Fidelis Leadership Podcast

Dr. Theresa Larson, affectionately known as "Dr. T," is a leading expert in well-being, human performance, longevity, and holistic leadership. As the founder of Movement Rx, she helps leaders and organizations optimize physical and mental health, resilience, and performance—creating human-centered workplaces where top talent thrives. A former Marine Corps Officer who overcame severe trauma, Dr. T blends lived leadership experience, clinical expertise, and deep compassion to transform executives, veterans, first responders, and high-performing teams facing burnout, retention challenges, and scalability pressures.  Her work bridges the gap between performance and humanity, proving that sustainable success starts with how leaders care for themselves and their people. Drawing from her background as a veteran, healthcare provider, researcher, and executive, Dr. T helps organizations address the often-overlooked root causes of attrition, disengagement, and underperformance: compromised physical and emotional well-being.  Her approach equips leaders and employees to become resilient, healthy, and energized—both at work and in life. Dr. T is the author of Warrior and a forthcoming book on called Choose Your Hard- How to Lead without Losing Yourself. A sought-after speaker, she inspires audiences to "Choose Your Hard"—helping leaders give the world the best of themselves, not just the rest, while building organizations that are healthier, more resilient, and magnetically attractive to talent.

Gary Philip Nowak has more than 23 years of worldwide global management consulting experience, working with companies in the US, Europe, China and Australia. His global consulting experience as a Partner at a Big 4 accounting firm has provided exposure to vibrant company cultures (both individuals and countries), strong executive personalities, several obstacles, multiple failures, and a great amount of success during his career. He now serves as an executive coach, helping his clients improve their leadership skills and prepare themselves for promotion to more senior roles. Gary also hosts a podcast called "Coffeehouse Coaching" which was created to connect with other Coaches and their clients, and also to provide professionals with a better understanding of what coaching is and how impactful it can be to them and their careers.

Doug Thorpe has over 30 years of leadership experience spanning military service as a U.S. Army officer, serving in Fortune 500 corporate leadership roles, and as a serial entrepreneur who has founded five companies. Doug brings a unique perspective to modern leadership challenges and he is the go-to expert for overwhelmed leaders who want to stop burning out while building high-performing teams. He is the host of a podcast called "Leadership Powered by Common Sense", a sought-after international speaker, and he is also the author of "Stop Leading on Empty: A Common Sense Guide to Leading Without Burning Out." Based in Houston, Texas, he continues to coach executives and consult with organizations worldwide.

Dr. Katrina Burrus is the CEO of Excellent Executive Coaching and is known for "Fast-Tracking Leaders to the C-Suite and Beyond" and for "Transforming Brilliant Jerks into Inspiring Leaders." Clients often comment that working with Katrina enlightens leaders to empower coworkers to walk the extra mile. She is a keynote speaker and has published books titles "Managing Brilliant Jerks" and "Global Leadership," a body of work used by Nestle, Novartis, the World Health Organization, the International Labor Organization, the United Nations, and many others. In this episode, Dr. Burris shares many superb insights on leadership.

Ian Ziskin has over 40 years of experience as a C-level executive, board advisor and member, coach, consultant, entrepreneur, teacher, speaker, and he's the author of 5 books. His clients and corporate work span over 25 industries and include Fortune 1000, entrepreneurial, publicly traded, and privately held businesses. After suffering the unexpected losses of his brother and mother, he wrote a book titled "Lives Lost and Leadership Found: Lessons from Special Somebodies. The book explores leadership and transformational change through the lens of personal stories and gathers insights from dozens of contributing authors who reflect on the profound impact of losing "special somebodies" who helped shape their lives and careers. While emotional, the focus is on growth, leadership, and learning through love and loss rather than grief. In this episode, Ian shares insights that can be of benefit to leaders at all levels.

Ryan Jenkins is an internationally recognized generations keynote speaker, Millennial and Generation Z expert, trainer and author. He helps organizations better manage, engage, market and sell to the emerging generations as well as lead and work across generations. Ryan's recent clients include Coca-Cola, John Deere, Wells Fargo, Delta Air Lines, The Home Depot and many other leading organizations. In this episode, Ryan shares many superb insights into Generation Z.

Jennifer Stanford is a sought-after trust coach, keynote speaker, and CEO of Emergent Performance Solutions.  With over 25 years of experience guiding complex organizations, Jen is known for her ability to simplify leadership and change management, making transformation practical and lasting.  As the author of a book titled "De Stressed," she empowers executives and teams to reduce stress, foster innovation, and thrive in high-pressure environments.  Drawing from her background and experience speaking, consulting and facilitating for large government agencies and fortune 500 companies, as well as serving as a leader in her community, Jen is passionate about creating space in the lives of leaders so that they can serve more generously, without sacrificing peace.

Mark Beal has served as a public relations practitioner and marketer for 30 years and has led the strategic development and execution of award-winning public relations campaigns for Fortune 500 corporations. His campaigns have leveraged some of the world's most popular sports and entertainment properties including the Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, Super Bowl Halftime Show, Academy Awards and The Rolling Stones. With expertise in public relations, marketing, and Generation Z, Mark is regularly invited to conduct media interviews and deliver keynote speeches on how Gen Z will transform media, marketing, the workplace, pop culture, and society. In this episode, Mark shares insights and advice on how leaders can effectively lead and develop their Generation Z teammates.

Dr. Margie Warrell is a bestselling author, leadership advisor and keynote speaker. Dr. Margie Warrell is a 'courage strategist'– Igniting bolder action for better outcomes in individuals, teams and organizations. Drawing on her experience as a Senior Partner at Korn Ferry, prior roles with BP and KPMG, and decades of global consulting, Margie has truly "walked the talk." She has authored a book titled "The Courage Gap: 5 Steps to Braver Action," which is based on cutting-edge research woven together with stories that compel head and heart. This book will help you bridge the "Think/Do Gap" between what you've been doing and what you can do; between where you are and where you want to be—in your career, relationships, leadership, and life!

Leslie Baker is a strategic Human Resources leader and an expert in workplace communications. With over 20 years of leadership experience across healthcare, manufacturing, and nonprofit sectors, she brings a practical yet visionary approach to leadership development, talent strategy, and operational excellence. She's the author of a book titled "Culture Code Breaker: When Oppression Wears Lipstick and Heels" and in this episode, she shares insights on this rarely discussed topic that can inform and enlighten both women and men alike.

Leslie Baker on Dealing With Workplace Conflict Do you dread facing difficult conversations at work? Struggle with setting boundaries? Feel like conflict is taking a toll on your peace of mind? You're not alone, and it doesn't have to be this way! Leslie Baker is a strategic Human Resources leader and an expert in workplace communications. She's written a book titled: "Script for Success: Turn Tough Talks Into Career Wins!" that will teach practical, actionable strategies to handle workplace conflict with confidence and clarity - without the stress or anxiety. In this episode, Leslie discusses the main lessons contained in her book and shares other insights on how to effectively conduct difficult conversations.

Leslie Baker is a strategic Human Resources leader and an expert in workplace communications. With over 20 years of leadership experience across healthcare, manufacturing, and nonprofit sectors, she brings a practical yet visionary approach to leadership development, talent strategy, and operational excellence. She's also the author of several books that offer superb lessons and insights on a variety of leadership and management topics, and in this episode she shares advice that can benefit leaders at every level.

Dr. Tasha Golden is a speaker, consultant, & internationally-recognized leader in the science of Creativity x Wellbeing.  Named one of 2024's "Fierce 50" by Fierce Pharma for her innovative work integrating arts and healthcare, she has supported paradigm shifts in health and wellbeing—exemplified by leadership in "Arts on Prescription": a model of care that's reshaping how health is defined and created.  Holding a PhD in Public Health, Dr. Golden's work is informed by her history as a singer/songwriter, founder of Project Uncaged (trauma-informed program for incarcerated youth), and developer of "How We Human" (a mental health training for creatives).  Bridging research and action, Dr. Golden's unique frameworks help leaders grow their work and ignite positive change.

Vanessa Judelman is the President of Mosaic People Development, and for over 20 years, she has been helping clients to develop leaders who inspire great results.  She is a speaker, facilitator, leadership consultant, and certified executive coach, and she's authored a book about leadership, 'Mastering Leadership—What It Takes To Lead In Today's Fast-Paced World. Vanessa has had the privilege of developing leaders in organizations like Campbells Soup, The United Nations, HelloFresh, SickKids, and the Bank of Montreal. Listen in as she shares valuable insights on leadership development!

Mitch Russo started his public life as the lead guitarist of a rock band called Absolutely Free. Since then, Mitch has been quite productive.  In 1985, Mitch co-founded Timeslips Corp, with Neil Rice Ayer, which grew to become the largest time tracking software company in the world. In 1994, Timeslips Corp was sold to Sage and Mitch became the company's Chief Operating Officer. Mitch was nominated for Inc. Magazine's "Entrepreneur of the Year" on two separate occasions and Won "Best Entrepreneur" in 1989. Mitch joined longtime friend Chet Holmes as President, later to join forces with Tony Robbins and together created Business Breakthroughs, Int'l, a company serving thousands of businesses a year with coaching, consulting and training services. Mitch was the President and CEO.  Mitch is the author of several books and now serves as the CEO of MindfulGuidance, LLC.

Dr. Andrew Temte is the former CEO of Kaplan Professional and served in other senior executive roles within the Firm, such as President and Global Head of Corporate Learning, Dean of the Kaplan University School of Professional and Continuing Education, President of the Kaplan University College of Business and Technology and also as Interim President of Mount Washington College.  He's the author of two books, is a thought leader on issues related to organizational health, continuous improvement, and workforce reskilling, and his articles have appeared in a number of media outlets including Chief Executive and Chief Learning Officer.  Dr. Temte earned his doctorate in finance from the University of Iowa with a concentration in international finance and investment theory. He holds the CFA designation and has over 14 years of university teaching experience in the areas of corporate finance, investments, and international finance.

Andrew Sridhar is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, a former Navy SEAL Officer with combat service in Iraq. He is a graduate of the prestigious Harvard Business School and has served in various roles on Wall Street, and in companies that ranged from large well-established Firms to new entrepreneurial startups. He now serves as an executive coach and mentor and developer of leaders at every level and is a keynote speaker sharing his experienced insights and advice on effective leadership practices, resilience and adaptability. Sri has a rich and unique background and I've been following him on LinkedIn for several years, and am grateful that he's agreed to share his wisdom with us!

Kevin Lavelle, the CEO and Cofounder of Harbor, brings a wealth of experience from his role as the Founder and Chairman of Mizzen+Main.   Kevin invented the world's first performance fabric dress shirt and built Mizzen+Main to hundreds of millions of dollars in omnichannel revenue, and transformed the menswear industry.  Kevin is not only a dedicated entrepreneur but also a loving husband and father of two.  His second startup, Harbor, is revolutionizing sleep for families with young children with a groundbreaking baby monitor and Remote Night Nanny platform.

For over 30 years, Indie Bollman has been a noteworthy and respected leader in the corporate organizational development and human resources space.  Now the owner of Indie Bollman Coaching and Consulting LLC, she provides executive and leadership coaching, training programs and facilitation, and event speaking. She is also an author of numerous articles and is currently working on her first book Leadership Truth BombsTM: What Your Team Wants You to Know But Isn't Telling You, to be released in the Spring of 2025. Throughout her career Indie also served in executive and leadership positions in the technology and engineering spaces, where she assisted companies in startup or rapid growth mode by establishing teams; creating and launching training and development programs; and creating solutions to support their growth and development.

Dr. Theresa Larson, or "Dr. T" as she is affectionately known, is a leading expert and advocate for well-being and strength across both personal and professional domains.  She is the founder of Movement Rx*, where she and her team help individuals and organizations optimize physical and mental health.  In her work she draws from her own experience as a former Marine Corps officer who overcame severe trauma. She is passionate about helping veterans, business leaders and owners thrive in the face of challenges such as client attrition, employee retention, and scalability issues, which are often linked to compromised mental or physical well-being of leaders and employees.  Dr. T is on a mission to help over 100,000 veterans, business leaders and owners improve their longevity and retain their people by 2030 by disrupting outdated leadership culture AND truly prioritizing health and well-being within their organizations.  Dr. T has been on the podcast before, and you can hear her comments by going to Podcast Episode 40. Dr. T…welcome back!