August 12, 2025 • 6 mins
Get ready to kickstart your journey with Melissa on the very first day of our special series! In this episode, she dives into the powerful themes of growth, transformation, and the importance of starting strong. Tune in for some game-changing insights and inspiring energy to set the tone for what’s to come. You won’t want to miss this!
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Episode Transcript
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SPEAKER_01 (00:09):
Hello and welcome to day one of the Prevent Child
Abuse America 2025 NationalConference.
I'm Nathan Fink.
And I'm Luke Waldo.
And this is the Shift (00:17):
Voices of Prevention.
We're recording live fromPortland, Oregon, with Dr.
Melissa Merrick, CEO of PCAAmerica, who Trevor Stores, ED
of Alaska's chapter, calls ourvery own Oprah.
Melissa, welcome to Morningswith Melissa.
SPEAKER_00 (00:33):
Hi, Nate.
Hi, Luke.
So excited to be with you.
And I'll take the Oprah thing asa compliment, but I wish I had
all of Oprah's money.
SPEAKER_01 (00:41):
But you do now have your very own segment.
How does it feel?
SPEAKER_00 (00:45):
Well, it's super cool to be with uh all of our
attendees in this new way.
You know, we're trying out a lotof different things this year to
get people engaged.
People want even moreopportunities to connect with
the content, to connect with meand my incredible team, our
incredible networks of chaptersand Healthy Families America
sites and partners inprevention.
So it's just awesome to do it inthis like cool podcast way.
SPEAKER_02 (01:09):
I couldn't agree more, Melissa.
It's it's exciting to see thismany new faces and also to be in
community with folks like youand uh your team.
Um it's also an incredible honoruh to be co-host this year with
Nathan and to be joining you uhon this podcast.
So, as Nathan said, it is dayone of the conference.
(01:30):
It's the day to bring people in,energize the room.
Uh what can we expect from thestart of this conference?
SPEAKER_00 (01:37):
Well, energy, for sure.
Uh, you know, energy, uhfriendships, right?
It's been so uh cool already aswe're all arriving to see faces
that we haven't seen since ourBaltimore conference, or um,
we've seen them on small littlescreens on Zoom.
So it's really cool just to bein community with folks.
I think that day one is gonnastart just uh in a beautiful way
(01:59):
with uh our our keynote speakerDesmond Mead and just like all
these new ideas and things thatyou know this moment that we
find ourselves in is uh is achallenging one for the work
that we do and for children andfamilies, right?
There's a lot of pressures onthem.
So it makes the work that we'redoing in partnership um even
more important, and I think thatthat also is tangible here on
(02:22):
day one.
SPEAKER_01 (02:23):
And you just mentioned Desmond Mead is our
keynote for day one.
Why should we be excited abouthis keynote speech?
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
Well, Zah, it's really hard not to be excited
about him.
I heard him speak uh for thefirst time last year at a
conference, and I think in my 25years of going to conferences,
it was the best keynote I everheard.
He's just an authenticcommunicator.
He talks about his livedexperience, his journey, his
challenges with um incarcerationand addiction, and how he's used
(02:52):
those to really fuel thistransformation in community.
So really highlights the themesof belonging and resilience and
hope.
And I think it's something thatwe're all gonna draw great
inspiration from again in thesemoments that can feel
overwhelming and super complex.
Um they help us, you know, hehis words and the way that he
(03:16):
shows up helps us see, gosh,there is a lot of hope.
And we can make a change when wecome together for children and
families.
SPEAKER_02 (03:24):
Yeah, you can you you pointed out, Melissa, the
importance of authenticity.
And I I couldn't have picked uha better person to start this
conference than Desmond Mead.
I think his journey uh isrepresented and his movement has
really been represented by theauthenticity and vulnerability
(03:45):
that he wears on his sleeve.
And I think it's a great placefor us all to start to really
inspire this movement, as you'vepointed out, uh, towards uh uh a
prevention ecosystem that willbe critical to all overloaded
families across our country.
SPEAKER_00 (04:03):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
It's sort of, you know, it justhighlights and reinforces that
one person's lived experiencecan really power systemic
change.
And that's what we're about herewhen we talk about our um, you
know, uh theory of change thatwe're now calling the blueprint
for family well-being.
It is about, as you said,creating these ecosystems of
(04:24):
prevention, right?
Before families are in crisis,we don't need to wait until
families touch our deep endsystems to really provide the
supports, the nurturance, theguidance, the resources that
they need to thrive, right?
And so I think um uh Desmondreally underscores how we can
really shift mindsets, we canbuild trust, and we can mobilize
(04:45):
momentum for real preventionprogress when we come together
in community.
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
Well, Melissa, thank you so much for spending the
morning with us.
Can't wait to see what's comingfor day one and throughout the
rest of the conference.
SPEAKER_00 (04:57):
Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_01 (04:58):
Thank you, Melissa.
SPEAKER_00 (04:59):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (05:01):
You know what I think is so interesting about
that conversation is the energythat bleeds through.
I am so excited to be here, tobe back in the company of our
colleagues that are spreadthroughout the entire country.
When we get together, we havethis camaraderie, we have this
vision, we understand again thatwe are not alone in the sector,
(05:24):
that we actually exist in abroader ecosystem of this work.
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
100%.
I think what really struck meabout the conversation is the
fact that very strategicallyDesmond Mead was selected to
kick off this conference as thekeynote speaker because his work
has been, his movement has beencreated by these deeply
authentic relationships.
(05:51):
And a conference like this, andday one in particular, is, as
you pointed out, really aboutcoming back together, right?
Is recognizing who's in theroom, who is clearly aligned
from a mission perspective,right?
We're all here because webelieve we can do better for
families, we can be better withfamilies.
(06:12):
And the relationships thatDesmond Mead will be talking
about later this morning ascritical to his movement, I
believe is essential as well toour movement in this conference.
SPEAKER_01 (06:24):
It's it's like that idea
Investment begets investment.
And you know, may there be alittle bit of Desmond in all of
us.
Oh, absolutely.
And you can invite upstreamsolutions into your feed by
subscribing to The Shift Voicesof Prevention today.
Join us to create an ecosystemwhere children and families live
(06:46):
purposeful and happy lives withhope for the future.
Hello and welcome to day one of the Prevent Child
Abuse America 2025 NationalConference.
I'm Nathan Fink.
And I'm Luke Waldo.
And this is the Shift (00:17):
Voices of Prevention.
We're recording live fromPortland, Oregon, with Dr.
Melissa Merrick, CEO of PCAAmerica, who Trevor Stores, ED
of Alaska's chapter, calls ourvery own Oprah.
Melissa, welcome to Morningswith Melissa.
SPEAKER_00 (00:33):
Hi, Nate.
Hi, Luke.
So excited to be with you.
And I'll take the Oprah thing asa compliment, but I wish I had
all of Oprah's money.
SPEAKER_01 (00:41):
But you do now have your very own segment.
How does it feel?
SPEAKER_00 (00:45):
Well, it's super cool to be with uh all of our
attendees in this new way.
You know, we're trying out a lotof different things this year to
get people engaged.
People want even moreopportunities to connect with
the content, to connect with meand my incredible team, our
incredible networks of chaptersand Healthy Families America
sites and partners inprevention.
So it's just awesome to do it inthis like cool podcast way.
SPEAKER_02 (01:09):
I couldn't agree more, Melissa.
It's it's exciting to see thismany new faces and also to be in
community with folks like youand uh your team.
Um it's also an incredible honoruh to be co-host this year with
Nathan and to be joining you uhon this podcast.
So, as Nathan said, it is dayone of the conference.
(01:30):
It's the day to bring people in,energize the room.
Uh what can we expect from thestart of this conference?
SPEAKER_00 (01:37):
Well, energy, for sure.
Uh, you know, energy, uhfriendships, right?
It's been so uh cool already aswe're all arriving to see faces
that we haven't seen since ourBaltimore conference, or um,
we've seen them on small littlescreens on Zoom.
So it's really cool just to bein community with folks.
I think that day one is gonnastart just uh in a beautiful way
(01:59):
with uh our our keynote speakerDesmond Mead and just like all
these new ideas and things thatyou know this moment that we
find ourselves in is uh is achallenging one for the work
that we do and for children andfamilies, right?
There's a lot of pressures onthem.
So it makes the work that we'redoing in partnership um even
more important, and I think thatthat also is tangible here on
(02:22):
day one.
SPEAKER_01 (02:23):
And you just mentioned Desmond Mead is our
keynote for day one.
Why should we be excited abouthis keynote speech?
SPEAKER_00 (02:29):
Well, Zah, it's really hard not to be excited
about him.
I heard him speak uh for thefirst time last year at a
conference, and I think in my 25years of going to conferences,
it was the best keynote I everheard.
He's just an authenticcommunicator.
He talks about his livedexperience, his journey, his
challenges with um incarcerationand addiction, and how he's used
(02:52):
those to really fuel thistransformation in community.
So really highlights the themesof belonging and resilience and
hope.
And I think it's something thatwe're all gonna draw great
inspiration from again in thesemoments that can feel
overwhelming and super complex.
Um they help us, you know, hehis words and the way that he
(03:16):
shows up helps us see, gosh,there is a lot of hope.
And we can make a change when wecome together for children and
families.
SPEAKER_02 (03:24):
Yeah, you can you you pointed out, Melissa, the
importance of authenticity.
And I I couldn't have picked uha better person to start this
conference than Desmond Mead.
I think his journey uh isrepresented and his movement has
really been represented by theauthenticity and vulnerability
(03:45):
that he wears on his sleeve.
And I think it's a great placefor us all to start to really
inspire this movement, as you'vepointed out, uh, towards uh uh a
prevention ecosystem that willbe critical to all overloaded
families across our country.
SPEAKER_00 (04:03):
Yeah, I couldn't agree more.
It's sort of, you know, it justhighlights and reinforces that
one person's lived experiencecan really power systemic
change.
And that's what we're about herewhen we talk about our um, you
know, uh theory of change thatwe're now calling the blueprint
for family well-being.
It is about, as you said,creating these ecosystems of
(04:24):
prevention, right?
Before families are in crisis,we don't need to wait until
families touch our deep endsystems to really provide the
supports, the nurturance, theguidance, the resources that
they need to thrive, right?
And so I think um uh Desmondreally underscores how we can
really shift mindsets, we canbuild trust, and we can mobilize
(04:45):
momentum for real preventionprogress when we come together
in community.
SPEAKER_01 (04:50):
Well, Melissa, thank you so much for spending the
morning with us.
Can't wait to see what's comingfor day one and throughout the
rest of the conference.
SPEAKER_00 (04:57):
Yeah, me too.
SPEAKER_01 (04:58):
Thank you, Melissa.
SPEAKER_00 (04:59):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_01 (05:01):
You know what I think is so interesting about
that conversation is the energythat bleeds through.
I am so excited to be here, tobe back in the company of our
colleagues that are spreadthroughout the entire country.
When we get together, we havethis camaraderie, we have this
vision, we understand again thatwe are not alone in the sector,
(05:24):
that we actually exist in abroader ecosystem of this work.
SPEAKER_02 (05:30):
100%.
I think what really struck meabout the conversation is the
fact that very strategicallyDesmond Mead was selected to
kick off this conference as thekeynote speaker because his work
has been, his movement has beencreated by these deeply
authentic relationships.
(05:51):
And a conference like this, andday one in particular, is, as
you pointed out, really aboutcoming back together, right?
Is recognizing who's in theroom, who is clearly aligned
from a mission perspective,right?
We're all here because webelieve we can do better for
families, we can be better withfamilies.
(06:12):
And the relationships thatDesmond Mead will be talking
about later this morning ascritical to his movement, I
believe is essential as well toour movement in this conference.
SPEAKER_01 (06:24):
It's it's like that idea
Investment begets investment.
And you know, may there be alittle bit of Desmond in all of
us.
Oh, absolutely.
And you can invite upstreamsolutions into your feed by
subscribing to The Shift Voicesof Prevention today.
Join us to create an ecosystemwhere children and families live
(06:46):
purposeful and happy lives withhope for the future.
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