Episodes

On this installment of Next Steps Forward, Strategic Communications Executive Jackie Gulley joins program host Chris Meek to discuss her experiences as an executive in global communications, marketing, and digital strategy advising clients on executive coaching, brand development, corporate strategy and media relations. Through her work in corporate branding, she built a strategy of outreach and advocacy for business executives with regulators, third party groups, think tanks, trade associations...

Donna Rice Hughes is the President and CEO of Enough Is Enough ® (EIE), an internationally known internet safety expert, author, speaker and Emmy-Award winning producer. She joins Chris Meek on this installment of Next Steps Forward to share her vision which helped to birth the internet safety movement in America at the advent of the digital age and how, since 1994, she has been a pioneering leader on the frontlines of U.S. efforts to make the internet safer for children and families. Throughout...

Fundrage founder Maria Underwood brings her over ten years of experience in fundraising, business and social media strategy to the Next Steps Forward audience, offering her unique knowledge of the how and why behind donor giving. Throughout her appearance on the program, she will discuss the success she has experienced in all types of fundraising campaigns, including major events, corporate sponsorships, peer-to-peer fundraising, grassroots grant writing and major gifts, as well as trends in the...

Stan Gibson is passionate about delivering powerful stories, science-based research and real world strategies that help high-achieving leaders experience renewed energy, uncover creative solutions and unleash their team’s true potential! The corporate executive turned author, entrepreneur, speaker and success coach, joins Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to share his message that will both inspire and engage the audience to find greatness. Mr. Gibson’s mix of strategies found...

Eric Caron served honorably for 25 years as a distinguished Special Agent and Diplomat for the U.S. Government, where he held senior positions within Homeland Security and INTERPOL and managed world-wide covert operations relating to Iran, China and Russia’s illegal acquisition of weapons of mass destruction. He joins program host Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss his endeavors in furthering the interests of U.S. National Security, including his work leading covert ...

Program host Chris Meek is honored to welcome Bishop Donna L. Hubbard to Next Steps Forward. Chris has been proud of his commitment to bring forth guests who have worked tirelessly on the frontlines to combat human trafficking to share their stories, educate and offer hope to all of those who have suffered the horrors of being trafficked and to America at-large. Bishop Hubbard joins him to share her own experiences of being trafficked and how becoming incarcerated offered her a way out and led h...

Paola Cecchi-Dimeglio is a leading authority on helping senior leaders make more inclusive decisions for themselves and their organizations. Having advised some of the largest for-profit and non-profit companies in the world, she joins program host Chris Meek to discuss her experiences as an award-winning expert on race and gender and leadership strategy. Discussion topics will include what led Paola to first become interested in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and why she decided to make it the...

Kim Borchers, president and owner of Bird Dog Recruitment and Consulting, joins program host Chris Meek on this installment of Next Steps Forward. Her firm focuses primarily on placement of senior talent at the highest levels of state and federal government along with management development. Before opening her firm, Kim was the Executive Director of Leadership Development at a national think tank, the Foundation for Government Accountability, where she created and launched the organization’s Tal...

Many in the Next Steps Forward audience will surely recognize Victoria Jackson - actress, comedian and Saturday Night Live legend. Mrs. Jackson joins program host Chris Meek to discuss her iconic career in stand up comedy, her decision to leave Hollywood behind for Nashville, her brave battle with cancer and her unshakeable faith in God. Since leaving Hollywood, Mrs. Jackson has remained busy, most recently releasing her debut music-comedy album “When I Get to Nashville.” She will speak about th...

Dessi Schachne is a certified life coach, dedicated to enlightening and empowering individuals in midlife experiencing relationship transitions such as divorce, a breakup or the loss of a spouse. Through her coaching, Dessi equips her clients with a diverse set of proven techniques, enabling them to overcome challenges like past focus, people-pleasing, anxiety, and suffering, rebuild self-confidence, and have healthy relationships with themselves and others. She joins program host Chris Meek on ...

With America divided as never before, Kelly Wright, host of NTD News’ “America’s Hope with Kelly Wright,” seeks to answer questions such as “where can we find hope?” and “how can we return to the values outlined by our Founding Fathers?” A unique performer and accomplished musician, many individuals have become familiar with Mr. Wright’s work as an Emmy Award-Winning TV news journalist over the course of his more than thirty years delivering news to the American public. A former co-host of Fox N...

Dr. Lisa Babbage is an author, teacher and philanthropist. She has spent 20 years teaching math and science in the public school system in Georgia, where she currently resides. As a child, Babbage, her mother and brother, were frequently homeless. In 2011, she took a three-year leave of absence from her profession to inaugurate a non-profit organization, Maranatha House Ministries, aimed at the fight against homelessness. She joins Next Steps Forward to share her love for people and how it serve...

Natasha Owens is a contemporary Christian musician who has taken a new direction by offering up a bold, proud, powerful concept collection in her fifth studio album, American Patriot. Through her music she bridges an unwavering love of country with the themes of faith and family that have always played a significant role in her artistry. Program host Chris Meek welcomes Mrs. Owens to the program to discuss how her faith has turned her darkest days into light, reflect on her own seasons of loss a...

Mike Erwin graduated from West Point in 2002 and went on to serve on active duty for 13 years, including three deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan in the First Cavalry Division and 3rd Special Forces Group. This week on Next Steps Forward, Mr. Erwin joins program host Chris Meek to discuss what his time in the military taught him about leadership and the importance of giving back to those fellow Americans who serve our country. Mr. Erwin will discuss his work through the veteran-focused non-prof...

This week’s guest is Dr. Robb Kelly, a sought-after recovery expert who believes in treating the causes of addiction and not the symptoms. A frequent contributor to radio and print interviews, his professional credentials include a PhD in psychology from Trinity College/Oxford University and a PhD in Psychology with a behavioral science concentration from the University of Southampton. Dr. Kelly hosted the Sober Celebs show on KLIF radio in Dallas and currently hosts the Breaking Through Addicti...

Susan Ann Davis is Chairman of Susan Davis international (SDI). She joins program host Chris Meek to discuss how the global strategic communications consulting firm headquartered in Washington, DC provides expertise in reputation management, market entry and expansion, public affairs, crisis and risk communications. Ms. Davis will provide an inside look into her role offering counsel to government and business leaders in 14 countries, including Northern Ireland, Ireland, Panama, Egypt, Sweden, a...

Ashley Davis is a lead principal at West Front Strategies, a multi-million dollar lobbying firm she co-founded in 2015. In that role, she oversees advocacy efforts for the interests of her Fortune 500 clients before the federal government’s legislative and executive branches. This week she joins program host Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to share her expertise garnered through years working in the executive branch. As Special Assistant to National Director and then Secretary of Homeland Secur...

Dr. Christine Hardy and Dr. Kristen Weishaar of the Flint Animal Care Cancer Center at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado join Next Steps Forward host Chris Meek to discuss their mission to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in pet animals and how they translate their research and knowledge to benefit people with cancer. Dr. Christine Hardy is the Associate Director, Development Operations and Strategy Lead of the One Cure Program. Dr. Kristen Weishaar is...

Driven by the belief that every individual has a unique voice and an important story to tell, Madeline Fetterly builds partnerships, creates stories, champions women’s leadership and is a sought-after strategic thinker. She joins program host Chris Meek to break down the importance of how and why it is up to each and every one of us to use our voices and stories to strive for ultimate success. As the founder and CEO of Be the Brand, Madeline will take the audience behind the scenes of her work w...

This week on Next Steps Forward, Meaghan Mobbs joins program host Chris Meek. Meaghan is the president of the Romulus T. Weatherman Foundation and vice president for client strategies for LINK Public Affairs. She is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, a former paratrooper and a combat veteran. She earned a master’s degree in forensic psychology from George Washington University and holds a doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia University where her work focused on the ...

BéBé Rayborn is a senior at Mississippi State University where she is pursuing a double major in Communications with a public relations emphasis and Philosophy with a religion emphasis. But she is not the average college student. Not only is she a model, who has been signed with The Industry NY, The Industry LA and MiLK Model Management since 2021, but is an avid leader and advocate on behalf of victims and survivors of sex and human trafficking. She currently has a volunteer role with the Missi...

As a program that seeks to provide a platform for voices on the frontlines of combating human trafficking, Chris Meek is honored to have Gayle Smith, the founder and leader of Dahlia Grove, join him on this installment of Next Steps Forward. In 2016, Gayle took her passion for helping women victimized by the human trafficking crisis and turned it into action by founding Dahlia Grove out of a massive and ever growing need to serve victims. Acknowledging the extensive pain and suffering experience...

Reagan Cannon is an international leadership speaker and coach, with proven tactics and insights from over 20 years of experience at Fortune 15 companies, including executive leadership positions at Amazon and AT&T. As a true global thought leader, she has delivered keynotes, coached global leaders, delivered a TEDx talk, and conducted development workshops for thousands of people in more than 20 countries - on six continents. She joins Chris Meek on Next Steps Forward to discuss what truly hold...

Meaghan B Murphy is the author of “Your Fully Charged Life: A Radically Simple Approach to Having Endless Energy and Filling Every Day with YAY” (Penguin Random House), an editor, on-air personality, lifestyle and health expert, a home-hack master and certified trainer. She brings her high-energy, upbeat personality to Next Steps Forward to discuss how the audience can take a simple yet effective approach to having endless energy everyday. She will provide an overview of the concepts presented i...