A charismatic praise & worship leader, Washington, D.C.-based Dr. Stephen Hurd wears all the hats one can possibly wear as a contemporary gospel artist. He has done spoken word pieces, sung many more, directed choirs and arranged vocals, led countless praise & worship workshops, and written several songs that are regularly sung at Sunday services, including "Undignified," "Great Praise," and "Zion Is Calling," all while attending to his first calling as a Baptist minister.

Victoria A. Smalls, a native of St. Helena Island, SC, serves as President & CEO at Smalls Cultural Resources, championing Gullah Geechee communities across the southeastern United States. 

With a focus on climate, land, and ocean justice, Smalls Cultural Resources is dedicated to preserving Gullah Geechee heritage through history, art, language, and culture. With two decades of experience, Victoria has held significant positions including former federal Commissioner on the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission and Executive Director of the Gullah Geechee Corridor National Heritage Area. 

Her impactful leadership extends to organizations such as Penn Center National Historic Landmark District, International African American Museum, and the National Park Service. Passionate about community advocacy and service, in 2022 Victoria received The President’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Fitness and nutrition expert Michelle D. Hare shares how we can succeed on our path to a healthier lifestyle.

Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Michelle is a longtime dance and exercise enthusiast.  She obtained a B.S. and M.S. from the State University of New York at Buffalo and also received a second B.S., with honors, from the City University of New York at Queens College, where she majored in nutrition and exercise sciences.

Michelle is a certified group exercise instructor with the American Council on Exercise® and personal trainer via the American Council on Exercise and Applied Academy of Personal Training Education®. She also holds kickboxing,  Zumba® and Silver Sneakers® instructor certifications. She is also a Balm In Gilead Lifestyle Coach.

Currently residing in Atlanta, GA, Michelle is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.  She is a former board member of the Georgia Diabetes Coalition, Urban League of Rochester, NY, Wilson Commencement Park and the National Sales Network – New Jersey/New York Chapter.  Michelle also co-founded the “Girls Mentoring Program” to reach students in the Lakeview community on Long Island, New York.​

Rev. Dr. Sande Bailey-Gwinn is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Foundations for Living, based in Jefferson, GA.

Foundations For Living is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating Transformational Moments through Inspiration and Education that will empower Low to Moderate Income families and all clients to envision, discover, implement and achieve personal/professional goals.

Foundations For Living focuses in four areas of service: Mental Health; Career Development, Domestic Violence, and HIV Prevention.

Yolanda Reed is the Owner, President and CEO of Eudora Enterprises, LLC where she functions in the knowledge, understanding and workings of the Proverbs 31 woman. She purchases real estate and invests in other capital ventures. “She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers”.

Yolanda is the Owner, President and CEO of Credential America, Inc.  Credential America is a nationally recognized Credentials  Verification Organization that assists healthcare facilities with their credentialing and enrollment needs.

She is currently a member of the Medical Staff State Associations of Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York and her home state of Virginia and the National Association.  

Yolanda is a co-founder and member of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Richmond Metropolitan Chapter.  She serves on the Diaconate Ministry of First Baptist Church of South Richmond.

Yolanda enjoys spending time with her daughter and business partner (Leah), family and friends.  She also enjoys international travel and listening to jazz. She loves to share her entrepreneurial faith journey.

Dr. P looks back on 2023 and The Balm In Gilead's many accomplishments during the year. She expresses special appreciation for the  amazing faith and health professionals who have helped make the organization's programs successful.

Life expectancy for Black Americans is four years shorter than it was 20 years ago.  
In this episode, Dr. P delves into this sobering statistic. She  identifies youth suicide as well as maternal and infant mortality among the factors that contribute to the overall decline in Black Americans' lifespans. 

Dr. P urges concerned listeners to attend the Healthy Churches 2030 Conference, which will feature expert presentations on these topics, including steps we can take individually and collectively in response.

Register for the Healthy Churches 2030 Conference at hc2030.org.

Many Black Americans are not aware of the problematic  government policies that affect our lives and communities. In this episode, Dr. P welcomes Pamela D. Price for a discussion about  policy issues having immediate impact on our health and well-being, including drug prices and digital equity.

Pamela D. Price currently serves as the Deputy Director for The Balm In Gilead, managing the health programs and policy initiatives of the organization.  

Mrs. Price holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and has more than 20 years of experience in public health, epidemiology, and healthcare. She has served as a member of the U.S. Army Nurse Corp and excelled in leadership at government and non-government agencies in the areas of program management, quality improvement, and project development.  

During the summer, the Balm In Gilead conducted events in five cities as part of the Healthy Churches 2030 Roadmap Tour. In this episode, Dr. P and Cary Goodman discuss the importance of providing  vital  information about diseases and conditions affecting African Americans. Looking ahead, they preview the 10th Anniversary Healthy Churches 2030 Conference, which will take place November 13-16, 2023.

Cary Goodman is a Program & Strategic Development Consultant for The Balm In Gilead. An ordained minister, Cary works  at the intersection of faith and public health, with an emphasis on building coalitions and relationships in order to strengthen congregations and communities.

Dr. P and Dr. Saraswathy Nochur discuss why it is imperative that people of diverse backgrounds participate in clinical trials. Dr. Nochur explains what happens before, during, and after a clinical trial and notes that  people can find a clinical trial for which they may be qualified by visiting www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Saraswathy Nochur is Chief DE&I Officer at Alnylam Pharmaceuticals in Cambridge, MA where she works with various stakeholders to increase diversity, promote equity and foster inclusion at Alnylam, and also co-leads initiatives to increase diversity in clinical trials.  She previously was Head, Global Regulatory Affairs at Alnylam for 14 years, enabling the development and approval of four RNA interference therapeutics for rare diseases.  She has been in the Boston biotechnology industry since 1989.  Sara holds a Ph.D. in Biochemical Engineering from MIT.  

Sara is on the Board of Marinus Pharmaceuticals, a company developing innovative therapeutics to treat rare seizure disorders and of Decibel Therapeutics, who are developing regenerative and gene therapy strategies to restore hearing and balance. She is a host and member of the Board of Hospitality Homes, a non-profit organization that provides free/low-cost housing for patients/families who seek medical care in Boston. She is also on the Board of Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP), a non-profit organization that aims to increase the representation of underrepresented minority and disadvantaged individuals in all facets of science and medicine. 

Please note that the website "clinical trials.gov" was inadvertently referred to as "clintrials.gov" in this episode. Please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov to find out more information about clinical trials being conducted in the United States.