The Choices Matter Podcast

Episode 8: Empowering Student Decisions with Choices Matter – Featuring Hillari Morgan

The episode features a discussion with Hillari Morgan [https://alliancehighwaysafety.com/team-member/hillari-morgan/], Director of Youth Programs at Alliance Integrated Marketing Services. She is a former high school English teacher and director of SADD in Maine.   Hillari shares her unique perspective as an educator and program leader, discussing how Choices Matter [https://choicesmatter.com/about/] uses personal stories and interactive materials to inspire students to make positive, responsible choices — both behind the wheel and in life. From real-life testimonials to measurable gains in student awareness, she walks us through the program’s success and the exciting vision for its future growth. Whether you're an educator, parent, or student, this episode offers insight into how one program is reshaping the way young people think about their choices — and why those choices matter more than ever.

Episode 7: Through a Daughter’s Eyes – Karen Torres on Loss, Awareness, and the Power of Choice

Karen Torres [https://choicesmatter.com/speaker/karen-torres/] joins us on The Choices Matter Podcast. She is a passionate advocate for safe driving and a featured voice for the Choices Matter  [https://choicesmatter.com/about/]program. Karen shares her personal story of losing her father — a highway worker tragically killed in a work zone by a distracted driver — and how that loss changed her as well as her family’s life forever. Speaking from a daughter’s perspective, Karen delivers a deeply moving call to action: to recognize the impact of every choice made behind the wheel, to be accountable, and to become champions of safety within our own communities. Karen’s mission is clear and urgent — to honor her father’s legacy by ensuring his story saves lives. This episode is a reminder that one moment of distraction can mean a lifetime of loss.

Episode 6: You D.E.C.I.D.E – Steve Emt on Redemption, Resilience, and How the Mistakes We Make Do Not Define Us

In this unforgettable episode of The Choices Matter Podcast, we sit down with Steve Emt, a featured speaker for the Choices Matter  [https://choicesmatter.com/about/]program and author of You D.E.C.I.D.E: A Six Step Action Plan to Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life. A standout high school athlete, former West Point cadet, and UConn basketball walk-on, Steve’s future was bright — until one night in March 1995 when he chose to drive home drunk and crashed into a concrete abutment. He awoke from a coma to discover he was paralyzed from the waist down. Now a Team USA Paralympic curler and motivational force, Steve uses his story to inspire students across the country to make better decisions behind the wheel and in life. With honesty, energy, and purpose, Steve reminds us that while we can’t always undo our past, we can take control of our future — one choice at a time.

Episode 5: The Sky Is Not the Limit – Fletcher Cleaves on Why Our Choices Matter

We are joined on the Choices Matter Podcast by Fletcher Cleaves [https://choicesmatter.com/speaker/fletcher-cleaves/], a nationally recognized speaker for the Choices Matter [https://choicesmatter.com/about/] program and author of The Sky is Not the Limit: The Fletcher Cleaves Story. Fletcher shares his unique personal story — how a distracted driver changed the course of his life forever, forcing him off the road and into a wheelchair. With a message grounded in humor, resilience, and hope, Fletcher reminds us that while we can’t control everything, the decisions we do make carry weight.  Fletcher’s story is a powerful reminder that decisions made have consequences, and sometimes, those consequences reach far beyond ourselves.

Episode 4: One Day, One Choice – Cara Filler on Turning Tragedy into Purpose

We welcome Cara Filler [https://choicesmatter.com/speaker/cara-filler/] to this episode of The Choices Matter Podcast. She is a globally recognized traffic safety advocate and featured speaker for the Choices Matter  [https://choicesmatter.com/about/]program. Cara shares the heartbreaking story of losing her identical twin sister in a high-speed car crash — a tragedy she witnessed firsthand, just one day after their shared 18th birthday. For over 25 years, Cara has turned personal loss into purpose, reaching more than 2 million students across 5 countries with her powerful message about decision-making, peer pressure, and the lifelong impact of a single choice. Cara’s story is unforgettable, her message is life-saving, and her mission is clear: one day, one choice, can change everything.