mental health Archives - Page 3 of 6

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

July 27, 2023 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

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Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25 (Episode 86, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow)

Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25, was Dr. Morrow’s guest on this episode of To Your Health. Rep. Jones discussed the state of mental health care in Georgia, HB 1013, the “Mental Health Parity Act,” which passed in 2022, as well as House Bill 520, which is in Senate committee currently and builds on HB 1013. He also discussed telemedicine, the state’s efforts in workforce development to bring more mental health providers to the state, the mental health hotline, 988, advice for caregivers, and much more.

You can find a video of their conversation here.

To Your Health is brought to you by Village Medical (formerly Morrow Family Medicine), a “New Way to Well.” The show is produced by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX®.

Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

**Representative Todd Jones, House District 25**

Representative Todd Jones represents the citizens of House District 25, which encompasses South Forsyth and North Fulton Counties. He was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives on November 8, 2016, and sworn into office on January 9, 2017. Todd started his third term representing District 25 on January 11, 2021.

Rep. Jones serves as the chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and as the vice chairman of the Science & Technology Committee. Further, Todd serves as a member of the Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Code Revision, Economic Development & Tourism, Education, Industry & Labor and Judiciary committees. He also serves on the Special Committee on Access to Quality Health Care.

Todd’s business experience has focused on triple-bottom line companies that focus on social, environmental, and financial impacts. From changing K-12 education worldwide to launching energy projects in the developing world to deploying EHS software, each company created accretive, positive return on investment. During his time as a business executive, he has worked with companies like Johnson Controls, Goldman Sachs, Goodyear, Cardinal Health, John Deere, Walgreens, Morgan Stanley and Cargill.

In 2010, Todd was named “Co-Volunteer of the Year” by the Forsyth County Board of Education. He has also served on a variety of community executive boards including the SPES Dads Club and SFHS Touchdown Club.

Todd holds a Juris Doctor (1994) and Bachelor of Administration in Finance (1989) from the University of Florida(UF). Todd served as his fraternity’s president and treasurer, UF student senator and Greek Council student representative. He was named to the “University’s Who’s Who “at UF.

As an alumnus, Todd has sat on his fraternity’s board of directors, delivered guest lectures at the UF business, law and political science schools, and led a variety of alumni activities.

Todd has been married to his high school sweetheart, Tracey Jones, for more than 25 years. Tracey and Todd have three sons and one daughter. The family has called South Forsyth County home for more than 14 years.

Website | Facebook | LinkedIn

Village Medical

At Village Medical, your relationship with your primary care provider is the foundation to your health. Their doctors and staff partner with you to understand your needs, and work together to focus not just on treatment, but also education and preventative care.

They combine the tools, technology and people needed to help create healthier, happier patients. More connected care means more complete care.

Village Medical clinics located at Walgreens pharmacies are bringing their vision of exceptional and compassionate primary care even closer to you. With locations throughout the United States, they’re in your neighborhood. And that network means you can visit a doctor at any of their locations, and they’ll have your records available.

With Village Medical at Home, they provide at-home visits designed to give eligible patients the attention they need, in a way that’s best for them and their caregivers.

With your caring team at Village Medical, it’s easy and convenient to stay on top of your health. Maybe more than ever before. Village Medical. The New Way to Well.

Company website | Facebook | Instagram

Dr. Jim Morrow, Village Medical, and Host of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Dr. Jim Morrow is the founder of Morrow Family Medicine, now part of the Village Medical family of practices. He has been a trailblazer and evangelist in healthcare information technology, was named Physician IT Leader of the Year by HIMSS, a HIMSS Davies Award Winner, the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce Steve Bloom Award Winner as Entrepreneur of the Year and he received a Phoenix Award as Community Leader of the Year from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Peggie Morrow and together they founded the Forsyth BYOT Benefit, a charity in Forsyth County to support students in need of technology and devices. They have two Goldendoodles, a gaggle of grandchildren and enjoy life on and around Lake Lanier.

Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter

The complete show archive of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow addresses a wide range of health and wellness topics.

Men’s Health Month: Man Up! (Part 2)

June 8, 2023 by Garrett Ervin

Gwinnett Studio

Men's Health Month: Man Up! (Part 2)

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Stephanie Wolfe is a business owner and board-certified Health and Wellness Coach. Her life motto is “Live Long and Strong with Passion and Purpose. Help others to do the same!”

Join Stephanie each week for education, inspiration, and a weekly challenge to achieve personal and business wellness. Develop your own personal Wellness Vision. Discover Stephanie’s proprietary CLEAN Concepts and how they have been vastly improving personal and professional business wellness.

Episodes of “Work Well with Stephanie Wolfe” will be devoted to Stephanie’s Wellness Wheel and will include topics of Fitness, Nutrition, Work-Life Balance, Faith, Core Values, Marriage, Family, Friendships, Career, Goal Setting, Wellness Vision Casting, Endorphin Boosting and Stress Busting, and so much more. You may think you know what you need to know, but what if you don’t?

Subscribe now to “Work Well with Stephanie Wolfe” to start your wellness journey with your board-certified health and wellness coach.

On this episode, Stephanie discusses the importance of therapy and mental health for men with Dr. Austin Shugart of Thrive Forward Therapy.

Austin Shugart/Thrive Forward Therapy

Life is complicated but therapy doesn’t have to be. Thrive Forward Therapy offers a simple process to therapy where it is easy to get started and is tailored to you and your family. There is hope for you to have the life and relationships you have always imagined.

About Stephanie Wolfe

Stephanie received her Health Coach Certification in 2014 and went on to receive her Master Certification in 2016, both from the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute, founded by world-renowned physician and author, Dr. William Sears. The Institute is a leader in science-based health and wellness education that focuses on a whole health experience including a strong nutritional foundation.

Stephanie continued her education and training to become a National Board Certified Health and Wellness coach in 2017. This training allows Stephanie to work with clients individually through a step-by-step process using advanced coaching methods, offering them full access to resources and tools to support them throughout the entire coaching process. Board Certification is the foundation of her success using coaching methods such as motivational interviewing and appreciative inquiry to assess the stages of change and provide each client with individual attention as they gain momentum towards their health and wellness goals.

Presented by

Ken Hunt and Sunny Wight with Mindfulness First

February 3, 2023 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Ken Hunt and Sunny Wight with Mindfulness First

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Ken Hunt and Sunny Wight with Mindfulness First

Mindfulness First empowers students with practical skills and knowledge for lifelong mental health wellbeing. They offer scientifically informed programs based in trauma-informed Mindful Awareness and Social-Emotional Learning which equitably support children, educators, and communities with tools to manage stress and navigate life’s challenges.

Sunny Wight created Mindfulness First after experiencing a stress-related breakdown and illnesses from which she used mindfulness to recover and completely transform her life.

Sunny is conventionally qualified with a Bachelor’s Degree, 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training and Mindful Schools Fundamentals/Curriculum Training: with a prior career in PR.

She is passionate about nurturing critical thinking in others and creating equitable and collaborative work environments; all by-products of mindful living. Sunny is married with 2 teenage children.

Ken Hunt has decades of leadership experience in financial services, with a successful history of building companies, relationships, and processes.

With a passion for supporting those that are creating meaningful change in the world, Ken is a mindful relationship facilitator and socially responsible executive leader.

Mindfulness has played a tremendous part in Ken’s journey of awareness and healing trauma stored away for many years.

A lifetime of seeking approval and needing to prove his value, embedded in early childhood development, took its toll, and eventually led him to mindfulness. Ken maintains that his challenges provided a massive gift in return: a passionate inner journey of healing, exploration, and discovery.

Follow Mindfulness First on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The Messiness of Human Connection E8

September 13, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

The Messiness of Human Connection E8

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The Messiness of Human Connection E8

On this episode, host Jennifer Burwell is joined by the Founders of The Raft Project, Kayla and Andy Izard. Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? Us too. When asked, “When you are going through something difficult, who do you tell?” 44% of respondents on The Raft Project online poll responded “no one”. The Raft Project is on a mission to reduce that percentage. Study after study reveals the real health risks of being lonely.

Geriatrician Carla Perissinotto followed 1,600 people in a national Health and Retirement Study for over six years to see whether loneliness poses a risk to independence and mortality. It does: Feeling lonely results in a 60 percent increased risk of functional decline and a 45 percent greater risk of death. Death! Research suggests that loneliness is associated with an increased risk of certain mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, sleep problems and increased stress in any age group. Andy and Kayla share how The Raft Project is carefully designed to facilitate connection and provided space to give and receive support.

This episode is REAL, raw and honest. We discuss suicidal ideation, (please protect your own mental health and skip if the topic of suicide is triggering), the messiness of building a business, breakdowns and setting boundaries that go against societal norms.

For those that are curious, we also give you a sneak peek of what attending a meeting is like. Kayla and Andy run Jen through their R.E.A.L. (Rate, Explain, Ask & Listen) Framework to check in with how she’s feeling. It is a powerful episode that will hopefully leave you inspired and well-resourced to help yourself or a loved one feel less alone.

So many of us feel alone. We’re struggling. We know our friends are struggling, and we want to help. But do we reach out? Maybe… Do we open up about our own shit? No, that’s scary.

The Raft Project is a community where genuine support is normal and expected. A safe place where members can connect deeply, be there for each other, and be real. A place where no one goes under.

Andy and Kayla Izard are passionate students of human connection, authenticity, and empathy. After Andy’s prolonged mental breakdown in 2018, they doggedly pursued an open support group concept to process the real shit they were experiencing.

They knew they needed support – what they didn’t expect was so many others looking for the exact same thing. Over four years, Andy and Kayla developed and tested a framework for connection and “rules of engagement” that make a very vulnerable practice more predictable…and less scary.

While Kayla has BA in Communications and Andy in Psychology, this business is built mostly on lived experience and an unwavering passion to do good for other people and themselves. They can’t get enough of each other – why else would you start a business with your spouse!

And if that’s not hectic enough, add their two-year-old son, two dogs, and a cat to the mix. Phoenix natives, Andy and Kayla are raising their little family beneath gorgeous Arizona sunsets, mostly because Kayla refuses to move somewhere colder (to Andy’s bitter disappointment). They both love a good conversation, so feel free to say hi!

Follow The Raft Project on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

About The Messy Middle Podcast & Radio Show

“Beginnings are usually scary, and endings are usually sad but it’s the middle that counts the most.”- Hope Floats

We often talk about the beginnings and endings of things. We celebrate our firsts and mourn our lasts. We often ignore the in between, or what we like to call the messy middle. In this nebulous space, often there are no awards or recognition.

It is frequently characterized by the long days, hard work, uncertainty, self-doubt, small wins, setbacks, persistence, and sheer determination to simply keep moving forward. And, yet, it is also where the magic happens. The middle part of our journey is what shapes us, prepares us and fills our lives with meaning.

Welcome to the Messy Middle Podcast & Radio show! Each month we invite guests to share their own version of the Messy Middle and the lessons they’ve learned along the way.

Whether you’re in the messiness of growing a business, healing from trauma, or navigating the wild world of parenting; this show is for you! We’re so excited to celebrate the messiness of life and business with you!

About Mother & Founder Co

Mother & Founder Co was created to help people who are experiencing change and are looking for growth, healing & transformation. The only thing that is constant is change…and change is really difficult for most people. When remaining where you are is more painful than the unknown, change happens.

*And*

Mother & Founder is there to help you create, maintain, and navigate the changes you wish to make.

In addition to the amazing community of women, we provide trauma healing sessions, clarity courses designed to re-imagine what’s possible, individual coaching and small business strategy masterminds.

About Jen Burwell

Jen is the Founder of Mother & Founder Co. and Co-Founder of Jens LIGHT Events.

She is a recognized public speaker and enjoys working with audiences of all sizes. She is a fierce advocate of self-development and believes a kinder world begins from within.

Her goal is to help as many leaders heal themselves as possible. A healed world is a better world for all of us. In 2020, she received the prestigious honor of Business Woman of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce.

She loves being right in the messy middle of growing business(es), mothering 3 young kiddos (2 on the Autism Spectrum) and navigating a healthy and happy marriage amid it all.

In her spare time, she enjoys morning solo runs accompanied by her AirPods and her latest Audible book. Her other joys include spa days, being near the ocean, travel and learning something new.

Follow Mother & Founder Co on Facebook and Instagram.

Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

August 25, 2022 by Karen

E26-Humanity-and-Mental-Health-in-the-Workplace-feature

Phoenix Business Radio

Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

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Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

Authenticity, humanity, and integrity are just a few of the words to describe the two gentlemen on this show and the direction that the conversation went in.

When it comes to pairing guests for the Culture Crush Business Podcast, we pair strategically. We tend to pair a company that has a great culture with a company that offers resources to improve culture. For this show, each of the two companies that were on the show fit into both of these categories. BOTH companies are growing a great culture while ALSO supporting companies with improving their company culture.

This conversation started strongly in the direction and importance of DEI in the workplace and supporting individuals in being their authentic selves in a psychologically safe work environment. Psychological safety is a shared belief held by members of a team that the team is safe for interpersonal risk taking. It gives the employees the opportunity to disagree and still be supported in the workplace.

This was part of the bigger conversation of things that leaders and companies can do to support the mental health of their employees. Companies can’t just talk about supporting mental health- they actually need to take action on it.

We walked away with tons of examples on how to do this!!

Ask the right questions
What am I doing and what is the company doing that can be improved on?
How are you doing professionally?
How are you doing personally?
Have open visibility to what goes on the calendar
Therapy sessions
Dentist Appointments
Doctor appointments
A block on the calendar for self care
Support from leadership to the staff in being their own authentic self
Provide a stipend that allows them additional mental health support
Allowing them the time for self care during the work day
Letter from the CEO articulating the importance of mental health
Putting in boundaries for when emails can be sent to the staff

When trying to find out more info about Hummingbird Humany, head to their website www.hummingbirdhumanity.com and go to the resources tab where they offer free resources to the Hummingbird community. From the website, visitors can also sign-up for their weekly newsletter or follow their social media accounts.

evolvedMD has a variety of resources listed at their website as well. Head to their main page, https://www.evolvedmd.com/ and then head over to their resources and news tab.

Both Sentari and Brian are on podcasts out there as well! Make sure to find them and follow them!

Let’s just say this conversation will definitely have to have a Part B to it!

Hummingbird Humanity is committed to amplifying the voices of the unheard.

Hummingbird’s offerings include a consulting practice which partners with companies to build human-centered workplace cultures through assessment, strategy, and implementation; a speakers bureau featuring diverse voices who share about their lived experiences and offer suggestions for tangible action in their message; a growing collection of children’s books and resources for grown-ups to have age-appropriate diversity conversations with kids; and a soon to be launched practice for coaching and facilitation helping leaders develop their skills to be inclusive and people-centered.

Brian McComak is a consultant, speaker, author, and facilitator with over 20 years of experience in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, HR, company culture, change management, internal communications, and employee experience.

He is the founder and CEO of Hummingbird Humanity, a consulting firm that cultivates and champions inclusive workplace cultures and human-centered leadership.

Connect with Brian on LinkedIn and Instagram.

evolvedMD is leading the integration of behavioral health services in modern primary care. Uniquely upfront and ongoing, our distinctive model not only places but embeds behavioral health specialists onsite at your practice. We offer an economically viable and better way to integrate behavioral health that ultimately drives improved patient outcomes.

Sentari Minor is most passionate about bringing the best out of individuals and entities.

His love languages are strategy, storytelling, and social impact. As Head of Strategy for evolvedMD, Mr. Minor is at the forefront of healthcare innovation with a scope of work that includes strategy, corporate development, growth, branding, culture, and coaching.

Prior to evolvedMD, he worked with some of the Nation’s most prominent and curious CEOs and entrepreneurs advising on philanthropy, policy, and everything social good as Regional Director of Alder (formerly Gen Next) [PHX + DAL + SFO] and strengthened social enterprises as Director at venture philanthropy firm, Social Venture Partners.

A Phoenix native, Mr. Minor continued his education in the Midwest and is an alumnus of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana where he studied English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. He is also a member of Class IV of the American Express Leadership Academy through the Arizona State University Lodestar Center. If you want to profile him: he’s an ENTJ (Myers Briggs), a Maverick (Predictive Index), and trimodal Blue/Green/Red (Emergenetics).

Where does he shine? In high-touch stakeholder engagement, capital raising, public relations, and strategic planning. With his background, Mr. Minor serves on the board of directors for a diverse set of social impact organizations, as a venture mentor for socially conscious companies nationwide, and as a facilitator for businesses who want organizational clarity.

Committed to strengthening brands doing good in the world, Mr. Minor speaks nationally and publishes often on strategy, marketing, leadership, capacity building, social entrepreneurship, and engaging high-profile leaders in the dialogue of today. For his impact on business and community, he was honored among the Phoenix Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” class of 2022.

When he’s not busy changing the world, self-care to him looks like working out, stirring the pot on social media, being an amateur author, and spending time with the people who make him smile.

Connect with Sentari on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About Culture Crush

Culture is not just a tag word to be thrown around. It is not something you throw in job descriptions to draw people to applying for jobs within a company.

According to Marcus Buckingham and Ashely Goodall in their book Nine Lies About Work, “Culture is the tenants of how we behave. It’s like a family creed. This is how we operate and treat each other in the family.”

As a growing company- Culture Crush Business Podcast is THE culture improvement resource that supports companies and leaders. Our Mission is to improve company cultures so people WANT to go to work. Employees and leaders should like where they work and we think this is possible.

Within the company: Culture Crush has Vetted Resources and Partnerships with the right people and resources that can help improve your company culture.

On this podcast: We focus on everything surrounding businesses with good company culture. We will talk with company leaders to learn about real-life experiences, tips, and best practices for creating a healthy work environment where employees are finding joy and satisfaction in their work while also striving and growing within the company. We also find the companies that offer resources to help improve company culture and showcase them on the show to share their tips and tricks for growing culture.

About the Host

Kindra Maples is spartan racer, past animal trainer, previous magician’s assistant, and has a weakness for Oreo cookie shakes. Her journey working with people actually started working with animals as a teenager (don’t worry we won’t go that far back for her bio).

She worked for over 15 years in the zoo industry working with animals and the public. Her passion of working with animals shifted into working with people in education, operations and leadership roles. From there her passion of leadership and helping people develop has continued to grow.

Then came the opportunity for leading the Culture Crush Business Podcast and she jumped on it. Leadership, growth, and strong company cultures are all areas that Kindra is interested in diving into further.

Shout Outs

We want to thank a few people for their behind the scenes effort in helping this relaunch to come to life. James Johnson with Tailored Penguin Media Company LLC.– It is a small, but powerful video production company with a goal to deliver the very best by articulating the vision of your brand in a visually creative way. Gordon Murray with Flash PhotoVideo, LLC. -Flash Gordon has been photographing since high school and evolving since then with new products that will equip, encourage, engage, and enable. Renee Blundon with Renee Blundon Design – She is not only one of the best free divers (that’s not how she helped with the podcast) but she is great with graphics design and taking the direction for the vision that you have while also adding creative ideas to bring to your vision to life.

These are just a few of the folks that supported the relaunch of the podcast. If you would like to be part of the Culture Crush team or would like to support underwriting the show- please reach out: info@culturecrushbusiness.com

Tony Kimbrough, Veterans Empowerment Organization

August 2, 2022 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Tony Kimbrough, Veterans Empowerment Organization

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North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 480)

A veteran himself, Tony Kimbrough, CEO of Veterans Empowerment Organization, was in the studio with host John Ray to highlight the work of the VEO in helping homeless veterans find housing and rebuild their lives. Tony shared some of the issues veterans face, the VEO campus on the westside of Atlanta, systemic cultural issues at play, the need for affordable stable housing, employment, and much more.

North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

An estimated 2000 veterans throughout Georgia have little access to the resources they need for daily living. There are many invisible wounds that affect veterans, including post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, depression, and anxiety – all of which can lead to homelessness.

VEO’s mission is to connect Veterans to vital resources that will assist in rebuilding their holistic well-being, and empower them to make positive changes in their life.

VEO offers a healing campus environment that allows veterans to rebuild their lives. Its mission is to empower veterans along their journey to self-sufficiency.

Veteran Empowerment Organization follows a Housing model. Their housing programs offer both temporary and permanent solutions to uplift low-income and homeless veterans. Through emergency beds, Veterans Empowerment Organization provides low-barrier access to ensure that veterans have a safe place to stay while procuring permanent housing placement. Veteran Empowerment Organization provides veterans with transitional housing as a way to garner permanent housing or independent living. Their residential site offers housing in a supportive, therapeutic community, with wraparound care including workforce development, mental health, and optimal wellness, and case management services to help veterans address their specific challenges and needs.

VEO’s Optimal Wellness program offers professional counseling from licensed clinicians and peer mentorship services with a focus on social reintegration.

Company website | Facebook | Instagram

**Tony Kimbrough, CEO, Veterans Empowerment Organization**

Tony Kimbrough is Chief Executive Officer for Veterans Empowerment Organization.

Part of a family with a long military heritage, Tony Kimbrough joined the South Carolina Army National Guard during his junior year at The Citadel. His subsequent eight years of service as a military intelligence officer included a year with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan, where he led an embedded training team.

Tony was formerly the Executive Director of Atlanta’s East Lake Family YMCA. He was recruited to Atlanta as head of the Arthur M. Blank Youth YMCA in 2015 and took on that role in 2017.

A native of Kentucky, Kimbrough grew up in Metro Atlanta, where his father was an executive with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and his mother a development officer with the YMCA.

After college, Kimbrough spent four years with Mannheim Auto Auctions in Georgia, North Carolina, and Arizona before moving to the nonprofit sector, first with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and then with the YMCA.

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

What are the problems veterans are facing?
What is VEO?
Tell us about your military journey and how you became involved with VEO
What services do you offer?
How can others get involved?

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven-ready, cooked from scratch meals to go they call “Let Us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to their website or call 678-336-9196.

What Is Your Why? E33

July 7, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

What Is Your Why? E33

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What Is Your Why? E33

If you love a really good heartfelt story with a big why, then check out this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast.

Irene Ploski, Jesse Pekarek, and Jayashri Sarkar share their whys, lessons, tips, and tears with host, Kelly Lorenzen.

They talked about all things small businesses, nonprofits, horses, startups, entrepreneurship, community and of course, collaboration.

These amazing business owners shared their stories so authentically, it felt like they were all old friends. You will feel the same way after you listen to it.

Happy Hooves is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing animal assisted therapy and activities to those in need. Animals improve the human experience and quality of life.

From those struggling with dementia, Alzheimer’s, PTSD, depression, anxiety, grievance, trauma, to name just a few, the animal interaction has incredible benefits for all.

Jesse Pekarek was born and raised on a family dairy farm in MN. In working with and showing animals at local fairs, he developed a strong sense of connection, empathy, compassion, and of course, a strong work ethic.

Jesse received his degree in Education and moved to Tucson in 1999 to complete his student teaching requirements, and later, held positions at an at risk school as teacher, director of curriculum development, and later the director of instructional technology, managing curriculum, instructors, and advisors.

Jesse then pursued a career in residential real estate, obtaining his license nearly 19 years ago, and continues to sell real estate to this day. Having held positions as a loan officer, operations manager at a local hard money lender, and even selling property in Mexico, Jesse’s depth of knowledge in the field, combined with his degree in education, has paved a successful real estate career.

Jesse has always felt a strong connection with community and the need and importance of giving back. Jesse has founded two non-profit organizations. His first non-profit, “Your Someday Is Today” provided necessary clothing for children in need within our community. Raising approximately $100,000 over ten years.

His current non-profit, Happy Hooves, focuses on helping the community an another way…providing animal experiences and activities for those in need. From autism, dementia, PTSD, to depression. Jesse finds his purpose in being the conduit between humans and animals, and opens his home to those open to the experience.

Jesse is active in his community as well, creating a neighborhood district called “Coyote Flatts” with a mission of preserving the rural, “neighborly” feel of their quaint, quiet, and colorful community. He has also opened up his home by creating a “community farm”, where people can come to volunteer and experience the joy and rewards in assisting with the love, care, and maintenance of the farm animals.

Jesse began hosting with Airbnb Experiences in 2019, started hosting Airbnb Online Experiences in 2020, and just a few weeks ago, began hosting their new guest house where people can book and share a deeper connection with the animals, having a stay at the farm.

Connect with Jesse on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Founded in 2009, Independence Insurance Group PLLC is an independent insurance agency and have several options to offer to our clients.

Our team is not bound to a single insurance company that offers a single type of product, instead we look for the best fit for each of our clients. Our goal is to find the right combination of coverage and price.

Our team strives to provide knowledgeable, prompt, clear and honest service to our clients and prospects. We are a relationship-based agency with our clients, business partners and professional network. We actively serve our community through fundraising & volunteering.

Irene Ploski has been in the insurance industry since 2003. She is married and is the mom of 2 very busy teenagers, a high-energy Golden Retriever and a Doberman.

Irene is fluent in Spanish as she is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico. She moved to Arizona in 2000 and became a U.S. Citizen in 2010.

She founded Independence Insurance Group in 2009. She has been a founding member of Networking For Charity, a Central Phoenix-based business networking group that focuses on generating qualified business referrals while engaging in philanthropy and volunteering.

She has been Vice President of NFC since 2014. NFC has raised over $60,000 for small local nonprofit organizations in our community.

She is also Vice-President of the Phoenix Lions Club, a global organization of volunteers that join together to give their time and effort to improving their communities and meet humanitarian needs.

Irene is also a member of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Phoenix Elks Lodge #335.

Connect with Irene on LinkedIn and Facebook.

Achievers Legacy’s purpose is to assist individuals and small businesses find sustainable and affordable air purification & drinking water filtration solutions for a healthy lifestyle.

Air and Water are two major elements that are critical to our health.

Both the air we breathe and water we drink are exposed to contaminants. Their goal is to provide solutions for both (air & water) that benefit you, your family, and your business, cost effectively in long term.

ImagiNexGen Institute of Excellence has a vision to build a connected world driven by trust, integrity, belonging, compassion, equality, and character leading to tolerance, synergy, fulfillment and peace.

They help individuals to discover their path to excellence leading to a joyful, meaningful, and purposeful life that engenders trust, happiness, fulfilment thus building a connected community.

They do not take a one-size-fits-all approach. They customize the work we do with individuals and organizations to their unique needs so they are set up for success in the long run.

Dr. Jayashri Sarkar has a Ph.D in Chemical Engineering from the University of Rhode Island. She has worked in the corporate life for a decade.

She is passionate about providing value and great service through her businesses and building a sustainable community in the process.

She believes that small businesses play a major role in shaping the culture of a community and how they serve their communities builds a strong sense of belonging.

She strives to provide the best with her businesses Achievers Legacy and ImagiNexGen Institute of Excellence.

Connect with Jay on LinkedIn and follow Achiever’s Legacy on Facebook and Instagram.

About Collaborative Connections

Kelly Lorenzen started the “Collaborative Connections” show to bring her clients and favorite charities together to meet each other, connect and collaborate in life and business. She hopes to build a stronger community one show at a time.

About Our Sponsor

KLM is a one-stop support shop for small business owners who are starting, growing, or trying to sustain. Our purpose is to foster the growth and prosperity of small businesses in our community.

Entrepreneurs & small business owners come to KLM for support in all areas of business. KLM clients think of us as a concierge, business snuggy, another arm, or duplicate for the business owner; They call us when they need us. Business owners can continue to do what they love while having the support they need when they need it.

About Your Host

Kelly Lorenzen, CEO of KLM, is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 15 years of business-ownership experience. She is also a certified project management professional.

Kelly’s expertise is in business development, customer service, marketing, and sales.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, and follow KLM Consulting on Facebook.

Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

May 4, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

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Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

The Wellness Collective Women & Children was created to provide a collective community for women and children to offer support, tools and healing for mental health and well-being.

WCWC offers 1:1 Mental Health & Well-being sessions for women & children. In addition, community classes include yoga for kids & women, Girl’s Circle, Zen Den for Teens, Circle of Friends, Feeling Class for kids, Kindness Circle groups.

Nourishing events for Women; Restorative Yoga & Massage, Meditate & Mimosas, Mini-Women’s Retreat, Mindful Mamas Circle, Women’s Wellness events.

Amy Jolley, Yoga teacher, Social-Emotional Learning & Mindfulness Educator, experienced child & family therapist and lover of people and Mother Earth.

She has a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from California Institute of Integral Studies. She is also a registered Yoga Teacher from Shiva Tree Yoga School and a certified Women’s Gathering Facilitator from The Path of the Sacred She.

Amy has had the opportunity to work in the mental health field in community mental health, private settings, public & charter schools and for non-profit organizations.

She has been a Yogi for as long as she can remember and has had the opportunity to teach yoga classes and hold sacred space at women’s circles on the beautiful island of Hawaii and now in majestic Arizona spaces.

Through her work in schools she has had the opportunity to teach mindfulness and social-emotional learning in counseling groups, classrooms, in yoga classes, at after-school program and to families.

Amy also has had the honor of teaching aspiring undergraduate psychology students in Positive Psychology, Social Psychology & Environmental Psychology.

Her journey continues as she is a constant student in the school of life, always learning through people, relationships, psychology, mindfulness practices and yoga.

She is the proud owner of a community oriented business, The Wellness Collective Women & Children, which supports women & children with mental health and well-being to ‘connect with your calm’ through yoga, mindfulness, art & play.

Education & Certifications
Masters of Arts, M.A. Counseling Psychology, Concentration in Integral Counseling Psychology, 2011
San Francisco, CA

Bachelor of Arts, B.A. Concentration in Communication Studies & Women’s Studies, 2005
Kalamazoo, MI

Registered Yoga Teacher, 200 hours, RYT-200, Shiva Tree Yoga School, 2017
Kailua, HI

Certified Kimochis (Social Emotional Learning Curriculum) Trainer, Kimochis, 2020, 2021, 2022, San Rafeal, CA

Follow WCWC on Facebook and Instagram.

It Takes A Village E30

March 21, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

It Takes A Village E30

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It Takes A Village E30

On this episode of Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast, host Kelly Lorenzen had the pleasure of interviewing some amazing leaders in our community.

Ania Kubicki, CEO & Founder of ANGLES Communications and President-Elect of NAWBO Phx, Laura Bode, Director of Community Engagement of A New Leaf, and Shana Duffy, Principle Consultant, Blue Ocean Advisory and owner of Yellow Day Marketing joined Kelly on-air for an enlightening conversation.

If you want to be inspired, get more involved in the Arizona community, or learn something new about PR, non-profits, business ownership, or women in business, then check out this episode.

Did you know there is a media collaborative in Phoenix that focuses on Positivity? The Center for Positive Media just opened and Ania was excited to share about it. https://www.thecenterforpositivemedia.com/

Did you know that NAWBO advocates for women in business? They are a great resource in our community. https://www.nawbo.org/phoenix

Did you know that A New Leaf helps sexual and domestic violence victims? They are opening a Rap Crisis Center next month. Check out all of their services at https://www.turnanewleaf.org/services/

Did you know there is a consulting firm that helps brands connect with financial institutions for co-branded credit cards and loyalty programs? Shana Duffy is a principal consultant with them and a great resource for small and large businesses needing help with customer loyalty. https://boadvisory.com/

These ladies shared some GREAT resources, stories, and quotes during the show about everything above and more. It is worth the hour to listen to this episode of Collaborative Connections.

Thank you, KLM Consulting, Marketing, and Management for sponsoring Collaborative Connections Radio Show and Podcast.

A New Leaf advances its mission of “Helping Families…Changing Lives” by providing meaningful opportunities to empower disadvantaged individuals and families, and to create a stronger and healthier community. A New Leaf’s 30+ programs in the Phoenix Metro area address households’ immediate and longer-term needs through a continuum of care that promotes social and economic health and stability.

Services include emergency shelter, supportive housing, domestic and sexual violence support, financial empowerment, behavioral and primary health care, foster care, early childhood education, and family preservation. With 51 years’ experience providing social services to local communities, A New Leaf anticipates improving more than 30,000 lives this year through culturally responsive programming that cultivates equity in the community.

Laura Bode serves as A New Leaf’s Director of Community Engagement. She has worked with A New Leaf for 10 years and is passionate about advancing the critical services the organization provides for the community.

She engages community corporations, foundations, civic leaders, and service groups to build awareness, funding, in-kind donations, and volunteer service to support all of A New Leaf’s programs.

Follow A New Leaf on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ANGLES is a communications agency with a mission to connect ideas and the people behind them to those who benefit from them. ANGLES works with visionaries who challenge the status quo and disrupt industries that need change.

We help our clients bring positive change to industries, communities and the world through highly curated communications strategies and programs.

Ania Kubicki started her career in public relations in New York City, working on high profile campaigns for destinations and political organizations. She moved to Phoenix in 2002 and started her agency, ANGLES Communications in 2006.

Ania is passionate about her clients and works with growth-oriented companies, powerful organizations and meaningful non-profits. She firmly believes that if you are not telling your story, someone will tell it for you.

Ania is an active member of our community serving on multiple committees, supporting and volunteering for causes in education, arts & entertainment as well as women and children. She is the President-Elect of the Phoenix Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and is passionate about helping people overcome adversity and own their stories!

Connect with Ania on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Blue Ocean is a multi-faceted advisory firm that excels in brand loyalty and payments solutions with a strong emphasis in the co-brand credit card space. Blue Ocean uses their vast experience and industry knowledge to successfully align brand partners and merchants with issuing banks and payment providers.

The Blue Ocean team has spent many years effectively negotiating co-branded programs nationally and internationally for travel, auto, retail, and financial institution brands. Additionally they manage RFP’s and contracts with Issuers and all three Card Networks; Visa, Mastercard, and American Express.

Blue Ocean also provides operational and marketing guidance on credit card programs to maximize growth and revenue, create winning marketing and focused strategies that enhance consumer loyalty through enhanced product value and innovation.

Beyond marketing and business development the Blue Ocean team has strong operational backgrounds that cover Credit, Risk, Fraud, Customer Service, Forecasting, Financial Analysis, and user Analytics.

Shana Duffy is a Principal Consultant with over 25 years of experience in the credit card and co-brand industry. Her experience runs deep across Operations, Marketing, and Business Development.

Shana spent over 20 years at Bank of America where she managed Credit Underwriting, Fraud, and Risk teams and strategies before transitioning to co-brand marketing where she spent 10 years managing a suite of successful programs such as America West, Alaska Airlines, and Hawaiian Airlines.

Prior to joining Blue Ocean Advisory in June 2020, Shana spent 7 years managing Retail, Airline, and Financial Institution co-branded programs at U.S. Bank.

Shana’s skills span across executive leadership, program management, product development and innovation, contract renewals and negotiation, revenue generation, and relationship management.

Follow Blue Ocean on LinkedIn.

About Collaborative Connections

About Our Sponsor

KLM is a one-stop support shop for small business owners who are starting, growing, or trying to sustain. Our purpose is to foster the growth and prosperity of small businesses in our community.

About Your Host

Kelly Lorenzen, CEO of KLM, is an award-winning entrepreneur with over 15 years of business-ownership experience. She is also a certified project management professional.

Kelly’s expertise is in business development, customer service, marketing, and sales.

Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn, and follow KLM Consulting on Facebook.

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25 (Episode 86, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow)

Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

Village Medical

Dr. Jim Morrow, Village Medical, and Host of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Men’s Health Month: Man Up! (Part 2)

The Messiness of Human Connection E8

The Messiness of Human Connection E8

About The Messy Middle Podcast & Radio Show

About Mother & Founder Co

About Jen Burwell

Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

About Culture Crush

About the Host

Shout Outs

Tony Kimbrough, Veterans Empowerment Organization

North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 480)

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

What Is Your Why? E33

What Is Your Why? E33

About Collaborative Connections

About Our Sponsor

About Your Host

Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

It Takes A Village E30

It Takes A Village E30

About Collaborative Connections

About Our Sponsor

About Your Host

Our Mission

Sponsor a Show

Partner With Us

Connect with us

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Legislation in Georgia, with Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25 (Episode 86, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow)

Representative Todd Jones, Georgia House District 25

Village Medical

Dr. Jim Morrow, Village Medical, and Host of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Ken Hunt and Sunny Wight with Mindfulness First

The Messiness of Human Connection E8

About The Messy Middle Podcast & Radio Show

About Mother & Founder Co

About Jen Burwell

Humanity and Mental Health in the Workplace E26

About Culture Crush

About the Host

Shout Outs

Tony Kimbrough, Veterans Empowerment Organization (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 480)

Veterans Empowerment Organization

Tony Kimbrough, CEO, Veterans Empowerment Organization

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

What Is Your Why? E33

About Collaborative Connections

About Our Sponsor

About Your Host

Amy Jolley with The Wellness Collective Women and Children

It Takes A Village E30

About Collaborative Connections

About Our Sponsor

About Your Host

Our Mission

Sponsor a Show

Partner With Us

Connect with us

North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 480)