Lisa Martin shares why she is seeking a seat on the Richmond County Board of Education and discusses the issues she believes deserve attention in local schools. From student achievement and school safety to parent involvement, accountability, and communication, she explains the experiences and priorities shaping her approach to public education Lisa Martin has been active in youth serving organizations for over 35 years including PTA, Girl Scouts, Jaycees, Jack & Jill, and GNFCC. For PTA, Lisa previously served as Community Relations Chair, VP of Legislation, VP of Membership, VP of Programs, Reflections Chair, and Co-President of North Fulton Council PTA after serving in many local unit PTAs in Tennessee and Georgia. In all her roles with the PTA, Lisa has worked at reaching out to the larger community to help them understand the role of PTA and its mission “to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.” Through her involvement with NFC PTA and the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce Education Committee she chaired “Principal for a Day” for all participating schools in Fulton County for the first time through her leadership the GNFCC Education Committee are reaching out to both public and private schools and the other Fulton County Chambers: Johns Creek, Sandy Springs and South Fulton. Additionally, she has chaired and served on committees that annually selected the GNFCC Business Partner in Education and the GNFCC Student Scholarship. Before retiring from Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia, Ms. Martin has been a long term volunteer with Girl Scouts in two of their regional councils, Greater Atlanta and Heart of the South. Ms. Martin has received their President’s Award, Pioneer Award, Lighthouse Award, and Outstanding Volunteer. Her commitment to Girl Scouts led her to receiving the President’s Call to Service Award from the Point of Light Institute and the Corporation for National and Community Service on behalf of the President of the United States. The award is to recognize the best in American spirit, and to encourage all Americans to improve their communities through volunteer service and civic participation. Lisa continues to volunteer with GSHG and Get Augusta Reading. DISCLAIMER: Local Matters Podcast Host Janice Allen Jackson is speaking only for herself. Her thoughts, views, and opinions regarding this tragedy belong solely to her. These are not to malign any profession, organization, anyone, or anything. Local Matters does not endorse candidates. To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at www.Janiceallenjackson.com Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia youtube.com/@localmatterspodcastofgeorg3624 Twitter: twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC Local Matters Podcast: Soundcloud: @localmatterspodcast Spotify: @localmatterspodcast Apple Podcasts: @localmatterspodcast
How can better communication help rebuild trust in government? Evan Meyer shares how technology, transparency, and civic engagement can make government more accessible and effective while helping residents better understand how to get involved and make an impact in their communities. Evan is a tech entrepreneur and founder of several impactful ventures, including MyGovTools.org, BeautifyEarth.com, BeautifyEarth.org, and RideAmigos.com. His work spans government transparency and civic engagement, urban beautification through public art, transportation technology, and community building. As a civic leader, Evan has served as a District Director for the California State Senate, led his neighborhood association, worked on civic engagement strategies, and hosted Meyerside Chats. He also leads seminars on corporate culture, community and civic engagement, and political philosophy. DISCLAIMER: Local Matters Podcast Host Janice Allen Jackson is speaking only for herself. Her thoughts, views, and opinions regarding this tragedy belong solely to her. These are not to malign any profession, organization, anyone, or anything. Local Matters does not endorse candidates. To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at www.Janiceallenjackson.com Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia youtube.com/@localmatterspodcastofgeorg3624 Twitter: twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC Local Matters Podcast: Soundcloud: @localmatterspodcast Spotify: @localmatterspodcast Apple Podcasts: @localmatterspodcast 00:00 – Cold Open: Can Government Move Faster? 01:11 – Introduction: Government Transparency 02:05 – Introducing Evan Meyer 03:04 – Welcome & Becoming a “Civic Ninja” 04:10 – Evan’s Work With Government & Technology 06:06 – Why Government Is Designed to Move Slowly 06:25 – Making Government More Efficient & Effective 08:15 – The Purpose of Government 09:00 – Entrepreneurship, RideAmigos & Beautify Earth 11:26 – GovTools & Rebuilding Trust Through Communication 11:59 – Government Communication & Constituent Engagement 13:10 – Understanding Where Tax Dollars Go 13:43 – Transparency Across Different Levels of Government 16:24 – When a Lack of Transparency Creates Distrust 17:43 – Rebuilding Trust in Government 19:20 – How GovTools Improves Government Transparency 20:44 – Making Communication Easier for Public Officials 22:16 – Why Government Needs to Tell Its Story 23:05 – Understanding Your Local Government 24:39 – Why Civic Education Matters 25:25 – Local Elections & Voter Engagement 26:23 – Becoming a More Informed Voter 27:13 – Why Local Matters Was Created 28:00 – Looking Beyond the Ballot 29:58 – Media, Information & Political Perspectives 32:20 – Evan’s Approach to Civic Involvement 33:00 – Working With Political Leaders From the Outside 34:00 – Beautifying Communities Through Public Art 37:20 – Growing Beautify Earth 39:02 – Final Thoughts 40:06 – Learning Civics & Taking Action Locally 40:41 – Where to Find Evan & His Work 41:44 – Closing
Chief Michael Pickett shares his journey into law enforcement and his approach to creating safer communities in Birmingham, Alabama. From building trust between officers and residents to crime prevention, community partnerships, and youth engagement, he explains why effective policing requires more than enforcement—it requires relationships with the people you serve. Chief Michael Pickett is a seasoned law enforcement leader with a distinguished career in public safety, special operations, and crime reduction. He was officially appointed Chief of Police for the Birmingham Police Department on April 1, 2025, after serving as Interim Chief of Police since November 20, 2024. Under his leadership, he has implemented an 8-Point Crime Reduction Plan, relaunched the Police Athletic Teams, and led initiatives that have reduced the city’s violent crime rate. Prior to his current role, Pickett served as Deputy Chief of the Special Operations Bureau, where he was instrumental in planning and executing high-profile security operations. His leadership was pivotal during The World Games 2022 (TWG), where he served as the Law Enforcement Branch Director, successfully overseeing Alabama’s one and only SEAR 1-rated event. He enhanced his expertise by becoming a 2024 graduate of the FBI National Academy. Chief Michael Pickett remains committed to enhancing the safety and well-being of Birmingham’s residents while fostering stronger partnerships between law enforcement and the community DISCLAIMER: Local Matters Podcast Host Janice Allen Jackson is speaking only for herself. Her thoughts, views, and opinions regarding this tragedy belong solely to her. These are not to malign any profession, organization, anyone, or anything. Local Matters does not endorse candidates. To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at www.Janiceallenjackson.com Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia youtube.com/@localmatterspodcastofgeorg3624 Twitter: twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC Local Matters Podcast: Soundcloud: @localmatterspodcast Spotify: @localmatterspodcast Apple Podcasts: @localmatterspodcast
Janice Allen Jackson welcomes Citibot Co-Founder and CEO Bratton Riley back to Local Matters Podcast of Georgia for a conversation about AI, customer service, accessibility, employee morale, and public trust. Bratton explains how Citibot helps government agencies communicate with residents through AI-powered voice, web chat, text, and other channels. They discuss multilingual access, modern alternatives to frustrating automated phone menus, and how technology can handle repetitive questions while giving government employees more time to solve complex problems and connect with the people they serve. The conversation also explores a bigger question surrounding AI: instead of viewing technology only as a replacement for workers, how can local governments use it to support employees, improve the resident experience, make better use of community data, and strengthen trust? Bratton Riley is Co-Founder and CEO of Citibot, a leading provider of AI-powered communication solutions for governments nationwide. A recognized innovator in civic technology, Bratton is passionate about transforming how governments engage with residents. He works closely with public sector leaders to modernize service delivery, expand accessibility, and strengthen public trust through secure, responsible AI. His focus is on equipping communities with the tools they need to communicate more efficiently, transparently, and effectively in the digital age. DISCLAIMER: Local Matters Podcast Host Janice Allen Jackson is speaking only for herself. Her thoughts, views, and opinions regarding this tragedy belong solely to her. These are not to malign any profession, organization, anyone, or anything. Local Matters does not endorse candidates. To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at www.Janiceallenjackson.com Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia youtube.com/@localmatterspodcastofgeorg3624 Twitter: twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC Local Matters Podcast: Soundcloud: @localmatterspodcast Spotify: @localmatterspodcast Apple Podcasts: @localmatterspodcast
In this episode of Local Matters, Janice Allen Jackson sits down with Ellen Lubinsky, an attorney and mental health advocate, to discuss her experiences with psychiatric treatment and her push for greater informed consent and patient choice. They explore psychiatric medications and withdrawal, the cost and accessibility of therapy, the 988 system, psychiatric hospitalization, medical malpractice, Social Security disability, insurance, and the role of policy in mental healthcare. Ellen also discusses the Mental Health Choice Project, an organization she founded to raise awareness about informed consent and choices in mental health treatment. Ellen Lubensky is an attorney and mental health reform advocate working at the intersection of law, patient rights, and psychiatric care accountability. With over 20 years of legal experience, including work in Social Security Disability and medical malpractice, she brings a legal perspective to issues surrounding informed consent, patient rights, and transparency in psychiatric care. Through education, advocacy, and public engagement, Lubensky works to increase awareness of informed consent, psychiatric medication withdrawal, misdiagnosis, and the need for greater support for individuals navigating mental health treatment. Website: https://ellenlubensky.com/ Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/ellen_lubensky/ https://www.facebook.com/ellen.lubensky/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenlubensky/ https://www.tiktok.com/@ellenlubensky DISCLAIMER: Local Matters Podcast Host Janice Allen Jackson is speaking only for herself. Her thoughts, views, and opinions regarding this tragedy belong solely to her. These are not to malign any profession, organization, anyone, or anything. Local Matters does not endorse candidates. To contact Mrs. Jackson for consulting or speaking engagements, please see the Contact Us page at www.Janiceallenjackson.com Follow us on Social Media: Facebook: www.facebook.com/LocalMattersPodcastofGeorgia Subscribe on Youtube: Local Matters Podcast of Georgia youtube.com/@localmatterspodcastofgeorg3624 Twitter: twitter.com/JAJAndAssocLLC Local Matters Podcast: Soundcloud: @localmatterspodcast Spotify: @localmatterspodcast Apple Podcasts: @localmatterspodcast