In this episode, Chris speaks with Dr. Johnny Guimaraes, Vice President of Information Technology and Data Analytics at Thriving Mind South Florida. Johnny discusses his journey of leadership and how he ended up where he is now while sticking to his morals.

Johnny’s adventure to becoming a Vice President at Thriving Mind came with many ups and downs. However, it is due to his morals and strict belief that doors would open for him that got him to his position now. Right after undergrad, Johnny found his first mentor at his first job at an insurance company. His mentor here always pushed Johnny to become better, stick to his morals, and gain more experience. This mindset is what fast tracked Johnny’s future endeavors.

A couple jobs later, Johnny’s decision making skills and morals were truly put to the test. In this role, Johnny would do what was morally right or turn a blind eye to things against his morals. This became a daunting decision given that it would mean speaking out against a superior. Johnny stuck to his morals and realized this was the correct decision as he was rewarded later when he least expected it.

Through experiences like this, Johnny is confident in his ability to do what he does best and to help others. As an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College, he teaches his students and others the importance of morals. He also emphasizes the importance of leading with morality because that is what other people will notice. One of his other biggest pieces of advice is to stay humble as humility goes a long way.

As Johnny continues inspiring the next generation, Johnny leaves us with one thing: be open to any door that opens or closes. As long as you stick by your morals and stay humble, doors will open for you. He joins us now to share how he confronts his morals through all leadership positions he’s been in and how the next generation can do the same.

More about our guest:

A senior leader and IT Leadership Team member with over 30 years of executive and management-level work experience spanning financial and information technology with a specialized focus in information security, privacy, and data analytics. Well-versed in current and emerging threats and mitigating technologies. Applies extensive knowledge of technology standards and best practices, governance processes, and relevant metrics to ensure that IT is operating at optimum levels of effectiveness and appropriately managing risk. Recognized for working with cross-functional teams throughout the company to provide guidance and project management services for implementing security controls. Utilizes a servant leadership style and passion for leading and motivating cross-functional, interdisciplinary teams to achieve tactical and strategic goals.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jguimaraesdba/?trk=pulse-article_social-details_comment_actor-name

https://thrivingmind.org/

In this week’s episode, Chris speaks with Fernando Little, Chief Diversity Officer at Atrium Health and Minister of Music for his church. Fernando emphasizes the importance of communities of support and productive conversations. He underscores the critical nature of active antiracism, especially from company and community leaders.

Fernando draws on personal anecdotes and his experiences in the workforce to talk about building a community of support. He focuses on supportive leadership, inclusivity, and open dialogue in the workplace, spreading health, hope, and healing for all. Fernando emphasizes the importance of optimism and not letting fear hold you back.

Fernando discusses the importance of helping and serving others, particularly in current racial and social justice movements. His focus on supporting the people in his organization and personal life helps to strengthen his relationships. It creates a two-way street where he both receives and provides support. As such, it heightens the quality of his relationships and benefits from a service-oriented mindset. Such a focus allows him to build a stronger relationship with his community. Establishing a community of service and trust also allows for a more significant impact of acts of service, and Fernando is a leader within this space.

Fernando’s passion for service shines through in his work. Learn more about how to create similar communities of impact in today’s episode.

More About Our Guest:

Fernando Little is the Chief Diversity Officer at Atrium Health and Minister of Music for his church. He focuses on building a service mindset in his community and maximizing impact of service.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-g-little-08a57631

https://atriumhealth.org/

About this Episode

In this week’s episode, Chris speaks with Dr. Matthew Pollard, Vice President of Intermountain Continuous Development at Intermountain Healthcare. Matthew discusses his journey to discover his passion for leadership and how he uses continuous kindness to inspire others.

Throughout Matthew’s childhood and later in life, he found mentorship and guidance from surgeons in his community. These figures inspired Matthew to pursue a career in medicine while helping others the way they helped him. Matthew learned how to align his priorities with his values from his mentors. As such, he began his career as an emergency department physician not only seeking to treat but to lead. From the early phases of his leadership journey, Matt sought to become a similarly reliable mentor for others.

For Matthew, the path to becoming a leader was not a straight or easy one. At each step of his career, Matthew sought to fine-tune best practices and processes while ensuring patients are the top priority. His dedication to patients came with strong opinions, and, sometimes, they were seen as aggressive. Instead of taking this personally, Matthew realized there may be something that he needs to change to accomplish his goals. He’s used lessons from this experience to teach and inspire others to become more self-aware while uplifting one another.

No longer directly treating patients as a physician, Matthew’s role is to continuously improve healthcare operations. His aim is now to inspire those in the healthcare industry to have humility in leadership, respect for every individual, and inspire the next generation. Matthew follows these cardinal principles throughout his personal and professional life. He joins us now to share his journey of inspiration and now joins us on the Virtuous Heroes Podcast to share his experiences.

More about our guest:

Mission: Improving healthcare delivery and patient outcomes through Continuous Improvement.

Vision: To engage physicians and caregivers at Intermountain Healthcare in a relentless pursuit of the perfect patient experience.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattpollardmd/

https://intermountainhealthcare.org/

In this episode, Chris speaks with Dr. Rhea Fernandes, Chief Operating Officer at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Rhea discusses the origins of her passion for leadership as well as how she best supports her employees and patients and connects with them.

For most of her early life and into adulthood Rhea grew up with her family in India. During this time she attributes her family, her father in particular, to creating her passion for helping others and leadership. When Rhea was young, she would watch as her father would help others in their community however he could. Through watching him use his connections to help others, Rhea’s passion for helping others and leadership grew.

Once older, Rhea began to pursue a career in Psychology, contrary to what her parents had expected from her. After earning her bachelor’s degree in India, Rhea decided to pursue her graduate education in the United States. She moved and enrolled at Chestnut Hill College, while at the same time starting in a position at NHS Human Services. During this time, she gained experience from her education as well as her hands-on role as a Psychotherapist and Resource Coordinator.

While enrolled, Rhea advanced through NHS Human Services to the position of Executive Director. From here she switched to her current company, Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health, in 2015. Here she can follow her passions while also doing good for the world and being a voice for the voiceless. She continues her journey of leadership and creating connections every day and now joins us on the Virtuous Heroes Podcast to share some of her experience and wisdom.

More about our guest:

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). COO at one of the most advanced non-profit mental health organizations in the U.S. Progressive leadership experience in behaviors health combining sophisticated management and clinical skills to achieve the best quality and fiscal outcomes through program turnaround, team building, outcomes monitoring and effective stakeholder relationships. Non - profit board of director experience. Currently serve as board member, NAMI Montgomery County.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhea-fernandes-psy-d-2a98672/

https://www.devereux.org/site/SPageServer/

In this week’s episode, Chris speaks with Danny Ciamarra, Executive Director of Kingdom Learners, an organization that awakens the hearts of believers in Christ through various organized tools and resources. Danny emphasizes the importance of humility, perseverance, and grit when going through challenging moments, and reminds us to always look for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Danny has worked as a teacher, consultant, and a coach in the past. He takes what he learned from those experiences to offer free religious and life management courses, home churches, and daily prayers. Kingdom Learners emphasizes the importance of community through conversation. With established home churches, people can pray together during the weekdays, share their struggles and thoughts, and be able to provide comfort to one another in a more intimate setting.

Danny, having struggled with drug and alcohol abuse, is able to now teach what he learned throughout his own life to others struggling with similar issues today. Danny explains that there is always something to be grateful for, even in some of the hardest situations. Always staying focused on the positive side of things will determine how a specific situation will play out.

Danny’s passion for uplifting his community through Church is easily apparent, and he is eager to help as many people as he can through Kingdom Leaders. As a husband, father, and son, Danny knows he must continuously work on himself and those around him to maintain balanced relationships.

Danny focuses on using his past life experiences to uplift and understand others. He is dedicated to making others' lives better, and teaches them to take every challenge as a learning moment. Watch to learn more about how you can make the best out of a difficult situation you are going through.

More about our guest:

Danny was a teacher, coach, and professor for nearly 20 years. Danny received his BS in Middle Childhood Education from Northern Kentucky University, his Masters in Education from Xavier University, and his Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development from Miami University. Danny is an ordained minister and passionate follower of Christ who desperately wants to see others find their kingdom identity and reach their God-given potential.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-ciamarra-193ab395/

https://kingdomlearners.com/

In this week's episode, Chris speaks with Leah Yaw, Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer for Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. Leah talks about navigating both passion and purpose. Watch to learn how to best integrate both into your career or your life as a whole!

Leah Yaw is lucky and happy to be in a job that combines both her passion and purpose-filled work. She has always been an individual who strives to help people. She wants to help those that are marginalized or don’t have the resources to help them grow and succeed. Because of this, she has found fulfillment with her job at Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health. At this organization, she helps people of all ages with mental issues and intellectual disabilities.

Her passion became apparent when she told a heartfelt story of the impact her work has on others. She even gave our listeners insight into the importance of managing overzealousness and its connection to burnout. With her job, she leads a meaningful life following her passion while doing work that she finds purpose driven.

Leah also explained that one's career does not necessarily need to intertwine both passion and purpose. She shared some advice that she gave her son who is gearing up for college. Leah advises choosing a career you're passionate about, whether that be financial services, teaching, psychology, engineering, whatever it may be. If that job is not necessarily purpose driven she urges individuals to find what they care about in the world. Whether it be animals, environmental protection, gender equality, or quality education, Leah encourages individuals to pursue that purpose-filled work. People can do this by volunteering or even becoming a board member for an organization that supports the cause.

Now Leah joins us on Virtuous Heroes Podcast to talk with us. Her advice will help leaders and young professionals find the right path filled with both passion and purpose.

More about our guest:

As Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, Leah Yaw is responsible for developing, communicating, executing and sustaining strategic initiatives. These initiatives are across the organization that are aligned with Devereux’s mission and core values. In Yaw’s External Affairs role, she manages all fundraising, crisis management, and public policy and advocacy.

Yaw joined Devereux in 2009 in the role of Vice President of Development and Communications. In 2012, she was promoted to Senior Vice President of External Affairs. In 2018, she was promoted to her current position.

Prior to joining Devereux, Yaw was the Vice President of Strategic Advancement for KidsPeace. KidsPeace is a national nonprofit organization serving children with behavioral health needs. She began her career serving the public relations and crisis communications needs of both for- and nonprofit corporations.

Yaw holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Writing and Public Policy, Summa Cum Laude, from the Honors College of the University of Pittsburgh. She also holds a Master of Science in Communication Theory, Summa Cum Laude, from the Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. She serves on the board of trustees for organizations such as Devereux Community Behavioral Health of Okeechobee and Treasure Coast. Others include the Advancement Committee for The Swain School and the Centennial Planning Committee for Vision 2020. Yaw is also a trustee for the Public Policy Advisory Committee for the Alliance for Strong Families and Communities.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-s-yaw-a7290817/#experience

In this week's episode, Chris speaks with Suzette Lambert, a marriage and family therapist for over 30 years currently working as a Licensed Marriage And Family Therapist for Bulloch Counseling Center, about her journey with God and how she uses His guidance to find her next path in life. Watch to learn how Suzette tackles her own familial issues, overcomes adversity, and uses her knowledge to be successful in her career.

As a marriage and family therapist, Suzette faces her own demons, identifies others’, and navigates how to overcome those issues. She describes how every move she makes is dictated by God, and how His messages have helped her find where she fits. After dropping out of college and instead pursuing Bible school, Suzette soon received a message from God in a church pew in Oregon. Suzette listened to many heartbreaking testimonials at church, and God told her she must complete her degree and use it to help others. Suzette found her fitting path through this journey.

Through her own journey of self-discovery through God, Suzette now heals others through depression, anxiety, familial issues, and helps them find where they belong. She also shares personal anecdotes of what anger can do to a marriage and teaches us how to separate the enemy from ourselves. Suzette hopes to continue changing lives through her therapy work and will continue to build her relationship with God throughout the process.

With 30 years of therapist experience and 41 years of marriage experience, follow Suzette’s advice to see how you can use His guidance to strengthen your mind, relationships, and career paths.

More about our guest:

Suzette is a licensed family and marriage therapist with plenty of experience. She began her academic journey at Northwest College in Kirkland, WA, and obtained her master’s degree at Pacific Lutheran College. She is also an author, having written two books herself, and also helped publish another book with a group. She enjoys public speaking and writing, and has now been with the Bulloch Counseling Center in Georgia for over thirteen years. She describes herself as a “nomad,” and has lived all over the country through the course of her life, including Washington, Florida, and Georgia. Suzette has 2 kids and 2 grandkids, and has been married to her husband for over 40 years

https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzette-lambert-6555b98/

In this week's episode, Chris speaks with Spencer Clancy, the System Director for Talent Development and Culture for CHRISTUS Health. Spencer talks about the impact mentors have had on his career trajectory. Watch to learn how important mentors are to creating the next generation of leaders.

Spencer has had many mentors throughout his life both spiritual and professional. He met his first mentor during graduate school who helped him land an internship. This opportunity allowed him to pursue what he wanted to do later in his career. Through the amazing mentoring of this individual, he went into his first leadership position at The Vincit Group.

From there, he met an individual working as a leader at CHRISTUS Health, and they talked about their career paths. It was because of this conversation that he was offered an opportunity at CHRISTUS HEALTH. Even though he couldn’t commit to the job at the time he was still amazed at the organization’s leaders. When he was given another chance to join the company he didn’t hesitate to accept.

It was at CHRISTUS HEALTH that he met his two new mentors, Lisa Reynolds and Karen Hale. These two leaders showed Spencer what true leadership was through example. They taught Spencer that his initial thoughts on leadership were completely different from true leadership. These leaders always put their teams first and were consistently there for their teams. Spencer used the insights he learned from his mentors for his first formal leadership position at CHRISTUS HEALTH.

Spencer found that this leadership style applied to more than just leaders in the professional world. He eventually saw faith as more than just something he learned at school. This was possible through the help of his spiritual mentor, Josh. He helped Spencer look deeply into his faith and to read scripture solely because he wanted to know more. Spencer hopes to do the same for other individuals who are in the same situation. Now, he joins us on the Virtuous Heroes Podcast to talk with us. His insights will allow viewers to become true leaders by learning the importance of mentoring.

More about our guest:

Spencer leads a team of learning & development professionals focused on creating moments that matter for their Leaders and Associates.

Specialties: leadership development strategy, performance management strategy, design and implementation of employee development programs, project management, education design, and program facilitation.

Spencer received his undergraduate degree in Psychology from Maryville College. Spencer then went on to complete a Master's Degree in Industrial-Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerclancy/

https://www.christushealth.org/

In this episode, Chris speaks with Lisa Reynolds, Vice President of Change Management at CHRISTUS Health, about her journey with overcoming herself and how she learned to let go of herself and become less of a people pleaser. Watch to learn how Lisa uses feedback, encouragement from others, and faith to become a successful leader.

Growing up as a middle child, Lisa always felt like she had to keep the peace. This led to her developing people pleasing habits, which negatively impacted her. Now after 18 years with CHRISTUS she is able to look back and see where she made changes in herself and where she was able to evolve her role. One important moment for this was a forum with Tony Robbins, which she described as life changing. Lisa was able to identify that she needed to be more assertive, confident, and courageous.

Through her own journey of self-discovery, Lisa now helps leaders and employees in CHRISTUS adjust and change to new initiatives. As someone who places importance on personal values, Lisa felt that CHRISTUS was the perfect setting for her. CHRISTUS emphasizes charity healthcare, and as a lifelong Catholic, Lisa enjoys working for an organization that so closely aligns with her values.

With 18 years at CHRISTUS Health and 25 years with HR leadership, follow Lisa’s advice to see how you can connect your work life and personal life to become the best version of yourself.

More about our guest:

Lisa is an executive HR leader who is a development chemist. She serves as a catalyst that enables others to see their full potential and ignite their passion. She gets excited about executive coaching, organizational change, culture, and helping others see what is possible. She also enjoys dark chocolate, running, travel, and fun.

Specialties: Certified Professional Coach - specialization in Health Care Executive Coaching and Emotional Intelligence. Certified in DiSC, Birkman, Lominger Leadership Architecture, Lominger Voices, Lominger Choices, 5 Dynamics, Fierce Conversations, Clifton Strengths, and Prosci.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-reynolds-7485401b/

https://www.christushealth.org/