Connected Conversations

The story continues. And it gets stranger. In 1978, Rick Smolan was twenty-eight years old andphotographing an eleven-year-old girl in Korea when her grandmother made an impossible request. Part 1 of this conversation told you what she asked. Part 2 tells you what happened next — including a night in a burning Seoul hotel that neither of them was supposed to survive, and a promise Rick made to God...

Rick Smolan has spent more than four decades telling stories that connect people across cultures, generations, and technologies. In this mini episode of Connected Conversations, Rick explains how storytelling has evolved beyond the printed page. From photographing Robyn Davidson's legendary journey across the Australian Outback to creating smartphone-enabled books that instantly unlock TED Tal...

Rick Smolan was twenty-eight years old, photographing for Time magazine, when a dying grandmother in a Korean village asked him to take her eleven-year-old granddaughter to America. He said yes — and that yes set the shape of everything that came next. In Part 1 of this conversation, Rick Smolan shares the remarkable story behind Natasha's adoption, the chance encounter that made it possible,...

How do you know whether an AI solution is actually useful — or just good marketing? In this mini episode of Connected Conversations, Elena Petrova sits down with Muhammad Atif, President and CTO of PureLogics, to unpack one of the biggest questions leaders are facing right now:When should you move fast with AI, and when should you slow down? Drawing from decades of experience across social media,...

Most organizations are racing to deploy AI. Far fewer are asking what responsible governance should look like before they do. In this episode of Connected Conversations, Elena Petrova sits down with Muhammad Atif, President and CTO of PureLogics, for a conversation about healthcare AI, HIPAA, and the engineering decisions leaders are quietly making at the intersection of speed and responsibility....

What happens when every business starts using the same AI tools? According to Masha Sharma, VP of Merchant Experience at Groupon, we are entering a world where marketing risks becoming predictable, repetitive, and forgettable. If everyone uses the same prompts, the same tools, and the same systems— Do all brands start sounding the same? In this mini episode of Connected Conversations , Elena Petro...

"In eighteen months, most small-business owners won't be talking to their customers. They'll be talking to their agents." Masha Sharma leads merchant experience at Groupon — over a million small businesses, many of them immigrant-owned. In this conversation, we get into what changes when 60% of work is built by AI, why every campaign is starting to sound the same, and what Masha...

AI, Inclusion, Digital Learning, and Why Human Connection Still Matters with Bryan Chicas In this episode of Connected Conversations, Elena Petrova sits down with Bryan Chicas, Program Engagement Specialist at ISTE+ASCD, where he works with educators and leaders to design professional learning in technology, digital citizenship, and instructional innovation. Bryan’s argument is simple and uncomfor...

Most people think visibility builds a business. It doesn’t. Connection does.   In this episode of Connected Conversations , Naowshaba Ferdous breaks down what it really takes to build a brand that people trust, remember, and buy from in today’s crowded digital world. Because the truth is: You can have the best aesthetics, the best strategy, and still not convert. Why? Because your content isn’t ab...

Jordana Cole explains how to navigate uncertainty, AI anxiety, and change—by focusing on what you can actually control.

You’re not as logical as you think. And that might be your biggest advantage as a leader. In this episode of Connected Conversations , hosted by Elena Petrova (Founder & CEO of Ad Astra, Inc. and AdAstraConnect), we sit down with Jordana Cole , President of Ignited LLC and leadership coach, to explore what truly drives communication, decision-making, and leadership in today’s fast-changing wor...

You don’t have to experience trauma directly to be affected by it. In this mini episode of Connected Conversations, Brooke Bralove breaks down the critical difference between burnout and vicarious trauma—and why so many people in helping roles are silently struggling. From emotional overload to the need for community and self-care, this conversation is a must-watch for anyone who supports others.

When your brain goes into survival mode, communication breaks down. In this episode of Connected Conversations , hosted by Elena Petrova (Founder & CEO of Ad Astra, Inc. and AdAstraConnect), we sit down with Brooke Bralove , Licensed Clinical Social Worker, psychotherapist, and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, to explore how trauma, stress, and vicarious trauma affect the way we think, feel, an...

Language access isn’t a service. It’s a human right. In this episode of Connected Conversations, Elena Petrova, Founder and CEO of Ad Astra Inc. and AdAstraConnect, sits down with Marilyn Lovo, Language Access Director at Ayuda, to explore the real-world consequences of language barriers and why getting it wrong can change lives forever. From legal settings to victim services, a single translation...

AI isn’t the threat. Complacency is. In this episode of Connected Conversations , Elena Petrova speaks with Sree Sreenivasan — digital communications expert, former Chief Digital Officer of NYC, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Columbia University- about the future of work, storytelling, misinformation, and the global AI race. Sree has taught generative AI workshops in 11 countries and 18 citie...

“At the center of healing is autonomy." In this mini episode, Jessica Muñoz connects trauma-informed communication to systemic power structures, and explains why survivor leadership, representation, and autonomy are essential in anti-trafficking work. From practical communication choices to deeper institutional patterns, this conversation challenges who holds power, and who gets to define pro...

What if the systems designed to help survivors are causing more harm? In this powerful episode of Connected Conversations , host Elena Petrova speaks with Jessica Muñoz, mental health counselor and trauma-informed communication expert, about the immigrant trafficking crisis in New York City — and why traditional “helper” systems often retraumatize the very people they aim to protect. Jessica share...

How do you build a strong culture when AI feels both like an opportunity and a threat? In this mini episode of Connected Conversations , with Brian Kathman , CEO of OpsCanvas,, hosted by Elena Petrova, founder and CEO of Ad Astra, Inc., and AdAstraConnect, we explore how trust, leadership, and psychological safety shape company culture, and how businesses can adopt AI without fear. From fun team r...

AI is everywhere, but trust, context, and human skills still matter more than ever. In this episode, we sit down with Brian Kathman , CEO & Co-Founder of OpsCanvas , to explore how AI should augment human work instead of replacing it,and why trust is the real barrier to AI adoption. Brian shares insights from his journey as a serial tech entrepreneur, including: • Why AI fails without human co...

What happens when people can’t understand the systems meant to support them? In this episode of Connected Conversations , host Elena Petrova, founder and CEO of Ad Astra, Inc., and AdAstraConnect speaks with Omari Jeremiah , Founding Director of Next Generation Language Access , about language access as a human right, and the real-world consequences when it’s missing. Drawing from over a decade as...

What happens when language access fails — and who pays the price? In this episode of Connected Conversations , host Elena Petrova speaks with Silvia Xalabarde , President of Canadian Translators, Terminologists and Interpreters Council (CTTIC) and Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia (STIBC) , about leadership born from adversity, language rights, and the power of human conn...

What does it really take to rebuild trust after it’s been broken? In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, Connected Conversations host Elena Petrova continues her discussion with Jason P. Armstrong, retired police chief and founder of Armstrong Consulting, diving deeper into accountability, community healing, and leadership under pressure. This episode explores why trust collapses when history is...

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, Elena Petrova sits down with Jason P. Armstrong — retired police chief, National Law Enforcement Officer Hall of Fame inductee, and CEO of Armstrong Consulting — to unpack what real trust looks like in leadership. Drawing from his experience leading reform efforts in Ferguson and other high-pressure environments, Jason shares how empathy, transparency, and...

What can history teach us when the world feels like it’s falling apart? In this wide-ranging conversation, Elena Petrova sits down with Atul Singh , Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Fair Observer , to unpack the state of global institutions, media narratives, and why understanding history is more urgent than ever. In this episode, we explore: Why humans tend not to learn from history,and the few tim...

Released on Veterans Day , this episode of Connected Conversations honours the service, leadership, and global impact of U.S. Army veteran Paris Moeini . Host Elena Petrova sits down with Paris - now Director of Interpretation Operations at Ad Astra - to explore a journey that spans warzones, world languages, and corporate boardrooms. From military missions to managing multicultural teams, Paris s...