Podcasts about Southern Company

When Rebecca Gray '94 arrived at her first duty station, she thought she was ready to lead — until a senior master sergeant told her to get a coffee cup and led her away from the safety of her desk. “You've got to know who people are, so that you know how to relate to them,” he told her. That simple moment became the foundation of her entire leadership journey.    SHARE THIS PODCAST LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK    REBECCA'S TOP 5 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS 1. Lead With Authentic Connection Genuinely care about your team members as people, not just colleagues—know their stories, show real interest in their lives, and let authenticity drive your leadership style. This builds trust and drives engagement. 2.Adapt and Balance Across Life's Seasons Recognize that leadership and career paths aren't always linear. It's important to intentionally adapt your role and focus to meet the current stage of your life, whether that means prioritizing family, professional growth, or personal health. 3. Translate Core Values Across Environments Military leadership lessons—like accountability, communication, and team cohesion—are just as powerful in civilian life. Carry these values into new environments and roles, and tailor them to fit each unique context. 4. Empower Others Through Example Be a “working leader” by setting the pace and modeling the behaviors you want to see. Encourage your team's growth by giving responsibility, asking for input, and trusting them to rise to new challenges—even if it means letting them make mistakes. 5. Continuous Self-Development Fuels Leadership Commit to lifelong learning and personal development through regular habits—like reading, exercise, and reflection. Maintaining intellectual curiosity and a growth mindset not only strengthens your leadership but also inspires others to do the same.   CHAPTERS 0:00:04 – Introduction to the Podcast and Guest Rebecca Gray 0:00:29 – The Coffee Cup Lesson: Early Leadership and the Influence of Senior Master Sergeant Kennedy 0:01:48 – Authentic Connection: Lessons Carried From the Military to Corporate Leadership 0:03:32 – The Power of Authenticity and Understanding Team Members' Lives 0:04:49 – Translating Military Leadership Lessons to the Corporate World 0:07:58 – Creating Team Connection in Remote and Fast-Paced Environments 0:11:47 – Memorable Military Leadership Influences 0:13:24 – Balancing Military Service, Family, and Career Transitions 0:16:53 – Career as Seasons: Crafting Balance and Intentionality 0:19:19 – Navigating Critical Career Junctures and Embracing Change 0:22:18 – Building Confidence and Trusting Yourself 0:23:46 – Fostering Confidence and a ‘Go Mentality' on the Team 0:25:39 – Leading and Aligning Family and Professional Goals 0:27:28 – Practicing Continuous Learning and Personal Development 0:28:32 – Advice to Emerging Leaders: Value Well-Roundedness and Humility 0:29:43 – Reflections on Alumni, Family Connection, and Leadership Beyond the Academy 0:30:15 – Closing Thoughts on Leadership, Service, and Authentic Paths ABOUT REBECCA BIO Rebecca Gray ‘94, Boingo Wireless senior vice president and general manager, leads a division providing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines connectivity wherever they go. Alongside her military service, she's held leadership roles at Fortune 200 companies in energy, media and telecommunications — including Southern Company and Comcast NBCUniversal — and has volunteered with multiple nonprofits. Her focus is on innovation that strengthens communities and keeps people connected. A three-time All-American springboard diver, Gray started her Air Force journey as a recruited athlete at the U.S. Air Force Academy. After graduation, she trained as a World Class Athlete and competed for Team USA at the 1995 World Games in Rome. She's served in key leadership roles across the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, including deputy wing commander at the 111th Attack Wing in the Pennsylvania ANG, as well as director of staff for the Georgia ANG. She's also a graduate of the Secretary of Defense Fortune 500 Corporate Fellowship Program and earned her doctorate after studying around the globe in Israel, England, India and China. She and her husband — an Air Force Academy '93 grad — married at the Cadet Chapel in 1994. They have three daughters: Jasmine, a junior at Bates College; Grace, a sophomore at Centenary University; and Kennedy, a freshman at NJIT. Their Yorkie, Cookie, has become a seasoned traveler, having visited all but two states in the continental U.S.   CONNECT WITH REBECCA LINKEDIN BONIGO WIRELESS   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Guest, Rebecca Gray '94  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:04 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, where we explore the lessons of leadership through the lives and stories of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm your host, Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. When Rebecca Gray walked into her first duty station after graduating from the Academy, she thought she was ready to lead. But it wasn't a general, a colonel or a policy manual that changed her view of leadership. It was a senior master sergeant named Patrick J. Kennedy and a coffee cup.   Rebecca Gray  00:29 He said, “You're doing this all wrong. You need to be out, out, out.” He told me, “Go grab a coffee cup.” I didn't drink coffee at the time, so he goes, “Go get some water. Stop being difficult.” And he walked me around and said, “This is this is what matters. You've got to know who people are, so that you know how to relate to them.” That really shaped me.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:50 That simple moment became the foundation for how Rebecca has led her teams ever since. From the Air Force to corporate boardrooms, from public service to private equity, Rebecca Gray, USAFA, Class of '94, has led across nearly every domain — active duty, Reserve and Guard — and built a remarkable second career spanning nonprofit work, education and now executive leadership. Her path has been shaped by transformational moments, moments that taught her how to connect, to trust herself and to lead with conviction. Rebecca, welcome to Long Blue Leadership.   Rebecca Gray  01:23 Thank you so much for having me. It's just a privilege to be here. Thank you for what you're doing for the grads, for the parents, for alumni, all of that. It's really impressive.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:31 Oh gosh. Really appreciate that. And I think, you know, that clip was so wonderful to hear. And I think we should just jump right in to that moment in time, kind of winding back the clock when you were just really transformed in your leadership style by your senior enlisted leader. Can we talk about that?   Rebecca Gray  01:48 I was just, had just graduated, and, as you said, my first duty assignment, and the only officer in the shop. And so senior master sergeant, which is one rank below chief — so the top, one of the top senior enlisted advisers in my shop, and we went for a walk and he really just taught me how to connect with the troops, to connect with people, walk around, get to really know them. And I'll have to tell you the first time I did it, I did a pass through, I went through the motions, if you will. And, you know, I came back, I was like, “Oh, OK, I did it. I did it. I'm all… I'm good, and have done my leadership duty for the day.” And he asked me, he said, “Who got a new car?” And I mentioned the airman's name of who got a new car. He goes, “What color was the car and what was the type of car?” And I was like, “Oh, OK.” And he goes, “So you didn't really care.” And I thought that's true, that's actually accurate. I needed to really care about what his first car was, and was it a truck? Was it a sedan? What was it? And so that really shaped me into really caring in a way that's already in your heart. But how do you express that in a leadership capacity? And so that changed the course of my 30-plus years in the military and then in corporate.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:07 What a powerful story. I mean, we can actually visualize you walking around. And as you know, graduates, we are kind of like, you know, task-minded. We're going to get this done. And you did it. You check the box. But to go down that next level, how do you see that actually becoming actionable across, you know, all leadership levels, you know, where you're actually walking the walk with your troops, so to speak. Can you talk about that a little bit more?   Rebecca Gray  03:32 Well, I think you have to be authentic, and be your authentic, you know, be authentic in your heart and what you're really doing. And if you don't have that, then people can feel it. People can tell if they don't feel your connection or your care concern for them. I think that really just mirrored an opportunity for me to put the two together. To your point, we're very task-minded, results-driven. When you graduate, very results-driven. It still impacts me every day, to be results, but you were doing it alongside of other people who have lives and who have things going on in their personal and professional lives, and we bring that to the table too, and really connecting with that and how to motivate people, how to encourage, how to walk with people and help them get to the results that they need to do, you know, as part of your team.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:29 Maybe, can you share an example of how you're using this? You said this has impacted you over the past 30 years. You know, it seems very clear — we're in an in middle military setting, and you're, you know, amongst your troops, you're leading beside them, you're understanding. How does that translate now and where you're at in the corporate world, at your level of leadership. What does this look like?   Rebecca Gray  04:49 I think that's a really good question, because when you look at it, you can see it very easily in the military. It plugs and plays very easily. Once you understand and you put it all together and you can develop it. You get a opportunities to develop that every day, if you will, every day you get that opportunity. But I think when you translate it into civilian life — and we all end up having a civilian life after the military — whether it's, you know a first-term enlistment, whether it's your first duty assignment, you fulfill your active-duty commitment from the Academy, whatever those years are. Whether you, you know, finish your 20 or what have you, you do transition out of military life at some point in time.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:37 Let's talk about what you're doing right now. I think it's important for our listeners to understand what that looks like and, you know, how you're leading in that space.      Rebecca Gray  05:44 Oh my gosh. I am so excited about what I do. It's the best job I've ever had. It's a great company that I work for. I work for Boingo Wireless. And what I do — my job at the company is to do anything that relates to the military. So we provide connectivity to over 100 bases around the world. I've got an incredible team that many of them have served, either as a veteran retiree or still serving. You have to understand what they know. What is their background? Where have they been? Where have they served, so to speak? What companies have they worked in? What role, leadership roles? What technology have they been around? What schools have they been to? All those things, and then also some of their things that are going on in their personal life so that you understand what's bringing them to work every day to support their personal and professional goals. And so you have to translate that, take that military experience and put that into the civilian workforce. And I think it's very powerful. It's so natural. I really actually don't think about it as much because you've developed it so such a tried and true part of who your character becomes, that coming back into civilian life and transitioning back into it, it's a great opportunity to bring all of those skill sets and move right into that — in leading teams, in learning that new chain of command, if you will, in corporate. And so that's a really powerful thing, and it feels like it's an enjoyable part of my day is the people I get to work with, the quality of people I get to work with. If I don't have that connection, I feel like I'm missing something at the end of the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:36 Can you share an example in which to that level that, you know, that the senior master sergeant said, “Did you know what type of car it was?” Where you've actually got to that level with someone, maybe in your civilian career, and how that has… Have you seen that actually make an impact on either performance or the results, or really just their own worth?   Rebecca Gray  07:58 Well, I think that's an interesting question. I think that can be played in two different areas. If you're in the office, there's an ability to be connected just by having lunch together, by having coffee, you know, you're in and you're around and about, and physically, there's just a different kind of energy when you're around people. So my team, we get together at some regular intervals that we set as a team for the year. We do one big, we call it an all-hands, an annual meeting, we're going to Vegas this year, and we're going in February. And so we're bringing the entire team; everybody's coming out of the field, everybody's coming from around the world, and they're all coming. We're meeting in Vegas, and we're going to spend a couple days together talking about what we accomplished last year, what we're going to do in the future, and then we also do some learnings, and, you know, things like that, some technology growth opportunities and things like that. So that's one thing that shows that you use… You're going to spend some budget dollars to really ensure that people know how you feel and how you value them as being part of this team, and making sure… I spend every other week planning this for a year and we do that every other week, and we talk about the hotel, we talk about the food, we, you know — our team-building exercises, the agenda, the T-shirts, the design of those, every detail, because I want my team to walk away at the end of that — we'll probably have over 100 people in the room — and I want everyone to walk out of that knowing that they are a valuable member of the team. So that's one thing we do, you know, on my team. And then on Monday mornings, we have a staff meeting every Monday morning, a team meeting, and the first question of the day is, “What did you do for the weekend?” And that's where we learn about all kinds of, you know, really fun things about people and what they're doing, what they're doing with their family, or who they're, you know, trying to date, or, you know, buying a new house, or, you know, all kinds of things that you learn. And then also you develop that within the team, because other people hear that question, and otherwise it's very transactional. This is what you do. This is what you can do for me. And in this fast-paced technology world, taking that time at the beginning of the meeting to say, “Let's take a pause, and I want to hear about you.” And so to me, that's another small thing, but a very powerful thing. In a fast-paced technology space, I think it's even more critical to take a pause, to take a stop and take a breath and realize the people that we're working with are… It's a gift to have this opportunity to work with one another, and I want them to feel a part of the team, even though we're in a remote setting, because most of my team is in the field. And so in that remote setting, that is even more critical, I think. So I think there's both, you know… When you're in the office, there's one way to do things, and then when you're in this more remote setting that we are — and then we're in a fast-paced technology setting. It's moving all the time, and sometimes you get into more activity and results and results and activity, and you accomplish one thing, and you're on to the next and, and that's… I don't know if that wheel spinning so fast is always, you know, healthy.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:15 Well, I really appreciate how you actually gave very specific examples of this leadership in action, because you're right: In this pace and in this remote kind of setting that many of us operate in, being able to still find that human touch and that connection to what you were speaking about that went all the way back to, you know, the senior master sergeant. But I'm sure you also had leaders throughout your military career that also exemplified some of this. Can you share any other moments while you're in uniform, where you saw some of these leadership traits that you really wanted to embody and that you've carried through your career to date?   Rebecca Gray  11:47 Gen. Hosmer was the, I think he was the calm when I was at the Academy, and he would walk around with his A-jacket. So you didn't really know if he was a cadet or not, because once you put your hat on, you can't tell. But, and you know, “Oh my gosh, it was a general just walked past me.” But he knew people's names. He remembered my name, and he remembered it for four years, and it was just a powerful moment that I remembered on my graduation, when we walked through the line with your parents, and you're doing that reception, and he said, “Rebecca, congratulations. Well done, and you did great.” And all those kinds of you know things. And I'll never forget that walk, whether he was walking on the Terrazzo and called my name, whether he remembered it going through a line of 1,000 people with all their parents, and you know, all of that. And I think that's always stuck with me, that level of remembering somebody's name, remembering who they are, that really was powerful to me early on in my military career.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:48 Oh, thank you for sharing that, because those are the moments that so many people can connect with that really do imprint on them and how they are as leaders, you know, and I'm curious, because…   Rebecca Gray  12:57 That's a good word, “imprint.” That's a really good word, “imprint.”   Naviere Walkewicz  13:03 Yeah, it feels that way. Thank you. Thank you. You know, I would love to dive into your Air Force career and the decision to transition out, because I just imagine in the way that you have done so many incredible things that your time in the military was very successful. Can you talk about what that was and then the decision to transition, why that came about and why you made it?   Rebecca Gray  13:24 That's a very powerful decision. It's a big decision to come into the military, and it's a big decision when it's time to leave. And those are hard decisions. And sometimes you leave too early, sometimes you stay in too long. You know, different things like that. But for me, it was my husband was a '93 grad. So I'm '94 he was '93 we got married at the Cadet Chapel right after I graduated in September. I share that because my husband and I were dual spouse, joint spouse. We were just talking about it the other day, because we just celebrated — it was our 31st wedding anniversary — and we looked at it and we said, “Gosh, you know, what a ride we've had.” And we got to know each other. We were in the same cadet squadron. We were both in 29 for three years and sophomore through senior year. And we both looked at each other. We were going to get separated. I was going to do a remote to Korea. He was going to Malstrom in Montana, and my follow on was Vegas, at Nellis. And so we realized we were going to be as separated for a few years, and that was a really big decision for us, because we loved the military, we loved our lifestyle, we loved our friends, we loved the camaraderie and all the things that you love, and we realized, where does that fit with our marriage and how do we pull this off? And so I think along the way, we've really tried to drive a commitment to service. We both went off active duty. We decided to go into the Reserve together, and then I eventually went into the Guard. So I ended up serving active duty, Guard and Reserve, which was really wasn't done back in the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:04 No, I was going to say…   Rebecca Gray  15:07 No, that was not done. I mean, you stay active duty for 20 years. You stay Reserve. You might do active duty and then Reserve, but to finish up and get to your 20… But I had three little children, and so I was able to do the Reserve. And so I think what's great about the military is, if you are open to looking at your career and seeing it as a different stages and phases of your life and letting it shape and form around that too, there are ways to serve. That was the way I felt called to serve. I think other people, active duty is the way to go, or Reserve or Guard is the way to go, you know, straight through. But for me, it gave me the flexibility, and I found that it was a lot of fun to do it that way. I got to learn different things in each of the different statuses, if you will. And I was able to put a whole career together with three little kids, and, you know, 31 years of marriage.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:04 Well, I think as a leader, those decision points — and it sounds like you were really well grounded in, you know, what do we want to commit to. Commitment to service, a commitment to each other. But I think what is so special about your career, when you look at it in seasons or in stages, is you've had some incredible opportunities to still continue to thrive professionally, even as those stages change. And if you wouldn't mind sharing some of that, because I think there's times when listeners feel like, “If my trajectory is not vertical, like in one path that you know, that everyone kind of recognizes as the path, then it's not successful.” But to your point, if you look at it in stages, and what is this stage, how do I evolve in this stage? In this stage? And maybe it's not always directly vertical, but we're still moving in it at an angle. I think it's powerful for our listeners to hear, if you don't mind sharing what that's been like.   Rebecca Gray  16:53 I made a very intentional decision to serve as a squadron commander in a certain season. So I wanted to build a life that had different components to it, and to do that, that meant you have to be intentional about that if you want to stay on one path. And I think as this world gets more complex, the technology is moving very fast. You want to stay balanced. I think the only way you can stay balanced in life is to really have different components of your life. There's a time to be a squadron commander, there's a time to be a senior leader. There's a time to be an individual contributor and there's a time to say this is, you know, for whatever myriad of reasons, health or family dynamics, or you're going through a degree program. And so you have to kind of make those things to ebb and flow appropriately. And I wanted to put those building blocks and pieces together to make something really interesting and a reason to wake up in the morning and something that got me out of bed. I do Squadron Officer School. I do, you know, ACSC, and then War College. And so you can end up checking these boxes and checking, you know, different assignments and different levels. Just like you graduate from college, you got to meet certain, you know, credit requirements and different kinds of classes and things like that. So I'm not saying it's a negative, but it shouldn't be a mindset. It should be just the way you need to get certain things done.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:17 And by the way, Sgt. Kennedy would come back and be like, “This is not enough, ma'am.” So, but you know what I really loved about what you just described? This might be the first time I've heard the description of balance, because you did it in a way that — you talked about balance being almost having holistic, a holistic view of various pillars. And there's times when you know you're bringing one of the forefront, so you're not ever saying they're in balance, where they're all, you know, equitable or like, everything is just, you know, the scale is exactly the same on both sides. But what you're saying is, there's time when you're bringing stuff to the forefront, but I'm really aware of the all of those pieces, and I think that is such a wonderful way to look at balance. Which brings me to this question of, you know, you have approached your career and, you know, being a mother and a wife was such, you know, a unique view. When did you know it was time to add onto your plate in this nonprofit space? And then you go, you know, going… So it just seems like you've made these decisions at critical points. How do you measure when that next point is supposed to come around and you take that leap?   Rebecca Gray  19:19 Sometimes, life gives you that opportunity to take a step back and say, “OK, I'm now at a critical juncture. What do I want to do?” That can be your, you know, your health, or a family dynamic, or you get accepted into a program and you want to do this. When I got accepted into that secretary of defense corporate fellowship program that's basically Air War College in residence. You can imagine doing Air War College in residence as a Guard member was very prestigious, an incredible opportunity, and then they sucked me into this fellowship opportunity. But that really changed my trajectory, because at the time, I was in nonprofit, and it pulled me out, put me back in uniform for one year. That was a one-year commitment to do War College in that capacity. And then it was after that I decided to move into corporate. And so I think there's certain times when you get those moments, and what I think is, people race through those — I think they race through that moment. And instead to take a stop and a pause and say, “Do I want to make a change at this moment? Do I want to do this?” I really didn't want to make that change. I didn't want to come out of nonprofit at the time. I didn't want to do War College in residence. I didn't want to do some of those things. And instead, I took it and I said, “I don't know where this is heading, but I'm OK with where this is gonna go.” And I don't think sometimes you need to know all those pieces before you make those decisions. And I think — because then if you need that, you're never going to have it. I mean, you just don't. And so for me, it's always a moment where you stop and you say, “This is an opportunity for me to change where I live, to change my career, to change a family dynamic.” Do you add another kid? Do you, you know, stop at three? You know, what do you do? I think what I have tried to really do is stop and really have it like, really, I really take it… Really take that moment and have that moment and say, this is a moment for me to say, is, “What do I need to change? What do I want to change?” Or nothing? Do I want — I keep going, but I have made that decision.   Naviere Walkewicz  21:30 Well, what I'm hearing from that is a level of confidence in yourself that you've probably developed over time. From, you know, the different interactions you've had from… I mean, wearing so many hats has probably actually given you a stronger confidence in what you're able to accomplish, what your capacity is when you don't really know what's all around you, so to speak, you don't have all the answers. Can we talk a little bit about when you knew that, or when you recognize that in yourself? Because when you made those decisions and you said you walked through those doors with your eyes wide open, you're essentially betting on yourself, right? You have built this trust and confidence in your ability. Can you talk about what that looks like? How you came to that? Because I think there's times where our listeners have this doubt, this self-doubt, so let's talk about that.   Rebecca Gray  22:18 If you have good, good people around you, you ask for good advice. You have a, I think, a faith that can ground you. And you know that you've been given these gifts and this skill set, and you've made certain mile markers in life. I think it just builds over time.   Naviere Walkewicz  22:39 Would you say that you recognized, I guess, betting on yourself and confidence in yourself early in the years when you started diving and recognized, “Wow, this is scary, but OK,” right? Or was it more developed later?   Rebecca Gray  22:52 I started diving when I was 10, and you know, I would be up there on the diving board. I was a little 10-year-old, and sometimes you couldn't get walked down the board. You were terrified. My coach would sit there and she would say, “OK, we're gonna go — 1, 2, 3,” and you go, you learn how to walk down that diving board, and you learn how to do things that you you're not really confident on, and you're not really… But once you master it, it's really fun. It's probably from, I think, diving, athletics, I think does that to you. You know, whether you're chasing that soccer ball and you got to go up against somebody bigger, whether you're in football, and you got to go off up against… My husband was a fullback at the Air Force Academy, and so he went up against lineman at Notre Dame and Ohio State and things like that. And he goes, “It was terrifying.” And so… But when the whistle blows and the play calls called you. You go and so you develop that strength some somehow along the way to push through.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:46 How have you developed those that have come under your care as a leader that maybe didn't have that athletic background? How do you teach them that? How do you instill in them that “go” mentality, that, you know, fear is just your body's response, gets your blood, you know, your blood flowing. How do you do that as a leader?   Rebecca Gray  24:03 I think, I think you do it by going out ahead and standing out there, and maybe you're the only one out there, so to speak, ahead of it, ahead of the team, in believing whatever direction you need to go, whatever new business direction you need to go in, or what new product line you need to develop, or what new revenue goals do you need to accomplish? And you have to go out there, and you've got to do it yourself. I'm probably more of a working leader than a leader that manages. I'm not the best manager, if you will, but I can get out in front. But I think, for me, it's just been leading out in the head, going out there and saying, this is the direction, building that conversation across the team leaders to make sure we're aligned, to make sure we're thinking the same thing. Are you reading the market the way I'm reading the market? Are you reading some of these leadership decisions within the industry that we're reading? And are we seeing this the same way — bouncing those ideas off and then developing that and that groundswell to really go for it.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:06 I want to ask you this question that's tied to this idea of understanding your capacity, your capabilities, your talents, your strengths, betting on yourself, and how you've been able to do that while you still successfully have a 31-year marri… right? Like a marriage and a family that has to also buy into those decisions. What does that look like as a leader when you're making those decisions, when you have children and a family or a spouse, you know? How do you navigate that when they also have their goals?   Rebecca Gray  25:39 Oh, it's so deep. It's so deep because…   Naviere Walkewicz  25:43 It's real because this is what they're facing. You know, all of our leaders are facing these questions.   Rebecca Gray  25:47 It is, it is. You're facing these decisions back at home, and what you've got to manage at home. You know, my husband, I really lead, and we lead by example — that we take care of our business and we do our things. And as soon as the girls were able to do a lot of things for themselves, we gave them that responsibility. That really helped. I think your kids are pretty capable, and they're really strong and they're very smart and they're wise, and they can feel the energy in the room. They can feel your commitment to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  26:19 Well, I mean, I think what I heard through all that as well, is having those values aligned like you do, and then really communicating and then just championing the responsibility and the capabilities of your family members. It seems like, you know, you don't only just do that at work, but what I'm hearing is you've done this and the home life as well, and it's continued to just really evolve your family in such a beautiful way. So thank you for sharing that with us. Because I think that's really powerful and sometimes when our listeners feel like, “Gosh, I don't know how to make this decision,” I think if you start from that place of, “Are we aligned? Do we know what our core, you know, piece is,” go from there, it seems like you've been able to navigate that really well. Thank you for sharing that. Well, I want to ask you something that you're doing every day, because as leaders… And I'm not sure what your thoughts are on this, maybe you can share, but a lot of people will talk about how “I'm always learning. I'm continuing to learn, even as a leader, I'm still learning every day.” Can you share if that's how you feel, and if so, what are you doing on a daily basis to just be a better version of yourself as a leader, professional, etc.?   Rebecca Gray  27:28 I think when you work out and you get a really good workout, and whatever that is, walking or, you know, at the gym or lifting, or whatever that is, biking or swimming — I think for me, that exercise and reading — those are probably the two things that I really work a lot on, and making sure that's just part of the day. You know, a lot of times we don't have to think too much about eating because we get hungry. But, you know, once you start exercising a lot, and you read a lot, and you have that quiet time — when you don't have it, you miss it, and so you almost get hungry for it. And so to create that consistency, so you can create that hunger. If you do skip it, or you want to skip it. Even when I travel for work, I do it. The girls know that if we're in a hotel, I'm going to go run down to the gym for a little bit. They'll come with me or not, but that's something I'm going to do regardless. And then the reading is really, really critical.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:20 You know, one of the things we also love to ask, and maybe this is a better way to ask it, is, if you were to give advice to your daughters on what they could do today to be better leaders for tomorrow, what would that be?   Rebecca Gray  28:32 I don't know if it's a goal to be a leader, but I think it's a goal to develop and be really well rounded, really solid, because you will default to being the leader. If you have that strength, you have that intellectual capacity, you have the humility. But I think having that humility is really, really critical, the well-roundedness, having different aspects to your life. You know, it can't all be just school and homework, and it needs to be whatever that is music or athletics or, you know, what have you in your faith community or something, you've got to have a well-rounded… because things come and go in your life.   Naviere Walkewicz  29:12 Well, I love how you really put that together. Because I think the key thing was, you know, I don't know that they're necessarily aspiring to be a leader, but if they aspire to be well rounded and that kind of a wholesome approach, they will be the leader in the room. And I just, I just love that, because it just makes it so clear, right? I thought that was incredible. Well, we're coming up at our time, and I just have loved this conversation. Is there anything we didn't cover that you just like, this is a time, like, we want to make sure we didn't miss anything that you would like to share.   Rebecca Gray  29:43 What you're really focused on is really powerful. And connecting the alumni, connecting the families, so that they understand what their child is going through at the Academy is really important. Realizing there's life out of the Academy, and you still need to serve, and you still need to contribute, and there's a way, there's a lot of lessons that we had at those four critical years of our life that can carry us. And I think you're really highlighting that and giving us the space to share some of that. So really appreciate that.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:15 Well, I appreciate you saying that, and I just have to share with our listeners: You know, what I've really taken away from today's conversation is that leadership begins in small moments, a cup of coffee, a conversation, you know, choosing to listen, but it grows through courage, you know, the courage to step into uncertainty, which you've done, to serve where others maybe wouldn't, and to believe in your path, even if it looks unconventional.   Rebecca Gray  30:38 It has, yeah, even if it looks unconventional, that's OK. It's OK too.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:43 And I love that you talked about how it wasn't about the titles, but it was really about the experiences and kind of having that full picture of you and the confidence to bet on yourself. So this has just been a privilege to be with you on Long Blue Leadership I want to thank everyone for listening to this Long Blue Leadership episode. If you know others that are really growing in their leadership journeys and could benefit from this, please share it with them. We love having all of you listen to these wonderful lessons on leadership from our Air Force Academy graduates. So Rebecca, again, thank you so much. We will see you another time, but for now, I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Thanks for joining us.   KEYWORDS Rebecca Gray, leadership lessons, authentic leadership, Air Force Academy, military to corporate transition, women leaders, team connection, career development, executive leadership, Boingo Wireless, building confidence, personal growth, leadership podcast, work-life balance, empowering teams, transformational leadership, continuous learning, squadron commander, leadership journey, remote team management, military experience, family and career balance, purpose-driven leadership, leading by example, leadership advice, mentoring, professional development, inspirational stories, alumni connections, values-driven leadership.       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation    

Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club CEO AtlantaTrackClub.org Thursday is the Invesco QQQ Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon, 5K, Mile & Dash – all Sold Out! It's an Atlanta tradition! You'll want to bring your medal and your bragging rights to Thanksgiving dinner!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Pentagon's extraordinary move to potentially court-martial Sen. Mark Kelly had Ron bring on CBS News military analyst Jeff McCausland for context about military law, illegal orders, and the political tension surrounding the case. This is not normal.Back at home, Ron unpacks new Public Service Commission staff warnings that Georgia Power's proposed expansion could spike residential bills by $20 or more. Their decision to act on Georgia Power's request before seating newly elected Democrat commissioners means that rate hike falls squarely on Republicans. Not that any of this good timing when parent Southern Company's raking in billions in profits while giving data centers a break on fees and passing that loss onto consumers. Guest Clarence Blaylock joins to discuss Marjorie Taylor Greene's departure, the PSC shake-up, and why he's now running for Labor Commissioner. Finally, Ron closes with a look at iHeartMedia's new “Guaranteed Human” branding — and what it says about radio's relationship with AI, along with that company's "anti-human" hypocrisies. Tune in to catch the Ron Show weekdays from 4-6pm Eastern time on Georgia NOW! Grab the app or listen online at heargeorgianow.com.#HearGeorgiaNow #TheRonShow #JeffMcCausland #MarkKelly #ClarenceBlaylock #GeorgiaPSC #GeorgiaPower #AI #DataCenters #AtlantaNews

Britton Briley is the owner & founder Ghost Brands and part of his 53 clients spread across 14 states includes the Athens Rock Lobsters, who are off to a torrid start and lead the Federal Prospects Hockey League with a 9-1 record. The Classic City is loving their hockey team! Ghost Brands Roster.... Athens Rock Lobsters (FPHL)Greenville Swamp Rabbits (ECHL)Hub City Spartanburgers (MiLB)Greenville Triumph (USL1)Greenville Liberty (USL W League) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shareef Abdur-Rahim is the President of the NBA G League and more importantly, the brother of Abdur-Rahim. Love Wins ClassicKennesaw State's highly anticipated game with South Florida is just around thecorner, as the two teams will face off for the first-time ever on the basketball courtthis Sunday, Nov. 16th to honor the legacy of Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passedaway unexpectedly just over a year ago before the start of the 2024-25 season. Love Wins was Amir Abdur-Rahim's mantra, and it is in that spirit that the two schoolscame together to schedule this series Game will be played in honor of Amir Abdur-Rahim, who coached at both schools,leading each to their greatest single seasons in school history. There will be a halftime recognition of Coach Amir and his family. Amir was KSU Head Coach from 2019–2023, leading them to their first winningDivision I season and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023Amir was Head Coach at USF in 2023-24 season, leading them to their first Top 25ranking in both the AP and Coaches; Poll and their first American AthleticConference regular season title. He also served as an assistant at both Georgia Tech and UGASee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Gladiators are off to a torrid start and are in 1st place in the league. Jared Youngman is their President and as he likes to say, “Everyone’s a hockey fan, they just don't know it yet!” Fun Promotion nights, (Fight Cancer, Teddy bear toss, star wars, Hockey Heritage, and more)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the Thursday, Oct. 30 edition of Georgia Today: The parent company of Georgia Power beats Wall Street expectations; Gwinnett County will soon get a new life sciences research park; and frustration builds as the government shutdown continues.

The boys are live on site at LakePoint Sports for the 2025 National Youth Sports Summit and they were joined by the man who put it all together, LakePoint's President & CEO Mark O'Brien. The National Youth Sports Summit presented by SportsEngine convenes executives and experts leading and impacting the $39b travel and youth sports industry. The annual event hosted on the LakePoint Sports campus addresses critical issues, trends, and opportunities inside and outside the lines of the burgeoning industry, including financial and economic initiatives, sports participation trends, health and safety, sports science, media, technology, investments, diversity, access, real estate, as well as the the broad industry ecosystem, including athletes, parents, coaches, leagues, operators, brands, and more! This perennial event also recognizes the LakePoint Sports Impact Award Recipient for their significant on-going industry contributions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andrew Saltzman - President, Business Enterprise and Chief Commercial Officer for the Hawks & State Farm Arena -Season just tipped off -JPMorganChase and the new app -Hawks New Jersey Patch partnership with Paze-Upcoming events/concerts-10 years of new OwnershipSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy O'Connell, USTA Atlanta Executive Director joins the guys to talk about an incredible tennis event coming to Atlanta....The Atlanta Cup. The Atlanta Cup is a one-night-only exhibition that’s bringing world-class tennis back to Atlanta. On Dec. 6, Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, Nick Kyrgios and Ben Shelton will face-off in dynamic matches that tennis fans won’t want to miss. With more than 100,000 active league players through ALTA and USTA, Atlanta is the largest and most passionate tennis community in the country. This event honors that passion and gives the city the spotlight it deserves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dale DeSena, Founder/CEO, Grand Tasting presented by Taste of Atlanta Chef Mark Alba of Hartley Kitchen & Cocktails Grand Tasting Midtown - Thursday, Oct 16th 2025 - Epicurean Hotel Atlanta See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brandon & Elizabeth Lindsey, Founders of Dream on 3 Making Dreams A RealityWe make sports-themed “dreams” come true for kids and young adults, ages 5-21, who are living with life-altering conditions including those with mental health challenges and intellectual disabilities. Dream Recipients are given the opportunity to live out their ultimate sports dreams through customized experiences with a favorite athlete, sporting event, or sports team.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chet Mirabal, Tournament Director 10th Annual Trade Partners Charity Golf Tournament @ Atlanta National Website – awtradepartners.comThis year’s event is Celebrating 10 years of giving back The first 9 events have raised over $1,000,000 -- This year’s event will put us near the 1.3 million dollar mark in donations in 10 yearsProud to say that this event has helped 1,000 kids live their dream of a camp experience that they deserveAll proceeds will be donated to Camp Twin Lakes and HomeAid Atlanta, every dollar raised gets used and goes straight to these organizationSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a landmark move for the sport, Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) and Major League Volleyball have announced plans for a single, united league poised to elevate professional women’s volleyball in the United States. The unified league will be branded as MLV, having the Atlanta Vibe continuing its third season in the newly branded league.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Voshall, Director of Product, Mizuno Golf joined Nick & Chris as golf is squarely in the spotlight after Wednesday's Ryder Cup team announcements and last weekend's wildly successful Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club. The guys discussed the new Mizuno Pro S-1 launch, the JPX Iron success as well as the Mizuno Pro Wedge and new additions to the line. They also talked about the Mizuno Foundry launch and how it’s going so far. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tour Championship has raised more than $63M for local non-profits since first being played at East Lake in 1998, including a record $6.9M from the 2024 tournament. Payne Stewart Award presented by Southern Company, which was awarded to Payne's good friend Paul Azinger on Tuesday night. Tom Cousins and the East Lake Community, a transformation that led to the founding of Purpose Built Communities, which expanded his vision to a national level. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jill Thomas is the Chief Marketing Officer for the PGA TOUR Superstore as well the Governor for the TGL's Atlanta Drive Golf Club. Needless to say, it's a monster week for her with the Tour Championship at East Lake taking center stage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The big event is finally here! The Tour Championship tees off Thursday at East Lake Golf Club with all of the eyes of golf on Atlanta's incredible spectacle. Chad Parker, East Lake Golf Club President & General Manager See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ilham Askia, Pres & CEO of the East Lake Foundation This year, the East Lake Foundation is celebrating 30 years of impact and transformation in the community. We honor the legacies of all who blazed the trail of change over the past 30 years since the “Architects of the Vision” ignited a movement, while especially honoring the legacy of founder Tom Cousins who passed away this year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CapTech handles all of the ‘tech’ related stuff for the TGL Golf League. CapTechConsulting.com Topics discussed:-TGL Season 1 and building the league -Broader golf industry boom / changes-Tech across sports and AI uses -Next week’s Tour Championship at East Lake Roberto Castro is a Director at CapTech, a technology consulting firm where he focuses on Sports industry. A Georgia Tech Industrial Engineering grad, he spent 15 years in professional golf, including 9 seasons on the PGA Tour with appearances in 2 Tour Championships, 2 Masters, and 6 US Opens. He hosts the Course Record Show podcast focused on the business of golf, and lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than 100 of the world's largest energy companies are betting that artificial intelligence (AI) will revolutionize how electricity gets made, moved, and managed. But they're not waiting for Silicon Valley to build it for them—they've taken matters into their own hands through an EPRI-led consortium. That initiative is the Open Power AI Consortium, which EPRI launched in March 2025 to drive the development and deployment of an open AI model tailored for the power sector. According to its mission statement, the Open Power AI Consortium “aims to evolve the electric sector by leveraging advanced AI technologies to innovate the way electricity is made, moved, and used by customers. By fostering collaboration among industry leaders, researchers, and technology providers, the consortium will drive the development and deployment of cutting-edge AI solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiencies, increase resiliency and reliability, deploy emerging and sustainable technologies, and reduce costs while improving the customer experience.” “We're really looking at building an ecosystem to accelerate the development and deployment, and recognizing that, while AI is advancing rapidly, the energy industry has its own unique needs, especially around reliability, safety, regulatory compliance, and so forth. So, the consortium provides a collaborative platform to develop and maintain domain-specific AI models—think a ChatGPT tailored to the energy industry—as well as sharing best practices, testing innovative solutions in a secure environment, and long term, we believe this will help modernize the grid, improve customer experiences, and support global safe, affordable, and reliable energy for everyone,” Jeremy Renshaw, executive director for AI and Quantum with EPRI, said as a guest on The POWER Podcast. Among the consortium's members are some of the largest energy companies in the world, including Constellation, Con Edison, Duke Energy, EDF, Korea Electric Power Corp. (KEPCO), New York Power Authority (NYPA), Pacific Gas and Electric Co. (PG&E), Saudi Electricity Co., Southern Company, Southern California Edison, Taiwan Power Co., and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). It also includes entities like Amazon Web Servies (AWS), Burns and McDonnell, GE Vernova, Google, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Interconnection Authority, Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP), Khalifa University, Microsoft, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), PJM, Rolls-Royce SMR, and Westinghouse Electric Co. “For many years, the power industry has been somewhat siloed, and there were not many touch points or communication between global utilities, technology companies, universities, and so forth. So, this consortium aims to facilitate making new connections between these important and impactful organizations to increase collaboration and information sharing that will benefit everyone,” Renshaw explained. EPRI, together with Articul8 and NVIDIA, has already developed the first set of domain-specific generative AI models for electric and power systems aimed at advancing the energy transformation. Although the technology has not been released publicly, it will be made available soon as an NVIDIA NIM microservice for early access. This development sets the foundation for more to come.

Brave Kids Mystery Baseball Fundraiser 2025. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has had a long-standing partnership with the Braves Linda Matzigkeit, Chief Administrative OfficerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our 11th Annual 680 Tailgate Golf Classic benefits L.E.A.D. L.E.A.D. We’re empowering Black boys in Atlanta through baseball. LeadCenterForYouth.org L.E.A.D. has deepened their partnership with Atlanta Public Schools by launching theLady Ambassadors, our girl’s tennis program. • L.E.A.D. launched Pedagogy For Pros, our signature sports-based youthdevelopment coaches’ certification, in collaboration with Georgia HighlandsCollege. • L.E.A.D. has plans to build a state-of-the-art L.E.A.D. Center For Youth in Bankheadat Center Hill Park, where C.J. Stewart, co-founder/CVO of L.E.A.D. was bornand raised.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corrie is the CEO and Founder of Safemap International. He began his career in human resources, progressing to Group Risk Manager at Billiton (now BHP), where he developed essential safety‑performance strategies for a 120,000‑strong workforce across 65 mining and industrial sites. Since founding Safemap in 1994, he has consulted internationally across industries—from mining and utilities to defence, construction, and energy—partnering with companies such as Southern Company, International Paper, and Nike. Corrie's Thought Leadership and Career Highlights:A pioneering voice on Safety I vs. Safety II integration, advocating for systems that respect human potential and resilience while preventing serious injuries and fatalities.Developed SAFEmap's concept of risk competence, reframing humans as dynamic risk managers rather than the “weakest link” in safety chains.Led cultural safety transformations—such as Southern Company's shift from TRIR‑based incentives to proactive learning and psychological safety—resulting in deeper trust, better reporting, and reduced serious incidents.

This is the 25th year the Payne Stewart Award has been presented to a player who best exemplifies Payne Stewart's values of character, charity & sportsmanship. Paul Azinger is the recipient of the 2025 Payne Stewart Award Tour Championship is scheduled for August 21st - 24th at East Lake See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino talk everything Atlanta Sports, the National Sports picture and the current (and WAY back when) in pop culture! Get the latest and your fill of Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks daily from two "Southern" Yankees daily Mon-Fri from 10a-2p! The 12 o'clock hour is brought to you by SCANA Energy, the Official Natural Gas Partner of Georgia Tech. Dimino is live at Falcons Training Camp Business of Sports with the big cheese Chris Womack, CEO of Southern Company Braves issues continue On Campus See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Braves and Major League Baseball 2025 All-Star Legacy Initiative, a combined investmentof more than $4 million into projects aimed at providing access to baseball and softball foryouth, supporting veterans, and providing resources such as sustainable food and farming tounderserved communities across metro Atlanta. Geoffrey Schmidt, Atlanta Braves Senior Director, Entertainment & EventsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game and festivities here in Atlanta, are proudly partnering with KultureCity. KultureCity is the world’s leading nonprofit on sensory accessibility and inclusion for individuals with sensory needs and invisible disabilities. This partnership is a powerful step toward informing the one in four individuals impacted across our communities. Most recognizable groups - autism and dyslexia to dementia, PTSD, brain injury, and ADHD- this community touches over twenty groups, many of which your listeners or their loved ones are connected to. Among its over 50 interactive attractions and exhibits, the Capital One All-Star Village this weekend and next week at the Cobb Galleria highlights a focus on accessibility. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark O'Brien, LakePoint Sports President & CEO...and good friend of the station...joined the guys to talk about another incredible year at LakePoint Sports just up the road in Emerson. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Chevrolet ZL1 for Trackhouse Racing Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart Saturday night, June 28th @ 7pmEchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway)Marks the return of night racing to Atlanta and it's also the first race in NASCAR's new In-Season Challenge.The weekend will also include the Focused Health 250 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series on Friday, June 27th . www.EchoParkSpeedway.com -Daniel competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series and part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 9 Chevrolet SS for JR Motorsports. -Suárez is the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion with Joe Gibbs Racing, becoming the first foreign-born driver to win a major NASCAR National Series championship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino talk everything Atlanta Sports, the National Sports picture and the current (and WAY back when) in pop culture! Get the latest and your fill of Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks daily from two "Southern" Yankees daily Mon-Fri from 10a-2p! The 12 o'clock hour is brought to you by SCANA Energy, the Official Natural Gas Partner of Georgia Tech. Braves Panic meter...how high is yours? Business of Sports - Rich Kenah, Atlanta Track Club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lots going on at the Atlanta Track Club….. -Tonight is their All-Metro Track & Field Banquet-AJC Peachtree Road Race is a month away on July 4th -MLB All-Star 4.4 Miler on July 13th www.AtlantaTrackClub.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17th Annual Atlanta Braves All-American Blood Drive (June 3rd – 21st) Garrett Reid, Red Cross Regional Donor Services Executive See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the PGA Championship underway up the road in Charlotte at Quail Hollow, it's a good time to check in with our friends at the Tour Championship. Executive Director Alex Urban TourChampionship.com Want to sing the National Anthem at the Ceremonial HOPE Tee Shot, the official tournament kickoff event on Thursday, August 21st, just before the PGA TOUR’s 30 best players begin the first round of competition? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a partner with 680 The Fan's First Horizon Bank 3rd Annual Baseball & Softball Gear Drive, Leveling The Playing Field is everything we could ask for. With a mission of redistributing equipment to expand access and equity within youth sports and recreation programs in under-resourced communities, Leveling The Playing Field is doing amazing work nationwide and now in Atlanta. -Kaitlin Brennan, COO - www.levelingtheplayingfield.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solomon Brothers has partnerships with the Atlanta Braves, the Georgia Bulldogs & the Atlanta Vibe, which makes them a force in the Atlanta sports media scene. Their CMO Nick Constantino joins Nick & Chris to tell us how it all happens! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Stokan is a busy man as the Peach Bowl continues to be a major part of the college football world. We discuss.... -CFP Dates & Times for 2025-26 CFP Bowls and National Championship Game -Peach Bowl, Inc. Events Surpass $1.5 Billion in Cumulative Economic Impact -Southern Company Peach Bowl Challenge See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Georgia Tech women's basketball coach Karen Blair joins Cellini and Dimino!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Taste of Atlanta GRAND TASTING - Buckhead is BACK! Enjoy epicurean delights from over 20 Atlanta area restaurants, quench your thirst of craft beers and adult beverages, live music and MORE! If you're into fine dining, you will not want to miss this! For more information and tickets, CLICK HERE!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We check in with the man who has his pulse on the finger of Atlanta's sports scene unlike anyone else! Dan Corso gives us the skinny on this weekend's NCAA Men's Basketball South Regional at State Farm Arena and we get an update on next Summer's World Cup action at Mercedes Benz Stadium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join EPRI experts Stephanie Shaw and Lakshmi Srinivasan of EPRI's Energy Storage research area, and Southern Company's Kieran Claffey to learn how research, risk assessment and analysis continues to improve the safety of battery storage technology and operations. As battery storage energy grows across the globe, with the vast majority of deployments being lithium ion, what have we learned about the safety of battery storage as both a source and as part of a larger electric system?    Find out more about EPRI's Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Failure Incident Database, initiated in 2021. It tracks incidents involving BESS systems, providing valuable data on system age, manufacturer, chemistry, and application.    For more information: EPRI Failure Incident Database: BESS Failure Incident Database - EPRI Storage Wiki EPRI Whitepaper: Analysis of Failure Root Cause: Insights from EPRI's Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Failure Incident Database: Analysis of Failure Root Cause   Guests: Stephanie Shaw, Technical Executive, Energy Storage, EPRI Lakshmi Srinivasan, Principal Team Lead, Energy Storage, EPRI Kieran Claffey, Senior rResearch Engineer in the Research Environment and Sustainability Group of Southern Co., Industry Lead, Safety and Grid Security Tiger Team for the Long Duration Energy Storage National Consortium     If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and share! And please consider leaving a review and rating on Apple Podcasts/iTunes.      Follow EPRI: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/epri/  Twitter https://twitter.com/EPRINews      EPRI Current examines key issues and new R&D impacting the energy transition. Each episode features insights from EPRI, the world's preeminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization, and from other energy industry leaders. We also discuss how innovative technologies are shaping the global energy future. Learn more at www.epri.com 

Nick Cellini and Chris Dimino talk everything Atlanta Sports, the National Sports picture and the current (and WAY back when) in pop culture! Get the latest and your fill of Atlanta Braves, Georgia Bulldogs, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks daily from two "Southern" Yankees daily Mon-Fri from 11a-2p! BTG RedZone Who is PlayFly See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Atlanta Drive prepare for the inaugural TGL Postseason, the boys check in with the CEO & President of the Southern Company, Chris Womack, to discuss their involvement. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Georgia Power (owned by Southern Company) updated its IRP and is sending environmental activists into a tizzy.Join the Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/PeterZeihanFull Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/zeihan/coal-remains-essential-for-us-electricity

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Latabia Woodward The visionary Founder and CEO of the music tech startup, “Who’s Got Next Music Inc.,” and the esteemed Chairman of the Ann Cephus Family Fund, has charted a remarkable path from her collegiate days to becoming a pioneering force in music technology. Her early retirement from a distinguished 20-plus year tenure in corporate America enhanced her expertise in software development, risk management, and technology project management by leading pivotal projects that enhanced information technology (IT) service delivery for a vast customer base. Her professional path began at Genuine Parts Company/National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA), where she specialized in their proprietary technology software. Her career trajectory soared at Lademacher and Hertel Software (LHS) Corporation, a mobile telecommunications firm, where she advanced from an analyst to managing software development, quality assurance and project management divisions. Latabia's nearly two-decades-long service at The Southern Company as a Program Manager further cemented her status as an expert in her field.Latabia Woodward's academic credentials are as notable as her professional achievements. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision Sciences/Management Information Systems from East Carolina University, complemented by a Master of Science in Technology Management from the University of Phoenix. Adding to her academic achievements, Latabia is an internationally certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and also holds certifications in IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundations and Agile project management methodology, underscoring her comprehensive mastery in project management disciplines.Latabia's civic contributions are extensive! Beginning with her college tenure, Latabia was instrumental in the implementation of Greenville Housing Authority's Welfare to Work Grant program under the Clinton Administration as an adult education instructor. Later, she co-founded the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Foundation, which delivered essential life skills training to at-risk middle and high school students. Latabia has served in a number of influential positions on various boards and committees, including the Gwinnett Technical College Foundation Board and the Gwinnett County Police Citizens Advisory Board. She is a graduate of the highly-esteemed, invitation-only Leadership Gwinnett community development program and has been recognized by the White House, under President Joe Biden’s administration and the State of Georgia, receiving commendations for her dedication to public service. Today, she serves as the vice-chairman of ArtWorks! Gwinnett and leads the Ann Cephus Family Fund, a non-profit honoring her mother dedicated to training creative students with employable skills.Latabia is an illustrious Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. member and has served locally, regionally, and most recently, nationally on the National Program Planning & Development (PP&D) Committee’s Economic Development Subcommittee. She has served in many capacities in Delta, including but not limited to being the former co-campaign manager for immediate national past president Beverly Evans Smith, visionary and lead for the national Delta Red Pages soror-owned business web directory, a past president of the Gwinnett County Alumnae Chapter, former collegiate advisor for the Zeta Phi Chapter at Georgia State University, and as a certified Georgia Delta Internal Development (DID) Trainer.Latabia's life is also rich in personal fulfillment as a wife, a mother of six adult children, a grandmother affectionately known as “GiGi”, and a member of Salem Missionary Baptist Church in Lilburn, GA. Company Description * Who’s Got Next Music is an artist amplification platform dedicated to discovering and promoting emerging music talent through fair competitions, community engagement, and easy access to new sounds. We provide a web and mobile app that allows artists to showcase their talent, connect with fans, and participate in exclusive competitions, making it easier for them to grow their presence and reach a global audience. #STRAW #BEST #SHMSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.