Hearts Afire

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BioBridge Global is launching this series to connect you to our mission through your stories. In these conversations, we’ll learn about the wide range of things you do every day in service to your community. We want to hear from you, so please send your ideas for future episodes to heartsafire@biobridgeglobal.org.

Heather Hughes; Jay Podjenski; David King


    • Feb 23, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 12m AVG DURATION
    • 72 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Hearts Afire

    Culture and change, with J.R. Becho

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2025 8:27


    J.R. Becho, Organizational Design and Culture Director, talks about the evolution of the culture-building initiatives at BBG, including work on better explaining changes within the organization.

    All night long, with Josh Sanders

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2025 12:00


    Find out about life on the overnight shift in QualTex-San Antonio with Josh Sanders.

    The elephant in the room, with Susan Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2025 18:56


    Susan Smith talks about the elephant in the room - grief, in its many forms - with Angelica Sandoval.

    Welcome to BBG Advanced Therapies, with Adrienne Mendoza

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2025 9:52


    The Chief Operating Officer of BBG Advanced Therapies talks about the subsidiary's origins and plans for 2025.

    New art, with Cristina Sosa Noriega

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 17, 2024 14:43


    We begin our talks with artists in the BBG collection by talking to Cristina Sosa Noriega, whose produced a mural for the Southeast Donor Center.

    A surgical approach, with James Murphy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 14:58


    Guest host Kimberly Monroe talks with James Murphy, Tissue Recovery Manager, about how he manages the odd hours and demands of his job recovering a growing number of tissues.

    Advocating for donors, with Meredyth Ramos and Christina Ortiz

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2024 13:14


    We're visiting with Meredyth Ramos and Christina Ortiz, the nurses who take care of our blood donors 24/7/365.

    Cord blood and birth tissue, with Belinda Palacios

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2024 11:48


    Kimberly Monroe talks with Belinda Palacios, Lead Collection Coordinator, about the lifesaving gifts of cord blood and birth tissue.

    Loyal as a pitbull, with Granville Betton

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2024 18:24


    With years of experience as the NUG - New Useless Guy - and VOR - Voice of Reason - Granville Betton contributes to the organization in his own unique way.

    SAMMinistries and the United Way

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2024 8:26


    We're visiting with Nikisha Baker, President and CEO of SAMMinistries, one of the many local United Way agencies.

    A strong foundation, with Clay Howell

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2024 14:21


    Clay Howell, Director, Development for The Blood & Tissue Center Foundation, talks about what The Foundation does - and what motivated him toward a life of service.

    Process development, with Sami Dykes and Alia Mallah

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 11, 2024 14:28


    Two members of the team at GenCure - Sami Dykes and Alia Mallah - talk about what they do and where things are headed in advanced therapies.

    Granulocytes and you, with Naomi Herrera

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2024 11:28


    Naomi Herrera, Manager, Apheresis Services, talks about a new way we're helping save lives - granulocyte donations.

    A history of leadership, part 3, with Dr. Norman Kalmin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2024 14:34


    The final installment of our visit with Dr. Norman Kalmin, who led the organization for 27 years, includes his reflections on his time here, his youth and retirement.

    Staying secure, with Jimmy Martinez

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 9:06


    Our 50th episode features San Antonio native Jimmy Martinez, our Security Manager at BBG, talking safety, security and a little boxing.

    Moving on, with Roberto Esquivel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 17, 2024 18:40


    Graphic Design Specialist Roberto Esquivel talks about his 14 years with the organization - and his impending retirement.

    Life in the lab, with Max Pinones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2024 10:53


    Our latest episode features Max Pinones, Manager, Cord Blood, Birth Tissue and Advanced Therapies Laboratory, talking about life in the lab.

    Lab and cello, with Austin Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2024 11:52


    Our podcast for 50th Anniversary Week features Austin Smith, who works at QualTex in Georgia, talking about work and his other passion - playing the cello.

    Coming back to QualTex, with Falisha Atwell

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2024 14:13 Transcription Available


    From our visit to Georgia in late 2023, listen to our visit with Falisha Atwell, Senior Director, Laboratory Services, who talks about returning to QualTex and the many changes she found.

    Donate Life Month

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2024 14:50 Transcription Available


    Host Kimberly Monroe and Susan Smith talk about the history of Donate Life Month, DLM Spirit Week and our role in promoting tissue, cornea and organ donation programs.

    Building the donor experience

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2024 22:10 Transcription Available


    Hear about donor-facing initiatives within South Texas Blood & Tissue to make the experience even better, from Ken Doyle, Manager, Donor Experience for STB&T.

    A history of leadership, part 2, with Dr. Norman Kalmin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 18:16


    This week's episode is part 2 of a three-part series with former CEO Dr. Norman Kalmin, talking about the organization's growth in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the BBG Art Collection.

    An Atlanta perspective

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2024 10:21


    As part of a series of interviews with the team in Atlanta, we visit with Nicholas Masterson, Lead Human Resources Business Partner based at QualTex.

    Let's talk some Basura (Bash)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2024 8:55


    Hear about the upcoming Basura Bash and other BBG volunteer events from Emmanuel Casasola, Brenda Brock and Linda Lozano.

    Heroes in Arms, with Bill Bullock

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2024 19:51


    Bill Bullock, Specialized Program Coordinator, talks with Kimberly Monroe about the lifesaving Heroes in Arms program.

    A history of leadership, part 1, with Dr. Norman Kalmin

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2024 12:07


    The first of three episodes with former CEO Dr. Norman Kalmin focuses on his path to joining the organization and his early years in charge.

    MLK Day March, with Richey Wyatt and Scott Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2024 17:09


    Hear about the organization's first community outreach event of 2024, the MLK Day March in San Antonio.

    On the right path, with Dr. Samantha Gomez Ngamsuntikul

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2023 10:06


    We're visiting with Dr. Samantha Gomez Ngamsuntikul - Dr. G to everyone - and she's talking about her career path, a typical day as Medical Director of STB&T and what she's streaming lately.

    A veteran's story, with Dr. Bob Selvester

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 19:25


    Our annual salute to Veterans Day is our visit with Dr. Bob Selvester, the physician in residence at the BBG Clinic and a 33-year yeteran of the U.S. Navy.

    Preserving history, with Amanda Lozano

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2023 12:47


    Hear all about a new member of the team, Multimedia Communications Specialist Amanda Lozano, and her loves of both writing and music.

    Practical medicine, with Dr. Rachel Beddard

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2023 17:44


    Get a doctor's opinion - and some perspective - on life at BBG from Dr. Rachel Beddard, Chief Medical Officer.

    Bloodhounds are here, with Laura Eickhoff and Emmanuel Casasola

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2023 14:56


    This week's episode is a visit with Laura Eickhoff and Emmanuel Casaola about the organization's soccer team, the BBG Bloodhounds.

    Following the rules, with Chris Cielak

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2023 10:29


    This episode features Chris Cielak, Manager, Regulatory Affairs with BBG Global Quality, talking dealing with regulatory agencies and vendors.

    Wendy's Way, with Wendy Zachmeyer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2023 9:25


    The latest podcast features Wendy Zachmeyer, Staff Accountant and an inspiration when it comes to physical fitness.

    A long-term perspective, with Jose Garcia

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2023 12:39


    In 30 years with the organization, Jose Garcia has worked in a variety of jobs, from Components to Accessioning to Sales, and he's learned something from every one of them.

    Talking about wheels, with John Barnes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 11:57


    This episode features a special visit with John Barnes, our Vice President of Human Resources and Learning, talking about one of his biggest passions - motor vehicles.

    Helping Hearts, with Richey Wyatt

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2023 16:28


    This episode features Richey Wyatt, leader of multiple employee engagement and culture-building initiatives at BBG. As he puts it, Richey wears many hats within the organization, but he is particularly happy working with his Human Resources team on projects like the Helping Hearts Fund.

    Going to camp, with Susan Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 19, 2023 11:00


    With the Camp Discovery Donation Day and dance coming up, we visit with Susan Smith about the organization's 10-year history with the camp for kids with cancer.

    Inside the ATL lab, with Michael Little and Austin Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2023 17:03


    Michael Little and Austin Smith, who produced a rap video about the QualTex lab in Atlanta, talk about their motivations, their production and life outside the lab.

    Special motivations, with Debbie Maxwell

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2023 9:31


    Debbie Maxwell, Supervisor Mobile Operations, talks about moving "somewhere warm" to work, as well as the many special motivations she has for working at South Texas Blood & Tissue.

    Your benefits, with John Barnes

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2023 11:34


    Hear from John Barnes, Vice President, Human Resources and Learning, about your benefits at BBG - and a new one coming soon.

    A revolution in communications, with David King

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2023 20:36


    Guest host Angelica Sandoval and guest David King talk about employee communications history and challenges, as well as the upcoming revolutionary change.

    A communications revolution, with David King

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2023 0:19


    A giant step - a revolutionary step - in employee communication is on the way, says David King.

    The future of research, with Gus Ortiz

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2023 9:02


    Gus Ortiz, Clinical Research Coordinator, talks about his background and his part in the growing research program at STB&T.

    The future of research, with Gus Ortiz - promo

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2023 0:45


    A quick snippet of episode 21 of Hearts Afire, featuring Gus Ortiz, Clinical Research Coordinator with STB&T.

    Chief Science Nerd, with Scott Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2023 21:04


    Scott Jones talks about a wide range of topics In his visit, from his role as Chief Science Officer to his latest interests in music to his family's version of his new job title.

    Chief Science Nerd, with Scott Jones

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 1:16


    Scott Jones, Chief Scientific Officer at BioBridge Global, talks about his job in a snippet of his upcoming appearance on Hearts Afire.

    Family Ties, with Audra and Makenzie Taylor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 15:42


    This episode features Audra and Makenzie Taylor, our mother-daughter team, talking about work, life and the time Makenzie's brother broke the family bank.

    Family Ties, with Audra and Makenzie Taylor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2023 1:07


    Get a snippet of Audra and Makenzie Taylor talking about work, life and the time Makenzie's brother broke the bank. The full episode debuts March 20.

    'That's my job,' with Claribel Colon

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 23:52


    Claribel Colon, Manager Training & Admin Lab Services with QualTex, talks about the career path that led her to what she considers her ideal job.

    A special motivation, with Kyree Kayoshi

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2023 9:27


    This episode features a visit with Kyree Kayoshi, Human Resources Specialist, who talks about his extraordinary motivation to come to work at BioBridge Global, as well as his world away from work.

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