Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin joins program host Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss his personal battle with bipolar disorder. Having commanded the largest engineering force in the theater, the 130th Engineer Brigade, during the Iraq War; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division, served as Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School and Fort Leonard Wood, Deputy Commanding General of Third Army/US Army Central, Commandant of the Army War College, President of National Defense University and Special Assistant to the Chief of Engineers, Martin's impressive 36-year military career came to a halt in 2014 when innumerable stress activated mental health issues and he was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder type I. Martin will share the details of his own experience with bipolar disorder, particularly in relation to his military career, and the symptoms and indicators of its emergence. He will also discuss the current state of mental health in the military and examine what it's gotten right and what it's gotten wrong. A proud bipolar survivor, Martin's story will bring the audience hope and has the power to help save lives.

Andi Buerger, founder and chair of Voices Against Trafficking, and the Hon. Blanquita Cullum, co-founder of Voices Against Trafficking and host of The Hard Question on WCGO AM/FM, join program host Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward. Buerger and Cullum will provide perspective on the current state of human trafficking in the United States, focusing in particular on the trafficking and other forms of abuse that are taking place at the southern border. Along with providing common sense steps for how parents, teachers and other adults can protect children and prevent abuse, they will discuss beneficial policy options within the political space, the importance of accountability and how parents must vigilantly play the role of investigator when it comes to who they are trusting their children with. Buerger and Cullum cherish the worth and value of all children and will inspire listeners to elevate innocence in all that they do and make a daily commitment to be a voice against human trafficking.

Daniel Fairley, a Youth Opportunity Coordinator focused on Black Male Achievement for the City of Charlottesville, and John Thompson, a Family Services Specialist for the Charlottesville Department of Human Services, join Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss mental health in the Black community and existing inequalities both inside and outside of the mental healthcare structure. Hosts of the podcast "How U?," (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAW96LgJg-Hr4CQzTqn1uJQ) which focuses on Black mental health, Fairley and Thompson will take a deep dive into the stigma surrounding mental health, how mental health has changed since the onset of COVID-19, how individuals will need to re-acclimate when the world opens up again, and the mental health struggles surrounding the continued fight for social justice. Fairley and Thompson will provide an inside look into breaking mental health barriers in communities of color and how doing so can ultimately create a more just world.

Alden Mills, three-time Navy SEAL platoon commander, founder/CEO of one of the nation's former fastest-growing companies and leadership speaker, joins Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward. Believing that every individual is born to be unstoppable, Mills will discuss how exactly we can become unstoppable, what exactly it means to be unstoppable and how for many of us our first challenge is to be stopped so that we can rise above it to be our unstoppable selves. Drawing from a mixture of his military, athletic, business and leadership experiences, Mills will lay out a road map for how to leave the safe harbor of familiarity to go past the horizon in three steps, showing the audience: (1) how to lead the conversation in your head, (2) how to create your focus funnel and (3) how to navigate the spinning loop in your head which swings back and forth between 'I can't' and 'I can.' Mills will share how love can help each of us be unstoppable every day.

William Tong, Connecticut's 25th Attorney General and first Asian American elected statewide, speaks with Chris Meek about protecting families, residents and consumers while standing up to the powerful forces that threaten them. Tong, who grew up working with his immigrant parents in their Chinese restaurant, will share how his passion and respect for the legal system not only resulted in a successful law career but also propelled his political career. Tong will reflect on the challenges and successes that he has experienced throughout the progression of his career and will speak candidly about what he feels he has brought to each and every one of his roles that has set him apart from his peers. Tong will provide his perspective on hot topic issues, such as getting communities up and running amid COVID-19, the steep increase in opioid use and finding the perfect balance between work and family. Audience members will relate to William Tong's personal story of living his American dream.

Armen Keteyian,11-time Emmy Award winning journalist and former chief investigative correspondent for CBS News, speaks with “Next Steps Forward” host Chris Meek about his celebrated career as one of America’s most recognized news and sports anchors. Keteyian will take the audience on his journey from starting out as a sports writer for a San Diego newspaper, to landing his dream job as a reporter for Sports Illustrated and finally making it on the national stage serving in roles such as lead correspondent for “60 Minutes Sports”. Keteyian will speak directly about the current state of journalism in the United States, the role that ethics ultimately plays and how that translates into everyday life, as well as the integrity of modern day sports through the lens of his experiences directly from the sidelines. Keteyian, the author of 11 books, will also give a look into the upcoming HBO documentary based on his best-selling biography “Tiger Woods.”

Jon Runyan, former NFL offensive tackle, looks back at the progression of his football career spanning 14 seasons playing with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Diego Chargers. Now serving as the NFL's Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, Runyan will provide his unique perspective on the current state of the league, how football has changed since he last played, how the league has adapted to challenges presented by COVID-19 and what he believes the future holds for the NFL. Having also previously served in Congress representing New Jersey's 3rd district, Runyan will speak about his experience serving in Washington, how politics have changed dramatically in recent years, and will touch on timely issues, particularly those relating to veterans. Runyan will impart wisdom he's garnered from his experiences both on and off the field leaving the audience empowered to become leaders in the game of life and inspired to serve others.

Rebekah Roulier, nonprofit executive leader and licensed mental health clinician focused on driving innovation in the mental health and youth sport communities, speaks with host Chris Meek about the relationship between sport and mental health. Roulier serves as the Deputy Director of Doc Wayne Youth Services based in Boston, Massachusetts and will provide insight into how the nonprofit re-imagines therapy through the lens of sport, offering children not only a sense of belonging but a repetition and regulation that promotes healing. One of the organization's new initiatives born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, Champions Network, equips professionals working specifically with children, like teachers and especially coaches, with basic mental health skills. Roulier makes the case for why, in a country with 45 million kids playing youth sports and over 6 million coaches, coaches can be invaluable tools to utilize standard mental health skills for children who may need help.

Dr. Cliff Robertson, executive director of The Warrior's Refuge in West Columbia, Texas, speaks with host Chris Meek about how his organization is committed to ending homelessness by providing shelter, counseling, resources and training to the state's veterans. The organization is also soon to be the nation's first nonprofit to offer access to a groundbreaking virtual reality technology developed at the University of Southern California known as BraveMind, to treat War on Terror veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress (PTS). Dr. Robertson will speak directly about the specific mental health setbacks that veterans experience and the importance of providing effective mental health treatment. Not only will he highlight the importance of leveraging revolutionary technology in the way in which medical care is delivered, but will also underscore the desperate need for those technologies to expand the scope of the VA and into the world of nonprofits in order to reach more veterans.

Dan Luna, 20-year Navy SEAL veteran, speaks with program host Chris Meek about empowering the next generation of leaders by way of academics, consulting and coaching through his leadership coaching company 3LX. Luna's background serves as the foundation for his extraordinary leadership skills, having refined his coaching methods while delivering competency-based leadership training to future Navy and Marine Corps Officers at the Naval Academy. So well versed in providing guidance, management and coaching others, Luna has executed and facilitated extensive training and exercises and ensured maximum readiness for collegiate and professional athletes, as well as government agencies. Dan Luna will share with audience members the fundamentals and basics of leadership and inspire them to continuously devote themselves to cultivating their leadership skills.