The Good Around Us

Growing up poor on a farmette homestead in Braxton County, West Virginia, Dr. Nikki Byrne-Hoffman, comes from a long line of Appalachian farmers.  She spent most of her childhood in the family’s orchards, vegetable gardens, and rabbit hutches, and her family’s food security depended on their garden’s harvest. After moving to Morgantown to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and a doctorate in Pharmacology, Nikki began teaching Biology at West Virginia University. 

Walking side by side with a loved one who has been given the diagnosis of an incurable disease. This is a journey many families have experienced before or face today. Amidst the darkness of this reality, our guest today shares about the light that always finds a way to come through the cracks.

Blake Benton founded Coming Together for a Cure, a non-profit organization that works relentlessly to raise awareness, fund research, and help families around the world access stem cell therapy and resources to support their fight against rare diseases. 

This work is personal for Blake as his brother, Ryan, has Dechenne’s Muscular Dystrophy. Together, they are helping others experience cutting edge treatment and resources to maintain a hopeful quality of life.

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Ngozi Okaro is the Founder and Executive Director of Custom Collaborative. Ngozi founded Custom Collaborative to help women launch sustainable fashion businesses and careers, and to advocate for a fashion industry that honors the planet and serves fashion-industry workers (the majority of whom are immigrant and low-income women) and thoughtful consumers who want quality, sustainable clothes that fit the body well.

Over the course of a career in social-sector leadership, Ngozi has led education, social justice, and community-based organizations to identify and meet their missions.

Among many distinctions, Ngozi is a 2022 Goldman Sachs Black Woman Impact Leader and AARP Purpose Prize Fellow.

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Faith in a higher power plays a prominent role in individuals and communities around the world. And though science, particularly the social sciences, has begun acknowledging the intersection with faith, these are still two topics that can feel miles apart. Our guest today is sharing a message about how psychology and spirituality can work together for a kinder, gentler view of ourselves and the world.

Lauren Gilbert is a PhD in psychology. After serving as a full-time assistant professor at a liberal arts college, Lauren sought to expand the reach of her message to make it accessible outside of the walls of the college classroom. She is passionate about integrating science and faith in a way that is easily understandable and one that meets people right where they are. In her spare time, Lauren spends time outdoors, trying to keep up with 2 young kids, and little-by-little, she is learning to practice what she preaches in her own heart, home, and family.

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Kindee Dixon has been devoted to improving the quality of life and education for communities in Kenya and Malawi for the last 25 years. This was not a mission she was born with or instructed to carry out - rather, a chance encounter with a loving stranger and the unconditional kindness she experienced, is what changed the trajectory of her life. 

At age 23, she led her first expedition to build a school and for the past 25 years has managed various nonprofits dedicated to helping those that need it most. She has helped to build 14 schools and currently volunteers with Warm Hearts Foundation, focusing on education, clean water, sustainable farming, and projects that serve communities in Kenya and Malawi. Kindee lives in Salt Lake City, has 3 children of her own and 5 kids (plus 3 grand babies) that she sponsors in Kenya. She is also pursuing her Masters Degree in mental health counseling when she’s not busy trying to save the world.

“The true meaning of life is to plant trees, under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” -Nelson Henderson

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We’ve all been there…in a team where it feels like frustration and complaints are just part of the corporate DNA. But how do we stop the cycle and bring about positive change? This is a question our guest today has been working with, and offering solutions to, for decades.

Rita Ernst owns Ignite Your Extraordinary, an organizational consulting practice emphasizing the convergence of happiness and productivity to create positive, committed, high-performing organizations. She holds an advanced degree in Organizational Psychology from Clemson University. Her first book, Show Up Positive, was released in June 2022.

Make sure you listen through to the end for some helpful tips on how to navigate those family gathering triggers this holiday season.

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Ted Lasso brought coaching onto the pop-culture scene in such a good way. He made us smile, our hearts warm, and energized our spirits to ‘do better’. He showed us that WHO WE ARE matters just as much as the wins and losses on the field.

A good coach like that is someone I am always eager to talk to!

Our guest today, Coach Phil Squatrito, is one of those inspiring coaches!

Most commonly known as Coach Squats, he is the Head Coach and owner of Training For Warriors, Ponte Vedra Beach.  With over 20 years experience in physical fitness, he has coached tens of thousands of people to lose fat, build muscle and feel great about themselves again. He knows that through positive encouragement, enthusiasm, and passion for helping others, there are few obstacles too great to overcome.

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The experience of being a child in this connected and technological age is unlike that of any other era. But in some ways, schoolyard dynamics and bullying is a tale as old as time. Our guests today are on a mission to stop bullying, shine a light on youth mental health, and spread kindness.

Morgan Guess of Kentucky experienced repeated bullying at 8 years old, causing mental and physical health concerns. Since that time, her family has created the Guess Anti-Bullying Foundation. With Morgan and her mom, Susan Guess, at the helm, they have created programs, advocated legislation, and implemented awareness campaigns. Morgan has been recognized as an Ashoka changemaker and received awards for her work on this cause.

As a warning, there is discussion of self-harming and suicide, which may be triggering to some listeners.

In a world where so many are throwing bricks on others, be the one who builds bridges with them. – Emma Xu.

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No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper...

Isaiah 54:17

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Some people have just the right combination of perseverance, faith, luck and support to make something beautiful out of what is seemingly broken. Gerald “Geo” Gibson is one of those people.

Today, he is a Community Program Coordinator with the Lexington, KY Police Department, Motivational Speaker, and founder of Operation Making A Change, an organization supporting the community through the school system and correctional facilities.

But his story of life on the streets illustrates the great gift it is that he is even alive, much less making life-saving impact on others today. Listen in for Geo's story - it's a powerful one.

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"It is not the critic who counts; not the [man/woman] who points out how the strong [man/woman] stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the [man/woman] who is actually in the arena...who spends [himself/herself] in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if [he/she] fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that [his/her] place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

— Theodore Roosevelt (U.S. President 1901-1909)

Do you have a moment in your life that changed everything for you? For our guest today, it was a significant financial and emotional loss in her childhood that inspires her each day to pursue greatness and cultivate it in others.

Elisa Torres is a marketing professional and a leader in the healthcare industry. As a Director for Global Strategic Marketing at Johnson & Johnson, she has exceled in her career, while also making an impact as a philanthropist and speaker. Elisa has an unwavering desire for us to realize our power as change agents so we can make organizations and the world a better place.

To understand more about her message, we started our conversation at the beginning of her story.

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“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Think of a really good teacher or mentor who built you up to believe that more is possible for you than you ever could have imagined. That’s our guest today - one of those teachers you won’t forget.

Jamie Albritton is a National Board Certified music educator who works for the Jefferson County Public Schools system in Louisville, Kentucky.  He holds a Bachelor of Music Education, a Masters in the Art of Teaching, Level III Orff-Schulwerk (Erf Shulverk) certification, as well as his Rank 1.  He is currently in his 16th year of teaching and working with students from Kindergarten through 5th grade. His story shows us all that music and teaching extends far beyond the classroom.

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It’s the 1 year anniversary of The Good Around Us podcast! One whole year of pushing publish on some beautiful stories of love, creativity, compassion, leadership, and courage. In this episode I will share the story of how and why this podcast was created along with my top 8 lessons learned from the journey. Here we go!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

― Margaret Meade

Stay in touch with me! Send feedback! Questions, guest ideas, comments - message me through the website or Instagram:

Marian Guinn is a Professional Certified Coach with a passion for leadership. She believes that improving the capacity of leaders and trust among teams is critical to the success of our nation.

Prior to becoming an Executive Coach, Marian created a successful career in fund development for the UK Children's Hospital, and went on to lead God’s Pantry Food Bank, a member of Feeding America, as CEO for 19 years. She successfully led the God's Pantry through multi-million dollar capital campaigns, building projects and significant program growth.

Marian is an influential leader in Central Kentucky and has won numerous awards in her tenure. And now, Marian is dedicating her time to helping others find meaningful work.

In this episode you will hear:

• Marian's non-profit and coaching story
• What exactly is professional coaching
• How to best identify and engage with a coach
• How to find meaningful work that has purpose for you

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Dr. Andrew Moore, II, is a plastic surgeon in Lexington, Kentucky. In his nearly 40 years of practice, Dr. Moore had helped numerous individuals with financial constraints by providing free care through his office. But by 2005, due to changes in the healthcare system including hospital ownership and insurance complexities, it became untenable to do so.

Dr. Moore made it his mission to see the working poor receive outpatient services, creating Surgery on Sunday, a nonprofit organization.

The organization provides essential outpatient procedures at no cost to income-eligible individuals who are either uninsured or under-insured and do not qualify for federal or state assistance. It was the first program of its kind in the United States. Dr. Moore and Surgery on Sunday have received recognition for this important work (i.e. 2010 CNN Hero of the Year Nominee, 2009 Red Cross Hero of the Year, 2015 Muhammad Ali Humanitarian Award).

Michael Gardner is a Philadelphia native seeking to be the very best father for his daughter, Ava. Growing up without a present father in his own life, he knew he wanted to create a different experience and would need to do it in his own, unique way. He took his natural creativity, combined it with his great love for Ava, and out came Daddy Dressed Me by MG.

This name may sound familiar, as it was featured on the Today Show and other outlets in late 2020. Listen in for a personal view of what this movement, brand, and project is all about.

Jay Guilford is a leadership strategist in Las Vegas. He develops leadership programs and has trained teams from top-performing companies such as MGM, Microsoft, Mastercard, Google, Uber, P&G, and more. But interestingly, his leadership journey began as a self-proclaimed “Bully Boss”.

Listen to Jay’s story. He has wisdom to share for all of us leaders, and of course, I have thoughts on the topic as well.

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• Website: http://www.coworkslead.com
• Contact Jay for free advice for executive leaders: contact@coworkslead.com

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Sarah Stewart Holland and Beth Silvers host the popular podcast Pantsuit Politics, which was named one of 2021’s best shows by Apple Podcasts and has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, Elle Magazine, and Parents Magazine. They are also the authors of I Think You're Wrong (But I'm Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversation, which was featured on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Sarah and Beth met in college before going their separate ways for law school. Sarah pursued a career in politics as a congressional staffer and campaign aide and Beth practiced law before serving as a human resources executive. Sarah lives in Paducah, KY, with her spouse, Nicholas, and children Griffin, Amos, and Felix. Beth lives in Union, KY, with her spouse, Chad, and children Jane and Ellen. Sarah’s dog, Cookie, and Beth’s dog, Lucy, are beloved (and involuntary) contributors to their work.

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Genevieve Piturro was a veteran, successful tv marketing executive in New York City when one night she asked herself, “Is this enough?”. Before long, she was honoring a calling to support children through a simple act of providing pajamas to those in emergency shelters. By 2001, that grew into the Pajama Program, a nationwide organization ensuring children are supported at bedtime. To date, the organization has provided over 7 million pajamas and storybooks to children who are experiencing challenges beyond their control. Genevieve’s path continues as she supports others in finding their purpose and passion.

Genevieve has been interviewed by OPRAH, TODAY, Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, and more!

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Joseph Lane is a young chef in the Lexington, KY, area who constantly pushes himself to do better and be better. He’s a goal-setter, community-builder, visionary, and hard worker…with the respect and good humor that makes him fun to be around!

Joseph created the Southern Deli Chef Cookoff Challenge in 2021 as a competition to bring attention to local businesses and nonprofits. He’s also a runner and working toward major distance achievements.

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Jena Nelson has devoted her career to teaching the arts in public schools. After overcoming abuse and poverty as a child, she decided to pay it forward through her work with children in the school system. As the 2020 Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, Jena has found her voice in advocating for the power of teachers and public education.

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Jena's Twitter and Instagram handles: @OKTOY2020

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Lisa Schmitz brought new life to her passions and career as she stepped away from her corporate HR career and founded the nonprofit, Mars Hill Art Center which provides community art classes, a blessing pantry, a Little Free Library and tons of other benefits to an underserved neighborhood in Indianapolis. Beyond that, Lisa and her husband have a video series called Do Something Indy where they profile people doing amazing things in the community.

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Andy Shea is the President & CEO of the Lexington Legends and Charleston Dirty Birds, clubs in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. But his work in the community doesn’t stop at the ballpark. He is very active volunteering for organizations and serving on nonprofit boards. In all that he does, Andy is a mentor and teacher, always saying yes to an opportunity that helps another person grow.

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Father Norman Fischer is the priest of St. Peter Claver Catholic Church and the chaplain for Lexington Catholic High School. He is the first black priest of African American descent, as well as the first of Philipino descent, of the Diocese of Lexington. Father Norman is an artist, and as you will hear, he is well known, respected, and involved in the community.

This one is a church-sized episode where you will not only learn about all the amazing work Father Norman is doing, but also lean into his messages of gratitude and giving from a faith perspective.

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Jody Greenlee began her career as a nurse in pediatric hematology and neonatal intensive care. In 2000, Jody retired from nursing to foster two medically fragile Guatemalan children. She served as Board President of Children of the Americas (an international medical relief nonprofit) from 2001 - 2009. For the past 20 years, Jody travels twice a year to provide medical and humanitarian services in the rural mountains of Guatemala. In 2009, she founded Finding Freedom through Friendship to provide services to impoverished women and children in emerging countries. Jody is a true servant leader, both in her local community and abroad. 

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Kevin Hoffman had a childhood defined by race. He grew up in Detroit just after the 1967 riots, as a black man in a white adoptive family. And despite the struggles, he describes his childhood as a good one. Now he shares messages of compassion and cultural intelligence with others.

Along with his captivating personal stories, Kevin and I have conversations on race, embracing differences, and being gracious with ourselves and others when we get it wrong.

Joel Wegener bought an ice cream truck in 2021 and runs it with his two special needs children, Mary Kate and Josh. Named Special Neat Treats, the ice cream truck business has become something much bigger than just selling ice cream. It is a bright light for the community and has gone viral for all the good they are spreading. Listen in for Joel's beautiful stories of hope and love.