Podcasts about michigan council

On this week's episode of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation about states studying or piloting road usage charges (RUC).John Peracchio, a strategic adviser on intelligent transportation systems and mobility, and member of the Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification, talks about key takeaways from a recent conference of the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), where RUC programs were a key topic.  Also discussed is what has been learned from other states and what it means that a proposal in the Michigan transportation budget would fund an RUC pilot. Hawaii has been especially aggressive in implementation, and Peracchio explains the unique nature.  As an advocate for increased funding for public transit, Peracchio also discusses how RUC could be structured to help.

Host Gregg Garrett speaks with Judy Asher, President of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation (MCWT) and Corporate “Rule Bender”, about the relationship between disruption and innovation, and the common thread of shifting rules. Judy also shares her “Top 3”: Alan Mulally and Lesley Ma, who embody authenticity; Martin Wolfertz and Mark Johnson, who demonstrate resilience; Vijay Sankaran and Roger Court, who inspire her. And you have to hear her suggestion about centering yourself. . SHOW HIGHLIGHTS During this episode: (0:00) Introduction (1:03) Disruption and the shifting gameboard (3:35) Aggressive transformation (4:47) Meet Judy Asher The “Top Three”: (11:36) Alan Mulally and Lesley Ma: Embody authenticity (25:01) Martin Wolfertz and Mark Johnson: Demonstrate resilience (30:45) Vijay Sankaran and Roger Court: Inspire her Other Points of Interest: (35:12) Making a difference in IT leadership (39:43) MCWT's mission (47:29) Get involved You Have to Hear This: (51:24) Centering yourself . LINKS AND RESOURCES Judy Asher: LinkedIn MCWT: LinkedIn | Website Gregg Garrett: LinkedIn | Twitter | About CGS Advisors: Website | LinkedIn

2024 ACB Summer Auction Saturday, June 22 at 6:00pm ET Broadcast on ACB Media One Shipping Donors Thanks to the Bay State Council of the Blind ($250), Veterans of ACB ($150), California Council of the Blind ($100), Council of Citizens with Low Vision International ($100), ACB Families ($100), ACB Teachers ($100), Illinois Council of the Blind($100), North Dakota Association of the Blind ($100), VisAbilities Show ($100), Terry Pacheco )$100), Merrilee Hill-Kennedy ($100), Pat Tusing ($80) ACB Next Generation ($75), Natalie Couch ($50), Angelo Lanier ($50), David Trott ($50), Chris Bell ($50), and Agnes Ferris ($10) for their generous donations for shipping. Segment One - Cindy Hollis and Deb Cook Lewis 100 $50 Gift Card to The Southern Grill donated by ACB Board of Publications Director Cachet Wells The Southern Grill, a local restaurant, has been serving hearty home cooked southern meals in Jacksonville since 1998. Besides serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner with dishes such as BBQ, sandwiches/wraps, Greek platters, vegetarian options and more, along with beer and wine there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy. Located within 15 minutes and approximately 0.7 miles from the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The Southern Grill promotes local musicians that have become a favorite part of their dining experience with Open Jams and live band music several nights a week. 101 A Set of 5 Holiday Ornaments Handmade and donated by Jamaica Miller You will receive one ornament of each color: red, green, gold, blue and white. They are adorned with pins and beads in various bright colors, and each will have a tag of your choosing. You can have any combination of messages, or they can all be the same. The choices are: "Merry Christmas", "Happy Holidays", "Peace on Earth", or "Joy to the World". The tags feature Braille as well as printed text. The ornaments will be packaged in a decorative tin. 102A Two-pound Box of Ghirardelli dark chocolate Fudge donated by Marvelena Quesada You will receive a 2-pound box of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Fudge, made from San Francisco's own 100-year-old chocolatier's intense 72% Cacao Dark chocolate. She has crafted this rich, delicious fudge for family and friends for years. While it is especially wonderful around the holiday season, it works throughout the year for the chocolate lovers among us. Enjoy this delicacy with a morning cup of coffee or as an after-dinner treat. 102B Two-pound Box of Ghirardelli dark chocolate fudge donated by Marvelena Quezada You will receive a 2-pound box of rich Ghirardelli dark chocolate fudge, made from San Francisco's own 100-year-old chocolatier's intense 72% Cacao Dark chocolate. She has crafted this rich, delicious fudge for family and friends for years. While it is especially wonderful around the holiday season, it works throughout the year for the chocolate lovers among us. Enjoy this delicacy with a morning cup of coffee or as an after-dinner treat. 103 $50 Olive Garden Gift Card donated by ACB of Connecticut Do you ever get hungry for Italian food? Well, here's something just for you, a $50 gift card to Olive Garden. Hurry up and bid so you can get those wonderful bread sticks, salads, and delicious dinners. Braille menus available upon request. 104 Braille Read Necklace donated by Dorlyn Catron This necklace has a bright copper pendant with the word "read" written in contracted braille and features a tactile image of an open book. The pendant measures approximately 1.5 inches long by half an inch wide. Originally sold by National Braille Press, but there are no more left. Wow, this truly is an exquisite necklace to have either for yourself or someone special! 105 Snakeskin Printed Purse Created by Keri Bishop This purse had its start as a white, black, and gray pair of jeans in a rattlesnake skin printed design. Keri fell in love with this pair of jeans when she saw them at a local thrift shop. Soon the jeans were home and cut, sewn, and reconstructed into this lovely snakeskin printed purse. The words I (heart) ACB across the front in black glitter iron on vinyl. The medium sized purse makes use of the pockets in the jeans repurposed as the pockets for the purse. The shoulder strap is adjustable. 106 Amazon Echo Pop 5th Generation Speaker donated by Cheryl McNeil Fisher You will enjoy owning this ECHO POP compact smart speaker with Alexa. The speaker features full sound that's great for bedrooms and small spaces and is small enough to blend in and mighty enough to stand out. It controls music WITH YOUR VOICE, and you can Ask Alexa to play music, audiobooks, and podcasts from your favorite providers like Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, Pandora, Sirius XM and more. Connect via Bluetooth to stream throughout your space. 107 Celebrate the State of Washington with Chukar Cherries donated by Washington Council of the Blind The recipient will enjoy the no-sugar-added Organic Rainier Cherries, a delicious variety of chocolate covered cherries, Cherry Apple Crisps, Pickled Asparagus, Smoked Salmon, and more. A great gift for anyone missing the Pacific Northwest—send a taste of our beautiful region to friends and loved ones. Arrives in a keepsake metal hamper with an oversized Seattle souvenir mug. What's inside this basket: Organic Rainier Cherries: This prized Northwest cherry is organically grown and picked fresh, then gently air dried with no added sugar or preservatives. Amaretto Rainiers: Honey-sweet, dried Rainier cherries are layered with luscious dark chocolate and almond essence. A unique treat from Washington State. Cherry Quartet: An assortment of four best-selling milk and dark confections, including Cabernet, Amaretto Rainiers, Cherry Bings, and Classic Milk. Cherry Apple Crisps: Healthy and addictive! Fresh Washington state apple slices are infused with cherry juice and cinnamon, then dehydrated to a delightfully crisp texture. Cherry Caramel Twists: Luscious caramels studded with dried cherry bits and almond essence. Gift box of individually wrapped pieces. Souvenir Mug: An oversized mug is adorned with famous Northwest landmarks. Lead safe. Dishwasher safe. Washington State Pickled Asparagus: Fresh Yakima Valley asparagus is pickled with garlic and red chilies for a zesty appetizer or cocktail garnish. Smoked Salmon: Tender, lightly flaked, boneless, skinless salmon in a Seattle-themed gift box. A choice gift for any salmon fan. 108 Two Hand-Crafted Pottery Chili Bowls donated by Mucie Allred Two hand-crafted pottery pieces shaped into unique “Chili” bowls. On each side of the bowl is a curved area to hold your crackers. A beautiful blue swirl color has been added. They are designed by Marcia Springston of Wake Robin Gallery. Don't restrict them to only chili because these one-of-a-kind bowls would be beautiful to display candy or nuts on your table as well. 109 West Virginia Gift Card Bundle donated by ACB Board Director Donna Brown Planning for your upcoming vacation has just gotten easier. This black and blue neck wallet is perfect to carry your necessities wherever you go. It is big enough for your cell phone, keys, credit cards, etc., but small enough to carry easily. Written on the neck wallet is: Wild and Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Plus, a $25 Texas Roadhouse and a $25 Cheesecake Factory gift card and they fit nicely in the wallet. What a fantastic gift for yourself or someone special. 110 Sweet and Savory Treats of North Carolina donated by North Carolina Council of the Blind Enjoy the following fine North Carolina goodies: Red Bird Hand-crafted Soft Puff Peppermint Candy from Lexington; Grammy's Gourmet Pretzels from Raleigh; Chad's Carolina Popcorn from Greensboro; Memaw's Country Cookies from Raleigh; Salem Baking Moravian Thin Cookies from Winston-Salem; Baker's Peanuts from Roxobel; Dark Chocolate/Pecan Toffee from Chapel Hill. You will savor these wonderful treats and treasure the North Carolina Ornament also included. 111 BITS- Blind Information Technology Specialists, full zip, black tote bag from Blind Girl Designs donated by Tricia Waechter on behalf of BITS. Blind Girl Designs has created a complete collection for BITS. We are proudly donating a 15 by 18-inch full-zip black tote bag on their behalf. The print is very circular. The center of the print is an image of the globe with the continents inverted vibrant green and the ocean in blue with North America facing front. Surrounding the globe on either side are hands holding the globe. The hands are created by drawing thin lines, all around the sides and the bottom of the globe. Overarching the globe and the hands in a half circle are the words “blind technology information specialists” with those words in braille underneath. There is a fold in the bottom of the bag to easily allow it to sit upright. It has a full zip across the top as well as a zippered inside pocket. It's a classic from Blind Girl Designs! 112 A Four Mini Loaves of Homemade Banana Bread donated by Kaila Allen You will enjoy four mini loaves of this mouthwatering banana bread made just the way you like it. Choose one of the following add ins: peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, walnuts, or pecans. What a fantastic treat to either have for yourself or share with friends! 112 B Four Mini Loaves of Homemade Banana Bread donated by Kaila Allen You will enjoy four mini loaves of this mouthwatering banana bread made just the way you like it. Choose one of the following add ins: peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, walnuts, or pecans. What a fantastic treat to either have for yourself or share with friends! 113 Movie Extravaganza Package donated by ACB Associate Director of Development Jo Lynn Bailey-Page Enjoy using this $50 Regal Cinemas gift card to watch the latest audio described movies with some friends or family. Plus, you will love adding some goodies to go along with your movie. 114 Ruby Heart Jewelry Set made and donated by Charlotte lang This lovely set features July's birthstone ruby in 1/2 inch puffed hearts. Each earring features a heart dangling from sterling silver hooks. The bracelet stretches easily on and off the wrist. The 20-inch necklace closes with a matching silver heart-shaped toggle clasp. The hearts on the necklace are separated by silver links. Wow, this would make a lovely gift for that someone special in your life! 115 Two Companion Framed Floral Collages donated by ACB Advocacy Director Claire Stanley The two decoupage style pieces include yellow, brown, and green flowers. The flowers have six petals each and overlap each other across the canvass. The pieces are finished with a gloss which gives off a shiny glare. The two canvasses have been framed in wooden, 10 by 10 picture frames. Wow, what a fantastic gift to have either for yourself or to give to someone special! 116 JBL Portable Bluetooth Speaker donated by Florida Council of Citizens with Low Vision This ultra-portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker is small in size but with a surprisingly big sound. The JBL Clip 3 features a built-in rechargeable Li-ion battery with up to 10 hours of battery life plus a metal carabiner so you can easily hook it to your clothes, backpack, or belt loop. This portable speaker has noise cancelling and wireless streaming from your smartphone or tablet. Plus, take crystal-clear calls from your speaker with the touch of a button, thanks to the noise and echo-cancelling speakerphone. JBL Clip 3 is completely waterproof, and you can even immerse it in water. Plus, the improved, durable fabric material and rugged rubber housing protects it during all your outdoor adventures. 117 Kentucky Derby Pie donated by Kentucky Council of the Blind Kern's Kitchen Kentucky Derby Pie®! Kern's Kitchen crafts each pie, one at a time, according to a legendary secret recipe. Premium chocolate and choice walnuts are folded into a decadent filling, then baked in a delicate crust. Delicious when eaten at room temperature; incredibly heavenly when eaten all warm and gooey and topped with either whipped cream or ice cream. This 9-inch, 1-pound-4-oz. pie stays fresh for about 14 days. Ready to warm and serve or freeze for later use. Serves 8 to 10. 118 Enjoy A Game Night donated by Connie and Pete Jacomini and Lisa and Ron Brooks Be the host with the most! You have everything you need included in this package for a wonderful game night. All decks of cards are print/braille and dice are tactile. Card games include Classic Playing Cards, UNO, SKIP-PO, PINOCHLE, PHASE 10, ROOK, and MILLE BORNES. Lisa Brooks personally Brailed MILLE BORNES for this package. Also included are a pair of large tactile dice, LEFT RIGHT CENTER and LEFT RIGHT CENTER WILD dice games. You will also get a wood card holder and card shuffler. 119 $100 A T Guys Gift Certificate donated by Diane Scalzi A T Guys provides affordable technology solutions for consumers, businesses, and educational customers. Our product line includes mobile phone software and accessories, portable electronics, screen readers, braille translation software and accessible games. With over 30 years of combined technology experience, our trainers offer customized instruction both in-person or via phone or online voice chat on a wide array of assistive technologies including screen readers, braille displays, embossers, the iPhone and iPad, Android phones, and general accessibility consulting. 120 Welcome to Jacksonville donated by Florida Council of the Blind Are you coming to the ACB convention in Jacksonville? Enjoy one night at the hotel and a$50 Starbucks gift card and a $50 VISA gift card to use while you are at convention! 121 A Song from the Smitherman's donated by Michael and Alison Smitherman If you enjoy listening to country or Gospel music, for your summertime listening enjoyment, Michael and Alison would like to record a song for you. You choose the song from either of these genres, and we will sing it for you. The song will be sent to you in an mp3 file. What a treat for you or someone special to enjoy! 122 A Two Dozen Homemade Shortbread Cookies donated by Deb Trevino and Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired We are pleased to offer two dozen fresh-baked mouth-watering authentic shortbread cookies guaranteed to explode on your palate with luscious buttery goodness. These are great with milk, coffee, or your favorite tea. Next to Walker's, these are the best I've ever tasted. If you plan to give a tasty treat to someone you love, don't miss this opportunity! 122 B Two Dozen Homemade Shortbread Cookies donated by Deb Trevino and Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired We are pleased to offer two dozen fresh-baked mouth-watering authentic shortbread cookies guaranteed to explode on your palate with luscious buttery goodness. These are great with milk, coffee, or your favorite tea. Next to Walker's, these are the best I've ever tasted. If you plan to give a tasty treat to someone you love, don't miss this opportunity! 122 C Two Dozen Homemade Shortbread Cookies donated by Deb Trevino and Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired We are pleased to offer two dozen fresh-baked mouth-watering authentic shortbread cookies guaranteed to explode on your palate with luscious buttery goodness. These are great with milk, coffee, or your favorite tea. Next to Walker's, these are the best I've ever tasted. If you plan to give a tasty treat to someone you love, don't miss this opportunity! Segment Two- Dan Spoone and Kim Charlson 123 Holy Cow Baraboo Chocolate donated by ACB of Wisconsin Chocolaty goodness in every box! This yummy package includes: • 1-Milk Chocolate Cow Pie • 1-Dark Chocolate Cow Pie • 1-Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cow Pie • 1-Milk Chocolate Moo Chews • 1-Milk Chocolate Udderfingers • 1-Milk Chocolate Green Bay Puddles • 1-Milk Chocolate Horse Apples • 10-Individually Wrapped Chocolates including mini Cow Pies and assorted Homer's Meltys. plus TWO SURPRISE BONUS ITEMS. This item will ship in September or October once the weather permits. 124 Black Pearl Necklace and Bracelet Set donated by Cindy Hollis This lovely set features a 20-inch necklace and stretch bracelet in naturally shaped black pearls. They are 7 to 8 millimeter in size. The necklace is hand knotted between for added security and elegance. It closes with a lobster claw clasp. Wow, what a wonderful set to have either for yourself or someone special in your life! 125 Get Moving with Couch to Active donated by ACB President Deb Cook Lewis This online fitness program specializes in helping people who have chronic conditions or physical limitations that impact their ability to participate in standard fitness programs. More recently, they have expanded to make sure all their instructional resources and classes are accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. You may choose between: • The 6-pack: Six classes over the next year. This is ideal if you want to have instruction once a month or once a week. • All In! Up to nine sessions per week for one month. These include Pilates, yoga, strength, mobility/stability, dance /movement, and cardio. 126 Accessible Digital Portable Recorder donated by Kim Charlson You will love having this Zoom H1 essential Stereo Handy Recorder with 32-Bit Float, Accessibility, X/Y Microphones, Record to SD Card, USB Microphone, Portable, for Musicians, Podcasters, Filmmakers, & Content Creators. The hottest accessible digital portable recorder on the market. All menus talk, and it comes with accessible documentation. Stereo 32-bit float recording - perfect audio with no need to set gain, High-Quality X/Y Mics capture clean audio up to 120 dB SPL, Records up to 96kHZ sample rate to SD card, USB Microphone for PC, Mac, iOS, or Android using the USB-C Port, Accessibility - Audio guidance function for the visually impaired. 127 Megan's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies donated by Megan Sullivan Enjoy sharing three dozen homemade Megan's chocolate chip cookies either with family or friends with that favorite beverage. These cookies will melt in your mouth. 128 Bradford Exchange Music Box donated by ACB LIONS We all admire the quality products from the Bradford Exchange. This limited-edition handcrafted heirloom porcelain egg-shaped music box features a hand-enameled red Cardinal on light pink flowers inside the open egg mounted on a base. It is inspired by Peter Carl Faberge's prized eggs and is adorned with 22K Gold accents. It is beautifully hand glazed in a soft blue hue with more than 80 hand-set jewels. It plays, “Always in My Heart.” The abundance of handcrafted details makes each egg a one-of-a-kind treasure. 129 $100 VISA Gift Card donated by Mississippi Council of The Blind Use this card anytime while dining or doing some shopping for yourself or someone special in your life! 130 Lunch with the ACB Board of Director Koni Sims donated by ACB Board Director Koni Sims Enjoy one-on-one time with ACB Bord of Director Koni Sims over lunch in Jacksonville, Florida in 2024 to be determined by the winner and Koni. 131 ACBDA Sugar Warriors Tote Bag from Blind Girl Designs donated by Tricia Waechter on behalf of ACBDA This ACBDA tote bag features on the front a 12 by 12-inch colorful print to celebrate ACBDA! Across the top reads "SUGAR WARRIORS" which is printed in a velvety 3-D puff ink in both letters and Braille. Both sets of letters are a deep orange color and are very tactile. Beneath the words is a drawing of a fist with prominent knuckles, which is holding a 12-inch white cane diagonally across the bag, smashing through cubes of sugar. The white sugar cubes are flying through the air, struck by the mighty force of the white cane. To further emphasize the force, the words, “pow” and “bam” are colorfully included in yellow and red. The bottom of the print is in deep orange, the words “KNUCKLING DOWN ON DIABETES!” fill the entire length of the print. On the back of this classic navy-blue zippered tote bag, there is a white print in the center of the bag reading “ACB Diabetics in Action.” This deep navy-blue canvas tote is 15 by 20-inch full zip, canvas bag with a folded bottom so it can sit upright and a zip pocket on the inside as well! It has a generous strap so you can swing it over your shoulder. 132 Enstrom Milk Chocolate Almond Toffee Two- Pound Box donated by ACB Media and IT Manager Rick Morin This all-natural traditional almond toffee is handcrafted. It is the perfect blend of almonds, butter, and pure cane sugar, covered in a generous layer of milk chocolate and sprinkled with crushed almonds, creates a buttery toffee with a delicate crunch. Enstrom's Almond Toffee is lovingly handcrafted in small batches with a family recipe passed down through four generations. Includes simple ingredients like fresh California almonds, sweet cream butter, pure cane sugar and 36% milk chocolate. Enstrom's Almond Toffee is certified gluten free, kosher dairy and 100% preservative free. We will contact the winner to arrange shipment to consider options to avoid heat damage during shipping. 133 $200 Target Gift Card donated by Beth Corley and Dan Dillon Here's a $200 Target gift card for you to use in store or online. Enjoy this either for yourself or someone special in your life! 134 Jade 14K Gold Earrings donated by The Literacy Project You will love having these authentic small Jade earrings with gold trim. The earrings are oval and are on posts. Wow, these will dress up any outfit for a romantic outing! 135 Honoring our Heroes Patriotic Package donated by the Georgia Council of the Blind, Marsha Farrow and Blind Girl Designs This package comes in a red Blind Girl Designs bag with white lettering of the Braille alphabet in the shape of a heart. The bag contains a yard flag depicting a red truck with three labradors (yellow, black, and chocolate) flying an American flag. This package also contains a Christmas ornament with an angel holding a folded American flag, a beverage cup with the words “Fear not” on the background of the outline of the American flag, and an American flag pillow. Finally, a paper Braille American flag tactile graphic measuring 7.5 inches by 9.5 inches from the American Braille Flag project completes this gift package. 136 Phoenix Braille Embosser donated by HumanWare The Phoenix is our ninth generation of braille embossing technology that combines our durable and legendary Romeo Braille dot with a proprietary 25 DPI tactile graphics embossing system. All-in-one embosser! There is no longer a need to settle for poor-quality braille text to achieve high-definition tactile graphics. Imagine the ability to scan your pictures, graphs, and charts into your computer and with a few clicks of the mouse, emboss those images in high-definition tactile graphics without compromising the quality of your braille text. Phoenix includes the capabilities to emboss single-sided braille text and high-resolution graphics up to 25 DPI, in a simple to use format. The newly designed Phoenix is smaller and lighter, with an auto-install feature to make setup even easier. The Firebird Software Suite, included with the Phoenix, is a comprehensive set of productivity tools that powers the Phoenix Embosser. The Firebird Software Suite includes the Firebird Graphics Editor that provides you with a list of automatic tools to effortlessly create tactile graphic images. Phoenix is also compatible with your existing braille translator. 137A Homemade Triple Play Oversized Cookies donated by Brian Charlson Here we go again; it's time for Brian's triple play oversized cookies. Those who have won this item in the past will attest to the flavor, size, and overall quality of this perennial auction favorite. This year Brian is offering 1 dozen classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and lemon shortbread. They are packaged individually. Feel free to offer them up as additions to gift baskets or pop them in the freezer to savor them over a few months or weeks. 137B Homemade Triple Play Oversized Cookies donated by Brian Charlson Here we go again; it's time for Brian's triple play oversized cookies. Those who have won this item in the past will attest to the flavor, size, and overall quality of this perennial auction favorite. This year Brian is offering 1 dozen classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and lemon shortbread. They are packaged individually. Feel free to offer them up as additions to gift baskets or pop them in the freezer to savor them over a few months or weeks. 137 C Homemade Triple Play Oversized Cookies donated by Brian Charlson Here we go again; it's time for Brian's triple play oversized cookies. Those who have won this item in the past will attest to the flavor, size, and overall quality of this perennial auction favorite. This year Brian is offering 1 dozen classic chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and lemon shortbread. They are packaged individually. Feel free to offer them up as additions to gift baskets or pop them in the freezer to savor them over a few months or weeks. 138 IROBOT Roomba 677 robot vacuum donated by Connie Jacomini For effortlessly clean floors, the Roomba® 677 Series Robot Vacuum learns your cleaning habits to suggest personalized schedules that take care of daily dirt, dust, and debris. Effective cleaning is part of the 3-Stage Cleaning System's design. Dual Multi-Surface Brushes grab dirt from carpets and hard floors, while an Edge-Sweeping Brush takes care of corners and edges. 139 $500 Coupon to HumanWare donated by HumanWare Details for this Coupon: Coupon is valid until June 30, 2025, and may be applied to any HumanWare product sold by HumanWare USA Inc. 2. Coupon is transferrable. Winning auction bidder for this coupon need only send an email to David Bradburn, HumanWare's Vice President Global Sales at david.bradburn@humanware.com providing the name and contact information of the person who will be redeeming the coupon. The coupon has no cash value. 140 Fun in the Sun! A week at the Wyndham Ocean Walk Resort at Daytona Beach donated by Tim Paul Must be used August 18-August 25, 2024. This unit is a two bedroom, two bath, fully equipped kitchen, with washer/dryer, and all the amenities of home. The resort offers activities for family members of all ages: indoor and outdoor swimming pools, outdoor hot tub, beach, lazy river water, exercise equipment, bar and grill, live entertainment and more. 141 A Song with Kolby donated by ACB Development Officer Kolby Garrison Kolby will sing a song of your choice acapella. The file will be sent to you in mp3 format. What a treat to listen to with friends. 142 A Kermit's Key Lime Pie Duo Donated by Dan Spoone Direct from Kermit's Key Lime Shop, the winner will receive two 9-inch Key Lime Pies. The pies that started it all named “the best taste Key Lime Pie” by Food Network's Keith Famie's Adventures. Kermit's Key Lime Pie is baked fresh daily. True tart Key Lime flavor in a delicious graham cracker crust and topped with fluffy whipped cream. This Key West delicacy will arrive at your door just waiting to be shared with the people you love the most. 142 B Kermit's Key Lime Pie Duo donated by Dan Spoone Direct from Kermit's Key Lime Shop, the winner will receive two 9-inch Key Lime Pies. The pies that started it all named “the best taste Key Lime Pie” by Food Network's Keith Famie's Adventures. Kermit's Key Lime Pie is baked fresh daily. True tart Key Lime flavor in a delicious graham cracker crust and topped with fluffy whipped cream. This Key West delicacy will arrive at your door just waiting to be shared with the people you love the most. 143 $500 Gift Certificate to Jack Stack's BBQ donated by Melvin Smith Your Package Includes: Pulled Pork 2 Pounds. Pork Spareribs 1 Full Slab Beef Burnt Ends 1 Pound. Lamb Ribs 2 Racks Hickory Pit Beans 1 Quart Cheesy Corn Bake 1 Quart KC Original BBQ Sauce One 18.6 Ounce bottle KC Spicy BBQ Sauce One 18.6 Ounce bottle KC Hot BBQ Sauce One 18.6 Ounce bottle Pulled Pork – Pulled pork might be a Carolina staple, but Jack Stack's is deliciously unforgettable. Our BBQ Pulled Pork is perfect for sandwiches. Pork Spare Ribs – Our Pork Spare Ribs are expertly seasoned, slow-roasted to perfection over hickory logs, and a delicious choice. Beef Burnt Ends – When it comes to classic Kansas City barbecue, Jack Stack's Beef Burnt Ends are second to none. Meaty, juicy, and tender on the inside - with the smokey edges you could only get from double-smoking them over hickory. Hickory-Roasted Lamb Ribs – Tender, savory and hickory roasted, Denver-cut lamb ribs are a uniquely treasured culinary find. Hickory Pit Beans – Beans may be standard barbecue fare, but there is nothing typical about these Hickory Pit Beans. Thick, slow-cooked, and loaded with chunks of our hickory-smoked brisket. Cheesy Corn Bake – It doesn't get more craveable than this: Jack Stack's Cheesy Corn Bake is bubbly, velvety, and unforgettable. Four gourmet cheeses are blended with whole-kernel corn and slivers of our hickory-smoked ham. 144 Black Hills Gold Heart shaped Pendant necklace donated by South Dakota Association of the Blind Enjoy this beautiful and delicate 10KT yellow, Black Hills Gold heart shaped pendant with .02ct round brilliant diamond in the center. It has an 18-inch gold chain. This will dress up a casual outfit or look stunning in a formal setting. What a fantastic gift either for yourself or someone special in your life! 145 Aromatherapy Bundle donated by Seth and Koni Sims, ACB Board of Director This aromatherapy bundle will give you a variety of ways to take care of yourself and your best furry friend. You will find something to help sore achy muscles and joints and headaches. These products are by Wyndmere Naturals. Included in this bundle: Lava Bead Necklace – Aura, Lavender oil 10 ml bottle, Aches & Pains Cream 4 ounce, Detoxification Aide Bath Salts 24 ounce, Citrus Delight Body & Air Mist 4 fluid ounce, Sleepy Time inhalation Patch, Breathe Blend inhaler, Head Aide Roll on 8 ml, Less Stress Pet Mist 4 fluid ounce. Wow, you, and your pooch will really feel relaxed and pampered with all these wonderful items! 146 A DaVinci Pro CCTV donated by Kim Charlson DaVinci Pro is a high-performance desktop video magnifier, featuring a Full HD 1080p 3-in-1 camera and full-page Text-to-Speech (OCR). DaVinci Pro's OCR allows it to easily read your favorite article or book aloud. DaVinci Pro's 3-in-1 Full HD camera allows you to see near, far or a mirror image. It is great for applying make-up, shaving, reading, writing, viewing presentations and whiteboards and so much more! 24” high resolution HD LCD, Auto focus 3-in-1, Magnification up to 77x, Computer compatible, Save documents, pictures or books and export files to your PC. It is a higher end CCTV. 146 B DaVinci CCTV donated by Kim Charlson DaVinci Pro is a high-performance desktop video magnifier, featuring a Full HD 1080p 3-in-1 camera and full-page Text-to-Speech (OCR). DaVinci Pro's OCR allows it to easily read your favorite article or book aloud. DaVinci Pro's 3-in-1 Full HD camera allows you to see near, far or a mirror image. It is great for applying make-up, shaving, reading, writing, viewing presentations and whiteboards and so much more! 24” high resolution HD LCD, Auto focus 3-in-1, Magnification up to 77x, Computer compatible, Save documents, pictures or books and export files to your PC. It is a higher end CCTV. Segment Three- Michael Garrett and Zelda Gebhard 147 Power Tower Donated by ACB of Minnesota This multiple outlet power strip tower has twelve grounded 3-prong AC outlets spaced out to accommodate different size plugs. The five high speed USB charging ports will meet your electronic charging needs. Charge your iPhone, iPad, tablet, or other devices. The 16-foot heavy duty cord ensures high conductivity and safety. The 45dg low profile flat plug and the vertical design makes this tower more space-saving than a traditional power strip. 148 The Pocket Bible donated by Rev. Ray Raysor, President DC Council of the Blind The Pocket Bible is a self-contained digital device that contains the entire bible. It is about the size of the old cassette tapes and has navigation buttons that allow forward and backward movement by both book and chapter. It has no moving parts and is rugged and water resistant. The Pocket Bible has both an internal speaker and an earphone jack. Available in your choice of English Standard Version, King James Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version NIV, New Living Translation ®. Audio Bibles in Spanish also are available. 149 The Bring it Home $300 Bundle donated by Arizona Council of the Blind Enjoy a $100 Gift Card to Door Dash, $100 Gift Card to Instacart and $100 Shipt gift card. You will welcome the handpicked groceries delivered from your favorite local stores along with your favorite fresh produce from the comfort of your own home. Enjoy On-Demand Delivery from Instacart. Order and have your favorite meals at your door in minutes with DoorDash. Like your avocados a little firm? Shoppers with Shipt go the extra mile to ensure you get the things you want, exactly how you like them. Local stores and national chains you know and love, delivered directly to you same day. Your shopper will keep you updated every step of the way. From special requests to last-minute changes, they are here to help. You will enjoy these three $100 gift cards to shop, shop and shop some more! 150 Lunch with the ACB President donated by ACB Enjoy one-on-one time with ACB President, Deb Cook Lewis, over lunch in Jacksonville, Florida in 2024 to be determined by the winner and Deb. 151 RSVA navy crewneck sweatshirt from Blind Girl Designs donated by Tricia Waechter on behalf of RSVA Come and support the Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk and the RSVA walk team! The print on this sweatshirt is 3-D tactile white puff ink mixed with red, slightly tactile ink. The words “at your service” are arched over the top of the print. Under the three-dimensional words there is matching three-dimensional braille. In the center of the print, there are three shields: a large center shield and smaller shields on either side. In the center of the big shield is a red checkmark and the side shields have red stars. At the bottom in 3-D tactile ink are the letters RSVA with braille underneath. Available in sizes small through five XL. You pick! The sweatshirt is cotton/poly blend and will not shrink. 152 Maker's Mark Bourbon Balls Donated by Greater Louisville Council of the Blind This is an elegant gift for family, friends, and business associates or a fantastic treat for yourself. Fine, handcrafted chocolates made from an old family recipe; laced with a generous touch of Maker's Mark Bourbon Whiskey. The one-pound gift box contains 32 delicious pieces. Shipped directly to the winning bidder. Shipping is not available to Hawaii or Alaska. 153 $150 Amazon Gift Card donated by ACB of Indiana It is time to treat yourself to something special and here's a gift card to help you do it. $150 in spending at Amazon! 154 Shell Hematite and Rose Quartz Jewelry Set made and donated by Keri Bishop The 21-inch necklace is made of alternating chips of hematite shell and rose quartz. The shell chips are spiral slices of shell. The bracelet is elastic with two row shell and hematite beads every six shells bead is double wide with two drilled holes going across both rows. This beautiful handmade jewelry set would make a fantastic gift for that someone special in your life! 155 Ferris wheel Music Box donated by Patty Slaby The Ferris Wheel carries bears as the music plays Night In the Sky, The key to wind it is on the motor. There are more bears standing in line at the bottom. The music box is 6 inches tall and about 4 inches wide. What a fantastic gift to have yourself or to give to someone special! 156 Explore 12 donated by HumanWare Explore is an easy-to-use, portable electronic magnifier that offers HD image quality for improved near and distance viewing. As the largest portable magnifier in our Explore series, its 12-inch touchscreen is perfect for anyone desiring a larger interface, plus it has the added benefit of a foldable stand enabling easy use for reading, writing, and other manual tasks. 157A Homemade Scotchies Cookies donated by CCLVI President Patti Cox These soft and chewy Oatmeal Scotchies are sweetened with brown sugar, packed with oats, and loaded with butterscotch chips. They have crisp edges and chewy centers. Every bite is buttery delicious and packed with flavor. What a delicious treat to enjoy yourself or share with friends! 157B Homemade Scotchies Cookies donated by CCLVI President Patti Cox These soft and chewy Oatmeal Scotchies are sweetened with brown sugar, packed with oats, and loaded with butterscotch chips. They have crisp edges and chewy centers. Every bite is buttery delicious and packed with flavor. What a delicious treat to enjoy yourself or share with friends! 158 Coffee, Coffee, and More Coffee donated by ACB of Minnesota If you have a Keurig coffee maker, this is a must bid for you. You can choose from a box of 100 pods of multiple flavors or of the same flavor. What a fantastic treat for you or the coffee lover in your life. 159 Big Texas Spending Bundle donated by ACB of Texas Enjoy lots of shopping or dining with these gift cards which include: a $50 certificate to the Berdoll Candy and Pecan farm, a $50 gift card to the Container Store, a $50 gift card to Sweet Taste of Texas, and a $50 VISA gift card and others to come! 160 Mantis ™ Q40 donated by American Printing House Keep braille at your fingertips anytime, anywhere, with the Mantis™ Q40: a Bluetooth® keyboard and 40-cell refreshable braille display. Users of the Mantis Q40 no longer need to choose between a keyboard or a braille device. A student or professional typing on the Mantis has a multimodal option of refreshable braille below the keyboard making it easier to participate in, and succeed at, school or work. Contains the following built-in applications: Basic editor to function as a user's pen and paper, book reader to download and read books in braille, calculator to perform basic mathematical calculations, clock to check the date and time, file manager to organize one's work, HumanWare signature thumb keys and home button, 15 hours of battery life with rechargeable, removable batteries and 16 GB of internal storage, SD card slot and USB host port for flash drives. 161 A Song with Lucy Arguijo donated by Lucy Arguijo Lucy will sing a song of your choice. The file will be sent to you in mp3 format. What a treat to listen to with friends. 162 Homemade Peanut Delights donated by Zelda Gebhard If you like salted nut rolls, you will love these! This delightfully delicious candy is all marshmallowy and nutty throughout. There are two pounds of individually wrapped pieces so there is plenty to enjoy and to share of this salty and sweet treat made by Zelda. 163 $150 Braille Superstore Gift Certificate donated by Braille Revival League “Come browse with us and shop to your hearts' content at the Braille Superstore. Check out their great selection of accessible games, toys, signature guides, braille and talking watches, braille card games, educational items for preschool and K-12 students, adapted timers and cooking instruments, tactile labeling items, talking calculators, thermometers, scales, MP3 players, audio Bibles, and braille books, just to wet your appetite.” 164 Purple Pearl Necklace donated by Cindy Hollis This lovely necklace features 7-to-8-millimeter naturally shaped purple pearls. They are hand knotted between for added security and elegance. The 20-inch necklace closes with a lobster claw clasp. This beautiful necklace will dress up any ensemble! 165 Summer Vacation Bundle donated by GDUI Yippee! Another GDUI Sweet Summer Vacation bundle! Rating: 4 paws! GDUI-branded harness pouch where you can store a roll of pick-up bags, keys, and cash/credit card; a gray collapsible bowl with carabiner clip which holds 36 ounces; a Nerf Collapsible 2-in-1 Agility Tunnel and Target Dog Game! Also included is a large, Invincible Triple Chain dog toy and a cute 29-inch plush carrot squeaky toy by Petlou; a package of five reusable Scrubby instant, waterless bath mitts; a large 56 by 28 inch pink microfiber dog bath towel with two white embroidered bones in one corner by Frisco; a blue Coleman roll-up 24 by 36 by 2 inch travel pet bed with a durable water-resistant nylon top, a waterproof PVC base and polyester fill. It folds in half lengthwise to roll up and fasten with two sturdy buckles. Machine wash and line dry. It's time to snuggle up and dream of another fun-filled, splendid sunny summer day tomorrow! (yawn) 166 Echo Show5th Generation donated by Library Users of America The latest and greatest Alexa Echo Show is now available for you to enjoy. The 5.5-inch screen can display the time, a calendar, the weather, photos, video calls, podcasts, read audio books, plus stream your favorite music, tv shows, and podcasts, all controlled with your voice. With the built-in camera, you may check in on children and pets, or drop in on your home when you are away. When not in use, you can set the background to a slideshow of your favorite photos. Prime members also get unlimited cloud storage. There are multiple layers of privacy controls including a mic/camera OFF button and encrypted Ring videos. The Echo Show now has 2 times the bass and a clearer sound for your enjoyment. 167 Joann's Fudge (6 slices) donated by Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Joan and Frank Nephew opened the first Joann's Fudge Store on Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island. Today, Joann's Fudge is a third-generation family business that continues Joan and Frank's commitment to providing high quality products. Each slice is ½ pound for a total of three pounds. You can order six slices of one flavor or mix and match from the list below. Flavors: Butter Pecan, Chocolate, Chocolate Cherry, Chocolate Cookie Crunch, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Chocolate Pecan, Chocolate Toffee, Chocolate Turtle, Chocolate Walnut, Double Dark Chocolate, Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Walnut, Double Dark Chocolate Espresso, Double Dark Chocolate Mint, Double Dark Salted Caramel, German Chocolate, Maple Walnut, Peanut Butter, Pumpkin Pie, Raspberry Truffle, Rocky Road, and Vanilla Salted Caramel. 168 Braille American Wall Flag donated by Veterans of ACB This beautiful flag is designed from very durable polymer and is recommended for permanent indoor display only. The flag measures 15 by 19 inches and weighs approximately 5 lbs. It has a brass-colored frame, mounting hardware and instructions included at no additional cost. Be proud and display your patriotism with this attractive flag. Segment Four- Jeff Thom and Terri-Lynn Higashi 169 $250 Pet Package donated by Tim and Maria Stone of Scoop Masters You will enjoy splurging on your pet and yourself with all the wonderful gift cards included: A $100 Chewy gift card, a $75 Amazon gift card, a $50 Cheesecake Factory gift card and a $25 Starbucks gift card. 170 Lunch with the ACB Executive Director donated by ACB Enjoy one-on-one time with ACB Executive Director, Scott Thornhill, over lunch in Jacksonville, FL in 2024 to be determined by the winner and Scott. 171 Canvas Tote Bag from Blind Girl Designs donated by Tricia Waechter on behalf of AAVL Join us in celebrating the AAVL with this beautiful canvas 15 by18-inch full-zip tote bag. The 12 by 12-inch print explodes with color. The top of the print has the words CELEBRATE in teal, EXPERIENCE in pink AND WISDOM in orange. The words are in a graceful arch. Beneath the words in the center of the print is a dynamic colorful fireworks display. The bottom of the print in 3D yellow puff ink are the letters AAVL and below that are the letters in tactile, readable braille. There is a fold in the bottom of the bag so that the bag can sit upright. It has a full zip across the top as well as a zippered inside pocket. It's a Blind Girl Designs classic! 172 Delicious Homemade Cookies from Patty's Kitchen donated by Patty Slaby Let your imagination guide your taste buds selecting 3 dozen of the same choice or 3 dozen of three 1 dozen choices. Choices include: peanut butter, oatmeal, molasses-ginger, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, or anything you can imagine, even lemon. Very popular! Yum, Yum! 173 $100 Honey-Baked Ham Gift Card donated by Leslie and Jeff Thom You will enjoy having this $100 gift card for Honey-Baked Ham plus scrumptious sides from the Honey-Baked Ham Store. Enjoy this delicious feist with family or friends anytime over the summer or during the holidays! 174 Touch of Hawaiian Beauty Earring and Necklace Set donated by Hawaii Association of The Blind You will dazzle in this pair of earrings that feature a shiny ball on the top with tiny white seashell hanging from the ball. The seashell has delicate lines within it. It comes with an 18-inch necklace and a basket charm. Within the basket there are 3 delicate white stones similar to the shiny balls of earrings. It also comes with some surprise treats such as chocolate, and coffee. 175 Two Bottles of Wine donated by the Oklahoma Council of the Blind 1 bottle of Sunset Bliss and 1 bottle of Sex-In-The-Vineyard Wines. Wakefield's Winery is in the rolling hills of central Oklahoma. They produce some of the best kept secrets of delicious award-winning wines in the state for the most discriminating tastes! "SUNSET BLISS", is a tropical fruit Riesling sweet white table wine with hints of kiwi, pineapple and mango is an Oklahoma State Fair Silver Medal winner. “SEX-IN-THE-VINEYARD” is a Black Cherry Pinot Noir. This sweet wine is an “Oklahoma State Fair Bronze Medal” winner and the “People's Choice Award” winner. If you like sexy wine, this is the wine for you! Wakefield's Winery does not ship to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, and Virginia. 176 Explore 8 Magnifier donated by HumanWare Magnification up to 30X with HD stunning image quality, fully customizable functions, touchscreen to navigate easily through menus, twin Ultra HD cameras for desktop or distance viewing, large physical buttons to adjust magnification and contrast, can be connected easily to a large screen TV, battery life of 4.5 hours. 177 Two Pounds of Homemade Fudge donated by ACB Board Director Cecily Laney Nipper Indulge your sweet tooth. Enjoy two pounds of homemade fudge. Choose from flavors such as double chocolate, peanut butter, and coffee; with two pounds of the same flavor or one pound each of two different flavors. You will be contacted to customize this rich tasty treat. Enjoy yourself or share with friends or family! This will be shipped in September. 178 Fun Time in Hawaii donated by Hawaii Association of The Blind A porcelain Shaka wall hook by Hawaiian artist Jason Dow; Enamel mug with a design that says Hawaii in colorful letters below 3 pineapples; Hawaiian Harmony from Big Island Roasters 100% Kona coffee beans 7 ounces; Yellow Hau flower enamel key chain from Paradise Now Hawaii - made on Maui; Lucky Fortune Cat 3-D shaped sponge from Fred. Enamel flair pin shaped like a bowl of ramen noodle soup from Moxhi Kids; Vinyl sticker sheet with Hawaii's favorite smiling foods and 2 larger vinyl stickers shaped like spam musubi and Boba tea from Mochi Kids. These can be placed on water bottles, phone or iPad cases. Bid and enjoy all these fun items from Hawaii. 179 $100 Gift Card to Omaha Steaks donated by AAVIA Everyone loves a good steak! Omaha Steaks offers a wide selection of high-quality meats that are delivered to your doorstep. Yum, yum. 180 Handmade Story Book Quilt made and donated by Margarine Beaman You will love having this story book quilt with each page sporting a different color. The size of this quilt is 45 by 51-inches. This beautiful quilt is great for a young child to look at as they are going to bed. “My grandkids love to lay on top of their bed and look at the colors and animals.” Wow, what an entertaining quilt for that special person in your life! 181 “The Tom Kaufman Make Believe Hillbilly Band” Bundle donated by Tom Kaufman Come and bid on Tom Kaufman's choices from his Make Believe Hillbilly Band showcased during ACB Community Karaoke! You will be able to choose a song or some of Tom's exciting genres from Tom's Band. Tom will send you an mp3 file with your choices. Enjoy this amazing selection repeatedly by yourself or with some friends! 182 A Tony's Energy Bar and Banana Bread Delight donated by Anthony Akamine and Terri Lynn Higashi Akamine, members of Hawaii Association of the Blind Summer days are here again! Yummy for the tummy. Need some treats to kick your summer into high gear? Back by popular demand for the auction. One loaf of chocolate banana bread full of chocolate, bananas, and nuts. If you don't like bananas, we can do mangos. Also, Anthony is perfecting his mom's energy bar treats. Get a bag of these yummy treats packed with Rice Krispies, oatmeal, raisins, peanut butter, and nuts. If you don't like peanuts, we can throw out the nuts. Made by Anthony and his mom's creation. Perfect for those summer days. And the box may even come with a few extra goodies. 182 B Tony's Energy Bar and Banana Bread Delight donated by Anthony Akamine and Terri Lynn Higashi Akamine, members of Hawaii Association of the Blind Summer days are here again! Yummy for the tummy. Need some treats to kick your summer into high gear? Back by popular demand for the auction. One loaf of chocolate banana bread full of chocolate, bananas, and nuts. If you don't like bananas, we can do mangos. Also, Anthony is perfecting his mom's energy bar treats. Get a bag of these yummy treats packed with Rice Krispies, oatmeal, raisins, peanut butter, and nuts. If you don't like peanuts, we can throw out the nuts. Made by Anthony and his mom's creation. Perfect for those summer days. And the box may even come with a few extra goodies. 183 $100 Bloomin' Brands Gift Card donated by AAVL Bloomin' Brands gift cards are the freshest way to see for yourself how one card can offer so many appetizing choices from steak, seafood to classic Italian. Our card can be redeemed at any of the following restaurants: Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill and Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar. What a wonderful way to enjoy a night out with family or friends! 184 Versa Slate Paperless Erasable Braille Slate and Stylus donated by Lucy Edmonds The Versa Slate is a braille slate that is paperless and erasable. It works just like a regular slate and stylus, but without paper. It features four rows of 20 cells each, and a magnetic stylus that is built into the side of the unit for easy storage. 185 Himalayan Salt Lamp donated by Jeff and Keri Bishop of Tucson, AZ You will love using this Himalayan Salt Lamp. It is 9 inches high, 4 inches wide with a 7W night light bulb inside. This lamp glows a lovely pink that shows all the different variations of color in the large salt crystal. It is a spectacular piece of decor that would look great on any mantel or end table. 186 Podcasting Bundle with Accessible Tools donated by BITS This package contains all you need to conduct the interview of your dreams! You will be able to record high quality music or just capture life as it happens. The Zoom H4essentials is an accessible digital voice recorder. The first thing you hear when you turn it on is it prompting you to enable speech and beeps providing independent navigation of most system options. The Zoom H4essentials has a built-in stereo microphone, with dual XLR connections available as well and it supports up to one terabyte micro SD card, and is powered by USB-C or AAA batteries, not included. The Samson Q2U microphone is a versatile handheld dynamic mic. This microphone allows you to connect via XLR into an audio interface, such as the Zoom H4essentials, or directly to your computer via an included USB cable. Great for rejecting off access noise, these microphones are ideal for interviewing individuals in an environment that might not be the most conducive for podcast interviews. Bid today on the great podcasting bundle including one Zoom H4essentials field recorder, 2 Samson Q2U mic's, 2 XLR cables, and 1 128 GB microSD card. 187 A Home Baked Cookies from Andrea Conner's Kitchen donated by Andrea Conner These delicious cookies melt in your mouth! The light, buttery goodness of a crescent formed into a ball, loaded with chopped pecans, flavored with a hint of vanilla, then dusted in powdered sugar. One dozen with almond flavor and one dozen cocoa flavor. They're sure to satisfy your cookie craving! Enjoy these scrumptious cookies yourself or share with friends or family. 187 B Home Baked Cookies from Andrea Conner's Kitchen donated by Andrea Conner These delicious cookies melt in your mouth! The light, buttery goodness of a crescent formed into a ball loaded with chopped pecans, flavored with a hint of vanilla, then dusted in powdered sugar. One dozen with almond flavor and one dozen cocoa flavor. They are sure to satisfy your cookie craving! Enjoy these scrumptious cookies yourself or share with friends or family. 188 One-on-One In-Person or Phone Conversation with Our Talking Book Narrator Donated by ACB Enjoy chatting with our talking book narrator, Mare Trevathan. Here's your chance for a one-on-one, behind the scenes conversation with a talking book narrator. The winner could either use this in person in Jacksonville or be contacted after the convention to make arrangements for a phone conversation. 189 $50 Amazon Gift Card donated by Delaware Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired It is time to treat yourself to something special and here's a gift card to help you do it. $50 in spending at Amazon! 190 One-hour Business Coaching Session and $25 Gift Card to Pete's Coffee donated by Ardis Bazyn Enjoy this one-hour business coaching session with Ardis Bazyn. Ardis coaches on positive image building, secrets for coping with challenges and change, creating a plan for professional/business success, speaking skills, writing skills, advocacy skills and inexpensive marketing/public relations initiatives. Also included is a $25 Pete's Coffee gift card to enjoy with some friends or family! Expiration Date: June 30, 2025. 191 Nebraska Black Tote Bag from Blind Girl Designs donated by Tricia Waechter on behalf of Nebraska The delightful Nebraska tote bag has white vinyl ink printed on a black canvas, full-zip 15 by 18-inch tote bag with an interior zipper pocket. The top of the 9 by 13-inch print starts boldly with the state name NEBRASKA and underneath it is spelled also in braille. Underneath the word NEBRASKA is the entire state outline of Nebraska exactly like a map. The only difference from a map is on the left side of the state there's a white cane instead of a straight line and on the northwestern border there is another white cane instead of a line. At the end of the strap of the white cane, the map continues along the river as it naturally would. The river continues all the way down to the southeast border of the state. In the middle of the west side of the state are the historic rolling sand hills, which are covered by prairie grasses. These sand hills are replicated by small wavy tactile hills as a nod to this critical and historic portion of the state, which supports the cattle industry. Starting in the middle to the right side of the print are three huge stalks of corn. There's a reason this is proudly called the Cornhusker state! 192 Berkey Creamery Bundle Package donated by Pennsylvania Council of The Blind One thing that most Pennsylvanians agree on is “Ice cream is good, and the Penn State Creamery makes some of the best.” We love ice cream, but we love the science behind it even more. By supporting the Berkey Creamery, you also are supporting food science, the dairy industry and agriculture across Pennsylvania and beyond. The PCB Package includes six pints of ice cream: Peachy Paterno; Cookies-n-Cream; Bittersweet Mint; Death by Chocolate; Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and Vanilla Bean (BASED ON INGREDIENT AVAILABILITY). Enjoy this Penn State Creamery 100% cotton t-Shirt with color options of blue or white, sizes small up to 3XL. We've got some fashion for your sweet tooth! Simply stated, all roads lead to the Creamery! Also, enjoy the 21oz travel mug which is a stainless steel beverage container with the Penn State Berkey Creamery emblem on it. Segment Five- Kolby Garrison and Mary Haupt 193 $50 Amazon Gift Card donated by New Jersey Council of The Blind It is time to treat yourself to something special and here's a gift card to help you do it. $50 in spending at Amazon! 194 Doggie Gift Basket donated by Jeff and Keri Bishop This doggie gift bag comes with lots of goodies for your guide dog. This set includes: Two jumbo collapsible dog dishes for travel, A hard rubber giggle ball, a nylon dual length leash in bright safety green It's the same size and length as standard guide dog leashes, hillside farms chicken jerky for dogs, hillside farms jerky twist (dried chicken and sweet potato), a velour kennel blanket. A back seat cover or hammock (covers the entire seat and floor by putting 2 handles on the head rest in the back or a hammock by putting the second set of handles over the all 4 heads rest of the front and back), a dog safety seatbelt, a tug of war nylon bone, doggy poo bags, a grooming kit (has right and left grooming mittens, a comb and a grooming brush the straps around your hand. This gift set comes in a reusable shopping bag that has been sewn from a recycled dog food bag. 195 Disney 100 Years of Wonder Mickey Watch and Minnie Mouse Watch donated by Connie Jacomini You will love having these enchanting Mickey and Minnie Mouse watches that feature a detailed 3-layer dial with a laser-cut silhouette of your favorite character alongside the Disney 100 logo. Plus, it arrives beautifully packaged and ready for gift giving. Wow, what a fantastic gift either for yourself or someone special in your life! 196 Dry Aged Steaks for a Summertime Grill donated by ACB Development Director Bill Reeder Enjoy four luxury steakhouse prime grade ribeye steaks, dry aged for 45 days and hand cut two inches thick. Grill ready and perfect for a fancy summer BBQ. They are accompanied by two bottles of fine wine (red or white) and Kosmos famous BBQ steak rub. What a treat to have for a summer meal with friends or family! 197 Pat's Beef Jerky Gift Box donated by Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired This fantastic beef jerky is from A Land of Kansas Company. The box features four different flavors of beef jerky made from Kansas beef, and two packages of beef stick. Enjoy this delicious treat yourself or share with friends. 198 A Gift Box of Fragrance donated by Barry Carver of Mountain Crafted A box of sulfate-free fragrance available in Cactus Flower or Jade. You may request braille labels on all your items. This bundle includes: 8 ounces shampoo, 8 ounces hair conditioner, 8 ounces shower gel, 4 ounces moisturizing cream, 1 ounce body mist, 1 ounce room spray. A little dab goes a long way. 199 $100 VISA Gift Card donated by Mississippi Council of The Blind You can use this $100 VISA gift card any time for dining or doing some shopping for yourself or someone special! 200 a Maryland box of Goodies donated by ACB of Maryland Bid and enjoy this box of goodies from Maryland. It includes: Old Bay Fisher's Popcorn, Jeppi Nuts, Chocolate Crabs dusted with Old Bay, Hot Sauce, Crab Cake Mix, Old Bay Seasoning, and some Chesapeake Mouth Party Caramels! Special Add Ons: "Home is Where the Old Bay Is" 5 by 7 print, Bigs Old Bay Sunflower Seeds, Crab Towel, and an Old Bay Insulated Tumbler. 201 Hills of Purple Heather donated and performed by Jeanette Kutash The lucky winner will enjoy sharing this piano piece performed by Jeanette. As you hear this beautiful melody, imagine yourself walking through the hills with the purple heather, a beautiful flower which represents healing and quieting of the mind. The hills and the heather invite those who walk through them to revel in a feeling of confidence to pursue living life to the fullest with those you love. As the music increases and decreases in volume, we find gradual healing, calmness, and the feeling that we can get through all storms ahead with grace and tranquility. The piece culminates with a final chord which represents that feeling of being whole from the heather's qualities. 202 $100 Honey Baked Ham Gift Card donated by ACB Media Coordinator Larry Gassman Whether you're celebrating a loved one, marking a special occasion, or simply wanting to surprise a friend, show you care with a Honey Baked Ham. Enjoy this delicious treat with friends or family. 203 Baby Afghan in White, Yellow, and Green donated by Keri Bishop Enjoy this baby Afghan crocheted like a jumbo granny square or continuous granny square. The center is white bordered by a pastel green then white and trimmed in pastel yellow. Afghan measures 42 by 42 inches. Wow, what a beautiful Afghan to give as a gift for that someone special! 204 $100 Gift Card to Walmart Donated by Mary Haupt Fill your basket with treats for your family and friends. The $100 gift card offers a wonderful opportunity for you to treat yourself or to please and surprise others. 205 Four Bags of Healthy Dog Treats donated by ACB of Connecticut Here's something for the canines in your life. You will receive 4 bags of healthy dog treats baked, packed, and shipped by special needs students at Bellcate School in Vermont. They are freshly baked upon order and contain no preservatives. The flavors are Peanut Butter Pumpkin, Calming Chamomile and Honey Maple Mousse with the maple coming from the farm on the school property and Apple, Oatmeal and Cheese. They are truly making a difference for our dogs! 206 2012 Read Easy Move Scanning Device donated by Roberta McCall You can use this freestanding scanning device which will read out all printed text to users to assist you with everyday life. It includes headphones so you can hear what the scanner is reading to you. It has a custom carrying case, clear voices, Keypad Feature Pack For users requiring additional features such as multi-page documents, WIFI navigation control, saving, loading, importing, and exporting documents! Low Vision Pack that connects your Move to television or computer screen. Let's you view your documents in large print, (up to 2x newspaper headline size on a 22” screen), as well as listen to them. 207A Loaf of Homemade Pumpkin Bread Donated by Terri Nettles Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a party, this bread will delight all who love pumpkin any time of day. Enjoy this pumpkin bread either plain or with chocolate chips yourself or share with friends or family. It is delicious. 207B Loaf of Homemade Pumpkin Bread Donated by Terri Nettles Perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a party, this bread will delight all who love pumpkin any time of day. Enjoy this pumpkin bread either plain or with chocolate chips yourself or share with friends or family. It is delicious! 208 Handmade Pottery Snack Tray and Butter Dish donated by Patty Fletcher You will enjoy this lovely snack tray which is a rectangular shaped plate with rounded edges. The edges and sides of this piece are textured. It is a marigold color with a glossy finish. Also enjoy the accompanying butter dish which is an oblong shaped plate. It is marigold with a glossy finish. These one-of-a-kind handmade pottery pieces are both useful and lovely. 209 $50 Amazon Gift Card donated by Friends in Art It is time to treat yourself to something special and here's a gift card to help you do it. $50 in spending at Amazon! 210 Four-piece Amalia Serving Set donated by Becky Gleason Enjoy having this four-piece set of elegant flatware. It will add sparkle to any table setting. Made from high-quality 18/10 Stainless Steel, each piece is beautiful, durable and dishwasher safe. The serving utensils feature a unique vine design and rope detail. This set includes a Serving Spoon, Slotted Spoon, Serving Fork, and Serving Spatula. Use this serving set yourself or make someone incredibly happy by making them the recipient of this useful and classy gift. 211 $50 Starbucks Gift Card donated by Merrilee Hill-Kennedy Everyone loves a good cup of coffee. It's even better with some friends or family members over some laughs! As an extra bonus, Starbucks also has goodies to eat. Bid so you can enjoy all the delicious choices from a great coffee establishment. 212 Two Dozen Homemade Cookies donated by Mary Cook of Outta Sight Sweets LLC Your choice of either snickerdoodle or triple chocolate chip cookies. The snickerdoodle is an old-fashioned d

The MSU Visiting International Professional Program has 315 international participants from 58 countries and five continents and offers programs in more than 10 different U.S. cities.Listen to Xinyu Wu, Director of Visiting International Professional Program; Director of the Office of China Program; and Executive Director of Michigan Council of Citizen Diplomacy, as she discusses with Ed this unique program. The Visiting International Professional Program provides cutting-edge professional training and exchange programs for international organizations, professionals, and emerging leaders in a variety of fields for the purpose of enhancing the institution and human capacity and forging long lasting relationships that could become a powerful tool for addressing some of the biggest global challenges. They achieve this by leveraging the academic excellence of Michigan State University as well as the expertise of local, regional, and national organizations in both public and private sectors.

Rev up your knowledge on electric vehicles with Clean Fuels Michigan's Jane McCurry, on MREA's Rise Up Podcast. As compelling as electric vehicles are, electrifying transportation presents significant policy and market development challenges. EVs represent just over 5% of passenger vehicles on US roads. This is an amazing accomplishment for the industry over the past 5 years but increasing the percentage to 2/3 of new vehicles by 2032 as the EPA is planning for faces real roadblocks.   Labor issues, supply chain constraints, charging reliability, legal challenges, political opposition, and sticker price are each challenges that the industry, supported by recent federal legislation, is working to address.   Labor issues. EVs have significantly fewer parts than internal combustion vehicles, require less maintenance, require different maintenance, and the leading EV company has a direct-to-consumer sales process that bypasses the traditional dealership model. This is not to mention that traditional automakers and dealers report that they are not yet making profits on EV sales. All of these characteristics pose workforce and employment issues that state governments, labor unions, business leaders, and training organizations must address. With such a daunting list of challenges, the biggest question might be “Do we have the talent, vision, tenacity, and capacity to tackle these challenges and take full advantage of the opportunity presented by electric transportation?” After talking with Jane McCurry, the Executive Director of Clean Fuels Michigan, our answer quickly became “Absolutely we do!” I think you'll see what we mean.  About Our Guest: Jane is the Executive Director of Clean Fuels Michigan, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to expanding the clean mobility industries. Jane is also appointed to the Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification to represent policy and technology interests. Before these roles, Jane was the electric vehicles program manager at RENEW Wisconsin. Jane has degrees in Operations and Technology Management and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin.  See Jane McCurry at the Rise Up Podcast Live Event during The Energy Fair!

20230305-2 ACB Presidents' Meeting, Day Two Originally Broadcasted in English on ACB Media 6, and in Spanish on ACB Media 7 Affiliate Highlights - The State Convention of the Future, What Will It Look Like? o Moderator: Ray Campbell, President, Illinois Council of the Blind, Springfield, IL. o Panelists: Casey Dutmer, President, Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired, Wyoming, MI Cecily Laney Nipper, President, Georgia Council of the Blind, Covington, GA Jeanne Johnson, President, Tennessee Council of the Blind, Nashville, TN.   What's New with ACB Media: Introducing the ACB Media Support Committee – Expanding ACB Media In 2023 o Rachel Schroeder, ACB Media Support Committee Chair, Springfield, IL o Rick Morin, ACB Media and IT Manager, Waltham, MA o Larry Gassman, ACB Media Coordinator, Fullerton, CA   Connection Show #6 o Cindy Hollis, ACB Membership Services Director, Flat Rock, MI o Lucy Edmonds, Community Support Committee Chair, Lansing, MI      Introducing the New ACB Board Members Elected In 2021 And 2022 o Dan Spoone, ACB President, Orlando, FL  o Meet Gabriel Lopez Kafati - ACB Board of Director Elected In 2022: Access Resource Advisor, Miami Lakes, FL   Update on ACB 2023 Conference and Convention o Janet Dickelman, ACB Convention Committee Chair, Saint Paul, MN    • 2023 Voting, Resolutions and Constitution and Bylaws Convention Approach o Report from the Resolutions Task Force (3.0) Committee: Ray Campbell, ACB Second Vice President, Springfield, IL Deb Cook Lewis, ACB First Vice President, Clarkston, WA Gabe Griffith, Resolutions Committee Chair, Concord, CA o Report from Voting Task Force (3.0) Committee: Patrick Sheehan, Silver Spring, MD Jeff Thom, Sacramento, CA Koni Sims, Sioux Falls, SD o Report from Constitution and Bylaws Committee: o John McCann, Tucson, AZ   • Get Up and Get Moving Presentation: Connecting with Affiliates to Promote Good Health and Fitness o Koni Sims, ACB Board of Director, Sioux Falls, SD o Dan Dillon, Get Up and Get Moving Committee, Hermitage, TN o Mary Lee Turner, Portland, OR • What's New with Audio Description: Meet New ADP Coordinator Tabitha Kenlon o Joel Snyder, ADP Founder and Senior Consultant, Takoma Park, MD o Tabitha Kenlon, ADP Coordinator, Fredericksburg, VA   • Wrap-Up o Dan Spoone, ACB President, Orlando, FL Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

Originally posted January 31, 2023. Tony Conley welcomes Quentin L. Messer, Jr. Chief Executive & Economic Competitiveness Officer - Chair, Michigan Strategic Fund. As MEDC CEO and President and Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund, Quentin is charged with implementing and executing MEDC's core mission of business development and attraction, community development, providing access to capital and enhancing Michigan's image and brand with a focus on building a strong and equitable economy for all Michiganders. His responsibilities include managing the administration of all programs, funds, personnel, contracts and other administrative functions of MEDC. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND Quentin is a member of Governor Gretchen E. Whitmer's cabinet and serves on the boards of the American Center for Mobility, Michigan Israel Business Accelerator, International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and Oklahoma University's Economic Development Institute (OU EDI) and is a member of the Michigan Council on Climate Solutions. He was named by Financial Times as a member of the 2021 Agenda Diversity 100, Crain's Detroit Business, 50 Names to Know in Government (2021), Biz New Orleans CEO of the Year (2020), Biz New Orleans Businessperson of the Year (2019), by Consultants Connect as one of North America's Top 50 Economic Developers (2020, 2019) and by Ebony Magazine for its Ebony Power 100 as a Power Player (2018). Immediately prior to joining MEDC, Quentin was President & CEO at the New Orleans Business Alliance which, under his leadership, became one of fewer than 80 accredited economic development organizations worldwide (AEDO). Quentin also previously served as the Assistant Secretary for Louisiana Economic Development, (LED) Louisiana's department of economic development. EDUCATION/PERSONAL Quentin is an alumnus of the Boston Consulting Group and O'Melveny & Myers LLP and a degree recipient from Princeton and Columbia Universities. In this interview, Quentin and Tony cover among other things' Quentin L. Messer, Jr. Named 2022 Newsmaker of the Year by Crain's Detroit, along with reports of how Michigan Set to ‘Dominate' U.S. Battery Manufacturing That stemming from a January CNBC report that Michigan is among the three states that will lead electric vehicle battery manufacturing in the U.S. by 2030. » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCqNX… » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ Thank you to Benjamin Robinson and Motor City Skyline's music

In this episode, we interview Jessyca Matthews, a language arts teacher, a racial, environmental justice, and institutional racism activist. In 2017, Mathews was a finalist for NEA's Social Justice Activist of the Year for her work on the Flint water crisis. Mathews was named Michigan's Region 5 Teacher of the Year in 2019-20. In 2018, she was named Secondary English Teacher of the Year by the Michigan Council of Teachers of English and received the Samford Award for Most Inspirational Teacher of Michigan. Mathews has a voice in multiple areas of needed change in education. Let's hear about Jessyca's stories, how she stands for what's right and is involved in good trouble, and most importantly, how she assists young people in finding their own voices. You can learn more about Jessyca here: http://www.jessycamathews.com/.

On this week's edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, Trevor Pawl, Michigan's chief mobility officer, talks about recommendations in a report from the Michigan Council on Future Mobility and Electrification. Among the highlights, or pillars, Pawl outlines:Transition and grow our mobility industry and workforce.Invest in bus rapid transit and spend $10 million to revive the state's mobility challenges to solve employment and equity barriers.  Fund a public relations campaign to enhance Michigan's sustainability leadership.  Scale the Michigan Electric Vehicle (EV) Jobs Academy.  Create a global center of excellence for responsible artificial intelligence.  Provide safer, greener and more accessible transportation infrastructureExpand Michigan's Alternative Fuel Corridor opportunities for clean hydrogen and commission a study on hydrogen applications in commercial traffic.  Develop accessibility standards for EV chargers.  Create a state EV consumer incentive.  Fund a $45 million bus electrification program.  Expand use of sinking funds to support electric school bus deployments.  Support Phase Two of the MDOT work zone safety pilot program.  Design a clean fuels standard that works for Michigan.  Lead the world in mobility and electrification policy and innovationInvest $30 million in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology development. Pass legislation to preserve Michigan's uniform, statewide automated vehicle policy.  Keep up the annual support for state mobility agencies' capacity.  Pass legislation to create a mobility research and development talent tax credit.  Continue advocating to federal policymakers on important connected vehicle issues.  

What 60-year-old organization was started by Henry Ford II & Walter Reuther? The Metropolitan Affairs Coalition is one of leading driving forces for economics and quality of life, that brings together leaders from business, labor, government, and education for the 7-county region of Southeast Michigan!Join in listening to Amy O'Leary as she joins host Ed Clemente to discuss the big-ticket items that effect all the businesses, citizens, and environment of the region.  MAC is partnership dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality & opportunity and the quality of life in Southeast Michigan. Her near three decades of experience position her to lead both organizations that are aimed at retaining, growing and attracting businesses and talent to the region. You can also read the transcript from our conversation. 

Today I am joined by a dear friend and brilliant artist - Barbara Selinger is a choreographer, performer and educator. She is Artistic Director of DDCdances, a company she co-founded in 1980. She has choreographed and performed since 1973, creating more than 100 major works for DDCdances and other companies. Barbara is the only Michigan dance artist awarded six Creative Artist Grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs to create, perform and produce her work. Barbara's choreography, celebrated for its humanity and ability to stimulate the senses through visually striking images, has been presented throughout Michigan and in Detroit, Chicago, New York City and Toronto. Barbara has more than 30 years experience in higher education where she mentors students pursuing a career in the arts.  Listen along as we talk about the success and longevity of DDC, her creative process when working with dancers, upcoming projects and we even reminisce a bit about my time with the company 13 years ago :). Such a fun episode ! Connect with Barbara and DDC Dances: Website : http://www.ddcdances.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ddcdances/Instagram: @ddcdancesYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6OC-wy39VVRQLz5k7SGmQwBill Janisse Instagram: @billjanisseBill FB: @billjanisse Hey Gurl! Instagram: @heygurl.podcastHey Gurl! FB: @heygurlpodcast Hey Gurl! Tik Tok: @heygurlpodcastHey Gurl! Website: www.heygurlpodcast.com 

Meghan Martin is the Executive Director at the Arts Council of Greater Lansing and on the podcast we talked about their work to provide technical support and funding to the arts and cultural environment in Mid-Michigan. This Podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. We're bringing you the latest stories and headlines on arts and culture here in the Fresh Coast State, our beautiful home in Michigan.

The Honorable Michael Warren was appointed to the Oakland Circuit Court in December 2002 by Governor John Engler; elected in 2004, 2006, 2012 and 2018; Presiding Judge, General Civil/Criminal Division, 2010-2013; 2015-2017 Sponsor and initial pilot Judge, Oakland County Circuit Court Data Management System project (eFiling and paperless courtroom), 2004-present Visiting and Adjunct Professor, Constitutional Law, Western Michigan Cooley Law School Co-creator, Patriot Week (patriotweek.org) Co-producer, Patriot Lessons (Birmingham/Bloomfield Community TV) Author: America's Survival Guide - How to Stop America's Impending Suicide by Reclaiming Our First Principles and History (Mill City Press, 2007) Member, Supreme Court Committee on Model Civil Jury Instructions, 2008–2017 Member, Outreach Committee, 2015-present; Rules Committee, 2015; Michigan Judges Association Member, Oakland County Bar Association Diversity Committee, 2010-2016 Author: Constitutional Law, Wayne Law Review, 2010, 2011 & 2018; Contempt of Court (How-to-Kit), Institute of Continuing Legal Education, 2005; Why Ignoring Contempt of Court Undermines Justice, the Rule of Law, and Republican Self-Government (Engage), 2006; and various guest commentaries in the Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Oakland Press, and other newspapers Member, State Board of Education, 1999-2002; Secretary, 2001-2002 Chair, State Board of Education Task Force on Embracing the Information Age, 2001-2002 Member, State Board of Education Task Force on Social Studies, 2004 Executive Director and counsel, 2001-2002, and Secretary-Treasurer, 2004-2009, for The New Common School Foundation Partner and Associate, Honigman Miller Schwartz & Cohn LLP, with experience in appellate work and litigation; corporations, securities and mergers; and education law, 1994-1995; 1997-2001 Legal and policy advisor for the State Board of Education, 1995-1997 Michigan Supreme Court Judicial Clerk for Justice Dorothy Comstock Riley, 1992-1994 Graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (Juris Doctor Degree, Cum Laude) and Wayne State University (Bachelor of Arts Honors History, Magna Cum Laude) Trustee: Michigan Council on Economics Education Chair, Oakland County Bicentennial Study Group and Bicentennial Executive Committee, 2017-2019 Chair and Board Member, Cornerstone Schools Association and Cornerstone Education Group, 2010-2019 Recipient: Judge of the Decade (2019) and Judge of the Year (2018), International Association of Top Professionals; Distinguished Public Servant Award, Oakland County Bar Association; Distinguished Jurist Award, Women's Bar Association/Oakland Region; H. Wallace Parker Preserving Justice Award, Northern Oakland County Branch NAACP; the Great Influence Award, Michigan Council for the Social Studies, Special Tribute, Michigan Legislature Leader, Inn at Court, 2005 - 2009 Member, Oakland County Bar Association Circuit Court Committee, 2003 - 2007 Chair (2018-2020): Oakland County Bicentennial Committee

Dan, Brian and Erik look at how the past informs our security future, and how things we have done in the past may not get us where we need to be in the future. Join us for a live podcast recording with live audience Q&A, direct from the MCWT Executive Connection Summit. In the live recording we covered a flurry of topics focused on changing ourselves, refreshing ourselves and renewing ourselves including: * The barriers to entry to get into the security field * Experience vs. education requirements in security hiring * Changes afoot in hiring appetite as recession looms * Reporting requirements by public companies on breach or security events * Security beyond just confidentiality * Improvements that can be made to the hiring process * And lots more! Huge thanks to the wonderful team at the Michigan Council on Women in Technology (https://mcwt.org) for asking us to be part of this great event bringing the Michigan technology community together to build connections. We also have a video channel on YouTube that airs the "with pictures" edition of the podcast. Please head over to https://bit.ly/gsdyoutube and watch, subscribe and "like" the episodes. Some of the links in the show notes contain affiliate links that may earn a commission should you chose to make a purchase using these links. Using these links supports The Great Security Debate, so we appreciate it when you do use them. We do not make our recommendations based on the availability or benefits from these affiliate links. Thanks for listening!

Bryant W. Nolden is the Executive Director of the historic Berston Field House, and Rodney Lontine, President & CEO at the Flint Institute of Music, but is their intentional partnerships and collaborations that are bringing big and exciting activities to the community in Flint! This Podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. We're bringing you the latest stories and headlines on arts and culture here in the Fresh Coast State, our beautiful home in Michigan.

Last month Claire and Rachael had the opportunity to present about school-age stuttering at the Michigan Council for Exceptional Children! Listen to their presentation here as a THANK YOU for being such amazing supporters of the podcast! Please remember to review, rate and subscribe! Thank you! If you have any questions, concerns or would like to suggest a future topic, email us over at letstacoboutspeechpodcast@gmail.com. You can also find us on Instagram @letstacoboutspeechpodcast. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/lets-taco-bout-speech/support

20220313 Breakout Sessions Day 2 Originally Aired March 13, 2022 on ACB Media 6, 7, and 8 Room A: How Has Your ACB Journey Gone Over the Past 12 Months: We Learned from Six New Members under the Age of 45 Originally Aired on ACB Media 6) Is the initial attraction still there? What's still working? What are ACB's opportunities for improvement? Michael Talley, ACB Board of Directors, Bessemer, AL Matt Selm, Kentucky Council of the Blind President, Louisville, KY Maria Kristic, GDUI and BPI Treasurer, Albany, NY Desiree Christian, ACB of Oregon and Next Generation Member, Portland, OR Kristin Kelling, Michigan Council of the Blind and Visually Impaired Secretary, Grand Rapids, MI Gregg Wandsneider (Triple G), Community Event Facilitator and Zoom Host, Waukesha, WI Room B: Affiliates In Action Promoting Advocacy, Education and Inclusion (Originally Aired on ACB Media 7) Doug Powell, ACB Board of Directors, Falls Church, VA Karen Blachowicz, ACB New York president, West Seneca, NY Michael Garrett, ACB of Texas First Vice President, Missouri City, TX Regina Marie Brink, California Capitol Chapter President, Sacramento, CA Joe Green, California IDC Board member, Sacramento, CA Room C: What's New with Audio Description (Originally Aired on ACB Media 8) Carl Richardson, Audio Description Project (ADP) Co-Chair, Brighton, MA Kim Charlson, Audio Description Project (ADP) Co-chair, Watertown, MA Joel Snyder, ADP Founder and Senior Consultant, Takoma Park, MD Mark Turits, Vice President, Captioning and Audio Description, Paramount Global, New York, NY Find out more at https://acb-events.pinecast.co

Greg Modd MBA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP has extensive experience overseeing multiple aspects of Human Resources management. With experience in a multitude of industries in the private and public sectors. Greg started his career in the United States Air Force serving two tours in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. Greg's charisma, leadership style, and business acumen has led multiple organizations to see increases in business revenue and decreases in attrition. Greg holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resources from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. Greg is currently serving as President for the Livingston Area Human Resources Association and is a past Chapter President of the Greater Ann Arbor Society for Human Resource Management (GAASHRM), and former board President for Michigan Ability Partners. Greg was recognized as a Top HR professional in the state of Michigan in 2014 by the Michigan Council of SHRM. With over 15 years executing practitioner duties and strategic responsibilities within the HR arena, Greg now leads PPC and enjoys partnering with businesses to assist in meeting their goals.

John Bavoso is a playwright bringing his original script to Midland, Michigan for the world premier of MLM is for Murder, and Kathy Pingel is serving as the Dramaturg for this production and with the American Association of Community Theatre. Check out this podcast as we discuss the artistic process in creating an original piece, and ways in which you can take that craft all the way to the stage like they are doing at Midland Center for the Arts. This Podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts. We're bringing you the latest stories and headlines on arts and culture here in the Fresh Coast State, our beautiful home in Michigan.

In this episode Durell speaker with Sharnita C. Johnson, a philanthropy leader who drives social change at the intersection of arts, culture, and community development and the Vice President of Strategy, Impact, and Communications at the Victoria Foundation. She most recently served as Arts Program Director with the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, where she led a statewide grantmaking portfolio focused on arts, equity, and creative placekeeping for a vibrant New Jersey. While there, she catalyzed the Foundation's transformation to equity and co-designed its strategic planning and learning agenda, resulting in a mission to address root causes and repair of structural racism and inequity in New Jersey.  Prior to Dodge, Johnson led grantmaking portfolios as a senior program officer and program officer at the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Skillman Foundation, Ruth Mott Foundation, and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. In these roles, Johnson led collaborative, place-based work that increased investment in, built leadership of, and created conditions for thriving communities throughout Southeast Michigan.  Johnson co-created and co-chairs the New Jersey Arts and Culture Recovery Fund, a first-of-its-kind $5 million fund to support artists and arts organizations impacted by the pandemic. She is board chair-elect of Grantmakers in the Arts and former co-chair of its Racial Equity Committee. She serves on the board of ArtYard and joins The Children's Theatre Foundation of America board January 2022. She is a Council on Foundations Career Pathways Fellow, ABFE Connecting Leaders Fellow, and Marygrove College Distinguished Alumni. Johnson earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a bachelor's from Marygrove College in Detroit. 

Ryan Redoute is a content creator, marketing guru and TikTok Influencer based in Detroit, Michigan, creating unique, engaging and creative content to promote the awesome -- and sometimes funny -- things that make Michigan so special and unique. Fresh Coast Perspective is a digital platform uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Edwin Anderson is an artist living and working in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He's a smart businessman when it comes to his art, and has a passion for community and is doing incredible things in the public art sphere throughout neighborhoods in West Michigan. Fresh Coast Perspective is a digital platform uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Gabrielle Graves is an artist and instructor living and working in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and recently finished her residency at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts where she is also an instructor. As part of the residency, Gabrielle exhibited a body of work exploring mental health, and on this podcast will share her artistic process and show us how that influences the way in which she creates. Fresh Coast Perspective is a digital platform uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

How SEMCOG & MAC will change the face of southeast Michigan for Shared Prosperity, Economic Development and expose its New Future!Join Naheed Huq and host Ed Clemente as they discuss a wide variety of topics from what are SEMCOG and MAC and what they're doing to support communities and workforce development in southeast Michigan. They discuss the challenges facing talent training, retention and attraction, digital divide, and other workforce issues, including how local governments are handling disruption and change in the new economy. Also, a discussion about Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and how and why it was created.  They touch on the region's shared prosperity for a resilient economy and how it is being implemented. Additionally, how they are approaching the New Future of Southeast Michigan series. Listen in to hear all of the work going into building a more resilient, diverse, and equitable economy in the state's seven-county southeast region. You can also read the transcript from our conversation.

Najeema Iman is the Founder and Owner of You Shine Events, and creator of the After Glow Market along the riverfront in Downtown Lansing. With a passion for collaboration over competition, Najeema has rallied the community together to raise funds for this initiative through a Patronicity campaign, a Michigan-focused crowdfunding campaign matching the dollars of the community 1:1 with support of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Najeema talks about the importance of diversity and working with LGBTQIA+ and BiPOC artists and entrepreneurs through the After Glow Market. Fresh Coast Perspective is a digital platform uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. Highlighted in this podcast is Stephanie Banghart, Owosso-based actress performing in a production of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress at the Lebowsky Center for Performing Arts. This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Guest: Zena Zumeta, Mediation Training & Consultation Institute, is internationally known as both a mediator and trainer of mediators. She is president of the Mediation Training and Consultation Institute, Zena Zumeta Mediation Services, and The Collaborative Workplace in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received her juris doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. Zena is a former board member and president of the Academy of Family Mediators (AFM), now merged into the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR); past president of the Michigan Council for Family and Divorce Mediation; and past regional vice president of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution.Podcast covers Elder Mediation and other conflict resolution options including conflict coaching, restorative practices and Eldercaring Coordination. 

Christine Delaney is the Executive Director at the Tibbits Opera House in Coldwater, Michigan - built in 1882. Christine's history with the Tibbits extends more than 30 years, and she has a deep appreciation for historic preservation. And she's no stranger to large restoration projects, having raised and invested over $3.5 Million into this historic theater. Fresh Coast Perspective is a digital platform uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. Highlighted in this podcast is Dani Darling, Ann Arbor-based singer and songwriter who just finished a set at the Dam Jam in Lansing, Michigan. This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Tiina Morin, manager of the Marquette Arts and Culture Center, talks about art, museums, dance, and all the doings of Art Week. Tiina's book recommendations: The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Charlotte's Web by E. B. White The Graveyard Book series by Neil Gaiman The events of Art Week can be found here: https://www.mqtcompass.com/art-week/ Art Week is made possible thanks to the support and collaboration of over 100 local artists, businesses, organizations, and other community partners. The 2021 City of Marquette Art Week is sponsored in part by the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs. For more information please contact the City of Marquette Arts and Culture Center at (906) 228-0472 or email arts-culture@marquettemi.gov.

Lots of nurse practitioners in Michigan have asked about starting a business in their own practice. Unfortunately, according to the law, APNs cannot open their own practices.The reasoning behind this has been confusing for many NPs. In this episode of the NP Business Matters podcast, we talk with Dr. Denise Hershey, PhD, FNP-BC, the current president of the Michigan Council of Nurse Practitioners about this issue and other issues affecting NP practice in Michigan.https://npbusiness.org/micnp

Mary Muncil Jennings is an arts presenter and rural arts and cultural advocate. Through her work at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts at Michigan Technological University she has earned a reputation for community-centered collaborations and finding creative ways to engage rural audiences with the performing arts. This is the first podcast for Fresh Coast Perspective, uncovering the stories of artists, creatives, historians, librarians and much more in the Fresh Coast State - Michigan. The Fresh Coast Podcast is hosted by Founder & Editor, Josh Holliday. Highlighted in this podcast is Rachel Curtis, Lansing-based singer and songwriter who just launched a new single, "I Don't Like It." This podcast was made possible through the generous support of the Cultural Advocacy Network of Michigan, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Today's Leadership Conversation features MichiganCIO Membership Chair, Melanie Kalmar, CIO and CDO of Dow.Melanie joined Dow after graduating from Central Michigan University and over 30-years she has held multiple IT leadership roles and has led transformational projects, including: providing IT systems for a joint venture in Saudi Arabia; leading a $1B, 10 year ERP deployment ahead of schedule and under budget; and becoming CIO for the global, Fortune 50 Innovation and Manufacturing Company. In the community, Melanie previously served as President of the Michigan Council for Women in Technology and currently serves on the Leadership Board of the Central Michigan Business School. She is a passionate supporter of the Humane Society of Midland County. Melanie's servant-leader approach and focus on business results have propelled her career at Dow and she believes CIOs become most effective by working closely with business leaders. Please enjoy today's leadership conversation Melanie Kalmar with MichiganCIO Executive Director, Jen Wise.

Discover how a Michigan business organization is building economic and cultural bridges locally, nationally, and across the globe.The Michigan Opportunity had a great discussion with Fay Beydoun, Executive Director, American Arab Chamber of Commerce.  Fay also holds a seat on the Michigan Economic Development Corporation Executive Committee, as appointed by Governor Whitmer. Executive Director Beydoun runs a dynamic international organization that has grown to encompass a diverse local, national, and international membership. The Chamber has become the largest American-Arab business organization in the United States, stimulating economic growth by building economic and cultural bridges locally, nationally, and across the globe. We discussed the Michigan Council of Ethnic Chambers and Tejara Global Business Development Center and other international trade issues. You can also read the transcript from our conversation. 

This podcast is a little different than our usual programs. Dr. Naomi Long Madgett, the Detroit Poet Laureate, had been on our interview “wish list” for some time. Last fall, we tried to interview her here on the podcast about her latest book, You Are My Joy and Pain. That did not work out, and sadly, a few weeks later, she passed away. Today, we’ll be paying tribute to Madgett’s career as a poet, publisher and Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2020. We’re talking with two people in the Detroit literary community about her work, her legacy and how they will remember her. Our featured guests today are:Leisia Duskin, a graphic designer, artist and instructor who is a Board Member of Broadside Lotus Press and a longtime collaborator with Dr. MadgettAnd M.L. Liebler, an internationally known Detroit poet, university professor, literary arts activist and arts organizer and also the Poet Laureate for St. Clair Shores, MichiganListeners who would like to know more about Dr. Naomi Long Madgett’s career can find biographies on broadsidelotuspress.org, at poets.org, and also a more recent version at this link: https://naomilongmadgett.wixsite.com/naomi-long-madgett/biography)Biography M.L. Liebler: www.mlliebler.comBiography of Leisia Duskin, Graphic Designer, Educator, and WriterLeisia Duskin is an artist, graphic designer, and educator. A graduate of the College for Creative Studies, Ms. Duskin is a Special Instructor teaching graphic design, varied format and apparel printing in the Printing and Graphics Program at Cornelius Golightly Career and Technical Center, Detroit Public Schools Community District. In 1983, she received a grant from the Michigan Council for the Arts for her book of poems entitled Lights Out in Ten (edited by poet Stella Crews). Leisia Duskin’s poems have been published in the South End Newspaper (Wayne State University) and in the Broadside Press anthology, Hipology: Horizons in Poetry, edited by Ron Allen and Stella Crews, Detroit Perspectives: Crossroads and Turning Points (Great Lakes Books Series) 1991..Ms. Duskin joined Dr. Madgett to support the writing efforts of others published by Lotus Press. Their teamwork led to a life-long friendship. Dr. Madgett commissioned Ms. Duskin to create two illustrations for her acclaimed book, Octavia - And Other Poems (1988), reprinted as Octavia - Beyond Guthrie (1992). Over the years, Leisia Duskin would win the Lotus Press Graphic Design Excellence Award in 2008 for outstanding book design, and inclusion in the Henry Ford College Faculty Graphic Design and Photography Exhibition in 2014, for the 2012 Naomi Long Madgett Poetry Award book cover design Three Birds Deep by poet Sheila Carter-Jones. Her most recent book layout and cover design was for the Naomi Long Madgett (NLM) Poetry Award is Blues Legacy by poet Jacquese Armstrong, 2019.Ms. Duskin joined the Board of Directors of Lotus Press in 2000, and served as Board President from 2005 to 2015.

The car of the future is electrified, autonomous, shared, and connected. The mobility of the future will be much easier, more flexible and more individual for users. The car of the future will be used and shared - "on demand". - And with the COVID19- the innovation is at its peak to disrupt auto industry – I am sure  the persona of the car driver would be much different in future …so let us dive into understand what the “next normal” for the auto industry is…. This is your host – Swamy Sriperumbudur and you are listening to “LEADERSHIP IN CRISIS”, and we have invited a special guest Mamatha Chamarthi- Chief Information Officer, Stellantis Throughout her career, Mamatha Chamarthi has made it her business to turn the conventional approach to technology on its head, focusing on inspiring innovation, customer-centric business transformation, and striving for greater productivity. Appointed Chief Information Officer in April 2019, Chamarthi oversees digital transformation initiatives, information technology applications and infrastructure for Stellantis in North America and Asia Pacific. In this role, Chamarthi is continuing her unconventional approach to technology as she leads the company's transformation from a traditional full-line automaker to a customer-centric mobility company. In addition to her role as CIO, Chamarthi has cross-functional program leadership responsibility for connectivity and infotainment, ensuring the company develops and delivers software solutions that exceed customer expectations. Often sought out for her unique perspectives on technology, digital transformation, diversity and leadership, Chamarthi serves on multiple boards, including the ChampionX (CHX) Public Board, Health Alliance Plan of Michigan, Gartner Research Board, Enterprise 50, Michigan Council of Women in Technology Board, and Midwest Technology Leaders Board. In recognition of her leadership, Chamarthi was named to Automotive News' 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry; CIO of the Year by MichiganCIO; Top 25 Finalist for Breakthrough Leaders by CIO magazine; Premier 100 IT Leader by Computerworld; and Technology All-Star by the Women of Color in Technology Institute. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/cswamy/message

Matthew Owen Wead is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice explores social hierarchy through verbal and written language. He received a BFA from Morehouse College (2006) and an MFA from University of Maryland (2009) with a focus on printmaking, sculpture and photography. His work often uses multiple-mediums and is constructed to be a fully immersive experience. This practice of creating functional objects reinforces that they are not to be seen as fictional objects but as real world tools that can be used in society. See more of Wead's work at www.matthewowenwead.com The Wonderfully Made exhibition is presented by Hemlock Semiconductor with additional support from Morley Companies, Wirt-Rivette Group, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Michigan Humanities Council, and National Endowment for the Humanities. We look forward to having you see the exhibition for yourself during your next visit --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/saginawartmuseum/support

Just a few months into the year, life changed for everyone, including local artists, due to a global health crisis. Lisa Barry talks with Omari Rush, executive director of CultureSource and Chair of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs , about how that impacted the visual arts community and how that community will be changed in the coming years due to that impact.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Arts Roll Call--a podcast for the arts curious. In this episode, host Robin Miner-Swartz and Chad Swan-Badgero, founder and artistic director of Peppermint Creek Theatre Company and arts education program manager for the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, dig deep into the value of the arts, arts advocacy, the theatre community and how it is surviving during COVID, and that's just a few of the highlights. This episodes gets serious and silly, and we hope you love it.

Episode 112Danelle and Stephie are joined by the President, Dave Johnson! Dave is the Michigan Council for Social Studies Chief of State and joins us to discuss media literacy and critical thinking in digital world.  Moment of Zen"Too often we...enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. KennedyPod Resources: https://newslit.org/https://get.checkology.org/https://www.newseum.org/https://www.misocialstudies.org/https://www.allsides.com/unbiased-balanced-news In addition, this week is Media Literacy Week, so the New York Times created a Lesson of the Day, “How to Deal With a Crisis of Misinformation,” and a Student Opinion question, “Should Media Literacy Be a Required Course in School?” to help students think critically about their own habits in consuming and sharing information. Book Recommendation:https://www.amazon.com/Future-Feeling-Building-Empathy-Tech-Obsessed/dp/1542041848     Tech Tool of the Week   Should This Exist Podcast Specific episode: https://shouldthisexist.com/deepfake-detective/Hosted by Caterina Fake, Should This Exist? is a show that takes a single technology and asks: What is its greatest potential? And what could possibly go wrong?With fascinating guests and great stories, we’ll talk about astounding technologies. Like robots who could become our caregivers in old age. Video games that aim to replace the SAT and reveal our hidden potential. Virtual reality that could heal our trauma and rewire our brains.Our boldest new technologies can help us flourish as human beings … or destroy the very thing that makes us human. 

Christopher Watson was a member of the New Dance Ensemble of Minneapolis and has performed with the Chicago Moving Company, Harbinger Dance Company of Detroit, and Joanna Haigood's Zaccho company in San Francisco, dancing in works by Pearl Lang, David Gordon, Dan Wagoner, Linda Shapiro, Kathryn Posin, Doris Humphrey, and Margaret Jenkins, among others.Christopher received a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Coe College and a Master of Science degree in journalism from Northwestern University prior to beginning his dance training. He began dance study at the Houston Ballet Academy and subsequently trained with the Chicago Moving Company and at the Merce Cunningham and Joffrey Ballet studios in New York. Christopher then received a Master of Fine Arts in dance from the University of Michigan. From 1978-1982, he co-directed the Dance Theatre 2 Company and School in Ann Arbor, MIAs associate director of American Inroads and Theater Artaud in San Francisco, he produced a wide range of dance, music, and theater events, including the concert premiere of John Adam's Opera Nixon in China, a concert version of Phillip Glass' Liquid Days with Linda Ronstadt, and the first annual Black Choreographers Moving showcase, as well as performances by noted artists Bebe Miller, Susan Marshall, Stephen Petronio, and the Kronos Quartet, among many others. He founded the Christopher Watson Dance Company in Sacramento, CA in 1991 after performing as an independent choreographer and dancer for several years. Mr. Watson returned to Minneapolis in the fall of 1994.A former member of the Board of Directors of the Minnesota Dance Alliance, Christopher has served on committees and panels for the Michigan Dance Association, Dance Bay Area in San Francisco, and the Sacramento Area Dance Alliance. He has served as a consultant for local arts agencies and organizations including the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. Currently he serves on the board of directors for Ressl Dance!A distinguished teacher, Christopher has served as a guest artist at Eastern Michigan University, California State University Sacramento, University of California at Davis, University of Minnesota Duluth, the Sacramento Visual and Performing Arts High School, and the Pinole Valley Arts Magnet School in the San Francisco Bay area.Mr. Watson's work has been supported through grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts, the New Works Program of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, the Jerome Foundation through the SpaceSpace Co-Project, the Linden Hills UCC Fund, the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, the Lyndale Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis Arts Commission, the Minnesota Dance Alliance, and Mervyn's.

On this episode of PI MAGAZINE – THE PODCAST, hosts Jim Nanos and Nicole Cusanelli speak with surveillance pro George Gergis of Surveillance Support Inc. George is one of the nations leading surveillance experts and has been a licensed professional investigator since 1990.He also holds memberships with a variety of professional associations, including The Indiana Society of Professional Investigators, The National Association of Legal Investigators, The National Council of Investigation and Security Services, The Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council, National Defender Investigator Association, National Association of Public Defense; The Michigan Council of Professional Investigators, Intellenet and The International Association of Auto Theft Investigators. Jim, Nicole and George speak about the use of subcontractors and some of the considerations that must be reviewed on those surveillance details where additional support is needed. Subcontractor licensing, insurance issues, work expectations are just a few of the topics covered.GEORGE GERGIS CONTACT INFOP.O. Box 10231South Bend, Indiana, 46680(574) 292-5171 ggergis@isu-net.com PI Magazine Social Media Pageshttps://twitter.com/PImagazineUSA https://www.linkedin.com/company/pi-magazine-inc-/about/https://www.facebook.com/PIMAGAZINEUSA/

THE BIKE PIECE WE TALKED ABOUT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCO7FG4KsSs Celebrating their 10th anniversary, the Akropolis Reed Quintetwas founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and is the first ever ensemble of its makeup to win seven national prizes including a Fischoff Gold Medal (2014) and Fischoff Educators Award (2015). Hailed by Fanfare Magazine for its “imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality”, Akropolis has performed from Juneau to Abu Dhabi and delivers more than 120 annual performances and workshops annually. A maverick of new wind music, Akropolis has commissioned over 70 reed quintet works and recorded three albums, including its 2017 release, The Space Between Us, which the San Francisco Chronicle calls, “pure gold”. Akropolis has received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs & Chamber Music America for their adventurous artistry and compelling community programming in Detroit, MI. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thefortepodcast/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/thefortepodcast/support

Esperanza Cintrón is the author of three books of poetry: Visions of a Post-Apocalyptic Sunrise (Stockport Flats Press, 2014), the 2013 Naomi Long Madgett Award winner What Keeps Me Sane (Lotus Press, 2013) and Chocolate City Latina (Swank Press, 2005). Her poetry has been anthologized many times. She has been awarded a Michigan Council for the Arts Individual Artist Grant, the Metro Times Poetry Prize, Callaloo Creative Writing Fellowships at Oxford and Brown Universities and a National Endowment for the Humanities scholarship. A native Detroiter, she is co-founder of The Sisters of Color Writers Collective and creator of its literary journal Seeds for which she served as Editor until 2006. Cintrón holds a doctorate in English Literature and teaches writing, film and literature at Wayne County Community College. Her latest work is Shades: Detroit Love Stories, a collection of interconnected short stories published by Wayne State University Press. https://www.wsupress.wayne.edu/books/detail/shades

Jessyca Mathews received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint in English, with a minor in history, with a Specialization in Secondary Education. She received her Masters in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College. Along with these degrees, Jessyca attended Michigan State University and is a member of the Red Cedar Writing Project.Ms. Mathews is a language arts teacher at Carman-Ainsworth High School and a Racial, Environmental Justice, and Institutional Racism activist. In 2017, Jessyca was named a finalist for the NEA’s Social Justice Activist of the Year for her work on the Flint water crisis. Jessyca has done national interviews, projects, protest, and community actions to speak out for those affected by the Flint water crisis. In celebration of her activism work, Jessyca was named the 2018 Secondary English Teacher of the Year from the Michigan Council of Teachers of English and the 2018 National Sanford Award Winner for being the most inspirational teacher in Michigan.Recently, Jessyca was awarded Regional Teacher of the Year from the state of Michigan and was a finalist for Michigan Teacher of the Year 2019-2020.Along with her activism work, she is a prominent member of the writing community. In 2013, Jessyca Mathews won a national contest sponsored by MANA Publishing and was named the 2013 Passion for Poetry writer. After winning this prestigious award, Jessyca was able to publish her first poetry collection, Simply: A Collection of Poetry. In 2015 she published her memoir, 318: A Chubby Chick’s Tale of Weight Loss Surgery. She co-wrote her first play, Appointments in 2017, which features a focus on the Flint water crisis. She also has been published writer in Nia Magazine, Pure Haiku, Mighty Magazine, and is now a blogger for Teaching Tolerance.Mentions:318: A Chubby Chick’s Tale of Weight Loss Surgery - https://www.amazon.com/318-Chubby-Chicks-Weight-Surgery/dp/1504984358FB - Jessyca Matthews @JesTakeAStandInsta - jes_the_activistLinkedIn - Jessyca MathewsFlint Water Crisis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis

During this episode, You Me and Your Top Three host, Gregg Garrett, speaks with Jennifer Charters, executive vice president and CIO at Flagstar Bank. She discusses how leaders can use the power of storytelling to drive clarity of purpose and consistency of transformation. Jennifer also shares how she has honed this superpower as a chief-of-staff to a global executive before embracing this same method to take on her own corporate officer role. She shares her Top Three including her spouse who creates a safe-zone to question the right way of doing things to bosses who help mold her perspective to current colleagues who give her the space to truly move her organization from good to great and to her fellow Women in Technology who, with her, continue to shape the landscape for women in the IT profession. Lastly, you must hear what she has to say about building intentional habits. About Jennifer Charters Jennifer Charters joined Flagstar Bank in June 2018 as executive vice president and chief information officer. In her new position, she is responsible for providing overall executive leadership and strategic direction for the IT organization, including the successful delivery of technology initiatives and management of IT operations. Previously, she was chief information officer, Corporate Technology, at Ally Financial. She is an experienced professional with 24 years of experience in IT financial services and telecommunications. She serves as vice president of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology. Show Highlights Segment 1: Overview 1:18      Influential leadership vs. control leadership 8:18      Jennifer Charters’ career and the positive impact of successful storytelling Segment 2: The “Top Three” 9:20     Charters reflects on the impact being able to play and explore from an early age played on her career 15:54   “What do I want to do for the next 12 years?” 16:49   “Not wanting to close too many doors too quickly” 19:38   Charters’ “Top Three” starters with her husband Jim Charters who serves as an understanding, sounding board for problem solving 22:43   Charters’ “Top Three” builds with the former leaders she has worked for including Cheryl Railey who highlighted the importance of relationships and managing up 27:40   Charters’ “Top Three” continues with Michael Baresich who emphasized the impact successful storytelling can have on strategy and purpose 34:40   Charters’ “Top Three” expands with current leaders she works with including Alessandro DiNello who challenged her to see technology as an enabler to the business model 39:37   Charters’ “Top Three” also includes Lee Smith who gives her freedom and has established trust for her to do what she needs to successfully execute the technology 45:02   Charters’ “Top Three” conclude with Jane Sydlowski and John Bonapace who brought her into the Michigan Council of Women in Technology Segment 3: Impact of Technology and Lessons Learned from the Financial Services Industry 49:28   “What advice do you give to leaders to get closer to the mindset of industry service with technology serving as an enabler?” 51:02   “If you don’t feel like you’re continuing to learn… grow and like the organization is not continuing to invest in you, you might want to think about if you’re in the right place.” 52:10   Today’s increase in technology acceleration Segment 4: Wrapping Up 53:34   Building the right habits to be a better, braver leader 55:56   How to stay in contact with Jennifer Additional Information Contact Jennifer Charters: Jennifer’s LinkedIn Contact Gregg Garrett: Gregg’s LinkedIn Gregg’s Twitter Gregg’s Bio Contact CGS Advisors: Website LinkedIn Twitter

Last week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the creation of the Michigan Office of Future Mobility and Electrification and named Trevor Pawl as the state’s chief mobility officer. Pawl has extensive experience in business development for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and has been a leader for PlanetM, a mobility initiative representing mobility efforts across the state. https://www.michiganbusiness.org/press-releases/2020/07/michigans-office-of-future-mobility-and-electrification-formally-launches-sets-course-for-economic-growth-job-creation/ Pawl talks about his plans for the new office and the intention to take advantage of ongoing collaborative efforts between the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), MEDC, and other government agencies, as well as academia and private industry. Also discussed: the life-saving benefits of technologies automakers are developing on the road to further automation of vehicles. As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) observes: Driver assistance technologies in today’s motor vehicles are already helping to save lives and prevent injuries. A number of today’s new motor vehicles have technology that helps drivers avoid drifting into adjacent lanes or making unsafe lane changes, warns drivers of other vehicles behind them when they are backing up, or brakes automatically if a vehicle ahead of them stops or slows suddenly, among other things. These and other safety technologies use a combination of hardware (sensors, cameras, and radar) and software to help vehicles identify certain safety risks so they can warn the driver to act to avoid a crash. Here are some other links and references from this week’s edition: PlanetM initiative: https://www.planetm.com/ A December 2019 conversation on the podcast with John Peracchio, who chaired the Michigan Council on Future Mobility: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talking-michigan-transportation/id1479201209 NHTSA focus on automated vehicles and safety: https://www.nhtsa.gov/technology-innovation/automated-vehicles-safety The Economist on investments in electric vehicles: https://www.economist.com/business/2019/04/17/big-carmakers-are-placing-vast-bets-on-electric-vehicles

During this episode, You Me and Your Top Three host, Gregg Garrett, speaks with Roy Sexton, director of marketing at Clark Hill. He discusses the changing landscape of the legal industry and provides hints on how to deploy effective digital marketing efforts as well as how to breakdown barriers through social media. Additionally, he shares his Top Three including an author he learned to call “mom” who taught him all about empathy, his ‘fairy God sisters’ who took him under their wings and broke down a scary new industry, and his Braveheart-like Irish boss who balances understanding what makes him tick with pushing him to learn how to manage and lead. And you must hear what he has to say about looking for the naturally worn paths before pouring the concrete for sidewalks in your organization. About Roy SExton Roy Sexton leads Clark Hill’s marketing, branding, and communications efforts, collaborating with the firm’s exceptional team of marketing and business development professionals. Roy has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, business development, and strategic planning, having worked at Deloitte Consulting, Oakwood Healthcare (now Beaumont), Trott Law (formerly Trott & Trott), St. Joseph Mercy Health System, and Kerr Russell, PLC. He has been heavily involved regionally and nationally in the Legal Marketing Association as a board member, content expert, and presenter. He is treasurer-elect currently for the Legal Marketing Association’s Midwest Regional Board of Directors. Roy was named a Michigan Lawyers Weekly “Unsung Legal Hero” in 2018. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Wabash College, and holds two masters degrees: an MA in theatre from The Ohio State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan. He is a graduate of Leadership Detroit and Leadership A2Y, was a governor-appointed member of the Michigan Council of Labor and Economic Growth, and was appointed to the Michigan Mortgage Lenders Association Board of Governors in 2012. He served as an at-large member of LMA’s Midwest Regional Board, served on the advisory committee for Strategic Magazine, and was a member of the Social Media SIG steering group. He has been involved on the following nonprofit boards and committees: First Step, Michigan Quality Control, National MS Society, ASPCA, Wabash College Southeast Michigan Alumni Association, Penny Seats Theatre Company and the Spotlight Players. He currently sits on the boards of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Ann Arbor, Royal Starr Film Festival, Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, and encoremichigan.com. He is a published author with two books Reel Roy Reviews, Volumes 1 and 2. Show Highlights Segment 1: Overview 1:22      “Be a true leader by seeking the common bonds that bring people together first, then celebrate the differences to make that even better.” 2:16      Roy Sexton has a real unique view on the world of marketing Segment 2: The “Top Three” 3:02     Sexton celebrates the path and experiences that lead to his current role at Clark Hill 6:28      “I didn’t set out to be a marketer” 7:54      Sexton’s “Top Three” begins with his mother (Susie Duncan Sexton) who taught him to lead with empathy, thoughtfulness, honesty and candor 10:41   Sexton’s “Top Three” continues with Nancy Myrland and a whole group of ‘fairy God sisters’ who positively impacted his legal marketing journey 14:30   Meeting people first through social media can help breakdown barriers to establish rapport and ease face-to-face interactions 17:05   Sexton’s “Top Three” concludes with Susan Ahern sees who he is and finds ways to celebrate who he is Segment 3: Impact of Disruption & Technology on the Legal Industry 21:50   Drawing similarities from various industries to prepare for the future 23:32   Legal needs to remember it’s not in the brick and mortar business, but rather the law firm business 26:24   Two types of strategic change to come for the legal industry 30:04   The current law firm model does not incentivize collaboration, cross pollination or industry solution 31:05   The transformation strategy that will work for the legal industry 33:07   The role of dominant logic inertia to impact change and willingness to change              37:30   “Enrich your life with other people and you’ll be surprised by what you learn” 37:44   “Maybe the variance is actually where your business is going” Segment 4: Wrapping Up 38:53   A simple hack on social media for being a better leader   40:42   How to stay in contact with Roy          Additional Information Contact Roy Sexton: Roy’s LinkedIn Roy’s Twitter Roy’s Facebook Roy’s email Roy’s blog Contact Gregg Garrett: Gregg’s LinkedIn Gregg’s Twitter Gregg’s Bio Contact CGS Advisors: Website LinkedIn Twitter

This week, "Art and Soul" is about the local visual arts scene. WEMU's Lisa Barry is joined by Omari Rush, executive director of CultureSource and Chair of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs . They talk with Elisa Guyton, executive director of the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti, who has been working hard to keep the center connected to the community during a pandemic which began just a few months after she took over the job.

In these times, part of being a teacher is to have meaningful online projects with engagement. PBL can create memorable learning with projects, and Lauren Harris uses projects to teach math. www.coolcatteacher.com/e663 Sponsor: In today’s challenging times, we know how critical it is to make sure kids are equipped with social and emotional learning skills to cope with the world around them. That's why I’m excited to highlight the WE Schools Program, made possible by The Allstate Foundation. It brings social and emotional learning together with service-learning, helping children build key skills such as resilience, empathy, perseverance and problem-solving. Whether you're an educator looking for ways to integrate SEL into your lesson planning, or a parent looking to support your kid's remote learning at home, go to WE.org/SEL for helpful educational resources and tips. Our friends at The Allstate Foundation and WE are committed to providing you with the resources you need to get started. Lauren Harris - Bio as Submitted Lauren is in her tenth year of teaching at the high school and collegiate level and is also currently an eleventh grade dean and mathematics teacher at University Liggett School, in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. She previously was and currently is a lead speaker at the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference where she shares her passion about mathematics electivites and her History of Mathematics course. Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a sponsored podcast episode. The company who sponsored it compensated me via cash payment, gift, or something else of value to include a reference to their product. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I believe will be good for my readers and are from companies I can recommend. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

On Monday, April 20, Rumi Forum hosted Petra Alsoofy, Outreach & Partnerships Manager at Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) for the fifth Virtual Coffee Night speaker series. Petra Alsoofy gave an illuminating data-based presentation about Muslim women the US in a variety of dimensions; including family, education, wellness, and institutional capacity. Needless to say, coffee has had a significant place in our lives for ages. We often say “Let’s have a cup of coffee” to imply “Let’s have a conversation”. That being said, we believe that nothing beats a nice relaxed conversation and invite you both to relieve ourselves over a cup of coffee and to stimulate our minds with various light-hearted talks. Prominent speakers from a variety of backgrounds have been and will be part of this series and all together we will have enriched conversations. About the Speaker: Petra Alsoofy is the Outreach & Partnerships Manager at ISPU, where she strengthens our valued partnerships and forges new ones with organizations who share our goal of empowering American Muslims. She joins ISPU after serving more than four years as an educator at the Arab American National Museum, where she worked with educators, students, and professionals. In her role at the museum, Petra educated visitors about the history and the contributions of Arab Americans as well as stereotypes and challenges they face. She also serves as a board member on the Michigan Council for History Education. Petra is a graduate of Grand Valley State University where she earned a BA in political science.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Headspace launch “Stay Home, Stay MIndful” website offering Michiganders free mental health resources, Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs offers emergency relief funds to Michigan nonprofit arts and cultural organizations, and more statements issued April 17, 2020. Full text available at: https://therapidian.org/covid-19-grand-rapids-friday-april-17-updates Stay Home Stay MIndful Meditation Website: http://www.headspace.com/mi Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs Emergency Relief Funds: https://www.michiganbusiness.org/arts/ Restaurant owners with questions about their licensing fees may contact the KCHD's Environmental Health Division at 616-632-6900 or kcehmail@kentcountymi.gov. https://www.accesskent.com/Health/Inspection/ Grand Valley State University Admissions Info: https://www.gvsu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-application-23.htm The Rapidian will continue to report on all major local developments related to the spread of COVID-19 and the community's prevention and response methods. Local residents are encouraged at this time to share their own stories and perspectives related to the COVID-19 situation on The Rapidian's platform. http://www.therapidian.org

Work. Shouldn't. Suck. LIVE: The Morning(ish) Show with special guest Aaron Dworkin, Social Entrepreneur, Artist, Philanthropist, & Professor of Arts Leadership & Entrepreneurship. [Live show recorded: April 6, 2020.] AARON DWORKIN Named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow, President Obama’s first appointment to the National Council on the Arts and Governor Snyder’s appointment to the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs, Aaron P. Dworkin served as dean of the University of Michigan’s School of Music, Theatre & Dance (SMTD), which is ranked among the top performing arts schools in the nation. He is currently a tenured full professor of arts leadership and entrepreneurship at SMTD as well as serving as a Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan. In addition, Aaron is a successful social entrepreneur having founded The Sphinx Organization, the leading arts organization with the mission of transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. He is also co-founder of SonoGrub.com, a weekly blog pairing great food and music. As a best-selling writer, Aaron has authored The Entrepreneurial Artist: Lessons from Highly Successful Creatives published by Rowman & Littlefield, a science-fiction novel, Ethos: Rise of Malcolm published by MorganJames, as well as his memoir titled Uncommon Rhythm: A Black, White, Jewish, Jehovah's Witness, Irish Catholic Adoptee's Journey to Leadership released through Aquarius Press, a poetry collection, They Said I Wasn’t Really Black, and a children’s book The 1st Adventure of Chilli Pepperz. A lifelong musician, Aaron is a prominent spoken-word performing artist represented by Cadenza Artists. He has collaborated with a breadth of artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Damien Sneed, Anna Deveare Smith, Damian Woetzel, Lil Buck and others. His visual digital art project, Fractured History, has been exhibited at multiple galleries and museums to rave reviews. He recorded and produced two CDs, entitled Ebony Rhythm and Bar-Talk, in addition to writing, producing, and directing the independent film Deliberation. A multi-media performing artist, author, social entrepreneur, artist-citizen, and educator, Aaron continually receives extensive national recognition for his leadership and service to communities. He has been featured in numerous media outlets, and was named one of Newsweek’s “15 People Who Make America Great.” He is the recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society Honorary Membership, Harvard University’s Vosgerchian Teaching Award, National Governors Association 2005 Distinguished Service to State Government Award, Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award, Detroit News’s 2003 Michiganian of the Year Award, Crain’s 40 Under 40 and Who’s Who Awards, BET’s History Makers in the Making Award, AT&T Excellence in Education Award, and National Black MBA’s Entrepreneur of The Year. As an artist curator, he has served as a juror for some of the most prestigious international competitions including the Menuhin Competition, London Music Masters Competition, Stulberg International Violin Competition and the Sphinx Competition. A sought-after global thought leader and a passionate advocate for excellence in arts education, entrepreneurship and leadership, as well as inclusion in the performing arts, Aaron is a frequent keynote speaker and lecturer at numerous national and global arts, creativity and technology conferences. He served as commencement speaker at the Curtis Institute of Music, University of Michigan, Longy Conservatory and twice for Bowling Green State University. In May of 2013, the renowned Curtis Institute of Music awarded Honorary Doctorates to Aaron and Sir Simon Rattle, longtime maestro of the Berlin Philharmonic. Aaron also holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in violin performance from the University of Michigan. Aaron personifies arts leadership,...

Now that I have no other office but Zoom, I’m inclined to curse the internet and whatever dolt of a father and whore of a mother that begat him. Except, thanks to the webs, a writer I admired has become a friend I hold dear. Thomas Lynch is back on the podcast to talk to us about his latest collection, The Depositions, and about burying the dead in light of COVID-19. Essayist, poet, and funeral director Thomas Lynch was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1948. His critically acclaimed volumes of poetry include The Sin-Eater: A Breviary (2011), Walking Papers (2010), Still Life in Milford (1998), Grimalkin and Other Poems (1994), and Skating with Heather Grace (1986). Lynch is also the author of essay collections such as The Depositions: New and Selected Essays on Being and Ceasing to Be (2019), The Good Funeral: Death, Grief, and the Community of Care (2013), and The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade (1997). He has received numerous awards and grants from the National Book Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council for the Arts, and the Irish Arts Council. A frequent guest lecturer at universities across North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, Lynch is an adjunct professor in creative writing at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.By using his own daily routine as poetic fodder, Lynch has transformed the mundane task of preparing the dead into a life-affirming event. His lyrical, elegiac poems describe the dead citizens of Milford, Michigan, his own family relationships, and scenes and myths from his Irish Catholic upbringing. Sometimes described as a cross between Garrison Keillor and W.B. Yeats, Lynch’s work dissects the vicissitudes of the human experience with grace and wit. His first collection of poems, Skating with Heather Grace, is set in Michigan, Ireland, and Italy. Library Journal reviewer Rosaly DeMaios Roffman found that the poems “unpretentiously rehearse the dreams of the dying as they celebrate the everchanging relationships of the living.” Lynch, according to Roffman, crafts poems that weave symbolism and mythology into the human experience. His subsequent volumes of poetry likewise contain elements of his professional and personal life, mixed with ruminations about Irish culture and history.Lynch is a well-known contributor to publications like the New York Times, The Times, Newsweek, and Harper’s. His essays offer a fascinating peak into a profession few of us have ever imagined. The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade (1997) reflects the author’s “eloquent, meditative observations on the place of death in small-town life,” according to a critic in Kirkus Reviews.Lynch’s poetic vision is indelibly colored by his undertaking business, and what he sees often contrasts with what lies on the surface. Dispelling the myths about people in his trade, Lynch wrote, “I am no more attracted to the dead than the dentist is to your bad gums, the doctor to your rotten innards, or the accountant to your sloppy expense records.” His profession has provided him not only with a living, but with a unique vantage point from which to observe the entire cycle of life. The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Tradewon the Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction and the American Book Award, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award.Lynch’s prose book Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality(2000) explores his Roman Catholic childhood and family, being a father, and the relationship between “mortuary and literary arts.” In 2005 Lynch published Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans, a memoir-travelogue and cultural exploration of the ties that bind two countries with inextricably linked histories. His foray into short fiction, Apparition and Late Fictions (2010), addresses themes found in his poetry and essays, offering sensitive portraits of ordinary people coping with grief.Lynch divides his time between his home in Milford, Michigan and his ancestral home in Moveen, County Clare, Ireland.

Now that I have no other office but Zoom, I’m inclined to curse the internet and whatever dolt of a father and whore of a mother that begat him. Except, thanks to the webs, a writer I admired has become a friend I hold dear. Thomas Lynch is back on the podcast to talk to us about his latest collection, The Depositions, and about burying the dead in light of COVID-19. Essayist, poet, and funeral director Thomas Lynch was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1948. His critically acclaimed volumes of poetry include The Sin-Eater: A Breviary (2011), Walking Papers (2010), Still Life in Milford (1998), Grimalkin and Other Poems (1994), and Skating with Heather Grace (1986). Lynch is also the author of essay collections such as The Depositions: New and Selected Essays on Being and Ceasing to Be (2019), The Good Funeral: Death, Grief, and the Community of Care (2013), and The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade (1997). He has received numerous awards and grants from the National Book Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Michigan Council for the Arts, and the Irish Arts Council. A frequent guest lecturer at universities across North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Australia, Lynch is an adjunct professor in creative writing at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.By using his own daily routine as poetic fodder, Lynch has transformed the mundane task of preparing the dead into a life-affirming event. His lyrical, elegiac poems describe the dead citizens of Milford, Michigan, his own family relationships, and scenes and myths from his Irish Catholic upbringing. Sometimes described as a cross between Garrison Keillor and W.B. Yeats, Lynch’s work dissects the vicissitudes of the human experience with grace and wit. His first collection of poems, Skating with Heather Grace, is set in Michigan, Ireland, and Italy. Library Journal reviewer Rosaly DeMaios Roffman found that the poems “unpretentiously rehearse the dreams of the dying as they celebrate the everchanging relationships of the living.” Lynch, according to Roffman, crafts poems that weave symbolism and mythology into the human experience. His subsequent volumes of poetry likewise contain elements of his professional and personal life, mixed with ruminations about Irish culture and history.Lynch is a well-known contributor to publications like the New York Times, The Times, Newsweek, and Harper’s. His essays offer a fascinating peak into a profession few of us have ever imagined. The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Trade (1997) reflects the author’s “eloquent, meditative observations on the place of death in small-town life,” according to a critic in Kirkus Reviews.Lynch’s poetic vision is indelibly colored by his undertaking business, and what he sees often contrasts with what lies on the surface. Dispelling the myths about people in his trade, Lynch wrote, “I am no more attracted to the dead than the dentist is to your bad gums, the doctor to your rotten innards, or the accountant to your sloppy expense records.” His profession has provided him not only with a living, but with a unique vantage point from which to observe the entire cycle of life. The Undertaking: Life Studies from the Dismal Tradewon the Heartland Prize for Non-Fiction and the American Book Award, and it was a finalist for the National Book Award.Lynch’s prose book Bodies in Motion and at Rest: On Metaphor and Mortality(2000) explores his Roman Catholic childhood and family, being a father, and the relationship between “mortuary and literary arts.” In 2005 Lynch published Booking Passage: We Irish and Americans, a memoir-travelogue and cultural exploration of the ties that bind two countries with inextricably linked histories. His foray into short fiction, Apparition and Late Fictions (2010), addresses themes found in his poetry and essays, offering sensitive portraits of ordinary people coping with grief.Lynch divides his time between his home in Milford, Michigan and his ancestral home in Moveen, County Clare, Ireland.

On this week's "Art & Soul: The Visual Arts," WEMU's Lisa Barry is joined by Omari Rush , executive director of CultureSource and chair of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs , and Nora Krinitsky, Interim Director of the Prison Creative Arts Project at the University of Michigan. They talk about the program, its 25th annual exhibition, and creative expression as a human right.

Host: Aprill O. Turner, Communications Director, Campaign For Youth Justice Guest: Jason Smith, the Director of Youth Justice Policy, Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ) In this episode of the Voices of Youth Justice Podcast, we speak with Jason Smith, Director of Youth Justice Policy, at the  Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ). Over the last decade, the number of children prosecuted as adults each year has dropped from around a quarter of a million to 75,000 or less. The main driver of this drop has been the movement across the states to Raise the Age of adult court jurisdiction to 18. Michigan is the most recent state to pass such legislation, which was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer on October 31, 2019. The campaign leading to this landmark achievement took several years, and among the leading advocates was the Michigan Council on Crime & Delinquency, now known as the Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ).

Marc is the  Experienced Senior Legal Analyst with a demonstrated history of working in the broadcast media industry. Skilled in Analytical Skills, Domestic Relations, Construction Law, ADRs, and Facilitation. Strong legal professional with a Doctor of Law (J.D.) focused in member of the inaugural Cooley Class from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Ryan is an alumnus of Syracuse University's prestigious S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and Wayne State University Law School. He studied Arabic and International Relations at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Ryan joined Fishman Group, P.C. in 2014. He is the events chair of AIPACʼs Michigan Council and a member of the organizationʼs National Council. He and his wife Jordan, their son Arie, and Golden Doodle Malka live in Birmingham. Connect with Ryan & Marc: Website: www.thefishmangroup.com Twitter: @mfishlaw Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fishmangroup/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fishman-group-p-c-/   Connect with Jon Dwoskin: Website: http://jondwoskin.com/ Twitter: @jdwoskin Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.dwoskin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Thejondwoskinexperience/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jondwoskin/ Email: jon@jondwoskin.co

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Sunitha Vinnakota,  tech/IT security leader for General Motors Company, a trailblazer in automotive solutions for almost a century.  Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, global GM employs over 180,000 people; serves customers on 6 continents across 23 time zones in 70 languages; and focuses on pushing the limits of automotive engineering, while maintaining stewardship of the world’s environmental resources. Currently #10 on the Fortune 500 list, GM is the largest U.S. automotive manufacturer, and is led by Mary Barra, the first female CEO of a major automotive company.  Sunitha brought 25-plus years of evolving technology skills, intellectual curiosity coupled with drive, and broad business acumen.   Sunitha was always interested in technology, encouraged by her mechanical engineer father who urged her to “look at the science all around you.” One of two siblings, growing up near Hyderabad, India, she was fascinated by the logic underlying every invention, tool, process, in her life. All her close male relatives were engineers.  Sunitha said, “from childhood, I wanted to do something different from everyone else.” That fascination led her to concentrate on math, physics and computer science. She completed a bachelor’s degree in computer science and master’s degree in computer applications at Osmania University.  During university days, Sunitha instructed high school students in math and physics.  She moved to teaching Unix at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science; and was offered a professorship at Osmania.  However, Sunitha turned down university life in favor of working on the development of SAT and ACT tests, for 11th/12th graders, at Indotronix International. Following her 2000 marriage, Sunitha migrated to Michigan.  During that first year, she worked part-time, teaching Java and C# programming, on the weekends.  After receiving her H1B visa, she became a Java consultant and developer at Chrysler Corporation, now FCA Group Intl.  She then moved to GM as a consultant and systems analyst, deployed by TAC Automotive Group.  After the birth of her first daughter, Sunitha took a leave of absence.  Then she chose Ford Motor Company, the fifth largest automotive company in the world, where she was a systems analyst and then a business analyst over the next six years. In 2013, Sunitha moved back to General Motors full-time, as a senior business analyst in vehicle ordering and management systems. She mastered that before moving over to learn ecommerce, in-depth. “It was completely new. We were developing an e-commerce application.” After that achievement, she became a “quality evangelist” maintaining the integrity of IT applications in global sales and marketing working with 1100 people across the globe.  Then, in 2018, she began to work on cybersecurity for GM, worldwide. She now leads security compliance for 230-plus applications, globally. One of Sunitha’s mantras is that everyone must “stay abreast of the latest technologies today” since data is rapidly exploding. Her job encompasses the breadth of GM technology from the “C suite to application owners to the grassroots” and focuses on ensuring that “GM customers know their information is safe with us.”  Sunitha characterized her major strengths as intellectual curiosity, ambition, learning agility, and passion.  “Whatever I do, I dive in deep,” she said.  She wants her stakeholders to say: “I have given this job to Sunitha.  It gets done. I can sleep!” Sunitha was honored by a 2019 IT All Stars Women of Color Award for her work in improving GM application quality by 49% in less than 8 months, achieving 95% in standard compliance in record time. Sunitha’s method of tackling subtle sexism in work situations has always been to “double down.” She increased her skill sets and made a case for traveling, performing at levels above and beyond what is required. Her greatest fear is “not staying abreast of technology. I want to be indispensable.” Sunitha’s words of wisdom for women leaders in technology are: “Don’t be hesitant to explore and learn.  It’s ok to fear, and fail, but don’t let it stop you. Don’t be afraid to ask someone” for help or guidance and “don’t be in your comfort zone for long.” Sunitha has benefited from family mentors: her mother, her father and her mother-in-law, who she admires for having overcome many significant obstacles. Since she loves to teach, Sunitha often works with college “mentees” who she urges to explore every opportunity.  She also is a big believer in developing strong self-respect, and in pragmatically rewarding yourself for achievements. “Don’t just buy a tech gadget;” ensure that you fully understand the gadget’s use/application and then “feel proud” of yourself.   In her community life, Sunitha kicked off the internship program for the Michigan Council of Women In Technology Foundation, and is on the technology advisory board for Canton Michigan high schools.  Additionally, on weekends, she teaches business analysis skills online for women. Through that,  “I have changed 16 women’s lives, so far,” she stated, because “life is too short; let’s take advantage of it. Don’t give the remote control” away.  Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. And please listen to us on SoundCloud, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting channel and provide an online review.

If there is one thing I know about Lori Brauer, it's her enormous heart. You can feel it the moment you meet. For the past 15 years Lori has been engaged in work with non-profits, raising funds and attention for less than fortunate people and worthy causes. The other thing about Lori is that she is self-effacing. Her sense of humility comes out during our conversation as you'll hear, always giving credit to others and drawing it away from her. We also talk about Lori's entrepreneurial ethic of figuring things out even when she doesn't know a thing and is not afraid to dive in to make things happen for others. One of the tools in her quiver is story-telling, and we talk about how this essential entrepreneurial skill comes to play. Currently committed to a non-profit startup, the OMPT Foundation, whose goal is to provide the basis for even the most disadvantaged kids "to have a success story." OMPT Foundation is currently working with schools in the Ferndale, MI school system with basics: food, hats, gloves, socks, underwear. Lori's bent as an entrepreneur has helped the Foundation grow from just one to four schools in less than a year. We spend the beginning of the episode talking about this current work helping these kids and her history in non-profits, which include stints with the Michigan Council of Women in Technology and The Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. Lori expresses her passion that even the smallest contribution helps. Lori's entre into the non-profit world was a natural extension of her running. A tragic family event while training for the Detroit Free Press Marathon  led her to raising money for Multiple Sclerosis Society and running the marathon with the name of her sister-in-law written on the insoles of her shoes while calling on her spirit to help Lori through the long 26.2 miles. Ten years later, in prepping for a celebration for her 50th birthday, Lori decided she wanted to skydive. There was another family loss, this time her Dad was stricken with cancer. In true fashion, Lori decided again that "it can't just be without me." While mourning the loss of "my biggest fan", Lori raised money for both the American Cancer Society and the MS Foundation. And she did the jump: https://youtu.be/wxxwyJWaOkc. if you watch the video, you might even see Lori's husband Rick, whom I'm told wasn't as excited as Lori about jumping out of an airplane. Lori's passion for running comes back around when we turn to her work designing and making jewelry. As far as artists go, Lori is  very kinesthetic. That's why, she says she was attracted to designing and making jewelry. I met Lori on the marathon expo circuit when she was selling running and other sport-themed jewelry she made at her workshop at home. We then turn to her sense of what motivates creatives and how to overcome blocks and her sense of what creatives do. Running comes up as a theme again when she met her husband Rick through a local running store and their mutual passion for running. In fact, Rick and Lori started the US arm of Parkrun, which started in the UK as a free, weekly timed 5k run. Since the very first Parkrun in Livonia's Bicentennial Park in 2012, it has grown to 41 different Parkruns in the US. 

During this episode, You Me and Your Top Three host and CEO, CGS Advisors, Gregg Garrett, speaks with Jane Sydlowski, President and CEO AMI Strategies. Jane, a self-made entrepreneur, discusses the process of leaving the stable situation of working for an established company and entering the unknown of her own venture. She speaks about the decades of ups and downs she has experienced during market corrections and the realities of being a female founder in a tech-centered industry. As the recent president of one of the country’s largest professional organizations for women in technology (MCWT), Jane shares the two-way nature of board work and hints for women in the technology industry. And, of course, Jane speaks about her top three – from her mother who always pushed her to be comfortable to put herself out there, to her spiritual copilot who steered her through the loneliness of being an entrepreneur, to her colleagues who help her stretch into new adventures. And, you have to hear what Jane says about the power of ‘friendtors’ who support her in taking the road less traveled. About Jane Sydlowski As the CEO of AMI Strategies, Jane Sydlowski is responsible for directing and growing a dynamic, experienced AMI team.   She is accountable for all business aspects of AMI Strategies and has created strategic vision for AMI that includes exceeding client expectation, profitable growth, and employee empowerment.  Jane has embraced a Human Centered Design approach that contributes to both the culture and hockey stick growth.         AMI has recently (2019) received two awards from its Industry Association; Innovation of the Year for their Invoice AI product and the Giving Back award for their strong commitment to helping the community.      During AMI Strategies twenty-eight-year history and under Jane’s leadership, she has been recognized by; Michigan State University as a “distinguished alumni”, Lawrence Tech as a “Leaders and Innovator”, and Rhonda Walker as a “Powerful Woman of Purpose.”   Jane also received the “Top Notable Women in Tech” from Crain’s Detroit Business.  Board Membership: As the 2019 President of the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT), Jane is accountable for directing a dynamic nonprofit organization that includes over 60 Board and Advisory Board members, and a 1000+ members.  The MCWT hosts 60+ events per year that encourage advancement for girls and women in Tech.    Janes responsibilities include creating the strategic plan, messaging for the organization and speaking to the various stakeholder groups; be it Middle or High School girls or Early to Mid to Late Career women.   Jane serves on two additional boards; Board Member of the Midwest Technology Leaders and Chairman of the Board for Greenpath.  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jane has a Bachelor of Science in Applied Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from Wayne State University.  Show Highlights Segment 1: Overview 1:12        The role of a catalyst. 3:55        The superpower of being a catalyst – Jane Sydlowski (AMI Strategies. GreenPath Financial Wellness. MCWT.) 5:37        AMI Strategies – an integrator in Technology Expense Management. Segment 2: The “Top Three”   7:40        Bravery by choice – taking the entrepreneurial road less traveled. 10:50      Jane’s “Top Three”: her mother – come out of your shell and literally sing ‘ta da – I’m here’ 14:12      How being different impacted success. 16:28      Bravery – Managing the ups and downs of business. 24:94      Jane’s “Top Three”: her spiritual co-pilot – “thank you, Lord, for traveling with me today” 26:46      How adversity strengthens a team. SOUND BITE 28:20      How AMI Strategies is disrupting itself. 30:38      Jane’s “Top Three: Dean Keeler – true thought leadership, insight, and forward thinking positioning. Segment 3: Industry Disruption & Transformation   34:59      Cannibalizing your own business.    39:21      AMI Strategies: 2019 Innovation of the Year Award Recipients from the Enterprise Technology Management Association. 41:30      The human-centered design revolution. (Kristen Holt) 50:38      The Michigan Council of Women in Technology (MCWT) – building the pipeline of girls and women in technology. 53:33      Bravery for women in technology. Segment 4: Leadership & Wrapping Up 56:24      “Make yourself get involved.” 58:38      Creating your own golf course – ‘friendtors’ (Mamatha Chamarthi.  Rod Davenport. Jill Maiorano. Tracy-Ann Palmer. Teri Takai.) 1:05:53  New MCWT President – Melanie Kalmer 1:07:22  Stay in touch with Jane via email: jsydlowski@amistrategies.com or via LinkedIn 1:08:05  Hint to leaders: “Make sure that you’ve considered the road less traveled as possible.” Additional Information Contact Jane Sydlowski: Jane’s LinkedIn Jane’s Email Contact AMI Strategies: AMI Strategies’ Twitter AMI Strategies’ LinkedIn AMI Strategies’ Website Contact Gregg Garrett: Gregg’s LinkedIn Gregg’s Twitter Gregg’s Bio Contact CGS Advisors: Website LinkedIn Twitter

The guest is John Peracchio, chairman of the Michigan Council on Future Mobility, who shares insights on the Council’s work. https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9623_31969_93141---,00.html Topics include: — The mission of the Council on Future Mobility and why the Legislature created the body in 2016. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(o3mmuho4hf5b4b1ydjjfhhaa))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-257-665 — Connected and automated vehicles. What the future holds. Between polling in 2018 and again in early 2019, Epic-MRA saw a slight shift in people’s perceptions of automated vehicles. There is a pronounced generational divide on the topic, with elderly people being much more averse despite the view of many that automated vehicles will bring mobility and independence later in life. https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/2019_MDOT_Self-drivingCars_EpicPoll_669727_7.pdf https://www.theseniorlist.com/blog/driverless-cars-for-seniors/ — Mobility for all imperative. Michigan has one of the oldest populations among the 50 states, with 16 percent of residents age 65 or older. Automakers in Michigan lead in developing technology that will give these people mobility option and extended freedom. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-us-states-with-the-oldest-population.html https://www.mlive.com/news/2018/01/aging_michigan_senior_citizens.html — Toll roads. As a bill authorizing a study of tolling some Michigan roads makes its way to the Senate floor, John, a recent member of the International Bridge, Tunnel, and Turnpike Association (IBTTA), talks about the feasibility of tolling in Michigan and methods to confront social equity challenges. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2019-2020/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2019-SFA-0517-F.pdf — With automakers investing more in electric vehicle technology, John talks about the need for broader charging infrastructure and addressing challenges, including range anxiety and vehicle costs. And questions persist about the disposal of batteries and the impact on the environment. By 2040, more than half of new-car sales and a third of the global fleet (equal to 559 million vehicles) is projected to be electric. https://www.thedrive.com/news/26637/americans-cite-range-anxiety-cost-as-largest-barriers-for-new-ev-purchases-study https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/the-afterlife-of-electric-vehicles-battery-recycling-and-repurposing/

During this episode, You Me and Your Top Three host, Gregg Garrett, speaks with Tracy-Ann Palmer, Vice President Global GTM, Strategy and Transformation at Rackspace and global technology executive who hails from South Africa. Tracy-Ann has worked with iconic tech brands that are known around the world. She is a humble leader who appreciates being pushed and encouraged to reach far beyond where she thinks she can reach. Tracy-Ann used her passion to found Midwest Technology Leaders and the non-profit We Build Character. Of course, Tracy-Ann talks about the importance of mentoring stemming from her “Top Three,” ranging from a caravan leader in Africa, to CEOs of tech companies, to the top tech executives in the federal government – all of whom helped her to never accept the status quo. About Tracy-Ann Palmer Tracy-Ann Palmer has over 25 years of experience in high-growth, global, technology driven businesses. She has been consistently recognized for her strong leadership and ability to help accelerate growth for companies.  Tracy-Ann is currently Vice President Global GTM, Strategy and Transformation at Rackspace.  Rackspace is a leading provider of expertise and managed services across all major public and private cloud technologies. Prior to joining Rackspace, Tracy-Ann held a variety of leadership roles in sales, channel and business operations at Cisco, Salesforce and in the start-up world including founding her own experiential marketing company that received numerous business awards.  Since 2005 she has been a very active contributor to the community through numerous philanthropic efforts including serving on a variety of boards.  She has a strong passion for developing leaders and founded a non-profit “We Build Character” focused on building future leaders through executive mentoring programs.  In 2004, Tracy-Ann founded Midwest Technology Leaders, an annual executive IT event bringing together top IT leaders together focused on collaboration, innovation and excellence. Show Highlights Segment 1: Overview 2:03        Tracy-Ann Palmer – a global tech executive whose worked with iconic brands. (Cisco. Salesforce. Rackspace.) 3:17        A journey across continents and across industries. Segment 2: The “Top Three”   5:18        Tracy-Ann’s “Top Three”: Her Father – Work ethic. Discipline. Warrior. 6:16        Tracy-Ann’s “Top Three”: Mark Moritz – Believed in Tracy-Ann more than she believed in herself. 8:31        Tracy-Ann’s “Top Three”: Jane Sydlowski – Creative. Absolutely resilient. (Michigan Council of Women in Technology. AMI Strategies.) 11:16      The history of Midwest Technology Leaders (MTL). 14:08      Tracy-Ann’s “Top Three”: Teri Takai – Be deliberate about your career. Direct. Honest. Pragmatic. 15:22      “Surround yourself with people who aren’t necessarily like you.” 16:12      Honest and directness are key. “Are you open to coaching today” – David Behen. 19:46      Tracy-Ann’s “Top Three”: Phil Bertolini – Incorporating the business into IT. Career coaching. Segment 3: Industry Disruption & Transformation   22:18      We Build Character – providing structured, community-based leadership mentor programs to high-potential professionals. 25:29      The “absolutely invaluable” role of reverse mentorship. 28:10      “I cannot tell you what an impact this has had in my life” – a We Build Character Mentee. 34:01      Rackspace – a managed cloud computing company focused on mid-market organizations. (AWS. VMWare. Microsoft. SB.) 36:33      The fascinating facts about a cloud model: 1. There is always a lot of disruption. 2. The business model is very different. 39:05      In response to transformation – “I believe in looking externally for your answers – not in your industry.” 40:19      Disruption: “We’re the problem, or the opportunity – It’s all about consumerization.” 43:56      Learnings from transformation of the past – “As a transformation leader, you’re at risk.” (Billhighway.) Segment 4: Wrapping Up 49:36      Advice to leaders – “Don’t accept the status quo.” 51:15      Advice to leaders – “Break our own patterns.” 52:04      Rackspace is transforming – watch the news! 52:38      Connect with Tracy-Ann, Rackspace, and We Build Character.   Additional Information Contact Tracy-Ann Palmer: Tracy-Ann’s LinkedIn Tracy-Ann’s Twitter Tracy-Ann’s Instagram Contact Rackspace and We Build Character: Racksapce Website Rackspace LinkedIn Rackspace Twitter Rackspace Instagram We Build Character Website We Build Character LinkedIn We Build Character Twitter Contact Gregg Garrett: Gregg’s LinkedIn Gregg’s Twitter Gregg’s Bio Contact CGS Advisors: Website LinkedIn Twitter

Jessyca Mathews joins Episode 6 on the Lead, Learn, Grow podcast. We talk about the importance of sharing your voice as an educator, how her practice has evolved over her career as a high school teacher, and how she inspires her students to find the perfect book. Find Jessyca on Twitter: @JessycaMathews Bio: ​J​essyca Mathews is a high school teacher in Flint, Michigan who has used her voice and her story to inspire students and move them to action. Jessyca has written poetry and a play to bring community and national attention to the Flint water crisis. Her students have been moved to use creative expression to channel their responses to the crisis. They have also developed collaboration with students in Lansing, Michigan, finding the power of their collective voices to advocate for clean water. She also is a blogger for Teaching Tolerance and has been nominated for 2017 Social Justice Activist of the Year with the National Education Association. She also is the 2018 Secondary English Teacher of the Year with Michigan Council of Teachers of English and received the 2018 Teacher of Excellence award from the National Council of Teachers of English. She currently is the Region 5 Teacher of the Year for the state of Michigan, and was a finalist for Teacher of the Year, MI, 2019-2020.

Math teacher Lauren Harris had a problem. Students weren't remembering important concepts from the previous year that she knew she had taught. How could she help students remember? Her answer is that she includes meaningful projects in her curriculum. In today's show, Lauren gives us a quick overview, how-to, and ideas for planning your own projects that will help students learn and remember. www.coolcatteacher.com/e533 Sponsor: This post is sponsored by Times 10 publications, publisher of Sanée Bell's new book, Be Excellent On Purpose, Intentional Strategies for Impactful Leadership. All editorial content is my own. Download a free ebook with the Lead Forward authors and get inspired. Lauren Harris - Bio As Submitted Lauren is in her tenth year of teaching at the high school and collegiate level and is also currently an eleventh-grade dean and mathematics teacher at University Liggett School, in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. She previously was and currently is a lead speaker at the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference where she shares her passion about mathematics electives and her History of Mathematics course. Twitter: @harrishousemath

Writing Matters with Dr. Troy Hicks is a Writable podcast. Learn how to grow great writers at www.writable.com Like and subscribe to Writing Matters on: ∙ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2HcOcaP ∙ Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2XA5wwl ∙ Soundcloud: bit.ly/2SFbrwr ∙ Google Play: https://bit.ly/2SOrUOM ∙ Stitcher: @getwritable Learn more about Dr. Troy Hicks at hickstro.org and follow him on Twitter @hickstro Jeremy Hyler is a middle school language arts and science teacher, a speaker and presenter, a celebrated author and co-author of Troy Hicks, the co-director of the Chippewa River Writing Project (a National Writing Project site), and a contributing member of the Michigan Reading Association (MRA), the International Reading Association (IRA), the Michigan Council of Teacher’s of English (MCTE), the National Council of Teacher’s of English (NCTE), and MACUL. Jeremy is an expert in the field of writing instruction and shares with Troy that there is no singular best way to teach writing and each teacher must find the method that works best for themselves and their students. However for him personally, it involves unstructured writing time and live modeling of his own writing in front of students to share his vulnerability as a pathway for students to share their own. His time with the National Writing Project has imparted teaching methods and models that he now uses in his everyday practice, including a focus on positive feedback, and engaging his students in discussions about their work by requiring students to not just accept, but respond to given feedback. He takes his lessons in writing instruction not just to language arts students, but to his science class as well. He makes writing a focus, having his students keep journals and participate in a variety of science writing projects. Jeremy is driven by choosing a positive mentality every day, and to strive to make a difference in the lives of his students. Learn more about Jeremy Hyler at https://jeremyhyler40.com and follow him on Twitter @Jeremybballer *********************************************************************** Join the Writable community: ∙ Twitter: twitter.com/getwritable ∙ Facebook: www.facebook.com/getwritable ∙ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/writ... ∙ Instagram: www.instagram.com/getwritable ∙ Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/getwritable ∙ Medium: medium.com/writable

Today's guest in this third episode of the Fischoff Effect series is Matt Landry from the Akropolis Reed Quintet.  In this series, I bring you five former winners of the Fischoff competition to talk about their experience preparing for and competing at Fischoff, and about the wonderful adventures and opportunities that have followed their win! My guests this week are Blaise Magniere from the Avalon String Quartet, Dorival Puccini from Axiom Brass, Matt Landry from the Akropolis Reed Quintet , Christopher Whitley from the Thalea String Quartet, and Lydia Reah from the former Kairos String Quartet!  Whether you are a musician about to compete at the competition, or a music lover looking for a fresh approach to practicing and preparing for a concert, make sure to subscribe and tune in everyday, because those conversations are bursting with inspiration and EXTREMELY useful information!  Each group has a unique and motivating story and my guests are so generous with their insightful tips and advice!    About Fischoff Founded in 1973 in South Bend, Indiana, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, attracting the finest and most talented young musicians from around the globe. and is one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 6,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education.  Fischoff is also deeply committed to music education and partners with competition alumni to bring free, innovative Arts-in-Education programs directly to children in their own schools and community centers. Since 1995, nearly 50,000 children, youth and adults have received free educational programming of the highest order. Website: http://www.fischoff.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFischoff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fischoffchambermusic/     Meet the Akropolis Reed Quintet – 2012 Senior Wind Division Silver Medal, 2014 Senior Wind Division Gold Medal, & 2015 Fischoff Educator Award Kari Landry, clarinet | Andrew Koeppe, bass clarinet | Ryan Reynolds, bassoon | Matt Landry, saxophone | Tim Gocklin, oboe   https://akropolisquintet.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akropolisquintet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akropolis5tet/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGAiaA8x7b3W_OpBKgg7eXg   Hailed for their “imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality” (Fanfare Magazine), Akropolis was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and has won seven national chamber music prizes since 2011, including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal and the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award. Akropolis is an alumnus of APAP's prestigious Young Performer's Career Advancement Program and is generously supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, CultureSource, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Chamber Music America, Alice M. Ditson Fund, Amphion Foundation, High Wire Lab, and Quicken Loans. Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Akropolis' 19/20 season features 10 commissions for the ensemble including the first concerto for reed quintet and wind band by Roshanne Etezady, a chamber concerto by Jenni Brandon with guest bassoonist Monica Ellis of Imani Winds, a work for reed quintet and rideable percussion bicycle by Steven Snowden, and more. The season also features a 10-show, choreographed and staged production with BodyVox Dance in Portland, OR and Akropolis' 3rd annual Together We Sound festival in Detroit featuring a multimedia collaboration with Detroit projection artist, L05 (Carlos Garcia). Akropolis' recent and upcoming appearances includes stops at Caramoor, Chamber Music Northwest, the Oneppo Series at Yale University, the Chautauqua Institution, Artist Series of Sarasota, Chamber Music Abu Dhabi, Chamber Music Columbus, and more. Akropolis has been awarded a juried showcase at APAP (YPCA), Chamber Music America twice, Performing Arts Exchange, Western Arts Alliance, and the Mid-Atlantic Performing Arts Market. With three studio albums, including its March 2017 release of The Space Between Us, called “pure gold” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Akropolis has recorded 17 original reed quintet works. Akropolis' 2018 Together We Sound festival featured an improvisatory new work with YAK and a concert with acclaimed soprano Shara Nova. Akropolis premiered the first work for reed quintet and string quartet by David Schiff with the Dover Quartet in 2015 and has performed with artists like the Miró Quartet and renowned clarinetist David Shifrin. Akropolis has even performed with HarperCollins published author and scientist, Vic Strecher. In April 2017, Akropolis' residency in Abu Dhabi featured a performance of Marc Mellits' Splinter with original Arabic poetry performed by Khalifa University students, written around Mellits' music. Establishing Akropolis WORKS in 2016, Akropolis' members teach an annual 7-week music business mini-course at the University of Michigan as well as two semester-long courses at Michigan State University. They have delivered WORKS lectures to university musicians around the United States on marketing, financial planning, brand identity, and more. Equally committed to students K-12, Akropolis reached over 10,000 K-12 students in 2018. They conduct an annual school year long residency with students at three Detroit high schools including chamber music and music composition. Winner of a coveted Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant, Akropolis has premiered more than 50 works from composers in 7 countries and was selected to adjudicate and premiere the 2018 Barlow Prize funded by the Barlow Endowment, the first time the prize was given for a reed quintet work. Akropolis' members are the first of any reed quintet to judge major chamber music competitions including the Fischoff (2018) and Chamber Music Yellow Springs (2019) competitions. Akropolis produces a YouTube Web Premiere Series with more than 50,000 views, showcasing new works, arrangements, and composer interviews for a live Internet audience. In 2012 Akropolis created Akropolis Collection and has now sold over 400 original and arranged sheet music works to more than 100 new and established reed quintets. Akropolis regularly appears in unconventional settings, including performances in office spaces in Detroit as part of its Corporate-to-Corner Tour in January 2017. In May 2016 Akropolis conducted a live recording session featuring audience participation for John Steinmetz's Sorrow and Celebration for reed quintet and audience, which Akropolis commissioned in 2014. Akropolis presents its annual Together We Sound festival in Detroit each June, bringing together multidisciplinary collaborators, new works, and educational outreach to increase arts access throughout the city. Akropolis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization generously supported by individuals around the world. All Akropolis events include informative musical introductions and a chance to greet the artists. Originating at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Akropolis remains its founding members: Tim Gocklin (oboe), Kari Landry (clarinet), Matt Landry (saxophone), Andrew Koeppe (bass clarinet), and Ryan Reynolds (bassoon). Akropolis is represented exclusively by Ariel Artists. Contact Matthew Kulas at matthew@arielartists.com for booking.   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/   Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/

Writing Matters with Dr. Troy Hicks is a Writable podcast. Learn how to grow great writers at www.writable.com Like and subscribe to Writing Matters on: ∙ Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2HcOcaP ∙ Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2XA5wwl ∙ Soundcloud: bit.ly/2SFbrwr ∙ Google Play: https://bit.ly/2SOrUOM ∙ Stitcher: @getwritable Learn more about Dr. Troy Hicks at hickstro.org and follow him on Twitter @hickstro Andy Schoenborn is a teacher of more than 18 years and currently teaches English at Mt. Pleasant High School in Michicagn. Andy is also a teacher-writer, a celebrated author, and longtime writing partner and colleague of Dr. Troy Hicks. They are currently working on a book together titled “Creating Confident Writers”. Andy has also served as the past president of the Michigan Council of Teachers of English. In this episode, Andy shares a variety of ways he uses feedback to guide student writers and the importance of feedback in his own writing life. He is a big fan of the critical friend protocol, which begins by getting students to engage in what’s good about a piece of writing first. He remarks on how this protocol most closely mirrors his experience with professional editors. Learn more about the critical friend protocol here: http://buildingpublicunderstanding.org/assets/files/critical_friend_conv.pdf Andy also shares his go-to tip for engaging students, which is having them create paper proposals as a way to frame the rhetorical situation and launch them into the writing process. This project helps him to decipher what students are genuinely invested in, and gives them the space to get creative. When students start thinking about their own thinking they become invested, and that’s when metacognition comes into play. Finally, Andy and Troy share the importance of having an active writing practice to coincide with your writing instruction. Andy shares how it helps him see his students are writers alongside himself, rather than simply just his students. You can learn more about Andy Schoenborn at andrewschoenborn.weebly.com and follow him on Twitter @aschoenborn ************************************************************************ Join the Writable community: ∙ Twitter: twitter.com/getwritable ∙ Facebook: www.facebook.com/getwritable ∙ LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/writ... ∙ Instagram: www.instagram.com/getwritable ∙ Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/getwritable ∙ Medium: medium.com/writable

Approximately 90 women die each year in Michigan during pregnancy, at delivery, and within a year of giving birth, and 44 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are considered preventable. Today on the MiCare Champion Cast, we’re talking about what Michigan hospitals and physicians are doing to keep moms and babies healthy and safe. The episode features interviews with Frank Anderson, MD, MPH, of the University of Michigan Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Brittany Bogan, MHA senior vice president of safety & quality and executive director of the MHA Keystone Center; and Amy Zaagman, executive director of the Michigan Council for Maternal & Child Health. Resources: - http://www.mcmch.org/ - https://www.obstetricsinitiative.org/ - https://sites.google.com/miaim.us/miaim - https://www.mha.org/MHA-Keystone-Center-Patient-Safety-Organization/Member-Access

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Chris Rydzewski, tech veteran, serving as Executive Director for the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (www.mcwt.org). Chris did not originally plan a path in technology: “Ironically, I stumbled into it,” she said. Matriculating at the University of Michigan (http://umich.edu/ ), “I loved math and stats,” she said, “but I wound up with a degree in marketing.” Having lived in Texas for a while, Chris returned to Michigan and joined IT powerhouse Compuware (www.compuware.com) in the early 1990’s . “They had 5 lines of business, and were really big, at that time.” For eight years, Chris sold Compuware solutions, supporting the Rocky Mountain states and then the entire Midwest. Then she became an international product line sales director responsible for coaching direct and channel sales teams in South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Chris then moved to BMC (www.bmc.com) focusing, for 5 years, on sales to large Michigan-based corporations. She subsequently moved back to Compuware as a strategic sales manager for key “named accounts” regionally. The move allowed her to explore other products including product portfolio management and change management offerings. In 2013, Chris moved over to Compuware’s application performance management division, a growth segment for the company. Within a year, private equity investment firm, Thoma Bravo LLC purchased Compuware for $2.4 billion. Under the agreement, Thoma Bravo split Compuware into two separate companies: the mainframe software business (under the Compuware name) and Dynatrace (www.dynatrace.com), real-time software management and maintenance. Chris stayed with Dynatrace, selling for them for the next four years. “It was always about solving problems. And that’s what I love about technology.” In the summer of 2017, changes at Dynatrace spurred Chris to leave the company. She asked herself questions like “what is my gift?” and “what is it that I should be doing, moving forward?” She was “tapped on the shoulder” to consider the opportunity with the Michigan Council of Women in Technology. “For the previous 12 years, I had always been a volunteer,” Chris said, but now assumed the role of Executive Director. In her new role, Chris is responsible for full MCWT P&L management with oversight over the organization’s fiscal health, budget, fundraising, staff, and more. She is laser-focused on “operational improvements and efficiency.” With a mission to “grow and inspire girls and women in the field of technology in Michigan,” MCWT consumes most of Chris’s energies. “This is the ‘give-back’ time for me.” MCWT runs 35+ large and small events each year; has given over $1 million in scholarships to college-bound and post-college women pursuing technology careers; will run 10 summer tech camps for 5 th through 8 th graders this year; has 13 after-school girls’ middle school and high school tech programs; hosts an annual Website design contest for middle school and high school girls; a mentorship program for mid-career women, and more. While still small, compared to other nonprofits, MCWT “has a lot of programs and stakeholders,” Chris said. And she is now responsible to work closely with the Mission Officers, Infrastructure Leads, Staff, Volunteers, and the Boards to help drive success for all the programs and events! Chris has been grateful to observe “many great leaders over the last 12 years” of her volunteerism at MCWT, teaching her key leadership lessons: ● “Be passionate” about whatever you choose to do. ● “Be open to new opportunities.” ● “Believe in yourself. “ ● “Be relevant.” Chris commented: “You are not really going to know what you are good at, until you try different things, and see what bubbles up to the top.” “I think women have different characteristics” than men, Chris said. “ I think we listen better and communicate better.” Some of her former colleagues “would be amazed at how I could pull out information” when she was making joint sales calls with them. She emphasized that “you have to make yourself heard” particularly when you are in the minority in the workplace. A self-admitted “workaholic,” Chris admits to occasionally have a problem balancing family, and work. She has deployed a few practical tactics to address this. “My husband and I have ‘date nights,’” she said and the time between dinner and when her teenage daughter goes to sleep is the time when everyone focuses on family. Driving her daughter anywhere, she turns herphone off. As a family, they also plan big trips that all of them can take, together. “You should not always have your work drive you. Your family is super-important; there is so much more,” said Chris. “Technology makes everything relevant” according to Chris. She can be reached through the new and improved MCWT website (www.mcwt.org). For the full blog write up, make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. Follow our show and tell us what you like with an online review.

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Jennifer Charters, Chief Information Officer of Corporate Technology for Ally Bank (www.ally.com), one of the very first online-only financial institutions in the United States.  Jennifer’s technology fascination began in middle school. “My family purchased a VIC 20,” she said. “It basically looked like a keyboard, that you connect into your television.”  At first, Jennifer played with inbuilt pre-programmed applications but then began to create her own programs. In high school, she moved on to use Apple IIe (www.apple.com) computers and recognized “I had a knack for the logical nature of coding. It came easy for me.”  She matriculated to Michigan State University (www.msu.org) as one of “less than a handful of women” in the computer science program and also minored in psychology and business because “technology, just for technology’s sake, doesn’t necessarily make sense.  When you apply technology to a problem,” it does. In college, Jennifer was fortunate to obtain internships at IBM (www.ibm.com) with her first summer in North Carolina, second in Rochester, Minn. and third in Chicago, Illinois. “I got experience trying all these different companies.” Also, as a member of the Society of Women Engineers, she was fortunate to have numerous recruiters swarming. “One of the companies was Accenture (www.accenture.com),” Jennifer said. “That idea of being a jet-setter and traveling all over the world and getting that opportunity to explore different areas really appealed to me. I started off as a programmer,” she said. “It evolved into project and program management; and gave me a lot of exposure to a lot of different companies, and roles within companies.” She began in the telecommunications vertical market, then specialized in the field of Internet service providers. “That gave me the chance to work globally,” with stints at Deutsche Telekom (https://www.telekom.com/en) in Germany and Grupo Telecom (http://www.telecomitalia.com/tit/en.html) in Italy.  Jennifer then focused on other startups including Focal Communications --- later acquired by Broadwing, which was then acquired by Level 3 Communications (http://www.level3.com/en/), in an acquisition flurry.  She then moved to a project at AT&T, in New Jersey, right after the World Trade Center was decimated by the events of 9/11; worked on that for two years; then decided to move back from Chicago to Michigan. “Ultimately, I got pregnant,” and both she and her husband landed jobs in Michigan. Jennifer switched to an insurance industry project Accenture  with The Automotive Club Group (www.aaa.org).  “What I was most interested in was staying local, then” said Jennifer.  This assignment became her entrée into the fascinating world of fintech. “Then I got pregnant with my daughter,” and had an epiphany. Her emphasis shifted to achieving a work/life balance. “I began to look for other opportunities” outside of Accenture. Jennifer obtained a project manager position at GMAC, the financing arm of General Motors (www.gm.com). “It was an interesting change of pace,” she said.  She had her second child after having joined GMAC, and when she returned from maternity leave, GM had sold the financing arm to Cerberus, (http://www.cerberuscapital.com/),  a private equity company. “Fast forward another year and a half, and the worldwide financial crisis hit. I felt like I was in the crosshairs of it all. It was a financial company linked to the automotive industry, and those were the industries most affected. We were in real trouble, on the verge of bankruptcy.” The U.S. government bailed out GMAC reinventing the entity as a bank holding company.  “It meant we had more regulations, but it also gave us the opportunity to start a bank --- an online bank: Ally Financial.” The key lesson for Jennifer? “In crisis, transformation happens.” Jennifer was promoted to program manager and then a director. Eventually, she took her current promotion to Chief Information Officer, Corporate Technology, with responsibility for seven direct reports, and a large organization numbering over 180 colleagues.  “Banks had not always been very friendly.” With pride, Jennifer feels that Ally fundamentally has changed that. “We care about our customers. Our motto is ‘do it right’. Customers are really responding.” “When I try to hire people,” Jennifer said, “one of the things I look for is learning agility: somebody who has curiosity, is continually ‘sharpening the saw,’ and looking for opportunities to stay fresh. In technology, it’s constant change.”  In her volunteer life, she is on the Advisory Board for the Michigan Council of Women in Technology (www.mcwt.org). She also coaches her daughter’s 12-week “GIRLS ON THE RUN” program, where she meets weekly with groups of girls “teaching them to be leaders, to be collaborative with each other, to be kind.  At the same time, they also learn to run.” At the end of the period, they run a 5K race. Jennifer, herself, has recently pushed herself to complete two Iron Man Triathlon Races. Key lessons that Jennifer has learned through her career: “Relationships are key.” Take time to develop them and maintain them. “Having people, you can talk to” is essential. “Understand what your priorities are. Take time for them.” It’s ok to take a step back. (“You actually learn quite a bit,” from taking the occasional break.) “Managing people is a whole different skill-set and experience. You use influence. It requires trust; and that you have a good team around you.” “Recognize that your career is your own, it is what you make of it. Follow your dreams.” For the full blog write up, make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. Follow our show and tell us what you like with an online review.

“How we treat employees relates to how they become brand ambassadors.” Your employees — your people — are one of your biggest brand assets. However, they can only do this if they’re engaged. As the Chief Human Resources Officer at an award-winning financial institution, Shawn Premer knows how organizations can harness their people power. We discussed employee engagement and culture on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast presented by Twenty20. About Shawn Premer Consumers Credit Union has 300 employees, over $900 million in assets and is headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Shawn Premer is responsible for providing leadership in establishing and implementing strategic human resource strategies. Shawn’s primary focus is on employee and member engagement. Consumers is proud of its 98% member satisfaction rate, it’s over 11 years of recognition as one of West Michigan’s 101 Best & Brightest Companies and 4 years of being recognized Nationally as a 101 Best & Brightest Company! In addition, Consumers has been honored as a 101 Best & Brightest in Wellness Employer in Michigan and a Healthiest 100 Employer Nationally. Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Northwood University and an MBA with a focus in Global Business Studies from Cornerstone University. Shawn also holds SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and Certified Corporate Wellness Specialist (CCWS) certifications. A wife of 24 years and a mother of three, Shawn is also an avid runner and yogi. In 2016 she was honored as Michigan’s Top HR Professional by the Michigan Council of SHRM. She also serves on the executive council for Michigan Chapter of Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), the board of Southwest Michigan First, the board of Senior Services of Southwest Michigan where she chairs the Human Resource Executive Committee. In addition to the organizations listed above Shawn also founded and chairs the Kalamazoo Area Wellness Networking group, which includes 20 area organizations who come together to share wellness best practices. Episode Highlights Employee engagement is great but … aren’t people scary? Won’t they say or do something on behalf of our brand that we won’t like? Sure, “you’re going to have some bad employee interactions but you have to make sure that you have more good than bad.” That’s why consumers is focused on wellness and creating a family environment at work. What does that mean? No negative water cooler talk. One policy Shawn has put into place at Consumers is banning negative conversations about other people. Instead, employees are encouraged to talk through challenging issues. “This same philosophy applies to interacting with members.” How can an organization currently doing nothing get started with employee engagement? “Listen,” Shawn reminds us is the first step. From there, she encourages organizations to ask three questions: (1) What makes you excited to get out of bed every morning and come here to work? (2) Conversely, what makes you want to hit the snooze button in the morning? (3) What would keep you here forever? The worst thing you can do? “The worst thing you can do is to ask these questions (above) and do nothing. Be ready to act.” Form a small, cross-functional team to analyze and take action. What brand has made Shawn smile recently? Proctor and Gamble’s recent “moms ad” at the Winter Olympics made Shawn smile by connecting with her emotionally.  To learn more, connect with Shawn on LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also visit the Consumers Credit Union website. As We Wrap … Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … On Brand “Super Fan” Sean Carpenter gave us a shout on Twitter for our recent episode with branding legend Laura Ries. Thanks for listening! Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Thanks again to our sponsor Twenty20. Your source for on brand photography for your brand. You can get five photos with Twenty20’s one-week free trial at Twenty20.com/OnBrand. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet!

This week, Art and Soul is about the vibrant visual arts scene in Washtenaw County. 89.1 WEMU’s Lisa Barry and Omari Rush, the Executive Director of CultureSource and Chairman of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs , are joined by several guests focusing on the arts and local Black History Month celebrations.

Diva Tech Talk interviewed multifaceted, tenacious Janette Phillips. In her childhood, Janette was “studious” and “took all the science classes I could,” including Accelerated Chemistry, Physics and Science Seminar (an independent science-oriented curriculum) in high school.  Her intellectual interests took a turn in college, when she matriculated to the business school at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (https://www.umich.edu/). Post-college, Janette felt lucky to land a job at Michigan Bell Telephone, which later morphed into Ameritech and then to AT&T (https://www.att.com/).  “I was hired as a market administrator,” she said, “which is the implementation portion of networks, and phone systems.” Janette was convinced that Michigan Bell had put her in the wrong role. On the first day of training, she thought: “I am in the wrong room.  I should be over there with the account executives.” But she said. “It took me about three years to switch to sales. I had to prove to them that I was good.  Within two weeks of entering my training class, I sold a phone system to an advertising company on the 10th floor of where we were!” This underpinned Janette’s belief in herself, and her ability to successfully sell.  “If you want to get somewhere, even if you are not officially ‘trained’ in it, just go!”   After three years as a market administrator, Janette moved into Ameritech sales for 14 years. “At the peak of my sales role, I handled the General Motors (www.gm.com) account,” responsible for the telephony segment of their large computerization efforts. “They had 200,000 voice ports, across the country.”  Daily, Janette managed a team that concentrated on the $25 million, annually, in recurring revenue that GM represented to Ameritech.  “It was very complicated,” she said, acknowledging that her biggest sale to GM had a 2-year sales cycle.  To accomplish that, Janette worked with EDS and Deloitte (www.deloitte.com) who “helped us do the financial modeling” for a new 7-year, fixed rate, $270 million-dollar GM contract. Janette was proud that “it was the largest single sale Ameritech had ever made. It was a team, but at the beginning, it was me; nobody believed in it.” Her lesson from this was: “It doesn’t matter what level you are in a company; how low you are on a totem pole. You can accomplish a lot!”  And her second lesson was to consistently deliver.  “Over at EDS, they could see, that if I said something would happen, I could get it done. My word was my word.”  Finally, for sales professionals, Janette’s advice is “to be a good salesperson, you have to know how to execute.” After the GM sale, Janette was promoted to direct the Managed Services Department for Ameritech, regionally. “We did a big deal with IBM (www.ibm.com), which was huge.”  Then Janette became pregnant with her first daughter. “And this job was really grueling. I was traveling to Chicago every week.  I chose to walk away.”  Janette had two daughters in a 2-year timeframe.  But, “When Michelle (her daughter) was about 1.5 years old, I went to work for Nortel (www.nortel.com).” She took on a Nortel support role, working on automotive accounts including Chrysler (www.fca.com), General Motors, and Ford Motor Company (www.ford.com). “I did that for about a year, but my heart wasn’t in it, because I had young children.”  Janette acknowledged that, for her, “it’s difficult to juggle young children, with a big job.”  Children, like “big jobs” are “24 x 7, too!”  Additionally, she saw that “Nortel started slipping down a slippery slope.” So, she took a Nortel buy-out.   Janette and her husband then created a regional pulmonary rehabilitation clinic business. For 5 years, she actively built and managed Valley Hill Therapy Centers, a two-clinic business, employing 20-plus people. “We were very good at what we did,” she said.  But “there wasn’t enough margin in it. We were very successful, but not profitable.” With her data background, as Janette was building the business, “we created our own ERP (enterprise resource planning) system. It handled patient care, employee records, charting, electronic medical records. I sold the business to Botsford Hospital, now part of the Beaumont (www.beaumont.com) and they still use my system for medical records.” Janette then became Executive Director for The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation (www.mcwt.com), a Michigan nonprofit whose mission is to make Michigan the #1 state for women, and girls, in technology. After doing that for 3 years, Janette moved to her current role:  Vice President of Business Development, for Chrysalis Global Business Consulting (www.chrysalisglobal.com) --- a certified Woman-Owned Business (WBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and a Small Business Enterprise (SBE), headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. “I find clients who need help. We take them by the arm, and walk them through the process” of adopting ERP, and “we stay on the project side, and advocating…” for her clients. In addition, Chrysalis does a lot of things: “business process optimization and everything around ‘how does your business run’ and how can we help you make it more efficient, and automated.”  Janette was hired to assist Chrysalis in diversification into vertical markets beyond airlines and airports.  “My role is to find business in Detroit. So, we have clients in automotive, and healthcare.”  The size of the Chrysalis prospective client varies; “whoever needs our support,” according to Janette is a prospect. While Janette experienced some issues, as a woman at Ameritech, the challenges did not set her back in her career. “I just didn’t care.  I wanted to do what’s right for the client, for my own company, for friends, for organizations. The rub is that people don’t give you enough credit for what you know or what you can accomplish. I think it’s a more natural assumption for women.  But, I focus on the work.”  An acknowledged “workaholic”, Janette’s driving force is “making a difference in an organization, whether that’s informal or formal.”  A life lesson for her is “you have to stay true to yourself, and do what you like. Recognize who you are; figure out where you want to get to; get out of your own head, and go! Just go.”   In her community life, Janette gave back and continues to give back by participation, as her girls were growing up, in school PTO, and the Rotary Club;  and now as a member of the Tech Committee for Southeast Michigan’s Automation Alley (www.automationalley.org), and the newly-minted NEW Tech Group which Janette hopes will serve DPS (the Detroit Public School System) “to help them with technology, mentoring and as the liaison to outside organizations” and also strengthen “the soft skills:  things like public speaking.” She is also involved with Detroit’s Mercy Education pilot program assisting women who have obtained their GED to get to the next level. Janette’s advice for girls and women in the tech field is: “You need to enjoy what you do.  And make sure that whatever you are doing gives you energy. Pay attention and think. And work first, play second.”  Janette Phillips can be reached at jphillips@chrysalisglobal.com. For the full blog write up, make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. Follow our show and tell us what you like with an online review.

Diva Tech Talk interviewed Rebecca Bray, Chief Sales Officer for recruiting/staffing company: Epitec (www.epitec.com). Rebecca did not start out intending to pursue a tech mission. “I just fell into it,” she said. She graduated Central Michigan University with a marketing degree, but it was a college internship at Epitec that inspired her 19-year current career. After graduation, “I figured it would be a good way to figure out what I wanted to do when I grew up,” she said.  She has remained with the company because “I love what I do. The opportunities have always kept me engaged, challenged and learning every day.”  In her current role, with responsibility for a team of 50, Rebecca is thrilled to concentrate on challenging, inspiring and “growing our team.”   Focused on daily staff enrichment, Epitec celebrates each staff member’s personal, as well as career, accomplishments every year.  “Training and developing people takes a lot of understanding,” Rebecca said. Giving people the leeway to fail, she believes, is “very important to let people develop and grow. We call it ‘recovery-oriented’. “ Key personal characteristics that have contributed to Rebecca’s success include patience and tenacity. “When I started, I looked very young.  Having credibility was a problem for me.”  To overcome this, Rebecca stressed that learning “who my audience was, and what their needs were,” was essential. Among the teams reporting to her is Epitec’s training and development group, which has created and manages a three-week onboarding and training program for Epitec staff.  She constantly ponders “what’s going to motivate our staff, typically not the generation I come from or with whom I have worked.  It’s a new generation. So, overcoming challenges around different work expectations, different types of goal-setting, different types of reward and recognition programs,” are issues for her. Rebecca is also concerned with the looming large potential gap between the growing number of technology jobs, and skilled candidates to fill them.  To address it, she said “We are partnering with organizations like the Michigan Council of Women in Technology to drive more exposure to young girls and people about technology. We are also working with colleges around some internship programs, and have a robust internal Epitec internship program.”  Rebecca shared some very pragmatic tips for other budding leaders: “Write down your goals. And put a plan, together, on how you are going to achieve them.” “Be ‘recovery-oriented’ and move forward.” “Invest in yourself. If you want to develop a solid career, it’s really up to you.” Realistically, to achieve balance, Rebecca noted that “being in the present” is important. “When I am with my family, then I’m engaged with my family.” Conversely, “when I am at work --- I’m focused at work,” she said.  In her philanthropic life, Rebecca is very involved in a volunteer role with Vista Maria (www.vistamaria.org), a Michigan-based nonprofit which offers community-based programs including education, general and treatment foster care, youth assistance programs, independent living, transition services and after school programs for “at risk” girls.  For the full blog write up, make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechtalk. Follow our show and tell us what you like with an online review.

Robert Piepenburg was born in Detroit, MI and received his Bachelor’s, Master’s degree and MFA degree from Eastern Michigan University. He is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, three Michigan Council for the Arts Creative Artists Grants and an Outstanding Teacher of the Year award from Oakland Community College.  His works appear in public and private collections from the Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Diva Tech Talk recently interviewed Carey Pachla, President of Fast Switch, a rapidly growing information technology consulting company, with 750 staff members and 2015 sales of $80 million (a 30% annual growth rate) specializing in contract, contract-to-hire and executive search services. Carey’s journey in technology was an intentional one. Based on research and advice, she sought it out; and she could not be more fulfilled. “The main reason is that there are so many wonderful, smart individuals in this industry, and I learn every day.” Carey is also Vice President of The Michigan Council of Women in Technology, and its incoming 2017 President. She discusses that nonprofit, and some of its programs, on this podcast. Carey has four key pieces of leadership wisdom for other women:  Work hard; there is no substitute for hard work. Take the “long cut.” There are no shortcuts. Learn your trade, dig in, and take the long road. Take a genuine interest in, and listen to your team. Lead by example. In conclusion, Carey strongly advises other women: “Don’t be afraid and learn.” Carey Pachla can be reached at carey@fastswitch.com. Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.

In this episode, we are joined by Deb Swink, Vice President for CSI Leasing. She is a trailblazer in the world of IT leasing. Deb joined the field of IT leasing just as it was beginning to emerge. She shares with us a brief history of the industry, and how her career evolved as a sales executive.   Deb has had quite the journey in technology, from taking a leap from finance to sales, to testifying on the national stage, while eight months pregnant, to making a huge change in the field. She also helped support the Michigan Council of Women In Technology consistently for 14 years, which is a network of over 700 IT leaders and professionals. Deb shares insights on: How IT leasing got its start and where the industry is today How she sparked a movement, testifying in court for her industry Her personal journey from accounting to sales Characteristics that have helped her as a stellar saleswoman Advice for women wanting to be stronger leaders Make sure to check us out on online at www.divatechtalk.com, on Twitter @divatechtalks, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/divatechalk.