Ever wonder how our lives are linked to the common salamander or a very busy newt? This week on The Dragon Tree Podcast, we sat down with Kimberly Curren, a dedicated naturalist and educator who's helped her students participate in everything from tracking horseshoe crabs by the Chesapeake Bay, to closely monitoring the very mysterious world of dragonflies.

Her story proves that the best hands on learning often happens outside the classroom, where we can all benefit from studying our ever evolving connections to the natural world. Kim shared how her career first began, teaching children about animals in an indoor aquarium setting to eventually finding her passion for the outdoors through nature-based education in Calvert County, Maryland. Her mission has always been straightforward: create a safe space for all learners and find the hook that could spark a lifelong interest.

Kim’s core communication philosophy is to meet students where they are. She often teaches school-aged children on nature walks, to encounter wildlife in their very own territory. She also emphasizes the need for a teaching style that authentically validates everyone's experience, from the enthusiastic volunteer to the kid who's not really a "nature person" (well, not yet, anyway).

Nature's Tiny Barometers

Kim's work is often supported by the work of citizen scientists, which sbows how anyone can contribute to scientific research. She's involved in several such incredible projects: The Dragonfly Mercury Project: Since dragonflies spend their early lives as aquatic larvae, this study has shown how it makes them excellent indicators for monitoring mercury pollution in the environment. Amphibian Bio-Indicators: Programs like Frog Watch monitor the calls of frogs and toads.

Specifically, their permeable skin makes them highly sensitive to environmental changes and their calls can signal shifts in seasons or pollution before humans even notice them. The Red Knot Effect: Kimberly discusses her effort to start a horseshoe crab monitoring program along the Chesapeake Bay. This project matters because horseshoe crab eggs are a critical food source for migratory shorebirds, like the Red Knot, showing how interdependent the ecosystem truly is.

You May Already Be a Citizen Scientist

People are the most powerful tool in the efforts for nature conservation. But being a citizen scientist doesn't require a lab coat. It often just requires a smartphone. Robust, easy-to-use apps like iNaturalist and eBird allow anyone to regularly log local plant and animal sightings. Naturalists like Kimberly use this crowd-sourced data daily to not only track seasonal changes but also to predict animal appearances.

Drawing her inspiration from dynamic global scientists and presenters such as Jane Goodall and David Attenborough, Kim reminds us that science education is not just reciting facts but truly sharing what subjects you care about and then bringing them to life.

This passion she believes is the key to inspiring future generations to address major issues such as habitat loss and climate change. Engaging children early in science, Kim states, will challenge and empower them to be the much needed innovators who can eventually shape a better, more resilient world.

This week on The Dragon Tree Podcast, we sat down with Teresa Yasutis, a seasoned entrepreneur who has been successfully navigating the field of communications for over 25 years.

Her journey is a case study in career evolution, with experiences ranging from high-stakes advertising campaigns for Discovery Networks to eventually founding her own boutique PR firm. What tied it all together? A fundamental love of storytelling, rooted in her childhood and reinforced by a career built on messaging that drives real change.

We talked about her early work on public awareness campaigns and about her belief in the power of community in business, comms, and beyond.

The Right Client

In 2006, Teresa took a calculated risk to launch her own communications firm. She quickly found success working with clients like ZocDoc and local DC powerhouse Sandy Spring Bank. The secret to her success? Choosing her clients wisely. For a relationship to be successful, she says, you must genuinely connect with the client's message and mission. As she puts it, if the story doesn't resonate, you most likely won't be the best match to drive that project forward.

Building Community from the Ground Up

Teresa also channeled her entrepreneurial spirit into fitness, founding PopCycle, a community-focused indoor cycling studio. This pivot allowed her to blend her business and communication skills with her passion for biking and music! During the height of COVID, she and her husband moved the studio's 30 bikes outside each day to maintain a needed sense of community for their riders. It’s a powerful example of what it takes to protect a brand and a business through unprecedented times, while keeping lines of communication open between owner and client.

Coaching the Authors of Tomorrow

Today, Teresa is focused on helping authors in ways that might at first seem counterintuitive. Working as a literary representative, she sees her clients not only as artists, but as entrepreneurs who are selling a valuable product. Viewed in that light, it becomes part of her job to help authors differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace.

This work recently led her to client Ann Butler, who casually mentioned that she was writing a memoir about her 27 years as a covert CIA officer while juggling the responsibilities of being a mother to five children.

Recognizing a powerful story, Teresa helped Ann package and prepare her book for publication, which led to high-profile media coverage on platforms like NBC Nightly News and C-SPAN. Teresa emphasizes that preparation and coaching are integral to transmitting one's message, especially for those new to the public spotlight. Whether it’s anticipating tough questions or staying on script, a strong communicator should ensure that their client’s genuine story always shines through.

This week on the Dragon Tree Podcast we were treated to a delightful talk with actor Julane Havens, founder of the National Children's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Julane is a lifelong performer and educator who's making it her mission to prove that theater is more than an activity—it's a research-backed tool for building essential life skills. The conversation left us very inspired by her commitment to foster the next generation of creative and empathetic communicators.

Julane's passion for acting started at a young age, during her very first play as a child. Despite her fears and some wardrobe mishaps when she hit the stage, something clicked. "Nothing's wrong," she recounted. "I deliver my lines perfectly...there was something even there, about the show must go on." This early experience taught her the power of letting go to serve the greater good of storytelling.

That same philosophy now fuels her work at the National Children's Theatre, where she takes a unique, research-based approach to teaching. Her curriculum is built on the "eight acting habits of mind" which involve skills like body awareness, considering others, and being flexible. As she explained, "We let the students and the families know right at the get-go that that's the goal of the class." This approach ensures that students are learning skills they can apply to all facets of life, not just when reciting a page from Hamlet.

And although Shakespeare can be intimidating (even to adults), Julane's approach of focusing on characterization over memorizing lines makes the material less daunting for her students. When it comes to the Bard, she doesn't just read the lines; she makes it visceral. She teaches her students that Western literature's greatest playwright wrote in "the rhythm of a human heart." If you notice a line's rhythm is "a little off," she says, it's telling you something important about the character.

Her conviction is clear on introducing this material early: "We start Shakespeare too late in our schools. If you give it to (children) when they're younger, they don't know it's hard." She's determined to create a new generation of arts advocates, quoting the staggering statistic that "less than 4% of elementary schools in the country have a theater program." In a world full of screens and increasingly shorter attention spans, Julane believes theater is more vital than ever. She passionately argues that "artists are essential" because they bring joy and empathy to our lives. And despite the current climate of budget cuts, she still has a powerful message: "Everyone's saying now is not the time to have arts programs...I say, no, no, no. Now is the time."

Julane's entrepreneurial journey is an answer to that problem and is all about identifying a need and taking a "leap of faith." She has been building her company from the ground up to fill a gap in the D.C. community for childrens' theater, and to fill it with young, inspired performers. As she says, exceptional acting is about "truth-telling," and it involves your "whole self... your voice; it's your body, it's your heart, it's your imagination. It's all of it." Her work reminds us that the stage is a safe space to perform, fine tune and grow, and that these learned skills can help us all become vastly more confident and connected.

Want to learn more about Julane Havens and the Children's National Theater?

👉 Visit the National Children's Theatre website:https://www.nationalchildrenstheatre.org/

ICYMI: Our last episode featured Greg Lassiter of Champions Health and Fitness, who shared his incredible journey from being a struggling student to a successful small business owner to a community champion. You can listen to that episode here:https://youtu.be/JftoMsGutdE?feature=shared

We’re always on BlueSky, Threads (@dragontreecomms), Instagram (@dragontreecomms), and Twitter/X (@DragonTreeComms).

And remember: Any story that's told with heart will always captivate an audience! ✨🧚‍♀️

This week on the Dragon Tree Podcast we had the immense pleasure of speaking with Greg Lassiter, owner and president of Champions Health and Fitness Center in Greenville, North Carolina. Greg is a recognized small business owner who recently received the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Small Business Leader of the Year Award for his incredible efforts within his local community.

His extensive experience in the health and wellness field spans over three decades, helping clients achieve their life goals. Greg's own story is also a testament to the power of his great communication style, perseverance, passion, and a little bit of divine timing. Growing up in eastern NC, Greg's early years were marked by tenacity and hard work.

He earned his money through various jobs from the age of 13, while he also attended school. College wasn't on his radar, at first, while he began playing American Legion baseball. A guidance counselor even suggested he become a shoe salesman, instead of pursuing higher education, but luckily a fellow athlete's casual mention of a local college baseball program changed his career path.

After three years of juggling studies (and, ironically, selling shoes), he transferred to East Carolina University. There, on campus, Greg found his true calling within the field of community health education. A pivotal moment happened during an unpaid internship for the NC health department, while he was far from home. After taking a random turn, Greg came upon a brand new health spa by happenstance, during the era when health and wellness centers were becoming increasingly popular.

"I mean, I hadn't even prayed 40 minutes before then," he shared, describing it as a crucial point in his life when earning income due to his academic schedule was becoming increasingly difficult. After he spoke with the owner, he was immediately offered a position. "Gives me chills to think about it right now," he mused. "I was so thrilled to have a job because I needed to make money, but also it was in a field that I was very interested in pursuing."

This juncture gave Greg the extra push he needed to rent a small building and start Champions Health and Fitness Center from the ground up. He also taught and coached baseball and football for four years at the town's local middle school, to support his new venture.

Here's a quote from one of his former students:

"Whether it was on the field or in his classroom, Coach G always made sure you were seen and respected, whatever your background. He told us to stay positive about our dreams, encouraged us to respect ourselves and others, and always reach for the stars. In all my years, I've never met a teacher so kind, hilarious, and full of life. I'm convinced the answer to most of the world's problems can be found in his extraordinary wisdom and perspective!"

Greg's philosophy has always extended beyond just fitness. It's deeply rooted in the realm of human connection. He emphasizes that in order to succeed, "you can't do this business without having people in mind".

He asserts that this philosophy has essentially lead to his success in both his personal and professional life. In his spare time, he's also a stand up comic who has performed at many local venues. His comedy has often been inspired by his life and a unique and rich family history.

Greg continually touches on the enduring need for a warm and personable connection, especially within an increasingly high tech environment.

"I don't think that people in business, when it comes to doing what I do, will ever totally be able to get away from the (human) communication standpoint," he says. "We like to get to know the people."

🎧 Tune into our full conversation with Greg here: [link to podcast] 👉 Visit Champions Health and Fitness Center online: https://championsofgreenville.com

ICYMI: Our last episode featured Melvin Hines of Upward, who discussed his approach to helping people succeed in college through a mix of tech automation and the human element. You can listen to that episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkQ1uYITLhA

We’re always on BlueSky, Threads (@dragontreecomms), Instagram (@dragontreecomms), and Twitter/X (@DragonTreeComms).

And remember: Life’s a marathon, not a sprint, and with the right mindset (and maybe a good laugh!), you're always a champion! 🏋️‍♂️

This week on the Dragon Tree Podcast we spoke with Melvin Hines. As the co-founder and CEO of Upswing, Melvin has developed a platform to help students get the essential support they need as they enter the multifaceted world of higher education. His team's award-winning achievements in the education sphere have been featured in publications such as Fortune and Forbes. Melvin modeled Upswing on the sort of academic support he received as a small-town high school graduate making the transition to attending a major university.

His approach utilizes technology and a whole lot of humanity to help students succeed in higher ed and beyond. His story begins in Albany, Georgia, where fewer than 70 of the 250 students in his high school class graduated. “When I made it [to the University of Georgia], I kind of had an opportunity to see how the other half lives,” Melvin notes. “It felt like everyone was ready for college except for me.” That feeling led him to create what he wished he’d had much earlier: support systems that are easy to access, never judgmental, and available for students balancing far more than how to study for their next exam. Upswing now supports nearly a million students each year.

Their virtual assistant, Ana, proactively messages students about upcoming deadlines, support options, and wellness resources. While 70% of replies are handled by AI, the other 30% — the vulnerable, complex, deeply human messages — get routed to a real live support team member. “We’re trying to get students to open up, tell us what they're really struggling with, and instantly refer them to a resource that ideally is a live person they can speak to.” This “scalable compassion” includes round-the-clock access to counselors, peer support groups for student parents, and success coaches. According to Melvin, these tools have helped prevent more than 75,000 students from dropping out. But Upswing isn’t just about software.

“Our biggest key differentiator is actually not the technology, it is the support,” he says. Their “HERO” team (Higher Education Retention Officers) meets regularly with each school to review data, share benchmarks, and make personalized recommendations. When speaking about student feedback, Melvin states that “They always say, ‘I absolutely love my HERO.' And, you know, that to us is one of the biggest reasons why we have such loyalty amongst our current partners.”

Melvin also sets aside time to mentor others in the tech industry. “It’s really hard to pour from an empty cup,” he says, reflecting on his advice to founders for avoiding startup burnout.

“You really have to be diligent about how you're going to use your time that's actually beneficial for you. Because if you're not supporting yourself, you are not at all going to be beneficial to your organization.”

Want more from Melvin Hines and Upswing?

👉 Visit upswing.io

👉 Connect with Melvin on LinkedIn: / mhinesjr

👉 Or reach out to him at melvin@upswing.io

👉 Liking what you see here? Sign up for our email newsletter to be alerted each time new content becomes available: https://form.jotform.com/241326648832157

ICYMI: Our last episode featured Natalie Moran of Comms Futurist, who walked us through personal branding and AI adoption in the communications space: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ-LGigyskc

We’re always on BlueSky, Threads (@dragontreecomms), Instagram (@dragontreecomms), and Twitter/X (@DragonTreeComms).

And remember: it’s not about doing everything at once. It’s about knowing when to rest, when to reach out, and when to build the future one supportive message at a time. Keep climbing!🪜✨

This week, we’re decoding the future of communications with Natalie Moran, founder and CEO of Comms Futurist. Natalie has made it her mission to help communications professionals navigate the fast-moving world of AI and automation (without any digital face-planting), and assists clients with their own personal brand building. Whether she’s training teams to adopt AI or helping comms leaders land their next C-suite role, Natalie is focused on one thing: preparing communicators for what’s next.

"This has become a very common phrase I see: 'AI won't take your job, but someone who knows AI will,'" she explains. "And I do think there's quite a bit of value in that and that's why I focus on skills building for leaders, making sure that they understand what AI can and cannot do."

On the podcast, Natalie walks us through the differences between AI, artificial general intelligence (AGI), and artificial super intelligence (ASI), and how one will likely supplant the next over time. But it's what’s happening right now that mainly concerns her, especially when it comes to the ethics around AI.

Preventing misinformation is a top priority, Natalie emphasizes, making sure groups aren't uploading proprietary or sensitive information into these tools. Another major theme from our conversation: the struggle comms pros have with promoting themselves. “Communications professionals are incredibly humble to a fault,” Natalie noted. “But when it comes to needing to promote yourself, that becomes a hurdle."

Her advice? "You need to treat yourself like a client.” From staying on top of career pivots to managing layoffs and burnout, Natalie is helping leaders find clarity, confidence, and a tech-savvy edge. She’s even offering pro bono coaching to comms professionals who’ve recently been laid off. So, if you’re interested in how AI is changing our work, and how to stay ahead of that change, you’ll want to check out this episode. 🎧 Listen to our full conversation with Natalie here.

Want more from Natalie and Comms Futurist?

👉 Follow Natalie on LinkedIn: / nataliecmoran

👉 Check out her ongoing webinar series on AI and communications (topics include ethics, public affairs, and more)

👉Register for her next webinar on AI upskilling: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regis...

👉 Subscribe to the Comms Futurist newsletter: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widge...

This week, we're asking the age-old question: how can experienced generations help coalitions of bold young change-makers lead advances in technology? To help find the answer, we spoke with Karen Chen, Principal Consultant at Karen Chen Consulting and Program Manager at the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF).

Karen joined us to share how her organization is elevating youth voices and intergenerational projects in the tech world — and why high-profile backers are paying attention. Launched in 2023, RTYPF is a fund supported by 12 philanthropic partners including Hope Lab, the Omidyar Network, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, the Archewell Foundation, and others. These organizations have made it a part of their mission to prioritize digital well-being, climate justice, and ethical AI, particularly by empowering younger groups.

Some tech organizations bring on youth as volunteers, but, as Karen points out, "As a volunteer, you don't necessarily have much say in leadership decisions. But if you bring on young people where they're working side-by-side in collaboration with those leaders who have decades of experience, it's really more of a co-leadership model." Now supporting 44 grantee organizations across two cohorts, the fund is behind some of the most thoughtful, youth-driven work in the responsible tech space.

A few standouts:

📶 Half the Story helps teens build healthier relationships with social media

🎥 Our Subscription to Addiction is a powerful new youth-produced documentary on social media’s impact on mental health

📈 Trouble & Co. teaches communities to use data and mapping tools to track the effects of climate change

But what truly sets RTYPF apart is its approach to shared power. Five young leader advisors now sit on the fund's board with the steering committee — working directly alongside major institutions to make real decisions about priorities, funding, and strategy.

As Karen puts it: “It's more than just having a seat at the table – it's about having substantive decision-making power in terms of being able to really drive the strategy of the work in not just youth-led organizations, but also more established organizations."

🎧 Tune in to our full conversation with Karen to hear how the fund works behind the scenes, how projects are selected, and what it means to build a future with responsible tech at its core. Want to learn more about the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund?

👉 Visit rtyouthpower.org

👉 Follow Karen on LinkedIn: / karenchenconsulting

👉 Or reach her directly at karen@karenchenconsulting.com

Find us on social media!

Twitter: @DragonTreeComms

Threads: @dragontreecomms

BlueSky: @chrishobson.bsky.social

Instagram:@DragonTreeComms

This week on the podcast, we spoke with Executive Director, community advocate, and farmer Samantha Kuhn. Samantha leads the team at JK Community Farm, a nonprofit that grows a range of nutritious foods to help fight food insecurity in the Northern Virginia area.

To fulfill this mission, Samantha and her team provide organic produce to several food pantries in the area. One hundred percent of what they grow is donated to food banks in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington DC. To give you an idea of the scope, the team provided around a quarter of a million pounds of food last year! In operation since 2018, the 150-acre farm has implemented sustainable, chemical-free agriculture and grows over 50 varieties of vegetables, fruits, protein, and herbs.

In addition to these crops, JK Community Farm also raises cattle and venison, which Samantha calls a "sustainable herd." This comprises 60 black angus cows, plus cattle donations they receive from farmers in more outlying areas. To further ensure they're meeting the dietary needs of those they serve, the team distributes annual surveys. This helps them identify any chronic diseases people may be facing so they can target foods for growing, like herbs, which can help people heal.

"This gives us an idea of what foods they prefer and any issues that they're having with our produce," Samantha explains. "We always like to make sure that, when it's getting distributed, the quality of the food is just as good as when we see it leaving the farm."

The team relies on volunteers and always invites companies, students, and families to join in planting and harvesting activities. These can prove to be valuable, team building experiences. Last year the farm hosted 6800 non-recurring volunteers, and part of the effort included hosting 77 corporate volunteer events. "They have an incredible day," Samantha says. "It's beautiful at the farm, and they work hard. They have so much fun spending time together." If you're interested in joining the corps of volunteers, head over to their website and sign up!

For more on the amazing work happening at JK Community Farm, check out our conversation. And in case you missed our last talk with behavioral science expert Eden Brownell, MPH, you can find it here.

Find us on social media!

Twitter: @DragonTreeComms

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