Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

In this episode we cover why “humans are very bad at counting,” what it really costs to hand-count ballots, how Titan stays offline, and how ballots are triple-recorded for audits while remaining private.

ABOUT GUEST:

Baum has dedicated his career to IT analysis and the use of technology in government, with his work focusing on the election industry and now part of the VotRite team.

For over 30 years, Baum has assisted with election regulation, legislation, and general election issues. He has worked with state officials across the nation, including New York, Arizona, and Delaware, as well as has testified before the U.S. House of Representatives House Administration Committee in support of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) and US Elections Assistance Commission (EAC).

Throughout his career, Baum has provided unique insight into the election technology sphere. At VotRite, Baum is the company’s Chief Compliance Officer, and his knowledge has given him the ability to truly understand the voting certification processes as well as the importance of election integrity. Baum has made election transparency and safety his top priority, and alongside President Angelica Kapsis and CEO Jim Kapsis, the company has created revolutionary electronic voting machine technology.

KEY NOTES:

• The $226M price tag of national hand counts (and why errors creep in)

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

VotRite: https://voterite.com/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

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Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

In this conversation, Levi Ware shares his journey from being a successful touring musician to founding the Melodic Caring Project, a non-profit organization that brings live-streamed concerts to children in hospitals. 

He discusses the transformative power of music as a tool for emotional connection and healing, emphasizing the importance of genuine recognition and care for sick children.

The conversation explores themes of personal growth, the pursuit of joy, and the significance of relationships in navigating life's challenges. In this conversation, Levi Ware discusses the profound impact of the Melodic Caring Project, which brings joy and hope to children in hospitals through music.

He emphasizes the importance of mental health and the mind-body connection, especially for children facing severe health challenges. The discussion also covers the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the struggles of managing a nonprofit, and the moral obligation to support compassionate initiatives.

Levi shares insights on how artists can use their influence to create positive change and the necessity of community support in making a difference.

“Music as medicine isn’t just a phrase today you’ll meet the artist who traded stadiums for hospital rooms, and helped 53,000 families feel seen.”

ABOUT GUEST:

Founder and Conceptual Developer of the MELODIC CARING PROJECT. Levi has a background in business management and marketing as well as 20+ years experience in the music industry as an established singer/songwriter and 8+ years experience in live production and video streaming.

Levi’s heart and passion for the project along with his extensive knowledge in production, songwriting, press, radio and live performance is a valuable asset to furthering the cause and mission of Melodic.

KEY NOTES:

He left touring's grind behind.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 The Power of Connection Through Music

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

Melodic Caring Project https://melodiccaring.org/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today, we sit down with Detective Heidi Chance a retired undercover officer who spent nearly 30 years battling child traffickers in the darkest corners of society. Now, she’s on a mission to protect our kids in the digital age through her book Talk to Them, trainings, and advocacy. 

Heidi’s work has helped secure hundreds of years of prison sentences for predators, and she’s here to shine a light on the hidden dangers kids face online and how parents can fight back.

ABOUT GUEST:

Heidi Chance is a law enforcement professional who has served 27 years. She is a leader and consultant who equips other law enforcement and other organizations with the tools and awareness to fight for a chance for change in the realm of sex trafficking. Heidi spent over 13 years working as an undercover detective investigating buyers and traffickers and rescuing countless adult and juvenile victims of sex trafficking.

She has testified as an expert witness in court proceedings and is a subject matter expert in the area of sex trafficking. Her specialized sex trafficking training has educated professionals within community groups, child safety departments, probation, jail, and corrections staff, other local law enforcement agencies, medical staff, school personnel, and officers attending the Phoenix Police Academy. She has developed an 8-hour advanced detective training course for the Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board on Human Trafficking.

She is a highly sought-after powerhouse speaker, consultant, and nationally recognized trainer.

Since 2014, she often travels across the United States teaching other law enforcement agencies for the National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) of Fox Valley Technical College, Amber Alert program. She is featured in the Frontline PBS documentary "sexTrafficking in America".

Since retiring, she created an awareness training website where she has a blog and posts about sex trafficking at Achanceforawareness.com

She often presents to law enforcement & community groups about the following:

-Human Trafficking 101

KEY NOTES:

Why Keep Fighting? The relentless drive behind years of undercover work and beyond.

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

A Chance for Awareness (Detective Heidi Chance’s website):

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. 

Today we’re joined by Dr. Michelle P. Maidenberg — a psychotherapist, author, NYU professor, and co-founder of the nonprofit Through My Eyes. Michelle has dedicated her life to helping others confront emotional avoidance, embrace mindfulness, and live in greater alignment.

Michelle P. Maidenberg, Ph.D., MPH, LCSW-R maintains a private practice in Harrison, NY where she works with individuals, families, and couples. She works with children age 8 and above, adolescents, teens, and adults. Michelle is the Co-Founder and Clinical Director of “Thru My Eyes”, a nonprofit 501c3 organization that offers free clinically-guided videotaping to chronically medically ill individuals who want to leave video legacies for their children and loved ones. She is also adjunct faculty at New York University (NYU) teaching a graduate course in Mindfulness Practice.

Michelle received her Ph.D. from Yeshiva University, her Master’s in Clinical Social Work from NYU, her Master’s in Public Health from Hunter College, and attended a two-year training program in Marital and Family Therapy at SUNY Health Science Center. She is a Certified Group Therapist through the American Group Psychotherapy Association and a Diplomate and certified member of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. Michelle has advanced training in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Structural Family Therapy, Mindfulness, and Polyvagal Theory. She is also a Level II trained Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist.

Michelle is the author of the books Free Your Child From Overeating: 53 Mind-Body Strategies For Lifelong Health and ACE Your Life: Unleash Your Best Self and Live the Life You Want. Her books guide individuals to develop life-long healthful behaviors to enhance personal growth and general well-being. Michelle is a blogger for Psychology Today. She is a contributing editor of GROUP, the journal of the Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society. She has also published in varied professional journals and was quoted in The New York Times, the Daily News, Fitness, Woman’s Day, Parents, and many other publications.

Michelle is a consultant and trainer on a variety of mental health and health related topics. Michelle is dedicated and invested in health and mental health advocacy.

KEY NOTES:

The Wake-Up Call: When personal pain becomes the path to purpose. 

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Episode Trailer  

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

Website: https://michellemaidenberg.com/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today we’re joined by Brigitte Cutshall, founder of Gemini Media, a creative force behind impactful storytelling. Brigitte is the host of Real Things Living podcast, the author of several books, and brings over 30 years of experience in publishing and communications.

She’s also a passionate health advocate, a multiple cancer thriver, and a marathon runner who recently ran in honor of 9/11.

In this special episode, dedicated to the memory of September 11, 2001, Brigitte shares her personal story of that day, its ripple effects on individuals and communities, and how storytelling can keep the lessons of 9/11 alive. Together, we reflect on the courage of first responders, the narratives that shape our collective memory, and the importance of community support in the face of tragedy.

ABOUT GUEST:

Brigitte is the founder of Gemini Media, host of Real Things Living Podcast, a Health Advocate and focuses on delivering the best solutions to her clients. She’s an accomplished business development professional in the communications, publishing and print management industry.

One of Brigitte’s goals is to “empower others from just surviving to thriving” and participates in wellness events. She’s a speaker and the author of three books – RealThings: 6 Ways to Embrace Life , Expecting the Good: Inspiration from a Badass with a Big Heart , and Quality Book Formula – and successfully develops content for wellness and healthy lifestyles, resulting in being featured as a contributing writer on HuffingtonPost, DrLaura.com, Intent.com, Wellness.com, Sharecare.com, and TheMomiverse.

KEY NOTES:

Living with the Aftermath: How 9/11 reshaped communities and individuals

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

https://brigittecutshall.com/about/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

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Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today I’m joined by Tessa Santarpia, Co-Founder and CEO of Visualize In 360. Columbia-trained and clinically grounded, Tessa was once on the fast track through the healthcare system—until she realized its biggest failures weren't science, but of soul.

Today, she’s pioneering a new model of wellness that blends trauma-informed healing, neuroscience, ancient practices, and AI-powered coaching.

In this episode, we dive into how Tessa’s journey disrupted traditional medicine, why she believes healing must go beyond management to true transformation, and how science and spirit can come together in practical, life-changing ways. We also explore the challenges of accessibility and the vision for making healing available to everyone, not just the few.

ABOUT GUEST:

Chief Executive Officer and Lead Trauma-Informed healing Facilitator

Tessa’s professional path has always been rooted in one question: How can we make alternative healing therapies more understandable, accessible, and backed by science? This curiosity has led her to study the brain and nervous system through the lens of trauma, altered states of consciousness, and embodied healing. She is trained in mindfulness and meditation, somatic breathwork, psychedelic integration, and flow state facilitation, weaving these modalities into the fabric of VISUALIZEin360’s offerings.

As a trauma-informed healing facilitator, Tessa is passionate about creating spaces that support emotional safety, nervous system regulation, and inner transformation. Her leadership is driven by a belief that people deserve tools that meet them where they are and are grounded in both science and spirit. 

KEY NOTES:

From Medicine to Meaning: What led Tessa to pursue healing beyond traditional healthcare

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro  

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

8 Week Brain Rewire Program - https://join.visualizein360.com/startmyprogram

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change. 

Today we’re joined by Dr. Max Klau, a Harvard-trained developmental psychologist, leadership educator, and founder of the Center for Courageous Wholeness. Max designs scalable approaches to inner development and servant leadership and guides people through his transformative online workshop, Leading with Wholeness. Beyond academia and leadership development, Max also fronts the Max Klau Band, exploring the surprising connections between music and leadership.

Dr. Max Klau is an author, coach, developmental psychologist, and the founder of the Center for Courageous Wholeness. His life’s work sits at the intersection of inner development and systems change, helping individuals and organizations serve others, confront their shadows, and scale inner development.

After two decades designing transformational leadership programs at City Year and the New Politics Leadership Academy, he has refined an approach that views leadership as a Dual Journey—integrating inner and outer change. This combined focus on impact and inner development is, in his view, essential for meeting a moment of unprecedented change and uncertainty. His book, Developing Servant Leaders at Scale: How to Do It and Why It Matters, explains a methodology rooted in humility, purpose, and the courage to do the inner work.

At the Center for Courageous Wholeness, he offers coaching, retreats, keynotes, and organizational consulting—built around one core truth: inner and outer change are too interconnected to separate.

Dr. Klau partners with values-driven leaders, teams, and communities ready to grow, serve, and lead with wholeness. Whether navigating a personal crossroads, leading a team through uncertainty, or embedding purpose into a large system, he helps guide the journey.

KEY NOTES:

Catching a Calling: Finding Purpose Beyond Your Career

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Intro  

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

Dr. Max Klau's website: https://www.maxklau.com/about

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today we’re joined by Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz, a Harvard-trained ethicist, Columbia PhD in Moral Development, and a moral architect of our time. Rabbi Shmuly is a relentless author of 30 books, an activist who has stood at protest fronts, dinner tables, refugee camps, all the way to Davos and the White House. He and his wife have even donated kidneys to strangers, a remarkable example of love and altruism.

In this powerful conversation, Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz reveals how everyday acts of compassion and moral bravery can lead to lasting social impact. From donating his kidney to standing up for justice in divided times, Rabbi Yanklowitz shows what it truly means to lead with heart.

ABOUT GUEST:

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz is the President & Dean of Valley Beit Midrash, Founder & President of Uri L’Tzedek, Founder & CEO of Shamayim: Jewish Animal Advocacy, and Founder & President of YATOM: The Jewish Foster & Adoption Network.

Rabbi Yanklowitz’s writings have appeared in outlets as diverse as the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Guardian, and the Atlantic among many other secular and religious publications. Rabbi Yanklowitz is a sought-after educator, social justice activist, and motivational speaker as well as the author of twenty-eight books on Jewish spirituality, social justice, and ethics.

As a global social justice activist and educator, Rabbi Yanklowitz has volunteered, staffed trips, and taught across the world, including Israel, Ghana, India, France, Thailand, El Salvador, England, Senegal, Germany, Switzerland, Ukraine, Argentina, South Africa, and Haiti. Rabbi Dr. Yanklowitz has also served as a rabbinic representative, facilitator, and speaker at the World Economic Forum in Geneva and Davos. Rabbi Shmuly's religious journey was filmed in the Independent Lens/PBS documentary "The Calling." 

Rabbi Shmuly earned a masters degree from Harvard University in Leadership and Psychology, another masters from Yeshiva University in Jewish Philosophy, and a doctorate from Columbia University in Moral Development and Epistemology. He obtained rabbinical ordination from the Yeshivat Chovevei Torah Rabbinical School and two additional, private ordinations in Israel. He has twice been named one of America's Top Rabbis by Newsweek. In 2016, The Forward named Rabbi Shmuly one of The Most Inspiring Rabbis in America. In 2016, the Forward named Rav Shmuly one of the 50 most influential Jews. In the same year, Yanklowitz was selected for the Ariane de Rothschild Fellowship in Cross-Cultural Leadership and Innovative Entrepreneurship at the University of Cambridge.

Rabbi Shmuly, his wife Shoshana, and their four children live in Scottsdale, Arizona. They are also foster parents.

KEY NOTES:

From Inner Growth to Outer Activism: How personal transformation drives social change

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Episode Trailer

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz's Website: https://www.rabbishmuly.com/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today we’re celebrating International Youth Day by speaking with Lily, co-founder of YOUTHTOPIA, and Freya, lead of their education program. YOUTHTOPIA is a global youth movement that turns inspiration into tangible action, engaging over 15,000 young people across 70 countries and hundreds of programs. From international screenings of Bigger Than Us to global SDG storytelling initiatives, they’re proving that decentralized youth action can create real, measurable change.

In this episode, we explore how YOUTHTOPIA transforms compassion into capacity, builds systems that work, and nurtures the next generation of changemakers.

YOUTHTOPIA  is a place for all young changemakers to find community and uplift each other.

Every young person can be a changemaker, but not everybody knows where to start. YOUTHTOPIA came to life with the vision of accelerating positive change through the leadership of youth.

Our founder, full-time changemaker Melati Wijsen, spoke to over 1 million students in every corner of the world over the years. And, again and again, there was always one question the students asked: “How can I do what you do ?”

That is why YOUTHTOPIA exists. To provide an answer to that question. To help harness Gen Z’s energy for change. To one day empower millions around the world to be catalysts for change.

KEY NOTES:

How the spark behind Utopia turned youthful idealism into a global impact movement

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction to Euthypia and Its Mission

https://www.youthtopia.world/

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟

Welcome to Compassiviste Dialogues. I'm Ali, your host, and my mission with this podcast is to shed light on critical social and environmental issues worldwide, exploring avenues for positive change.

Today’s guest is Peter Andersen, a marriage and family therapist and somatic movement specialist who bridges dance and therapy to help people heal and connect more deeply.

In this episode, Peter shares his journey navigating identity, trauma, and social division, while challenging us to rethink success and the purpose of capitalism. Through his unique perspective, we explore how movement expresses what words often cannot and why compassion is essential for healing.

ABOUT GUEST:

A love story rooted in movement, healing, and play.

Before The Playful Couple came into existence, Peter Andersen spent 25 years as a contemporary dancer and choreographer. For him, movement was a first language—one that taught him how to be present in the body, trust its internal rhythms, and explore the rich, creative ways humans relate to themselves and to one another.

Later, Peter’s path led him to the world of comedy improvisation in New York City. He became the founder and director of an improv company, where, night after night, he stepped into the unknown—discovering how play, trust, and connection could transform not only performance, but also relationships.

Alongside his artistic work, Peter immersed himself in deep personal development. He became certified in NLP, Timeline Therapy, Thai Massage, Craniosacral Therapy, and earned a Master’s in Leadership and Change. He studied Polyvagal Theory, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Nonviolent Communication (NVC), mindfulness, and the wisdom of the nervous system. Each modality provided him with a new lens on what it means to be in relationship—with the body, with ingrained patterns, and with others.

But Peter’s journey wasn’t purely professional. For many years, he struggled in long-term relationships—grappling with fear, loneliness, and disconnection. The turning point came when he began to understand his own needs, honour his nervous system, and trust what he was authentically drawn to. This internal work eventually led him into the most loving, secure, and joyful relationship he could have imagined.

What began as a personal healing journey now unfolds in the relationship he shares with his partner—their playful love story is the living, breathing proof of this work.

And that is how The Playful Couple was born.

KEY NOTES:

Navigating biracial identity and the search for belonging

TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 - Episode Trailer

THINGS MENTIONED IN THE PODCAST:

https://www.theplayfulcouple.co.uk/plans

TO LEARN MORE AND STAY CONNECTED:

🌐 Visit our website: https://compassivistedialogues.com/

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Compassiviste/61555898333856/

Tune in, follow, and embark on this insightful journey with us. Your vision's transformation begins now. 🚀🌟