Podcasts about white house fellow

Over 160 million Americans are served by Optum, yet many still don't fully understand what it actually does—or why it matters.Dr. Patrick Conway, newly appointed CEO of Optum and former head of CMS Innovation Center and Blue Cross NC, joins Steve for a wide-ranging discussion on the state of healthcare delivery, affordability, and the potential of value-based care at a national scale. With experience spanning the frontlines of medicine to top government and corporate leadership, Conway breaks down how Optum aims to improve care while controlling costs—and why he continues to practice as a pediatric hospitalist on weekends.We cover:

In this enlightening episode, you''ll learn how a growing group of funders is thinking about wellbeing – for grantees and themselves. Laura Bacon, strategy lead and facilitator of the Funders and Wellbeing Group, discusses how this new global group of a dozen foundations is working to transform philanthropic culture with regard to wellbeing. Through regular virtual meetings and annual in-person gatherings, the group explores ways to support both individual and organizational wellbeing in the social sector. Their recent retreat in Malaysia highlighted how many nonprofit staff challenges related to wellbeing are universal, from shrinking civic spaces to staff burnout and retention issues.The conversation emphasizes the critical importance of maintaining focus on wellbeing initiatives during challenging times, particularly in the current political climate where social justice work and the nonprofit sector face significant pressures. Laura advocates for funders to be more flexible and generous in their support, while ensuring that wellbeing remains a priority rather than an optional add-on in grantmaking practices.Laura shares her journey from musician to social change advocate, and her extensive experience in philanthropy and wellbeing initiatives. As the former founding director of the Partner Support Program at Luminate (an Omidyar foundation), she established wellbeing stipends for grantee organizations, allowing them to address their staff's needs with maximum flexibility. The program distributed about 71 grants totaling $350,000, which organizations used for various purposes from team retreats to mental health support.Biography:For more than two decades, Laura Bacon has designed programs and led projects and teams to achieve social impact around the world. She's currently an independent consultant, partnering with clients on a host of cool initiatives. One of her roles includes Strategy Lead and Facilitator of the Funders + Wellbeing Group at The Wellbeing Project, where she facilitates peer-learning and convenings among a dozen funders to enhance wellbeing for individuals, organizations, sectors, and communities.Previously, Laura was founding director of the Partner Support program at Luminate, a global philanthropic organization that is part of the Omidyar Group, where she supported over 300 grantee partners to achieve their goals of being more resilient, healthy & inclusive, and well-networked.Before working at Luminate / Omidyar Network, Laura was a White House Fellow focused on clean energy.Resources: laura.m.bacon@gmail.com LinkedIn Funders & Wellbeing Group Website Wellbeing Project website The Wellbeing Project - Global Hearth Summit in Slovenia College course: Personal Choice and Global Transformation Global Values 101, a book based on the above course, edited by Brian Palmer, Kate Holbrook, Ann S. Kim, Anna Portnoy   Rights and Dignity Working Group (piloted Wellness stipends - a cross-Omidyar Group initiative) Astraea Lesbian Foundation For Justice (inspiration for wellness stipends) https://astraeafoundation.org  - Healing Justice stipend General Service Foundation (inspiration for wellness stipends): https://generalservice.org/whatwefund/healingjustice/  - Fund the People podcast interview with Desiree Flores Priya Parker book “The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters” Deepa Iyer's Social Change Ecosystem Role Map Prospera, the International Network of Women's Funders, doing great work on wellbeing Laura's Blog posts on Partner Support, Coaching Stipend, Wellbeing Stipends: Luminate & Omidyar Group (philanthropy I worked with for 10+ years) * Here's more info about thePartner Support program of which I was the founding director Blogs (first andsecond) about Luminate's wellbeing stipend Luminate's coaching stipend Grantee Perception Reports (2020 and2023) Funders & Wellbeing Group "FundWell" newsletter about our funders' retreat in Malaysia

As Dr. Murthy prepares to conclude his term as Surgeon General, the moment is , the moment is bittersweet: serving as Surgeon General has been the honor of his lifetime, and saying goodbye is hard. For this second-to-last episode of House Calls, he calls on his my moai – friends and fellow physicians Dave Chokshi and Sunny Kishmore – to reflect on the issues he took and how serving as Surgeon General has shaped him. Dr. Murthy also shares his final act as Surgeon General: offering a Parting Prescription for America. It is a summary of what I have learned from my two terms, and what I believe will help heal the pain many people across our country are experiencing right now. (02:51)    How is Dr. Murthy feeling days before his time in office ends?(04:59)    What did it feel like to be asked to serve a second term as Surgeon General?(06:41)    What was Dr. Murthy's approach to figuring out what he wanted to work on in his second term?(09:48)    What aspect of his work as Surgeon General does Dr. Murthy feel particularly resonated with the people he has served?(15:47)    What did Dr. Murthy learn from his first term as Surgeon General that he brought to his second?(19:37)    What was the biggest challenge of being Surgeon General?(21:33)    What does Dr. Murthy think his children will remember about this time?(23:53)    How has Dr. Murthy influenced the role of Surgeon General?(25:53)    What personally caused Dr. Murthy angst while he was serving as Surgeon General?(33:35)    What was the impact of his work on his family?(39:17)    What is the power of unconditional love?(43:41)    What is U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's “Parting Prescription” For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.  For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.  Dr. Dave Chokshi, Physician & Public Health Leader  Twitter: @davechokshi    Dr. Sandeep (Sunny) Kishore, Physician-Scientist  Twitter: @sandeep_kishore  Instagram: @sunnyk5    About Dr. Dave Chokshi & Dr. Sunny Kishore  Dr. Dave A. Chokshi is a practicing physician and public health leader who most recently served as the 43rd Health Commissioner of New York City. From 2020-2022, he led the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its historic campaign to vaccinate over 6 million New Yorkers. Previously, Dr. Chokshi was the inaugural Chief Population Health Officer at the largest public healthcare system in the nation. He has held successive senior leadership roles that span the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. A Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow, he is nationally recognized as a transformational leader, a clinical innovator, a policy expert, and a fierce advocate for a stronger and more equitable health system.    Dr. Sandeep (Sunny) Kishore is a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco. He has worked on closing the “know-do” gap and translating scientific insights into real-world applications with focus on chronic disease prevention & control. Currently, he is focused on developing a scalable treatment algorithm for blood pressure control to improve cardiometabolic health for primary care clinics across the University of California. His work has led to the addition of over ten treatments to the Essential Medicines List of the World Health Organization (WHO) for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and mental illness. He also has provided technical guidance to Resolve to Save Lives with a focus on fixed dose combinations for blood pressure and led large global networks focused on reducing the toll of chronic illness worldwide.      Dr. Kishore completed his medical and graduate training at Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Institute and Oxford, undertook his clinical training at Yale and Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School and has held fellowships at Harvard, Yale and the Dalai Lama Center at MIT. He currently resides in the Bay Area with his wife. 

Shereef Elnahal, MD, MBA Under Secretary for Health at the Department of Veterans Affairs, joins Eric to discuss the transformative potential of psychedelic-assisted therapies for veterans. The conversation explores the VA's groundbreaking initiatives, including their funding of studies on MDMA and psilocybin, and how these therapies address conditions like PTSD, depression, and addiction.    Dr. Elnahal highlights the VA's role as a leader in mental health research and shares a vision for how these breakthrough therapies could revolutionize care for millions. Learn how veterans themselves have driven this agenda, the promising outcomes from early studies, and the significant hurdles in bringing these therapies to scale.    Tune in for a thought-provoking discussion on the future of mental health treatment for veterans and how the integration of psychedelic-assisted therapies could revolutionize care and improve the quality of life for those who have served.   About Dr. Elnahal Dr. Shereef Elnahal is Under Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He was nominated by President Joseph R. Biden and confirmed by the United States Senate on July 21, 2022. As the Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Elnahal directs a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $102.2 billion, overseeing the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at over 1,300 health care facilities, including 171 VA Medical Centers and 1,120 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics). VHA is the nation's largest provider of graduate medical education and a major contributor to medical and scientific research. More than 73,000 active volunteers, 127,000 health professions trainees, and more than 362,000 health care professionals and support staff are an integral part of the VHA community.   Dr. Elnahal is physician leader who previously served as President and Chief Executive Officer of University Hospital in Newark, NJ from 2019 through 2022. Dr. Elnahal led University Hospital through the COVID-19 public health emergency. The hospital has served as a model for urban hospital and regional response efforts. In addition to his leadership during the pandemic, Dr. Elnahal oversaw substantial improvements in care quality and patient safety at University Hospital, leading to improvements against national benchmarks. Prior to his time at University Hospital, Elnahal served as New Jersey's 21st Health Commissioner, appointed to the Cabinet post by Governor Phil Murphy and confirmed unanimously by the New Jersey Senate. During his nearly two years as Commissioner, he expanded the New Jersey Health Information Network, an interoperability platform that allows for electronic exchange of patient health information among healthcare providers. He worked closely with New Jersey First Lady Tammy Murphy on her Nurture NJ campaign to help improve infant and maternal health outcomes and reduce health disparities—a mission he continued at University Hospital, with its top tier maternal health services. He also made strides in curbing the opioid epidemic, granting funding to institutions to facilitate data sharing and public health reporting, and marked NJ as the first state in the nation to allow EMS responders to use buprenorphine in the field to prevent withdrawal after naloxone. Dr. Elnahal previously served as VA's Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Quality, Safety, and Value from 2016 through 2018, overseeing national policies around quality of care for the VHA, and as a White House Fellow in the VA from 2015-16. During that time, he co-founded the VHA Innovation Ecosystem, a program that continues to foster the spread of innovation and best practices that improve Veteran care across the nation. Dr. Elnahal holds an M.D. from Harvard Medical School and an M.B.A. with Distinction from Harvard Business School. Press Release from VA New research would determine the benefit of psychedelics for treating PTSD and depression in Veterans: https://news.va.gov/press-room/to-improve-care-for-veterans-va-to-fund-studies-on-new-therapies-for-treating-mental-health-conditions/   VA Health: https://www.va.gov/health-care/   VA Mental Health Resources: https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/index.asp   Bright Spots in Healthcare is produced by Bright Spots Ventures Bright Spots Ventures brings healthcare leaders together to share working solution or "bright spots" to common challenges. We build valuable and meaningful relationships through our Bright Spots in Healthcare podcast, webinar series, leadership councils, customized peer events, and sales and go-to-market consulting. We believe that finding a bright spot and cloning it is the most effective strategy to improve healthcare in our lifetime. Visit our website at www.brightspotsinhealthcare.com

In this episode, host Kent Hance engages with Merrie Spaeth, a communications expert with a distinguished career in public service and media. Merrie shares her journey from her Quaker school education to Smith College, emphasizing the foundational values and critical thinking skills she gained. She recounts her early career as a reporter, her transformative experience as a White House Fellow, and her impactful roles at the FBI and Federal Trade Commission. The discussion highlights her strategic approach to communication, crisis management, and leadership, offering valuable insights into navigating complex political and business landscapes.

Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96 shares her insights on leadership, resilience, resurgence, perseverance, advocacy, and how she continues to serve her country, even after her military career. ----more---- A SHOW NOTE:  There are two ways to learn from Col. Malachowski's leadership journey. If you're short on time, the audio version delivers the highlights of her stories in 40 minutes. Her leadership bites, takeaways, keys to leadership and transcript are below. The video version is 1:46:00 and is well worth the investment of your time. This version includes stories and details about the Colonel's journey she hasn't shared before. Click the "Play" button in the video above and settle in for a most enlightening conversation.    SUMMARY Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96 is a trailblazer who has broken barriers in both military aviation and advocacy. She was one of the first women to fly combat fighter aircraft, accruing more than 2,300 flight hours in six different aircraft and serving in multiple high-stakes missions, including Operations Deliberate Forge and Iraqi Freedom. But her story doesn't end there. As the first woman to fly with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, a White House Fellow, and a key advisor on military and veterans' issues, Nicole's career has been defined by leadership at the highest levels. After being medically retired due to a Tick-Borne Illness, she turned her focus to advocacy, leading efforts to improve care for the wounded, ill, and injured service members through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. Now a passionate advocate for Tick-Borne Disease research, Nicole serves on several national committees and advisory boards, including the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.   NICOLE'S LEADERHIP BITES "Leadership is a journey." "The runway behind you is always unusable." "Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader." "Believe those who believe in you." "Nobody wants to lead a scripted life." "Courage, compassion, and curiosity drive me today." "It's okay to admit when you make mistakes."   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  FACEBOOK   TAKEAWAYS Leadership is personal - It's about understanding what motivates and drives each individual on your team, and tailoring your approach accordingly. Believe in those who believe in you - Mentors like Mick Jaggers who supported and encouraged Nicole were pivotal in her development as a leader. Don't write yourself or others out of the script - As General Matthews told Nicole, "Nobody wants to lead a scripted life." Embrace opportunities to dream big and take risks. Radical acceptance is key - When Nicole's military career ended unexpectedly, learning to accept the situation allowed her to move forward and find new purpose. Personal values guide your path - Nicole's core values of courage, compassion and curiosity have been instrumental in navigating life's challenges and reinventing herself.   CHAPTERS 00:00  The Journey of Leadership 02:01  Colonel Malachowski's Early Life and Aspirations 06:01  Navigating the Air Force Academy 09:46  Leadership Lessons from Soaring 14:07  Overcoming Challenges in Pilot Training 17:50  Key Leadership Experiences in the Air Force 21:59  Becoming a Thunderbird Pilot 25:47  Transitioning to Civilian Life 30:02  Advocacy and New Beginnings 34:09  Personal Values and Resilience 37:54  Final Thoughts on Leadership   NICOLE'S KEYS TO LEADERSHIP SUCCESS Leadership is a journey that requires growth and learning. It's okay to admit mistakes and seek help. Resilience is key to overcoming challenges. Personal values guide decision-making and actions. Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional development. Failure is often the price of entry for success. Authentic leadership is about understanding and connecting with people. The importance of representation in leadership roles. Transitioning to civilian life can be a new beginning. Embrace opportunities and seize the moment.   ABOUT NICOLE BIO Colonel Nicole Malachowski (USAF, Ret.) is a pioneering leader whose distinguished career spans combat aviation, military advocacy, and public service. As one of the first women to fly fighter jets, Nicole's journey included over 188 combat hours and multiple leadership roles, including F-15E Flight Commander, Instructor Pilot, and Flight Lead. She also made history as the first woman to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds. Throughout her career, Nicole demonstrated exceptional leadership, serving in high-level roles such as a White House Fellow and Executive Director of the ‘Joining Forces' program, where she advised the First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden on veterans' issues. After being medically retired due to a neurological Tick-Borne Illness, Nicole transitioned to a new mission: advocating for service members, veterans, and others impacted by chronic illnesses. She's a leader in the national Tick-Borne Disease community, serving on key advisory boards and government committees, and actively mentoring wounded veterans through the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. Nicole is also a sought-after speaker, author, and consultant, sharing her experiences of overcoming adversity and breaking barriers to inspire the next generation of leaders. Her accomplishments include two master's degrees, induction into the Women in Aviation Pioneer Hall of Fame, and founding her own speaking and consulting firm. Today, Nicole continues to serve and lead, using her story to drive change and impact communities across the country.  - Adapted from Col. Malachowski's bio at nicholemalachowski.com   READ NICOLE'S FULL STORY HERE     CONNECT WITH NICOLE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK  |  INSTAGRAM  |  NICOLE'S LINKTREE     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          ABRIDGED AUDIO TRANSCRIPT DOWNLOAD THE UNABRIDGED VIDEO TRANSCRIPT HERE  SPEAKERS GUEST:  Col. (Ret.) Nicole Malachowski '96  |  HOST:  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   SPEAKERS Naviere Walkewicz, Nicole Malachowski   Nicole Malachowski  00:11 You know, leadership is a journey. We're always put into positions that we're supposed to grow into. Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader. It's okay to admit when you make mistakes, it's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to have failures, as long as you overcome them. And I like to remind folks at all levels of leadership, you know that the runway behind you is always unusable. All you ever have is the runway that's in front of you.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:34 My guest today is Colonel Retired Nicole Malachowski, USAFA class of '96. Her career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Colonel Malachowski is perhaps best known as the first woman to fly as a pilot with the Thunderbirds, a singular distinction that set her path to reaching even greater heights. However, what you might not know is that her journey took an unexpected turn when she faced a sudden life altering loss of her place in the Air Force. The challenges that followed were extreme and personal, but through them, Colonel malikowski demonstrated a resilience and strength that not only transformed her own life, but also empowered her to help others with their own struggles. In today's conversation, we'll dive deep into the personal and professional journey that led her to transition to civilian life, the lessons she learned from the hardships she faced along the way, and how she now advocates for others, sharing the wisdom she's gained from the tough battles she's fought and won. We'll also take a look back at her time at the academy, her experiences as a pilot and the leadership principles that have guided Colonel malikowski, she has become a powerful voice for resilience, perseverance and leadership, and I'm excited to hear her insights on all of these topics. Colonel Malachowski, may I call you Nicole?   Nicole Malachowski  02:34 Yes, please.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:34 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, and thank you for being here.   Nicole Malachowski  02:37 Thank you for having me.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:38 It's a pleasure. It truly is. I think one of the things that's so exciting for our listeners is really getting to know you. And you know, I think there's no question about who you are in the media, I mean, all the things you've accomplished, but some things that are most special is when we just sit down and kind of get to know you behind the scenes.   Nicole Malachowski  02:53 Indeed, let's do it.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:54 So let's go back to even before the Academy. Where did you grow up? Where are you from? And what were you like as a little girl?   Nicole Malachowski  03:00 Sure, yeah. So I was actually born in central California, in a town called Santa Maria, and I was born, I consider very lucky, because I was born a woman in America, so there was a lot of opportunities, you know, afforded to me. Also very lucky to be born into a solid, you know, middle class family, you know, I was a kid who always had a roof over my head and food on the table, which makes it a lot easier, right, for you to seize opportunities and to be your best. And think it's important that we acknowledge that not everybody is born into that position. And so I was very, very lucky, I will tell you, I was definitely the loner, definitely an introvert. Always have been. A lot of people would be surprised by that, but I am a solid INFJ on the Myers Briggs, but as a young kid, just very quiet, kept to myself. I was very much a dreamer, very curious about things, so I loved to dive into books. I loved school. I was the kid that would take my lunch box, you know, out into the middle of the football field by myself and just stare up at the sky and the clouds moving by, and dream about things. I remember being in the Girl Scouts during junior high we moved down towards Southern California, where I learned about Civil Air Patrol, and then from there, in high school, we actually made a big move to Las Vegas, Nevada. I continued my time in Civil Air Patrol as a cadet, but also joined the Air Force Junior ROTC at my high school.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:16 I'm just drawn to this visual of you with your lunch box in the middle of the football field looking up at this guy. So were you dreaming about flying?   Nicole Malachowski  04:24 I was, you know, I went to an air show when I was five years old, and I remember seeing an f4 phantom fly by, and it flew by so low, and it was so loud, I had to cover my ears. And I remember, like, my chest rumbling, you know, the smell of jet fuel. And I remember thinking, man, like there's a person in there, like, I want to be, you know, that person. And I had come from a family that, you know, honored and respected military service. So both of my grandfathers were career military my father had been drafted into the army during Vietnam. So I knew that, like, you know, military service was honorable and noble and good. And when I discovered that that was a military plane. I remember as a kid putting one plus one is two. I'm like, wait, you can fly jets and serve in the military. That's what I'm going to be. And wow, that was around 1979 and that's right, there are no boundaries on things. So looking up at the sky, watching planes, and of course, in high school in particular, moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, because Nellis Air Force bases there. So, I mean, I would watch the red flag launches and watch how those jets fly. And of course, I would see the six ship of Thunderbirds flying by as a kid, thinking that was pretty cool. So to be honest, I set my sights on the Air Force Academy in elementary school.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:34 Oh, my goodness.   Nicole Malachowski  05:35 Yeah. So when I was five and decided to be a fighter pilot, you had decided, I mean, I was maniacally, maniacally focused. I did not have a backup plan. I am so lucky that things worked out because I have no idea what else I would have done, you know, with my career, but I remember in sixth grade, I wrote a letter to the Air Force Academy. They responded. The admissions office responded with a personalized letter letting me know I'm kind of young to apply now, but here's the application process. They sent me a whole bunch of Air Force Academy swag, and that was it sixth grade. I was going to the Air Force Academy, goodness, when you were actually old enough to apply. Now to the academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:13 Let's talk about that process. What was it like for you? Well, I mean, I think it was more exciting than anything else. I told you. I had stayed maniacally focused. I was very particular and organized about prioritizing how my application would look. So of course, I strove to have the good grades, and obviously stayed involved with the activities like Civil Air Patrol or participating in sports like running cross country and track, as well as doing, you know, community service type activities. So I was indeed focused on making sure that application looked good. I remember the thing I was probably the most nervous about were those interviews with your, you know, senators and your representatives, and wondering if I was going to be able to interview well. So I was, you know, putting my best foot forward. And I remember my senior year, it was approximately October, maybe coming up on November about this time, right? And I went to the mailbox to get the mail, and I had the application had already been in, right? Because everything was done before the fall, and I saw this giant envelope from the Air Force Academy. And I thought, No way, because it's only like October or November. And I started shaking, and I opened it right there at the mailbox. I had to go up the street. I opened it, and I feel bad because I think I littered like the envelope all over the street, but I remember opening it up, and the first line was, congratulations. You know, you've been accepted to the class of 1996 and I instantaneously just started crying and running as fast as I could back to my house.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:38 Had you been to the Academy prior to the acceptance?   Nicole Malachowski  07:41 No, never stood a foot on at all. And I remember when my parents came to drop me off for for Jacks Valley and everything basic training, when we came up over that hill, over Monument Hill, and you can see the chapel and the kind of imposing, you know, white buildings on a hill, I was like, Oh, wow, that's extraordinary. And I was really just excited. People ask, were you nervous that day? I was not, because I was just so happy that this, to me, was like the first step of the rest of my life. It was that first real step towards this goal of serving my country, you know, like people my family had, and getting to fly jets while I do it, how cool is that? I don't remember any highs or lows. I do remember I got my enjoyment becoming a cadet, you know, soaring instructor pilot.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:28 So let's talk about that. That is a, kind of a key leadership role as well.   Nicole Malachowski  08:32 Yes, that was my leadership role. So my senior year, I was the cadet soaring squadron commander. Oh, let's talk about Yes, yes. So obviously, between freshman, sophomore year, I signed up as soon as I could, you know, to take soaring, and when I discovered that you could actually apply to be a soaring instructor, and I remember that was a really like growth experience, because it's one thing to be able to fly a glider, it's another thing to be able to try to teach somebody how to do that. And I really, I I give a lot of credit to this, you know, sorry, instructor upgrade program teaching me the skills of, how do you communicate something technical? How do you communicate something hard, this idea that you need to be able to communicate it not just in one way, but two or three different ways, because each of your students is going to come at it with a different skill set or a different perspective or a different personality that responds to different type of teaching. So learning how to tailor your instruction and your care and your leadership to each individual was something I learned here, you know, as a sophomore, this idea that I would carry that on into my career as a leader and, you know, ultimately into being, you know, a fighter squadron commander. This tailored leadership actually started here, but soaring is what was my respite. Soaring is where I refilled that tank. It's one thing to be successful yourself. It's a whole different level to teach somebody else to be successful.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:55 So you knew you enjoyed Well, obviously you enjoyed the flying? And soaring, the leadership aspect, I think, was something that was new to you then. Or had you done that in Civil Air Patrol? Did you also have leadership there?   Nicole Malachowski  10:06 Yeah, I had leadership experience in Civil Air Patrol, but I think this was a different level. You know, my senior year becoming the cadet soaring squadron commander, it was really cool, because not only were you trying to take inputs from your peers and your colleagues on things we could improve or do differently, you know, valuing the other cadets opinions. But how do I translate that to leadership? How do I go now and talk to the real officers, the active duty officers in charge, and go, these are maybe resources we need, or things culturally, you know, that we need to change, and that was hard for me, you know, because I had never done that before. How do you advocate for your peers in a way that's understood, you know, by the active duty leadership. So that was really something that, again, would become important in my military career, because when you're put in a leadership role, you know, it's about, I think, advocating for the people who you are, you know, accountable for and responsible to, yes, and so how can you do that and do it in a way that it's received? Well, yes, you know, by the leadership above you,   Naviere Walkewicz  11:07 After you graduated from the Academy, you went on to pilot training.   Nicole Malachowski  11:11 I was slated to go early right after graduation, and I was a casual status Lieutenant flying gliders. Of course, went out for a jog and broke my ankle. So this would be my first kind of little, little detour. And I ended up, they offered me to go, to go to shepherd a lot later, or as soon as my ankle was healed, I could go to Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi right away. And I said, I gotta go, like, I cannot sit around and wait. I want to go to Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi. And everyone's like, what you're going to turn down, like, the chance of going to fighters to like, have to fight for it at Columbus. I like, I can't be stagnant. I need to go. So showed up at Columbus Air Force Base Mississippi, and again, really grateful for all of the flying experience that I had. I think that just those foundational procedures, you know, foundational knowledge, was vital to being a little more comfortable than other people that didn't have that experience. It was easy to be slightly ahead of the curve early on, but as I like to tell people, I fell flat on my face across the starting line my second check ride in pilot training, I failed. Now, pilot training at that time was about a year long. There were about 10 check rides, and at that time, failing one check ride, statistically, traditionally, would take you out of the running for graduating high enough to be a fighter pilot. This was devastating to me, and I remember even having fleeting moments that night of like, maybe I should just quit. Now this is, of course, the youth in me, right? I'm a 21 year old kid, and I'm just getting a little bit emotional about it, but if I can't be a fighter pilot and I just knock myself out of the running, I should quit. And I didn't call my parents because I didn't want to tell them I was too, like, embarrassed maybe, to say, like, hey, my dream that you all have supported is about to come to an end, because I messed up, and I made a really junior varsity mistake. And so I called my mentor, Sue Ross, and then she just let me talk, and she's like, are you done? And I'm done. And she goes, Well, are you going to do that again tomorrow? And I said, Sue, how am I supposed to get back in the jet tomorrow? How do I face my peers? I've been telling them I'm going to fly strike Eagles this whole time. Like this is so embarrassing. What if I fail again? What if I fail again tomorrow? And I remember, she talked me off the ledge, man, you know, and I came away. I came away with that conversation, realizing that indeed, I think I rarely believe failure is the price of entry for achieving something great, because if you have the right mindset, you come away with failures, I think a lot more committed, a lot more dedicated, a lot more focused, and I think a lot more humble, and all of those characteristics and traits are good things. You know, it worked out for me, and I did finish fourth in my class, and I had an extraordinary class. It was a time of great cultural change in the Air Force, because we were the first group of women to come through pilot training with the option of flying fighter aircraft.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:04 So talk about your time while you're in uniform. You had some key leadership positions. You were squadron commander. Can you share some of your stories with that and maybe even some high points and some lessons learned, where you as a leader felt that maybe, maybe it was a low point or a failure, but you grew from it?   Nicole Malachowski 14:20 Sure, sure. Yes. I mean, I had so many, you know, different fun assignments. You know, obviously when you're in your first fighter squadron, I got out at RAF Lake and Heath out there in England. I mean, what a rage right to be a lieutenant flying strike Eagles at 500 feet, 500 miles an hour, up Loch Ness, to live in the dream, you know, becoming in my second squadron, which was at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, becoming a, you know, flight lead and upgrading to instructor pilot. Very nervous to go into the instructor pilot upgrade. I went in very young. In fact, when I got to that squadron, the weapons officer said, hey, I want to put you in the instructor upgrade. And I was like, no. Away like I am not ready for that. I am not good enough for that. And I was new to the squadron. There were people technically older and more experienced than me. They were in the queue, and he wanted me to jump the queue, a guy by the name of Michael Jaggers, call sign, Mick, I'm still friends with him to this day, and I remember I avoided him. I avoided him like the plague because I did not want to upgrade to instructor. And I remember saying, Mick, I just am not sure I can do this. And he looked at me, and he said, it's not your job to get through it. It's not your job to get through it alone. It's my job. It's my job to ensure you have what it takes and what you need. It's my job to teach you to be a good instructor. So your success is going to be my success. I will not let you fail. What a glorious man, what a wonderful instructor. And the lesson learned here to people is this, believe those who believe in you. Believe those who believe in you.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:52 It's true, though it really is. And those people, I think sometimes your trajectory can change or just like, accelerate, because someone gave you a little bit of courage that you just needed that little piece.   Nicole Malachowski 16:03 And to learn as I gained experience and credibility how to replicate that and how to be that person for other people, right? Because it's about turning around. It really is about lifting up other people. Your success isn't your own. It's how can you help other people achieve the best of themselves? And that's what you know Mikey and Mick did for me. And of course, the rest, you know, being history, because then I had the credentials I needed to apply to be a Thunderbird. And then from the Thunderbirds, I could become a commander, yada yada, you know, but being an instructor pilot, again, in the F 15 e how extraordinary to teach a brand new pilot or WSO, not only to fly the aircraft, to how to employ it as a weapon system and then to turn around and go to war with them. There's no bigger honor. There's nothing, I think, more humbling than that.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:49 Can you share something that maybe you learned from the perspective of how to lead better?   Nicole Malachowski 16:55 So let's be honest, when you go into a fighter squadron, things are a little bit one note, right? I mean, we all are cut from a similar cloth. We all kind of have similar personality traits. You know, you don't want your fighter pilots any other way, putting the effort into understanding what drives and motivates individuals. So learning at that age how to put your arms around everybody that you're responsible for, not just the ones that maybe are easiest to lead, or maybe the ones you're the most comfortable, you know, interacting with as a leader is, how do I figure it out? You know, there were some guys that, if I were to call them on up to the front of the room, in front of the whole squadron, to compliment them on something they did, maybe a check right they had. Or this goes for my fighter squadron command as well. You know, they would love it, right? Because it it was how they were extrinsically motivated, and that's okay. There's nothing wrong with that. If that's what they need, and that's what you need to do to get the best of their strengths and best of their commitment go for it. And then were others that low? If I were to bring them in front of their peers to compliment them, they would shut down and never talk to me for the rest of the you know, their assignment. And so that's where I would take the time to write a handwritten note, maybe put it on the seat of their Humvee, or put it in their helmet, you know, in the fighter squadron. And then when they'd see me walking down the hallway, we give the knowing nod that they were acknowledged for their awesome, whatever it was, and we would move on.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:13 Yes. And so what I'm hearing, in a really, kind of summarizing way, is leadership is personal.   Nicole Malachowski 18:19 Very. it's all about people and it's about authenticity and connections.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:25 So speaking about personal and authenticity, I'd be remiss if we didn't talk about your journey to the Thunderbirds.   Nicole Malachowski  18:31 I knew this was gonna come.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:32 It's here, and so you know it is. It's a different time. There was no woman Thunderbird pilot before you.   Nicole Malachowski 18:40 I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, so the Thunderbirds were part of the backdrop. I knew that the Thunderbirds, you know, as a kid, were special and were considered, you know, elite. And kind of going back to my personality, I love being told that, you know, you can't do things. And the truth is, people laugh at this, but the truth is, when I applied to be a Thunderbird, I did it because the way my career was going, I wasn't ready to, I wasn't on timeline to go to ide yet or to go to ACSC, but I had, like, a weird year kind of gap, and I didn't they didn't really know what to do with me. I didn't know what to do with them, and my husband was going to be PCs in the Nellis. This is, like, a true story. Wow. I know people want me to say, well, I had this big, long dream when I was Thunderbird. Also thought about it was always in the background. Is something that, you know, wasn't, was an option. And I, you know, because of a lot of people who put a lot of effort into me, I was indeed qualified, you know, to get in there and to give it a try. But it wasn't something that was like an ultimate goal. I did not know they had not had a woman Thunderbird pilot when I applied, did not even occur to me. Remember, I had never known an Air Force without women fighter pilots in it. That's right, that's and we had all achieved the age where we had acquired the hours needed, and it just lined up with the timing. And I'm like, Well, that would be kind of fun and different to do. And. So I always tell people, you know, when you get those butterflies in your stomach that says, This could be something cool, something different, that is your cue to go do it. Don't worry about what anybody else is saying. And so, you know, I was able to put that application in. And in fact, I was I put that application in, and when I went and told everyone I was going to apply, generally speaking, people were really tickled and happy and happy and supportive. But as the days went by, people started to think about it. I heard, you know, it's too hard to be a Thunderbird, you probably won't get picked. I mean, statistically, no one gets picked to do that. They've never had a woman before. Are you sure you want to do that and this and that? And I remember the day I turned my application in. This was back when you still had hard copies, and you still had to mail them, okay, 2005 took it over to the group commander's Chief of Staff, slid it across the desk. I was super nervous, because the voice in my head was like, Nicole, other people become Thunderbird pilots, not you. That was the other people become Thunderbird pilots, not you. What are you doing? Why are you risking this? But I kept thinking, what's the worst that's going to happen? I don't get picked, like most people don't get picked, and I go back to flying strike Eagles with my community, which I love, like life is good, right? Either way, it's a win, win. So as I slid that application across the desk, said, I'm applying to be a Thunderbird. Here's my application. I remember the staff looked up to me and said, you know Nicole, It's hard to be a Thunderbird. You know Nicole, you probably won't get picked. And the exact words were, you know Nicole, they've never had a woman before, and the colonel can only stratify one person in that moment. Let's, I think there's leadership lessons here, because this person was not trying to be mean, right? What was coming out was, I think the unconscious bias all of us have to check ourselves on every day at all ages. I think what was coming out were the cultural paradigms of the Air Force at that time. And I think what was coming out, you know, were other people's expectations about what I should or shouldn't be doing. And in that moment, the truth is, I grabbed my application and I took it back, I went across to the officers club and grabbed a beer like any good fighter pilot would, and I remember thinking, thank God I didn't put myself out there. Thank God Nicole, you know, now I'm a 30 year old captain, so I'm still a young person, you know. Thank God you didn't risk failure. Who are you to think you could be a Thunderbird, silly girl, right? And in that moment, the weirdest thing happened. And I tell this story on stage, sometimes the door opened to the officers club, and in walk the Wing Commander, Brigadier General Mark Matthews, for whatever reason, comes over and starts talking to me. Now, this is weird, right? I'm a captain. He's a brigadier general. I don't know why he was talking to me, you know, like walking amongst the people that day, or, you know, just making small talk. And so I'm trying to hold my own talking to him a little bit nervous. It's a little you're probably still feeling a little bit down from totally down. And in that moment, over walks my squadron commander, a wonderful man by the name of Dan Debree. His call sign was, trash. Get it? Trash, debris. Trash. Walks over, super excited, very supportive of my application. And he's like, Hey, General, did you know Nicole's applying to be a Thunderbird now? Man, I mean, you could have slowed down time. I was like, ixnay on the underbird Fae like, this is terrible. Neither of these guys knew that I had removed my application. And Dan's standing there all proud. He's my squadron commander supporting me. A great man again. And Mark Matthews looks down at me, general Matthews, and he goes, that's great. How's your application going? And I'm like, I looked at him, and here's what happened. I said, you know, sir, it's hard to be thunder, but I probably won't get picked. They haven't had a woman, so I don't want to waste anybody's time.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:11 Oh, you said, I said it.   Nicole Malachowski  23:13 I said all of it. And this is kind of an embarrassing story to tell, but I'm just this is the truth, right? This is the vulnerable truth of how this happened. And and he looked down at me, and I will never forget this. And I hope folks listening who have big dreams and gnarly goals remember this. He looked down at me and he said, Nicole, actually. He said, Fifi. My call sign, Fifi. Nobody wants to lead a scripted life. And he walked away and left me in extraordinarily uncomfortable silence. And those words nobody wants to lead a scripted life have become my life's mantra. Every time I get the knot in my stomach that says that dreams too big or that idea is too innovative, don't rock the boat, I remember what he said, because those words, like they lifted the weight of the world off my shoulders, told me it was okay to dream big. It was okay to buck the status quo. It was okay to be different. He was telling me, it's okay to risk failure in pursuit of personal professional growth, and it's not so much. I think he's telling you and me to write ourselves into the script. What he was saying was, don't ever write yourself out of the script. And as leaders and teammates, don't you ever write anybody else or their wild ideas out of the script, either. And so nobody wants to lead a scripted life. And I, I hope what you're hearing in these stories, and maybe what I'm realizing just chatting with you, is these little turning points, these pivot moments where these really important people, the mark Matthews, you know, the Mikey whiteheads, the Mick Jaggers, the Sue Rosses, the Kim Jamesons, they all come at that right moment. You got to be open to that you know, and and how important your actions and your words are to making or breaking somebody else's journals.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:48 Yes, yeah, so you took that application back.   Nicole Malachowski 24:52 Sure did. Sure did. I did not get the number one stratification from the colonel, but I did from the general. And. So that worked out for me. When I really started thinking about, I think I was putting myself back in the kid in high school with her brown bag lunch out on the football field watching the Thunderbirds fly over that can tend to see that those six jets smoked behind in red, white and blue, screaming over your high school. You know, you wanted to be a fighter pilot. Since you're a kid, I'm staring up at them, thinking, there's people up there. You know, I want to be one of those people. This idea that there would be a little kid watching me as a Thunderbird pilot, and maybe someday go, maybe I could fulfill whatever my dream is. Maybe I could join the Air Force too, a little girl going, maybe I could be a fighter pilot someday. And I think the gravity and the weight of the mission of the Thunderbirds started to really impact me, because it had indeed impacted me as a kid, and the idea that I could be a part of that. And I think the other thing was, and maybe this sounds cheesy or trite, but it's not, you know, sitting at Al UD, drinking my one beer at three in the morning after I land from my night combat mission, sitting with all these great Americans from all over the country, from every different background, and thinking, I could go tell their story, and that's what Thunderbirds get to do. You get to represent the world's greatest Air Force and tell the stories of these airmen who are out there getting the job done, those tech piece those crew chiefs, you know, the folks that are working at the tower, the folks in the food hall, our medical professionals, the cyber the whole thing, right? And all of a sudden it got really exciting to me, like I could go out there with this team, with this mission, and we could represent our friends with the honor and the dignity and the respect that they deserve. And I think those two things kind of collided together, and I started getting really excited about excited about this Thunderbird thing. Ended up back at Lake and Heath painfully excruciating waiting for the vinyls. And when we got back from Iraq, they give you the kind of three weeks of downtime. My husband was a gracious man and took me on a Cruise of the Baltic Sea. We're sitting in our cabin in Oslo Norway, and the phone in the cabin rings. The phone in your cabin, phone in my cabin rings. It's about 10 o'clock at night, but full sun outside, because it's summertime in Norway. And immediately we looked at each other, and both of our heart we've talked about this, both our hearts sank, because why does a phone call come to military people on vacation? It's not never it's never good. Yeah, and I was a flight commander at the time. So was he we immediately thought something disastrous had happened, an aircraft accident, a death, you know, a car accident. And we let it ring another time, and he's like, You need to pick it up. And I picked it up. And I said, Hello. And they go, is this Captain malikowski? I said, Yes. And they go standby for the commander of Air Combat Command. Oh my gosh. And I looked at my husband, and I was like, What is going on? Well, I knew this was the consolation call. There was, I think, I think there was five or six of us who had made it to finals. Three people were getting good position. The other were not. And it is tradition that the commander of Air Combat Command calls all six, coach is very gracious and professionally courteous. And so I thought this was my consolation call. So I'm waiting, and it feels like an eternity, and all of a sudden I hear Stevie there, and I said, Yes. He goes, Ron keys which was General. Ron Keyes, Commander, Air Combat Command. I'm a young captain. I'm like, you've got to be kidding me. And I go, sir, how are you? He goes. We have a pretty amazing Air Force that we can find you in the middle of the Oslo Norway fjord, don't we? I said, Yes, sir, we do. He goes. Well, I know you're on vacation, so I want to keep it simple. I want to offer you a job. And I said, Yes, sir. He goes. How would you like to be Thunderbird number three? And I said, I stayed as professional as I could in my voice, but I was looking at my husband gesticulating, jumping up and down like you're not gonna believe I said, Sir, I would absolutely love that. He goes, Okay, great. You're the next Thunderbird number three. Look forward to watching you fly and get back to your vacation. And he hung up the phone. You know, the Thunderbirds are, at that time, 125 people from 25 different career fields who came together to make that mission happen. Wow, never been in a squadron with that many high performing, highly motivated people in my life. I am still dear friends with my crew chief, still friends with people on the team. It is such a crucible experience. It's a one off, you know. Well, fast forward. Finish up the Thunderbirds. I get a phone call. He goes, it's Viking blurling. I'm like, How the heck did this guy that I met once get my phone he goes, Hey, when I was an Air Force officer, a young fighter pilot, I did acse as a White House fellow, and I think you should be a White House fellow. I said, Well, what's the White House Fellowship? So he explains it to me, and I'm like, there is no way I will get picked as one of 12 to 15 people across the United States, across all career fields, including civilians, to be a White House fellow. Colin Powell was a White House fellow. I am not a White House fellow. This is ridiculous. So I entertained his conversation. He says, I want you to think about I'm gonna call you back tomorrow, same time. Boom. Phone rings. Viking borling, you're applying to be a White House fellow, no, sir. I'm not. Third day ping. Phone calls. You're applying to be a White House fellow. Anyways, I applied to be a White House fellow. Went through that whole process, semi finals, regional panel interviews, and then the finals, and was selected to be a White House fellow. I got assigned outside of the White House to the US, General Services, Administration, yes, like, it was exciting. And I was like, this is where the nuts and bolts happen? Well, the GSA also runs what's called the office of the president elect. Between election and inauguration, the incoming president and their team needs to have a place to get ready, like our current incoming administration is doing. It's a physical office building where they make decisions about cabinet secretaries, or they get their intelligence briefings and all of that. Guess who got put on the presidential transition support team to be up close and personal for the peaceful transition of power between George Bush and Barack Obama? Wow. The extraordinary part about the White House Fellowship was most of the fellows were civilian, and I had been nothing but military since I was 17 years old and showed up at the Air Force Academy. So to be able to look at leadership and teamwork and professionalism from a completely different lens, to see how people from the education field or from healthcare would solve a problem was fascinating. You know, we in the military can look to solve problems a very specific way, and a lot of us are a little bit very specific in how we do it. And so to learn how to look at problems and solve things in different ways was extraordinary.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:23 So your career trajectory is just really incredible. Because you've kind of talked about how you've been put in these places based off of circumstance, but then when you get there, it's all about, how do you make the most of it, seize the opportunity and see what's available.   Nicole Malachowski  31:38 A lot of times, you know, as human beings, we go, Well, I don't have this, or I can't do this right now, or not resource this way, man, find a way. Yeah, ask yourself the right question. What is it I can do right now with what I have?   Naviere Walkewicz  31:49 Well, that makes me feel like that's a really good lead into kind of what circumstantially happened to you, unexpectedly. Yes, so you're medically retired from the Air Force. Do you want to talk about how that happened?   Nicole Malachowski  32:00 And sure, sure, you know, the the greatest honor of my career was serving as the commander of the 3/33 fighter squadron. I enjoyed that, and I remember also during that time being physically fit, mentally fit, spiritually fit. And I remember feeling ill in the summer of 2012 like I had the flu, but within three months, I started having severe neurological problems, so things like word finding, slurring my words, inability to read write, inability to type, dropping things with my right hand, dragging my right leg, getting lost, driving home, and I remember going into a grocery store and having a complete panic attack because I didn't know what a grocery store was or why I was in there so very Alzheimer's dementia like symptoms. So in fact, what was happening was my brain was becoming inflamed with an infection. So over the next four years, my symptoms would wax and wane. They would come and go, they would change in severity. Obviously, I could no longer fly. I was grounded, but they said, Hey, you can stay in the Air Force. You just can't fly. And I said, that's great, because honestly, I just want to lead airmen. Lead airmen and be a part of a team. So, you know, there's a lot of details, you know, to this story, but my symptom list was like 63 symptoms long, covering every system in my body. And so they cast the net wide, and that's where tick borne illness came into it. And at that time, I was in a wheelchair. I couldn't talk. My husband was wheeling me around, and I remember when the doctor said, we come on in. We have the diagnosis. We know what's wrong with her. The doctor says she'll never fly again. And my husband said, Well, how long until she's better? And she goes, Well, treatment is going to take at least two years. And it was in that moment, it wasn't that I wasn't going to fly again, that hurt. But when they said two years, I knew that the military was going to medically retire me, I knew it was over, and I couldn't speak or say anything, and I was just devastated. I remember my goal was to be the commandant of the Air Force Academy. That was my dream. And all that just came crashing, you know, crashing down. And in that moment, so for nine months I couldn't walk, talk, read or write. I spent another year and a half in rehab, and during that time, obviously went through my medical evaluation board, but I was medically retired, I fought to stay in and then I realized my body wasn't gonna let me and once I accepted that it was over, you know, I was able to move forward so radical acceptance was a hard thing to come by. But the day of my retirement, December 29 2017 came, I was home alone because I was bedridden and house bound for two years. Um, was very hurtful. Remains hurtful. How my Air Force career ended. I love the Air Force based on all the stories that I told, but this moment is very painful for me. It still is. And, you know, I thought, well, what are you going to do about it? You know, you can't. Change that you were bit by tick, can't change that you have a brain injury. What are you going to do? Girl, you know, the fighter pilot in you is not going to quit. And that's when I decided, well, I'm going to, you know, I got to do something. And the phone rang, and the phone rang, and it was during this time, a gal by the name of Buff Bucha, retired colonel, had been in a helicopter accident broke her neck in Afghanistan. She said, Hey, how you doing? I said, I'm not good. She goes talk to me, and I remember for two hours just vomiting everything out to this person I didn't really know very well. Well, she was calling from the Air Force Wounded Warrior program, wow, and the Wounded Warrior program swooped in to save me, and I ended up becoming a trained ambassador and a trained mentor, which I still am to this day. I'm able to help other airmen who are being discharged, but I just want to give a shout out to the Air Force wind Warrior Program, psychologically and mental health wise, I don't know that I would have recovered, and that I would have recovered to the place that I am today without them. And so I want for the active duty, listening for people in the reserve and the guard. It is for you, yeah, it is for everyone, and it is literally a life saving program.   Naviere Walkewicz  32:45 Maybe talk about what you've been doing then since.   Nicole Malachowski  36:16 Yeah, I do leadership consulting and professional speaking, but predominantly, that helps pay the bills, and I enjoy it. Predominantly, I do patient advocacy work at the national level, so I'm on several government boards. I'm on several nonprofit panels. We've tripled them, and IH funding through the state and like TicK Act and things like that. I'm currently on a National Academies of Science Committee. Can't talk about that because our report will come out in the spring. I hope everyone will read it. But Lyme disease, I went from being a fighter pilot to being an expert on ticks and Lyme disease. Who knew the path to success is always going to be non linear.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:49 Yes, you also mentioned you have children. You have twins. Do so how is it talk about, like family life in this new kind of in the way that you're working now, right? You're not in uniform anymore. You're still pushing amazing things forward. You're consulting what's it like being a mom?   Naviere Walkewicz  37:06 Man, it's harder, it is harder to raise 14 year old twins than it is to get shot at  in combat, I will tell you that. So you know, the person that's been missing in this whole time we've been talking is the most important person in my life, which is my husband, Paul. So we will be married. We just, yeah, just had our anniversary. 23 years. I met him in my first fighter squadron in the late 90s. He's an F-15E WSO. So we met flying together. And my biggest cheerleader, my biggest supporter, the greatest human being on Earth, is my husband, Paul.   Naviere Walkewicz  37:38 I want to talk about this resurgence, because I feel like that is really important for some of our listeners. When they're, you know, they're thinking about you said you got to know who you are and what's important to you. And how did you get to that clarity?   Nicole Malachowski 37:52 You really need to be able to answer the question, what is it I value and why? And I'm talking about your personal values, the ones that you're going to wake up with every day and go, these are my values. And so I'll tell you what mine are. Mine are courage and compassion and curiosity, and I developed those as I went through this deep thinking and deep reinvention, when I lost my career and compassion, courage and curiosity are what drive me today.   Naviere Walkewicz  38:18 We'll ask for Nicole's thoughts on reinvention, resilience and leadership. But before we do that, I'd like to take a moment and thank all of you for listening to long blue leadership. The podcast publishes on Tuesdays in both video and audio, and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Watch or listen to all episodes of Long blue leadership and subscribe at longblue leadership.org so we have had an incredible journey together, and really where we'd like to go. One final thought on leadership, if you might, leave your listeners with something about leadership, and I can say just from being in this short amount of time with you, your your 3 Cs are coming out in spades, your compassion, your curiosity and your courage. So thank you.   Nicole Malachowski  39:01 Thank you. You know leadership is a journey. We're always put into positions that we're supposed to grow into. Don't think you have to be perfect to be a leader. It's okay to admit when you make mistakes, it's okay to ask for help, and it's okay to have failures, as long as you overcome them. And I like to remind folks at all levels of leadership, you know that the runway behind you is always unusable. All you ever have is the runway that's in front of you.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:25 Well said, well said, Thank you so much for being on long blue leadership.   Nicole Malachowski  39:29 Thank you for having me. And here's a shout out to the current cadets that are working hard up on the hill, yeah, wishing them best and hoping they take it one day at a time.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:36 Absolutely. And for our listeners, I mean, I think that it's, it's it's certainly one thing to say, you know, you get to meet these incredible leaders, but my ask of you is to share this with your networks, because it's great if you felt something and you've had an impact in your life, but imagine the magnitude you can have by sharing some of the stories of our leaders like Nicole today with your networks and the change we can make together. So until next time, thanks for being on. Long blue leadership, thank you for joining us for this edition of long blue leadership. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on all your favorite podcast apps. Send your comments and guest ideas to us at social media@usafa.org, and listen to past episodes at longblueleadership.org.   KEYWORDS leadership, resilience, resurgence, Air Force Academy, mentorship, aviation, women in military, pilot training, overcoming adversity, personal growth, fighter pilot, mentorship, leadership, Thunderbirds, women in military, self-doubt, White House Fellowship, WASP, Air Force, personal growth, diversity, WASP, Air Force, medical retirement, resilience, leadership, Lyme Disease, tick-borne illness, self-discovery, personal values, reinvention, advocacy         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation    

Original Air Date: June 12, 2019In a live appearance at UCLA's Royce Hall, New York Times best-selling author, Rhodes scholar and decorated U.S. Army veteran Wes Moore asks a powerful question: “After years working at the same job, have you ever realized you've just been going through the motions for as long as you can remember?” Wes shares how he believes we can all discover and pursue our true life's purpose. As a combat officer in Afghanistan, a White House Fellow and a Wall Street banker, Wes discusses his journey of self-discovery, which led him to walk away from financial success to create a more meaningful life. Want more podcasts from OWN? Visit https://bit.ly/OWNPods  You can also watch Oprah's Super Soul, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more of your favorite OWN shows on your TV! Visit https://bit.ly/find_OWN   

Theodore (Ted) R. Johnson served twenty years in the United States Navy before becoming a columnist and author.  His latest book, If We Are Brave is a collection of essays on race in America, and in this Blue Sky conversation, Ted describes his pragmatic optimism and belief that the United States has in its founding ideals the path towards forming a “more perfect union.”  Ted's personal story is remarkable, rising from humble beginnings to become an officer in the US Navy, White House Fellow, and speechwriter for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.    Chapters: 02:33 Meet Ted Johnson: A Journey from the South Ted Johnson shares his upbringing in North Carolina, detailing the duality of growing up in a predominantly white suburb while attending a black church. His experiences shaped his worldview and influenced his educational and career choices.  06:10 From HBCU to the Navy Ted discusses his decision to attend Hampton University and how it led him to a career in the Navy. He reflects on how a chance encounter with a Navy recruiter changed his life trajectory.  09:43 A Career in the Navy: Unexpected Turns Ted recounts his 20-year journey in the Navy, highlighting key experiences that led him to become a speechwriter for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.   12:12 The Power of Writing: Ted's Passion Ted reveals his love for writing and how it became a central focus of his post-military career. He discusses his first book, ‘When the Stars Begin to Fall,' and the themes of racism and optimism that permeate his work.  18:09 Why Ted Loves America Ted explains his deep love for America, likening it to familial bonds. He reflects on the nation's promise of democracy and equality, despite its historical shortcomings.  20:15 Reflections on Progress Since Trayvon Martin Ted discusses the impact of Trayvon Martin's death on his perspective and activism. He evaluates the progress made in addressing racism in America over the past twelve years, noting both advancements and ongoing challenges.  25:45 The Role of Organizations in Promoting Diversity Ted shares his thoughts on how businesses can better reflect the communities they serve through diversity and inclusion efforts.   29:01 The Complexity of Affirmative Action Ted and Bill explore the nuances of affirmative action, discussing how perceptions change based on personal experiences.   32:01 The Founding Ideals vs. Historical Flaws The conversation shifts to the founding documents of the United States, emphasizing the need to separate the ideals from the flawed individuals who created them.   36:16 Introducing If We Are Brave Ted discusses his latest book, If We Are Brave, which aims to present a national conversation on race through his unique perspective. He shares insights into the essays included and the themes of optimism and realism that permeate his work.  39:49 The Legacy of Optimism Reflecting on his family's history, Ted shares how the optimism of his ancestors inspires him to believe in a better future for America.   42:12 New America and the US at 250 Initiative Ted introduces New America, a think tank focused on evolving policies to match societal changes, and discusses the US at 250 initiative. This project aims to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence by fostering dialogue and understanding across diverse communities.  45:30 The Impact of ‘If We Are Brave' In the final segment, Ted expresses his hopes for readers of his book to gain a deeper understanding of race and democracy in America.  

Elliot Ackerman is both a former White House Fellow and Marine. He served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. Ackerman is also an ex–CIA paramilitary officer. Ackerman in the author of numerous books, including the New York Times bestseller 2034: A Novel of the Next World War. His new book is 2054: A Novel. Ackerman explains how the war in Ukraine, and the escalating conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere, are a frightening vision of the future right out of science fiction where increasingly lethal drones and other new technologies are rewriting the rules of warfare – and reminding us of very old lessons that will need to be relearned again (at a deadly cost). Ackerman reflects on America's combustible domestic politics and the attempt on Trump's life in Pennsylvania, the dangers of conspiracy theories, and how the country's politics and culture are increasingly toxic and what that means long-term for the democracy crisis and the struggle against neofascism and authoritarianism. Chauncey DeVega ponders the question of time and how the next 30 or so days until Election Day will feel like an eternity that will simultaneously go by very quickly. He also shares the lessons he learned in his neighborhood travels about human dignity, poverty, and economic precarity. Chauncey also offers a public health lesson and warning about the dangers of nose spray, hand sanitizer, incense and cheap lighters. And Chauncey DeVega attempts to save you from the new movie “The Substance”, a movie that is more proof of payola and the herd mentality of movie critics and other influentials and cultural tastemakers. WHERE CAN YOU FIND ME? On Twitter: https://twitter.com/chaunceydevega On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chauncey.devega My email: chaunceydevega@gmail.com HOW CAN YOU SUPPORT THE CHAUNCEY DEVEGA SHOW? Via Paypal at ChaunceyDeVega.com Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thechaunceydevegashow

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls I have your headlines and sound clips and my conversation with Dave starts at about 22 mins Dave Aronberg was elected State Attorney for the 15th Judicial Circuit in November 2012 and re-elected without opposition in 2016 and 2020. He is a former Assistant Attorney General, White House Fellow and Florida Senator. As State Attorney, Aronberg leads a team of 115 prosecutors and 180 professional staff in five offices throughout Palm Beach County. Aronberg's leadership has led to high state rankings in conviction rates for both felonies and misdemeanors, a decrease in the number of juveniles direct filed into adult court, and a greatly improved working relationship with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. In 2016, he created a Sober Homes Task Force that has made more than 120 arrests for patient brokering and insurance fraud in the rehab industry, and has led to several new Florida laws and regulations that have become the model for other states. Aronberg's efforts also convinced Google to restrict advertisements and improve screening for addiction treatment.  The crackdown in rogue sober homes and corrupted drug treatment contributed to a 14% decrease in opioid-caused deaths in Palm Beach County in 2021, compared to the previous year. Dave Aronberg was born in Miami. He attended public schools before going on to graduate with honors from Harvard College and Harvard Law School. After graduation, he worked in the litigation department of a large South Florida law firm while also working closely with Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson to investigate European insurance companies that refused to honor World War II-era policies sold to victims of the Holocaust. In 2000, Aronberg was selected to be one of 15 White House Fellows from across the country. In this nonpartisan position, he served in two presidential administrations as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of the Treasury Department for international money laundering, including the laundering of terrorist assets. Dave Aronberg was elected to the State Senate in 2002 as its youngest member and served until 2010. Focusing on criminal justice and consumer protection issues, Aronberg passed major identity theft and port security legislation and served as the Chairman of the Military Affairs and Domestic Security Committee. He also served as Chair of the Everglades Restoration Committee, where he advocated for accelerating water storage projects and additional State and Federal support for Florida's “River of Grass.” In 2010, Aronberg returned to the Florida Attorney General's Office as a Special Prosecutor for Prescription Drug Trafficking. In his role as the Attorney General's “Drug Czar,” Aronberg led an anti-pill mill initiative that helped clean up the pain clinic industry and reduced the record number of people dying each day from oxycodone abuse.  His work to save lives from drug overdoses continues as a top priority to this day. Aronberg frequently appears on national television as a legal commentator. He has a passion to speak out on criminal justice issues, adding transparency to our legal system. Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art

In this installment of Science Policy IRL, host Jason Lloyd goes behind the scenes of the White House Fellowship program with Lav Varshney, associate professor of engineering, computer science, and neuroscience at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Varshney served as a White House Fellow from 2022 to 2023, where he worked at the National Security Council with Anne Neuberger, the deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging technology. In this episode, Varshney describes the day-to-day experience of working at the White House, gaps in the innovation system that science policy can help fill, and how making artificial intelligence systems more transparent could define the future of AI applications. Resources:  Want to become a White House Fellow? Applications open November 1, 2024.  As a White House Fellow, Lav Varshney contributed to the Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence. Read Varshney's contributions to Issues: a review of a biography of the information technology pioneer Claude Shannon and an assessment of how intellectual property rights can keep up with advances in artificial intelligence with coauthor Deepak Somaya.  Visit Kocree to try out AI music generation and Ensaras to learn more about using AI to monitor wastewater.  Visit the Journal of Artificial Intelligence Research to learn more about Varshney's work on making AI systems more transparent through information lattice learning.  

Dr. Warren Morgan is Chief Executive Officer for Cleveland Metropolitan School District where he leads one of the largest school systems in Ohio. As an experienced educator, Dr. Morgan recognizes the potential of every child and advocates for equity and excellence. He previously served as Chief Academic Officer in Indianapolis, as Executive Director for Teach for America, as a Network Leader of Cleveland's investment turnaround schools, as a high school principal in Chicago Public Schools, science teacher in St. Louis where he was awarded Outstanding Teacher, and he began his career with the Illinois Senate.Dr. Morgan also had the pleasure of working for both Presidents Obama and Trump as a prestigious White House Fellow. He currently serves on the Board of the White House Fellows Foundation Association.Dr. Morgan holds a Bachelor's from Butler University, where he served as student body president; a Master's from the University of Missouri- St. Louis; and a Doctorate from the University of Illinois–Chicago. He is an alum of the Broad Fellowship at Yale University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc

In this episode of The Women in the Arena Podcast, we are thrilled to welcome Kate van Dam, the Head of Strategic Growth at SkyFi. At SkyFi, Kate leads efforts to establish a leading geospatial hub, driving innovation and growth in the field. Prior to her role at SkyFi, Kate was a Senior Director at InQTel, where she worked with cutting-edge start-ups and the US government to enhance national security capabilities.Kate is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves and served 10 years of active duty as an attack helicopter pilot, conducting crucial combat operations in Helmand Province and counter-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden. In 2017, she made significant contributions as a White House Fellow, supporting disaster response at the Department of Housing and Urban Development during a record year for natural disasters.A graduate of the US Naval Academy, Kate also holds an MA in International Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University SAIS. In our discussion, Kate delves into her approach to leadership, shaped by her diverse experiences in both military and corporate settings. She shares insights on overcoming adversity, balancing the demands of a high-profile career with parenting, and pursuing new ambitions following her transition from military to civilian life.Join us to hear Kate's inspiring story and gain valuable lessons on resilience, leadership, and navigating career transitions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Dr. Sara Fletcher, CEO of the PA Education Association, interviews Vanessa Cobarrubias, PA-C, a member of the White House Fellowship Board and former White House Fellow at the Office of the First Lady/Department of Health & Human Services. They discuss the challenges within the PA profession, highlighting the need for advocacy, better working conditions, and the promotion of professional growth. Vanessa shares her personal journey with dyslexia, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding in PA education. She suggests alternative learning models and effective teaching strategies to support individuals with dyslexia.   This episode is sponsored by Lincoln Memorial University School of Medical Sciences. For more information about the doctor of medical science program, visit https://www.lmunet.edu/school-of-medical-sciences/dms/. For more information on the medical education major curriculum, visit https://www.lmunet.edu/school-of-medical-sciences/dms/medical-education-major-curriculum.   All Things PA Education is produced by Association Briefings.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Robert Joss. Robert is a global banking leader, former assistant Secretary of the Treasury, and former Dean of Stanford Graduate School of Business.  Robert became the eighth dean of the Business School in 1999. He served as Dean for 10 years – overseeing the introduction of a new MBA curriculum, the institution of new collaborations between the school and Stanford University.  Prior to joining the Business School as Dean, Robert was chief executive officer of Westpac Banking Corporation, one of Australia's largest banks, a post he held for six years. Before his tenure at Westpac, Robert held a variety of posts at San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Bank between 1971 and 1993, serving from 1986 onward as vice chairman. He worked 3 years at the U. S. Treasury, first as a White House Fellow and then as deputy to the assistant secretary for economic policy. He is currently a director board advisor at CM Capital. Join Ross and Robert as they engage in a fascinating conversation about Robert's successful career journey and the values that have contributed to his achievements. They discuss Robert's upbringing, education, and roles in the finance industry, as well as his time as the Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. They emphasize the importance of meaningful work, accessibility, humility, and constantly developing skills. They also touch on the concept of balance in leadership and the struggle of managing ambition.

Send us a Text Message.This week, Maria talks to Sharon Kiely - a career, executive and life coach for high achievers - about how black and white thinking can scare us out of making the changes we are craving, how to navigate impostor syndrome as a high achiever, and how approaching challenges can be so much easier if we do it with a playful mindset.Sharon is a full time certified coach specializing in career, executive and life coaching. She coaches 1:1 and in groups. Her coaching practice spans across the US, Europe and Mexico. Initially, Sharon worked as an Internist focused on primary & preventive care, medical education and care to underserved groups. She believes that systems, and what we do directly impacts the results we experience- and optimistically believes that change and improvement is always an option. Sharon was selected as a White House Fellow and learned how to apply policy to systems and improve people's lives. Later, as a healthcare executive- chief quality officer, chief medical officer and chief wellness officer- she worked to change systems toward improved outcomes for patients, by focusing on those who deliver the care including physicians, clinicians, leaders and staff. As a chief wellness officer during the Covid pandemic, she trained and certified as a coach to help more people, faster and with more clarity. Her approach to coaching clients is holistic, taking into view their goals in the context of their full lives, and applying evidence-based practices to coaching. She encourages her clients to both dream big and apply small changes and pragmatic skills to achieve their ever-changing and awesome goals. Sharon teaches negotiation and career development at The Thomas Jefferson University, School of Population Health. She is Professor, Internal Medicine at The Frank H. Netter School of Medicine, Quinnipiac University. She and her husband have 4 adult children and live in Connecticut.To get in touch with Sharon:Website: www.sharonkielymd.comScheduling a coaching session: calendly.com/skielymdTo get in touch with Maria:Download the "Work Smarter, Not Harder" free workbook: restovergrind.com/save-timeBook a free consult call: restovergrind.com/work-with-me Email: info@restovergrind.comInstagram and TikTok: @rest_over_grindTo get in touch with Natasha: Instagram: @natashatekeste Website: natashatekeste.com

In the realm of education, possessing a servant's heart and genuine care for those you serve is incredibly important. This mindset not only fuels fulfillment but also drives success in the face of challenges. Today, we delve into the journey of a true servant leader.Our host, Dustin Odham, sits down with Dr. Warren Morgan, CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School District, to explore his remarkable trajectory in education. From his time as a White House Fellow to his current role, Dr. Morgan shares insights on what is truly important in the education space. Tune in as he emphasizes the importance of strategic planning and community engagement in fostering a thriving learning environment.Don't forget to like, and turn on those bell notifications to ensure you don't miss our next episode.If you want to learn more about FranklinCovey, visit us at https://www.franklincovey.com/solutions/education/Host: Dustin Odham, Managing Director at FranklinCovey EducationGuest(s): Dr. Warren Morgan, CEO of Cleveland Metropolitan School DistrictTime stamps: (00:00 - 03:34) Introduction(03:35 - 05:25) Get to Know Dr. Morgan(05:26 - 10:37) The Pathway to Education(10:38 - 13:05) The Impact of Federal DOE(13:06 - 16:32) Listen and Learn Tour(16:33 - 19:19) Core Values and Strategic Priorities(19:20 - 22:31) Attributes of Effective Leaders(22:32 - 25:21) The Need for a Road Map(25:22 - 27:36) Hearing the Ground Level(27:37 - 32:36) Clarity, Coherence, Instructional Core(32:37 - 35:24) Equal Access to All Students(35:25 - 40:10) Rapid Fire Questions!(40:11 - 40:27) Closing

A conversation between brothers in arms who have known each other since the early 1980s - one an athlete, the other his coach at the time.----more---- SUMMARY Neither has ventured far from the Air Force or the Academy. Lt. Gen. Richard Clark '86, the Academy's 21st superintendent, opens up about his leadership journey to Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould '76, the man who first coached him all those years ago. Gen. Clark's leadership story is exceptional and Gen. Gould does a masterful job of helping him tell it.   OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "The one thing that doesn't change is our mission. And our mission is to develop lieutenants, better leaders of character that are ready to go out and win our wars and that are ready to go out support defend the Constitution. That is it." "Whenever there's Americans on the ground, we're going to do whatever it takes to help them you will do whatever it takes." "Seeing those young guys go out there and do that, and do what they needed to do to help other Americans to help their fellow servicemen that made me prouder than anything." "I am very happy and comfortable to leave this torch with them to hand the torch off to them. And I'm just proud to have served with them." "I am leaving with a lot of gratitude in my heart, just from our cadets from our permanent party, from the alumni that helped us do this and the other supporters."   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN  |  TWITTER  |  EMAIL   CHAPTERS 00:00:  Introduction and Mission of the Air Force Academy 01:09:  Lieutenant General Rich Clark's Background and Career 08:27:  Making the Best of Unexpected Assignments 10:18:  Leadership in Challenging Situations 00:09:  Introduction 07:28:  Enhancing the Academy's Facilities and Programs 14:57:  Developing Leaders of Character 31:11:  The Importance of Alumni and Supporters 37:51:  Transitioning to the Role of Executive Director of the College Football Playoff 45:08:  Conclusion   TAKEAWAYS  - Leadership is developed through challenging experiences like overcoming adversity, mentoring others, and leading in high-pressure situations like combat.  - Support from family, mentors, and sponsor families can help one persevere through difficult times and find purpose.  - Having an open mind and making the most of unexpected opportunities can lead to unexpected benefits and career success.  - Giving back to one's alma mater through things like financial support, mentorship, and service helps continue its mission and benefits future generations.  - Expressing gratitude to those who support your mission helps foster positive relationships and a sense of shared purpose.     LT. GEN. CLARK'S BIO Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark '86 is the Superintendent, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado. He directs a four-year regimen of military training, academics, athletic and character development programs leading to a Bachelor of Science degree and a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force or United States Space Force. Lt. Gen. Clark graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1986. His commands include the 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota; 12th Flying Training Wing, Randolph AFB, Texas; Eighth Air Force, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana, and Joint Functional Component Commander for Global Strike, Offutt AFB, Nebraska. He has also served as a White House Fellow in Washington, D.C.; the Commandant of Cadets, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado; Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché, Cairo, Egypt, and as the Commander, Third Air Force, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Prior to his current assignment, Lt. Gen. Clark served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. - Copy and image credit:  af.mil       ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!            FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Our guest is Lt. Gen. Richard Clark '86  |  Our host is Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould '76   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  00:12 The one thing that doesn't change is our mission. And our mission is to develop lieutenants, better leaders of character, that are ready to go out and win our wars and that are ready to go out and support and defend the Constitution. That's it.   Announcer  00:27 Welcome to the Long Blue Leadership podcast. These are powerful conversations with United States Air Force Academy graduates who have lived their lives with distinction. All leaders of character who candidly share their stories, including their best and worst moments, the challenges they've overcome the people and events that have shaped who they are, and who willingly lend their wisdom to advance your leadership journey. Your host for this special presentation of Long Blue Leadership is Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould, USAFA class of '76 and currently serving as a member of the Association and Foundation board of directors. And now, Gen. Mike Gould.   Lt. Gen Mike Gould  01:09 My guest today is Lt. Gen. Rich Clark, the 21st superintendent of the Air Force Academy, Class of '86 at USAFA, and if I'm not mistaken, you're about 46 days away from retiring. After a 38-year career, that when you think about it, has spanned so much in our country, starting with the Cold War through conflicts in Southwest Asia, in the Middle East, and the culture wars that we all experience today. I think his experience in active duty is highlighted most by seven commands that he's held; a bomb squadron, a training wing, to numbered Air Force's, the joint functional component command for Global Strike, served as the commandant of cadets here at the Academy. And now like I said, as the 21st superintendent. In addition to that, Gen. Clark served as the senior defense official, and the defense attaché in Cairo during some interesting times, and also served as a White House fellow. And if that's not enough, he's flown over 4,200 hours in the B1, both the EC and KC-135, the T1, the T38, the T6 and the T21. And most notably, 400 of those hours are in combat. So Rich, as you look back on the past nearly four decades of service, I'm sure you have a lot to think about as it's all coming to an end. And really, how it all started. I'd like you to please share with us a little bit about your life as a young child. And you know, some of the influential people who you met in your formative years, and then kind of how that led you here to the Air Force Academy.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  02:58 Wow, well, first, can I call you Coach, General Gould?   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  03:02 You (can) call me Coach…   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  03:03 I'll call you Coach because you were my coach when I was here, and you saw me walk in the doors here. So, I'll talk a little bit about that. But I just want to thank you for letting me be here today. This is a real honor. So, thank you.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  But I grew up in the Bay Area, Oakland, Berkeley, California, and my parents were divorced. So, it was my mother, my brother and I. And then when my mom got remarried, we moved to the East Coast to Richmond, Virginia, and that's where I went to high school, and not a military family. My dad was drafted back in the Vietnam era. He served a short tour, so I don't really remember those days. So, I don't consider myself really from a military family and really hadn't considered joining the military. I played football, I played a lot of sports. Growing up, football was my primary — and track actually, but football the primarily, and I had signed to go to William & Mary in Virginia, and I was going with my best friend from high school and actually in junior high. And Coach Ken Hatfield came to my house. And the Air Force had been recruiting me. So did Army and Navy. And he actually came to my house though and visited my parents. And he had dinner at our house, and my mom thought, “He is such a nice man. And he was like, “Look, just come out and see the Air Force Academy.” Now what he didn't know was that I wanted to, I was very interested in flying more commercial. I always thought I wanted to be a commercial pilot. And he convinced me to come out. My mom was like, “Just go; it's free.” You know, I was like, OK, and so I still had a couple of college visits left. So, I came to the Air Force Academy. I'll be honest, I got here and after seeing the place and seeing the opportunities to fly — just to have a great education and to play Division I college football, I was hooked. And I, my dad — my stepdad who I consider my dad — made me call the coach at William & Mary tell him I was changing my mind. And I signed and came to Air Force. And when I got off the bus and got on those footprints , and they started yelling at me, I was like, “Hey, wait, I'm a football player. You're not supposed to yell at me.” That's what I thought. And that was not true. And the rest is history. And, you know, it was an important decision in my life, certainly. But, you know, I appreciate Coach Hatfield being persistent and coming to get me and, you know, talk to my parents, formative people, obviously. But it was a great decision. Great decision.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  05:48 Did you also visit West Point and or Annapolis?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  05:52 I did not because I didn't want to go to a — I wasn't interested, really in a service academy. What I will say, though, I did fill out an application to Air Force before Coach Hatfield came. And I did go and do an interview with my congressional member. Because my guidance counselor convinced me to do that in case I didn't get another good offer from somewhere else. And I actually got a congressional appointment. But then the Academy contacted me, and I told them I was going to turn it down. And that's when Coach Hatfield came to my house. But I, I went through the motions, I think, but I didn't really have an intention to come. I wanted to go to William & Mary, and I wasn't even going to visit Army and Navy because, you know, there wasn't something I was interested in.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  06:46 I'll bet you've looked back and asked yourself the question, what would you be doing now had you gone to William and Mary, or one of these other schools?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  06:54 Hard for me to picture my life without being in the Air Force and the Air Force Academy, right?   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  07:01 Now, you let on a little bit about falling in on the footprints. But as you look back at arriving at the Academy, and you're in now, you signed up and you're going to be a Falcon, what kind of memories do you have about basic training and leading into your first fall semester?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  07:21 Yeah. So, here's the here's one memory I definitely have — and I talk to the cadets about this sometimes — I mentioned the phone-booth to them. And they're like, “What? “What's a phone booth?” Well, you know, I explained to them, there were these big boxes that had a telephone and you had a card that you could call home. And in basic training, about halfway through, you got to call home. And I call my mom. And I said, “Mom, this place is not for me. I'm ready to come home.” She's like, “Oh, that's great. Because the William & Mary coach called last week to see how you're doing. You could probably still get your scholarship.” And I was like, “Oh.” I was expecting her to say, “Well, you better not come home.” But she said, “You know, that's OK.” And truth is, I looked out the door, you know, they had the glass doors, and all my classmates are lined up out the door waiting for their turn to come in. And honestly, I thought, “Man, I'm not ready to leave these guys yet.” And so, she said, “You come on home, it's OK.” And I said, “Well, you know what, mom, I think I'm just gonna' finish basic training. And then I'll see. I want to stick that out with these guys.” You know, I made some great friends. It's not what I expected, but I liked the people. So, I stayed. And then after basic training, she asked me, “Are you still going to come home?” And I said, “Well, you know, I think I'll stick it out one semester, I'd really like to play football because I've gotten in with the team now. And I got some friends on the team. So maybe I could play one season. I think I've got a good chance to make the varsity.” And I did that. And then it was, “You know, Mom, maybe I'll stay for my rest of my freshman year.” It was like one step at a time until eventually I was like, “You know, I'm in.” But it was not a done deal for a while for me, you know, where I just said, “You know what, this is it. I'm in the right place.” I think after that first year, though, I realized that I was, you know — it took some time though. And football had a lot to do with it. The friends you make, the success we had as a team. That was just great. And I love my squadron. I was in 7th Squadron. Great, great friends there. So, after a year though, I feel like I was in but there was that moment in that phone booth and basic training where I was like, “Man, I don't know.” But I did it and I'm glad I did.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  09:52 Well, everything you just went through right there was referencing the people. That's what kept you there. But then you get into academics and you get your military training. How did you navigate some of those things? And you know, I know you had fun with your buddies and football is always a hoot. But about the other challenges that the Academy threw at you?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  10:15 Yeah. So, I actually, I liked academics, I did pretty well, I was on Dean's List most semesters, like seven of my eight semesters, I made the Dean's List. So not that I didn't have some challenges. I mean, there's those certain courses that you're just like, “Oh, my goodness.” But overall, academics wasn't the big challenge. I think the challenge for me was not having some of the freedoms that you wanted early on because you're sort of getting acclimatized to it, you know, you're getting used to not being able to do certain things, the military lifestyle, you have to get used to that a little bit. But once I got that — and going back to the people, everybody's kind of struggling with that. And when you're all struggling together, it just makes it a lot more bearable and doable. And I think after that first year, I was in, I was like, “You know, I'm in the right place. And I'm gonna' stay here.” I did have a moment though. When I was a sophomore, I tore my knee up playing football, the last game, San Diego State. Just ripped my ACL. My MCL — meniscus cartilage — had [to be] reconstructed. And I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to play football again. And that made me kind of think a little bit about was I going to stay. And I had to come to terms with some things, you know, “Why am I here? What's my real purpose?” And as much as football meant to me, I was here for something bigger than that. And I realized that unfortunately, at that point when I was injured, I think that was also the point where I really came to terms with why I was here, that it was something bigger than myself. And I wanted to be a part of it. And so I stayed. I was still determined to play and I did get to play, you know, the next season. But my purpose was a bit different, you know, and that injury really helped me kind of figure things out and sort through my greater purpose.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  12:18 Gave you that confidence of overcoming adversity.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  12:21 Absolutely. Like sports does. Right. That's it.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  12:24 Now, back in my day, we didn't really have a sponsorship program — sponsor families in town. But I think by the time you were a cadet, that program existed to have a sponsor family.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  12:41 They were awesome. The Frables, Neil and Elizabeth. I just had lunch with Neil about four months ago. We still we stay in touch and they're just awesome. And they were so good. They sponsored four of us. And they actually gave each of us a key to their house. And a key to their third car. Oh, my goodness, that was a lifesaver. And they cooked a lot. And we ate a lot. And they just they really opened their homes up to us. So, I credit them. I mean, they were my second family, and still just love them for what they did for us. They were a great, great sponsor family.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  13:24 When you were a cadet, did you participate in any formal leadership programs? Did you hold some positions within the cadet wing?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  13:35 O don't think they thought that highly of me. I wasn't that kind of cadet. I was the D.O. for my squadron. And that was because one of my buddies was a squadron commander. He's like, “Hey, man, will you help me?” And I was like, “Yeah, I'll do this.” But that was the most leadership experience I got and, you know, informal way. But I was glad to do that. It was my squadron. Although, when I told my friends to clean their rooms up and stuff, they'd always give me grief. You know, all these seniors. We were all seniors together. And they're like, “Who are you to tell me this?” Peer leadership is the hardest thing in the world. But yeah, I didn't rise to the level of like group or wing leadership or anything like that. So, the cadets were already surprised to hear that I'm like not, I wasn't that good of a cadet. I mean, I was like your average kind of cadet that did pretty well.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  14:28 Well, you're being modest here. I watched you lead on that football team. You guys had some success and a really tight group.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  14:35 We did. I loved our team. We had a lot of leaders on our football team, though. And people — I always characterize the leadership on our football team — people knew when they needed to lead. You know, there was just times where someone needed to step up and be a leader. And it might not be that you were the leader all the time. But when it was needed, somebody always stepped up. And that was I think the hallmark of our team. And it was just a great group of people, humble leaders, all about team success. And I learned as much leadership from football as I did anywhere else here at the Academy. And credit to Coach DeBerry, Coach Hatfield, you know, all of our coaches, and my teammates, for just helping me develop as a man and, and what kind of a leader and person I wanted to be. So that was as much of a leadership laboratory as anything for me.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  15:33 So, it sounds like when it came time to toss your hat and put on the gold bars, you were prepared to go out and be a lieutenant in the Air Force.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  15:43 I think I was. And my first job was right back and coaching football here. So that was a nice transition from the Academy. I taught unarmed combat, PE, and I coached the JV football team and you, you were at the prep school then I think, Coach, and so… But that was a phenomenal job. And there were like eight of us that stayed back and did that. That was just great. And you know, you had to employ some leadership there because you're trying to lead the cadets. And whether they're on football or in the PE class. So, I learned a lot doing that, but I really enjoyed it. I love being back here. And honestly, it gave me a whole different appreciation for the Academy. Because when you're a cadet, you are looking about five feet in front of you and you don't stop to look at the mountains and you don't stop to look at all that everybody's doing to make this place happen and the passion that people really have for our cadets. That was when I first kind of said, “You know what, this place really is special.” But you don't get that as a cadet necessarily. Some cadets, so they're special anyway, but cadets like me, I didn't know, and I was just ready to graduate. But that one year gave me a whole different appreciation. And I'm grateful for it.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  17:00 Right. And then you headed off to pilot training and like most lieutenants, you know, you're gonna' mix in with a new group of people, a new group of friends. Talk to us about your experience as a student pilot, and then on to start your career flying big airplanes.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  17:18 Yes. So, me and one of my good friends, Mike Chandler, we decided we were going to go to pilot training together. He was a teammate in football. And we were actually roommates when we traveled. And we decided we're going together. So, we both went to Laughlin. And we thought we'll go to Laughlin so there's no distractions, there's good weather, we're going to kill pilot training. And when we got there, we realized there's no distractions at all. And there was nothing else to do there. But we had a great time because of the people in our class. And we're the only two Academy grads in the class. But we just we bonded well as a class and pilot training was pretty good. I do remember though, I almost washed out, like in the first month, because I had a couple bad rides in a row. And you know how you get a couple, three bad rides, and you're out? And especially in those days, we lost half of our class, they washed out 50% of our class. And I had these bad rides. And I had to go to what they call an 89. You know, and what that was if you if you fail three rides in a row, right? If you couldn't do your no-flap landings, and you couldn't get them right in the T-37, then you went to an 88. You fail the 88, then you go to the 89. 89 was the elimination, right? And so, I had to go to an 89. And I had to fly with the squadron commander. And the night before, I call my mom again. I always called my mom. And I was like, Mom, tomorrow might be my last flight because I flew today, I failed the ride, and I don't think a whole lot is gonna' change between tonight and tomorrow. And she was like, “Well enjoy it. Because it might be the last time you get to fly an airplane, so you need to at least have fun. It's been your dream and my heart goes out to you. But enjoy the flight. Don't make your last flight something that was a bad memory for you.” And I was like, “Well, if I fail, it's gonna' be a bad memory.” She said, “But at least have fun. You can have fun.” But it was great advice because I went up there, Coach, and I was just relaxed. I even stopped studying when I called her. I didn't study that night. I went to bed, got up in the morning, didn't get up early and study. I went in there, I did my ground evals. I was usually pretty good in the ground evals and I just went up and I flew the sortie. I remember, he told me to do a cloverleaf, you know, the maneuver the cloverleaf, which was my favorite. I did the cloverleaf and he goes, “OK, we can head on back to the pattern now get your pattern work done.” And I said, “Can I do one more clover?” And he's like, “I don't recommend it, the one you did was fine.” And I said, “I know I just like the cloverleaf. Sir, can I just do one more?” He was like, “OK.” And I did another cloverleaf thinking, “You know, this might be my last time I did the cloverleaf.” I flew back to the pattern, I'm talking to the IP and stuff. I did my landings, you know, really uneventful. Got out of the plane, we're walking back, and he goes, “I don't even know why you're in this ride. That was a great ride.” And I was like, “You mean, I passed?” And he was like, “Yeah, great job today, Lt. Clark, you passed.” And what I realized, it was about just relaxing and flying the plane. And it was the best lesson I ever got in an airplane, when you can relax and just let your training kick in. And just don't worry and let your instincts take over. You just fly better. And my mom sort of taught me that. She's like, “Just relax and have a good time.” So, I sort of credited her with keeping me at the Academy. She got me through pilot training. I mean, she was my mom, too. So, I give her that credit. But yeah, that was a good pilot training memory. And, you know, everything's been great since then.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  21:12 So, you head off, and you're going to the EC135 first, right? So, talk to me a little bit about your career progression there as a captain and major and things you look back on from that period.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  21:27 Well, so, here's one big lesson that I got out. When I got the EC135, I wanted to fly C-130. Really I wanted to fly a gunship. And I thought, “I don't even know what that is I didn't put it on my dream sheet. How did I end up getting this?” I was bummed out. And then one of the IP(s) said, “You know, they handpick people to go into the EC135.” Oh, really? Well, because the EC135 was the airborne command post — the nuclear mission at Offutt and you always had a general officer on board. And you could only fly with instructor pilots and a co-pilot. You couldn't have a straight aircraft commander in that plane. And the co-pilot had an immense amount of responsibility in that mission, and you got a whole lot of flying time. And when you got done with that assignment in two years, you got your choice of your next assignment. And a lot of guys went to fighters. They had to compete for that. But then for me, it was the B-1 and I saw that that was available. And I learned that when I first walked in the door because several people got to FP111s and B-1s. And I was like, “Man, I could do this.” I got 2,000 hours in the T-38 because they had the ACE program, the companion trainer program in the EC. And between those two aircraft, I got 2,000 hours, which was plenty for me to go into the B-1. And then I flew the B-1 basically the rest of my career. And so, it was really one of the lessons I learned. Sometimes you get put somewhere that maybe it didn't want or maybe didn't expect, but you make the best of it. And sometimes there's these, sort of, hidden benefits and successes that you didn't even know about. But if you go there and just bloom where you're planted, good things happen. And I learned that early. Fortunately, in the EC135. I flew the B-1 for 17 years. I flew at McConnell which ended up moving B-1s out of there. Dyess Air Force Base, I flew at Ellsworth as a squadron commander. I did do a stint in the Pentagon and legislative liaison in there and I was also a White House fellow, which was an amazing opportunity for me. But those years and the B-1 and doing the Pentagon and the White House fellow were really amazing years. I met Amy in there and we got married. When I was stationed at Dyess as a captain, well, actually I met her as a captain — we dated, and I pinned on just a few months before we got married. But my flying career was just awesome. And my first command was just absolutely a pinnacle point. It was squadron commander and the 34th Bomb Squadron. And I got into that squadron. Sept. 5, 2001, is when I showed up for that and I had just left the White House fellowship, which was just a fantastic opportunity. But I was riding high Sept. 5, and then Sept. 11, happens and everything changed. The squadron deployed and I wasn't checked out yet in the B-1. I had to go through a re-qual program. And so, I can remember when they left. The squadron was heading out and they were, “…or maybe we could just take you as an unqualified pilot,” blah, blah, blah. There was no way that that was going to happen. And so, I can remember that day, when they were leaving, they left about a month after Sept. 11, in October. And I just went and helped pack up bags. I just did whatever I could to help that squadron out. I wasn't the squadron commander at the time. But I remember thinking, “Man, I can't believe the squadron that I was going to go in is going to go without me.” But they did. And I helped. And I tried to be as much of a contributor as I could. And when they came back, I was all qualified. And then a couple of months after that, I took over the squadron. And then they tapped us to go again. And so, I got to deploy the squadron in combat over Iraq. We deployed to Oman and we flew missions at the beginning of OIF. And that was just an unbelievable experience, growth experience, leadership experience, but really, just something I'll never forget, you know, it was hard. It was tough. We're there for about six months. But leading in combat I think is something we all prepare for and want to be ready for. But it's also an honor, you know, to be able to have that kind of responsibility. And I think back on it, and my timing couldn't have been better for me to be able to do that. It was just a highlight of my career.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  26:31 Can we entice you to tell a quick war story about a Distinguished Flying Cross that you are awarded?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  26:37 Oh, well, I could talk about that. Can I talk about a different story there? I have a better one, I do. This was one of my proudest moments I think I had as the squadron commander. I had to line up all the crews, you know, to put experience within experience and make sure that they were balanced out with the people that I knew, and who was going to perform the best. And I had 24 crews. They actually sent me extra crews from a different squadron to make sure that we had a full complement. And the last crew that I had were two of the most inexperienced people in our squadron. Two captains and two lieutenants. And one of them was a brand-new FAPE. Has just come from T-37s into the B-1. And I had to have 24 crews and they were the last four people. And I didn't really have another way to balance the experience and inexperience. So, I did it. And the flight commanders were like, “Don't do it. We can't send these guys out like that.” And I said, “We have to; they need to go. And so, on the second night, they went out they had 24 JDAM, 2,000 pound GPS bombs. And they started out. They orbited in the area, they did well. First they delivered their 12 bombs on-target, the direct targets from the ATO, and they hit those targets. And then they were orbiting, waiting for what we call it, x-cast, somebody to call in and say, “I need some bombs.” And our mantra in the squadron was whenever there's Americans on the ground, we're going to do whatever it takes to help them. You will do whatever it takes. And so, they're orbiting, and they're about at bingo fuel in there, meaning the fuel that they needed to go back, and they get a radio call from an AWAC. There's troops in contact and they need some air power. So, they give this crew, the aircraft commander, this young FAPE goes, “Well, we're close to bingo, but we're not there yet. So, give us the coordinates and give us the radio frequency,” and they fly. And they get this JTAC — joint tactical air control — on the ground. And he's like, “We're getting shelled from a ridgeline. There's Iraqi armored vehicles, they're hitting us hard. We need some bombs. We got 150 soldiers down here, can you give us some bombs.” He's like, “Got it, give us the coordinates.” So, they start getting a nine-line there. They're loading the coordinates, and the “Wizzo” is just putting the bombs, you know, he starts putting them on target. Boom, boom, one at a time. And they get the coordinates, bomb on target. But then they hit bingo. And so the aircraft commander tells the JTAC, “Hey, we're at bingo fuel, we need to get going or we're not going to be able to get back home. But we'll get somebody else out here.” And the JTAC says, “If you leave us now, we're going to get pummeled. Can you stay a little longer?” He says, “We'll stay as long as you want.” And so, they keep putting bombs on target. And they keep putting them down until they went Winchester and the JTAC says, “Hey, the shelling stopped. You guys are cleared out.” And when they turn their nose to go home, they didn't have enough fuel to get back. And so, they get on with AWACS and they're talking to AWACS trying to figure something out. They're looking at divert. Field diverting into a field in Iraq is not a good idea. But finally, a KC-135 flies into the country, into Iraq, unarmed, unafraid, gives them gas and then those guys can come home. And when they got back, they were three hours past their estimated arrival time. And I met him at the airplane because I'm going, “What happened?” And when the aircraft commander comes down the ladder, he's got salt stains on his back. They were working hard. I said, “What happened? He goes, “Sir, we overflew our bingo.” I said, “Well, certainly there's more to it than that.” And so, we go into the intel debrief and they told that story. And all of those, that whole crew, was awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses for what they did. And so that of all the things that happened, to see those young guys go out there and do that, and do what they needed to do to help other Americans, to help their fellow servicemen, that made me prouder than anything,   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  30:44 I guess it would. And you took a chance, in a way, by putting this crew together.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  30:49 I did. Yeah. As far as I was concerned, I didn't have a choice, you know, but I had to trust them to do their job. And they were trained. I mean, they had received the training that was required for them to go to combat, so we have to trust them to do it. And they did it.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  31:05 Well, that's a really cool story. And if my math is right, you are about 15-16 years into your career at that time. Let me shift gears a little bit. How much thought did you give to staying in touch with or staying engaged with the Air Force Academy while you were out? You know, developing your career path.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  31:33 I gave a lot of thought to it. I used to come back for football games. I came back for my reunions for sure. And I don't think financially at that point, I hadn't gotten involved. But a couple years later, when our class, our 20th reunion was starting, that's when I really started realizing financially I could and should start to give back to the Academy. So that was when I think from a financial point, I really connected and realized that. But just from a present standpoint and coming back, I came back at every opportunity. I came back for games; I came back for some mentorship opportunities that people asked me to come talk to cadets and things like that. But I never thought I would get to come back here to work. You know, it never crossed my mind until someone asked me to be the commandant years later. And that was like beyond imagination for me, especially knowing what kind of cadet I was. I was like, “OK, you really want me to be the commandant? I don't think so.” But I got that opportunity down the road. I mean, that was after a lot. I went on to be a wing commander, you mentioned I was the wing commander. At 12th Flying Training Wing, I got to fly all the trainers and that was just awesome. And then I deployed to Iraq for a year, which was an intense year, hard year, I would say probably the hardest year I've had, you know, in my career. And then I got promoted to one star. And they sent me to Barksdale Air Force Base as the vice commander of 8th Air Force. And when I came back from Iraq, I knew I'd gotten promoted. And that job was kind of roundabout. They said, “Hey, we're gonna' send you to Barksdale to be the vice at 8th. But that job is actually going to be downgraded to a colonel and you're about to pin on one star. So we're not sure what's going to happen with you next.” I was like, “Oh, man,” trying to remember the lessons of the past though. I said, “OK. This is where I'm going so let's bloom where I'm planted,” right? So, we all move there. Things were great. And then I remember the MATCOM commander called me in one day and he goes, “You know…, they get the phone call from the secretary. I'm gonna', one, I'm a newly pinned on one star. And he goes, “Hey, you know that job you're in is a colonel job?” And I was like, “Yes, sir, I know. But I love it.” You know, I was being positive. He says, “But we're gonna' have to move you out of there.” “Yes sir. Understood.” And he goes, “What would you think about going to the Air Force Academy and be the commandant?” You could have knocked me over with a feather. And that's when you and I first connected, when I got to come be your commandant when you were the supt. And that was just a dream to be able to come back here and that's when I really connected back, you know, when I got a chance to see it, even from a different level. I talked about it as a coach you know, and seeing how special it is and seeing how passionate people are about our school. But being the commandant gave me a whole different view and being able to engage with the cadets and understand what they were doing and trying to push that development for them. Just amazing and I loved it, and Amy loved it, to live in the Otis House, having the cadets over, trying to help them with their, you know, their development. And that's a big job, right? We all know that because you take it very personally, because you want them to be everything that they can be in there. So amazingly talented. You just want to take that talent and give them every opportunity you can to thrive. So, we did that. And after that, even Amy, she might as well be a grad. I mean, she just fell in love with this place after those two years. Our kids, Milo and Zoey, they were 10 and 8 coming in. Our family just was immersed in USAFA.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  35:40 So, I was going to ask you about the role that Amy and the kids played in your development as a leader, but I got to see it firsthand. And you just went through that. When you had to leave the Academy, if you can remember, I'm sure you do remember this, I wanted to keep you here for a third year. Because you were that perfect role model in so many ways for the cadets. Not only your leadership, you know, in the job, but your family and the way these kids could then look up and say, “I want to do that someday. I think I can be like that guy.” And we wanted to keep you another year and then you came out on the two-star list and you moved on to what was undoubtedly a really, really tough assignment as the DAT and senior guy in Cairo. Tell us about that little bit.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  36:30 Yeah, well, if you remember at first they told me I was going to the Pentagon to be the 8th, which was like the big job. If you're a two-star, you go there, the 8th as the programmer. And Amy loves D.C. And so, they told us we were going there. And then I get a phone call from then-Chief of Staff Gen. Schwartz, actually, he called and said, “Hey, I need you to talk to the GAO management office, the GoMo, who do all the assignments for the general.” And I was like, “Oh, yes, sir. Is there a problem?” And I think you might have known about that — you probably knew about this already. Because it was bad news, I think he wanted to tell me personally or something. And so, I called GoMo. And they go, “Yeah, your assignment's changed. You're not going to the Pentagon, you're going to Egypt.” And I go, “Is there a base in Egypt?” They're like, “No, you're gonna' be working at the embassy as the DET.” And I was like, “Ah, OK. All right. That's good.” And so, then the first thing that came to my mind was telling me, I was like, “Oh man, she's gonna' flip out.” Well, I called her. And I said, “Honey, we're not going to D.C.” And here's the thing. Our movers were already in route, like, they were coming to pack us out. And I said, “We're not going to D.C., we're going to Egypt.” I was bracing for impact. And she goes, “Oh my gosh, are you kidding me? That's amazing.” I was like, she couldn't care less about what job I had, she couldn't care less that I was giving up like the best job to target. She was just looking for that adventure of Egypt. And that actually took a lot of heat off me. Because if she's happy, I'm happy. And so, we went to Egypt. And it actually turned out to be great. But we got truncated on the training. Like, you're supposed to get language school, you're supposed to go through this whole defense attaché course. And I didn't have time because it was a late breaking change. And they said, “Don't worry, you don't need all that training because Egypt's on skids.” That was the exact words of the guy that that told me I was getting a job. And he meant Egypt is in a good place. You know, they just elected a new president, democratically elected, and everything's good. Well, when we got there, I got to the airport and we're all sitting in the lounge at the airport, and I picked up a newspaper, and it was in English. And it said that day, the president fired all the military, all the top military leaders. I was like, I guess we're not on skids anymore. And it just went downhill from there. I was there for a month, and they attacked the embassy. And then a year later, the coup happened. Amy and the kids and all the families within the embassy had to go home. It was an order departure. They all had to leave. I remember telling Amy because I was in the meeting with the ambassador when all this happened. And I said “Hey, you might want to pack a bag because I think you're about to go.” She's like, “Pack a bag?” I said, “You can only pack a carry on.” “How long are we going to be gone?” “I don't know.” And they left and they went to D.C. And we had no idea. They ended up being gone for nine months. The kids started school and everything. Well, there was two thirds of the embassy stayed, but it was actually, from a professional standpoint, awesome. To be involved, often to be our representative on the military side, to work with the Egyptian military to try to help navigate through this coup d'état. And they're a country that we were very interested in keeping as a partner. I got a lot of good experience and just cool, like, opportunities to do things. It was a little scary at times, but I actually loved it. And then Amy and the kids came back. We look at that as one of our best assignments as a family. It was just — the Egyptian people are amazing. The travel that we got to do was incredible. And I just loved the assignment, and it goes back, you know, I mentioned to you, sometimes you get an assignment and you're like, “Gosh, what?” And it turns out to be the best thing ever. And that was one of them.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  40:50 And I thought for sure, somewhere in there, you were gonna' say you called your mom.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  40:57 Then I was married, so then I just had to stop calling my mom after that. Well, I still call her but not for advice. I gotta' call Amy, so, you know?   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  41:06 Well, you had a couple more really challenging assignments. But let's talk about your time as superintendent. Not too many people think that you'll grow up someday and have that type of responsibility. And then when you get here, you realize that it's probably one of the most heavily scrutinized positions you can have in the Air Force.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  41:26 That's an understatement.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  41:29 We can both agree on this.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  41:34 But other than the general leadership and the experiences you have throughout your career, this place is different. USAFA is different than any other command, and in many ways more challenging, because you just hadn't had that experience. How do you reflect back on your time as superintendent and the fact that you you've worked through, I think you had two presidents, two commander in chiefs, you had a couple different secretaries, and they all have guidance that comes to you. But your job then is to make that guidance into your own policy. How have you dealt with all that?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  42:14 You know, honestly, all of us military members are — our job is to make the commander in chief's policy our policy, and to execute that policy. That's our oath. And that's what we do. And so, you know, for me, I feel like we've all done that. I mean, we've all at some point in our careers had to say, you know, “This is the law of the land.” I mean, I'm gonna' follow my oath to the Constitution, support and defend. And that's a part of it. So, in that aspect, you saw it was no different. But like you said, it's such a, I don't know, everybody has an idea. Everybody thinks they can run the Air Force. Everybody thinks that it should flow along their ideological lines, or whatever. And, frankly, it's about our country's policies that we have to abide by. But the one thing that doesn't change is our mission. And our mission is to develop lieutenants that are leaders of character that are ready to go out and win our wars, and that are ready to go out, support, defend the Constitution. That's it. And the policy things that people get so hung up on, sometimes they're really on the periphery, and they're not as entrenched. And what we do as people might think are — our core mission has never changed. There are some nuances, there's some things that might change a little bit, society changes. Young people change, you know, people that are 18 to 24. It's a pretty volatile group, in a way, and they change with society, too. So, we have to tweak and adjust based on our superiors, you know, people in the Pentagon and OSD and our president. We have to change based on society, and who we have coming into the Air Force Academy. And frankly, parents get a vote in this and the things that happen. And alumni always have a voice in this as well. They make their voice well known. But in the end, what it's my job to do is to make sure that our team is inoculated enough from all that, that we can continue to do our job and make sure that these warfighters are ready to go out and do what those lieutenants and those captains did for me as a squadron commander. That we're putting people out that are ready to go do that. And I always have in mind, like that story that I told you, Coach, it's always in the back of my mind. I hope that I'm developing people that are ready to go out and do what Those guys did that day. If our lieutenants are ready to fight like that, then we've succeeded. And that's my goal. I've never been a political person. But I get dragged into it all the time. And my job is to make sure that when I do get dragged into it, that we're still able to execute our mission, and that I don't drag the entirety of the Academy into it. And you know how it is. That's our job as leaders: to provide that top cover, and that shield, so that our people can do their job and produce those lieutenants that are going to go win wars.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  45:34 Well, that's a great attitude, and you've done it well. Tell me about your relationship with the Association of Graduates and Foundation? How have they contributed to your successes here at the Academy? And is there anything that the two organizations could do better?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  45:52 Well, I will say, let me start off with, enormous support from the Foundation and the AOG. And it's hard for everyone to really know what kinds of things you guys do for us. But all you need to do is drive around the campus, right? And look at the North Commons area, look at our new hotel, look at our visitor center, that's coming up, look at the Cyber Innovation Center that's coming up, look at our football stadium that's getting built. All those things are either fully private or public-private, that the Foundation has to not only raise the money, but facilitate those things happening. And I would say that, nowadays, we're not going to have very much construction that's going to happen here or any growth that the Foundation isn't involved in. You're going to have to be involved in pretty much everything that we do, if we want to keep evolving as an Academy. And since I've been here, the Foundation has done that. And the Foundation and the AOG are only as strong as our alumni. And I guess I've always known that intuitively. But since I've been here, it is entrenched in me and I will always be a supporter of our Academy from a financial standpoint, from my time standpoint, but it's critical, not just for our Academy, but really for the product, those 1,000 lieutenants that we put out, they benefit enormously from the help that we get. And those are just the big things. Forget about all of the research opportunities, the travel opportunities, the opportunities to bring in guest speakers, NCLS, you know, the National Character and Leadership Symposium is NCLS. There's so many other things that people don't even know that only happened because someone was willing to put their resources behind our Academy. And so, you know, the Foundation makes that happen for us to AOG brings them in, but together, that support is just enormous. And, you know, I get a lot of compliments about people who they see — the visitors that we have coming through the Carlton House, you know, the supt. house — thousands of people that come through there: cadets, donors, dignitaries, all kinds of people. All that happens because of gift funds from the Foundation. We're able to represent our Academy in a way that people can't even understand. And that also, you know — there's a synergy from that and an exponential effect from us being able to do those kinds of things that most universities do. But the government doesn't always support those things because it's not in a funding line. But the Foundation helps us to make those things happen.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  48:45 Well, you've summed it up pretty well. Our goal is for the Association to be relevant in the lives of cadets through their time here at the Academy and onto their careers. So that eventually they follow into that continuum where they go to the Foundation and say, “How can I help?” And we're seeing that happen now. And it's nice to hear you recognize that it's been a factor in your time. We're close to running out of time here. Richard, let me ask you about your next big challenge, executive director of the College Football Playoff. This is exciting. What are your thoughts there?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  49:19 So, I am enormously grateful and blessed to even have this job. I still kind of don't believe it. You know, because it's such a dream job. I'm going from one dream job to another, you know, but it's funny. What I'll say is, it came out of the blue. A search firm contacted me and I had some, I had known them because I was involved in another search for the Mountain West Conference to find our commissioner. And the people that ran the search knew me just because I was on that panel and everything. And the guy calls me one day. He goes “Hey, Rich, I heard you might be retiring soon. I think you mentioned to us would you be willing to put your name in the hat for the executive director of the CFP.” I was like, “Is that a trick question?” And so, he said, “Now you're the longshot candidate.” They wanted a nontraditional candidate on the, you know — they have 15 or 20 people that they're looking at, but they wanted a nontraditional. I was like, “Yeah, I'll do it.” I said, “Can I ask though, do I really have a shot at this?” He goes, “Yeah, everybody has a shot.” I'm like, “OK, so I got a shot. Let's do this.” And I did a phone interview, then I did a Zoom interview, then it was narrowed down to three and an in-person interview. And I got the job, and I couldn't believe it. But what's really interesting, the things that they liked about me, like, they asked me some questions like, “Do you have any media…?” They go, “Do you have any media experience?” I was like, “No.” “Do you have any experience in managing college athletic teams?” “No.” You know, “Do you have any experience and revenue generation?” “No.” I, you know, and I thought, “I'm just done.” But then they started asking me leadership questions and things that any of us in the military, we would all knock them out of the park. They are things that we've all lived and done things that I learned here, you know, at the Air Force Academy. They weren't hard questions; they were things that are second nature to us. The other thing that they liked was that I played football for four years. And being a student-athlete myself, they thought that that was a big benefit. So really, it goes right back to being here at the Academy and getting that job. And now I look at the challenges that it faces, then you just talked about all the scrutiny we get here as a superintendent. Yeah, I think I'm walking right into another job where I'm going to get scrutinized. It's going to the 12-team playoff, you know, this year. Last year, you know, number five team, everybody was all mad and lost their minds. And I think the committee did it right, though. Next year, it'll just be team 13 that's going to be mad. So, I'm ready, though. I'm excited about it. Amy's excited about it. We're going to move to Dallas, which is where the headquarters is. But I still am, you know, I'm sprinting to the finish in this job. So, I don't have a lot of time to think about it. But it's nice to know that I have another great job that I'm going to be able to flow into. I feel incredibly blessed by it. And just for the opportunity to continue to contribute to student success. And to be a part of that.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  52:32 That's a really good thought. And let me just ask you to close this out, Rich. Any parting thoughts to your team here at the Academy, to the cadets and to your teammates as you move on to your second career?   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  52:50 Well, first of all, and you know this, as much as I do, you know, as the supt, you know, you're at the head of the table, right? And you're trying to provide the top cover. But it's really so that all of the amazing teammates — we have the dean of faculty, the commandant, the athletic director, the prep school, airbase wing, just across the board. You know, all of those people in the flying training group too, even though they're not AETC, there's much of this character development effort that we have. But they're the ones that get the job done. And what makes the Air Force Academy so special is that everyone is so passionate about our cadets, and trying to help them to be ready to go out and do the things that we need them to do. That's what makes us special. It's also what makes it kind of hard, though. But I will take hard when people are passionate any day, you know? They just will do this mission and they will do it, whatever it takes to make it right. And to make sure that we're giving those cadets everything they deserve. I couldn't thank them enough from all of our senior leaders right on down to the, you know, the people in the trenches working in Mitchell Hall. You know, I just love this place because of the people that make it work and that make it go to our cadets. I'll be very honest, there's people that go, “What's wrong with this generation? They don't, you know, they're not patriotic; they're not athletic.” These people don't know what on Earth they're talking about. Come spend an hour, 30 minutes, with our cadets and you'll change your mind. These are the most incredible people. They are patriotic. They want to go serve. They might be different than we were. They might be different than you know, even the classes before us. But there is no lack of patriotism and them wanting to serve and them wanting to do great things and to reach their destiny. And they are every bit as much leaders of character as anybody, this generation. They're better. They're smarter, they're more athletic, they're more in touch with their world around them. I am very happy and comfortable to leave this torch with them, to hand the torch off to them. And I'm just proud to have served with them. And then just to everyone out there, all the supporters of the Academy, and we do have a lot, I just thank them, you know, for letting us do our job at helping us do our job and supporting this Academy. So, I am leaving with a lot of gratitude in my heart, just from our cadets from our permanent party, from the alumni that helped us do this and the other supporters. It just makes me feel good about our country, you know, people still care, people still want to serve and to go do great things. And this place exemplifies that, like no other.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  55:48 Rich, that gratitude goes both ways. We're awfully proud of you, Amy, Milo, Zoë, and we just thank you for your years of service and the leadership you've exhibited here at the Academy. You left a mark, trust me, and we wish you all the well in the future as you go on about, and please stay in touch. Thank you.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  56:11 Thank you to the AOG and Foundation. And I'll say this, you know, I thank Amy because she's the one that was willing to go an extra four years because I could have retired as a three star when we started and she said, I'm in that passion from our time as commandant, she was like, “I'm in, let's do this.” And another four years wasn't easy for her. I'll be honest with you. She wants to live in her own house. She wants to… she started a new job. But she, she owned it. And she loves this Academy too. And I have to thank her and Milo and Zoë. They've just been my, that's my team. You know, I mean, in the end, you know, I thank God for them. I thank God for every opportunity. But I am just full of gratitude. So, thanks, Coach.   Lt. Gen. Mike Gould  56:59 Well done. Thank you. Lt. Gen.Rich Clark, 21st superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy.   Lt. Gen. Richard Clark  57:03 Thanks very much. Yeah, thank you.   Announcer:  57:08 Thank you for listening to long blue leadership. If you enjoyed this episode, we encourage you to subscribe, share it with your family and friends and post it to your social channels. Long Blue Leadership is a production of the long blue line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation. The views and opinions of the guests and hosts do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Air Force, Air Force Academy, Academy Association and Foundation, its staff or management. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesday mornings. Subscribe to Long Blue Leadership on Apple podcasts, Spotify, tune in plus Alexa, and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and more for show announcements and updates and visit long blue leadership.org for past episodes and more long blue line podcast network programming     KEYWORDS Air Force Academy, leadership, character, military career, pilot training, squadron command, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lt. Gen. Richard Clark '86, superintendent, United States Air Force Academy, executive director, college football playoff, Association of Graduates, Foundation, leadership, character development, support, gratitude     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

In this episode, FPE Director David Iglesias talks with Dr. Eric Patterson, President of the Religious Freedom Institute, about his broad and varied life experiences. He has served in the Air Force, plays music professionally, has been the dean of a law school, serves as a White House Fellow, and is a noted author and just war theory scholar.  Three Things is a production of the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics. 

About NICOLE MALACHOWSKI:Nicole's Profile: linkedin.com/in/realmalachowskiWebsites:linktr.ee/realmalachowski (Company)damelionetwork.com (Other)NICOLE'S BIO:A 2019 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee and recent Presidential appointee, Colonel Nicole M. E. Malachowski (USAF, Ret.) has over 21 years of experience as an officer, leader, and fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. Upon her commission into the military, she was competitively selected to fly combat aircraft and embarked on an adventure among the first group of women to fly modern fighter jets. Nicole served as a mission ready fighter pilot in three operational F-15E squadrons and accumulated over 2,300 flight hours, including 188 hours in combat. She has had the honor of commanding a fighter squadron, flying as a USAF Thunderbird pilot, serving as a White House Fellow and as an advisor to the First Lady of the United States. Nicole has forged a successful path through immense cultural changes in the military as well as significant adversity in her personal life. Following her medical retirement from the Air Force due to the severe impacts of late-stage Tick Borne Illness, Nicole reinvented herself as a highly successful entrepreneur, professional speaker, and leadership consultant. She's been happily married to her husband Paul, an Air Force veteran, for over 22 years. When not hurriedly chasing their thirteen-year-old twins around, she finds immense meaning in traveling and advocating for those impacted by Tick Borne Illnesses. (©️2024 Nicole Malachowski & Associates, LLC-All Rights Reserved). SHOW INTRO:Welcome to the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast.These dynamic dialogues based on our acronym DATA - design, architecture, technology, and the arts crosses over disciplines but maintains a common thread of people who are passionate about the world we live in and human's influence on it, the ways we craft the built environment to maximize human experience, increasing our understanding of human behavior and searching for the New Possible.    The NXTLVL Experience Design podcast is presented by VMSD Magazine part of the Smartwork Media family of brands.VMSD brings us, in the brand experience world, the International Retail Design Conference. The IRDC is one of the best retail design conferences that there is bringing together the world of retailers, brands and experience place makers every year for two days of engaging conversations and pushing the discourse forward on what makes retailing relevant.You will find the archive of the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast on VMSD.com.Thanks also goes to Shop Association the only global retail trade association dedicated to elevating the in-store experience. SHOP Association represents companies and affiliates from 25 countries and brings value to their members through research, networking, education, events and awards. Check then out on SHOPAssociation.orgIn this episode I talk with Nicole Malachowski a retired Colonel of the United States Air Force, an F-15E fighter pilot, who commanded a fighter squadron, flew as a USAF Thunderbird pilot, serves as a White House Fellow and as was an advisor to the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama.First though, a few thoughts…             *                         *                         *It seems that I talk a lot about speed…Its' sort of a fascination……the pace of change and what it likely means for emerging markets, changing guest expectations, how we address new needs, how we transition through moments of uncertainty and ambiguity and how leaders shift their orientation from current, or past paradigms, that are no longer relevant or adaptable to the fast-paced world we are now living and working in …and turn their attention to growing companies and workforces into flexible structures that are deeply embedded with the idea of change as a given -  something not to be feared but seen as an emergent space of possibility.And I gotta tell you, this change thing isn't easy. It takes a persistence of thought and a modicum of courage to keep on looking into the void, unable to predict the distant future and maybe rely on shorter term gains in the near future. Yeah, it's not easy. Especially when you've spent most of your life believing that there was a path that you were supposed to follow. Something that was laid out and that you could rely on as being consistent. And predictable.But it seems as though life keeps having its way of throwing a monkey wrench in that ideal and reminding me that very little is in our control.And there is that old, I believe Hebrew, saying that “man made plans and God just laughed.”Now I'm not sure who's exactly laughing at whom here but one fact remains… that uncertainty is a certainty. I think based on the speed at which our technology and societies are changing that uncertainty will be the name of the game for the future.Of course, there are some inherent challenges in taking that position in leadership because generally speaking, no one wants a leader who seems to be uncertain about where to go next. My hunch is though, that leaders who are able to say that they're not exactly sure where things will lead might likely be not only more realistic about possible future outcomes but more endearing to an emerging cohort of customers or employees.This may seem to go totally counter to the idea that we like our structures and the paradigms that we build our emotional and business selves around……but it seems to me that we're increasingly in need of strategic positions that plan for things being upended.It's almost like having a ‘continuous contingency plan' in place - if this then that and then if this then that and so on and so on.Recently I took on a role advising a group of students who were given the design challenge in a competition to build the hotel of the future... For opening sometime in 2050.It seemed to me that I was having trouble predicting the next five years rather than the next 25 years and I mused out loud that I don't know how they could predict anything that was that far ahead. The strange thing is, that it's not actually that far ahead.It is very much in front of us - right now - if you consider that we'll be moving towards that time much more quickly it than we'll have ever moved before.And so, with the group of students, I suggested that maybe what we needed was to consider that we engage in scenario mapping - planning a strategic platform within which many potential options could play out. In this exercise it seemed to me that what we needed to do was to be able to provide for all sorts of contingency plans while at the same time having a structure to allow for various outcomes to emerge based on a host of changing circumstances.There are a couple of ideas here that I frequently find myself thinking about:One would be……that if ‘you know where you're going, you've already gone' as the saying goes and the delta between now and then is simply about production. There is a certain comfort in the knowing… I know where we are going.. the end point is predetermined, it is predictable and I feel reassured in knowing the end game.In this case, I think that the joy of discovery that you have when taking the ‘road less traveled' is diminished, or disappears, and the work becomes transactional and geared towards efficiently getting to the outputs. Discovery falls away in preference for getting it done. I think that way about design as well… that it is often more process than product. It is during the making of something where a lot of the magic happens.My hope is that in those moments we have the collision of memories, emotions, ideas, the challenges of solving programmatic requirements, meeting the needs of end users, etc., etc. Design is a journey where all these things come together in a process where discovery leads us to a place of awe and reverence for the creative act so that we stand back from the things we have made in bewilderment that we are even able to do these things.There should be a moment where you stand back from the thing that you created and revel in how it was that you even got there.The second thing that also occurs to me about navigating into the unknown is that, at a brain level, we may have a certain level of being ill-at-ease about the unknown, we actually love the idea of novelty. I know I've talked about this before but, these moments of novelty and discovery where experience doesn't align with our expectations - or the predetermined schemas for how things should be - that we have in our in our brains are where, in a sense, our brains wake up and pay attention.We have predicted something to be a certain way and it doesn't happen and so things emerge from unconscious awareness into our consciousness – into a front row center level of awareness…… the new experience releases dopamine and other neurochemicals that make these experiences both desirable as well as potentially being full of trepidation. This is a neurobiological imperative that has been embedded in our neurophysiology for millions of years. Seeing and being able to determine the novel in our environments was a crucial factor to our very survival.In a way, this makes me think about how we might try to operate in a fast paced, changing world where every day becomes a continuous flow of fluidly changing experiences. How do we adapt to not having long periods of times of consolidating and understanding experiences when we're quickly on to the next thing?It seems to me like that would be a heavy burden on the brain and our emotions …living in the ‘new now' might be exhausting. And so, we face periods of Headwinds - moments where the proverbial weather shifts and we might feel that we are unprepared having left our umbrella at home. Or other times when we might be carrying the umbrella, and the winds shift direction and blow it backwards making it entirely unusable. It's in those moments where we are confronted with whether we have planned well and are able to fight, or flow, with the wind in these moments of adversity.In those moments we need to be able to turn to teammates, close allies people who have got your back, who know you so well that they know what your next move will be either because they've simply been with you for so long or you were all following the same playbook … and running in the same direction…Sometimes these moments are like being in a crucible where significant change is going to happen and, often with the support of allies, family members, good friends, mentors… we come out the other side changed …we don't just bounce back to what it was, but we bounce beyond into a new way of being where we're transformed beyond our expectations.In that process of transformation there is a need for trust… trust in the process, and trust in the people who you are surrounded by - that they will be able to nurture you through these moments of significant change. Seems to me that part of a leader's role is to know themselves, and to lead the team through these moments of unpredictability knowing that on the other side – if they commit the to work of transformation (that is not easy) and you have the courage of your convictions, that you'll end up being better for it.When I think about positive leadership, it's not about giving false hope or making promises that you can't keep…… because in many cases we simply can't predict the outcomes of things as well as we believe we could.It's about mastering your self-awareness – tuning into how you are feeling in the moment - mastering your self-control and being really good at balancing both of these things because losing one or the other can result in losing your team's confidence. And at the same time, to be authentic and transparent in your communication and naturally vulnerable so that your team sees you as human and that maybe you don't have all of the answers. But together you will find the ones where your leadership vision is not 20-20.And this is where this episode's guest comes into the discussion. Colonel Nicole Malachowski – now retired from the US Air Force, is a former F-15E fighter pilot who knows how to manage speed.Nicole has flown at twice the speed of sound and as I understand it, traveling at that velocity requires not just extraordinary skill but also “staying ahead of the jet” as she says and working multiple contingency plans when things don't go as expected.… and as far as I can tell from our conversation, things very rarely go as expected. Especially one someone has their sights trained on your multimillion dollar aircraft and wants to shoot you out of the air.In Nicole's mind, your speed and decision making should vary based on your context but that in the end “speed is always something that gives you options.”When traveling at twice the speed of sound your saving grace may be having been well prepared and knowing what your contingency plans are as you face headwinds, whether that's changing weather or enemy fire.In those moments of extreme adversity, teamwork and trust are vital to fast decision making and potentially your very survival. Nicole gathers all of these lessons learned from a brilliant career in the military and applies them to coaching, mentoring and giving capitivating speeches on an international stage where she shares her experiences.Nicole Malachowski is A 2019 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee and recent Presidential appointee.She has over 21 years of experience as an officer, leader, and fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. She put on her country's uniform at the age of 17 and upon her commission into the military, she was competitively selected to fly combat aircraft and embarked on an adventure among the first group of women to fly modern fighter jets - fulfilling a dream she had since the age of 5.Nicole served as a mission ready fighter pilot in three operational F-15E squadrons and accumulated over 2,300 flight hours, including 188 hours in combat. She has had the honor of commanding a fighter squadron, flying as the first female USAF Thunderbird pilot, serving as a White House Fellow and as an advisor to the First Lady of the United States – Michell Obama.Nicole has forged a successful path through immense cultural changes in the military as well as significant adversity in her personal life. In a poignant twist of ironic fate it wasn't enemy fire that retired her from active duty in the US Air Force. Instead, it was something that sat on the head of a pin. In a “blink of a bite” as she says, her career at the stick of an F-15E fighter jet was shifted to struggling for her life with advanced tick-born illness, at times suffering from locked in syndrome unable to move or speak. Following her medical retirement from the Air Force due to the severe impacts of late-stage tick borne illness, Nicole reinvented herself as a highly successful entrepreneur, professional speaker, and leadership consultant.Nicole Malachowski knows speed, adversity and navigating the unknown. She is a captivating and inspiring speaker who I was honored to have a conversation with.             *                         *                         * ABOUT DAVID KEPRON:LinkedIn Profile: linkedin.com/in/david-kepron-9a1582bWebsites:  https://www.davidkepron.com    (personal website)vmsd.com/taxonomy/term/8645  (Blog)Email: david.kepron@NXTLVLexperiencedesign.comTwitter: DavidKepronPersonal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidkepron/NXTLVL Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nxtlvl_experience_design/Bio:David Kepron is a multifaceted creative professional with a deep curiosity to understand ‘why', ‘what's now' and ‘what's next'. He brings together his background as an architect, artist, educator, author, podcast host and builder to the making of meaningful and empathically-focused, community-centric customer connections at brand experience places around the globe. David is a former VP - Global Design Strategies at Marriott International. While at Marriott, his focus was on the creation of compelling customer experiences within Marriott's “Premium Distinctive” segment which included: Westin, Renaissance, Le Meridien, Autograph Collection, Tribute Portfolio, Design Hotels and Gaylord hotels. In 2020 Kepron founded NXTLVL Experience Design, a strategy and design consultancy, where he combines his multidisciplinary approach to the creation of relevant brand engagements with his passion for social and cultural anthropology, neuroscience and emerging digital technologies. As a frequently requested international speaker at corporate events and international conferences focusing on CX, digital transformation, retail, hospitality, emerging technology, David shares his expertise on subjects ranging from consumer behaviors and trends, brain science and buying behavior, store design and visual merchandising, hotel design and strategy as well as creativity and innovation. In his talks, David shares visionary ideas on how brand strategy, brain science and emerging technologies are changing guest expectations about relationships they want to have with brands and how companies can remain relevant in a digitally enabled marketplace. David currently shares his experience and insight on various industry boards including: VMSD magazine's Editorial Advisory Board, the Interactive Customer Experience Association, Sign Research Foundation's Program Committee as well as the Center For Retail Transformation at George Mason University.He has held teaching positions at New York's Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.), the Department of Architecture & Interior Design of Drexel University in Philadelphia, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising (L.I.M.) in New York, the International Academy of Merchandising and Design in Montreal and he served as the Director of the Visual Merchandising Department at LaSalle International Fashion School (L.I.F.S.) in Singapore.  In 2014 Kepron published his first book titled: “Retail (r)Evolution: Why Creating Right-Brain Stores Will Shape the Future of Shopping in a Digitally Driven World” and he is currently working on his second book to be published soon. David also writes a popular blog called “Brain Food” which is published monthly on vmsd.com.  The next level experience design podcast is presented by VMSD magazine and Smartwork Media. It is hosted and executive produced by David Kepron. Our original music and audio production by Kano Sound. The content of this podcast is copywrite to David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design. Any publication or rebroadcast of the content is prohibited without the expressed written consent of David Kepron and NXTLVL Experience Design.Make sure to tune in for more NXTLVL “Dialogues on DATA: Design Architecture Technology and the Arts” wherever you find your favorite podcasts and make sure to visit vmsd.com and look for the tab for the NXTLVL Experience Design podcast there too.

Do you have questions about the Bible? Dr. Michael Rydelnik will join Dawn and Steve in the Morning to take questions from listeners! Dr. Michael Rydelnik is a professor of Jewish Studies at Moody Bible Institute and the Bible teacher on Moody Radio's Open Line. To wrap up today's show, Dr. Robert Marbut will highlight the issue of homelessness in the United States. He is the Executive Producer of the movie No Address and the author of No Address: The Interactive Study Guide. Dr. Marbut has worked on issues of homelessness for more than three decades: first as a volunteer, then as chief of staff to San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, next as a White House Fellow to President H.W. Bush (41, the Father), later as a San Antonio City Councilperson/Mayor-Pro-Term and as the Founding President & CEO of Haven for Hope for five years (the most comprehensive homeless transformational center in the USA). He has also worked in 3 different US Presidential Administrations, including serving as the Executive Director of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness, often called the “Federal Homelessness Czar.” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Clagett is the Director of Learning and Development with the Baltimore Ravens. Prior to arriving with the Ravens, he's had quite a journey and quite an experience and a pretty incredible resume, which includes serving as a White House Fellow, where he got to interact with the President of the United States and a lot of other dignitaries and people that are making decisions that influence our daily lives. He also worked within the US Navy, rising to becoming a Lieutenant Commander where he also worked with the Navy SEAL Teams. We talk about mission, we talk about values in today's conversation, and we talk about what is applicable and what may not be when it comes from the military to the sports world. We also talk about politics in today's conversation. He also was a Pat Tillman Scholar. He is someone who cares about the work that he's doing and is looking to make an impact certainly within the NFL, but beyond the NFL and in the community that he helps serve in Baltimore as well. So, this is a rich conversation where we really zoom in and think about character and how you assess for character and how you think about putting together the best possible team to compete, to contend, and ultimately to win. Steve had a number of amazing insights during our conversation. Some of them include: “The power of the year [2020] means more now than it did then” (8:00). “We don't say he's a [Navy} SEAL. We say he's a team guy” (11:50). “Part of the competition is who you are as a teammate” (12:20). “I believe in having a hypercompetitive organization” (12:30). “You have to make sure that competition reinforces selflessness” (12:40). “For me, accountability comes in phases” (14:15). “Both [the military and the NFL] exist in some ways to inspire others” (16:40). “When I look back at my career, I think of times I could have been more of a glue guy” (19:15). “As a leader, there's that constant balance between the mission and the man” (19:25). “You need people [on the team] who get people out of their comfort zones and push the team in different directions” (21:05). “I really enjoyed leading teams and solving complex problems” (22:10). “I would define effective leadership as working with the team on establishing a vision, giving them clear roles and responsibilities, the resources they need to get the job done, and then getting out of the way” (27:50). “Ideally you want a culture of disagree and commit” (30:50). “What I've learned over the years is the value of diverse perspectives” (36:20). “When you can improve the morale, when you can improve the culture of an organization, it just makes coming to work every day better” (39:05). “The toughest decision I ever made was leaving the SEAL teams” (41:35). “Sometimes loyalty is just [to] your teammates” (44:35). “I think intrinsic motivation isn't as important as external motivation” (52:50). “I wonder sometimes if we're too hard on people for their honesty” (53:20). “One of our biggest reasons for success is we know who we are” (58:50). Additionally, I'd encourage you to check out Farming 4 Hunger and The Taylor Anne Foundation. You can also connect with Steve on LinkedIn. Thank you so much to Steve for coming on the podcast! I wrote a book called “Shift Your Mind” that was released in October of 2020, and you can order it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Additionally, I have launched a company called Strong Skills, and I encourage you to check out our new website https://www.strongskills.co/. If you liked this episode and/or any others, please follow me on Twitter: @brianlevenson or Instagram: @Intentional_Performers. Thanks for listening.

Join us in this episode as we talk to Reverend Adam Taylor about the role churches can have in this divided society and examples of how faith can intersect with public policy. Reverend Adam Taylor is the President of Sojourners, an ecumenical Christian organization that works to advance justice and peace, and the author of "A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community".He has led the Faith Initiative at the World Bank Group, served as vice president of Advocacy at World Vision US, executive director of Global Justice, and selected as a White House Fellow and served in the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs and Public Engagement. You can find Adam @revadamtaylor on X (Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. 20 Minute Takes is a production of Christians for Social ActionHost and Producer: Nikki Toyama-Szeto Edited by: Wiloza MediaMusic: Andre Henry

In this episode of The CX Tipping Point Podcast, Martha Dorris spoke with Noreen Hecmanczuk, a Senior Advisor for Strategic Engagements and Communications to the Federal CIO, Clare Martorana.  In this episode, Noreen shared her experiences that crossed numerous federal agencies and led to an opportunity as a White House Fellow, later joining the US Digital Service where she recognized the transformative potential of technology in government services.  As a senior advisor to the Federal CIO, Noreen convenes technology leaders to advance the strategic use of technology and improve the public's experience with the government. In the Office of the Federal Chief Information Officer, she develops strategies for technology modernization and mission delivery, driving a path to digital transformation and overseeing the responsible management of over $120 billion of federal IT spending.Noreen's achievements benefit the public by championing simple, seamless and secure experiences when interacting with government services.  Congress requested OMB's plan to maximize the impact of funds allocated for technology modernization, and Noreen led the development of the Federal IT Operating Plan, ensuring wise investments that create the most impact for the American people.  Additionally, she played a key role in allocating $100 million towards a secure, modern, digital-first government experience, engaging CX experts from across the federal government to maximize the impact of project proposals.From ensuring food safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fostering workforce development at the Mine Safety and Health Administration, Noreen has made significant contributions throughout her career.  Noreen shares her insights in working across federal agencies, working with political appointees to achieve a common vision, and the leadership and vision needed to lead agencies towards reducing the Administrative burdens of outdated policies.  Congratulations to Noreen for her 2023 Service to the Citizen Award!

Bill Dudley, former NY Fed President & Bloomberg Opinion columnist, says the market could be getting ahead of itself after Fed Chair Powell's optimistic outlook. Priya Misra, JP Morgan Asset Management Portfolio Manager, says markets are not pricing in the chance of Fed cuts below the 3% level. Jay Pelosky, TPW Advisory Principal & Founder, says that we're moving toward a rate cutting cycle in 2024. Elliot Ackerman, US Marine Corps Veteran & former White House Fellow, breaks down the latest on the Israel-Hamas war. Kevin Book, Clearview Energy Partners Co-Founder & Managing Director, discusses the impacts of ongoing attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.Get the Bloomberg Surveillance newsletter, delivered every weekday. Sign up now: https://www.bloomberg.com/account/newsletters/surveillanceSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join the City Club for the annual State of the Schools address featuring CEO Dr. Warren G. Morgan. This academic year is the first for Dr. Morgan, who became CEO of Ohio's third largest school district in July. As CEO, he is responsible for implementing the strategic vision for the district, which serves more than 36,000 students. He also oversees more than 6,500 employees and collaborates with educators, students and families, and the community to create a school district that provides high-quality, equitable education to all of its students.rnrnBefore coming to CMSD, Morgan was the Chief Academic Officer for Indianapolis Public Schools. He has also held leadership roles at Teach for America and Chicago Public Schools. From 2014 to 2016, he served as a Network Leader for CMSD. Following his time in CMSD in 2016, he served in Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump's administration as a prestigious White House Fellow. A Chicago native, Dr. Morgan is a graduate of Butler University, University of Missouri-St. Louis, and University of Illinois Chicago.

Is Earth going to evaporate? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice learn about exoplanet discovery, planetary evaporation, biosignatures and technosignatures with astrophysicist Anjali Tripathi.NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:https://startalkmedia.com/show/habitable-worlds-super-earths-evaporating-planets-with-anjali-tripathi/Thanks to our Patrons Christopher Stowe, Bo Cribbs, Jennifer Pierce, Sam Gilbert, Steven Glasser, Antonio Garibay, and David Frigoletto for supporting us this week.Photo Credit: ESA/Hubble, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Eric Patterson, Ph.D. is President of the Religious Freedom Institute and past dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University and a Research Fellow at Georgetown University's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs. Patterson's interest in the intersection of religion, ethics, and foreign policy is informed by two stints at the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. He has significant government service, including over twenty years as an officer and commander in the Air National Guard and serving as a White House Fellow. Ray Bradley, is a father of four, Boston Red Sox fan, and lifelong waterman who has surfed almost every major break across the Hawaiian Islands, his areas of inquiry lie at the intersection of theology, narrative anthropology, and the sociocultural implications of religious practice on individual and collective flourishing in the context of postmodernity, mimetic theory and the emerging culture of self-invention.Website: religiousfreedominstitute.orgBook: A Basic Guide to the Just War Tradition, Christian Foundations and Practices

VANESSA'S BIO Vanessa Velasquez is a young leader and should give us all hope and excitement about the future of America. Raised by a single mom in Vero Beach, Florida, she was most recently a White House Fellow and attaché to the Secretary of the Navy. She will continue to serve the country in an innovation focused role at the Department Of Defense. While she's had to learn an alphabet soup of strange government acronyms she excelled and has been one of the youngest Fellows in history. A remarkable human who happens to be a Latina. Some past White House Fellows include CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, NBCUniversal Chairman César Conde, Director of the National Economic Council and past Federal Reserve Board Governor Lael Brainard, Compass founder Robert Reffkin and Wes Moore, the Governor of Maryland. They know how to pick them and Vanessa's “pinch myself moment” is as humbling as it is deserving.  Vanessa gained early and  valuable experience at two of the most successful companies in the world, at Apple as a Global Supply Manager and at Amazon, where she supervised crews at fulfillment center operations, eventually doing corporate development work at Seattle headquarters focused on Amazon's engagement with millions of Hispanic small businesses. Vanessa dedicates her time in and out of work to underserved communities. She mentors Hispanic Scholarship Fund scholars to and served as the inaugural Director of Fulfillment Center and Community Engagement at Glamazon, Amazon's LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. (host comment: Glamazon is a pretty amazing name, for sure.) She is the youngest Top Of The Gamer hosted by the show. Vanessa earned her B.B.A. and B.A. from Mississippi State University and is a proud alum of the school. EPISODE OUTLINE (00:00) - Introduction (00:38) - Bio (01:53) - Steep learning curves, everywhere; rocket-fueled career journey (05:41) - The importance of example; mom lessons used at the White House (08:20) - Pressure cooker survival leads to opportunity; the Amazon challenge (11:40) - Goldfish, water, Bad Bunny; and never give up, ever. (14:21) - Outro VANESSA RELATED LINKS White House Fellows Announced Hispanic Scholarship Fund The Pride of Mississippi State University A winding path; Vero Beach. Mississippi, Amazon, Apple, White House, Navy GENERAL INFO| TOP OF THE GAME: Official website: https://topofthegame-thepod.com/ RSS Feed: https://feed.podbean.com/topofthegame-thepod/feed.xml Hosting service show website: https://topofthegame-thepod.podbean.com/ Javier's LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/javiersaade & Bio: https://tinyurl.com/36ufz6cs  SUPPORT & CONNECT: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/96934564 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551086203755 Twitter: https://twitter.com/TOPOFGAMEpod Subscribe on Podbean: https://www.podbean.com/site/podcatcher/index/blog/vLKLE1SKjf6G Email us: info@topofthegame-thepod.com    THANK YOU FOR LISTENING – AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PLATFORMS

“If you take a survey, everybody thinks that all of the Latinos just got here the other day and came over the border…More than 68% of most Latinos are born in the US.” “There are no U-Hauls at funerals.” In January 2004, Nelson became the first independent Director of the Exelon Corporation that resulted from the merger of PECO Energy and ComEd. Exelon is a Fortune 66 company and is the largest competitive energy company doing business in 48 states, D.C. and Canada. This company, with $60 billion in revenues, employs over 40,000 people nationwide. Exelon works in every stage of the energy business – power generation, competitive energy sales, transmission and delivery. Nelson has been a member of the Risk, Generation and Delivery Committees,  as well as, authored of the Investment Committee's financial achievement. He is a Director of the PECO Energy Board, the most profitable and safe utility affiliate, serving 1.6 million customers with electricity and gas. Nelson is an investor in a financial institution FinClusive and on its advisory board. In 1975 he joined the Temple Hospital Board of Directors as Chair of the Professional Affairs Committee until 1993 when the President of the United States appointed him General Counsel to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He returned to Temple University as  a Trustee in 1997 and served on the Student Affairs and Diversity Committee, Search Committee, Trustee Committee, as well as the Executive Committee. Nelson has played many roles at Temple from teaching to developing a Legal Aid Program for the Law School. Nelson has served on numerous Corporate Boards including the Legg Mason Family of Funds (1998-2001); Advisory Board of PNC Bank 2008- 2015; Chair, National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC); Chair and Audit Committee, Paradigm Funds (2010-2011); the Board of  Directors of The Convention Center Authority of Pennsylvania (2002-2004); Treasurer and Co-founder, Latino Corporate Directors Association and also the Education Fund from (2014 – present). Nelson was City Solicitor of Philadelphia from 2001 to 2004, Attorney for Philadelphia Gas Works (serving a million customers) and Counsel to both the Philadelphia Airport, the Philadelphia Water Department, as well as all city personnel. Nelson was the first Puerto Rican to be admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and the first Latino Judge in the Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania where he served for 12 years. During his tenure, he was appointed Administrative Judge (CEO) by the Supreme Courts where he administered a $90 million annual budget with 2000 employees. He received the National Institute for Justice Award for saving the courts $100 million in 10 years and eliminating a seven years backlog. Nelson is a senior partner at Dilworth Paxson LLP where he concentrated his practice in litigation, dispute resolution, government relations, energy, and public housing development. His leadership as the Chair of the Diversity Committee, earned him the Philadelphia Bar Association Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award. Nelson served on the President's Commission on the White House Fellows from 2000 to 2012. He was a Fulbright Scholar, a White House  Fellow from 1977 to 1978 and has five honorary doctorate degrees and numerous National Awards. Nelson graduated with a B.S. in Accounting from St. John's University and a J.D. from the Temple University Beasley School of Law. A member of Omicron Delta Epsilon Economic Honor Society. Nelson is admitted in Pennsylvania, New York, Washington, D.C. and the U. S. Supreme Court. Nelson has authored his autobiography “Not from Here and Not from There No soy de aqui ni de alla”, Published in October 19, 2018 by Temple Press. He contributes to a weekly 6ABC “Inside Story” roundtable. The publication has won him honors from the Pan American Association, the Pennsylvania Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Al Dia newspaper. The Philadelphia Legal Intelligencer has recognized him with The Legal's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. Hispanic Business considered him 1 of 100 most influential Hispanic American with thousand honor. R.O.G. Takeaway Tips: Sometimes you have to take steps backwards to take a steps forward. Figure out what motivates you, then dig in and don't stop. Don't fear losing what you have. Believe that you're doing the right thing even if you fail. There are no U-Hauls at funerals Resources: Bio and Credentials Not from Here, Not from There/No Soy de Aquí ni de Allá. The Autobiography of Nelson A. Díaz Where to find R.O.G. Podcast: R.O.G on YouTube R.O.G on Apple Podcasts R.O.G on Spotify How diverse is your network?  N.D.I. Network Diversity Index What is your Generosity Style?  Generosity Quiz Credits: Judge Nelson Diaz, Sheep Jam Productions, Host Shannon Cassidy, Bridge Between, Inc. Coming Next: Please join us next week, Episode 147, with Monica Diaz.

Friendships don't just happen; they take nurturing to grow and deepen.  This episode is dedicated to friendships and the meaningful ways friends make our lives better. In this episode, the Surgeon General is joined by his two pals Sunny and Dave. Together, they have what's called a moai.  Moais are a friendship tradition from Okinawa, Japan – essentially, it is a friend circle that starts in childhood. Moais offer emotional and moral support, and the effect on people's health can be remarkably positive. In Okinawa, an island known for some of the longest life expectancy in the world, some moais have lasted for over 90 years!  This episode is an invitation to a unique and deeply personal space, as Dr. Murthy and his friends talk about the power of being seen and valued for who you are.   We hope this episode inspires you to build and strengthen connections in your life. Please share with others who are seeking the same.   (05:45)   What is a Moai?  (10:51)   How did their Moai begin?  (17:39)   How has the Moai made a difference in their lives?  (32:06)   How has being in the Moai impacted their families?  (36:27)   The power of an explicit friendship commitment  (45:16)    What exactly are we chasing in life?  (48:02)    How can you start your own Moai?  Dr. Sandeep (Sunny) Kishore, Physician-Scientist Twitter: ⁠@sandeep_kishore⁠  Instagram: ⁠@sunnyk5⁠  Dr. Dave Chokshi, Physician & Public Health Leader  Twitter: @davechokshi    About Dr. Sunny Kishore & Dr. Dave Chokshi Dr. Sandeep (Sunny) Kishore is a physician-scientist at the University of California, San Francisco. He has worked on closing the “know-do” gap and translating scientific insights into real-world applications with focus on chronic disease prevention & control. Currently, he is focused on developing a scalable treatment algorithm for blood pressure control to improve cardiometabolic health for primary care clinics across the University of California. His work has led to the addition of over ten treatments to the Essential Medicines List of the World Health Organization (WHO) for cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and mental illness. He also has provided technical guidance to Resolve to Save Lives with a focus on fixed dose combinations for blood pressure and led large global networks focused on reducing the toll of chronic illness worldwide.   Dr. Kishore has delivered remarks for United Nations General Assembly health sessions, WHO, TEDMED and his work has been featured in JAMA, The Lancet, Bulletin of WHO and Scientific American. He is a fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine, an Emerging Leader for the National Academy of Medicine and is a recipient of the Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans. He received the Raymond W. Sarber Award for top American graduate student in microbiology for doctoral research on anti-malarial strategies. He completed his medical and graduate training at Weill Cornell/Rockefeller/Sloan-Kettering Institute and Oxford, undertook his clinical training at Yale and Brigham & Women's Hospital/Harvard Medical School and has held fellowships at Harvard, Yale and the Dalai Lama Center at MIT. He currently resides in the Bay Area with his wife. Dr. Dave A. Chokshi is a practicing physician and public health leader who most recently served as the 43rd Health Commissioner of New York City. From 2020-2022, he led the City's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including its historic campaign to vaccinate over 6 million New Yorkers. Previously, Dr. Chokshi was the inaugural Chief Population Health Officer at the largest public healthcare system in the nation. He has held successive senior leadership roles that span the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. A Rhodes Scholar and White House Fellow, he is nationally recognized as a transformational leader, a clinical innovator, a policy expert, and a fierce advocate for a stronger and more equitable health system. 

Moving beyond Empathy and Equity in Global Stories - The distinction between the West and the rest has been replaced by a multipolar world where the cultural influence of “the rest” is rising. This presents the chance for the documentary industry to re-invent itself by moving beyond empathy and equity. But is the documentary industry ready for this? A panel discussion presented at this year's Cannes Docs - Doc Day with producer, writer, and director Mehret Mandefro, cofounder of various organizations at the intersection of social impact and media in the US, Ethiopia, and across Africa at large. Mehret Mandefro is an Emmy-nominated producer, writer, entrepreneur, physician and thought leader who champions the creative arts as a path to developing a more just society. Her track record in both using narrative to shift culture and scaling media businesses secured her a spot on Variety's list of most impactful women in global entertainment. Drawing on her training at Harvard University in Medicine and Anthropology as the foundation to approaching social issues as a filmmaker, Mehret co-founded the independent production company Truth Aid Media in 2008 in the USA. She has since set up A51 Pictures as its sister company in Ethiopia as well as the Realness Institute in South Africa, and was formerly Executive Producer of Kana Television in Ethiopia, which was subsequently acquired by Canal+. Her latest media venture, TBTM Studios, is headquartered in Dubai and has a slate of projects across documentary and scripted, featuring Africa's leading voices. Mehret's credits include the Sundance and Berlinale Audience Award winner Difret, the New York Times Critic's Pick Little White Lie and she was showrunner for Ethiopia's first-ever teen drama series Yegna. She executive produced the American Masters feature documentary film How It Feels To Be Free and feature narrative film Sweetness in the Belly, both on Amazon Prime. Her latest documentary feature about reparations in America, directed by Yoruba Richen, is called The Inheritance and is in post-production. A member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Mehret is a sought-after speaker and has a widely watched TED talk about the impact of the creative industry on economic growth in Africa. Mehret has a BA in Anthropology from Harvard University, an MD from Harvard Medical School, a MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine as a Fulbright Scholar, and a PhD in Cultural Anthropology from Temple University. She was a White House Fellow in the Obama Administration.This discussion was organized by Cannes Docs - Marché du Film with the support of Doc Alliance, Participant, LaScam in association with L'oeil d'or, Année du Documentaire, DAE, CNC, & ACID. Distributed by Docs in Orbit in partnership with Cannes Docs. For show notes visit docsinorbit.com and be sure to follow us on social media @docsinorbit for updates.

EPISODE 1510: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Eliot Ackerman, the author of the novel HALCYON, which imagines an America where Al Gore becomes President and there is technology that can resurrect dead people ELLIOT ACKERMAN is the author of the novels Red Dress in Black and White, Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing (a finalist for the National Book Award), and Green on Blue (a finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize), as well as the memoir Places and Names, and is the coauthor with Admiral James Stavridis of the best seller 2034: A Novel of the Next World War. Ackerman is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. His latest novel is Halcyon (2023) Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daniel B. Poneman is president and chief executive officer of Centrus Energy Corp. He also serves on the company's board of directors. From 2009 to 2014, Mr. Poneman was the Deputy Secretary of Energy, also serving as the chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Energy. His responsibilities spanned the range of U.S. energy policies and programs – hydrocarbons, renewables, nuclear, and efficiency – including cybersecurity, project management, national security, and international cooperation. He was also responsible for the Department's efforts on resilience and emergency response, in cases ranging from Fukushima to Hurricane Sandy.Between April 23, 2013, and May 21, 2013, Mr. Poneman served as Acting Secretary of Energy. In prior tours in government, Mr. Poneman served as a White House Fellow and as Director of Defense Policy and Arms Control for the National Security Council. From 1993 through 1996 he was Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Nonproliferation and Export Controls at the National Security Council. His responsibilities included the development and implementation of U.S. policy in such areas as peaceful nuclear cooperation, missile technology, space-launch activities, sanctions determinations, chemical and biological arms control efforts, and conventional arms transfer policy.EPISODE NOTES:Follow NucleCast on Twitter at @NucleCastEmail comments and guest nominations to NucleCast@anwadeter.orgSubscribe to NucleCast podcastRate the show on Apple Podcasts

#digitaltransformation #vmware Discover valuable insights on managing large-scale transformation in this CXOTalk episode featuring Mike Hayes, Chief Operating Officer of VMware. In this conversation, Mike explains how the software giant is navigating change and transformation and pivoting towards a SaaS future. He reveals how VMware is breaking down silos, redesigning processes, and aligning goals to create a unified organization capable of thriving in the multi-cloud era.The conversation includes these topics:► About VMware's transformation► Navigating large-scale transformation with clear goals► Balancing individual and team incentives for transformation success► Culture and incentives: “Don't give people tasks; give them goals.”► About VMware's internal and external change initiatives► Harmonizing business models with product-led growth strategies► Redesigning processes and breaking down silos across the organization► How to measure and evaluate transformation progress► Business agility: What is it and why it is important► Practical advice on creating business agility► How to measure and evaluate business agility► Advice for business leaders on driving large-scale organizational change► The importance of situational awarenessRead the full transcript and see related interviews: https://www.cxotalk.com/episode/data-and-analytics-at-goldman-sachsMike Hayes is VMware's Chief Operating Officer, where he is responsible for worldwide business operations and acceleration of the Company's SaaS transition. Mike leads with a passion for driving agility, excellence and meaning in service of customers' missions. Before VMware, Hayes served as Senior Vice President and Head of Strategic Operations for Cognizant Technologies where he ran a $2B P&L for global financial services. Mike also served as a Chief of Staff to the CEO and COO roles at Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm.Prior to joining the private sector, Hayes spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, where his last role was Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO. He served in the Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan conflicts, including ten months as the Commander of a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. Hayes was selected as a White House Fellow, served as Director, of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council, and was the Deputy Commander for Special Operations in Anbar Province, Iraq. His military decorations include the Bronze Star for valor in combat in Iraq, a Bronze Star for Afghanistan, and the Defense Superior Service Medal from the White House.Hayes authored the bestseller “Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning," and donates all profits to pay off mortgages for Gold Star families (fallen service members). He holds a Master's degree from Harvard's Kennedy School and a Bachelor's degree from Holy Cross College. He is on the boards of Immuta, a data governance company, and the National Medal of Honor Museum. Hayes is also a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

March 27, 2023 Hoover Institution | Stanford University A Hoover History Working Group Seminar with Luke Nichter, Geoff Shepard, and Dwight Chapin. New evidence has surfaced in the fifty years since President Nixon's resignation. This seminar gathers together three prominent authorities on Watergate, the biggest political scandal of the 20th century. For 50 years, we were taught a carefully curated history of Watergate. It was the nation's greatest political scandal: a White House-led cover-up, the only resignation of a sitting president, and the conviction of some two dozen members of Richard Nixon's administration. However, with the opening of new archival material, a fuller history emerges that prompts us to challenge what was previously known. ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Luke A. Nichter is a Professor of History and James H. Cavanaugh Endowed Chair in Presidential Studies at Chapman University. His area of specialty is the Cold War, the modern presidency, and U.S. political and diplomatic history, with a focus on the "long 1960s" from John F. Kennedy through Watergate. He is a noted expert on Richard Nixon's 3,432 hours of secret White House tapes, and a New York Times bestselling author or editor of seven books, the most recent of which is The Last Brahmin: Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. and the Making of the Cold War. Luke's next book project, under contract with Yale University Press, is tentatively titled The Making of the President, 1968: Lyndon Johnson, Hubert Humphrey, Richard Nixon, George Wallace, and the Election that Changed America, for which he was awarded a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellowship for 2020-2021. The book draws on interviews with approximately 85 family members and former staffers, in addition to extensive archival research involving first-time access to a number of key collections that will recast our understanding of the 1968 election. Geoff Shepard is an attorney and former official in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He came to Washington in 1969 as a White House Fellow, after graduating from Harvard Law School. He then joined John Ehrlichman's Domestic Council staff at the Nixon White House, where he served for five years and worked closely with senior officials at the Department of Justice. As a result, he knew and had worked with virtually all of the major Watergate figures. He also worked on President Nixon's Watergate defense team, where he was principal deputy to the President's lead lawyer, J. Fred Buzhardt. In that capacity, he helped transcribe the White House tapes, ran the document rooms holding the seized files of H. R. Haldeman, John Ehrlichman and John Dean, and staffed White House counselors Bryce Harlow and Dean Birch on Watergate issues and developments. Over the past decade, Geoff has uncovered internal documents within the Watergate Special Prosecution Force that call into question everything we've been told about Watergate. His first book, The Secret Plot to Make Ted Kennedy President (2008), focuses on the political intrigue behind the successful exploitation of the Watergate scandal by Kennedy administration loyalists. His second book, The Real Watergate Scandal, Collusion, Conspiracy and the Plot that Brought Nixon Down (2015), focuses on judicial and prosecutorial abuses in the Watergate prosecutions. His third book, The Nixon Conspiracy, Watergate and the Plot to Remove the President (2021), describes prosecutors' work with the House Judiciary Committee to bring about Nixon's impeachment. Dwight Chapin worked as the Personal Aide to former Vice President Richard Nixon during his presidential campaign, becoming Special Assistant to the President after Nixon's election victory. He became Deputy Assistant to the President in 1971, and visited China three times: with Henry Kissinger in October of 1971, with Alexander Haig in January of 1972, and with President Nixon in February of 1972. Chapin served as “Acting Chief of Protocol” for these trips. Chapin remained in his role as Deputy Assistant until he left the White House Staff in March 1973. Chapin was also President and Publisher of Success Magazine for five years, and later served in Asia as Managing Director of Hill and Knowlton Public Relations. In 1988 Chapin established Chapin enterprises, an independent communications consultancy, which he operated for the next thirty years. Chapin published an in-depth memoirs about his time with Nixon, The President's Man (2022), which relates his memorable experiences and concludes with new insights about the break-in that brought down Nixon's presidency.

Often, some of the best entrepreneurial journeys start with humble beginnings. Stories full of grit and being at the right place and time and with the right skills make for great inspiration. This episode's guest is one whose own journey is nothing short of that. Warren Rustand joins Don Williams to share with us how he went from Minnesota Farm Boy to White House Fellow to WPO Global Chair & EO Dean of Learning. Witnessing leadership at such a special time, he takes us to that period when he worked with the former President of the United States, Gerald R. Ford, and later on pursued his entrepreneurial endeavors. He then shares the highs and lows of business and the lessons he learned throughout his journey. Follow along with Warren and Don as they lend us some wisdom on what it takes to be an entrepreneur, battle scars and all.

In the first half of 2020, New York City quickly became the American epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 200,000 cases reported in the first few months. The city came to a standstill as thousands of people died alone in hospitals and bodies piled up in freezer trucks that could not transport them away fast enough. In August 2020, amid this cataclysm, Dr. Dave Chokshi assumed position as New York City's Health Commissioner and began the arduous task of repairing a broken city and restoring public trust among its residents. Prior to this work, Dr. Chokshi led the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation and was a White House Fellow at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. In this episode, Dr. Chokshi joins us to share the core values that drive his public health work and how he navigated the challenges of leading New York City through COVID-19.In this episode, you will hear about:How Dr. Chokshi, early in his life, came to understand the association between health and opportunity - 3:52A discussion of how privilege impacts the opportunities available to individuals and how this recognition affects Dr. Chokshi's medical work - 7:40How Hurricane Katrina revealed to Dr. Chokshi the flaws in our existing health systems - 15:48Dr. Chokshi's involvement with Universities Allied for Essential Medicine - 19:34An account of Dr. Chokshi's tenure as New York City Health Commissioner during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic - 24:31Dr. Chokshi's principles of effective leadership - 32:31Reflections on the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and how indebted society is to nurses and hospital house staff - 37:15Dr. Chokshi's personal philosophy on maintaining a balanced sense of humility - 53:48Five lessons for medical trainees and clinicians on staying connected to what makes medicine meaningful - 57:38Dr. Chokshi briefly discussed his early work with the Committed Communities Development Trust in Mumbai, India.You can follow Dr. Dave Chokshi on Twitter @DaveChokshi.Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.Copyright The Doctor's Art Podcast 2023

Original Air Date: May 20, 2018Does this sound like you? After years working at the same job, you realize you've just been going through the motions for as long as you can remember. Wes Moore, a war veteran, entrepreneur, Rhodes Scholar and New York Times best-selling author believes we can all discover and pursue our life's purpose. “If your job no longer brings you joy, there's an important question you need to ask yourself: ‘What is your real work and who will you fight for?'” In his book The Work, Wes, a former combat officer in Afghanistan, a White House Fellow and a Wall Street banker discusses his journey of self-discovery, which led him to walk away from financial success to create a more meaningful life. This interview was taped in 2018, five years before Wes Moore was elected the first Black Governor of Maryland.

Want the full episode? Check out yesterday's episode, or download it directly using this link: https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/52524220/download.mp3 Warren Rustand joins the show to discuss the importance of aligning your heart, mind, body, and soul to lead with transcendence that impacts your family, your business, and your community. KEY TOPICS Clarity of vision in your family, business, and communityThe ripple effect of servant leadershipHow decisions are made in the White HouseTransactional versus transformational leadershipCONNECT WITH US www.decidedlypodcast.comInstagram: @decidedlypodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/decidedlypodcastShawn's Instagram: @shawn_d_smith Sanger's Instagram: @sangersmith MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION? At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy.LEARN MORE: www.decidedlywealth.comSubscribe to our newsletter for weekly decision-making tips: https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001aeU_pPBHJPNJWJBdVbaci6bjGIuEJurH12xHBWDEVT_NxyCadMd7wLSZjcEZglkSjDjehuIbTHD8nABOIdV69ctfYpSzg24RCIytetBUrlIPPKgaGzjGZ8DkM0Wp1LMjbErcYUur7PbZGjeVo4gyXlz821AoJGZR Join us every Wednesday for more strategies to DEFEAT bad decision-making - one episode at a time! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE“The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life” by David Brooks: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mountain-David-Brooks/dp/0812993268“Leadership” by James MacGregor Buns: Leadership: Burns, James MacGregor: 9780060105884: Amazon.com: BooksMaslow's Hierarchy of Needs: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html“Invictus” by William Ernest Henley: Inhttps://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictusCONNECT WITH WARREN RUSTAND wrustand@summitcapital.groupWebsite: https://warrenrustand.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RustandWarren/featured LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-rustand-8a9b026/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarrenSRustand Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warrensrustand/ Warren's book, The Leader Within Us: Mindset, Principles, and Tools for a Life by Design: https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Within-Us-Mindset-Principles/dp/1950863255/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XKM0YZPOF07H&keywords=the+leader+within+us+warren+rustand&qid=1671313463&sprefix=the+leader+within+us%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1 In 1973, Warren Rustand was selected as a White House Fellow through a nationally competitive process. He was appointed as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Commerce where he co-led the first-ever Executive Level Trade Mission to the Soviet Union. He then became Special Assistant to then Vice President Gerald Ford. In 1974, when the Vice President became President, he asked Warren to serve as the Appointments Secretary and Cabinet Secretary to the President. Following his time in public service, Warren again entered the private sector as an entrepreneur. He subsequently was CEO of ten companies and chairman of many others. He has served on the Board of Directors of fifty for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He was CEO of Providence Service Corp., a $2.1 billion company, Rural Metro, a $600 million company, and TLC Vision, a $400 million company. For thirty years Warren lead a public policy conference in Washington DC called “Public Policy and the Private Sector.” Over six thousand CEOs participated in the program which included meetings with the President, Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, Congressional leadership, members of the Supreme Court, and leading lobbyists and journalists. Warren was Global Chair of the World Presidents Organization and is the current Dean of Learning for the EO Global Leadership Academy, in addition to all Regional Leadership Academies. He is a well-known speaker on topics of leadership, personal development, strategy, scaling businesses, entrepreneurship, and family. He has been recognized with many honors and awards, among them: The Visionary Leadership Award, The Distinguished Citizens Award, The 25th Year Achievement Award, The Sports Hall of Fame, The Robbie Award, and Father of the Year Award.

Warren Rustand joins the show to discuss the importance of aligning your heart, mind, body, and soul to lead with transcendence that impacts your family, your business, and your community. KEY TOPICS Clarity of vision in your family, business, and communityThe ripple effect of servant leadershipHow decisions are made in the White HouseTransactional versus transformational leadershipCONNECT WITH US www.decidedlypodcast.comInstagram: @decidedlypodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/decidedlypodcastShawn's Instagram: @shawn_d_smith Sanger's Instagram: @sangersmith MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION? At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy.LEARN MORE: www.decidedlywealth.comSubscribe to our newsletter for weekly decision-making tips: https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001aeU_pPBHJPNJWJBdVbaci6bjGIuEJurH12xHBWDEVT_NxyCadMd7wLSZjcEZglkSjDjehuIbTHD8nABOIdV69ctfYpSzg24RCIytetBUrlIPPKgaGzjGZ8DkM0Wp1LMjbErcYUur7PbZGjeVo4gyXlz821AoJGZR Join us every Wednesday for more strategies to DEFEAT bad decision-making - one episode at a time! MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE“The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life” by David Brooks: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Mountain-David-Brooks/dp/0812993268“Leadership” by James MacGregor Buns: Leadership: Burns, James MacGregor: 9780060105884: Amazon.com: BooksMaslow's Hierarchy of Needs: https://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html“Invictus” by William Ernest Henley: Inhttps://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/51642/invictusCONNECT WITH WARREN RUSTAND wrustand@summitcapital.groupWebsite: https://warrenrustand.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RustandWarren/featured LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/warren-rustand-8a9b026/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WarrenSRustand Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/warrensrustand/ Warren's book, The Leader Within Us: Mindset, Principles, and Tools for a Life by Design: https://www.amazon.com/Leader-Within-Us-Mindset-Principles/dp/1950863255/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XKM0YZPOF07H&keywords=the+leader+within+us+warren+rustand&qid=1671313463&sprefix=the+leader+within+us%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1 In 1973, Warren Rustand was selected as a White House Fellow through a nationally competitive process. He was appointed as a Special Assistant to the Secretary of Commerce where he co-led the first-ever Executive Level Trade Mission to the Soviet Union. He then became Special Assistant to then Vice President Gerald Ford. In 1974, when the Vice President became President, he asked Warren to serve as the Appointments Secretary and Cabinet Secretary to the President. Following his time in public service, Warren again entered the private sector as an entrepreneur. He subsequently was CEO of ten companies and chairman of many others. He has served on the Board of Directors of fifty for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. He was CEO of Providence Service Corp., a $2.1 billion company, Rural Metro, a $600 million company, and TLC Vision, a $400 million company. For thirty years Warren lead a public policy conference in Washington DC called “Public Policy and the Private Sector.” Over six thousand CEOs participated in the program which included meetings with the President, Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, Congressional leadership, members of the Supreme Court, and leading lobbyists and journalists. Warren was Global Chair of the World Presidents Organization and is the current Dean of Learning for the EO Global Leadership Academy, in addition to all Regional Leadership Academies. He is a well-known speaker on topics of leadership, personal development, strategy, scaling businesses, entrepreneurship, and family. He has been recognized with many honors and awards, among them: The Visionary Leadership Award, The Distinguished Citizens Award, The 25th Year Achievement Award, The Sports Hall of Fame, The Robbie Award, and Father of the Year Award.

Sponsor and Partner RHF Ninja Warrior Competition Partner:Darren Jeffrey - is a founding board member of RHF and also the original " course creator/ builder" for the TV Show American Ninja Warrior on NBC.Panelist: Josh Woehr - US Army Sgt Major and A White House Fellow

Major General John Borling (http://www.sosamerica.org/) is a highly decorated, retired Air Force Major General. He served worldwide in high level command and staff positions. A graduate of the Air Force Academy, National War College, Executive Education at Harvard Business School and the JFK School, he was also a White House Fellow. A fighter pilot, he was shot down by ground fire over North Vietnam. Seriously injured, he was captured while trying to evade and spent 6 ½ years as a POW in Hanoi. An ‘in demand' speaker nationwide, he is a Life Member of the Commercial Club of Chicago, former Trustee and Regent of the prestigious Lincoln Academy of Illinois, author of the nationally acclaimed “Taps on the Walls”, contributor to the anthology, “Gettysburg Replies”, and producer/narrator of ‘Old War Poems'. His weekly, Sunday column, The Third Degree, is in its tenth month of publication. He occupies leadership positions in multiple business and civic organizations including: Founder/Chairman of Service over Self America and Business Board Chairman of Synthonics, a bio tech company that creates and patents metal coordinated pharmaceuticals. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-borling/ Website: http://www.sosamerica.org/ Website: http://www.synthonicsinc.com/ Website: http://www.tapsonthewalls.com/ Connect with Gary Rabine and DDCEO: Visit the DDCEO BLOG: https://www.DitchDiggerCEO.com/ Follow DDCEO on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/DitchDiggerCEO Like DDCEO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DitchDiggerCEO Follow DDCEO on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DitchDiggerCEO Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh03Px5ez_xe_oE_iJMMNIg

"Healthcare can be a major source of social transformation in this country" Dr. Alister Martin is an Emergency physician who served as an advisor in the Office of the Vice President under Kamala Harris and in the West Wing Office of Public Engagement as an appointed White House Fellow in the 2021 - 2022 class. He now serves as CEO of A Healthier Democracy and joins Explore The Space Podcast to discuss being a White House Fellow, motivating healthcare providers to drive change, and working at the intersection of health and civic engagement The Explore The Space Merchandise Store is open! Please check it out Please subscribe to and rate Explore The Space on Apple Podcasts or wherever you download podcasts. Email feedback or ideas to mark@explorethespaceshow.com Check out the archive of Explore The Space Podcast as well as our Position Papers and much more! Follow on Twitter @ETSshow, Instagram @explorethespaceshow Links Twitter @AlisterFMartin A Healthier Democracy website  

Sam Brownback served as a White House Fellow in the George H. W. Bush Administration, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 and won a seat in the U.S. Senate two years later. Brownback then returned to Kansas where he was elected governor for 2 terms. In January of 2018, Sam Brownback was confirmed to serve as the U.S ambassador at-large for international religious freedom and has now launched the National Committee For Religious Freedom. The former Kansas governor joins the new Kansas resident, Seth Gruber to discuss the Christian ideas that made this American experiment possible, the "secular progressive" insistence that Christians violate their religious beliefs, up to and including the killing of babies, and the Biden administration's hatred of Christians, religious freedom, and the unborn. Finally, Sam discusses the central role Kansas has always played in the bloody American "culture wars" and the tragic choice that Kansans recently made to betray the unborn.  Follow the National Committee For Religious Freedom: https://thencrf.org Date: 09/20/22 To help UnAborted create more pro-life content and take our content to the streets, become a Patron of the show at https://www.patreon.com/unaborted To help Seth educate and expose culture to the evil of abortion so that every person has a right to be born, become an ALLY of The White Rose Resistance at https://thewhiterose.life

Ryan talks to author and journalist Elliot Ackerman about his new book The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan, the origins of storytelling, his experiences evacuating hundreds of refugees in Afghanistan, and more.Elliot Ackerman is a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. Elliot's books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and non-fiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize among others. His writing often appears in Esquire, The New Yorker, and The New York Times where he is a contributing opinion writer, and his stories have been included in The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Travel Writing.

Imagine showing up for work every day for a year, knowing full well that each day you risk contracting a potentially devastating disease with unknown long-term consequences. That's exactly what Dr. Thomas Fisher went through, as he documents vividly in his recent book, The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago E.R., which delves into what it was like fighting COVID-19 on the frontlines in 2020. Dr. Fisher, an emergency physician at the University of Chicago Medical Center, former healthcare executive, and former White House Fellow, has dedicated his life to caring for his community, the black population of Chicago's South Side. In this episode, he recounts harrowing stories from the emergency room, gives an impassioned critique of a health care system with too little space for doctors to provide the care their patients need, and shares a renewed vision of healthcare as a foundation of social justice.In this episode, you will hear about:What motivated Dr. Fisher to write his book, The Emergency, a riveting first-hand account of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic - 2:09The uncertainty and terror physicians faced at very beginning of the pandemic - 5:29An intimate picture of how emergency physicians approached the first COVID-19 patients - 9:45How an upbringing in Chicago's South Side propelled Dr. Fisher into a career in healthcare, and how the reality of inequitable systems has shaped his medical practice - 13:10A discussion of the concept of “heroism” in the context of frontline healthcare workers - 20:35How Dr. Fisher used letters addressed to patients as a narrative device in his book to explore social injustices that affect individual health - 30:50Dr. Fisher's reflections on maintaining a connection to the meaning of his work despite the seemingly insurmountable systemic challenges that he recognizes - 35:57Practical advice for clinicians on making space for patient care within a rushed healthcare environment - 42:28Dr. Fisher is the author of The Emergency: A Year of Healing and Heartbreak in a Chicago E.R.Follow Dr. Fisher on Twitter @TFisherMD.Visit our website www.TheDoctorsArt.com where you can find transcripts of all episodes.If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, rate, and review our show, available for free on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you know of a doctor, patient, or anyone working in health care who would love to explore meaning in medicine with us on the show, feel free to leave a suggestion in the comments or send an email to info@thedoctorsart.com.Copyright The Doctor's Art Podcast 2022

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day.  Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 800 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls. We hang out virtually on Thursday Nights at 8pm EST and anytime all of the time on Discord Elliot Ackerman joins me to talk about his new book The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan. He is also the author of several novels, Red Dress In Black and White. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and non-fiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize among others. His writing often appears in Esquire, The New Yorker, and The New York Times where he is a contributing opinion writer, and his stories have been included inThe Best American Short Stories and The Best American Travel Writing. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He divides his time between New York City and Washington, D.C. Website: www. ElliotAckerman.com; Twitter: @elliotackerman  Dr Christina Greer is hosting a new podcast called The Blackest Questions She is also an Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University - Lincoln Center (Manhattan) campus. Her research and teaching focus on American politics, black ethnic politics, urban politics, quantitative methods, Congress, New York City and New York State politics, campaigns and elections, and public opinion. Prof. Greer's book Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream (Oxford University Press) investigates the increasingly ethnically diverse black populations in the US from Africa and the Caribbean. She finds that both ethnicity and a shared racial identity matter and also affect the policy choices and preferences for black groups. Professor Greer is currently writing her second manuscript and conducting research on the history of all African Americans who have run for the executive office in the U.S. Her research interests also include mayors and public policy in urban centers. Her previous work has compared criminal activity and political responses in Boston and Baltimore. She is the host and producer of The Aftermath with Christina Greer on Ozy.com http://www.ozy.com/topic/the-aftermath. Prof. Greer received her BA from Tufts University and her MA, MPhil, and PhD in Political Science from Columbia University.   Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page

We're already into the midterm election season. California will host its primary elections on June 7th, and my guest this week is hoping to advance into the general. Kermit Jones is running for Congress in California's 3rd Congressional District. He's a doctor, a former White House Fellow, a former Navy Flight Surgeon, and a public policy expert. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/alyssa-milano-sorry-not-sorry/message

Ryan reads today's daily meditation and talks to Elliot Ackerman about his book Green on Blue, how he became a writer, his tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, the problems of radicalization and polarization, and more.Elliot Ackerman is the author of the novels 2034, Red Dress In Black and White, Waiting for Eden, Dark at the Crossing, and Green on Blue, as well as the memoir Places and Names: On War, Revolution and Returning. His books have been nominated for the National Book Award, the Andrew Carnegie Medal in both fiction and non-fiction, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize among others. His writing often appears in Esquire, The New Yorker, and The New York Times where he is a contributing opinion writer, and his stories have been included in The Best American Short Stories and The Best American Travel Writing. He is both a former White House Fellow and Marine, and served five tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for Valor, and the Purple Heart. He divides his time between New York City and Washington, D.C.Go Macro is a family-owned maker of some of the finest protein bars around. They're vegan, non-GMO, and they come in a bunch of delicious flavors. Visit gomacro.com and use promo code STOIC for 30% off your order plus free shipping on all orders over $50.The Jordan Harbinger Show is one of the most interesting podcasts on the web, with guests like Kobe Bryant, Mark Manson, Eric Schmidt, and more. Listen to one of Ryan's episodes right now (1, 2), and subscribe to the Jordan Harbinger Show today.Talkspace is an online and mobile therapy company. Visit talkspace.com and get $100 off your first month when you use promo code STOIC at sign-up. That's $100 off at talkspace.com, promo code STOIC.LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Every week, nearly 40 million job seekers visit LinkedIn? Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/STOIC. Terms and conditions apply.Sign up for the Daily Stoic email: https://dailystoic.com/dailyemailCheck out the Daily Stoic Store for Stoic inspired products, signed books, and more.Follow us: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, FacebookFollow Elliot Ackerman: Homepage, Twitter