Northcentral University Podcast Series

Remote work has changed how we live and work, but it also comes with real challenges. In this episode, host Stephanie Menefee talks with Rachel Jacobsen about setting boundaries, staying connected, and practicing self-care in virtual environments. They share personal stories and practical strategies to help remote workers find balance, manage loneliness, and protect their well-being.

Romantic relationships are multi-dimensional due to many factors, including culture, societal expectations, and the meaning we place on our connections. One vulnerability lies within all relationships and that is the potential for infidelity and betrayal. Licensed marriage and family therapists, Traci Zajdel and Dr. Racine Henry, discuss factors that contribute to infidelity and betrayal as well as Dr. Henry's innovative couples therapy modality that promotes healing and connection in couples.A Palate For Love by Dr. Racine Henry https://a.co/d/5iVhT9X

In today's virtual world, strong relationships are key to productivity, engagement, and well-being in remote teams. Shane Spraggs, Forbes best-selling author, productivity consultant, and CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, joins Dr. Deanna Davis, Associate Professor of Leadership at National University, to explore how connection, trust, and shared experiences drive high-performing teams. Together, they share strategies for fostering a culture of belonging, support, and collaboration no matter where employees are located.

Building relationships is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. In this episode, Sunny Ziemer, CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert and CEO of Distribute Consulting, joins Dr. Kathy Richie, Associate Professor at National University, to discuss key moments managers should never overlook and share practical tips for strengthening connections in remote teams.

Join our conversation as we explore diverse perspectives on peace and discuss ways to integrate its values into the lives of our children and students. Discover strategies for fostering responsibility, empathy, resilience, and understanding among students, making peace a tangible part of their daily lives. Let's work together to create a culture of peace - one human at a time, one lesson at a time. Join us as we discuss actionable approaches to make.Be a Friend Organization. https://www.beafriendproject.org/

In this episode, hear Darcy Mayfield, a workplace culture expert chat with Dr. Jeff Belsky, Director of Strategy and Leadership Development at Solutions 21, and learn how to create and sustain a positive culture in remote and hybrid work environments. They discuss actionable strategies for fostering connection, collaboration, and well-being, and the vital role of leadership in nurturing a supportive and inclusive culture.

As return-to-office mandates continue to roll out, the national majority of teams are now working from a variety of workplaces. Listen to hear Laurel Farrer, CEO of Distribute Consulting and CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, and Dr. Jeff Belsky, Director of Strategy and Leadership Development at Solutions 21, discuss what hybrid companies can learn from remote work to help prevent the risks of imbalance, miscommunication and discrimination.

Join Dr. Aurélia Bickler and her guests Dr. Elaine Willerton and SarahRose Hogan as they explore the world of neurodivergence. Resources: https://neuroclastic.com/https://thinkingautismguide.com/Ido In Autismland, Ido KedarNeurotribes, Steve SilbermanUnmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity, Devon PriceI Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents and the Children Who Deserve a Better World, Meghan Ashburn, Jules EdwardsParenting at the Intersections: Raising Neurodivergent Children of Color, Jaya Ramesh, Priya SaaralMy Brother Otto, Meg Raby (kids book)Instagram Content Creators@myautsiticsoul  @rdorseyslp  @mrsspeechiep  @learnplaythrive. @breakwithshaiden  @brainsandspoons  @connor.dewolfe  @kaelynnvp @online1roomschoolhouse  @a_different_spectrum  @toren.wolf @jeremyandrewdavis

Whether you're managing a remote team or balancing in-person and virtual attendees, listen to John Chen, author of Engaging Virtual Meetings and 50 Digital Team Building Games and Dr. Jeff Belsky, Associate Professor in the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology at National University, and learn how to create compelling meeting experiences that bring everyone to the table, no matter where they are located.

In this podcast, learn the secrets behind virtual assistant matchmaking. Melissa Smith, an industry-leading expert in the area of virtual assistants and remote work hiring, shares her expertise and inspiration with Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean and Professor in the School of Public Service College of Law and Public Service at National University. Their conversation surrounds future trends in AI, success stories, integration challenges, and essential tips for aspiring virtual assistants.

Cristina Imre, founder of Tech Leadership Lab and CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, chats with Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO to share effective strategies for cultivating engagement and happiness in remote teams, drawing from the principles and experiences of Tech Leadership Lab as a result of 15 years of working remotely.

Discover key strategies for attracting clients to your remote creative business through this informative conversation. Join Georgie Darling and Jessica Liske as they share practical tips on navigating the creative business landscape. Georgie, a London-based freelance travel writer and business strategy coach for female freelance writers, offers valuable insights on establishing presence in the remote world. Georgie's work has been featured on Yahoo, The Guardian, Fodor's, Tripadvisor, ELLE Magazine, and many more. Dr. Liske, who mentors doctoral students by serving as Chair and Subject Matter Expert in the School of Business and Economics at National University, brings her expertise to the discussion.

WPC Intern Jennifer Brown interviews Dr. Andrew Martin on the psychological perspective of chronic pain and functional neurological disorder.  

In this engaging, interactive, and entertaining podcast, you will learn how to dramatically improve your ability to use hybrid and virtual work as an instrument to improve retention and productivity while cutting costs. Many leaders rely on traditional office-centric collaboration and leadership styles in managing hybrid and remote teams. Yet, research conclusively demonstrates that instead of incrementally improving on the old-school office-centric approach, the best outcomes in managing teams come from adopting a flexible work model. Gain insights from Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts, a consultancy focused on the future of work, and CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert. Dr. Gleb, known as the "Office Whisperer" and "Hybrid Expert" according to the New York Times, engages in a conversation with Dr. Gary White, professor in the School of Business and Economics at National University, about leveraging hybrid and remote work to enhance retention and productivity while reducing costs.

Workforce disengagement is a global phenomenon, with only 15% of employees engaged. Overall, people don't feel any emotional connection to their work and mostly do what's expected. At the societal level, the future of remote work is about empowering, upskilling people, and including everyone to promote transparency and fairness. In this episode, CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert and CEO of Good4Work, Geraldine Woloch-Addamine, shares 5 Cs and how HR innovations can align with remote work now and in the future.

Did you know there is science behind increased productivity and virtual co-working? Listen as Taylor Jacobson, Founder and CEO of Focusmate, chats with Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, about the importance of factors such as pre-commitment, implementation intensions, social pressure, and accountability.

Join a discussion between the Whole Person Center Director, Dr. Aurélia Bickler, and Professor, Chair and Author, Dr. Brian Tilley, as they explore ways to find moral ground through the current US political climate.  WebsitesAPA Division 45: Society for the Study of Culture, Ethnicity, and Race, https://division45.org/Braver Angels: a network of groups designed to bridge political differences and address controversial issues through thoughtful conversations, https://braverangels.org/BooksHigher Ground: Morality and Humanity in the Politics of Race – Book by Brian Tilley covering the concepts described in the podcast as well as the history behind them and how the concepts might be adopted by or apply to the current politics of the US.Moral Tribes by Joshua Greene - To understand how morality influences our behavior and how it especially is related to emotional reactionsWhy Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria by Beverly Tatum and The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee – to illustrate how racism harms everyone, including perpetrators, so called bystanders, and the supposedly colorblind, and how our communities suffer because of it. Shows we all need to buy inSo You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo – as a starter text for a variety of information about racism and how it is experienced by people of color, including a great starter discussion of how microaggressions harmAnger and Racial Politics by Antoine Banks and The Emotional Politics of Racism by Paula Ioanide – describes the role of emotion, particularly anger, when it comes to beliefs about race and racism.Any of David Roediger's three books (How Race Survived History, Wages of Whiteness, and Working Toward Whiteness) on White Identity – for an expertly-written history of Whiteness in this country, how it evolves, and how it affects our communities and public policyFor a deep dive, Racialized Politics (edited volume by Jim Sidanius et al.) and White Identity Politics by Ashley Jardina – to see how racial beliefs influence voting and public policy.Almost anything by James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, or W. E. B. Du Bois especially for our White brothers and sisters who want to understand about the experience of racism, what it means in this society, and (profoundly) how it feels.Anything by Bell Hooks.

Driven by AI, we are on the brink of a transformational shift that will disrupt and shape both traditional and remote work. In this episode, Dr. Brian Arnold, Professor in the Sanford College of Education at National University, and chair of Global Innovation, Social-Emotional Learning, and Educational Technology, is joined by Benjamin Schleider, author of The Millennial's AI Guide to Remote Work: Travel Anywhere and Join the Workforce of The Future, to discuss the use of AI to enhance remote work.

Cloud computing and AI have transformed the world of work to create some of the trends that we're seeing today. In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean of Professional Studies in the School of Public Service at National University chats with Matthew Mottola, CEO of The Human Cloud and a leading authority for leaders embracing the freelance economy. Matt has been featured in Fortune, Bloomberg, YPO, and Yahoo Finance. Learn more about Matt at https://matthewrmottola.com/.

Tune in to this episode as Dr. Marsha Chase walks us from trauma to healing.Vodcast version: click here Resources:https://tfcbt.org/resources/https://www.therapistaid.com/

Hybrid meetings are a challenge for the leader in making sure everyone has equal opportunity to participate and have their voice heard whether physical present or accessing the meeting remotely. In this episode, Jason Weber, retired Navy analysis and doctoral student in organizational leadership, chats with Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, remote expert dubbed by the New York Times as the office whisperer and remote expert. Dr. Gleb shares insights and proven strategies to effectively lead meetings with hybrid teams. 

Are you looking for a remote job and spend hours tweaking your resume? Feeling lost every time you open your computer, not knowing what will ACTUALLY move the needle in your job search? In this episode, CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, Jordan Carroll, explains a simple 3-step system to get noticed by recruiters and HR managers. Learn more about Jordan at https://theremotejobcoach.com/ 

Join us as we discuss the different stages & stories of students' generational trauma, through the lens of a school principal.Resources: Director/Life CoachMiddlebrooks Mental Health Grouphttps://middlebrooksacademy.com/principal/Life Coaching Resources:Nia Alafia-MiddlebrooksLife CoachMiddlebrooks Mental Health(626)394-6433 Call or Text Us! Book on Generational Trauma: It Didn't Just Start With YouBy Mark Wolynnhttps://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/it-didnt-start-with-you-mark-wolynn/1122454959 

Are you facing challenges in your life that cause you to doubt your abilities and limit your potential? If so, listen and be inspired by Landis Graden, serial entrepreneur, tech investor, philanthropist, author, and vulnerablist. He wrote the book, Bent, Not Broken: Crossing Life's Bridges of Tragedy, Trauma, and Triumph,” to share his story of overcoming life challenges to establish and lead a highly successful business. Landis is a keynote for the CAVO CBEM Virtual Conference: Future Proofing Virtual and Hybrid Work, May 11-12 from Noon to 3 pm ET. Register and meet Landis: https://nu.tradewing.com/conference/ZQbKe6EwEz5hPDzXr?ticketLinkId=20ba8991-8ac7-4a4e-b589-4f98de53d553If you are an NU student, alum, faculty, or staff member, reach out to CAVO@nu.edu for a special registration link.

If you are interested in digital nomadism and work-life balance, you won't want to miss this episode hosted by Rowena Hennigan, CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, and founder of @RoRemote, a remote skills training and consultancy company. Rowena chats with guest Dave Cook about the results of his seven-year study to dispel the idea of complete freedom of the nomad lifestyle. Dave is an anthropologist, consultant and leader in remote work, digital nomadism, and work-life balance. Read more about Dave's study The freedom trap: digital nomads and the use of disciplining practices to manage work/leisure boundaries. For more information and resources from Rowena Hennigan, visit RoRemote. Also, learn more about Dave at I Am Dave Cook.

A challenge that is a reality for many who work remotely is battling feelings of loneliness. What can leaders of remote employees do to help alleviate these feelings? How can leaders help remote employees avoid burnout? Drs. Ada Cenkci and Megan Downing, professors at Northern Kentucky University, chat with Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, to share rich data from their extensive research on workplace loneliness to answer these question and others.

In this episode, Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, welcomes Nadia Harris, founder of Remoteworkadvocate.com and CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert to discuss strategies both leaders and workers can implement to promote transparency and inclusiveness in the remote workplace.

Research shows when remote workers feel they are part of a community, it promotes engagement, increases productivity, and creates a positive work environment. In this episode, Jordan Carrol, author of Remote for Life, founder of the Remote Job Club, career coach, and recruiter joins Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, to discuss strategies and norms leaders and remote workers can implement to build and maintain community. Connect with Jordan at https://theremotejobcoach.com/.

Will the topics and events we witnessed surrounding remote and hybrid work in 2022 continue in 2023? What new matters and actions might we see in 2023? Shauna Moran, a remote and hybrid team performance coach, facilitator, and trainer chats with Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, to answer these questions and more.

In 2022, hybrid work policies were front and center as organizations rushed to normality through a return to the office. In this episode, Melody Rawlings, CAVO director, welcomes Rowena Hennigan, remote work expert and founder of @RoRemote, a remote skills training and consultancy company, and CAVO visiting virtual expert. Their discussion centers on the need for workers to heal from the stress of being forced to work from home because of the pandemic and the response to hybrid work policies.

Employee engagement and healthy boundaries are vital components in creating a positive virtual work culture. In this podcast, guest Gina D'Andrea, conflict moderator and facilitator, chats with Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the School of Professional Studies at National University about ways to build a positive culture. Gina helps leaders build happier workplaces, on-site or distributed, through training, consulting, and mediation services at any organizational level. 

Trust is a vital element in the virtual and hybrid workplace and has been linked to the root cause of the Great Resignation. In this episode, Geraldine Woloch-Addamine, Founder and CEO of Good4Work talks with Dr. Kathy Richie, Associate Professor in the School of Business and Economics at National University, about indicators of relationship deterioration, work-life balance, and trust building strategies to create a people-first culture.

NU's Ombudsman, LaCrisia Gilbert, also known as “The Hope Dealer”, joins us to discuss the many benefits of hope. She offers tips and resources to connect to a hopeful mindset and describes the ways this impacts our future.Resources: www.elliottconnie.com

Toxic work environments seem to be all too common, and the virtual/remote workplace is no exception. Listen as Caitlin Magidson, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and Certified Coach, describes the signs of a toxic virtual workplace and the strategies to handle it. She also shared shares signs to look for to possibly avoid taking a job in an organization with a toxic work culture.

Working from home can be beneficial toward work/life balance, but certainly has its share of stress. In this podcast hosted by Shawna Crockett Jones, Dr. Krishna Bhatta, M.D. shares his recommendations for reducing stress. Dr. Bhatta is the founder of Relaxx.org and creator of the companion Relaxx app.

Effectively leading a virtual team requires many different skills from effective communication to coaching, to providing timely feedback. Tune into this episode and hear Debra Dinnocenzo chat with Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, to learn about some of the most important skills needed to be an amazing virtual team leader. Debra is president and founder of VirtualWorks!, a consulting and training firm that specializes in virtual work issues.  Debra is a co-author of the recently released book, REMOTE LEADERSHIP – Successfully Leading Work-from-Anywhere and Hybrid Teams, as well as several other books on remote and virtual teams. She is also the current CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert.

Dr. Aurélia Bickler with guest Billie Tyler, explore the complex experiences, frequently lumped under the umbrella of “happiness”. These said experiences often exist in concurrence with alternative and sometimes opposing emotions; making it challenging for people to identify and/or explore. The Reality Slap: Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts https://a.co/d/2tNQGqUInside Out: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2096673/

Liz Wool, Chief Learning Strategist for Virtual Training Whiz, a Division of the Wool Consulting Group, shares six quick steps for designing and delivering outstanding online training. The techniques Liz shares will help anyone who teaches and presents online to engage their participants and advance participants' learning. Virtual Training Whiz, a Division of the Wool Consulting Group, trains individuals to design and deliver exceptional virtual learning experiences. Find out more here: www.virtualtrainingwhiz.com.

Do you have an internal desire to launch your own web-based business? If so, this is the podcast you have been waiting for. Listen to the conversation between Charlene Walters, author of Launch Your Inner Entrepreneur and media contributor featured on Entrepreneur, Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Make It, Business News Daily, Apple News, Thrive Global, Bloomberg radio and many others, and Dr. Stephanie Menefee, Associate Dean of Students in the School of Business at Northcentral University. Learn what it means and takes to be an entrepreneur. 

Please join Dr. Nicole R.H. Baker and Aurélia Bickler as we discuss the challenges and opportunities associated with the pursuit of work/life balance. Though it might seem like an impossible goal to reach, acceptance, perspective and boundaries play a big role in finding our own version of it.

In this podcast, powerful women reconvene to continue their discussion of how women have been taking up space and reclaiming their time for years now and how the Covid-19 global pandemic has altered lives, created a new normal, and even yielded a time called “The Great Resignation.” The great resignation has presented women with the opportunity to redefine work-life balance. Listen to Part II of The Powerful Woman led by Dr. Randee Sanders, School of Business at NCU who is again joined by Juvockia Melvin, Founder and Owner of Purplebiz Marketing, L.L.C; Rose Matthews, Founder, Georgia Institute of Speech and Language, LLC; Shawna Jones, Creator and Owner of THE PLATFORM Consultant Firm; and Elizabeth Caulder, President and Chief Strategist, Phoenix Lifestyle Marketing Group.

Communication is important in any organization, but it is even more critical when the organization is experiencing change. In this podcast, Laura Porter, Owner of Holler Communications and Partner of Triple Play Consulting joins Linda Larsen, Manager of Academic Operations at Northcentral University, to discuss the key role that communication plays in change management and share best practices.

Join Dr. Aurélia Bickler and her guest Dr. Grayson Kimball as they discuss the mental aspects of running. Dr. Kimball, Mental Performance Coach and Sport Psychology Consultant with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, describes the process of training our minds to reach our exercise goals.  

When working in a hybrid work model, employees must be able to feel connected and included regardless of the location. While technology has afforded many the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world, the question remains as to how much engagement is necessary. Listen as Tiffany Pringle, CAVO Visiting Virtual Expert, NCU doctoral student, and workplace training specialist chats with Dr. Melody Rawlings, Director of CAVO, to share her insights and recommendations on the best way to promote engagement. 

The Covid-19 global pandemic has inevitably created a new normal, yielding “The Great Resignation” and shifting the way employees work. As some organizations are prompting a return to office, others have embraced virtual and hybrid work. How does this impact the workforce? In this podcast, Henry Kurkowski, author of Remote Work Technology: Keeping Your Small Business Thriving from Anywhere, joins Dr. Brian Allen, Professor in the School of Business at Northcentral University, to discuss current trends in hybrid work and the two-tiered workforce.

Welcome to the Virtual Center for Health and Wellness Premiere Podcast - Advancing the Human Condition. Join Dr. Aurelia Bickler and her guest, Dr. Cynthia Akagi as she offers simple and achievable tools to insert meditation and self-care through our day-to-day lives.  Topic Quick LinksCalm: www.calm.com Headspace: www.headspace.com Youtube: www.youtube.com Noom: www.noom.com WW: www.weightwatchers.com MyFitnessPal: www.myfitnesspal.com

NCU doctoral student, Tiffany Pringle, shares her experience delivering engaging online training through her company, Inspire Consulting & Management Group: www.inspirecmg.com. In this episode, she offers strategies for using built-in Zoom tools and Poll Everywhere in exciting new ways. Tiffany will be presenting a behind-the-scenes look at these tools during VESC's upcoming conference on April 28.  You can register for Tiffany's session on VESC's conference page: https://www.ncu.edu/virtual-education-support-center/conferences

Many workers have come to appreciate and thrive with the flexibility and efficiency of virtual work. While there are organizations urging a return to office, virtual work has proven to be an effective work model and is most likely here to stay. In today's podcast hosted by Elizabeth Caulder, President and Chief Strategist at the Phoenix Lifestyle Marketing Group, Debra Dinnocenzo, author of Remote Leadership: Successfully Leading Work-from-Anywhere and Hybrid Teams and President of VirtualWorks!, discusses the staying power of virtual work.

In this episode, NCU alumna, Dr. Ebony Cole, shares her expertise in higher education and the findings of her research on the experiences of Black women working in predominately White colleges and universities. Dr. Cole offers excellent advice for completing the dissertation process successfully. Read more about Dr. Cole's dissertation advice in her blog! https://www.ncu.edu/blog/phinished-how-i-broke-cycle-attending-northcentral-university

Women have been taking up space and reclaiming their time for years now. The Covid-19 global pandemic has altered lives, created a new normal, and even yielded a time called “The Great Resignation.” The great resignation has presented women with the opportunity to redefine work-life balance. Listen to the discussion of these powerful women led by Dr. Randee Sanders, School of Business at NCU: Juvockia Melvin, Founder and Owner of Purplebiz Marketing, L.L.C; Dr. Letisha Edwards, Public Health General Dentist; Rose Matthews, Founder, Georgia Institute of Speech and Language, LLC; Shawna Jones, Creator and Owner of THE PLATFORM Consultant Firm; and Elizabeth Caulder, President and Chief Strategist, Phoenix Lifestyle Marketing Group. 

When his middle school went virtual during the pandemic, student Seth Raphael created LinkJoin to help people manage meeting invites and arrive on time to class. Join us as we talk with Seth who went from student to entrepreneur when he designed and patented LinkJoin. Learn more about LinkJoin: https://youtu.be/36kdMjY--tUVisit LinkJoin: https://linkjoin.xyz/