Dana Berchman is the Chief Digital Officer in Gilbert, Arizona, where she manages all internal and external communications, public relations, marketing and digital government initiatives, government innovation, and open data and storytelling efforts. She leads a digital team responsible for developing forward-thinking policies on social media, digital communications, web initiatives, and other tools to better serve the public. Dana created Gilbert’s award-winning Office of Digital Government, named the “Civic Engagement Program of the Year” by Smart Cities Dive and the recipient of the “Sharman Stein Award for Storytelling Changemakers".

Previously, she spent eight years working in New York City as a producer and director at MTV and a producer and writer for Andrea Mitchell at MSNBC. Dana earned her bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Arizona State University and her master’s degree in Journalism and Public Affairs from American University.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Leticia Barwick, with an illustrious 35-year career in the industry, is the owner of Meritum, a credit card processing company. Proud to be a local and family-owned business, Meritum stands as a testament to her commitment to her community. Beyond her professional success, Leticia's heart belongs to travel, her creative passion for scrapbooking, cherishing precious moments with loved ones, and her unwavering love for the Dodgers. She also has a passion for cigars, which she enjoys in her leisure time. She's a distinguished member of the Gilbert Leadership Class 23. Leticia's six-year tenure on the Gilbert Leadership Board underscores her commitment to fostering growth and unity within her community.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Meet Andrew Augustyniak: a guy who wears many hats and owns them all with a smile. Dad to four awesome kiddos, partner-in-crime to his amazing wife, and once upon a time, a golf pro turned loan magician. He’s the brain behind the Augustyniak Lending Team and the top 1% of the nation, according to the folks at Mortgage Executive magazine.

Growing up in sunny Arizona, Andrew was all about numbers and people. Tempe was his playground, and boy, did he play well. After snagging a Business Management degree from the University of Nevada with a golf scholarship in his back pocket, he traded in his golf clubs for mortgage spreadsheets. And he's never looked back.

Andrew didn't just build a team; he assembled a squad ready to change lives and hand out financial wisdom like candy. But don't think for a second that he's all work and no play – this guy knows how to live it up with his family (shoutout to Anderson, Fitz, Finnley, and Maverik!) or sink a birdie on the golf course when he's not hustling.

Boredom? Oh, that's Andrew's arch-nemesis. Blame it on his mom, who kept him knee-deep in sports to keep him out of trouble back in the day. That's where he picked up the knack for hard work and the drive to conquer goals like a champ. But wait, there's more! Besides running the mortgage show, he's got a hand in all sorts of cool projects like PuttTek, building his rental portfolio, Desert Studio AZ, Arizona Rental Response, Modern Canopy Co, and the Fueled by Why Podcast.

Andrew's mantra? That luck surrounds itself around everyone, one must be fearless to recognize and jump into any opportunities to allow that luck to come to fruition….. He lives by this, day in and day out.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Trinity Donovan has served as the CEO of AZCEND for the past 14 years. AZCEND is a nonprofit that provides help and hope, so people don’t have to face their crisis alone. Working in nonprofit leadership positions for over 20 years, her areas of focus have included hunger and homelessness, early childhood, senior programs, and youth development. Trinity also served two terms as a Council Member for the City of Chandler. While on Council, she represented the city on a regional and national level in areas of human services, transportation, water, and sustainability. Trinity holds a bachelor's degree in Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity, and a master's degree in Sociology – both from Stanford University.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Terrin Elam is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. He attended McClintock high school, where I was a three-year varsity basketball player. He also played college basketball at Phoenix College for two years. After his basketball career, he and his wife welcomed their first child Terrin Jr., and that is when he decided to join the Navy. Terrin joined the Navy to build a solid foundation for his family. Through his four years of service, he was deployed three times and visited seventeen countries. Upon his separation from the Navy, he started a new career with air products as an industrial gas specialist and then as a plant operator. After being away from home for work more than he preferred, Terrin decided to start The Grand Steam in 2021.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Meet Bus Obayomi, an accomplished Business Leader, Community leader, and transformational coach with a proven track record of delivering flawless large-scale enterprise solutions in Government, Financial Services, and Healthcare. Bus specializes in streamlining operations, increasing efficiency, and reducing costs by implementing industry best practices. He has worked with top industry leaders such as Vanguard, Nationwide, and Lincoln Financial Group and has notable expertise in project/program management, government, and leadership.

Aside from his professional accomplishments, Bus is also an active community member. He was part of Gilbert Leadership Class XXV, part of Gilbert Community Task Force, and actively volunteered with various organizations, including his church community. With a Master of Art in International Affairs, Master of Business Administration, Certified Project Management Professional, and Scaled Agile Practice Consultant qualifications under his belt, Bus has built high-performance teams and established key executive stakeholder relationships. Bus's life revolves around his family, faith, and community/marketplace. He believes that every aspect of his life is integral to the person he is today.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Chief Michael Soelberg was appointed as the Gilbert Police Department Chief of Police in June 2017. Chief Soelberg began his law enforcement career with the Mesa Police Department in 1995. With the Town of Gilbert, Chief Soelberg has placed emphasis on keeping up the Department’s growth with the growth of the community, which is now over 282,000 residents.

Chief Soelberg graduated from Weber State University (Ogden, UT), earning a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree from Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, AZ). In 2009, Chief Soelberg completed a six-month research Fellowship with the Police Foundation in Washington, DC. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #258, in Quantico, VA, and Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) Police Executive Leadership Institute (PELI), Class #4. He currently serves on the AZCEND Board of Directors and previously was on the United Food Bank Board of Directors for six years. He is currently on the Executive Board of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

This guest grew up outside of New York City and was a child model, appearing in ads and commercials. After college, she traveled 3,000 miles to Arizona to join the sales team at the Phoenix Suns, then as Senior Director at the American Heart Association, and she is now the vice president and executive director of the Desert Financial Foundation. She is married and the proud parent to her boxer, Lola! Please welcome Carlissa Wright!

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Lisa Abelar is an accomplished storyteller and copywriter based in Gilbert who seeks adventure for her blended family and runs a non-profit called For Your Record to support domestic abuse survivors with court fees. Her experience as a survivor herself, navigating the legal system and dealing with the financial burden that is associated with it, fueled the idea behind how For Your Record would serve survivors.

When she isn't reporting a story for a local magazine, writing website copy, drafting a blog for a client, or working on her own book, she is most likely cuddling a dog, feeding a chicken, paddling the river, or hiking in the mountains. An avid adventurer, she chronicles her family's adventures on Instagram at @raisingoutdoorkids.

Interested in the Grand Canyon video mentioned in our conversation with Lisa? You can learn more and watch “How the Grand Canyon Changed A Life” video using the link provided.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy

Mark Bergerson is a high-energy individual with a passion for service. He started his career as a retail manager and moved into the world of insurance in 2006. He is currently a Commercial Insurance Consultant/Producer with The Arizona Group Insurance Brokers. Mark has embraced the Town of Gilbert since moving here from Minnesota in 2018. He has sat on the Gilbert Chamber Small Business Council, Chaired the GEMTalks committee, participated in Gilbert Leadership (Class 30), and currently sits on the Gilbert Leadership Steering Committee, Business, and Education Committee. He will be joining the Gilbert Chamber Board of Directors next fiscal year. He is passionate about connecting businesses with each other, helping others find their potential, and serving his community.

Mark and his wife, Heidi, moved to Arizona leaving the cold winters of MN behind forever, to start a new chapter in their lives. They have three children, Jordan, Jack, and Jason. All are young men in their 20s and starting their own adventures. Mark enjoys hiking, reading, sitting by the pool, and taking in all the opportunities that Gilbert and the East Valley offers.

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Guiding Growth: Conversations with Community Leaders

Join our hosts, Sarah Watts and Ben Kalkman, as we explore the human journey of leaders - their stories of humility, triumph, roadblocks, and lessons learned - as they reflect on how they became who they are today and share stories of inspiration and hope with listeners. We'll take away the title, just for a moment, and enjoy a connection with the soul.

Be sure to subscribe to our show for more interviews with community leaders.

This podcast is brought to you by the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce and Modern Moments. Learn more about our show at https://guidinggrowth.co. View our Privacy Policy at https://modernmoments.com/privacy