Podcasts about columbia department

Dr. Sameer Vohra, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health and an ASTHO Member, explains how his state is taking action for youth behavioral health; Aurora GrantWingate, Member and Partner Engagement Manager at the National Association of Community Health Workers, tells us why CHWs are especially important in the island areas; and Dr. Dr. Ayanna Bennett, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health and an ASTHO Member has been appointed to the Big Cities Health Coalition Board of Directors. ASTHO Report: Supporting Community Health Workers in Territories and Freely Associated States Big Cities Health Coalition News Release: BCHC announces 2025-26 board directors and executive officers ASTHO Web Page: PH-HERO  

Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes has dedicated her career to public service and currently serves as the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services, leading a robust team. Throughout our conversation, she shares insights on balancing her career and motherhood—a challenge faced by many parents, especially women, every day. While some may avoid the topic of managing both children and a career, Dr. Morris-Hughes addresses it head-on, always striving to make the workplace better for future generations. Dr. Morris-Hughes discusses the significant impact that coaches and leaders have had on her journey, particularly when she began her career, while at the same time becoming a new mother. Dr. Morris-Hughes highlighted the distinction between being a leader and being the leader, sharing a personal story where she initially thought coaching was being offered because she was falling short. In reality, it was the opposite—she was being given the support and resources to grow into the potential her superiors saw in her. From the beginning of her coaching journey, values have been a cornerstone of her professional and personal growth, prompting all of us to reflect on our own guiding principles: What values do we prioritize? Later in the episode, Dr. Morris-Hughes talked about how her upbringing influenced her career and how coaching helped her realize that she didn't need to "burn the candle at both ends." This realization not only made her a more effective leader but also a better mother, demonstrating how an external perspective can dramatically reshape our own. Towards the end of our conversation, she introduced the concept of "becoming a corporate athlete" and emphasized how the same steps an athlete takes to stay at the top of their game also apply to leaders aiming for peak performance. Dr. Morris-Hughes also discussed her concept of “professional vacations”—time she sets aside specifically for innovation—and how she encourages her team to do the same, leveraging the coaching and development tools that have been instrumental to her success. We concluded our conversation with Dr. Morris-Hughes shares three key lessons she's learned through coaching: protect your time, create space to rest and recharge, and always maintain perspective. She carries each of these every day, and does her best to instill them in each person she mentors along the way.Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, & share! https://leadershipcoaching.cepl.gwu.edu/podcast/

In this episode of Smart Energy Voices, host Debra Chanil sat down with Marshall Duer-Balkind, Director of Policy Programs at the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), to talk about building performance standards (BPS) and their implications for the energy transition. He also gives an overview of IMT's mission and work, focusing on their efforts to improve the efficiency and performance of buildings through policy development and equitable decarbonization. Duer-Balkind delves into the specifics of BPS policies and the need for long-term planning by building owners and tenants to meet their requirements, emphasizing that "doing nothing ain't free." He discusses how building performance standards intersect with other market trends such as climate change mitigation, financial considerations, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) requirements, as well as the need for collaborative efforts among stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals. You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in… BPS policies, and their implications to owners and tenants (04:29) How BPS policies intersect with other market trends (20:30) The importance of long-term planning (27:46) Click here for detailed show notes Resources & People Mentioned: DOE Better Buildings Better Climate Alliance Connect with Marshall Duer-Balkind On LinkedIn Marshall Duer-Balkind is the Director of Policy Programs at IMT, where he works to develop and implement policies for driving high-performance buildings, grounded in community priorities and technical quality. Marshall is an international expert in policies and technologies to improve the energy and carbon performance of buildings and communities, with over a dozen years of experience in the for-profit, government, and non-profit sectors. Prior to starting his current role with IMT in April 2023, he worked as a consultant at the deep green engineering firm Introba, where he managed cutting-edge decarbonization plans and policies for over 20 cities and 15 institutions across North America. He has also worked for the District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE), where he built and ran one of the first benchmarking and disclosure programs in the U.S., supported the groundbreaking Clean Energy DC plan, and evaluation, measurement, & verification of the DC Sustainable Energy Utility's energy savings and other performance targets. Prior to that, he was one of IMT's first “City Advisors” embedded in a local government.  Marshall is a key contributor to the first building performance standard programs in both the U.S. and Canada, as Co-Chair of Washington, D.C.'s Building Energy Performance Standards Task Force, and a member of the City of Vancouver's Carbon Pollution Limits Technical Advisory Committee. Marshall holds a Master's of Environmental Management degree from the Yale School of the Environment and a bachelor's degree in Political Science and Computer Science from Oberlin College. He is proudly born and raised in Washington, D.C. Connect With Smart Energy Decisions Smart Energy Decisions Follow us on LinkedIn Subscribe to Smart Energy Voices on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Android, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio, aCast, PlayerFM, iHeart Radio If you're interested in participating in the next Smart Energy Decision Event, visit smartenergydecisions.com or email our Community Development team at attend@smartenergydecisions.com

The D.C. Affairs Community of the D.C. Bar presents Tory Lauterbach, a partner in the Energy & Climate group at Foley Hoag LLP, in discussion with Erin Garnaas-Holmes, Climate Program Analyst with the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment's Urban Sustainability Administration.  Erin leads D.C.'s climate adaptation planning, including the implementation of the Climate Ready DC plan adopted in 2016.  Erin and Tory discuss the goals of Climate Ready DC, what “climate impacts” are and how they affect D.C. residents, and what community members can do to get involved in efforts to help D.C. prepare for the effects of a changing climate.  More information about DC's climate adaptation and preparedness plans can be found at https://doee.dc.gov/climateready.  Even more resources to help you and your family stay ready and make plans for severe weather and other emergencies can be found at https://ready.dc.gov/.  Tory and her colleagues at Foley Hoag blog about all things energy and climate at https://www.energyclimatecounsel.com/.  Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode Erin Garnaas-Holmes lead climate adaptation planner with the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment's Urban Sustainability Administration joins host Olubunmi Bakare to discuss climate change and the effects it will have on the District. Bus Stop by HoliznaCC0 is licensed under a CC0 1.0 Universal License. https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/Websitedclibrary.orgSocial@dcpubliclibrary on Instagram@dcpl on X

Assistant General Counsel Hannah Brubach of the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) interviews Hampden T. Macbeth, Assistant General Counsel at DOEE, about the Department's Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) Program. BEPS is one of the District's programs to help the city meet its climate goals by slashing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the building sector, the largest sectorial source of climate pollutants in the District. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations. Thank you to our sponsor! LawPay was developed specifically to help law firms streamline billings and collections, providing a simple, secure solution for legal clients to pay their bills. LawPay is the industry leader in legal payments, providing a cost-effective solution for more than 50,000 law firms around the country.

In this heartfelt episode, Kiesha and Heather Burris dig deep into what it means to set an example for those around us.Together, they talk through Heather's pandemic journey, one that brought a deep grief that taught her the importance of leaning on and receiving God's love through community. They also discuss the book she wrote after embracing an uncomfortable lesson about how we embody the lessons we want our children to learn. Heather Burris is the Immunization Division Chief at the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health). Her expertise includes vaccine operations, program management, and clinical research administration of infectious diseases. In addition, she is mission-focused on health equity and ensuring vulnerable residents or those hard-to-reach community members have access to immunizations. A champion for Black women, particularly Black girls, Heather also authored Hair Like Me, a children's story about beauty and confidence inspired by her daughter.Episode Resources:Order Heather's Book Hair Like MeFollow Heather on InstagramVisit Heather's WebsiteContact Info:Email hosting & speaker booking inquiries for Kiesha to info @ kieshagarrison.coFollow Kiesha on LinkedIn: @kieshagarrisonFollow Kiesha on IG: @kiesha_garrisonDirectly support the podcast financially:Cash AppVenmoPayPal.Me

Lloyd I. Sederer, MD, is Adjunct Professor at the Columbia University School of Public Health; was for 12 years the Chief Medical Officer for the NYS Office of Mental Health, the nation's largest state mental health agency; and Contributing Writer for US News & World Report, Lancet, Medscape, Psychology Today, the NY Journal of Books, and the Washington Independent Review of Books. His writings have appeared in the NYT, WSJ, Washington Post, The Boston Business Journal, The Tennessean, among many other publications. He was Medical Editor for Mental Health for the HuffPost, where over 250 of his posts and videos were published. He has served as Mental Health Commissioner for NYC (in the Bloomberg administration); Medical Director/EVP of McLean Hospital, a Harvard teaching facility; and as Director of Clinical Services for the American Psychiatric Association. He has written hundreds of articles on mental health and addiction, as well as book, film, TV and theatre reviews. He has published thirteen books. His latest books are Ink-Stained for Life (2020) and The Addiction Solution: Treating Our Dependence on Opioids and Other Drugs(2018). Look for his next book in 2023. Dr. Sederer has led large scale, mental health disaster responses, including 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy. He was the 2019 recipient of the Doctor of the Year award from The National Council on Behavioral Health, and has been a Rockefeller Foundation Scholar in Residence. He is Chair of the Advisory Board of Get Help, CMO of Bongo Media, and Senior Advisor to Minded, Inc. He has taught medical writing for the lay public for 18 sequential semesters at the Columbia Department of Psychiatry/NYS Psychiatric Institute, where he founded and directed Columbia Psychiatry Media. He now teaches non-fiction writing for a national education organization. In this episode, Dr. Sederer and I discuss the thesis from one of his most recent books, The Addiction Solution, and the role of shame, the family, and medication assisted treatment (MAT) in substance misuse. We discuss Dr. Sederer's experiences with disaster relief with 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy, his process in figuring out a mental and public health response to the disaster (and why it wasn't typical psychotherapy), and how it has been similar and different to the COVID-19 epidemic from a public health perspective. We also get the chance to talk about his writing career and his new book, Code Blue, coming out later this year. For more information on Dr. Sederer and to read his many writings, check out his website at www.askdrlloyd.com. Follow me @joshkorac on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for video clips, podcast previews, and more mental health content! If you are in a mental health crisis, please call 988 or go to your nearest emergency room. If you are from Colorado and are interested in scheduling a session, please reach out at sojourncounselingco.com/josh or josh@sojourncounselingco.com. *There were a few technical issues towards the end of the episode (as is usual with my luck), so thank you for your patience! Alan Ritchson episode on bipolar disorder I mention in the intro: https://open.spotify.com/episode/44wQsyNpeuLK3mdcBXspL3?si=1c1dc22aca244ea7

Maureen Murat is an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the General Counsel with the DC Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking (DISB). She provides legal guidance and support on banking issues the DISB regulates.  Maureen primarily supports the Banking Bureau and provides legal advice and guidance to the agency on local and federal banking and financial institution laws and regulations.  Before joining DISB, Maureen worked at a small firm advising startups and small businesses interested in launching Fintech businesses, including advising companies on raising capital and private securities offerings and filings under Regulations A+, D, S, and CF.  Maureen has also taught courses on fintech and how they intersect with the law at the University of New Hampshire Franklin Pierce School of Law. She has been speaking and presenting on Fintech, blockchain, and cryptocurrency solutions for over four years and is excited to share her knowledge. Here are some of the beneficial topics covered on this week's show: ✅ What is the responsibility of the Department of Insurance Securities and Banking? ✅ What are the license types of entities that DISB regulates?  ✅ Understanding the Dodd-Frank Act when depositing money into a payment app.  ✅ Learn what a BTM is and that using it is not considered a money transaction.  ✅ Why you should be careful of scams and phishing attempts and stay up on the news.  Listen to this and previous episodes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grow-your-business-and-grow-your-wealth/id1521874291 Mentioned during the show: District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities & Banking  https://disb.dc.gov/ https://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/index.htm Get in touch with Maureen:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-l-murat-esq/ Connect with Gary: Website: sbadvisors.cc/ Facebook: facebook.com/SmallBusinessAdvisors LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/gary-d-heldt-jr-388a051/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patty Mechael is a leader in digital transformation of global health in low-and middle-income countries. She is the Co-founder and Policy Lead of HealthEnabled. She has held numerous executive and leadership positions, traveled to over 40 countries, and spent more than 20 years improving public health throughout the world. She has served as Executive Director of the mHealth Alliance at the UN Foundation and Executive Vice President of the Personal Connected Health Alliance at HIMSS as well as Visiting Professor at Princeton University and Adjunct Professor at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.Patty takes this deep knowledge of public health and combines it with a passion for writing fiction. She recently released a middle-school novel "The Antidotes: The Pollution Solution" a book she wrote with input from her middle-school aged son during the pandemic. Patty has a PhD in Public Health and Policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She has a Master of Health Science, International Public Health/International Health from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and a BA in Near Easter Studies from The Johns Hopkins University.Episode NotesPatty's newly released book “The Antidotes: The Pollution Solution” brings together two of her greatest passions – writing fiction and global health. Patty shares how she became interested in writing fiction, how she actually began the writing process, her inspirations, and provides some guidance that may be helpful for other scientists who are interested in writing. She shares her extensive experience in global health in over 40 countries and more than 25 years in the field. We talk a bit about the pandemic and she provides her viewpoints of what went well, what could be improved upon and our joint hope for our future in the youth of the world.To learn more about Patty and to join the The Antidotes Community visit: www.patriciamechael.com/antidotes  Music used in the podcast: Higher Up, Silverman Sound StudioAcronyms, Definitions, and Fact CheckBellagio Fellowship - The Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residency Program is a project-based residency that offers academics, artists, policymakers, and practitioners a serene setting for focused, goal-oriented work, and the unparalleled opportunity to establish new connections with residents from a wide array of backgrounds, disciplines, and geographies.  (https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/bellagio-center/residency-program/)Rūta Šepetys; born November 19, 1967) is a Lithuanian-American writer of historical fiction. As an author, she is a #1 New York Times and international bestseller and winner of the Carnegie Medal. She is a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Fellow and the first American writer of young adult literature to speak at the European Parliament and NATO. (Wikipedia)The history of plastic pollution in the ocean is extensive because of plastic's long life. The material never truly goes away — it merely breaks apart into microplastics that marine animals ingest and absorb. Three species of fish in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean have been found to have polyethylene and polyester microplastics in their bodies.  (https://www.4ocean.com/blogs/blog/a-brief-history-of-the-plastic-crisis)Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt is a board-certified family physician with over a decade of experience leading population health initiatives in governmental public health agencies. Dr. Nesbitt currently serves as the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health in Washington, DC, a position she has held since January 2015. (https://dchealth.dc.gov/b

Claire Pendergrast, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Health Improvement and Healthy Aging, discusses a survey of healthy aging policy actions enacted across the states and territories; Dr. LeQuandra Nesbitt, former Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, considers the relationship between social sciences and decision making in a recent panel hosted by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine while Dr. Erica Pan, California State Epidemiologist, explains how Stanford helped her state study real-time connections between COVID-19 policies and their impact on case rates; the National Academy of Medicine welcomes ASTHO alum Dr. Rachel Levine to its ranks; and ASTHO's Insight and Inspiration event is Wednesday afternoon, but you can still sign up. ASTHO Blog Article: States Using Policy to Reduce Dementia's Disease and Fiscal Impact ASTHO Webpage: Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) Road Map Module CDC Webpage: National Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Series ASTHO Webpage: Homepage The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Webpage: Societal Experts Action Network (SEAN): Fall 2022 Symposium National Academy of Medicine Webpage: National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members ASTHO Webpage: Insight and Inspiration – Conversations for Public Health Leaders

In this episode, hear from the dynamic Heather Burris, Immunization Division Chief at the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health). As the "new kid on the block," Heather shares her learnings and challenges from her freshman year of being an immunization manager. With a clear focus on equity, partnerships, and leading with kindness, Heather discusses how she plans to use the technology and processes gained during COVID for all immunizations. About Heather: Heather Burris is the Immunization Division Chief at the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health). Heather joined DC Health in 2017 as the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program Manager, a role she served for three years. Because of her oversight of VFC provider enrollment and vaccine management, Heather was asked to lead the COVID-19 Vaccine Planning and Distribution Team for the Immunization Division. Since the fall of 2021, Heather has led the Division as Chief, overseeing immunization operations, data management, onboarding of a new immunization information system, and surveillance of COVID-19 breakthrough and vaccine-preventable diseases. Before joining DC Health, Heather spent nine years as a Clinical Site Manager at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the Infectious Disease Clinical Research Program. Her expertise includes vaccine operations, program management, and clinical research administration of infectious diseases. In addition, she is mission-focused on health equity and ensuring vulnerable residents or those hard-to-reach community members have access to immunizations. A champion for Black women, particularly Black girls, Heather also authored Hair Like Me, a children's story about beauty and confidence inspired by her daughter. She is a graduate of Howard University and Emory University. She resides in Washington, DC, with her husband and two children. Links WEBSITE: https://dchealth.dc.gov TWITTER: Work: @_DCHealth Personal: @heatherhburris

For this episode of Gen X Amplified, we're back for another #FabulousOver40 Fireside chat edition, featuring Erik Moses, President at Nashville Superspeedway, which is the largest concrete-only track in NASCAR. Erik is is also one of the recognized leaders in the #FabulousOver40 Spotlight Series on LinkedIn. As mentioned in his spotlight, when Erik was named president of Nashville Superspeedway in 2020, it marked a watershed moment for representation — as he became the first Black track president in NASCAR history.  During this episode, Erik and I discuss his professional story, his thoughts on thriving as a seasoned professional in mid-career, and his plans for making race week at Nashville Superspeedway a “must-attend” destination in the Southeast Region. About Erik Erik Moses is the President at Nashville Superspeedway, which is the largest concrete-only track in NASCAR. Also notable is Erik made history in 2020 when he became the first African-American NASCAR track president. Because of his successful leadership experience in the world of sports, events, and live entertainment, Erik was hired to revive and renovate the NASCAR track in Nashville— which had been closed since 2011. One of Erik's grand achievements from the outset was hosting the track's first NASCAR Cup Series during Father's Day weekend in June. Erik started his career practicing law as an attorney, but then shifted gears to a variety of executive roles in sports and city government within the Washington D.C. area. Most recently, Erik served as the founding president of the DC Defenders, a member of the XFL professional football league. Prior to the XFL, Erik was SVP, Managing Director at Events DC, where he develop valuable partnerships with the NCAA, National Hockey League (NHL), MLB, PepsiCo and others. He also served as the CEO of the DC Sports & Entertainment, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Small and Local Business Development, and as Senior Counsel at AOL. Erik is a graduate of both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carolina and Duke University School of Law. He is a member of the Washington Business Journal Leadership Trust — and was also named to its 2019 Power 100 list. Erik has also served as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Sports Industry Management Program for over 10 years. For much of his life and career, Erik has been the consummate “builder.” Whether it is building relationships, business deals, or a legacy of inspiration — Erik is always striving to render the biggest impact on others. And that includes building Nashville Superspeedway as not only the “must-attend” destination for NASCAR fans in middle Tennessee… But also expanding the narrative of NASCAR within diverse communities around the world. Erik's Personal Theme Song “Public Service Announcement”, by Jay Z   Thank you for listening! Thank you so very much for listening to the podcast. There are so many other shows out there, so the fact that you took the time to listen in really means a lot!

Johnny Taylor Jr., President and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, discusses how COVID-19 has forever changed the relationship between employers and their teams; Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, explains why she is leaving her job; ASTHO posts a new blog article that details twelve recommendations health agencies should consider when writing proposals for federal infrastructure funding; and it's time to register for ASTHO's Health Equity Summit 2022 happening Wednesday, July 27th. WTOP News Article: Why the DC Health director is stepping down  ASTHO Blog Article: Think Big When Applying for Infrastructure Funding: 12 Recommendations for Health Agencies ASTHO Health Equity Summit 2022 Registration

You don't want to miss this episode with Alexis Story, a former recent grad bootcamp student! She discusses her journey from college to the career field, and how she just obtained her CHES certification! We dive into leveraging your network to find a job, navigating college and dealing with all the pressure of figuring out your next move, as well as dealing with ADHD and figuring out how to navigate the professional world. Alexis is a recent graduate of the Health Education and Promotion major at Towson University. Although new to the workforce, Alexis has gained a vast amount of experience as an intern at the District of Columbia Department of Health, and various organizations throughout her college career. Alexis currently works as an Advocacy Program Coordinator at the Global Liver Institute. This episode discusses: - How to identify support systems that can help propel your career forward - The importance of having a mentor (virtually or in-person) - Landing a job through informational interviews - Changing your major in college and deciding your next steps - How Recent Grad Boot Camp helped Alexis Secure the Bag! Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/alexisstory22 Don't forget to like and subscribe to this podcast! Also make sure you check out our online courses designed to help you land the career you want! Don't forge to check out Recent Grad Bootcamp to learn more about how this course can help you elevate your career. (For those that graduated less than 5 years ago) Recent Grad Boot Camp If you graduated from college [Bachelors, Masters or Doctorate] 5 years ago or less then this boot camp is for you! Dr. Des takes you through everything needed to land a job in the field you love. Whether you looking to land your first career starting job, or you looking to transition into a higher position then this course will get you all the way together! Developing Your Career Goals Resume Development [ATS Compatible Templates] Cover Letter Development Digital Portfolio Development Networking + LinkedIn Tips Interview Prep Check out the Young Black and Professional Website to sign up for our free email list! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Dr. Lisa Piercey, Tennessee's Health Commissioner, reflects on her time in office as she prepares to leave her position at the end of this week; Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health, says her department created programs to address vaccine access and hesitancy by listening to community feedback; and ASTHO's Dr. Kim Wyche Etheridge and Wisconsin State Health Officer Paula Tran talk about health equity in a video conversation now online. Washington Post – Live: Health Equity Vaccines ASTHO Q&A: Health Equity, Minority Health & COVID-19 – A Conversation with Paula Tran and Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge

A panel of ASTHO members met with journalists for a virtual news conference Thursday to discuss the new pediatric COVID-19 vaccine and the challenges involved with convincing hesitant parents to vaccinate their kids against the virus. Dr. Nirav Shah, ASTHO President and Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention; Dr. Anne Zink, ASTHO President-elect and Alaska's Chief Medical Officer; Dr. Jose Romero, Arkansas' Secretary of Health; and Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health each offered comments during the call. YouTube: ASTHO Media Briefing

This GCP Short, produced in collaboration with Friends of the Podcast Morris, Manning and Martin LLP, is all about captive governance in the United States. Richard is joined by Joe Holahan, Partner within the firm's insurance and reinsurance practice, and Dana Sheppard, Associate Commissioner within the Risk Finance Bureau at the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking. Joe and Dana discuss how corporate governance expectations have changed for captives in recent years, whether captives are behind the curve and why good governance is important. For more information on Morris, Manning and Martin LLP visit their Friend of the Podcast page: https://www.globalcaptivepodcast.com/mmm Read the third edition of GCP Insights here: www.globalcaptivepodcast.com/gcp-insights You can subscribe to the Global Captive Podcast on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or any other podcast app. Contact Richard: richard@globalcaptivepodcast.com Visit the website: www.globalcaptivepodcast.com Follow us on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/global-captive-podcast/

Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, director of the Washington DC Department of Health, shares her insights into battling the pandemic. Washington is the opposite of self-contained. Protesters of many stripes transport their grievances to Washington, often stoking “strife and agitation” with little regard for the health of the community. Emergency preparations intensified beginning in 2015: “We were ready” in 2020 but had “still so much to learn” as the pandemic unfolded. Messaging in the fog of a pandemic is difficult, in need of constant refinement. Testing got off to a halting start. But as swabs, reagents, and skilled staff became available, the city quickly scaled its testing. It also raised a caution: testing is costly and long-term. How to sustain? Vaccine distribution, including to high numbers of non-residents who work in the Capitol, has been a challenge. Equity and accountability concerns continue to dominate. One reality persists: “We simply do not get enough vaccine here in the District.” And when doses move through retail pharmacies and hospitals with insufficient oversight and coordination, equity suffers. Luckily, ”demand is so high” for vaccines.   Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt is Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health in Washington, D.C., a position she has held since January 2015.

Robert L. DuPont, MD For 50 years, Robert L. DuPont, MD has been a leader in drug abuse prevention and treatment. He was the first Director of the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (1973-1978) and the second White House Drug Chief (1973-1977). From 1968-1970 he was Director of Community Services for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. From 1970-1973, he served as Administrator of the District of Columbia Narcotics Treatment Administration. In 1978 he became the founding President of the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc., a non-profit research and policy organization that identifies and promotes powerful new ideas to reduce drug use and addiction. A graduate of Emory University, Dr. DuPont received an MD degree in 1963 from the Harvard Medical School. He completed his psychiatric training at Harvard and the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. DuPont maintains an active practice of psychiatry specializing in addiction and the anxiety disorders and has been Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Georgetown University School of Medicine since 1980. He is the author of Chemical Slavery: Understanding Addiction and Stopping the Drug Epidemic published in 2018. For more about Dr. DuPont's work and the Institute for Behavior and Health, Inc. visit www.IBHinc.org, www.StopDruggedDriving.org, and www.OneChoicePrevention.org.

EPISODE 2 Swindled by the Son She Never Had: The American dream is at the heart of this episode, which features the story of a young immigrant who comes to the United States and becomes a successful entrepreneur through her strong work ethic. Her retirement becomes anything but comfortable after she meets a wolf in sheep’s clothing. In this episode of Real Life Regulators, investigators and attorneys from the District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking explore the devastation that can occur when an elderly victim entrusts the wrong person and becomes socially isolated due to the influence of a fraudster. Produced by the North American Securities Administrators, Real Life Regulators is a podcast featuring investment fraud cases from the files of state and provincial securities regulators and discussing how these regulators bring financial con artists to justice.

Jeff Bennett — head of the Transit Delivery Division of the District of Columbia Department of Transportation and president of the DC Chapter of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials — is interviewed by host Bernie Wagenblast about how Washington, DC is advancing transportation equity on this episode of the AASHTO ETAP Podcast.

Wayne Turnage is the Deputy Mayor for the District of Columbia Health and Human Services (DMHHS) and the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF).  We spend some time discussing his current work as Deputy Mayor of the District of Columbia,  his upbringing in Richmond, Virginia and his work in politics in a two part podcast.  A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University from Richmond, Virginia, Mr. Turnage went on to earn a Master of Public Administration degree from Ohio State and has had a long distinguished career in the area of policy and politics and was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement for his work in public policy and politics from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs from The Ohio State University.  An Outstanding athlete, Mr. Turmage was also inducted into the Richmond Public School Hall of Fame in both Baseball and Football and was a 4 yr. baseball starter at North Carolina A&T State.  We spend a some time speaking with a leader in front of and behind the scene.   https://youtu.be/HP82rD_waNk.

Wayne Turnage is the Deputy Mayor for the District of Columbia Health and Human Services (DMHHS) and the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF).  We spend some time discussing his current work as Deputy Mayor of the District of Columbia,  his upbringing in Richmond, Virginia and his work in politics in a two part podcast.  A graduate of North Carolina A&T State University from Richmond, Virginia, Mr. Turnage went on to earn a Master of Public Administration degree from Ohio State and has had a long distinguished career in the area of policy and politics and was awarded the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement for his work in public policy and politics from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs from The Ohio State University.  An Outstanding athlete, Mr. Turmage was also inducted into the Richmond Public School Hall of Fame in both Baseball and Football and was a 4 yr. baseball starter at North Carolina A&T State.  We spend a some time speaking with a leader in front of and behind the scene.   https://youtu.be/HP82rD_waNk.

Guest: Wayne Turnage, deputy mayor, District of Columbia Health and Human Services and director, District of Columbia Department of Health Care FinanceTurnage coordinates a comprehensive system of benefits, goods and services to ensure that children, youth and adults can lead healthy, meaningful and productive lives. Learn about the ways the pandemic impacts their clients and how COVID-19 rule changes are leading to improvements of the service roadmap.

Mayor Pratt speaks with neuroscientist and former D.C. Councilmember, Dr. Charlene Drew Jarvis, Chair of the Division of Medicine and Science at the Smithsonian Institute, Dr. Alexandra Lord, and Director of the District of Columbia Department of Health Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt. They bring science-based insights, personal stories and reflections on how the nation and Washington D.C. has previously endured pandemics and how to manage expectations and behavior as we wrestle with COVID-19.

This episode of the Inside-Out Podcast features Professor Tiffany Simmons, who serves as a Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at both Howard University and American University.  Her areas of study include criminology, criminal justice and law. Ms. Simmons also serves as the Inside-Out Program Coordinator for American University. Currently, she is the Special Assistant/Chief of Staff to the Deputy Director of College and Career Readiness, Professional Development, and Special Projects for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections. In this role, Professor Simmons has administrative oversight of the education, training and professional development of the inmates and staff.  She previously worked as an educational advocate/attorney with a focus on assisting many at-risk youth with their educational needs. Professor Simmons is a graduate of Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law and she earned her B.A. in political science from Johnson C. Smith University. The Inside-Out podcast is hosted by Dave Krueger from The Inside-Out Center, the international headquarters of The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program at Temple University's College of Liberal Arts. To learn more about our Inside-Out Instructor Training Institutes, click HERE. To support the expansion of Inside-Out activities around the world, please make your contribution HERE.  Episode Transcription David Krueger: In this episode of The Inside-Out Podcast, I speak with Professor Tiffany Simmons, who teaches as a Lecturer and Adjunct Professor at Howard University and American University. Her areas of study include criminology, criminal justice and law. She also serves as Special Assistant to Deputy Director of College & Career Readiness and Professional Development for the District of Columbia Department of Corrections in Washington DC. Professor Simmons completed the Inside-Out Instructor Training Institute in 2016 and has taught classes combining students from American University and the DC Jail. In this interview, Professor Simmons discusses her work to increase access to education for incarcerated people and she also shares her desire to see more historically black colleges and universities involved in prison education, and specifically, Inside-Out education.  Tiffany Simmons:  It is imperative. And I say this as a person who is a two-time HBCU graduate getting ready to earn my third certification from the Howard University School of Business. And I also speak as a person who had a brother who was incarcerated. The narrative right now being told in the United States is that The majority of the people in prison, in jail and carceral spaces in the U.S. are African-American. And why It's important for the HBCUs to get involved in the conversation in prison education, one to act as role models, to let people know again that they are beyond the circumstances, and two, to create pipelines and gateways to education, because HBCUs are traditionally known for creating opportunities for those who normally or traditionally would not have it. So living up to the legacy that is instilled in us as HBCU students, and HBCU faculty members, I feel that responsibility to go and give back to those people because the people who are inside the facility are members of our community. Even if their address is different, they are still members of our community. And because of that, we have a responsibility to care for them and to educate them. David Krueger: The interview with Tiffany Simmons will continue after this word from Tyrone Werts.  Tyrone Werts: The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program facilitates dialogue and education across social barriers. Inside-Out courses bring campus-based college students and incarcerated students together in jails and prisons for semester-long learning. These courses ignite enthusiasm for learning, help students find their voice, and challenge students to consider what good citizenship requires. Since Temple University professor Lori Pompa taught the first class in 1997, Inside-Out has grown into an international network of more than 1,000 trained instructors from across the US and several countries. Prisons and universities have partnered to create opportunities for more than 40,000 inside and outside students to move beyond the walls that separate them. We are more than a program...we are changing the world.  (00:06) David Krueger: Tiffany Simmons, welcome to the Inside-Out podcast. Professor Tiffany Simmons: Thank you so much for having me. (00:13) DK: So why don't we begin by just having you share a little bit about your background and how you got into the type of work that you're doing now? TS: Well, initially, I went to law school in Texas at the University of Houston, Texas, After graduating I got a job in higher education, working in our office of admissions and also working with our FEMA students. So I did diversity services in addition to admissions and financial aid. I transitioned from there into working for a big law firm, Hunt & Williams, decided the law firm life wasn't for me. I moved to D.C. and started work as an education advocate and juvenile justice attorney here in a local area. I did that for a number of years, working with a lot of children in the foster care system and also the criminal justice system and then transitioned into teaching. I initially started teaching at Howard University in 2009, and then American University 2013. And through my work as an educator and coming in and teaching classes inside the facility here, I was able to transition to my current role, which is the Chief of Staff for Amy Lopez, who was the Deputy Director of College and Career Readiness and Professional Development for the D.C. Department of Corrections. (01:35) DK: Somewhere along this journey, you enrolled in the Inside-Out Instructor Training Institute. Why did you take the training and how did you initially get connected to Inside-Out? TS: Around 2013. One of the professors here came to start working at Howard. I am listed as a, I'm a part-time faculty member, I'm a lecturer, a professor at Howard. And she mentioned a program when she found out about my background in juvenile justice and child advocacy. She felt like it would be a perfect alignment with my area of research and just my experience, period. So I finally went in the winter in January 2016. I was trained alongside Lori and a bunch of wonderful people in my cohort and there started my journey. (02:28) DK: You've been able to teach the class a couple of times. Could you tell us about that experience of teaching Inside-Out for the first time? TS: Yeah. So my first time teaching inside out, I actually had the opportunity to teach it for both Howard and American at the exact same time. One class at American was Critical Issues in Justice and the other class at Howard was Police, Law and Society, which is kind of focused on community relations. Both classes were very interesting in the sense of, we were talking about critical issues of justice and how violence impacts society. The conversation was quite lively with my students from American University. That class, that particular cohort was global, so I had 14 students and out of 14 students, five of them were from around the world. So we had Ireland, Austria, we had Czech Republic, Russia and someone from Central America. So the conversation was deeper than I anticipated because we had students sharing their global perspectives. And of course, the Police and Law Society class was heated at times because police and community relations and the tension in our country, even now, you know, is a hot topic. So it was interesting and it allowed me the opportunity to kind of have two divergent points of view because the populations of my classes were so different, but still very quite engaging. I learned a lot about myself as well. I felt like this balancing the two programs at the same time was interesting, but challenging myself as a teacher. First time teaching in a carceral space, in trying to adapt how I learned and how I learned the pedagogy to really making sure it benefited all of the students I had in the classroom. (04:25) DK: So the D.C. jail, as I understand, is a bit different from a lot of other correctional facilities. It's not necessarily like a county jail, it's technically a federal facility, right? Could you tell us a little bit about what it was like to teach in that facility and about the inside students that you've worked with? TS: Absolutely. So the D.C. jail, as you stated, is a very unique, I guess, carceral space. We have local detainees who are with us for up to two years, one month. And then we also have persons who are federal. So they're either waiting to be adjudicated, meaning they're waiting to go to court or they are coming back to us to finish their sentence out. There's also persons who are coming back because they're asking or appealing their sentence, so they're back on a writ trying to figure this out and if it can be reduced or they'll be sent back up to the federal. And in this particular space, we have the central detention facility, which most folks would identify with as just a traditional jail where you have your cell blocks, not much programming space on it. And then we also have our space for the central treatment facility, which is where we house our female, our women inmates, as well as the male inmates who are on a lower security and who are also participating in a specialized program such as rehabilitation and work readiness.  My initial time teaching in the fall of 2017 was unique because I had my American Inside-Out course at the CTF, literally teaching inside of a cell block. And then in my American, my Howard University class, excuse me, was actually inside the law library, the actual library space that is on the CTF side. The Central Chamber Facility is really great, it has actual classrooms that you would see in any local high school or university and a law library and a library system is actually run by the D.C. Public Library. So one set of students in a way, got a traditional setting, if you will, and the other ones were learning literally where the gentlemen in our class were house and where they lived every day. So teaching in that space, for me, was very interesting, I was like, this is really weird, because, again, you have a literal library where librarians are checking out books and then the housing things. I will say the students who were being taught in the housing space, the unit. Initially there was some trepidation because they knew what to expect. But after a while, they were like, you know, they even started waving and getting to know the other guys on the unit that weren't even involved in our class. And towards the end, there was a strong sense of community, the students actually wanted more time together. And were asking if we could continue the session into the spring semester. But obviously we couldn't do that because, you know, the semester was ending. (07:31) DK: If I were to ask you if there were any particular students either inside or outside students, that seemed to be particularly memorable to you or individuals that really seemed to be impacted by your classes, who would be the first people that would come to your mind? TS: I have a student, her name is Annie Rainey. Annie graduated from the university spring 2018... 2019, excuse me. And she first had me in the fall of 2018 for Violence and Justice class and then decided to enroll in the Inside-Out class. My particular Inside-Out class is focused on criminal procedure and sometimes the conflict that is present when you're viewing it through the lens of constitutional due process. Annie walked in there and just soaked it all in and she was very much impacted by the conversations and projects. I had them each identify a critical link or defect in the chain of criminal procedure and where it fell. And she chose juvenile, juveniles, persons who were juveniles who were sentenced and charged as an adult. And the interesting thing is, upon leaving the class, she says, “Professor Simmons, I'm about to take this information and do something with it. I'm going to make a difference.” She is now the re-entry coordinator for the Northern Virginia Juvenile Detention Facility. And even to this day, she and I keep in contact that she's actually creating a special internship program for a couple of my students that are from America and Howard. But she's an example of students who come in the door, green, not really knowing about this aspect. And she's interned obviously at places, but taking information, dissecting the experiences of her classmates and really taking it to heart and using it to really try to reform the criminal justice system. That's the one student right now that kind of just definitely sticks out to me in terms of all that.  One of my inside students, his name is Diante and he was in the class. He was 21 years old. And he was kind of just looking at me like, “I can't do this Mrs. Simmons, I can't do this. You know, I barely, I don't really have a G.E.D.” You know, one of the things I will say? I will say, because of the level at which the information is presented, and the level and the complexity of it, in a way, we do kind of ask for students on the inside to have at least some of their eighth grade education level so that we can kind of, you know, continue the process, the whole thing. The first couple of sessions, he was just like “Whatever”, not engaged. Towards the end, he was telling us what an expert witness was. He was able to utilize the concepts and even apply them to his own case, not seeing like “OK”, he was able to understand it from a different perspective, “So this was the expert witness and this is why they did that.” The reason he sticks out to me is because, while he was in the custody and care of the CBOC, see, he earned a GED and he was able to just… he matured so much, even in the conversation in the classroom. And he is free now. They dropped his case. And he'll walk around and he'll say, coming to jail, although he, you know, he never would want to do it,  it changed his life for the better. So when you have students exiting your class who never thought they would be capable of handling a college or graduate level course, and now they get out and you're like, “I'm going to school”, “I'm enrolling in college”, “I got my GED”. That's when you know that you made a difference. (11:18) DK: When you think about these individual stories of students in your class that you work with, in what ways do you think the Inside-Out model or this kind of teaching, or these kinds of experiences… What kind of a social impact do you see them having around the world? TS: For me as a person, that's law related. I'll speak first from that perspective. Teaching criminology, law, criminal justice related courses, students are able to go beyond the pages of the textbook. They really experience and put themselves in a situation where, OK, yes, this person can share their experiences with you, but it also humanizes. Inside-Out does a great job of humanizing, for people, whether you're teaching law or you're teaching someone music. Just because a person happens to be located in a different position than you and the label, because you might be labeled as a student of an Ivy League university and they might bear the label of an inmate or whatever. In that space we're both students, in that space we're equal. So Inside-Out on a global level is transformative education and it is best because not only is it experiential learning, it's people teaching people how to have an appreciation of various perspectives, its teaching intercultural communication skills, its teaching respect. And it's bringing about a strong sense of humanity and my opinion. And it's empowering. Again, for the students who in most cases in our programming across the world, the inside students are not earning college credit, but it's letting them know that, “Hey, you can do college level work. You can do graduate level work. You can do law school level work. You are capable of more than what your circumstances are at this moment.” And for me, that's the biggest impact, it's not just transformative in the sense of, you know, “Hey, we're bringing this program, it's transforming people's lives literally every day. (13:34) DK: How important would you say that it is for educators from historically black colleges and universities to get involved in prison education or Inside-Out specifically? TS: It is imperative. And I say this as a person who is a two-time HBCU graduate getting ready to earn my third certification from the Howard University School of Business. And I also speak as a person who had a brother who was incarcerated. The narrative right now being told in the United States is that the majority of the people in prison, in jail and carceral spaces are African-American. And why it's important for the HBCUs to get involved in the conversation in prison education, one to act as role models, to let people know again that they are beyond the circumstances, and two, to create pipelines and gateways to education, because HBCUs are traditionally known for creating opportunities for those who normally or traditionally would not have it. So living up to the legacy that is instilled in us as HBCU students, and HBCU faculty members, I feel that responsibility to go and give back to those people because the people who are inside the facility are members of our community. Even if their address is different, they are still members of our community. And because of that, we have a responsibility to care for them and to educate them. (15:11) DK: You've had a really interesting and diverse career path and in the last couple of years, you've been working for the D.C. Department of Corrections. Could you share some about what you do there and maybe something about your transition from being an educator to working in a carceral space full time? TS: So my path here is indeed interesting. As you already know, fall semester 2017,  I was teaching Inside-Out and when we sat down with the program administrators to debrief, to figure out what we could do better, what we would like to see. One of the things I shared with them was my, you know, my background. They know that I'm a diversity person. So being a diversity inclusion strategist, I'm thinking we need to input some type of format, at least in my class, as I said, I was gonna utilize some of the trainings I do to create a more balanced community setting and to take away any apprehension or trepidation the students may have, one of the person sitting in the room was the head of the behavioral health unit. So she contacted me after the meeting and asked “Tiffany, would you mind coming to do a training? We're starting this unit called Young Men Emerging, its modeled after a unit in Connecticut where it's a therapeutic environment for those 18 to 24. And I remember you also being, you know, a child advocate.” And I was like, “This is right up my alley.” You know, that great spot of recidivism is right there. So I was able to develop a curriculum for training for the staff that were going to be assigned to the unit. It was a two part series. And I did it in January of 2018. At the end of January 2018, I get a call from the director's office, Director Booth, here at D.C.D.O.C. asking me to come in for a meeting. And I am very scared and I'm thinking like, “Oh my goodness, did I do something wrong? Was the training not sufficient? Lo and behold I am in his office and he's like, “I want you to come here. I want you to help me put this place out.” And I said, “What? What do you mean?” You know, again, right up my alley. He said that “I have someone who I say you would be a perfect match with. I'm going to set up a conversation for you, two.” So I'm getting ready. And he wants me to interview ‘the' Amy Lopez. Amy Lopez was the first superintendent of education for the Federal Bureau of Prisons, appointed under the Barack Obama administration. She transitioned from the federal side to D.C.D.O.C. and was doing wonderful things here in D.C.D.O.C. And after talking to her, she's like, “You know what? I want you to come work for me.” I was like, “Are you serious?” And she made me her chief of staff and this is the first time in the history of the D.C.D.O.C. where an educator was actually running the education and the training department. So for me, it was a perfect opportunity to marry all of my skills, my lawyering skills, my skills as an educator, my background in criminal justice, all of these things. An opportunity to really make a change from the inside out, literally. So that was January, February, April. I gave my two weeks notice. 2018. Been here ever since. And I can't tell you how powerful it's been to watch our team grow.  Our training department, our training manager is a former law enforcement person, but she was also my counterpart. She was the chief of staff for the Deputy Director of Operations in Tehran who runs the day to day operations for the jail. She's now our trainee manager and she has a PHD in education. We have a college advisor who actually has a master's degree in college advising and counseling, she's our University Administrator and Liaison. We have a principal. I mean, we have all of these wonderful things. And for me to be a part of it, I get to serve in the training specialists. So I do curriculum related to, of course, my area of expertise, we do law, I've created more classes for our cadets, our introduction correctional officers and we do a lot, we have way more cultural and inclusive trainings now. I do the same thing on the inside as well with our residents. It's just a wonderful time to be in this space.  To me, the transition was easy and effortless because of the people that I'm working with. I literally come to work every day and I'm excited. I stay late at work every day because I know, even though some of my work is balancing budgets, I make sure that this line goes out correctly or this MOU is drafted correctly and we have a new university partner that is gonna be able to bring your services for our staff and our residents on the inside. (20:22) DK: What advice would you give to those who are considering or just starting to teach Inside-Out courses? And also, do you have any advice for white educators as they go into carceral spaces that are overwhelmingly populated by persons of color?  TS: Honestly, I believe that the advice I would give them would probably be the same. In this instance, one, I would suggest first getting a tour of the facility before you start your class so that you get a feel for the space, because, as I explained earlier, for example, in our space, our jail, if you are a person that's on our central treatment side, you will have access to the classrooms, traditional setting, and, you know, we have the smart boards, it's more conducive to what people feel is a traditional learning environment. If you're going to be in a traditional jail or prison where you're teaching or in the housing unit or teaching in a space that they have to make into a learning environment, it'll help you adapt how your syllabus is going to run. It'll help dictate how the activities you do will be. And also how to have good conversation with whomever the administrator in charge of the education of programming is on site to see what resources they have to help support you. And also ask questions like, well, if you want to have this, can I bring that in? For example, if you don't have access to projectors and computers and laptops, would you mind if I bring one in? And if so, what are the requirements for that? So that's that one, understanding the environment in which you will be teaching.  The second is, don't go in thinking that you are going to save the people that you're teaching on the inside. They are people just like you. They have feelings just like you. So you're thinking that, “Oh my goodness. I'm feeling pity on you because I'm “a free person” and you're incarcerated at this time. My duty is to save you and make you make your world better.” And that's not the case. People find that quite offensive. And especially if you are in a situation where, if you are a person that looks different than the people that you are educating on the inside, or even if you do look the same, because here's where a lot of people make mistakes: There's a natural bias, and I think, judgment, whether we recognize it or not, that comes from this, just because I might be black and the person that I'm teaching is black, I'm thinking we are automatically going to identify with one. And that's not true. Or just because I'm a person that is Caucasian and the person, I mean, I'm teaching that's incarcerated might be a Latinx person, you know, I should come in and let them know that I speak Spanish, and all of this. You have to be mindful of the fact that building the trust and relationship with these students, because they are a vulnerable population requires sensitivity. And you have to find a way to connect. But it isn't always going to be because of race. And it's not always going to be because you think there's a stereotype that's gonna be the bridge between the connection piece. You go in with yourself. You go in being sincere, that's how you are able to connect, because, I think that's the case when you're teaching students on the inside or not. They want sincerity, they connect more with you when you are being genuine and not making assumptions. I think you have to put everything to the side, and especially if you are teaching people that don't look like you. You need to admit that you don't know. And you have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. If that makes sense. And just really kind of embracing the situation for what it is. Because fakeness and again, the superhero syndrome is what I say. And don't assume that the people that you're teaching don't have a knowledge base. A lot of people presume that everybody that's in the prison or jail population, you know, they're uneducated. And I have, you know, I've had people in my classes with master's degrees, PHDs and  M.Ds last semester. So don't assume that their education level is beneath you and you have to talk down to people. That makes it. That would be, I guess, a few tips or advice that I would give to my colleagues who, whether you're teaching Inside-Out class or not, how to make things work in a carceral space. (25:19) DK: What is something that really makes you frustrated about the work that you do? And on the flip side, what would be something that really gives you a sense of hope? TS: That there isn't, the thing that frustrates me is that there are not enough people doing the work. And then sometimes when the people that do it, they do it with ulterior motives. You're trying to make a name for yourself on the backs of other people and exploiting folks, that's what gets to me. When I see people coming in I talk to people, again, carceral education is a big, big thing right around the globe, around our country. And then you're focusing on one person because this person has won more notoriety than another person. For every one person that you are trying to exploit, there's like 80 other people that genuinely need your help too.  And for me, that's the thing, because right now criminal justice reform, prison reform is a hot topic, right? It's a big issue for people. Presidents, Presidential Candidates are talking about it, Senators are talking about it, City councilmen are talking about it. So people are utilizing, some people utilizing and capitalizing on opportunities for self benefit. And I don't like that. That's not, that's not what I think this work is about. You're not going to effect change if all you're trying to do is shine a spotlight on yourself. That's one.  But the thing that gives me hope are my students. When, you know,  students like Annie Raynie, I had another one who took the class with me and being inside, has changed the direction in terms of what he wants to practice in our law. And then again, the students, who didn't think they were capable of doing something, but they are. Or the student who comes in, I did have a couple of those whose, I mean, that shared with me that their father was incarcerated, but being inside has given them a different perspective. It actually humanizes their dad to them, because now they see their dad as a person and not as an inmate, if that makes sense. So, for me, my students every day, without question, will give me hope.  (27:00) DK: Any parting words of wisdom?  Mrs. Tiffany Simmons:Just keep doing what we're all doing. I'm going to keep, you know, keep trying to get more people trained in the pedagogy and encourage our Inside-Out cohort across the globe. Don't just stop it you know, teaching Inside-Out. Like if your  university has MOUs or MOA's with these jails and prisons, expand the programming. Inside-Out is the catalyst that opens the door, and you all just keep walking through it and keep expanding the programming and educational offerings that we give to those persons. Because at the end of the day, you're making better practitioners, you're making more of future doctors and lawyers.You're just making better, to me, citizens of the world.  (28:46) DK: Professor Tiffany Simmons, thank you so much for joining us on the Inside-Out podcast. TS: Thank you so much for having me. Have a wonderful day. Podcast production assistance by Matthew Albert, a criminal justice student at Temple University who is working with the Inside-Out Center through an internship sponsored by the Joyce Salzberg Center for Professional Development at Temple University's College of Liberal Arts.   

CLICK HERE FOR YOUTUBE LINK --> VISUAL VERSION OF THIS EPISODE In this episode, we explore one common assumption that may be doing us more harm than good.Some of the examples in this episode:-Terry Rubenstein, author of Exquisite Mind (deals with Depression & Anxiety)-Jeanne Catherine Gray, (PTSD, Anxiety, Trauma)-Denise Marie Gaber, (Suicidal Ideation, Loss)-Amanda Jones, (Depression & Eating Disorders)-Michael Neill (Depression, Suicidal Ideation, Anxiety) -Helen Neal-Ali (Domestic Abuse)-Mahima Shrestha (Natural Disaster Survivor) -Dajohn White & Rebels for Peace (Rebels for peace is a youth-led initiative to rebel against the current thinking and mindset that is the source of violence in Chicago)-Dr. Dicken Bettinger -Dr. Bill Pettit (speaks about Schizophrenia & Serious Mental Illness)Or take a deeper listen to the journey behind names you may have already heard of:-Eckhart Tolle-Sydney Banks-Byron Katie-Mooji -Alan WattsReferences:Research led by Harvard Psychologist Dan Gilbert Research led by Columbia Department of Clinical Psychology George Bonanno Research led by Norman Doidge such as: The Brains Way of Healing 13 Reasons Why ArticleRind et. al's controversial workHow childhood trauma can affect mental and physical health into adulthood"But not all hope is lost. Research strongly suggests that humans have an innate capacity to adapt and positively transform, even after traumatic and stressful events. Most importantly, positive, supportive and healthful activities can contribute to positive well-being among adult survivors of childhood adversity. Change has to start with ourselves first, so we can provide children with the safety, support, love, and protection they need."Sexual and Emotional Abuse Scar the Brain in Specific Ways"But that doesn't mean that recovery is impossible. Most abuse survivors do not develop symptoms, in fact, and research shows increasingly that the brain can change dramatically when provided with the right type of support and emotional nourishment."Performance benefits of depression: Sequential decision making in a healthy sample and a clinically depressed sample.. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 2011; DOI: 10.1037/a0023238

In this week’s podcast, I discuss a study I recently came across on happiness in the legal profession. In 2015, Lawrence S. Krieger from the Florida State University College of Law and Kennon M. Sheldon from the University of Missouri at Columbia – Department of Psychological Sciences conducted a survey of over 6,000 lawyers in various practice areas to determine what caused wellbeing and happiness. And the results may or may not be surprising to you. First, the study found that meaningful and personally engaging work were far more predictive of attorney well-being than external factors relating to law school competitive standing, honors, or post-law school annual salary. Second, the study showed that public service lawyers were happier and more satisfied than other lawyers, including those in the most prestigious, highly paid positions. Finally, a number of personal routine and lifestyle choices matched or exceeded the power of income, honors, and credentials as predictors of lawyer well-being. What does this mean? Law schools lied to us. We were told that in order to be successful and fulfilled lawyers, we needed to get high grades, be involved in activities that built our resumes, such as law review, in order to get to the promised land of a high-paying legal job that would ultimately make all of our dreams come true. So, we worked hard, dedicated our time to studying and getting involved in resume-building extracurricular activities, graduated, took the bar exam, got a job and then… realized that it was not all cupcakes and rainbows as we thought it would be. We learned that this profession is inherently full of circumstances and situations that can result in stress, anxiety, overwhelm and situational depression. And at some point, no matter what our income level is, we realize that money is not an antidepressant or an antidote to any negative thought pattern. So why do law schools feed you this lie? On one hand, I think it is because some of their leaders truly believe that external circumstances such as prestige and money can make you happy. On the other hand, I believe that law school leaders know they would be out of the job if their prospects really knew that what they were chasing was going to come at a heavy emotional and mental cost. So, what does this mean? Does it mean that the hours you spent working on Law Review articles while in law school was a complete waste of time and set you up for a life of overachievement and depression? Does this mean that if you’re working in Biglaw or Midlaw, you’re doomed to an emotionally destroyed existence? Does it mean that if you work in public service making less money than your law firm-collegue counterparts and you are still unhappy, in contrast to what the study says you should be, this is just the way it is? No, No and NO. Although this study sheds light on what makes attorneys happy, the most important part of this study is this: Each lawyer can choose to find meaning in their work no matter where they practice. Each lawyer can choose to find happiness irrespective of their income level. Each lawyer can choose to engage in personal routines and make lifestyle choices that can increase their wellbeing. Each lawyer has a choice. So, identify what makes you happy but ultimately recognize that external circumstances are not the cause of that happiness and make peace with and let go of what you may have been chasing that has only caused you more stress than fulfillment.

Vernon interviews community organizer, Silvia Inéz Salazar. Vernon and Ms. Salazar discuss the role she has played in organizing cooperatives in Washington, DC, and how cooperatives can be used to solve community problems. Silvia Inéz Salazar has been organizing housing and worker owned cooperatives in DC for the past ten years. She serves as a Trustee for the Consumer Health Foundation and Board Member and was recently appointed Board Chair for the Latino Economic Development Center. As a volunteer organizer and Leadership Council Member for Cooperation DC, she is organizing worker-owned childcare cooperative in the District of Columbia called Co-Familia. In 2005, Silvia, along with her fellow founding members, decided to reach out to their neighbors in an effort to start a tenant association to fix ongoing maintenance problems and resist displacement to make way for condominiums. The combination of organizing actions, lawsuits, media coverage, and community support finally caused the landlord to sell the building to the tenants. Her efforts were instrumental in securing $9.7 million in funding from the District of Columbia Department of Housing and Community Development towards the purchase of the building. In 2011, Silvia and her neighbors converted the Norwood Tenant Association into an affordable housing cooperative. Silvia led the effort to reach out to District of Columbia government agencies, community organizations, and faith-based associations to prevent displacement and resist gentrification efforts. She is working towards addressing the lack of affordable childcare in her neighborhood by exploring partnerships and collaborations to find a location for the Co-Familia Childcare Cooperative. Silvia emigrated from El Salvador as an undocumented immigrant at the age of seven. She volunteers at the Smithsonian Museum of American History where she serves as a bilingual Spanish-English language docent that leads tours of the museum. In a professional capacity, she has worked for the federal government at the National Institutes of Health in the area of cancer social science research since 2003.

Our guest is Odie Donald II, the Director of the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES), appointed by Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, DC. Discover how DOES has become a world class leader in workforce development. 

An interview with Jenni Grover and Dr. Val Jones about the value (and stategy) of building terrific relationships with healthcare providers. Dr. Val Jones is a graduate of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and the founder of Better Health, LLC, one of the most popular medical blogs. With over 130 contributors, Better Health is a content partner with the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, the American College of Surgeons, Harvard Health Publications, Diario Medico, and the Columbia Department of Surgery. Find more Val at www.GetBetterHealth.com

The wide Atlantic Ocean divides the Metebelis 2 this week. Ben is back home in England, where he is joined by his niece Lauren (age 10) and nephew Finn (age 12) to discover their reaction to the Return of Doctor Mysterio. Back in the New World, David is wintering in the Columbia Department of the Hudson's Bay Company, where he is joined by his wife Rita and his two teenaged kids, Eliot and Annika, for a post-viewing discussion about the special as well. This week's music is from Murray Gold's incidental score for 2016 Doctor Who Christmas Special.

As part of the Wellesley in Washington summer program, these four students spent the summer working within different health departments at the state and federal levels, at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and at the District of Columbia Department of Health. By reading and analyzing policy, regulations, and legislation they learned about disparities in health quality in vulnerable populations. Through data analysis, they saw how numbers could be turned into action and learned to make data accessible and readable for the general public. This presentation contrasts state level policy and program evaluation with work at the federal level, addressing the District of Columbia's dual function as the nation's capital and as a state. They share the unique experiences that the Washington Internship Program afforded us, to study health through our respective internships and glimpse Washington's culture through mentorships with alumnae in the strong network of Wellesley women.