Podcasts about convergence center

GDP Script/ Top Stories for May 29th Publish Date: May 29th From the BG AD Group Studio Welcome to the Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. Today is Thursday, May 29th and Happy birthday to Danny Elfman I’m Peyton Spurlock and here are your top stories presented by KIA Mall of Georgia. Two Gwinnett Teachers Honored By American Classical League Rowen moving closer to construction of first buildings Former Gwinnett deputy IT director facing forgery charges Plus, Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on local vendors All of this and more is coming up on the Gwinnett Daily Post podcast, and if you are looking for community news, we encourage you to listen daily and subscribe! Break 1: 07.14.22 KIA MOG STORY 1: Two Gwinnett Teachers Honored By American Classical League Two Gwinnett County teachers, Catherine Sturgill of Shiloh Middle School and Rachel Ash of Parkview High School, have received the prestigious 2025 Merens Award from the American Classical League. This honor recognizes their exceptional dedication to teaching Classics, including Greek and Latin languages and culture. GCPS Director Dr. Virin Vedder praised their passion and highlighted Parkview High’s rare back-to-back wins, with last year’s recipient, Keith Toda, passing the award to Ash. The Merens Award is ACL’s highest honor, given annually to four educators with at least five years of membership. STORY 2: Rowen moving closer to construction of first buildings The Rowen “knowledge community” in eastern Gwinnett is nearing its first major milestone, with plans to break ground on the Convergence Center in 2026. This center will serve as the foundation’s headquarters and a hub for partners within the Rowen Village, a mixed-use area featuring offices, labs, housing, retail, and parks. With infrastructure now complete, Rowen aims to attract companies in life sciences, biotech, and ag tech, supported by partnerships with top Georgia universities and organizations. Expected to create 100,000 jobs over decades, Rowen is positioning itself as a major innovation hub, akin to North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. STORY 3: Former Gwinnett deputy IT director facing forgery charges Former Gwinnett County Deputy IT Director James Smith was arrested for allegedly altering financial documents to redirect county funds. Charged with computer theft, forgery, and attempted theft, Smith’s actions were flagged by the county’s Treasury Division on May 15, prompting a nearly two-week investigation. County Administrator Glenn Stephens emphasized transparency and cooperation with law enforcement. Police have not disclosed where or why Smith attempted to redirect the funds, and the investigation is ongoing. We have opportunities for sponsors to get great engagement on these shows. Call 770.874.3200 for more info. We’ll be right back Break 2: STORY 4: Gwinnett County Public Schools Recognizes 526 Retirees As the 2024–25 school year ends, 526 Gwinnett County Public Schools employees are retiring, collectively contributing 13,434 years to education, with 11,042 years dedicated to Gwinnett students. Over half spent their entire careers in the district. Among the retirees, 195 served 30+ years, 22 served 40+ years, and two served 50+ years. The group includes teachers, administrators, bus managers, and support staff, highlighting decades of dedication to education and the community. STORY 5: Gwinnett property value assessments are hitting mailboxes Gwinnett County property owners are receiving their 2024 property assessments, which determine taxable home values as of Jan. 1. These assessments, not tax bills, influence property taxes due later this year after millage rates are set. About 84% of residential and 54% of commercial properties reflect updated values based on market data. Owners can compare their 2024 and 2023 values and have 45 days to appeal if they disagree. For questions or appeals, visit Gwinnett-Assessor.com or contact the Assessors’ Office. Break 3: And now here is Leah McGrath from Ingles Markets on local vendors We’ll have closing comments after this Break 4: Ingles Markets 3 Signoff – Thanks again for hanging out with us on today’s Gwinnett Daily Post Podcast. If you enjoy these shows, we encourage you to check out our other offerings, like the Cherokee Tribune Ledger Podcast, the Marietta Daily Journal, or the Community Podcast for Rockdale Newton and Morgan Counties. Read more about all our stories and get other great content at www.gwinnettdailypost.com Did you know over 50% of Americans listen to podcasts weekly? Giving you important news about our community and telling great stories are what we do. Make sure you join us for our next episode and be sure to share this podcast on social media with your friends and family. 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Two daughters. One orange. Conflict. Their mother, seeking peace, cuts it in half — a classic compromise. What mom doesn't know? One wants the juice, the other the zest. Yet there they are: nobody gets what they need.It's a parable that is often told in conflict resolution circles. But in the hands of Mariah Levison — CEO and President of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution — it is an elegant metaphor for the missed opportunities that happen when we rush toward solutions without first understanding our problems.This week, Carrie sits down with Mariah alongside Convergence's founder and Senior Advisor, Robert J. Fersh. They are collaborators in mission and architects of a process that helps unlikely allies find common ground. Together, they've worked across some of the most polarized issues of our time: education, healthcare, criminal justice, and beyond.Their approach isn't about compromise. It's about something more ambitious and, paradoxically, more human. It's about convergence: the point where stories intersect, values overlap, and relationships begin to matter more than ideology.They unpack how durable policy solutions emerge not from debate, but from curiosity. How listening — real, intentional, difficult listening — can transform even the most entrenched opponents into collaborators. And how the secret to solving today's toughest challenges asks all of us to move away from righteousness, and toward relationship. After all, what divides us often pales in comparison to what we all want — fairness, belonging, safety, and dignity.If you've ever wondered what it would take to really change the tone of a divided room—or a divided nation—we want this episode to leave you with more than hope. It will leave you with a blueprint.Links & NotesLearn more about Convergence Center for Policy ResolutionExplore the book: From Conflict to Convergence by Rob Fersh and Mariah LevisonRead Mariah's column on 10 Shared Beliefs Most Americans Hold (00:00) - Welcome to Mission Forward (02:37) - Introducing Rob Fersh & Mariah Levison (06:46) - "Confilct to Convergence" (12:08) - Grounding Togetherness (16:36) - Mindset (21:00) - Truth (26:22) - Where do you find Hope?

Robert Fersh shares tried and tested strategies for de-escalating conflict and bridging disagreements. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) How to find shared goals to move past differences 2) The best way to deal with defensiveness 3) What to do when you fundamentally disagree Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1028 for clickable versions of the links below. — ABOUT ROBERT — Rob Fersh is a seasoned consensus-builder and has spent over 45 years bridging policy differences and moving public policy forward in Washington DC, working for Congress, in the Executive Branch, and in leading non-profits. He studied at Cornell University and Boston University School of Law. Rob founded Convergence Center for Policy Resolution in 2009 after directing a national anti-hunger organization. Rob's work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNBC. • Book: From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems • Website: ConvergencePolicy.org — RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by William Ury and Robert Fisher • Book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey • Past episode: 938: William Ury on How to Thrive in Conflict — THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Acorns. Start saving and investing for your future today with Acorns.com/awesome• Earth Breeze. Get 40% off your subscription at earthbreeze.com/AWESOMESee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rob Fersh talks about collaborative problem solving and his new book, co-authored with Mariah Levison “From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems” –As our country divides up its wealth between a few gazillionairs and the rest of us – coming together seems a worthwhile goal.Rob Fersh is the Founder and Senior Advisor of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Before that he worked on international conflict resolution and directed U.S. national policy consensus projects on health care coverage for the uninsured -- and U.S.-Muslim relations. Before that -- Rob headed up a major NGO working to alleviate hunger in the United States. He has worked for Republican and Democratic representatives -- Leon Panetta and Patrick Leahy and Edmund Muskie. In 1994, Rob received the Prudential Foundation Prize for Non-Profit Leadership. He is married, has four children, and three grandchildren. And is a good friend of my sister Barbara Zweig. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Coming together to solve social challenges in today's divisive environment sometimes feels impossible. But it doesn't have to be. Mariah Levison and Rob Fersh describe dozens of examples in their new book “From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems.” They both spent decades working in conflict resolution and have helped hundreds of groups build trust and create consensus solutions on issues ranging from healthcare to prison reform. MPR News with Angela Davis shares a conversation Levison and Fersh had with MPR News correspondent Catharine Richert at an event on Nov. 25 at the Capri Theater in Minneapolis. The discussion was jointly organized by the Citizens League and the MPR News Talking Sense initiative, which aims to help Minnesotans have tough political conversations … better. Guests: Rob Fersh is the founder and former CEO of the non-profit organization, Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, based in Washington D.C. Convergence was founded in 2009 to promote consensus solutions to contentious issues affecting national and international policy. Mariah Levison is the current CEO and president of Convergence. She helped create and previously ran the Minnesota State Office of Collaboration and Dispute Resolution. Subscribe to the MPR News with Angela Davis podcast on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify or RSS.    Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.    

Relationships Are The Foundation For Solving Our Common Problems“Renewing our democracy has to start with rebuilding our relationships, and our trust, and our ability to lower the toxicity of our national conversation and our local conversations”Friends, today I'm thrilled to bring you a conversation with someone who has spent decades working to bridge divides and bring people together—David Eisner. David's career has spanned the worlds of business, government, and nonprofit leadership. He's served as the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service under President George W. Bush, led the National Constitution Center, and formerly headed the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Throughout his career, David has been deeply committed to fostering dialogue and collaboration to tackle some of our nation's most pressing challenges.In our conversation today, David shares his journey into public service and why he believes that community engagement is essential in solving societal issues. We'll also explore the role technology plays in polarization—it can connect us, but it can just as easily divide us—and discuss the erosion of trust in institutions as a result. David emphasizes the need for citizens to come together, build relationships, and work toward solutions, rather than relying on government alone.We also touch on the unique role of faith leaders, who often find themselves navigating political divides, and the importance of their work in fostering dialogue and understanding. Ultimately, this is a conversation about rejecting toxic polarization, rebuilding trust through open communication, and finding hope in the growing movement against divisiveness. TakeawaysCommunity engagement is essential for solving common problems.Technology can both connect and divide communities.Polarization undermines trust in institutions and each other.Building relationships is key to effective community solutions.Faith leaders play a crucial role in fostering dialogue.There is a growing movement against toxic polarization.Citizens are beginning to reject divisive narratives.Trust is built through consistent values and open communication.Hope exists for a renewed focus on collaboration and understanding.Learn more about and connect with David Eisner by checking out the full show notes for this episode.What have you done today to make your life a better life? What have you done today to make the world a better place? The world is a better place if we are better people. That begins with each of us as individuals. Be kind to one another. Be grateful for everything you've got. Make each and every day the day that you want it to be! Please follow The Derate The Hate podcast on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter(X) , YouTube Subscribe to us wherever you enjoy your audio or directly from our site. Please leave us a rating and feedback on Apple podcasts or other platforms. Not on social media? You can share your thoughts or request Wilk for a speaking engagement on our site's contact page: DerateTheHate.com/Contact If you would like to support the show, you're welcome to DONATE or shop Amazon by going through our Support Us page and I'll earn through qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I look forward to hearing from you!

Ericka D. James guides you in understanding who you were created to be and how to build the business or organization of your dreams. She shares her gift of the prophetic to help you tap into the strategy that illuminates your unique path to success. Whether she is hosting her talk show, keynote speaking, or training, she brings you the step-by-step process of unapologetically stepping into your greatness so you can create a life and business of impact. She is your guide to walking in the self-certainty, fearlessness, and perseverance that will get your vision across the finish line. She is the CEO of The Convergence Center, a world-class consulting and training firm, the Founder of The Alliance, a training and development organization for ambitious Christian women entrepreneurs, and the founder of The Kingdom Minister's Association, a 501(c)(3). She has created more than 120 trainings, written six books, two certifications, three membership programs, and has written many eBooks. PUSH the LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE Button!!!!!!!!! For more information on how to use storytelling in business or branding visit my website (msvthestoryteller. co) or my email valisonelliot@gmail. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube & LinkedIn at Ms. V The Storyteller Thanks for listening! Use the link below for my freebie "Crafting Your Unique Fingerprint Story: 5 Essential Tips to Develop Your Story" https://valisonelliot.systeme.io/tips Use this link to gain access to my Masterclass: "Engage & Excel: Strategic Storytelling for Entrepreneurs" https://valisonelliot.systeme.io/sales Check out my new YouTube Channel Storytelling in Business Storytelling in Business - YouTube #msvthestoryteller #msvthestorytellerpodcast Ericka's info: Visit Ericka-James.com to view episodes, courses, and resources. http://www.Ericka-James.com TheAllianceNet.com IG/FB/YT - @erickaspeaks IG/FB/YT - @thealliancenetwork Freebie – 140 Marketing Tips & Ideas - 140MarketingIdeas.com

Rob Fersh is the Founder/Senior Advisor of Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a non-profit organization founded in 2009 to promote consensus solutions to issues of domestic and international importance Rob captured his expertise, wisdom, and decades of experience in a new book co-written with Convergence CEO and President, Mariah Levison, entitled, From Conflict to Convergence: Coming Together to Solve Tough Problems. Rob joins Art to discuss the book. They also explore how Convergence brings together diverse stakeholders to find common ground on contentious issues like healthcare, incarceration reform, and education. https://convergencepolicy.org/ to learn more. The new book is available beginning Tuesday, July 30, on Amazon https://bit.ly/3Svs9jo or wherever fine books are sold. Don't forget to follow or subscribe to The Heart of Giving Podcast and leave a comment on iTunes. Follow us on Instagram @bbbwisegive and on X @wisegiving.  

What role does politics play in the mission of God? How do we navigate the political field without stepping on a cultural landmine? What should our political engagement look like? And what do we do with things like Christian nationalism? Today's guest is Cherie Harder, President of the Trinity Forum. Cherie Harder serves as President of the Trinity Forum. Before joining the Trinity Forum in 2008, Ms. Harder served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush.Earlier in her career she served as Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, advising the Leader on domestic social issues and serving as liaison and outreach director to outside groups. From 2001 to 2005, she was Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), where she helped the Chairman design and launch the We the People initiative to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history. Before that, Ms. Harder was the Policy Director for Senator Sam Brownback and also served as Deputy Policy Director at Empower America.She holds an Honors B.A. (magna cum laude) in government from Harvard University and a post-graduate diploma in literature from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where she was a Rotary Scholar. She is also a Senior Fellow at Cardus, an Editorial Board member of Comment magazine, a past board member of Gordon College and the C.S. Lewis Institute, a current board member of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and Faith and Law, and an advisory board member of the National Museum of American Religion.Check out The Trinity Forum Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help water-thirsty souls by partnering with Apollos Watered!

In this episode of the Thoughtful Entrepreneur, your host Josh Elledge speaks with https://erickajamesshow.com/ (Ericka James).  Ericka James helps her clients get clear about what they were set out to do, and then she helps them build extraordinary things. She does this through her speaking and training business, The Convergence Center, through her women's business network called The Alliance, and through hosting her show.  Ericka began as a keynote speaker and in corporate work and training. She shares that while she loved being on stage and inspiring others, she also had a passion and skill for helping people access their greatness and manifest. Twenty-one years ago, Ericka realize she had a passion for professional coaching. She was a single mother and needed to figure out a way to bring the information online. She has built online courses and training options ever since. Now, she builds community and pours herself into her members and the groups she has built.  Ericka explains that she starts where other coaches finish. First, she helps her clients figure out what's in their head, heart, and their body. By the time people find Ericka, they usually already have a vision they've been working on. Their work focuses on scaling and bolstering these visions, especially in business.  Ericka also shares that while running a mentor group two years ago, she had a private session with someone discovering their vision. She hadn't worked in quite some time on her business and her savings account was empty. Ericka shares that in a year and a half, this client was making 7-figures. In a short time, she went from broke to successful because she lived up to her own vision and potential.  According to her website, The Ericka James Show: Life on Purpose is not just another talk show. It's a process. It is an experience designed to lead you right into living your destiny and fulfilling your life's purpose. This is a show for those who know they were created for more. If you believe that there is something more in you to share with the world, this show is for you! Along with sharing her gift of prophecy, Ericka brings her depth of wisdom to bring solutions and guidance to help viewers understand why they were created and how to manifest their purpose. In addition to Ericka, the show's guests share their biggest lessons, mistakes, insights, advice, secrets, and internal shifts they had to make along the way to create, sustain and grow their success. The best life is a life lived on purpose and this show will help the audience know they can do it. Check out The Ericka James Show: Life on Purpose at https://watch.erickajamesshow.com/apps/3851/158710 (https://watch.erickajamesshow.com/apps/3851/158710).  Want to learn more? Check out Ericka James's website at https://erickajamesshow.com/ (https://erickajamesshow.com/).  Don't forget to subscribe to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur and thank you for listening. Tune in next time! More from UpMyInfluence: ✅ We are actively booking guests for our DAILY Entrepreneur Success Podcast.https://upmyinfluence.com/guest ( Schedule HERE). ✅ Are you a 6-figure consultant? Let us fill your sales schedule and move you to 7-figures.https://upmyinfluence.com/b2b ( Learn more here). ✅ Check out our freehttps://upmyinfluence.com/1 ( Authority Transformation Masterclass). 

Ericka James is the Founder & CEO of The Convergence Center and Founder of The Alliance.EPISODE LINKS:- Ericka: https://erickajackson.com/- The Alliance: https://iacbw.com/- Instagram: @erickaspeaks- Twitter: @ErickaDJames- YouTube: ErickaDJames- Facebook: ErickaSpeaks- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickadjames/PODCAST INFO:- Podcast website: https://languageofleadershippodcast.com- Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/language-of-leadership/id1624632468- Spotify podcasts: https://sptfy.com/KalQ- Ximalaya: https://www.ximalaya.com/zhubo/215321373- RSS Feed: https://feeds.transistor.fm/language-of-leadershipSOCIAL:- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/languageofleadership/- Twitter: https://twitter.com/LofLeadership- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhauge/- Web: https://hau.geCONTACT:- languageofleadership@gmail.com

Kelly Johnston and Rob Fersh disagree strongly on many issues, and voted differently in the 2020 presidential election. But they are friends and “agree on major steps that must be taken for the nation to heed President-elect Biden's welcome call for us to come together.” Both believe that constructive steps must be taken to help build trust among Democrats and Republicans, despite deep polarization and a firm resistance to bipartisanship from both ends of the political spectrum. They encourage open dialogue between sectors and interest groups whose views diverge in an effort to deal with divisive political discourse. Rob Fersh founded Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, and previously worked for Democrats on the staffs of three congressional committees. Kelly Johnston, also a founding board member of Convergence, is a committed Republican and former Secretary of the U.S. Senate. In this episode of Let's Find Common Ground, produced in partnership with Convergence, we talk with both Fersh and Johnston about bridge building and why this work is so urgently needed in an era of political gridlock.

Check it out on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/33Z4VsE Check it out on Apple: https://apple.co/3AHc2DT Ericka was 12 years old when she discovered her gift of speaking and leading. This was the same year she discovered her passion for business and creating the life of her dreams. Her continued pursuit of fulfilling 100% of who God created her to be and seeing this transformation in the lives of others continues to challenge her to deeply seek the mysteries of life. She share these insights and revelations in resources, training and tools so others can create the lives of their God-given dreams. She is the host and facilitator on her brand new show, The Ericka James Show: Life on Purpose, where she leads people to understanding who they were created to be and how to build something extraordinary that positively impacts the world. When she is not building her two businesses, The Convergence Center, a training & development company and The Alliance, a Training Network for Businesswomen, or her nonprofit, The Kingdom Minister's Association, you will find her laughing, convening with God, reading, watching inspiring documentaries and enjoying life with her family. You can find more info on Ericka's show at TheErickaJamesShow.tv and her life's work at Ericka-James.com. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram as @erickaspeaks and on Youtube as ErickaDJames. Dreams: Ericka has a syndicated talk show, courses, and training that help women. Has 7 Figure business women in a group together. Has a ministry helping people get their passion together and make a business from it. Get as many people clear about living on purpose. Getting to travel and have a team of people running things. Creating wealth for her children's children. How you can Help: Introduce her to a historian that understands how black people owned things when it was illegal to do so. Have a desire to live on purpose. Are you willing to do the work? Helping spread the word. Contact them at: ej@erickadjames.com www.TheErickaJamesShow.tv

Check it out on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/33Z4VsE Check it out on Apple: https://apple.co/3AHc2DT Ericka was 12 years old when she discovered her gift of speaking and leading. This was the same year she discovered her passion for business and creating the life of her dreams. Her continued pursuit of fulfilling 100% of who God created her to be and seeing this transformation in the lives of others continues to challenge her to deeply seek the mysteries of life. She share these insights and revelations in resources, training and tools so others can create the lives of their God-given dreams. She is the host and facilitator on her brand new show, The Ericka James Show: Life on Purpose, where she leads people to understanding who they were created to be and how to build something extraordinary that positively impacts the world. When she is not building her two businesses, The Convergence Center, a training & development company and The Alliance, a Training Network for Businesswomen, or her nonprofit, The Kingdom Minister's Association, you will find her laughing, convening with God, reading, watching inspiring documentaries and enjoying life with her family. You can find more info on Ericka's show at TheErickaJamesShow.tv and her life's work at Ericka-James.com. You can find her on Facebook and Instagram as @erickaspeaks and on Youtube as ErickaDJames. Dreams: Ericka has a syndicated talk show, courses, and training that help women. Has 7 Figure business women in a group together. Has a ministry helping people get their passion together and make a business from it. Get as many people clear about living on purpose. Getting to travel and have a team of people running things. Creating wealth for her children's children. How you can Help: Introduce her to a historian that understands how black people owned things when it was illegal to do so. Have a desire to live on purpose. Are you willing to do the work? Helping spread the word. Contact them at: ej@erickadjames.com www.TheErickaJamesShow.tv

America has the highest rates of incarceration in the world. Once people leave prison the hope is that they'll be law-abiding, productive members of society. But all too often this isn't the case – four in ten prisoners are back behind bars within three years of release. In this episode, we meet two men who want to fix the US's flawed re-entry process. And they come from very different backgrounds. Former prison warden and overseer of regional prisons, Daren Swenson, has spent his career in corrections. Georgetown University professor Marc Howard is a reformer who has long campaigned for the rights and humanity of incarcerated people. They were brought together by Convergence Center for Policy Resolution to come up with solutions that take into account both the dignity of people re-entering society and the public safety implications of their release.

This year the federal government is expected to collect more than $3.5 trillion in taxes— a vast amount of money by any measure. One of the key functions of Congress is to pass a budget. But often that seems close to impossible. Lack of agreement over federal spending regularly threatens to bring about government shutdowns that have a negative impact on millions of Americans. Yet few of us can even begin to understand the byzantine budget process.  Both of our guests in this episode have worked with other policy experts to make the budget process function better, with greater efficiency and transparency.  Alison Acosta Winters is a fiscal conservative and was most recently a senior policy fellow at Americans for Prosperity. Emily Holubowich is vice president for federal advocacy at the American Heart Association, and often supports more government spending. Brought together by Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, Alison, Emily and other stakeholders from diverse backgrounds spent months working together to come up with several major proposals for overhauling the budget process. This podcast is one of a series of episodes co-produced in partnership with the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Each show highlights the common ground that resulted from one of Convergence's structured dialogues across differences.

Cherie Harder serves as President of the Trinity Forum, a position she has held since 2008. Prior to that, she spent her career in Washinton, D.C., working in areas of public policy.  She holds an Honors B.A. in government from Harvard University and a post-graduate diploma in literature from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where she was a Rotary Scholar. Cherie previously served on the board of Gordon College and the C.S. Lewis Institute and is a current board member of the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and Faith and Law. She also serves on the advisory boards of the Democracy Fund and the National Museum of American Religion.In this episode, she joined Matthew Hall and Andrea McDaniel Smith to discuss leadership, "intellectual hospitality," and the priority of character and integrity. Links from this episode:Trinity Forum"Reviving Intellectual Hospitality" (Cherie Harder)@CherieHarderReview Leading Forward in Apple Podcasts and let us know what you think of the show.Keep up with the show on social media: Twitter // Facebook // Instagram

Everyone wants the best education for their children. But parents and teachers don't always agree on how to get there.In this episode, we hear from two education leaders whose views clashed when they first met. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist and longtime proponent of school choice, including charter schools. Becky Pringle spent her career in public education. A science teacher for three decades, she is now President of the National Education Association, the nation's largest labor union. After some deep initial skepticism, these women and other leaders came together and developed a transformational vision for US education. Along the way, they developed a deep respect for one another, and a friendship that has helped each of them through personal tragedies.This episode is co-produced in partnership with Convergence Center for Policy Resolution— one of a series of podcasts that Common Ground Committee and Convergence are producing together.Additional InformationLets Find Common Ground PodcastMore shows from The Democracy Group

Everyone wants the best education for their children. But parents and teachers don't always agree on how to get there. In this episode, we hear from two education leaders whose views clashed when they first met. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist and longtime proponent of school choice, including charter schools. Becky Pringle spent her career in public education. A science teacher for three decades, she is now President of the National Education Association, the nation's largest labor union.  After some deep initial skepticism, these women and other leaders came together and developed a transformational vision for US education. Along the way, they developed a deep respect for one another, and a friendship that has helped each of them through personal tragedies. This episode is co-produced in partnership with Convergence Center for Policy Resolution— one of a series of podcasts that Common Ground Committee and Convergence are producing together. 

Most baby boomers who retire today can expect to live years longer than their parents or any previous generation. That's the good news. But there's a greatly increased need for long-term care as they age. The current system is in crisis and needs much more than a facelift. In this episode, we hear first from a policy expert, Howard Gleckman, of the Tax Policy Institute, who explains why solutions to this crisis have been so hard to find. We also interview Stuart Butler and Paul Van de Water on their differences over paying for long-term care, and how they found common ground.  This podcast was produced with the help of Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. Convergence recently published Rethinking Care for Older Adults, a report with recommendations to improve care, housing, and services for seniors.

Kelly Johnston and Rob Fersh disagree strongly on many issues and voted differently in the 2020 election. But they are friends and wrote recently that they "agree on major steps that must be taken for the nation to heed President-elect Biden's welcome call for us to come together." Both believe that constructive steps must be taken to help build trust among Democrats and Republicans, despite deep polarization and a firm resistance to bipartisanship from both ends of the political spectrum. They encourage open dialogue between sectors and interest groups whose views diverge in an effort to deal with divisive political discourse. Kelly Johnston is a committed Republican and a former Secretary of the U.S. Senate. Rob Fersh founded Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, and previously worked for Democrats on the staffs of three congressional committees. Both are guests on "Let's Find Common Ground". They discuss bridge-building and why this work is so urgently needed now in an era of political gridlock. Click on bonus audio as Rob describes the process at Convergence.

Stuart Butler is a Senior Fellow in Economic Studies at The Brookings Institution. Prior to joining Brookings, Butler spent 35 years at The Heritage Foundation, as Director of the Center for Policy Innovation and earlier as Vice-President for Domestic and Economic Policy Studies. He is also a Visiting Fellow at the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution. He is a member of the editorial board of Health Affairs and the board of Mary's Center, a group of Washington DC-area community health centers. Patrick Ishmael is the director of government accountability at the Show-Me Institute. He is a native of Kansas City and graduate of Saint Louis University, where he earned honors degrees in finance and political science and a law degree with a business concentration. His writing has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Weekly Standard, and dozens of publications across the state and country. Ishmael is a regular contributor to Forbes and HotAir.com. His policy work predominantly focuses on tax, health care, and constitutional law issues. He is a member of the Missouri Bar. The Show-Me Institute Podcast is produced by Show-Me Opportunity

All too often news headlines and social media are dominated by disasters, wrongdoing and fear mongering: All the stuff that’s going wrong. How can we nurture the positive side of human nature? Renewing democracy will be impossible unless we start to rebuild trust in each other.The Convergence Center for Policy Resolution uses deep knowledge and proven methodology to connect people, policymakers and political organizations from different backgrounds and beliefs, helping them work together and co-operate. Our guest is Rob Fersh, the non-profit group's Founder and President. "Convergence works to bring together people who can make a difference in big national policy issues," Rob tells us. "Our goal is to include a wide diversity of views, because the product, if we get agreement, is going to be all the stronger."This week's reading, viewing and listening recommendations on the show from Richard and Jim:- Novels by Paulette Jiles - "News of the World" and "The Color of Lightning."- Podcasts about country and roots music: "Cocaine and Rhinestones" with Tyler Mahan Coe, and "America Podcast: The 51st State" with Robert Earl Kean. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

SPEAKERS Marc Morjé Howard Professor of Government and Law; Founding Director of the Prisons and Justice Initiative, Georgetown University; Author, Unusually Cruel: Prisons, Punishment, and the Real American Exceptionalism Stephanie McGencey Senior Director of Reentry Ready and Special Projects, Convergence Center for Policy Resolution—Moderator This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on December 12th, 2019.

ICYMI — and because I’m on the road — we’re re-posting this episode that gets to the heart of our mission. If you’re sick and tired of Washington gridlock and you long for our political leaders to actually DO something, I’ve got some good news for you. The Convergence Center for Policy Resolution has figured out a way to get Congress (and others) moving in the right direction. Thank you, Rob Fersh, for having the vision to create this organization that shows even the most intractable of us how to #gsd, (get something done) even when we don’t always agree. Here’s an update on the impact Convergence is making in its 10th anniversary year. Support the show (http://patreon.com/OurVoicesMatterPodcast)

In this episode, Linda Lorelle interviews Rob Fersh, the President and Founder of Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a proven leader in developing consensus solutions on critical issues of national importance. Linda and Rob do a deep dive into the work Convergence is doing in Washington to help resolve disagreements and old rivalries in a civil, respectful manner that can produce effective solutions.Support the show (http://patreon.com/OurVoicesMatterPodcast)

Today’s politics are more divisive than ever. What are the root causes of this problem? How can we create a political culture that allows for dialogue across differences and the potential to find common ground? Rob Fersh is the President and Founder of Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a non-profit organization founded in 2009 to promote consensus solutions to issues of domestic and international importance. Immediately prior, Rob served as the United States country director for Search for Common Ground, an international conflict resolution organization. While at SFCG, he directed national policy consensus projects on health care coverage for the uninsured and U.S.-Muslim relations. In the 1986-98 period, Rob served as president of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a leading NGO working to alleviate hunger in the United States. Rob also served on the staffs of three Congressional committees, working for U.S. Representative Leon Panetta and for Senators Patrick Leahy and Edmund Muskie. While a Congressional staff member and at FRAC, he was deeply involved in shepherding passage of bipartisan legislation to reduce hunger in the United States. Rob has held additional positions in the federal executive branch and non-profit sector. He was a 1994 recipient of the Prudential Foundation Prize for Non-Profit Leadership. Rob holds a law degree from Boston University and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University, where he has served as a guest lecturer and co-instructor of a course on collaborative decision making and public policy. He is married, has four children, and one grandchild.

Civility Is Needed Most When It's Most DifficultCherie Harder serves as President of the Trinity Forum. Prior to joining the Trinity Forum in 2008, Ms. Harder served in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Policy and Projects for First Lady Laura Bush.Earlier in her career she served as Policy Advisor to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, advising the Leader on domestic social issues and serving as liaison and outreach director to outside groups. From 2001 to 2005, she was Senior Counselor to the Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, where she helped the Chairman design and launch the We the People initiative to enhance the teaching, study, and understanding of American history. Prior to that Ms. Harder was the Policy Director for Senator Sam Brownback and also served as Deputy Policy Director at Empower America.Ms. Harder has contributed articles to publications including Policy Review, Human Events, the Harvard Political Review, and various newspapers, as well as a chapter on fashion to the volume Building a Healthy Culture (Eerdmans 2001). Her ghost-written speeches and articles have appeared in Vital Speeches of the Day, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, USA Today, and others.She holds an Honors B.A. (magna cum laude) in government from Harvard University and a post-graduate diploma in literature from the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, where she was a Rotary Scholar. She serves on the board of Gordon College, the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, and Faith and Law; and on the advisory boards of the National Civic Art Society and the National Museum of American Religion.Ms. Harder was raised in New Mexico and currently lives in Northern Virginia.Mark Strand became President of the Congressional Institute in 2007. Founded in 1987, the Congressional Institute is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to helping Members of Congress better serve their constituents and helping their constituents better understand the operations of the national legislature.Strand is also an adjunct professor of legislative affairs at George Washington University’s Graduate School of Political Management, and the coauthor of the book Surviving Inside Congress. He also writes a blog, The Sausage Factory, that provides an inside look at legislative strategies and procedures (http://conginst.org/news-feed/).Strand spent nearly 24 years on Capitol Hill in both the House and the Senate, most recently serving as Chief of Staff to Senator James Talent (R-MO). He served as the Staff Director of the House Committee on Small Business when Talent was Chairman. He was also chief of staff for Reps. Bill Lowery (R-CA) and Stan Parris (R-VA). He has also served as a Legislative Director and a Press Secretary.During a brief interlude from the Hill from 2001-2002, Strand was Vice-President of Government Affairs for the American Water Works Company – the largest publicly held water utility in the United States.Strand obtained a master’s in Legislative Affairs from GWU’s Graduate School of Political Management, an M.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Phoenix, and was an undergraduate double major in Political Science and History at Excelsior College of the University of New York.Strand regularly speaks to organizations about how Congress works (or doesn’t). Besides speaking and lecturing on legislative politics, Strand teaches courses on “Surviving Inside Congress” to new Hill staff, government affairs employees and Washington-based diplomats. In addition, he regularly works with Congressional offices on mSupport the show (http://www.faithandlaw.org/donate)

Listen NowSection 1332 of the Affordable Car Act allows states to propose Affordable Care Act-comparable state insurance programs.   Programs would need to meet certain criteria in order to win federal waiver authority.   One state currently considering a wavier is Colorado, i.e., Colorado voters will be asked to approve a state constitutional amendment that would create in part, a financing plan that would provide universal health care to all eligible Colorado residents.       During this 20 minute conversation Dr. Butler discusses the genesis of Section 1332, why states (blue and red) would be motivated to submit a waiver, the benefits of such waivers, how the next administration might revise current 1332 regulations and state efforts to date, for example, Colorado under its ColoradoCare initiative. Dr. Stuart Butler is a Senior Fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution.   He is also currently an AdjunctProfessor at Georgetown, a Visiting Fellow at the Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, a member of the editorial board of Health Affairs, a member of the Board on Health Care Services of the Institute of Medicine and of the Advisory Group for the Academy of Medicine's Culture of Health program.   Prior to Dr. Butler spent 35 years at the Heritage Foundation.   Among other previous positions he was an Institute of Politics Fellow at Harvard and a member of Housing Secretary Jack Kemp's Advisory Commission on Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing.  Dr. Butler was educated at St. Andrews University in Scotland where he received his undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics, his Masters of Arts in economics and history and his Ph.D. in American economic history.  Dr. Butler's JAMA Forum essay, noted during this conversation, is at: https://newsatjama.jama.com/2016/09/14/jama-forum-action-on-the-aca-next-year-maybe/See also Dr. Butler's most recent November 30th JAMA Forum essay titled, "Repeal and Replace Obamacare: What Could it Mean?"  At: https://newsatjama.jama.com/2016/11/30/jama-forum-repeal-and-replace-obamacare-what-could-it-mean/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thehealthcarepolicypodcast.com

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