Ashani Johnson-Turbes, Ph.D. is the Vice President & Director of the Center on Equity Research, a multi-disciplinary Center in The Bridge at NORC at the University of Chicago. The Center advances equity through the development, implementation, and dissemination of high-quality inclusive, and equitable social science research and methods. Johnson-Turbes leads the Center, focused on scientifically rigorous, social science research, expanding culturally responsive research, engaging the community, building partnerships, and embedding equity principles in research across a range of activities and departments. She is an experienced and award-winning social scientist with over 20 years of conducting communication, social marketing, public health, and public policy research, including rigorous measurement of communication messages, materials, and campaigns to promote equity. Johnson-Turbes blends her academic background in political science, political behavior, and public policy with years of work in public health, health communication, and evaluation. She received her BA at Hampton University, MA, and PhD at Purdue University with continued studies in political science and quantitative methods at Leiden University and the University of Chicago. Johnson-Turbes serves on the Board for BLKHLTH, as an Adjunct Professor at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, and the Vice President for the Society for Health Communication.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE

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The Center on Equity Research

NORC EquityCorps Video Series

How Right Now Campaign

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Dr. Nicole F. Roberts is the author of Generosity Wins: How and Why this Game-Changing Superpower Drives Our Success and is the founder of Health & Human Rights Strategies, a health care and human rights-focused advising firm in Washington, D.C. Roberts is also the Executive Director of Feed A Billion, an international nonprofit that feeds girls in need, and the host of The Global Good Podcast. She contributes to Forbes, contextualizing health, and highlighting ideas, companies, and people changing the health landscape. Her writing has appeared in numerous journals and publications, and her talks can be found on the United Nations website and various news and sports outlets. Roberts holds a doctorate in public health from the University of North Carolina, a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago, and an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri. She sits on several boards including the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy Foundation Board of Directors.

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Steve Bollar, a.k.a. Stand Tall Steve, is driven to help schools, associations, and organizations create a better culture and climate through creative innovations and encouragement. His books, Stand Tall Leadership and Ideas, Ideas, Ideas! has been a jumping point for hundreds of organizations on how to increase morale, change the culture and improve the climate for their students and staff.

In 2023 Steve was identified as one of the Top 30 Global Gurus In Education. In 2014 Steve was awarded the Burlington County Principals and Supervisors Association Visionary Leadership Award. In 2011 Steve was recognized by South Jersey Magazine as South Jersey’s top 20 Men of the Year. Additionally, Steve was chosen by Suburban Family Magazine Top 20 Citizen of the Year for 2012. Steve is also a member of the Jostens Renaissance Hall of Fame. Renaissance is a program that focuses on recognizing students and staff while developing a positive school culture.

Steve served on the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association and currently sits as a board member on the Garden State Council of the Boy Scouts.

Steve has a long history in the education system, from art teacher to principal to Superintendent of Schools. His 25+ year career has shown him firsthand how to face the challenges that any organization can encounter and how to overcome them with creativity and communication.

It’s this insight that he brings to the stage during his keynotes, breakouts, and workshops - training administration, teachers, organizations and staff on how to create a better atmosphere for students and staff alike.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE

• Follow Steve Bollar on LinkedIn
• How Right Now
• Stand Tall Steve Online
• Stand Tall Leadership Show Podcasts
• Ideas Ideas Ideas Rally Edition
• Stand Tall Leadership: Stand Tall to Think Differently and Lead Successfully

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Lara Merchant’s passion is teaching young children the social and emotional skills needed in order to be successful in school. This includes responding to children with a trauma-informed approach, as Lara works with a population of children who live with chronic, toxic stress and trauma. It is this population that prompted Lara to complete her certification in Trauma-Informed Practices and Resiliency within her master’s program. These children drive Lara’s mission to ensure schools become trauma-transformed. An out-of-the-box thinker, Lara believes the agent for change will be trauma-informed towns, cities, and states.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE

• Follow Lara Merchant on LinkedIn
• How Right Now
• Hawaii Mission Statement
• Equity-centered Trauma-informed Education: Transforming Classrooms, Shifting Systems by Alex Shevrin Venet
• Restoring Sanctuary: A New Operating System for Trauma-Informed Systems of Care by Sandra L. Bloom & Brian Farragher
• Helping traumatized children learn: Creating and advocating for trauma-sensitive schools

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Zaneta Chuniq Inpower is a community and culture-focused leader, and current International Ms Georgia 2024. Her platform is founded on embracing sisterhood, and advocating for success and self-care for women. As a titleholder, elevating key causes and empowering women is paramount.

Based in Atlanta, Zaneta Chuniq is a digital marketing executive with experience leading marketing campaigns with an array of companies including aspireTV, NFL Players Association, The Source Magazine, ONE MusicFest. Making a pandemic pivot, she has established a niche in providing strategic digital counsel to global healthcare, patient advocacy organizations and pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and others, respectively.

Zaneta is also the founder of 810 Tacos, a MSG & preservative-free seasoning company that pays homage to taco culture in her hometown of Flint, Michigan.

A vocal partner to the underserved and overlooked, Zaneta is committed to community engagement and social advocacy. Civic affiliations include Trees Atlanta, RedefinED Atlanta, Color of Change, Hip Hop Caucus, and is the former Vice President of the Michigan State Alumni Club of Greater Atlanta.

She is a mother to a wonderful high schooler and enjoys international travel, visual arts and reading.

RESOURCES

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Follow Zaneta on X

Follow Zaneta on TikTok

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Lauren Barineau, MPH, CHES, is the founder of Talk More; which focuses on positive and proactive conversations about sexuality among families. A dynamic facilitator with almost 15 years of experience in sexual health and youth development, Lauren has a depth of experience working with schools, youth, and communities in support of effective sexuality education. Lauren started Talk More to change the narrative around sexuality conversations in families and support families in talking earlier, more often, and in shame-free ways. Lauren has led sexual health implementation strategy and capacity-building work with national and state organizations such as Advocates for Youth, Healthy Teen Network, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Answer at Rutgers, and the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential.

Lauren earned her Master’s in Public Health from Emory’s Rollins School of Public Health and lives and works in Atlanta, GA with two little ones who challenge her to think creatively about this work every day.

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Talk-More.org
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If you or someone you know is in need of additional resources to support their mental well-being, share resources found at How Right Now Campaign

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For over two decades, Naomi Morad has been passionate about helping people heal through body-oriented psychotherapy. She is trauma-informed and certified in Advanced Brainspotting, with training in Parts Work, Inner Child Healing, Guided Meditation, and Dance Improvisation. Naomi specializes in addressing symptoms such as anxiety, depression, abuse, attachment disorders, and chronic pain.

Throughout the years, Naomi has repeatedly witnessed how trauma manifests in the body and mind, creating pain, anger, and frustration in our daily lives. She has seen the immense power of healing when bringing awareness and understanding to the root cause of her clients’ pain.

As a motivational speaker and author, Naomi shares her own story of overcoming personal challenges to inspire others to find their own path to transformation.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE

NaomiMorad.com

Follow Naomi Morad on LinkedIn

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Description

JEFF JOHNSTON is CEO of startup Brightn, Author, Founder of The Living Undeterred Project, and host of The Living Undeterred Podcast.

On October 4, 2016, the trajectory of Jeff’s life changed with one phone call. Prior to that day, Jeff was living the American Dream. He had a great family, was a successful entrepreneur running a financial services firm in Iowa, and was seemingly coasting through life. On that fateful morning, Jeff received the phone call that is every parent’s worst nightmare. His oldest son, Seth, had died from fentanyl poisoning. He was 23 years old.

Jeff soon realized that he had two options. He could go down a road of anger and despair and become bitter, or he could use his situation as motivation to become better. He chose the latter.

Jeff decided to take a step back from his career as a financial advisor and focus his attention on making a difference. He became an advocate for bringing awareness to substance use and addiction in teens & young adults. He began speaking at high schools and community events and joined the board of a local treatment facility that Seth spent time at before his death.

In 2020, Jeff founded a non-profit, the Living Undeterred Project, to change the narrative on mental health & substance use disorder. That same year, he wrote his first book, “This One’s For You: An Inspirational Journey Through Addiction, Death, and Meaning,” and started the Living Undeterred Podcast. In 2021, the project got even more personal for Jeff when he lost his wife, Prudence, to alcoholism. He is currently working on a new mental health project, Brightn, geared toward Gen Z.

RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS EPISODE

• Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
• Follow Jeff Johnston on LinkedIn
• Brightn the Wellness App

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