Conceptually Speaking

Our guest today is none other than Julie’s mom, Justine Harris! In our first ever recording, Justine was kind enough to loan us her time and expertise talking about gardening. With many people looking for more sustainable ways to grow food, or even just time to pick up an ecologically friendly hobby, we felt a discussion about gardening would be pretty topical. Justine is a knowledgeable guest who provides some great, practical ideas about how to get started working on your own garden. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, our conversation today will touch on topics like sustainability, ecological ethics, and the importance of paying attention to what we put in to the earth.  

Our guest this week is writer, humanist, and self-described enthusiast, Ken Gordon. I met Ken a few years ago at a Business Innovation Factory conference, and was immediately drawn to his quick wit and authenticity. In fact, authenticity will be a big part of today’s conversation. When I asked Ken for a topic, he naturally chose writing--he’s been published by outlets like The Atlantic and New York Times, and is a true believer in the power of writing. What you’ll soon realize though, is nobody puts Ken in a corner, as no job title can easily nail down what he brings to the Boston-based innovation and design consultancy, EPAM Continuum, where he works. What Ken really cares about, and what we unpack in this conversation, is how writing can serve as a tool for exploration and a portal for self-discovery. We hope you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

My guest today is Kristi Beckman. Kristi has been a teacher, adjunct professor, soccer coach and served as a culture and wellness coordinator for D. C. United Youth Academy. But she's more than the sum of her accomplishments and job titles. Wherever she goes, Kristi is a leader and a mentor. Whether it's the classroom or on the pitch, I've seen her transform the lives of young people in amazing ways. That's because, put simply, Kristi just gets people, and at the core of her various roles and responsibilities lies a deep desire to help others grow. Our conversation today will explore how the concepts of culture, connection, feedback and accountability impact leadership. 

Our guest today is Dr. Sheron Brown, director of Tampa Bay Healthcare collaborative and a certified yoga and meditation instructor. Over the course of the conversation we’ll unpack the relationship between equity and wellness—and believe me there’s a lot to work through! What I appreciated about our dialogue was that Dr. Brown approaches the idea of wellness holistically, evaluating it from both a personal and structural perspective. She’ll explain systemic issues like redlining and food deserts, as well as personal tips like breathing techniques and how to embrace uncertainty. What this conversation really made clear though, was that the suffering of racially and economically marginalized groups we’re seeing as a result of COVID 19 isn’t new, but has shone a light on the inequity inherent in a lot of our systems and it’ll take a lot of self-evaluation and complex coordination to rebuild them. Dr. Brown’s dedication to systems thinking and equity work will frame Dr. Brown’s message and advice in today’s episode.

Our guest today is Dr. Jody Carrington, author, consultant, keynote speaker, and all-around relationship expert. Over the course of this conversation we’ll be looking at how concepts like authenticity, connection, and physical presence impact human relationships. As you’ll immediately notice, Jody is a charismatic guest who is deeply passionate about what she does. What impressed us the most this episode, was how well she balances her deep specialized knowledge and accessible presenting style. Her message about forming meaningful bonds with those we’re entrusted to care for, whether that be between administrators and teachers or teachers and their students, is more important now than ever. As you’ll soon hear, Jody’s commitment to her message is as infectious as it is admirable. 

My guest today is Kristi Beckman. Kristi has been a teacher, adjunct professor, soccer coach and served as a culture and wellness coordinator for D. C. United Youth Academy. But she's more than the sum of her accomplishments and job titles. Wherever she goes, Kristi is a leader and a mentor. Whether it's the classroom or on the pitch, I've seen her transform the lives of young people in amazing ways. That's because, put simply, Kristi just gets people, and at the core of her various roles and responsibilities lies a deep desire to help others grow. Our conversation today will explore how the concepts of culture, connection, feedback and accountability impact leadership. 

Our guest this week is writer, humanist, and self-described enthusiast, Ken Gordon. I met Ken a few years ago at a Business Innovation Factory conference, and was immediately drawn to his quick wit and authenticity. In fact, authenticity will be a big part of today’s conversation. When I asked Ken for a topic, he naturally chose writing--he’s been published by outlets like The Atlantic and New York Times, and is a true believer in the power of writing. What you’ll soon realize though, is nobody puts Ken in a corner, as no job title can easily nail down what he brings to the Boston-based innovation and design consultancy, EPAM Continuum, where he works. What Ken really cares about, and what we unpack in this conversation, is how writing can serve as a tool for exploration and a portal for self-discovery. We hope you’ll enjoy as much as we did.

Our guest today is Dr. Sheron Brown, director of Tampa Bay Healthcare collaborative and a certified yoga and meditation instructor. Over the course of the conversation we’ll unpack the relationship between equity and wellness—and believe me there’s a lot to work through! What I appreciated about our dialogue was that Dr. Brown approaches the idea of wellness holistically, evaluating it from both a personal and structural perspective. She’ll explain systemic issues like redlining and food deserts, as well as personal tips like breathing techniques and how to embrace uncertainty. What this conversation really made clear though, was that the suffering of racially and economically marginalized groups we’re seeing as a result of COVID 19 isn’t new, but has shone a light on the inequity inherent in a lot of our systems and it’ll take a lot of self-evaluation and complex coordination to rebuild them. Dr. Brown’s dedication to systems thinking and equity work will frame Dr. Brown’s message and advice in today’s episode.

Welcome to our new podcast, Conceptually Speaking! Check out our teaser. First episode will drop Tuesday, May 12th.

Welcome to our new podcast, Conceptually Speaking! Check out our teaser. First episode will drop Tuesday, May 12th.