ChangeMakers

Now in it's 11th year, Aidan Cares is an independent 501c3 created by a board of supporters that believe in this crucial mission. All donations are used for impacting youth and adults along their paths to give and serve partnering to do so with charities doing awesome stuff. Learn more: https://www.aidancares.org/ The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insu...

Through great adversity after a horrific road traffic accident in October 2017 left Dr. Ajay G Doni with a prosthetic leg, Dr. Ajay has used that life changing event as a platform to guide various amputees on how to overcome amputation trauma, provide tips on improving gait pattern, and educating others on various prosthetic options and components available as brand ambassador for Össur.   Learn m...

Carol Johnson-Dean, Ed. D., is currently the Interim President, LeMoyne-Owen College, Memphis, TN.  Prior to that appointment, she served as the Executive Director of New Leaders, South Region, a national organization providing leadership development for aspiring principals and teacher leaders.  She has provided oversight to New Leaders programs in Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida and Minnesota....

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Robin and Jason Hills, who share their personal story of turning disabilities into the powerful abilities of finding love, starting a family, having successful careers and encouraging others to break out of their mental and physical constraints to find fulfillment, embrace diversity, achieve greater levels of success, and make a difference in the community. The Chang...

Nick has spent over 15 years living or spending time in over 30 countries around the world. He has led non-profit organizations, coached CEO’s, consulted with Fortune 500 companies, and spoken at award-winning events. Nick loves hanging out with his family, collaborating with amazing humans, reading (70-ish books per year), smoke his pipe, drinking coffee, and traveling.  Follow cityCURRENT + Nick...

A story so powerful it was made into a movie, Liz Murray shares her fascinating, inspirational story of growing up with two drug addicted parents who she began supporting at age 10. Homeless at age 15, the death of her mother was the wake-up call that made her break free of her circumstances and pursue a different path for her life. While living on the streets of New York, she completed and gradua...

As vice president of government affairs for Baptist Memorial Health Care, Keith Norman's primary responsibilities include establishing and maintaining relationships with government officials and strengthening Baptist's community outreach partnerships.  He also is pastor of First Baptist Church—Broad, sits on the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission board of directors, serves on Christian Brothers Unive...

Sandler Training has been named the number one management training program in Entrepreneur Magazine for five years, as well as the top rated sales and sales management training organization in the country by Inc. Magazine. Learn more: https://www.csp.sandler.com/about/local-sandler-trainer The ChangeMakers Podcast is produced by cityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Servi...

In this position, his region consistently earned the VIP Award for top production and management.  He was honored as the Fort Worth Star Telegram’s 2001, 2006 and 2007 Front Page Award Winner by the Fort Worth Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. In 2007 he was honored with the National Association and Financial Advisor Career Service award. Born in Fort Worth, Texas, John earned his B...

Today, constant and never-ending innovation in the face of change is the key to creating sustainable success. Innovation, simply put, is the transformation or reinvention of something in a progressive, forward-moving direction. Therefore, our ability to reinvent—or pivot—is critical to lasting and meaningful change and success. Imagine the possibility to be better equipped to not just navigate, bu...

When reflecting on the leadership qualities that landed her the presidency at STCC, Dr. Tracy D. Hall describes herself as results-oriented, a “people person,” and someone passionate about urban communities. “I want to get things done,” she emphasizes. “And making sure people have a voice at the table. They may not be able to physically be there, but they need a representative. When making decisio...

As Vaco Nashville ’s Managing Partner, Kyle Allen oversees their Music City team and its day-to-day operations. He puts his heart and soul into making sure every one of their corporate clients gets the attention and service they promise and then some. He believes – and exemplifies- the idea that you don’t gain clients when everything is going great; it’s when you rush in to handle a crisis that yo...

Unsure of his future, Anderson fell into a deep depression. During this time, he had no choice but to ask himself some difficult questions and do a tremendous amount of soul searching. Finally after many months of darkness, Marcus had an epiphany.   This caused a huge personal paradigm shift allowing him to see his injury as a wakeup call. This gift of adversity served as the catalyst Marcus neede...

Prior to becoming CEO, Shadyac served as the chairman and president of the ALSAC Board of Directors. Shadyac joined the Board in 2000, and in addition to leading the Board, he has served as the vice chair and has been active on a number of Board committees, including Finance, Marketing, Strategic Planning, Building and Special Events. A practicing attorney for 27 years, Shadyac worked as a partner...

In 2012, Mary Latham was sitting at her desk in NYC reading the news on the Sandy Hook School shooting when a co-worker told her about an act of kindness that had happened to him. A random man had bought a $100 gift card at the Starbucks across the street and asked the barista to run it out on the line behind him. Mary's co-worker was in that line. He had been having a horrible year and the expres...

The book chronicles Morris’ life and his time in public service, his efforts to promote foreign trade nationally and to bring foreign businesses to Tennessee, his efforts to promote Memphis, and his personal relationship with Elvis Presley. The book also illustrates the foundation of Morris’ success – his devotion to his loving wife, family, and his deep religious roots. “From the depths of povert...

Chef Logan Guleff has been named one of the Most Influential Teens by Time Magazine and a James Beard Blended Burger Winner. Since becoming the 2014 MasterChef Junior champion he has become a rising star in the culinary world. He was named Southern Living‘s Best New Southern Cook and earned a spot on Fortune Magazine’s 18 Under 18 list; he’s also the youngest certified judge for the World Champion...

Meg Clarke is an SEO expert and the owner + founder of Clapping Dog Media. After studying marketing and graphic design in college, Meg found herself working in boutique ad agencies where she developed her interest in attracting the ideal customer for her clientele. Meg left this position when she traveled to Uganda to adopt her eldest sons but found upon her return that she missed the job. She tur...

Victor Boutros is the CEO and Founding Director of the Human Trafficking Institute and co-author with Gary Haugen of The Locust Effect: Why the End of Poverty Requires the End of Violence, a book published by Oxford University Press in 2014. Drawing on real-world cases and extensive scholarship, The Locust Effect paints a vivid portrait of the way fractured criminal justice systems in developing c...

We are entering the greatest period of global transformation the world has ever known. These tectonic changes are enabled by rapidly evolving technology and destabilizing demographic changes. This constant state of disruption mandates a new level of professional courage and influence in order to effectively impact our organizations and those around us. Seth Mattison challenges conventional leaders...

David French is the President and Chief Marketing Officer of the newly formed nonprofit The Memphis Brand Initiative. The organization has been launched to lead Memphis brand stakeholders in well-coordinated, best-in-class brand, marketing and communications practices, which spark civic pride and attract talent, tourists and business investment to Memphis. Prior to this role, Mr. French was Senior...

Steve Hinkley is the President and CEO of Adventure Science Center (ASC) in Nashville, Tennessee. Alongside board members, staff and community leaders and volunteers, ASC is implementing a multi-year transformation to become a premiere hands-on science and innovation center. Prior to moving to Nashville, Hinkley served as the President and CEO of MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation i...

Grace Askew is an incessant songwriter. Each and every day of 2018 she has written a new song and performed it live for her fans on Facebook and Instagram. She maintains this practice while touring, collaborating on projects with Wrangler and Stetson in New Mexico, developing new sounds, and recording. Her mantra “creativity is a muscle; dare to suck” epitomizes her endeavor, as she explores the l...

Carol Coletta is Senior Fellow, American Cities Practice, at The Kresge Foundation. In addition to leading the foundation's initiative, Reimagining the Civic Commons, she is on loan as president and CEO of the Memphis River Parks Partnership. She previously served as vice president of Community and National Initiatives for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, a national foundation with deep...

Kurt Heinecke is probably best known as the Music Director for Big Idea Entertainment and their ground-breaking video series' “VeggieTales" and "3-2-1 Penguins”. For over 20 years, Kurt co-wrote, produced, arranged, and scored hits like “The Hairbrush Song” and “His Cheeseburger”, along with two major motion pictures, selling over 70 million audio and video units and garnering 7 Dove Awa...