Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek
Personal empowerment, commitment to our own well-being and the motivation to achieve more than we ever thought possible are the ingredients of a better life. And, they’re all within our reach. Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek delves into the keys to adding energy, excitement, direction and purpose to everything that we do. The program hosts mental health advocates and medical experts, frontline voices on human trafficking and social justice issues, familiar faces from the worlds of entertainment and sports, and leading entrepreneurs to engage in thought-provoking discussions that inspire the audience to take their own next steps forward to better themselves and their communities. Next Steps Forward is intended to be a source of empowerment that many around the world are in need of now more than ever. For guests who join the program, Chris cultivates a space where honest, quality conversations thrive and are not only meant to educate and inform but inspire action, introspection and a deeper understanding of the world around us. Next Steps Forward with Dr. Chris Meek is an informative, uplifting hour every Tuesday at 1 PM Eastern Time/10 AM Pacific Time that’s certain to inspire you to take that important next step forward, too.
Episodes
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 ...
In this episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Dr. Tim Currie, CEO of NOVA and author of Swift Trust: Mastering Relationships in the Remote Work Revolution. Drawing from his groundbreaking research and leadership experience, Dr. Currie unpacks the hidden “trust bleed” that erodes collaboration, engagement, and culture in remote and hybrid workplaces.
He explains why traditional approac...
As the 24th observance of the September 11th attacks approaches, Next Steps Forward host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Kristen Breitweiser, a woman whose life was forever changed that day and who transformed her grief into a powerful call for justice and accountability.
After losing her husband, Ron, in the attacks on the World Trade Center, Kristen emerged as one of the most determined and influential voi...
This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Dr. Ron Acierno, professor and vice chair of Veterans Affairs in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, and executive director of the UTHealth Trauma and Resilience Center. With more than 150 published articles, 30 book chapters, and decades of groundbreaking research, Dr. Acierno is a leading voice on tr...
What makes a good leader truly great? In this week’s episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Dr. Dana Kirchman, leadership expert, executive coach, and trusted advisor, to explore that very question. With more than 25 years of experience working alongside leaders at the highest levels, Dr. Kirchman shares her insights on the habits, mindsets, and relational skills that drive authentic leadership tra...
Janice Trey, the head of Epoch Times/NTD Network, and Ying Chen, conductor at Shen Yun Performing Arts, join program host Dr. Chris Meek in this installment of Next Steps Forward to discuss their experiences with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), communist history and to highlight the ongoing human rights abuses of numerous groups in China. Janice Trey will detail her experiences in a CCP labor camp, where she lived u...
In this week’s episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with retired U.S. Army Lieutenant General Patricia “Patty” D. Horoho, a trailblazer who made history as the first woman, first nurse, and first non-physician to serve as the Army Surgeon General and Commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command. With a career spanning over 38 years of service, General Horoho reflects on her remarkable journey from the Green Ra...
What happens when the protectors need protection? This week on Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Lieutenant Randy Sutton (Ret.), a 34-year law enforcement veteran, national media voice, and founder of The Wounded Blue, the only nationwide organization dedicated to helping injured and disabled law enforcement officers.
During his decades of service, Randy Sutton witnessed firsthand the ...
What can economics teach us about leadership, resilience, and character? This week on Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Seung Paik, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, award-winning educator, and creator of Leadernomics, for a thought-provoking conversation on leadership in today’s complex world.
After 25 years of distinguished service, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and leaders...
Cari Kenzie is trailblazer in the fields of leadership, resilience and personal transformation. As a dynamic speaker, coach and entrepreneur, Cari has dedicated her life to empowering others to rise above their circumstances and lead with purpose. In 2013, Cari’s life took an unexpected turn when she survived the Boston Marathon bombing. This harrowing experience became a pivotal moment, reshaping her understanding of ...
In this moving episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek is joined by brothers Patrick and James Dowdell - two men whose lives were forever changed on September 11, 2001, when they lost their father, FDNY Lieutenant Kevin Dowdell. Patrick and James share how that moment of tragedy inspired lives of extraordinary service. Patrick went on to graduate from West Point, serve as a combat platoon leader in Iraq, and lead...
In this powerful and enlightening episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes psychiatrist and author Dr. Steve Lesk, a 40-year veteran of the mental health field and author of Footprints of Schizophrenia: The Evolutionary Roots of Mental Illness. With decades of experience treating patients and mentoring professionals, Dr. Lesk brings a groundbreaking perspective to one of the most misunderstood mental illn...
On this week’s episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek is joined by psychologist, researcher, and acclaimed author Faust Ruggiero for a timely and empowering conversation about the nature of addiction and the path to recovery. With over 35 years of experience in private practice and clinical settings ranging from substance abuse centers to prisons and nursing homes, Ruggiero brings deep expertise and compassion t...
On this week’s Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes back environmental expert and author Dr. John Berger for a timely and eye-opening conversation on the climate crisis. Building on their first interview, Dr. Berger - author of Solving the Climate Crisis -discusses the evolving science of climate change, the rise of organized denial, setbacks in U.S. environmental policy, and how we can still chart a hopeful pat...
This week on Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Bill Eddy - licensed clinical social worker, attorney, and director of innovation at the High Conflict Institute - for a compelling look at the rise of adult bullying. Drawing from his book The New World of Adult Bullies, Eddy explains how high-conflict personalities are impacting workplaces, families, and online spaces like never before.
He bre...
In this week’s episode of Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Sanjay Puri - entrepreneur, investor, global strategist, and host of the Regulating AI and Indianness podcasts - for an insightful conversation on personal empowerment, technological innovation, and global diplomacy. From founding AutoNebula, an investment firm focused on connected transport startups, to leading the U.S.-India Political Action Commit...
In this empowering episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Becca Powers, an international keynote speaker, USA TODAY best-selling author, and founder of Powers Peak Potential. Becca shares her transformative journey from a minimum-wage Dollar Store employee to an award-winning Fortune 500 sales executive, illustrating how mindset mastery can propel high performers toward extraordinary success. Drawing from...
This week on Next Steps Forward, Dr. Chris Meek welcomes Pastor David Lowery, Jr. – a passionate civil rights advocate, national speaker, and founder of the Living and Driving While Black Foundation. With a career spanning military contracting, ministry, and social justice, Pastor Lowery brings a uniquely multifaceted perspective to the fight against racial profiling and systemic inequality. In this inspiring and deeply informative...
When a state trooper arrived at Rachel Zimmerman’s door with devastating news – that her husband, a brilliant MIT professor and loving father, had taken his own life – her world shattered in an instant. With no warning signs, no history of mental illness, and two young daughters now facing an unthinkable reality, Rachel was left with a haunting question: Why?
In this powerful episode of Next Steps Forward, award-winnin...
In this week’s inspiring episode of Next Steps Forward, host Dr. Chris Meek sits down with Heather Lloyd - sports journalist, former news anchor, proud stepmom, and Daybreak Colts Contributor for WISH-TV in Indianapolis. From her early days in Eden Prairie, Minnesota (where she once had a near run-in with Prince!) to navigating the evolving world of local news, Heather shares her remarkable journey through broadcast jo...
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