What happens when you’re 21 years old and suddenly responsible for leading people twice your age?

In this episode, I sit down with Max to explore his journey from the Canadian Armed Forces to senior healthcare leadership. We talk about leading under pressure, navigating imposter syndrome, and the transition from structured military systems to the complexity of civilian healthcare.

We unpack what healthcare can learn from military leadership — especially around communication, closing the loop, and building trust — and why emotional intelligence and coaching are essential, not optional, for today’s leaders.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you belong in the seat you’re in, this conversation will resonate.

This week, we’re revisiting our most-listened-to episode — a powerful conversation with Caroline Brunt, RN, street nurse, educator, and co-creator of the award-winning documentary Bevel Up.

Caroline shares what decades of outreach and harm-reduction work have taught her about leadership, trust, and meeting people where they are. This episode explores the quiet, often invisible skills that matter most in healthcare leadership: presence, humility, non-judgment, and genuine human connection.

It’s a conversation about learning through discomfort, challenging assumptions, and remembering that people are never problems to be fixed — they are human beings shaped by complex systems, trauma, and resilience.

If this episode resonated the first time you heard it, it’s worth returning to. And if you’re listening for the first time, this conversation offers a powerful reminder of what compassionate leadership truly looks like.

In this episode, Debbie Owusu-Akyeeah, Co-Director of Policy and Advocacy at Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, shares her path from an early, instinctive feminism to becoming a respected national advocate. She offers a clear look at Action Canada’s work advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in Canada and globally, and why this work remains as urgent as ever.

Debbie breaks down the systemic and political barriers that continue to limit equitable access to care, highlighting how narratives shape policy—and how shifting those narratives can change outcomes. She also speaks to the power of communities working together to influence decision-makers and push for a more just, responsive healthcare system.

Grounded, thoughtful, and deeply informed, Debbie’s insights cut through noise and rhetoric. She closes with practical, realistic advice for young activists who want to contribute meaningfully to this work.

A thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in advocacy, equity, and the future of healthcare.