Drew's News

In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with none other than Dr. Allison Forrest for an insightful conversation about leadership, growth, and the evolving landscape of athletics. 

 We dive into Dr. Forrest’s career journey, the experiences that shaped her path, and the lessons she’s learned along the way while working in and around collegiate athletics. From navigating opportunities to building meaningful relationships, she shares valuable insight for students, young professionals, coaches, and anyone passionate about sports and leadership.

 We also discuss the importance of professional development within athletics and why continuing to grow both personally and professionally is essential in such a fast-paced industry. A major part of our conversation focuses on the importance of employment opportunities for athletes and how gaining work experience beyond competition can help prepare them for long-term success after sports. Dr. Forrest shares why internships, networking, mentorship, and career readiness are critical for athletes as they balance performance, education, and planning for life beyond the game.

Whether you’re pursuing a career in sports, currently competing as an athlete, or simply looking for inspiration from someone making an impact in the field, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

Give it a listen for what’s sure to be an engaging and motivating episode filled with wisdom, perspective, and plenty of Gator spirit! 🐊🧡💙

Connect with Allison:

https://floridagators.com/sports/2023/5/1/gators-experience

[email protected]

Want to share your story? Email [email protected]. And remember, if you can dream it you can Drew it!

Nashville country artist Noah Hunton joins Drew’s News Podcast to share his journey from Ocala, Florida to building a successful independent music career. Leading his own label, Noah Hunton Music LLC, he discusses authenticity, songwriting, and what it takes to chase your dreams without limits. Noah and his band have earned three Josie Music Award nominations at the Grand Ole Opry, including Song of the Year (“Bartender”) and Rising Country Artist. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation.Keep up with Noah’s journey on social media @noahhuntonmusicWant to share your story? Email [email protected]. And remember, if you can dream it you can Drew it!

Celebrating a decade of spreading JOY!!

Hear all about the incredible work the amazing local non-profit organization Xtraordinary Joy is doing for rare chromosome disorder research, as well as for people with disabilities across the globe!

To find out more about the incredible work they do and how you can support their organization, you can visit: https://www.xtraordinaryjoy.org

You can also follow their journey on social media:

https://www.facebook.com/xtraordinaryjoyinc

https://www.instagram.com/xtraordinary.joy/?hl=en

I am so excited to be back with you all! We will officially be back up and running in October 2025, so stay tuned for all the exciting things to come. :)

In the meantime, check out my Drew Dees HOPE scholarship fund. I’m excited to announce that my fund will award a UF student with a physical disability a scholarship to help with the cost of participating in the UF Disability Resource Center’s fully accessible study abroad program in London!

You all know how much impact the trip had on me when I was able to get the opportunity to go abroad last year, so I can’t think of a better way to keep that mission of letting other students with disabilities also experience the exciting JOY of being able to finally study abroad! It is life-changing, no doubt! That being said, I have some big goals. I would like to try to have at least $1000 in the account by next summer, so that we can officially award our first scholarship! The account currently has a little over $500 in it, so we are already halfway there! Let’s do this, and thank you all so much to everyone who has and will continue to support my mission of ensuring that the next generation gets to experience all the joy life has to offer! Please visit the link below if you feel called to make a donation to the cause:https://www.uff.ufl.edu/.../028089-drew-dees-hope.../

Thank you all so much, and as always, Go Gators!

Chris O'Brien is the state Capitol reporter for WKRN News 2 and Nexstar in Nashville, Tennessee.

He's a proud graduate of the University of Florida, and a lover of all things Gators. Chris worked in Greensboro after graduating, prior to his current position in Nashville, as a general assignment MMJ.

Chris is also a lover of the National Parks System, and would like to see all 63 National Parks in his lifetime -- he's currently at 12.

When he's not working, you can find him at a local bar watching sports or out hiking.

Connect with Chris: 

Instagram:   

@chris_obrien10

Twitter:

@THEChrisOB

Drew's News Podcast want to be on the show?

Please email me at [email protected] or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.

I caught up with the Executive Director of the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida, Tony Delisle, to talk about the fantastic work we do in the community! (Yes, I said we because it just happens to be where I work). We provide services through partnerships with the Department of Education, the Department of Health, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program, and the Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Levy, Marion, and Putnam County School Boards. In addition, we are the only coordinator of sign language interpreting services for Alachua and surrounding counties and have four highly qualified sign language interpreters on staff. The CILNCF is also partnered with Florida Telecommunications and Relay, Inc. (FTRI), the designated Regional Distribution Center (RDC) of specialized telecommunications equipment. With this program, the CILNCF provides communication access to deaf, hard of hearing, deaf/blind, and speech-impaired people residing in North Central Florida.

Further, our organization has developed intensive programming for youth with disabilities. The CILNCF operates a High School High Tech Program at six (6) area high schools in five (5) school districts in North Central Florida. High School/High Tech (HS/HT) was developed out of concern that too few students, especially those with disabilities, were being prepared for technology-based careers. Our program is designed to provide young people with all types of disabilities the opportunity to explore jobs and postsecondary education leading to technology-related careers. Locally, it is a community-based partnership comprised of students, parents and caregivers, businesses, educators, and rehabilitation professionals.

Connect with CIL:

Instagram: @cilgainesville 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FloridaCente...

CIL Podcast: 

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/.../the......

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ePzIFF...

Google: https://www.google.com/podcasts...

Or give us a call at 352-378-7474 to find out more about our services!

She has a heart of pure gold, works hard to make sure each of her students feels loved and cared for, and she bleeds purple and gold!💜💛🏈 I am talking about none other than Gilchrist county’s very own 2023 Florida Teacher of The Finalist, Brooke Whittington!! In this episode, we relived the magical moments of her becoming a teacher of the year state finalist and chat about the keys to becoming a great teacher.  

Drew's News Podcast want to be on the show? Please email me at [email protected] or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.

The Drew's News podcast is back, baby! For the official return of the podcast, we have the honor and privilege of speaking with Emmy award-winning meteorologist Alex Calamia about all things weather and gardening. Enjoy!

Connect with Alex!

Twitter: AlexCalamiawx 

Instagram: AlexTropicalPics 

Facebook: Alex Calamia

Drew's News Podcast want to be on the show?'

Please email me at [email protected] or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.

I caught up with disability advocate Ryan Lundy. Over the years he received occupational therapy and accommodations in school. He had a 504 which is a plan for students that need accommodations in regular education. This means he had many tutors, counselors, and academic advisors. Attending school was not easy for him, he got taken advantage of a lot and bullied by kids. Many days he would come home and cry and think about why he was not being included. Kids would take advantage of him by making him give them rides and money.  He discusses the way he coped with these situations and much more.

Connect with Ryan:

[email protected] 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-lundy-36471944/

Drew's News podcast want to be on the show?  

Please email me at [email protected] or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.

 Jordan Ellis is a Unversity of Florida Alum. Writing is what she loves to do, so her dream job is to be an author. She lives with cerebral palsy and walks with two crutches, but she doesn't let that hold her back from much. Currently, she has recently completed her Bachelor's degree and has been focusing on her blog, which she's had for almost 4 years now. She really just loves a good story and believes we all have one. 

Connect with Jordan: 

Instagram: @JordEllis15and 

Blog Instagram: @from3west.

Blog: https://www.from3west.com/main-blog

Drew's News podcast want to be on the show?  

 Please email me at [email protected] or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.