Ep. 0022 | What You Say Matters

Ep. 0022 | What You Say Matters

What if the greatest leadership lesson isn't found in a title…but in the lives you've helped transform? In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, Zena C. welcomes one of the people most responsible for shaping her academic and professional journey: Dr. Kandace L. Harris. An educator, media scholar, administrator, mentor, and advocate, Dr. Harris has spent her career helping students recognize the greatness already within them while creating pathways for them to thrive. Their conversation explores the transformative power of HBCUs, the importance of representation in education, and why teaching is far more than delivering information…it’s about cultivating lives. Dr. Harris reflects on her upbringing in Oakland, her Howard University experience, the lessons she learned as a young professor at Johnson C. Smith University, and the moment she realized that every word spoken to a student carries lasting weight. The discussion also dives into purpose, career pivots, lifelong learning, faith, accountability, and the importance of extending grace to yourself while pursuing excellence. Whether you're an educator, entrepreneur, student, or leader, this episode is a reminder that influence isn't measured by titles…it’s measured by the people who become greater because you showed up. — — — Connect with Dr. Harris on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kandace-harris-ba03166/] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kaleighgurlprof/]

Ep. 0021 | Steep, Soak & Serve

What if the thing you're building isn't just a business…but a space for restoration? In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with Sherry Waters, founder of Pauline Tea-Bar Apothecary, community chaplain, spiritual director, and stewardship coach. Through a conversation rooted in service, healing, and community care, Sherry shares how a simple green chair became the catalyst for creating one of Charlotte's most beloved spaces for reflection and connection. From her early career in television news to decades serving nonprofit organizations, Sherry reveals the breadcrumbs that led her toward social entrepreneurship and the creation of a tea lounge designed to help people slow down, reconnect, and be restored. Together, they explore stewardship, resilience, meaningful connection, spiritual discernment, and the courage required to honor a vision that doesn't look like anyone else's. At its heart, this conversation is about creating space…for yourself, for others, and for the healing work we're all called to do. Find Sherry online at http://www.ienate.com/ [http://www.ienate.com/] or the tea bar at http://www.thepaulineteabar.com/

Ep. 0019 | Find Your Passion, Follow Your Purpose

In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with Dr. Erica N. Hilton, a Strategic Communications + Media Scholar and Assistant Professor of Strategic Communications at Hampton University, for a conversation that bridges scholarship, strategy, and soul. With a career spanning higher education, national nonprofits, and digital activism, Dr. Hilton shares how her journey from aspiring publicist to award-winning educator revealed a deeper calling: to teach, to advocate, and to communicate for good. Together, they explore what it means to take the pause in a world that demands instant responses, the lessons learned from moments of redirection, and how passion can guide us toward a purpose-filled life. This episode is about resilience, discernment, and the power of aligning personal truth with professional calling. – – – Connect with Dr. Erica Hilton on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericahltn/] or Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ericahltn/]

Ep. 0018 | In the Midst of the Storm

What does it mean to keep creating when everything around you feels like it’s collapsing? In this episode of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. is joined by Dr. Ashley Gaddy Robbins, Equity, Liberation + Authenticity Scholar and Founder of Ashley Gaddy Enterprises, for a candid conversation on resilience, authenticity, and the storms that shape us. From her early lessons in social justice to navigating systems not designed with her in mind, Dr. Gaddy Robbins reflects on what it takes to stand firm, speak truth, and center humanity even in the most turbulent seasons. This is not just a conversation about leadership. It’s about finding joy, protection, and power when the storm refuses to let up. – – – Connect with Dr. Ashley Gaddy Robbins on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleygaddyenterprises/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr.ashleygaddyrobbins/?hl=en] or by visiting her at ashleygaddyenterprises.com [http://ashleygaddyenterprises.com/]

Ep. 0017 | The Greatest Seven-Letter Word

In this illuminating chapter of The GR8TNESS Router, host Zena C. sits down with scholar, author, and trailblazing university president Dr. Brian L. Johnson. From his roots in Durham, North Carolina, to becoming the first minority president in Warner Pacific University’s history, Dr. Johnson shares the lessons, pivots, and defining moments that shaped his purpose-driven path. With honesty and depth, he opens up about: * The faith and encounters that clarified his calling * The pivotal rejection that redirected him from law school to academia * The resilience built by remembering where he came from * How mentorship, integrity, and preparation remain cornerstones of leadership Dr. Johnson reminds us that purpose isn’t static — it evolves, it pivots, and it proves itself through resilience. This is a conversation for anyone navigating their own calling and searching for the courage to keep pressing forward. Because the greatest story you’ll ever live is the one where you remember the good, so it can prepare you for the greater. – – – Connect with Dr. Brian Johnson on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-johnson-ph-d-004a8425/], Twitter [https://x.com/drbrianjohnson1] or visit intersectionoffaithandlearning.com [http://intersectionoffaithandlearning.com/]