The Way Forward Regenerative Conversations

The CEO of America's largest depolarization organization has two children who aren't speaking to each other — one conservative, one progressive. Maury Giles of Braver Angels joins Dr. John Izzo to explain why "don't talk about politics" is the wrong answer in a country built on self-government, why he has never once asked anyone to be nice, and what ten years of bringing Republicans and Democrats into the same room reveals: we share the same values and weight them differently. He lays out "courageous citizenship" — act instead of react, build across difference, own your part — and the practical tools behind it: one-on-one conversations, common-ground workshops, and citizen-led solutions that treat elected officials as "on tap, not on top."

Guest: Maury Giles — CEO of Braver Angels (https://braverangels.org · YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BraverAngels), the country's largest volunteer-led effort to help Americans work across political difference. A conservative based in Salt Lake City, he came to the role after a long corporate career in research and strategy and five years as a Braver Angels volunteer — and was nominated for the job by a colleague from the other side of the aisle.

🎙️ Hosted by Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier · produced by Jim Burke

🤝 In collaboration with @BraverAngels

👉 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thewayforwardrc?sub_confirmation=1

🎧 Prefer audio? Listen & follow on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-way-forward-regenerative-conversations/id1651941803

💬 Have you had a real conversation lately with someone who votes differently than you? What happened? Tell us below.

🔗 Mentions & Resources:

🤝 Braver Angels — sign up for a one-on-one conversation or find your local alliance: https://braverangels.org

▶️ Braver Angels on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BraverAngels

📖 Jonathan Haidt, "The Righteous Mind"

📖 James Madison, The Federalist Papers

🏛️ National Civic League (database of 12,000+ civic-renewal organizations): https://www.nationalcivicleague.org

🎧 Our earlier episode in this series with Beth Noveck on rigidity, contempt, and democratic decline: [LINK]

Connect With Us:

🌐 Website: https://wayforwardpodcast.com

🔗 Linktree: https://linktr.ee/wayforwardpodcast

📧 Email: [email protected]

👉 SUBSCRIBE to The Way Forward for more conversations that matter!

💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — we want to hear from YOU.

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Way Forward. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice.

Al Gore called the war with Iran "a colossal mistake... on the level of Hitler invading Russia." Veteran Iran-watcher Barbara Slavin goes further: the worst U.S. mistake in the Middle East in 60 years. Six months into the war, she returns to The Way Forward to untangle who is actually in charge in Tehran now, why the doctrine of "escalate to de-escalate" has closed the Strait of Hormuz and sent oil prices soaring, what Netanyahu promised Trump in the situation room, and what the war has meant for the people of Iran — the protests, the repression, and the economy. Most importantly: is there a way out that's good for Iranians and for the world?

Guest: Barbara Slavin — Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, veteran journalist on U.S.–Iran relations, and author of "Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies: Iran, the U.S., and the Twisted Path to Confrontation."

🎙️ Hosted by Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier · produced by Jim Burke

⏱️ CHAPTERS

👉 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode: https://www.youtube.com/@thewayforwardrc?sub_confirmation=1

🔗 Mentions & Resources:

Connect With Us:

👉 SUBSCRIBE to The Way Forward for more conversations that matter!

⚠️ Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this video are those of the guest and do not necessarily reflect the official position of The Way Forward. This content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice.

#BarbaraSlavin #Iran #IranWar #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #StraitOfHormuz #ForeignPolicy #TheWayForward

What if the most important conversations we can have — about politics, faith, and family — are the ones we've stopped having out of fear?

Journalist and bridge-builder Mónica Guzmán joins hosts Dr. John Izzo and Dr. Polina Orlowski to explore why families, communities, and entire generations have stopped talking across political divides — and what it will take to rebuild understanding. Drawing from her book "I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times," Mónica shares the personal story behind her work (a tender moment with her father on Election Day), the neuroscience of why hard conversations feel like physical threats ("our fear of social death is greater than our fear of physical death"), and the practical discipline of curiosity that anyone can develop.

Also in this episode: the role of social media and AI in deepening polarization, how to model brave conversations for children, the "productive conversation" model that distinguishes inquiry from debate, and the Trustworthy Elections Project — where regular citizens from across the political spectrum found 727 points of agreement on a single contested issue.

ABOUT OUR GUEST

YOUR HOSTS

CONNECT

IF THIS EPISODE SPOKE TO YOU

Raised in Russia. Imprinted by 9/11. Polina Orlowski watched the towers fall from an American middle-school classroom just months after immigrating from St. Petersburg — and that moment still shapes how she sees democracy, safety, and America today.

In this episode of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations, Dr. John Izzo (a boomer who came of age during Vietnam, Kent State, and the civil rights movement) and Polina Orlowski (a Russian-born millennial, healthcare leader, and mom) explore why generations see the big issues of our time — polarization, freedom, democracy — so differently.

Their lens: sociologist Dr. Morris Massey's famous idea, "You are where you were when" — the theory that the events we live through between roughly ages 14 and 22 imprint how we see society for the rest of our lives.

Together they trace two very different imprints: John's generation, marked by protest, assassination, and Watergate — but also the conviction that citizens can change things. Polina's generation, marked by 9/11, school shootings, the financial crisis, and COVID — a "destabilization imprint" she calls the eggshell generation, always braced for the next crisis. And they ask the question underneath it all: if we are where we were when, how do we get out of our bubbles and truly understand each other?

This is Part 1 of our series on polarization and democracy. Next episode: Mónica Guzmán on how to have brave conversations in dangerously divided times.

⏱️ CHAPTERS

🎙️ ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Dr. Polina Orlowski, DNP, RN, CNL — doctorally prepared nurse leader with 15 years in healthcare, serving as a national Program Manager for Performance Improvement in a multi-state health system. She immigrated from Russia at 13 and brings a cross-cultural, cross-generational lens to the future of democracy.

💬 JOIN THE CONVERSATION

🔔 Subscribe so you don't miss Part 2 with Mónica Guzmán:

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts:

🌐 Website: https://wayforwardpodcast.com

#Polarization #GenerationalDifferences #TheWayForward

Only one in ten Americans say our democracy is working well — and most believe the model we've relied on for generations is broken. So what if the technology everyone fears could actually help fix it?

In this episode, Dr. John Izzo sits down with Beth Simone Noveck — who served in the Obama White House, advised 10 Downing Street, and wrote Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy — for a genuinely hopeful conversation about the one question almost nobody at this year's TED conference was asking: not whether AI will save us or destroy us, but whether it can help us govern better, listen better, and rebuild trust between citizens and their institutions.

EPISODE SUMMARY

We've been told there are only two AI stories: the robot apocalypse that eats every job, or the trillion-dollar gold rush. Beth Noveck argues both headlines miss the one that matters most — how AI could help repair democracy itself.

Drawing on her new book Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy, Beth and John explore why so many democracies feel brittle right now, and what history teaches us about institutions that bend versus institutions that break. Beth traces her own origin story — from studying the fragile, hopeful democracies of 1920s Europe that collapsed into fascism, to growing up as a child of the early internet and building one of the very first online platforms for civic dialogue. Both experiences left her asking the same question: what makes some institutions work, and others shatter?

From there, the conversation gets practical. Beth makes the case that today's core democratic problem isn't a scarcity of information but an overwhelming abundance of it — and that AI's real promise is as a powerful tool to help us cut through the noise and actually solve problems together. She shares concrete, already-working examples: the UK government using AI to analyze public consultations that once took months and millions in a matter of hours; the city of Hamburg engaging residents on real infrastructure decisions; AI cleaning up voter rolls so eligible voters don't get lost; and under-resourced candidates finally able to compete with the big political machines.

John and Beth dig into the hard parts too — political rigidity (not just polarization), the collapse of common ground, gerrymandering, and the uncomfortable truth that AI is "only as good as we are." They close on hope: Beth's "AI for Impact" fellows building free tools like GrantWell to help small towns win public funding, and the free peer-to-peer learning community InnovateUS, where people teach one another how to use AI for the public good.

The throughline, in Beth's own words: AI won't save democracy — people will. But for the first time, we may have the tools to try.

In this conversation:

ABOUT OUR GUEST — Beth Simone Noveck

Beth Simone Noveck is one of the world's leading thinkers on technology, governance, and civic innovation. She is the author of Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy (Yale University Press) and a professor at Northeastern University, where she directs The Burnes Center for Social Change and its partner project, The Governance Lab (The GovLab). Her work focuses on "Democratic AI" — applying artificial intelligence to strengthen democratic institutions and improve how government actually serves people.

Beth previously served in the Obama White House as the first United States Deputy Chief Technology Officer, where she founded the White House Open Government Initiative, and she has advised 10 Downing Street and the German Chancellery. She also served as New Jersey's first Chief Innovation Officer and Chief AI Strategist, and she leads InnovateUS, a free program training public-sector professionals in AI and innovation skills.

🔗 Connect with Beth:

ABOUT OUR HOST — Dr. John Izzo

Dr. John Izzo is a bestselling author, advisor, and speaker who has addressed more than one million people and worked with over 1,000 organizations worldwide. He is the author of nine books, including Stepping Up, The Purpose Revolution, and The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die. A Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center in Washington, DC, his current work focuses on reimagining democracy — renewing the civic fabric, rebuilding trust, and creating institutions that work again. He is co-host of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations.

🔗 Connect with John:

SUBSCRIBE & FOLLOW

If this conversation gave you something to think about, here's how to stay with us:

▶ Subscribe on YouTube (and hit the bell so you never miss an episode): https://www.youtube.com/@thewayforwardrc?sub_confirmation=1

🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ (paste your show's Apple Podcasts URL)

🌐 Visit our website: https://wayforwardpodcast.com 🔗 All our links in one place: https://linktr.ee/thewayforwardrc 📧 Reach out: [email protected]

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

💬 We'd love to hear from you. Where do you land — can AI actually help repair democracy, or does it put it at greater risk? Leave a comment below; John reads them, and your perspective genuinely shapes where this series goes next.

THANK YOU

Thank you for spending this time with us and for being part of The Way Forward community. Conversations like this one matter most when they're shared — if you found it valuable, pass it along to someone who's wrestling with these same questions. Onward, together.

The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations — tackling the big issues of our time and asking how humanity and planet can have a positive way forward.

What if a river could be brought back to life after a century behind concrete? Amy Bowers Cordalis grew up on the Klamath River, watched the largest salmon kill in American history unfold before her eyes, and then helped lead the largest dam-removal and salmon-restoration project the world has ever seen. This is the story of a 170-year family fight, a people who refused to give up, and the moment the salmon finally came home. Come for the victory — stay for what it teaches us about healing ourselves, our communities, and the Earth.

In this episode of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations, Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier sit down with Yurok attorney, activist, and author Amy Bowers Cordalis to explore one of the great environmental and human-rights stories of our time. Amy takes us from her earliest memories of abundance on the Klamath River, through generations of Indigenous resistance, to the catastrophic 2002 fish kill that set her on a path to law school and a lifelong mission. She shares how the Yurok Tribe declared personhood rights for the Klamath, how the river itself “spoke” to power-company executives at Blue Creek, and how four dams finally came down — with salmon returning to spawning grounds they hadn’t reached in a hundred years. Along the way, the conversation turns to faith, joy, the false narratives that keep us divided, and the truth that we are not apart from nature but a part of it. It is a story of rewilding, regeneration, and hope: if the river can heal, so can we.

Amy Bowers Cordalis is a Yurok Tribal member, attorney, and activist who served as General Counsel for the Yurok Tribe and was instrumental in the historic removal of four dams on the Klamath River — the largest salmon-restoration project in world history. A former attorney with the Native American Rights Fund, she was named a 2024 United Nations Champion of the Earth (Inspiration and Action) and included on the 2024 TIME100 Climate list of the most influential leaders in climate action.

She is co-founder and Executive Director of Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group, which she established in 2022 with co-founder Molli Myers (Karuk). The organization provides legal, scientific, and grassroots support to Indigenous Peoples working to protect and restore the natural and cultural resources at the heart of their identity and sovereignty.

Amy is also the author of the acclaimed memoir The Water Remembers: My Indigenous Family’s Fight to Save a River and a Way of Life (2025), a multigenerational story of Indigenous resistance, environmental justice, and homecoming.

Connect with Amy and her work:

Website: https://amybowerscordalis.com

Ridges to Riffles: https://www.ridgestoriffles.org

The Book: The Water Remembers (Hachette Book Group)

Ridges to Riffles — Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridgestoriffles

Ridges to Riffles — Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ridgestoriffles

Dr. John Izzo is a bestselling author, speaker, and advisor who has spent more than 30 years working at the intersection of leadership, purpose, and social responsibility. He has spoken to over a million people, advised hundreds of leading organizations, and written nine books, including The Purpose Revolution and Stepping Up. A former Presbyterian minister with a Ph.D. in Communication Studies, John brings a deep grounding in both spiritual traditions and practical change-making to every conversation. Learn more at https://drjohnizzo.com.

Alain Gauthier is co-founder and coordinator of the Regenerative Elder Process (REP) at the Elders Action Network (EAN). Now in his 80s, Alain devotes his work to co-creating the conditions for elders to live regenerative lives and to collaborate with younger generations in transforming education and community life. Inspired largely by Indigenous worldviews, the Regenerative Elder Process supports elders in integrating inner growth, community wisdom, and courageous action to help regenerate society, democracy, and the living Earth for future generations. Learn more at https://eldersaction.org/regenerative-elder-process.

The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations is hosted by Dr. John Izzo, Alain Gauthier, and producer Jim Burke. The podcast explores the deeper questions facing humanity through thoughtful dialogue with scholars, leaders, and practitioners working toward a more regenerative future.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thewayforwardrc

Website: https://wayforwardpodcast.com

Email: [email protected]

If you value thoughtful conversations like this:

We’d love to hear what this story stirred in you — leave a comment and let us know.

What is really happening in the growing conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States — and how should we understand it beyond the headlines?

In this episode of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations, veteran journalist and Middle East expert Barbara Slavin joins us for a thoughtful exploration of the historical, political, and cultural forces shaping the current crisis.

Barbara is a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, one of Washington’s leading non-partisan think tanks focused on international peace and security. With more than three decades covering Iran and nine visits to the country, she brings rare depth and nuance to a conversation often reduced to polarized narratives.

This discussion explores the Iran conflict, U.S.–Iran relations, Israel–Iran tensions, Middle East geopolitics, nuclear diplomacy, sanctions policy, and the future of regional stability.

Rather than amplifying fear or taking sides, we slow down and ask:

Our goal — consistent with the spirit of The Way Forward — is to offer a calm, reflective conversation that helps us understand complex global events with greater depth and wisdom.

Topics Covered

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction — why this conflict matters now

About Our Guest

Barbara Slavin is a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, a leading Washington think tank dedicated to international peace and security. She previously reported for The Economist and USA Today and has covered Iran and the Middle East for more than 30 years.

Her book Bitter Friends, Bosom Enemies remains one of the most insightful analyses of U.S.–Iran relations.

Watch Our Previous Conversation

The Middle East in Crisis: A Conversation with Barbara Slavin

About The Way Forward

The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations is hosted by Dr. John Izzo, Alain Gauthier, and producer Jim Burke.

The podcast explores the deeper questions facing humanity through thoughtful dialogue with scholars, leaders, and practitioners working toward a more regenerative future.

Connect With Us

Linktree

Website

Email

Join the Conversation

If you value thoughtful conversations like this:

👍 Subscribe to the channel

What perspectives on Iran or the Middle East deserve deeper discussion?

Immigration has become the defining fault line of our time — but are we really as divided as it seems? Dr. John Izzo and Alain Gauthier are joined by Kathryn Ringham, an elder activist living at the center of the storm in Minneapolis. Together they unpack what's happening on the ground, what the polling data actually reveals, and what a genuine way forward looks like.

🎧 What You'll Hear

💡 Key Quotes

"Immigration is not a crisis to eliminate — it's a force to manage wisely."

— Kathryn Ringham

"The extremes are holding the conversation — but most Americans are far more nuanced."

— Dr. John Izzo

"We need to move from fear to love — relational energy people feel for their children and grandchildren."

— Alain Gauthier

📊 Key Data

👥 Hosts & Guest

Dr. John Izzo — bestselling author, keynote speaker, board member of Elders Action Network, and co-host. Nine books, 500+ companies advised, 1M+ people reached.

Alain Gauthier — international facilitator, systems thinker, and co-host. French immigrant and 40-year green card holder bringing a rare transatlantic lens to every conversation.

Kathryn Ringham — elder activist, retired clinical social worker, and lifelong Minneapolis resident. Member of the Elders Action Network, living two miles from the epicenter of the ICE surge.

📲 Subscribe & Stay Connected

🔗 linktr.ee/thewayforwardrc

🌐 wayforwardpodcast.com

📧 [email protected]

Thank you for being part of our community.

Honest conversations are where the way forward always begins.

Episode Overview

In a culture obsessed with youth, are elders still relevant — or more necessary than ever?

Across traditional societies, elders were honored as wisdom keepers and guides. Yet in modern Western culture, aging is often equated with retirement, retreat, and irrelevance.

What if this moment in history calls for something radically different?

In this powerful episode of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations, Dr. John Izzo, Jim Burke, Diana Shoemaker, and Alain Gauthier explore the rise of the Regenerative Elder — blending inner transformation with outer activism to serve future generations. A Regenerative Elder is someone who consciously integrates inner growth, community wisdom, and courageous action to help regenerate society, democracy, and the living Earth for future generations.

Together, through the work of Elders Action Network (EAN) and its educational and activist initiatives — including Elders Rising — they examine how elders can move from retirement to regeneration and become a vital force for societal renewal.

Whatever your age, this conversation may transform how you see aging, leadership, activism, and the future itself.

🌱 The Role of Elders Action Network

This episode highlights the unique role of Elders Action Network, a national organization committed to combining inner development with meaningful civic engagement. Unlike many organizations that focus solely on activism, EAN integrates personal reflection, worldview transformation, and community-building with action in climate, democracy, and regenerative living.

A special focus in this episode is Elders Rising, the emerging educational and community hub within EAN. Elders Rising serves as an entry point for elders seeking:

Elders Rising centers and connects EAN’s programs — including the Regenerative Elder Process, Resilience & Acceptance, Future Design, and Exploring Elderhood — into a coherent pathway for elder transformation and contribution.

⏱ Episode Chapters

00:00 Introduction – The Role of Elders in Modern Society

🌱 How to Get Involved with Elders Action Network & Elders Rising

If this conversation speaks to you, here are ways to engage through Elders Action Network and Elders Rising:

EAN operates through volunteer leadership and community engagement — elders are not just participants, but co-creators of the work.

🔗 Resources & Links

Dr. John Izzo’s TEDx Talk (Boomers & Legacy)

Elders Action Network (EAN)

Elders Rising

Regenerative Elder Process (REP)

Future Design Program

Podcast Episode on Future Design

Resilience & Acceptance (RA)

EAN Book Club & Programs

Exploring Elderhood Course

👥 About Our Guests

Dr. John Izzo

Leadership expert, bestselling author, and TEDx speaker. John serves on the board of Elders Action Network and is a global voice on purpose-driven leadership, legacy, and generational responsibility.

Jim Burke

Producer of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations, longtime healthcare leader, Vietnam veteran, and regenerative elder activist. Jim is deeply involved with Elders Action Network, Elders Rising initiatives, and climate resilience efforts in Washington State.

Diana Shoemaker

Executive Director of Elders Action Network. Diana leads national initiatives in elder activism, community resilience, and regenerative leadership, and oversees the development of Elders Rising as a central educational platform.

Alain Gauthier

Co-founder of the Regenerative Elder Process and longtime leadership consultant. Alain brings deep experience in worldview transformation, regenerative thinking, and elder wisdom traditions within Elders Action Network.

🎧 Stay Connected

If this conversation resonates with you:

👉 Subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform https://www.youtube.com/@thewayforwardrc/featured

Your engagement helps grow a movement of regenerative elders through Elders Action Network and Elders Rising.

🙏 Thank You

Thank you for being part of this community.

Whether you are an elder, becoming an elder, or reflecting on your place in a rapidly changing world — you matter.

The future is not something we wait for.

Was 2025 a year we should forget—or the year everything finally became undeniable? As we step into 2026, the hosts of The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations take on the hardest questions of our time: polarization, democracy, violence, climate disruption, and the collapse of shared meaning. This conversation is honest, provocative, and deeply personal—and we don’t all agree. If you’re wondering where to put your energy now, this episode is for you.

🧭 Show Notes – Episode Summary

In this special 2025 Reflections / 2026 Looking Forward episode, all three hosts—John Izzo, Alain (Alon) Gauthier, and Jim Burke—come together to examine what 2025 revealed about the state of humanity, democracy, and the planet.

They explore:

The conversation moves beyond headlines and elections to ask a deeper question: Who are we becoming—and how will we choose to respond?

This episode also gives listeners a rare chance to get to know the hosts personally: what grounds them, what challenges them, and where they’re putting their energy in the year ahead.

👥 Host Bios

Dr John Izzo, PhD

John Izzo is a bestselling author, speaker, and former Presbyterian minister whose work focuses on purpose, meaning, leadership, and the future of humanity. He brings moral clarity, historical depth, and a gift for asking the questions most people avoid. John is the author of multiple books, including The Purpose Revolution: How Leaders Creae Engagement and Competive Advantage in an Age of Social Good, and a longtime voice calling for deeper reflection in times of disruption.

Alain Gauthier

Alain is a systems thinker, facilitator, and co-creator of the Regenerative Elder process. Drawing from Indigenous history, lived experience, and spiritual inquiry, he helps individuals and communities integrate inner transformation with outer action. His work focuses on regeneration, resilience, and the re-emergence of elder wisdom in a fractured world.

Jim Burke

Jim Burke is the producer of The Way Forward and a lifelong health professional, systems thinker, and climate activist. He serves on multiple local and regional committees focused on infrastructure, climate resilience, and regenerative community development. Jim is deeply interested in longevity, lifestyle medicine, clean energy, and redefining elderhood for the 21st century.

🔗 Links & Where to Find Us

Podcast & Website:

Linktree (all platforms & support links):

Listen & Watch:

📣 Call to Action (Subscribe, Comment, Engage)

If this conversation resonated with you:

Your engagement helps us grow this community of thoughtful, courageous, regenerative conversations.