Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek

In her memoir, The Fine Art of Camouflage, Lauren Kay Johnson tells a coming-of-age narrative against a backdrop of war wherein both her mother's and her own service are explored. Lauren focuses on in-depth questions of war, the military, the role of information in war and in interpersonal relationships and her own family history in the memoir, as well as throughout her appearance on Next Steps Forward. Ultimately, she wrestles with the truth in the stories we read and hear from the media and official sources along with the stories we tell ourselves. The hour provides thoughtful reflection on women at war, the attributes of those who answer the call of service and the ethical and emotional challenges they face during their time in service

Next Steps Forward is focused on resiliency, leadership, personal empowerment and wellbeing. There are very few people who personify and epitomize all of those qualities more than this week's guest, Breanna Cole. She is an outreach advocate at Selah Freedom, a faith-based nonprofit anti-human trafficking organization, based in Florida and the Midwest, with the mission to end sex trafficking and bring freedom to the exploited through five strong programs: Awareness, Prevention, Outreach, Residential and Organizational Consulting. Breanna works closely with the Florida State Attorney's office and The Office of Regional Counsel through a court diversion program. She is also a human trafficking survivor. Breanna will share her very involved and shocking story with the hope that the audience will come away from the hour understanding the notion that human trafficking could happen to so many young people and unfortunately, it does happen to many, many young people every day. With that in mind, Breanna will also share insight into prevention and the life changing programming that is being provided by Selah Freedom.

James Dudley joins this episode of Next Steps Forward. Jim Dudley has extensive experience as a practitioner in law enforcement and criminal justice in San Francisco. A 32-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department, he has served in the ranks as a patrol officer, Sergeant, Inspector, Lieutenant, Captain, Commander and Deputy Chief. He served in all bureaus including Airport, Administration, Special Operations, Homeland Security, Investigations and Patrol Operations. He holds a Master of Applied Science degree in Criminology and Social Ecology from UC Irvine. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. James Dudley is in his eighth year as a Criminal Justice Lecturer at his alma mater, San Francisco State. Jim will provide perspective on pertinent issues surrounding law enforcement including the causes of what seems to be a recent escalation of crime and the impact it has had on both the public and first responders, background on when alternative justice programs work and when we should stick to more traditional forms of punishment and rehabilitation, as well as how it has gotten more difficult being a police officer from a security perspective. Program host Chris Meek encourages you to join this timely discussion surrounding law enforcement.

The war against sex trafficking and exploitation of children by predators who prey on them for profit or their own gratification may be the most important human rights battle of our time. This week's conversation on Next Steps Forward is with someone on the front lines of that struggle. Stacey Efaw is the executive director of Selah Freedom. Stacey grew up in a military family. She lived in the Tampa Bay area in the 1980s when her family was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base. She earned her bachelor's degree and an MBA at the University of South Florida. After a short stint in the corporate world, Stacey entered nonprofit leadership and she has more than 20 years of experience in that realm. Selah Freedom is a nonprofit anti-human trafficking organization based in Florida and the Midwest with the mission to end sex trafficking and bring freedom to the exploited through four strong programs, advocacy and awareness, prevention, outreach and residential. Stacey joins the program to speak on this heavy but undeniably crucial topic and what everyday Americans can do to combat human trafficking.

Burke Bryant is an esteemed author, public speaker, and humanitarian whose life-saving contributions have garnered widespread recognition, including the prestigious Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as an operations specialist, and possesses a diverse skill set that includes combat search and rescue, tactical combat casualty care and diving instruction. In 2016, Bryant founded the Humanitarian Aid and Rescue Project, where he currently serves as head of mission and CEO. Under his leadership, HARP has executed operational missions across North America and around the world, including the front line of the ongoing Ukraine war. Program host Chris Meek looks forward to welcoming him to Next Steps Forward.

Christy Warren, a retired fire captain from the Berkeley Fire Department in California and host of The Firefighter Deconstructed, walks the audience through a firefighter's journey through PTSD on this week's episode of Next Steps Forward. She has twenty-five years of service as a professional paramedic and eighteen years as a professional firefighter/paramedic. After being diagnosed with PTSD in 2014, she retired from the fire service. Since then, she has become a triathlete, completed the Escape from Alcatraz swim five times, and earned a bachelor's degree in business from Washington State University. She is a volunteer Peer at the West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat. Throughout the program, Christy will discuss how the job of a firefighter can affect both mental and emotional health, the signs and symptoms of PTSD, and how to face PTSD head on. Tune in for this life-changing conversation on mental health!

On this edition of Next Steps Forward, program host Chris Meek speaks with Aaron Stark, a TEDx speaker, author and advocate, who shares his story of growing up in painful and abusive conditions which very nearly led him to an atrocity as he planned a deadly shooting spree on his Denver, Colorado high school until simple acts of kindness changed his life forever. His TED Talk, “I Was Almost A School Shooter,” has more than 14.4 million views. He shares his mission to let people know that no matter how dark it may seem, there is a light coming and that we really are not alone.

Dr. Stephany Powell provides a unique insight into the world of sexual exploitation and trafficking throughout her appearance on Next Steps Forward, which she gained from her thirty years with the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). This experience, coupled with her passion for education and heart for community, make Dr. Powell an incredible leader in the movement to end sexual exploitation and as the Vice President and Director of Law Enforcement Training and Survivor Services at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation. Chris Meek is honored to welcome Dr. Powell to the program. As Dr. Powell puts it, "I do this work because as a former police officer I have seen the physical and emotional aftermath of human trafficking. Based on this personal knowledge, I don't want to see another person endure or experience this type of suffering and abuse."

This week's guest on Next Steps Forward is someone who program host Chris Meek has respected and admired for a long, long time. Chad Hennings believes that in order to achieve a legacy of excellence, one must live a life of integrity and purpose. In his words, "Excellence isn't a destination; it's an identity." Chad Hennings has lived this message through a nine-year NFL career and three Super Bowl Championships with the Dallas Cowboys, forty-five NFL career combat missions as a U.S. Air Force pilot flying an A10 Warthog in the Persian Gulf, and as an accomplished businessman in commercial real estate. Chad has taken his message around the world, sharing it with distinguished audiences ranging from Fortune 500 companies to a host of government agencies and respected non-profits. He is also a philanthropic leader in the Dallas/Fort Worth area serving nonprofits that work with at risk families and veterans. Chad is the founder of Wingmen Ministries, an organization that encourages discipleship and mentorship of men.

The focus of this week's installment of Next Steps Forward is first responders and mental health and program host Chris Meek is excited to welcome Dr. Jena Casas, an expert on the subject matter. Dr. Casas is a licensed clinical psychologist who owns and operates a private practice and a consulting firm in northern Nevada. She holds a master's degree in Criminal Justice and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno. She's also a certified emergency responder and public safety clinician. Dr. Casas has published 29 peer-reviewed publications and five book chapters on topics related to the intersection of culture, psychology, and law; her most recent publications are related to the mental health of first responders. Dr. Casas specializes in providing mental health services to first responders and their families, organizational consultation with law enforcement agencies to develop wellness programming for their staff, and educational presentations for conferences across the United States. Dr. Casas will take the hour to touch on important topics relevant to her work, including how public opinion affects first responders' well being and the job they do, what private citizens and organizations can do to minimize stigmas against first responders, the self-imposed barriers to mental health treatment in the forms of stigma and concerns about career advancement that first responders face and the work she carries out with first responders to help them overcome the stigma of seeking mental health treatment.