Podcast appearances and mentions of Heather Wilson

In this episode, I speak with Heather Wilson, co-founder of GiveSendGo—a faith-based crowdfunding platform that empowers people to raise funds for causes close to their hearts. Heather shares how the nonprofit got started, what makes it different, and how it's changing lives through generosity, prayer, and purpose.To find out more about this incredible program, visit https://www.givesendgo.com/.Want to be a guest on Life Stories Podcast? Send Shara Goswick a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1718977880777072342a16683

Send us a textWelcome back Jam Fam!  What a fantastic season we have had so far, and today's episode adds to that!  Today we talk ballet with the fabulous Heather Jean Wilson.  Her Baa Baa Ballet  and preschool curriculum are used around the country and we had a wonderful time chatting ballet, pre-school, and all things dance.  We hope you enjoy our episode with Heather Jean Wilson!Heather Jean Wilson is a committed professor, teaching artist, performing artist,writer, founder, photographer, choreographer, and mother. She has trained, danced, or collaborated with former members of Joffrey, Ballet Russe De Monte Carlo, NYCB, ABT, Mongolian Opera, and Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet. Heather has taught, guested, and lectured diverse student populations, including preschool through dance professionals, university students, adults, and senior citizens. She has trained vibrant dancers who perform in all mediums of dance, from classical ballet companies, to Broadway, sports, and beyond.Ms Wilson has founded schools and companies, created small works and full length ballets, built curricula, and instituted countless outreach services and events. She is known for inventing innovative teaching methods, and is the Founder of Baa Baa Ballet, Preschool Dance Curriculum and Grunt if You Understand, method of Ballet Instruction.Heather is a mother of four children, 2 of whom are dancers! She is a competitive archer holding state and sectional titles. She enjoys family, motorcycling, camping, skiing, and time on the water.Heather Wilson possesses infectious energy and enthusiasm, and loves to inspire everyone in the room to love Ballet more than they did before her class. Thank you for listening Jam Fam! Make sure you follow us across social media and don't forget to like and subscribe anywhere you listen to your favorite podcasts!Facebook: JAM Joe and Michelle's Dance PodcastInstagram: jam_dance_podcastTwitter: @jamdancepodcastEmail: jamdancepodcast@gmail.com

Heather Wilson, CoCEO and CoFounder of GiveSendGo, is here today bringing contagious energy about the goodness of God. She's sharing some foster and biological parenting stories, the inside scoop on their platform, why they started it, the personal lives of the people involved, and most importantly the stories of God's sovereignty and his outrageous generosity as he has provided for the GiveSendGo family time and time again.Give Send Go | givesendgo.comThe Last Stand | thelaststand.com CODE HEIDI10Lifestone | www.lifestone.com/illuminateBrave Books | heidibrave.comRVL Curriculum | RVLCurriculum.com/HSJ CODE: HEIDI10Prime Sponsor: No matter where you live, visit the Functional Medical Institute online today to connect with Drs Mark and Michele Sherwood. Go to homeschoolhealth.com to get connected and see some of my favorites items. Use coupon code HEIDI for 20% off!Show mentions: heidistjohn.com/mentionsWebsite | heidistjohn.comSupport the show! | donorbox.org/donation-827Rumble | rumble.com/user/HeidiStJohnYoutube | youtube.com/@HeidiStJohnPodcastInstagram | @heidistjohnFacebook | Heidi St. JohnX | @heidistjohnFaith That Speaks Online CommunitySubmit your questions for Mailbox Mondayheidistjohn.net/mailboxmonday

The episode features Heather Wilson, our new Board President from College Station ISD, and TASBO's Tracy Ginsburg and Tom Greer. We discuss the challenges, opportunities, and resources available to education professionals in Texas. Highlights include: leadership transition, policy updates, community engagement, and upcoming events.

HEATHER WILSON, shares a bit about herself, and how she went from a mother of 6, to entrepreneurship of one of the BIGGEST Christian, conservative companies out there.

When you say yes to God, He will equip you for the calling. It may feel frightening to say yes to God, but great things can happen when we do. Heather Wilson's journey to build GiveSendGo is a perfect example. What happens when you say yes to God?  Heather discovered she could bring hope to many when she said yes to God. Her journey began as a foster parent, taking in children who had faced immense trauma. This act of kindness and courage highlighted the importance of viewing service as more than a one-time act. It's about daily sacrifices that transform lives, including our own. Ask God for Wisdom When Heather embraced God's calling and asked him for wisdom, she received His wisdom. She was led on the path to co-creating a successful crowdfunding platform called GiveSendGo, which is dedicated to serving others. It began without any expertise in technology but with an openness to say yes to God and listen to his plans. Embracing Hope and Sharing It with Others One of the ways GiveSendGo strives to stand apart is to give hope. This platform not only helps with financial fundraising, but it prioritizes giving hope. Everyone who starts a fundraising campaign is called and asked to pray together. Standing Firm for Truth and Justice GiveSendGo's journey hasn't been without controversy. They are deeply committed to truth and justice, particularly when standing up for individuals' rights to legal defense and free speech. Standing up to their principles during those tough moments raised awareness for them and helped their site grow. Expanding Impact Through Nonprofit Ventures In addition to crowdfunding, launching a related nonprofit opened avenues for direct aid in disaster and crisis situations. This branch of GiveSendGo was driven by the desire to extend hope and assistance where it is most needed. With so many people being wary of nonprofits that are taking so much money, GiveSendGo wanted to create something different where people's donations are truly going to where they are needed most. About Heather Wilson Heather Wilson is a wife, mother of 6, and the Co-founder of GiveSendGo. Throughout Heather's life she has found success in many avenues, from building successful children's ministries to growing a professional photography business while her children were young. She is now on the forefront of standing for freedom as the cofounder of GiveSendGo. Give Send Go Website Additional Resources 37 Bible Verses Every Entrepreneur should reflect on and live by Rob Wentz: From Chaos of Comparison to Clarity of Purpose Access full show notes and all links

"It's time to stand up, with eyes open, ears down to the ground. A change is long overdue. So, wake up. Question everything. Are you awake?"—One by One (2014) For the 19th TMR Movie Roundtable we welcome back our good friends Frank Johnson and Antony Rotunno for a three-way discussion on the cult British "truth movement" film One by One (2014), starring the well-loved (and much-missed) comedian and actor Rik Mayall, written and directed by Diane Jessie Miller. A young woman, Dion, is befriended by an unconventional group of people while she's working in a UK town cafe. Although her policeman boyfriend is not happy about this, because he thinks she should aspire to greater things than waitressing and considers her new pals too idealistic and eccentric, Dion sticks with her friends because they bring a fresh sense of joy and peace into her life. But when tragedy strikes, Dion's life is turned upsidedown; and thus begins her journey "down the rabbit hole" as the group reveals to her the unsettling truths that they have come to understand. Incredulous at first, Dion eventually comes to the same realisation, and the film closes with (what seems to be) the initial stages of the anticipated calamity. Join us as we discuss the production, consider it in relation to the so-called "truth movement", and ask what the filmmakers might have meant by admonishing audiences to "Wake up, now!" [Podcast theme music by Antony Raijekov (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). In accordance with the conditions of that licence TMR wishes to state that the fact that this music appears in TMR podcasts should in no way be understood as implying that its creator endorses anything produced by TMR.] [For show notes please visit https://themindrenewed.com]

Dr. Heather Wilson, a 1982 Air Force Academy graduate, formerly the 24th Secretary of the Air Force, and first USAFA graduate to hold the position, discusses her unexpected journey to the role, emphasizing the importance of integrity, service, and leadership. ----more---- SUMMARY Dr. Wilson shares her unexpected journey into leadership, the importance of integrity, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. She reflects on her family legacy, the influence of mentors, and how her military background shaped her leadership style. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the value of collecting tools for leadership and adapting to different environments while maintaining core values. In this conversation, she discusses the importance of finding purpose in one's mission and the value of relationships, particularly family support. She reflects on her journey as a woman in leadership, the significance of legacy in public service, and her unexpected path to serving in Congress. Dr. Wilson emphasizes the lessons learned in collaboration and the importance of humor in leadership, ultimately encouraging future leaders to uphold high standards and not to shame their families.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS Dr. Wilson's journey to becoming Secretary of the Air Force was unexpected and transformative. Leadership often requires owning failures and focusing on solutions. Integrity is foundational to effective leadership and builds trust. Adapting leadership styles to different cultures is essential for success. Mentorship and influences from family play a significant role in shaping leaders. Collecting tools and knowledge is crucial for effective leadership. Quality management principles can be applied to various fields, including education and social services. Leadership is not linear; it involves navigating different paths and chapters. Building strong teams and hiring the right people is vital for organizational success. Direct communication and honesty are key components of effective leadership. Doing things that matter with people you like is essential. The most important decision in life can be personal, like choosing a partner. Family support enriches life and provides joy. Women in leadership often face unique challenges but can pave the way for others. Legacy is about making lasting changes in systems and strategies. Unexpected opportunities can lead to significant career changes. Collaboration and giving credit to others is key in leadership roles. Humor can help create a relaxed atmosphere in serious environments. Education is crucial for transforming lives and communities. Leadership is not always a straight path; adaptability is important.   EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00  Introduction to Long Blue Leadership 01:25  Unexpected Call to Leadership 03:16  Lessons from Leadership Challenges 08:28  The Importance of Integrity 10:07  Adapting Leadership Styles 12:23  Influences and Mentorship 15:25  Family Legacy and Influence 17:41  Learning from Team Members 21:29  Applying Quality Management Principles 24:07  Navigating Non-Linear Leadership Paths 24:20  Finding Purpose in Mission and Relationships 28:06  The Importance of Family Support 30:08  Navigating Leadership as a Woman 34:30  Legacy and Impact in Public Service 36:29  Unexpected Paths: Serving in Congress 41:03  Lessons in Collaboration and Leadership   ABOUT DR. WILSON - IMAGES AND BIO COURTESY OF UTEP BIO Dr. Heather Wilson became the 11th President of The University of Texas at El Paso in 2019 after serving as Secretary of the United States Air Force. She is the former president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and she represented New Mexico in the United States Congress for 10 years.  Active in community and national affairs, she is a member of the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, and serves as a board member of the Texas Space Commission. She was the inaugural Chair of the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Research Universities, and is a member of the board of directors of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Dr. Wilson is the granddaughter of immigrants and was the first person in her family to go to college. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the third class to admit women and earned her master's and doctoral degrees from Oxford University in England as a Rhodes Scholar. UTEP is located on the U.S.-Mexico border – in the fifth largest manufacturing region in North America – and serves over 24,000 students with 170 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree programs in nine colleges and schools. In the top 5% of public universities in the United States for research and designated a community-engaged university by the Carnegie Foundation, UTEP is America's leading Hispanic-serving university. It is the fourth largest research university in Texas and serves a student body that is 84% Hispanic. President Wilson is an instrument rated private pilot. She and her husband, Jay Hone, have two adult children and two granddaughters. Dr. Heather Wilson served as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force and was responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including the organizing, training and equipping and providing for the welfare of 660,000 Active-Duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces their families. She provided oversight of the Air Force's annual budget of more than $132 billion and directs strategy and policy development, risk management, weapons acquisition, technology investments and human resource management across a global enterprise. Dr. Wilson has more than 35 years of professional experience in a range of leadership and management roles in the military, higher education, government and private industry. Before assuming her current position, Dr. Wilson was president of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, an engineering and science research university. From 1998 to 2009, Dr. Wilson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, where she served on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Before being elected to Congress, Dr. Wilson was a cabinet secretary in New Mexico's state government responsible for foster care, adoption, juvenile delinquency, children's mental health and early childhood education. From 1989 to 1991 Wilson served on the National Security Council staff as director for defense policy and arms control for President George H.W. Bush during the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact. From 1991 to1995 and again from 2009 to 2013 Wilson was in the private sector. In 1991, she founded Keystone International, Inc., a company that did business development and program planning work for defense and scientific industry. She served as a senior advisor to several national laboratories on matters related to nuclear weapons, non-proliferation, arms control verification, intelligence and the defense industrial base. Wilson also served on the boards of two publicly traded corporations as well as numerous advisory and non-profit boards.   CONNECT WITH DR. WILSON LINKEDIN  |  UTEP     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest:  Dr. Heather Wilson '82  |  Hosts:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkowicz, Class of '99. Our story is about a leader who reached heights fellow Air Force Academy graduates had not reached before her, and this was at a time when opportunities to do so were still new. My guest is Dr. Heather Wilson, Class of '82. As you heard, she served as the 24th secretary of the Air Force, but there is a unique distinction attached to that. Dr Wilson, welcome to Long Blue Leadership; we have much to discuss. Let's start with you becoming the secretary of the Air Force, our 24th.   Dr. Heather Wilson  00:37 Yeah, that wasn't part of my life's plan. Secretary Designate Mattis did call me. I was in South Dakota as the president of the South Dakota School of Mines and my cell phone rang and he said, “This is Jim Mattis, and I want to talk to you about becoming secretary of the Air Force.” And honest to goodness, my initial answer was, “Sir, you do know that being a college president is like the best job in America, right?” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I just came from Stanford.” And I said, “I didn't apply for any job. I mean, I like it out... I'm a gal of the West. I like the mountains. I like hiking and biking and fly fishing.” And he said, “Yeah, I know. I grew up on the Columbia River in Washington.” And I thought, “This isn't working,” but we talked several more times, and it was pretty clear that I was being called to serve in a way that I didn't anticipate, but that was what I was supposed to do.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:35 What a transformative moment in your life, I'm sure.   Dr. Heather Wilson  01:38 Well, it was. Again, my entire life, I think, is a diversion from its planned course. But I turned out — I didn't anticipate that, and it meant — my husband doesn't really much like big East Coast cities that rain a lot and have a lot of traffic, and so from a family point of view, it wasn't what we personally wanted to do, but you're called to serve. And we've been called to serve in different ways in our lives and sometimes, even if it feels inconvenient, you're still called to serve. It turned out to be wonderful and I really enjoyed the experience, both of working with Sec. Mattis, but also getting back to spending time with airmen. And so it turned out to be wonderful, but it wasn't what I expected.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:25 Well, you said it, ma'am. As we know, service and leadership aren't linear, and so we're really excited to dive into some of those experiences today. Maybe share, as secretary of the Air Force, some of those moments in leadership that stuck with you. Let's just kind of start there.   Dr. Heather Wilson  02:42 Certainly. There were good days and not so good days. I think one of the things that I really benefited from was that I had a partner in the chief of staff, Dave Goldfein, who was absolutely fantastic. And we've remained very close friends. We started at the Academy the same day and he would joke and tell people that we didn't graduate on the same day because he went stop-out for a year. But we didn't know each other well as cadets, but we were formed by some of the same experiences and I think that helped tremendously. I didn't really understand that in our system of government, the civilian secretary has almost all the authority, but the chief of staff has almost all of the influence. And if you can figure out how to work together, you can get a heck of a lot done. And Dave and I both had that same approach, and it turned out to be a great partnership.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:42 That's pretty incredible. In fact, the time of your service in that role, I was actually working under your umbrella at U.S. STRATCOM. I was at Strategic Command there as a government civilian and as a reservist. And so, I can certainly speak to, I think, some of the amazing things that you did. Can you share a little — you talked about some ups and downs. What was maybe one of the failures as secretary of the Air Force that you learned from that helped you throughout your life?   Dr. Heather Wilson  04:11 Well, I know the day. I think it was Nov. 5, 2017, and it was a Sunday, late morning or early afternoon, and my phone rang. I was upstairs in the study in my row house in Virginia and it was the inspector general, Gen. Syed. And that morning, a young man had walked into a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and opened fire and killed a lot of people, and it turned out he had been an airman, and the general said, “You know, we're not sure yet, but he may have been convicted of a crime that would have required us to tell the FBI and the national criminal records check system that he had committed a crime that would not allow him to purchase a weapon, but we may have failed to notify.” We didn't know, we wouldn't know that afternoon but I talked to the chief and we all got together on Monday morning at 9 a.m. and Gen. Syed confirmed that he was an airman, he had been convicted of a domestic violence-related crime, and we had not properly notified the FBI, and as a result, he had been able to buy a weapon. Um, that was not a good day. And we talked about what we should do next, and our general counsel wasn't there — he was traveling that morning, but a more junior lawyer was there, who suggested kind of — and, you know, other people said, well — it actually got worse because there was an IG investigation, an internal audit from several years before, that showed that all of the services were not properly reporting to the national criminal records system. So we hadn't fixed the problem. We knew; we had been informed there was a problem and hadn't fixed it. And some people said, “Well, you weren't here at the time.” That doesn't matter. You wear the uniform, or you wear the cloak of office, and you have to take responsibility for the institution. And of course, the lawyers would say, “Well, you know, maybe you want to fuzz this and not take — you know, there's investigation going on,” or something. But we knew enough of the facts that morning, Monday morning, and Dave Goldfein and I decided to own it, to own the failure and focus on fixing the problem. And we did. And in the short term that was very uncomfortable. We sat in front of the Pentagon press corps and took their questions, and we went to Capitol Hill and informed the members of Congress on what had been done and not been done and why. But in the long term, by owning failure, we were able to focus on fixing the problem rather than just trying to manage responsibility and accountability, and it turned out to be a much better approach. So, sometimes the most important lesson is to own failure.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:09 I'm so glad you shared that, ma'am, because I think some people have a fear of failure, but there are many times when failure is inevitable, and to your point, owning it is the right approach. Something you said when you're sharing that, it made me think about us as cadets and our core values: integrity first. And that really resonated with how your approach was. Would you say that was born for you at the Academy and kind of through your career that's where it stayed, or has that always been part of your fabric?   Dr. Heather Wilson  07:36 I think the Academy was absolutely formative in that way, in the Honor Code. And, you know, integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do, now replaces what was there when I was a cadet, over the archway there. But I think that's woven into the fabric for airmen, and it's part of our culture, and it drives you. And I think — you know now we look at, how do we evaluate officers? It's the same way I now evaluate leaders — any leaders that work with me — and it's the way I evaluate myself: accomplish the mission, lead people, manage resources and make your unit better, all on a foundation of values. But it's that last part of it: all on a foundation of values. If you don't have that, the rest of it almost doesn't matter. You can try to make your unit better, but if you're lying about it, nobody's going to trust you. If you're leading people and managing resources, but you don't have integrity, it doesn't matter. So, integrity first, and that commitment to trying to be honest and direct with people builds those relationships of trust, which lasts for decades throughout a career.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:53 Absolutely. And the key word, I think, that foundation you talked about — how has that foundation served you in leadership as you've explored other areas outside of the military, amazing roles leading UTEP, also at the South Dakota School of Mines, in higher education? I'm sure that there's a translation of what that looks like. Can you share maybe an example of how that came into play?   Dr. Heather Wilson  09:15 Sure, it happens all the time. I think in any leadership position, whether you're in corporate life, in community life and a nonprofit, or in higher education, leading with a foundation of values, being honest, complying with the law, following the rules or changing the rules. It doesn't mean — that's one of the things that I think is probably important for leaders. You get to a point as a leader where your job is not just to follow the rules, but to look at the systems and identify the rules that need to be changed, but to be direct and honest about that too. Where it's not “Well, I think this rule doesn't make any sense, so I'm going to skirt it,” or “I'm not going to tell people that I've complied with something and I haven't.” In fact, you know that happened to me this morning. I got a disclosure that I was supposed to sign for a report that was published yesterday to the director of National Intelligence on a committee that I serve on, and they sent this kind of notification on what you can talk about publicly, and all of those things, and I hadn't given up my right to speak publicly about unclassified matters, and I responded, “I understand what you've said. I want to let you know that this is how I interpret this, and this is the way I'm going to act.” I was very direct about it. “I didn't give up my First Amendment rights as a citizen because I worked on your task force.” So, very direct. And I think that directness is something that — not all cultures are that way, including higher education culture. I have to be a little bit careful about that sometimes — the airman's tendency to have a frank debrief isn't always the way other cultures and work cultures are. They're just not always like that, so, I have to be a little bit careful sometimes that I don't crush people's will to live or something.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:13 I was actually thinking about that as you were speaking how, if you have the foundation, especially from the military, we kind of understand that directive approach and certainly those core values that we know of. And I'm curious, how do you adapt as a leader to those who maybe don't have that foundation? How do you bring them up to speed and kind of help them establish that?   Dr. Heather Wilson  11:32 Well, it's a two-way street. It means that I have to understand the culture that I'm in and the way in which I talk with senior faculty may be slightly different than the way I might talk to somebody who just got off a flight line and was too low and slow on final or something, you know? But at the same time with both a sense of humor and a little bit of grace… It was really funny when I was at South Dakota Mines, my provost was a long-time academic. And of course, I had served in Congress for 10 years as well. And he once said something to me that just made me crack up. He said, “You know, you are the least political president I've ever worked with. And the funny thing is, you're the only one that was really a politician.” And he said, “You remind me more of a military officer.” And I thought, “Yeah, that's probably true.” But I was fairly direct as a member of Congress as well. And so, I've just found that that works better for me in life, I guess.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 You were sharing how, you know, I think it was the provost that said that you really didn't remind him as someone that was very political, even though you're the only politician he's known. And so what was your time like serving in Congress? I mean, that's 10 years you did, I think, correct?   Dr. Heather Wilson  12:52 I did. And again, I didn't expect to serve in Congress. My predecessor became very seriously ill shortly before the filing deadline for the election that happened in 1998, and my phone rang. It was a Thursday night. This happens to me. I don't know why, but it was a Thursday night, and my phone rang. I was working in Santa Fe, cabinet secretary for Child Welfare, and it was Sen. Pete Domenici, the senior senator for the state of New Mexico. And he said, “You don't know anything about this, but I'm coming to New Mexico this weekend, and I want to talk to you about running for Congress.” Well, that's a quiz; that's not a question. Because a quiz has a right answer, which is, “Sir, I'd be happy to talk to you about whatever you want to talk about.” He's a United States senator. So, we talked about all kinds of things, and he called me from the airport when he was heading back to Washington that Sunday night, and he said, “Look, if you will run, I will help you.” And I decided to run. It was eight days before the filing deadline. I talked to my predecessor — he was fighting skin cancer — and said, “Look, why don't you just focus on fighting cancer? Two years from now, if you want to run again, you can have this seat back. I'll try to do my best for the next two years.” And then 30 days later, he died. I mean, you're not supposed to die of skin cancer. And so, I ended up serving for 10 years in the Congress in a very difficult swing district that I probably shouldn't have won in the first place. But I enjoyed the service part of it. I enjoyed the policy work part of it — intellectually challenging. Some of the partisan silliness I didn't like very much. And then when I left the Congress, ran on successfully for the Senate and became a university president. One of the great things — I tell people now that I was released from Congress early for good behavior. But it was nice to be in a town where people were waving at me with all five fingers. I mean, it was wonderful. So, I enjoyed the service, and I enjoyed a lot helping people — doing casework and things. But it was also a little bit less of a partisan time where you could try to listen and learn and serve well and try to serve your constituents without just being under attack mercilessly and in social media, or something. It was maybe perhaps a different age.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:25 Well, I chuckled when you said waving with all five fingers. That got a good one out of me. I thought about when you're in that, because that wasn't something you were looking to do, and this seems to be a bit of a theme in your leadership trajectory as well. You've kind of been tapped on the shoulder, and you know, for the ones that you didn't apply for or run for, plan for, have been such transformative positions in your life.   Dr. Heather Wilson  15:50 Yeah, and I think maybe that happens to people more than we might acknowledge, because when we're planning our lives, we think we know what's going to happen, but in reality, we adapt to situations that develop and opportunities open that you didn't know were there or someone asked you to take on a special project and that leads you in a direction that you didn't anticipate. So while mine seem particularly unusual in these very different chapters of my life, I don't think it's all that unusual. We just look forward and project in straight lines, and when we look backward, we tell a story in a narrative and it's not always a straight line. But I've been blessed to be asked to do some things. And perhaps in our relationship, my husband and I, he doesn't like change. I love it, and so in our relationship, he's kind of the keel and I'm kind of the sail, and together, we go places.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:56 That's awesome. And I think that particular time and journey in your career serving in Congress was probably one that you established new tools in your leadership toolbox. Were there any that particularly stood out — moments, either when you were having to, you know, forge new policy or achieve things that you hadn't prior? Because Congress is a kind of different machine.   Dr. Heather Wilson  17:21 Yeah, it's a very big committee, and it's not executive leadership. And so I'm probably more predisposed to executive leadership than just being on committees. It takes a very long time to get anything done in Congress, and our government is intentionally designed that way to protect us from tyranny. So you have to take that philosophical approach to it, even if you're frustrated day to day. I did learn how to get things done by giving other people credit. And there were several times — the changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is probably one example — where I had sponsored legislation in the House. It had taken quite a bit of time — changing Congress. There were continued problems, and I went to others and tried to put them in positions of leadership and support them. And ultimately, it was a Senate bill that passed, but which had been shaped in the background by multiple people, including me, and I was OK with that. And the same thing happened on pieces of legislation about public lands in New Mexico. I remember I came out in favor of doing something in northern New Mexico with respect to some public lands, and I got out ahead of Pete Domenici and he was not happy about that. He was very clear about not being happy about getting a little bit ahead of him on it. But in the end, the piece of legislation there that was signed, and another one on Zia Pueblo were Senate bills. They weren't House bills. But I had moved things forward on the House side, and it didn't matter to me that that it said “S” rather than “H” in front of the name of the bill. So as long as you don't really care about who gets the credit, you can get a lot done in the Congress.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:11 That is a powerful lesson. And somewhere in the back of my mind, I think there's a Contrails quote, and I can't remember all of it, but I remember the end of it is, “…if you don't care who gets the credit.”   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:11 Yeah, that was probably one of the short ones. Schofield's quote was — we all did pushups for those.   Naviere Walkewicz  19:30 Yes, I had a starting moment. I was about to get down…   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:35 … and start to sweat…   Naviere Walkewicz  19:37 … and take my punishment. That was wonderful, ma'am. I'm glad we actually went back and did that journey.   Dr. Heather Wilson  19:42 When I think about my service in the Congress, where I made the most difference, it was in committee work, and particularly on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, where I served for a significant amount of time, including post-9/11. And I think that work, because the Intelligence Committee, most of it is in private, it's dealing with really hard, really important issues, and you don't bring your staff there. You have to do the work. And I think probably that's where I did some of my most important work as a member of Congress, was in Intelligence.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:18 Thank you for sharing that. Who are some other influencers, some key influencers in your life, that have maybe walked alongside you or helped you in these different roles that you've carried in your amazing career.   Dr. Heather Wilson  20:31 Oh, they're different people at different times, but certainly as a young person, my grandfather was very important to me. My grandfather had been one of the first flyers in the RAF in World War I, and then came to America in 1922 and flew in the Second World War for what became the Civil Air Patrol. So he did sub search off the Atlantic coast, and varied parts, around to bases, in New England. So, he was important to me as a child. My dad died when I was young. My dad also had been enlisted in the Air Force. He was a crew chief and also a pilot, commercial pilot, after he got out of the service. So I grew up around airplanes and my grandfather was very important to me, and there were other people along the way. When I was a cadet, there was a group commander, Lieutenant Colonel — it's funny, you still remember… anyone who remembers my middle initial, I know it's like, “Oh, this may not be good,” but Robert L. Rame, Lt. Col. Robert L. Rame was the 4th Group commander and my first Air Officer Commanding. General — sorry, Maj. William S. Reeder. He was an Army officer and had been a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Really, I was terrified of disappointing him. It's funny, I just got a Christmas card from him. Life's long, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  21:53 Wow. What connections. I'd like to kind of go back a little bit to your grandfather. You said he was really important to you in your life. Can you share maybe some of the ways he influenced you? Obviously, you're third-generation aviator in your family. Is that how you knew you're going to go into service?   Dr. Heather Wilson  22:08 Well, the Academy wasn't an option until I was a junior in high school, and so I knew I was going to college, but I didn't really think about where. And then they opened the Air Force Academy to women when I was a junior in high school. So, my grandfather had two sons, and he had five grandsons, and me. But he was pretty — I would say — the way he might say it is he was pretty sweet on me; he and I were very close. We used to play chess after school when I was in high school, and I remember once we just finished playing chess, and I was a senior in high school — so, my grandfather was an aviator; he was also a mechanic. He could use any tool, I mean, he was just amazing with his hands. And I had learned a new tool in school, and I took out a piece of graph paper and I drew a drew a curve, and I said, “Grandpa, do you think you could find the area under this curve?” And he said, “Well, I'd probably count up the squares and estimate from there on the graph paper.” And I then I showed him something new and it was called calculus, and it was the first time in my life that I realized I had a tool that my grandfather didn't have. He had a high school education and had gone into the RAF during the First World War, and he was a great mechanic and a really good man, but I realized that there were opportunities for me that maybe my grandfather never had.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:56 I actually got chill bumps when you shared that. Pretty powerful. Thank you so much. Can you talk about, throughout your career — you said if people remember your middle initial, and I'm sure that many on the military side would, because you're amazing… Have you learned from anyone maybe that is not a mentor of you, but someone that has kind of come under your wing? Can you share some leadership lessons that you've learned from those serving alongside and under you?   Dr. Heather Wilson  24:24 Oh my gosh, I learn stuff every day from the people whom I'm privileged to work with. And one of the things that I learned over time was, and as you get more senior, the most important thing you do as a senior leader is hire good people who know things that you don't know, because it's not possible to know everything you need to know to lead a large organization. So, you have to organize yourself well and then get great people and let them do their job. So, I learn things every day. I was interviewing somebody yesterday that we're trying to attract to come to the university who is on the communication side of things — marketing and communication and branding. And you know that creative, visual side of my brain, if you did a brain scan, it would be like a dark hole. That's not a strength of mine. And so those kinds of things are — you have to realize what your strengths are, and then to fill in the team and put together a team, which together can accomplish the mission.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:34 I'd say your grandfather is still kind of, you know, influencing that. It's almost like you're filling your toolbox with all those areas.   Dr. Heather Wilson  25:43 That's funny you use that word. I've told this story before, but my father was both a pilot and a mechanic, and he built an experimental aircraft in our house, and we lived on this, kind of the last house that they would plow to on the end of the road in the winter, right? So, in a very small town, and at that time, there were still traveling salesmen, and the Snap-on tools guy would come probably every six weeks or so, and he had this, like red truck with an accordion thing on the back that looked just like the toolbox in the corner of the garage, right? And we knew that when the Snap-on tools guy came, do not go out. I mean, it was like Christmas for my dad. Do not interfere when the Snap-on tools guy is there. And so he'd go out and lean against the truck, and we could see him laughing and stuff. And eventually my dad would reach in his pocket and pull out his billfold and give the guy a bill, and he'd go back, and he'd lift up the back of the accordion thing and reach in there and give my dad a tool. And my dad would — then the truck would back out, and go on to his next stop. But my dad would take that tool and we'd scramble into the garage to see what he got and stuff. And my dad would usually put that tool in the box in the corner and then go back to what he was doing that day, working on his car or whatever he was doing. And it occurred to me that my dad didn't need that tool that day, but he collected tools, and someday he'd need that tool. And I think great leaders collect tools even when they don't need them today, because they're going to be times when you bring everybody to — you know, there's that great scene in Apollo 13, but it happens around the staff and Cabinet table, and it'll happen in your planning room as a pilot where you've got a new problem, and everybody brings in their tools and says, “OK, how can we make a carbon monoxide filter, or carbon dioxide filter, out of what we've got here on the table?” So, collect tools. And I think that's one of the things I learned from my dad.     Naviere Walkewicz  28:00 Oh, that is an amazing story. Can you share maybe a tool that you've had in your toolbox, that you learned way back when, maybe at the Academy, or as a young girl, that you've recently pulled out and used?   Dr. Heather Wilson 28:12 Well, one of them — I'm not so sure it's recent, but when I was a small business owner, there was a group in New Mexico called Quality New Mexico, and they taught small business owners the Baldrige Principles for quality management. And then I ended up being the Cabinet secretary for child welfare in New Mexico. So, I took over a foster care system, which was under a federal consent decree for not getting kids forever homes and an overly crowded juvenile justice system. I mean, every intractable social problem was — I realized after a while why I became Cabinet secretary for child welfare, because nobody else wanted that job. I mean it was a really difficult job, but I had these tools on quality management. I thought, “I think we can apply these same principles to improving foster care, to improving the juvenile justice system.” And so we did, and there's some things I was proud of there, but one of my last acts as Cabinet secretary before I ended up leaving and running for Congress was to sign the end of the federal consent decree that had been in place for 18 years that said that the state was not getting foster kids forever homes. We changed the system, but we did it using those quality management principles, which I had learned as a small business owner almost as a lark. So, there's one example. But, you know, we just went through a global pandemic. It was very much a pickup game. Nobody had ever been through that. So, we all got together and figured out how we could use the tools we had, including the research capability on my campus to be able to sequence DNA so that we could do testing on campus and get the results, ultimately, within six hours and then feed that back so we could detect disease before someone was symptomatic, so you could suppress disease on campus for those who had to be on campus. There's some things you can't do remotely. And so, we had our own testing system on campus, which was remarkable. Well, why'd we have that? Because we had some tools in the box.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:37 Well, you've used those tools amazingly as you've navigated your career. How would you say that — because yours is… we talked about not being linear. It's kind of been multiple paths and…   Dr. Heather Wilson 30:50 Different chapters.   Naviere Walkewicz 30:51 Yes, I love that. Different chapters. How would you say that you've navigated leadership through that? And has there been a thread that's been common through all those different chapters that you've…   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:04 Yeah, we talked a little about integrity, and that certainly is there. But I when, when people say things like, you know, “Why are you at UTEP?” Or, “Why did you shift to higher ed?” Or, “Why did…” The mission matters so developing people matters. Defending the country matters. So, a mission that matters with people I like. And I realized that when you get down to it, you should do things that matter with people you like and if that's your filter, as long as you can put food on the table, there's a lot of different things you can do, but it should be something that matters with people you like. Otherwise, that time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. can seem forever unless you're doing something you like.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:49 That is a powerful thread. Mission matters with people you like. How has your family supported you through this?   Dr. Heather Wilson  31:56 I live a blessed life. I tell this to students, and probably, as a younger woman, I wouldn't have said these things because I was so focused on being taken seriously, I suppose. But, I lightened up after time and realized, OK, I'm probably too serious. But the most important decision I've made in my life is not to go to the Academy or to run for Congress or to become a college president — none of those things are the most important decision I've made in my life. The most important decision I made in my life was to marry the guy I married. I married a guy who's actually retired Air Force now, but he was a lawyer. Despite that, he's a nice guy and sometimes, I think, particularly for women, there's always that fear that you're going to sit down when you're in a getting into a serious relationship, and it's going to be one of those conversations that says, “OK, we're thinking about making this permanent. Who's going to give up her career?” And it's not really a conversation, or at least maybe it wasn't in my era, but Jay never had that conversation with me. It was always we could do more together than either of us could do alone, and he has been so supportive of me. And, yeah, vice versa. But I had to go back east for something last week, and I knew that even in this big reception that I was in with all these people, that he wasn't going to be there, and if he was, he'd still be the most interesting guy in the room. So, I married well, and my family always — we're a very close family. And I think while my obligations to my family didn't end at the front porch, my family gave richness and dimension to my life that I never really anticipated as a young woman, and it's given me joy. Success seemed possible to achieve; joy always seemed like a gift from God, and I have had joy because of my family.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:18 Thank you for sharing that. You talk about when you're hiring, you choose people that kind of fill gaps, but it sounds like, also on your personal team, you want to make sure that you're choosing it, you know...   Dr. Heather Wilson  34:30 Yeah, you're going to be roommates for a long time. That matters. And there's the things that you just kind of have to get over. You know, I'm not going to clean around his sink, and he's not going to be bothered about the fact that my closet's color coordinated. I mean, we just live with that, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  34:49 I appreciate that about you so much. You talked a minute ago about some things you learned about yourself as a leader. You know, “Not take myself too seriously.” Can you share a little bit more about that journey on your own, like that personal leadership journey that you've made?   Dr. Heather Wilson  35:07 Yeah, and I think it's easier as you go on. And honestly, very early on, I was very often the only woman in the room, and so I wanted to be taken seriously. I was also very often the youngest person in the room. And so those two things made me want to be taken seriously. As I went on and got more responsibility, I realized that the truth is I am a very serious and successful woman. My husband would say that I was raised in the home for the humor impaired, and that I've been in therapy with him for over 30 years. So, I gradually learned to see the humor in life. I still am not one that stands up and tells jokes or something, but I see the humor in life and I don't take myself too seriously. The person that I watched who used self-deprecating humor better than any leader I've ever seen was actually Dave Goldfein. Everyone knew when he walked into a room, or if he stood up on a stage at a town hall meeting with a bunch of airmen or something — everybody knew that they were gonna laugh. At some point in that meeting we're gonna laugh, and not at someone else's expense, but at his. And it made people relax around him. He was very, very good at it. But I also knew that his self-deprecating humor was really a cover for exceptional competence, and I never underestimated that, but it made people relax and brought a little bit of joy to whatever intractable problem we were looking at.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:51 Well, you shared about sometimes when you're coming up through your leadership, you were often the only woman in the room and sometimes the youngest in the room. What would you like to share on your thoughts of what has that impact been, and what do you see as your legacy?   Dr. Heather Wilson  37:07 Well, there were some times, particularly early on, when women flying or women in positions of command was new, where you just had to do the job and realize that you were probably changing attitudes as you went and that it would be easier for those who came after you, and that's OK. I don't see that as much anymore. Although, when I was elected to Congress, I think probably 10% to 15% of the House was women. Now it's more than that, and once it gets to be more than 30% in any room, it doesn't sound — it's almost like you walk into a restaurant where it's all guys or all women, and you notice the difference in the room, the tones of the voices and things. Once you get to about a third, it feels like it's comfortable, but early on, I always was very conscious of it and conscious of the obligation to do well, because I was being judged not only for myself, but for an entire group of people. And so, I was sensitive to that, and wanted to make sure that I didn't, like — “Don't shame the family,” right? So make sure that you keep the doors open. As far as legacy is concerned, and I think back in my time as Air Force secretary, I would say there's two things that I hope linger, and they have so far. One is a change to the promotion system to make sure that we have the right kind of talent to choose from at all levels in the organization, and so that, I think, has continued to persist. And the other one that will be changed over time and has to be changed over time, had to do with the science and technology strategy of the Air Force and the need to stay ahead of adversaries. I think this is a completely separate conversation, but I actually think that that we are at greater risk of scientific and technical surprise today than at any time since the end of the Second World War. And if you go back and read books about engineers of victory, or there's a whole lot of books about how science and technology was brought to bear in prevailing in the Second World War. I think we're at risk now in a way that we've kind of become complacent about. So, science and technology strategy is something that I hope is a legacy.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:36 That's amazing, ma'am. And I think not only for our military, but you're able to influence that in the spaces that you are now.   Dr. Heather Wilson  39:43 Yeah, engaging the next generation, which is a heck of a lot of fun. You know, the University of Texas at El Paso is a wonderful institution — 25,000 students, half of them are the first in their families to go to college. About 70% or so come from families making less than about $45,000 a year. So, this is a university that transforms lives, and it's a university that — of my 25,000 students, over 5,000 are studying engineering. Another couple thousand are studying science, College of Nursing, College of Education. This has a tremendous impact on the region and on the lives of those who choose to educate themselves. And so it's a wonderful mission to be part of, and I think it's important for the nation. I think regions of the world who choose to educate their people in the 21st century will thrive, and those that don't are going to be left behind, and that's why I do what I do.   Naviere Walkewicz  40:44 Well, it clearly aligns with your foundation and your mission, ma'am, and I think that's outstanding. We're going to ask for Dr. Wilson's final thoughts next, but before we do, I'd like to take a moment and thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to watch, listen and subscribe to all episodes of Long Blue Leadership at longblueleadership.org. So, Dr. Wilson, I would love to take a moment to gather some of your final thoughts, what you'd like to share today.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:21 Well, assuming that most of the folks who listen to this are either cadets or young officers or grads, I leave them with one thought, and that is, don't shame the family. Don't shame the family. People will look up to you because you are an Air Force Academy graduate, or you are an Air Force cadet. The standard is higher, so live up to the standard.   Naviere Walkewicz  41:50 Ma'am, we started with you being direct. You ended direct. I think that is amazing. Thank you very much. Thanks for being on Long Blue Leadership.   Dr. Heather Wilson  41:58 My pleasure.     KEYWORDS leadership, Air Force Academy, integrity, mentorship, quality management, Dr. Heather Wilson, military service, personal growth, career journey, unexpected opportunities, leadership, integrity, family support, women in leadership, public service, legacy, mission-driven, personal growth, collaboration, Congress     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

Investigative journalists — and proud “podcasters” — Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell reveal the latest in the Mica Francis story, starting with emails from JP Miller and his sidekick Tricia Ross that were sent to police days after Mica's death, urging the police to investigate one of their own in connection to Mica's death.  Yes, seriously. Turns out May 2 was a very bad day for JP Miller. Not only did he have to explain himself to his partners at the Myrtle Beach bar he had a stake in, he seemed to be on a war path as he pointed his finger at Heather Wilson, his alleged former ally at Horry County Police Department. JP — demonstrating once again that he thinks the police work directly for him — wanted the department to investigate Heather for Mica's death because she is the mother of the man Mica was hanging out with on March 11 and the man who JP later called and berated.  Mandy and Liz share the first installment of the texts and emails that came back from reporter Beth Braden's FOIA for communications between JP and the police. Also on the show, how did the waterfront home in Myrtle Beach that Wayne Miller tried to get the courts to force an octogenarian widow who was thought to have dementia to sell end up getting sold to attorney Regina Ward … the attorney who represented Mica in her pending divorce and later Mica's family in their quest to hold JP and his church accountable? We have the scoop — including an interview between Beth and Regina.  Plus, the latest in the Nautilus trial, which had Cory Fleming back up on the stand this week in federal court... and ultimately the jury came back with a verdict in Nautilus' favor, declaring that Cory Fleming owes them $1.25 Million in compensatory damages plus $50.00 in punitive damages.  Stay Tuned, Stay Pesky and Stay in the Sunlight...☀️ Episode Resources Jury decides Cory Fleming is liable for role in Murdaugh insurance scheme, owes $1.25M “Trial begins for Fleming in insurance accusation civil case” - Live5, Jan 6, 2025 “‘In my mind, that was deception': insurance expert testifies in Fleming case” - Live5, Jan 7, 2025 Alex Murdaugh's $14.8 Million Nautilus Judgement - Jan 2, 2025 911 Calls after Mica Francis' Death Timeline Exposing Dirty Southern Money Facebook Page If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. Premium Members also get access to ad-free listening, searchable case files, written articles with documents, case photos, episode videos and exclusive live experiences with our hosts on lunasharkmedia.com all in one place. CLICK HERE to learn more: https://bit.ly/3BdUtOE. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. What We're Buying... Eric Bland's New Book!!! - Mandy's Book in Paperback!! - Marcia Clark's New Book - Amanda Knox's New Book - Tamron Hall's New Book - Erin Lee Carr's Book Peloton - onepeloton.com Find your push. Find your power with Peloton at onepeloton.com. Here's a link to some of our favorite things: https://amzn.to/4cJ0eVn And a special thank you to our other amazing sponsors: Microdose.com, PELOTON, and VUORI. Use promo code "MANDY" for a special offer! *** ALERT: If you ever notice audio errors in the pod, email info@lunasharkmedia.com and we'll send fun merch to the first listener that finds something that needs to be adjusted! This episode was edited thanks to Ashlynn R. near 42:00 *** For current & accurate updates: bsky.app/profile/mandy-matney.com | bsky.app/profile/elizfarrell.com TrueSunlight.com facebook.com/TrueSunlightPodcast/ Instagram.com/TrueSunlightPod Twitter.com/mandymatney Twitter.com/elizfarrell youtube.com/@LunaSharkMedia tiktok.com/@lunasharkmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Co-Hosts Naviere Walkewicz and Wyatt Hornsby reflect on the leadership lessons shared by accomplished graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy over the first two seasons.   SUMMARY The hosts highlight key moments and insights from various guests, emphasizing the importance of personal connections, resilience, and the role of mentorship in leadership. They discuss the unique experiences of leaders like Coach Troy Calhoun, Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks, Nicole Malachowski, Madison Marsh, Lieutenant General BJ Schwedo, and Carl Falk, showcasing how their journeys can inspire others in their leadership paths.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS  - Leadership is deeply personal and requires understanding your people.  - The importance of resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks.  - Mentorship plays a crucial role in developing future leaders.  - Building relationships is essential in leadership roles.  - Knowing your craft enhances credibility and effectiveness as a leader.  - Leadership is about doing good and positively impacting others' lives.  - Embracing vulnerability can lead to personal and professional growth.  - It's important to risk failure in pursuit of big dreams.  - Support from family and mentors can shape one's career trajectory.  - Leaders should encourage others to pursue their passions and dreams.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Celebrating Leadership Lessons from the Air Force Academy 02:11 Highlighting Coach Troy Calhoun's Leadership Philosophy 08:09 Insights from Brigadier General Gavin P. Marks 12:59 Nicole Malachowski: Overcoming Setbacks and Embracing Dreams 19:09 Madison Marsh: A Journey of Resilience and Purpose 23:27 Lessons from Lieutenant General BJ Schwedo on Future Conflict 28:23 Karl Falk: The Importance of Support and Grit in Leadership   ABOUT THE HOSTS BIOS LT. COL. (RET.) NAVIERE WALKEWICZ '99 Senior Vice President, Engagement With over two decades in leadership roles, my current focus at the Association of Graduates - U.S. Air Force Academy is fostering a robust network of 50,000+ alumni. This commitment involves igniting a culture of engagement and inclusivity, underpinned by a strong foundation in support of our Air Force Academy. - BIO COPY CREDIT:  LINKEDIN.COM MR. WYATT HORNSBY Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications | Executive Editor & Writer Wyatt Hornsby is passionate about developing marketing and communications talent and cohesive, high-performance teams. He is senior vice president of marketing and communications at the Air Force Academy Foundation and the Association of Graduates. He leads the work of the foundation and alumni association marketing and communications division, while also coordinating with various Air Force Academy offices, including Public Affairs and Strategic Communications. - BIO COPY CREDIT:  LINKEDIN.COM   ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Send your feedback or nominate a guest at: socialmedia@usafa.org TED ROBERTSON:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org  Multimedia and Podcast Specialist | LBL Podcast Network Producer and Editor RYAN HALL:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Assistant Director of Multimedia Production | LBL Podcast Network Director BRYAN GROSSMAN:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Senior Director of Strategic Communications and Publications | LBL Podcast Network Copy Editor WYATT HORNSBY:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org  Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications | Executive Editor & Writer | LBL Podcast Network Executive Producer   FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Co-Hosts:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99  |  Mr. Wyatt Hornsby Guests:  Coach Troy Calhoun '89; Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks '96; Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96;  2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23; Gen. BJ Schwedo '87; Mr. Karl Falk '98, Mr. Ted Robertson    Naviere Walkewicz 00:20 Welcome to our Long Blue Leadership retrospective. We're celebrating our first two seasons and the countless leadership lessons shared by some of the most accomplished United States Air Force Academy graduates.   Wyatt Hornsby 00:31 Naviere, seasons 1 and 2 have showcased amazing leadership stories and takeaways. From the very start, Long Blue Leadership has given listeners an inside look at real experiences, insights and advice from seasoned leaders, as well as those just beginning their leadership journeys. These deep dives have explored how leaders not only face challenges head-on but also find ways to inspire and empower those around them.   Naviere Walkewicz 00:58 Yes, what really sets this podcast apart is the mix of our guests' perspectives on leadership. These discussions have touched on teamwork, perseverance, humility, excellence and service before self.   Wyatt Hornsby 01:12 In this edition of Long Blue Leadership, we're sharing a few of our favorite moments. Not easy, because there are so many. Plus, we'll give you a preview of Season 3, which launches soon.   Naviere Walkewicz 01:23 And so, without further ado, Wyatt, let's get into our Long Blue Leadership podcast.   Wyatt Hornsby Let's do it, Naviere.   Naviere Walkewicz Some of our favorite moments. This was not easy to do at all.   Wyatt Hornsby 01:33 Indeed, it was not easy. Two seasons — and Naviere, while we're at it, I just want to congratulate you; awesome job on hosting Long Blue Leadership, and also a little plug for our friend Doug Lindsay as well for doing a great job as host.   Naviere Walkewicz 01:46 It's been an amazing journey, and I think the biggest thing for me has been just being able to share some of the stories of our graduates. So, like we said, picking just a few of them was really hard, but it's been just a beautiful transformation of where we started and where we're going in Season 3.   Wyatt Hornsby 02:01 It's been wonderful storytelling, and I hope that our listeners have been able to take away some great actionable insights for their own leadership journeys, whether they're Academy graduates or others seeking to develop as leaders.   Naviere Walkewicz 02:13 I know I personally took some things away from all of these conversations. I think some of them we'll highlight today.   Wyatt Hornsby 02:18 Wonderful. Let's do it. Looking forward to it.   Naviere Walkewicz 02:21 So, I think you might have the first one you wanted to highlight.   Wyatt Hornsby 02:24 So Naviere, as we said, I mean, it's so difficult to find our favorites. I mean, there are just so many across seasons 1 and 2. But I'm going to tell you, I was so struck by Coach Troy Calhoun, Class of '89. That conversation was absolutely awesome. And a couple of things stood out to me, and we'll listen to a clip from our conversation with Coach Calhoun, but a couple things that stood out to me was, I think a lot of people, when they think about Coach Calhoun and him coming on to do a conversation, they're probably going to expect him to talk about the Xs and Os and strategy and how the Falcons are looking for the season. But in this case, what Coach Calhoun did was he came in and he talked about his own leadership journey all the way from the beginning growing up in Oregon. And I just think that throughout the conversation, we learned a lot about him as a person, his family, his formative experiences. And really what I took away from it additionally, was the unique importance of athletics at the Academy, and how Coach Calhoun and his program, like all sports at USAFA, are developing leaders of character for our Air Force and Space Force. Just an awesome conversation.   Naviere Walkewicz 03:37 It was an awesome conversation. I think it really talks about — one of the things that stood out, I think, in the clip that you picked up is really about how he views leadership and taking care of people. Let's give it a listen.   Wyatt Hornsby Indeed.   Troy Calhoun 03:49 You need to be doing something that you love, that you're passionate about. And the other part is, again, just the involvement that you have with your people. And, you know, to get in there, literally, where you're hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder. And I think sometimes, whether you're in a leadership role or maybe you have a certain rank, you think, “Well, I can't do that in order to maintain my distance professionally.” And I wholeheartedly disagree. I think you have to be able to operate from different perspectives as a leader. I think, clearly, you can still articulate and live the standards that are a part of your operation or your unit or your football program. But again, it's about people.   Naviere Walkewicz 04:46 Well said. It really is.   Wyatt Hornsby 04:47 Well said. Earlier in the conversation too, he had a point where he talked about three things, his philosophy of leadership. You talked to him about his philosophy of leadership. He talked about, as he said in that clip, being right there alongside your people. He talked about knowing your craft incredibly well — not just strategy, but also tactics. And as he mentioned in that clip really well, getting to know your people as humans and what makes them tick. It's easy to, listening to that conversation, it's easy to see why Coach Calhoun has been here for such a long time and been so successful as head football coach.   Naviere Walkewicz 05:25 I think one of the lines I remember him sharing about when we talked about leadership was — I think I asked him, like, “It seems like it's really personal,” and he says, “Absolutely, leadership is personal.” It's about being… understanding who, you know, what's going on in their lives, because if you can understand what they're going through, then you can help them through some challenges and move them to, you know, whatever everyone else is working through together. And so, I really appreciated that he talks about getting to know his people on a personal level, and he challenges all of his coaches to do the same. I think there was a point where he even shared that if he knew some of the team members better than the coaches did, then that was a problem, right? And so, I think he wanted to make sure that being a good leader is knowing who your people are and what they need.   Wyatt Hornsby 06:07 That's right. It's just so instructive and inspiring to those of us who are developing as leaders. And I mean, it goes without saying, college football is changing. It's changing a lot. But I think for Coach Calhoun, he just talks about, as you said, that importance of relationships. And amid all those in college sports, staying focused on the relationship aspect, getting to know his players and his coaches, and remaining hyper-focused on that mission, developing leaders of character for the Air Force and Space Force.   Naviere Walkewicz 06:38 What was something that you took from that personally, that, you know, maybe has evolved the way that you lead or are thinking about leadership?   Wyatt Hornsby 06:46 You know, I'm developing as a leader every day. I've had some tremendous mentors in my life, but I really — I enjoyed what he talked about, about knowing your craft. I think that's really important, because I think it helps you build credibility with those that you lead. Of course, you can't know everything about everything that you lead, but knowing your craft, understanding not just the strategies and the tactics, and I think that helps you build credibility with your team and provide the right leadership to set the vision and the priorities for your team.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:21 I love that. I think what I took from that conversation was really about being humble. I mean, to be where he at is in his career, and I just felt across the table someone who was so humble in every day, learning from everyone around him and trying to really kind of give back in that way. That's something I always want to try and strive to do.   Wyatt Hornsby 07:41 I agree completely. And by the way, he talked about his younger sister, a 10-time all-American, which is pretty incredible. She's also an Academy graduate. And I think if I recall, he said that he looks up to his younger sister. So, I took that away, too. Just a humble, humble leader.   Naviere Walkewicz 07:59 I love that. Well, I'd like to go into one of my favorite moments, and it was with Brig. Gen. Gavin P. Marks, Class of '96, the commandant of the Air Force Academy currently. And this one was special for me, Wyatt, for multiple reasons. I have two cadets, as you know, that are going through the Air Force Academy under his leadership, but he was also my basic cadet commander. So, when I was at the Academy as a four-degree, he was leading us through Basic Cadet Training. And a funny story I'll share with you: When I was later in my career as a civilian working at Offutt Air Force Base. He was the wing commander at office Air Force Base, and I was working at STRATCOM, Strategic Command. I turned around a corner, and I immediately go, “Huh, Gavin P. Marks!” and he started laughing, and he goes, “What year are you?” And I said, “'99,” and he said, “It's good that you still remember my middle initial.” But it stuck out to me and then the funny thing after that, I said, “I never knew you had so many teeth,” because he would scare us. But the reason why this podcast was so special was because I think it brought me to a new level of understanding that — in remembering that we're all human right, and so we all have things that we go through. And so, to hear him from his humble days, talking about his mom, I really just enjoyed his perspective on, you know, his career, which wasn't necessarily a trajectory that he was planning. He certainly had some goals of he would love to have been the commandant at the Academy, but it certainly, you know — it kind of moved in a way that we'll talk about in this clip. And so, I'm interested to hear your thoughts on that conversation before we jump into the clip.   Wyatt Hornsby 09:35 He has extraordinary presence — Gen. Marks does. And it came through not just in the podcast conversation. We had a reunion, several reunions, where he provided a senior leader briefing, and you can just feel that presence and that commitment and that dedication to the USAFA mission. And I'm really excited to hear this clip and then also share another thought on something from the conversation that really stuck out to me as well.   Naviere Walkewicz 10:00 All right. Well, let's roll the clip.   Brig. Gen. Marks 10:03 But as you command at higher levels, while the impact — and I probably should have said it this way: The impact that you would have on so many individual airmen's lives lessons, the impact that you can have on an individual airman's life magnifies based on rank. It is significant also, and I always — one of the things that I tell people all the time is, it's an oversimplification, but the only reason to have rank is to do good, is to do good things, to make things happen in a positive way that affect positively mission and benefit airmen's lives. That's it. That's all. And if rank becomes something different than that for you, you're in the wrong business, or we've given it to the wrong person. If I'm being honest with you.   Naviere Walkewicz 10:55 What did you think about when you heard that?   Wyatt Hornsby 10:56 I am glad that he is the commandant of cadets at the United States Air Force Academy. And I think that I would go so far as to say that what he said there probably reflects how many Air Force — probably all — Air Force Academy graduates feel about leadership, that it's an opportunity to do good for other people, to improve lives, to move people forward, to elevate performance, to lift others. So, super powerful.   Naviere Walkewicz 11:24 I think what was also really great about our conversation was how he talked about the importance of family. And I think when you — sometimes when you think about a leader that's made it to such levels in their career, you think, “Well, it's career above everything else.” But he actually talked about how there are a couple of times when he might have retired had he not had the support from his wife and from his family. And I thought that was really insightful as well, where he really consulted them on some of his biggest decisions.   Wyatt Hornsby 11:52 That's right, perhaps his closest and most valued partners in life.   Naviere Walkewicz 11:56 Yes, I think that's something that our listeners can really value. I know I took that to heart as well, because while it is important, and obviously our professional lives are such a huge part of our lives, our lives are much more holistic than that, right? I think having your networks of support and leadership are really important.   Wyatt Hornsby 12:14 I agree. And Naviere, while we're talking about Gen. Marks too, I gotta put in a plug, and I know we're not gonna listen to this clip, but he told an awesome story about a $20 bill and the Honor Code.   Naviere Walkewicz Yes.   Wyatt Hornsby And as I recall, he really talked about how that was one of the experiences that made him see this United States Air Force Academy — it's a unique and different kind of place.   Naviere Walkewicz 12:38 Absolutely, and so if you missed that, it's a great time for you to go back to longblueleadership.org and listen to that clip in its full entirety.   Wyatt Hornsby 12:48 That's right. Let's talk about Nicole Malachowski, Class of 1996. This conversation — it was a recent conversation that you had with her — really stood out to me on a couple of different levels. Even as a child, she set her sights on what she wanted to do in life, which was to become a fighter pilot. She was focused on that, and at the height of her career, she had a very difficult setback that she spoke I thought very openly and vulnerably about. I just really appreciated that. But in this clip that we're going to play, Naviere, and I'd love to hear your reaction before our good friend, producer Ted rolls it, I would love to just hear your thoughts about this clip and just really important advice that a mentor provided to her at a key moment.   Naviere Walkewicz 13:33 I think you teed it up perfectly. I would say, from sitting across the table, what I felt when I heard that was just a sense of pride in remembering that we all bring something to the table, and empowerment in not being afraid to go forward with it. So, let's give it a listen.   Nicole Malachowski 13:51 I remember thinking, “Thank God I didn't put myself out there. Thank God, Nicole,” you know… now I'm a 30-year-old captain, so I'm still a young person. “Thank God you didn't risk failure. Who are you to think you could be a Thunderbird? Silly girl.” Right? And in that moment, the weirdest thing happened, and I tell this story on stage sometimes. The door opened to the Officer's Club, and in walked the wing commander, Brig. Gen. Mark Matthews. And in that moment, over walks my squadron commander, a wonderful man by the name of Dan DeBree. His call sign was “Trash.” Get it? Trash, debris. Trash walks over, super excited, very supportive of my application, and he's like, “Hey, general, did you know Nicole's applying to be a Thunderbird?” Man, I mean, you could have slowed down time. I was like, “Ix-nay on the underbird-tay,” like, “This is terrible.” Neither of these guys knew that I had removed my application, and Dan's standing there all proud. He's my squadron commander, supporting me — a great man, again. And Mark Matthews looks down at me, Gen. Matthews, and he goes, “That's great. How's your application going?” And I'm like — I looked at him, and here's what happened. I said, “You know, so it's hard to be a Thunderbird, but I probably won't get picked. They haven't had a woman, so I don't want to waste anybody's time.”   Naviere Walkewicz Oh, you said everything.   Nicole Malachowski I said it. I said all of it, and this is kind of an embarrassing story to tell, but I'm just, this is the truth, right? This is the vulnerable truth of how this happened. And he looked down at me, and I will never forget this, and I hope folks listening who have big dreams and gnarly goals remember this. He looked down at me and he said, “Nicole.” Actually, he said, “Fifi.” My call sign. “Fifi, nobody wants to lead a scripted life.” And he walked away and left me in extraordinarily uncomfortable silence. And those words, “…nobody wants to lead a scripted life…” have become my life's mantra. Every time I get the knot in my stomach that says that dream is too big or that idea is too innovative, don't rock the boat. I remember what he said, because those words, like, they lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders, told me it was OK to dream big. It was OK to buck the status quo. It was OK to be different. He was telling me it's OK to risk failure in pursuit of personal, professional growth. And it's not so much I think he's telling you and me to write ourselves into the script. What he was saying was, don't ever write yourself out of the script, and as leaders and teammates, don't you ever write anybody else or their wild ideas out of the script either.   Wyatt Hornsby 16:08 That is so powerful. I mean, I know that I have that inner critic, that voice that sometimes tells me, “Write yourself out of the script. You're not good enough. You're not going to make it. Why did you do that?” And probably a lot of us do. Naviere, what do you think?   Naviere Walkewicz 16:24 Oh, definitely. I mean, even up to that, she had had that voice in her head, and she shared, right before that clip, she finally got the courage to go into the group commander's office to submit that package. And, you know, the person working at the desk said, “Well, he really only has one, you know, one slot to give so we don't want to waste it on you.” And I think those very specific words make that inner voice, that inner critic, even louder and just kudos to the wing commander for really kind of right setting, I think a perspective that has clearly shaped her life.   Wyatt Hornsby 16:59 I agree completely. And we just talked about Gen. Marks and how he talked about doing good for others as a leader. And I think that's what we saw here with Gen. Matthews and the story that Nicole shared.   Naviere Walkewicz 17:11 Yes. There were so many amazing moments in her session with me, in her podcast, and so another one that I wanted to call out, because I think many may not know until they listen to her full story, but she actually battled a pretty critical, life-changing disease, and, frankly, she talked about resilience and how resilience is important, but really for her, it was about resurgence. I thought that was pretty powerful in that podcast as well. Did that kind of speak to you in any way?   Wyatt Hornsby 17:42 It really did. And I actually think it kind of goes back to “no one wants to lead a scripted life.” I don't think Nicole definitely had that in the script, her health challenge. But it came, and she spoke very honestly about it, about how difficult it was. She had some really, really difficult days, and she found a way forward. She wrote that new script for what she was going to do with the rest of her life. So, that moment really stuck out to me too. Super powerful conversation, and I got the sense too as I was listening to Nicole — and you did such a great job with that conversation — was that she knows who she is. You can tell that she has thought deeply about who she is as a person, as a leader, and she wants to go out and engage with and inspire other audiences and other leaders. So, really came out beautifully in this conversation.   Naviere Walkewicz 18:34 That was, in fact, I think one of her giving nuggets to others that were listening was really take the time to know who you are and know what you believe in, what you stand for, and then the rest kind of fills in the blanks.   Wyatt Hornsby Well said.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, the next one that I want to speak about is 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, Class of '23 and Miss America.   Wyatt Hornsby Miss America.   Naviere Walkewicz Miss America. Can we just say that? But what was so great about this particular podcast was, yes, she is Miss America, but we spent so much time getting to know her. And really, I think the depth of who Madison Marsh is, it really kind of blew my mind.   Wyatt Hornsby 19:11 Yes. And similar to Nicole Malachowski — Madison Marsh, she had something really difficult happen to her that she's going to go into in the clip that we talked about, and no one should have to go through what Madison did, but she found a way forward. And I think just her story is remarkably inspiring.   Naviere Walkewicz 19:33 I actually don't want to give it away. I think we should just roll the clip.   Wyatt Hornsby 19:35 Let's do it.   Madison Marsh 19:36 I basically printed out all of my essays that I knew that people had to submit in the past for the Academy. I did resumes. I came with my GPA, everything, and I walked right up to my congressman and I handed it to him, and I said, “I want to go to the Air Force Academy, and I want to be your nominee.” And I'm sure he was like, who's…   Naviere Walkewicz …I love every bit of this…   Madison Marsh So, I was very firm early on, and so we were able to start an incredible relationship with one another. And so, because I did that — I think that was maybe my junior year, early on in my junior year — when it came time my senior year, he fought for me all of the time to get my application in front of people, because I was his principal nominee, and we had a very, very special moment. So, he called me on Oct. 31 and told me that I had gotten early acceptance to the Academy, and so I got to tell my mom, and the next morning she passed away. So having an experience like that is — that's why the Academy and Congressman Womack are so special to me, because that was my dream for years, and my mom got to know before she passed away. And it's just everything happens at the right timing, and you never know until afterwards. And so, now I get to be here; now I get to wear the uniform. And even though she hasn't gotten to see it, she got to know about it. And it just because of those first instances where I marched up to him and I said, like, I want to be here. I got to have experiences like that. And now I get to have wonderful experiences of now serving post-Academy life.   Naviere Walkewicz 21:04 I mean, I think that clip still gives me feelings of in that moment where she shared that because I had known that her mom had passed away. But I think what was so powerful about her sharing that story was in the bit of, you know, believing in yourself, going full for something, and then having someone believe in you and champion you to the point where, when you actually get there, and having her mom spend that with her before she passed. I just — that moment was something really special.   Wyatt Hornsby 21:34 It really is powerful. It must have been an honor and a privilege to have been able to share that moment with Lt. Marsh.   Naviere Walkewicz 21:41 It really was, and I think her whole conversation — what really inspired me, first, the fact that she actually started a foundation in her mom's name, the Whitney Marsh Foundation, but also more so that it actually shaped how she was as a cadet. She talked about, when she had the opportunity to champion others, so, you know, as she progressed in her cadet years, she wanted to make sure that other cadets had someone that they could talk to, so that she would be a voice for them, that she would hear them, and she would see them. And I think that was really powerful, because sometimes she was saying how she had felt lost and how she didn't have that support. And so, she turned it around and made sure that she was that person for someone else.   Wyatt Hornsby 22:19 Another example, Naviere, of someone who uses leadership opportunities to do good for others.   Naviere Walkewicz 22:25 Absolutely. And I thought, what was also fascinating, as such a young officer, she also — to Nicole Malachowski's point — took some time to know herself because she had been groomed, or maybe not groomed is not the right word, but she had, since early times of wanting to go to the Academy, had thought, I'm going to be a pilot and had been working towards her hours and her private pilot's license to get to the point where she could go to pilot training and become a pilot. And said, “Maybe this, this isn't my trajectory,” and looking into policy and so I think to the point of knowing who you are and knowing what you know you're really passionate about. Also, to what Coach Troy Calhoun said, they all kind of weave together. I thought that was really powerful.   Wyatt Hornsby 23:06 Agree. I thought it was very powerful too. And I'm really excited — I'm sure you are too, and a lot of graduates — just to see what she does with her life. I think that she's going to do some great work, and I think we're going to continue to hear about the amazing work that Madison Marsh is pushing forward, whether it's with cancer research and treatments or some other very, very important, worthy cause.   Naviere Walkewicz 23:29 Absolutely. No doubt about that.   Wyatt Hornsby 23:32 All right. Naviere, this next one, this was early Season 1, and our friend Dr. Doug Lindsay hosted this conversation. Doug is Class of 1992. It really stood out to me, and it was a conversation with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) B.J. Shwedo, Class of '87. Remarkable conversation with the director of the USAFA Institute for Future Conflict about the role that graduates are going to continue to play in our nation's security.   Naviere Walkewicz 23:59 I agree. Gen. Shwedo is such a dynamic speaker, and every time I have a chance to hear from him, I learn something new. But maybe for the sake of our listeners, in case they haven't heard that one yet, can you talk about what the IFC is?   Wyatt Hornsby 24:10 The IFC is the Institute for Future Conflict. So, it stood up a couple of years ago at the United States Air Force Academy. And really the goal is to inculcate across the Academy — and I'm not going to do this justice the way Gen. Shwedo can — but to inculcate across the Academy a focus on preparing cadets for what they will be facing amid Great Power Competition and for them to be able to bring that holistic thinking and that multi-domain thinking to how to fight and win the nation's wars if they are called upon.   Naviere Walkewicz 24:45 It's pretty incredible, some of the things that our cadets are exposed to. I remember when I was a cadet, I couldn't imagine have been briefed by some of our combatant commanders and having top-secret clearance levels to understand, really, what the adversary looks like and what we're up against. But they're looking at it across all different domains, and it's preparing our soon-to-be graduates for what's up for them right after.   Wyatt Hornsby 25:11 That's right. And one thing I'll mention before we roll the clip: Like you Naviere, I've heard Gen. Shwedo talk. In fact, we've been in probably many of the same talks, and graduates respond so well to what he shares, and I think it just instills even more confidence in the mission and the priorities of the Air Force Academy. So, without further ado, what do you say we roll that clip?   Naviere Walkewicz Let's roll the clip.   Gen. Shwedo 25:34 What we got to do is make them aware of the environment we're dumping them in. And case in point, I have one cadet he raises his hand like, you know, “Hypersonic missiles — I don't understand what's the big deal about that.” And I go, “OK, well, first of all, yes, they're fast, but as you remember from Physics 110, a ballistic missile trajectory is all mathematics. That's how the Patriot works. Hypersonic missiles can maneuver. So, all your math is now dead,” and go, “Oh, by the way, when you look down the range and you see all those antennas, NORAD, for the most part, was looking up to the north, because the quickest way to get an ICBM to the United States was over the top. You can actually take a hypersonic missile, put it in a low-Earth orbit, and that attack will come out of Antarctica.” Same cadet immediately raises his hand and goes, “So the maneuvering, is that RF, command guy?” and he's immediately trying to get into it. And I'm like, “I love you, man.” Because honestly, when you start making them aware of the threats, they immediately start thinking countermeasures. So, from the leadership standpoint, they understand that piece.   Naviere Walkewicz 26:44 Yes, I think that is huge. And it really talks about understanding what you're up against. I think what I really loved about what Gen. Shwedo said, was having the awareness allowed for them to start thinking about countermeasures. And I think that really does translate to leadership. When you have awareness of things, you can make better decisions. You can think about how you take care of your people better. It just actually translates across so many levels of leadership. What do you think?   Wyatt Hornsby 27:09 I agree completely, and I think too, just spending time with cadets — you would know better than I Naviere, you have two up on the Hill right now — but so curious, so curious. And they're here for a reason. They had choices in where they could have pursued what they wanted to do after high school, and they chose the United States Air Force Academy because they want to serve our country and, if called upon, fight and win those nation's wars. And so, just kudos to the work not only Gen. Shwedo is doing, but the cadets too, who are just so curious and so responsive to that awareness and really thinking deeply and preparing themselves for what the world is confronting the United States and our allies with.   Naviere Walkewicz 27:53 Absolutely. I think, what I really appreciate about Gen. Shwedo as well is he's another graduate that's giving back to our Academy, right? He's facilitating all of these lessons. He's helping to really promote how we can do this better. But it goes to show how our graduates are really involved with our Air Force Academy.   Wyatt Hornsby 28:12 A lifetime of service. I think that's what Gen. Shwedo would say. He came back because he wanted to continue to serve.   Naviere Walkewicz 28:18 Yes, absolutely. Well, the last moment that we'll talk about — and again, this was so hard, because there were so many good ones — comes from Karl Falk, Class of '98 the CEO of Botdoc. And this one was special for me, not only because we were at the Academy together, but I didn't know him then, and I know him now as a parent of also a cadet at the Academy. And his story was so, so incredible. Because when you think of a CEO of anything, you think, “Wow, this person's so accomplished. They've done all of these things.” And, you know, they must be doing great, and he is, but it started from humble beginnings. And when you take the time to listen to his podcast, it will really kind of help you see that you can start from anywhere and achieve anything, just as he did. This particular clip I have picked for us to listen to, though, is about kind of having people in your corner, and when people recognize in you, maybe before you do, how they can champion you. Let's give it a listen.   Karl Falk 29:20 You know, being in Texas, there's more spotlight on football, and I had some very good coaches. My head football coach in high school, Coach Bubba Fife — everyone in Katie knows Bubba Fife — and even to this day, he's still involved in the in the school district. But he was a big advocate for me, with coaches that came by, and there's some stuff I didn't find out until out until later in life where, you know, back then, it wasn't common for the school to provide shoes and, you know, some guys had their own pads and stuff like that. And I remember my mom years later telling me that actually Coach Fife came to her with money and said, “This is, uh — get him some shoes.” Sorry. That got to me a little bit more than I thought it was gonna be. So, I guess what I can say is, there's been a lot of people, I'm where I'm today because of a lot of people throughout my entire life, and I have a lot to be grateful for. But I was very fortunate to have those coaches in my life because — there was actually a time, this is actually a crazy story. There was a time where — so, I was the big, fat tuba player too. So, I kind of did everything because I enjoyed it, but there was a point where I kind of had to make a decision, because I was actually the guy that was playing football, and then, you know, marching band and football, and that's really tough to do. And I had made up in my mind that I was going to quit football, and because, you know, I didn't have a dad around, and my mom wasn't really into sports, like, I am and my kids are now. And I made up my mind, so I went to talk to one of the coaches, Coach Schubert, and, and I told him, I said, “I'm gonna quit football and, you know, I'm gonna be in the band.” And, and he looks at me, he goes, “No!”   Naviere Walkewicz 31:22 Right there. Sometimes the best answer you can get from a boss or a mentor or anybody is, “no.” What do you think, Wyatt?   Wyatt Hornsby 31:29 And by the way, Naviere, I'm trying to figure out the logistics. How do you play football and participate in the band? I played football in high school. I just don't know how you do that.   Naviere Walkewicz 31:40 You probably didn't change your clothes. You probably wore your uniform, though.   Wyatt Hornsby 31:43 Oh my gosh, like, I don't even know how you do that. But no, this was an extraordinary conversation. And you know, one of the things I like about the conversations that you've led and hosted, Naviere, is really going back to the beginning. And my takeaway from that conversation with Karl and that clip that we just played: He's never forgotten where he came from. As you said, he's become very successful in life. He's done well for himself, but he's never forgotten where he came from and who helped him along the way. Sometimes, Naviere, it just takes a pair of shoes.   Naviere Walkewicz 32:19 Oh gosh, that conversation was like I was getting to know someone all over again, because I got to know him as a parent of a fellow cadet. Him and his sons, Alec and Arden, were cadets there at the Prep School, now in the Class of '27, but seeing him through his own eyes, it just opened up a whole new experience for me. And I think one of the things I appreciated about his conversation as well was he talked about some of the tough times in getting to be successful. And while, yes, he had those people in his corner that helped him get there, there were times when — I think he even said, you know, “I didn't pay myself, like we might have missed a meal so that my folks could eat,” when he was still building his business. And I think it talks about the grit and kind of hard work and perseverance it takes to become successful. So, while he never forgot where he came from, he also talked about kind of the path to get there, and just the resilience and all of that in that. And I thought that was a really powerful story he shared.   Wyatt Hornsby 33:13 Agree, and I would suspect that grit and that perseverance, those were formed early in life, but then also really developed when he was here at the Academy. What do you think?   Naviere Walkewicz 33:26 Agree. And I think, and we talked about the lifetime of service that our graduates live. His company has actually given back to the Class of '27 through various ways. And so, I think it really does kind of show how, you know, you never forget where you come from, and then when you can, you give in ways that are meaningful. I think that's really powerful too.   Wyatt Hornsby 33:44 That's right. Well, Naviere, that was an awesome conversation. I just so enjoyed revisiting those conversations, and again, just mad congratulations to you, and thanks to you and Doug for just doing such a great job. I mean, this was tough, choosing the conversations that we just talked about, because there are just so many great ones, so many great ones. And I hope that our listeners will go back and listen to those conversations from seasons 1 and 2. But while they're at it, also tell others about Long Blue Leadership. Help spread the word, because these conversations are really impactful.   Naviere Walkewicz 34:20 Absolutely, and we can really use feedback coming directly to us at socialmedia@usafa.org. That's a way they can directly let us know what they enjoyed, what we can do better and what they can look forward to in Season 3.   Wyatt Hornsby 34:32 That's right. I mean, the podcast space, it's competitive, and there are a lot of great podcast shows out there, and so we know we just have to continue to raise that bar and elevate what we're doing. So, our listener feedback is so important and just continuous improvement and excellence in all we do.   Naviere Walkewicz 34:49 Absolutely. Well, thanks. Wyatt. Well, before we share what's coming up in Season 3, we'd like to take a moment and thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Watch or listen to all episodes of Long Blue Leadership at longblueleadership.org.   Wyatt Hornsby 35:11 Naviere, this was a real pleasure. I really enjoyed talking about these awesome episodes from seasons 1 and 2. And while we're at it, let's also thank our good friend Ted, who's done just remarkable work in helping to produce this show. And our listeners may not get to hear much from Ted, but he is behind the scenes doing awesome work on the show.   Naviere Walkewicz 35:32 He really is. Ted makes us look great, and when you say congratulations to me, it's only because Ted has been right alongside me all this way, and Doug, and anyone else that's been part of this podcast. It really has been us working with Ted.   Wyatt Hornsby 35:46 So, Ted, I'm going to put you on the spot. Share with us a little bit about maybe a couple of your takeaways from seasons 1 and 2, and what this process, what this experience has been like for you.   Ted Robertson 35:59 I can think about the first day I walked in the door, had my first eyes on the studio, and I'm thinking, “We're gonna have some fun here. We're gonna touch some lives, and we're gonna do some great things.” And it's been a real privilege to be a part of the communications team. And I talk a lot about the people that I work with, but Naviere, you've become a partner, and together, along with everybody else on the team, we're looking forward to bringing some more of these moments to our listeners and just sharing what leadership is all about. And we want to make it global. So, Season 3 coming and lots of great things to come in Season 3. I hope that sort of answers your question. The highlights for me are working with all of you.   Naviere Walkewicz 36:50 Aww, thanks, Ted. And speaking of what Ted was talking about, Season 3 is coming up. Should we share some of the amazing guests we're gonna have on the podcast?   Wyatt Hornsby 36:59 I think we should, Naviere, I mean, I am like you. I am so excited about Season 3. We've got some amazing names and Naviere. One of our guests is going to be Dr. Heather Wilson, Class of '82, 24th secretary of the Air Force. And she's also currently the president of the University of Texas, El Paso. So cannot wait to have the secretary — I don't know whether to call her Secretary Wilson or Dr. Wilson.   Naviere Walkewicz 37:23 I'm sure I'm going to find out, because I'm so excited to have that conversation with her as well.   Wyatt Hornsby 37:27 Likewise, and Naviere, I think also, we have a classmate who we're going to be talking to?   Naviere Walkewicz 37:31 Oh, we have a couple of classmates, actually. So, one of them, Joel Neeb goes by call-sign “Thor,” — Class of '99, Gold Will Shine — who has been a tremendously successful fighter pilot. He's authored some books, a former CEO, but he dealt with some very specific, I think, health challenges that shaped a new trajectory for him. And I'm not going to give it away. I think that's what they'll learn about in the podcast.   Wyatt Hornsby 37:56 I've had a couple of opportunities to spend time with Thor, and I'm excited about this one too. I think it's going to be an awesome conversation.   Naviere Walkewicz 38:03 Yes. And his is one where it really is about family too. I think we're going to hear some of that. And then my other classmate is with the FBI, so Mark McCulloch, Class of '99, and I think you've actually done a story on him recently on your team.   Wyatt Hornsby 38:17 I think we did a story on him in Checkpoints a couple of years ago, written by Jeff Holmquist. Yeah, I can't wait for this one too.   Naviere Walkewicz 38:26 It's amazing what Class of '99 is doing, but there's others. Who else shall we highlight today, Wyatt?   Naviere Walkewicz 38:43 We also have some young alumni, current board directors that will be speaking to. One of them is a Young Alumni Excellence Award winner, Emma Przybyslawski, Class of 2010.   Wyatt Hornsby 38:51 Can't wait to hear that one. And Emma — so she recently, as you said, received the Young Alumni Excellence Award. And I thought I knew Emma, and I learned a few things about her in our profile of her. So, that's going to be an awesome conversation.   Naviere Walkewicz 39:06 Can't wait to speak with her. And then Joe Bledsoe, class president for the Class of 2011, but also working with Gen. Shwedo right now.   Wyatt Hornsby 39:13 That's right. He's a fellow up in the Institute for Future Conflict. And again, just a remarkable graduate, a fighter pilot, really looking forward to that conversation. end of year. One other that I'm really excited about, Matt Kuta, Class of 2005 co-founder of Voyager Space and a former fighter pilot, really looking forward to that conversation as well.   Naviere Walkewicz 39:36 We have so many amazing grads to share stories with, and we could go down the list, but I think that's a good one just to, you know, whet the appetite. What do you think?   Wyatt Hornsby 39:44 I agree completely. I'm just excited about Season 3 and we'll get this going.   Naviere Walkewicz 39:49 Absolutely. Wyatt, this has been a blast. Thank you so much for joining me today.   Wyatt Hornsby 39:53 And thank you for inviting me, Naviere. This was a lot of fun.   Naviere Walkewicz 39:57 Absolutely, and we thank you for joining us as well. We can't wait to share our third season of Long Blue Leadershipbeginning this February. You can expect more compelling stories from outstanding USAFA graduates, each sharing unique perspectives and practical advice on overcoming challenges and inspiring others. With a mix of thought-provoking conversations and real-life experiences, Season 3 promises to engage, inspire and empower both seasoned and aspiring leaders alike. Visit longblueleadership.org for more episodes and to subscribe. Also, nominate a guest or send us your feedback at socialmedia@usafa.org, and finally, Long Blue Leadership is available on all of your favorite podcast apps. We can't wait to see you there.   KEYWORDS leadership lessons, season highlights, guest perspectives, teamwork, perseverance, humility, service, season three preview, Gavin Marks, Commandant of Cadets, Nicole Malachowski, Thunderbird pilot, tick born illness, Lyme Disease, Coach Calhoun, Falcons Football, Madison Marsh, Miss America, Karl Falk, Bot Doc, B.J. Schwedo, Institute for Future Conflict, leadership journey, character development, personal growth, mentorship, resilience, future conflict       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation  

 Visibility at Full Throttle!   Heather Wilson, a motorsports marketing consultant, shares how she helps racers, event organizers, and sponsors boost their visibility and revenue in the competitive world of motorsports. Learn how her passion for riding and marketing expertise come together to drive success for her clients. Become The Visible CEO: https://thevisibleceo.com/becomingConnect with Heather:Website https://highgearsuccess.com/Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/highgearsuccessDrop us a message...Don't forget to share this episode and tag me @itscrissyconner on Instagram and @crissyconner on Facebook to be entered to win!

 Visibility at Full Throttle!   Heather Wilson, a motorsports marketing consultant, shares how she helps racers, event organizers, and sponsors boost their visibility and revenue in the competitive world of motorsports. Learn how her passion for riding and marketing expertise come together to drive success for her clients. Become The Visible CEO: https://thevisibleceo.com/becomingConnect with Heather:Website https://highgearsuccess.com/Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/highgearsuccessDrop us a message...Don't forget to share this episode and tag me @itscrissyconner on Instagram and @crissyconner on Facebook to be entered to win!

Tony chats with Heather Wilson, CEO at Clara Analytics, an end-to-end AI claims platform for Casualty and Comp. Clara's first appearance on Profiles in Risk was Ep. 390. Today we do an update where we talk about the evolution of Clara, how AI is affecting the insurance industry, and several other topics.Heather Wilson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-h-wilson-40a61b8/Clara Analytics: https://claraanalytics.com/Original Episode about Clara Analytics: https://youtu.be/gRjVwggtyFM?si=TaPkrHzdSXOEgNVKOWNR OPS PodcastStarting a business by offering a service to your local community is one of the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Have you ever felt limited in your own career? Or perhaps one day, on the train ride to your "personal dream" job you decide you want to take Kick Ball Change and PIVOT? Never let fear lead you is the message from our guest Miss Heather J Wilson in this deeply inspiring second act of her Kick Ball Change. Join us as she guides us into how she CHOOSE to change her path, establishing her own Kick Ball Change, that led her to opening her own companies and dance studios, and how she continues to be a leader in the Dance Education World with Baa Baa Ballet, Grunt if You Understand and educating the next generation of creative talent at Eastern University.

This exploding TWO ACT Podcast should inspire anyone and EVERYONE. Miss Heather Wilson defies the dance world, and finds creative ways to Kick Ball Change her way through life. Follow her journey as a young dancer, who was faced with enough kick ball changes to make anyone quit. She pushed right through and found her PIVOT into dance education. The Kick Ball Changes continue from starting Non-profits dance programs, opening dance studio space, navigating heartache and raising power-willed children. Heather is the director and leader of Baa Baa Ballet https://www.baabaaballet.com/ A comprehensive preschool dance education program, and recently launched her latest project, Grunt if you Understand! https://www.gruntifyouunderstand.com/ A fundamental program applying visceral learning with science to strengthen young dancers in Ballet. We hope you are just as inspired after ACT I, you begin to let your kick ball changes move you forward, and not get hung up on them. Sometimes too a kick ball change can last an 8 count or 8 years. You decide if you get better or bitter.

Individuals who have served in the armed forces can help close today's talent gap. To effectively leverage this mission-driven talent pool, we've called in HR expert Heather Wilson, Executive Vice President and CHRO of Astrion, and a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Highlights [2:35] Why hire veterans? [5:11] Proactive recruitment of veterans [8:21] Resources for hiring veterans [12:35] Supporting successful transitions  to industry [17:52] Challenges and recommendations for integration [26:02] Veterans within your organization can help recruit military talent  [29:48] Supporting military families [35:43] Paid leave policies for military reserves personnel [36:49] Celebrating the veterans at your company [37:51] Best practices for attracting and retaining talent with a military background Guest Bio Heather Wilson, Executive Vice President and CHRO, Astrion Heather Wilson has more than 25 years of human resources leadership experience. Before joining Astrion, she was at SAIC as a Senior Vice President for their Defense and Civilian Sector, supporting over 14,000 employees. Before SAIC, Heather held positions of increasing responsibility at Northrop Grumman, including serving as Sector Vice President of Human Resources for both the Defense Systems and Technology Services sectors. WashingtonExec recognized Heather as a “Top HR Exec to Watch” in 2022 and 2023.  Heather is a U.S. Navy veteran and a National Board Member for the Armed Services YMCA. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Capella University. Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-wilson-2a74ab25/ https://astrion.us/ https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/military-veterans/ https://www.hrmorning.com/articles/employee-referral/ Berta Aldrich's best-selling book, Winning the Talent Shift, is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119768713 We want to hear from you. Leave a review (5-Star would be nice!) on Apple Podcasts and add your question in the comment. We read every review and use them to choose topics, guests, and interview questions for the podcast. You can also reach out at podcast@hrmorning.com.  If you love this show, please share your favorite episodes with colleagues and on social media. We greatly appreciate your support. Thank you for listening. Remember to subscribe and follow us so you never miss an episode!  Voices of HR is brought to you by HRMorning.com.

Today's guests are George Williams, Head of Small Business at Nationwide Insurance, and Heather Wilson, CEO at CLARA Analytics. Nationwide is an investor in CLARA Analytics, an AI-as-a-service (AIaaS) provider that improves casualty claims outcomes. The pair join Emerj Senior Editor Matthew DeMello on today's episode to explain the impact of generative AI workflows on Insurance spaces. Later in the episode, both George and Heather share a broader vision for what the insurance landscape will look like once “proactive” approaches are commonplace. This episode is sponsored by CLARA Analytics. To learn more about Emerj Media and how to reach the Emerj audience, visit emerj.com/ad1.

Kruser talks to Heather Wilson from the LFUCG about reforesting the bluegrass and talks about how some people are using ZYN smokeless nicotine products for weight loss help in hour 1.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kruser talks to Heather Wilson with the LFUCG about the reforesting of the bluegrass and how trees can help prevent illness.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Veterinary Cancer Pioneers Podcast, Dr. Rachel Venable interviews Dr. Heather Wilson-Robles, Chief Medical Officer at Volition Veterinary and a seasoned veterinary oncologist with a rich history spanning academia and industry. Dr. Wilson-Robles shares insights on the crucial role mentorship has played throughout her career, starting from her early exposure to pediatric oncology, which led her to veterinary oncology. She discusses the significant impact that mentor-mentee relationships have had on her personal growth and professional development. The episode offers a deep dive into Dr. Wilson-Robles's contributions to the field and her ongoing efforts to advance veterinary oncology.

In this episode, Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined by Paul Taublieb. Paul recounts the challenges of organizing the first Freeride Moto X Championship and bringing freestyle motocross to the X Games. He discusses his Emmy-winning documentary, “Unchained: The Untold Story of Freestyle Motocross” and soon-to-be-released “Pay Dirt: The Story of Supercross”, highlighting the importance of storytelling and the human element in his films.  Learn more about Paul's work at: https://www.taubliebfilms.com/ Find Paul on Instagram: @paultaublieb MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined by Chuck Aksland and Cory Texter this week! The four discuss MotoAmerica's upcoming Mini Cup National Final at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Mini Cup Series provides an accessible entry into roadracing and allows young racers to develop technical skills and sportsmanship. For registration and more information on the Mini Cup, visit https://www.motoamerica.com/mini-cup/ Follow the Mini Cup Series on Instagram: @motoamericaminicup Find Cory on Facebook and Instagram MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined this week by Mike Witkowski! Mike is a GNCC XC1 Class competitor for Phoenix Racing Honda. He shares how he is always eager to learn and improve, and that includes trying new disciplines of racing – like AMA Pro Motocross -- during the GNCC summer break. Find Mike on Instagram: @mike_witcowski MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined this week by Carl Schlacht! As a former Supercross racer, Carl shares his experience with transitioning into road racing. He details his bike modifications and the attention to detail needed to be a competitive racer in Bagger Racing League. He also discusses his ventures as a photographer and videographer, as well as being a riding coach with The Speed Farm. But first, Heather and Clint take a look at the results from X Games Ventura! Find Carl on Instagram! @carlschlacht MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined this week by Craig Johnson, the co-founder and owner of Wild Ass Motorcycle Seats. Craig shares his experience completing the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge in 2022 and his love for long-distance riding. He also gives insight into the history and creation of Wild Ass Motorcycle Seats! But first, Clint and Heather chat about the 2024 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductees. Listen to The Wild Ass PodcASSt here! Find Craig on Instagram: @wildasscraig MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

This week, Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito speak with Ava Silvestri, the 2022 and 2023 AMA West Hare Scrambles Pro Women Champion! Ava shares insight into her training and competition goals in the future, as well as her upcoming participation in the 2024 ISDE. Find Ava on Instagram and support her travel to the ISDE! @avasilvestri MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Send us a Text Message.On this episode I talk with the great Heather Wixson. She is the author of the Monsters, Makeup, and Effects series and is also the co-author of the In Search of Darkness book. I had a killer time talking with Heather and I hope you enjoy this episode!https://dailydead.com/fangs-for-the-memories-heather-wixson-celebrates-16-years-of-entertainment-journalism-and-looks-ahead-to-the-future/https://www.audible.com/author/Heather-A-Wixson/B07GQ5DZP6https://aminkpublishing.com/monsters-makeup-%26-effectsSynth Outro by Abraxas HornMy email and social links:Brandonlegion666@yahoo.comTwitter: Horrorwolf666Instagram: Brandonlegion666 Facebook: Horrorwolf666Website: www.horrorwolf666.com(Merchandise)https://www.teepublic.com/user/the-horrorwolf666-podcasthttps://the-horrorwolf666-podcast.creator-spring.com/

On this week's episode, Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson chat with Scottie Deubler! Listen in to hear how Scottie got behind the mic, his perspective from the announcer's booth at races, and how he keeps up with the action on the track! Check out Scottie's podcast about flat track: Off The Groove Find Scottie on Instagram: @scottiedeubler MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

This week, Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined by Jason Gearld. In addition to being the Business Development Manager at Motorcycle Industry Jobs, Jason is also the founder and owner of Phoenix Handlebars! He talks through his journey to this position and shares his insights of how integral connections and relationships are to finding employment in the industry. MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined this week by Kody Kopp. He discusses his journey into flat track racing, some of the more technical aspects of flat track racing, and the challenges different tracks can bring. He also offers insight into the current season, aiming for a third-consecutive win in the AFT Singles Championship. Follow Kody on Instagram: @kodykopp43 MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

This week, Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined by Jon Freeman! Jon Freeman (on left) and Dana Nicholson (on right) are the creators of Crusty Demons of Dirt, a film which contributed to the rise of freestyle motocross. Jon provides insight into the wide variety of locations and sports that he has documented over the years, as well as his current projects. Follow Crusty Demons on Instagram: @crustysofficial MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Episode Recorded - 5/16/24 - More Insane Updates Regarding The Mica Miller Case 

This week on Pit Pass Moto, Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined by Aaron Twite! The three chat about Aaron's journey into stunt riding, which began in Atlanta. Aaron also shares insights from his experience performing as a stunt rider with Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. Find Aaron on instagram: @aarontwite MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts.

Give Send Go is competing fiercely against giant, Go Fund Me. As a Christian-based organization they've withstood the challenges of the left and its censorship. When the ‘other company' refused to to host the Kyle Rittenhouse and Canadian trucker convoy campaigns, Give Send Go stepped up to the plate. Heather Wilson, co-founder of Give Send Go explains how wokeness will be the fall of the giant and Give Send Go will be victorious in their mission of hope.For your next crowd funding campaign, choose a company that supports conservative, Christian family values at www.GiveSendGo.com-----------------------------------SPONSORS FOR THIS VIDEO

Hear what racers have to say after the first World Cup Downhill mountain bike race of 2024 in Fort William, Scotland.0:00 - Asa Vermette, Junior Men's Winner0:55 - Heather Wilson, Junior Women's Winner3:00 - Dakotah Norton7:52 - Nina Hoffmann10:47 - Tahnee Seagrave13:23 - Kale Cushman15:14 - Greg Williamson17:59 - Myriam Nicole20:25 - Cory Rimmer

On this week's Pit Pass Moto, co-hosts Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito chat with Brian Healea about his experience in the motorcycle industry, both on and off the track. Hear about his track racing years and his current role with MV Agusta. Follow MV Agusta on Instagram. MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor Aaron and Heather Wilson

On this week's Pit Pass Moto, co-hosts Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson speak with Jay Schweitzer about his journey into documenting freestyle motocross events and the progression in the sport over the last two decades. First, Heather and Clint recap their weekends at the ATV Motocross National and Two Wheels to Freedom Fest, respectively. Follow Jay on Instagram: @onthepipeseries Check out Gnarnia here! https://gnarniafilm.com/ Find copies of the On the Pipe Series at https://powerbandfilms.com/ MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Pit Pass Moto, co-hosts Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito welcome Colin Godby back to the show! They discuss Dust Moto's approach to building electric motorbikes and what they can bring to both experienced and new riders. Learn more about Dust Moto at www.dustmoto.com. Follow Dust Moto on Instagram: @dust.moto MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Pit Pass Moto, co-hosts Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined by Ricky Brabec, a 2X Dakar rally champion, and discuss the challenges of rally racing as well as the rewarding experiences that come with traveling around the world. But before that, Clint and Heather briefly discuss Adam Cianciarulo's retirement announcement. Follow Ricky on Instagram: @rickybrabec  MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Pit Pass Moto, Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito are joined by Randy Hawkins - AMA Hall of Fame Member and the owner of the AmPro Yamaha race team. Randy discusses the evolution of off-road racing over time, as well as his transition into managing a team. First, Clint talks to Heather about Two Wheels to Freedom Fest - an upcoming motorcycle event for both dirt and street bike enthusiasts in April, which Clint is organizing. Learn more about AmPro Yamaha here! MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Pit Pass Moto, Clint Esposito and Heather Wilson are joined by Michael Leib, co-founder of Canvas MX, to talk about how the company's customizable gear allows teams to potentially bring new sponsorships and funding into the community. But first, Heather and Clint discuss Yamaha's Outdoor Access Initiative and recap the Seattle Supercross. Visit canvasmx.com or find Canvas MX on Instagram! MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, co-hosts Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito discuss the upcoming SuperMotocross World Championship playoffs. Then, they are joined by Steve Sommerfeld, rider manager for Night of the Jumps and host of “The Rider's Lounge” to discuss his journey into rider management and dive into the intricacies behind ramp construction for FMX shows. Follow Steve on Instagram!  MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Rewatch every round of the 2023 series and revisit all the season's action with the Moto America Live+ video-on-demand streaming service. Or visit the Moto America YouTube Channel for race highlights and behind-the-scenes video content. Look for the 2024 race schedule to be announced soon over on the motoamerica.com website, and be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pit Pass Moto begins an exciting new chapter today as we welcome your two new hosts, Heather Wilson and Clint Esposito! They are both previous guests of the show and have varying backgrounds in the motorcycling. But, their love of the sport is matched as they open the next chapter in this podcast's history. Special thanks to Dale Spangler and Dave Sulecki for their years of service to Pit Pass Moto. In the words of AC/DC, "WE SALUTE YOU!" MotoAmerica is the OFFICIAL Sponsor of Pit Pass Moto This episode is brought to you by MotoAmerica, home of AMA Superbike racing and North America's premier motorcycle road racing series. Be sure to follow MotoAmerica on social media for real-time series updates and original content. Get your PPM swag at our Pit Pass Moto online store! Pit Pass Moto is a production of Evergreen Podcasts and Wessler Media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

General Pringle discusses her experiences as a cadet, including unique firsts. and she highlights the challenges she faced in her career and the lessons she learned. ----more---- SUMMARY Retired Major General Heather Pringle '91 shares her journey from the Air Force Academy to commanding the Air Force Research Laboratory. She emphasizes the importance of teamwork and being the best wingman. General Pringle discusses her experiences as a cadet, including unique firsts. She highlights the challenges she faced in her career and the lessons she learned. General Pringle also provides advice for other leaders, emphasizing the value of honesty and feedback. She encourages listeners to pursue their dreams and make a difference in the world.   OUR QUOTE PICKS "The mission gets done 100 times better if the whole team is working in concert it the success or the failure of the mission isn't on one person's shoulders. It never is on one person's shoulders." "Everyone has a story. And so if someone's a supervisor out there, I would say job number one is to listen and know your team, listen to their stories." "I would just say, don't think about me, you know, just go for it. And if you need help, call me. So that's it, that I just said, go for it. There's nothing should be stopping you."   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  EMAIL   CHAPTERS 00:00:  Introduction and Teamwork 01:06:  General Pringle's Journey 03:22:  Cadet Life and Experiences 04:22:  Unique Firsts and Exchanges 05:41:  Impressions of Today's Cadets 06:08:  Indoctrination Day and Early Memories 07:30:  Involvement in Clubs and Groups 08:19:  Challenges and Lessons Learned 09:39:  Transition to Air Force Research Laboratory 12:32:  Commanding Air Force Research Laboratory 14:46:  Transition to Civilian Sector and Nonprofit Work 19:05:  Advice for Supervisors and Taking Care of Your Team 20:30:  Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Failure 23:49:  Lessons from Mentors and Leaders 24:46:  Being the Best Wingman and Team Player 25:12:  Commanding Air Force Research Laboratory 27:33:  Transition to Civilian Sector and Nonprofit Work 30:25:  Lessons Learned and Being True to Yourself 34:36:  Final Thoughts and Encouragement   TAKEAWAYS FOR LEADERS AND ASPIRING LEADERS - The importance of teamwork and being a good wingman in achieving mission success. No one person carries the burden alone. - As a leader, it's important to listen to your team's stories to better understand and support them. Everyone comes from a unique background. - Facing challenges and setbacks are an opportunity to learn and grow. Don't get discouraged by failures or non-selections - keep pursuing new opportunities. - It's important to be honest with yourself and others for personal and professional development. Be open to feedback to improve. - Focus on serving others through your work and giving back to your community through service and leadership. - Believe in yourself and pursue your dreams and passions. With perseverance, you are capable of more than you realize.  - The success or failure of a mission is not on one person's shoulders; it requires a whole team working together.  - Embrace challenges and failures as opportunities for growth and learning.  - Be true to yourself and embrace your unique story and background.  - Take care of your team and listen to their stories; everyone has a unique perspective and contribution to make.  - Don't be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback to improve as a leader.   BIO Major General (Ret.) Heather Pringle '91 Gen. Pringle retired as Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command, Dayton, Ohio, and Technology Executive Officer, supporting both the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. She led a $2.5 billion science, technology and innovation enterprise in accelerating the discovery and development of solutions for Airmen and Guardians. She was responsible for formulating a comprehensive technology portfolio that anticipates future warfighter needs, while promoting risk-taking and problem solving across her 6,000-member government workforce. She accelerated the delivery of cross-domain solutions through partnerships with industry, academia, and international allies, and executed an additional $2.3 billion in externally funded research and development. Through the laboratory's technology and functional directorates, AFWERX and the 711th Human Performance Wing, her team produced a deep technical and medical bench, pushed the boundaries of modern technology and improved the science for tomorrow. Prior to her last assignment, Maj. Gen. Pringle served as the Director of Strategic Plans, Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. - Copy and image credit:  www.af.mil     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT   SPEAKERS Our Host is Naviere Walkewicz '99 | Our Guest is Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Heather Pringle '91   Major Gen. (Ret.) Heather Pringle '91  00:09 The mission gets done 100 times better if the whole team is working in concert. The success or the failure of the mission isn't on one person's shoulders. It never is on one person's shoulders. Just like being a cadet isn't just on the cadet's shoulders. There's a whole team of folks out there who, if we are the best wingman that we can be, then the mission will succeed.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:00 My guest today is retired Major General Heather Pringle, a 1991 graduate of the Air Force Academy. General Pringle's journey from in-processing day to her current role in the nonprofit sector spans 32 years. Along the way, she served in education, warfighter support, research, innovation and global leadership roles culminating in the command of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Air Force Materiel Command. There is a unique first from her days as a fourth degree that stands out. And it makes me wonder how that affected the trajectory of your Air Force career. We'll talk about that with the general and much more. General Pringle, thank you for being here today.   Gen. Heather Pringle  01:36 Thanks for having me, Naviere. And please, call me Heather.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:39 So Heather, let's kind of go back a little bit, you know, to some early days. Back to the beginning. Let's talk about what you were like as a kid where you grew up, about your family?   Gen. Heather Pringle  01:50 Well, I grew up in a small town in Idaho. And I guess before we really dig in, I do want to say, thanks so much for having me here. It's yes, it's an honor to be able to talk to your audience and share some stories. And if there's any way I can be of help, that's what I'm all about.   Naviere Walkewicz  We love that. Thank you.   Gen. Heather Pringle  So, growing up in small town in Idaho, it's well known for the place where Evil Knievel jumped the Snake River Canyon, but he did not land on the other side, or the part of the canyon where I grew up. But the excitement surrounding it really enthralled me. And you asked what I was like growing up, and I love to challenge. I'd love to learn new things. And maybe that was a little difficult on my parents. But boy, they did a such a great job of instilling values in me and always doing my best and working hard and trying to make a difference for others.   Naviere Walkewicz  You grew up, you moved to Idaho.   Gen. Heather Pringle  I'm the oldest of three and my sister served in the Air Force as a nurse and my younger brother, also known as “Zoom”, also served in the Air Force as well. He was a pilot, and yes, so he was a pilot. There you go.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:11 That's awesome. And another long blue line graduate of the Air Force Academy.   Gen. Heather Pringle  03:15 Absolutely. He was class of 1996.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:18 Is that something? Did you know you wanted to go to the academy? How did that come about?   Gen. Heather Pringle  03:22 My aunt and uncle live on a ranch in Wyoming. And that's where I spent my summers. So that part about hard work and doing chores and you know, dawn to dusk type stuff. They taught me a lot about working to make a contribution. And my aunt was a high school teacher. And as part of her curriculum, she went on a trip to Annapolis. And she came back and she said if she had her life to do over again, she would go to a service academy. That was the first I'd ever heard of a service academy. I'm so grateful to my aunt and uncle. And I did my own research and found out about the Air Force Academy in Colorado. And it had an exchange with France…   Naviere Walkewicz  Okay.   Gen. Heather Pringle  …which was really fun. That intrigued me as well. So, I just worked hard and did my best and I got lucky.   Naviere Walkewicz  So did you get to go on an exchange?   Gen. Heather Pringle  While I was a cadet?   Naviere Walkewicz  Wow.   Gen. Heather Pringle  Yes, I did. And I used to joke that it was my favorite semester at the Academy. But there were a lot of great semesters out the Academy, but France was a unique one that is so unique. Yeah, we do. My brother and I have a unique distinction that we're the only brother sister at least couple years ago that was true. The only brothers sister combo that went to the French exchange. Naviere Walkewicz  Oh my goodness. That's cool.   Gen. Heather Pringle  It is kind of cool. But I'm sure today's cadets have already surpassed that milestone and many more.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:02 The level of talent coming in and just how smart they are. I don't know that I would have made it in today's…, for sure where I was, you know, back, you know, in '95.   Gen. Heather Pringle  05:13 I completely agree. It's mind blowing. And I'm just so impressed by the cadet population and their talent and their selfless drive. It's amazing. And I'm very honored. They make me look better than I am. And they're, just fantastic. And the future is really bright. And we're in great hands.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:39 I think that's true. They make they make us look good, because really they represent the long blue line from you know, from years before and as we move forward. So, talk about that a little bit more the cadet life. I know you graduated from five were you always in Vandy? What was Cadet life like for you?   Gen. Heather Pringle  05:55 So Cadet life was, oh, I don't even know how to describe it. But let's see, I started we're…   Naviere Walkewicz  06:03 You're not military at all, like no exposure. So that was it. You literally showed up? Let's talk about just ID (induction day) what was that? Like? Let's start there, indoctrination day.   Gen. Heather Pringle  06:10 Okay, I have a couple of memories. So, the first one is I was on the plane, and my parents shipped me from Idaho to Colorado Springs. And I'm sitting next to somebody on the plane who has this little gold book in front of him. And I'm looking and I said, “Well, hi. I'm Heather.” And it turns out the individual was going to the Academy and had this book. He said, “Well, we have to memorize quotes.” And so that was the first part and then the bus ride from the airport to at the time, that was the Bring Me Men” ramp. It was dreary, it was raining. It was a rare rainy day here in Colorado. And so, you know, the ambiance started to sink in. And the weight of what I was about to enter started hitting me and I started getting worried. And could I cut it? Was I good enough? And all I could do was try. And the other funny memory that I have new here is they take you around on indoctrination day and you get measured for boots, you get measured for uniforms, etc. And they cut your hair.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:27 Yes. I remember that vividly.   Gen. Heather Pringle  07:28 Yes, and I had my hair cut before I went because I was going to be as prepared as I could. And immediately after getting my hair cut, they hand you the little placard to hold it under your chin and they were going to take your military identification photo. And I had the biggest grin because I was just proud and happy to be a part of the cadet corps and loving life. And then immediately after that, an upperclassman came around and definitely trained the smile right out of me. It was the last one for a little bit.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:02 Oh my goodness. So that was definitely a memory for sure. Let's talk a little bit more about while you're at the Academy. I know you, going before the Academy, you dabbled in different things and challenges. What were some of the experiences that you got involved with, or maybe clubs or groups that you can get involved as well while you were at the Academy?   Gen. Heather Pringle  08:19 Oh, that was, that was so fun. And the clubs really helped build that feeling of connection and camaraderie and family in addition to your squadron, right? I was a walk-on the track team. I was a hurdler.   Naviere Walkewicz  Wow.   Gen. Heather Pringle  Not great. I'm really, really not great. I was definitely the walk-on. But there's something for everyone. And that's, that's the goodness of it. And it just was really great. And I'm still friends with some of my track colleagues. And I'm really lucky to make some great friends during that time. I thought I'd mentioned as well, it wasn't all roses, as you can imagine. And in high school, I really liked physics. And I thought, you know, maybe I'll do physics. And I did not do well on the test that I had. So, I pretty quickly dropped physics as a major. And that's a tiny little regret that I have. Human Factors, which is no regret whatsoever. I loved it. And I loved the opportunity to combine technology and the human side of it. And it's it really worked out very, very well. At the time though I was a little disappointed that I didn't quite cut it but that's one of the thoughts that I had might be of interest is don't give up on your dreams when you're going through the Academy. And I'll say that even when one door closes a window opens and you're right, Human Factors, was the best thing ever. I loved it, I pursued it as a scientist and met many great people. And I leave the physics to the really, really talented people, which is there are so many out there.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:14 Well, that really speaks volumes, because so many listeners I think are at, you know, different points when you come to a crossroad. And you kind of wonder which way do I go. So, I think that's a really great story that you shared there. Because sometimes the path that you're not even seeing is the one that you should be going on. And that's kind of how you, you approached it. So, at the Academy, were there any particular leaders that really spoke to you and shaped you in a way that you knew was going to kind of make a difference in your career after the academy?   Gen. Heather Pringle  10:43 You look to so many around you. I leaned on so many people from my roommates along the way to faculty. I was really drawn to the academic side. And I had a lot of faculty that I looked up to, and they encouraged me. My academic advisor, for example, made a friendly bet with me once that I should get a particular grade point average. And, you know me, I love a challenge. So, I didn't just meet the challenge, but you know, that's a little, that's my personality. Unfortunately, yes, well, it can get in the way sometimes, too, but, um, you know, and then my AOCs. I still have my Cadet coin from 5th Squadron from 1991. I just can't believe how many people are dedicated to helping cadets succeed across the weighing across the base. I mean, we can't forget all those folks that are keeping the dorms warm, and ensuring that, you know, all the grounds are kept up to speed. And I, if I could say thank you to all of them for the lack of thank you's that I said at the time, I would love to do so now.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:14 So, I did want to touch on this unique first that your class experienced. So, you know, your class was amongst the first cadets to receive desktop computers. Let's talk a little bit about that. Because, you know, I can think a lot of firsts that cadets have, but this was game changer for the Academy. How did that kind of, what did that look like for you, and did it, you know, shape anything for what you wanted to do in the future?   Gen. Heather Pringle  12:38 The freshmen had computers and the sophomores, but not the juniors and not the seniors. Interesting, very fascinating tool differential. So, I do remember getting the computer during basic training and trying to figure out how to stick the floppy in to boot up the computer and use it right. And we also had an intranet at the time. And I would say that our class got very, very good at coordinating spirit missions using our computers, and the juniors and seniors were none the wiser. And so, we would say, you know, we had to be pretty good about doing that. But we could never pull the wool over the eyes of our sophomores and they were always right there to get us. But I even remember a couple of upperclassmen requesting services, for example, in terms of entering papers into the computer so that they would have a document because I had it and they didn't, rather than handwriting or typing right on a typewriter.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:47 So, just share, do you have a particular spirit mission that still stands out into your mind that you remember?   Gen. Heather Pringle  13:54 Oh, I don't even know if I should get into those.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:58 Fair enough? I think we all have those. Those spirit missions are li those just stay with us.   Gen. Heather Pringle  14:03 Yeah. Let's just say, you know, I really bonded with my classmates. Yeah. And I'm really grateful for having those friends over the years as well. So yeah, there. We, I'm sure, we weren't the best, or the worst. But yeah, we made our mark.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:22 I think of all, every class, I think, feels like they either had the toughest or they had the best spirit mission.   Gen. Heather Pringle  14:29 So, you know, yeah, we're probably right in the middle, right in the middle.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:33 Well, maybe we can shift a little bit to your career. But before we do, for those listeners that are thinking about the Air Force Academy or kind of, you know, lessons that you learn, if you can go back and talk to Cadet Heather, you know, what would you say to her?   Gen. Heather Pringle  14:46 Oh, I would say just keep going for it and enjoy it because it's over too quickly. And I think I didn't really realize how many people were there to help me and I don't think I asked for help enough when I needed it. So, I would say that there are people that want you to succeed. And they're there to help cadets succeed. So that would be my message.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:16 Let's talk about this 32 years of amazing leadership in the in the Air Force, and I know that you're very modest.   Gen. Heather Pringle  15:24 (It) spans two centuries. So, I think it's not all that remarkable. And I have to say, you know, even given that the long blue line, there are so many leaders to look up to, like Heather Wilson, David Ogilvy and Mark Welsh, so many great leaders to look up to. It's very humbling just to be a part of it, and to help someone else make it better and follow in their great footsteps.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:55 Yes, well, I think that's part of what makes us so special is because I think every, you know, person that shares their experiences when it comes to their, like leadership lessons, or just some of the trials, tribulations, successes, someone that's listening on the other end can pick something from that and say, like, that really, that really spoke to me. So, you know, we'll talk about your career. Maybe you can just share just off the bat, you know, you're a mom?   Gen. Heather Pringle  16:19 I am a wife…   Naviere Walkewicz  16:20 You are also you know, you did 32 years and leadership positions. What's that like, juggling all of that? How did you do that?   Gen. Heather Pringle  16:27 I don't know that I did it very well. You know, you just do the best you can. But first is having a great husband who supported me along the way and made sure that the kids were fed. And yeah, I'll say they had dirt on their faces, or, you know, my daughter dressed in mismatched, you know, whatever. But it was just, it was just a great life. And I'm really grateful that he was helping me through the ups and the downs. It's hard to be a mom and to be active duty, and it gets harder over time. It's especially hard when they're little juggling. And you kind of feel like, wow, I'm failing at being a mom, I'm failing at being an officer, and how do you manage both? And I would just say, give yourself a break, and be the best you that you can be. I once tried to be something or meet a standard that I thought was the right thing to do. But once I decided, you know what, I'm Heather, I'm from Idaho, and not many of us are, and I'm a mom, and I just kind of owned that as part of my leadership. I was happier. And I don't know if I did better, but I was able to go further because of it. And I was much more comfortable in my skin. And, you know, you take the highs and the lows, and you just keep going.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:10 No, that's wonderful. I think there's young officers that feel that pressure at both moms and dads. And so I think that's, it's nice to hear those who have done so well to admit, you know, hey, it's tough at times, and sometimes you gotta lean on your network, and your network can be a lot of different things. So thank you for sharing that.   Gen. Heather Pringle  18:28 Yeah, well, you, you might end up going to work once in a while was spit-up on your shoulder, or, you know, kind of being a little, you know, or late to a soccer game. And you don't have to, I guess that's what I'm really saying, is you don't have to be perfect. Across the board. Just be you.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:49 I think that's a great nugget for those that are listening that maybe are feeling some of those pressures. What advice might you give to supervisors that maybe have some, some members in their, on their teams that you might say, maybe consider giving grace? Or what does that look like to you that you might share?   Gen. Heather Pringle  19:06 Well, this is something that I learned from General Mark Walsh, and he said, everyone has a story. And so, if someone's a supervisor out there, I would say job number one is to listen and know your team, listen to their stories. And every individual in the military is serving and comes from all these unique, amazing backgrounds. And they've conquered their own challenges, whether it's past or present. And so, when supervisors understand that, then they can better meet the individual in the middle. Of course, the mission has to get done and you want it to be done. Well, national security is an imperative and we're depending on our uniformed members, so I'm not worried about our military letting us down. I just want to make sure that we're living up to what our military needs. And so, listen, learn, and see if we can meet in the middle.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:12 I mean, it goes back to taking care of your people. And then I think that you just said, you couldn't have said that any better.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:20 Maybe you can share some of the challenges that you might have experienced. You talked about, you know, being a mom and being a leader. Talk about just in leadership in general. What was maybe one of the most challenging things you've experienced? And how did you overcome that?   Gen. Heather Pringle  20:34 I had a variety of challenges. Throughout my career, I'll say I didn't have necessarily a straight line in the way that I went. And I think that's great. And I didn't know if I was, you know, I applied to a lot of different opportunities, you know, there's so many, and I, you know, I didn't get half of them or more. I wanted to be a Squadron Commander down at Air Education and Training Command down at Lackland. And I didn't get selected. That's okay. It like, it's, I kept going and doing other things, and other doors opened, and so you just, you just don't give up. That would have been an amazing opportunity. And what they do down at Lackland is phenomenal. But, you know, that's just one example of, you know, something I tried and didn't pan out. But what do you do, you just keep going and try something new, or work on those skills and learn from it. The worst thing I could have done, or the worst thing anyone could do, is to let that you know, non-selection define them as an individual or feel like, you know, all hope for the future is lost. That's not, couldn't be, couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, all learning comes from failure. And that's something we need to embrace, to improve, to adapt to change, and to keep getting better, right? And to grow as leaders to grow as a leader. So, I love a challenge. So, I took those failures as a challenge. All right, what am I going to learn what I'm going to do next?   Naviere Walkewicz  22:23 And it probably even helped in your, you've probably mentored others, you know, that are going through similar challenges that actually like let's look at it this from a different vantage point. And because you kind of went through those different experiences, you're able to be even more impactful in their lives.   Gen. Heather Pringle  22:35 It is important to be honest and give feedback that helps individuals grow. And so, another thought maybe for supervisors is we don't do them any favors if we don't tell them honestly, where they're strong, but where they need to work. And so, we all want to improve, and we all want to be the best that we can at whatever job that we've been given. So, I welcome that kind of feedback. And I'm currently learning about what I need to do. And so, I've got a lot to learn. So, I'm all ears every day all day long.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:14 I think there's a, I don't know that it's not a direct quote, it's certainly not in contrails. But there's something that talks about I think, truly being kind is being honest, you know, being truthful with people. And I think that's some of the best ways we can be kind is by just being honest and truthful with others. So sure. Now, that's wonderful. So you had mentioned that some of the best things that, you know, advice you can give to someone is ways that they can improve. Was there any particular mentor leader that just gave you something that really stuck with you, aside from general wells that maybe you've taken with you in your career as a growth opportunity?   Gen. Heather Pringle  23:45 A lot, I honestly, I really have so many people that I'm grateful for leaving a mark on me. You know, I learned or watched from afar, General Laurie Robinson and she would always say, “Be the best airman you can be, but also be the best wingman that you can be.” And I think that is another area where not only trying to improve yourself but uplift your teammates. And the mission gets done 100 times better if the whole team is working in concert. And the failure, the success or the failure of the mission isn't on one person's shoulders. It never is on one person's shoulders. There's a whole team of folks out there who if we are the best wingman that we can be, then the mission will succeed.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:44 Right, now teams are where it's at. And you had the opportunity to lead an incredible team at AFRL. And what's so, I think, so cool about that is you were at a time when you were supporting both Air and Space Force. Let's talk a little bit about that and talk about what was it like when you found out you're going to be commanding, you know, Air Force Research Laboratory? How did that feel and maybe just kind of share some of those moments with us.   Gen. Heather Pringle  25:08 Well the Air Force Research Lab, which you know, don't get confused about Air Force in the name, because it's there for the Space Force too, and provides a ton of amazing technologies for guardians. That was the honor of a lifetime, a huge privilege, because that team is eye-wateringly smart, and brilliant, and innovative. And they are, every day focused on solving problems for warfighters. What can be a higher calling than that? I, I just enjoyed getting to know them, helping them succeed. And they're doing some amazing things for, you know, they shoot lasers, they build robots, they blow things up. They code like crazy, right? It's just they love it, they love it. And they're great at it. They're the best in the world. And I'm forever grateful to have had that opportunity. And I know they continue that mission, even today. That's the other beauty of the military. So even when you have an opportunity, you're always moving, right. And now I know that the research lab is in wonderful, amazing, great hands of a test pilot, and doing even better things. And so it keeps getting better and better. Just like those cadets were better than we were back in the day. AFRL is better today than it ever was. And it's going in the right direction. And I would encourage anybody who's listening to go look up the research lab, because it's pretty inspiring, and they don't get the credit they deserve. That's for sure.   Naviere Walkewicz  27:00 Well, that is good for people. I think people always want to know, like, how do we get to some of these technologies that are doing all of these things and supporting our guardians, our Air Force, or you know, what does that look like? And I think that's cool that you said, “Hey, go check it out.” And part of that is maybe that journey will take them there as well.   Gen. Heather Pringle  27:15 Yeah. So that'd be great.   Naviere Walkewicz  27:17 How did you find out, so talk about just I think that's such a wonderful opportunity to like you said, you know, chance of a lifetime. How did you find out when you were selected for that?   Gen. Heather Pringle  27:26 Oh, I don't even remember. It was probably a blur. I was pretty incredulous though. I'll say this when I graduated in 1991. So last century, I never would have dreamed that I would have had such an opportunity or such a wonderful, yeah, opportunity to be a part of a team like that. So, as I said, my trajectory or my path may have been weaving, and I got so lucky to be there. And now they're doing great things. I just remember trying to relish every moment and trying to relate to the team that what they did mattered. And they're in it for the long haul. So, when they're solving problems, it's not a two-day problem. It's a problem for 10 years from now. So, it can be a little discouraging, but that's where you kind of have to have that you're in it for the long game. So, I don't really remember it was kind of a blur.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:33 Just the whole experience was itself just amazing. Yeah.   Gen. Heather Pringle  28:37 And it was also COVID. So that was a bit of a tricky wicket to navigate and figure out, well, how are you going to lead a distributed, diverse organization like that?   Naviere Walkewicz  28:57 Yeah, that's cool. That is, was there a particular capability that under your leadership, and with the team with you that you could, you know, just share about that you're proud of that kind of was accomplished during your tenure?   Gen. Heather Pringle  29:08 Well, they did it all. So, all the credit goes to the 10,000 professionals who do all that problem solving. They were focused on everything from, oh, the Battle Network, JADC to, to all this space technologies which are so exciting, and also the collaborative combat aircraft was a big one. And the other thing, I'll mention it here, too, even in that organization, it was important to think about who else is contributing to that mission. So, all of those technologies were collaborative efforts with acquirers and Air Force Materiel Command and the program offices with the warfighters, who were helping us understand what is needed on the battlefield and everyone in between. So, none of that work gets done without the whole team contributing.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:16 Was there any moments that you remember that you were surprised? Were there any particular people that just really kind of stood out to you that you were just so incredibly happy that you were able to be a part of their team? While you're there?   Gen. Heather Pringle  30:29 I used to say that if I, if I'm not surprised every single day, then the Air Force Research Lab isn't doing its job. Over the course of a couple years, there were plenty of surprises and lots of opportunities to learn, right? Say that in quotes. So, you were asking before the show, what are unicorns? Yeah, and I may have overused the phrase, but I always thought of the team at the research lab as unicorns because each one was unique. We had opera singers and fiction writers and band players. And, by the way, the world record for pumpkin chucking in a trebuchet is held by an AFRL team. Everyone had a unique story, they came from such amazing backgrounds, and here they were dedicated to serving the nation through technology.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:30 So that is how you catch unicorns? Well, let's talk a little bit about your transition from the military side to the civilian sector and nonprofit work. What does that been like for you?   Gen. Heather Pringle  31:42 Well, it was, it was hard to say goodbye to the team. And but, you know, like all things, you know, life goes on, and they're doing amazing, which is, I'm so proud of them, and so happy for them. And that's what you love to see. And that's truly the beauty of the military. And coming to being a retired person I love being called Heather. So that's probably, and mom, actually, I love mom first. And I get that a lot more than, you know, when I was full time military. And I have found that a lot of the things that you learned those gifts that you pick up through your military career are valued by the civilian sector. So having a mission focus, thinking about, you know, what is it you're trying to accomplish, and then focusing all your efforts on that. And you can't forget, it all starts with the team and who they are and the leadership that permeates everything. So, no mission gets accomplished, without the team there behind it. So, I've spent time getting to know this new team, that I'm a part of learning their unique contributions and understanding what the mission is. And then again, relying on that whole external teamwork, that external group of partners and stakeholders who also want success for that mission, and you find it's not lonely, you're not alone in accomplishing that, that so many people want you to succeed. And that's, that's what I want for your listeners. I want them to go conquer the world, make it better, you know, sweep up all that broken glass that me and my troubled classmates made and it's a little change, you know, you I'll say I have more to give and so that spirit of service before self, if that isn't in my blood, I'm, I am really hoping to continue to serve my family, my community, and my team and so I've got more to give and the Academy gave me those foundational skills to give more.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:18 I mean, well, starting with your family to your time as a cadet to your time in the military, and now the civilian, this new journey. What are some of the most important lessons that you've learned? Maybe in leadership and maybe just in you know, being a successful servant?   Gen. Heather Pringle  34:35 Oh, well, you know, and it's not always success. It's going through setbacks, learning more and trying to be more honest and sometimes those learnings are hard, too. And I had to, I had, there were times when I had to think long and hard about okay, what does this really mean? Am I being truly honest with myself and uh, you know, I'm not, I'm far from perfect. But, you know, I guess just, you know, being the best person that you are. Own whatever unique story that you are. Don't try and be something you're not. You know, I'm from Idaho, you're from Nebraska, we can do that. And it makes the solution so much better. And the more we help each other, the more successful our world will be. I guess the one thing I haven't mentioned really is take time to be with your family and know that they're making your service possible. And now I'm giving back to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  35:46 I mean, you've given so many incredible nuggets about yourself, and I think that people can really relate to that are listening. What's something that you really want them to remember about you?   Gen. Heather Pringle  35:57 I would just say, don't think about me, you know, just go for it. And if you need help, call me. So that's it, that I just said, go for it. There's nothing should be stopping you. And you know, every challenge is an opportunity to learn and I bet you are so much better than you even know that you are. So go for it.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:21 I think that was a great boil down nugget there. Well, I do want to just make sure we're there anything that I didn't ask you that you would really love for our listeners to hear?   Gen. Heather Pringle  36:32 No, I just want to say thanks for having me. I hope it's been an enjoy. It's I've enjoyed the conversation. So very much. Yeah. You know, it's it's important to be part of this community and give back and thanks for doing these kinds of podcasts to spread the word and get people excited. Yes, about coming to the academy and serving our Air Force in our space force. There is so much out there to do really is and we need great people and there's a lot of us out there rooting for you.   Naviere Walkewicz  37:11 Thank you very much. Thanks so much and Heather you have a wonderful day.   Gen. Heather Pringle  You as well.     KEYWORDS team, Academy, cadet, great, Air Force, mission, Air Force Academy, work, military, love, leadership, unique, amazing, Idaho, serving, challenge, learn, opportunity, Heather, mother, mom, leader, succeed       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation

In this episode of The Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Podcast, host Brian Lofrumento sits down with guest Heather Wilson RN, CFCS, a nurse-turned-entrepreneur and the founder of the Foot and Nail Institute, to discuss the growing trend of nurses venturing into the world of business. Heather shares her own journey, highlighting the challenges and doubts she faced along the way. She emphasizes the need for nurses to recognize their valuable skills and knowledge, and how they can leverage them to create successful businesses outside of traditional healthcare settings. From building websites to marketing services, Heather provides valuable insights and actionable advice for aspiring nurse entrepreneurs. Tune in to gain inspiration and discover the possibilities that lie beyond the bedside!ABOUT HEATHERHeather is a former bedside nurse turned nurse entrepreneur. In 2000, she began her nursing career working on a vascular thoracic surgical unit. It was there she saw the lack of proper routine foot care services available for our aging population. Bearing witness to this gap within the healthcare system, she set out to create a nursing company that filled this void. Since 2011 she has been providing seniors the foot care services they deserve through her company, Everyday Divinity.Realizing the need for senior foot care extended beyond her community, Heather launched a sister company in 2021, The Foot and Nail Institute. This online course teaches a community of nurses nationally, how to launch their own senior foot care business while giving them the freedoms business ownership brings.LINKS & RESOURCESConnect with Heather on LinkedInVisit Foot and Nail Institute's WebsiteFind Heather on TikTokFollow Foot and Nail Institute on FacebookFollow Foot and Nail Institute on Instagram

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