a storytelling podcast
Follow your moral compass to discover your best self
HAPPINESS COMES FROM LISTENING TO YOUR HEART: Emily Bridson
Emily is a Michigan native, community activist, business professional and retired professional athlete. She serves as a Kentwood first ward city commissioner and became involved with the city as a planning commissioner and parks and recreation commissioner. To...
LISTENING TO HER PATIENTS: ONE DOCTOR’S STORY: Abha Gupta Varma
Abha Gupta Varma, MD, practices at Cherry Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she cares for a wide variety of patients, regardless of insurance status or income level. Many of her patients struggle with joblessness, homelessness, and addiction. As a doctor, she...
USING A “HOLY DISCONTENT” TO SERVE LGBTQ YOUTH: Jody Betten
Jody lives her life with the motto "the journey is the destination". She is a pastor in the United Church of Christ and loves a challenge; her latest is starting a faith community that is serving the most vulnerable in Traverse City, MI with affordable housing, safe...
2 HEARTS INTERLACED IN MARRIAGE AND ADVOCACY WORK: George & Susan Heartwell
Susan and George Heartwell are residents of western Michigan. Susan is the Executive Director of the Grand Rapids Student Advancement Foundation, and her career has focused on advocacy work for vulnerable children. George Heartwell works with the Grand Rapids...
HOW EQUITY AND INCLUSION MAKE US ALL STRONGER: Dawn McDonald & Tamara Gurley
Dawn McDonald Dawn McDonald is a Grand Rapids resident working in the area of equity, inclusion and cultural competency. Her focus is student and family support and success in school districts. Tamara Gurely Tamara Gurley is a racial educator, consultant, and...
FAILURE AS A CATALYST FOR SUCCESS: Damon Arnold
A native of Cleveland Ohio, Dr. Damon Arnold is an author, consultant and motivational speaker. He understands success and failure. He also understands how to motivate others to achieve their dreams and discover their PURPOSE. After getting kicked out of two different...
MY FOOTPRINT IS MY CHILDREN: John Shinsky
Dr. John Shinsky has dedicated his life to serving others in many different capacities. He is a graduate of Michigan State University, and was Co-Captain of the 1973 Michigan State Football team and an Academic All-American. He has served as an educator for...
CHARACTER FORMATION IN THE LIFE OF A US PRESIDENT AND IN THE LIFE OF A TEACHER: Clare Shubert
Clare presently serves as the Director of Engagement and Programming for the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation. In her role, she has developed and implemented new character and leadership-based K-12 programming that has significantly increased the level of...
AN ALL AMERICAN AUTHOR CONSIDERS SOCIAL JUSTICE AND WHITE PRIVILEGE: Brendan Kiely
Brendan Kiely is The New York Times bestselling author of All American Boys (with Jason Reynolds), Tradition, The Last True Love Story, and The Gospel of Winter. His work has been published in more than ten languages, and he has received a Coretta Scott King Author...
LAW AS A HEALING PROFESSION: Eileen Kerlin Walsh
Eileen Kerlin Walsh grew up on a small farm in Ireland and came to the U.S. in 1989 where she earned a law degree from Loyola University School of Law. She worked in both the private and government sectors before starting her own estate planning...
REFLECTIONS ON HEALTHCARE, NONVIOLENCE, AND HER GREAT UNCLE, THE “FRONTIER GANDHI”: Dr. Samina Khattak
Samina Khattak is a psychiatrist who works for the Cook County Health system in Chicago, where she treats patients with mental health and substance abuse issues. She has lived in the Chicago area for 20 years. She is originally from Pakistan, where much of her family...
LEGAL COUNSEL FOR A CONVICTED MURDERER ON TEXAS’S DEATH ROW: Christine Wiseman
Christine Wiseman is the former President of Saint Xavier University in Chicago, and the immediate past Provost of Loyola University Chicago, where she also held a tenured position as Professor of Law. Before joining Loyola in 2007, she served as Vice President for...