Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community

Justine Chang is an eldest daughter of immigrants, mother, activist, and the Station Master/Chief Storyteller at Red Balloon Station. With a law degree and 10+ years developing, producing, and writing movies that sell globally, she knows how to craft stories that reach real people everywhere. Now she helps equity-driven founders and leaders—especially Women of Color—sharpen their messaging so it d...

Tracy DeTomasi is the CEO of Callisto, a nonprofit dedicated to combatting sexual violence through innovative technology and survivor-centered solutions. With 25 years of leadership in the nonprofit sector, Tracy has held numerous high-profile roles, including previously serving as Executive Director of global nonprofit focused on ending domestic and sexual violence. Tracy's unique expertise as a...

Nancy Jasin Ensley is a Local Author, Legal Nurse, Hospice Specialist, and Teacher whose work reflects a lifetime of service and experience writing to listen, to remember, and to continue creating with purpose. Over the years, she’s written across multiple genres including memoirs, literature and fiction, science fiction, mystery, thriller, action and adventure, and children’s literature. Each sto...

Jessica McKinney is a married mom, storyteller, and podcast creator rooted in resilience and real-life growth. Her work centers around honest conversations on mental strength, healing, and what it truly means to live, learn, and let go. After navigating some intense, life-changing experiences, she’s turned her story into a platform that gives others permission to share theirs—raw, unfiltered, and...

Michelle Vo is a San Francisco Bay Area-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker and psychotherapist who brings a rich, social-justice-oriented lens to her clinical practice and projects. With nearly a decade of experience spanning hospital systems and Silicon Valley tech environments, Michelle specializes in supporting first-generation adults navigating cultural identity, high-achieving professional...

In this episode we're joined by Marienne Cuison, the wife of Lyle Prijoles. While recent headlines have focused on the tragic circumstances surrounding Lyle's death, today's conversation is about something deeper. It's about a life devoted to community, justice, family, and service. It's about the people he loved, the values he carried, and the legacy that continues through those whose lives he to...

Signal Raptor is a tech-enabled "done-with-you" PR platform built to empower small businesses, solopreneurs, and startups with affordable, tactical media exposure. Through subscription-based services, the company provides weekly media pitching, article creation, press release distribution, influencer outreach, training calls, and a self-service dashboard—all without the high retainers of tradition...

Raised in the back-to-nature movement of the 1970s, Dr. Christian Komor has spent his life exploring the intersection of human behavior and planetary health. A longtime climate advocate, author, psychologist, and 2026 candidate for Governor of Colorado, his work centers on confronting the climate crisis through bold systems change and large-scale carbon removal. Dr. Komor brings an unconventional...

Steven Cong is a nonprofit professional with 10+ years of experience in youth-, leadership-, and workforce-development. He currently serves as the Senior Program Manager for Rising Sun Center for Opportunity's Climate Careers Bay Area, which creates impact at the nexus of climate resilience and economic equity. Want to be a guest on Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Commun...

Daniel Hodges, JD, MHA, is the President and Cofounder of Peaces of Me Foundation, which is a nonprofit that works to erase the stigma surrounding disabilities of all kinds. Daniel and his cousin started Peaces of Me Foundation while he was a student at the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduating with his Juras Doctorate, Daniel went on to earn his Master's of Healthcare administra...

Natalie Holder is an employment lawyer and senior leaders seek her advice when implementing inclusive culture initiatives that build strong businesses. Having led global human resources compliance for Starwood Hotels and Resorts and serving as the Chief Diversity Officer for Stanford University’s SLAC and the United States Capitol Police, she conducts workplace investigations, develops compliance...

LaKisha Mosley is a mental wellness led leadership strategist and the founder of Soft Simple CEO, a philosophy and operating system centered on clarity before complexity, regulation before strategy, and calm execution as a core leadership skill. Want to be a guest on Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community? Send Danise Sugita a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmat...

Tara Connaghan is a professional Irish fiddle player, podcaster, author, educator, tour guide and arts manager in Ireland, specialising in a topic most people avoid - the unspoken etiquette in Irish traditional music sessions. She helps musicians, especially newcomers, visitors and adult learners, understand the subtle dynamics of Irish music sessions so they can join in with confidence, respect,...

In her current capacity as CFO and founder of Transit Marketing Group Inc., Deborah's experience in business dates from 1983. Her industry experience includes public relations, marketing and organizational management. She oversees the company’s financial planning, sets pricing for the company's major product line, handles direct account orders and is adviser to the sales and marketing team. Her an...

Bob Martin has lived enough lives to have something real to say. He's a trial attorney, a licensed clinical social worker, and a meditation and happiness mentor — which means he's spent his career moving between power, pain, and the inner life we're all trying to hold together. Now he channels all of it into The Flow, a commentary platform built around one uncomfortable truth: to live a life that...

Katherine Klimitas is a New Orleans–based watercolor artist and the founder of KAK Art & Designs. Known for her vibrant, expressive pet and wildlife portraits, her work focuses on capturing personality, movement, and the emotional connection between people and the animals they love. A wheelchair user with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Katherine brings a deep sense of resilience and joy to everythin...

Thomas R. Wilson is a professional Educator, Writer, Consultant, Business Owner, and purpose-driven event Specialist. His work is centered around an empathic and person-first mindset that works to access and uplift community voices. It is inspired by his own lived experiences and his desire to enact mindful change. His work has been highlighted internationally, and he has partnered with over 55 bu...

Nina Sherak, MS, CHES, CAPP is a high-impact professional coach, trainer, and resilience expert who helps individuals and teams apply the science of positive psychology to navigate the waves of life so they can show up fully and thrive resiliently. She serves as the Mattering Summit Director for the You Matter Marathon, where she is leading the development of the inaugural global Mattering Summit...

Adriene Caldwell is an author and advocate from Houston, Texas. Her memoir, Unbroken: Life Outside the Lines, traces the quiet aftermath of childhood trauma and the long arc of healing. Through writing, talks, and UnbrokenCaldwell.com, she champions hope, resilience, and storytelling as tools for recovery. Want to be a guest on Voices That Propel Us: Stories of Justice, Action, and Community? Send...

M. E. Torrey worked in the children's book industry for twenty years as an author, speaker, and teacher. Torrey is also a co-founder of the charity, Orphans Africa, and served as Executive Director for seven years. Torrey is concerned about social justice and feels compelled to write about ordinary people faced with issues of moral complexity. Ultimately, she longs to bring healing and forgiveness...

Eugene Eric Kim helps changemakers and groups build strong collaboration muscles and habits. He’s been helping groups thrive for over 20 years. He’s worked with CEOs and social activists, rocket scientists and spies, billionaires and hackers, foundations and farmers across ten countries and five continents. He now focuses his efforts on helping other changemakers develop the same skills that he us...

​​Sheryl Hauk is a lifelong music educator, advocate, and author of Piece by Piece: A Memoir of Survival, Resilience, and the Power of Creativity. After more than four decades directing choirs and mentoring students, she now uses her voice to speak about trauma recovery, resilience, and the role of creativity in rebuilding a life. Through her writing and advocacy work, Sheryl is committed to chang...

FranCine Gadsden was born in Brooklyn, New York, the third youngest of fourteen children. Her introduction to fashion began at the age of ten when she completed her first sewing project—an apron. That early experience sparked a passion that would shape her future as a designer. After graduating from the International School of Design in Manhattan, FranCine was given the opportunity to work with Au...

Luke Mickelson grew up a hardworking farm kid in the small town of Kimberly, Idaho, where community, character, and service were simply a way of life. An avid athlete and lifelong competitor, he poured his energy into youth programs, coaching, and mentoring—developing both a passion for people and a natural talent for leadership.  That same drive carried into his professional career in business, b...

First and foremost, Natalie Duran is a woman of faith and a follower of Jesus Christ. She truly believes her calling and ministry is to empower individuals, especially women, to step into the fullness of who God designed them to be and to live a life of abundance, purpose, and confidence. Professionally, she serves as a financial broker, life insurance agent, and mortgage loan originator. She has...