Episodes

Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek is honored to speak with Dana Perino, co-anchor of FOX News Channel’s morning news program America’s Newsroom and co-host of The Five, about her career as an American political commentator, bestselling author and role as White House press secretary under President George W. Bush. Perino will speak about the lessons that she has learned throughout her career on how to maintain a level head and find success in the face of adversity. No conversation with Perino wo...

Steve LaCroix speaks with “Next Steps Forward” host Chris Meek about his successful 30-year career as a sports and entertainment executive. Having served as the Minnesota Vikings’ executive vice president and chief marketing officer from 2001 to 2020, LaCroix will provide a glimpse into what it’s like to work for a major sports franchise, how he adjusted to being an effective leader during the pandemic - including what it was really like for the players to play games without fans in the stadium ...

Retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin joins program host Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss his personal battle with bipolar disorder. Having commanded the largest engineering force in the theater, the 130th Engineer Brigade, during the Iraq War; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwest Division, served as Commandant of the U.S. Army Engineer School and Fort Leonard Wood, Deputy Commanding General of Third Army/US Army Central, Commandant of the Army War College...

Andi Buerger, founder and chair of Voices Against Trafficking, and the Hon. Blanquita Cullum, co-founder of Voices Against Trafficking and host of The Hard Question on WCGO AM/FM, join program host Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward. Buerger and Cullum will provide perspective on the current state of human trafficking in the United States, focusing in particular on the trafficking and other forms of abuse that are taking place at the southern border. Along with providing common...

Daniel Fairley, a Youth Opportunity Coordinator focused on Black Male Achievement for the City of Charlottesville, and John Thompson, a Family Services Specialist for the Charlottesville Department of Human Services, join Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss mental health in the Black community and existing inequalities both inside and outside of the mental healthcare structure. Hosts of the podcast “How U?,” (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAW96LgJg-Hr4CQzTqn1uJQ) w...

Alden Mills, three-time Navy SEAL platoon commander, founder/CEO of one of the nation’s former fastest-growing companies and leadership speaker, joins Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward. Believing that every individual is born to be unstoppable, Mills will discuss how exactly we can become unstoppable, what exactly it means to be unstoppable and how for many of us our first challenge is to be stopped so that we can rise above it to be our unstoppable selves. Drawing from a mixt...

William Tong, Connecticut’s 25th Attorney General and first Asian American elected statewide, speaks with Chris Meek about protecting families, residents and consumers while standing up to the powerful forces that threaten them. Tong, who grew up working with his immigrant parents in their Chinese restaurant, will share how his passion and respect for the legal system not only resulted in a successful law career but also propelled his political career. Tong will reflect on the challenges and suc...

Deborah Lee James, former Secretary of the United States Air Force and the second woman to lead a U.S. military service, speaks with host Chris Meek about her experiences managing 660,000 people and a $139 billion dollar budget (more than the GDP of over 120 countries) in her role. James will discuss the challenges and successes that she encountered as Secretary, as well as in other roles, including professional staff member in the US House of Representatives and Assistant Secretary of Defense. ...

Jon Runyan, former NFL offensive tackle, looks back at the progression of his football career spanning 14 seasons playing with the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans, the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Diego Chargers. Now serving as the NFL’s Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, Runyan will provide his unique perspective on the current state of the league, how football has changed since he last played, how the league has adapted to challenges presented by COVID-19 and what he believe...

Rebekah Roulier, nonprofit executive leader and licensed mental health clinician focused on driving innovation in the mental health and youth sport communities, speaks with host Chris Meek about the relationship between sport and mental health. Roulier serves as the Deputy Director of Doc Wayne Youth Services based in Boston, Massachusetts and will provide insight into how the nonprofit re-imagines therapy through the lens of sport, offering children not only a sense of belonging but a repetitio...

Dr. Cliff Robertson, executive director of The Warrior’s Refuge in West Columbia, Texas, speaks with host Chris Meek about how his organization is committed to ending homelessness by providing shelter, counseling, resources and training to the state’s veterans. The organization is also soon to be the nation’s first nonprofit to offer access to a groundbreaking virtual reality technology developed at the University of Southern California known as BraveMind, to treat War on Terror veterans experie...

Dan Luna, 20-year Navy SEAL veteran, speaks with program host Chris Meek about empowering the next generation of leaders by way of academics, consulting and coaching through his leadership coaching company 3LX. Luna’s background serves as the foundation for his extraordinary leadership skills, having refined his coaching methods while delivering competency-based leadership training to future Navy and Marine Corps Officers at the Naval Academy. So well versed in providing guidance, management and...

Rachel Faulkner Brown, founder and director of Be Still Ministries and Never Alone Widows Retreats, speaks with host Chris Meek about how experiencing the loss of two husbands lead her to create a community that empowers military and first responder widows. Now married a third time, Rachel will speak in-depth about her journey to finding faith and seeking out marriage and love once again despite experiencing heartbreaking loss. Rachel will educate listeners about the power of “yes,” believing th...

Cynthia Garrett, nationally recognized television host and personality, speaks with Chris Meek about her storied career in the entertainment industry and ultimate journey to finding faith. Garrett will speak about breaking industry barriers by making history as the first African-American woman to host a network late-night show, NBC’s LATER w/ Cynthia Garrett, and how her ability to empathize and relate to others helped her garner mass respect within the industry. Her personal story of overcoming...

In this installment of Next Steps Forward show host Chris Meek speaks with Dr. Pat Boulogne, lifestyle medicine expert and coach, about how she has helped thousands of individuals implement simple and effective steps in their daily lives to regain their health. With over three decades of experience in delivering science-based solutions to those experiencing weight problems, chronic diseases and genetic dispositions, Dr. Boulogne will talk the audience through how she uses targeted diet and exerc...

Kent Syverud, Chancellor and President of Syracuse University, speaks with program host Chris Meek about navigating the pandemic and its impact on the future of higher education. Breaking down the positives and negatives of virtual learning, he will pinpoint areas where education can be improved based on lessons learned throughout the pandemic and how those lessons underscore the importance of thoughtfully and safely reopening society. Chancellor Syverud will speak in-depth about the challenges ...

Chris Meek speaks with Shauna “Doc” Springer, one of the world’s leading experts on psychological trauma, military transition and suicide prevention, in this installment of Next Steps Forward. A trusted doctor to our nation’s military war fighters, Springer will discuss practical, tangible tools for suicide prevention and the importance of trust in the prevention process. A champion for the power of connection, Springer will speak on how methods and results of connection have changed over the pa...

Andi Buerger, founder and chair of the organization Voices Against Trafficking, speaks with “Next Steps Forward” host Chris Meek about facilitating and energizing nonprofits, individuals, businesses and social groups to be a powerful collective voice in the fight against human trafficking. Having survived years of childhood abuse and having been trafficked herself, Buerger will share with the audience how her survival led her on a quest to rescue others who find themselves in similar situations....

On this edition of Next Steps Forward show host Chris Meek speaks with Mark Halperin, nationally recognized political analyst, reporter and current host of Mark Halperin’s Focus Group on Newsmax TV. Halperin will speak about covering the ebb and flow of the ever-changing American political landscape over the course of his career and how his professional experiences have brought him up close and personal with a number of the major political news stories and key-players of the last three decades. ...

Show host Chris Meek speaks with Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, about the services that the organization provides to individuals and families who suffer distress from serious life crises, such as abuse, loss of a loved one and thoughts of suicide. Reynolds will speak about what she refers to as “the behavioral health tsunami,” or how the remarkable events that unfolded throughout 2020 are impacting people’s emotions and mental health and the steps that can u...

COL Greg Gadson, a 26-year retired Army veteran, speaks with Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek about the loss of both his legs above the knees and the normal use of his right arm and hand after experiencing an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attack while serving in Iraq. Refusing to be defined by his injuries, Gadson will explain to the audience how he draws on the lessons of pride, poise and team he learned as a linebacker at West Point, to find continued success within his life, career and ...

Natalie St Pierre, successful entrepreneur and disability advocate, speaks with “Next Steps Forward” host Chris Meek about living her best life with cerebral palsy. St Pierre avidly participates in a number of adaptive sports, including cross country skiing, surfing, biking and sailing, showing that people, regardless of circumstances, can find a way to live a limitless life. She will speak extensively about her involvement with The Impossible Dream, the world's only catamaran that is universall...

Albert Hernandez, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and Purple Heart recipient, speaks with “Next Steps Forward'' host Chris Meek about overcoming both the visible and invisible wounds he sustained during his two deployments to Iraq. Focusing on the mental health implications of service, Hernandez will speak directly about losing a close friend and fellow service member to suicide and how that prompted him to volunteer much of his spare time to a multitude of organizations that aim to better the lives a...

Armen Keteyian,11-time Emmy Award winning journalist and former chief investigative correspondent for CBS News, speaks with “Next Steps Forward” host Chris Meek about his celebrated career as one of America’s most recognized news and sports anchors. Keteyian will take the audience on his journey from starting out as a sports writer for a San Diego newspaper, to landing his dream job as a reporter for Sports Illustrated and finally making it on the national stage serving in roles such as lead cor...