Intentionally Overheard w/Robert Ginyard

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. Transforming Stigma: A Journey with Mike Veny   In this episode, Robert Ginyard chats with Mike Veny, an influential mental health advocate, author, drummer, and keynote speaker. Recognized for his work in patient advocacy, Mike shares his personal journey with mental health challenges, including his childhood struggles, the critical role of drumming, and his transformative moment in 2017. He delves into the stigma surrounding mental health, especially in minority communities, and highlights the importance of emotional wellness and self-forgiveness. Mike also discusses his life's purpose and his ongoing mission to spread a message of love and support through his unique learning experiences, books, and upcoming podcast, 'Coffee with Mike.'   00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction  01:00 Mike Veny's Mental Health Journey 03:42 The Power of Drumming  04:12 Challenges and Turning Points 07:16 Family Dynamics and Support  09:44 Cultural Stigma and Mental Health  11:17 Special Education and Behavioral Issues  12:46 Parental Influence and Emotional Impact  14:58 Music and Family Background  16:51 Generational Differences in Parenting  17:52 Mental Health and Relationships  18:32 Reflecting on Self and Health Challenges  19:31 A Triggering Conversation on Mental Health  21:02 The Turning Point: A Retreat for Difficult Emotions  22:34 Discovering Forgiveness and Emotional Wellness  24:39 Embracing Public Speaking and Mental Health Advocacy  26:57 Finding Purpose and Combining Gifts  31:40 Advice to Younger Self and Final Thoughts Support the show

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. Today I have a conversation with Bobby Blackwell- entrepreneur, marketing consultant, and men's health advocate.  Bobby has a rich background in entrepreneurship; he likes to create something from nothing! Bobby and I caught up to talk about: entrepreneurship,  the importance of good health, and living a life of purpose. Bobby also shares his personal journey of dealing with mental health challenges that caused him to hit life's reset button and prioritize what's important in life.  Bobby is currently a partner and the director of sales for From Baltimore With Love (a dynamic multifaceted entity whose singular mission is crafting a compelling digital narrative that authentically represents Baltimore City through a diverse range of initiatives such as campaigns spanning various mediums, including apparel, PSA's, commercials ,documentaries, short films, special events, and collaborations with local, regional, and national brands.Blackwell also serves as an Associate Producer with the Waissman Group (of Broadway fame - Grease, Torch Song Trilogy and Agnes of God) which is scheduled to bring the original production of Josephine to Broadway. Blackwell has also worked as the Director of Business Development with CCC Diagnostics, LLC (CCCD), a molecular diagnostic company whose proprietary platform technology Direct Hit™ Drug Response Indicator Test Panel, analyzes an individual patient's tumor in order to indicate the drug sensitivity/resistance to FDA-approved, National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommended chemotherapy drugs currently on the market. Bobby has been fortunate to have had a diverse career and is very proud of his accomplishments as he has worked as a consultant to private companies, business owner and a public employee. He was the founder and CEO of Ultima Group Inc and has also done previous stints with the international brand Bang & Olufsen and Hallmark Marketing Corporation.Blackwell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Virginia Military Institute. He currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland with hiswife and son.Support the show

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. In this episode of Intentionally Overheard, I have a conversation with Dr. LaMarr Darnell Shields.  We talked about his childhood growing up on the South Side of Chicago, the many life lessons gleaned from his mother, and his love and appreciation reading and learning which subsequently led him to teaching...and living a life of purpose.       Dr. LaMarr Darnell Shields is a distinguished educator, author, and advocate renowned for his transformative contributions to education. A former professor at the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Shields is celebrated for his innovative approaches and steadfast commitment to equity in education. As an Open Society Institute Fellow, Dr. Shields has driven initiatives that promote educational justice and inclusion. His impactful advocacy was further recognized when he received the 2023 Civil Rights Award, underscoring his significant role in advancing equity. Dr. Shields is also the author of the influential book What I Learned in the Midst of KAOS: The Making of An Ubuntu Teacher. This work delves into his personal experiences and insights on crafting meaningful and inclusive educational environments, bridging the gap between theory and practical application to empower both students and educators. Beyond his scholarly achievements, Dr. Shields is a sought-after speaker and consultant, collaborating with schools, organizations, and policymakers to foster educational excellence and equity. His role as Executive Producer of the Short Kuts Show, a live storytelling series that highlights narratives from People of Color, further exemplifies his dedication to community service and belief in the transformative power of education. Support the show

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. In this episode of Intentionally Overheard, I have a conversation with Founding Artistic Director of Dance Happens, Inc, Paula LeVere.  Introduced to the art form of ballet 45 years ago, Paula shares her life's journey through the world of dance, and how she is embracing living a life of purpose on purpose.  Paula recalls the moment in life areer when she decided move from performing to teaching in order to give   Over the course of her career, Paula has studied with some of the well known names of the ballet world: Sylvester Campbell with The Baltimore School for the Arts, Laura Alonzo with the Cuban Ballet Company in Cuba, Arthur Mitchell with Dance Theatre of Harlem, and Fredrick Franklin of the Ballet Russe. Through her intense studies, Paula was able to perform major ballets such as Giselle, TheNutcracker, Swan Lake, Firebird, and other notable ballets. Paula also appeared asa guest soloist on a PBS TV Series, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.In 1993, she earned a B.A. in dance from Point Park University where she was apositive influence in the lives of toddlers, children, and young adults through herteachings of ballet. Most importantly, Paula has found a love in being a positiverole model to the children she has guided and instructed throughout herprofession, and she has shared her knowledge and passion for the art of balletthrough volunteer work with the inner city.Furthering Paula's accomplishments, she formed a youth ensemble, Union CityYouth Ensemble, for the inner-city kids of New Jersey. Paula's love for dancebrought her back where it all began in Baltimore, Maryland. Prior to creatingDance Happens, Inc., she was given a great opportunity to build the danceprogram at Meade Senior High School where she was Director of the dancecompany. Currently, Paula is Founding Artistic Director of Dance Happens, Inc.,which is a thriving 501c3 nonprofit organization that caters to Baltimore's Citykids.Support the show

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. In this episode of Intentionally Overheard, Dave Bjork, "The Research Evangelist" shares his outlook on life, his lung cancer journey, and how living a life of purpose has inspired him to live his best life by helping others.     Dave Bjork is a lung cancer survivor, patient advocate and research evangelist with more than 25 years of progressive experience in community-building, nonprofit fundraising, and research advocacy.  Dave is host of the Research Evangelist Podcast where he interviews leaders in lung cancer research and care, and the Dinner with Dave Podcast where he shares lung cancer stories of inspiration and courage from patients and care partners. In addition, he is an advisor to Medidata Solutions where he serves on the Patient Insights Board team to bring the patient voice to the clinical trial experience. Previously Dave spent 8 years leading nonprofit fundraising and advocacy teams.Dave has made it his life mission to connect patients, biopharma companies, academic institutions, and other key influencers to forge strong partnerships to focus on cancer research and care. He proudly serves on the Advisory Board of the Cancer Epigenetics Institute at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Dave earned a BS in Economics and Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.Twitter @bjork5 https://www.linkedin.com/in/davebjork/ https://www.instagram.com/theresearchevangelistpodcast/?hl=en https://www.facebook.com/david.bjork.71Support the show

Thank you for listening. Send us a text message. Intentionally Overheard is on Summer Break A new season with new episodes begins Wednesday, July 31st.You can now support the show: "Buy Me A Coffee"  (See link below)Support the Show.

After losing  every piece of art and equipment he owned in a massive warehouse fire,  Poncho Brown bounced back with a renewed sense of purpose and passion for his work. On this Episode of Intentionally Overheard, I have a conversation with world-renowned artist, entrepreneur, speaker, and author Larry "Poncho"  Brown.Poncho's art, both fine and commercial, has graced the pages of national publications such as Upscale, Ebony, Ebony Man, Essence, and Jet magazines. His powerful works have also been featured prominently on television shows including “A Different World”, “In the House”, “The Wire”, “The Carmichael Show”, “Star”, and “Greenleaf”. Notably, his art has made appearances in movies like “Avalon”, “He Said, She Said”, and “Soulfood”. We caught up to talk about:1. His passion for art since childhood2. Paying it forward through mentorship and giving back3. Living a life with a sense of urgency and purposePoncho's websitehttps://www.larryponchobrown.net/Get Poncho's latest book:Poncho Retrospective- 40 Years of The Art of Poncho Brownhttps://www.larryponchobrown.net/collections/books/products/poncho-retrospectiveRobert's Contact:https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-ginyard-dibidibiAs I close my show, I always reference  Dream it. Believe it. Do it. Be it. (DiBi DiBi)  To order DiBi DiBi Tee Shirts... check out: https://dreamitbelieveitdoitbeit.com/store

In this episode, I have a conversation with  writer, director, and producer, Landi Maduro.  We talk about her breakthrough documentary, The Silent Killer: Prostate Cancer in the African American Community, and the impact the film has had in helping men learn more about the disease. Landi also shares stories and anecdotes about pursuing her passion of being a filmmaker, and finding her life's purpose in her work. 

A conversation with writer, director, and producer Landi Maduro. 

Today I'm going to have a conversation with Jim DeBetta. Jim is a world –renowned invention/product expert, award winning businessperson, founder of multiple million-dollar companies, best-selling author of “The Business of Inventing”  He is also the former executive for Kevin Harrington, one of the original sharks from the hit TV reality show Shark Tank, an investor on the reality television show, Make Me a Millionaire Inventor, and has sold nearly a quarter of a billion dollars' worth of products to the world's leading retailers- in short...Jim knows how to move merchandise.  We caught up to talk about his  passion for helping others realize their dreams of creating products to sell,    His work as an invention/product expert And finding purpose through his work  

Michele Tedder, MSN, RN is a Senior Program Manager at the Black Women'sHealth Imperative (BWHI), the only National non-profit focused on the health andwellness of Black women and girls. She is the lead on BWHI's current evaluationof their virtual diabetes prevention program using their culturally tailoredcurriculum approved by the CDC in 2020, app and high touch coaching model ofprogram delivery; and she has led the creation of BWHI's family-centeredDiabetes Self-Management Support Program curriculum recently pilot tested bythree sites.Having struggled with her weight since childhood Michele knows what it is like toexperience the negative impacts of living with a chronic disease like obesity.Through her lived experience she uses her influence to advocate for comprehensiveand equitable obesity care. She is a sought-after speaker, panelist and subjectmatter expert discussing issues and policies that impact access to obesity care.Michele has served as a subject matter expert on obesity for the AmericanDiabetes Association, the American Medical Women's Association, the NationalFoundation of W omen Legislators, the National Black Caucus of StateLegislators, the American College of Gynecologists and DiaTribe Musings.Michele was recently a recipient of the 2023 HealtheVoices Impact Awardsponsored by Johnson and Johnson, given to health advocates to support theadvancement of their work. Michele recently joined the national board of directorsof the Obesity Action Coalition, a national non-profit dedicated to raisingawareness and improving access to the prevention and treatment of obesity. She is also the founder of Village Empowerment Solutions, a consulting businessfocused on supporting organizations in the development of strategies that improvehealth outcomes for people living with chronic diseases. Michele holds abachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Pittsburgh and a master's innursing education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

On this episode of Intentionally Overheard, I have a conversation with Nigel Barker about his modeling/photography career, giving back, to worthy causes,  and embracing the moment by being in the present.    About Nigel:Nigel Barker is an internationally renowned photographer, creative director and entrepreneur who opened his New York studio in 1996. He served 17 seasons as photographer and judge on the hit TV show, America's Next Top Model, which aired in over 140 countries, and hosted Oxygen Network's modeling competition series, The Face, starring alongside Naomi Campbell. Barker also created the VH1 Reality show The Shot, his podcast The Shaken & Stirred Show is currently in production for it's TV release. His latest hit show Top Photographer premiered to rave reviews and a second season is in the works.  Barker's presence in the fashion and entertainment industry has resulted in an array of exciting projects including the creation of his own furniture line the NB1 & NB2 Collections, A skate board collection with ShutNYC, 3 signature fragrances with Demeter, a unique custom NB Photobooth, and as Ambassador for AC Hotels by Marriott he created the first ever specialty Gin & Tonic glass and many more innovative projects.  As Creative Director, Barker currently works with 21c Hotel Chicago and the Sustainable Fashion Brands EcoFashionCorp and YesAnd. He is also a Founder and partner in the NYC/LA gym, The DOGPOUND. Barker has directed and produced films, documentaries and commercials for Hollywood clients to international charitable organizations and was awarded the “Film Heals” Award for Humanitarianism at the 6th Annual Manhattan Film Festival for Dreams Are Not Forgotten. Using the power of photography and motion pictures he has been able to spread his humanitarian message to vast audiences through films, PSA's and traveling exhibitions.  He has worked with several charitable organizations including the Special Olympics where he serves as a Champion Ambassador, The Humane Society of the United States, The Humane Society International, Make A Wish Foundation, The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation (as a 2 term board member), Jumpstart (where he serves as a board member)The Edeyo Foundation (board member) and the USO where he serves as a digital advisory committee member.  Drawing upon his 20+ years of experience in the fashion and beauty industries, he has two books—The Beauty Equation, published by Abrams, and his latest book, New York Times Best Seller Models of Influence published by Harper Collins. Nigel currently lives in Woodstock NY with his wife and renown Yogi, Cristen AKA @ChinTwins

Today, my guest is Tyrone Brewer.  Tyrone Brewer is President, US Oncology at Johnson & Johnson. He is responsible for leading the company's fastest growing therapeutic area and continually advancing the organization's oncology portfolio and pipeline. He is also a member of the Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Americas Leadership Team, where he collaborates with other leaders across the organization to deliver results on behalf of patients. With more than 30 years of experience across the healthcare industry, Tyrone is known as a strong leader and passionate advocate for talent development and advancing diversity and inclusion within the workplace.We caught up to talk about his work at Johnson & Johnson, coaching and teamwork, Life's purpose, and the upcoming Blue Jacket Fashion Show event to raise awareness of prostate cancer.  

Kelsey is a published author and a mental wellness advocate. In her first book, StrongCalm Confident You, Kelsey shares her personal journey with anxiety that manifested as people-pleasing and perfectionism. Once she recognized these patterns and learned how to cope with her own anxiety, she began to notice these issues in women around her, and she wanted to help. That's how the idea for the book was born. Kelsey shares her story, along with practical tips to help women stop the endless cycle of pleasing, perfecting and performing and learn to build a more authentic and happy life on their own terms. Followher on Instagram @StrongCalmKelsey and join her email list at strongcalmkelsey.com.Kelsey earned a master's degree in communications from Rutgers University and abachelor's degree in public relations from Penn State University. She lives in Lawrence, NJwith her husband, Chris, their daughter Sophie, and dog Zoe.

Today,  I have a conversation with the legendary Burt Watson who is known in the boxing and MMA community.  Burt's rise in the boxing business started when he became the business manager for his close friend, Smoken' Joe Frazier.  It didn't take long for Burt to become recognized for his managerial and organizational skills. He quickly became one of the industry's most sought-after event coordinators.  He has worked of course, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali Larry Holmes, George Foreman, and Ken Norton, Mike Tyson, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Ray Leaonard, Roberto Duran, Julio Chavez, Roy Jones, and when I say the list goes on...believe me ….it goes on!  In 2021 Burt joined Bellator MMA- where he inspires and motivates fighters to give their best effort in the ring, cage, and in life.   Burt also makes time to share his energy, enthusiasm, and his story about his prostate cancer journey-a fight he never thought he would have to take on. He's made it part of his life's mission to educate men and their families about the disease, so that men won't have to take on a fight against an opponent they know nothing about.      Burt and I caught up to talk about life, decision making, and life's purpose.  

STEVEN M. (“STEVE”) ABBOTTEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – THE CINCINNATI CANCER FOUNDATION, INC. (“CCF”)Steve's career has been quite varied, encompassing finance, accounting, treasury operations, capital markets, business development, marketing and sales, across a variety of industries and ownership structures. This has put him in a uniquely good position to lead CCF, which is the funding engine for Cincinnati Cancer Advisors (“CCA”), a mission-driven oncology practice providing platinum-level care,free of charge to more than 400 cancer patients in the Greater Cincinnati area each year. Steve is responsible for all of CCF's functional areas with the exception of clinical practice and operations.Steve is the founder of CCA's inventive “Medical Minute” podcast series, which is designed to improve patient outcomes by simplifying the information that is given to patients as part of their treatment decision-making process. Medical Minute's first podcast was released in November 2021 and though growth has been modest, there are now more than 750 subscribers to the Medical Minute YouTube  channel and viewer response has been very favorable to date.He is also the founder of the Cincinnati Cancer Consortium (“CCC”), a collaboration of some of Cincinnati's most revered cancer care organizations. The goals of CCC are to promote awareness of each participating organization's unique, patient-focused programs, and to optimize each organization's financial health through resource sharing and fundraising collaboration.Steve's past volunteer efforts have benefited the University of Cincinnati (UC) Cancer Center, UC Health, the American Cancer Society, ZERO Prostate Cancer, and the V Foundation, among others. He and his wife Diana – also a cancer survivor – have spoken on cancer-related topics at a variety of oncology conferences throughout the Midwest region (all honoraria received from these speaking engagements have been donated to charity).A ten-year prostate cancer survivor, Steve serves as a consumer reviewer for the U.S. Department of Defense's Prostate Cancer Research Program, a program that has funded some of the most groundbreaking drugs for advanced prostate cancer in the past quarter-century. Steve and his fellow volunteer lobbyists have not only been successful in keeping funding alive for this vital, life-saving research program, but their collective efforts have resulted in $30 million in additional funding over the last six-year period. Steve is also a member of the Prostate Cancer Lab, an organization of advancedprostate cancer patients focused on a better understanding of applying next generation sequencing techniques to improve for these patients, as well as all prostate cancer patients.

On this episode of Intentionally Overheard, Chris and I talk about entrepreneurship, following one's passion, finding one's purpose, and living in the present. Chris' bio: With a 25+ year history in the music industry with Sony, driven and passionate entrepreneur Chris Stone founded the Podcast and Live Streaming Consultancy Cast Ahead after the success of his own co-hosted podcasts changed his life. At Cast Ahead, Chris thrives on enabling driven entrepreneurs, influencers, thoughtleaders and enterprises to express their story and elevate their reach.In the same way Chris was able to work with multi-platinum artists, record label executives and creatives of all levels – he's found great joy seeing other Live Streamers, Keynote Speakers and Podcasters achieve their own creative, financial, physical and spiritual success. He's produced videos for keynote speakers like Victor Antonio and Sam Silverstein, produced virtual, physical and hybrid live conferences for corporations, consulted, developed and produced podcasts like Sales Influence, The Big Ticket Life, The Sales Energizer, The Pete Primeau Show, Lancaster Connects and many more.Chris also co-hosts an Amazon Live show “Dealcasters” with Jim Fuhs of Fuhsion Marketing. Dealcasters are Livestreaming Amazon Influencers who interview experts and entrepreneurs while training Amazon customers how to overcome the fear of technology, start and flourish in their content creator journeys. In just over a year, Dealcasters have established themselves as a trusted authority not only in the live video and podcasting space, but also in the education of the Amazon Influencer program and the development of Influencers already on the platform. They've spoken on stages and virtually at PodFest Expo, VidFest Expo, StreamYard Industry Showcase, Agorapulse Agency Summit, MidWest Digital Marketing Conference, Social Media Week Lima and headed up an entire day at the PodFest & VidFest Global Conference for the Amazon Influencer Program.Chris also has led, assisted and coordinated remote livestream production teams with clients such as Disney, IBM, StreamYard, United Nations Global Compact, MIT, Toastmasters International, Jamaican Chamber Of Commerce and USABizParty which has included speakers such as Gary Vaynerchuk, Seth Godin, Darren LaCroix and many more.“I truly believe that everyone deserves to be heard by using their own voice in their own way,” Chris states, “My goal is to be a team member with other passionate entrepreneurs & ambitious businesses by integrating podcasting and/or live streaming into their business goals, educate their customers in a creative way – whichwill in turn attract more listeners, viewers & customers.”

Thank you to all the dreamers and doers who never give up!  

It was great to catch up with world renowned drummer/musician and educator, Clarence Penn to talk about pursuing his dream of a career in music, his life's journey, and operating and living his purpose. Of course we talked about music, and so much more. Clarence's bio: Clarence Penn is one of the busiest jazz drummers in the world, a leader of multiple bands, a composer, a prolific producer, and an educator.Since 1991, when he arrived in New York City, Penn has placed his unique blend of mega-chops, keen intellect, and heady musicianship at the service of a staggering array of A-list artists—a chronological short-list includes Ellis and Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter, Stanley Clarke, Steps Ahead, Makoto Ozone, Michael Brecker, Dave Douglas, Maria Schneider, Luciana Souza, Richard Galliano, and Fourplay. Penn's impressive discography includes several hundred studio albums (including the Grammy-winning recordings 34th and Lex by Randy Brecker and Concert in the Garden and Sky Blue by Maria Schneider) representing a 360-spectrum of jazz expression, and he's toured extensively throughout the United States, the Americas, Europe, Japan, and Southeast Asia. He's composed music for films and commercials, and produced tracks for numerous singers in the pop and alternative arenas. He earned a “Ten Best of 1997” accolade from the New York Times for his first leader recording, Penn's Landing.A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, where he was a protégé of Ellis Marsalis, Penn is active as an educator and drum clinician. From 2004 to 2012, he taught on the faculty of the Banff International Workshop in Jazz and Creative Music. He's also served on faculty at the Stanford Jazz Workshop, the Saint Louis College of Music in Rome, Italy, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Intensive Jazz Institute.Penn currently leads several ensembles. His most recent “rhythmically intoxicating” recording is 2014's “Monk The Lost Files”arrangements of the music of Thelonious Monk. Released on the Origin record lable, an amazing quartet comprising saxophonist Chad Leftkowitz-Brown, Pianist Gerald Clayton/Donald Vega, and bassist Yasushi Nakamura performing the music of Thelonius Monk with today's modern jazz sensibility. Near completion is a “world music” studio project of songs and instrumentals that melds background voices—including his own—with a world class band.Whether Penn is leading his own band or performing as a sideman, he brings to the table unfailing versatility and professionalism, an ability to find creative ways to interpret a global array of styles and idioms, and a stated intention “to play music that's warm and organic for the people and for myself.”His motto: “When people hear my name, I want them to think, ‘I don't know what band he's playing with tonight or what he'll be doing, but it's going to be good, it's going to be musical.'”

Dr. Monifa Jones is an author, life coach, and a highly inspirational/motivational speaker. She has provided direct care services as a psychotherapist for more than 25 years. Dr. Jones also served 10 years as a college professor teaching psychology, and 35 years in ministry leadership. She currently hosts Live at 5, a life trauma healing show Monday through Friday on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Dr. Jones feels her best education came from working with thousands of families who she empowered to live a better life from the approach of embracing challenges to strengthen self-mastery and develop greater levels mental fortitude     

Jan McInnis has spent the past 25 years as a keynote speaker, comedian, comedy writer, and author. She was featured in the The Wall Street Journal and the The Washington Post for her humor, and she has shared her humor keynotes with thousands of organizations from the Federal Reserve Banks to the Mayo Clinic and beyond.Additionally, Jan has sold comedy material to everything from The Tonight Show monologues and hundreds of radio stations to greeting cards, syndicated cartoon strips, websites, CEOs, and even guests on The Jerry Springer Show (her parents are proud!). She is the author of Finding The Funny Fast: How to Create Quick Humor to Connect with Clients, Coworkers and Crowds.Born in D.C., Jan was in charge of the “Joke of the Day” for her junior high school lunch table.  Not surprisingly, she majored in communications at Virginia Tech, where she was a disk jockey for the local radio station.  She now resides in Los Angeles.

Troy Hackley is the host of Baltimore's number 1 youth sports show- Urban Sports Beat; seen locally on WUTB My TV Baltimore, and EngageNetwork People(Channel 75).  Troy is also the public address announcer, and the voice of Saint Frances Academy sports.  Additionally, Troy is the former PA announcer for Baltimore City Community College, The Baltimore Hawks, and the DMV Warriors semi-professional basketball teams of the TTBL League.      

Conversation with Ty Miller, certified Master Life Coach, and founder of "I Am Unmasked"- an organization created to help people dealing with trauma experienced during childhood that is affecting their adult life.   

Today's conversation is with motivational speaker, workshop facilitator, and author, Fran Allen. We caught up to talk about life, and how discipline can help determine, design, and dictate our destiny.

Today, I'm going to have a conversation with Eric Perez.  Eric is the host of the Talking Leadership Podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of leaders from various business backgrounds, both large and small. Formerly the CEO of the Queenland Seafood Industry Association. He has completed Bachelor's degrees in both commerce and Behavioral Science from Griffith University; a master's in Research at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He has also completed a Doctor of Professional Studies focusing on leadership development, through the University of Southern Queensland.  At the heart of it, Eric's interest lies in finding out what makes leaders, well, leaders. We caught up to talk about leadership, the importance of living in the present, and finding one's life purpose. You can contact Eric at: LinkedIn:https://linkedin.com/in/ericperez2021Website: https://salricpodcasting.weebly.com/Email:TLbyEricPerez@gmail.com

Quentin “Skip” Lockwood III has 25 years of experience successfully managing nonprofits and businesses.   Currently, he is the owner and operator of QL3 Strategies, a consultancy providing nonprofits with the technical, ethical, strategic, and operational expertise necessary for fulfilling their missions.  Skip served as President & CEO of ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer, where he spearheaded multiple initiatives to create an award-winning, multimillion-dollar, best-in-class organization.  He crafted an innovative male healthcare program, the Drive Against Prostate Cancer, providing more than 100,000 men with free prostate testing through a unique for-profit/nonprofit partnership.  Skip and his team launched the largest men's health event series in the nation, the ZERO Prostate Cancer Challenge.  He possesses an MA in American Government from The Johns Hopkins University and a BA in an interdisciplinary study of political science, economics, and ethics.  He may be reached at 202-841-3166 or visit his website at www.ql3strategies.com.

Reginald Gant is a man of many dreams being led by the Lord. He has proudly protected hundreds of individuals and families with much needed Wills, Estate Planning, legal services and more. Reginald has created a global virtual online community for men, fathers, and husbands (serve4men.mn.co) where they gather to have a safe space, learn, grow, and connect.As a 5X author, Reginald proudly educates on the SERVE principles; which are a personal development vehicle used to develop leaders. His passion and purpose is to equip men, fathers, and husbands, of faith, to step up into their leadership roles as protectors and providers so that they can lead, protect, provide, and serve God's way. Reginald believes in the greatness inside of men.However, Reginald proudest accomplishments are being happily married and raising their 5 amazing children ranging in age from 1 to 21.His life motto is simple:  SERVE to be a blessing to others! Seek Excellence Respect Value EverydayReginald Gant contact info:http://www.serve4men.comhttp://serve4men.mn.cohttp://linktr.ee/yourgreatnessRobert Ginyard contact info:http://info@dreamitbelieveitdoitbeit.comhttp://dreamitbelieveitdoitbeit.com

Today is Wednesday. Hump Day as many of us call it.  Today I want to send this short message out to those who find themselves at a place in their lives where every day seems to have its share of humps and bumps that often throws us a little off course. You are a warrior. You have what it takes to get through life's day-to-day challenges.  http://Dreamitbelieveitdoitbeit.com 

Born and raised in New York, Eric Haft is quickly becoming one the most sought- after comedians in the country. His unique blend of everyday observations, as well as his take on family and relationship material, set him apart from most other comics in the entertainment world. Eric has opened and appeared with Kevin James, Rob Schneider, Gary Valentine as well as many other top Comedians throughout the country.  Eric and I caught up to talk about:1. Realizing your dream.2. Doing the thing that scares you. 3. Living a life of purpose.4. Realizing your full potential.      You can follow Eric at:https://haft2laugh.comhttps://www.instagram.com/erichaft1/

Matt Ode:From Cancer to Coma, at the age of 24 Matt Ode was diagnosed with stage 3C Testicular cancer. After chemotherapy and a very complicated surgery to remove the remaining cancer from his body, Matt encountered various complications. He was under the watch and care of the ICU for over 40 days and in the Cleveland Clinic for 53 days where he was met with a number of near-death experiences including 5 major surgeries causing a large open wound on his stomach. For two weeks, he laid non-responsive in a coma, met with complete kidney and liver failure, and went into cardiac arrest where nurses performed 8 minutes of CPR to bring him back to life.Doctors didn't know if and when he would awake, informing his family and girlfriend he would likely be on dialysis the rest of his life having to relearn everyday tasks like eating and walking again.Prior to the diagnosis and subsequent treatment, Matt was a healthy personal trainer weighing in at 185 lb. But this disease wreaked havoc on his body and in a matter of 8 months he dwindled down to a mere 110 lbs.Fast forward 3 years later after hard work and deep internal discovery, Matt Ode is as vibrant, enthusiastic, and energetic as ever helping individuals transform their mind, body and spirt, as a transformation coach and highly sought after Keynote Inspirational Speaker.You can follow Matt at:https://mattodespeaks.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-ode-64376715b/You can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyard

Candance L. Greene is a published writer, podcaster and the founder ofCherishedflight, a ministry dedicated to helping people realign with the peace of God.She has produced over 130 episodes of Cherishedflight the Podcast where she sharesbiblical steps her listeners can take to implement the peace of God in their lives on adaily basis.Candance is known for introducing the concept of #PeaceBreaksTM for women who areoverwhelmed by the demands of marriage, motherhood and maintaining their careers.With the #PeaceBreak, Candance encourages women to step away from what they aredoing to carve out moments in their day to pray and breathe to decrease stress andreconnect with the presence of God. During the COVID-19 quarantine, she conductedlive #PeaceBreaksTM on Facebook and Instagram with her followers, that she calls her#PeaceCollective, to provide a safe space where they could come to breathe, pray andconnect with the peace of God.Candance is a graduate of Paine College, an HBCU where she earned a BA in English,and Goucher College, where she earned an MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing. She isa native Nashvillian who now resides in Baltimore with her husband and threechildren.We caught up to talk about:1. Family2. Faith3. Living a life of Purpose You can follow Candance at:https://www.facebook.com/Cherishedflight/https://www.instagram.com/cherishedflight/https://twitter.com/cherishedflighthttps://www.cherishedflight.comYou can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyard

Dyanne Marte is a designer, educator, and doctoral student. Originally from Suriname, South America, Dyanne has lived in the states since 1979 and grew up in Montgomery County. She received her BFA in Fashion from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 1998. Dyanne lived in New York City and worked for New York and Co., J. Crew, and Doncaster. Dyanne also received her graduate degree in Design Management from Pratt institute in 2003. Upon her father's abrupt death from pancreatic cancer, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland, to start her company Dennya at the end of 2003. Dyanne ran her fashion label for 11 years.  After shutting down my clothing lined in 2014, she consulted for other brands. While she was running her business, Dyanne started teaching for Baltimore Community College in fall 2005 and has been teaching ever since. In 2010 she co-wrote a fashion design concentration under the visual communications and digital media arts major for Bowie State University. Also, she wrote a curriculum for the Community College of Baltimore County, where she taught youths in summer programs and adults in continuing education. She moved to Sacramento, California, in 2016 to run the fashion department at American River College. As the department chair, she secured funding for the expansion of the fashion design and merchandising program. Currently, she has completed coursework for her Doctorate Degree in Education at Liberty University. Her capstone research is based on improving online lab courses at the community college level will meet all degree requirements by May 2022. Dyanne is publishing a multimedia textbook with Top Hat on inclusive fashion illustration and technical design that will be available in January 2021. She currently lives in Davis, California, with her fiancé, a chihuahua, a German Shepherd, and five chickens.  

Alana Andrews is the 17-year-old Author, Speaker, Founder & C.E.O. of So Positive, LLC., and The SWEY Corporation. The SWEY Corporation is a company that's innovative in its approach in developing products for teens to promote a positive lifestyle while creating a positive self-image of themselves. As a graduate of the Young Entrepreneur's Academy (YEA), Alana learned how to turn her passion for helping teens build confidence and a healthy lifestyle into products by creating the first natural sports drink for GEN Z called SWEYIn her second book, “Creating Confidence,” Alana founded the So Positive Initiative (SPI). SPI mentor's 5th-grade students to help them understand and develop their self-confidence as they matriculate into middle school. This year, SPI has created a 12-book series for elementary students. These books will be published each month. Currently, seven of the book titles are available on Amazon.Alana is a junior at Potomac Falls High School. She served as the President of D.E.C.A. in the 2019-2020 school year, and she's currently working toward her Girls Scouts Gold Award. Alana is a member of the P.F.H.S. National Honor Society, Tennis team, she was appointed to be the 2019-2020 youth business ambassador for the Harvard University Young Women's Business Leaders Conference (B.O.L.D.), and most recently, she's been accepted to study in the Young Leaderships Business program at U.P.E.N.N.'s Wharton Business School for the summer of 2021. Alana has received numerous leadership and community service awards within her schools and community. She resides with her family in Loudoun County.You can follow Alana at:https://www.instagram.com/alanaandrews/https://www.instagram.com/sweytoplay/https://www.sweytoplay.comYou can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyard

Rose Mills is a corporate exec turned entrepreneur, and the founder of Rose Mills Influencer, LLC, a social media agency, helping solopreneurs and small business owners get clear on social media strategy: a strategic roadmap that helps to elevate brands from ordinary to extraordinary on social media. Rose and I caught up to talk about:1. Pursuing dreams and goals 2. Operating in your life's purpose3. Embracing the little kid in us in order to make us fearlessYou can follow Rose at:  https://rosemillsinfluencer.comhttps://www.instagram.com/rosemillsinfluencer/You can follow Robert at: https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/Rose Mills BioHaving spent 15+ years working with national businesses building strategic brand partnerships for brands like Target, Walgreens and Olay, Rose had her ‘aha' moment to start her own business while on a flight to San Francisco to meet with a large client. Realizing she was missing yet another wedding anniversary, she knew it was time to go out on her own.Simultaneously and unbeknownst to Rose, she had also built her own personal brand, on social media. She decided to take on her biggest challenge, to become a distance runner, to support her father's journey, as he was about to take on the biggest challenge of his life. Fighting stage 4 prostate cancer. Led by her tagline, "I run for my Dad - #StrongLikeBull", she built a community of runners, and prostate cancer patients and families from all over the world who shared in her journey, and eventually became an advocate and champion for ZERO - The End of Prostate Cancer, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to end prostate cancer. After realizing she was telling a story on social media, she knew that was where she wanted to focus her business. But where was the need? With small business owners. Women especially. All have beautiful stories, all share similar journeys to becoming entrepreneurs and are the face of their businesses. But small business owners also don't have the advertising budgets that national brands and businesses have, to reach their target audiences. But what did they have? The incredible power of a platform that allowed for ORGANIC marketing...SOCIAL MEDIA! It's her mission to help female solopreneurs feel comfortable and confident appearing on social media as the face behind their business, with a voice that represents the very essence of their brand; to attract, engage and and build trust with a loyal community who who will find value in who they are and what they offer. 

Today, I have a discussion with Tom Hulsey, 9-time Ironman competitor, prostate cancer survivor, and author of-The Winning Mindset That Saved My Life. We talk about:1 What it takes to compete as an Ironman.2. His most unusual birthday present. 3.  How changing his mindset helped him take on his prostate cancer battle. 4. The importance of setting goals and taking action to achieve them. 5. How adopting his strategies can help others live a life of purpose and fulfillment. You can follow Tom at:https://www.tomhulsey.comhttps://twitter.com/TomHulseyhttps://www.instagram.com/tom.hulsey/You can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyardTom Hulsey's BioIn 2015, Tom Hulsey heard these dreaded words from his doctor, “you have cancer.” The diagnosis sent him into a tailspin. Having lost his best friend to prostate cancer the year before, he was ready to quit, to not even try to fight the disease. Why is this important? He is not a quitter, yet this bad news overwhelmed him.  What changed? Loved ones and friends gave Tom ways and reasons to live. One reason was to be around to walk his daughter down the aisle. After completing his cancer recovery goals, including the IRONMAN and walking his daughter down the aisle, Tom dedicated his life to helping others through philanthropy. He serves on the Board at Mary Crowley Cancer Research (“hope lives here”), Peer Reviewer & Mentor for the DoD's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) and Board Member at ZERO The End of Prostate Cancer. Tom was the recipient of the 2019 Lauren Beam Philanthropy Award at the New York University School of Professional Studies and the Preston Robert Tisch Institute for Global Sport for his “dedication and contributions toward philanthropic efforts that resulted in significant, positive effects on the world of sports and beyond.” Tom recently authored The Winning Mindset that Saved My Life.  It is a great story and inspirational book. Tom applies the skills and attitudes required to compete in an IRONMAN to life's struggles. 100% of the net proceeds benefit cancer research, awareness and education. The book is rated 5 out of 5 Stars on Amazon.   Tom earned his BS degree in Business Administration, with a minor in finance from the University of Tennessee.  His career has been in technology; creating solutions by leveraging technology to make the world a safer place.  Tom lives in Dallas with his wife Lauren.  They have 2 married children and 3 grandchildren.       

 As a member of the 2009 North Carolina Tar Heel National Championship team, Marcus shares what is was like being a part of a team that was laser focused on going all the way after suffering a devastating loss in the 2008 Final Four Tournament.   During his career at Carolina, his teams won 2 ACC Championships, and went to 2 Final Fours. Marcus was also awarded ACC All-Tournament Team and ACC All-Defense honors in 2008.  Marcus shares his experiences as a professional basketball player and how it impacts his life, and he offers his thoughts on:  The process of winningAchieving your goalsRealizing your dreams. Living a life of purpose.  You can follow Marcus at:https://marcusginyard.com/https://twitter.com/mg1nyardhttps://www.instagram.com/mg1nyard/You can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyard

Ron Ginyard, Jr.  is the Director of Middle School Admission at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, Virginia. Ron initially joined the schools' community to teach Middle School physical education and coach basketball after spending six seasons as a collegiate basketball assistant coach and four seasons as a high school assistant coach. He has worked at Niagara University, The United States Naval Academy, The Citadel, Columbia University, and Bishop O'Connell High School. Ron believes in the power of honest and respectful dialogue, and the power of the relationships that get built through that dialogue(especially when it connects different backgrounds and perspectives through our common humanity).  He further believes that education(not necessarily school) has a unique and transformational power to change our world in positive ways-if it's done right, it is a gateway to true freedom.We caught up to talk about:Pursuing Dreams.Living a life on purpose.Living in the now.    You can follow Ron at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-ginyard-jr-792955149/ Ronald Ginyard's Bio Ron is a proud husband and father and a school administrator. He loves team sports. He loves being outdoors appreciating, exercising, and realizing his place in nature. He loves to travel and see the world (even if only through a book or especially through meditation), and he loves spending time with family and friends enjoying life. It is important to him that whatever he does for "work" improves the lives of people and other life forms that are most in need. Ron believes in the power of honest and respectful dialogue, and the power of the relationships that get built through that dialogue (especially when it connects different backgrounds and perspectives through our common humanity). Strong relationships created through HUMAN storytelling will make this world a better and more joyous home for ALL life. He humbly believes education (not necessarily school) has a unique and transformational power to change our world in positive ways. Done right, it is a gateway to true Freedom. Each step in his career has been driven by a chosen purpose to impact the lives of young people as they move forward to the next stages of their lives. The journey started as a basketball coach, transitioned to teaching, and for the time being has landed in school administration. Every opportunity provided the platform to impact increasingly larger groups of students and families. As he continues to progress through his professional career and personal life he constantly reflects on his experience attending schools, living, coaching, teaching, and leading in the Washington DC area.He is now the Director of Middle School Admission at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA. Ron joined the St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School community to teach Middle School physical education and coach basketball after spending six seasons as a collegiate basketball assistant coach and four seasons as a high school assistant coach. He has worked at Niagara University, The United States Naval Academy, The Citadel, Columbia University, and Bishop O'Connell High School. During those ten years he assumed many different duties and gained progressive experience in program building, attracting student athletes, player development, team development, culture creation, leadership development, academic support, alumni relations, and community service. He played high school basketball and graduated from Paul VI Catholic High School in Fairfax, Virginia, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Georgetown University. His father grew up in Baltimore, served in the USMC for 22 years, and continues to serve as a federal employee. 

Appreciation backward. Sometimes there are moments, experiences, and places in our lives that were pivotal in shaping who we become many years later. For me, one of those places was the University of Miami, and the lessons learned ...priceless.  For this episode of Intentionally Overheard, I decided to go back to school and talk with Steve Rucker- my former college music professor at the University of Miami (34 years ago). We had a wonderful conversation about  our respective journeys, life lessons, music, and living a fearless life with purpose.Here's a bit of background on Steve: Steve Rucker has had extensive performing and teaching experience over the last forty years. Originally from North Carolina, Mr. Rucker attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and holds an Undergraduate Degree in Studio Music and Jazz and a Masters Degree in Jazz Performance from the University of Miami Frost School of Music. He has twice been voted “Best Jazz Performer” and “Most Versatile Artist” in South Florida polls. Since 1979, Mr. Rucker has been the Director of the Drumset Program at the University of Miami, where he has created many unique and creative programs. His Drumset Improvisation class is one of the most unique programs in the country. He directs the Funk/Fusion Ensemble, which has Downbeat Student Awards almost every year since 2001.  In previous years has created Tower of Power Ensemble and Weather Report Ensembles. Mr. Rucker was a member of the Bee Gees band for over twelve years, and appeared with them on the Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, The Today Show, VH 1 Specials, David Letterman, Rosie O'Donnell, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, and at a Command Performance for the Queen of England. In 1997, he appeared at a Bee Gees concert at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas which was shown on pay-per-view television, HBO, and was mastered as a live album.His latest book, Exercises in African-American Funk, a collaboration with former student Jonathan Joseph, has created quite a buzz in the drum world.  

Denise Semonick is an author, certified motivational speaker, and 20-year educator who inspires people of all ages with lifelong insights and perspectives of empowerment.  Denise has lived in many U.S. states and has traveled extensively, hiking arduous switchbacks and countless trails of this country's most beautiful national parks.  Today, Denise and I talk about her book, Y.E.S.-An Elevating Experience. Her book's title, an acronym for You Empower Self, sparks innate drive toward the enhancement of mind, body, spirit.  Denise shares strategies to attain new perspectives and insightful mindsets by understanding:You have the answers to arising questionsEmpowerment is central to your journeySelf-confidence influences positive life experiences  You can follow Denise at:https://www.ascendinginsights.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-semonick/You can follow Robert at:https://www.instagram.com/robertdibidibi/https://www.instagram.com/dibidibination/https://twitter.com/RobertGinyard