Byron Katie

Katie is the creator of “The Work,” a 6-part actionable framework to upgrade your mindset and release suffering. Amongst the most highly referenced and cited self-development leaders, “The Work” is celebrated by leaders like Oprah, Eckhart Tolle, Tim Ferriss, Martha Beck, and Tony Robins. TIME Magazine named Katie the “Spiritual Innovator for the New Millennium.” She has published eight books, including the international best-seller “Loing What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life.”

In this episode, we break down “The Work”. How did Katie find it? How has her life changed as a result? How do you apply it in service roles, and how can you effectively facilitate it for your teams? When is it best to share, compel, or let people find “The Work” on their own, and what results can you expect from its application? Lastly, I sit down with Newington, CT. Councilman Matt Plourd to practice “The Work” on a real issue he faces today.

Rick Doblin

Rick Doblin, Ph.D., is the Founder and President of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). With a doctorate in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, he focused his research on the regulation of medical uses of psychedelic medicines, an emerging field in mental health treatments receiving “breakthrough” status from the FDA.

In the episode, we discuss Rick’s journey through the impossible, how to persevere when no one believes in what you are doing, how to determine when to push through and when to give up, how to build a team that reflects your values, how to lead from a place of love and compassion amongst incredible push back, how to meet criticism and setbacks with grace, how to cultivate stick-to-it-evensss, learning to follow your intuition, and what to do when it feels the world feels against you, and how to build a truly post-partisan movement that no one believed was possible and rise above politics.

Lisa Witter

Lisa is a serial political entrepreneur, who co-founded Apolitical a global peer-to-peer learning platform utilized by 180k+ public servants across 170 countries, recognized as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. As CEO of the Apolitical Foundation, she champions the next generation of trusted politicians, releasing "Better Leaders, Better Democracies: Mapping the Organizations Shaping 21st Century Politicians." A World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, Lisa co-chairs the Forum’s Council on Agile Governance and boasts extensive experience in behavioral science. Lisa has founded numerous political leadership incubators over 25 years and is co-author of "The She Spot: Why Women are the Market for Changing the World and How to Reach Them,".

In this episode, we dive into Apolitical’s new “Mere Mortal’s Report”, the most comprehensive global study on the mental well-being of elected officials. We discuss why better humans make better leaders, the impact of mental well-being on leadership, and this topic, amongst all her work, has become her focus, what leadership can look like, and what we can do individually and together to heal our politics.

Gretchen Bleiler

Gretchen is a snowboarding icon. She is a 2-time Olympian and Olympic Silver medalist, World Superpipe Champion and 4-time X Games gold medalist. Gretchen has been inducted into The Sportswomen of Colorado Hall of Fame, Colorado Snow Sports Hall of Fame and The Action Sports Hall of Fame. She is an ESPY award winner and a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. After sustaining injuries in completion, Gretchen has oriented her prodigious drive and skill into healing, recovery, and connection.

In this episode we dive into the psychology of high performance, how to use pressure to improve and grow, how to recover from injury both physical and psychologically, what it’s like to build and repair your brain, the benefit of movement, travel, balance, and wellness practice on leadership, navigating setbacks and life transition, and so much more…

Dr. Dave Rabin MD, PhD.

Dr. Dave is a board-certified psychiatrist, neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and inventor who has studied resilience and the impact of chronic stress on our lives for over 15 years. Dr. Rabin and his team collaborate with clients at the Apollo Clinic, empowering clients to take control of their mental and physical health by tapping into our abilities to adapt and heal ourselves.

In addition to focusing on integration therapy, plant and natural medicines, couples therapy, and medicine-assisted psychotherapy, Dr. Rabin specializes in treatment-resistant mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosomatic disorders, personality disorders, chronic pain disorders, insomnia, and substance use disorders using minimal and non-invasive treatment strategies.

Ashley Grimmel

Ashley is the founder of Grimmel Biometrics and the Fresh Program, where she trains UFC fighters, ultra-endurance athletes, race car drivers, and other top performers. She is an ultra-endurance athlete, completing, amongst other things, the World’s Toughest Mudder, a 75-mile 24-hour running race with over 350 obstacles, including freezing water submersion. She is an Elected Leaders Collective board member and - simply put - the real deal.

In the episode, we dive into how to improve your diet with minimal time and budget, how to lose weight and keep it off, how to improve brain health and longevity, using “The Human Audit” to enhance the quality of relationships and workflow, the “7 S’s of stress reduction”, and how she was shaped through tragedy - death, sickness, (warning, this episode contains potentially triggering conversation) sexual assault, and how you to can use you most trying moments in your life as requisite fuel for self-improvement and betterment.

Reginald Hubbard

Reggie is the founder of Active Peace Yoga, a Yale graduate, and a renowned teacher, speaker, and translator, gracing stages at prestigious venues like Kripalu, TED, and Summit. Formerly a top-level staffer and strategist on Capitol Hill, Reggie now assists others in overcoming the physical and mental challenges he once faced. He serves on various boards, including the Elected Leaders Collective, Wanderlust, and Be Here Now Network.

In our conversation, we explore Reggie's journey from waking up to bourbon and struggling with stress, weight, and eczema to waking up to singing bowls and helping others heal, highlighting how our internal reality impacts physical health. We delve into transforming anger into healing, yoga's activist roots, debunking misconceptions about yoga, Reggie's daily practices, and his method of behavior change. We discuss the importance of embracing one's true self for genuine acceptance and how tools like spreadsheets can empower well-being. Lastly, we elucidate why the wellness world is accessible to everyone.

Shakeyla Ingram

Shakeyla Ingram is a former City Councilwoman from Fayetteville, NC, focused on community empowerment, small business support, and housing. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder while in office, she faced significant challenges amid factional community anger during COVID-19 and dysfunctional council behavior. Since losing her last race, Shakeyla has thrived, releasing a book, launching a consulting firm, hosting a podcast, releasing an entrepreneur’s toolkit, and starting a newsletter.

In this episode, we trace Shakeyla’s journey from her early days to her current endeavors. We discuss the influence of family and role models, the manifestation of early childhood trauma, and understanding unconscious patterns for personal growth. Shakeyla shares her experience with bipolar disorder on the council, handling inner-council conflict, public hate, and community factions. She offers techniques to identify triggers, practices to overcome depression, and the importance of intentionality for success.

Join us for a deep, meaningful, and real conversation with Shakeyla Ingram.

Paul Anderson

Paul has been a writer and journalist for over 40 years, penning 1000 news columns, fifteen books, and over a dozen movie scripts for ESPN and IMAX films. In 2005, Andersen co-created Nature & Society, an executive seminar for the Aspen Institute. In 2013, Paul founded Huts For Vets, a non-profit designed to offer veterans healing opportunities in the wilderness at the 10th Mountain Huts of Aspen. With a context of philosophical readings, veterans find solace from psycho-emotional trauma, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma.

In this episode dive into the healing power of nature and philosophy, the Aspen Idea, Shin-ro-ku the Japanese practice of forest bathing, the science of nature exposure, the power of connection, and disconection on our mental health, the history of PTSD and “moral injury”, the power of a “solo” and so, so much more…

Dr. Jerome Burt II

NOT your average therapist, Dr. Jerome Burt II. A practicing clinical psychologist, Jeome is a TED Speaker, community builder, co-host of the “Billboard Happiness” podcast, an Elected Leaders Collective board member, and, simply put - the most intentional person I have ever met.

In this episode we talk about why you should build systems, not goals, his journey leaving comfort for purpose, how to choose the right therapist, breaking bread as a tool for change, how a dinner party can change your life, building intentional community, the “self-care ceiling” and the 5 S’s of success, and how you can cultivate qualities and traits of leadership, and so much more…

Anna Miley

Anna Miley is the lead mindset and well-being coach for Locale Learning, an Australia-based organization elevating ethical, mindful, and effective leaders. Locale Learning, recognized by the Apolitical Foundation as a "Political Well-being Trailblazer Organization," mirrors ELC in Australia, equipping local councilors with essential 21st-century skills.

In this episode, we explore Anna's journey, including the genetic childhood defect that set her on the path to healing, her discovery of yoga at 17, and its impact on life and service. We discuss building a mental health first aid kit, the importance of exercise, and addressing people-pleasing and perfectionism. Anna shares tactical approaches to saying no, the value of awareness, the practice of purpose, and the science of affirmations in leadership growth.

Join us for a tactical, practical, and personal conversation with Anna Miley as we delve into best practices, learnings, and the iterative nature of improving support systems for leaders.

Dr. Jasdeep Saluja

Dr. Saluja is widely regarded as a preeminent leader in his field. He serves as a Diplomate at the American Board of Obesity Medicine, an Advisory Council member of the Global Positive Health Institute, and an Advisory Board member of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, the Elected Leaders Collective.

After seeing his father underserved by traditional medicine and watching his own health decline in his early 30s, Dr. Saluja’s eyes were opened to a more integrated way to do medicine. He co-founded the Aroga instituteInstitute, which has served 10’s thousands of patients anchored in the six pillars of lifestyle medicine: nutrition, fun physical activity, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, restorative sleep, social connections, and his 7th pillar, purpose and meaning - what do these have to do with medicine you ask? Well, you will learn how this integrative and preventative approach to medicine drives life-saving and changing behavioral and health outcomes.

Andrew Hutton

Andrew is co-founder of Day One, a teacher, coach, and frm. Professor at Parsons School of Design and Elected Leaders Collective board member.

In this episode, we discuss how a pig farm in Uganda took him from West Wing dreams to entrepreneurship. The principals, practices, and strategies of an entrepreneurial mindset and how they can be applied in public service. Human-centered design and design thinking. How you can use small tests to improve professional and personal efficacy and mitigate downside risk. Creating positive constraints to encourage growth. How to fail forward and build a resilient mindset. The necessity of accounting for societal factors in planning. How to use customer discovery techniques to create better policies. Strategies to make failure your friend, and so much more.

Jamie Butemeyer

Jamie is a prominent transformational coach in Aspen, CO. The creator of Leading Lady, Jamie helps women across the country become their highest selves in life and leadership. Jamie is my life partner, a remarkable human, and dedicated to serving others through coaching at the Elected Leaders Collective.

In this episode, we discuss what coaching is all about, how it benefits people, and the operational mechanisms it uses. We discuss how Jamie broke familial tradition as the first human in five generations to leave her hometown in Oklahoma to pursue her calling. We discuss the mental injury incurred as a young beauty pageant contestant (Miss Teen Oaklahoma) dealing with rejection as a stage actor in New York and finding herself. You will learn to distinguish between ego and essence motivations, address avoidant and indulgent emotional behaviors, and foster healthier relationships.

Moreover, Jamie shares strategies for achieving work-life balance without compromise. Her commitment to personal growth and service underscores her dedication to empowering individuals and fostering success in family and partnerships.

Japman Bajaj

Japman is a multi-hyphenate leader. He is the center of the ven-diagram of technology, policy, culture, and entrepreneurship. A VP at Velmetric, he is re-inventing hiring in the public sector to prioritize humans. Japman is a published author, global shaper, and speaker and serves on more boards than one can count, including the Elected Leaders Collective.

In this episode, we dig into growing up with a father in a national position of service, the Sikh religion, and how he was impacted personally after 9/11, how faith and spirituality can influence service and improve well-being, his journey from the belief that policy was in the way -> to THE way, how to balance right and left brain functions for success, meditation practice, how to use journaling to process trauma, loss, and daily challenges, and so much more…

Michael Draskovic

Michael Draskovic is a Los Angeles-based creative producer and democracy advocate on a journey towards participatory politics through graduate studies at Harvard and MIT. Co-founding the Democracy Policy Network and spearheading Los Angeles for Democracy Vouchers, he amplifies civic engagement while founding Overture to craft purpose-driven narratives for platforms like Snapchat and MSNBC. Currently pursuing a part-time PhD at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Michael explores the nexus of consciousness and democracy, striving to empower individuals within participatory frameworks.

Deeply committed to giving back, Michael serves as a proud Citizen of Cherokee Nation, a 2017 New America California Fellow, and a former LA LGBT Center Health Advisory Board Member. His dedication to advancing inclusive democracy is evident in his advocacy work and leadership journey. Through discussions stemming from his ELC training, Michael shares insights on overcoming childhood insecurities, navigating identity challenges as a gay man, and fostering healing relationships to enhance leadership effectiveness, emphasizing the transformative power of authenticity and resilience.

Melissa Stangl

Melissa's journey from an engineering and bio-medical background to co-founding Soltara, an ayahuasca healing center in Costa Rica and Peru, reflects a profound shift towards holistic wellness. At Soltara, she blends indigenous healing practices with Western expertise to facilitate life-changing transformations. As the creator of Maloka, an online preparation and integration community, and a forthcoming author, Melissa fosters understanding and engagement with psychedelic medicines. She navigates the complex terrain of plant medicine language, offering insights into how consensus reality can grasp the profound experiences individuals encounter.

Beyond the world of psychedelic medicine, Melissa's expertise offers valuable lessons in integrating ancient and modern healing traditions. She delves into the nuances of holistic healing versus reductionist approaches, bridging cultural divides, and navigating challenges such as cancelling culture and cultural appropriation. Her insights equip individuals with tools for fostering necessary yet uncomfortable conversations and creating inclusive spaces for transformative dialogue. Through her work, Melissa imparts transferable knowledge applicable to diverse realms of service and well-being.

Russell J. Pappas

Russell J Pappas is a legendary bodyworker and massage therapist. Trained in 12 techniques, including but not limited to Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Neuromuscular therapy, rolfing, and Shiatsu, he integrates bodywork, energy work, ceremony, and coaching into his practice, serving CEOs, HNW individuals, and celebrities.

In this episode, we discuss the differences between massage and bodywork, breaking down various traditions and their costs, how to optimize your experience based on your needs, and how to ask for what you want. We delve into the importance of energetics, characteristics of good bodywork, choosing the right therapist, and evaluating their work. Common body issues like "keyboard fingers" and "camel neck" are addressed, with techniques to combat posture and pain issues. We also explore the benefits of bodywork on well-being and job performance, including EAPs and tax deduction rules to support your staff.

Join us for this satisfying, experiential, and wide-ranging conversation with Russel J. Papas.

Damien Williamson

Damien Williamson is 2024 BARD Environmental Defense fellow creating sustainable systems solutions at corporate and policy levels. Damien is a Harvard graduate who, growing up in an impoverished part of Chicago, had to fake his parent's identity and walk miles through dangerous streets to get into the school that made his life possible.

In this episode, we dive into the mental toll and opportunity of living in multiple worlds, using your calendar to create freedom, how to break free of cancel culture to improve your well-being, nihilism as a pre-cursor to purpose, and how a career-ending mistake, becoming a life opener.

Ultimately, Damien shares his improbable path, filled with lessons and insights you can use to push through, and get to.