This episode is a replay from Season 7. Leah Brundidge, Former Asst. AD for Compliance at Southern Miss, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

Jill Anwaar is an event & hospitality strategist and certified meeting professional. With more than 20 years of experience in event management, hospitality, and business development, she brings both expertise and energy to every experience she curates. Renowned for her ability to deliver smooth, high-impact events, Jill has built a reputation for exceeding expectations and elevating every detail.

Her career reflects a powerful combination of strategic insight and operational excellence. Jill has consistently outperformed sales targets, led revenue-generating teams, and overseen large-scale conferences with budgets in the millions. Her leadership journey includes influential roles with organizations such as PREIT, Keppler Speakers Bureau, and Team San Jose—as well as launching her own boutique firm, Occasional Pearl Events.

Jill’s strengths lie in building lasting client relationships, driving business growth, and flawlessly executing complex events. Her talents have also been spotlighted on national stages, including volunteer leadership roles at Super Bowl 50 and Super Bowl LI.

Purpose-driven and community-minded, Jill Anwaar continues to shape the future of event experiences with precision, creativity, and heart.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 5. Jasmine Quinn, Director of Championships for the SWAC, joins Monique A.J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 10. Neena Speer, AI Educator & Creative Strategist, joins Monique A.J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 2. Etienne Thomas, Athletics Director at Winston-Salem State University, joins Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

Miranda Giddens serves as the Associate Director of Academics at the University of
Arkansas, Fayetteville, where she supports the Football and Gymnastics programs.
Prior to joining Arkansas, she was an Academic Advisor at the University of South
Carolina, working with the Women’s Basketball and Women’s Track and Field teams.
She also held academic support roles at The University of Alabama, supporting the
Football, Women’s Basketball, Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country, and Men’s Golf
programs.

While at Alabama, Miranda co-led the voter registration initiative “Make an Impact”
2020, which successfully registered over 90% of the student-athlete population to
vote—a testament to her commitment to student engagement beyond the classroom.

Miranda began her professional journey as a post-graduate intern in the Academic and
Membership Affairs Department at the NCAA. A proud native of Kennesaw, Georgia,
she launched her career as a Graduate Assistant for Panthers Athlete Support Services
at Georgia State University.

She is a two-time graduate of Georgia State University, holding a Bachelor’s degree in
Political Science and a Master’s degree in Sport Administration. A proud member of
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Miranda enjoys traveling, attending concerts, and
spending quality time with her niece and nephews.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

Dr. Raylene Ross is in her fourth season as the Director of Sport Leadership and Mental
Performance at the University of South Carolina. Her unwavering dedication is evident
in her commitment to helping student-athletes and coaches optimize performance,
manage mental stress, and navigate the unique pressures of competitive environments.

Dr. Ross's collaborative and integrative approach to performance and well-being is a hallmark of her role. She works closely with various departments such as sports medicine, mental health, sports science, nutrition, and strength and conditioning. Her leadership is evident in individual and team consultations, presentations, and workshops, emphasizing resilience and sustainable mental performance strategies.

Dr. Ross's work is grounded in a client-centered framework. She helps individuals understand the connection between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. She often integrates mindfulness-based techniques into her work. Her clinical interests, which include athletic identity development, impostor syndrome, career transitions, and performance anxiety, provide a comprehensive understanding of her expertise and services.

Beyond the university, Dr. Ross is an adjunct instructor in the College of Education and operates a thriving private practice, Living Your Truth Coaching and Consulting, LLC. She supports athletes, couples, families, and professional organizations through her practice with various clinical and performance-related services.

Dr. Ross earned her Doctorate in Developmental Foundations from the University of South Carolina and is licensed as an LPC in South Carolina, an LCPC in Maryland, and an LCMHC in North Carolina. She is also a Certified Health and Well-being Coach.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

With over 25 years of experience, Ann Seeney is on a mission to transform people and organizations into equitable leaders and environments. Ann has led the charge as an agent of change to promote integrity in an inclusive and distinct culture. Ultimately, her aim is to transform organizations through truth-seeking and critical conversations and progress culture and DEI by centering efforts around leadership development. Her life and the diverse educational experiences provided by Hampton University, an HBCU, ignite her passion for mentoring students as well as partnering with colleagues to help them find what's next. With the addition of a Master of Jurisprudence and an MBA, she continues to illuminate knowledge, truth, and understanding for all.

Find her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-seeney-2197855/

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

This episode is a replay from Season 9 that originally aired on August 3, 2022. Courtney Pruitt, Director of Athletics at Kilgore College, joined Monique A. J. Smith for A Chat in the Garden.


Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.

Erin is currently serving as the Senior Client Relations Manager at Athletic Training
Solutions. In this role, she provides industrial athletic training services while developing
other leaders within the organization. She has been fortunate enough to oversee the
organization and administration of various wellness initiatives on many different
construction sites, supporting the mental and physical wellbeing of employees across
the nation.

Erin received her bachelor's degree in athletic training from Bridgewater College in
Virginia. The small, liberal arts school offered enormous opportunities for hands-on
experiences in a variety of settings, encouraging adaptability to the ever-changing world
of sports medicine.

Although she is now in the construction setting, Erin spent the early part of her career
working mostly in high school athletics and physical therapy clinics. She has also spent
time working with Division I sports and lending her skills to local dance companies. In
addition, Erin spent time working in skilled nursing facilities and children’s hospitals.
Understanding the wide variety of people that can benefit from an athletic trainer helped
open Erin up to the idea of industrial athletic training. She is excited to see what
emerging settings will employ ATCs in the future.

Erin is a member of the National Athletic Trainer’s Association (NATA) as well as the
Industrial Athletic Trainers’ Society (IATS). She has spent time volunteering with the
Medical Reserves Corps (MRC) and the Police Athletic League (PALs) in hopes of
bringing more awareness to the profession and opening doors for the next generation of
athletic trainers.

Join us on A Chat in the Garden with Monique A. J. Smith. Listen to our guest’s career path, her advice for others & current initiatives...A Chat in the Garden with Monique A.J. Smith, where Significance Blooms. Listen via Spreaker, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music/Audible, or www.chatinthegarden.com. This is Season 11. Seasons 1- 10 and season 11 (through December 2025) can be found on 200plus.expert.