Nena Gilreath was joins me on this episode to explore her remarkable journey as a dancer, arts leader, and educator. Nena is the co-founder and co-artistic director of Ballethnic, based in Atlanta, GA. From performing with the Dance Theatre of Harlem and the Atlanta Ballet, to building a groundbreaking institution, she shares her insights on leadership, legacy, and expanding art access. 

You can find Nena at:

www.ballethnic.org

https://www.facebook.com/BallethnicDanceCompany
https://twitter.com/ballethnic
http://pinterest.com/ballethnicdance/

https://www.instagram.com/nenaleopardess

https://www.instagram.com/accdancecenter

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Strength and Kindness: Another solo episode. Sneaking one in before 2025 wraps up and this was on my mind. Enjoy!

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Back to Basics - solo episode. Join me on a commitment to refocusing on some important areas of life as we move into 2025...hope you enjoy the listen! 

If you'd like to give to my Mom's scholarship, you can use the link below or call 877-215-2727 and ask to give to the Esther J Rwakijuma Practicum Award. 

https://giving.wustl.edu/EstherJR

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Jason Sweet is an Atlanta based artist who pivoted a career as a college professor to the television and film industry. 

With an established career as a set dresser, you may have seen some of his work in shows like Ozark, Genius Season 2, and he just wrapped up work for Peacemaker Season 2. 

Jason shares about his path to this work, his artist motivation origins, and some really important revelations his gained along the way. You can find him at https://www.jasonsweetart.com

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April Hernandez Castillo made a big splash in her portrayal as Eva Benitez in the hit move Freedom Writers alongside Hillary Swank. She's starred in television shows such as; Law & Order: SVU, The Following, Person of Interest, and Elementary and more. April garnered a recurring role on Showtime’s  Dexter which she was nominated for a SAG nomination for Best Ensemble cast. 

She opens up about her stories of resilience and her pivot to entrepreneurship, being an author, and more. You'll love her powerful stories and wonderful personality! 

You can learn more about April www.aprilhernandezspeaks.com, on Instagram @aprilhernandezcastillo and LinkedIn at April Hernandez Castillo. You can follower her company LionChaser Media Inc. @lionchaser_media on Instagram.

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Jen Ellis became internet famous overnight after gifting a pair of mittens to Senator Bernie Sanders, resulting in memes circling the globe! Since then, she has partnered with Vermont Teddy Bear company to make her product available to everyone.

I sit down with Jen to discuss her book "Bernie's Mitten Maker." There are so many takeaways from our conversation! Make sure to listen to the end for a special gift for some of our listeners. 

Make sure to pre-order her book at your favorite local book store or online!

You can purchase a pair at Vermont Teddy Bear – vermontteddybear.com. and follow her on twitter @vtawesomeness and Instagram @jenellisvermont. 

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Andrew Maraniss  is an award winning author of four books, including his most recent release “Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First U.S. Women’s Olympic basketball team.” His story follows the growth of a passion for writing, sports, and telling stories of some of the world's greatest social issues. His books focus on sports, history, and social issues. Along with his work as an author, Andrew also works with Vanderbilt Athletics as Director of Special Projects.

In this episode, he shares about his writing process, his path to his current work, and overcoming some challenging transitions from a short stint working with the MLB to discovering finding where he really needed to be.  

You can learn more about Andrew Maraniss and his work at http://andrewmaraniss.com and on Twitter @trublu24. You can find his books at your favorite bookstores everywhere and online with audio and eBook formats available. 
 

 

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Lisa Nichols is the CEO and co-founder of Technology Partners, a company started 28 years ago. She has won countless awards for her leadership and work through entrepreneurship, including the St. Louis most Influential Business Women in 2020. 

Lisa is also the host of an incredible podcast titled – SOMETHING EXTRA - covering variety of topics to improve your personal and professional life with some amazing thought leaders.

In this episode, she shares about setting boundaries, innovation, and so much more...it's a great listen!

You can follow connect with Lisa on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholslisa/. 

You can listen to the Something Extra podcast on your favorite podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, and Google Podcasts. 

AND, you can learn more about Technology Partners at https://technologypartners.net.
 

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Cole Powelson is a  Professional Race Car Driver based out of Salt Lake City, Utah and the Founder of LYFE Motorsports. He and his team created the SIERRA car which now pushes motorsports feats to a whole new level. 
 
 With a background as a factory trained Porsche mechanic and racing instructor, his interest in cars began in his teens and has taken him down an nontraditional path towards success in his field. 

You can follow Cole @coletheracer on Instagram, Cole Powelson on Facebook, and LYFE Motorsport on YouTube. 
 

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Dr. Christie Poteet is the Associate Dean for University of North Carolina at Pembroke. In this episode, we discuss her role in higher education, her mother's distinct influence on her career path, and making big decisions in your life at any age. 

You can find her on LinkedIn and Facebook and connect with her at [email protected] and [email protected]. 

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