Know Your Regulator: The Podcast that Inspires You to Engage

Paperwork doesn’t teach a child to read. We dig into how to turn dyslexia policy into real progress by aligning instruction with brain science and holding ourselves to clear, measurable outcomes. Our guest, Russell Van Brocklen, is a New York State Senate-funded researcher who overcame severe dyslexia. Russell shares a framework that helps districts meet HB 3928 requirements, avoid legal pitfalls,...

When your license is your livelihood, clarity is everything. We sit down with Darrel Spinks, Executive Director of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), to demystify what social workers in Texas can do at each level and how to avoid the traps that put good practitioners at risk. Instead of a rigid ladder, Darrel shares the “bullseye” view of licensure: LBSWs at the core with focuse...

You worked for years to earn your Texas teaching certificate, so how can a single mistake put it all at risk? In this quick episode of Know Your Regulator, we unpack how the Texas Education Agency (TEA) evaluates educator conduct, when districts must report arrests, and why the agency can review your behavior even if a criminal case gets dismissed. Using plain language, we map the five categories...

A board letter can flip a career in an instant, and the first response often decides what happens next. We sit down with Client Success Liaison, DJ Collora and Client Success Manager, Jasen Dalus from Bertolino Law Firm to unpack the biggest mistakes Texas license holders make when complaints land, why the playing field is stacked with full-time investigators and attorneys, and how to answer witho...

Burnout rarely starts with a crash. It begins as a whisper—boredom at the peak, a shortened temper that leaks into home, a creeping sense that paperwork is winning over patients. We sit down with Dr. Brett Cordes, a practicing physician turned recovery advocate and coach, to trace a candid path from early warning signs to addiction, a hard reckoning with the Texas Medical Board, and—after years of...

Borders shouldn’t slow lifesaving care, and they don’t have to! In this episode, we sit down with Donnie Woodyard Jr., Executive Director of the Interstate Commission for EMS Personnel Practice, to unpack how the EMS Compact turns a single EMS license into a recognized privilege to practice across member states. From wildfires and hurricanes to staffing shortages and training rotations, we explore...

The regulatory landscape has undergone a seismic shift. Digital transformation isn't just changing how we work, it's revolutionizing how regulators monitor, evaluate, and enforce professional standards across all licensed fields. Today we explore the powerful technological tools that have become standard for regulatory agencies. Case management systems have gone digital, records are elec...

A criminal record doesn't have to spell the end of your professional dreams. This revealing episode of Know Your Regulator tackles one of the most anxiety-inducing questions facing many aspiring professionals: can you obtain or maintain a professional license with a criminal history in your background? Host Cimone Murphree dismantles the myth that past convictions automatically disqualify can...

Behind every psychologist’s dedication to clients lies a professional risk that many underestimate until it’s too late: board oversight. As licensed psychologist and practicing attorney Dr. Brian Russell explains in this powerful episode, the difference between protecting your license and losing it often comes down to having the right legal support at the right moment. For psychologists, the regul...

Your teaching career hangs in the balance when you consider walking away from your contract mid-year. But what exactly happens to your professional license when life circumstances force you to make that difficult choice? Tony Bertolino, Managing Partner of Bertolino LLP, pulls back the curtain on Texas's contract abandonment process for educators in this eye-opening conversation.  The path to...

What happens when scientific advancement outpaces regulatory frameworks? This fascinating episode features a conversation with Sakethram Ramakrishnan, our 2025 Bertolino Impact in Government Scholarship recipient, who offers a thought-provoking glimpse into the regulatory landscape of the future. Saketh brilliantly unpacks the far-reaching implications of the Supreme Court's 2024 decision ove...

Major Erik Johnson's journey from military occupational therapist to gaming accessibility pioneer reveals the extraordinary therapeutic power of video games. After experiencing severe burns during his military service, Johnson discovered firsthand how gaming created psychological escape and healing. This personal revelation later shaped his professional approach when tasked with creating a br...

The digital age has created a dangerous crossroad where social media culture meets healthcare licensure, and the consequences can be devastating. Our conversation with Maggie Ortiz, CEO of Advocates for Nurses and a former Texas Board of Nursing investigator, pulls back the curtain on what actually happens when nurses go live on social media while at work. "It's the epitome of unprofessi...

Legal exposure remains one of the most significant yet overlooked aspects of nursing practice. While nurses excel at memorizing complex medical terminology and interventions, many remain dangerously uninformed about the regulations governing their licenses until it's too late. Maggie Ortiz, MSN, RN, CEO and founder of Advocates for Nurses, joins us to unpack this critical knowledge gap. She e...

That dreaded envelope with your regulatory board's return address can make your heart skip a beat. For licensed professionals across all disciplines, receiving a complaint notice often triggers immediate fear about your career, reputation, and livelihood. But as we discovered in this revealing episode, what happens next isn't necessarily what you might expect. Drawing from conversations...

Your healthcare license represents years of education, training, and dedication—but how much do you know about protecting it? In this powerful episode of Know Your Regulator, we reveal five crucial strategies Texas healthcare professionals need to implement immediately to safeguard their careers.    Drawing from conversations with regulatory experts and real-world cases, host Cimone Murphree deliv...

What happens when nurses join unions while navigating their professional obligations? Our eye-opening conversation with union leaders Jessica Walfort and Lindsay Spinney reveals the often misunderstood relationship between nursing advocacy and regulatory compliance. The Texas Board of Nursing establishes the framework within which all nurses must operate – licensing qualified professionals and inv...

Ever wondered how Texas fights insurance fraud? In this eye-opening conversation, Rick Watson, Chief Prosecutor and Fraud Counsel for the Texas Department of Insurance's Fraud Unit, pulls back the curtain on a specialized law enforcement agency most Texans never knew existed. Watson reveals the remarkable evolution of TDI's Fraud Unit since its 1991 founding, highlighting its unique embe...

What happens when a regulatory agency decides to focus on potential rather than past mistakes? The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) has embraced a groundbreaking "Second Chance" philosophy that's transforming how individuals with criminal histories access professional careers. Senior Prosecutor Jessica Hurtado takes us deep into TDLR's innovative approach to...

Your professional license represents years of education, training, and dedication—yet many practitioners don't understand the critical steps needed to protect it until it's too late. This special episode of Know Your Regulator distills wisdom from dozens of interviews with regulators, attorneys, and industry experts into ten essential tips that every license holder needs to hear. From th...

Social media has transformed from a personal playground to potential professional quicksand for licensed professionals. The digital footprints we leave behind can now trigger serious regulatory consequences, as licensing boards increasingly scrutinize online behavior with the same rigor they apply to in-person conduct. Tony Bertolino, managing partner at Bertolino Law Firm, joins us to unpack this...

Navigating the maze of regulatory requirements while running a successful business demands more than just awareness—it requires strategic implementation and proactive engagement. Douglas Rives, president of Central Texas' largest residential real estate appraisal firm Appraisal Shop, pulls back the curtain on what it truly takes to maintain compliance in a highly regulated field where standar...

Texas has just revolutionized how professional licensing works with Senate Bill 14 – the Texas DOGE Bill. For anyone holding a professional license in the Lone Star State, these changes could fundamentally alter your relationship with regulatory agencies. At its core, SB 14 creates a new efficiency office within the Governor's administration tasked with identifying and eliminating unnecessary...

Ever wonder about the person behind your law firm's seamless operations and impeccable regulatory compliance? Step into the world of the modern Chief Operating Officer - the unsung hero keeping professional service firms running smoothly while navigating an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. Sheri Middlemas, COO of Bertolino Law Firm, pulls back the curtain on how this role has evolve...

Navigating the enforcement side of behavioral health licensing can feel like walking through a minefield, but it doesn't have to be that way. In this revealing conversation with Darrel Spinks, Executive Director of the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council (BHEC), we pull back the curtain on what happens when complaints are filed against licensed professionals. Spinks shares the newly rev...