S2E8: Lt. Col. Ted Blickwedel - Marine Combat Veteran Turned Whistleblower Exposing Compromised Mental Healthcare at the VA

S2E9: Elaine Lin Hering - Unlearning Silence

Elaine Lin Hering is a facilitator, speaker, and writer. She works with organizations and individuals to build skills in communication, collaboration, and conflict management. Elaine has worked on six continents and with a wide range of corporate, government, and nonprofit clients.  She has trained mental health professionals, political officials, religious communities, and leaders at companies including American Express, Capital One, Google, Nike, Novartis, Shell, Pixar, and the Red Cross.  Elaine is a former Managing Partner of Triad Consulting Group and Lecturer on Law at Harvard Law School, specializing in dispute resolution, mediation, and negotiation. You can learn more about Elaine and her book "Unlearning Silence" at www.elainelinhering.com!

S2E8: Lt. Col. Ted Blickwedel - Marine Combat Veteran Turned Whistleblower Exposing Compromised Mental Healthcare at the VA

Blickwedel, a VA VET Center counselor, fought valiantly to protect veterans, their families and counselors from the VA’s misguided, harmful and unethical clinical performance policies, which turned patients into numbers and severely compromised the mental health and welfare of both Veterans and the counselors who care for them.  Despite enduring the unjust and toxic retaliation tactics inflicted on him by VA officials, Blickwedel marched steadfastly on, determined to expose and correct the callous abuse and misconduct perpetrated by VA management.

S2E7: Krista Hanley - Perspectives of Safety and the Importance of Community Investment

**Content Warning** This episode mentions the occurrence of gun violence from a survivor's perspective and may be activating for some viewers and listeners. Krista Hanley (she/her) is a writer, public speaker, artist, and safety programs facilitator. As a co-founder of the organization, We Are Safer Together, she is passionate about helping empower individuals and communities to gain effective strategies that foster safety, connection, and authenticity. She is an empathetic speaker and facilitator with a unique story about regaining her confidence and voice after surviving the Columbine High School Shooting. Her writing has been published in publications such as the Los Angeles Times and Memoir Magazine, and in the compilation, Stories Gathered at the Kitchen Table: A Collection of Women’s Memoirs. Krista's forthcoming memoir is focused on finding resilience and coming to terms with her trauma after surviving Columbine. She lives in Lakewood, CO.

S2E6: Deb Sica – Alameda County Library: The Evolving Role of Libraries on the Public Safety Front

On this episode of Disrupting the Dominoes, our CEO, Arlene Limas, chats with Deputy Librarian, Deb Sica. Together, they address the changing role of libraries in the scope of public service and the need for training and holistic approaches to preventing violence amidst the evolving landscape.  Deb Sica currently serves as the Deputy Librarian for Alameda County Library, where her mission is to lead, create, and build optimal and responsive Library Services for all, regardless of socioeconomic barriers, by way of integrated access to shared materials, and to energetically pursue the development and advancement of an engaged and active Library Staff to build thriving and resilient populations. Recently, PAVE announced their partnership with Alameda County Library to offer safety and de-escalation training to staff. PAVE Prevention has been working collaboratively with library administration to tailor a trauma-informed training program specifically designed for the unique challenges faced by library employees. The training will provide staff with the skills to de-escalate situations, identify personal boundaries, and navigate various real-life scenarios with empathy, cultural competency, and emotional intelligence.

S2E4: Marie P. Anderson - Cultures of Violence in Modeling and Beyond

In this episode, Arlene chats with Marie P. Anderson, modeling industry expert and founder of Boss Babe Models.  Marie P. Anderson has recently been interviewed in Rolling Stone Magazine and featured on 60 Minutes Australia, 66 Minutes France, SKY TV United Kingdom, VICE TV America, and various podcasts. She is a model industry expert, author, public speaker, and founder of Boss Babe Models, with over three decades of experience managing fashion models with top modeling agencies around the globe. At a young age, Marie’s family relocated to Cocoa Beach, Florida where her father was a NASA rocket scientist, and her mother was a community activist. Eventually, Marie would also assume a lifelong dedication to activism in the model industry seeking to empower young people to become socially conscious and responsible entrepreneurs. Marie’s formative years were spent as a model where she laid down roots in Chicago. Marie catapulted us into the future of the model industry by scouting Cindy Crawford, who challenged the industry’s standard of beauty. Marie founded, built, and owned Aria Models before selling it to Ford Models in New York. Marie has two sold-out, internationally published books called Model: The Complete Guide to Becoming a Professional Model and Model: The Complete Guide for Men and Women, as well as the audiobook, The Wizard of Editorial: How to Really Become a Successful Model. Today, Marie resides in Chicago as a mother agent and travels to speaking engagements where she examines the complex and ever-changing model industry landscape. She holds a 2nd-degree black belt in Shidokan Karate through Chicago Fitness Center and teaches her models self-defense. To contact Marie or learn more, visit @bossbabemodels on Instagram!