The Helping Conversation

Episode #220: “I do not know what life would be like for me without sport”
Following a highly successful four-year collegiate career as a goalie with the University of Massachusetts, Jen Nardi remains busy and committed to sharing her love for her sport. Jen is both in her 4th season as the Head Coach of the Manhattanville College Women’s Lacrosse Team as well as the Executive Director of The Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse Program, a girls club level lacrosse program based out of Brooklyn, New York.
Jen discusses the helping skills that she utilizes in her work as a coach and in building an organization. Finding herself in athletic leadership roles from childhood, Jen focuses on teaching to love the game and that winning is only fulfilling when done with integrity. Jen interacts with others honestly, authentically and finds the use of self-disclosure to be a powerful mechanism in fostering trusting relationships.
Her leadership with the Brooklyn Crescents is born from her strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Her leadership approach is strength base in nature, she consistently practices empathy and she always makes sure that all of her players, from college to club, know that she deeply cares about them as people.
For more information on the Brooklyn Crescents Lacrosse Program, please log onto: www.brooklyncrescents.com


“All people need to feel like they are being seen”
While on a family trip to Kenya as a 10 year old child, Daphne Pariser was shocked by the lack of available medical care and the normalcy of poverty that was all too familiar for the people living in the local villages. Moved by this sight, Daphne returned home determined to create positive change. Since this transformational moment, Daphne has worked on creating a model to end poverty through culturally-sensitive, sustainable small businesses for people living in extreme poverty. She is now the Founder and CEO of Humans for Education and her organization has impacted thousands of people. Humans for Education strategically delivers innovative solutions and quality education within communities in Kenya to combat the global educational deficit.
Employing a comprehensive approach to addressing poverty by focusing on creating improvements in the health, educational and financial needs of the community, their programs help schools become economically self sufficient and focus on developing curriculum and life skills to improve people’s quality of life.
Daphne discusses the helping skills and perspectives that guide her compassionate and data driven work within the communities of Kenya including honoring established customs and traditions as well as always treating the residents of each village as their own best resource. Viewing all people that she works with through a strength-based lens, Daphne’s ability to listen deeply and with complete focus on the needs and ideas of others empowers her to create systems and organizations that are co-created in nature and are able to maintain a keen focus on the achievement of life changing goals.
For more information on Daphne’s organization, please log onto:
https://www.humansforeducation.org/


Episode 218: “I found a lid to my pot”
As a Human Resources Business Partner for a global defense contractor, Julia is in the business of helping both employees and their organization grow to their fullest potential. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Management and Business Administration, and is currently pursuing her MS-HRM at Florida Tech. 

Passionate about anything diversity, Julia holds the seat of Diversity Chairperson with the Space Coast Human Resources Association.
As a military spouse, Julia continues to embrace diversity by meeting military spouses from all over the world and connecting them to much needed resources.
Always focused on both the needs of the organization as well as the needs of the individual employee, Julie discusses the skills and strategies that guide her effective and compassionate work with others including directness, honesty, appropriate self-disclosure, creating a safe zone, partnering in problem solving and a profound and celebratory appreciation for the diversity of others.


“No Required Practices: It’s about doing what you need to do to be the best fencer and the best teammate you can be”
Episode 217 : As one of the most knowledgeable and well-connected figures in fencing, in New York City and across the nation, Michael Aufrichtig is in his 10th year as the Head Men’s and Women’s Fencing Coach at Columbia University.
 
Michael has built Columbia Fencing into a national power. guiding Columbia Fencing to three national team championships, 11 total Ivy League team titles, and countless No. 1 national rankings on both the men’s and women’s sides. In addition, the Lions have claimed three of the last five NCAA fencing titles and in each of the last five years Columbia has finished no lower than third place at the NCAA Fencing championships.
Michael is a three-time Ivy League Women’s Coach of the Year honoree and recipient of the 2016 USA Fencing Coaches Association Varsity Coach of the Year award
Starting with the program moto, “Never Alone”, Michael discusses his unique coaching philosophy and strategies that have resulted in sustained high-level team and individual student-athlete success.
Listen in and learn how Michael has built a program that, honors the wholeness of his student-athletes, empowers them to be their own best resource and maintains an atmosphere of trust and inclusion that highlights devotion to team as well as the celebration of individual talent and achievement.
For more information on Michael and Columbia University Fencing:
https://gocolumbialions.com/sports/fencing/roster/coaches/michael-aufrichtig/2487

“Treat everything your partner gives you as a gift”
Episode #216: Jason has been teaching and performing improv comedy for almost two decades having trained with directors, instructors and alumni from Second City, Annoyance, Improv Olympics, Upright Citizens Brigade and more. Jason is proud to be part of the Westside Improv Studio community for the past 6 years where he’s been a member the theater’s two longest running house teams, long-standing team coach and Players Workshop teacher.
A big believer in improv not only as a creative art form but also as a powerful set of skills that can help strengthen relationships, create more fulfilling work, and enrich lives, Jason is now bringing his expertise and knowledge to his work as a Professional Coach working with individuals, groups and teams.
Highlighting how Improve can be utilized in the formation of more effective teams, Jason shares how this unique art form is built upon a structure of complete trust with your partner the co-creation of a safe and creative space that invites and celebrates vulnerability. Other concepts that are inherent in the successful creative process known as Improve and that are foundational to all helping conversations include listening deeply, total acceptance of others and honesty.
Jason Parker:
Email:parkerman43@gmail.com LinkedIn:
LinkedInwww.linkedin.com/in/jasonparker-creativity/

Episode #215 Kellie Syfan, M.ed., BCBA is a Behavior Analyst, Consultant, Mindset Coach and the owner of Applied Behavioral Happiness which is based in Wake Forest, North Carolina
In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Kellie shares the science behind and the practice of Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA). Employing this evidence-based modality that empowers both parents and children to be an active part in behavioral problem solving, Kellie discusses how she utilizes aspects of her unique helping conversation including holding space, treating parents and children as their own best resource, honoring autonomy (including that of children) and always being dedicated to bringing the most recent research and evidence-based finding into her practice.
It is Kellie’s mission to bring applied behavior analysis to every family struggling with behavioral challenges, and to empower and encourage the mindset of deliberate creativity in the field of behavior analysis.
**As a Thank You for listening to this episode of The Helping Conversation, Kellie is offering listeners the following free gift:
“THREE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS THAT YOU SHOULD HAVE WITH KIDS AND HOW TO START THEM”
To download this free gift from Kellie, Simply log onto: 
https://motivated-producer-2796.ck.page/336aaa51f3,
For more information on Kellie and Applied Behavioral Happiness, please log onto: www.appliedbehavioralhappiness.com

Episode #214 - In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Sue Kirby, President and Executive Director of Brightstar Community, whose mission is to “help women survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, abuse and addiction find healing, hope, and freedom.” Sue shares her inspiring story of how she grew her vision for helping others into a not-for-profit organization that now helps women free themselves from the trauma of Human Trafficking and Substance Use Disorder. Employing an evidence-based model, Brightstar Community provides and/or supports a myriad of services to women including housing, mental health and Substance use disorder treatment services and education. Sue discusses how her program is built upon a foundation of helping skills including a strong focus on creating trust, safety and inclusion, listening to connect, honoring multiple pathways of recovery, focusing on trauma informed care, authenticity, empathic connection and treating people as their own best resource.
At a time when it continues to be easy for society to dismiss the reality and trauma of Human Trafficking, Sue and her organization shine a bright light on the healing power of love, compassion, and understanding.
For more information on Brightstar Community, please log onto https://www.brightstarcommunity.org/

Episode #213: In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Yana Khashper, CEO and Co-Founder, and Jon Westfall, Interim Executive Director, discuss the creation and explosive growth of their Recover Community Organization, ROCovery Fitness. An evidence-based model, ROCovery Fitness is “a supportive community of physically active individuals brought together by sober living, committed to creating an environment of healing and recovery.   Members, friends and families are empowered to discover their inner strength and confidence through adventure, fun and camaraderie.” Yana and Jon discuss the helping strategies and skills that are the cornerstone of their success including treating people as their own best resource, listening deeply, honoring multiple pathways of recovery, facilitating safe, trusting and inclusive relationships, viewing all members of their community through a strength-based lens and the need for self-care.

A must listen for all who celebrate recovery in all of its wonderful forms!!

For more information on ROCovery Fitness, please log onto:
https://www.rocoveryfitness.org/

Shelly St John is the founder of Shelly St. John Inspires and The Auction Divas. She is a keynote speaker, speaker performance coach and fundraising auctioneer working to help people build their businesses and attract new clients and donors through her programs. “auction Fundraising Growth Strategy Hacks” and “BADASS Public Speaking”.
As an entrepreneur who spent 20+ years in her marketing firm and 14 years as an auctioneer, Shelly has spent her lifetime learning how to read an audience and to influence the way they react. Her focus is to train speakers and fundraisers to CONNECT with their audience (large or small) to help their listeners make decisions and take action on their message.
Shelly has served as an Auctioneer, Emcee or Speaker at over 700 events and has raised $125 million for charity.
In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Shelly discusses how she utilizes aspects of traditional helping conversations in how she connects and builds a relationship with larger audiences. Shelly uses thoughtful open ended questions to draw people into her performance and assist them in identifying their personal connection to the cause or organization. Shelly describes a how she utilizes 3 Act Story Structure that parallels the structure of a coaching session.
For more information on Shelly, please log onto www.theauctiondivas.com

Episode 211: Since 1991, Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin has served as President & CEO of Parents Anonymous® Inc, the nation’s premier family strengthening organization whose mission is to ensure meaningful Parent and Youth Leadership with lived experiences in Shared Leadership® that results in better outcomes for families and communities by advocating, implementing and evaluating across systems through evidence-based Parents Anonymous® Groups, National Parent Helpline®, California Parent & Youth Helpline, Shared Leadership® in Action and National Certification of Parent Leaders and Staff.
Dr. Pion-Berlin is a passionate and compassionate leader and expert in resiliency, shared leadership®, family strengthening and prevention with more 38 years of research, advocacy and program implementation focusing on Evidence-Based Services and Initiatives. Fondly, called Dr. Lisa she has a Ph.D. in Social Work from Ohio State University, Masters in Social Work & Masters in Public Administration from University of Denver, and Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Georgetown University.
In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Dr. Lisa discusses some of the foundational skills required to do effective and respectful helping work with parents, families and children including acknowledging and affirming all feelings, maintaining a strength base approach, listening deeply and treating all as their own best resource. Dr. Lisa and the work of Parent Anonymous is built upon honoring the wisdom of parents and supporting their place as the experts on their own families. Dr. Lisa states that all parents want to do well and are often battling a variety of systems and narratives that are not parent friendly.
For more information on Parents Anonymous, please log onto www.parentsanonymous.org 


Paula has been a social worker for over 40 years, most of that time working with children from infancy through college, along with their families. Prior to retiring, Paula was a School Social Worker in the Webster Central School District for 29 years. She is especially proud to have been a part of the development of the district’s Response to Crisis and Tragedy in the 1990’s. She also participated in the development of the Trauma, Illness and Grief Consortium (TIG), which will be celebrating its 20th year in 2021. Her work with students, families and staff was always based on respect, honesty, trust, and caring. The school building, and the district as a whole, is a community whose function is to support the learning and social emotional growth of students. But students don’t leave their emotional struggles or celebrations at the school entrance. We celebrate with them and support them through their struggles.

In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Paula discusses experiences, concepts and skills that guided her compassionate and highly effective work with students and families. Paula shares her insights into not only how to successfully engage students of all ages, but how to make yourself an indispensable part of an interdisciplinary team. Concepts discussed include “showing up,” listening deeply, maintaining a strength base perspective and authenticity. Paula also highlights the influential role she played in leading her district to a more trauma informed perspective.

Mary Lally has been a special educator for the past 24 years and throughout that time, she has always tried to add a dash of humor and compassion wherever she is. She has taught students from preschool to high school and has discovered one common thread in every classroom she has ever entered. It is all about building relationships---with students, parents, colleagues, and the community. This has been her mission and purpose. Sense of belonging, empathy, understanding, and rapport are the hallmark qualities of fostering the growth of relationships. In February 2019, when Mary was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, she discovered that with faith, gratitude, and love, the obstacles in life may just prove to be the most meaningful opportunity to grow.

Being in the role of student can be vulnerable making and stressful, this is especially so if you are a student with learning challenges. In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Mary discusses her career in Alternative Education and shares some of the strategies that she utilizes to create safe and trusting relationships with her students including active and reflective listening and engaging in an empathic and compassionate manner. Highly intuitive regarding the needs of her students, Episode 209: Mary is an expert at building rapport with all of her students by viewing them all through a Strength Based lens (all students want to be successful). Mary highlights how true authenticity in combination with a sense of humor can engender a safe and effective classroom learning environment.

Join your host Keith Greer as he discusses some of the highlights from episodes 4 – 6 of Season 2 of The Helping Conversation. Topics discussed include Listening, honoring, creating a safe space (HUGE emotion with this one), speaking the truth, possibility thinking – being a “posibilitator,” being Strength based, the power of language, empathy, courage employing a systemic perspective on behavior and change ( not just an individual process) engendering hope, listening to connect and not respond, treating others as a resource, the art of empathy, engendering trust within organization, speaking the truth within organization, the art of being present (mindfulness), making yourself vulnerable, inviting clients to set an intention (focus), the art and practice of curiosity

The founder of Inspired Possibility, Barb Klein is a Possibilitator, life coach, retreat leader, meditation instructor, and the author of 111 Invitations: Step into the Full Richness of Life. She is also a team member at MomPower.org, an organization whose mission it is to help moms with addicted children find strength, wisdom, perspective, sanity, and hope. As a mom who has navigated life through her son’s addiction for more than a decade, she is determined to create something positive and meaningful out of this experience. She supports other moms who have been impacted by a child’s addiction or other mental health condition to make their own well-being a priority and to find peace and possibility beyond the pain.
Through 1:1 sessions, workshops, retreats, and through her writing, Barb helps women who have lost connection with their inner wisdom and guidance to come home to themselves and take back their lives.

In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Barb discusses her unique and influential perspective on the importance of self-care for Mom’s, especially those that love a child struggling with Substance Use Disorder and other Mental Illness. Leading with a focus on mindfulness and re defining what it means to “love your child and yourself,” Barb employs the helping skills of deep listening, discovering possibilities, allowing herself to be vulnerable and creating and holding a safe space for her clients to get curious about life long beliefs about self that have not worked for them, and then, redefine how they care for themselves and those that they love. For more information on Barb Klein: www.inspiredpossibility.com

Episode 206 :

Laura Stradley is an Army veteran who spent eight years on active duty, during which time she was stationed in Korea, Fort Benning, Fort Rucker and Germany. While in Germany, she was deployed to Bosnia in support of Operation Stabilization Force. Just before leaving the service, Laura earned her Master of Science in Business Administration from Baker College.

Since leaving the military, Laura has worked with veterans in a number of capacities and since September 2017, she has been the Executive Director of the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester, New York. In 2015, Laura was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame.

At a time when only 26% of veterans receive services through the Veterans Administration, programs that meet the many physical and mental health needs of our veterans and their families are at a premium. Laura discussed the array of supportive and therapeutic services available through the Veterans Outreach Center. In doing so, Laura highlights her use of a number of foundational helping skills including engendering hope, listening deeply, listening to connect vs. quickly responding and viewing people as their own best resource. Laura is highly skilled at utilizing a Helping Conversation not only with the veterans that she works with, but in building a caring and compassionate organization.

Episode 205: Dr. Makini Beck holds a dual appointment is an Assistant Professor in The School of Individualized Study and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Rochester Institute of Technology. 
Dr. Kiah E. Nyame serves as Founding Executive Director of Ujima (ooojima) Rochester/Ujima Atlanta, Inc., a pro-social development agency serving severely-at-risk youth and their families and possesses expertise is in family, youth, and generational cultural trauma and youth intervention/prevention.
Steve Lysenko has served in a variety of roles in education at all junctures, Kindergarten through Graduate School, in the Greater Rochester Area since 2000 and is also the President of the Local Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME).
My guests focus their significant expertise on the topic of Multicultural and Anti-racist education. Touching on the long history of our educational systems teaching a “white” version of history, ideas and models are discussed that challenge our entire educational system to “tell the truth” by teaching multiple truths and perspectives that honor and celebrate the experience of people of color. The challenge of inviting the system to engage in this crucially important dialogue is highlighted along with the “cost” to students of color when they internalize messages that “white is better.” Examples of multicultural educational practices are discussed.

Episode #204: Join your host Keith Greer as he discusses some of the highlights of the first 3 episodes of Season 2 of The Helping Conversation. Topics discussed include Coaching for Adventure, Holding Space and inviting Possibility Thinking, The Power of Authentic Curiosity, Servant Leadership, The impact of Leaders as Vulnerable, Facilitating a Strength Based conversation, the power of Values Clarification and creating Trust and Safety.

Episode #203: Erin Lindstrom is a sales strategist and money mindset coach for online business owners and the founder of Human Being Club, a network of conscious humans to collect, connect, and collaborate. Erin helps her clients achieve their life and business goals with a blend of down-to-earth spiritual tools and practical techniques. Erin discusses how her unique brand of helping begins with her authentic curiosity about people’s story, not only focusing on what they say, but what they don’t say. She is highly skilled at the art of “holding space” for clients, empowering her clients to engage in true possibility thinking. She views people through a holistic lens, inviting them to identify and celebrate their many strengths and capacities, all of which results in her clients creating and sustaining significant change in their lives. For more information on Erin: Hello@erinlindstrom.com/ https://www.erinlindstrom.com/

Episode #202: Aneesha Jacko leverages over 21 years of experience as an Educational Leader, Coach, Teacher, Counselor and Licensed Minister toward her compassionate, creative, and influential work with leaders, teachers, students, individuals, families, and organizations.  As a School Leader in a large urban district, her approach is both strength based and inquiry oriented, partnering with teams as they create awareness, generate action, and facilitate learning and growth. Aneesha discusses that strategies and skills that she utilizes to quickly create safe and trusting relationships with students, parents and colleagues. Highlighting the importance with children of “establishing that I am a likeable person,” Aneesha shares how all good work with children comes from a base of creating a trusting and safe relationship with their parents. Her work with colleagues is grounded in her perspective that she is there to serve them, to do all she can to support their success. Aneesha possesses an amazing ability to be vulnerable with her students and colleagues and grounds her unique brand of The Helping Conversation in authenticity and knowing “when to listen vs. when to say.”

Episode #201: Leah Milton is a coach and entrepreneur whose life philosophy surrounds building community and empowering others through adventure. She has lived and worked all over the USA and Central and South America in the hospitality industry.
In 2016 Leah co-founded Hike For Beer, a mission-driven adventure tour company in San Diego focused on bringing people together through public land preservation and local craft beer education. She is a Certified Professional Whole Person Coach, writer, and consultant on business development and marketing strategy.
Leah shares how her many personal journeys have shaped her passion for the outdoors, travel, adventure and coaching. Successfully engaging her clients through a combination of natural curiosity, empathy and an ability to listen deeply, Leah assists her clients in identifying how they can invite adventure into their own lives in a manner that honors their values and vision. For more information on Leah: leah.milton@gmail.com/ https://www.facebook.com/leahmiltoncoaching

The Rev. Dr. Marlowe Washington is a graduate of St. Francis College in Brooklyn, NY. with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor concentration in history. He attended Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, NJ and in 1997 graduated with a Master of Divinity from The New York Theological Seminary in Manhattan, NY. He graduated from Northeastern Seminary at Roberts Wesleyan College attaining the Doctor of Ministry in transformational leadership. He successfully completed his second doctoral degree at St. John Fisher College in May 2019 earning a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Executive Leadership with a concentration in diversity and inclusion in higher education administration.
Currently, the Senior Minister at Seneca United Methodist and known to all as Pastor Marlowe, in this episode of The Helping Conversation, he discusses how his work both within his congregation as well as across his community is guided by the concept of being a Servant Leader. This model of leadership focuses on empowering and uplifting those who work with the leader, serving instead of commanding and showing humility instead of brandishing authority. With this as his foundational perspective on helping others, Pastor Marlowe is dedicated to social and political activism and entrepreneurship. His ministry and community engagement reflect a diverse range of causes and strategies within the goal of working to create justice and equality for all people.

Chief Mark Henderson has 34 years of law enforcement experience. He has held a variety of positions in the Brighton Police Department including Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and in July 2010 he became the Chief of Police. Upon his retirement, Mark has taken on his new role with the Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester which includes working with congregations on security procedures and protocols, facility security assessments, and working to instill a culture of security community-wide.   He is also tasked with working with locations that have security vulnerabilities by identifying funding sources to help remediate the deficiencies. 

In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Mark shares his vast experience and expertise on the ways in which law enforcement professionals bring their own unique strategies to The Helping Conversation including community relationship building, an understanding of mental health issues and their need for self-care. In his present role, Mark shares all that he is doing to create trust and safety within his relationship across constituent groups by listening deeply, asking questions and being open to learning about and celebrating cultural/religious diversity.  

A strong advocate of providing individuals struggling with Substance Use Disorder with evidence-based treatment options, Dr. Michael Pantalon is The founder of The Center for Progressive Recovery, LLC, a training organization that certifies coaches in the practice of Progressive Recovery Coaching and is co-founder and CEO of Recoverypad.com, a text-based recovery coaching platform. Dr. Pantalon also is a clinical psychologist and Senior Research Scientist at the Yale School of Medicine, where he's been developing and studying cutting-edge treatments for alcohol, cocaine, opioid, and tobacco use disorders, as well as training hundreds of clinicians and coaches in evidence-based addiction treatment, since 1997.
In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Dr. Pantalon discusses many of the cutting edge, evidence-based concepts that guide the practice of Progressive Recovery Coaching, ie: autonomy, Motivational Interviewing, brief interventions, etc., as a very unique form of The Helping Conversation. When utilized in combination with the power and convenience of text-based recovery coaching support, Dr. Pantalon has created a client centered model that is highly effective, research supported and that honors individuals as the best resource in their lives.

For more information on how to access text-based recovery support and/or how to become a Certified Progressive Recovery Coach, please log onto www.recoverypad.com.

Dr. Mick Krasner, Professor of Clinical Medicine and Professor of Clinical Family Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, practices primary care internal medicine in Rochester, New York. Dr. Krasner has been teaching Mindfulness-Based programs to patients, medical students, and health professionals for more than 20 years with a keen focus on the connection between health professional well-being and the effectiveness of the healing relationship.
He has shared his work in peer-reviewed publications, scientific assemblies, workshops, visiting professorships, and intensives throughout the world and he describes his personal mission as centered on compassion in medicine- for the self and others, envisioning a personalized health professional-patient relationship where healing is truly bidirectional, care goals are mutually derived, and the uniqueness of the clinical encounter reflects this central act of mutual high regard.
Not a personal failing, but the result of a number of systemic and structural forces that place unrealistic demands on our health professionals, upwards of 50% of physicians experience significant indicators of burnout, starting in medical school. Dr. Krasner discusses the growing role of mindfulness-based practices in assisting physicians and other medical professionals in coping with the many stresses of their profession. Dr. Krasner outlines some of the foundational tenets of mindfulness-based thinking as well as his experience across the globe in engaging his colleagues around this very unique brand of The Helping Conversation.

An addiction psychiatrist, Dr. Halligan is double board certified in General and Addiction Psychiatry. She completed a Fellowship in Addiction Psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina in 1998 and has been treating people with addictions in inpatient, outpatient and private practice settings ever since.
For the past 22 years, Dr. Halligan has focused almost exclusively on providing consultation, individual and group therapy, and medication management for people struggling with addictions.
Exploring the role of transference, motivational enhancement techniques, the use of evidence-based medications for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder and the art of deep listening, Dr. Halligan discusses how she goes about engaging people struggling with addiction in her unique brand of The Helping Conversation.

Optimax Systems, Inc., is an optical components manufacturer, located in Ontario, N.Y. Founded in 1991 in the basement of a barn, the company, led by Mike as President, has grown to more than 350 teammates, of which, more than 300 are highly skilled technicians, engineers and scientists. A master optician himself, Mike has received numerous honors and awards over the years for his leadership and industry success. He holds associate degrees in optical engineering technology and engineering science from Monroe Community College and a bachelor’s degree in applied physics from Empire State College, as well as an Executive MBA from the Rochester Institute of Technology. An advocate for self-managed organizational structures that enable individual workers maximum control and ownership of their work domain, Mike has spearheaded the growth of this internationally renown organization. In this episode, Mike shares the concepts which have guided his leadership including treating all as their own best resource, identifying and building upon strengths, authentic interaction with others and a fundamental belief that people don’t need to be “managed.” He describes Optimax not as a company, but as a “society” that flourishes on transparency of decision making and complete respect for each individual member. Through his interaction with each team member, each team as well as the organization as a whole, Mike has fostered the creation of a societal culture that exemplifies many of the characteristics that are inherent in The Helping Conversation.

In motion more often than not, Suzanne Vita Palazzo is an Empowerment Coach whose philosophy is heavily rooted in the concept of mind over matter. She’s guided by her belief that both the body and mind were designed to progress, even if moving forward requires taking a step back to reflect.

In 2015, Suzanne founded Upper Deck Fitness, an award-winning fitness system that has grown to include a virtual gym, as well as multiple in-person facilities in Stamford and Westport, CT. She is also the founder of Badass and Beautiful, a blog and podcast with a wide-reaching following of people determined to be better than they were yesterday.

In this episode of The Helping Conversation, Suzanne sharers her creative, unique and research based perspective on how she helps her individual clients address their wellness needs over their lifetime. Suzanne models many of the foundational strategies in facilitating a safe and trusting relationship with her clients including treating people as their own best resource and employing deep and empathic listening. Suzanne also shares her strength based and respectful approach to building and expanding her brand and business.

Rabbi Alan J. Katz has served as Senior Rabbi of Temple Sinai in Rochester since 1986. He retired on June 30, 2020 and became Rabbi Emeritus. A graduate of Lehigh University and Hebrew Union College where he received an MAHL (1975), rabbinic ordination (1976) and a Doctor of Divinity (2001). He also studied in the graduate program for pastoral counseling at Iona College for two years. Rabbi Katz has served on numerous community activities including The Greater Rochester Martin Luther King Jr, Commission, The Interfaith Forum, Board of The Hickey Center for Interfaith Study and Dialogue, the Commission on Christian Jewish Relations and the Commission of Jewish Muslim Understanding and is presently on the steering committee of the Levine Center to End Hate. Rabbi Katz was a signatory and a participant in drafting of the Rochester Agreement between the Roman Catholic Diocese, the Jewish Community Federation and the Rochester Board of Rabbis. In this episode Rabbi Katz discusses the framework in which he has counseled congregants and families that combines traditional helping skills such as deep listening and positive regard with an intimate understanding and knowledge of Jewish teachings and values. Known for his groundbreaking work in the world of interfaith relationships, we will explore how the skills required to create change on a societal level emanate from an understanding of The Helping Conversation.

Sandy Greer has enjoyed a highly successful 30 year career in both personal and institutional investment management as she has provided investment management and fiduciary support for individuals, families, endowments, foundations as well as charitable and nonprofit organizations. Most individuals would rather talk about death, then discuss their finances with another person. Sandy approaches this intimate and vulnerable making conversation with her own unique combination of sensitivity, authenticity and technical expertise. Sandy states that “I have a lot of empathy for my clients, based in both my personal and professional experiences. I make myself available to find out what my clients are going through-difficult times and celebrations-so we can help them achieve their very real personal goals. It's about balancing the "qualitative" aspect of a friend with the rigorous quantitative analysis needed in financial planning and investment management. Sandy shares with us how her discussions with her clients, while focused on the world of finances and investment, are based on a foundation of trust, safety and personal relationship…a few of the cornerstones of The Helping Conversation.

Enjoying a national reputation, Lori Drescher is a highly respected and sought after Recovery Coach, Speaker, Advocate and Trainer. Having coached with family members and individuals impacted by Substance Use Disorder since 2014, Lori’s compassionate work with others focuses on promoting recovery by removing barriers and obstacles to recovery and serving as a personal guide and mentor for people seeking or already in recovery. A parent, herself in long term recovery from the effects of loving and living with an adult child who suffers from substance use disorder, Lori founded Recovery Coach University (RCU) in 2016. RCU, recognized as a “Best Practice Trainer” by Friends of Recovery, New York (FOR-NY), has become one of the leading training organizations for those pursuing certifications as a Recovery Coach/Recovery Peer Advocate. Calling upon her unique strengths along with evidence based modalities such as Motivational Interviewing and other concepts from the world of Change Science, Lori will share with us how she engages her clients and students in The Helping Conversation.
Episode 2 –Sandy Greer
Banking Vice President, Trust & Investment Officer
Sandy Greer has enjoyed a highly successful 30 year career in both personal and institutional investment management as she has provided investment management and fiduciary support for individuals, families, endowments, foundations as well as charitable and nonprofit organizations. Most individuals would rather talk about death, then discuss their finances with another person. Sandy approaches this intimate and vulnerable making conversation with her own unique combination of sensitivity, authenticity and technical expertise. Sandy states that “I have a lot of empathy for my clients, based in both my personal and professional experiences. I make myself available to find out what my clients are going through-difficult times and celebrations-so we can help them achieve their very real personal goals. It's about balancing the "qualitative" aspect of a friend with the rigorous quantitative analysis needed in financial planning and investment management. Sandy shares with us how her discussions with her clients, while focused on the world of finances and investment, are based on a foundation of trust, safety and personal relationship…a few of the cornerstones of The Helping Conversation.