Jennifer Massie Fadler, Founder and Executive Director of Life House Youth Center, discusses her organization’s objective to provide a safe and loving space outside of the home for children to spend time. Jennifer talks about building relationships with kids, the various ways the organization serves children, and her vision for Life House to exist in communities around the U.S.

Terran Rome, Executive Vice President of Legacy Institute, sits down at the PrevenTable to describe his organization’s mission to teach kids essential skills and knowledge for navigating adulthood. Terran explains the origin of the idea, which came about during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizes the need for extracurricular alternatives beyond music and sports, and stresses how beneficial it is for people to learn about their history and identity.

Labor recovery specialists James Pursell and Aaron Walsh join us from Lean STL to talk about their work providing resources for mental health and substance misuse for laborers. The duo describes the power of having a peer to confide in, the overlap between work and being in recovery, and the challenge of making prevention appealing to workplaces.

TW // Sexual Harassment and Assault — Hubbard Radio-KSHE 95 promotions coordinator Rian Gilkerson joins the podcast this week to talk about the reality check she faced during her time in the Marine Corps. Rian discusses her experience as a woman in the military, covering topics such as intimate partner violence, military ranking power dynamics, and how military members often fail to recognize substance misuse.

John Gaal, Joseph Whiteman, and Scott Greenhaus join us this week to discuss their knowledge of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), an issue responsible for 25% of fatalities in the construction industry. The trio shares the importance of having good coping mechanisms, improving physical and mental health, and setting new standards for wearing safety helmets.

Reann Hines, founder of the Behind It All Foundation, takes a seat at the PrevenTable for a conversation on promoting mental health wellness and entrepreneurship opportunities in underserved communities. She describes a few key initiatives encompassed in the foundation, talks about the role of life coaching, and explains her goal to create leaders that spread their impact both far and wide.

Missouri Excel Centers Superintendent Dr. Eric Knost joins us for a conversation about his educational journey and current work helping adults obtain their high school diploma. He discusses how The Beatles kickstarted his passion for education, explains the necessity of providing opportunities for education for all ages, and shares insight on making a difference in students’ lives.

Kevin Harris joins the PrevenTable for a conversation about his journey to recovery as a former DJ, identifying himself as a functioning alcoholic — a term he and Nichole help break down. Kevin also discusses his book, “From DJ to Deacon: The Life of an Alcoholic,” praises the mentors in his life, and shares more about his current role as a harm reduction coordinator.

Shima Rostami, Executive Director of Gateway Alliance Against Human Trafficking, talks about how her organization works to both prevent and educate people about human trafficking. She and Nichole discuss why it can be hard to detect elements of trafficking, how domestic trafficking is often not heard about, and the power behind knowledge.

Dr. Hedva Barenholtz Levy sits down at the PrevenTable to talk about her book, “Maybe It’s Your Medications.” She takes us through the process of writing and publishing the book and hits on some of its major topics, including healthy aging, medication use, being an educated consumer, and how to discuss medicine and supplements with a physician.

St. Louis native Kelly McGowan joins Nichole at the PreventTable for a conversation about the importance of local politics. McGowan, the founder and executive director of Transform 314, discusses her entrance into advocacy, breaks down structural racism as an issue in St. Louis, and talks about boosting civic engagement.

Jim Murphy, former board president of NCADA, sits down at the PrevenTable to share more about this year’s RecoveryFest STL, which he founded last year. He explains how the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for connection between people in recovery, details some of the food vendors and live music you’ll see this year, and describes how St. Louis is one of the hotbeds in the U.S. for people in long term recovery.

Brandon Boos from Faith Oakville joins us for a conversation on PreventEd’s partnership with the church and the third annual Stomp Out Addiction walk on October 1st. Brandon dives into the church’s mission to connect people, how they strive for community beyond church, and Faith’s deep roots in service.

Darcy Glidewell and Clay Jenkins describe their organization, The Next Step, which aims to provide tuition assistance for people in long term recovery. They explain the story of their kitchen table idea that bloomed into $1.93 million in funding student education, comment on the way education empowers those in recovery, and share the satisfaction of witnessing the support network that develops for students through their work.

Radio personality Donny Fandango joins the PrevenTable for a refreshing reality check about being open with your mental health and emotions. He talks about being real for the radio, provides wisdom about dealing with grief, and shares more about his philanthropic work for the Ronald McDonald House.

Steve Ewing, businessman and frontman for The Urge, joins Nichole to talk about his two greatest endeavors: music and food. He describes how his restaurant, Steve’s Hot Dogs, fed nearly 10,000 people when schools closed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, shares insight into working in the music industry, and delves into his longtime passion for fitness.

PreventEd Process Analyst Intern Justin Boyle joins the PrevenTable to share the backstory of how he entered the prevention education space as an intern this summer. He reflects on what motivates him, describes a few community-engaged learning experiences in both his college and home community, and explains his goal of seeing basic awareness and knowledge of injustice lead to positive change.

KSHE 95 Morning Show Host A.D. Rowntree joins us for a conversation on how he utilizes his radio platform to advocate for change. A.D. describes his attempts to break down mental health stigmas in a relatable way, discusses everyday management of his mental health, and talks with Nichole about the benefits of exercise and meditation.

Alicia Jenkins from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services joins Nichole for a discussion about public health and community. She shares the extensive variety of work she does as a public servant, emphasizes the department's goal of getting Missourians access to health services from anywhere, and praises the power of digital media in dispersing public health information to large audiences.

Co-founder and Executive Director of Foster Together, Laura Storm, sits down to explain more about the organization, which provides essential items to foster children and families in St. Louis. She talks about her mission to restore dignity to kids, seeing foster children as more than a statistic, and how lucky she feels to have passionate volunteers.

Sports radio host Anthony Stalter joins Nichole at the PrevenTable for a conversation about St. Louis’s medication bag disposal project, which Anthony currently promotes on 101 ESPN St. Louis. The pair discuss mental health and substance use in sports, the value of going to therapy, and the importance of extending empathy, not judgment, to all.

Former NCADD Director of Affiliate Relations Leah Brock sits down at the PrevenTable to share her experience of working for the organization for 30 years. Leah and Nichole discuss the history of NCADD, the importance of relationship building, and the balance of maintaining the integrity of their mission while still continuing to grow and evolve with the times.

After tragically losing her best friend to an act of sexual violence, Rachel Ebeling began to grow hope from grief. On a mission to help other victims through the healing process, she started The Angel Band Project. She joins the PrevenTable alongside music therapist Tracie Sandheinrich to share more about the organization’s music therapy program, the power of peer support, and finding solace through music.

Research Assistant Professor Alexander Hatoum joins the PrevenTable to share more on his collaborative study on human genomes and substance use disorder. He talks about the heritability of substance use disorder, explains the addiction risk factor model, and even gets into a more recent development — the risk of using artificial intelligence for certain treatment methods.

Ben Wood, Director of Substance Misuse and Behavioral Health Services at Williams & Associates, shares more about the organization’s mission to address health disparities in marginalized communities. Ben emphasizes the importance of promoting health equity and explains the variety of health support services Williams & Associates provides to address these types of issues.