In this episode we are joined by Clifford Brown, a former USAID legal advisor and senior manager who spent 27 years working across Latin America, Central Asia, and Africa. After leaving a successful career as a Beverly Hills commercial lawyer, Clifford dedicated his career to international development, eventually serving as Mission Director to Guinea and Sierra Leone, Country Representative in Kyrgyzstan, and Deputy Mission Director for USAID’s role in Plan Colombia.

We discuss the successes and failures of foreign aid, the benefits it brought to both developing nations and the United States, the bureaucracy inside USAID, counter-drug efforts, governance, religious freedom, trafficking, bride kidnapping in Central Asia, and the difficult realities Clifford encountered while working in countries experiencing political instability and civil unrest.

Clifford also shares his perspective on the sudden destruction of USAID in 2025, his concerns about the future of international development, and why he believes foreign aid still makes sense.

Learn more about Clifford and his work at https://cliffordhbrown.com/ and explore his writing on foreign aid and international development at Clifford Brown’s Substack⁠.

This is a conversation about what foreign aid accomplished, where it failed, and why the debate over America’s role in the world is far from over.

Mental health struggles are often misunderstood within faith communities, leaving many people feeling ashamed, isolated, or afraid to be honest about what they are experiencing. In this episode of Celia’s Corner, Jeff Dalton shares his powerful journey through depression, rejection, mental illness, and discovering a deeper, more authentic relationship with Jesus.

Jeff discusses his book Expressions of the Heart: Poems and Devotionals, why vulnerability matters in faith, the importance of bringing our pain and doubts to God, and what the story of Elijah teaches us about how God responds to those who are hurting.

This conversation challenges the idea that struggling means someone lacks faith and offers hope to anyone searching for healing, acceptance, and a genuine connection with Jesus.

Jeff Dalton reminds us that true faith is not about pretending—it is about being honest, vulnerable, and allowing God to meet us exactly where we are.

For listeners who want to learn more about Jeff’s story and read Expressions of the Heart: Poems and Devotionals, you can get a copy through https://a.co/d/08VZox7l

In this episode of Celia’s Corner we are  joined by author and thinker Mohamed Nabil, creator of AIDOP (AI Debates on One’s Publications), a process that uses AI to critique his published work while making the unedited exchanges publicly available.

We explore the ethical use of AI in publishing and education, the importance of transparency and intellectual accountability, and whether AI can help people become better critical thinkers rather than simply becoming another authority they blindly follow.

Mohamed also introduces his concept of Enlightened Populism, discusses his distinction between Blind Elitism and Ignorant Populism, and shares his vision for direct democracy, citizen assemblies, global governance, and a society where essential human needs are treated as basic rights.

Explore Mohamed’s ideas, books, and publications at https://mohamednabil.world/ 

In this episode of Celia’s Corner we are joined by Kirana Sidin, author of Cheers for a Good Life and a strategic life coach who explores the intersection of philosophy, psychology, relationships, parenting, money, purpose, and intentional living.

Kirana’s own journey began with an unexpected wake-up call when her youngest child called her “jobless.” Rather than dismissing the comment, she allowed it to spark a deeper question: Was she intentionally building the life she wanted?

That question led her to a simple morning practice of reading and reflection. Those small moments eventually became hundreds of blog posts, her bestselling book, and the foundation of her approach to building a good life.

In this conversation, we explore why modern success doesn’t always lead to meaning, how to stay intentional in a world designed to distract us, what timeless philosophy can teach us about contemporary problems, and how our smallest daily decisions gradually shape who we become.

Kirana also shares insights on building healthier relationships without losing ourselves, raising resilient children in a high-pressure world, developing a healthier relationship with money, and finding purpose not only in extraordinary achievements but in ordinary life.

Continue the conversation and explore Kirana’s work, articles, resources, coaching, and Cheers for a Good Life at https://cheersforagoodlife.com/ 

In this episode we are joined by  Maxwell Ivey, internationally known as The Blind Blogger, an accessibility expert, serial entrepreneur, writer, speaker, and founder of The Accessibility Advantage.

Maxwell has spent nearly two decades educating businesses and online creators about the benefits of accessibility and inclusion. His journey has taken him from the carnival and amusement-ride business to life coaching, online media, podcasting, and ultimately becoming a leading voice in accessibility.

Together, we explore why inclusive design makes products, services, websites, and content better for everyone, common accessibility mistakes businesses make, what screen-reader users wish website developers understood, how to create effective alt text, and why inaccessible forms can cost companies customers.

We also dive into the business case for accessibility, the enormous potential of the disability market, how inclusive content can grow podcasts and online communities, and why Maxwell describes inclusive marketing as being similar to having influencers you don’t have to pay.

Maxwell also shares his personal journey of living openly with vision loss, traveling solo, speaking nationally, writing books, overcoming his fear of singing publicly, and the five principles that have helped him continue moving forward: interdependence, self-determination, determined positivity, honest storytelling, and persistence.

Learn more about Maxwell and his accessibility work at https://www.theaccessibilityadvantage.com/home 

In this episode we are joined by Leo to explore the powerful idea that you are not your past.

Leo shares how losing his career just before COVID, struggling to find his footing again, and eventually hearing his wife say, “Maybe it’s a you problem,” became the catalyst for a profound identity reset.

Together, they explore how outdated identities keep us stuck, why changing your circumstances isn’t always enough, how subconscious patterns influence our behavior, and what it really means to release the emotional stories we’ve carried for years.

Leo also explains “The Release Exercise,” the tool that began as a personal experiment and eventually became the foundation for his book You Are Not Your Past and a larger movement helping people reinvent themselves.

If you’ve ever felt trapped by who you used to be, struggled with recurring emotional patterns, or wondered whether it’s too late to become someone different, this conversation offers a powerful reminder:

Your past may explain where you’ve been—but it doesn’t get to decide where you go next.

Learn more about Leo, get You Are Not Your Past, and explore his coaching resources and companion app at https://leodulay.com/ 

In this episode we are joined by  Gerald Robison affectionately known as Dr. G to challenge familiar ideas about spiritual warfare, Christian growth, joy, purpose, suffering, and what it truly means to become like Christ.

Gerald has pastored churches across three continents, trained Bible teachers in more than 25 countries, and authored around 20 books. He brings a unique combination of biblical teaching, storytelling, humor, and personal experience to difficult questions about faith.

The conversation explores why spiritual warfare may look very different from what many Christians imagine, why simply asking “What Would Jesus Do?” may miss something deeper, how to bridge the gap between what we ought to do and what we want to do, and where genuine joy can actually be found.

Gerald also opens up about his experience with tongue cancer, facing the possibility of death, and the lessons that inspired books such as 30-Seconds That Can Change Your Life and The Final Curtain — How Do You Want To Die?

Learn more about Gerald and his work at https://geraldrobison.com/ 

This is a conversation about faith, courage, deeper thinking, and learning not merely to follow Christ but to become more like Him.

In this episode we are  joined by Carol Smaldino, an 80-year-old clinician, therapist, author, and lifelong explorer of human connection. Carol is the author of Vulnerability Protected: Visions of a Dancing Mind, where she explores vulnerability, authenticity, shame, courage, empathy, and the hidden parts of ourselves.

We talk about why vulnerability can be damaged by humiliation and shame, how authenticity can become performative, what it means to work through our own vulnerability, and how we can learn to feel safe without abandoning who we truly are.

Carol also shares insights from her decades as a therapist, her own experiences with trauma and personal growth, Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow, and the importance of confronting the parts of ourselves we would rather hide.

If vulnerability is protected rather than punished, it can become something powerful: a pathway to courage, empathy, connection, and a more authentic life.

Learn more about Carol and her book, Vulnerability Protected: Visions of a Dancing Mind, through https://dignitypress.org/en/vulnerability-protected 

In this episode we are joined by  Bryan Thompson, a California trusts and estates attorney with Rod of Iron Trusts and Estates Counsel, for a candid conversation about the realities of estate planning and why it involves so much more than money.

Bryan explains why even someone with very little money may need an estate plan, when a trust may actually be the wrong choice, and how the legal system’s default rules can create serious problems for families. We also explore conservatorships, caregiving, unmarried partners, LGBTQ families, inherited property, family conflict, and the unexpected circumstances that can turn a modest estate into something worth millions.

Bryan also shares why privacy isn’t always guaranteed when it comes to estate plans and why families should plan not only for death, but for the difficult situations that can happen while we’re still alive.

His approach is practical, compassionate, and refreshingly direct, reminding us that estate planning is ultimately about protecting people, preserving relationships, and preparing for the “what ifs” we hope never happen.

Connect with Bryan Thompson at https://www.rodofironlawfirm.com/ to learn more about his work and approach to trusts and estates.

Sometimes the most important thing you leave your family isn’t money it’s clarity.

In this episode of Celia’s Corner, Cecilia sits down with Lynda Leonce, an authenticity and parenting coach who helps people reconnect with themselves and create lives that feel true rather than simply following the expectations placed upon them.

Lynda shares her deeply personal journey from years of striving, people-pleasing, fear, obligation, and achievement to discovering what it meant to live from authenticity and alignment. Together, they explore the uncomfortable realization that sometimes the things we have worked hardest to build are not necessarily the things we truly desire.

The conversation goes deeper into starting over, trusting yourself, walking away from what no longer fits, parenting, emotional growth, and discovering the person underneath the expectations.

Lynda also shares insights for parents who feel overwhelmed and explains why our relationship with ourselves can profoundly influence the way we parent and connect with our children.

Whether you’re questioning your career, relationship, identity, parenting approach, or simply feeling like something is missing, this conversation offers a powerful invitation to look inward and ask a different question:

Is the life I’m living actually aligned with the person I truly am?

Learn more about working with Lynda at https://www.livefromyourtruth.com/services