DRIVEN BY THE MISSION

Send us Fan Mail Episode 13- Mission: Sustained Excellence In this episode, we sit down with Walt Holliday , Executive Director of the Cox Communication Center at LSU and a 32-year veteran of academic support and student athlete development. What starts as a reunion of old friends quickly becomes a masterclass in servant leadership, quiet excellence, and staying grounded through relentless change....

Send us Fan Mail Episode 12- Mission: Accountability In this episode of Driven By The Mission, we sit down with Katie Ethridge , a respected leader and lifelong champion of student-athlete success.  Katie offers candid insight into how meaningful relationships, individualized support, and a clear sense of purpose can transform lives both on and off the field. She also honors the legacy of her late...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 11- Mission: Learning Style'Z In this episode of Driven By The Mission , Raymond Harrison and Jean Boyd welcome Yolanda Black , Learning Specialist at the University of Georgia, to spotlight the work happening behind the scenes of academic support for student-athletes.  The conversation includes conversations about learning styles and skill building, but goes beyond a...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 10- Mission: Gratitude Episode 10 is a milestone so we’re switching it up. Jean Boyd and Raymond Harrison sit down with DBTM team member Cecil Banks III to reflect on the first 10 episodes, the guests who helped build the foundation, and the “why” behind this Mission.  In this episode, the crew shares what it really took to launch DBTM, how a pivotal conversation set every...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 9- Mission: Intentional In this episode of Driven By The Mission, Jean Boyd and Raymond Harrison are joined by Tori Niemann Lukens, Assistant AD and Director of Student-Athlete Development at Clemson University, for a powerful conversation on intentional leadership, identity, and human development in college athletics. Tori reflects on her journey from Division I student-a...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 8 - Mission: Annoying Uncle Courtney “Skip” Skipper has spent 19 years at Arizona State quietly changing lives—first as a GA who “just wanted to do development,” now as Assistant AD for Academic Services. In this episode, Skip, Jean, and Raymond unpack the power of language (“we’re products of expectations, not environments”), why authenticity beats authority with today’s...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 7- Mission : Forever Fueling Former Washington State tennis standout and UCF Director of Sports Nutrition Aneta Miksovska joins Driven By The Mission to pull back the curtain on what sports nutrition really is — and why it’s about far more than food. Aneta traces her journey from the Czech Republic to the Palouse, becoming an NCAA Tournament athlete and three-time Pac-12 A...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 6- Mission: Strength On this episode of Driven by the Mission, Jean Boyd and Raymond Harrison sit down with Karl Holmes Jr., Director of Player Engagement for Oregon Football. Karl opens up about a non-linear path—from arriving at Arizona State with his belongings in trash bags, to JUCO detours, seven concussions, a cleared arrest that still echoes, and a degree earned at...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 5 - Mission: Find Your Fuel Dr. Ron Moses, Deputy AD for Internal Operations at Old Dominion, cuts through the NIL/transfer noise and gets back to the backbone of college sports: academics, outcomes, and human development. From an unconventional path—Youth Challenge Academy, the military, Georgia Military College—to building outcome-driven cultures (3.0 team standards, men...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 4 - Mission: Value Add   Saul Luna, Senior Associate Athletic Trainer for Texas A&M’s Track & Field & Cross Country programs, has dedicated his life to preventing injuries, restoring performance, and building trust in the moments when athletes hit the edge. In this episode of Driven by the Mission, Saul pulls back the curtain on the grit behind the scenes—night...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 3- Mission: Iron Will Joe Connolly, Arizona State Football’s Director of Sports Performance, has built a career around developing athletes who are powerful on the field and prepared for life beyond it. In this episode of Driven by the Mission, Joe shares his philosophy on building trust, fostering discipline, and creating environments where athletes thrive. From strength t...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 2 – Mission: Possible Kim Durand, Deputy Athletic Director at the University of Washington, has spent over 30 years helping student-athletes realize they’re more than the sport they play. From guiding them through the chaos of COVID-19 to navigating leadership transitions and conference realignment, Kim has remained anchored to one mission: comprehensive student-athlete su...

Send us Fan Mail Episode 1 – Mission: Launch Hosts Jean Boyd and Raymond Harrison kick off Driven by the Mission with a bold vision: to spotlight the Hidden Heroes of college athletics and explore how they shape the student-athlete experience. This launch episode lays out the mission, familiarizes listeners with the podcast hosts, and discusses their “why” in this rapidly evolving era of college a...