing her undergraduate Bachelors of Science degree in Computer Engineering from the University of Virginia, coupled with her Masters of Science degree in Computer Science from Georgia Tech, she has championed not only development best practices but additionally brought code management and automation into the Identity and Access Management world. In her spare time, she loves to expand her knowledge of IAM systems, including SailPoint's IdentityIQ and SecurityIQ and ForgeRock's Identity Management platform. Alisha is a certified SailPoint IdentityIQ Engineer and works at UberEther Inc. as an Identity Architect.

This episode I sit down with Darran Rolls and discuss the state of identity, our first encounter, and the glorious invention that was SPML. We also talk about diversity and inclusion, and Darran gives some perspective from an executive level.  You can follow Darran on all the socials here: https://darranrolls.comme@darranrolls.com@djrolls About Darran:Mr. Darran Rolls has a long history in Identity Management and Security at companies ranging from Tivoli Systems - IBM, Waveset Technologies, Sun Microsystems and SailPoint Technologies. Over the past 20 plus years Mr. Rolls has helped design, build and deliver innovative, groundbreaking technology solutions that have defined and shaped the Identity and Access Management industry.For over 12 years, Darran was the Chief Technology Officer at SailPoint and he spent 4 years as the company’s Chief Information Security Officer, leading internal security and compliance through their successful IPO in late 2017. Today, Mr. Rolls is an independent advisor working with vendors, customers and the analyst community on designing and delivering the next generation of IAM solutions worldwide.Mr. Rolls has also been a frequent contributor to IAM standards at OASIS, the W3C and the IETF. He frequently speaks at industry events and to customers about IAM technologies and security solutions, offering a unique vendor In/Out perspective on designing, delivering and deploying an Identity-centric, Zero Trust oriented enterprise security architecture.In December of 2019 Darran co-authored one of the industry’s leading texts on using IAM technologies to enhance the prevention, detection and mitigation of cyber-attacks. “Identity Attack Vectors – Implementing an Effective Identity & Access Management Solution” is available from Amazon and leading technical book sellers at ISBN 13:978-1484251645.

This episode continues the implementer series as I sit down with Brad Tumy to talk about what makes a good IAM implementer, all while sipping bourbon. That's right folks, the cocktails are back!  Meet BradWith nearly two decades of hands-on IT experience, Brad Tumy has significant experience with ForgeRock’s Open Source Identity and Access suite.  Also, one of the first independent consultants to achieve accreditation as a ForgeRock OpenAM Specialist.Additionally, Brad Tumy routinely speaks about Identity and Access Management at industry conferences.Brad Tumy has worked with a number of Federal agencies and commercial organizations architecting and deploying identity and access management systems.

This episode kicks off the Implementer Series. Over the next couple of weeks, I sit down with different folks from in the identity industry and ask them what they think it takes to be a good IAM implementer, and also what it takes to have a successful IAM implementation. The series kicks off with a good friend of mine Mr. Jom John. Meet JomI've been in the Identity & Access Management Industry now for 15+ years.  A great deal has changed over the years but one constant that I've seen is the underestimation of what it takes to precisely deliver a robust IAM Program.  Make no mistake, it is a Program that requires dedicated resources from Human Resources, Platform Owners, Stakeholders, Subject Matter Experts, Security, and Compliance. I started my career as a System Administrator performing the day to day grunt work of maintaining a Global IAM deployment with 250,000+ identities in over 73 countries. Since then I've worked with a variety of products in our industry (SailPoint, Oracle, Courion, IBM, RSA, Legacy Sun, NetIQ, Ping, CyberArk, etc...).  My responsibilities varied from architecture, design, coding, testing, and deploying these solutions.  By getting my hands dirty, I've been able to understand how these products resolve business challenges effectively.

The power of community. This episode I sit down with Mr. Davin Jackson and we talk about what it's like being Black in the Cybersecurity field, burnout, and the "hacker" mentality.  Meet DavinDavin Jackson is a Father, Husband and United States Air Force Veteran. Professionally, he is an Application Security Architect, Penetration Tester, and Contributor at Alpha Cyber Security.Davin has over fourteen years of overall IT and Cyber Security experience working in government, banking, education, medical and fintech doing penetration tests, vulnerability assessments and consulting helping companies improve their security. He currently holds several certifications including his CISSP. However, he still considers himself to be a "noob" as a part of his plan to never stop learning. Davin's goal is to share his experience and mentor people looking to start or further their cybersecurity and tech careers. He also wants to help families secure their homes and devices as well as teach the youth about the dangers of the internet.

This episode I sit down with Michelle A. Tucker, VP Cybersecurity - Identity Governance for Huntington Bank. We talk about the hilarious story of how we met, the challenges of managing an identity governance program, and her take on diversity and inclusion within the tech field.  Meet Michelle:Michelle A. Tucker has worked in the Information Security and Risk Management field for over 20 years. Her ultimate goal is to create an environment where managing risk and providing the best customer service to her clients in meeting their security needs is a major focus. Her motto is: "Mitigating risk must be what we all strive for - this should be done whether it is to protect the company we work for or the clients we engage with." Throughout her career, Michelle has been a key liaison between her internal clients within her organization and also as a front-facing contact to her line of business partners (internal to the firm or vendors). Michelle has worked in numerous capacities over the years working for major companies in Central Ohio. She has served as an IAM and Technology Manager, Technical Operations Lead, Information Security and Business Analyst, Technical Writer, Process Analyst/Coach, and Trainer to name a few. With her diverse background based on her years spent working in Information Technology, Michelle has developed a keen interest in "getting to know" her environment. She is a dedicated and driven individual who seeks to learn about each assignment or role she embarks on so that she can be the best as an individual and share her knowledge with those around her. Whether it is teaching the teams that she has managed over the years or training new associates and clients, Michelle's wealth of knowledge helps to foster growth wherever she lands. Michelle is a leader who believes in the strength and power of her team and is dedicated to helping foster growth within those who she is blessed to call “team.” She is also a mentor to colleagues within her organization and community. Her outreach stretches internally and. Externally as well. She holds a seat on two Boards, serves as Chairperson on various committees, and is dedicated to her religious community in many capacities as well. One of her greatest roles in life is being a mother of two wonderful young ladies, Khye and Kiahna Tucker. Especially being a single mother, Michelle strives to provide a legacy of honesty, creativity, and growth for her daughters by being a living example for them.

Conversation with Jonathan Edwards from SecureITSource about how organizations can look to monetize their Identity and Access Management deployments. Historically the identity industry has taken the "insurance" route when it comes to selling and maintaining identity solutions. Jonathan and I discuss ways in which we can start to think about identity differently, and how it can become a revenue generator for your business. This episode was sponsored by SecureITSource. If you're looking for a company that delivers IAM solutions and only IAM solutions, look no further than SecureITSource.Here's some info on our special guest: Jonathan Edwards is Senior Director of IAM Strategy at SecureITsource. In his capacity, Jonathan is an advisor to his clients in developing sustainable long-term Identity Programs. Jonathan has over twenty years of experience in IT, with the majority of that time being an Identity engineer and architect, which has offered him the opportunity to work with many of the leading Identity solutions in the market. Living and working in four countries with different cultures and business standards, as well as practical experience of Identity success and failure, provide Jonathan with a unique perspective in approaching the Identity journey. Overcoming challenges are a big part of Jonathan's life. From running ultramarathons to implementing complex Identity Programs, Jonathan finds the joy in what some might consider daunting or even impossible.With his recent eBook, "The IAM Maturity Model," and whitepaper, "Monetizing Identity," Jonathan attempts to change the conversation around Identity and help guide organizations in building a strong roadmap for their Identity future. Link to the Monetizing Identity Whitepaper: https://secureitsource.com/form-monetizing-identity/  

 Reunited and it feels so goooood!Special guest this episode is none other than the ever so talented Mike Kiser. I had the absolute pleasure of working with Mike on our previous podcast, and we catch up to talk about life, quarantine, and all the things: About Mike Kiser:Mike Kiser is insecure. He has been this way since birth, despite holding a panoply of industry positions over the past 20 years—from Security Strategist to Security Analyst to Security Architect—that might imply otherwise. In spite of this, he has designed, directed, and advised on large-scale security deployments for a global clientele. He is currently in a long-term relationship with fine haberdashery, is a chronic chronoptimist (look it up), and delights in needlessly convoluted verbiage. He has been a speaker on topics ranging from identity governance to security analytics, network security, and various related privacy issues, and is the co-host of a podcast illuminating all things identity. Most recently, he was presenting current research at Black Hat and DEF CON. He warmly embraces the notion that security is more of a state of mind than a destination. Identiverse 2020: 7:33Internet and Data Usage: 14:30The Color Blue and its history: 21:00Zero Trust: 28:54  

A live conversation about the issues of diversity and inclusion in the tech industry. This isn't a new problem, yet we haven't made much progress. I take a brief look at the history of diversity and inclusion in the workspace. Some good reference material is linked below:https://hbr.org/1990/03/from-affirmative-action-to-affirming-diversityhttps://www.fastcompany.com/40579246/a-brief-history-of-diversity-traininghttps://www.wintersgroup.com/corporate-diversity-training-1964-to-present.pdf

Welcome to Season 2! We kick off this season with Ms. Quatyia Gatlin and dig into the topic of generational wealth, the home buying process, and facing adversity or making excuses. So grab your favorite cocktail, pull up a chair, and let's get to it!  

This episode I sit down with Tim and talk about everything from Customer Sucess, to a favorite destination, and of course, we relive the story of how Tim earned his moniker of "Silver Tongue"

A conversation with Larry Whiteside about empowering people minorities and women through his foundation International Consortium Of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, the importance of soft skills and networking, and his time at Huston Tillotson University.

Live version of the C3 podcast where I discuss the murder of George Floyd, racism, and giving back to the community

In this episode of the podcast I talk with Tony Baylis a senior leader for Diversity and Inclusion programs at Lawerence Livermore National Laboratory. He also happens to be one of my mentors, and cousin! We talk about his career path, D&I programs, and life in the times of quarantine. Hope you enjoy!

I sit down with Wendy Nather and discuss her efforts to ensure that everyone's voice is heard in the tech industry. We talk about the steps she would take today as a CISO in attempting to navigate these difficult times. And finally, we discuss what our version of an ideal virtual conference would be.

Conversation with Vlad Shaprio about the education system, the human factor of cyber security, and Gilligan's Island