Podcasts about columbia university center

On today's program we talk about how universities are key innovators in solving the climate crisis. At the same time, as we read daily in the news, they're dealing with tremendous uncertainty. So how is Lisa Sachs, the Director of the Columbia University Center on Sustainable Investment and the recently launched Columbia Climate School MS in Climate Finance, coping with these uncertainties in U.S. climate policy and sustainable finance? And what about the volatility in career opportunities that graduates of these programs will face during the next four years? For Sachs, these are just two of the stress points she is managing in today's university environment. Sachs is also an Associate Professor of Professional Practice at the Columbia Climate School, where climate science and climate change are engaged in the 21st Century's existential challenge for supremacy.

On the radio show this week we dive into what was said (and not said) in the first Presidential debate between Harris and Trump; then we cover some dramatic wins that the Biden - Harris Administration have been moving forward for parents - and how your voice is making a positive difference; after that we close the show hearing about a new study that identifies the root causes and solutions related to childhood poverty – and we also hear how solving childhood poverty lifts families everywhere, as well as businesses and our economy too.    *Special guests include: Fatima Goss Graves, National Women's Law Center Action, @nwlcaf; Ruth Martin, MomsRising, @MomsRising; Tina Sherman, MomsRising, @MomsRising; and Megan Curran, Columbia University Center on Poverty and Social Policy, @CpspPoverty

What if feeling like an imposter was not a negative thing? In this episode, RJ Jenkins, director of education at the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration, talks about imposter syndrome or what he prefers to describe as imposter feelings or a phenomenon. Typically, imposter syndrome is described as self-doubt among high-achieving individuals who overlook their accomplishments. It's common in academia, with some estimates showing that nearly 70% of academic professionals will experience imposter syndrome at some point in their careers.When he's experienced impostor feelings, Jenkins said he was pushing himself outside his comfort zone, trying something new, taking a risk, and growing. “And that has been the hallmark of my experience with imposter phenomenon, even today,” he said. In this episode, Jenkins described feeling like an imposter on day one as a first-year student at Columbia University in New York City. He shares his advice for higher ed professionals so they can better support their students and staff and feel better about themselves.Learn more in “How To Be An Imposter,” a TEDx talk from Jenkins from 2023. He was also the recipient of the 2023 HigherEdMilitary Spotlight Award. Do you have a topic you would like us to discuss on the podcast? Send us your idea and you might hear it discussed on the HigherEdJobs podcast.

"The ability to play means we can indulge in a kind of illusion, not delusion, and make a distinction. It always amazes me that when the patient arrives, they like the routine of an analysis; nobody breaks that, it's an illusion; it is a piece of theater every time. We open the door to our patients and they lie on the couch, and yet there is something enormously gratifying as the patient works out their sense of  reality from that illusory field. I think it is exactly what the mother is able to bring to the infant - this capacity to play and this capacity to continue to evolve beyond the analysis as an internalization of that experience of being listened to and being with someone. The details of that is related to an intrapsychic surviving and non- surviving object in the analyst  who continues to think and feel and be with the patient in the consulting room.”   Episode Description: Joel begins his conversation with Jan around Winnicott's conceptualization of aggression in development and in the analytic encounter. She noted that he had a very sophisticated developmental theory of aggression which culminated with the role that the destruction of the object plays in constituting reality. Jan explains that she has elaborated Winnicott's late theory of aggression with her notion of the ‘surviving object'. She distinguishes the 'surviving object' from the 'good object', especially as it stands apart from a moralizing position. She considers its internalization as an essential condition for healthy development. They discussed the role that insight continued to play for Winnicott after he emphasized the importance of the patient's experience in the analytic process. They also consider the ‘fear of woman' as a root of misogyny. After discussing the uniqueness of the analytic setting to facilitate play, fantasy, and “magic which is not psychosis,” Jan concludes by emphasizing the importance of in-person treatment in order to have an in vivo experience of the non-retaliatory analyst.   Linked Episode: Episode 144: Why Winnicott? Joel Whitebook, PhD   Our Interviewer and Guest: Joel Whitebook, PhD is a philosopher and psychoanalyst. He is on the Faculty of the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research and was the founding Director of the University's Psychoanalytic Studies Program. In addition to many articles on psychoanalysis, philosophy, and critical theory, Dr. Whitebook is also the author of Perversion and Utopia (MIT) and Freud: An Intellectual Biography (Cambridge). Jan Abram, PhD is a training and supervising analyst of the British Psychoanalytical Society and in private practice in London. She is a Visiting Professor of the Psychoanalysis Unit at University College London and is currently Vice President of the European Psychoanalytic Federation for the Annual Conferences. She is President-Elect for the EPF to start her term in March 2024. She is a Visiting Lecturer and supervisor at the Tavistock Clinic in London. In 2016, she was a Visiting Professor at the University of Kyoto, Japan, where she resided for a writing sabbatical. Jan Abram has published several books and articles notably The Language of Winnicott, Donald Winnicott Today (2013), The Clinical Paradigms of Melanie Klein and Donald Winnicott: Comparisons and Dialogues (co-authored with R.D. Hinshelwood 2018); The Surviving Object: psychoanalytic clinical essays on psychic survival-of-the-object (2022) and her second book with R.D. Hinshelwood: The Clinical Paradigms of Donald Winnicott and Wilfred Bion: Comparisons and Dialogues (2023).     Recommended Readings: ben Abram, J. (2022) The Surviving Object: Psychoanalytic Clinical Essays on Psychic survival-of-the-object New Library of Psychoanalysis Routledge   Abram, J. (2023) Holding and Containing: on the specificity of Winnicott's object relations theory Holding und Containing: Zur spezifischen Natur der Objektbeziehungen bei Winnicott. Psyche - Z Psychoanal 77 (9), 768-796 DOI 10.21706/ps-77-9-768  

The government of Nicolas Maduro increases military presence in the border with the disputed oil-rich Essequibo region despite the recent commitments it made in talks with Guyana. We take a look at how recent oil discoveries have escalated a historic disagreement. As the Super Bowl approaches, we hear how the negotiations to take one of the largest sport events in the world to Las Vegas for the first time happened. And we look into why the US financial regulator is cracking down on firms that didn't take measures to prevent staff from using text apps like WhatsApp to communicate with colleagues and clients. Roger Hearing discusses these and more business stories with two guests on opposite sides of the world: Andy Uhler, Journalism Fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy & University of Texas Energy Institute, and Sharon Brettkelly of Radio New Zealand. (Picture: Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela on 7 Dec 2023. Picture credit: Prensa Miraflores.)

By popular demand we are joined once more by marvelous guest host Alison Reeve to round out 2023 with our BUMPER HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR SPECTACULAR! That's right Summerupperers, ‘tis the season for the Highly Anticipated and Much Sought After awarding of the second annual Wonkies! This year there were several contenders for top honours but your intrepid hosts have sent up the smoke signal and unanimously declared our favourite climate paper of 2023 was…DRUMROLL…Getting off gas: why, how and who should pay? By Tony Wood, Alison Reeve and Esther Suckling of the Grattan Institute!  This paper was covered in Episode 28 of the pod and your hosts noted the timeliness and influence the report has had since its release in June 2023 on the thorny issue of getting 5 million Australian households off fossil gas. Honourable mentions for our runners up go to “Rethinking markets, regulation and governance for the energy transition” by Dr Ron Ben-David (Episode 32), the Climate Change Authority's  “Reduce, remove and store: The role of carbon sequestration in accelerating Australia's decarbonisation” (Episode 33) and Discounting the Distant Future: A Critique of the EPA's Analysis of the Social Cost of Carbon', by Geoffrey M. Heal, Noah Kaufman and Antony Millner at Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy (Episode 27).Our climate-themed christmas cracker of a caper for you Summerupperers is the controversial and critically acclaimed How to Blow Up a Pipeline! An Ocean's 11-esque heist movie in which the caper crew are a rainbow coalition of diverse young environmental activists, and the Big Score is to disable a crucial oil pipeline and strike a blow for the climate. Will they do it? Will they get away with it? And is that even the plan???You can watch it on Stan in Australia and also have a listen to this interview with the film's director and co-writer on The Big Picture podcast.Frankie's One More Thing is Alan Kohler's quarterly essay The Great Divide: Australia's Housing Mess and How to Fix It and admission of trash TV consumption: Yellowstone (apparently the stepping stone to true trashiness) + The Block.Tennant's One More Things are Netflix trash show about upgrading trash (and not so trash) cars “Car Masters; Rust To Riches”, and non-trashy pop-sci book “A City On Mars” by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith.Alison's One More Things are the quirky Aussie heist movie, Malcolm: the only movie you'll ever see featuring a Melbourne tram as getaway vehicle, and Long Live Chainsaw a brilliant doco about the very short life and career of Canadian downhill mountain bike racer, Stevie Smith.Luke's One More Things are the excellent, unabridged Tolkien audiobooks narrated by Andy Serkis: The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King and The Silmarillion. Or if that's all a bit 1950s high fantasy for you, try the Murderbot Diaires!And that's all from us in 2023! We are taking a break in January but will be back with ever more reports to read in Feb 2024. In the meantime, happy holidays to all our wonderful Summerupperers. While you rest up, send your hot tips and suggestions for papers and climate-themed pop culture to mailbag@letmesumup.net, xeet ‘em at @LukeMenzel, @TennantReed and @FrankieMuskovic, or blu ‘em at @lukemenzel.bsky.social @tennantreed.bsky.social and @frankiemuskovic.bsky.social

"Instead of the analyst being in a position where they know something about the patient, they are with the patient. As Winnicott says in his late work, if you are a philosopher in your armchair, you have to come out of your armchair and be on the floor with the child playing. I don't think that one should act that out with an adult patient- however  it is that approach to actually being with the patient, listening to the patient's words, listening to their state of mind without preconceived ideas. That's almost impossible, but  Winnicott says that psychoanalysis is an objective study, an objective way of looking at things without preconceived ideas, without preconceived notions. It links with what you said about ‘normative' - if we go into the consulting room feeling that our patients need to be as we are or need to fit in some kind of norm, then I don't think this is psychoanalytic. I think it is against the whole aim of psychoanalysis.”   Episode Description: Jan begins her conversation with Joel by sharing her background in theater and the steps she took to train as an analyst. She describes what drew her to Winnicott and how she sees him as broadening, not replacing, Freudian thinking. She distinguishes her understanding of Winnicott from others who believe that, by speaking of the importance of the environment, he minimized constitutional factors and the unconscious. She interprets what he meant by the environment in terms of the ‘psyche-body' and the mother's unconscious. Jan discusses a paradox in Winnicott in that he offers a positive theory of health while also being uniquely non-judgmental and non-pathologizing. She concludes with a controversial observation that a five times weekly in person training analysis is essential to achieve a deep regression that will familiarize analysts with the primitive parts of their personalities so they will be able to accept and deal with those parts of their patients' personalities.   Our Interviewer and Guest: Joel Whitebook, PhD is a philosopher and psychoanalyst.  He is on the Faculty of the Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training and Research and was the founding Director of the University's Psychoanalytic Studies Program.  In addition to many articles on psychoanalysis, philosophy, and critical theory, Dr. Whitebook is also the author of Perversion and Utopia (MIT) and Freud: An Intellectual Biography (Cambridge).   Jan Abram, PhD is a training and supervising analyst of the British Psychoanalytical Society and in private practice in London. She is Visiting Professor of the Psychoanalysis Unit, University College London, and is currently Vice President of the European Psychoanalytic Federation for the Annual Conferences. She is President-Elect for the EPF to start her term in March 2024. She is a Visiting Lecturer and supervisor at the Tavistock Clinic, in London. In 2016, she was a Visiting Professor for the University of Kyoto, Japan, where she resided for a writing sabbatical. Jan Abram has published several books and articles notably: The Language of Winnicott, Donald Winnicott Today (2013), The Clinical Paradigms of Melanie Klein and Donald Winnicott: comparisons and Dialogues (co-authored with R.D. Hinshelwood 2018); The Surviving Object: psychoanalytic clinical essays on psychic survival-of-the-object (2022) and her second book with R.D. Hinshelwood: The Clinical Paradigms of Donald Winnicott and Wilfred Bion: comparisons and dialogues (2023).   Learn more about Jan Abram    Recommended Readings: Abram, J. (2007) The Language of Winnicott: A Dictionary of Winnicott's use of terms Routledge   Abram, J. (ed) (2016) André Green at the Squiggle Foundation Routledge   Abram, J. (2008) Donald Woods Winnicott (1896 – 1971): A brief introduction Education Section Int J of Psychoanal 99: 1189 - 1217   Abram, J. (2021) On Winnicott's Concept of Trauma Int J of Psychoanal 102: 4 10  

Dr Zaher Wahab is professor emeritus of Education at Lewis & Clark College, and former senior advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Higher Education. Dr Wahab, also taught at American University of Afghanistan from 2013 to 2020.Zaher was born and schooled in Afghanistan. He was the first person in his family's history to attend the "village school," a boarding school in Kabul, and later received scholarships to attend college in Lebanon and the US. He earned a BA in sociology from The American University of Beirut, an MA in comparative education from Teachers College at Columbia University, and both an MA in anthropology and a PhD in international development education from Stanford University.Zaher is dedicated to praxis - the practical application of our best thinking to real life challenges. He and Mary take this time to dig deep into the ways praxis can be applied in support of climate justice and repair. In our conversation you will get a sense of the vast and direct knowledge Zaher has of education and society across the globe. Listen to this advocate for global understanding and respect. Consider with us how these fundamental ways of being naturally show up in our honoring of both interdependence and sovereignty.You can learn more about Dr. Wahab's work and vision by searching through his abundant contributions on the internet. Peace Action: https://www.peaceaction.org/tag/zaher-wahab/Columbia University Center for Oral History: https://oralhistoryportal.library.columbia.edu/document.php?id=ldpd_8095968Connect with Zaher's most recent thoughts by watching the you tube of his 2022 talk, with the Schiller Institute and entitled, “Dialogue, Not a Clash of Civilizations.”Learn more about the Brazilian educational philosopher Paolo Freire who has been such an inspiration to Zaher.FACTS:Kabul is ranked the 12th most polluted capitol in the world.Afghanistan is the 6th environmentally the most damaged country in the world.Ecological disasters in Afghanistan have displaced millions of Afghans.Only 13% of Afghans have safe drinking water and 15% electricity.MUSIC CREDITS:Podcast score: Original music by Gary A Ferguson.Arabic Instrumental, Music by DMD_Production from PixabayIslam Dream, Music by SergeQuadrado from Pixabay Desert, Music by ArtSlop_Flodur from Pixabay -

Greetings & welcome back to the rose bros podcast.This episode we are joined by Bob McNally - Founder & President of Rapidan Energy Group - a provider of energy research and analysis for investors,  global companies & policy makers. Robert McNally has over 30 years of government and market experience as an international energy consultant, senior White House policy official, and hedge fund strategist. He is the author of the award-winning and acclaimed book Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices (Columbia University Press, 2017).Robert has testified before Congress on energy markets and national security, published on energy in Foreign Affairs (co-authored with Michael Levi), and has been interviewed by CNN, The Economist, NPR, Financial Times, Washington Post, New York Times, PBS' Great Decisions in Foreign Policy series, Bloomberg News, and other leading journals and programs. He is a non-resident fellow at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. From 2001 to 2003, he served as the top international and domestic energy advisor for George W. Bush, holding the posts of Special Assistant to the President on the National Economic Council and, in 2003, Senior Director for International Energy on the National Security Council. Robert earned his B.A./B.S. in Political Science and International Relations from American University and his M.A. in International Economics and Foreign Policy from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Among other things, we sat down and discusses advising US Presidents on energy policy, price volatility, the looming debt crisis & why energy is more important than every. Enjoy.This podcast episode is sponsored by Connate Water Solutions.Do you need cost effective water sourcing options to supply your next drilling or completions program?Connate Water Solutions is a specialized hydrogeology company focused on water well drilling, testing and water management services in Western Canada and Texas.Contact info@connatewater.com or www.connatewater.com for more details.This podcast is sponsored by Headracingcanada.comLooking for high performance ski gear this winter? In partnership with 4x-Olympian Manny-Osborne Paradis, Headracingcanada.com is offering the lowest prices possible through its online storefront, by passing brick and mortar savings to customers. Check out  Headracingcanada.com for more info on high performance gear for the upcoming ski season.      Support the show

Ilene Lefcourt, author of several parent guidance books, member at Columbia University Center for Psychoanalytic Training, and founder of the Sackler Lefcourt Center for Child Development in 1982, has provided developmental consultation to parents for over 35 years. She speaks about how she reached parents being haunted by “ghosts from the nursery” and helped them correct their misapprehensions of their infants' behavior in order to respond to them with sensitivity.

Summerupperers, it's our birrrrtthday and we want to say a giant THANK YOU for listening this past year we've been in your ears! You're the reason we started this crazy podcasting adventure - we wanted to create a supportive space for all the climate professionals out there who pour so much of themselves into their work and passion for climate action, and it's been a genuine delight to meet many of you in person at the various goings on since we launched the pod.Now down to business in Bonn. Specifically, the Bonn Climate Conference, an important milestone in the lead up to COP28 to be hosted in the UAE later this year. What happened there? Arguments abounded on the agenda for COP28, from climate finance redux to concern over a lack of further ambition on mitigation efforts. And there was the pushback against COP28 President Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber for running an oil company, and THEN there was pushback to the pushback when said President voiced language about “phase down of unabated fossil fuels” being inevitable!This week's deep dive delves into the depths of DISCOUNT RATES! A compact but dense and chewy delight,‘Discounting the Distant Future: A Critique of the EPA's Analysis of the Social Cost of Carbon', is brought to us by Geoffrey M. Heal, Noah Kaufman and Antony Millner at Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. This paper had your intrepid hosts debating the merits of descriptive vs ethical approaches and let's just say there are no easy answers but plenty of numbers. If this paper piques your interest, Episode 6 in our back catalogue, ‘An orange, a picture of an apple and a mandarine shaped eraser': Critiquing Integrated Assessment Models' is a doozy.Frankie's One More Thing is to alert you to the many brilliant and freely available talks from philosopher Michael Sandel (quoted in this week's paper) including this BBC special on Should the Rich World Pay for Climate Change?, his first year Harvard course Justice, and this great talk on the moral limit of markets.Tennant's One More Thing is the slamming of a paper on the impact of the EU CBAM on Africa. Tennant really, really didn't like this paper. So much so that he was driven to engage in the brave, new (for one T Reed) world of LinkedIn to write a blistering takedown of said paper. This is NOT the one his cat deleted.Luke's One More Thing is a plug for the latest from irreverent Aussie energy newsletter Currently Speaking on a very important issue occupying the minds of many (any?) climate aficionados. That is, how DO you pronounce AEMO? Read their exclusive investigation here.And that's all from us this week Summerupperers! We shall see you next time and until then, please keep tweeting your thoughts to us at @LukeMenzel, @TennantReed and @FrankieMuskovic and if you would like to weave some golden threads through our back catalogue, give us your feelpinions or suggest papers to read we are always here for that - hit us up at mailbag@letmesumup.net.

This week on The FourBlock Podcast, we welcome USAA's* Military Affairs Relationship Director Charles “Chuck” Bunch, a 20+ year retired U.S. Air Force veteran who works alongside fellow retired officers and senior noncommissioned officers on USAA's Military Affairs team to advocate for those who are currently serving in our military, all those who have honorably served in the past, and their families.  In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Chuck shares personal stories and lessons learned from his military experience, his transition into the private sector and current role with USAA, and the relationships that helped him along the way.  USAA has been a longtime partner of FourBlock's since 2016. Since then, USAA has hosted more than 30 sessions of FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program in support of transitioning service members across the country. In 2022 alone, USAA supported more than 250 veterans across five FourBlock program locations. As the Military Affairs Relationship Director for Veteran Engagement, Chuck leverages his military relationships to provide advocacy for military families and shepherds USAA's VETNet Employee Resource Group (ERG) for the enterprise.   Prior to joining USAA, Chuck served as the Pathfinder Program Site Manager for USO San Antonio. Chuck's leadership resulted in the successful design, development, launch, and execution of the USO Pathfinder transition program.  Upon joining USAA in 2019, Chuck was selected by the San Antonio Business Journal as an honoree of the inaugural Veteran in Business Awards. This award reflected his community leadership and honored San Antonio military veteran business leaders for their impactful contributions in the workplace and their support of fellow veterans.  Through his continued devotion and passionate support for the military community, Chuck was nominated for the 2022 G.I. Jobs Employee Veteran Leadership Awards list. This exclusive list recognized employee veterans that exemplified determination, teamwork, advocacy of military hiring initiatives, devotion to mentorship, and servant leadership in their organizations and respective communities.    Chuck had the privilege of serving 20 years in the USAF. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal and Meritorious Service Medal.  Chuck holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Wayland Baptist University and a Master's in Business Administration from Webster University. Chuck is married to his lovely wife Kriesti, and they enjoy spending time with their son, Jered and daughter-in-law, Haley.     *USAA is a multi-city sponsor of FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program.      ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

If you are in the military entering the civilian world or are you a veteran who has transitioned already but still struggling to find your path, this episode is a must-listen.     This week, we welcome author and Founder of Mission Edge Ken Davenport. In conversation with hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams, Ken shares how his passion for helping people achieve greatness in their lives led him to starting a social enterprise to help nonprofits and small businesses grow and devoting much of his time to helping military veterans transition to the civilian world.     Most recently the author of "The Stoic Transition: A Guide" to help veterans live their best lives after the military, Ken details how his early life led him to discover the concept of stoicism and how it can help veterans embrace their power to thrive in their next adventures.     Ken Davenport is an entrepreneur and writer based in San Diego, California. Ken's built multiple businesses, lived in Switzerland as a kid, did his graduate work in London, spent a nomadic year in Tokyo, where he learned Japanese (or tried), and now spends much of his free time helping military veterans transition to the civilian world. A former Board member at the Travis Manion Foundation, Ken helped bring FourBlock to San Diego and also teaches Boots to Business at the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University.     ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

"I want to give back to the community that gave me so much."     This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we are honored to be joined by Labor and Employment attorney Allison Kruse, a U.S. Air Force veteran and current associate at Stinson LLP, who serves as the chair of the firm's Veterans Employee Resource Group (ERG).     In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Allison shares what first inspired her to attend the Air Force Academy and join the military and details her experience transitioning from the Air Force into law school and then the private sector.    Allison delves into her unique familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations and how it benefits and supports her clients at Stinson. She then shares more about her participation with the firm's Veterans ERG, why she is inspired to continue giving back, how Stinson helps support and integrate veterans within the law firm, and her advice for veterans transitioning into the civilian workforce.    As we close out Women's History Month, Allison also shares some of the women veterans and leaders who inspired her in her career and influenced her professional values, as well as words of wisdom for young women starting their journey in the military or transitioning out.     Allison is an associate at Stinson LLP, a law firm with 450 attorneys and 12 offices nationwide. She primarily focuses on employment related matters and navigating various facets of employment relationships. She handles each case with precision and integrity, working diligently to deliver results that take her clients to new heights.    Before attending law school, Allison was a Contracting Officer in the U.S. Air Force. Her prior experience in leadership roles enables her to relate quickly with clients and solve complex issues. Allison has received multiple awards and recognitions for her outstanding service while serving.    ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we welcome U.S. Army Veteran and Senior Program Manager at General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT)* Gregory (Greg) Doubek. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Greg shares why he was called to serve and decided to join the Army, his personal military transition story, and some of the advice he received and lessons learned along the way. Greg also raises an important point for those in transition about taking the uniform all the way off and provides guidance on how veterans can adjust to their changing role in the civilian workforce and add value regardless of the type or level of work. In addition to his role as Senior Program Manager at GDIT, Greg serves as the co-lead for GDIT's Veteran Employee Resource Group (Honor ERG), and he provides details about the company's commitment to supporting transitioning military, veterans, and their families through its military hiring program and Honor ERG. He also shares actionable advice for getting started in the IT and Cyber world, whether you have experience in that field or you're transitioning fields entirely. Greg was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army in 1991. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Art from the University of Vermont, and a Master's of Science in Telecommunications from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Following his 26 years of service as a US Army Signal Officer, Greg joined the General Dynamics Information Technology Team and is currently a Senior Program Manager, managing two Multiple Award Task Order Contracts with a contract ceiling totaling over $25B.  If you are close to your transition from the military, Greg would welcome a connection via LinkedIn to talk about transition and career goals. Connect with Greg on LinkedIn at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregdoubek/.      *GDIT is a sponsor of FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program.    ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we welcome The Boeing Company's* Shane R. Chapman and Devon Rumsey, who give us an in-depth look at Boeing's commitment to supporting veterans in transition and share actionable advice for veterans and military spouses interested in beginning a new career with the company.  A U.S. Army Veteran with 30 years of service, Shane now leads the Boeing Global Services Military and Veterans Program (BGS MVP), providing guidance and support to veterans and military spouse candidates and referring them to be seen by a hiring manager for interviews. After more than nine years in the U.S. Navy from 2013-2022, Devon currently serves as a Workforce Development Specialist at Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where he works to create pipelines with organizations and military stakeholders to aid transitioning service members and military spouses in finding gainful employment across The Boeing Company. A sponsoring partner of FourBlock since 2018, Boeing has played a significant role in helping FourBlock expand programming in Washington, D.C. and along along the West Coast. The company has also provided support for the Military Spouse Career Readiness Program as well as the Career Readiness Coach program, which connects working professionals with current FourBlock participants to provide them one-to-one guidance and feedback and to ensure that each veteran is on a path to success during their transition. Boeing has hosted multiple class sessions for FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program across the country. Shane R. Chapman is an Army Veteran with 30 years of Service and a master's degree in Organizational Leadership. He has lead organizations from the platoon to brigade levels. Shane has spent several tours of duty in Europe and has more than 8 years of operational and combat deployments. As a notable military assignment, Shane was selected by the Chief of Staff of the Army to create the Soldier for Life Program. In this role, he partnered with government agencies, private companies, and universities to create hundreds of public-private partnerships now known as the Career Skills Programs. Shane started his career with Boeing in 2019. Initially, he served as a strategic advisor on leadership development and training to Boeing Global Services. He now works in Human Resources, focused on sourcing, recruiting, and hiring Veteran talent. Devon spent just over nine years in the Navy from 2013-2022 and a Nuclear Electrician 1st Class on Submarines. He spent four years on the USS Pittsburg in Connecticut where he deployed three times to the European area of command. Devon finished up his service with three years in Navy recruiting in Seattle Washington where he ran three regional offices. He came to Boeing in April of 2022 after separating from the Navy and currently serves as a Workforce Development Specialist whose main role is to create pipelines with organizations and military stakeholders to aid in transitioning service members and military spouses find gainful employment across The Boeing Company.   To learn more about how The Boeing Company supports veterans and their families, visit https://jobs.boeing.com/veterans.  Note: At the bottom of the page, you can find the direct link to the Military and Veterans Program candidate portal where you can receive 1 on 1 support with your Boeing career journey, as well the link to the Boeing SkillBridge portal.   *The Boeing Company is a national sponsor of FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program.   Find Shane on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-chapman-boeing-mvp/  Find Devon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devon-rumsey-0143aa229/  ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

Transitioning service members, do you know how to make the most of your military training once you transition into the civilian workforce?   Corporate leaders, do know how to optimize your veteran employees' potential for success?    That's why author and consultant Captain William Toti, US Navy (Retired) and former CEO of Sparton Corporation, wrote “From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership.”  With more than 26 years of service in the U.S. Navy and more than 40 years of experience in the defense industry, Captain Toti joins FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams on this week's episode of The FourBlock Podcast to share his personal experience, professional expertise, and practical insights to help transitioning service members make the most of their military training and learn what more is needed to rise up the ranks in the C-suite. For employers, he also shares what corporate leaders can do to maximize the potential for their veteran employees' success.  Captain Toti has more than 40 years of experience in defense. In three years as CEO of Sparton, he was able to restructure and double the company's value, taking it through the sale of Sparton by Cerberus Capital Management to Elbit Systems of America. Prior to joining Sparton he spent more than a decade running multi-billion-dollar global defense businesses, for both products and services, including as president of the Integrated Maritime Systems sector at L3, as vice president of the defense segment of HP, HPE, and DXC, as president of Cubic Global Defense, and as vice president of Raytheon's Mission Support Operations. He has served on Boards of Directors of ERAPSCO, JT3, and the Italian defense company Calzoni.  Captain Toti also served for more than 26 years in the U.S. Navy, including tours as commander of Fleet Antisubmarine Warfare Command Norfolk, as commodore of Submarine Squadron 3, and as commanding officer of the nuclear fast attack submarine USS Indianapolis (SSN-697). He served for more than nine years in the Pentagon, including tours as special assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, as Navy representative to the Joint Requirements Oversight Council, and as deputy director of the Navy War Plans Cell, Deep Blue. Mr. Toti is the creator/author of the US Navy's current “Full Spectrum Antisubmarine Warfare” concept of operations.  Captain Toti holds a bachelor's degree in physics from the U.S. Naval Academy, a master's degree in spacecraft systems engineering, the pre-doctoral Electrical Engineer degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and has done executive coursework at the Harvard Business School. He served as a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution and as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology Seminar XXI Fellow in International Affairs. He has more than 30 published articles and op-ed pieces and was the U.S. Naval Institute Author of the Year in 2001. He was a 2012 member of the White House Roundtable on Military Credentialing in support of an initiative to help transitioning service members receive civilian credentials and licenses.  Captain Toti has worked to support the survivors of the World War II cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) for more than 25 years, was named an honorary survivor and their honorary captain in 2005, and has been featured in several global release documentaries on that storied ship, including “USS Indianapolis: Live from the Deep” (2017, PBS), “USS Indianapolis: Legacy Project” (2016, Tiny Horse Productions), and “USS Indianapolis: the Final Chapter” (2019, PBS).  His narrative titled “Antoinette,” describing his experiences during the September 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon was incorporated into the book Operation Homecoming, published by Random House (2006). He was featured in the 2016 PBS documentary, “9/11: Inside the Pentagon” and the 2020 History Channel documentary “9/11: The Pentagon.”, and the 2021 National Geographic six-part docuseries, “9/11: One Day in America.”  Captain Toti is a seven-time recipient of the Legion of Merit, a recipient of the “Wash 100” list of most influential leaders in the government contractor sector (2016), HP Executive of the Year (2013), the FedScoop 50 Industry Leadership Award (2012), and the Rear Admiral John J. Bergen Industry Award from the Navy League of the United States (2010). He is a lifetime member of the U.S. Naval Institute, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, the National Eagle Scouts Association, and as an adult leader was awarded the Honor Medal by the Boy Scouts of America (2002).  You can find Captain Toti's book, “From CO to CEO: A Practical Guide for Transitioning from Military to Industry Leadership" at https://a.co/d/5SDmFDE.    ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

U.S. Army Veteran David Touchton served in Operation Enduring Freedom, deploying to the Middle East on September 9, 2001, just two days before the September 11 attack. On the FourBlock Podcast this week, David shares the impact that had on him and his fellow service members, his career path, and his commitment to continuing to pay it forward to fellow veterans today. David spent several years in the Army before receiving an honorable discharge due to an injury and going into the private sector. He held multiple positions of escalating responsibility as a Facility Security Officer before making the leap to launch his own security company. Founded in 2013, FSO Services helps companies ensure the best security posture against today's modern threats. In conversation with host Mike Abrams, David explains how he transitioned into a career in industrial security and how he got the idea to start his company serving clients that work with the Department of Defense. He identifies some of the biggest challenges and threats that clients could face as they safeguard national security information and how FSO Services helps resolve them. To close out the episode, David shares the reasons he feels veterans have an advantage when transitioning into industrial security and what steps they can take to successfully move into the industry.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

How can employers go beyond thanking a veteran for their service? Retired Air Force LtCol Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz has devoted her post-military career to equipping civilans to become Veteran Champions. With hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams, Kathy shares personal insights from her upbringing as a Navy ‘brat,' her nearly 30-year career in the Air Force as a Public Affairs Officer and Nurse, and experiences educating and engaging civilians in support of troops and their families in response to 9/11. Noticing how different her experiences and mindset were from most Americans, and observing the pride civilians feel when serve Veterans meaningfully, Kathy discusses why she is compelled to narrow the military civilian divide and equip people who have never served in the military to become Veteran Champions. She shares best practices for employers and actionable advice for individual employees and company recruiters to move from veteran friendly to veteran ready. An award-winning businesswoman, Kathy coaches employers how to improve their bottom line by excelling at hiring and retaining Veteran talent, and as a thought leader pioneer, she equips volunteers to build Military Ministries to cultivate a sense of belonging and promote spiritual resiliency for military-connected people. Master's degrees in Nursing and Political Science frame her practice and perspectives. She is also a John Maxwell trained speaker, trainer, and coach. She is the author of “Beyond ‘Thank You For your Service,' The Veteran Champion Handbook for Civilians.” While not serving in uniform, Gallowitz established and managed Buckeye Sports and Orthopedic Specialists and was the President of the Pickerington Area Chamber of Commerce. She has first-hand experience hiring Veterans. As the owner of Vanguard Veteran, she equips civilians to become Veteran Champions as the “Veteran-hiring Concierge” and “Military Ministry Builder.” Kathy serves on the Veteran-hiring Advisor for the Arizona Society of Human Resource Mangement, member of the Southwest Veteran Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Chair, Arizona Governor's Veterans' Service Advisory Commission. Her husband, Ed is a retired career active-duty soldier with four combat tours. Together they have six sons, one daughter and three grandchildren. Vanguard Veteran Overview: https://vanguardveteran.start.page Complimentary "Veteran-Ready" Employer Assessment: https://vanguardveteran.files.wordpress.com/2022/07/may-2021_-vr-employer-assessment.pdf Vanguard Veteran's Employer Consulting and Training: https://vanguardveteran.com/veteran-champion-consulting-training/ Invite Vanguard Veteran to Speak: https://vanguardveteran.com/invite-me-to-speak/ O*Net Online Mlitary Crosswalk Search: https://www.onetonline.org/crosswalk/MOC/ “Beyond ‘Thank you For Your Service:' the Veteran Champion handbook for civilians:” https://bit.ly/BeyondThankYouForYourService Society of Human Resource Management Veterans free at Work Certificate: https://www.shrm.org/foundation/ourwork/initiatives/engaging-and-integrating-military-veterans/PublishingImages/Pages/Inclusion-Captains-Veterans/Veterans%20at%20Work%20flyer.pdf Women Who Lead: A monthly free virtual Leadership Discussion Forum for women Veterans and non-Veterans that I facilitate to empower women leaders and foster mutual support. We hope you will join us! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/137542143253   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we welcome U.S. Navy Veteran Eric Quinn, the CEO of full-service construction consultancy KMI International. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Eric discusses his time in the Navy, sharing why he joined, how it changed the trajectory of his career, and the leadership skills he gained during his service. He takes us through his transition to the business world, his move to the Architectural Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry, and how he worked his way to where he is today. Throughout the episode, Eric provides invaluable insights on leadership and building trust, sharing his personal experience from his time in service military and his successful career. To close out the episode, Mike asks Eric what advice he has for transitioning service members as well as any veterans looking to start a career in the AEC space. Eric Quinn leads KMI as the company's CEO. His leadership career began at an early age while he attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served his country as a Lieutenant in the Navy, learning quickly the importance of having the right team in place to accomplish the mission. His focus is on having the best people, processes, and organizational structure in place to deliver the highest quality of services for KMI's clients. Eric will tell you that one of his primary focuses is maximizing the potential in people he leads to ensure KMI is a distinct company with a stellar reputation, thus becoming the most sought-after employer in the industry. Eric held leadership positions in several organizations, including Procter & Gamble, ES3, and President of GBI Tile and Stone, before coming to KMI to serve as the company's COO, later being promoted to CEO. His background in mathematics gives him a strong understanding of figures and analytics, but he also has extensive experience in business development and generating revenue. His proudest accomplishments included turning around a former company in order to save hundreds of jobs, as well as helping facilitate a partnership between his current company, KMI, and the School of Architecture and Engineering Technology at Florida A&M University (FAMU). The partnership includes a student chapter of the Construction Management Association of America (CMAA), and guest lectures by KMI to mentor the next generation of construction managers and give them the tools they need to succeed. Eric has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the United States Naval Academy and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Florida.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we are honored to welcome Vice Admiral Timothy “TJ” White, a 30-plus year national security practitioner, strategist, and cyber operations expert leading joint military formations and combined intelligence community organizations. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Admiral White shares insights from his impressive career in the Navy and what continued to make it fun and challenging for more than three decades; a detailed discussion of cybersecurity in a military context; and his transition to the civilian sector and starting his own business. He closes the episode with invaluable insights about what makes a good leader and motivating advice for fellow service members in transition: “Cultivate your curiosity and be passionate about it.” Admiral White has commanded at all levels within the Navy and Joint Service, most recently as the Commander, United States Fleet Cyber Command / United States TENTH Fleet / United States Navy Space Command and previously as the Commander, United States Cyber National Mission Force / USCYBERCOM. He is a former Director of Intelligence for United States Indo-Pacific Command and has served globally in various combat zones and conflict areas supporting competition dynamics. A former CINCPACFLT Shiphandler-of-the-Year, he misses his days driving a Battleship. He is a 1987 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and holds additional diplomas from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval War College, National Defense University and myriad professional education institutions. Admiral White's focus of effort remains risk assessment and consequence management with respect to cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, supply chain, technology policy, and trust relationships. OneNetworkConnection, LLC was created to help individuals & organizations understand the value and opportunity found in collective cybersecurity by leveraging technical acumen, expanded operational horizon, and trusted strategic vision to assess and manage current and future risks.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

A few months ago, The Guardian did a five-month investigation into “carbon bombs,” or fossil fuel projects that would, over the course of their life, emit over one billion tons of carbon. They found that there are 195 planned oil and gas carbon bombs around the world, and if they proceed as planned, these projects alone would blow past internationally agreed upon climate targets. For our fifth deep dive on carbon bombs, we take a look at the Orinoco Belt: a 21,357 square mile territory in Venezuela's Orinoco River Basin home to the highest emitting carbon bomb in South America. In addition to being the source of Venezuela's oil economy, the Orinoco Belt faces a number of environmental and human rights challenges, many of which are tied back into this fossil fuel industry. Today, we explore the impacts of oil drilling in the Orinoco Belt, what other challenges surround it or arise from it, and how this region could move forward. With special guest Dr. Luisa Palacios: Senior Research Scholar at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise. Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin. Writers: Dain Kim, Isabel Plower, Maxwell Pociask, Ethan Brown Fact Checker: Sarika Sawant Editor: Trevor Snow Producers: Ethan Brown, Megan Crimmins, Shannon Damiano, Maddy Schmidt Ad Voiceover: Sabrina Rollings Music: Brett Sawka The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.

In an exciting first for the FourBlock Podcast this week, co-hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams are joined by two special guests: Natalie Schibell, a FourBlock alumna and 10-year U.S. Navy veteran who now serves as a VP, Research Director at Forrester, and Jessica Marotta, the Talent Acquisition Manager at Forrester who first found Natalie through FourBlock Connect, our online networking and community-building platform available exclusively to FourBlock participants, mentors, and partner companies. In this episode, Natalie and Jessica discuss how they met on the FourBlock Connect platform, the conversations that ensued, and the hiring process at Forrester. Jessica shares what using the platform has helped her learn about recruiting the veteran community, and her philosophy for hiring: “I'm not just finding the best fit for Forrester; I'm finding the best fit for Natalie.” Natalie shares details about her incredible military career, her transition, and the interview process with Forrester, noting that: “I felt like not only was [Jessica] a recruiter, but she was also a friend.” A Talent Acquisition professional dedicated to behavioral based interviewing and equitable sourcing practices, Jessica has more than 20 years of recruiting experience. She started at Capital One and has spent the last 8+ years at Forrester as a Talent Acquisition Manager. At the time of this episode's recording, Natalie was a Senior Analyst for Healthcare Strategy at Forrester. She is now serving as a VP, Research Director for Forrester. She previously served 10 years in the U.S. Navy's Medical Service Corps as a Director of Public Health and as a Director of Operations for Healthcare Talent Acquisition. She is presently serving as a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves. Natalie is an alumnus of FourBlock's Spring 2021 Atlanta Veteran Career Readiness Program.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

“The most successful people are the ones that are hyper aware of their strengths.” This week we are honored to welcome Christian Gomez, Vice President of Talent Activation Strategy for The Marcus Buckingham Company (TMBC), an ADP Company, where he spearheads TMBC's client partnerships, helping to redefine the engagement and performance space. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Christian shares his deeply personal story of how he overcame a lot of adversity growing up, why he joined the military as the first person in his family to serve in any military capacity, and his fascinating professional journey from his service as a Sergeant in the U.S. Marines Corps to his corporate career today as a thought leader in the human capital management space. Christian and Mike also discuss the results of their StandOut Assessments, a 15-minute assessment powered by ADP that identifies people's top two strengths and delivers personalized coaching. At TMBC, Christian works with innovative people-focused organizations to design strategies that scale the practices of the world's best leaders. His mission is to help talent HR functions design strategies that set up people to succeed at work. Christian began his career in the U.S. military, serving in several capacities as a Sergeant of Marines. He translated his experiences to the civilian world spending 11 years at ADP where he served as a senior global business consultant, advising some of the largest and most respected multinationals and designing their BPO and HRIS strategies. A frequent speaker and thought leader with over 15 years of experience in the human capital management (HCM) space, Christian has particular expertise on the subject of managing cultures across geographies, expanding into emerging markets, and leading across cultures. Christian holds a B.S. in Political Science from Florida International University and an M.S. in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University. Born in Queens, NY, he lived and worked abroad for many years before settling down in Florida, where he can sneak in a round of golf year-round.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week we are honored to be joined by Heather Burns, Senior Vice President in Securities Finance at Jefferies, a diversified financial services company engaged in investment banking and capital markets, asset management and direct investing. Throughout this episode, Heather covers a variety of topics, from her personal military experience as a U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot to her transition to the world of corporate finance to her passion for endurance sports as an ultramarathon runner. In conversation with hosts Lindsey and Mike, she shares why she joined the Army, how she decided to go to business school, and what made her choose a career on Wall Street. Heather also discusses her current career at Jefferies and shares why Jefferies is a great place for veterans to work, from their Veterans Affinity Group that provides one-on-one mentorship to their organizational commitment to all employees' physical and mental wellness. She closes out the episode with some invaluable advice for veterans who are just starting their transition out of the military as well as veterans looking to begin a career on Wall Street. Heather has been working on Wall Street for over a decade. Prior to pursuing a civilian career in financial services, Heather served as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. She received a B.S. from Penn State University and an M.B.A from the University of Notre Dame. Heather is also an ultra-marathoner, triathlete, and mom.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited in part by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

Even as prices decline, the tight oil market is once again raising economic and political worries in Washington.  In July, President Biden traveled to the Middle East to meet with several Arab leaders – including Saudi Arabia's King and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Expanding oil supply was high on the list of the administration's diplomatic objectives. Saudi Arabia says it has limited ability to add extra oil to the market, and it's not clear whether OPEC+ countries agree on the path forward for oil output. All of this comes at a time of enormous uncertainty in the global outlook for oil, due to fears of a recession and concerns over Russian supply.  Now all eyes are on OPEC+ in early August. Will Biden's overtures have any consequential impact on production?  This week, host Jason Bordoff sits down with Dr. Karen Young and Bob McNally to discuss what's next for oil markets. Dr. Young is the newest Senior Research Scholar at the Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy. She was a Senior Fellow and Founding Director of the Program on Economics and Energy at the Middle East Institute.  Bob McNally is a Non-Resident Fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy. He's the author of Crude Volatility: The History and the Future of Boom-Bust Oil Prices, published by Columbia University Press. In his full-time capacity he is the founder and President of Rapidan Energy Group, an independent energy consulting and market advisory firm based in the Washington DC area. In the wake of Biden's controversial trip to the Middle East, Jason spoke with Karen and Bob about what it tells us about the state of the global oil market in the months ahead.

Hannah Zeavin talks about teletherapy, from Freud's letters to suicide hotlines to therapy apps. If therapy is always mediated, teletherapy is any form of therapy in which that mediation is more clearly legible. This mediated practice is the topic of her new book The Distance Cure: A History of Teletherapy (MIT Press, 2021). Hannah is a Lecturer in the departments of English and History at UC Berkeley, where she is affiliated with the Berkeley Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, and Society, and she is a visiting fellow at Columbia University Center for the Study of Social Difference. She is currently at work on a second book project, about technology in the American family, called Mother's Little Helpers, also with MIT Press. You can learn more about Hannah's research and teaching on her website: zeavin.org Image: adapted from a 1912 advertisement of the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph Co. Music used in promotional material: ‘A Better Normal' by Ian Sutherland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Hannah Zeavin talks about teletherapy, from Freud's letters to suicide hotlines to therapy apps. If therapy is always mediated, teletherapy is any form of therapy in which that mediation is more clearly legible. This mediated practice is the topic of her new book The Distance Cure: A History of Teletherapy (MIT Press, 2021). Hannah is a Lecturer in the departments of English and History at UC Berkeley, where she is affiliated with the Berkeley Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, and Society, and she is a visiting fellow at Columbia University Center for the Study of Social Difference. She is currently at work on a second book project, about technology in the American family, called Mother's Little Helpers, also with MIT Press. You can learn more about Hannah's research and teaching on her website: zeavin.org Image: adapted from a 1912 advertisement of the Illinois Telephone and Telegraph Co. Music used in promotional material: ‘A Better Normal' by Ian Sutherland Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, FourBlock alumna and our new West Coast Regional Director Marina Rabinek joins FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams for a personal conversation about her military experience, her transition after 24 years in the U.S. Navy, how she came to start the Military Women's Collective, and her passion for mentoring female veterans and being of service to others. After completing FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program as a participant, Marina came back to serve as a Career Readiness Instructor for the Virtual West cohort of our program before joining the FourBlock team full-time as West Coast Regional Director earlier this year. In this episode, Marina shares insights from her own transition experience along with advice for fellow veterans preparing to transition. Marina is a teal-haired bilingual Super Connector, master networker, and 24-year U.S. Navy veteran. As the Founder of Military Women's Collective, you can find her working with women-focused nonprofits – mentoring veterans and service members transitioning from the military – on LinkedIn and Veterati. When she isn't taking California road trips, playing board games or video games, or hanging out with her husband, daughter, and three cats, you can find her collaborating with local and national nonprofits and advocating for women veterans by empowering them to feel less invisible, giving them a voice and engaging in dialogue about resources.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're sharing an interview that FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams recorded previously with FourBlock Career Readiness Instructor Jeffrey Lodick for an episode of his podcast, “On the Other Side: Leadership After Transition," a podcast designed to bring leaders from all branches of service that have already made the transition to give some insight to transitioning service members and veterans who have already made the transition who may be struggling or seeking support.  In the interview, Mike sits down with Jeffrey to discuss his transition and how the vision of FourBlock came to reality. A retired Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army, Jeffrey is now a professional speaker who does leadership development with student athletes and continures to serve as an advocate for service members in transition. Jeffrey retired from the United States Army after 20 years. He served as a Squadron Sergeant Major, Operations Sergeant Major, First Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, and Drill Sergeant. He was a Master Rated Jumpmaster, a Pathfinder and a graduate of the Battle Staff Noncommissioned Officer Course. He has continued his service by assisting transitioning veterans as the podcast host of “On the Other Side: Leadership After Transition,” where he seeks advice from transitioned service members as tools for current transitioning service members to use. He is an inspirational speaker, a member of the National Speakers Association and owner of Change Your Forecast, LLC.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

Why do you or did you work beyond the money? Do you have enough money to retire to do what fulfills you? How many of us really know what really fulfills us? This week, motivational speaker, social researcher, and co-author of the nationally acclaimed book, Don't Retire, REWIRE! Third Edition Jeri Sedlar shares her expert insights on retirement life planning and how we figure out what will truly fulfill us after retiring or making a life or career transition. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Jeri discusses her background and career path, detailing how she developed an interest in aging from a young age and how it ultimately helped shape her career. Mike and Jeri also discuss current trends, and Jeri shares invaluable advice throughout for anyone preparing to retire or looking to find their next act. Jeri is a master of retirement life planning and has earned the title of America's “rewiring” expert. She has interviewed hundreds of professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, partners and pre-retirees in all industries about their hopes, dreams and fears about the future. She has discovered both the pleasures and pain and possibilities and pitfalls associated with retirement. Since the introduction of Don't Retire, REWIRE! in 2002, Jeri has been traveling the globe challenging individuals to get out of their own way and break through society's as well as their own individual “silver ceilings” to find the fun and fulfillment they deserve and desire at this life stage. Jeri's career has predominantly been in the personal development and transition arena, fostering change as Editor at Large of WORKING WOMAN and Senior Advisor at The Conference Board on the Mature Workforce. As a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging and a member of the New York State AARP Executive Council she continues to advance the concept of positive aging through engagement. Her rewiring message has resonated across the globe from workshops in Dubai to keynotes in Dallas to interviews with traditional media both on air and online. She writes a blog and as she says…”people are my passion and I want them to get their futures right!”   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we welcome Susan Rietano Davey and Kelley Kelley Biskupiak, co-founders of Prepare 2 Launch U (PLTU), a learning company that provides instruction, inspiration, and community primarily to women and caregivers navigating work-life transitions along the continuum of life. In 2020, FourBlock joined forces with PTLU to create a comprehensive, instructional career transition program for military spouses looking to return to work or pivot into new careers. In this episode, Kelley and Susan are joined by Lisa Stern, Ed.D., FourBlock's Director of Program Impact and Assessment and our podcast co-hosts: Lindsey Pollak, career and workplace expert, New York Times bestselling author, and FourBlock Board member; and Mike Abrams, FourBlock founder and Afghanistan veteran. Over the course of the episode, Susan and Kelley discuss their professional backgrounds and how PTLU started, and the group discusses how the joint FourBlock-PTLU Military Spouse Career Readiness Program came to be, what they have learned together from working with military spouses, what the future of the program holds, and what it means to be ‘ready' to apply to the program. The FourBlock-PTLU Military Spouse Career Readiness Program features live video coaching, flexible online learning modules, and all the instruction, tools, and inspiration a military spouse will need to navigate her or his way to a meaningful career. Military spouses who complete the program also gain access to an expanded community of FourBlock alumni, employers, and instructors for additional networking and mentorship. The program is offered at no cost. As career women and moms, too, PTLU co-founders Kelley and Susan have been helping women navigate work-life transitions for a combined 30 years. Susan and Kelley met while speaking at a women's conference in 2016. At the time, they were both independently consulting with companies and coaching a range of women (from seasoned professionals to young women navigating new motherhood) through life and career transition. Immediately, they felt a connection and knew that they could better help more women if they teamed up. So, the two joined forces first to share clients, then to run workshops, and, ultimately, to create the learning company Prepare to Launch U that provides instruction, inspiration, and community to women navigating work-life transitions along the continuum of life. Their original, signature online career re-entry course boasts students in 26 states and counting. In just a few years, Prepare to Launch U has introduced multiple online and live instructional offerings including a first-of-its-kind online maternity leave planning course, a proprietary family leave planning course on the LinkedIn Learning platform, and widely popular live corporate workshops on Negotiating and Work-Life Synergy, to list just a few. Susan and Kelley regularly collaborate with universities and Fortune 500 companies, and they are sought-after speakers and moderators for conferences across the country.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week we welcome West Point graduate and U.S. Army veteran George Chewning, who served five years as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer including a deployment to Afghanistan. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, George shares details of his time in the Army and his service in Afghanistan; his military transition and what made him realize he needed support with the transition; and his post-military career as a non-technical veteran who transitioned into a civilian career in technology. He shares insights from his transition journey and what he's learned from making multiple transitions throughout his career. George also discusses how he found his way back to a career serving his community and shares his advice for fellow veterans in transition now. After his transition out of the military, George earned his MBA from the George Washington University. He served as a Legislative Director for the Global War on Terror Memorial Foundation and then transitioned to a Program Manager role at Facebook before being selected as a Presidential Innovation Fellow at the Department of Veteran Affairs. He just recently began a new role as Deputy Director for the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation. George is an alumnus of FourBlock's Veteran Career Readiness Program and also serves as a volunteer member on our National Leadership Council.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams welcomes U.S. Marine Veteran and Regional President at TK Elevator Benjamen (Ben) Herther. A recently retired U.S. Marines Lt. Col. who also served as the Battalion Commander, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marines for the Marine Forces Reserve before passing the torch to Mike, Ben brings a unique perspective on leadership to his corporate career, where he currently serves as the Regional President for the Midwest Region at TK Elevator. In conversation with Mike, Ben shares why he decided to serve, discusses his time in the Marine Corps, and explores the parallels between leadership in the Marines and the corporate world, sharing his experiences serving as both a Battalion Commander in the Marine Reserves and a leadership role in the corporate world at the same time. Ben also provides some informative background on TK elevator, the company culture, and how the entrepreneurial mindset of the company helps empower its leaders. To close out the episode, Ben shares his advice for both transitioning service members looking as well as those in the corporate world looking to hire veterans.         ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on the FourBlock Podcast, we welcome Acting Director of the Military Civilian Transition Office (MCTO) Mike Miller to take us on a deep dive into the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) for transitioning service members. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Mike Miller walks us through the program's history and evolution, sharing how it has progressed, where it stands today, and what the vision is for the future of TAP. Mike serves as the Acting Director of the Military Civilian Transition Office (MCTO). The MCTO designs, supports, oversees, and evaluates the DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP), the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP), and the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program (BYR). MCTO provides streamlined transition and reintegration services to efficiently deliver resources, training, information, and deployment-cycle support to transitioning service members, members of the National Guard and Reserve, and their families worldwide. Mike has over 38 years of civilian and military leadership experience that includes team building, talent management, leader development, policy development, strategic planning, corporate culture change, diversity and inclusion, organizational management, and resource management. He is a retired U.S. Army Veteran and “Soldier for Life” who served strategic enterprise assignments with United States Forces Korea and Headquarters, Department of the Army; Chief Human Capital Officer assignments at U.S. Army installation, Division, Combined Joint Task Force, and Corps; and operational deployments in Somalia and Afghanistan. ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

On this episode of the FourBlock Podcast, we are honored to be joined by former Under Secretary for Benefits in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Army Veteran Dr. Paul R. Lawrence. In conversation with FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams, Lawrence generously shares details of his background and upbringing, his military career and transition, and his post-military career in the private sector before giving us a behind the scenes look at his time as the Under Secretary for Benefits at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Lawrence talks about the priorities that he focused on as Under Secretary, including getting veterans the benefits they earned in a manner that honors their service, fiscal stewardship, and collaboration -- working more with veterans' stakeholders like VSOs, nonprofits, and others who wanted to help. A businessman, author, and passionate veteran advocate with 35 years of experience solving management problems in large, complex organizations, Lawrence also shares what he continues to do to advocate for veterans today. As a private sector executive, Lawrence was a consulting Partner at two Big-Four accounting firms and a Vice President in two Fortune 500 companies. He is a government management thought leader, having written several books on the subject. For almost three years, Lawrence served as Under Secretary of Benefits at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, unanimously confirmed by the Senate on April 26, 2018. As Under Secretary, he was in charge of the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) leading a team of 25,000 people with an operating budget of $4 billion, administering $120 billion in benefits annually. He implemented proven business practices, streamlined the bureaucracy, and created a public presence rebranding VBA as an organization successfully supporting Veterans. Prior to becoming a political appointee, Lawrence was a Vice President at Kaiser Associates, a Partner at Ernst & Young, a Vice President at Accenture, a Senior Director at the MITRE Corporation, a Vice President with IBM, and a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He has written extensively on management, government, and technology. He is the co-author of Succeeding as a Political Executive: 50 Insights from Experience, What Government Does: How Political Executives Manage, Paths to Making a Difference: Leading in Government and the co-editor of Transforming Organizations and Learning the Ropes: Insights for Political Appointees. He serves on the Board of Directors of Vets2Industry, a non-profit organization helping Veterans pursue a career in the private sector. He is also a Senior Advisor to Search & Acquire, a non-profit focused on helping Veterans become CEOs via Entrepreneurship through Acquisition. He was selected three times by Federal Computer Week as one of the top 100 public service leaders. In 2019 he was recognized as Government Executive of the Year by Service to the Citizen. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration. Lawrence earned his Master of Arts and Ph.D. in economics from Virginia Tech. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. He is an Army Veteran. He completed his ROTC requirement as an Airborne-qualified Captain. Find Paul Lawrence on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/drpaullawrence/. Lawrence's book, “Transforming Service to Veterans: How I Pursued Performance Excellence at the Veterans Benefits Administration in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Transforming-Service-Veterans-Performance-Administration/dp/B09DMQZN4N/   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're honored to share an interview that FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams did with Dr. Mark Goulston for Dr. Goulston's podcast, “My Wakeup Call,” where guests share how their own wake up calls changed their lives and changed how they would go on to spend the rest of their lives. During the conversation, Mike shares his personal experiences growing up, serving in the Marines, having a family of his own, and how the concept of service has been a constant throughout his life. A Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches Member, Dr. Goulston coaches entrepreneurs, CEOS, chairs, managing directors, and other executives to become the best version of themselves. He is also an international keynote speaker helping audiences do the same. Originally a UCLA professor of psychiatry for over 25 years, and a former FBI and police hostage negotiation trainer, Dr. Goulston's expertise has been forged and proven in the crucible of real-life, high stakes situations. He is the author or co-author of nine books with his book, “Just Listen,” being translated into twenty-eight languages and becoming the top book on listening in the world. He is the host of the highly rated podcast, “My Wakeup Call” and the co-host of “Out of Our Minds and In Your Space” on Twitter Spaces, which is a mashup for creatives and thinkers.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

Over two years ago in the fall of 2019, we launched the FourBlock Podcast to help bridge the military civilian divide in the workplace through conversations with veterans, thought leaders, and executives. Over 100 episodes and 30,000+ downloads later, we're excited to continue these conversations in the new year with some enhancements. Moving forward, we will be releasing episodes every two weeks. With each full episode, we will be creating additional pieces of content to include videos, articles, lesson plans for our classes, and most importantly, continuing the conversation with our listeners here on LinkedIn. We have some great people and interesting conversations lined up in the new year. Next week, we'll be releasing an episode with Dr. Mark Goulston, author of the book “Just Listen.” Thank you for listening to our podcast. We sincerely appreciate it. We would love to hear your recommendations for topics as well as any guests that you would like us to interview. Please reach out to podcast@fourblock.org. Thank you and have a great 2022!   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

“There's nobody who doesn't want to live a life of significance.” This week, we complete our look back at the top ten most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Topping the countdown as the #1 most-downloaded episode is “How to Live a Life of Significance” with retired General and the 31st Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General Charles C. Krulak. In this episode, General Krulak discusses his own military transition and shares the three things you need to be successful in life and the workplace. General Krulak started his career commanding a rifle platoon and two rifle companies during the Vietnam War. Throughout his 36 years of service, he held just about every single command and staff position that an infantry officer could hold. His awards include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with bronze oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor device and two gold stars, and the Purple Heart with Gold Star. General Krulak also rewrote the Marine Corps' basic combat study text, MCDP 1: Warfighting, incorporating his theories on operations in the modern battlefield. After retiring from the Marine Corps, General Krulak joined MBNA America as the chief administrative officer and went on to serve as the Senior Vice Chairman and CEO of MBNA Europe. He then went on to be the 13th president of Birmingham Southern College and continues to serve on the board of several companies including as the honorary chairman of FourBlock.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we continue our look back at the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast with #2 on the countdown, “How to Seize Opportunity in Your Career and Market Yourself as a Veteran” with former Army Pilot, Global Account Manager at LinkedIn, and FourBlock Board Member Darren Sumter. In this interview, Darren recounts his experiences growing up, serving in the Army, and transitioning into the civilian workforce. Darren also shares his expert recommendations for veterans on how to market yourself and how to seize opportunities in your post-military careers. For over 20 years, Darren has worked as a management consultant and a business development strategist specializing in providing companies with business-to-business software solutions to drive innovation and improve profitability. Currently, Darren works as a Global Account Manager at LinkedIn, where he manages responsibilities for several strategic customers in North America across several sectors. Prior to LinkedIn, Darren was a member of several big data B2B software strategic consulting companies where he held responsibilities for new market and new customer business development. Prior to his software career, Darren was a strategy consultant in the US and Europe. He attended Harvard Business School (HBS), where he earned his MBA. Prior to HBS, Darren attended the US Military Academy at West Point where he earned a B.S. in mechanical and aerospace engineering and served in the U.S. Army's aviation branch. He is a veteran of the first Gulf War where he served in Saudi Arabia and Iraq for Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. Resources: LinkedIn Resources for Military Spouses LinkedIn Resources for Veterans   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.      

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number three on the countdown is a conversation with Deputy Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security and retired Army Colonel John Tien, originally released on January 13, 2020 and recorded when John was serving as a managing director with Citigroup. In this episode, Tien discusses his incredible service, the impact of his time in the Army on his family, and the similarities and differences between leading troops in combat and teammates at Citigroup. If you are a civilian seeking to better understand military service or a veteran trying to learn how to most effectively transition military leadership principles to a corporate environment – this is a must-listen episode! Prior to becoming the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security, Tien spent ten years serving in senior executive roles in the critical infrastructure financial services sector as a managing director at Citigroup. As a chief operating officer, he provided customer service support to tens of millions of customers to include safeguarding their accounts against fraud, data breaches, and other cyber threats. Tien previously served in the Obama Administration as the National Security Council Senior Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2009-2011, the Bush Administration as the National Security Council Director for Iraq from 2008-2009, and the Clinton Administration as a White House Fellow in the Office of the United States Trade Representative from 1998-1999. Tien began his career of public service at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he was the first Asian American to ever serve as the First Captain and Brigade Commander, West Point's top ranked cadet position. For the next 24 years, he served as a U.S. Army combat arms officer, retiring in 2011 at the rank of Colonel. He is a veteran of three combat tours to include serving as the Task Force 2-37 Armor Battalion Commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He and his unit were responsible for securing and stabilizing the Iraqi cities of Tal Afar and Ramadi with an emphasis on counterinsurgency operations, community partnership, creating rule of law institutions, and the training of thousands of Iraqi police officers. His military decorations include the Bronze Star Medal with one oak leaf cluster, the Combat Action Badge, and the Valorous Unit Award. Tien holds a Bachelor of Science from West Point and a Master of Arts from Oxford University where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and was also a National Security Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number four on the countdown is a conversation with former U.S Army officer and author Jason Dempsey, PhD, discusses his own transition, explores the meaning of service, and shares insights from his research on the military to civilian career transition. Jason served for over twenty years in the Army as an infantry officer, deploying twice to Afghanistan and once to Iraq. He last served as Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that capacity he oversaw the Chairman's strategic priority of Keeping Faith with the Military Community and led the development and launch of the Call to Continued Service, an initiative endorsed by all of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, which encourages members of the military to continue their public service after they take off the uniform. Jason is the co-founder of MILLIE, a company that seeks to empower the community of veteran and military spouse real estate agents and to help military families through the moving process. He is also a Senior Adviser to the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration and an Adjunct Senior Fellow of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security. Jason has written extensively on Army efforts toward gender integration, the experiences of Hispanics in the military, and our counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan. His book, Our Army: Soldiers, Politics and Civil-Military Relations was published by Princeton University Press and was the first major work to delve into the social and political attitudes of the active-duty military. Jason is a graduate of the United States Military Academy and holds a PhD in political science from Columbia University.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number five on the countdown is a conversation with entrepreneur, writer, coach, transition and retirement life planning expert, and FourBlock Board Member Rick Miners. Rick was the co-founder and president of FlexCorp systems, a business process outsourcing company. Shortly after Inc. Magazine named FlexCorp as one of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States, he unexpectedly sold the company and quickly realized he didn't have a plan for what he was going to do next. Rick co-authored the books, Don't Retire, REWIRE!: 5 Steps to Fulfilling Work That Fuels Your Passion, Suits Your Personality, and Fills Your Pockets and On Target: Enhance Your Life and Ensure Your Success. Rick has made appearances on The Today Show, CNN, and PBS about the rewiring process and is frequently quoted in the press on the changing face of retirement. He is a graduate of Wake Forest University and an Army Veteran. He is also a FourBlock Board Member and currently serves as its treasurer.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number six on the countdown is a conversation with Wells Fargo managing director Chris Pink, originally released on January 20, 2020. Chris heads Asset-Backed Finance and Securitization within the Corporate and Investment Bank, which encompasses nearly 400 clients and a risk portfolio of approximately $130 billion. Chris also Co-Chairs the Corporate and Investment Bank's Diversity and Inclusion Council. In this episode, Chris discusses his experiences and insights in making successful career transitions, how to navigate corporate culture to advance your career, and effective leadership in today's diverse work environment. Chris invests a considerable amount of time mentoring and supporting veterans in transition and is a staunch believer in the power of people, creating diverse teams, and servant leadership. If you are a veteran interested in getting into financial services, successfully navigating corporate culture, and effectively translating your military leadership experiences to the civilian workforce or if you are someone interested in better understanding the challenges associated with career transitions and development – this episode is for you!   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number seven on the countdown is a conversation with author, keynote speaker, and career search advisor Steve Dalton. What is the first step for a veteran looking to transition out of the military into a civilian career, or for any job seeker? What are the areas where veterans can excel in the career search process? How is hiring going to change in response to the impacts of COVID-19? Steve Dalton joins hosts Lindsey Pollak and Mike Abrams to highlight the importance of professional relationships and referrals, discuss how the hiring landscape may change, and provide prescriptive advice for conducting a successful career search. Steve addresses the areas where veterans excel that can help provide an advantage in the job search process. He also explores the similarities and differences of career searching today versus career searching during the financial crisis in 2008 and explains why he has optimism for job searchers today. Steve is a Program Director and Senior Career Consultant for the full-time MBA Program at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. He holds his own MBA from the same institution and a chemical engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to entering the career services industry, Steve was an Associate Marketing Manager at General Mills, and a Strategy Consultant at A.T. Kearney (now Kearny). Steve is also the founder and CEO of Contact2Colleague, a corporate training firm specializing in helping organizations teach their personnel to turn strangers into advocates on demand.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. Number eight on the countdown is an insightful conversation with Susan Rietano Davey, co-founder and owner of Prepare To Launch U (PLTU), a national learning company that guides women through challenging work-life transitions. The episode was originally released on December 9, 2019. Since recording this episode of the podcast, FourBlock went on to partner with Susan and her PTLU co-founder Kelley Biskupiak on a joint Military Spouse Career Readiness Program, a comprehensive, instructional career transition program for military spouses looking to return to work or pivot into new careers.  Susan began her career on the executive track at the Xerox corporation, where she moved rapidly up the ranks earning top performance honors along the way, recognizing the need for more and better flexible work options after becoming a mother. Susan went on to join Flexible Resources, a regional consulting and staffing firm that championed Flexible Work. Over two decades, she helped establish the company as the industry expert on flexible work policy while coaching countless women to find or create flexible jobs and achieve positive work-life synergy.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.

This week, we're continuing with our countdown of the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. This week, number nine on the countdown is a powerful conversation with Damien Bertolo, originally released on July 6, 2020. After moving out on his own at 15 and dropping out of high school, Damien Bertolo found guidance and support from an unexpected mentor, who motivated him to go back to school. Damien went on to graduate high school, get accepted to college, and ultimately go on to join the Marine Corps, where he served on active duty from 2003-2012. On this week's episode, Damien shares his transition experience and talks about why that lesson of mentorship stuck with him and why he continues to give back to others today. Damien now works as a Manager Management Consultant at Accenture, based in San Francisco, and previously served as the Director of Operations for FourBlock, where he had been involved as a volunteer as early as 2013. Damien served as a Marine in Iraq in 2006 and 2007 and was selected to enter a commissioning program while deployed. After earning his degree at Cal State University San Marcos and a commission as a Marine Officer, Damien served his final two years and ended his active-duty service in 2012. After pursuing a career in real estate in New York City, Damien gained experience in talent acquisition and in program and operations management. While performing his duties at FourBlock, he pursued and completed his MBA at NYU Stern with a focus on corporate strategy, finance, and business analytics. Damien has helped develop and advise business models for veteran recruitment and retention, and currently focuses in change management and business transformation.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

For the remainder of the year through the New Year, we're looking back at the top 10 most-downloaded episodes of the FourBlock Podcast since it first launched in the fall of 2019. In the meantime, we're lining up some great interviews with new guests. Enjoy the top-10 countdown and stick with us for more new and engaging content in 2022! Rounding out the top 10 this week is an incredibly informative interview with Dr. Amanda Spray, originally released on October 28th, 2019, that examines the truths and debunks some common myths about PTSD. Dr. Spray is the Director of the Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at NYU Langone Health and a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her doctoral internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the VA New York Harbor Healthcare system on the Manhattan campus. Dr. Spray founded the training program within NYU Langone Military Family Center, which now trains 12 to 14 doctoral and postdoctoral students annually. She provides supervision and training within the center and the community at large. She provides individual cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy to veterans and family members in the military family center and specializes in health psychology and adult ADHD. Note: This episode contains in-depth discussions regarding PTSD. We advise listening to this episode with caution. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line. This nationwide, toll-free hotline connects veterans and service members in crisis and their loved ones with information and qualified Department of Veterans Affairs responders. For more information, call 800-273-8255.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

“If you ask 100 people for feedback on your resume, you're going to get 100 different perspectives.” This week on the FourBlock Podcast, co-host and FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams shares some tips and lessons learned when it comes to resume writing.   ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.  

This week on The FourBlock Podcast, we are sharing a conversation that co-host and FourBlock Founder Mike Abrams had recently with Sarah Roberts and Darren Sumter during a session of FourBlock's Fall 2021 West Coast Career Readiness Program. Darren is a Global Account Manager for LinkedIn and a member of FourBlock's Board of Directors. Sarah is LinkedIn's Head of Military and Veteran Programs. Over the course of this discussion, Saran and Darren discuss their transitions from active service, talk about career opportunities at LinkedIn, and share some career transition best practices.     ABOUT US Welcome to the FourBlock Podcast, a show that examines veteran career transition and the military-civilian divide in the workplace. General Charles Krulak coined the term "Three Block War" to describe the nature of 21st-century military service defined by peace-keeping, humanitarian aid, and full combat. But what happens next? Veterans are often unprepared to return home and begin new careers. We call this the Fourth Block.  FourBlock is a national non-profit that has supported thousands of transitioning service members across the nation in beginning new and meaningful careers.  Mike Abrams (@fourblock) is an Afghanistan veteran, founder of FourBlock, and author of two military transition books. He represents the military transition perspective. Lindsey Pollak (@lindsaypollak) is a career and workplace expert and New York Times bestselling author of three career advice books. Lindsey represents the civilian perspective of this issue.  Veterans, explore new industries and make the right connections. Find a career that fits your calling. Join us at fourblock.org/ Sponsor our program or host a class to equip more of our veterans at fourblock.org/donate. Follow FourBlock on Social Media  LinkedIn Facebook Instagram Twitter Podcast episodes are produced and edited by the Columbia University Center for Veteran Transition and Integration.