Plattinum Passport

Earlier this Summer, Clenise served as the moderator for the Renewals’ Reset Experience. We continued the conversation during a live recording of the Plattinum Passport Podcast for those who attended the event. During this episode, The Reset Experience Convener and speaker Kaetrena Davis Kendrick highlights her research on low morale experiences and workplace abuse and neglect, and Steven Adams and Sarah Hightower discuss the significance of curiosity and nervous system regulation in recovery from workplace trauma. They each share their personal workplace experiences and self-preservation tools to support and expand recovery from workplace harm and neglect.ABOUT KAETRENA DAVIS KENDRICKKaetrena earned her M.S.L.S. from the historic Clark Atlanta University School of Library and Information Studies. Kendrick’s research on low-morale experiences in library workplaces is recognized as groundbreaking and validating for library employees at all levels.In her daily and long-term work, Kendrick has transformed library programs, services, and culture via creativity, leadership, and advocacy. She is committed to centering well-being, creativity, and empathy in the workplace and promoting career clarity and rejuvenation to workers.In 2019, Kendrick was named the Association of College and Research Libraries’ Academic/Research Librarian ofthe Year, and she is the 2024-2025 Follett Chair with the Dominican University School of Information Studies.As founder of Renewals, she is the creator of Renewers Communities and is the creator of and Convener for the Reset Experience. Learn more about her work at renewalslis.com.ABOUT STEVEN ADAMSWith 25 years of experience as a librarian, educator, speaker and workshop facilitator, Steven creates dynamic learning experiences sparking introspection and group cohesion. His research and workshop design projects explore the role of curiosity in creating and sustaining engaging workplace cultures.He is currently the Librarian for The Graduate School at Northwestern University and has an additional appointment as the Faculty Mentor for Northwestern’s 7th class of Posse Scholars. Prior to Northwestern, Steven served as Princeton University’s Biological and Life Sciences Librarian and Psychology Librarian, and as a Reference Librarian at the Atlanta University Center’s Woodruff Library. Steven received his B.A in Biology and his M.L.S. from Clark Atlanta University. He also holds a certificate in Instructional Design from Langevin Learning Services.Outside of his professional activities, Steven is doing work in Evanston, IL to address issues that affect children, such as poverty, hopelessness, uneven educational opportunities through the life span, and intersectional oppression (racism, sexism, homophobia, class bias, etc.). Steven is on the Board of Foundation 65, which raises funds and leads initiatives which support schoolteachers in Evanston, Illinois. He has a long history of mentoring children, adolescents, and young adults, and has participated in “Big Brother and Sister” programs in Georgia, New Jersey and Illinois. ABOUT SARAH HIGHTOWERSarah Hightower is a licensed therapist with more than 17 years of experience in mental health. She currently works with diverse populations in private practice at Blue Heron Counseling Services, LLC, and previously worked in community-based outpatient, and inpatient treatment settings. The heart and soul of her practice is maternal mental health and postpartum support with a fierce devotion of supporting and affirming the lived experiences of Black and brown women and birthing people with intersecting identities. Sarah has received extensive training in maternal mental health from Postpartum Support International (PSI), and trauma and nervous system regulation from Somatic Experiencing International (SEI).She currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her 3 children. When she’s not chauffeuring her kids around, Sarah enjoys reading, hiking, jigsaw puzzles, and practicing her French.

The Plattinum Passport Podcast Travel Team is back again!! They kicked us off last year with travel tips for the Fall and Winter. In this episode, the conversation comes full circle with their ideas for Summer and Fall travel, budget-friendly travel tips, the best times to travel during the Summer and Fall, and a list of things to think about when planning your next travel adventure. Andrae Marable, Cathy Parsons and Scott Warren also share their favorite summer spots, their best travel experiences this year and more! ABOUT ANDRAE MARABLE At the age of 21, Andrae J. Marable set a goal to travel across the United States with a focus on exploring the food, wine, and spirits of each state. He believes food, wine, and spirits all reflect things like the history, heritage, traditions, and values of a people and place and what they are passionate about. His travels have taken him to all 50 states and multiple cities in Canada and Europe. To share his passion and experiences with others, he founded The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club in 2014. In 2015, he was named the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Portsmouth Small Business of The Year Award Winner. Throughout the year, he coordinates winery tours and food excursions in the Virginia and Washington DC area. He enjoys taking people off the beaten path toexperience something new and broaden their horizons.Contact Andrae Marable, CTA at thepackroadtriptravelclub@gmail.com or 757-805-5759Find out more at http://www.thepacktravelclub.comABOUT CATHY PARSONSHello, my name is Cathy Parsons. I am a member of the Plattinium Passport Travel team and live in the Northern Maryland/Delaware area. I started in the travel industry in 1998, as a natural fit being raised as an Air Force child and having the opportunity to travel to many destinations and experience several different cultures as a child. I took a few years off to work in the corporate world as the Director of Sales for Hilton and Marriott, but soon realized that my passion was in selling travel and working with customers to curate amazing travel experiences that leave them with a lifetime of memories. At Best Vacations LLC, I focus on Caribbean and International travel, both by land and by sea. This is an exciting and sometimes challenging time in the world of travel. Now, as we all are coming out of the Covid pandemic, we are collectively trying to find our new ground. Asking ourselves, who and what we really are after stopping everything for two years. Finding balance is important as we take control of our destiny, our finances, our health and dare to dream! This is why we are here with the Plattinium Passport Travel Team! It is our hope and our prayer that each episode will help you on your journey to freedom, inner peace, exploration, success, and good health. Contact Cathy Parsons, ACC at Cathy@BestVacationsllc.com or 443-593-4000 Check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BestVacationsLLC     ABOUT SCOTT WARRENScott Warren, CMP is the Convention Sales Manager and serves on the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) meetings and conventions team where he assists meeting planners to enhance and elevate social, religious and fraternal (SMERF) meetings. Scott’s expertise in the destination marketing industry also extends to events supervisor, convention center sales management, and visitor center management where he oversaw the first LEED certification for existing visitor center facilities. He is a graduate of Oglebay Venue Management School and became a Travel Marketing Professional in 2016 with the Southeast Tourism Society (STS). Scott holds a M.Ed. from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA and a BA Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. A native and lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Scott enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife, two boys and their adopted rescue dog, Max.Contact Scott at sawarren@visitvirginiabeach.com or 757.385.6654Find out more at VBMEETINGS.COM

Gary Anderson walked into his eighth-grade science class ready to teach his students. When he left a few years later, it was his students who had schooled him. Gary’s students changed the trajectory of his career and life. Listen as Gary details how they helped him discover his true passion and inspired him to go back to school. He also shares how his quest to invest in the success of his students led him to launch three nonprofit organizations, what caused him to run his first IRONMAN Race at 52 and more!ABOUT GARY ANDERSONGary Anderson is a retired educator. He served as a school psychologist in public education for 37 years. He has founded 3 nonprofit organizations involving Read Aloud programs and is passionate about increasing literacy leading to a lasting, positive impact on children, families, and the community. He is married to Debbie, his college sweetheart, and they reside in Portsmouth, Virginia. In addition to his work with All District Reads, one of his other great passions is spending time with his 13 grandchildren.Click below to find out more about All District Reads and the student book clubs.https://alldistrictreads.org/

For Dr. Shonna Johnson, there were several twists and turns and aha moments on her way to realizing her childhood dream of becoming a doctor. Today she has a robust practice in her hometown consisting of patients from two months old to 102 years old. In this episode, not only does Dr. Johnson, a breast cancer survivor, give us a peak into her life as she tenaciously pursued her dream, she also offers tips for selecting a primary care doctor and being proactive about personal health and wellness.ABOUT SHONNA JENE JOHNSON, MDDr. Johnson earned her medical degree from the University of Virginia in 2003. She completed family medicine residency training with Riverside Health System and Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007. Dr. Johnson is board-certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. With more than 20 years of experience, Dr. Johnson views her family medicine practice as more of a personal mission than a job. Dr. Johnson was a participant in the inaugural class for the Riverside Leadership Institute. Her group’s capstone project was selected as the overall winner and was implemented into the health system as the current E consult and enhanced referral system. As the physician lead for this project, this has become a passion of hers to help patients get the care they need from specialists and to help with the back log of referrals. Dr. Johnson also serves on the Culture and Communication Committee as well as the Primary Care Steering Committee. She was recently selected to serve on the Medication Reconciliation Committee. she is the Physician lead for the Outpatient division. Dr. Johnson enjoys caring for patients of all ages and has a special interest in diabetes care and women’s health. A Hampton native, Dr. Johnson still lives in the area and appreciates its beautiful water views. In her free time, she enjoys playing and listening to music. Dr. Johnson has been married to her childhood sweetheart for 27 years and they have an adult daughter and son. 

Have you ever thought about just up and leaving it all behind? Your work, your belongings, your home . . . EVERYTHING?!!! Would you actually do it? In 2022 LaShon and Steven McKay ACTUALLY did! And so began a brand new life adventure for the couple. ABOUT LASHON & STEVEN MCKAYSteven and LaShon McKay have been married since 1998. They have two adult children, and two granddaughters with a third on the way. Steven served in the US Army and has worked primarily in security and corrections since leaving the military in 1999. His last position was as the Quality Control Supervisor with Newport News Juvenile Services where he worked for 13 years. LaShon worked with several institutions in the field of finance. Her last position was at Old Dominion University. After some research in January 2021, Steven and LaShon decided to plan for an early retirement and travel and live abroad. The original plan was to leave after 2-3 years, but after the pandemic and rapidly increasing home values, they accelerated their timeline. At the end of February 2022, they quit their jobs, and sold their home and moved to Ecuador on March 31st. To document their experiences, the McKay’s began a Youtube channel in September 2022. Their audience has grown steadily, and they also have two additional channels focused on their hobbies.  Steven contacted Plattinum Passport to share the couple’s story after he saw a piece about the podcast on the local news on the ABC affiliate, WVEC-13. You may follow Steven & LaShon on their journey at https://youtube.com/@LivingLovingAbroad.Click here to see Clenise’s interview about the Plattinum Passport podcast with WVEC -13 anchor Ashley Smith. 

The leadership series continues with Sonia Alcántara-Antoine. Sonia is not only the CEO of Baltimore County Public Library (MD), but she recently became the President of the Public Library Association (PLA) which has almost 9,000 members in communities around the United States and Canada. PLA is the largest association serving public library professionals. In this conversation, Sonia shares her leadership journey and the importance of not being afraid to say yes, building a strong network, overcoming imposter syndrome and becoming confident enough to show up unapologetically as your authentic self. . . even in spaces where there aren’t a lot of folks that look like you.ABOUT SONIA ALCÁNTARA-ANTOINESonia Alcántara-Antoine is the CEO of Baltimore County Public Library (MD), overseeing 19 branches, 550 dedicated staff, and a budget of $45 million. She was recently named one of the Top 100 Women in Maryland. Prior to joining Baltimore County Public Library, she was director of Newport News Public Library (VA) and held leadership positions at Virginia Beach Public Library (VA) and Enoch Pratt Free Library (MD). She is the president of the Public Library Association and is on the board of the Maryland Association of Public Library Administrators. Sonia is proud to be an American Library Association Spectrum Scholar, and holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from Florida State University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Old Dominion University. Sonia is a renowned speaker and thought leader on the art and science of library leadership, actively shaping the profession for today and tomorrow. Click below to find out more about Sonia and the Public Library Association.https://www.ala.org/pla/about/people/board/alcantara-antoine

Over this past year not only has Violet White helped me take care of my skin, but she and I have had some great conversations. I knew I wanted to invite her to be on the podcast to share her knowledge. As you listen into our conversation on this episode, be inspired by her personal story and learn from her unique perspective on how we care for our skin and think about beauty.ABOUT VIOLET WHITE Violet is the President of Violet White Inc., and Owner / Operator of Violet White Total Body Care. She is a Licensed Master of Esthetics, Licensed Cosmetologist and Freelance Makeup Artist. Violet White Total Body Care and Cosmetics was selected for the 2018 Virginia Beach Small Business Excellence Award in the Skin Care classification by the Virginia Beach Small Business Excellence Award Program.Violet White Total Body Care was named a Bioelements World-Class Spa. Bioelements World Class spas are chosen to represent the country’s best in spa amenities, from products to services and a dedication to excellence in the spa industry. Violet White Total Body Care provides an inviting environment unlike any other, where guests can receive custom blended Bioelements treatments and products.Violet White’s World Class status is also due to its belief in continual Bioelements education for its entire esthetic staff, to ensure they learn the latest treatments, techniques, and product advancements. The spa’s use of Bioelements means that they have access to renowned educators and courses created specifically for the spa professional. Clients can be assured that the technicians at Violet White are among the most knowledgeable in skincare.With 30 years in the industry, Violet passionately provides a cozy space to find or lose yourself whether it be 15 minutes or 2 hours of beauty exploration. Using their in-depth consultation process, staff at Violet White Total Body Care analyze a client’s skin, concerns and lifestyle to create freshly customized solutions, that integrate home care as well as in-salon products and services. In keeping with the Violet White philosophy, they strive to create a space that is both light and positive. Upon entering the peaceful environment, clients will find treatment areas are private and cozy with the comforts of home. Violet White Total Body Care offers a unique Associates Program to mentor and train new beauty experts. Find out more about Violet White Total Body Care here.

In this Money Talks, Clenise has a one-on-one with the audience to discuss a topic she is passionate about—financial literacy. She provides financial tips to help the listeners stay the course with their financial goals and remain financially focused and organized.ABOUT CLENISE PLATT Clenise is a writer, speaker and creative entrepreneur. Her articles about money matters have appeared in The Virginian-Pilot, Tidewater Women, Hampton Roads Gazetti, and on bNet CBS Business Network. Clenise hosted the Money Talks with Clenise Platt television show at Norfolk State University for students and made multiple appearances on the ABC affiliate, WVEC~13 News as a financial expert. In addition, she has spoken about smart money choices several times on the radio program, Building a Better Life with Edith White. She is a licensed insurance agent. Clenise has written and published several books including, Keep Your Chin Up, Are You Really The One? and The Life SPA Planner & Organizer series. She has also launched a line of stationery including custom greeting cards, photography and word art.Clenise is a graduate of William and Mary and Old Dominion University. She earned a certificate in Foundation of Management Excellence at the Yale School of Management in an endorsed ATD Manager Talent Development program. She also has an ATD Facilitating Virtual Training Certificate.As a Strategic Talent Development and Training Coordinator in a department of her local city, Clenise develops creative strategies and opportunities to inspire and motivate more than 300 employees to maximize their potential and performance in a team-oriented and collaborative workplace. She is responsible for overseeing the training budget and developing and managing a comprehensive talent development program that grows leaders at every level, facilitates lifelong learning for staff, and is responsive to the changes, needs and the goals of the organization. She is a member of the Association for Talent Development. Clenise has received a number of honors and awards including the William and Mary Young Alumni Service Award, the Virginia Beach Human Rights Award, the Inside Business Journal Top Forty under Forty and the Inside Business Women in Business Achievement Awards, the YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Business, recognition as a City of Virginia Beach Ambassador, the District 7600 Alumni Service Award, the ODU Hugo A. Owens MLK Memorial Award and the Norfolk Botanical Garden Ground Breaker’s Award. 

He walked off his high school graduation stage on Friday and in his own words, "jumped right into the corporate America swimming pool and had to learn to swim right away" the following Monday. One of my most favorite people in the world, my brother, Gabriel Platt, kicks off this leadership series. Learn about his own personal leadership journey, qualities of successful leaders and how lessons learned from good and poor leaders can help each of us become the leader we were made to be in this podcast episode.ABOUT GABRIEL PLATTGabriel began his leadership journey as a summer hire and over the years has worked in a variety of industries. He currently serves in management at a leading technology company. He is passionate about music and sports. In addition to being an avid soccer fan, he is also a percussionist and pianist. Gabriel resides in Chesapeake with his wife and family.He graduated from Old Dominion University and completed his graduate work at Regent University in leadership. He speaks about sports, family and leadership and talent development. 

Get ready to Spring Forward with the members of the Plattinum Passport Travel Panel—Andrae Marable, Cathy Parsons and Scott Warren. Discover ideas for Spring travel destinations, activities, travel tips and more in this conversation with the travel team. ABOUT ANDRAE MARABLE At the age of 21, Andrae J. Marable set a goal to travel across the United States with a focus on exploring the food, wine, and spirits of each state. He believes food, wine, and spirits all reflect things like the history, heritage, traditions, and values of a people and place and what they are passionate about. His travels have taken him to all 50 states and multiple cities in Canada and Europe. To share his passion and experiences with others, he founded The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club in 2014. In 2015, he was named the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Portsmouth Small Business of The Year Award Winner. Throughout the year, he coordinates winery tours and food excursions in the Virginia and Washington DC area. He enjoys taking people off the beaten path toexperience something new and broaden their horizons.Contact Andrae Marable, CTA at thepackroadtriptravelclub@gmail.com or 757-805-5759Find out more at http://www.thepacktravelclub.comABOUT CATHY PARSONSHello, my name is Cathy Parsons. I am a member of the Plattinium Passport Travel team and live in the Northern Maryland/Delaware area. I started in the travel industry in 1998, as a natural fit being raised as an Air Force child and having the opportunity to travel to many destinations and experience several different cultures as a child. I took a few years off to work in the corporate world as the Director of Sales for Hilton and Marriott, but soon realized that my passion was in selling travel and working with customers to curate amazing travel experiences that leave them with a lifetime of memories. At Best Vacations LLC, I focus on Caribbean and International travel, both by land and by sea. This is an exciting and sometimes challenging time in the world of travel. Now, as we all are coming out of the Covid pandemic, we are collectively trying to find our new ground. Asking ourselves, who and what we really are after stopping everything for two years. Finding balance is important as we take control of our destiny, our finances, our health and dare to dream! This is why we are here with the Plattinium Passport Travel Team! It is our hope and our prayer that each episode will help you on your journey to freedom, inner peace, exploration, success, and good health. Contact Cathy Parsons, ACC at Cathy@BestVacationsllc.com or 443-593-4000 Check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BestVacationsLLC     ABOUT SCOTT WARRENScott Warren, CMP is the Convention Sales Manager and serves on the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) meetings and conventions team where he assists meeting planners to enhance and elevate social, religious and fraternal (SMERF) meetings. Scott’s expertise in the destination marketing industry also extends to events supervisor, convention center sales management, and visitor center management where he oversaw the first LEED certification for existing visitor center facilities. He is a graduate of Oglebay Venue Management School and became a Travel Marketing Professional in 2016 with the Southeast Tourism Society (STS). Scott holds a M.Ed. from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA and a BA Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. A native and lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Scott enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife, two boys and their adopted rescue dog, Max.Contact Scott at sawarren@visitvirginiabeach.com or 757.385.6654Find out more at VBMEETINGS.COM

A very brief encounter at a church and another encounter filled with one week of conversations, meals and activities at a church convention, led to friendship, love and marriage three months later. Find out more about the love story that began over 52 years ago and continues today in the Plattinum Love Café featuring Hattie & Clinton Platt. ABOUT HATTIE & CLINTON For more than 52 years, Clinton and Hattie Platt have shared a passion for and commitment to developing a strong and loving marriage and family. During his 35-year tenure at Verizon, Clinton worked in a variety of positions and leadership roles. When he retired, he started CHCG Telephone Installation and Repair. He has also held multiple leadership positions in ministry and the community over the years. With more than 30 years of management experience in the financial services industry, Hattie has a heart for educating people about and helping them to discover financial resources for their life. She has served in several leadership roles in her church and community throughout the years. In her spare time, she enjoys interior design and gardening. Both Clinton and Hattie remain active in their community and church and are proud parents of Clenise and Gabriel. Clinton and Hattie provide insight and presentations on several subjects including marriage, family and finances with The Plattinum Group.

During this episode, I share a conversation with Hattie Platt, aka mom, about how we can have fun with our funds during the Holidays. Mom and I are both passionate about financial literacy and helping people learn how they can make smart money moves as they move through their life's journey. ABOUT HATTIE PLATT Hattie Platt has been in the financial services industry since 1988. She returned to college while her daughter was in college and her son was in high school and graduated from Tidewater Community College with an Associate Degree in Accounting. Hattie worked her way up from part-time teller to CEO & Manager at a local credit union. Along the way, she worked as a member service representative and loan officer. She has more than 20 years of management experience in financial services.  Hattie has participated in a number of philanthropic and community programs over the years. She served on the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as the Vice President of the Tidewater Collections Chapter. She has also served on the Virginia Credit Union League Budget & Dues Committee and the Small Credit Union Preservation Committee. She has volunteered her financial expertise in the community and at her church. She has contributed to several organizations including the Urban League of Hampton Roads, the YWCA, and the William and Mary Alumni Fund. She is a member of The Keep Your Chin Up Organization, Inc. Board of Directors Hattie has a love for homes and gardening and interior design. She and her husband have been married for 52 years. She speaks on several subjects including marriage, family and finances.

There is nothing like exploring our planet—and the members of the Plattinum Passport Travel Panel—Andrae Marable, Cathy Parsons and Scott Warren, are all about helping us to do just that! In this episode, they not only have ideas for travel and adventures for the Fall and the Holidays, but also offer some great suggestions to embrace or escape the Winter Experience.  ABOUT ANDRAE MARABLE At the age of 21, Andrae J. Marable set a goal to travel across the United States with a focus on exploring the food, wine, and spirits of each state. He believes food, wine, and spirits all reflect things like the history, heritage, traditions, and values of a people and place and what they are passionate about. His travels have taken him to all 50 states and multiple cities in Canada and Europe. To share his passion and experiences with others, he founded The Pack Roadtrip Travel Club in 2014. In 2015, he was named the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Portsmouth Small Business of The Year Award Winner. Throughout the year, he coordinates winery tours and food excursions in the Virginia and Washington DC area. He enjoys taking people off the beaten path toexperience something new and broaden their horizons.Contact Andrae Marable, CTA at thepackroadtriptravelclub@gmail.com or 757-805-5759Find out more at http://www.thepacktravelclub.comABOUT CATHY PARSONSHello, my name is Cathy Parsons. I am a member of the Plattinium Passport Travel team and live in the Northern Maryland/Delaware area. I started in the travel industry in 1998, as a natural fit being raised as an Air Force child and having the opportunity to travel to many destinations and experience several different cultures as a child. I took a few years off to work in the corporate world as the Director of Sales for Hilton and Marriott, but soon realized that my passion was in selling travel and working with customers to curate amazing travel experiences that leave them with a lifetime of memories. At Best Vacations LLC, I focus on Caribbean and International travel, both by land and by sea. This is an exciting and sometimes challenging time in the world of travel. Now, as we all are coming out of the Covid pandemic, we are collectively trying to find our new ground. Asking ourselves, who and what we really are after stopping everything for two years. Finding balance is important as we take control of our destiny, our finances, our health and dare to dream! This is why we are here with the Plattinium Passport Travel Team! It is our hope and our prayer that each episode will help you on your journey to freedom, inner peace, exploration, success, and good health. Contact Cathy Parsons, ACC at Cathy@BestVacationsllc.com or 443-593-4000 Check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BestVacationsLLC     ABOUT SCOTT WARRENScott Warren, CMP is the Convention Sales Manager and serves on the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) meetings and conventions team where he assists meeting planners to enhance and elevate social, religious and fraternal (SMERF) meetings. Scott’s expertise in the destination marketing industry also extends to events supervisor, convention center sales management, and visitor center management where he oversaw the first LEED certification for existing visitor center facilities. He is a graduate of Oglebay Venue Management School and became a Travel Marketing Professional in 2016 with the Southeast Tourism Society (STS). Scott holds a M.Ed. from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA and a BA Business Administration with a concentration in Computer Information Systems from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC. A native and lifelong resident of Virginia Beach, Scott enjoys spending time with his wonderful wife, two boys and their adopted rescue dog, Max.Contact Scott at sawarren@visitvirginiabeach.com or 757.385.6654Find out more at VBMEETINGS.COM

So many words could be used to describe Candy O’Terry-- singer, songwriter, multi-award winner, number 1 female on air in Boston, content creator, production company and radio network owner, but they don’t begin to describe the essence of who she is. Tune in to hear Candy, who has collected numerous life lessons from other women to help fill the hole in her soul caused by the loss of her mother as a teenager, offer a master class of life lessons of her own to help inspire and empower us all! CANDY’S FAVORITE TRAVEL ACCESSORYI circled back around to ask Candy one final question from the Plattinum Passport Guest Travel Log. It turns out her favorite travel accessory is a new swim bag. Candy said, “It's about 5X7 and has the words "Swim Bag” embroidered on the outside in gold. There is a pocket for my wet speedo and another for my bathing cap & earplugs! My new swim bag keeps my wet suit away from my dry clothes in my suitcase and enables me to swim right before I fly!” ABOUT CANDY O’Known as Candy O on Magic 106.7/WMJX Boston for 25 years, Candy O’Terry is an award-winning radio broadcaster, content creator, master interviewer, communications coach and singer whose music has been played on radio stations worldwide. As the Founder of My Dove Productions, the Candy O Radio Network and co-founder of Two Dreams Entertainment, Candy’s lens is focused on storytelling. She is the host of The Story Behind Her Success weekly podcast and radio series, The Speaker Coach podcast, 16 Life Lessons Motivation Monday feature, and the Nashville-based podcast series Country Music Success Stories. Candy is also a contributor and advisor to the new women’s magazine, Living Crue. A lifelong singer, Candy’s full-length CD Dream Come True includes her version of Over the Rainbow with the Boston Pops as well as AC charting singles The Gift with Jim Brickman and You Are The Only One with Boston rocker Charlie Farren. She’s no stranger to TV and film having served as the center judge for 7 seasons on the Emmy Award winning TV talent show Community Auditions, and as an actress in 4 independent feature films including CO2, Lazarus Rising, and the new documentary film Misha And the Wolves on Netflix. Chosen by her peers as the 2015 Massachusetts Broadcaster of the Year, Candy is the winner of 69 local and national awards. Known for her unique ability to turn any interview into an easy conversation, she has interviewed 800 women from every walk of life, and counting.Born in New York City and raised in Connecticut, Candy came to Boston as a 1-meter diving champion for Boston College. The Co-Founder of Boston Women in Media & Entertainment, she proudly serves on the Council for Women of Boston College, empowerHER and the Cancer Support Community’s Massachusetts Advisory Board. The consummate performer, Candy never met a microphone she didn’t love!LINKSFor a free copy of Candy’s 16 Life Lessons, visit https://www.candyoterry.com/

AND THE JOURNEY BEGINS . . .  When I met Natacha Dolson over a year ago as a participant in a mentoring program at work, I had no idea that was the beginning of a journey that would result in me launching a podcast. But here we are . . . I am happy to have a conversation with Dr. Natacha Dolson, on the Plattinum Passport Podcast. This uplifting dialogue about personal perseverance, saying yes to unexpected opportunities, and the empowering effect of a positive mentoring relationship is just the ticket to destination: Life Inspired!ABOUT NATACHA DOLSONDr. Natacha Dolson has over 15 years of experience leading various programs for adults and children with developmental disabilities within the private, nonprofit, and public sectors in various states. She has a wide scope of experience with strategic planning, process improvement, change management and goal implementation in addition to program and policy development, data management, emergency management, and community engagement. She is also a published author within the business realm. In addition to business functions, Dr. Dolson has a passion for diversity and inclusion initiatives, mentoring, and advocating for populations in need of support. Dr. Dolson earned a Master’s Degree in Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Doctorate in Strategic Leadership with a specialization in Strategic Foresight from Regent University. She also holds Master’s Certificates in Law & Public Safety and Global Leadership and is a certified ‘Lean Six Sigma Black Belt’.

Have you ever spent time with someone and walked away convinced you  just experienced history in real time? That is the way I feel when I speak with Cecelia “CeeCee” Tucker and today’s conversation is no different. As you listen in, you’ll hear how she was actually THERE--LIVE and IN PERSON during so many historic moments. She is a walking legend, and she has so many stories that will inspire us to use or gifts and talents, get out and vote, make a difference in the world and so much more! ABOUT CEECEE TUCKERAs assistant to the president for community relations at Old Dominion University, Cecelia ‘CeeCee’ Taliaferro Tucker has devoted herself to improving relationships among the races. She is recently retired form Old Dominion University where she worked for 31 years. She undertook a wide variety of community relations activities for the University, especially for and with the minority and African American communities of Hampton Roads. The daughter of two educators, Tucker was the valedictorian of her high school class in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. She graduated cum laude from Virginia Union University in Richmond with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology education and a Master of Science degree in biology from Michigan State University. Following college, Tucker became a biology teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, VA.While working toward her Master of Science degree in biology, she met and married the late Billy J. Tucker, a physician from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Together they had three daughters.During her years as a full-time wife and mother, Tucker became involved in her community, working with such organizations as the Norfolk Committee for the Improvement of Education, Day Care and Child Development Center, Phyllis Wheatly YWCA, Freemason Street YWCA, and the Urban League of Hampton Roads. In 1983, she was asked to serve as the acting director of the Urban League which initiated her return to the working world outside of home. She is also the former president of the Auxiliary to the Norfolk Medical Society where she personally raised more than $60,000.00 for the Norfolk Community Hospital. She also helped raise $10,000 for the Hunton YMCA and $25,000.00 for the United Negro College Fund.In addition to her extensive community involvement, Tucker has held three state appointments by Governors John Dalton and Charles S. Robb. She was a member of the Bi-racial Monitoring Committee for both governors and served on the Virginia Enterprise Zone Task Force for Governor Robb.Widely recognized as a community leader, Tucker has been recognized for her works by several area organizations. She has been honored with such awards as the Martin Luther King Award and the Outstanding Service Award from the Norfolk Links, the McDonald’s Hampton Roads Black Achievement Award, Tidewater Community College’s Martin Luther King Award, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Trailblazer’s Award, National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award, Zonta International 2002 Women’s Achievement Award, Norfolk NAACP Lifetime Investment in Freedom Award, Urban League of Hampton Roads Legacy Award, YWCA Women of Distinction Award, Old Dominion University chapter of the NAACP President’s Award, the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi , an Honorary Member Award from the Golden Key Honor Society of Old Dominion University; Booker T, Washington H.S. Friends and Alumni Association Distinguished Teacher and Instructor and the Pioneer and Valuable Member Award from the Minority Advisory Council of United Way. In February 2013 Tucker received the Hampton Roads Legend Award from the Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals. Further, in 2013, she received the Diversity and Inclusion Award from SunTrust Bank and in 2014, the Children’s Harbor Anchor Award and the Impacting Lives Award from the Norfolk Journal and Guide. Finally, The Community Groundbreaker Award from the Norfolk Botanical Garden President’s Council for Inclusion and Diversity was received in 2016 and in 2017 the Rotarian of the Year Award from the Rotary Club of Hampton Roads and the Famous Formers award from the Colonial Coast Girl Scouts.More recently, Tucker received the Education Excellence Award from the Urban League of Hampton Roads in 2020 and in 2021, the Community Impact Award from the STOP Organization.Upon her retirement in May 2022, Tucker became ODU’s first recipient of the Presidential Medallion for Distinguished Service. In addition, the university endowed a scholarship in her honor.Currently, Tucker serves as a chairman of the board of the William A. Hunton YMCA, Rotary Club of Hampton Roads, Urban League, and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities Board. Further, she is a member of the Board of Trustees Ministry at the historic Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church in Norfolk. 

The podcast will be your passport to conversations and adventures around the globe to encourage and inspire a relentless pursuit of your destiny, an exploration of the planet and an engaging life experience from the cradle to the grave and beyond. Together, let’s travel to Destination: Life Inspired!