News from the Peak

At Grays Peak Strategies, we are always drawn to stories that challenge, uplift, and expand how we see the world. In our latest episode of News from the Peak , we had the honor of sitting down with Tailyr Irvine — a photographer, storyteller, and changemaker whose work is reshaping how Indigenous life is seen and understood. Born and raised on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Tailyr grew up with a...

On today’s episode, we explore Business Process Optimization, which we will call BPO. We look at what BPO really is, what it isn’t, and why it has become one of the most powerful tools for strengthening human services programs. BPO is often misunderstood as a technical or automation exercise. Too often it’s thought of as a “nice to have” extra rather than a critical part of any modernization effor...

For the past two years, Grays Peak has hosted a leadership retreat for women that brings together a small group of 15 - 18 people to share some amazing experiences and learn from each other. Our most recent event was held in Ireland, and was led by the hosts of today’s show, Maureen Leif, Liz Bullard and Gemma Hilario.  The idea behind these events is not only to grow in their leadership skills, b...

In this powerful episode of the Grays Peak Strategies podcast, we sit down with Dr. Jeneile Luebke, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Grays Peak Strategies Consultant, and enrolled member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Dr. Luebke has partnered with Grays Peak through the SAVES grant with the Lac Courte Oreilles Child Support Program, an...

Guy Bowling is Program Manager of the FATHER Project at Goodwill/Easter Seals in St. Paul, Minnesota. He oversees a substantial grant funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Guy brings 19 years of experience working with low-income, unmarried, non-custodial fathers and fragile families. On this episode, Maureen Leif talks to him about how he...

In this episode, Maureen, Gemma and Claudia sat down, each in their own living room across several miles on both sides of the Atlantic, to have a lovely conversation with visual artist Aideen Barry. Aideen Barry is a world renowned artist living and working in Cork, Ireland. In 2020 she was elected to the RHA- Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts, a collective of contemporary artists and architects ded...

In this episode, we had the privilege of talking with Altynai, a gifted artist from Kyrgyzstan, whose story is a powerful reminder to stay true to your passion—even when it feels like the path is not straight. Altynai shares what it’s like to be a woman creating art in a place where creative paths aren’t always supported, and how sisterhood and solidarity across the globe can spark hope and inspir...

Your voice is powerful—but finding it, fighting for it, and fueling it is a journey. In this episode of News from the Peak, we dive into what it means to truly own your voice, whether in personal struggles, professional challenges, or creative pursuits. Our Grays Peak Strategies teammate Shantelle Williams shares her personal journey of overcoming domestic violence and the fight to protect her bus...

As we celebrate International Women's Day and Women's History Month 2025, the theme "Moving Forward Together" reminds us of the power of women educating and inspiring generations. This year, my colleague Gemma Hilario from Killarney, Ireland, and I had the privilege of interviewing women from Italy, Brazil, New Zealand, and Ireland. Despite the vast distances between us, common themes emerged in o...

Maureen Leif and Liz Bullard welcome our friend from Ireland for her first of what we hope will be many appearances on our show. The three talk about executive coaching, leadership, and facing the world with positivity and grace.

In this episode, Maureen Leif welcomes special guests Meg York and Nesta Johnson. This episode delves into the crucial topic of parentage laws and their impact on same-sex families.   Meg York, representing Family Equality, and Nesta Johnson from the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), bring their expertise and advocacy experience to the table, discussing the importance of clear and inclusi...

On today’s show we welcome two guests – the leaders of Onyx Rising – Irma Neal and Kelli Lester Irma has been a guest on the show before, and I encourage you to check out her previous visits to News from the Peak and check out her book, Leading in Chaos – but today she is joined by Kelli, and we get a chance to hear from them on this important topic. Onyx Rising is a proven change management leade...

Join us at Grays Peak Strategies for an inspiring conversation on our latest podcast episode, dedicated to women in leadership. In this captivating discussion, we had the honor of hosting Shaneen Moore, the Deputy Assistant Commissioner at MN Department of Human Services, Kate Cooper Richardson, the Director of Child Support at the Oregon Department of Justice, and Kristi Gordy, the Senior Adminis...

Join us at Grays Peak Strategies for an inspiring conversation on our latest podcast episode, dedicated to women in leadership. In this captivating discussion, we had the honor of hosting IV-D Director Erin Frisch from Michigan and Federal Office of Child Support Services Commissioner Tanguler Gray. Reflecting on our experiences from participating in Women in Leadership panels over the past year,...

On Valentines day in 2024, we opened the Zoom line, and Gabby Leif recorded messages of gratitude for anyone that wanted to call in. With only one day to record, I know we missed a lot of people, but we had some very nice messages from people who couldn't make it... so we hope to try this again in the future. Sharing messages of gratitude felt appropriate for Valentine's Day. But we are gr...

In this world where we tend to wear stress and being busy as a badge of honor, taking time out of work and family life to volunteer easy to overlook the profound impact that volunteering can have on both individuals and communities. From fostering a sense of purpose to building strong social connections, the benefits of volunteering are limitless. That idea that volunteering can be worth the time...

David Kilgore serves as the Director of the California Department of Child Support Services. At a recent Western Intergovernmental Child Support conference, David participated in a session called “the World Café”. At this session, the audience could choose various tables around the room where a discussion leader would talk to them about an innovative, or sometimes controversial topics related to t...

November marks Native American Heritage Month, an annual observance in the United States dedicated to honoring and celebrating the rich tapestry of Native American cultures, histories, contributions, and achievements. This month provides a valuable opportunity for individuals, both Native and non-Native, to pay tribute to the unique heritage and resilience of Native American communities. In the sp...

Our fourth episode on Bear Management may be our best yet. Carl Ramm returns to give us an update on his adventures trying to get the resident Alaskan Brown Bears and human visitors at Brooks Camp in Alaska to do what they're supposed to. Along the way, we hear about what it's like to be in the bear management zone, how bear management really is like human management, and what's next f...

What do Elvis Presley, child support, and our guest James Forsher have in common? (No, he's not the long lost son of Elvis...) They share a connection with pioneering child support researcher Trude Forsher. On today's show, we hear about Trude Forsher's life, her escape from Nazi-occupied Austria, her groundbreaking role as a working mother (including time as Elvis Presley's person...

Taylor Hagood on Stringbean, Persistence, and the Problem of Cutting a New Path Banjo player and comedian David Akeman, known essentially all of his professional life as Stringbean, lived the kind of rags-to-riches story that was supposed to come with a happy ending.  On this episode of News from the Peak, we talk to Professor Taylor Hagood about Stringbean and the work—the very real and often qui...

(Intro by the host, Maureen Leif) I met Pam back when I was a Deputy District Attorney working on the child support docket. She was Magistrate Gagel back then and she was hearing the child support cases. As she tells the story, we would often go at each other (in jest) because I felt like she could be lenient. In hindsight, she was always right! Pam and my colleague Emily and I would go to dinner...

On the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, we had the good fortune to speak with two amazing women who played a roll in the creation and implementation of this important milestone in education and a move toward furthering opportunities for women. On this episode, Part 1 of 2, we welcome Hall of Fame Coach, Carol Plodzien to talk about her experiences as a student athlete and coach before and after Title...

We have had a couple of recent episodes, which you should check out if you haven’t already, on the LCO Good Life Camp. This camp, while an amazing experience on its own, is part of a larger grant we are working on with the LCO Tribal Child Support program. The grant is focused on responsible parenting and economic mobility. The underlying theme of the grant is the idea that by teaching young peopl...

Only News from the Peak brings you  artist and bear management tech  Carl Ramm, who saw many of this year’s contenders in action earlier this year as part of his work at  Brooks Camp  in Alaska’s Katmai National Park. On this episode, Carl gives us some updates from his season at Brooks Camp, and we talk about Fat Bear Jr, and Fat Bear week, and we learn even more about bears t...