Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek

In this installment of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Aaron Gilbert, LICSW, a licensed independent clinical social worker with more than 30 years of experience helping individuals manage anxiety, depression, and related mental health challenges. Aaron is the founder of Boston Evening Counseling Associates and approaches therapy as a collaborative, trust-based process grounded in strengths-based, cognitive-...

As the 25th observance of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks approaches this year, Next Steps Forward continues its mission of honoring resilience, service, and purposeful action. In this powerful episode, host Dr. Chris Meek is joined by Jen DePoto, founder and president of The 9/11 Promise, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General H. Stacy Clardy, a member of the organization's board of directors. 

Join host Dr. Chris Meek as he sits down with Crystal Washington, one of Forbes' 50 Leading Female Futurists, to explore how we can navigate an increasingly complex technological landscape while staying true to our human values. Crystal, a certified futurist and technology strategist who has worked with Fortune 100 companies like Google, American Express, and Pfizer, breaks down the intimidating world of artificial int...

In this milestone 250th episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek is joined by two of the most consequential public servants of our time: Andrew Card and Leon Panetta. In a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation, these former White House Chiefs of Staff reflect on lives shaped by service, leadership under pressure, and a shared commitment to preserving the lessons of September 11, 2001. From Leon Panetta's u...

In this week's episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Gentry Collins, Founder and CEO of the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce, to explore how small and medium-sized businesses can thrive in today's economy. Gentry, a seasoned political strategist and partner at CAP Public Affairs, has worked at the highest levels of American politics, from serving as National Political Director of the ...

Shane Manney, Founder and Executive Director of 5 Stones International, a mission-driven nonprofit expanding hope, training, and humanitarian aid around the globe, joins program host Dr. Chris Meek on this installment of Next Steps Forward. Shane shares his powerful journey from U.S. Marine Corps service and frontline security work to building a ministry rooted in faith, fitness, and relational discipleship. You'll hea...

Next Steps Forward host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Michelle "MACE" Curran, former U.S. Air Force combat pilot, elite Thunderbirds Lead Solo, bestselling author, and trailblazing motivational speaker, to the program to discuss courage, confidence, and breaking through fear to live a life of purpose and possibility. Michelle's journey from a small-town girl in Wisconsin to one of the most respected fighter pilots in the wor...

What if the key to ending poverty in Africa isn't more aid but more freedom? In this powerful episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with globally recognized entrepreneur, author, and thought leader Magatte Wade to challenge some of the most deeply held assumptions about Africa, capitalism, and human flourishing. Born and raised in Senegal, Magatte shares her firsthand experience of a culture rich...

In this week's episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with award-winning journalist and author Vicki Larson to explore love, independence, aging, and the evolving landscape of journalism.

Vicki shares insights from her latest book, LATitude: How You Can Make a Live Apart Together Relationship Work, explaining what it means to pursue committed relationships while maintaining separate h...

This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek is joined by Carolyn Sharp, a nationally recognized relationship expert, licensed independent clinical social worker, and award-winning author of Fire It Up: Four Secrets to Reigniting Intimacy and Joy in Your Relationship. With more than 30 years of experience helping couples build resilient connections, Carolyn offers deep insights into the nature of true intimacy, why ...

This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Brittany Dunn, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Safe House Project, one of the nation's leading organizations dedicated to ending human trafficking and supporting survivors on their path to freedom and restoration.

With a decade of global business experience and years of hands-on leadership in the anti-trafficking movement, Brittany brings a...

On this week's installment Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Dr. Katina Sawyer, organizational psychologist, associate professor at the University of Arizona, and co-founder of Workr Beeing. Together, they explore the roots of her work in organizational psychology, what truly drives workplace well-being, and the inspiration behind her mission to help companies create healthier, more human-centered cultures. C...

This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Colonel (Ret.) Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, FACP, FIDSA, a nationally recognized leader in military medicine, medical education, and compassionate healthcare leadership.

Dr. Hartzell brings more than 25 years of Army service, including deployments with the 82nd Airborne Division, and a distinguished career as an infectious disease physician and e...

On this week's episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General James Lukeman, the current CEO of the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. With a distinguished 40-year military career that included deployments to the Persian Gulf, Germany, and Okinawa, as well as leadership roles ranging from Commanding General of the Second Marine Division to Deputy Director for Strategy and ...

In this installment of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with former Division I hockey champion Grace Shirley, who is twice a national title winner with the Wisconsin Badgers (2021 & 2023), to explore her journey beyond the rink. Grace shares how the thrill of victory and the pressures of elite sport shaped her path, how she discovered the importance of mental-wellness through her own experience, and why she...

In this installment of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Rob "Sleepwalker" Weisberg, a 9/11 firefighter who turned personal tragedy and decades of silent suffering into a path of healing. After grappling with PTSD and survivor's guilt for over 20 years, Rob found unexpected hope and renewal on the Appalachian Trail. His memoir, From the Grey Tunnel to the Green Tunnel, chronicles a raw, courageous journ...

In this episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Ilya Bratman, Executive Director of Hillel at Baruch College and a U.S. Army veteran, to explore his inspiring journey from immigrant to educator and advocate. Ilya shares how his experiences, from serving overseas to building inclusive Jewish communities on campus, have shaped his mission to support the next generation of student leaders. With a focu...

In this powerful and emotionally resonant episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes renowned mediator and attorney Kenneth R. Feinberg, one of the foremost experts in administering compensation funds in the aftermath of national tragedies. Feinberg will take the audience through the heart-wrenching and historic journey of valuing human life when presented with the unthinkable.

In particul...

This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Sophia Mullins, founder of Wall Street Wellness, LLC, to share her remarkable journey from the fast-paced world of investment banking and private equity to becoming a leader in corporate wellness. After being diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an autoimmune thyroid condition, Sophia took charge of her health through functional medicine, nutrition, and lifestyle ...