Growing Stronger Together

About the Guest: Gloria Dudney is a highly experienced registered nurse and board-certified lactation consultant. With over 31 years in perinatal care and 20 years specializing in lactation consultation, Gloria currently serves as the Director of Lactation Services at ETSU Health. She provides patient care in obstetrics and pediatric clinics and has been a pivotal figure in training additional lac...

About the Guest: Gabriella Smith is the Northeast Regional Coordinator for the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth (TCCY). With a career trajectory that spans victim services and child advocacy, she initially worked in criminology, focusing on domestic violence and sex trafficking. Her transition to TCCY allowed her to expand her impact on child welfare issues. Gabriella's passion is eviden...

About the Guest: Mark Cruise is the Director of the Strong Accountable Care Community (ACC), a bi-state collaborative aimed at improving the physical, social, and economic health in northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. With over 30 years of experience in health and human services, Mark has been influential in connecting more than 400 partner organizations to work collaboratively on various...

About the Guest: Elizabeth Stringer is an English Learner Lead and official interpreter for Galax City Schools in Galax, Virginia. With over 20 years of experience teaching high school ESL, Elizabeth has spearheaded several innovative programs, including early literacy initiatives for Spanish-speaking families. Her work focuses on empowering parents to support their children's literacy and educati...

About the Guest: Elandriel Lewis Elandriel Lewis serves as the Senior Manager of Early Learning and Training at the United Way of Greater Nashville. With a robust background in early childhood education, Elandriel manages the "Read to Succeed" program, supports various childcare centers, and provides extensive professional development and training for educators and parents. Renowned for her creati...

About the Guests: Miles Burdine : Miles is the CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce and a retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He has an extensive background in community engagement, leadership, and mentoring. Miles is also known for being a co-author of the children's book "Live Like Grunt," reflecting his efforts in promoting early literacy and imparting life lessons. Nikki Bur...

Dr. Amanda Witte is a Research Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. Her research is focused on family-school partnerships, early learning, and rural education. She has been involved in several projects related to early learning and development – particularly the experience of children ranging in age from preschool through third grade. She also serves as a family-school cons...

About the Guest: Chapple Osborne-Arnold: Chapple Osborne-Arnold is the Director of Save the Children for the State of Tennessee. With a profound passion for early childhood development and family support, Chapple leads numerous initiatives aimed at uplifting children in rural and under-resourced areas. She has dedicated over 13 years to Save the Children, driving significant impact and fostering s...

About the Guests: Tish Jones- Tish Jones is the dedicated Coordinator of the Ready by 6 initiative in Hamblen County, Morristown, Tennessee. With a fervent passion for early childhood education and community development, Tish has been instrumental in spearheading various programs aimed at ensuring children are prepared to excel in school. Her assertive and enterprising personality has been a key d...

About the Guest:  Patti Woodby is the esteemed Mayor of Carter County, located in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of northeast Tennessee. With demonstrated dedication towards enhancing her community's quality of life, Mayor Woodby has been pivotal in numerous initiatives from early literacy programs to transformative regional projects. Known for her hands-on leadership and ability to foster i...

Uniting Tennessee for Early Literacy: A Collaborative Effort In this episode of the Growing Stronger Together podcast, host Kim Hale, a faculty member at East Tennessee State University and director at the Center of Excellence in Early Childhood Learning and Development, welcomes Katie Elam from the statewide early literacy education collaborative, Select, associated with the Governor's Early Lite...

Nutritional Guidelines and WIC Program Updates: Empowering Families for Better Health This podcast episode, hosted by Dr. Karen Schatzina from East Tennessee State University, features guest Dr. Michelle Johnson, an associate professor and dietetic internship program director. They explore the vital role of nutrition in the health and wellbeing of mothers and families, discussing dietary guideline...

Promoting Early Childhood Development Through Quality Childcare and Education In this episode of 'Growing Stronger Together', Kim Thornhill, an early childhood quality coach from Knoxville, discusses the comprehensive support provided to childcare centers in improving language, literacy, behaviors, and professional development for educators. Kim covers the importance of high-quality childcare, Ten...

Fostering Early Literacy: Tips from Angela Shelton This episode of 'Growing Stronger Together' features host Kim Hale and special guest Angela Shelton discussing practical tips and advice for fostering early literacy in children. Angela, a clinical instructor at ETSU and a Ph. D. student focusing on early childhood education, shares her expertise on how parents, grandparents, and caretakers can su...

This episode of the 'Growing Stronger Together' podcast features Meredith Jordan, the coordinator of the Read and Play for a Bright Future program from the ETSU Department of Pediatrics. Hosted by Dr. Karen Schetzina from East Tennessee State University, the discussion dives into the program's multifaceted approach to promoting family health and well-being through increased play, safety, nutrition...

This episode of the 'Growing Stronger Together' podcast features a discussion with Shana Johnson, Public Health Educator, Carter County Health Department, and Sharon Rice, Nutrition Educator, Carter County Health Department, focusing on health and nutritional support resources available for mothers, families, and children in East Tennessee. Hosted by Dr. Karen Schetzina, the podcast highlights var...

On today's episode, Dr. Karen Schetzina is joined by Meredith Jordan to discuss ReadNPlay and how it can help your children have a more educational and enjoyable reading experience. Thank you for listening! Links from the episode: Learn more about ReadNPlay: https://sway.cloud.microsoft/vpMYYounzEPDgUEV?ref=Link https://www.etsuhealth.org/services/pediatrics/read_n_play.php Follow ReadNPlay on IG:...

Faltering Growth with Dr. Lindsey Lewis During our Teens on Tuesday's segments with host Dr. William Dodd, learn more about ways to support adolescents' well-being during their journey to adulthood. Today is a slight departure from this theme to discuss an important outreach by ETSU Health Pediatrics. Join us today for a discussion about Faltering Growth. Financial support for Growing Stronger Tog...

Lyme Disease with Dr. Demetrio Macariola During our Teens on Tuesday's segments with host Dr. William Dodd, learn more about ways to support adolescents' well-being during their journey to adulthood. Join us today for a discussion about Lyme Disease. Financial support for Growing Stronger Together is provided through a Community Health Improvement Site Investment from Ballad Health’s Department of...

About the Guest: Heather Logan is a seasoned professional dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy. With a rich career history in working with children, Heather has recently transitioned to a role as Regional Program Manager for the Governor's Early Literacy Foundation (GELF) in East Tennessee. Her work encompasses supporting literacy initiatives like Dolly Parton's Imagination Library and...

On today's episode, Kim Hale sits down with Karen Schetzina to discuss the Reach Out and Read program. Karen was involved with bringing this non-profit to the Northeast Tennessee region. She talks about the importance of reading for children and offers some tips to make it more accessible to your kids. From the Reach Out and Read website: "At Reach Out and Read, we believe all families should have...

On today's episode, Kim Hale sits down with Marissa Tester and Beth Gaby to discuss preparing your children for the entrance into their formal education, specifically kindergarten. They offer some key advice on giving your child the best pre-K education possible. Links from episode: https://tnccrr.org/index.php/upper-east-ccrr/ Thank you for listening! Financial support for Growing Stronger Togeth...

On today's episode, Kim Hale sits down with Glenna Jones and Elizabeth Clark from the Department of Human Services, to discuss the childcare services that the state of Tennessee has to offer to those raising children. Links from episode: https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-care-services.html Thank you for listening! Financial support for Growing Stronger Together is provided throug...

On today's episode, Kim Hale sits down with Teresa Boggs to discuss your infants first words and how to continue your child's comprehensive learning once they have started speaking on their own. Teresa offers some tips to parents to help with their children's learning and comprehensive training. Links from episode: https://www.etsu.edu/crhs/aslp/speechpathology/faculty/boggs.php Thank you for list...

On today's episode, Kim Hale sits down with Teresa Boggs to discuss language and literacy comprehension with children as infants. Teresa offers some tips to parents to help with their children's learning and comprehensive training. Links from episode: https://www.etsu.edu/crhs/aslp/speechpathology/faculty/boggs.php Thank you for listening! Financial support for Growing Stronger Together is provide...