In this episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with Jeremy Hill, a seasoned ophthalmology professional with more than 30 years of experience in medicine, for a deeply reflective conversation about faith, resilience, mentorship, and what truly matters in life.

Jeremy shares his journey of working every role in ophthalmology — from the front desk to administration — and how those experiences shaped his perspective on leadership, gratitude, and service. He reflects on the mentors who guided him, the daily habits that ground him, and the importance of becoming invaluable through learning and humility.

The conversation takes a powerful turn as both Katie and Jeremy open up about their cancer diagnoses and how those moments fundamentally reshaped their outlook on fear, faith, and surrender. Jeremy speaks candidly about trusting the process, letting go of control, and choosing to believe that no matter the outcome, you can still choose to win.

Together, they also explore parenting, boundaries, coaching, leadership, and why success isn’t measured by trophies, titles, or metrics — but by the people you help shape along the way. With honesty, warmth, and quiet wisdom, this episode is a reminder that meaning often comes from closed doors, surrender, and lessons we didn’t know we needed.

Faith transforms fear into clarity.

Winning isn’t the goal — character is.

Closed doors are often protection, not rejection.

“I can either defeat it, or let it defeat me.”

“Regardless of the outcome, you’re going to win.”

“Winning isn’t the most important thing — making good people is.”

Website: http://iorpartners.com/

In this episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with leadership expert, author, entrepreneur, and speaker Tiana Sanchez for a deeply engaging and honest conversation about boldness, calling, faith, and the transformative role of failure.

Tiana shares her journey from being laid off during the 2011 recession to launching her own business and stepping into her purpose — even when it terrified her. Together, she and Dr. Chu explore what it means to make bold moves, how mindset shapes outcomes, and why failure should be viewed as an experience rather than an identity.

They also dive into the challenges of entrepreneurship, the courage it takes to speak hard truths, the influence of legacy, and the moments that feel chaotic but ultimately push us toward clarity. From business to faith to personal growth, this episode is filled with wisdom, laughter, vulnerability, and rich storytelling.

This is a conversation about owning your story, stepping out in faith, and embracing the divine delays, detours, and disruptions that shape who you become.

1. Failure isn’t final — it’s an experience, not an identity.

2. Boldness is courage in motion.

3. Legacy matters — what you build now becomes someone else’s blueprint.

“Sometimes you just have to leap and grow your wings on the way.”

“Boldness is an action — it’s courage in motion.”

“Divine delay. If something doesn’t go your way, it may be saving you from something you can’t see yet.”

Website: https://tianasanchez.com/

In this special Thanksgiving episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with internationally recognized optometrist, educator, author, and professional life coach Dr. Melissa Barnett for a deeply heartfelt conversation about gratitude, leadership, loss, motherhood, and the personal transformations that shape who we become.

Dr. Barnett shares how gratitude became the foundation of her life — not as a concept, but as a daily practice that guided her through the unimaginable loss of her husband, through personal reinvention, and through becoming a global educator and coach. Together, she and Dr. Chu explore the power of elevating others, the unexpected ways children become our teachers, the courage required to set boundaries, and how saying “yes” to new possibilities can change your entire trajectory.

This episode is a warm, reflective, soul-nourishing conversation that blends emotional honesty with professional wisdom. It’s about what sustains us, what shapes us, and what we choose to carry forward.

Dr. Barnett grounds her entire personal and professional life in gratitude, kindness, and elevating others. It’s not a holiday theme — it’s a leadership practice and a healing framework.

Both doctors share pivotal moments where someone saw potential in them before they saw it themselves. Those moments reshaped their careers, identities, and confidence.

Dr. Barnett speaks openly about losing her husband — and how gratitude, community, and reflection became the way through her grief. Gratitude becomes a compass in the hardest seasons.

Website: https://alpinebluecoaching.info/

In this powerful and heartfelt episode of Chu on This!, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with cataract surgeon Dr. Elson Lai to explore what it really means to care for patients in a healthcare system that often makes that harder than it should be.

Dr. Lai shares his journey from starting a practice to becoming one of the few ophthalmologists willing to advocate fiercely for Medi-Cal patients — especially when surgery centers reject them due to low reimbursement. He opens up about why he refuses to turn people away, how mission trips shaped his perspective, and why empathy and accessibility matter just as much as surgical skill.

The conversation also dives into identity, upbringing, immigrant-family expectations, unlearning old beliefs, finding confidence, and redefining what a meaningful life actually looks like. Together, Dr. Chu and Dr. Lai explore the kind of personal growth that only comes from parenthood, loss, resilience, and choosing to live—and practice—with authenticity.

This episode is a blend of heart, humanity, humor, cultural reflection, and the deeper “why” behind real patient care.

Dr. Lai goes above and beyond by credentialing with additional surgery centers so Medi-Cal patients aren’t rejected. His message is clear: patients deserve someone who will fight for them, not push them away.

Both doctors share how immigrant upbringing, cultural pressure, and expectations shaped them — and how consciously unlearning those old frameworks allowed them to grow personally and professionally.

From mission trips to parenthood to navigating difficult patient moments, they discuss how fulfillment comes not from accolades but from meaning — from living boldly, embracing authenticity, and showing up for others with intention.

Website: https://www.RosemeadEye.com

In this deeply intimate and emotionally rich conversation, Dr. Katie W. Chu sits down with Mandy Cansler to explore what resilience, strength, and vulnerability truly mean when life breaks you open. Through raw storytelling, both reflect on the emotional scars they’ve carried — and how facing them head-on transformed their lives.

They unpack how “strong” evolves over time, why vulnerability is not weakness but power, and how discovering your voice often requires losing something you once relied on. From navigating identity, grief, cancer, adoption trauma, divorce, and rediscovering self-worth, the conversation offers a blueprint for anyone who has ever felt “not enough.”

This episode is a reminder that resilience isn’t about pushing through — it’s about being honest, being seen, and allowing yourself to become the next version of you.

Both speakers come to the same realization: strength isn’t armor, stoicism, or perfection — it’s the courage to be seen, to tell the truth, and to let people witness the parts of you you once hid.

Whether through loss, trauma, adoption, divorce, or illness, owning emotional scars out loud can dissolve shame and help others feel less alone.

Resilience isn’t instant — it’s getting back up after you’ve fallen, giving yourself grace, and taking the next small step even when it feels impossible.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mandycansler-comt/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandycanslerclarity/ and https://www.instagram.com/mandyhcansler/ 

Website: https://www.mandycanslerconsulting.com/