What if a single meal could nourish more than just a body—but also a soul? In this powerful episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, host Andrew Bartolotta sits down with Courtney Johnson , the heart and visionary behind Culinary Care , a nonprofit delivering restaurant-prepared meals and emotional support to cancer patients and their families. Courtney’s story begins with heartbreak: losing her father to stage IV lung cancer while still in high school. Fueled by grief and love, she launched Culinar...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 107
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Shelby Mounts , who reflects on his 25 years of service with the US Navy and highlights the leadership lessons learned and his journey to becoming Executive Director of NextOp Veterans , a nonprofit organization focused on connecting veterans and military members to career opportunities. NextOp recruits, develops, and places military members and veterans into industry careers. The organization works one-on-one with enlisted service members and veterans to help tran...
May 09, 2025•57 min•Ep. 106
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Mike Pohlman , who has been a driving force at Pickering Firm, Inc. for more than 45 years, shaping the company's growth, culture and leadership. After graduating from Christian Brothers College (now Christian Brothers University) in 1979 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he joined Pickering and quickly established himself as a leader. From his early days as an energy engineer to his transition into project management, Mike developed a deep understanding of ...
Mar 28, 2025•51 min•Ep. 105
This episode of the ChangeMakers podcast, produced by CityCURRENT and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services , features an insightful conversation with Kathy Mull, the Executive Director of The Cocoon , a comprehensive domestic and sexual violence agency located in Wood County, Ohio. Hosted by Jeremy C. Park , the episode delves into the critical issues of domestic and intimate partner relationship violence, highlighting the work of The Cocoon and its innovative programs like C...
Mar 07, 2025•52 min•Ep. 104
During the interview, Monnie talks about how growing up in Dayton, Ohio, and spending summers working on a family farm in Kentucky, picking tobacco and baling hay, helped form a work ethic that continues to drive success today. He talks about father's service and his family's legacy of service and how that led him to serve in the US Marine Corps, then seek to serve locally as a police officer. After a distinguished 15-year career in law enforcement, Monnie was recognized with prestigious state a...
Feb 05, 2025•54 min•Ep. 103
In this episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, host Andrew Bartolotta sits down with Dr. Stewart Burgess , CEO of the Children's Museum of Memphis (CMOM) . With over 25 years dedicated to childhood development, Dr. Burgess shares his fascinating journey—from early inspirations in childhood to groundbreaking research in emotional and cognitive processes—and how it all culminates in his leadership at CMOM. Dr. Burgess discusses the importance of play in childhood learning, how emotions influence mem...
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 102
In this heartfelt and inspiring episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast , host Jeremy C. Park sits down with Taylor and Carter English , co-founders of The Rise School of San Antonio , to explore the transformative power of faith, family, and purpose-driven action. Their journey begins with personal challenges—the birth of their daughter Isabelle , who was diagnosed with Down syndrome—and evolves into a mission to redefine inclusion and early intervention for children with special needs. Through the...
Dec 12, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 101
This 100th ChangeMakers Podcast episode honors the legacy, career, and calling of Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, who has been intertwining medicine and ministry for decades to transform lives and communities. Join host Jeremy C. Park as he talks with Rev. Kenneth S. Robinson, M.D., who announced his retirement in June 2024, after serving as President and CEO of United Way of the Mid-South for more than nine years. Dr. Robinson became President and CEO in February 2015 after nearly 25 years as a volunt...
Oct 29, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 100
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMaker, Gabrielle Thompson , President and CEO of IDEAS (International Development and Educational Associates) , who shares her personal and professional journey, highlighting how stepping into hard moments and saying "yes" can transform the world. During the interview, Gabrielle talks about growing up in a family of creatives and how lessons learned from her parents carry through today, noting that creating a new nonprofit program is like creating a piece of ...
Sep 25, 2024•52 min•Ep. 99
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Chris Powers , Founder and Executive Chairman of Fort Capital and host of The Fort Podcast , who shares his personal and professional journey and highlights the intersection of mentorship and business growth. During the interview, Chris talks about growing up in El Paso and Lubbock, Texas, and how he started getting into real estate after seeking mentorship from another young entrepreneur who inspired him as a college student at Texas Christian University. He share...
Aug 20, 2024•55 min•Ep. 98
On this episode, we have the pleasure of diving into the world of community transformation with Dr. Chris Lambert, a visionary who's redefining nonprofit success and neighborhood revitalization. Dr. Chris Lambert is the founder and CEO of Life Remodeled, an award-winning author of "Next Level Nonprofit," and founder of the Next Level Nonprofit organizational operating system. His journey began far from the nonprofit sphere, with aspirations of law school and dreams of a lucrative career in real ...
Jul 23, 2024•49 min•Ep. 97
Welcome to this inspiring episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, where we dive into the importance and power of community colleges, civic engagement, and mentorship with one of host Jeremy C. Park's closest friends from grade school in Weatherford, Texas, Dr. Molly M. Harris, Vice President of Community Engagement at Grayson College. Dr. Harris has been a beacon in higher education for over 21 years, deeply committed to enriching lives and fostering community ties. Dr. Harris also is the one respo...
Jun 26, 2024•58 min•Ep. 96
During the interview, Jerry talks about growing up in Northern California and going through traumatic experiences with his family. He shares how he was able to move forward in college and work with a friend to launch a durable medical equipment business, and how his frustration of working with attorneys caused him to go to law school to help his company. Jerry's pursuit of learning and practical application for the law led him in a new direction with a defined sense of purpose to help others bey...
May 28, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 95
Host: Jeremy C. Park Guest: Leigh Mansberg, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South Episode Overview: In this enlightening conversation, host Jeremy C. Park sits down with Leigh Mansberg, a notable leader in nonprofit education. As the helm of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, Leigh shares her inspiring journey from a classroom teacher to a leading advocate for educational transformation. This episode dives into how her upbringing in an entrepreneurial...
Apr 18, 2024•48 min•Ep. 94
Episode Summary: In this inspiring episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, host Jeremy C. Park sits down with Alma Lee Alexander McLemore, Executive Director of the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County. A native of Franklin, Tennessee, Alma shares her journey from growing up in a community at the cusp of integration to becoming a cornerstone in preserving African American history in Williamson County. Throughout the conversation, Alma reflects on her upbringing, her extensive care...
Mar 18, 2024•57 min•Ep. 93
ChangeMakers podcast host Jeremy C. Park talks with Tammy Alvarez, CEO and founder of Career Winners Circle, professional keynote speaker, and author of "Escaping the Career Trap: Transform Your Apathy into Ambition and Never Hate Mondays Again," who shares some of her personal story and how she formed her spirited "Break All the Rules" approach. During her twenty-year corporate career, Tammy became renowned as a business transformation and turnaround expert on Wall Street. Her roles included Ma...
Feb 15, 2024•46 min•Ep. 92
During this episode of our ChangeMakers Podcast, host Jeremy C. Park talks with Zach Montroy , who is a People, Team, and Organizational Strategist and the Founder and CEO of The Intention Collective , which is based in the Nashville, Tennessee area. During the interview, Zach shares some of his personal story and why, after more than 20 years of experience in executive roles, he started focusing his efforts on helping entrepreneurs scale and grow their companies through healthy teams by buildin...
Feb 05, 2024•46 min•Ep. 91
In this episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, hosted by Jeremy C. Park and powered by Higginbotham Insurance and Financial Services , the spotlight is on Mike Berry , President of Hillwood , the developer of AllianceTexas . With over four decades of experience, Berry discusses his passion for Fort Worth, Texas, how he got his start in the industry, and the journey from the groundbreaking of Alliance Airport in 1988 to the creation of the 27,000-acre, master-planned community and global logistics ...
Jan 04, 2024•50 min•Ep. 90
In a reversal of roles, normal ChangeMakers podcast host and producer, Jeremy C. Park , is the guest on this special episode, which is hosted by Dr. Sarah Petschonek , Founder and CEO of Volunteer Odyssey . Jeremy C. Park is the CEO of cityCURRENT , a shareholder in Higginbotham , author of two books, contributor to Forbes and The Business Journals , producer and host of television and radio shows and the ChangeMakers podcast, and a sought after speaker inspiring audiences around the nation to p...
Dec 12, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 89
Host Jeremy C. Park catches up with Dr. Sarah Petschonek, Founder and CEO of Volunteer Odyssey, who was one of the original ChangeMakers podcast interviews (episode 5) back in 2016. During the interview, Sarah shares how Volunteer Odyssey has grown over the last seven years to work with more than 28,000 volunteers who have given over 460,000 hours of service just to the Memphis community. Volunteer Odyssey is a nonprofit organization that serves as a volunteer center based in and built for Memph...
Nov 17, 2023•52 min•Ep. 88
During the interview, Traci talks about growing up in Florida and some of the lessons she learned from her family and watching her father, who was en electrician. She discusses being the first in her family to go to college and how mentorship paved the way for many future opportunities, how the door was opened for her to join the team at what would become HGTV, some of the lessons learned and favorite experiences, and why she decided to quit her executive job to go on a soul-searching journey, w...
Sep 25, 2023•52 min•Ep. 87
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Marcus Walker, Executive Director of Daily Bread Ministries, who shares his personal story of growing up in Texas and being called into ministry, serving overseas and meeting his wife from Switzerland, starting their family and moving back home to San Antonio to serve with the nonprofit organization that works with over 100 ministry partners who help distribute over $10 million dollars' worth of food annually. During the interview, Marcus talks about having a Swiss...
Aug 22, 2023•56 min•Ep. 86
In this episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, Jeremy C. Park sits down with Matt Kripke , CEO of Kripke Enterprises, Inc ., Mid South Aluminum . From humble beginnings in Toledo, Ohio, to becoming a majority shareholder and recognized expert in aluminum and hedging, Matt shares his journey of hard work, passion, and resilience. Having held significant positions in influential organizations such as the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) , Young Presidents Organization (YPO) , and curre...
Jul 12, 2023•53 min•Ep. 85
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMaker, Justin Levy , Executive Director of Conscious Alliance , who shares some of his powerful and inspirational story of managing through hardships, including Cerebral Palsy, enduring 14 surgeries, being in and out of wheelchairs, having to learn how to walk four times before graduating high school, and severe dyslexia, to seek out his purpose and become the Executive Director of a national nonprofit bringing healthy food into underserved communities and fu...
Feb 09, 2023•48 min•Ep. 84
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMaker, Mark Melson , President and CEO of Gladney Center for Adoption , who shares some of his personal story in growing up in Euless, Texas, attending Texas A&M and the University of North Texas, moving to Louisiana and meeting his wife, and aligning his passions and purpose as both a "Gladney Dad" and leader of the nonprofit based in Fort Worth, Texas, that focuses on adoption and the belief that every child deserves a loving and caring family. During t...
Jan 14, 2023•52 min•Ep. 83
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMakers, Tom and Ellen Harris , Co-Founders of The Jordan Elizabeth Harris Foundation , who share their story of meeting in college, living in Massachusetts and moving to Texas, starting their family, getting involved in the community and playing an important role in the development of Ft. Worth with Tom’s role as an executive with Hillwood, A Perot Company. Tom and Ellen talk about their family and about launching the foundation that is working to prevent sui...
Aug 16, 2022•55 min•Ep. 81
Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Michael Graber , Managing Partner of Epic Pivot , who shares his story of growing up in Memphis, Tennessee with both mother and father being entrepreneurs and being surrounded by the musical influences of the city, and how those experiences helped shape his future. During the interview, Michael talks about his work and efforts with Epic Pivot, a transformation, insights, innovation, and strategy boutique on a mission to make business a force of good in the world. H...
Jul 18, 2022•47 min•Ep. 80
During the interview, Beverly talks about her time with Holiday Inn Worldwide and how it paved the way for her to grow into her role as a corporate executive, sharpening her skills for marketing, branding, communication, and leadership training and development. She talks about becoming an entrepreneur and small business owner with her husband, and then her stepping into the role of President of The National Civil Rights Museum, where she raised $43M during her tenure, which included the completi...
Jun 28, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 79
About Dr. Elizabeth Brands: Elizabeth R. Brands, Ed.D., is a dedicated, strategic, and passionate leader. She brings a wealth of organizational leadership experience from occupying key roles in education institutions, nonprofits, and foundations across the region. Elizabeth’s early career experience as a classroom teacher informed her approach that successful community investment must coordinate systems that children and families intersect with to spark impact and demonstrate empathy and respect...
May 16, 2022•45 min•Ep. 77
During the interview, Kris describes how she left her hometown in Wisconsin and became an entrepreneur at an early age, how the military helped prepare her for success, how she shattered glass ceilings and led a global luxury hotel company, some of the leadership lessons learned while leading the global company Rock Springs Retreat Center was founded by Kris Intress, a mother, entrepreneur, Army Reservist, and former CEO of a global luxury hotel company. Kris started working in her teens. By 17,...
Mar 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 77
