Hearts Afire

Jennifer Cavazos, Executive Director of Discovery Camps, and Susan Smith visit with Angelica Sandoval about Camp Discovery and Donation Day.

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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