Authenticity, Belonging, Community

Gail Plant is an inspirational Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging advocate. She attended Drexel University, where she received her B.A. in Computer Information Systems. Immediately following graduation from Drexel in 1995, she began her career with a local company, where she worked for 27 years until her retirement in June 2022. During her tenure, she held several leadership roles within...

Emily McConnell is a collaborator, designer, educator, and researcher based in Chicago. She has been the resident costume designer at the CCPA Theatre Conservatory at Roosevelt University since 2007, designing almost 100 productions during that time all while managing the costume shop and teaching and supervising students. Starting in the fall of 2024, she will also be serving as the Program Direc...

Lusanda Mayikana is the Dean of Pluralism and Multicultural Affairs at Lake Forest Academy. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Education and Social Justice from Lancaster University (U.K.), a Master of Arts in English Education from the University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa), and a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College. Lusanda came to Lake Forest Academy in 2003 after spendin...

Dr. Damon Cates has been the President & CEO of One Hope United since 2024. Damon received a BA from Millikin University, an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and an EdD from the University of Pennsylvania. He joined One Hope United from the University of Chicago, where, for over 16 years of service, he led alumni relations and development programs for several of the...

Jeffrey Spahn is the founder and president of Leading Leaders Inc. For more than 20 years he has researched, coached and inspired top business executives and their teams through the distinctive collective leadership process of We the Leader. Jeff’s journey into leading leaders was sparked by experiences of collective flow in high school and as a letterman on the University of Michigan football tea...

Dr. Beth-Sarah Wright, an Atlanta-based author, dynamic speaker, and strategic thought partner, writes to inspire transformation and change in communities, institutions, and personal lives. Her impactful work tackles deep-rooted challenges that demand identity shifts and enhanced capacities to achieve lasting, meaningful change. Dr. Wright champions authenticity, striving to align our aspirational...

T. Mark Meyer is a psychotherapist and a consultant for the world’s largest corporations, leading workshops on conflict resolution, authenticity, and authentic management. He coaches professional athletes in discovering their purpose and counsels both couples and individuals. After founding and spearheading several successful companies, Mark connected with his authentic self and refocused his prof...

Sean DeMarco Garcia is the Founder/Coordinator of Astrochemistry Consulting LLC, which offers training and coaching sessions in de-escalation and crisis intervention for frontline workers. They teach individuals how to humanely deescalate those experiencing an emotional or mental wellness crisis both in personal and professional interactions. Sean has written a book on his de-escalation work throu...

Elaine Ho serves as NASA’s Chief Diversity Officer, providing executive and transformative leadership over diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) policy and programs for the entire NASA workforce. Ho is a long-time public servant who has been connected to DEIA throughout her career, having held multiple high-level positions at the Department of Agriculture, IRS, and the White House...

Welcome back to another season of INCOGNITO the podcast! In the first episode of Season 7, Michael offers his thoughts on the demonstrated value of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our society and the high cost of its politicization in the U.S. Michael shares his insight into navigating the divisive world we find ourselves in and reminds listeners that DEI is a human issue, not a politica...

Laura Schellhardt is a Chicago based playwright and adapter. Her original works include Air Guitar High, Auctioning the Ainsleys, The Apothecary's Daughter, The K of D, Courting Vampires, and Shapeshifters, among many others. Adaptations include The Phantom Tollbooth, The Outfit, and Creole Folktales . She is also the author of Screenwriting for Dummies . She’s a two-time Jeff Award nominee an...

Shannon Watson is a communicator, strategist, thought leader, and civic thinker. Shannon has worked in policy public affairs roles for Majority in the Middle, Casper Corcoran, The Medical Alley Association, St. Paul Area Chamber, U.S. Bank, the Minnesota Senate and the National conference of State Legislatures. She has more than two decades of experience in electoral politics having worked on loca...

Michael Rohd is a theatre-maker, educator, process designer, writer and facilitator. His research and creative practice is focused on civic imagination. He has a 30+ year history of projects across sectors bringing cultural activity to the work of public engagement, community planning and cross-sector coalition building. In 1992 in Washington DC he co-founded Hope Is Vital, an arts & public he...

Rhodes Perry is a bestselling author, award-winning entrepreneur, and an internationally sought-after keynoter. He helps senior executives and people leaders build belonging at work by establishing psychological safety and trust. Nationally recognized as a diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) thought leader, he has over 20 years of leadership experience having worked at the White Hou...

Catherine Altman Morgan is an award-winning career transition expert and business consultant who has been coaching clients and colleagues through job and life transitions for more than 20 years. She is the founder of Point A to Point B Transitions Inc. and the author of This Isn't Working! Evolving the Way We Work to Decrease Stress, Anxiety, and Depression. Key Takeaways Be empathetic, use yo...

Joe Davis is an award-winning spoken word artist and bestselling author who uses poetry to power possibility. Joe is a student and practitioner of Radical Joy, a deep-rooted wellspring of well-being that he cultivates in community through writing, music, theater, and dance. Based in Minneapolis, he tours internationally to join schools, faith spaces, and nonprofits to practice envisioning and embo...

Content warning: This episode discusses abuse and suicide. Please take care as you listen. Shirley Buck is the author of the internationally best-selling book Sweet Freedom Whispered in My Ear. A dedicated mindset coach specializing in trauma and abuse recovery. Drawing from her own remarkable journey of overcoming years of severe abuse and trauma. In addition to her coaching expertise she is also...

Andrew Horning is a former licensed private practice psychotherapist with a Masters degree in clinical work from the University of Michigan. He is trained in EMDR, Mediation and Dispute Resolution, Gottman Couples Counseling, and Brené Brown’s Daring Way. He also hosts a podcast on relationships and coached high school basketball. Drew published his book, Grappling: White Men’s Journey from Fragil...

Tim Wise is among the nation's most prominent anti-racist educators and authors.  He has spent the past 30 years lecturing on matters of racism and racial bias in all 50 states, on over 1,500 college campuses, at hundreds of professional and academic conferences, and to corporate, non-profit, and community groups throughout North America. He is the author of eight books, including his highly a...

Season’s Greetings and Season Beginning to all listeners. Season Beginnings refers to the start of the New Year and what will be the 6th season of the podcast.  I am also alluding to the slight change of brand…we will no longer call the show; Incognito the Podcast, but rather; Authenticity Belonging & Community, or ABC for short.  And for many of us, our childhoods were filled with learning ou...

Michael wraps up the 5th season of the podcast with some thoughts around the condition of DEI education in the United States today. He tells of how the pandemic and current political state of affairs has affected his business and that of others attempting to teach and speak out about identity.  Key Takeaways In 2020 former president Donald Trump labeled any and all discussions of race, slavery or...

Eric Grant is the managing partner and financial adviser with Polaris Wealth Management a firm that specializes in insurance, investments and financial advisory services for individuals and businesses. Eric has over 35 years of experience and knowledge in personal and business financial services and is a speaker and lecturer on matters related to personal and business financial planning. He also e...

John Noltner is an award winning photographer who is the founder and creator of A Peace of My Mind — a multimedia arts project, created by award-winning photographer John Noltner, that uses portraits and personal stories to bridge divides and encourage dialogue around important issues. Through exhibits, workshops, lectures, on-site studios, and distance learning, A Peace of My Mind leads transform...

Chaazé P. Roberts, LMFT, is a licensed marriage and family therapist who over the last 16 years studied, trained, and worked at The Family Institute, Bette D. Harris Family and Child Clinic at Northwestern University. Mr. Roberts currently still works as a clinical lecturer and supervisor at the Family Institute for the MSMFT program at Northwestern University. Recently, he embarked on a new ventu...

Greg Moisio is a longtime Waukegan resident, a father of three daughters, a graduate of Waukegan East and a graduate of the University of Illinois Champaign. He holds a masters degree in education leadership from Aurora University. He is a retired educator from the Waukegan school district with 34 years of service as a football coach, a basketball coach, a baseball coach, and a powerlifting coach....