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WELCOME TO #FRIDAYNIGHTCHATS

w/ Dr. Karen C. Love

What can we do differently? How do we… …create an environment conducive to growth, development, and empowerment? …teach our people to dream beyond the immediate circumstance? …foster an atmosphere of excellence in this digital age? What strategies are fully vetted, implemented, and supported by higher-level management for attaining high and ethical performance?  Let's Discuss!

ABOUT #FRIDAYNIGHTCHATS W/
DR. KAREN LOVE, PH.D.

The Background

Fern Plant

The purpose of #FridayNightChats (#FNC or FNC) is to thread Organizational Leadership throughout a full spectrum of industries. Thank you to both e Love Family Christian Foundation and Judson University for providing me with both inspiration and context for affecting change. 

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What is Organizational Leadership? Is it Human Services or Leadership Development? How does this discipline in  Organizational Leadership teach us Strategy, Data Mining, Cultural Competency, Applied Decision Making, and Intergenerational Challenges? How does this discipline teach us how to identify patterns and trends; identify deficiencies in the process; communicate effectively; create a narrative for C-Level individuals? How does Organization Leadership equip and prepare us for  C-Level Status?  

Through the #FNC platform, leaders from diverse sectors share their leadership development expertise, team dynamics, organizational culture, strategy, data mining, cultural competency, entrepreneurialism with the diversity of thought, dynamism, and change. Our Spring/Summer 2020 topics for discussion were Leading Intelligent Teams. Leadership and the Law. HR Management. Toxic leadership. Leading Global Teams. Women in Supply Chain Management. Innovation. Ethics. Leading the Generation Z cohort. Union Leadership. Eight Strategies to a successful business. Emotional Intelligence and Wellness Strategies. Healthcare in America. Technology Intelligence. Organizational Leadership - Discovering your uniqueness by embracing your weakness. The spring faculty consisted of both domestic and international graduates from the University of Washington State, University of Illinois, University of Miami Law School, DePaul University, Lake Forest Graduate School of Management, Northwestern University, MIT, University of Wisconsin, IIT, Vanderbilt, University of Chicago, Harvard University, Duke University, University of Phoenix, Hampton University, the University of Central Michigan and Judson University. FNC's composition of faculty includes Lawyers, MBAs, Ph.D.'s. Supply Chain Management, Nursing Informatics, and Project Managers.

Many are working for Fortune 500 companies. There are several authors, motivational speakers, and TEDx McHenry and TEDX Zurich guest speakers. This cadre of leaders provides professional expertise for those seeking to gain a broader understanding of Organizational Leadership. Now, it is time to pivot. What can we do differently? Questions for the Faculty are the following: How do we… …create an environment conducive to growth, development, and empowerment? …teach our people to dream beyond the immediate circumstance? …foster an atmosphere of excellence in this digital age? What strategies are fully vetted, implemented, and supported by higher-level management for attaining high and ethical performance? Let's Discuss!

 

Friday Night Chats with

Dr. Karen Love welcomes

 

 

 

Diana L. Clopton,  MBA

School Board Candidate for District #220

www.dianafor220.com

Associate Director, Consumer Marketing, Senior Director, Brand Manager, Senior Auditor, Marketing Innovation,

Marketing Strategy & Creative

Topic: Friday Night Chats with Diana L. Clopton
Time: M
arch 17, 2023 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Dr. Karen C. Love and #Friday Night Chats Presents the 2022 Lineup.  I hope you will join us!

Dr. Karen C. Love and #Friday Night Chats Presents the 2022 Lineup. I hope you will join us!

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Friday Night Chats with Dr. Lionel Sweeny
01:06:12
Dr. Karen Love

Friday Night Chats with Dr. Lionel Sweeny

Lionel Sweeny has 15-plus years of combined experience in Systems Engineering, Program Management, Human Resources, Organizational Design, and Change Management in Government Electronics, Education, and Telecommunications industries. Responsibilities at HS Partners include Leadership Development, Organizational Design, and Change Management Support. As an accomplished Human Resources leader with worldwide, broad-based management and generalist experience, Lionel’s expertise includes building alliances to drive system-wide change strategies and performance improvement resulting in value-added quality services to clients that impact the bottom line. Academic experience includes being Director of EdD in Computer Science for Judson University, Adjunct Instructor for Roosevelt University, University of North Texas, Eastfield College, and Organization Development consultant at DePaul University. Peers consistently recognize Lionel as a practical problem solver with sound business acumen, decision-making, excellent leadership, and communication skills. Academic degrees and certifications include a Ph.D. in Organizational Development from Benedictine University, a Master’s degree from the University of Texas with Certification in Organizational Design and Change Management, a Bachelor’s from the University of North Texas with concentrations in Electronic Design and Secondary Education Certification, Associate Degree in Electronic Design (drafting), and LaMarsh & Associates Managed Change Certification.
Friday Night Chats with Darvel Desroche, Esq
01:14:29
Dr. Karen Love

Friday Night Chats with Darvel Desroche, Esq

Darvel Desroches, Esq. President & CEO Darvel Desroches is a corporate attorney and business executive with significant experience in mergers and acquisitions, banking, and real estate brokerage and development. Darvel began his career at LaSalle Bank Corporation, where he worked on the bank’s strategic acquisitions and divestitures and private placements and counseled key executives on national bank and bank affiliates’ regulatory compliance. He was instrumental in creating LaSalle’s New Markets Tax Credit Program, through which the bank augmented its existing Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program by investing capital and making loans to businesses and real estate development projects located in low-income areas throughout the United States. During his career, Darvel has closed over $70 million of business and real estate development transactions. Darvel is the President and Chief Executive Officer of 1804 Realty Group LLC, a real estate development and consulting on revitalizing underserved communities through responsible and sustainable development. He creates and implements the company’s strategic acquisition and development plans; secures investment capital and financing; and oversees project management, design, and permitting. Darvel is a 2004 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Law, where he was a member of the College’s Dean’s List for the 2003 academic year. Magna cum laude graduate of the University of Massachusetts at Boston, he is a 2001 recipient of the University’s Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Leadership and a four-year letterman and captain of the University’s Men’s Soccer Team. In his spare time, Darvel enjoys spending time with his family, physical exercise, and reading.
Friday Night Chats with Kevin D. Johnson MBA, CEO, Author, Lecturer
59:31
Dr. Karen Love

Friday Night Chats with Kevin D. Johnson MBA, CEO, Author, Lecturer

President & CEO of Johnson Media, Inc. – A multimillion media corporation Author of Best Seller – The Entrepreneurial Mind MIT Sloan School of Management – MBA, Business Administration Harvard Business School – cross-registrant via MIT Sloan School of Management Harvard Business Review Case Study: Kevin D. Johnson: To Be a Venture Capitalist or an Operator B.S. Computer Science (NASA Scholar) – Morehouse College Kevin D. Johnson, president of Johnson Media Inc. and a serial entrepreneur, has several years of experience leading his marketing and communications company that serves many Fortune 100 businesses. Johnson Media Inc. has worked with brands such as Porsche, Chase, Coca-Cola, Brooks Brothers, Microsoft, and more. As an innovative leader, Kevin has appeared on CNN, ABC’s Good Morning America, CBS, Oprah Radio, and in Forbes, The New York Times, Fast Company, and The Wall Street Journal. He is the author of the bestselling book, The Entrepreneur Mind: 100 Essential Beliefs, Characteristics, and Habits of Elite Entrepreneurs, which continues to reach number one on Amazon in various categories since its 2013 launch (https://amzn.to/3E5aAwA). Recently, Johnson Media Inc. received a 2019 Communicator Award and a 2018 Davey Award for its work for BMW. In 2017 it received an AMY Award for its work for Porsche. In 2015, the firm received two Telly Awards and a Davey Award for its work with financial institutions, including Wells Fargo and Bank of America. Collectively, the awards were chosen from over 20,000 entries, honoring the finest work from agencies around the world. Over its two-decade history, Johnson Media Inc. has also started and spun off a few companies and brands, including Omni Publisher and Site Manager Pro, a web-based content management system and a user interface tool. In 2015, Kevin was invited to the White House for a special event regarding entrepreneurship with President Obama and dignitaries such as Mark Cuban, Steve Case, and Brian Chesky. The White House assembled entrepreneurs from around the world to recognize them and to create innovative solutions to world challenges. Kevin often speaks at conferences and universities around the world, covering topics ranging from entrepreneurship to marketing to self-publishing. He recently was a visiting lecturer at Universidad Anáhuac in Yucatan, Mexico, and was declared “Man of the Year” in 2017 by the Atlanta Tribune. He lives in Alpharetta, GA where he served as a commissioner. Kevin attended Morehouse College and studied computer science as a NASA scholar and Spanish, graduating with honors. He is an alumnus of MIT's Sloan School of Management where he serves as a lecturer.
FNC with Kennedy Avery Smith, Musician, Producer, Songwriter
01:00:37
Dr. Karen Love

FNC with Kennedy Avery Smith, Musician, Producer, Songwriter

Friday Night Chats celebrates a future leader in the Music Industry. "Kennedy Avery Smith" BA in Music Performance and Commercial Production, Clark Atlanta University Keyboardist, Producer, Songwriter, Arranger Kennedy Avery Smith's Bio Kennedy Avery is a 22-year-old keyboardist, producer, songwriter, singer, and arranger from Chicago, Illinois. She has been playing piano since the age of nine and is primarily self-taught. Now based in Atlanta and currently attending Clark Atlanta University as both a Piano and Composition major under the direction of Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist Phil Davis, she has a sound reminiscent of 90’s and 2000s R&B with heavy jazz influences combined with the edge of modern alternative R&B. With smooth basslines, lush vocal harmonies, and complex layering, she draws inspiration from artists like Alicia Keys, Marvin Gaye and Janet Jackson. Kennedy has also arranged multiple classical pieces for chamber groups and other ensembles. In January 2021 Kennedy released her debut EP, “First Take”-- an independent, five-song project that showcases her ability to produce, write and perform every aspect of her music from top to bottom. Prior to this release, she has also been a featured vocalist, producer, and keyboardist on multiple collaborative projects with other Atlanta-based artists, including the jazz-fusion band Anonymous. She now plays and sings at countless venues in the Atlanta area, and was most notably seen presenting the Inspiration Impact award to Grammy Award-Winning gospel singer Tasha Cobbs Leonard at the 2022 TV One Urban One Honors Awards.
Enoch and Rev. Shirl Love - Strategies for  Building a Legacy of Leadership, Love, and Excellence
01:13:21
Dr. Karen Love

Enoch and Rev. Shirl Love - Strategies for Building a Legacy of Leadership, Love, and Excellence

Thank you, Enoch Love, for teaching us the value of hard work, determination, and confidence in the plan God has for you.  There were so many life lessons in this discussion. Here's what I heard you say. 1. Have a strategy. Without direction, you waste valuable time and resources. 2. Do your research to understand the operations, culture complexities, corporate structure, and its underpinnings so that you can make informed choices, never to be led to confusion, but to control your destiny. 3. Whenever time and opportunity present itself, be prepared to rebrand. 4. Always answer the WHY? 5. Satisfy your thirst for knowledge, wisdom, leadership, positioning, and serving others.   Thank you, Rev. Shirl Love, for teaching us that it's okay to be broken as long as God is in the midst preparing you, building you, and strengthening you for His Glory. Here are some of the wisdom nuggets I pulled from your interview. 1. Never let man distract, discourage or diminish all that God has in store for you. 2. Trust God to build eternal confidence in your soul so that you can serve the outer most reaches of the earth. 3. Do not allow the world to dictate or control the vision God has given you. 4. Never fear ministering to what the world label as the 'least of these.' 5. Serve with an open heart. 6. Always remember that God is the originator of this symphony. He composes, arrange, and aligns the harmony and dissonance in your life. Celebrate the path, 'the road to Damascus moments', knowing that God will harmonize each chord of dissonance, building unrealized crescendo, so that you will conquer all that he has planned for His Glory.   Thanks to Enoch and Rev. Shirl Love Thank you both for teaching us the importance of valuing our relationships. Thank you for teaching us that ministry and business partnerships can work with God in the Center.  From business operations to ministry service, your legacy and love will be shared for generations to come.  God Bless.
#Friday Night Chats with Dr. Teri Stein Merrill
01:01:40
Dr. Karen Love

#Friday Night Chats with Dr. Teri Stein Merrill

Dr. Stein-Merrill is the Program Chair for both Applied Psychology and Human Science Department. She attained both Masters and Doctorate Degree from Mississippi State University – Starkville, MS. She continued her studies as Specialist from George Washington University in Washington, DC. Followed by Post Doctorate work from California State University Fresno. She has published over 100 videos Fitness Videos. Dr. Teri Stein Merrill's has expertise in organizational leadership, executive coaching, , mentoring, and teaching which spans the globe. Dr. Stein Merrill views Diversity from a Global perspective. She lives by the mantra “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance. Dr. Stein Merrill conducted research in China at SIAS International University and presented at the 9th Annual Women Leadership Symposium in China. She's hosted students from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, South Korea, China and Chicago (South Side). Tonight’s topic is Future CEO’s let’s embrace Cultural Competencies and Manage Emotional and Physical Self-Care through Faith. Welcome Dr. Teri Stein Merrill! As a Human Resources professional and an educator/consultant specializing in Organizational Leadership, Human Resource Development and Diversity for almost three decades, I was both honored and profoundly touched to share my thoughts regarding diversity and inclusion in today’s business and educational environment. I believe that the practice of diversity in both the business and educational communities have recently undergone a major paradigm shift. In its infancy, diversity was viewed as successful if a dedicated percentage of jobs or student acceptances were offered to minorities. However, we have now moved into a more impactful and transformational stage of diversity, which we call “inclusion.” So what does inclusion mean in reality? Through my research, I have determined that the practice of inclusion requires us to do more than simply recruit a diverse workforce or student population. Inclusion requires us to better understand how we can empower diverse people to thrive once they arrive on our campuses and at our businesses. Think of it like this: “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” What do diversity and inclusion look like for an African American born and raised in the South? I have been fortunate to have worked for many organizations throughout my business career, which allowed me to witness the difference between organizations that focus on diversity metrics versus those that focus on inclusive diversity best practices. Some researchers suggest that focusing on educating individuals about inclusive diversity can be a challenging and oftentimes exhausting task. Quite the contrary, I am of the opinion that attempting to address, identify, solve and improve issues of race and inclusion does not have to be a daunting task. Over the last 10 years, I have had the honor of mentoring, executive coaching, teaching and hosting students from many parts of the world. To date, I have hosted students from the Dominican Republic, Mexico, South Korea, China and Chicago (South Side). Each experience has been uniquely rewarding, educational and lifechanging as well as providing me an opportunity to experience what it really means to be inclusive beyond academic theory. So back to the statement “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” What does “inviting someone to dance” look like in my home? At my home, our non-African American guests are expected to maintain their full identity and share their culture with us. We reciprocate by sharing our African American culture with them. When Hoalin, my most recent student from China came to live with my family two years ago, he was surprised to see that we used chop sticks every day at dinner, shopped at the local Asian markets and were eager to learn his language. Additionally, I am learning how to speak the Chinese language and how to cook a number of authentic Chinese dishes, which were handed down to Haolin from his grandfather. In return, Hoalin is currently reading a book by Fredrick Douglas, enjoying American cuisine and has many questions about the Christian faith. As you can see, the practice of inclusion as a host parent has been educational for the both of us. In addition, as part of my international research at Judson, I did my second speaking engagement in May at the 12th Annual World Academy Women’s Symposium held at Sias International University in Zhengzhou, China. God is forever working in my life, and this experience will allow me to interact with women from around the world and learn about their workplace and employment practices as well as share how such practices work in the United States. Praise be to God.
#FridayNightChatsw:NyashaNyamapfene
49:40
Dr. Karen Love

#FridayNightChatsw:NyashaNyamapfene

We welcome to the chatroom Nyasha Nyamapfene, social innovator, disruptor, with a decade of experience in social enterprise, entrepreneurialism, and the private financial markets. Nyasha Nyamapfene is a social innovator with a lifelong commitment to equity, social change, and service. She has an established track record of designing and scaling social innovations that address the most pressing issues of urban communities. She currently serves as Founder of Transcend Health Media – a health communications platform created to develop content, breakthrough health activations, and cause-related partnerships. Nyasha is also a Member of the Economic Club of Chicago, and a Board member of the Chicago Community Land Trust. Nyasha also serves as the Benefit Chicago Advisory Board Member, a collaboration of the MacArthur Foundation, which mobilizes $100 million in impact investments for Chicago nonprofits and social enterprises. Nyasha’s career has spanned public, private, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial sectors. A former finance professional, she has worked in Chicago and London in investment banking, private equity, private placements, and mergers & acquisitions. She has worked at companies including JP Morgan Chase, Shore Bank Capital, and $15 billion hedge fund Magnetar Capital. Nyasha also spent over 10 years in urban education reform in Chicago after being recruited to the Broad Residency in Education, a national executive development program that recruits experienced business and policy leaders into the k12 ed sector. Social innovations Nyasha has developed and scaled include: Gospel Run. Nyasha is the Founder of Gospel Run, a nationally recognized public health platform created to close the health gap and change the health narrative in urban communities. The organization launched a faith-based health and wellness lifestyle brand in 2013 and created a new category in the endurance running segment - the Gospel Run 5K. It is the first and largest endurance event of its kind in the country. 6to16. Nyasha spent four years in innovation at the University of Chicago developing and scaling 6to16 - a college-readiness intervention starting at sixth grade and integrating digital learning with traditional classroom curricula. The project design was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and 6to16 has reached over 16,000 students since inception. The Magnetar Investment Academy. Spending six years with the Magnetar Capital Foundation, the development, and scaling of its flagship work in financial education, a curriculum-centered program designed to teach high school students about the financial markets. The intervention reached 10,000+students in its first 5 years. It reaches both high school students which include public, , charter, selective enrollment, and independent schools.
#FridayNightChats featuring Dr. David Rendall - 07.17.2020
01:25:02
Dr. Karen Love

#FridayNightChats featuring Dr. David Rendall - 07.17.2020

Topic: "Discovering Uniqueness by Flaunting Weakness" Dr. Rendall is a Judson Alum who graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Judson University, M.S. in Counseling Psychology - University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), and D.M. in Organizational Leadership - University of Phoenix. He is a TEDxZurich and TEDxMcHenry phenomenal speaker and has spoken on every continent. Most of all, he is a believer in Christ. As a child, Dr. Rendall was labeled as Oppositional, Fidgety, Talkative, Unfocused, Unfocused, Obnoxious, Inappropriate and Immature. Listen in and learn how Dr. Rendall pivoted his "Weakness into Uniqueness. • During the last fifteen years, David Rendall has spoken to audiences on every inhabited continent. His clients include the US Air Force, Australian Government, and Fortune 50 companies such as Microsoft, AT&T, United Health Group, Fannie Mae, and State Farm. Prior to becoming a speaker, he was a leadership professor and stand-up comedian. He also managed nonprofit enterprises that provided employment for people with disabilities. In between presentations, David competes in ultramarathons and Ironman triathlons. Author of Four Books: - The Four Factors of Effective Leadership - The Freak Factor - The Freak Factor for Kids - Pink Goldfish The Freak Factor/ Your Weakness is Your Power - 2017 Conference https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdRhH9411hI The Opposite of a Good Thing - TEDx Talks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QGKCcYtnvg Freak Factor: Discovering Your Uniqueness https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqS0zSTlsM8 Dave Rendall: Embrace Your Freak Factor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-6ndzypp6Y Oppositioning: A Simple and Surprising Strategy for Innovation and Differentiation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5LxQNlLr9M
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