In this episode of the ChangeMakers Podcast, Jeremy C. Park interviews Leigh Mansberg, the visionary President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South. Discover how Leigh's roots in an entrepreneurial family fueled her passion for education and leadership, shaping her into a key figure in regional educational reform. Leigh shares her transformative journey from the classroom to the boardroom, highlighting the pivotal role of mentorship and strategic career shifts in her...

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 career in...

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 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...

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...

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...

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...

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMaker, Traci Schubert Barrett, bestselling author of "What If There's More? Finding Significance Beyond Success," international speaker, and founder of Navigate the Journey, a business consulting and leadership development firm, who shares her story of being one of the founders of the wildly popular national cable television network, HGTV, and then taking the leap of faith to help others discover purpose and clarity for the future chapters of their lives.

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.

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...

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...

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.

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...

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....

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Beverly Robertson, President and CEO of The Greater Memphis Chamber, who shares some of her personal story of growing up in the Orange Mound community of Memphis, Tennessee, and how those experiences shaped her perspective of opportunity, equity and inclusion.

"Kids can only dream and aspire to more than what is in their own families if they have the privilege of not being able to struggle on a daily basis to have their basic and psychological needs met." - Dr. Elizabeth Brands Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Elizabeth R. Brands, Ed.D., who shares her personal story of working in education as a classroom teacher and how that experience has shaped her current efforts as President and CEO of The Morris Foundation in taking a holistic, systems-based...

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with ChangeMaker, Kris Intress, who shares her personal story and many life and business lessons learned as an entrepreneur, actor, Army Reservist, former CEO of a global luxury hotel company, and now Founder and CEO of Rock Springs Retreat Center, a 200-acre pastoral resort of excitement and adventure just 40 minutes north of Nashville, Tennessee.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Deb Macfarlan Enright, Ed.D., Founder and CEO of The Macfarlan Group, which helps nonprofits/social impact organizations challenge the status quo and make an even greater impact through strategic planning, leadership development, and operational effectiveness.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Dwania Kyles, a Civil Rights Advocate who was one of "The Memphis 13" youth involved in the integration of the Memphis City public schools on October 3, 1961, who shares some of her powerful story, perspective and personal experiences as part of this historical event.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Jared Barnett, CEO of Slingshot Memphis, Inc., who shares some of his personal experiences growing up on the West Coast, pursuing a passion for consulting and purpose-driven work, moving overseas to work in Africa, and how he and his family have created a home in Memphis, Tennessee. During the interview, Jared highlights Slingshot Memphis, Inc., a nonprofit that aims to create a demonstrable reduction in poverty by promoting a results-driven poverty-fighting...

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Heidi Swartz, Executive Director of The Cowtown Marathon in Fort Worth, Texas, who shares how her son led her to discover a passion for running and a career in marathons.

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Jen Alessandra, Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer with Frontdoor, Inc. who shares some of her personal story growing up as a competitive gymnast and transitioning to diving, graduating from the University of Southern California and how she started her corporate career. During the interview, Jen discusses some of the important trends taking place in the HR industry, tips for entrepreneurs and business executives, the importance of focusing on and...

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Ed Gillentine, who is principal and founder of Gillentine Group, the author of "Journey to Impact: A Practical Guide to Purpose-Driven Investing" and host of the podcast, Journey to Impact. During the interview, Ed discusses his formative years growing up in Memphis, Tennessee and how we became actively involved in strategic impact initiatives in Africa, Europe and the United States, including an agri-business that grows and processes apples for the flourishing...

Host Jeremy C. Park talks with Chris Whitney, Founder and Director of One Generation Away, who shares his personal story of growing up in the St. Louis, Missouri area with a father who dealt with alcoholism, how he met his wife and found his faith in Christ, how he and his family have dealt with adversities and found healing, and how he and his wife started One Generation Away, an organization that distributes healthy foods to families throughout Middle Tennessee who currently do not have...