The Big REthink

This week on The Big REthink, host Susan Campbell speaks with leadership expert Karen Colligan about how to become a better leader. Colligan is the founder of PeopleThink, a company that trains executives, teams, and individuals in leadership skills. In this episode, she shares some of the key steps to acquiring these skills – and defining a company leadership culture. Along with training, she says, the essentials include gaining clarity about one’s own values, as well as – spoiler – communication. Plus: she shares the most essential tool to cultivate, at any stage of one’s career. 

Jean-Luc Froeliger was in middle school when he first fell in love with space. He’d become captivated by sci-fi movies and books, which inspired a lifelong passion. Now, he’s Senior VP of Space Systems at Intelsat, operator of the world’s largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network. On this episode of The Big REthink, he joins host Susan Campbell to discuss how satellite technology works, what the future of satellite tech looks like, and how it will impact everyday life here on Earth.

When Sgt. Frailan Young started with the Mesa, AZ Police Department, he was writing tickets by hand and gathering video evidence in person. Now, 25 years later, he’s part of the department’s Real Time Crime Center, a division that uses technology like advanced software mapping and GPS to help solve crimes, assist in emergencies, and support officers on the ground in real time. On this episode of The Big REthink, Sgt. Young joins host Susan Campbell to share how the RTCC is not so unlike TV police shows—and what tech is coming next. 

When Lt. Thomas Porto’s department chief asked him if he’d want to oversee the police department’s technology deployment, he knew it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. Now, 12 years later, he’s transformed the Fort Lee, NJ, police force in countless ways, from internal processes like digital scheduling to public-facing tasks like issuing tickets. On this episode of The Big REthink, Lt. Porto joins host Susan Campbell to discuss some of those tools and how they’ve improved safety for citizens and police officers alike.

For Captain Matt Bolger, adopting technology is all about working smarter, not harder. In his role in IT with the Michigan State Police Department, he’s helped lead an overhaul of how officers do their work, including which technology solutions to use. In-car modems, real-time video uploads to a cloud, and body cameras all help law enforcement spend more time policing, and less time finding a good Wifi connection. On this episode of The Big REthink, Capt. Bolger joins host Susan Campbell to share how that shift has helped officers and citizens alike.

The night before John Verdi’s first day at the police academy, his dad—a former officer himself—had some advice: say hi to everyone. That counsel proved to be pivotal to Verdi’s career, including a profound experience on 9/11 and a split-second decision that spared a life. Verdi’s since retired from the NYPD, but his learnings inspired him to create an app that helps communities and police connect on a human level and, just maybe, save future lives. On this episode of The Big REthink, he joins host Susan Campbell to discuss how his app is bringing people closer together.

When Captain Don Redmond retired from the Chula Vista Police Department in 2022, he had nearly 26 years of experience in everything from SWAT responses to jail command, and was ready to bid law enforcement goodbye. But after joining BRINC, a drone company that specializes in public safety, he became vice president of special projects there, and has been a promoter of using drones as first responders (DFRs) ever since. In this episode of The Big REthink, Redmond joins host Susan Campbell to share some of the ways in which drones are improving safety outcomes and supporting police departments, including de-escalation, accelerated response times, and reducing officers’ workload at a time when staffing is a challenge. Finally, he describes the tech-enabled future he envisions (drones are key, and so is a real-time response system) for safer communities.

Scott Harkless, the Chief Innovation Officer for Alcorn McBride, never intended to go into the theme park business. A tinkerer with a degree in electronic engineering, he originally sought out work in museum-related technology. But now, years later, he’s an expert in his field. On this episode of The Big REthink, he joins host Susan Campbell to share some of what he loves about his work, the types of technologies that go into making fan-favorite rides, and why relationship-building is essential for innovation. Harkless also explains why show control systems are essential to every ride—and how they’re akin to conducting an orchestra.

In Charlotte, NC, law enforcement has been adopting new technologies to help officers boost their productivity, streamline workflows, and keep their community safer. On this episode of The Big REthink, Charlotte’s Public Safety Technology Director, Crystal Combs, joins host Susan Campbell to discuss how tools like AI and ML are reshaping how officers do their work now, and what it might look like down the line. From using predictive analytics to deploy officers more efficiently to computer-aided dispatch, she shares how technology is impacting the work of law enforcement and how it might evolve in the future.

On this episode of The Big REthink, host Susan Campbell speaks with Peter Weishar, the Director of Themed Experience at the University of Central Florida. Weishar has created first-of-their-kind academic programs on themed experiences, including a major and a Master of Fine Arts degree at UCF. During the conversation, he shares what drew him to the field, the technology that students use to design those experiences, and what they might be using in the future. Plus, he explains what, exactly, the difference is between a theme park and an amusement park. (Hint: storytelling and narratives are key.)