Next Steps Forward

Program host Chris Meek is pleased to welcome Ruth Rathblott back to Next Steps Forward to further speak on issues of inclusion and diversity, the freedom of accepting your differences and rising above life’s challenges. Ruth, a licensed social worker, TEDx speaker, award-winning former CEO and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion expert and strategist, was born with a limb difference and is now committed to creating inclusion for all. In this appearance, Ruth will also focus on her most recent book “Unhide & Seek” which offers a blueprint for uncovering the person you are meant to be - both in your career and in your personal life. The book focuses on embracing your differences, performing at your best, building meaningful connections and becoming a leader. If you feel as though your true potential has yet to be discovered, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!

Prior to joining the Texas Public Policy Foundation in the fall of 2021 as the Distinguished Senior Fellow for Border Security, Rodney Scott served as the 24th Chief of the United States Border Patrol. In this installment of Next Steps Forward, he joins program host Dr. Chris Meek to discuss his three-decade career in the Border Patrol, under both Republican and Democrat administrations, earning the respect and admiration of agents, colleagues, and partners alike while working to successfully enforce our nation’s laws and secure our borders. Throughout the hour Mr. Scott will speak extensively about the analysis and recommendations he makes on federal, state and local border security efforts through his work with America’s leading state-based think tank.

Donna Orender is a powerhouse executive whose innovative leadership shaped some of the most recognizable brands in the sports industry. She is the former president of the WNBA, PGA Tour Senior Executive, and current CEO of Orender Unlimited. She is a nationally-recognized business leader, innovative thinker, keynote speaker, entrepreneur and author. She joins Next Steps Forward program host Dr. Chris Meek to speak about how she uses her passion for making a difference and draws on her extensive experience in sports, entertainment, media businesses, as well as her careers as a professional basketball player and hall of fame athlete, to connect women and girls in the service of building community within her many endeavors, particularly the not-for-profit Generation W which she launched in 2012. Throughout the hour she will discuss what drives her passionate pursuits, her secrets for achieving success, the importance of elevating the voices of women and girls, and her expertise on leadership initiatives, organization development and culture shaping.

Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio is a leading authority on helping senior leaders make more inclusive decisions for themselves and their organizations. Having advised some of the largest for-profit and non-profit companies in the world, she joins program host Chris Meek to discuss her experiences as an award-winning expert on race and gender and leadership strategy. Discussion topics will include what led Paola to first become interested in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and why she decided to make it the focus of her career, what companies can do to attract more diverse applicants, tips for removing implicit bias during the interview process and why onboarding is crucial to increasing diversity. From entry-level to the boardroom, Paola’s experience and tips are sure to have powerful impacts on the companies who apply her expertise.

On this installment of Next Steps Forward, program host Chris Meek speaks with Dr. Beth Kurland, a clinical psychologist with three decades of experience. She is a TEDx Talks speaker, sought-after public speaker and a mind-body coach. She is also the author of three award-winning books: Dancing on The Tightrope: Transcending the Habits of Your Mind and Awakening to Your Fullest Life; The Transformative Power of Ten Minutes: An Eight Week Guide to Reducing Stress and Cultivating Well-Being; and Gifts of the Rain Puddle: Poems, Meditations and Reflections for the Mindful Soul. In her latest book You Don’t Have to Change to Change Everything: Six Ways to Shift Your Vantage Point, Stop Striving for Happy and Find True Well-Being, she writes about not trying to change yourself but instead meeting yourself where you are and how to go about doing that. The hour-long interview will focus heavily on the concept of “change” and Beth will elaborate on why we don’t have to “change to change everything” and how change comes about if we’re not exactly changing ourselves.

Kendall Gammon is a sought-after keynote speaker with a presence that’s quite different from what you’d expect from a 15-year NFL veteran known for his physical strength. He attended Division II Pittsburg State University where he was captain of the 1991 National Champion Gorillas and was voted most inspirational by his teammates. During a fulfilling 15-year NFL career that included 4 years each with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints, and his final seven years with the Kansas City Chiefs, Kendall played in the 1995 Super Bowl and a 2005 Pro Bowl. Today, in addition to his speaking engagements, he is recognized for his role as a Color Analyst for the Chiefs Radio Network Broadcast team where he broadcasts alongside “Voice of the Chiefs” Mitch Holthus. Kendall joins Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek to speak about harnessing the power of emotional strength, which he believes is the key to quality of life, and how to improve emotional communication within yourself and others. As the audience will find, he is not afraid of being vulnerable and his storytelling will take listeners on a rollercoaster of emotions chalk full of laughter and inspiration.

Kristi M. Rogers is a leading executive and former senior government official with extensive international leadership experience in the public and private sectors. She joins program host Chris Meek to discuss the strategic advice and counsel she is regularly sought after for issues relating to security and disaster response, federal government contracting, the role of business in complex and dynamic environments (including markets emerging from conflict), public-private partnerships, and crisis communications. As the managing partner and co-founder of Principal to Principal, a strategic positioning company operating at the most senior levels of business and government, she will speak to constructive approaches that can be taken to address today’s multifaceted public policy issues, how she assists organizations with successfully addressing complex challenges, and the challenges, rewards and lessons she has learned in having successfully launched, managed and grown two companies with overseas operations.

Peggy Willms is innately and passionately wired to help others discover the healthiest version of themselves as a certified personal trainer, sports performance nutritionist, and health, wellness and life coach. Well known as the host of the internationally syndicated radio show The Coach Peggy Show, she joins Chris Meek to bring her expertise on all things wellness to the Next Steps Forward audience. Peggy knows there is no wellness “fix” - wellness is a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement. She will walk the audience through how she helps individuals re-wire and rid old habits by designing new ones, identifying pain points and extinguishing all excuses. Through her coaching, she helps others find their current “punctures” and solutions whether that means focus on preventative care, nutrition, exercise/movement, relationships, organization, or sleep. For those seeking real life strategies and to implement sound tools to regain control, you will not want to miss out on Peggy Willms’ advice!

Dr. Marie Murphy is a non-judgmental coach for people involved in infidelity. She is trained and certified as a life coach, with her training coming from the Life Coach School and Martha Beck’s Wayfinder life coach training. Her bachelor’s degree is in sociology and human sexuality studies from San Francisco State University and she earned a Ph.D. in the sociology of sexuality from the University of California, San Diego. For years, she researched and taught about many things related to sex, sexuality, love, romantic relationships and family life. Her training and work in these realms have given her countless insights into the human experience and how we can deal with the many challenges associated with being human. She joins program host Chris Meek to discuss the both fascinating and uncomfortable topic of infidelity and her success in counseling people who are actively cheating or actively engaging in some kind of infidelity throughout the process of repairing their relationships. Many of those in the audience will think of cheaters as bad people but Dr. Murphy will provide perspective on why it is important for there to be support and empathy, or at least understanding, for people who are actively cheating as many might be experiencing something missing in their own lives.

Travis Conover is an actor, film producer and president of StoryTeller Film Company. He made his on-screen acting debut, co-starring in The Trial of Everett Mann, which won several awards throughout some of the largest film festivals in the world, including the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. Shortly after, Travis booked an acting and producing role in The Penitent Thief, which hit theaters in 2020. During Travis’ career, he has written and produced several short and feature films. After becoming aware of the disturbing realities of human trafficking, he dedicated himself and his work in acting and film production to anti-human trafficking advocacy, which can be seen in his latest film project, Lions and Lambs. He joins program host Dr. Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to discuss his journey as an actor, his passion for ending human trafficking for good, and how he and other actors are flipping the script on Hollywood which for far too long has ignored and even contributed to human rights injustices.

Stacy Blakeley is the CEO of The Policy Circle, a national organization that informs, equips, and connects women to be more impactful citizens. Founded in 2015 on the belief that the free market is the best means to unleash human potential, the organization has grown to include 15,000 members in all lower 48 states. The Policy Circle has built a proven model to boost civic literacy and equips its members to lead at the local, state, and national levels through solutions-oriented programming and approachable training. Stacy is a noted public speaker who engages audiences in constructive dialogue and inspires citizens to take action in their communities as positive change-makers. Throughout Stacy’s appearance on Next Steps Forward, she will discuss The Policy Circle’s advice to women to “be more curious and less furious” and it’s work to help women do just that, as well as why civil discourse and civic engagement is so crucial in today’s society, why The Policy Circle focuses its efforts on getting women involved in public policy and debate due to wealth transfer, women out-voting men and women only holding one-third of elected positions; and the two gaps in politics and policy that the organization is concerned about, which includes the confidence gap and the competence gap. For those audience members who are looking to become leaders in their communities and develop skills and qualities needed to do so, this is a conversation that you won’t want to miss!

Singer, songwriter, musician and producer Julius Adams is music and music is Julius Adams. His love for music extends from his own love for people, as the Next Steps Forward audience will find as he joins program host Chris Meek to promote his new single, “Healer.” Healer is a beautiful song about God being able to heal you from anything, whether it's sickness, disease, mental illness, financial issues, or heartbreak. Healer is meant to encourage listeners and let them know that God can heal them, that he loves them and he will never leave them. Julius will discuss how he uses music as an avenue to bring light to the lives of others, how he creates music with the goal to make listeners feel love, hope, happiness and closer to God, and provide insight into his own faith and relationship with God. As the audience will find, there is something for everyone in his music.

Dr. Sherry Davis Molock, is a Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. Dr. Molock teaches undergraduate and doctoral courses in clinical psychology and conducts research on the prevention of suicide and HIV in African American youth. Thirty years ago, she first discovered her calling was to help prevent suicide among Black people, as rates of suicide continued to rise in Black adolescents. Since then, she has been adamant that Black churches could lead the way on teen mental health and suicide prevention and has worked diligently to implement suicide prevention programs for Black youth in predominately Black churches. In addition to her work in psychology, Dr. Molock and her husband, Guy Molock, Jr., are the founding pastors and Pastor Emeriti of the Beloved Community Church – United Church in Christ in Fort Washington, Maryland. Their ministry focuses on “family healing” that is designed to bring spiritual, physical, and emotional healing to the community. She joins program host Dr. Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to discuss a reluctance in the Black community to acknowledge mental health problems, how her work continues to challenge misconceptions about Black people and suicide, how faith leaders can recognize mental health issues within their own congregations and ensure their parishioners are comfortable speaking about them, and both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for her HAVEN Connect Workshops.

Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek is honored to speak with Dana Perino, co-anchor of FOX News Channel’s morning news program America’s Newsroom and co-host of The Five, about her career as an American political commentator, bestselling author and role as White House press secretary under President George W. Bush. Perino will speak about the lessons that she has learned throughout her career on how to maintain a level head and find success in the face of adversity. No conversation with Perino would be complete without talking in-depth about her time working for President Bush and, of course, politics in general, including how to navigate relationships with individuals in the workplace or in our families who have different political views. In addition, Perino will share the inspiration behind her latest book “Everything Will Be Okay: Life Lessons for Young Women (by a Former Young Woman)” and why men, and not just women, should consider reading her book. Perino serves as an inspiration for young women and all Americans alike and, throughout the hour, will share with the audience how they too can feel empowered and achieve their goals.

At a moment when the nation seems intractably divided and incapable of addressing our long-term challenges, a single movement, No Labels, is working to get Washington past the brain-dead politics of Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s the brainchild of Nancy Jacobson, described by New York Times columnist David Brooks as No Labels’ “undeterrable” leader. Having spent her early career helping Gary Hart and Bill Clinton remake the Democratic Party, Jacobson worked for Sen. Evan Bayh for fifteen years before launching No Labels in 2010. Over the past few years, host Chris Meek has used Next Steps Forward as a platform for civil discourse when it comes to politics. Ms. Jacobson and her organization have charted a path for what civil yet effective political conversations and actions should and can look like for Americans. Throughout the hour she will give a voice to America’s often ignored political majority, which is overshadowed and drowned out by the extremes of the two major parties. This will be a conversation rooted in civility, which regardless of political beliefs, audience members can all be appreciative of.

Danielle Freitag, co-founder and executive director of Action169, is on a mission to empower women to overcome substance use and to enable those in sexually exploitative industries to know their intrinsic worth. As a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor, she has worked in a variety of settings as a counselor and advocate to provide direct support, care and counseling for women in recovery. She joins Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek to speak about the trauma-informed, faith-centered counseling program she created that promotes holistic restoration through evidence-based practices, including the creative arts. As an overcomer of severe addiction and the commercial sex industry, Danielle’s captivating story of transformation will inspire hope in the audience and leave them with solutions to overcome in their own lives .

“If we’re going to overcome anything, it’s our mindset around it. It is how fast we come to grips that life is not going to return to a previous state of existence.” Do you have a desire and/or need to overcome adversity in your life? John Register helps individuals overcome their fears and attack life’s obstacles in his motivational and inspirational speeches through a three-step process of reckoning, revision and renewal. Host Chris Meek welcomes John back to the program to illuminate the three step process of overcoming and to share more about his definition of “new normal” and how to come to terms with exactly what that means. A two-time Paralympian, Paralympic Games silver medalist and Persian Gulf War veteran, John learned how to amputate his own fears. Now he guides others as they begin to do the same, by encouraging them to discover the stories that reside within them and unlearn or relearn the things they already know. Catch up with John Register and better position yourself to amputate your fears!

Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek is honored to welcome legendary auto racing driver, Bobby Rahal, who most famously won the Indianapolis 500 in 1986 to the program. In an 18-year career spanning F1, Can-Am, Le Mans/IMSA and CART, Mr. Rahal’s name is widely known across the world having garnered three CART championships, along with wins at the 1981 24 Hours of Daytona and the 1987 12 Hours of Sebring endurance races. Chris is honored to know Mr. Rahal personally, having founded the nonprofit SoldierStrong which benefits greatly from Mr. Rahal’s many philanthropic efforts. Throughout the hour, Mr. Rahal will discuss his iconic career in auto racing, his role as a principal at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and his focus on philanthropy and bettering the communities in which his businesses serve.

Dr. Gary Reiss is a licensed clinical social worker and certified trainer in process-oriented psychology in private practice in Eugene and Portland, Oregon, who joins program host Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to discuss his work teaching process-oriented psychology worldwide for more than 35 years. His specialties include family therapy, sex therapy, working with coma patients, worldwork in hot spots in the world, organizational development and integrating process work with different spiritual traditions. He is the director of The International Peace Group and the founder and director of the Rivers Way Community Clinic in Portland, Oregon. In addition to finding the time to do all that, he’s the author of 14 books, including Healing History, Process-Oriented Facilitation and Getting off the Wheels, a Process-Oriented Approach to Personal and World Liberation. Throughout the hour, Dr. Reiss will draw on his extensive experience teaching, counseling and facilitating individuals and groups to walk the audience through how he has developed unique techniques for applying process oriented awareness skills with the goals of enhancing deep development while reducing suffering, both personally and collectively.

Samantha Baltadonis, owner and CEO of Strive Solutions and senior manager at a Fortune 5 company where she provides Organization Development Consulting and Leadership and Transformation Coaching, joins program host Chris Meek on this installment of Next Steps Forward. Sam advocates for creating healthy organizations that prioritize the well-being of individuals, emphasizing that kindness and empathy do not need to be separate from exceptional business results. She will speak to her mission to fundamentally alter corporate America’s approach to workplace expectations and engagement by leveraging trauma-informed leadership to go beyond emotional intelligence to understand the psychological and physiological elements to overstimulation and burnout. She will walk the audience through how she empowers leaders to respond to the complex and evolving needs of their teams with empathy and compassion. Listeners will be inspired to take control of their lives and align with their true values and desires to enable true, lasting transformation.