Podcasts about Hurricane Harvey

The Brewers' offensive doldrums continued with four shutout losses in a stretch of five games and a brutal week of baseball, albeit one that ended with a win over red-hot Minnesota. Brewers reporter Todd Rosiak and host JR Radcliffe look at all the areas the offense has floundered this year, starting with the left side of the infield. Christian Yelich is having his worst offensive season. Jackson Chourio is up and down (he was up on Sunday with a crazy homer-saving catch). William Contreras is laboring. How are they going to get out of this? At least the pitching has been strong, despite injury setbacks for Brandon Woodruff and Jose Quintana. Jacob Misiorowski is dominating and ready for promotion. In Three Up Three Down (34:30), a couple intriguing under-the-radar roster moves, a cribbage board and team meetings, Remembrew When looks back at one of the greatest games in stadium history (1:00:45) and Todd's Take of the Week examines a week ahead against lesser competition ... is this already a do-or-die week for the Brewers? (1:04:30). Then, JR is joined by another exciting rookie, Logan Henderson, who's been excellent in two starts. They discuss his late-blooming and injury-obstructed rise to the big leagues, the impact of Hurricane Harvey in his life and his Nickelodeon namesake, plus his scouting report on longtime teammate Misiorowski (1:07:30). Music intro from bensound.com. Musical cues (in order): "I Got What You Want" (Extended Version) by Gloria Tells, "Arriving at Dusk" by American Legion and "Screaming Fool" by Andreas Dahlback, all from www.epidemicsound.com.

Hey, friend. Hello, Change Makers. In the words of Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown—Hey, Black girl. We often say it takes a village, but let's be clear—villages don't build themselves. They're shaped, sustained, and often revived by Black mothers who know what it means to care, connect, and carry more than their share. Today's guest, Jetaun Woodley, didn't just recognize the gap—she built something from it. As a veteran communications strategist and Senior Director at Planned Parenthood, Jetaun has spent her career making sure messages that matter reach the right people. But it's her work outside the boardroom that's building legacy: creating H.U. Mommies, a thriving community of over 800 Hamptonian mothers who show up for one another, online and in real life. In this episode, we're unpacking how Black motherhood is often the foundation of community organizing, mutual care, and everyday advocacy. From navigating health care systems and education challenges to disaster relief and doula recommendations, these mothers are doing far more than sharing parenting tips—they're reshaping what support looks like. Jetaun joins Dr. Rikesha Fry Brown and me for a conversation that's both grounding and galvanizing. We talk about the power of peer support, the courage it takes to create a space when one doesn't exist, and what it looks like to protect and evolve a community you've built—especially when the work is personal. If you've ever questioned whether your care counts or whether creating something small could really matter, this conversation is your reminder: it already does. Listen now and be sure to grab the National Black Girl Month™ Toolkit for more ways to connect at nationalblackgirlmonth.com. To our Hampton fam—we see you. And if you're a mama looking for your people, you just might find them in H.U. Mommies. Connect with Jetaun Woodly on Instagram Jetaun Woodly is an award winning public relations and brand communications strategist with 20 years of experience. She has an unwavering passion and focus on working with individuals and companies to translate business goals and objectives into strategic communications plans and deliverables. Jetaun started her career as a public relations coordinator for Novartis Pharmaceuticals' philanthropy and community development division. She spent many years working in healthcare managing public relations for brands ranging from prescription drugs and FDA approvals, to eye care and over-the-counter products before moving to the nonprofit sector. Currently, Jetaun serves as Senior Director of Brand Strategy & Projects at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, a reproductive health care nonprofit organization. Prior to joining PPFA, Jetaun served as Director of Network Marketing & Communications for National Court Appointed Special Advocate/Guardian ad Litem (CASA/GAL) Association for Children, a non-profit organization that supports and promotes court-appointed volunteer advocacy so every child who has experienced abuse or neglect can be safe, have a permanent home, and the opportunity to thrive. Following the birth of her son in 2015, Jetaun started HU Mommies Group - a support group for Hampton University alumnae. The goal of the group is to share advice, empower Black women, and provide a listening ear as Hamptonians embrace and embark on their motherhood journey. With more than 800 members, the group has planned a number of volunteer efforts across the country, vision board meetups, kid-friendly outings, tailgates at homecoming and a host of other activities. For example, when Hurricane Harvey hit Houston in 2017, Jetaun coordinated a group donation to local organizations that support mothers and children. In 2019, the group collectively donated to Hampton University's marching band, and sent care packages to current students. In an effort to provide unique learning experiences for the children of alumnae during the nationwide shelter-in-place (COVID19), Jetaun created virtual learning classes on a variety of subjects. Jetaun was featured on Essence Magazine Online for her work with the group. In 2020, Jetaun was admitted into Hampton University's Forty Under 40 Alumni Recognition Society. Jetaun served as a volunteer for the I Have a Dream Foundation - a mentor program in partnership with Ebenezer Baptist Church and St. Luke's Church in the heart of Atlanta. She is currently a board member of Atlanta Birth Center, a birth center dedicated to empowering families and providing compassionate, individualized birth experiences. A native of New Jersey, Jetaun received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Hampton University's Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications in 2004. While at Hampton, Jetaun was involved in Student Union Board and served as historian for the National Council of Negro Women. She also holds a Masters in Communication & Leadership from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington. Jetaun resides in Metro Atlanta with her husband, Dr. Shaun Woodly (HU '04), and their two children - Brayden and Brooklynn.

IntroductionPeople with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate change; however, they have been traditionally excluded from conversations about national plans and responses to climate change. Including the disabled community in decision making is key to addressing potential harms and designing effective, inclusive solutions. Disabled Community Disproportionately AffectedMany studies provide empirical evidence that climate change poses a particularly great risk for the disabled community. A study in Australia documented that between 2001 and 2018,  89% of heat wave fatalities were people with some type of disability, and actually many had multiple disabilities both physical and mental. Additionally, after Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas in 2017, people with disabilities were disproportionately affected and exposed to harms. Areas flooded by Hurricane Harvey were overrepresented by disabled populations. The highest proportion of people living in public housing being exposed to environmental hazards were people with disabilities. While people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, they have often been excluded from decision-making surrounding climate change, including in  drafting national plans and climate responses. Inclusivity and Accessibility In PracticeEngaging people with disabilities in developing, designing and implementing climate resilient solutions can help protect their livelihoods and autonomy. Meaningful participation can look different in many ways including conducting research to have more data on how people with disabilities are affected and specific ways to help. As well, to develop new technologies and innovations that assist people with disabilities in climate emergencies like early warning systems, communication, and adaptive infrastructure. Spaces can be more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. More research is needed on infrastructure design that both reduces emissions and simultaneously will not put disabled people at more risk in climate emergencies, for example, adding ramps and automatic door openers, widening doorways, and having accessible bathrooms. It is also important to host public events in accessible locations to ensure that people with disabilities feel welcomed and valued. Methods of communication should also be accessible like using captions in videos, adding text descriptions and making online materials that work with screen readers so that low vision individuals can also access them. Disability-Inclusive Climate SolutionsIn addition to educating the community about the importance of disability-inclusive climate solutions and for the disabled community to be educated and equipped for climate disaster risk mitigation, it is vital for the disabled community to be part of the large-scale decision making process and promote meaningful participation. By providing people with disabilities with a greater understanding of the impacts that climate change will have on their lives, then they can be more able to respond to effects of climate change and access the resources they need. Expert Dr. Michael Stein points out that everyone knows their own needs and livelihoods best; hence, it is vital to reach out to the disabled community and include them in the conversation and decision making for climate solutions that will support the disabled community who are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. About our guestMichael Stein is the co-founder of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability. As a world leader on disability law, Dr. Stein participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Dr. Stein became the first known person with a disability to be a member of the Harvard Law Review. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his work in disability rights. ResourcesAvci, Bratchell, Browning, Coates, Gissing, and Van Leeuwen, Heat wave fatalities, (2001-2008).Chakraborty, Collins, and Grineski, Hurricane Harvey and people with disabilities, (2019).Akyeampong, Alford, Chakraborty, Daniels-Mayes, Gallegos, Grech, Groce, Gurung, Hans, Harpur, Jodoin, Lord, Macanawai, McClain-Nhlapo, Stein, Susteren, Advancing Disability-Inclusive Climate Research, (2024).Szekeres, 8 Ways  to Include People with Disabilities in Climate Action, (2023).Nina D. L, How to Include People with Disabilities, (2021).Hélène T., Disability-Inclusive Approaches to Climate Action, (2023).For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/disability-inclusive-climate-solutions-with-michael-stein/.

In this episode of The Learning Can't Wait Podcast, host Hayley Spira-Bauer engages in an important conversation with Richard Carranza, a seasoned education leader with a passion for leveraging technology to create more equitable learning experiences. Richard shares his journey from working in the New York City school system to joining IXL Learning, emphasizing how data-driven EdTech tools can help personalize learning for every student—essentially creating an individualized education plan (IEP) for all. He highlights the power of real-time, actionable data in supporting both students and educators, ensuring that learning extends beyond the classroom and adapts to each student's unique needs. Beyond academics, Richard dives into the crucial role of social-emotional learning (SEL) in student success, drawing from his experience as a superintendent during Hurricane Harvey and the lasting impact of trauma on education. He stresses that schools cannot achieve academic excellence without first creating environments where students feel safe, supported, and valued. Wrapping up the conversation, Richard offers candid advice for new teachers, urging them to approach the profession with passion and purpose. This episode is a must-listen for educators, school leaders, and anyone invested in the future of student-centered learning.

Leslie Warren once thought she'd be auditing fashion brands, but somehow, she ended up in oil & gas and she wouldn't have it any other way. From her days as an accounting student at Texas A&M to navigating IPOs and acquisitions, Leslie's journey is anything but predictable. She shares how she fell in love with an industry she never planned on joining, why energy marketing needs a serious overhaul, and how better storytelling could change public perception. Plus, we get into the Houston Producers Forum poker tournament, the quirks of industry camaraderie, and why petroleum products are way more important than most people realize.Digital Wildcatters brings the energy community together through events, cutting-edge content, and powerful tools. Join our online community at collide.io. Engage with experts, level up your career, and ask Collide AI your toughest technical questions.Click here to watch a video of this episode. 00:00 - Intro00:40 - Leslie's Journey in Oil and Gas03:51 - Leslie's Early Career Insights09:18 - Midstates Petroleum IPO Overview10:28 - Twitter's Impact on Energy15:54 - Houstonian Lifestyle17:38 - Role of a Landman in Energy19:57 - Marketing Strategies for the Energy Industry22:04 - Demi Moore's Influence in Pop Culture25:58 - Comparing Rebecca and Demi Moore27:19 - Ainsley's Contribution to the Industry30:53 - Getting Started in the Oil Industry32:40 - Hurricane Harvey's Impact on Energy Sector36:05 - Industry Gossip and Insights39:40 - Challenges of Being an Audit Partner42:10 - Greatest Inventions in Energy History43:30 - Taylor Swift and Industry Affairs45:50 - Telling the Energy Industry's Story Better49:20 - The Role of Poker in Networking52:57 - Houston Producers Forum Poker Tournament54:18 - OUTROhttps://www.instagram.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.tiktok.com/@digitalwildcattershttps://www.facebook.com/digitalwildcattershttps://www.linkedin.com/company/digitalwildcattershttps://twitter.com/DWildcattershttps://www.youtube.com/@DigitalWildcatters

Guest: Eric Berger4.…3….2….1…. Liftoff! - of this week's episode of Weather Geeks with our special guest - Eric Berger. Launching his career as a science & space writer, Eric's trajectory would be considered - by most in the space industry - as ‘nominal'. However, Eric's late stage separation would send him on a new course to launching the website we all know today - Space City Weather. Since 2015 - Space City Weather has kept Houston informed during extreme weather events. Hurricane Harvey, the February Freeze of 2021, extreme drought to extreme floods, and last year's Derecho - to name a few. In all, you can sum up Eric's career - so far - as one small step for weather and giant leap for science-kind.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Eric Berger and His Journey05:31 Transitioning from Space to Weather11:42 The Impact of Hurricane Harvey16:10 Lessons Learned from Hurricane Harvey19:56 Experiencing a Range of Extreme Weather Events25:02 Navigating the Era of Social Meteorology29:43 Key Lessons and Future DirectionsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Building Texas Business Podcast, I spoke with Brian Freedman, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, about the region's economic development. We explored the five major industry clusters shaping the area: maritime logistics, aerospace, tourism, healthcare, and petrochemicals. Brian shared updates on aerospace innovations at Ellington Field, including projects by Intuitive Machines and Axiom, while highlighting new opportunities in defence manufacturing. I learned about Project 11, an initiative to expand the Houston port's capacity for larger vessels. Brian explained how this infrastructure project connects to the broader transportation network, particularly the role of trucking in regional commerce. We discussed how the partnership works with legislators and industry leaders to address challenges like insurance costs and maintain economic momentum. The conversation shifted to leadership approaches and team dynamics in Texas business. Brian described how maintaining diverse projects keeps his team engaged and motivated. We explored how the Houston area supports entrepreneurs through community partnerships and mentorship programs while adapting to technological changes like AI integration. Our discussion wrapped up with a look at workforce development in the region. Brian explained how educational partnerships are building talent pipelines across industries. We covered the importance of aligning training programs with business needs while fostering collaboration between municipalities, educational institutions, and industry partners. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS In this episode, I spoke with Brian Freedman, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, about the economic development in the Houston Bay Area, focusing on the recruitment, retention, and expansion of primary employers. We discussed the significant industry clusters in the region, including maritime logistics, aerospace, tourism, healthcare, and petrochemicals, and their impact on the area's economic growth. Brian highlighted developments at Ellington Field, including contributions from companies like Intuitive Machines and Axiom, as well as the emerging opportunities in defense manufacturing and procurement. The episode explored the scale and impact of the Houston port, emphasizing Project 11's role in expanding the port's capacity and the importance of logistics and innovation for regional prosperity. We delved into the leadership style necessary for motivating teams and managing diverse projects, underscoring the Texan entrepreneurial spirit characterized by ambition and a collaborative approach. Brian shared insights on the vibrant business ecosystem in Texas, driven by a skilled workforce, affordability, and a supportive community fostering partnerships and mentorship opportunities. Finally, we addressed challenges like insurance costs and the importance of regional solidarity, as well as efforts to mitigate natural disaster risks and promote responsible development in the area. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About BAHEP GUESTS Brian FreedmanAbout Brian TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode you will meet Brian Freedman, president of the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership. Brian shares how his organization works to recruit, retain and expand primary employers in the greater Houston Bay Area region. Brian, I want to welcome you to Building Texas Business. Thanks for joining us today. Brian: Hey, thank you, Chris. Honored to be here and great to catch up. Chris: Yes, likewise. So let's start with you. You're the president and the organizational name's kind of long it's Bay Area, houston Economic Partnership. Tell the listeners a little bit about what that organization is and what it does, to kind of put the rest of our conversation into context. Brian: Sure, so BayHEP is the short version of it. So we're the Regional Economic Development Group and kind of the, as I like to say, in the Houston-Galveston region. We're three o'clock to six o'clock on the watch, face right. So we kind of go out 225, all the municipalities and cities going out east and then going down south 45. We go a little west of 45, but really that 3 o'clock to 6 o'clock and we're really focused on how do you recruit, retain and expand primary employers in the region with the idea that if you can get great companies located here and have a group of industry clusters that are cranking away every day, that we can have a great place to live. We have great involved residents that are in this area and opportunities for the folks who live here and kind of build what the future will look like for this region. So a lot of good stuff going on and, happy to get into that a little further, we do economic development, recruitment, retention projects. So how do we get companies here? We do some grants and then we're a membership organization is how we're funded. So we have about 300 members, 19 municipal members, Harrison-Galveston County, the port, the airport system. It's really how do you get the leaders of a region to work together to advance what we're doing here. Chris: Wow, I mean that's it sounds like it's easier to say and harder to do coordinating that many organizations and trying to get everybody pulling the same direction. Brian: Yeah, it's a lot of fun and we get to work with a lot of great folks. That's how we met Chris, is that, you know, through some of our mutual connections. But yeah, you know, it's really when you can get generally like-minded folks thinking about what the future of a region will look like and pretty aligned and working towards that effort, it's more of a well, it's just fun and you can create a lot of impact and we're seeing that and I'll be happy to dive into some of the specific projects we're working down here. But I mean, you guys do it too at Boyer Miller. Y'all are working with clients all over the spectrum of types of industry and you have to adapt to what's coming up, what's at you, and be ready for that kind of stuff. Chris: Yeah, no doubt. So yeah let's jump into some stuff. Let's talk first, because when I think of your area, obviously the first thing that comes to mind is NASA and all that's going on around that, and that leads me to technology and innovation. So what are some of the emerging technologies or trends that you're seeing that are kind of helping shape the future of Texas and kind of the business opportunities, at least in your region and for Texas? Brian: Yeah, so I call it kind of the big five on the industry cluster. So everybody thinks about this area for NASA, which we love right, because it really is a crown jewel out here, but I call it the big five right Maritime and all the associated logistics with the port aerospace and aviation, so nasa, but also the great work that the airport system is doing with ellington and hobby, tourism and recreation, health care and all the hospitals that have campuses down here, and then specialty and petrochemical and the energy industry partners and every one of those ecosystem has a ton of stuff going on. So I'm happy to talk about some of those more granular. But a couple of observations. One is that often overlooked in this community and really an asset to the greater Houston region is Ellington Field, ellington Airport, the Spaceport and, if you haven't seen or heard about it, the work that's going on at the Spaceport. They have three new beautiful buildings. One is occupied by Intuitive Machines who just put the first commercial lander payload on the surface of the moon. One is occupied by a company called Axiom that's building the next generation of commercial spacesuits and the next generation space station, and Collins who do spacesuit design in our building and maintaining the current spacesuits. They've set up huge facilities down there and so new stuff coming on. But I'm equally excited about just across the runway is the 147th Reserve Group. So there's a reserve unit out there, a reserve base, and the defense opportunities are pretty exciting. So that's highlighted by the 147th. But almost every branch has a reserve unit out there, save the Space Force, and we're working on that. And so the opportunities with defense manufacturing to come out to do more work in Houston and some of their innovation units and, as mundane as it sounds, some of the procurement opportunities, because when it comes to contracting, having a group of folks here would be a great opportunity for Houston businesses to then pipeline the work that they're doing into the broader defense industry, which can be really exciting. One other thing I'll mention, chris, is if you just look at the path of predictable growth for Houston, right, it keeps going out and we see that on our freeways every day. So there are growing pains that come with that, but for our region it's that steady march down Interstate 45. And so while Clear Lake Lake City are starting to get to fully built out and we're looking at what is the next generation of building look like, what's redevelopment look like For communities Dickinson, hitchcock, santa Fe, to some extent Texas City. Although they've got quite an industrial complex too, there's still space, and so it really brings up the opportunity of we can handle big projects, and whether they're industrial or tourism, there's a lot of opportunity that comes with that. And so, as folks you know, as we get built out further and further, those cities that were, they've always been important cities for the regional ecosystem, but they become major players, and so it's exciting to be able to work with them on that stuff. Chris: Sounds like a lot of opportunity for real estate development. Both residential, retail, commercial, industrial kind of all sectors are going to be playing a big part in that ongoing development in your region. Brian: Exactly right, and part of the the fun part is, you know, every municipality has different targets of what they view their economic development to look like, and so we get to work with all those cities where some may be really focused on industrial, some may want to be bedroom communities and be focused on residential. Our task is to support those municipalities in this region and identifying good players to bring to the table. So who are people that we do want to partner with that can follow through on the projects that can complete them and make them successful? Chris: That's great. I think I saw recently in the news the state of Texas, I think it's had something along these lines, but it's like a fund for the space-related projects and I know I don't know the name and you'll help me with that, but I seem to recall the governor being in town and making some big announcement right after the first of the year. Tell us a little more about that. Brian: Recall the governor being in town and making some big announcement right after the first of the year. Tell us a little more about that, exactly, right? So last legislative session, primarily spearheaded by State Representative Greg Bonin, who's also a Princewood resident he's a neurosurgeon by day and State Representative Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee during the legislative session he had this kind of vision of how does the state become a major player in the aerospace community. That's been primarily a federal and private industry ecosystem and so under his vision and with support of the state legislature and certainly the governor, they put a bill that kind of outlined a direction for the state to engage and the resources behind it. It does a couple of things. One was it allocated about $200 million that would go to Texas A&M to build this A&M Space Institute, and they've actually located that property. It will be built on the edge of the campus of Johnson Space Center, so for those familiar with this area, right on Saturn Lane. $200 million building and, as A&M's laid it out, it will have a giant lunar rock yard and a giant Mars rock yard, with the idea that everybody who's going to be doing hardware testing to send vehicles to the moon or Mars is trying to figure out where they're going to do that testing. And it's very expensive to build, obviously. And so companies are making the decision whether they're going to build that themselves and own it or go lease it somewhere. And if they're going to lease it, where do you go to find a giant brockyard to simulate the surface of the moon? And well, the state of Texas answered that question. So what was so unique about that vision was that everybody who's in that ecosystem now wants to come through Houston Texas to do that work. And so with that comes the. You know they'll be have their lab space there, but they may need offices, they're going to be hiring people, and so you know it really is an exciting project. They had their groundbreaking right at the end of last year. I've seen surveyors out there and they think they're going to have it open in 2026. So an aggressive timeline to get that bill. The other part to that bill was they appropriated $150 million for a grant program to incentivize sort of space leadership projects in the state of Texas, and so they have to set up a whole, basically administration portion of this. So they selected nine individuals to serve on the Texas Space Commission who will review those proposals and evaluate them and make awards. Who will review those proposals and evaluate them and make awards, and then they'll also help advise the state on how they can keep their leadership position in the space industry. The first of those awards about 20 million were released a little over a week ago. A couple of them were studies for best use for really cool stuff hypersonic corridors where to be landing sites. And then another one that is to build assets and capabilities for the Space Force in El Paso to have more of a Space Force presence in the state of Texas, which is pretty exciting. So I'm optimistic about what's to come for them. Chris: Yeah, that sounds very exciting, especially the concept of the $200 million grant to A&M and what that will do to attract other businesses that might relocate somewhere else and bring them here, and then all the ancillary things around hiring and jobs et cetera. So that's very exciting news and I think it'll be just around the corner. Let's maybe talk a little bit about. You mentioned Maritime and the port, and most Houstonians People know the Houston port is a significant asset for our area. Anything going on there that's new and exciting, any kind of innovation that you see when you're working with those entities and, I guess, the port authority itself. Brian: Yeah, well, maybe the first thing when you talk about the port is you're absolutely right just how important they are to this well, to all of Houston, but to the country I mean. The scale of the port is hard to appreciate when you just look at the numbers. But the numbers are just staggering. The amount of capability that comes through there and the innovation really is on the logistics and management for how they move, whether it's container, you know, container containers, the container terminal organization and how that whole orchestra is operated, and the capabilities from there is that the crane's getting stuff unloaded, then onto the trucks or rail or whatever. The mechanism to get it out and then get it distributed to wherever it's going is pretty incredible, and so we're fortunate to have them. We just hosted the new port CEO, charlie Jenkins, who's a phenomenal leader, has a career in service of the port, is the right guy to lead that organization into their next chapter. But he made this comment kind of in passing that the port's operations are about a $3 billion a day operation, you know, and you just go like a day of economic impact that go into that. The scale is really something impressive and that's all the trickle out and secondary effects. But it's amazing, the big thing that's going on with them right now is Project 11. That's the deepening and widening of the channel that'll allow additional capacity to go in there, and it's really writing the story for what the next chapter of the port's future is and Houston as a trading hub is, and so it'll allow for larger ships to come through. The additional investments they're making will allow faster turn and movement of all the goods that are on there. So a lot of good stuff going on. I guess the last thing I'll say is anybody who's driven 225 sees all those trucks and I drive it pretty regularly and see that too and as much as nobody likes driving next to a giant 18 wheeler, every one of those trucks is jobs and prosperity for our region, and so the next time you're driving there and you see a hundred trucks going down 225, that's our economic prosperity moving around our region and, candidly, around the country. It's good stuff. Chris: It's a good point. Yeah, I mean it's. You wouldn't want the roads to be empty and no trucks moving. I mean that's not a good sign. So feel blessed that we have all that you know in our area and driving all kinds of different prospects and opportunities for people. So when you are working with, let's talk a little bit about these member organizations and all the different moving parts you know what are you doing? How do you, I guess, keep things organized and people kind of moving in the same direction? Just, I would think that in itself is a full-time job. Brian: Yeah, it's a lot, but you know it's good stuff. I guess I'll start with a phrase that I kind of live by, which is we have a lot of stuff going on and so we'll find something to get on about. Right, we can always find something to work together on, and so, if you kind of start with that attitude, there's a lot of common issues that really require a lot of work but you can get maybe not perfect alignment, but general directional alignment. And so you know, one of the big issues we're working with right now is insurance. Right, we're all dealing with it. I'm sure you've gotten your insurance bill, but whether it's home or your business insurance, all those things, and so you can find a lot of commonality and ideas about hey, how can we work with our state leaders, potentially our federal leaders, with the insurance companies themselves, to try to manage the cost of doing that and find ways could it be grouping, doing kind of what they do in medical where you can have these larger groups or other mechanisms to try and help mitigate some of the costs? For that I'm getting a little granular, but you can find these little pockets where you can go move the ball down the field and get general alignment and so we spend a lot of time doing that. But we are very fortunate that our membership and generally this is kind of a Texan spirit type thing is hey, how do we go get some stuff done? Right, we want to go work on some stuff we want to go work on together. Generally it's a rising tide mentality and I spent a good portion of my career in industry and there are times where we compete like crazy and that's fun and, you know, makes great products and great opportunities for our customers. There are a lot of times where we need the tide to rise and finding alignment about that we try to be an outlet for that and keep things running. Right Is that we have not a big staff but a staff that can help make sure that. You know, our members are doing a lot of this stuff as volunteers, right, but they're bringing ideas to the table. So how can we make sure that they're staying engaged, that we're checking in on them, that we're helping carry these things and that we're creating a forum to have the right discussions and bring leaders together so we can invite in elected officials over relevant stuff, the right industry players, and bring them to the table and figure out what we can do, and then I guess the last thing I'll say is that manifests itself. We have a very active state legislative agenda. That we're going to be spending a fair amount of time in Austin, federal priorities. That we work with our congressional delegation and then very on the ground working with our municipalities and all the companies that are out down here to make movement. Probably talk all day about little one-offs. Advert Hello friends, this is Chris Hanslick, your Building Texas business host. Did you know that Boyer Miller, the producer of this podcast, is a business law firm that works with entrepreneurs, corporations and business leaders? Our team of attorneys serve as strategic partners to businesses by providing legal guidance to organizations of all sizes. Get to know the firm at boyermillercom. And thanks for listening to the show at boyermillercom. And thanks for listening to the show. Chris: Well it is. You know legislature is in session, so I know that creates a busy time for you. You talked a lot about some of the opportunities and I hope we can talk some more about that, but I do want to ask you at this point what are some of the headwinds that you see you know this region and specifically kind of where you are. You know that could be out there. That you see you know this region and specifically kind of where you are. You know that could be out there that you've got to try to deal with, to get ahead of or navigate through. Brian: I'll start with. It's a great time down here. Just the way that each one of those big five industry clusters is going about is that it's a. You know they're all doing well and have a lot of opportunity that's on the horizon or that they're in the midst of right now, but certainly you know, a few headwinds. One of the things that we're always worried about and we work actively is just natural disaster flood mitigation and storm surge and making sure that we're resilient and prepared for the future, and so the risk from some incident happening. I'm more excited to talk about, when it comes to that, all the things that we're doing to mitigate that. In terms of flood mitigation, the coastal barrier protection work that we've been spending a lot of time on. That's the Ike Dike. It has a lot of names, but most commonly known is that but a system to protect us from storm surge. So one is the risk of natural disaster I don't like it, but it's a real thing, right? The second is that we're in the you know how do we have responsible development? And so when you have a project that comes online, there are, you know, reasonable concerns from citizens saying, hey, is this the best thing to be doing with this piece of land, and so anytime you're talking about a development that's going to take a field and turn it into a thing, people get concerned about that and that's perfectly reasonable for them to be concerned and want to do that. And so part of what I spend time doing is addressing like, hey, here's why this is worthwhile, here's why this funds your local municipality and build more parks so we can have the resources and the tax base that justify expenditures that come elsewhere and make through that. But just the ability for the public's ability to impact development, as it happens, is important. But for them to do that knowing all the ground truth, knowing what the trades are and understanding that, so that if they are concerned about something that they come with that from an educated knowledge base and so that's out there. And then I certainly don't want to get political, but anytime there's an administration change, there's just priorities that get changed. And so we're still waiting to understand all of those. We're kind of watching how things are shaken out in Washington DC and we'll adapt and make sure that we're doing everything we can to put our region in a great posture with whatever those priorities are at the end of the day. Chris: So yeah, to that last point where you're kind of right in throws that change. Right now that's happening pretty fast, so you got to stay on your toes. Let me take you back to the Ike Dike, because that you know something to get after Harvey. Hurricane Harvey got talked about a lot. You don't hear much about it anymore. Any kind of updates for the listeners. That might be curious. Is it really going to happen and, if so, what's really going on down there to make sure it doesn't happen? Brian: And if so, what's really going on down there to make sure it doesn't happen? Yeah, so it's still moving along, you know, and with some enthusiasm. So a couple of big milestones. One is that in December of 22, it became a formal project of the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was authorized by Congress as a project, so that says, you know, they can now go focus on that. And so the next big question becomes how do we pay for it? To answer that, the state stepped up in a big way in the last legislative session and they had previously formed what's called the Gulf Coast Protection District. That is the local entity for that project. That will work with the US Army Corps of Engineers. So that group exists and has monthly meetings. They actually have an office in our suite. We lease an office to them them and they have their meeting in our conference room two out of every three months and then they do a rotation on that. Third, and they've been funded to the tune of about a half a billion dollars from the state of Texas. So they're ready to take significant action. We've been working with our federal partners about identifying where the big dollars come from for that project. It's going to be expensive and it's going to take a long time, but it will be likely done in phases and so that allows it. Where you don't need this one giant tranche of money all at once, you can do it sort of in a series and address the most important aspects of that, like the gates, some of the initial most highly populated areas, in phases. But we got to get federal appropriations for it. So in addition to the state entity being in our office, actually the US Army Corps of Engineers is on the fourth floor of this building and so all of the players for that project are in one building in our area right here, so that when what I'm hopeful for is if Corps moved in about six months ago, anytime an elected leader wants to come down and meet, they'll get every leader for that project in the same building and often meeting in our conference room or one of the core conference rooms. But a lot more can get done. There's sort of the opportunity for water cooler conversations between the state and the fed folks, and so I'm optimistic that the cadence just from that proximity will be helpful to that effort. Chris: Very good, that's good to hear. Let's change conversation a little bit. So, as I said, you're the president of BHEP. You mentioned your staff. Let's talk a little about leadership. How would you describe your leadership style and how do you think that's evolved kind of as you've been in this role? Brian: Yeah, well, I don't know that I can quantify terribly well, but I'm a kind of hey, all hands on deck and let's all just lean into wherever we're going. Right, and I kind of have that expectation of our team that we're have a clear set of priorities generally around the growth of this region and the projects that we're undertaking and that we're just leaning into them all the time and focusing. That I've been. You know I love getting down and into projects and so that's as I've been on this journey. That's been one of the big focus points to me is that you know you need a team to get this amount of stuff done and the size of these projects and the scope and so the ability to trust in the team and lean on them and let them go run with the ball is really important. I've been extremely fortunate that we have a great staff and we have a great membership base that we can lean on to help go bring those things to fruition. But it's a lot of fun coming to work. I think the team has a great time and enjoy the work that we do and you can see the difference that we make because there are buildings. We can point to that, wouldn't, you know, if not for the work of us and the leaders in this community wouldn't be there, and I'm looking forward to seeing that one on Saturn Lane with giant Texas A&M buildings sticking out of it coming through. Chris: It sounds like it's going to be impressive with the rockyards and all. But, you know, it made me think, though your team has a lot on its plate, I would think at times it may feel overwhelming. So, you know, what do you do to kind of help keep the motivation and keep the energy level up for a team that probably, at some points is, you know, starting to get to the end of the rope or run out of gas? Brian: Yeah, diversity of projects and lots of different stuff to work on. I'm guessing and actually I'd kind of turn that question on you, chris, because I can only imagine the type of stress that you guys live under, especially working big cases and big projects. There's one part that is, hey, we're just all in this together, right, and the esprit de corps that comes with. We're tackling big projects and that's just part of what comes with it. But there's another part where you just need to shift gears for a little bit and work on something different and give yourself a little recharge time. But how do you guys deal with it? I'm curious how? Chris: Boyer Miller, yeah that's a fair question to turn around on me. I would say it's similar. I think it's. You know to me that you can't underestimate the power of a team and if you have the right people on the team, there's some self-motivation just within that group, Right. And then I think it is the. We are fortunate to have very diverse type projects. We practice in all industries. So we may be doing a, a deal or a project, but it's in a different industry and there's different nuances that make it exciting. And at the end of the day I think it's the one point you highlighted on you can point to something and we're helping clients achieve their goals. So we can, you know, point to a deal that's been done or, you know, maybe it's a merger of two companies, or one that's grown and now has a new building and doing whatever. But you can point to those successes that you, where you've helped the client achieve, you know something really big for them and their business and their life. And so I think all of that continues the motivation. Yes, sometimes at the end of a big deal, you need just a little bit of a breather, but you just jump right back in and get going. So it makes it fun. Brian: Well, if you'll let me share. So you and I first met in person, had an opportunity to meet at one of your big forums, and that was a bunch of your customers and clients were there, and I love meeting new folks, as you probably saw, and I you know, walking around just saying, hey, I'm Brian, what do you do? And almost every one of them I would ask like, hey. So how do you know Chris, how do you know this group? You know, have you worked with them? And they all had a story. That was exactly that. You know, whatever thing it was that you helped them. We did XYZ project and it was awesome. We use them all the time for all these things. It was just very striking how passionate your customers, your clients, are with the help they've gotten from you guys, and so, anyway, that is extremely commendable and what I've seen from your team has just been amazing. Chris: Well, I appreciate the feedback. It's always good to get that, especially from different sources. So you know, like I think, we're always trying to create raving fans so that they'll keep coming back and tell their friends. So you get a unique seat and I think it's similar. You kind of analogize back to us. I think we get a unique seat to work with Texas entrepreneurs, and that's a pretty cool thing to do, in my view. What's, what would you or how would you describe the Texas entrepreneurial spirit if you could, based on your experience? Brian: Yeah well, I'm a native Texan. I have this hypothesis that part of the reason we're such a proud bunch is that when you go through I don't know if you grew up in Texas, chris but then also this sense of like we can do big things and big audacious things and we can make big asks and ask big questions and go get it done. And so we see a lot of that down here. And so you know, if you were sitting in I'll make this up Iowa and you said you know I want to have a space business and we want to go put hardware on the moon, and you know your neighbors would look at you and kind of scratch their head and in Texas they'd go oh yeah, that's intuitive machines and they're down the street, you should go. You know, go talk to them. They'd love to work with you. So that kind of spirit is really something special. When I was in industry I traveled all over the country working projects. There's something very special about this region, this community, this state, and that translates into why people want to come here. You know we keep Texas and Houston keep winning all these awards for business, new businesses coming here, people moving here, and that's not by accident, it's not by coincidence. It's because we have a great, great story to tell, whether that's workforce and the capabilities, the affordability of being here, the caliber of people you can work with and who your competitors are, and the level of intensity in the game that we play here is high and that creates the right ingredients for a really thriving community, for entrepreneurs, but also for industry any size. Chris: Right, very good. So what advice would you give to entrepreneurs out there that might be looking to start a business, let's say specifically, kind of within your region? If not, maybe beyond that in Houston? What's? Some of the advice you might give them if they wanted to get involved in some of the all the things you've been talking about. Brian: Yeah, dive in. It's a great community and a great ecosystem and there's a reason people are investing here and making a great run at it. We try to make that as easy as it can be. Now it is not easy. There's no illusions that starting a company you know scaling and growing a company all those things are very challenging. So the question I find myself asking I don't know that I'm in a position to give you know this immense amount of wisdom about these things, but what can we as a community and we as an organization be doing to help that entrepreneur? How do we help them build a relationship so that if they're having trouble with a permit, they know who to go ask, who to go talk to If they have a big idea, who might be good partners If they want to bounce something off, a retired executive who they might go talk to about that has the right skillset, so that we can create the conditions for them to be successful? And so that's really how we find ourselves interfacing that ecosystem is how do we put the right players together to go make things happen? Chris: Very good. So the other thing I'm curious to know is what do you see? You mentioned your five big industries. What have you observed of those industries working together to create innovative ideas to help each other? You got to move forward. Brian: Yeah, there's been a lot of. So workforce has been one of the biggest, especially over the last few years, where there's been this really high intensity competition amongst folks. And I wouldn't be surprised if you have been in some of that with, you know, recruiting and retaining high talent attorneys, right Is that? That's been, and so we've spent a lot of time and I've observed a lot of our members in this community go with that as a spirit of, hey, we're not really doing anybody any good If we're just poaching each other's people and you know, and creating pain points and friction between senior executives and those kinds of things. Let's go look at other communities and go figure out hey, what are the best universities and how do we get the professors that are training the students in it to send resumes to our area, right, and that we have a coalition of companies, not just one company has a relationship with one professor and that company benefits from that it's. How do we build that relationship as a community and say to them hey, we have a very strong demand signal, let's work together on things like that and so feeding that workforce pipeline so we're not divvying up the pie, we're growing it. And so, on the workforce side. I hate to be cliche because everybody's talking about AI, but we've had a couple of membership meetings about it. We've been working with partners about integration of it. We've adopted different technologies that have come out of it. But that stuff really, I mean it's the wave that we're living in right now, and so the integration of that into systems, both the how to do it and the mitigation of risk. I think I saw over the weekend that the new DeepSeek had a big not terribly surprised, but had a giant data leak and compromise, and so when you know when you're using that, I can only imagine, chris, I'd be curious how y'all are integrating it. But you know everything you put in there. You got to assume that at some point, somebody you don't want to have access will at least have the opportunity to have access to it, and so you have to be quite careful about how you integrate it. I, just as an aside, how are you guys using it much? Have you all banished it? What's the? Chris: Well, I'd say it's a little bit of both. I mean, we are definitely looking at and finding ways to integrate it. We've adopted a policy, but it starts with, as you mentioned, with us. It starts and stops with maintaining client confidentiality. So there's some systems out there through recognized kind of legal researchers. So Westlaw comes to mind, where they developed AI tool that is solely within their database. So it's secure, it's, it's all legal. You don't have to worry about we were still spot. You still have to check things right the human element of that. But if you're searching, for example, using the AI tool within Westlaw, you don't have to worry about the fake cases you've seen in the news. But our attorneys, you know, if you're going to use it, it has to be approved through the firm which are only a handful. You can't use anything outside and everything has to be double checked by a person to make sure for accuracy, etc. But so it is. I mean, the confidentiality side is a real concern, not just for law firms, for everybody, any company using it, and unfortunately that's just gonna be more and more what we see right. The more that we're moving everything to cloud, you're going to have people coming after it to try to. You know, on the bad side of that and certain countries it's not illegal to be a hacker. So it's just, you know, that's the world we live in now. Yeah Well, you know, brian, this has been a very interesting conversation and the you know, the last time we spoke I came away with the same feeling, and that is, we talked a lot about a lot of opportunity going on in the three to six o'clock region of greater Houston and we didn't even scratch the surface, I'm sure. But my takeaways have been it doesn't matter what industry again, I said earlier, you always kind of automatically think of space and NASA, but it's every type of business you could think of. An industry you could think of Sounds like you've got ample opportunity for businesses and entrepreneurs to start, grow, expand and be there and thrive. Brian: Well, perfectly said, and I think we get a recording. I may use that in some of our promotional material. Chris, that's exactly right. Great time, great place to be and welcome folks to reach out to us to help however we can if they're interested in looking at opportunities down here for that Before I lose you. Chris, one of the favorite questions that you had sent over that I wanted to ask you that you didn't get a chance to ask is what your favorite recreation vacation spot in the state of Texas is. Chris: Well, I'll answer that. I was about to ask you that. I would say if it's kind of a vacation spot in Texas, it would probably be anywhere along the Texas coast to relax a little bit and get some fishing in. Brian: Perfect. Chris: How about you? Brian: We are huge campers, like we love going camping. My kids are eight and 11 and we have state parks pass, and so any day I'm in a state park is a good day for me. But Inks Lake is one of my favorites and McKinney Falls between the two of those. Those are my top two right now, but we've probably been to Keene and we're just checking off the box to hit them all, and maybe we'll upgrade to National Parks as we get a little bit older. But I love our visiting our state park system. They're just absolutely wonderful. Chris: That's great. Okay, last question You're native Texan, so do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Brian: Oh, I feel like that question is going to get me in trouble, but if you made me choose, I'd pick barbecue. I'll eat it all day, every day, as it shows how about you, how about you? Chris: I think it's a tough one, so I've had some guests. You know, it depends on the day. I probably lean Tex-Mex more than barbecue. But I love the restaurants now that are combining the two, so brisket tacos or brisket nachos or something like that. It's a great combination. Brian: Yeah, there should be an answer all of the above there. Chris: So we're getting close to the rodeo time in Houston, so I have to go with barbecue for now and then back to Tex-Mex, I guess. Brian: Well, I look forward to seeing you at the kickoff event, where we get to go sample a little everything. Deal, that sounds good. Well, I look forward to seeing you at the kickoff event, where we get to go sample a little everything. Chris: Deal. That sounds good. Brian, thanks again for taking the time. Really appreciate your friendship and definitely appreciate what you and your team are doing for all the things business down in the Bay Area. Brian: Well, right back at you, Chris. Thanks for your leadership and all the great work you're doing with your team. Appreciate the opportunity to visit with you today. Thank you. Special Guest: Brian Freedman.

What would happen if more women said each other's names in the rooms that matter? Today, I'm hosting my brilliant friend Veena Jetti, an accomplished real estate investor who's closed over a billion dollars in transactions. We talk about the magic of women lifting each other up, the importance of diversity in leadership, and what happens when you step out of your comfort zone.  From hilarious airplane networking stories to the unfiltered truths about balancing business, family, and self-care, we dive into conversations usually saved for dinner dates. Veena shares how her focus on investing in diversity and unsexy businesses (think roofing and accounting) has led to massive success. Plus, I open up about my own challenges as an introvert navigating extroverted spaces and learning to embrace discomfort for the sake of growth. Trust me, you don't want to miss Veena's take on why women-led companies outperform and some unexpected lessons we've learned along the way, so join the conversation now! “I don't think it matters so much what you're investing into as it does the team that you're investing into ." ~ Veena Jetti  In this Episode: - Extroverts and introverts in friendships   - Veena's airplane networking and how she met Jeezy - Tips for introverts to step outside their comfort zone   - How to end an unwanted conversation politely   - Jen and Veena's meet-cute: women supporting women   - Tips for breaking competitive barriers among women  - Veena's investing criteria: diversity, leadership, and boring businesses   - How Veena balances business, family, and self-care   - Which relationships matter the most?    About Veena Jetti: Veena Jetti is the founding partner of Vive Funds, a unique commercial real estate firm specializing in curating conservative opportunities for investors. Veena brings a dynamic perspective to targeting, acquiring, managing, and operating assets using best practices combined with cutting-edge technologies. Veena also leads a Facebook Community called Mastering Multifamily with Veena Jetti. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Finance at 20 years old, she pursued her passion for real estate. Veena has over a decade of real estate experience and $1Billion+ in multifamily transactions in her own portfolio. Veena is also a passionate philanthropist. In 2017, she was one of only three women to receive the Politico Woman of the Year award for the significant amount of time and focus she spent on aiding in a grassroots Hurricane Harvey disaster response. Website: https://vivefunds.com/  IG: https://www.instagram.com/veenajetti/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theveenajetti  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veena-jetti-5a87565/  Where to find me: IG: https://www.instagram.com/jen_gottlieb/    TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jen_gottlieb     Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jenleahgottlieb    Website: https://jengottlieb.com/    My business: https://www.superconnectormedia.com/     YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jen_gottlieb

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren BuffetReal estate investment and asset management leader, founding partner of Vive Funds, and 2017 recipient of the Politico Woman of the Year award for her philanthropic endeavors surrounding the Hurricane Harvey disaster response Veena Jetti is making her inaugural appearance on the show today and we are going to be making the most of it.  Veena and Jay are digging into why understanding the motivations of the people you go into business with will take you a long way, how there is not replacement for hard work but it never hurts to be lucky sometimes, and a desire to learn about the perspectives of others is something everyone should aspire to do.  Veena's unique perspective and experiences make this conversation one for the ages and we're ecstatic that she decided to share with our listeners on this episode of The Culture Matters Podcast.

Burnout is a challenge all leaders face at some point. In this episode, Tim Harris explores the key characteristics of burnout, offers practical strategies for breaking the cycle, and shares effective tips to prevent it. This insightful discussion could truly be a lifesaver. Every resident faces challenges at some point in life. But what happens when an entire community is struck by a crisis? The Carpenters share their experiences supporting residents in the aftermath of the devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey.  

Lessons from Historical Disasters| episode 323 History is rich with lessons from disasters, showing us what it takes to endure the worst situations. Survivors of events like hurricanes, wars, and economic collapses often share common factors that contributed to their survival. Preparedness and Resource Management From the Great Depression to World War II, those who managed resources effectively often fared better. During the Great Depression, families with home gardens and stored food were better equipped to weather food shortages. Similarly, rationing during WWII ensured that essentials like sugar and fuel were stretched to meet needs. Adaptability and Ingenuity Survivors often adapted to their circumstances in creative ways. During the Dust Bowl, farmers implemented soil-saving techniques like crop rotation and contour plowing. After Hurricane Katrina, survivors repurposed household items, using coolers as flotation devices or water storage. Flexibility in the face of adversity is key. Community Support and Collaboration No one survives alone. In disasters like Hurricane Harvey, the “Cajun Navy” demonstrated how volunteer efforts save lives. During Canada's 1998 Ice Storm, neighbors shared resources, such as firewood and food, ensuring more people survived the harsh conditions. Knowledge and Skills Practical knowledge saves lives. Indigenous tribes in the Indian Ocean recognized the signs of a tsunami in 2004 and evacuated to higher ground. Similarly, during New York's 1977 blackout, people who knew how to safely use candles and manual tools were less vulnerable. Mental and Emotional Resilience Survivors often credit their mindset for their endurance. Holocaust survivors maintained hope and daily routines. The 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days stayed calm, organized roles, and rationed supplies to stay alive. Learning from these historical lessons helps modern preppers strengthen their readiness for any challenge. Are you prepared?

Lessons from Historical Disasters| episode 323 History is rich with lessons from disasters, showing us what it takes to endure the worst situations. Survivors of events like hurricanes, wars, and economic collapses often share common factors that contributed to their survival. From the Great Depression to World War II, those who managed resources effectively often fared better. During the Great Depression, families with home gardens and stored food were better equipped to weather food shortages. Similarly, rationing during WWII ensured that essentials like sugar and fuel were stretched to meet needs. Survivors often adapted to their circumstances in creative ways. During the Dust Bowl, farmers implemented soil-saving techniques like crop rotation and contour plowing. After Hurricane Katrina, survivors repurposed household items, using coolers as flotation devices or water storage. Flexibility in the face of adversity is key. No one survives alone. In disasters like Hurricane Harvey, the “Cajun Navy” demonstrated how volunteer efforts save lives. During Canada's 1998 Ice Storm, neighbors shared resources, such as firewood and food, ensuring more people survived the harsh conditions. Practical knowledge saves lives. Indigenous tribes in the Indian Ocean recognized the signs of a tsunami in 2004 and evacuated to higher ground. Similarly, during New York's 1977 blackout, people who knew how to safely use candles and manual tools were less vulnerable. Survivors often credit their mindset for their endurance. Holocaust survivors maintained hope and daily routines. The 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for 69 days stayed calm, organized roles, and rationed supplies to stay alive. Learning from these historical lessons helps modern preppers strengthen their readiness for any challenge. Are you prepared? Preparedness and Resource ManagementAdaptability and IngenuityCommunity Support and CollaborationKnowledge and SkillsMental and Emotional Resilience

To help Southern Californian families impacted by wildfires, please review the Community  Organizations Link HERE or here: https://bit.ly/4aduozL  Have you ever wondered how natural disasters reshape real estate markets and create ripple effects far beyond the immediate aftermath? This episode dives into the short- and long-term consequences of these disruptive events on property values, supply and demand, and market resilience. Key Takeaways: - Immediate Market Impacts: Learn how property values plummet, supply tightens, and insurance and financing challenges emerge right after a natural disaster. - Short-Term Effects: Discover how rental rates spike, migration patterns shift, and stigmas affect impacted areas, while unique investment opportunities arise. - Long-Term Resilience: Explore how communities rebuild stronger, innovate, and often see property values exceed pre-disaster levels over time. - Real-World Example: Understand the recovery journey of Houston after Hurricane Harvey and the lessons it provides for disaster-prone markets. This episode offers valuable insights for homeowners, investors, and anyone curious about how markets adapt and recover in the face of natural adversity. Tune in to gain a deeper understanding of how resilience and innovation can transform disaster into opportunity. Are you REady2Scale Your Multifamily Investments? Learn more about growing your wealth, strengthening your portfolio, and scaling to the next level at www.bluelake-capital.com. To reach Ellie & the Blue Lake team, email them at info@bluelake-capital.com or complete our investor form at www.bluelake-capital.com/new-investor-form and they'll connect with you. Credits Producer: Blue Lake Capital Strategist: Syed Mahmood Editor: Emma Walker Opening music: Pomplamoose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do we predict our planet's most powerful forces? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn about extreme weather, hurricanes, coronal mass ejections, and preparing for space storms hurtling our way with NOAA Administrator Richard Spinrad.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free.Thanks to our Patrons Dwight N Keown, Nathan Veatch, CURTIS J ESSEN, John Havranek, Vanessa Harding, Aiden Chauvette, Matthew Stork, SpaceTimePete, larry hughes, Anselmo Garcia, Nessa Nova, Tanya Henry, Neil Livingston, oliver stanton, Regis, Micheal Stewart, DP337, Rob Butler, Beth, and Caton Smith for supporting us this week. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts to listen to new episodes ad-free and a whole week early.

In this episode of the Long Blue Leadership Podcast, Cadet First Class Andrew Cormier opens up about his inspiring journey from growing up in Massachusetts to becoming a squadron commander at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He reflects on the early influences that shaped his values, the value of community service and service before self, sharing the leadership lessons he's learned along the way.   SUMMARY Andrew also talks about launching his own podcast, designed to help fellow cadets explore their career paths and grow as leaders. Throughout the conversation, he highlights the importance of understanding diverse career opportunities, the personal growth that comes from podcasting, and the power of community engagement. With a focus on national pride and perspective, he emphasizes that true leadership is about serving others—putting the team first rather than seeking personal recognition.   5 QUOTES "It's not about you. It's not about you. It's about the team." "When you're a leader, it's your job. There shouldn't be any extra, you know, kudos given to you. Everyone has their own piece in the puzzle, and just because your face is more prominent than others does not mean that the mission is any less doable with like one piece missing or another piece missing." "I just really urge people to try to understand other people's perspectives and listen more than they talk, because those pieces for me, like I'm a Pretty staunch capitalist, but I recently bought the Communist Manifesto. I want to understand where these ideas stem from." "American ideals are amazing, and they need to be protected. And in order for me to have any say in that, I need to have skin in the game. And that's what I look at my service as is me gaining skin in the game." "It's not difficult, it's just super time consuming and kind of annoying. And so, I mean, it even like stays true to today, everything I have to do isn't necessarily difficult. I'm a management major. I don't know what the Astro or aero people are going through. I'm sure that's very difficult. But for me, it's more just like getting the reps in it, and it's very gradual." - C1C Andrew Cormier '25, October 2024   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK   CHAPTERS 00:00:  Introduction to Cadet Andrew Cormier 02:52:  Andrew's Early Life and Background 05:52:  Discovering the Military Path 08:46:  Community Service and Humanitarian Efforts 12:10:  Transitioning to the Air Force Academy 15:07:  Experiences in Basic Training 17:57:  Leadership and Followership at the Academy 20:47:  Becoming a Squadron Commander 24:11:  The Role of a Squadron Commander 27:12:  Starting the Podcast Journey 34:54:  Understanding Career Paths in the Air Force 39:30:  The Impact of Podcasting on Personal Growth 44:45:  Engagement and Value in the Cadet Community 52:36:  Navigating Post-Graduation Decisions 01:00:05:  The Importance of National Pride and Perspective 01:04:53:  Leadership Lessons: It's Not About You   ANDREW'S 5 KEYS TO LEADERSHIP SUCCESS Leadership is not about you, it's about the team. As a leader, your job is to represent and protect your people, not focus on personal privileges. Seek to understand different perspectives and listen more than you talk. Don't take American ideals and freedoms for granted - they need to be actively defended. Balance future planning with living in the present. Don't become overly fixated on the future at the expense of enjoying the moment. Perseverance, critical thinking, and resourcefulness are key to success. Rely on these core strengths rather than trying to control everything. Diverse experiences and mentorship are invaluable. Seek out advice from those who have walked the path you want to follow, and be open to learning from a variety of backgrounds.   ABOUT ANDREW BIO C1C Andrew D. Cormier is a cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs, CO. Cadet Cormier is the commander of squadron 15, the Mighty War Eagles. C1C Cormier is originally from Fitchburg, MA and entered the Air Force Academy in June of 2021 following his lifelong passion to “serve others.” Throughout his cadet career he has held the squadron position of Diversity & Inclusion NCO and Spark Innovator, but on an unofficial level has hosted the “For the Zoomies” podcast interviewing over 75 officers to better understand their experiences in the Air Force for the sake of helping cadets make career decisions, as well as been a widely trusted barber in the dormitories. C1C Cormier plans to complete his Bachelor of Science in Business Management in May 2025. Immediately following graduation he intends to commission as a Second Leiutenant in the U.S. Air Force and become an Acquisitions Officer. - Copy and Image Credit: Andrew Cormier    CONNECT WITH ANDREW LINKEDIN  |  INSTAGRAM  |  TWITTER   RECOMMENDED LISTENING:  FOR THE ZOOMIES PODCAST with C1C Andrew Cormier   LISTEN NOW!     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 GUEST:  C1C Andrew Cormier  |  HOST:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz 00:00 My guest today is Cadet 1st Class Andrew Cormier, USAFA Class of '25. Andrew stands out among the finest examples of those who have taken the service-before-self aspect of their work as developing leaders very seriously. In Andrew's case, he helps and supports his fellow cadets by guiding them to their optimal career paths through the guests and their experiences on his podcast. This is a new approach for Long Blue Leadership, and one we think you'll appreciate, because we're looking at leadership through the eyes of one who both follows and leads, thriving in both spaces. We'll talk with Andrew about his life before and during his time at the Academy. We'll ask where he's headed when he graduates. We'll discuss the role he's taken on as a podcaster, and we'll ask how he's successfully led and followed. We'll end with Andrew's takeaways and leadership tips. Andrew, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad you're here.   Andrew Cormier Thanks for having me, Naviere.   Naviere Walkewicz Absolutely. So it's got to be a little bit different being on the other side of the podcast mic.   Andrew Cormier Yeah, no, it's definitely interesting to be here. I've done a few before, but they weren't in person, and this was like the highest quality, so I have a little bit of imposter syndrome, not gonna lie.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh goodness. Well, we'll learn from each other, right? I think that's the best. We can always be learning; we can always get better. So, I'm excited to take in some of the things that you do as well. Feel really good about that. Well, one of the things we like to do on Long Blue Leadership is we rewind the clock a little bit. Some clocks are further rewound back than others, and so I'm really excited to kind of get to know. Where were you before the Academy? Where'd you grow up? What was life like?   Andrew Cormier OK, I'm not as chronologically advanced, like, relative to maybe my experience in high school. I grew up in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, lot of pride coming from the East Coast. My parents, my dad, he worked as a general contractor, so I spent a lot of summers laying tile, you know, doing framing houses, all that sort of stuff, just like, you know, a general laborer. Honestly, just like sweeping up a lot of dust and mess, as he actually did all the hard work. And then I went to a tech school, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School. That's a mouthful, but I went there mostly because my brother went there. I wasn't a huge decision maker back then, like I consider myself somewhat now. And I studied machine technology, and working on metal pieces like running lathes and mill machines and electronic discharge machines, just to — I didn't really know what preparing for the future was like, but that was the kind of path I was on. But then, I grew up playing hockey and lacrosse, and I realized that I had an opportunity with that somewhat, and I was traveling the East Coast playing lacrosse. Think it was after a tournament in Ashton, Pennsylvania, me and my dad got a phone call from Coach Wilson, the Air Force Academy lacrosse coach, saying, “Hey, we saw you play this weekend. We'd love to have you out.” And so that's like a really quick rundown of where I come from, but I guess moral of the story: I really appreciate the background, the kind of blue-collar experiences that I've had when it comes to growing up in Massachusetts.   Naviere Walkewicz No, that's awesome. And I think it's, it's great know that you're not afraid to get your hands dirty, to work hard and grit. I mean, that kind of is also synonymous with hockey. I feel like you work hard, you dig. So let's talk about that a little bit more. Older brother then. So you're one of two? Any other siblings?   Andrew Cormier Yeah, just me and my brother.   Naviere Walkewicz OK, and so what was it like growing up with an older brother? You know, were you always the one that he got to test things on? Or what did that look like?   Andrew Cormier No, my brother — he's about three and a half years older than me, so we never really were in school at the same time. He was always, four grades ahead. So we went to all the same schools, but he was leaving just as soon as I was arriving. But no, he was a great big brother. I was more of like the wild child, me and my mom will sometimes look at the family videos, and it's me kind of just being this goofball, like not appreciating things, like complaining, whining, all this stuff while Zach's over here, trying to help me. Like, I remember this video: We lived in this house where the driveway was very steep, and so we would just like drive our little like plastic carts down the driveway right, and my brother was over here, like, trying to push me up the hill, and I'm over here, like yelling at him—   Naviere Walkewicz Go faster!   Andrew Cormier No, I was like, “Stop, Zach, stop!” Like, looking back, I'm like, wow, I was just a goofball. He's over here trying to help me, right? But no, he was. He was a great big brother. And to be honest, growing up, I consider myself to have, like, a really spongy brain in terms of, I want to learn things through other people's experiences so that I don't make the same mistakes myself. And so when I would see my brother do all these things, he got into lacrosse. I got into lacrosse. He went to Monty Tech. I saw what cool opportunities there were with that. I went there. And so it was kind of like he tested the waters for me, and then I ended up, following suit. And it's, it's kind of changed since then, I've come to a little bit more of like an independent person. But, you know, growing up, you kind of always look up to your big brother.   Naviere Walkewicz Yes, I love that. And so, aside from being recognized through your lacrosse sport, how? How did the military come into play? Was that something always on the radar? Is it somewhere in your family, maybe not with your dad or your mom, but elsewhere?   Andrew Cormier Yeah, um, my family wasn't big on the military, not that — you know, we grew up pretty disciplined, but the on my mom's side, her parents are immigrants from Canada. There's not a whole bunch of military history there. But on my dad's side, my Pepe, his dad, was drafted for the Korean War, and so he did communications for four years, and then he got out. But beyond that, I mean, he passed when I was young, so I never really got to really — he never really had the opportunity to instill lessons into a sentient person, more or less. So, yeah, I felt more or less like I was doing this for the first time, like it wasn't a huge military thing. But in high school again, my brother, it was an open house. I was in seventh or eighth grade. I get brought to the Marine Corps Junior ROTC program at my high school. And I was really like, what's going on here?   Naviere Walkewicz In an excited way, or?   Andrew Cormier Kind of. It was more like, intrigued, not super— my first question after he gave his little pitch was, “So do I have to serve?” And he was like, “No, no, no.” And I was kind of relieved. So that's kind of my initial impression. I go to school, I'm not enrolled initially, and to be honest, I don't remember what urged me to enroll in the program, but I ended up enrolling. I loved it.   Naviere Walkewicz What year was that?   Andrew Cormier It was freshman year, so I did all three years, because I transferred to a different school my senior year, but I did it all three years, and I loved it, mostly because of the service aspect of it. We did a lot of — it wasn't like, I feel like ROTC, especially at the Academy, because, you know, if other cadets see this, they're probably gonna flame me for it. But this has, it has this perception of collecting badges and ribbons and, cadet general, all that sort of stuff. And that was so far from what my program was all about, we were doing a bunch of community service. Like, you know, in Fitchburg, we would go near the Boys & Girls Club and pick up trash in the area. Obviously, picking up the trash wasn't fun, but just like, going out and do something with your buddies on the weekend, that was fun. Countless Salvation Army collections, like we'd sit outside the grocery store—   Naviere Walkewicz Ring the bell?   Andrew Cormier Yeah, collect money. All those sorts of things were what really pushed me on. And then I think the culminating thing that really pushed me to want to pursue this was, my sophomore year, we did a humanitarian trip after Hurricane Harvey hit in Texas. So we went down to Wharton, raised a whole bunch of money, took 50 of the about 100 cadet corps, and we posted up in this Boys & Girls Club gymnasium, all on cots. We'd march to breakfast at Wharton Community College, and then we'd spend the day going back and forth in teams, in our vans, either bringing cabinetry to houses, flooring to houses, drywall to houses. And then we'd install it, because it was all flooded up to pretty much the knee from Hurricane Harvey. And so that week that we spent down there was super impactful to me, especially at the end. There was a bunch of little projects, but centrally, there was a big project, because this house was basically destroyed. And coming from a tech school, we have a bunch of plumbers, carpenters, cabinet makers, all the all these different trades coming together, and they ended up doing something really good for this one family. And so they left for a week, and then they were able to reintroduce them on that Friday, and it was super heartwarming. I don't know how I feel saying that word, because I emasculated myself, but, that sort of feeling. It was like, “Wow, we really, like, helped a family,” and it was impactful to me. And so, you know, now at the Academy, I'm like, I haven't had time to do community service, and I feel bad about it, but that's kind of what really got me interested in it.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, I think it's fascinating how, you know, your ability — you worked with your dad, so I think you brought some of those skills, and then again through school. But I think a heart of service is kind of the theme that we're hearing early on in this conversation. What I think we're going to even talk about more. So you were discovered through lacrosse, the little — you went on a, probably an intercollegiate, tour of the Academy. And were you like, “Yes, this is it,” or was it still like a “Well…”   Andrew Cormier Yeah, so backtrack a little bit. My senior year I ended up transferring to Northfield Mount Hermon. It's a college preparatory school, so I was boarding there. And I say that because when I came here, I was really interested in old schools that have a lot of heritage, a lot of tradition. My school, it was like, I — all my fellow “Hoggers” are going to be disappointed that I forget the year that it was founded by Dwight L. Moody, but it's a very old school. Lots of traditions, a lot of fun stuff to like, you know, students are looking forward to and seeing what a lot of the freshmen had to do in my trip here, despite it being a relatively younger school compared to West Point and Annapolis, I was like, “That's cool.” Like, I like the hierarchy structure of it. I really like seeing it. The chapel was out, so I got to see, ya know, it was one of those sort of situations where I was really looking for a school that had fit the criteria of getting able to, you know, serve tradition. And I really wanted to play college lacrosse and at that time it looked like it was gonna fit those descriptions.   Naviere Walkewicz Yeah, so the Academy it was, and what was day 1 like for you?   Andrew Cormier 12:41 A few disclaimers: I want to say that, one, I didn't end up making lacrosse team, so I don't want to be, you know, claiming I made it and I didn't. And two, so…   Naviere Walkewicz …so let's pause there a second. So you were initially recruited, but you got and you had to do the whole application and get in on your own, because you ended up not being a recruited athlete?   Andrew Cormier Yes, and I got denied my first time.   Naviere Walkewicz OK, let's talk about that.   Andrew Cormier Yeah, so I, I applied Well, trade school, education, trade one week, education, other week. So you can see I might be slightly deficient in in certain academic realms. And so that's why I transferred to college Preparatory School, because I wanted to, you know, go all in on my academics, hopefully, you know, get me in. It worked in terms of really opening my perspective, but didn't work in terms of getting me into the Academy the first try, which I was initially a little bummed about, but now looking back on it, I'm like, that was, you know, the Falcon Foundation, shout out to him, or shout out to them, and Gen. Lorenz, everyone. We actually had the dinner last week that was super fun. But I didn't get in. But I got offered Falcon Foundation Scholarship, and I ended up going to again, picking schools off of tradition, Marion Military Institute, which is the oldest one on the list of options. And yeah, I went there for a year during COVID, and that's where I guess the gap is because I'm a Class — I was Class of 2020 in high school, graduating Class of '25, there's that gap. I hope I answered your question.   Naviere Walkewicz That's fantastic, actually. And, and I think for those listeners who may not be aware of the Falcon Foundation. You know, we have a number of different college preparatory, military preparatory programs that are affiliated with our Academy. And I think it's a wonderful testament to — you apply for the Air Force Academy. You don't apply for a preparatory school, but the Academy recognizes when we have areas that are maybe just under the cut line, but someone we're really interested in, and how do we get them there? And so I think it's fantastic that you were able to get a Falcon Foundation Scholarship. And I don't call that a gap. I call that just an extra year of preparatory So, yeah, it's wonderful.   Andrew Cormier I was definitely prepared more.   Naviere Walkewicz Yes, OK, so you came in on day 1 feeling pretty good then, because, you know, where others might have been the whole basic training experience, just kind of, you know, knock their socks off. You're like, “All right, we know this military thing.” Is that true?   Andrew Cormier Yeah. And, I mean, I guess in terms of, I know how to make a bed, I know how to wear a uniform, that was less daunting. I'm a management major. I don't know what the Astro or Aero people are going through. I'm sure that's very—   Naviere Walkewicz I'm glad you put that caveat in there. OK.   Andrew Cormier Yes, I'm a management major. All the assignments are more or less easy, but it's more just like getting the reps in and it's very gradual. So I don't want this to make it sound like the Academy is easy by any means, because what's difficult about it is the task-saturation they have you doing. It's like stuffing 10 pounds of sand in a 5-pound bag, that sort of deal. That's where it's difficult, at least for me. And so coming into it with hearing those sort of perceptions, that's how I went into it feeling, and I was kind of right. I mean, basic training wasn't super rigorous.   Naviere Walkewicz You were fit.   Andrew Cormier I was, you know, I was able to memorize things.   Naviere Walkewicz Good, your mind is a sponge, so that was probably helpful.   Andrew Cormier Yeah, I had all my— my bed making skills were already down pat, so all the really tactical things were taken care of, and I understood that I was going to get yelled at no matter what. And coming into it with that, I was just like, OK, this is a game of attrition, and I just can't quit.   Naviere Walkewicz I love that. So how did you translate what you felt was maybe not as difficult and you saw others struggling? Have there been times where you've had to step up and take on a role of being more of a support or a leader amongst your peers?   Andrew Cormier Yes, of course. I mean, in my baby squad, we had — I wasn't the only, not only preppy, but also they call them prepsters. I was technically a prepster because I didn't go to the “P” but, you know, I was still did a prep year, and we had a prior enlisted person, and so the four or five of us had already seen all this stuff before. And when it came to studying the Contrails, showing people how to, you know, make their closet and all those sort of things. And also when it came to just being away from home, I had been away from home since I was about 17, and I got there when I was 19 or 20. And so acclimating to living away from home is kind of difficult challenge. And so just being there for the people that are like, “I miss home, I miss my mom, I miss my dad, I miss my home food” and all this sort of stuff. You know, there, there aren't a lot of opportunities for chit chat during basic training, at least towards the beginning, but towards the end, I'm like, you know, “You got this, let's power through.”   Naviere Walkewicz And yeah, I love that. So let's talk about, while you've been a cadet, maybe some of the ways that you've been a follower and some of the ways that you've been a leader, aside from the one you just kind of shared, what have been some ones that have stood out to you as you're continuing to develop your leadership skills?     Andrew Cormier 18:48 OK, following — very much freshman year you're following. Trying to think of some concrete examples. I think credibility, like understanding where you fall on the credibility hierarchy is somewhat a dictator, an indicator of where you should be in terms of leading and following, and I understood that relative to the rest of my baby squaddies, I might have been slightly above the average in terms of credibility, but in terms of the entire squadron, lowest of the low.   Naviere Walkewicz Tell me why. Let's talk about that. What do you mean?   Andrew Cormier Well, I mean, I remember freshman year when we were getting quizzed on our shoulder board rankings. It's a ground-cloud horizon, and freshmen just have the cloud because their heads in the clouds. They're, very unfamiliar with this place. And you know, it's true, not only do you not know what it's like to have a bunch of GRs in a week as a freshman, just coming out of basic training, but you also don't know what it's like to understand an organization. I didn't understand what a reporting structure like — you know, I didn't understand a lot of these intricacies, and I tried my best to have some humility and understanding that and just keeping my ears open for it. And with that credibility spectrum I was confident in the sense that I could be self-sufficient NS take care of what I needed to take care of on the academic front, the knowledge, the K-test front, athletic front. But when it came to, oh wow, I've never been in a 100-person organization before and at the bottom of it, this is a time to take some notes. I think that's definitely a theme's that's definitely followed through with the podcast especially. I kind of avoided giving a concrete example of the followership.   Naviere Walkewicz 25:00 You had mentioned you thought it was a whole bunch of KPP, so what is the role really like as a squadron commander?   Andrew Cormier 25:07 It's different than I thought it would be. You know, I think there's this perception of leadership at the Academy, amongst cadets, that leadership is land-naving through the athletic fields and like Jacks Valley. You know what I mean? Like, leadership is these super tactical things, like, how can you be as close to George Washington as possible? But, one, there's not many opportunities. And if you're doing that, opportunities for that sort of stuff, and if you're doing that stuff, you're probably not delegating as you should. And so I think the biggest takeaway that I've gotten from this position is like representation of your people and protection of them.   Naviere Walkewicz Talk about that.   Andrew Cormier 25:57 So even this past week — I don't want it to be tainted that he's a very good friend of mine, because I would have done this for anybody in my squadron. But he received some paperwork from somebody else, his supervisor. He works a group job, so the paperwork was coming from a wing person, and it was outlining how he had failed to do this and all this stuff, and then at the end, it had said something about his like, — I'm super cool. People mess up all the time. I mess up all the time. That's understandable. Mistakes are gonna happen. But the last paragraph rubbed me the wrong way, because it said something about his character, that, knowing him, well, I didn't really — it seemed very out of character. And so, you know, I've had cadet squadron commanders in the past that are just like, you know, hey, I'm going to trust everything that that the wing person said, issue all of the demerits, tours, paperwork that comes with the recommendation and leave it at that, but my attempt to really take this position seriously is to get the perspective of my friend, see what his opinion on it was like. Maybe let me gather a little bit more evidence. And upon doing that, the statement that was at the bottom of it was completely not apparent in the evidence. And this really raised an alarm for me, because if I weren't to do that, not only was it sent to me, but it was sent to permanent party. I'm like, this is, you know, kind of throwing some dirt on his reputation, and it's not true. And so what happened was I immediately texted the guy. It was cool. I worked with him over the summer on wing staff, and I went to his room, and I was like, “Hey, so, you know, just trying to get some understanding. I'm not here to press you about this, but I want to understand what's actually going on here. This is what is outlined in the Form 10. This is the evidence that I gathered from my friend, and they don't really seem to be congruent.” And then he starts giving his case, and I don't disagree with any of the things where he actually, you know, failed to do things. But then, when it came to the part about his character, he was like, “Yeah, so that's the issue. I did that out of anger of somebody else.” Because I remember seeing the group chat and the message was sent, and then my friend responded super politely, super respectfully, and then his co-worker was like, you know, kind of escalatory, aggressive. And then, as a result, both of them got negative paperwork. And I believe that only the negative character should have been put on his co-worker, not on my friend. And he admitted to that, and he was like, “I'm willing to walk that back, because it doesn't give an accurate representation of his character.” And so, you know, my friend was super appreciative, because, you know, we ended up having a permanent party conversation the next day, and we cleared everything up, and they were like, “Thank you for investigating this a little bit more. Because if you didn't, we probably would have just ran with the guy's recommendation and maybe thought a little bit less of him.” So, um, I guess when it comes to protecting my people, maybe that's now thinking back on it, maybe that's a first sergeant job to handle, like the discipline stuff, but maybe that it was my friend that took a little bit more ownership of it, and wanted to make sure it's correct. But that's more or less an example of protecting my people, or representing my people, I guess they kind of go hand in hand on. I guess, another note of protecting—   Naviere Walkewicz Or even what you've learned since being in the role of squadron.   Andrew Cormier 30:04 Yeah.   Naviere Walkewicz Peer leadership is hard, wouldn't you agree?   Andrew Cormier 30:04 It is very difficult. And I think maybe part of the reason why I was selected was because I have a relatively good reputation in squadron to be friendly. Last semester I was D&C. So, you know, I'm outside of the formation, making corrections –   Naviere Walkewicz What is D&C?   Andrew Cormier D&C: drilling and ceremonies. So I'm outside of the squadron making corrections as people are marching. And it's not an easy thing to do when it's somebody older than you as well. And I'm over here cracking jokes with them and making sure that I do it to everyone, not just certain people. I dig in a little bit more to my friends who I know can accept it, and then it might ease the tension of all the other people who might be not doing it right. And then I go talk to them, like, “Hey, chest up a little bit,” or, like, “'Fix your dress.” But yeah, I think that that was a big piece of me getting picked for it, because I have to uphold a standard, especially in today's Cadet Wing. I don't know if the listeners are privy to all the change going on in the Cadet Wing, but there's a much larger emphasis on standards. “Hey, I'm low key doing you a favor by correcting you so that you don't end up in a three-star's office.” And so as much as it's made cadet life as a whole, somewhat more difficult, it's made my job as a squadron commander, supposed to enforce these standards, a little bit easier, because they know that I'm not like the highest person that's like enforcing this. This isn't me power tripping. This is me trying to look out for people. That perception makes a big difference.   Naviere Walkewicz No, that's really helpful, and probably more than you thought we were going to be talking about, because you were probably thought we spending a lot of time talking about For the Zoomies, and I'd like to get there. So let's, let's talk about that right now. So, when did it start and why?   Andrew Cormier The reason changed over time, but I started it. I came out of CST, combat survival training, after my freshman-year summer. So it was approximately July timeframe. And I've always been an avid podcast listener. Loved hearing conversations, new ideas, learning, you know, while I just drive. I might think I'm a little bit more productive, like multitasking. And so I've always wanted to start one, but I wanted to be meaningful, not just me and my friends just yapping in some microphones. So what I did was, after freshman year, all of the fever dream of it was over. I could start projecting into the future, not just living in the present. I started projecting into the future, and I'm like, “Oh crap, I have an active-duty service commitment. I actually have to think about that decision for a little bit.” And I was scared because I didn't want to be a pilot. We had Career Night, which is one night every year, and then Ops, which was a whole year out. So I'm just like, I'm not the type to just sit back and let things happen to me. And so to address this issue, I went ahead and was like, you know, Col. Rutter. I went asked him, “Hey, is this feasible? What sort of problems you think I could run into? You know, like, PA, whatever?” And he was like, “Dude, go for it.” And so I started off just interviewing AOCs around base, getting — he was my first episode, talking about A-10s, even though I didn't want to be a pilot, you know, even though I don't want to do that, I'd like to learn more about it. Same thing, maintenance, acquisitions — being a management major was something I was very exposed to in the classroom, and then, you know, it just kind of like expanded. I covered a decent number of AFSCs, and then I started getting to the point where I had this better picture of not only what job I wanted, but also a holistic understanding of how these jobs and career fields intertwined, and it gave me a better picture of what the Air Force does as a whole. And so that was like a big learning piece for it, but it transitioned to, “OK, I don't want to just interview people and like, “Oh, this is what a maintenance officer does the entire time.” People get out after five years. And the reputation right now is that if you want to be a president, go to the Naval Academy. If you want to be a CEO, go to West Point. If you want to be a FedEx pilot, go to the Air Force Academy. And I heard that joke plenty of times, and as funny as it is, I'll admit it, I laughed at it, but like, I don't want that to be the perception of this place, because we produce much, much better leaders than just, pilots, not to poo-poo pilots, but like, CEO versus pilot, like it's, a different game. And so my idea was, how can I highlight that being an airline pilot, a cargo pilot, whatever it is, is not the only avenue to take after commissioning, what else can we do? And that's where I started picking up more perspectives, both on leadership, “What is it like to be a consultant?” I did, you know, definitely lean more towards things that I was interested in, but like equity research, private equity — all these different things, like podcasts, specifically about getting an MBA out of a service academy, all these sort of, like, super tangible things that, because I'm the target audience, I felt would, felt like it would resonate with the cadet wing, and so that was kind of like the motivation moving forward. And you know, it's had so many opportunities for me, like last week. Shout out Ted Robertson behind me, invited me to interview Dr. Ravi Chaudhary, and I'm getting all these super cool opportunities to expand my network and learn what it's like to do things at a more strategic level. And so it's been this really interesting, evolving project over the past two years, and I'll even share this little story. So this summer, I worked a cadet summer research program at Lockheed Martin in D.C. And one of the last days that we were there, they had this quarterly face to face, because it's a global, the corporate strategy arm is a global thing. So they have a like an in person thing every year — or every quarter. And how they started it was, we're gonna talk about just things that you've picked up, whether it's personal life, listen to a podcast, read a book that you wanna share with people. And so I was at the end of this big circle, and I was like, “What am I gonna say?” You know, like, all these people are spouting off this knowledge and wisdom, and I'm sitting here as this intern, trying to come up with something that would be useful to them, and then I actually started thinking. I was like, you know, this podcast changed my perspective on a lot of things, and I get a lot of praise for it, but as much as, like, you know, I acknowledge it was a good thing to help other people expand my own knowledge base of this, it had some downfalls and drawbacks as well. Namely, being I became super fixated on the future, and I was unable to really focus on the present, living in the moment like, get a little dark here, I was a little existential at certain points of time, because I was just constantly thinking future, and I'm like, What am I doing like right now? And it became like a frustrating thing for me, because not only was I interacting with a lot of older people, it was kind of making me feel unrelatable to my peers, and that was bothersome to me, because, you know, I never want to be perceived as this person who's a sycophant, like, just brown-noser and all that sort of stuff. And so it was definitely some drawbacks. And then I, like, brings me to the point of the reason why I started this was that fear. I started because I was scared of not knowing what the future was going to entail. It was this fear of uncertainty. And, you know, reflecting upon that I came into the Academy this, like this confident person and like, where'd that go? Am I not confident? Like the two things that I think if anybody can have will be successful in any realm of life, is perseverance and critical thinking. Those two things, in my opinion, will carry you anywhere. And I felt like I had those things, but I was just discounting them so heavily, to the point that I was like, I need to figure all this stuff out, or else I'm gonna be screwed, when in reality,why am I not just relying on these two things that I know, that I have, you know, maybe you can work in resourcefulness, but I have these two things. Why am I discounting those? And I think that was the big reflection point that I was able to share with the people in this room at this, you know — face to face. And I was like, you know, I had this really big pendulum swing to trying to control everything. And I really don't perceive myself to be a control freak. As, like, a micromanager. I think if you talk to anybody in the squad, they, they won't perceive me that way. But when it comes to my own future, like I want to — in the past — I'm trying to correct it. I'm still not perfect, but I was trying to correct for this. And I'm like, No, that's it's not right. That's not a long term, feasible thing I'm gonna end up burning out, never really living in the moment, never really enjoying things. And so, like that was a big learning lesson from this whole idea.   Naviere Walkewicz And you learned that when you're sitting in that circle, or did you learn that — was that when it kind of culminated into how you articulated it? Or had you already felt that way?   Andrew Cormier 41:40 The cadet experience, like I said, is very task-saturating, and so I never feel like I have a time to reflect during the semester. This was about July, like this past July, and so although I was working, it was like four day weeks, so I had a decent amount of time to reflect. I always treat my Christmas breaks and my summer breaks as points to reflect, and because that's the only time I have, like, the bandwidth to. And like that whole time period, like I was just so locked in on — like all this work I have my my notion planner and checking boxes, Life is checking boxes. And it took me, you know, shout out to Cylas Reilly, 100% because as much as we're different — like, he's much more, like, happy go lucky, like super high energy guy — being with him on the C-SERP at Lockheed, he, allowed me to put my hair down a little bit like, just take a little road trip, talk about stuff, not be so analytical about everything. And so I guess that's that point where — I had about month, because this was at the end of it. I was leaving the next day. And so we had about a month to talk about things. I had a month to reflect on it, and then this was something that was — like it had been the first time I'd ever put it to words, I'll say that. It wasn't the first time I was trying to process it, but it was the first time that I was putting it into words.   Naviere Walkewicz How did you feel after you said that?   Andrew Cormier Uh, slightly cathartic. I don't know it is. It's weird because as soon as you put something to words, then you can, like, I feel like understanding is like, if you can talk, if you can think about it, that's like, the lowest level of understanding. If you can talk about it, that's slightly higher. But then writing about it is the highest level. And so, like, I always keep a journal, and I've been trying to write about it, to put it into more concise words. But that was a big — it was kind of like a breakthrough of like, I'm having a higher understanding of this lesson that seems to be apparent in life.   Naviere Walkewicz Wow. And I think that's something that our listeners can — and those watching too — can really gravitate toward, because, you know, sometimes we get so caught up in the churn of the “what's next?” and the “do this” and “get here.” And I think an important lesson you just shared with us, and I love that you've learned it earlier on, is the key of reflection and really assessing “where am I?” and “how do I feel about that?” and “what's next?”. So For the Zoomies. Let's talk about that. First off, I mean, you've gotten a lot of praise for it, because they're fantastic, your episodes. What has the cadet wing — how have they embraced it?   Andrew Cormier 44:31 You know, I wish Spotify had a little bit better of the data. I can't attach an IP number to a listen. But to be honest, I was never looking for listens. But then as soon as I started growing, I'm, you know, a little bit more tied to it. It's kind of like seeing a lot of likes and stuff on Instagram or whatever.   Naviere Walkewicz Affirmations are wonderful.   Andrew Cormier 44:53 Yeah, but so I think it was received somewhat well. And I always try to add value to the cadet wing. Some of them I admit are a little bit selfish. They're mostly for me, like I really want to talk to this person. But then I had an episode with the Office of Labor and Economic Analysis about a change in how cadets were going to get matched their AFSCs, and I was thankful that — shout-out to Maj. Ian McDonald. He's the person who reached out for me. He is a representative from OLEA who was like, “Hey, I heard about your podcast. This might be a good episode idea.” And I'm like, “You're a genius. You're a genius.” And so we sat down — him and Col. Joffrion in the economic department. They were—.   Naviere Walkewicz Justin Joffrion?   Andrew Cormier Yes, classmate, my upper-classmate. He's '98.   Andrew Cormier OK, OK. And so we sat down and we walked through how cadets — because the initial, or I guess the legacy system, was OPA, your class, rank, your major, and then your preference. Those were the three things that would get put into this algorithm, this black box, and then you'd be spit out your AFSC. Now, and I think it's still in pilot. Maybe it's confirmed for a Class of '26 but at least for the '24/'25 those were, you know, where it was being tested, and it was much more like an open job market, where you actually able to submit a narrative about things that you projects that you've worked on, capstones, research that you've done, and it was super impactful. Because one, I really appreciate the new system, to be honest, because the military can be very — I've studied a lot of Austrian economics in my time, so I'm very of the mind, like, free markets, don't tell people what to do, like, they'll pick what's right for them. And so seeing this moving more towards a market structure, I was like, this is a good idea. But being able to share that with the Cadet Wing — that's the highest-listen episode, because I think it really, like, drives value. People don't want to, they want to know how the system works so that they can game the system. And one of my questions on the episode was like, “So, are you worried about people gaming the system? Because they know how it works?” And they're like, “Do it. We want you to get the right job.” And so, yeah, it's been super impactful to me that cadets valued the product that I put out there. And they would value it because it was useful to them. I wouldn't want it to be artificially inflated just for the sake of that affirmation, even though it feels good, but, yeah, it felt good to be able to contribute in that way.   Naviere Walkewicz I love that. So that's the most listened from the cadet perspective, what was been the most rewarding from the podcast seat, from your side of it?   Andrew Cormier Like, most rewarding in terms of—   Naviere Walkewicz Either a guest episode or just the experience of podcasts, okay, I'll let you take it where you'd like.   Andrew Cormier I have a lot of people pose this sort of question to me a lot about, like, who's your favorite episode? Like, who's your favorite guest? And, you know, they, like, kind of hint at, like, all, like, Gen. Clark, like, or anyone with stars was probably a really cool episode. And, you know, it is an honor and a privilege to be able to get an hour on their calendar because they're super busy. They're strategic thinkers. They don't usually have a whole bunch of time on their hands, but they were able to open up their calendar to me, and so it's an honor, and usually I do come away with a lot of practical knowledge from those things. I shouldn't say that those are always the most enjoyable. One of my favorites thus far has been with Julian Gluck, Cosmo. Because, you know, we sit down, same thing with Sam Eckholm, we sit down and we just — it is a little bit of yap-sesh, so maybe it's more for the people who are looking for entertainment than advice or information on the Air Force as a whole. But we just sit down and talk about cadet life. And I really enjoy the evolution of the Academy experience, year over year. And Sam Eckholm, being a relatively recent grad. Cosmo being — I think he's 2010, so it's like, you know, in these sort of 10-year chunks, and then even…   Naviere Walkewicz Is he ‘08 or ‘10?   Andrew Cormier He might be — in that timeframe. Yeah. And even Dr. Chaudhary, which was super fun, because for the first half of the episode, we were just talking about spirit missions. And so usually, with these senior leaders, it's more of “What's the strategic landscape?” “What can cadets take away from this?” But with him, it was like, you know, talking about chickens on the freaking football field and like, going up on Flat Iron. And so I always enjoy those episodes from a personal perspective of really having institutional pride, is seeing the evolution of this place and seeing the ebbs and flows of it. And it's like telling that — it makes me understand that the difficulty of this place and like the perception that the cadet wing is getting softer. It's not something that's been this ever since '59 it's been this gradual decline, persistently. It's a thing that comes and goes and honestly, we're more-or-less on an uptrend than not, relative to the adversaries that we're facing. So I guess that's a big piece of it is, as much as I really enjoy learning and getting different people's perspectives on, “Oh, what base should I choose given these goals?” Or, you know, “What does a maintenance officer do at Red Flag?”   Naviere Walkewicz Yes, oh, my goodness. Well, I think one of the things that you've highlighted in and this journey of yours is, yes, it's about impact. Yes, it's about, you know, taking care of one another. But there's also this intrinsic piece which is really about relationships, and that's what I hear when you talked about the ones that you really enjoyed most. I think it was that human connection. That's that thread that connects us.   Andrew Cormier Yeah, I think you hit the hammer on that thing. You know what I'm trying to say.   Naviere Walkewicz Yes, no, I'm with you. So, Andrew, what's next for you? Upon graduation, we know you're not going to be a pilot. What are you going to be doing?   Andrew Cormier 52:29 I dropped 63 Alpha Acquisition Manager.   Naviere Walkewicz And that's what you wanted?   Andrew Cormier Yes, first pick.   Naviere Walkewicz So you gamed the system properly?   Andrew Cormier Yes. I gamed it properly, yes. And I think the narrative piece of it, I included how I went to Lockheed, and they're very — the project I was working on, was very acquisition-oriented, so I think I really put a lot of emphasis on, “Give me this.”   Naviere Walkewicz “I really, really want this.” I'm so happy for you.   Andrew Cormier Thank you. Thank you. But so we just put in base preferences. That was a pretty long conversation with a lot of people that I had to have.   Naviere Walkewicz Including Chloe. Is she…?   Andrew Cormier Yeah, no, she was the main stakeholder outside of me. We probably had three different conversations about it. I'd talk to her first, go get some other input from grads. Talk to her again, more input. Talk to her, and then finally, input. And so, you know, I talked to my sponsor, Maj. Bryce Luken. And the reason I talked to a lot of people that I wanted to be somewhat like, like, I envision myself as them somewhat in the future. You know, they're reservists, entrepreneurial, very like — not sit back 9 to 5, but how are we gonna, you know, improve national security and have our own spin on things, have autonomy over, you know, what we do and our time and so, like, those are the criteria over, like, who I was talking to, so I had a conversation with him. He's like, “You should go to L.A.” I'm like, “Air Force people aren't going to L.A. That's Space Force…” Like, Boston. And so he's like, “Dude, you should go to Boston, MIT, Lincoln Lab.”   Naviere Walkewicz Hopefully you talked to Cosmo as well.   Andrew Cormier I actually haven't, but yeah, I should let him know I ended up putting in Hanscom. But you know Col. Misha, I saw him at the Falcon Foundation dinner, Forrest Underwood. Yes, they were giving me the same like urging me go to Boston. You're a young professional who wants to get his hands dirty. Don't go to, you know, Langley, where — you know you can still be industrious down there, but you'll be under-resourced compared to if you went to Boston.   Naviere Walkewicz See, and that's great feedback that you know maybe others aren't thinking about in their decisions. So I think that's a really great process in the way you approached it. People that are in the ways of where you want to go. And also the important people in your life that you want to make sure stay important.   Andrew Cormier Yeah. I mean, at the end of every single episode on the podcast, I always ask for advice for cadets looking to pursue a similar path. Emphasis on “pursue a similar path.” I get a lot of advice, and not that I think anyone is, you know, basing their advice off of maybe an incomplete conclusion. But when you're getting advice, you really have to understand, what are what is their envisioning or like, how are they envisioning your outcome, and is their envision outcome the same as like, what you want? And so I think getting to your point, I really look — I got the advice. Same thing. This past Sunday, I called up Chase Lane, who went to Langley first. And I think that's why he really stuck out to me. But he urged me to go to Boston. And also, kind of like, walked me through. He's like, you know, Chloe works at Space Foundation. She really wants to be in the space world. And so, she's like, “Let's go to Patrick. Right near Cape Canaveral, Cocoa Beach.” Super cool location, you know. I mean, prayers out to the people in Florida right now. I hope that they're all right. But like, you know, that'd be a good spot. Uh, relative, you know, Boston, wet snow every single day. But you know, he kind of like, Chase, walked me through how I should approach a conversation like this. And so, you know, the other night when I sat down with Chloe, as much as you know, I want to value her perspective and wanting to value all inputs, understand where those inputs come from, and find a middle point, a middle ground for everybody, because the team won't last if we're only valuing certain inputs. And you know, it does take a little bit of convincing, but also more of like, open your eyes to what the opportunity really is. Are you making assumptions about this? Am I making assumptions about this? Let's clear those up. And so that's a sort of conversation that we ended up having. And, you know, she's on board with Boston now and so.   Naviere Walkewicz I think that's wonderful. I think communication is key. Luckily for you, you're big on communication, And no, I think that's wonderful for our listeners, even. You know, yes, there's probably times when you have to make a decision, there's a lead decision maker, maybe in in a partnership or in a relationship, but when you take in all of those perspectives, like you said, I think the end of the day, when you're coming to that decision, you're in a place of transparency and, yeah, you kind of go for it together. So I think that's great lessons for all of our listeners. Andrew, we're going to get to some of the key thoughts that you have, and I also would love for you to share, and you have a limited to think about this, but something that is, you know, unique to you, that you would love our listeners to kind of hear or learn about you. I think that's one of the things that we've been able to pick up in Long Blue Leadership, is it's kind of neat when people just know what's relatable or what they think is really cool. So, give you a second on that. But before we do, I'd like to take a moment and thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. This podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio, and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Watch or listen to episodes of Long Blue Leadership at long blue leadership.org   Naviere Walkewicz 58:38 So Andrew, here we are, and we can go in either order. I think, you know, we always like to make sure our listeners kind of have a way to encapsulate the leadership lessons you want to leave them with that's close to you. But also just kind of, what's the thing you want to leave them with that's all about, Andrew?   Andrew Cormier It's weird talking about myself, to be honest, because I bet I'm always on the other side of the microphone.   Naviere Walkewicz Yes. It's much easier asking the questions.   Andrew Cormier Yes. I think one thing that I really wanted to talk about that I guess wasn't outlined in this, was the regular question of “Why'd you come?” versus “Why'd you stay?” And like I mentioned before, the service piece was why I came, but seeing how I haven't done community service really since high school, the reason why I've been staying is because American ideals are amazing, and they need to be protected. And in order for me to have any say in that, I need to have skin in the game. And that's what I look at my service as, is me gaining skin in the game. And, you know, I just, I am by no means a scholar of American history. Massachusetts Public Education did not teach me about the Alamo, unfortunately, so when I went to San Antonio for the first time, I was learning it. But what they did teach me was about our founding fathers. And, you know, being from Massachusetts, Plymouth Rock, it's where the Pilgrims landed, and what it really took for people to come across an entire ocean, fight tyranny. Like ask me, “How do you think I like my tea?”   Naviere Walkewicz How do you like your tea?   Andrew Cormier In the harbor. You know what I mean? Yeah, like, there's this sort of state and then largely national pride as — it's audacious what has transpired over the past 250 years, and I just want Americans not to take that for granted. I recently watched Civil War. Have you seen that movie? It's like, kind of a journalist's take on what would happen if, you know, states seceded. And it's like a, it's like a reminder of, “Oh, this actually happened. There was a civil war,” but like, you know, we were able to remand it, and like those reminders, tell me that this, this should not be taken for granted. And so, you know, with the kind of, like national landscape, the whole climate, I just really urge people to try to understand other people's perspectives and listen more than they talk, because those pieces for me, like I'm a pretty staunch capitalist, but I recently bought TheCommunist Manifesto. This is probably gonna get clipped or something, but I bought it, and I still haven't started reading it yet, because this semester's been crazy. But I want to understand where these people are coming from.   Naviere Walkewicz Critical thinking.   Andrew Cormier I want to understand where these ideas stem from. And I want to listen, and I want other people to listen as well. I want a more general understanding of the ideas that are guiding all of this change. What are they actually rooted in? And I think that understanding will make it much more clear as to like, a direction that we should all head in rather than, you know, all this public descent over very more or less menial things that are petty and not worth having the uproar that is ensuing. So I don't know, I guess. I don't know exactly where I was going with that, but my national and state pride gives me this urge to go, in some way, shape or form, defend these ideals and to encourage other people to look at — you know, I didn't mention a whole bunch about Northfield, Mount Herman, but I went to four schools in four years, Monty, Tech, NMH, Marion Military Institute and then here, all four different years, Massachusetts, Alabama, Colorado — in, you know, Massachusetts, my hometown, it's blue collar, NMH, super liberal. I was very international. I was in class with a Malaysian prince. I was exposed to very different perspectives there than I was when I was in Alabama. Here, there's people from all corners of the United States, and so there's this expanding perspective that allows me to be like, what we have here really shouldn't be taken for granted. I think I'm just beating a dead horse at this point, but I just really want Americans to think a little bit more and, like, listen a little bit more and understand a little bit more. I'm off my soapbox.   Naviere Walkewicz 1:04:27 I'm really glad you shared that perspective. I mean, I think it's an insight into you know, your deeper calling, and, like you said, why you stay but the threads of everything you've shared have played into that part of that of who you are at the fabric of Andrew. So, any additional leadership nuggets you want to leave with our listeners?   Andrew Cormier 1:04:53 I don't want to defer to other things that I said earlier in the conversation, but it's not about you. It's not about you. I have a couch in my room. It's like,   Naviere Walkewicz Tell me more about that.   Andrew Cormier It's a squadron commander privilege. I have my own room. I have all these like privileges. I have up top parking. It's very like ivory tower-centric. And that's like the perception of this. But it's not about me at all. It is about going and defending my friend. It is about when permanent party is directing frustration towards me, how do I not pass that frustration onto them? How do I make sure that the voices below me are heard. How do we reopen Hap's? Those are the jobs that are mine, and that involves no, like — it's my job, that I think that's the main thing. When you're a leader, it's your job. There shouldn't be any extra, you know, kudos given to you. Everyone has their own piece in the puzzle, and just because your face is more prominent than others does not mean that the mission is any less doable with one piece missing or another piece missing. So I guess it's not about you, it's about the team.   Naviere Walkewicz 1:06:23 So, For the Zoomies, just to kind of recap, where is it headed, and how can they find it, our listeners?   Andrew Cormier 1:06:33 Spotify podcasts, or Apple podcasts, I guess that's where you can find it. I'm not gonna lie; it's been on a little bit of a hiatus. I've been returning to posting, but had to give myself a break at the beginning of the semester. To be honest, I'm looking to just get to 100 episodes upon graduation and calling it a repository. I'm looking forward to some of the upcoming guests. I reached out to Gen. Mike Minihan the other day on LinkedIn, and he got back to me, and I was like, wow, so maybe he might be on the show by the time this is released. But yeah, I kind of want cadets to understand more. There's a lot of things that are advertised about pilots, but there's more out there. And I want this also be a testament of you don't need to do something in your extracurricular time that is an Academy club. Cadets can do their own thing. Yeah, I hope that answers the question.   Naviere Walkewicz That's outstanding. Is there anything that I didn't ask you that you want to share before we close out this amazing episode?   Andrew Cormier No, I think, I think I'm good. I've been talking way too long.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, it's that, well, we want you to talk because you've been our guest. But Andrew, it's been a pleasure.   Andrew Cormier It's been a really — I didn't say this in the beginning, but really, thank you for having me on. It means a lot to me that, you know, I'm the first cadet here, and I don't know what the plan is moving forward, but it means a lot to me that you saw enough in me to put me in company with all the other guests that you have on the show so far, and so I just hope you know it's pressure for me not to do anything to let you guys down.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, I think you being who you are, you've already not let us down. You're amazing. Thank you so much.     KEYWORDS Air Force Academy, leadership, cadet experience, community service, podcasting, military career, personal growth, mentorship, squadron commander, humanitarian efforts, Air Force Academy, leadership, career paths, podcasting, personal growth, cadet community, national pride, decision making, leadership lessons       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

In “Where There's (Southern) Smoke, There's Help for Restaurant Workers,” Gravy producer Evan Stern introduces listeners to the Southern Smoke Foundation, a relief organization dedicated to providing a safety net for food and beverage workers. As the pandemic reminded us, restaurants aren't just places where people go to satisfy hunger. The best ones reflect, anchor, and at times help define the communities they serve. From diners and drive-thrus to chophouses, maintaining them is a group effort made possible by managers, line cooks, servers, and cleaning staff, whose duties are essential and frequently challenging. They also comprise one of the largest labor forces in the US. Even so, these same workers often lack health coverage, live shift to shift, and don't have the option to work remotely. In times of unforeseen hardship, they might find themselves forced to choose between paying for housing, groceries, and medical care. In the absence of governmental reform, the Southern Smoke Foundation is working to respond to and call attention to these needs. Southern Smoke helps facilitate free mental health counseling and puts immediate cash in the hands of laborers in need. In this episode, we'll learn of its history from Houston-based chef and founder Chris Shepherd, who was inspired to take action in 2015 upon learning his friend and sommelier had been diagnosed with MS. From there, we'll learn about how forces like Hurricane Harvey and the 2020 pandemic reshaped the charity's focus. Finally, Charles Parra tells how Southern Smoke stepped in when his bartending career was upended after a major accident. This episode explores why efforts to make this industry more equitable are worth pursuing. As Shepherd asks, “We are there to serve and take care of people, but who takes care of us?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our local TV anchors are like old friends who drop by the house to visit.  And so it was with Kris Radcliffe who passed away suddenly on October 30th.  He was just 51, and his death came as a shock to his thousands of fans, and to those of us in the media who knew him.  I first met Kris in my Temple radio studio when he joined me to promote a bottled water drive for the victims of Hurricane Harvey in Houston.  After the interview I bought several cases and took them to the Channel 6 studios in downtown Temple.  On November 25, 2019, I invited Kris to come to my home studio to do an extended interview on Planet Logic.  He anchored the 6 PM newscast, drove to my house for the interview, and then back to Channel 6 for the 10 PM news.  I have been a follower and admirer of his work ever since I first met him.  And as a remembrance, here is that interview as it appeared half a decade ago.     

Send us a textIn this episode, I am joined by climate expert Tom Knutson to explore the nuanced science of climate change, focusing on Atlantic hurricane patterns, extreme rainfall, and the complexities of climate modelling. Tom sheds light on the challenges in attributing natural disasters to human influence, emphasizing the importance of understanding multi-decadal variability, regional factors, and the limitations of current data. We discuss how these intricacies are often overlooked in mainstream narratives and why a pragmatic approach to climate science is essential for informed public discourse. Research cited:1.IPCC AR5 and AR6 Reports•IPCC's reports provide global assessments on climate change. AR5 and AR6 discuss confidence levels in attributing tropical cyclone activity and rainfall to human influence.•IPCC AR5 Full Report•IPCC AR6 Full Report2.Multi-Decadal Variability in the Atlantic•Studies explore Atlantic multi-decadal variability, cycles in hurricane activity, and how these may be driven by aerosol levels or changes in ocean circulation.•NOAA on Atlantic Multi-Decadal Variability3.Hurricane Harvey Case Study (2017)•Hurricane Harvey's record-breaking rainfall is often cited in studies examining how atmospheric warming affects water vapor and extreme precipitation rates.•NOAA's Summary on Hurricane Harvey4.Study by Jim Kossin on Slowing Propagation Speeds of Tropical Cyclones•Jim Kossin's research found that the movement speed of tropical cyclones slowed significantly over land, affecting rainfall accumulation.•Kossin's Study in Nature6.Increased Water Vapor and Hurricane Rainfall Rates•Studies show that higher atmospheric water vapor, linked to warming, increases rainfall rates in hurricanes, with simulations suggesting a 7% rise per degree Celsius.•NASA on Climate Change and Water VaporSupport the showVisit my NEW Website! https://www.christopherbalkaran.comCheck out my Instagram/Tik Tok for daily posts: Instagram @openmindspodTiktok @openmindspodcast

In this episode of the Built HOW Podcast, host Lucas Sherraden explores the inspirational journey of Michael Flores, a celebrated real estate leader based in Katy, Texas. With a background rooted in corporate sales, Michael's transition into the real estate industry is a testament to his determination and vision for entrepreneurial success. Over 11 years, Michael has not only built a thriving team of nine but has also navigated significant shifts from being a dual-career professional to leading as a solo practitioner amidst the challenges presented by Hurricane Harvey. Central to the conversation is Michael's philosophy towards team leadership and personal growth, emphasizing an approach of continuous learning and adaptation, a message particularly resonant for those looking to excel in the real estate landscape. They discuss his tactical shift ten years ago, moving from cold calling and outdated contact methods to leveraging modern strategies like social media engagement. Michael also shares his transformational experiences with coaching programs, notably BOLD from Keller Williams, which catalyzed his burgeoning success. This episode is rich with actionable insights and strategies, ideal for real estate professionals seeking inspiration and practical advice on team management and personal development.   Connect with Michael at https://www.vantagerec.com/ ---------- Visit www.builthow.com to sign up for our next live or virtual event.   Part of the Win Make Give Podcast Network

In this episode of the First Day Podcast, host Bill Stanczykiewicz, Ed.D. sits down with Genevieve Shaker, Ph.D., professor of philanthropic studies and Donald A. Campbell Chair in Fundraising Leadership at the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, about the role of celebrities in fundraising. Dr. Shaker shares insights from her research into how celebrities influence nonprofit fundraising efforts. While it's common to see celebrities endorsing products in the private sector, their involvement in philanthropy requires careful alignment between their values and the nonprofit's mission to have meaningful impact. Unlike product endorsements, philanthropic donations are driven by personal values, which makes authenticity and credibility key when involving celebrities. Dr. Shaker explains that while celebrity involvement can help increase awareness for a cause, the financial impact is often modest, unless in cases of urgent crises such as natural disasters. She cites the example of NFL star J.J. Watt, who raised millions for Hurricane Harvey relief, but notes that in general, celebrities do not guarantee a significant boost in donations. Rather, their role is more about drawing attention and generating visibility, leaving the nonprofit to handle relationship-building and donor cultivation. The discussion also touches on changes in the media landscape over time, comparing old models like the Jerry Lewis telethon to modern approaches, such as livestream fundraising by YouTubers. Dr. Shaker emphasizes the importance of selecting the right platform and celebrity based on where the nonprofit's audience and the celebrity's fan base intersect. With today's fragmented media landscape, the alignment between the nonprofit's mission and the celebrity's personal brand is more crucial than ever. Dr. Shaker offers practical advice for nonprofits considering a celebrity partnership. She warns of potential risks, particularly if the celebrity faces a scandal, and stresses the importance of strategic planning. Aligning with a local celebrity or influencer, rather than a national figure, can sometimes yield better results, especially if the individual has a deep connection to the community or cause. As with all fundraising efforts, nonprofits must carefully weigh the benefits and risks before engaging a celebrity.

Podcast: PrOTect It All (LS 24 · TOP 10% what is this?)Episode: Building Resilient Tech Environments: Lessons from Dennis MaldonadoPub date: 2024-10-07In this episode, Aaron Crow engages in an insightful conversation with Dennis Maldonado, Director of Technology for Harris, Fort Bend ESD 100. The discussion emphasizes the importance of resiliency in technology environments and how strategic planning can safeguard against unforeseen disasters without necessitating a complete technological overhaul. From his extensive experience, Dennis shares how effective communication and collaboration were critical during events like Hurricane Harvey. He also provides his perspective on future trends and concerns in cybersecurity, including the rise of ransomware and nation-state attacks targeting critical infrastructure. The episode illuminates the significance of networking, with Aaron and Dennis underscoring its value in career advancement and sharing personal stories to illustrate how being well-known and trusted can open doors to unexpected opportunities.  Additionally, Dennis discusses the zero trust model and the intricate balance between maintaining cybersecurity and ensuring system availability in critical infrastructure.Listeners will gain practical insights into building resilient tech environments through real-world examples and expert advice.  The episode is a treasure trove of learnings on keeping organizations secure, responsive, and prepared for any eventuality. Join as "Protect It All" dives deep into building resilient tech environments with Dennis Maldonado's invaluable lessons.   Key Moments:  09:15 Networking is crucial for success in cybersecurity. 13:46 Volunteer firefighter boosted dispatch center through IT. 18:52 Transfers emergency calls to fire and EMS. 22:06 Quick response with information saves lives effectively. 26:22 Implemented lessons for resilient project development. 42:14 Sharing lessons learned from threat modeling experiences. 48:04 Zero trust model effectively mitigates cybersecurity incidents. 57:32 Public safety adapts by reverting to manual methods. 01:02:51 Cybersecurity's mainstream rise sparks widespread interest.   About the guest :  Dennis serves as Director of Technology for Harris Fort Bend ESD 100 (WESTCOM) managing and maintaining the technology needs of 911 call taking and emergency dispatch services for multiple public safety agencies. With over 15 years of experience in information technology and over 12 years in cybersecurity enterprise environments and consulting, Dennis's experience includes cyber resilience, network penetration testing, full-scope red team engagements, adversarial simulation, and physical security assessments. Dennis presented at multiple security industry conferences including DEF CON, InfoSec SouthWest, BSides conferences, Houston Security Conference, Houston OWASP, SANS HackFest, and several local meetups and organizations around the United States. As an active leader in the Houston cyber security community, Dennis is responsible for founding two cyber security meetups in the Houston area: Houston Locksport, founded in 2014 and Houston Area Hackers Anonymous (HAHA), founded in 2016. How to connect Dennis:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennismald/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/dennismald Houston Area Hackers Anonymous (HAHA): https://www.meetup.com/houston-area-hackers-association/= Connect With Aaron Crow: Website: www.corvosec.com  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronccrow   Learn more about PrOTect IT All: Email: info@protectitall.co  Website: https://protectitall.co/  X: https://twitter.com/protectitall  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PrOTectITAll  FaceBook:  https://facebook.com/protectitallpodcast    To be a guest or suggest a guest/episode, please email us at info@protectitall.coThe podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Aaron Crow, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.

Send us a textChildhood friends reunite as Tim Yager joins us to share his incredible journey with Ducks Unlimited and their groundbreaking conservation efforts. Discover how Tim's passion for preserving ecosystems has led to conserving over one million acres in just a year and a significant $100 million donation to protect our wetlands. This episode reveals the profound impact of conservation on not only ducks but entire ecosystems, painted by Tim's experiences in fundraising and driving lasting environmental change.Prepare for a thrilling journey through the trials and triumphs of hunting, from deer escapes that rival Disney movies to the adrenaline rush of helicopter hog control. Navigate the minefield of mismanaged hunting trips and the unexpected challenges of living near the Texas-Mexico border. As we recount personal adventures and wildlife encounters, feel the frustration of changing migration patterns that impact hunting seasons, and explore the sheer unpredictability and intelligence of wildlife in the face of climate change and natural events like Hurricane Harvey.Step into the culinary world of wild game, where hunting meets creativity in the kitchen. Experience the camaraderie of snow goose hunting, fill your freezer with a diverse range of game meats, and discover the art of transforming crane breast into a gourmet delight. Our episode brings the joy of shared hunting experiences to life, emphasizing the social bonds formed in the great outdoors and the satisfying flavors of a life filled with game meat. Whether you're a seasoned hunter or curious about the lifestyle, this episode offers a rich tapestry of stories and insights.Support the showHope you guy's enjoy! Hit the follow button, rate and give the show a comment!Ghillie Puck- https://www.ghilliepuck.com?sca_ref=6783182.IGksJNCNyo GP10 FOR 10% OFFGET YOUR HECS HUNTING GEAR :https://hecshunting.com/shop/?avad=385273_a39955e99&nb_platform=avantlink&nb_pid=323181&nb_wid=385273&nb_tt=cl&nb_aid=NAInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdhunting/Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZtxCA-1Txv7nnuGKXcmXrA

Veena is the founding partner in Vive Funds, a commercial real estate firm specializing in conservative opportunities for investors. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Finance, Veena pursued her passion in real estate. She now has over a decade in the industry, and has over $1 Billion in multi-family transactions in her own portfolio. She also leads a Facebook Community called Mastering Multifamily with Veena Jetti, and is the founder of MultiFi, a community of like-minded investors. In 2017, she was one of only 3 women to receive the Politico Woman of the Year award for the time & focus she spent on aiding a grassroots Hurricane Harvey disaster response.Follow Veena

In this episode of the Building Texas Business Podcast, I interview Kelly Young, CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston. We explore how Houston has become a national model for reducing homelessness through data-driven strategies and collaborative efforts. Kelly shares insights on effective nonprofit leadership, emphasizing the importance of building solid and accountable teams and fostering diverse thinking. We discuss the critical need for sustainable funding in homeless response systems, moving away from reliance on sporadic disaster funding. Throughout our conversation, we delve into Houston's successes and the ongoing challenges in addressing homelessness. -- SHOW HIGHLIGHTS Chris introduces Kelly Young, CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston, discussing the organization's role in coordinating the Way Home system. Kelly describes her journey from providing direct services to adopting a systems-thinking approach, emphasizing the importance of data-driven strategies and compliance in managing federal funds. We discuss the structure of the Coalition, including key departments like finance, compliance, outreach, landlord engagement, and housing, as well as its unique position working between city and county governments. Kelly shares insights on building strong, accountable teams in nonprofit leadership, balancing visionary goals with improvisational strategies, and fostering an environment where diverse thinking thrives. We explore the significance of clear communication, especially for introverted thinkers, and the importance of acknowledging mistakes openly to build trust and strengthen teams. Kelly highlights the critical need for sustainable homeless response system funding, discussing the inadequacies of relying on sporadic disaster funding and the necessity of evolving data to better serve those still on the streets. We delve into the business rationale for investing in homeless response systems, emphasizing that it's a financially sound decision that ultimately reduces costs on public health and other services. Kelly explains the success of Houston's model for reducing homelessness, including the collaborative efforts among for-profit, non-profit, and public entities, and the innovative use of disaster funds from Hurricane Harvey and COVID. We address the importance of community engagement and understanding how systems work, as well as addressing severe mental illness and substance abuse issues more effectively. Kelly shares leadership lessons learned through experience, including the importance of passion, data integrity, personal and professional integrity in communication, and fostering a culture of risk-taking and growth. LINKSShow Notes Previous Episodes About BoyarMiller About CFTHhouston GUESTS Kelly YoungAbout Kelly TRANSCRIPT (AI transcript provided as supporting material and may contain errors) Chris: In this episode, you will meet Kelly Young, CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston. Kelly shares several great tips for leaders, including the value of direct communication. She also sheds light on the homeless response system and why Houston is leading the country in reducing homelessness in our community. Kelly, I want to thank you for taking the time to come on Building Texas Business. It's great to see you. Kelly: Lovely to see you and thank you for inviting me. Chris: So you are the CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston, and so a little bit different guest than normal, but not outside the box for us. Tell us what the Coalition for the Homeless is and what it does. So. Kelly: I like to think of the Coalition for the Homeless is and what it does. So I like to think of the Coalition for the Homeless as a coordinating body over what we call the Way Home, which is a collective of for-profit or non-profit and public entities that come together to resolve the issue of homelessness. Chris: Very good. So how did you get involved in the homeless response system, how long have you been involved and what really inspired you to do this? Kelly: I've actually been interested in helping people figure out better lives for themselves since I was like 12. I mean, I was what was called a people tutor when I was in a middle school, where I actually helped individuals with physical disabilities learn sports. And then I did some tutoring in high school and then I started working in a shelter for abused kids and I worked with kids who were coming out of psychiatric units. Then I worked in domestic and sexual violence. So I think I was always on a path to be a part of something that helped make other people's lives easier for them to be successful. When you do a lot of that direct work, you see the individual impact and the individual failures. When you get to do it on a systems level, you get to decide whether a system will be helpful in helping someone or whether it's setting up people for failure. So I've been in the Way Home system for about 12 years as an individual agency that helped provide direct services. But I'm actually a systems thinker by nature and so I kept going well, why doesn't this work and why doesn't this work? And the whole system here works. My job was to help it work better. So you know, like with any system or any business, you're constantly thinking about the future and what needs to change and what's going to be different coming up, and so I got the perfect opportunity to come in at a time when there is a major shift in many of the pillars of how the work is done, and I get to help design what that's going to look like, and that, to me, is the purpose of work. Chris: Love it. That's great. So, just to give our listeners maybe some context, let's just talk about the size of the organization, the coalition itself and maybe then, and maybe then, the system, participants and members, so they get an idea of what it is, that the organization is that you're running, as well as a system that you're trying to help manage and, as you said, get better and be more successful. Kelly: Well, I think, like any business, we are well-structured in terms of having enough staff to do the things that are core to our business model, and a couple of those things is we have a heavy compliance and finance department. We are nonprofits, are tax status not our business model, and we think of finance and compliance as sort of the heart of the organization. It pumps the blood through because we manage and help support almost 23 million to $40 million with a federal funding which requires us to follow lots of rules and regulation and make sure it's done correctly, not just for us, but also for our partners. We will provide certain types of services if we think that from a systems perspective, it makes sense to have an overlay. So we have an outreach team, we have a landlord engagement team and I can go more into depth about that when I talk about the system and then we have a housing team and those are really to bolster the system, not to replace the system in those jobs. And then we have this second largest department, which is really our data. We're a data-driven organization. 12 years ago, the coalition made a major shift, which was to use data to drive the construct of how the community actually resolves homelessness or deals with homelessness in the community and in that data. What we did was build out our 100 partners who have to agree to be a part of the database and include all that information but also follow some of our guidelines around standards, so that we can bring more and more money in from the federal government but also provide much better services and a quicker response to somebody who falls into homelessness. Chris: Okay, so, and at the coalition, what is it? Roughly 80-ish, I think, employees. Kelly: Yes, we're at 80. And I think we're also unique because we sit between the county and the city. We are trying to manage both of their expectations around homelessness. So sometimes people think of us as quasi-government. We are not. We are a nonprofit. But we sit there so that we can meter both sides what the county and the city wants and they don't have to be trying to work that through. So we always find the best solution for both Harris County, montgomery County and Fort Bend, and then the city of Houston Very good. Chris: So yeah, let's talk a little bit about the system. You know some people may be aware I think you know a lot aren't but just the success of Houston and how Houston has become the model for the country on addressing homelessness, reducing homelessness in our community. You know a lot's been written, most recently about the Houston Chronicle a little over a year ago, new York Times. You know you've been involved and interviewed in those things. Share a little bit for people to kind of understand how successful Houston's been to date. And of course, we can talk more later about the challenges we still face. Kelly: Yeah, I mean, I think one of the things and again, any good business person or anybody who's looking to innovate understands that you first have to know the problem you have and then understand how you want to solve that problem, and for what I think the system did really well over the last 12 years is to build out the right system mechanisms and then the right interventions to use our money to the fullest extent. So what most people don't understand is that for the homeless response system which we oversee, that is mainly funded by federal dollars and so we are under federal guidelines on how we do that, which means we actually cannot interact or help somebody until they are currently on the street and in that then we have to be able to place them in other places, including permanent supportive housing, which is for somebody with a documented disability who's been on the street for a long time. They still will pay part of their rent out of their disability dollars, but we give them a subsidized apartment and appointments to kind of get off the street and going again. I think the other piece that people don't understand is that we only have two systems. We only have rapid rehousing or permanent supportive housing. So our options are very limited, which means you have to be incredibly smart and innovative about how you engage not only the community, the people who need the service, but then the service delivery when we have taken advantage of, which I think is true in Houston. Why I love this city so much is we take disasters and turn them into determination, and so we took both the Hurricane Harvey and COVID and use those additional dollars to build out enough of a safety net, but then also a permanent place for people to live, that we were able to move over the last 11 years, 30,000 people off the street. We reduced homelessness by 60% and I know people are like, well, but I see people on the street, Absolutely, but you don't see the ones we placed in the housing and who moved on with their lives because they're gone. They're doing their lives. Chris: The thing people I think should know is and you can share some details but you know and we know from the research and the data that A lot of what's at the streetlight, those aren't homeless people. Kelly: Right. We also have an issue with people living below the poverty line. So United Way points out and rightfully so, that 40% of the individuals in Houston are $400 away from catastrophe and that means we have a lot of people living on the edge. So if you're unable to get a job or you're unable to work full time, you might see people who are out panhandling to get a job, or you're unable to work full-time, you might see people who are out panhandling. There's also people who take advantage of people who are in those situations and use that as their own mechanism to make money, because they actually place people there and then collect some of their money so that they could go stay in their shelter. So it's an interesting world when you actually find out what's going on in your street corners. Chris: Right, right. Well, I love that Obviously very close to this issue and the system, and so I think it's great to be able to tout the success we're having, as well as you know the challenges we face. You know people talk about the goal of ending homelessness and I love the kind of the phrase that's been adopted is making it rare, brief and non-reoccurring, because, as you said, so many people are living right on the edge. People are going to something's going to happen, people are going to end up homeless, but the question is is there a system there that can rapidly get them into housing and the supportive services they need to recorrect? Kelly: Yeah, absolutely, and I think the important piece of this is looking at equilibrium. So what you want, I don't need to have a lot of additional dollars that are sitting there waiting to do something. I need just-in-time dollars. I need to know that if a downturn has happened in the economy, if there's something happening on the street, return you know, in terms of people falling more readily into homelessness, rents have gone up something else has happened. I want to be able to bolster that very quickly so I can move those individuals off the street within 30 to 45 days. That reduces not only the trauma on that individual but it reduces the trauma on the community and as a community member myself I mean, I live in Midtown, so I often see a lot of individuals I've known for a long time to be on the street and you know what I don't want people to do is to get to the point where they don't care about those individuals anymore because it's disrupting their community. So equilibrium not only benefits the individual, who is facing a really difficult time, and moving them on quickly so it's a blip in their life, not an extension of their life and then also for the community to be able to stay in that caring and compassionate place so that they'll get involved and stay involved in the work of our unhoused neighbors and friends and, quite honestly, brothers and sisters. Chris: So let's turn the page a little bit and talk about you know you came into this organization at the beginning of 2024. Let's talk about what it's like to, you know, step in as a CEO, a new CEO into an organization and some of the how you approach that from a mindset, because I would think you know some of our listeners may find themselves there, may be experiencing it as well. So what was the mindset you kind of took in to make it a smooth transition and so that one you could honor what's been, what was being done by the you know, maybe previous CEO, but you know, make a smooth transition and find a way to put your own mark on the organization moving forward. Kelly: I think one of the best things people can do is first lie to themselves and then tell their truth. The lie you tell yourself is that you know everything's going to change and you list it out and you ready yourself for that. Intellectually, I do think where you probably need to tell your truth is that change is complicated and hard. I think sometimes, when you're in a leadership role, you want to reframe things for other people so that it's easy for them to understand and maybe to jump on board, but you yourself know it's difficult. I mean when you know the financial picture is going to change, the model is going to change, the people are going to change, and those were all true for us. That list sounds great and easy, but it is a constant attention to each small move that you're making and what the long-term impact is. I always describe strategy as visionary and improvisational and I think that's a good balance and that's how I've been able to translate what I think needs to happen in an organization. I mean, obviously you're listening, you know the pillars have sort of changed. You're listening to other people, you're absorbing other people, but I also come in and I'm really clear about how I work and what my accomplishment looks like and how success looks to me, and I drive that home in every single meeting. So people learn to trust that what I'm saying is true. When I make a mistake, I tell everybody straight up. I'm you know it's not falling on my sword. I just think it's important to model that. I think one thing is, for some of us who are more introverted thinkers, one of the hardest things to learn to do is how to over-commun messaging to people. Chris: Because I do so much of it in my head, I have to remember to actually put words to it well, and I mean yeah, go ahead obviously not the right, but I mean I can relate to that because you not only that, there's so many things going on in your brain, right, and you're you like. I just completed this, I got to get to the next thing and it's finding that time to either stop and slow down and communicate before you move on or, you know, remember at some point you need to stop and let people know what's going on through those ears. Advert Hello friends, this is Chris Hanslick, your Building Texas business host. Did you know that Boyer Miller, the producer of this podcast, is a business law firm that works with entrepreneurs, corporations and business leaders? Our team of attorneys serve as strategic partners to businesses by providing legal guidance to organizations of all sizes. Get to know the firm at boyermillercom and thanks for listening to the show. Kelly: Yeah, I always call it the Kelly Young madness or the Kelly Young magic, because it's like some people are good at waiting to see what's going to happen. Other people are like I have no idea what she's doing and we're just going to hope this all works out. And it's my responsibility as a leader to alleviate both of those misunderstandings. Right, because I need people engaged in the process. I'm a big believer that right buck stops with me. I'm going to make the final decision, but very rarely is the final decision my decision. It's everybody else's input. I'll take the accountability, I'll be the one who pushes it through. But if I don't have the buy-in from the group and they can't be settled in some agreement, especially when you're changing from something that has run successfully for a very long time and all the conditions changed and change and you have to let people know it's not, we're not changing because you did something wrong. We're changing because it's time to move forward. That kind of reframing I think is extremely helpful and that stuff. You should know what you're going to say and how you're going to lay that out to your team before you start day one. Chris: Very good. So, speaking of team obviously you just said this in one of your responses that is, while the buck stops with you, you make the final decision. It's rarely your decision. That's because you have a team around you, right, and you're relying on them and you're pushing them, all those things. So let's talk about building a solid team around you. What are some of the things that you look for? Again, this isn't your first time to be CEO of an organization, so I know you've built teams more than once. Let's talk a little bit about that. What are some of the things you look for in the hiring process, in the evaluation of the people that you have when you take over? I think there's a lot that could be learned from that. Kelly: I'm one of those people. I'm a little super nerdy this way and I learned a decision-making model a long time ago called the seven hats, and the idea behind it is that each person at the table wears a different hat, and so you have somebody who's the white hat, which is the emotional and red hat, and they're the naysayer. And as much as I'd rather have everybody just do what I want and like me and do all that. I also know that's a terrible way to run anything, so I work really hard at actually having very different ways of thinking at a leadership level. Sometimes that causes more conflict or contrast in the way we resolve an issue, but I expect people to come and learn professional communication skills, and if you can't, you should go back to school or learn a YouTube. I don't care, because the purpose should be. I need you to be here for what we're here for. I don't like a lot of internal nonsense. I don't like us spending a bunch of time on stuff that doesn't matter, because the kind of work I've always done meant somebody did not get out of a domestic violence situation because we were spending time arguing about who left the coffee pot on. You know I walk past somebody who's on the street who needs to get housed. I don't want to sitting around arguing because somebody thought somebody was rude one day. Like that just can't be in the workplace. I get why it is, but I want people who come ready to do work and actually can define what work means to them. The second thing is always happens in this field. I just want to help people and that to me, is the death nail answer, because my answer, my question back to you is going to be what does that mean and how does that look? Because you wanting to help people doesn't have very much to do with actually serving people. Those are two very different concepts. So I also am very clear about the environment that I want at work and you have a choice Don't sign up and then come in and want to change it, add to it, make it better. But I'm not going to adjust what I think has to happen in an organization to go to the next level, because I typically have taken jobs where I'm right in the middle of a major change and I do know what needs to be functionally happening on a regular basis to make that shift. Chris: So you know that's very insightful and you know the core of what I think you're saying. If you boil it down, is it comes back to very clear, direct communication, setting expectations, et cetera, and then holding people accountable. All of that then leads to culture when you're building these teams. If you think about what you've done in the last nine months at the coalition, how would you describe the culture that you're striving for, that you feel like you have? You know, growing there. Kelly: I have a speech I used to call the mean speech I never thought it was mean, but somebody had called it where I lay out what I learned over the time of my working, in the time that I made some really serious mistakes, and what I learned from those and how they need to interpret that into their new work environment. And so with that, I think what happens in the culture is they actually see me living the story I told and I bring it up over and over again in different pieces. I think storytelling is important for that reason, but I show them what I did that didn't work, so that they have a clear understanding of what I learned from what I didn't do or what I did wrong. So they understand that this is a learning environment, that part of your responsibility is to be curious and to want to understand how to do things better or differently. If you come in and you say to me well, you know, I just need the training and I need this, you will not last well in my organizations, because I expect that you're more interested than that. You have to want to care about data. Data is most important, particularly in nonprofits, because you are telling the future of how most federal dollars are going to be spent in your case notes or in your reports. I talk a lot about gossip and that you can't stop it, but you have a personal and professional integrity line in how you communicate account. You know, for me I run it this way, which is every single dollar that comes in here is somebody else's dollar and somebody else's money, and so there's very little room to make major mistakes or to waste, because that's your money that you're wasting. And if we cannot do it the best, if we cannot show up in ways that people expect, then we should give that money to somebody else. And I tell people don't be miserable. If you don't like working here, you don't like the here, you don't like the work, you don't like the commute, you don't like any of that stuff, oh my gosh, why are you spending your life doing something you don't like Like? Go be happy. Chris: That's so true, right? I mean I think we talk about it. I know in our organization is, if you don't connect with our mission and our passion, it's okay. You know it doesn't make you a bad person, it just means there's a different organization for you where you're going to be happier. And then you should go find that, because we want the people that if they connect with that mission and passion of our organization, then they're going to be living their best self, which opens them up to serve our clients and each other to their fullest potential. Right. Kelly: And I also think we try to be very or I've always tried to be. I'm not interested in telling you how to do your job because you don't want kelly young's opinion of how to do your job. You want your own opinion. I hired somebody who's smart and talented and knows how to do that and you don't want my limited vision of that. But when people also say, well, I don't like to be micromanaged, I'm like, well, I'd be interested in why people feel like they have to micromanage you. So if you are showing up to work and over-communicating and letting people know, I shouldn't have to do that, but I will if you're not able to do that, because I still need to know what's happening. So I often turn some of those things that people say back on them, just so a little self-awareness, and help them understand, because you will not like working for a CEO who will say, who will call you and be like, why does this number not match this number? And it's not because I don't trust you, it's that I need the number to make sense, because I'm about to go tell a bunch of people this number. So it's interesting. I actually really love building culture. I think I do a good job of creating enough openness that people feel like they can participate if they choose to. Chris: Well, you know, one of the things I think has been written a lot about and it's hard, it's a hard skill for some leaders to get to, but you learn so much by, rather than telling is asking questions. And you know, like you said, turn it around on them and ask the questions and then, a lot of times, as they are forced to answer those questions, they realize where to go. Kelly: Yeah, and it's funny because there's a new book out by the gentleman who wrote Sapiens and his new book is called Nexus and I heard him in an interview and I thought this was really interesting because I do think this is an issue with the workplace and maybe some generational conflict. He talks about information and not that. This is new. Talks about information and not. This is new. But information is not truth and part of the problem is that we tend to try to over inform and over educate to get to truth and neither one of those things will actually get you there, because truth is costly, it takes time, it takes energy and I do think we're in an overload of informing people as though that will change or grow somebody's understanding, when really all it did was add more information, not deeper truth. So, you know, I just find that a fascinating and I thought about it in terms of work we do, because I think one of the things the coalition has always done has been a truth teller and in that truth telling right now we're in huge inundation of information because we're going through a lot of change. How do we settle back into our truth? Chris: Interesting, yeah, okay, so you mentioned this and what I can't wait to hear more about. May not have time on this podcast, but your mean speech. You talked about the mistakes and sharing mistakes you made in the learning. And you know, I don't know if you listened to one of these before, but I love asking people you know, tell us about a setback, a mistake you made, but then how you learn from it. Right, and I think you know to your point, when you share those stories with the people in your organization, it humanizes you and allows for that culture of learning, take risk and it's okay to fail, because that's how we learn and get better. So let's you know, can you share an example that either comes out of the mean speech or something else? You know a Kelly Young mistake and how it made Kelly Young better? Kelly: Yeah, and this one was interesting and I think it sort of aligns in particular with people who work directly with people and I was a very benevolent leader at one point. So this is much more of a self-awareness mistake than an actual business mistake, but I think it's important and I was. It's all about, you know, serving, you know, women. Everybody had on their desk, on their computers what did I do today to end domestic or sexual violence? And I was all gung-ho and and I, you know, I was there for the work and, as I said, and we got a new CEO and I thought that I should have been tapped for the CEO position and nobody asked me. And so I was very self-righteous in my understanding of, first of all, well, if you don't let anybody know you're interested, they probably won't ask you. But second of all, just because you've done this job doesn't mean you're actually ready to do that job. And so I was awful. I mean I was awful for about six weeks and I made everybody hear my pain and how hard it was on me and all this kind of stuff. The hardest lesson to learn in all that was that for all my bravado and my great messaging and whatnot, I really wasn't there for the mission in that moment. I was really there for my ego. And if we are not self-aware enough to understand when you are using ego to sell people on a version of yourself that you think will make them like you better or follow you better, but it's not true because you haven't done enough self-work, I spent six weeks wasting time, I mean, and I find I left, I went and found a different job and that was the best thing for me to do. But in that one moment when you realize that you are a liar to yourself and to other people and you decide you're not going to do that anymore Best moment of my professional career, because I never made a decision ever again around benevolence or around pretending that rhetoric was more important than what I really could show up and do. So I didn't like that and I hate sharing that story because it sounds awful. I sound like a horrible human being, but I think most of us have that moment. Chris: What a powerful story. No, I mean I think to your point. I mean it doesn't make you powerful, think to your point. I mean it doesn't make you powerful, a horrible person. But that's a difficult thing for us as humans to face right, to really look in the mirror that deeply and call ourselves out and, more importantly then, actually do what it takes to change. Kelly: Yeah, and for me, what I learned is that if I really want to lead, lead it is not pretending you can't play at leading, it is a commitment. It's hard, it's lonely, it's complex and you have to build in ways where your mind just stops thinking, because I'm a little bit of an overthinker and you have to do that self-awareness all the time. You're in check, all the time when you're a leader. Chris: Yeah, everyone's watching, right. So that's, I mean, I think, to your point where basically you can't fake it. It's because so many people are watching every move, whether it's internal to your organization or external partners, you'll get exposed really fast. Kelly: Right, and then you lose their trust so they won't show up for you when you need them to and at the end of the day, whatever it is that you because I think about innovators and I have a gentleman I know who helped work on some incubation around medical devices. Well, some people are like, oh well, you work with homeless and it must be so rewarding. I'm like I actually think it'd be pretty cool to make medical devices that make people's lives better. I don't have that talent, but you know. So it doesn't really matter what is at the center of your passion and your mission. I worry when we tell people you know you fake it till you make it, because in leadership you really can't do that. You need to sit down and learn it. You need to know your truth. It goes back to that. You can inform me about all these things about being a leader, but until I know the truth about being a leader, I'm going to waste time and I'm a hyper efficiency person. So for me it's like if I can do it in two steps, I'd rather do that than 15. So I really don't faking. It would be way too easy for me to just practice all the time, so I have to not allow myself some of those, those things, cause I yeah, I'd rather be out riding my bike, only because it's only because it's been a long week. Chris: I get you, I get you. You need that release too. Finding a way to you know release as a leader is equally as important. Yes absolutely so. Let's turn the conversation back around to homelessness Talk a little bit. You know, maybe, where we are, but what the future looks like. You've mentioned a couple of times, you know, facing new challenges in this world of homeless response. Let's talk a little bit about that. I know we have, you know, world Homeless Day coming up. You know, share a little bit about that, but I just wanted you know our listeners to know a little bit about you know, maybe, how they can get involved and how they can help in this issue. Kelly: Yeah, I think you know. I think we have done such an incredible job of getting people into some type of permanent solution, so we're in decent shape there. But it was, as the Chronicle said, it's duct tape and determination. When you have to rely on funding that comes from disasters or pandemics, that is a terrible planning model and not very fiscally sound. So I think a couple of things for us. One is broadening our perspective in this phase we're kind of calling it phase four, and I think it's important to realize that systems should always have phases or pivot points, because systems die when they don't read themselves and make sure they're on the right track is kind of an overhaul of our data. What is our data telling us, but what is it, more importantly, not telling us? What do we need to know about who is still on the street? What do we need to know about our funding sources and what's available? We know that we're gonna run out of funding because of COVID by 2025. I'm going to make the argument over and over again that we are not. Homelessness used to be able to be resolved by people coming together and kind of helping a family or helping an individual. We've had so many other systems end up feeding people into homelessness, that we actually need a system response, and that includes system funding, which typically aligns with some type of consistent, regular money that's funding the system, so we never have to be out of balance again, and that's one of the things we're working on. The second is we've actually been going out and doing community mapping to help people understand community is not given, it's built. So if you want a different kind of community that you live in, you're going to have to get engaged and that's one of the ways that you can volunteer. So maybe you have a church, that you're in a neighborhood that people get fed, but the food containers and stuff get left all over the street or there's whatever. Well, you could complain about the trash, or you could complain the city doesn't pick up the trash, or you all could start a walking group. Everybody needs exercise, so you have choices in how you decide to engage in your community. I do think becoming much more aware and understanding how the system works and doesn't work resolves a lot of people's frustration about seeing somebody on the street. We also have to have much better interventions for individuals who are severely mentally ill and have substance use issues. We have housed a lot of people who apartments and appointments works really well, for we have some individuals who just cannot make good decisions to care for themselves, and we're going to have to address that and I think that's one of those things where people don't understand you said this earlier right now the way the homeless response system is set up. Chris: The federal dollars are all housing, coming from the housing side, and yet what we face and what you know, you and and your team know that we face is a very severe mental illness issue and kind of what's the hardest to serve, yet no dollars from the mental health side of the equation. Kelly: Right and certainly not at the level it needs to be in. Including residential care, additional beds and substance use is even far worse funded and I understand people are like, well, I don't want to. You know that's. People just need to figure out how to get their lives together, I agree. But you're making a choice then. You're either deciding we're not going to help somebody so they'll get where you want them to go, or you'll leave them on the street so they won't go where they're going to go. So you know again, these are choices that we are making. I am so happy to live in a city and a county that is as generous as it is. I mean, houston is one of the, I think, premier cities for the purpose of the fact that people actually care, kind, friendly, smart, innovative. I think the other piece for us is really having to get more upstream. That 40% scares me. That is devastating to a system you want to right-size or actually shrink Like. I don't want you to have me on a call 10 years from now and I've grown the homeless response system by three sizes Like somebody should fire me. That's not-. Chris: Work yourself out of a job. Kelly: Right, exactly, and so right-sizing ours, with the right amount of funding and then really pushing upstream to figure out how healthcare doesn't release people back onto the street with serious illnesses. Re-entry that's dealt with. Somebody who's hit a hard time can quickly get rehoused because we're helping for a few months. That's just being good neighbors, right. So I think that's pretty easy for people. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but I have the world's smartest team and the people who built this system and have watched over it the last 12 years. We're only gonna figure out the right and have watched over it the last 12 years. You know we're only going to figure out the right and the best path with the resources and the influence we have coming forward. Chris: Very good. Yeah, I think the future is very bright with the right people. So you know this is, you know, fundamentally, it's a business podcast and one of the things that you know, some of the data that I love to share is I always tell people, you know, when it comes to this homeless response and taking care of our neighbors who have fallen on this, you know, unfortunate time, there's a compassionate side, you know, which is, you know, obvious. But there's also a business side and some people you know connect on that and just share the numbers on the cost it takes to, you know, house someone on an annual basis versus if they're left on the street and use our public health system, et cetera. Because to me, if business owners are listening and thinking about this, the investment in the homeless response system is a no-brainer. Kelly: Right when we look at the numbers and I'm going to add for inflation, because we'll probably be in a recession next year is what I understand. Of course, they say that every year and I'm like, really at some point you know we're either or we're not, I don't know. No reason to even use the R word, right? Can we come up with something else, because this feels like a whole new thing. But I think you know you're talking about to house somebody and to make sure that they have access to the current systems that they need. Through their appointments and I always stress this they do not get to live for free, there is no free housing. They have to pay a percentage of their income or their benefits 30%, like the rest of us, and so for that it's $19,000 to $25,000 a year, not an overextensive amount of money you can go up to, depending on how often somebody uses other services up to $250,000 for them to stay on the street, and the reason for that is that every time you call the police on them, you have to count that money. Every time they go into an emergency room, you have to count all of that money. It's not to say they won't use those services, but they'll use them appropriately, which right sizes the dollars in the systems. So, right now, all this money. People are saying, well, we don't have the money. I'm like we do, we're systems. So right now, all this money. People are saying, well, we don't have the money. Chris: I'm like we do, we're just it's in the wrong bucket. Kelly: That's right. And if we moved it over and we agreed to just pay this for the next three years? I mean, if you're willing to pay a hundred dollars a month for charity, why are you not willing to pay one percent on your beer or your vaping? You don't even see that and get it to the point where you see the reduction in the rest of your costs and then you actually feel the relief on the tax end. You know, because you're not paying more and more on those parts of it. Wayne Young with the mental health services demonstrates that from a diversion point, for people with severe mental health to get into care is a one to $5 save. So it's $1 for him to do. It costs $5 for them to stay on the street, so economically it makes no sense. It's not cheaper. You're avoiding the problem instead of solving it and from any good business standpoint that's not what you do. You define the problem, you solve the problem. Chris: Right To summarize right I mean support the housing homeless response system. It's roughly $19,000 to $25,000 a year to do it and help us move people into housing and off the street. Leave them on the street. You're looking at annual cost of $100,000 to $250,000 to our system. Kelly: Right. And just the burnout rate of everybody trying to solve that and the trauma and the individual. I'm always going to add compassion to the dollars. But if you actually really care about that individual instead of just want them off the individual, I'm always going to add compassion to the dollars. But you know, if you actually really care about that individual instead of just want them off the street, I don't actually even care. You can have either of those opinions, doesn't matter to me. But it's going to be cheaper, more efficient, more effective if you buy into the response system and ensure that we have the right interventions for those people and don't have to wait till something terrible happens to be able to do this again. Chris: And ultimately all of that will make our community better and stronger. Kelly: Absolutely, absolutely. When you look at the best player on a team, you also have to look at the one who's struggling. And you bring up the one who's struggling. You spend less time on the one who's already figured it all out. But if you're in a team, you're in a community, you're looking at who's struggling and how do we get them to some level of consistency in their lives or whatever. Otherwise, we're always going to have to play down to that denominator. Chris: Kelly, this has been a fascinating conversation. Thank you Really appreciated your thoughts and sharing those with our listeners. I want to turn it to a little bit more of a fun, lighter side before we wrap up. Excellent, what was your? You may have said this earlier, cause you mentioned something when you were a teenager. What was your first job? Kelly: My first job was working at an ice cream store called Farrell's. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and every time it was somebody's birthday you had to bang out the drum. You had to slide it over your head and bang out the drum, and they get this big thing called the zoo, which was like 150 scoops of ice cream and you had to wear this horrifying outfit with one of those straw hats that never sits on my head Cause I'm a little pointed, I think, and I you learn very quickly and this is why I love anybody who's ever done food service and was successful in it and why I have an affinity for them. You learn very quickly how difficult it is to run restaurants on margin, but also nobody wanted to do that and had to do it every single time. So that was my first real paying job that I got to check. Chris: Gotcha, yeah, and I knew you weren't from Texas and grew up in the Northwest, but you've been here long enough to be able to answer this question. Do you prefer Tex-Mex or barbecue? Kelly: Well, that's a good question. That's hard to decide, that's hard to define. I probably eat Tex-Mex more often, but I prefer barbecue, okay. Chris: Unique answer. Kelly: Yeah, I like it. That's an and yes answer. That's an improv technique. Very politically motivated or correct answer I just don't go to barbecue as much, but if I really sat down and thought about it, I prefer it. I just don't, for whatever reason, don't get there, which seems weird. Chris: Very good. Well, kelly. Thanks again for taking the time. This has been a great conversation. I'm looking forward to getting this out on all the social media. I hope people will listen and learn more about what is going on in our homeless response system. Kelly: Oh well, thank you so much for having me. I mean, I would do anything for you. I think you're amazing, so appreciate your time this morning. All right, talk with you later. Special Guest: Kelly Young.

In 2003, a deadly heat wave hit Paris, causing the death of over 15,000 people. It was one of the first weather events where scientists could use data to show climate change was to blame. Since that time, we've seen an increasing number of deadly natural disasters, from Hurricane Katrina to Hurricane Harvey, to the 2018 California wildfires, all irrefutably linked to climate change. In this episode, we talk to the activists who say not enough is being done by politicians and big corporations to slow down the warming. We follow Marlena Fontes of Climate Families NYC to this year's "Summer of Heat" protests, where she is arrested. She was galvanized into action five years ago, by a heat wave that hit New York City right as her son was born. "It was definitely part of my postpartum experience, looking at my baby and then thinking about what was happening in the world," she says. And we hear from protestors including legendary actress Jane Fonda, who wants justice. "We have to fight," Fonda says. "If enough of us fight, we're going to win."Lastly, we look at the upcoming U.S. presidential election and how the candidates plan to address (or not address) climate change.

Join us as we welcome Dr. Maria Rusca, a senior lecturer in global development at the University of Manchester, who brings her extensive research on urban inequalities and environmental governance to our discussion. Maria will illuminate the pressing issues of gendered access to water and sanitation services in sub-Saharan African cities, with a poignant case study of Cape Town's severe drought from 2015 to 2018. Understand how socioeconomic disparities shape the vulnerabilities and resilience of different communities during extreme climate events, and why equitable urban planning is essential for future sustainability. Our conversation then shifts to the intricate challenges of water management, both in Cape Town and globally, including the United States. We uncover how merely increasing water supply is insufficient without addressing the underlying socioeconomic inequalities that impact water consumption and access. Maria's insights urge us to reconsider societal priorities and the role of sustainable consumption and climate justice in effective climate adaptation strategies. This episode critiques the limitations of technocratic fixes and advocates for more holistic, structural changes. Finally, we spotlight the remarkable advocacy efforts of Shack Dwellers International (SDI) in improving water and sanitation services in informal settlements. Discover how SDI's innovative use of saving groups and data collection campaigns bring affordable, high-quality services to low-income residents, who often pay more for inferior water services. The episode also extends the discussion to developed nations, examining the broader implications of climate change and the need for resilience and equity in our responses. Maria shares inspiring examples of human adaptability, encouraging listeners to remain hopeful and proactive in confronting the challenges ahead. For sources and to read more about this subject, visit: www.agroecologies.org To support this podcast, join our patreon for early episode access at https://www.patreon.com/poorprolesalmanac For PPA Writing Content, visit: www.agroecologies.org For PPA Restoration Content, visit: www.restorationagroecology.com For PPA Merch, visit: www.poorproles.com For PPA Native Plants, visit: www.nativenurseries.org To hear Tomorrow, Today, our sister podcast, visit: www.tomorrowtodaypodcast.org/ Key words: Urban Inequalities, Environmental Governance, Gendered Access, Water and Sanitation Services, Sub-Saharan African Cities, Cape Town, Drought, Socioeconomic Disparities, Climate Events, Urban Planning, Water Management, United States, Sustainable Consumption, Climate Justice, Technocratic Fixes, Structural Changes, Shack Dwellers International, Informal Settlements, Saving Groups, Data Collection, Climate Change, Resilience, Equitable Advocacy, Oppressive Measures, Hurricane Harvey, Marginalized Communities, Water Shortages, Inaccessibility, Human Resilience, Adaptability, Hope, Atlantic Current

Tied with Hurricane Harvey for costliest storms ever

Listen, Watch, & Support DTP: www.thereadinesslab.com/dtp-links Boost the Signal with a $5 monthly donation! Become a TRL Insider Member with a ton of extra content!#emergencymanagement #disastertough #leadership #emergencyservices"Unity of Effort: It doesn't matter who is in charge.  How can you lend a hand and help?"This is just one of the many pearls of wisdom shared in this week's episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast by LTG Jeffrey Buchanan (Ret).  As a retired Lieutenant General in the Army after 37 years of service, Jeff brings a unique perspective on effective response efforts and leadership in times of crisis.Jeff and host, John Scardena both responded to Hurricane Harvey in 2017, and in this episode share their perspectives and lessons learned during that tragic weather event.  In this episode, they also discuss how effective leaders look to unify those of which they are in command.Major Endorsements: L3Harris's BeOn PPT App.Learn more about this amazing product here:www.l3harris.com Impulse: Bleeding Control Kits by Professionals for Professionals:www.dobermanemg.com/impulse Doberman Emergency Management Group provides subject matter experts in planning and training: www.dobermanemg.com

IntroductionPeople with disabilities are disproportionately affected by climate change; however, they have been traditionally excluded from conversations about national plans and responses to climate change. Including the disabled community in decision making is key to addressing potential harms and designing effective, inclusive solutions. Disabled Community Disproportionately AffectedMany studies provide empirical evidence that climate change poses a particularly great risk for the disabled community. A study in Australia documented that between 2001 and 2018,  89% of heat wave fatalities were people with some type of disability, and actually many had multiple disabilities both physical and mental. Additionally, after Hurricane Harvey in Harris County, Texas in 2017, people with disabilities were disproportionately affected and exposed to harms. Areas flooded by Hurricane Harvey were overrepresented by disabled populations. The highest proportion of people living in public housing being exposed to environmental hazards were people with disabilities. While people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, they have often been excluded from decision-making surrounding climate change, including in  drafting national plans and climate responses. Inclusivity and Accessibility In PracticeEngaging people with disabilities in developing, designing and implementing climate resilient solutions can help protect their livelihoods and autonomy. Meaningful participation can look different in many ways including conducting research to have more data on how people with disabilities are affected and specific ways to help. As well, to develop new technologies and innovations that assist people with disabilities in climate emergencies like early warning systems, communication, and adaptive infrastructure. Spaces can be more inclusive and accessible to people with disabilities. More research is needed on infrastructure design that both reduces emissions and simultaneously will not put disabled people at more risk in climate emergencies, for example, adding ramps and automatic door openers, widening doorways, and having accessible bathrooms. It is also important to host public events in accessible locations to ensure that people with disabilities feel welcomed and valued. Methods of communication should also be accessible like using captions in videos, adding text descriptions and making online materials that work with screen readers so that low vision individuals can also access them. Disability-Inclusive Climate SolutionsIn addition to educating the community about the importance of disability-inclusive climate solutions and for the disabled community to be educated and equipped for climate disaster risk mitigation, it is vital for the disabled community to be part of the large-scale decision making process and promote meaningful participation. By providing people with disabilities with a greater understanding of the impacts that climate change will have on their lives, then they can be more able to respond to effects of climate change and access the resources they need. Expert Dr. Michael Stein points out that everyone knows their own needs and livelihoods best; hence, it is vital to reach out to the disabled community and include them in the conversation and decision making for climate solutions that will support the disabled community who are disproportionately affected by the effects of climate change. About our guestMichael Stein is the co-founder of the Harvard Law School Project on Disability. As a world leader on disability law, Dr. Stein participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Dr. Stein became the first known person with a disability to be a member of the Harvard Law Review. He has received numerous awards in recognition of his work in disability rights. ResourcesAvci, Bratchell, Browning, Coates, Gissing, and Van Leeuwen, Heat wave fatalities, (2001-2008).Chakraborty, Collins, and Grineski, Hurricane Harvey and people with disabilities, (2019).Akyeampong, Alford, Chakraborty, Daniels-Mayes, Gallegos, Grech, Groce, Gurung, Hans, Harpur, Jodoin, Lord, Macanawai, McClain-Nhlapo, Stein, Susteren, Advancing Disability-Inclusive Climate Research, (2024).Szekeres, 8 Ways  to Include People with Disabilities in Climate Action, (2023).Nina D. L, How to Include People with Disabilities, (2021).Hélène T., Disability-Inclusive Approaches to Climate Action, (2023).For a transcript of this episode, please visit https://climatebreak.org/disability-inclusive-climate-solutions-with-michael-stein/.

In this episode, we'll explore nurse anesthetists' indispensable role in disaster response and mass casualty incidents (MCIs). Drawing from real-life examples, including the harrowing experiences during Hurricane Harvey in 2017, we'll highlight the resilience, expertise, and dedication required from nurse anesthetists in times of crisis. We'll also dive into the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) guidelines and the importance of preparedness, coordination, and innovative problem-solving in managing both clinical operations and emergencies.   Here's some of what we discuss in this episode: The role CRNAs play during natural disasters. Communication and coordination is critical during these catastrophic events. The protocols in place at hospitals when hurricanes are coming. Lessons learned from recent disasters.   Visit us online and get show resources here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/   Get the CE Certificate here: https://beyondthemaskpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Beyond-the-Mask-CE-Cert-FILLABLE.pdf   Help us grow by leaving a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beyond-the-mask-innovation-opportunities-for-crnas/id1440309246

Tonight's Guest WeatherBrain is the Director of the Hydrologic Operations Division with the Harris County Flood Control District and is a Degreed Meteorologist in the Harris County/Houston area.  He implements a regular communication with multiple agencies, elected officials and media partners during episodes of severe weather and activations.  He oversees the operation of the District's flood operations as well as the Flood Warning System and the flood forecasting efforts.  He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Meteorology from Texas A&M.  He's also known for his constant reporting and calm demeanor during 2017's Hurricane Harvey.  Jeff Lindner, welcome to WeatherBrains! Our email officer Jen is continuing to handle the incoming messages from our listeners. Reach us here: email@weatherbrains.com. Dangerous squall line approaching Chicago area (02:00) Looking back at Houston derecho event Spring 2024 (08:00) Glimpse at ongoing Houston-area power outage issues following Hurricane Beryl (09:00) Preparing for extended power outages (15:00) Waning attention spans with the public when trying to distribute weather information (36:30) Forecasts vs post-event impacts (39:00) Revisiting 2017's Hurricane Harvey (01:11:00) 183,000 still without power in Houston area as of 07/15/24 (01:36:00) The Astronomy Outlook with Tony Rice (01:22:15) This Week in Tornado History With Jen (No segment this week) National Weather Round-Up (01:24:36) E-Mail Segment and more! Web Sites from Episode 965:   Jeff Lindner on X Picks of the Week: Jeff Lindner - Weather Insights Podcast James Aydelott - USA TODAY: Heat wave death count keeps growing, but true toll is higher Jen Narramore - Out Rick Smith - Out Neil Jacobs - Out Troy Kimmel - Foghorn Kim Klockow-McClain - CNA National Security Analysis Bill Murray - Out James Spann - Barry Butler Photography on X: Triple Lightning Strike at 1221am The WeatherBrains crew includes your host, James Spann, plus other notable geeks like Troy Kimmel, Bill Murray, Rick Smith, James Aydelott, Jen Narramore, Dr. Neil Jacobs, and Dr. Kim Klockow-McClain. They bring together a wealth of weather knowledge and experience for another fascinating podcast about weather.

Welcome to another exciting episode, where we delve into the inspiring stories of those making a difference in the culinary world. Today, we're joined by Chef Chris Shepherd and wife/ partner Lindsey Brown from the Southern Smoke Foundation in Houston, Texas. Chef Chris, a celebrated culinary figure, recently hung up his apron to dedicate himself to the Southern Smoke Foundation, an organization committed to supporting folks in the food and beverage industry at large. We'll explore the incredible journey that led him to this decision, as well as a frightening plane ride that Eli and Chris took together. Additionally, we'll uncover why other chefs highly value Chris's unique ability to engage with their cooks, offering insights and perspectives that inspire and elevate the next generation of culinary professionals. Join us to learn more about Southern Smoke Foundation, Chef Chris Shepherd's career transition, and his impact on the culinary community. (00:00:00) Introduction and Survey Announcement (00:05:26) Interview with Chris Shepherd and Lindsay Brown (00:07:13) Chris Shepherd's Culinary Inspirations (00:11:04) The Concept, Evolution, and Challenges of Underbelly (00:31:25)Transitioning from Underbelly Hospitality (00:39:45)Leadership and Mentorship in the Culinary World (00:48:23) Full Tilt and Future Endeavors (00:50:17) Becoming the Official Hotdog Supplier The Houston Texans (00:51:52) Retail Expansion Plans (00:54:22) Southern Smoke Festival Origins (00:57:58)Hurricane Harvey and Emergency Relief (01:00:39) Pandemic Response and Growth (01:11:58) Mental Health and Crisis Relief (01:34:41) Future Goals and Legal Aid (01:37:03) Favorite Food Spots in Houston (01:40:01) Closing Thoughts and Gratitude A huge shout out to our sponsor, Singer Equipment for their unwavering support, which allows us to be able to bring these conversations to you. Check out their website for all the amazing equipment they can supply your restaurant with to make your team more efficient and successful. If you are looking for the best in class pizza oven for your next concept, make sure you check out the incredible ovens built by Moretti Forni and reach out to Greg Listino at their exclusive Northeast dealer, Rosito Bisani. Meez, is one of the most powerful tools you can have as a cook and chef because it allows you to have a free repository for all of your recipes, techniques and methods so that you never lose them. Meez does way more than just recipe development though; it's an incredibly powerful tool that any chef or restaurant would benefit from. My favorite new beer on the market, Kenwood Original, might be the most drinkable and most flavorful craft lager I've ever tried. Nothing goes better with a five star meal than a five star beer so head to their website and check out the Kenny Finder for location nearest you. So before we get started, go ahead and grab yourself a Kenny and enjoy this week's guest. Subscribe, like and share! Oh yeah, and throw in a review while you're at it. Appreciate you all!

In Part Two of the celebration of Kristi's birthday, Alissa goes back to when Kristi first became sick, and traces it to her recovery. From the denial, to the refusal, to the multiple discoveries and treatments, and the role of undiscovered mold pollution in creating sickness among many people.  Kristi we know as "Broadcast Queen", "Seasoned Cliff-Jumper", and founder/leader of a multi-million dollar non-profit charity which pairs law enforcement officers with trained dogs across the US, saving lives in schools and in drug trafficking.  As we discover, part of Kristi's problem is the overwhelming pressure she felt, in common with many women, to help others before caring for herself. Here's the part of her story about how her heart stopped, and started again.      Follow Kristi:On all her socials:-https://linktr.ee/kkschillerOn her non-profit (Help place Canine Officers in Communities and Schools) https://www.k9s4cops.orgOn the podcast:https://www.youtube.com/@lissnkristiOn "X" (Twitter):https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FKKSchillerOn Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/KKSchillerOn Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KristiSchillerThe Dutch Test:-https://dutchtest.com/STORIES:00:00 - Start00:15 - The Gage Hotel - and a marriage01:07 - Two massive empty suitcases: "I think we have to go" - Alissa realizes why she's at the ranch 02:02 - "Your mind is always going in ten different directions"02:35 - "Did you pack my feather boa?"02:39 - "Do I have hollow points for my gun?"03:16 - "They were getting ready to play the music, and we were in the middle of the aisle"03:45 - The trip to Laguna Beach: "We were sick for six days" 04:40 - The basement where we recovered has featured in Architectural Digest05:32 - The Relationship of Stress to Strokes06:32 - What is a "functional medicine doctor?"07:10 - Strokes are not talked about in families07:45 - Right after your heart stopped beating 08:26 - "I only know about the left ventricle"09:20 - The Dutch Test (a complete profile) https://dutchtest.com/12:26 - "At the end of the day, you needed to decompress"14:30 - Even though you feel good in your identity as a woman, you can't get there physically because you're depleted15:20 - There was mold in the house after Hurricane Harvey, sealed in after the repairs to the roof17:28 - Minimizing the stress in your life18:48 - Why Kristi's heart stopped. The doctor told us the following Friday. 21:36 - "If you're in doubt over anything about your body, speak up"23:40 - Sugar is an addiction 25:20 - Alzheimers via Mould Inhalation27:10 - "Our own wellness is within our own power"30:02 - "22 years of giving: when are you going to make time for yourself?"34:20 - "What you think of me is none of my business"

Dr. Conrad Webster is a CEO, mental health advocate, critical race theorist, writer, organizer, facilitator, and Professor of Education at the University of Washington Tacoma. Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP.  www.CavnessHR.com Partners  Message your customers - https://www.tawk.to/?pid=byo1znq Payroll - https://offers.everee.com/cavness-hr Sales CRM for small business - https://refer.close.com/100cqlbfcgg5 Health Insurance and Benefits - https://www.peoplekeep.com/refer Dr. Webster's Bio Dr. Conrad Webster is a CEO, mental health advocate, critical race theorist, writer, organizer, facilitator, and Professor of Education at the University of Washington Tacoma.  Dr.Webster is currently the Associate Director of TRIO at Seattle College and previously held the position of Racial Equity Advancement Advisor and Project Manager at Seattle Public Schools from 2020 – 2022. Before that, Dr. Webster worked in Washington State community colleges in various roles of retention specialist and racial equity coach from 2013-2016. His research focuses on the exploitation of Black bodies and theorizing and praxis broadly. Areas of specific interest include decolonizing educational leadership and schools and culturally responsive practices for restoring the community for the wounded to heal. Dr. Webster has published his work in leading journals and a number of articles and chapters including his most recent Black Bodies, Dueling Pandemics, and The Hidden Rules For White Profit in The NBA. He is the recipient of the NAMI Washington Bebe Moore Campbell BIPOC Mental Health Award for Distinguished Contributions for creating programs to address the systemic barriers faced by African American/Black identified males in the K-12 school system.  We talked about the following and other items Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and Houston's music scene. Hip-hop artists and their impact, including Tupac, Biggie, Scarface, and Kendrick Lamar.  Hobbies, writing process, and athletic career. Finding purpose and order in life through personal growth and competition. Race equity, Percy Harvin's NFL career, and social media dynamics. Economic inequality and historical oppression in the US. Exploitation of black athletes in the sports industry. Privilege, oppression, and education in various contexts. Teaching methods and reaching diverse students. Race equity and privilege in various communities. Race, adoption, and systemic inequality. Diversity and inclusion in the workplace, with a focus on performative actions and interest conversions. Protests and activism, with critiques of performative actions. Protests, social justice, and personal growth. AI's impact on education and society. Universal basic income, AI, and economic inequality. WNBA players' salaries and opportunities abroad. Healing black men through emotional support. The importance of diversity and uplifting marginalized communities. Educational injustice and marginalization of African Americans and other demographics. Education, toxic masculinity, and socialization. Pursuing a PhD, challenges faced by underrepresented groups in academia. College affordability and student loan debt. Job market and mental health in under 10 words: Mental health support in the workplace. Career goals, parenting, and trust issues. Grief, trauma, and healing after loss. Vulnerability and personal growth in a sensitive and emotionally charged context. Toxic relationships, masculinity, and personal growth. Parenting, success, and diversity in Houston. Community service and mentorship in African American community. Supporting African American boys' mental health. Personal growth, redemption, and urgency for change. Dr. Webster's Social Media  Dr. Webster's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conrad-trayvon-webster-edd/ Black Boy Heal: https://theblackboyheal.com/ Dr. Webster's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_dr_webster/ Black Boy Heal Apple App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/black-boy-heal/id6446207633 Black Boy Heal Android App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.black.blackboy&hl=en&gl=US&pli=1 Dr. Webster's Advice My last advice that I want to give people is, take your dream and put it into action. One of my students, his name is, Brian has an amazing, amazing, amazing story. One of his biggest things I want to show people is how to take that dream and put action behind that dream. But anything that you want to do you have to work for, it's not going to be just given to you. Some people are outliers where it is, but we don't live in an outlier society where 90% of that is happening. So think about your dream, the purpose behind your dream, know that there's going to be order behind that dream in order for you to really commit to it. Once you commit to it, there's gonna be a lot of white noise around you. But you have to learn how to treat that as surface level things and aim high. If you ever need resources, there are people out here for you, such as Black Boy Heal and other community resources.

Join us as we talk about the oatmeal bitch himself…Joel Scott Osteen. If you're interested in learning how to get rich (or how to launder money inside of a bathroom wall) this episode is for you! Write us some of your cringe stories at [nervouslaughterpodcast@gmail.com](mailto:nervouslaughterpodcast@gmail.com)The socials: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nervouslaughterpodcast) | [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/NervousLaughterPodcast) | [Twitter](https://twitter.com/NervouslaughPod)

In this episode, FSA speaks with Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez from the Police Executive Research Forum's (PERF) Annual Meeting in Orlando. During the meeting, Sheriff Gonzalez was awarded the PERF Leadership Award for his outstanding public safety work in the Houston area. First elected sheriff in 2016, Sheriff Gonzalez runs the largest sheriff's office in Texas. He directs more than 5,000 employees to protect the 4.5 million residents living within the 1,700 square miles of Harris County. Early in his first term, Sheriff Gonzalez had to lead the citizens of his community after Hurricane Harvey, one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history. He discusses how those difficult times helped him and his team build a foundation of trust with those they serve. We also learn about the innovative programs the Harris County Sheriff's Office operates from diversion programs and establishing a sobering center to addressing the complex issue of homelessness.

What happens when disaster strikes? Do you know what your role is in an emergency? In today's introductory episode of Season 12, First Case co-hosts Melanie and Chris kick off our season on Disaster Preparedness by sharing their own experiences of the unexpected. Tune in as Chris shares about her experience with Hurricane Harvey as the Medical Liaison for Ellis County, TX, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and as Melanie shares her own experience with a workplace shooting. There are lessons to be learned from each experience, and ways that we can learn and plan so that we're prepared for any future event. Whether we find ourselves in the middle of a natural disaster or we're involved in an act of violence, our preparation and readiness are what help us find success in any emergency situation. So, stay tuned for this exciting first episode of Season 12: Disaster Alert! Love our show? Download our First Case mobile app on:

And what if you could find peace and resilience in the midst of life's storms? Dr. Manizeh Mirza-Gruber, MD, a board-certified psychiatrist and mindfulness expert, joins Mary Ann Faremouth on this episode of Career Can Do to share how mindfulness practices can help us navigate challenging times with grace and strength. Dr. Mirza-Gruber, the CEO and founder of Mindful in Practice, brings her expertise in mindfulness meditation, yoga, and mind-body medicine to guide us in finding inner peace and presence. In this enlightening conversation, she delves into the power of mindfulness in reducing stress, enhancing productivity, and fostering personal growth. Join us as we explore practical techniques to ground ourselves and cultivate self-compassion so we can be our best selves in the New Work World. In the podcast episode, Dr. Mirza-Gruber emphasizes the importance of mindfulness in dealing with stress, especially during challenging times. As defined by Dr. Mirza-Gruber, mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment, allowing individuals to connect with their breath and body to shift from a stress response to a relaxation mode. By practicing mindfulness, individuals can ground themselves in the present moment, acknowledging their thoughts and feelings without getting caught up in them, ultimately leading to a sense of calm and clarity amidst uncertainty. Dr. Mirza-Gruber shares her personal experience during Hurricane Harvey, highlighting how challenging times can serve as opportunities for growth and transformation. Despite the difficulties faced during the natural disaster, Dr. Mirza-Gruber viewed it as a guide that led her to new paths and opportunities for personal and professional development. Through the lens of mindfulness and gratitude, she navigated adversity and found meaning in the experience, ultimately leading to a deeper sense of purpose and the ability to help others in profound ways. Self-compassion and inner resilience are vital in facing life's challenges. Dr. Mirza-Gruber emphasizes the need to be kind and compassionate towards oneself, recognizing that self-care and self-acceptance are essential components of navigating difficult circumstances. By cultivating a sense of inner strength and choosing how to respond to challenges with a positive mindset, individuals can tap into their own light and resilience, allowing them to shine brightly even in the midst of darkness. The practice of gratitude is highlighted as a powerful tool for reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Dr. Mirza-Gruber shares her daily gratitude practice, emphasizing the transformative impact of focusing on things going well in life. By acknowledging and appreciating the blessings and moments of joy, individuals can shift their perspective towards a more positive mindset, fostering resilience and emotional well-being. The act of gratitude serves as a reminder to find light within oneself and in the world, leading to a sense of inner peace and contentment. Resources Manizeh Mirza-Gruber, MD on LinkedIn | Website Faremouth.com

A Man With a PurposeAfter leading students at Cedarville University to worship the Lord for 40+ years, Jim Cato has retired. Celebrate his story on this episode of the Cedarville Stories Podcast.Jim Cato quickly learned as a young man that his skills were better used off the field than playing football. So he tried Bible college, which didn't work out either, and he eventually dropped out.But after getting married, he and his new wife learned about this small school called Cedarville College in Ohio. They packed up their belongings and moved to Ohio, before even applying or knowing where they were going to live.Jim went on to earn a bachelor's degree in music, still without any clue of what he wanted to do with his life — or how he would use a degree in music. But the Lord began opening doors, including the opportunity to lead a music team on a missions trip to Australia.Shortly after, a position became available in Cedarville's Christian Ministries department. The position was focused on training music teams to travel and minister overseas. Even with Jim's limited experience, he got the job — and he's never left!Jim has faithfully served with Christian Ministries for over 40 years, including taking various trips with Global Outreach, including one providing hurricane relief after Hurricane Harvey.And, instead of solely ministering to the residents in Houston who were affected by the hurricane, in the end, Jim was the one who needed care.After a few days of working in homes with Cedarville students, Jim began to experience headaches. But these were not his typical headaches, as the pain increased each  day.Eventually, the pain led Jim to wake up his roommate in the middle of the night and ask to be taken to an emergency room. And the trip to the hospital proved challenging, as neither the driver nor Jim knew Houston well enough to navigate the trip.After being rushed to the hospital, and doctors performing a battery of tests, Jim learned that he had a brain tumor that needed to be removed immediately.As Jim outlines, not only did he find a hospital to care for him, he went to the hospital best known in Houston for brain surgeries. Only God could direct Jim's path this perfectly.After several days in the hospital, Jim returned to Ohio, and the Lord used that time to strengthen his faith and reinforce his purpose — to worship God and teach others to worship Him.https://share.transistor.fm/s/1646140c

On this episode of Debut Discussions, we're chatting with Nishita Parekh about her debut novel, Night of the Storm, a locked room thriller about a multigenerational Indian American family marooned in a house with a murderer during Hurricane Harvey. Nishita shares how her love for reading mysteries as a child led her to follow her writing dreams; how the idea for this novel first came to her while being stuck in an apartment during a hurricane; and why she wanted to write about motherhood (specifically the challenges of being a single mother), the influence of patriarchy in Indian culture, the clash of values faced by immigrants, and the complexities of family dynamics all within the structure of a locked room thriller! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Debut Discussions, we're chatting with Nishita Parekh about her debut novel, Night of the Storm, a locked room thriller about a multigenerational Indian American family marooned in a house with a murderer during Hurricane Harvey. Nishita shares how her love for reading mysteries as a child led her to follow her writing dreams; how the idea for this novel first came to her while being stuck in an apartment during a hurricane; and why she wanted to write about motherhood (specifically the challenges of being a single mother), the influence of patriarchy in Indian culture, the clash of values faced by immigrants, and the complexities of family dynamics all within the structure of a locked room thriller! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

GETTIN' SALTY EXPERIENCE PODCAST Ep.202 : Our special guest will be Active 33 year FDNY veteran Assistant Chief, FDNY Chief of Safety Command, Operations Chief of the FDNY Incident Management Team Mike Meyers. He was appointed to FDNY in 1991. Assignments are as follows: -Ladder 175 –East NY & Brownsville Brooklyn (1991-1998) -Rescue Company 4 – Woodside Queens (1998-2001) -Ladder 11 - Lower East Side Manhattan LT (2001-2003) -Ladder 4 – Times Square NY Capt (2003-2007) -Battalion 9 – Times Square NY BC (2007-2017) -Deputy Chief -Executive Officer to the Chief of Safety (2017-2018) -FDNY Chief of Safety Command (2018-Present) -FDNY Liaison to NYC Office of Emergency Management (2023-Present) -FDNY Incident Management Team (2004-Present) -Bravest Football Club (1992-2003) During his career he has responded to many large scale operations. Here is just a sample.. 9/11 World Trade Center (2001) Hurricane Irene-NY, NY(2011) SuperStorm Sandy-NY, NY(2012) Hurricane Katrina-New Orleans, LA (2005) Hurricane Gustov- Baton Rouge, LA (2008) Con Edison Steam Explosion NY, NY (2007) Crane Collapse 1 & 2 NY, NY (2008) Miracle on the Hudson NY, NY (2009) Hurricane Harvey, Houston Texas (2017) Join us at the kitchen table on the BEST FIREFIGHTER PODCAST ON THE INTERNET! You don't want to miss this one. You can also Listen to our podcast ...we are on all the players #lovethisjob #GiveBackMoreThanYouTake #OldschoolBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/gettin-salty-experience-firefighter-podcast--4218265/support.

Storms continue to wreak havoc with flooding in some places north of Houston, the worst they’ve seen since Hurricane Harvey. A preview of a big election tomorrow to fill a seat that hasn’t been vacant since the early 80’s. Efforts to curb property taxes. How well’s that actually going? The United Methodist Church does a […] The post The latest on the bird flu outbreak among dairy cows appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.

It was another busy week in H-Town, but don't worry, we're recapping everything that happened with host Raheel Ramzanali, Pulitzer Prize finalist Evan Mintz, and media personality Antre'chelle Nova. From Mayor Whitmire blocking much-needed improvements in Montrose to a wild nail salon story you have to hear, the trio is talking about it all to end the week!  Learn more: Houston ranked as a miserable city Murder and violent crimes down in Houston  Organization fighting to help citizens with sewage issues  Houston granted extension to spend Hurricane Harvey recovery money Epic Nail Salon drama  Houston church helping with financial literacy  Montrose Blvd. project delayed  LNG exports are thriving  Oyster Hut popup drama  Saltmarsh Caterpillar season  Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of The Real ResQ, host Jason Quinn is joined by Ashlee Leppert, U.S. Coast Guard flight mech veteran, author, inspirational speaker, and certified life coach. Leppert discusses her motivation for joining the Coast Guard and her journey to becoming a flight mechanic. She speaks about many of her rescues, including a drug interdiction and migrant operation which earned her a Letter Of Commendation.  She earned a second Letter of Commendation for rescuing two elderly persons in the water. Leppert goes on to discuss a third Letter of Commendation which she earned for her maintenance work and involvement during the 2012 Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Finally, she discusses her fourth Letter of Commendation, earned for rescuing a distressed kayaker, which also made the local news.  As we go further into Leppert's career, we get into a complex nighttime rescue of a 90-year-old man on a 65-foot sailing vessel. This rescue earned her a Coast Guard Achievement Medal. Next, we get into what Leppert did during the rescue efforts of Hurricane Harvey. These efforts earned her an Air Medal and a trip to Washington, D.C., to be a part of President Trump's 2018 State of The Union Speech.   We conclude our conversation with what she's doing now. Leppert talks about writing the book, The Hurricane Within, so that she could share her story. In addition to writing a book, she has become a life coach to help others overcome their struggles. Her advice emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself in order to be a leader in all aspects of life. She is currently a public speaker and a life coach.  Enjoy! This episode is powered by Vertical Helicasts. Thank you for sponsoring this episode of The Real ResQ: Collins Aerospace and Switlik. Follow The Real ResQ on Facebook and Instagram and listen on Vertical Helicasts.

Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on August 25, 2017, unleashing widespread devastation along the Gulf Coast. In the days and weeks that followed, rescue missions were taking place, but amidst these, it became apparent that a woman had disappeared. However, detectives didn't believe her disappearance was connected to the storm….SPONSORS -ZocDoc: Zocdoc is the only free app that lets you find and book doctors who are patient reviewed, take your insurance & are available when you need them. To find a & book a top rated doctor today. Visit: https://zocdoc.com/morbidologyNutrafol: Hair thinning affects approximately 1 in 2 women, but you're not alone. Nutrafol is the leading dermatologist recommended hair growth supplement. Get $10 off and free shipping with the code “MORBIDOLOGY” at: https://nutrafol.com/Prose: Prose offers custom skincare and haircare, tailored to your specific needs. They are offering 50% off your first order at: https://prose.com/morbidologySHOW NOTES - https://morbidology-the-podcast-253-crystal-mcdowellPATREON - https://www.patreon.com/morbidologyYOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/morbidologyAudio Credit:Epidemic SoundEvening of Chaos - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Empty Reflections - ErikMMusic - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgq4SPKHlyIA Mothers Sacrifice - OurMusicBox - https://ourmusicbox.com/Dark Tranquility - Anno Domini Beats - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6mBav72AkBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/morbidology--3527306/support.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/570 Presented By: FishHound Expeditions, Skwala, Angler's Coffee, VA Fly Fishing Festival Sponsors: https://wetflyswing.com/sponsors Uncover the secrets of thriving bay ecosystems and the art of fishing with our insightful guest, Allan Berger, Chair at San Antonio Bay Partnership Inc. and passionate advocate for the conservation of San Antonio Bay. Set sail with us on an auditory voyage where we paint the rich tapestry of the bay's geography, from the marshlands to the barrier island of Matagorda. This episode promises to immerse you in the natural splendor of the Mid-Texas coast and the cherished traditions it supports, all while emphasizing the urgent need to balance human pursuits with nature's delicate rhythms. Join the conversation on the life cycle of redfish and the bay's vital role in their growth, gaining an understanding of the environmental challenges these ecosystems face, such as climate change and freshwater scarcity. Discover the collective efforts to protect the bay, from crab trap cleanups to revitalizing mangroves post-Hurricane Harvey. Allan's wisdom will not only inform but inspire, as we explore strategies that bolster the region's resilience and the importance of responsible stewardship to safeguard the natural allure of places like Morse Bay for future generations. As we wrap up, we share a trove of tips for kayak anglers and celebrate the simple joys of paddling through these waters, whether you're after the thrill of the catch or the peace of birdwatching. This episode is an invitation to appreciate the mid-Texas coast's natural wonders and join hands in preserving this precious ecosystem. Get ready to be motivated, informed, and perhaps even entertained, as we cast our nets wide into the world of conservation and coastal treasures with Allan's expert guidance. (0:00:05) - Protecting the San Antonio Bay Nature's beauty and ecological significance in San Antonio Bay, including marshlands, redfish and trout habitats, and Bay Flats Lodge's fishing operations. (0:13:10) - Preserving the Bay and Redfish Nature's life cycle of redfish in the Gulf, spawning in passes and maturing in bays, faces challenges but can be conserved through partnerships. (0:20:25) - Conservation Challenges in Natural Bay Area Nature's beauty and conservation challenges in Morse Bay, responsible enjoyment, redfish populations, Hurricane Harvey's impact, and seasonal vigilance. (0:32:23) - Cleaning Up Crab Traps, Promoting Conservation Win a trip to Bay Place Lodge and help clean up crab traps to preserve marine life. (0:43:16) - Bay Systems and Anti-Litter Report Card Nature's health in San Antonio Bay was assessed in a 2023 report card, highlighting the impact of development and the need for sustainable management. (0:54:54) - The Greatness of the Mid-Texas Coast The mid-Texas coast is popular for fishing and birding, with a growing second home market and a focus on preserving local bays and redfish. (1:01:44) - Fishing Tips and Kayak Strategies Nature's tips for successful redfish catching, appreciation for baseball, and challenges of kayak fishing. (1:07:18) - Benefits of Paddling and Conservation Work Nature's joys of kayaking for fishing and birdwatching, encountering wildlife, saving time and effort, exercise, sabpartnership.org, and gratitude for guest's insights. Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/570

In this special episode of Keep What You Earn, we continue our conversation with Veena Jetti, a powerhouse in multifamily real estate transactions, and a dedicated mom. Veena shares her journey as a successful professional and a devoted mother of twins, providing valuable insights on managing multiple roles and the importance of seeking help without feeling guilty. She also reveals the pride she takes in influencing and impacting others, highlighting the significance of community and uplifting others. Veena sheds light on the power of surrounding oneself with like-minded individuals and the value of sharing solutions in building strong relationships. Additionally, she discusses attracting investors and provides a wealth of information on alternative investments and tax-efficient opportunities in real estate. This episode is packed with valuable lessons and practical advice, offering a unique perspective on professional success and personal fulfillment. Don't miss this enlightening conversation with Veena Jetti!   Veena Jetti is the founding partner of Vive Funds, a unique commercial real estate firm that specializes in curating conservative opportunities for investors. Veena brings a dynamic perspective to targeting, acquiring, managing, and operating assets using best practices combined with cutting edge technologies. Veena also leads a Facebook Community Called Mastering Multifamily with Veena Jetti.   After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Finance at 20 years old, she pursued her passion for real estate. Veena has over a decade of real estate experience and a $1Billion in multifamily transactions in her own portfolio.   Veena is also a passionate philanthropist. In 2017, she was one of only three women to receive the Politico Woman of the Year award for the significant amount of time and focus she spent on aiding in a grassroots Hurricane Harvey disaster response. Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/482404780511836 Youtube:https://www.youtube.com/@veenajetti1 Instagram:www.instagram.com/veenajetti Masterclass:https://mastering-multifamily-with-veena-jetti.teachable.com/courses/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veena-jetti/   What you'll hear in this episode: 03:20 Celebrating together, but impact on others matters most. 06:58 Share workload, outsource tasks, improve relationship dynamics. 10:49 Envious of your best life, interested in details. 14:24 Exposure changes perceptions, surrounding yourself with people. 18:57 Work with supportive people, help succeeding together. 20:49 Vive Funds attracts high-income professional investors.   If you like this episode, check out: How to Build Trust with Your Customers How to Have a Successful Podcast Navigating Networking When You're Not a Fan of Events   Want to learn more so you can earn more? CFO On Demand click here Visit keepwhatyouearn.com to dive deeper on our episodes Visit keepwhatyouearncfo.com to work with Shannon and her team Watch this episode and more here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMlIuZsrllp1Uc_MlhriLvQ Connect with Shannon on IG: https://www.instagram.com/shannonkweinstein/   The information contained in this podcast is intended for educational purposes only and is not individual tax advice. Please consult a qualified professional before implementing anything you learn.  

Lawson Craddock grew up in the flatland of Houston but fought his way onto the WorldTour feeder team Trek-Livestrong when he was still a teenager. After turning pro three years later, he raced for Giant-Shimano, Cannondale, and his current team, Jayco–AlUla. In his 10 years in the WorldTour, he's taken podiums at the Vuelta, won the Time Trial National Championships in back-to-back years, and had a standout performance at the 2018 Tour de France, but not for the usual reasons.Lawson caught up with Payson in Spain last week to reminisce about racing together in Texas as teenagers and his subsequent move to Europe and into the WorldTour. He talks about how getting pulled from the Vuelta in his first year in the pro peloton gave him extra fuel for a triumphant return the next year, and how a relentless training plan mandated by his team nearly derailed his momentum. He also details his viral performance at the 2018 Tour de France. After fracturing his scapula in the first stage, he went on the complete every remaining stage and raise $380k for his hometown velodrome in Houston which was damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Now in his early 30s and raising a young family, Lawson talks about whether he plans to move back home to Texas and whether he finally intends to fulfill his childhood dream of joining the family roofing business.Instagram: @theadventurestacheYouTube: Payson McElveen