Join host Lauren Minors for a conversation with Austen Williams, Executive Director of The Medi, to discuss how community health needs to be community-led, with trust at the center.

In this inspiring episode of For the Better, guest host Lauren Minors sits down with Amy Comeau, award-winning author, speaker, and former CMO at Emory Healthcare, to explore what it truly means to lead with authenticity—especially in times of crisis.

Drawing from her acclaimed book, Every Storm Runs Out of Rain, Amy shares how a simple idea—a weekly "Friday email" to her team—became a powerful lifeline of connection and gratitude during the chaos of the pandemic. What started as a gesture of encouragement turned into a leadership ritual that fostered trust, vulnerability, and belonging.

Generosity is capable of creating profound change in the world. Imagine how our posture towards generosity would grow if nonprofits prioritized their relationship with us, furthering our desire to give to organizations and charities. What steps can nonprofits take to create personal relationships with their donors?

Gabe Cooper, the Founder and CEO of Virtuous, is passionate about creating market-defining software that helps nonprofits reimagine generosity. Virtuous is currently the only responsive fundraising platform designed to assist nonprofit teams in building better donor relationships and increasing their impact. Gabe encourages nonprofits to incorporate personalized communication into their fundraising tactics and observe the effects on donor retention and monetary gifts.

In this episode of For the Better, host Ben Cash sits down with Gabe Cooper, Founder and CEO of Virtuous, to discuss responsive fundraising and how to implement it in nonprofits. Gabe highlights the importance of innovating processes, executing innovative strategies in smaller organizations, embracing failure, and finding the right next step. Listeners will gain valuable insights on how to make their fundraising efforts more effective and impactful.

As the demand for self-service continues to grow across industries, self-scheduling has become a patient expectation in the health sector. Online self-scheduling allows patients to find and book healthcare appointments at their convenience. This service model saves tremendous time and resources for hospitals that have previously relied on staff to schedule appointments. However, not all patient scheduling solutions are equal. How can stakeholders create a dynamic scheduling system that prioritizes patients?

Christina Valls is the Associate Director of Product and Enablement at Cedars-Sinai, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit pioneering innovative patient care. She stresses the importance of a defined strategy in achieving the benefits of the self-scheduling initiative she led. Christina and the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center team pivoted by tackling the entire patient journey while maintaining the business imperative of the project. As a result of this strategy, the hospital has seen a record-breaking increase in appointments and new patients, with a 14% drop in average daily call volumes.

In this episode of For the Better, host Ben Cash welcomes Christina Valls, Associate Director, Product and Enablement at Cedars-Sinai, to discuss Cedars-Sinai's breakout results with self-scheduling. Christina highlights the importance of a consumer-centric approach to self-scheduling initiatives, navigating the challenges of digital health transformation, her team's plan for the future, and the value of change management principles in a healthcare setting.

Chronic illnesses are affecting an increasing portion of the population, with nearly 50% of Americans currently managing such conditions. Despite the growing number of patients requiring long-term care, the healthcare system is still designed around acute, short-term issues, leaving those with chronic diseases feeling lost in a complex maze of care. How can the healthcare system evolve to better support patients navigating these complex, long-term conditions?

With over 15 years of entrepreneurial experience, Kristy Dickinson, the Founder and CEO of Chronically Simple, is a patient advocate and digital health consultant passionate about reshaping the patient and caregiver experience. Drawing on her personal experience as a patient with a rare genetic disorder, she stresses the importance of integrating the patient's voice throughout the healthcare process. Kristy built a digital tool to replace cumbersome binders of medical records, showing the necessity of innovative, patient-centered solutions. She urges healthcare professionals to treat patients as key team members, integrating them into the design of systems and care plans to improve outcomes and reduce the overwhelming administrative burden on those managing chronic conditions.

In this episode of For the Better, Ben Cash welcomes Kristy Dickinson, the Founder and CEO of Chronically Simple, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in managing complex health conditions. Kristy shares her eye-opening experience with chronic illness, offers strategies for improving patient experiences, and highlights the value of digital tools in healthcare. Tune in for insights on prioritizing comprehensive care and the power of patient voices in driving healthcare efficiency and effectiveness.

Everything can change. Places that once held a dark history can turn into centers of education and inclusion — even a center of slave trade.

Shockoe Bottom is a neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia. During the 1800s, it was the second-largest slave-trading corridor outside of New Orleans. But rather than focus on the dark side of its history, Ricky Parker set out to make "Shockoe" mean something celebratory — by starting a new brand of wine. Shockoe Wine is on a mission to educate people about African American History and bring them together through good wine. Plus, they support the community by raising money for scholarships to give to graduating high school seniors. So, how did it all get started?

In this episode of For the Better, host Ben Cash is joined by Ricky Parker, Co-founder of Shockoe Wine, to discuss how he is using wine to educate the community. Ricky talks about the mission of Shockoe Wine, how he found his way into the world of wine and spirits, and the partnerships that helped make his dream a reality.

Joel Sadler and Allyson Sutton are the Co-founders of Sightsee Global LLC. Through its coffee bar and retail shop, Sightsee creates a sense of fun, community, and social advocacy in Charleston, South Carolina.

Being a business owner comes with its perks, but it also comes with many challenges. You must work hard to promote your business and keep your loyal customers. What do you need to do to remain competitive in the modern business world? How can you keep your audience engaged with your brand? It's also hard to balance business life while being a force for positive social change.

In this episode of the For the Better podcast, Ben Cash sits down with Joel and Allyson to discuss valuable insights on running a business. They discuss building a solid connection with your customers and positioning your brand's value to the community. If you want to thrive as an entrepreneur, there are several things you can do to set yourself apart from the crowd. Discover strategies to keep your customers loyal today. Stay tuned!

With the healthcare industry becoming more consumer-centric, providers face the challenge of aligning their operations with patients' real needs. Addressing patient engagement requires a multifaceted approach that involves patients in their healthcare journey, fosters shared decision-making, and enhances the overall patient experience. How can organizations ensure that their digital solutions genuinely benefit those they aim to serve?

Adam Cherrington, Vice President of Digital Health and Patient Voice at KLAS Research, a healthcare IT research firm focused on improving healthcare technology and services by evaluating vendor performance. With over 12 years at KLAS, Adam has championed initiatives prioritizing patient engagement and alignment between healthcare providers and technology vendors. His work led to the development of the KLAS Patient Voice Collaborative, which amplifies patient perspectives to inform healthcare solutions. He illustrates the significant discrepancies between what healthcare providers and vendors offer versus what patients prioritize. By amplifying patient voices, KLAS Research helps healthcare organizations identify and bridge these gaps, ultimately enhancing patient-centered care.

In this episode of For the Better, Ben Cash interviews Adam Cherrington, Vice President of Digital Health and Patient Voice at KLAS Research, about fostering patient-centered healthcare technology. Adam highlights the importance and impact of genuinely listening to patients, the necessity of overcoming traditional silos, driving organizational change through data-informed decisions, and how to utilize technology effectively within a structured change management framework.