What if your leadership, mental health, or corporate trainings could be as engaging as a blockbuster movie or your favorite Netflix show? Sharon Sloane, CEO and co-founder of WILL Interactive, joins us to reveal how organizational learning is being transformed through interactive storytelling. Using a powerful blend of narrative and gaming techniques, and artfully incorporating an AI learning coach, Willow, Sharon and WILL Interactive help companies, the military, and other organizations tackle issues like social responsibility, diversity, leadership, and mental health. In this episode, Sharon also shares insights into the neuroscience of learning and decision-making, and the best ways to create engagement and emotionally resonant learning experiences.

What would you do if you received an email that unraveled a hidden chapter of your family history? Join us as we embark on a powerful and emotional journey with Michael Hickins, former Wall Street Journal reporter and author of 'The Silk Factory.' A mysterious email from a nephew he'd never known sets Michael on a path to uncover his family's past, which intertwines with the Holocaust, as he learns of a silk factory that was in his family for generations until his father was imprisoned in a concentration camp. Michael travels with his family to Ansbach, Germany, to learn more about the silk factory and the tragic impact of the Holocaust on his parents. This episode explores the importance of sharing our personal stories, uncovering our roots, and understanding the sources of painful experiences at both the individual and collective levels that can be passed along as intergenerational trauma.

Joe Geno has dedicated 26 years to teaching in the Bronx, a testament to his passion and resilience. In this episode, Joe shares stories from his new book, "Lesson Learned," offering a wealth of insights and advice for educators and professionals in high-pressure environments. Whether you’re in education or another service-related or high-pressure field, Joe’s wisdom will leave you enlightened and uplifted.

How can innovation and technology make philanthropy more impactful? Join us as we chat with Brandolon Barnett, a dynamic leader who is reshaping how we think about philanthropy and impact. From his beginnings as a tech-enthusiast child to becoming the Head of Innovation & Philanthropy at Giving Compass (https://givingcompass.org/) and the Founder and CEO of the Regular App (https://theregularapp.com/), Brandolon’s story is one of passion and innovation. Learn about groundbreaking tools like generative AI that are making philanthropy more effective and accessible, and discover the AI philanthropic advisor from Giving Compass that can transform how you engage with charitable causes.    

In this episode, I speak with Julie Davitz, Founder and CEO of Plus Media Solutions to explore how purpose-driven organizations can turn awareness of an issue into measurable action. As the media landscape becomes increasingly fragmented, and with intense competition for people’s attention, it’s more important than ever to engage audiences at moments when they are most passionate about a cause and move them to take action.

What does the landscape of addiction and substance use treatment look like today? What are the hidden truths behind society's fluctuating responses to drug epidemics? Join me as I speak with Lisa Ellis Gavin, a highly experienced clinical mental health and substance use clinician, who provides an insider’s perspective on the current state and future directions of the field. Lisa discusses her extensive career, detailing the journey from harsh, abstinence-only models and Wars on Drugs to compassionate, person-centered approaches that consider the mental, emotional, physical, and social well-being of individuals. This episode emphasizes the necessity of kindness, understanding, and compassionate support for those navigating recovery, making it an essential listen for anyone interested in addiction, substance use counseling, and mental health.

"You can only scare people so much, and if you scare them too much, they move to inaction." On this episode of There’s a Lesson in Here Somewhere, Geof Rochester, founder of GRC Advising, discusses the importance of thoughtful sustainability and social impact goals. From renewable energy to healthcare, explore how individuals and corporations are taking matters into their own hands to create positive change. While acknowledging that there is still so much work to be done, Geof shares examples of people and organizations that are solving problems, and he highlights the importance of hope and optimism as we face the challenges that lie ahead. Join us for an inspiring discussion!

On this episode of There’s a Lesson in Here Somewhere, Minister Tashkovich shares the impactful and emotional story of helping a homeless couple off the streets. A former Minister for Foreign Investment of Macedonia, Minister Tashkovich reflects on Doris Buffet’s philosophy of providing a "hand up, not a handout," and delves into the tedious process of navigating bureaucratic hurdles and system challenges to secure basic needs for Nikole and Joseph. This moving episode reveals the broader issues faced by the homeless, including mental health and addiction, and underscores the importance of compassion, trust, and determination in transforming lives. Minister Tashkovich’s story is an inspiring journey with twists and turns through personal and societal challenges, and is a must-listen for anyone interested in leadership and humanitarian efforts.

In this episode of There's a Lesson in Here Somewhere, we speak with Lisa Orloff, Founder of World Cares Center, about helping people in high stress work environments develop emotional resilience, and how that can apply to any individual and workplace. We also discuss the work that Lisa and her team does to train citizens to be Ready Responders and help people and organizations develop disaster preparedness programs, as well as World Cares Center’s extraordinary disaster response efforts around the world over the past 23 years. Join us as we highlight adaptability, agility, and empowerment in a world where everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected.

Join us for this episode of There's a Lesson in Here Somewhere as we speak with Jennifer Ketchens of Emergence Consulting about cultivating a workplace where employees can thrive and feel genuinely valued. The conversation focuses on employee wellbeing, DEI strategies, allyship, and developing and retaining a diverse talent pool.

Join us as we speak with Peter Carucci and Becki Davis of the band The Four26 (https://thefour26.com/) to discuss their initiative, Share Your Story, where they guide diverse groups—including veterans, seniors, youth, and prisoners—through the songwriting process. By delving into personal experiences, memories, traumas, and emotions, participants create songs that serve as a definitive expression of their stories, as well as a catharsis. Learn more about this impactful program that discovers and celebrates individual narratives through music. Hope you enjoy it!

Discover the inspiring journey behind the creation of a foundation that has impacted countless lives. Airam da Silva, President of the Icla da Silva Foundation (https://icla.org/), shares the moving story of the foundation’s origins and its remarkable efforts to provide essential financial and emotional support to individuals and families in need of bone marrow or cord blood transplants.

Episode 1 features Principal Dr. Dan Holtzman and the conversation focuses on the mental health crisis among teenagers. We hear the perspectives of a high school principal on the current situation as well as some advice for both parents and educators.