During the interview, Kris describes how she left her hometown in Wisconsin and became an entrepreneur at an early age, how the military helped prepare her for success, how she shattered glass ceilings and led a global luxury hotel company, some of the leadership lessons learned while leading the global company Rock Springs Retreat Center was founded by Kris Intress, a mother, entrepreneur, Army Reservist, and former CEO of a global luxury hotel company. Kris started working in her teens. By 17, she was already an entrepreneur, running a restaurant, teaching French, and working several jobs. 

After a few years she followed the family tradition of military service. She joined the Army with the goal of getting into healthcare through the Army’s pharmacy program. She later met her son’s father in Scotland and together they opened several restaurants and nightclubs. When she returned to the United States to raise her son, she went back to school to complete her college degree, which led to an interest in theater. After her first play, she was spotted by a casting director who invited her to Los Angeles to audition for a movie. Los Angeles agreed with her, and she worked on a variety of film, television, and theater projects both in front of and behind the camera. In between projects, she started working for and running a medical company, which ultimately inspired her to get an MBA. With her MBA in hand, she worked as the Director of Sales and Marketing for a large international healthcare company. She then pivoted to hospitality when she saw an opportunity to invest in and turnaround hospitality software company. 

Growing the organization from representing 700 properties in the US to 7000 properties internationally. After selling the company, she was asked to be the CEO of WorldHotels, a global luxury hotel company. As a corporate executive that struggled to find time for her own health, she realized her career was taking over the need to prioritize her wellbeing. She watched her parents struggle with obesity their entire lives. After Kris lost her mother, she decided to help people take control of and transform their lives. 

When creating Fit Farm at Rock Springs, Kris was inspired by her husband’s family, generations of farmers. Farm life provided natural opportunities to eat fresh foods and be active. She created a place where everyone could experience eating well, being active and experiencing the natural beauty of eliminating the noise around us. On top of her already impressive career, Kris is a certified personal trainer and a former athlete. She has an MBA from the Northwestern Kellogg School of Management.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

Deb is an acclaimed communicator, connector, and strategist adept at uncovering potential in individuals and groups, strengthening their abilities to optimize their impact within their organization and the community.

Deb believes that disrupters talking across industries and interests to collectively impact social challenges will cause deep sustainable change. Her work experiences here and abroad have found her in the company of disrupters changing the world in areas including education, addiction recovery, social justice, human rights, healthcare, housing insecurity, and animal rights.

​

Deb has served on local, regional, and international Boards of Directors of social impact organizations and education institutions. These experiences impact her ability to develop leaders, create strategic plans, and strengthen an organization’s operational effectiveness.

​

Deb is the host of The Macfarlan Group’s podcast 3 a.m. What’s Keeping You Up at Night? As host, Deb interviews leaders in the social impact ecosystem around the country discussing best nonprofit management practices and social justice efforts with practitioners, leaders, and superstars working to disrupt the status quo to make the world better.

Deb holds an undergraduate degree from Vassar College and two advanced degrees from Vanderbilt University including a Doctorate in Education Policy from the nationally ranked Leadership, Policy & Organization Department program.

Before all of this (and children), Deb fronted a jazz trio touring the East Coast and Caribbean.

Listen as Jeremy and Deb talk about these experiences, lessons learned, advice for other Changemakers, and much more.

To learn more about Deb Macfarlan Enright and The Macfarlan Group, visit https://www.themacfarlangroup.com/.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

During the interview, Dwania talks about her parents, the important role her mother and women played in the Civil Rights Movement, seeing a cross burning in their yard, and how she approaches healing and leading with love to take the lessons of her past to become a spark for building community and connectedness through her efforts today with The Memphis 13 Foundation.

Visit https://thememphis13.com to learn more about The Memphis 13 Foundation and http://dwaniakyles.com to learn more about Dwania Kyles.

About Dwania Kyles:

Dwania Kyles, Civil Rights Advocate, Wellness Consultant and Breath Coach, is an alum of The Memphis 13, subject of the highly touted documentary by the same name chronicling the desegregation of Memphis City Public Schools in 1961 by thirteen, 5 and 6-year-old girls and boys, (dubbed “the smallest pioneers” of the Civil Rights Movement), in answer to the 1954 landmark decision by the U. S. Supreme Court on Brown v. Board of Education.

Ms. Kyles is also the eldest daughter of pioneer civil-rights activists, the late Gwendolyn Kyles and Rev. Samuel “Billy” Kyles, subject of the ’09 Oscar & ’10 Emmy nominated documentary, The Witness: From the Balcony of Room 306, that gives voice to her father’s memories, who on April 4, 1968, was the only other person on the balcony, with Dr. Martin Luther King when he was fatally shot, as she, her mother and siblings were prepared to receive Dr. King and the SCLC staff at their home for dinner.

An innocent participant of these two historical, yet traumatic events as a 5 and 12-year-old, it stands to reason why Ms. Kyles’ commitment to helping others connect or reconnect with their inner healer has been a lifelong passion. That same commitment paved the way on her personal journey to health and healing over the past 40 years.

As a wellness coach and educator, she seeks to inform on why the power of the breath, the belief system, laughter, and self-love are the first line of defense when on the path of true healing.

As a result of her coaching, programs, workshops, and speaking engagements, participants of all ages who stay in action are empowered with practical tools which allows them to connect with their inner healer, reverse illnesses, stress less, and experience healthier, happier lives with more peace of mind.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

Visit www.slingshotmemphis.org to learn more.

About Jared Barnett:

Jared joined Slingshot Memphis in October 2019. Prior to Slingshot, Jared worked at McKinsey & Company for six years. Several years of his career were based in Sub-Saharan Africa, including in South Africa with McKinsey, in Ghana as CEO of a manufacturing company and VP of a financial advisory firm, and in Kenya working in private equity. He brings experience with disruptive innovation, strategic planning, organization building, and operational efficiency to Slingshot. Jared holds a Masters in Business Administration with Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in Statistics from Brigham Young University.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

During the interview, Heidi discusses her roots in Montana, moving to Texas and what inspired her to join The Cowtown Marathon. She talks about the business of hosting marathons, the mindset of event production and tips for success, starting a nonprofit to focus on helping youth and encouraging health and fitness, some of the secrets to their success and growth over the years, tips for fundraising and marketing, and much more.

About Heidi Swartz:

Heidi Swartz is Executive Director of The Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas. With Heidi’s direction the event has nearly tripled in size since 2004, with over 25,000 participants and seven races taking place the last weekend in February. In 2006, she created The Cowtown Marathon's associated non-profit organization, C.A.L.F. (Children's Activities for Life and Fitness), which in the past 12 years has provided over 40,000 pairs of running shoes to disadvantaged children along with greatly reduced entry fees for The Cowtown Kids 5K Run.

By bringing fitness awareness and running enthusiasm to local schools, Swartz – a runner, herself – is invested in making the City of Fort Worth a healthier place to live. Swartz was awarded the Great Women of Texas award in 2016.  She served on the original committee that formed "FitWorth," the Mayor of Fort Worth's healthy living initiative, and remained on the board serving as secretary. She serves on the Marketing Advisory Board for Visit Fort Worth, the Board of Directors for the Fort Worth Sports Commission and serves on the board for the National Trade Organization, Running USA. Heidi Swartz is also a successful and in-demand speaker and consultant for other race events, acting as an expert in race management and producing multiple events throughout the year.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

About Jen Alessandra: 

Jen Alessandra joined Frontdoor, Inc. in March 2019 as senior vice president and chief people officer. Alessandra brings significant depth and breadth of experience as an HR leader in both public and private companies, has an impressive track record for helping businesses and employees navigate change, and in implementing strategies that positively affect business performance. Alessandra most recently served as senior vice president and chief people officer for SolarWinds, a global IT management software company based in Austin, Texas. In this role, she led HR teams in 16 countries, was a key member of the mergers and acquisitions team and created strong internal capabilities in areas such as organizational development, performance management, talent acquisition and total rewards. Before this, Alessandra held multiple HR leadership roles at Raytheon as part of its Space and Airborne Systems business, and KB Home, a $9.4 billion home building company that operates in 15 states. Alessandra, who brings more than 20 years of experience to the role, is a graduate of the University of Southern California, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Listen to more positive media: www.cityCURRENT.news

Learn more about Frontdoor, Inc.: https://www.frontdoorhome.com/

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

Ed also talks about forming the Gillentine Group in 2008 to focus on legacy planning and philanthropic strategies to help families have a more significant impact on the world. He shares the story of writing his book,  "Journey to Impact: A Practical Guide to Purpose-Driven Investing," and talks about some of the lessons and steps that have helped him align his values, expertise, and finances in a way that have maximized his unique impact on what really matters. He talks about hosting the podcast Journey to Impact, how listeners can embark on their own unique journeys to impact, and much more.

Visit https://www.edgillentine.com to learn more.

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

Chris and Elaine moved from St Louis, MO to Franklin, TN in 2004 to start a church. Little did they know that in the process of pastoring a church that One Generation Away would be birthed. In 2013 One Generation Away was established and in the first year distributed 400,000 pounds of food from the back of the Whitney’s car. It has now grown to serve over 4.4 million meals to those in need all over Middle Tennessee and in 4 states with disaster relief. 

Chris and Elaine have a passion to see churches and organizations come together to serve our neighbors in need.

In November of 2018, Chris stepped down as the pastor of a local church to focus his time with OneGenAway full time. The ministry of OneGen Away has opened many opportunities for Chris and Elaine to serve in the community and beyond.

Chris and Elaine have been married for 34 years and have 3 daughters and 6 grandchildren who all live in Middle Tennessee.

Learn more: https://www.onegenaway.com/about/

Purchase his book: https://amzn.to/3bzPQ4N

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com

Michael shares his story of traveling the world, how he was able to finance his adventure, some of his favorite moments, many lessons along the way, and what advice he would pass along to others who want to pursue a dream. He also talks about his next chapter with Mindful Media and how he is taking the experiences learned working with media companies to now help organizations gain valuable exposure for their efforts to make a difference.

Visit www.mindfulmediapr.com to learn more about Michael Graziano and Mindful Media.

Listen / Watch more positive media at www.cityCURRENT.com

The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services.

Be inspired by more positive media by following cityCURRENT here: www.cityCURRENT.com