S1E6: How Community and Passion Drive Advocacy with Guest Christie Smerchek

In this episode, Christie shares her journey into advocacy for gun violence prevention, her experiences with faith communities, and her passion for making a difference. We explore how individuals can get involved, the importance of community action, and her insights on Taylor Swift's music.

Christie is a dental hygienist, former PTA president, and mom of two who somehow still finds time to fight for gun violence prevention — and make it look fun. She volunteers with MOMS Demand Action and Be SMART, bringing the same energy she uses to convince patients to floss to convincing communities to take action.

Connect with her-- Would love for people to attend a local MOMS Demand meeting, or go through the online training to be a Be SMART volunteer.
https://www.instagram.com/christie.from.kc/

Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒 https://www.instagram.com/the_canterberries/

Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD

vaxacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

S1E5: The Simple Shift That Makes Climate Action Feel Worth It with Guest Pip Cross

Philippa Cross is the founder of Marshall Sustainability, a boutique consultancy delivering senior-level advisory to companies on climate strategy, supply chains, and storytelling. With 20 years of experience leading sustainability functions at Fortune 500 companies including Unilever and Ben & Jerry's, Philippa brings a blend of corporate depth and entrepreneurial agility to her work.

She holds a Master's in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge, where she also teaches on executive programs. Philippa is co-author of Purpose Advantage 2.0 and was named one of the Top 50 Global Women in Sustainability by SustainabilityX magazine. She is also an alumna of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions Program.

She's currently working on a B-Corp network in Kansas City on how to bring more mission-led businesses together in Kansas City; so love to hear from B-Corp curious people who would be interested to learn more and be part of this!
www.marshallsustainbility.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/philippa-cross/

Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒 https://www.instagram.com/the_canterberries/

Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD

vaxacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

S1E4: Mental Health Tools You Can Use to Make Your Life, I Daresay... a Party! Guest Mary Kate Short , LCSW, LSCSW

Mary Kate Short, LCSW (MO), LSCSW (KS) is a Licensed Clinical Social worker based in Kansas City, MO. She specializes in work with children and parents, along with couples and families. Mary Kate is highly skilled in helping families navigate difficult behavior and disconnection. She provides individual, couples and family counseling at Heartland Therapy Connection.

Ongoing parent/child workshops focused on strengthening parent/child attachment and increasing positive behaviors in children.

Heartland Therapy Connection

heartlandtherapyconnection.com

Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒 https://www.instagram.com/the_canterberries/

Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD

vaxacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

Season 1, episode 3: Why Leaders Must Show Their Imperfections to Inspire, Guest Jermaine Jamison

Today’s guest is Jermaine Jamison, an entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and human engagement strategist who helps leaders rethink how they engage people and build environments where individuals feel seen, trusted, and equipped to lead.Jermaine is the Co-founder and Managing Partner of Jamison Perry, a recruiting and staffing firm, and the President of 3E, LLC, Emerge. Evolve. Excel., a human engagement consultancy focused on leadership development and organizational growth.Through the lens of lived experiences, Jermaine challenges leaders to move beyond processes and focus on the human dynamics that shape performance, trust, and culture inside organizations.His work helps leaders create clarity, strengthen relationships, and unlock the potential that already exists within their people.

In this episode we discuss mental health, his humble beginnings, overcoming a lack of self-confidence, focusing on the human experience, embracing your struggles and finding solutions, and being vulnerable with your team -- as that's what makes you relatable and able to inspire!

Connect with Jermaine here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jermainejamison1/ www.partner3e.com

www.jamisonperry.com

Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒 https://www.instagram.com/the_canterberries/

Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD

vaxacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

Season 1, episode 2: Why Not Make Everything a Party? Stories from a vulnerable leader and restaurant owner, guest Jordin Johnson

Content warning: divorce

Today's guest is Jordin Johnson, owner of Blanc Champagne Bar in Midtown Kansas City, Missouri. She's a corporate marketer turned restaurateur. Mainly because she love bubbles and celebrations... with a little dash of "prove myself (and everyone around me) that I can do it"!

She own an amazing restaurant in the heart of KC, manages about 20 employees, and loves creating special memories for every person who walks through their door. She's also been on a self healing journey and is constantly searching for purpose and balance in everything she does.

Topics we cover are around leading with care, intention and empathy, being a collaborative leader who likes to say, “look at what we built” not just myself!

Jordin is wildly open and vulnerable in this episode. If you are going through or have gone through a divorce, launched a business, or had any other especially hard times, this episode will likely be very relatable.

Follow Jordin Johnson @blancchampagnebar on all platforms

Special thanks to our sponsor, Leader One Financial, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around.

Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒 https://www.instagram.com/the_canterberries/

Connect with the host, Haley Grayless, MSOD

vaxacollective.com

https://www.instagram.com/the_haleygrayless

https://www.linkedin.com/in/haleygrayless/

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

Season 1, Episode 1:

Great Leaders are Trauma-Informed

(Note: The audio on this first episode is a little off, as the guest's microphone wasn't working properly BUT you can still here her. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we figure out the technology -- the upcoming episodes won't have the issue! Please listen with grace) ​ ◡̈

Discover how to make mental health discussions engaging and uplifting! Learn valuable insights from therapy expert Jessica Doane on creating joy in serious topics.

In a world where serious topics often dominate discussions, why not make mental health a party? In this inaugural episode of the "Make It a Party" podcast, host Haley Grayless welcomes her dear friend Jessica Done, a licensed clinical social worker and the director of community engagement at Resolve Counseling and Wellness in Kansas City. Together, they explore the intersection of mental health and happiness, sharing insights that challenge traditional narratives.

Jessica Doane, LSCSW, LCSW (she/her), is a licensed clinical social worker in Kansas and Missouri and the Director of Community Engagement at Resolve Counseling and Wellness in Kansas City. She brings years of experience across diverse settings—including schools, residential treatment, and outpatient care—and is known for her work with the LGBTQ+ community and her focus on anxiety, perfectionism, and ADHD in adult women. Jessica is also an adjunct professor at the University of Kansas and a member of the Centurions Leadership Program. She’s passionate about building safe, inclusive spaces for healing and community connection.

Connect with Jessica! www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-doane-lcsw-lscsw

Resources:Need a therapist? Resolve

Community Trainings Resolve Community Trainings — Resolve

kcresolve.com

Special thanks to our sponsor, Kansas City Realty, for their recording space!

Music on this podcast is from the song "Grateful" by the local Kansas City band, The Canterberries. Stream and download their album, Flying Around. Follow them on Instagram for upcoming show dates @the_canterberries 🍓 🫐 🍒

Transcript for this episode can be found at vaxacollective.com/podcast

Here's a little taste of what we'll cover on the Make it a Party! Podcast.

Please hit "subscribe" and season 1's episodes will be dropping each week!