Bluetiful Leaders Podcast

Kindness Leaders in Education Series - Part 1Host Allison Elkow Lazicky chats with Melinda Buchanan, a high school teacher in Krum, Texas who starts off the year by sharing the most kind, loving thought to her students as to why she is wearing Christmas socks. Together Allison and Melinda discuss modeling kindness as a high school teacher and encouraging them to be kind to each other. Melinda's passion for teaching and love of books makes her a great influence on her students. She chats about a positive project in which she encourages the class to look for the best in other students. What word would her students use to describe her? Melinda weighs in on that as well. Get ready to fall in love with the generosity and positivity of this Kindness Leader. She is truly a gift to the world of education.

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she kicks off her "Kindness Leaders in the World of Education" series with Jane Mintz the Director, Educator Support and Effectiveness for Ventura County's Office of Education about her role setting up all new teachers in the county with a mentor and how she supports the teachers that serve as mentors. They discuss the attributes needed to be an effective teacher. She identifies the kindness leader who influenced her to be a teacher and the student that she herself influenced to be a teacher. Jane shares a few teaching stories that will surely make you smile and takes on the 10 Question Challenge at the end of the ​show. Oh, and did we happen to mention that Jane is Allison's sister?

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks with Paula Zackeru about resiliency and going on with life after losing her brother, her husband and her Dad all within 17 months. Paula talks about creating her travel company, Sapphire Tours and the happiness she gets when providing people with a true New York City experience. She also shares a fun tale about the day NYC closed due to snow and what she did to make her customers have a "bluetiful" experience despite the weather. This podcast will show you what resiliency after loss looks like, for sure. Prepare to be inspired.

Join Bluetiful host, Allison Elkow Lazicky, as she interviews McKayl Novak on her job working in Promotions and Fan Engagement with the NY Jets, her goal to make a positive impact on everyone she meets and the ultimate job she someday dreams of doing! You will be entertained by McKayl's quick wit and your heart will be warmed by her positivity. Listen as she chats about being the youngest of three and the only girl and how that made her love being the center of attention. This young lady is going to take the world by storm on her quest to impact the lives of everyone she meets. Prepare for a healthy dose of positivity as you listen...

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she interviews Christine Rucci, a woman who, following a car accident in the early 1980's has endured 30+ facial surgeries as a result. Christine talks about her life, the highs, and lows following the surgeries and the psychological impact of it all. Today she works as a nurse and talks openly about how her experience and the challenges that she has overcome have made her incredibly empathetic. This show is a range of emotions but whether you are hearing the lows or the highs, one thing is consistent, and that is the strength, intelligence, positivity and both inner and outer beauty of Christine. This is an episode you won't want to miss.

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky, as she chats with Faigie Horowitz about her passions...advocacy, writing, motivational speaking, her faith community and her work at Caring Professionals. Faigie talks about Rachel's Place a shelter she helped create in Brooklyn, NY for homeless girls. Faigie discusses what traits make great leaders able to connect with the people they serve. She shares some great real-life​ "kindness leadership" examples of empathy and understanding at Caring Professionals Home Care where employees have displayed great leadership going above-and-beyond for the seniors they care for. This is an episode packed with insight on leadership and giving that you won't​ want to miss.

Join us as host Allison Elkow Lazicky talks with Susan Anderson about her special needs daughter Kara. Susan talks openly about the challenges they have faced with Kara's care journey and the Kindness Leaders that have supported them both at Woods Services in Bucks County, PA where Kara resides and those in their hometown of Hillsborough, NJ. As you listen, you will be inspired by Susan who is truly an advocate, a warrior, a fighter and a hero when it comes to her special needs daughter. Allison and Susan discuss congregate care, advocacy and the positive changes with the new CEO at Woods Services, Tine Hansen-Turton. They also discuss the creation of Kara's Quilts, an initiative started by some of the friends and supporters in their neighborhood. Whether or not you live in the world of people with special needs, you will want to listen to this moving and motivational podcast.

Join host Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks to Erica Hornthal, the Founder and President of Chicago Dance Therapy about the effects of dance and movement on seniors with dementia and movement disorders. Erica shares real-life stories from working with this population and how the small breakthroughs during their sessions make a big difference to the patients and their families. Prepare to be amazed at Erica's passion for what she does in this heartwarming podcast.

Bluetiful Leader host, Allison Lazicky talks with Cathy Braxton about the Clifton Strengths Finders assessment and how it has helped she and her business partner, Tami Neuman understand each other and the strengths they each bring to their company, Silver Dawn Training. If you are looking for a way to engage your team, this will explain how the Strengths Finder assessment will do just that. This episode is filled with some good information...some great laughs and a most classic answer of how God will react when Cathy Braxton enters Heaven!

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she and Tami Neumann discuss traits to look for when hiring managers in an Assisted Living. From charisma to the power of woo...from empathy to curious...from clarity to persuasion...they discuss what traits they like to see with what leaders. They share stories of their Assisted Living careers and have lots of laughs in this episode. The show ends with Tami answering the 10 "Inside the Actors Studio Questions".

​Join our host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks with the imaginative and creative Mindy Bolton about her Playscriptions Program. Mindy is an Intergenerational Creative Engagagement Specialist that assists people to tap into their personal sense of peace and play. Mindy talks about giving people permission to play, and just what that looks like. She describes how play can feel across all the generations. `You won't want to miss this show as Mindy is truly an inspiring "Kindness Leader".

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks to Adina Katz of Caring Professionals about their Holocaust Survivors Program. Adina talks about qualities needed to care for people who survived the autrocities of the Holocaust as well as triggers that can set them off and why. Adina also shares a story of going the extra mile. The kindness that Adina, her co-workers, and the caregivers show to these patients is inspiring. Enjoy this episode.

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks with the inspiring Christian Kane about a tragic car accident that left his young son, Gavin with a Traumatic Brain Injury. Christian talks about the accident, Gavin's progress and how his incredible wife, Mary leads Gavin's care schedule each day. Christian also shares how Gavin's positivity has inspired he and Mary to spearhead a project, the "Toms River Field of Dreams" which will turn 3 acres of land at By Lea Park into a complex for people with special needs. The park will allow them access to rehabilitative stations, a temperature-controlled pavilion, complimentary snack shack, courts for basketball, bocce and shuffleboard, a state of the art all-inclusive playground, a quiet corner, baseball field and rehabilitative fitness station. Prepare to be inspired by this incredible couple's story.

Join host Allison Elkow-Lazicky as she talks with Meredith Sullivan Benton about tragically losing her husband, Jim shortly after adopting their daughter, Addy. Meredith talks about the strength she drew from the support of co-workers and leaders at a job that she had just started. She discusses the specific leadership traits of Jim as a teacher, her co-workers after he passed, and those she has seen in her 5-year-old​ daughter, Addy. This show will take you through an array of emotions as you hear not only about the kindness of people Meredith knew and was surrounded by but also by people she did not know including baseball great, R.A. Dickey...

Join host, Allison Elkow Lazicky as she talks with Podcaster and Life Casting Coach, Colleen Kavanaugh about leading the care team for her Dad, a prominent leader, and business owner in the community. Colleen touches on themes of dignity, respect, what to share and how to word it when dealing with dementia issues. She also shares some great tips on how she joined her Dad through his care journey and gives advice she wished she had gotten prior to being a caregiver for him. Colleen's combination of her wealth of knowledge, her extensive family caregiving experience and her love for her parents make this a truly "bluetiful" podcast.

Host Allison Elkow-Lazicky chats with Chief "Sparkling" Officer Mary Kaba-Valis about her "Share Your Sparkle Movement." She talks about​ their upcoming fundraiser, The Roaring Twenties and All That Jazz" to support Toms River's Field of Dreams, a project to help those with special needs have a place to enjoy baseball, wheelchair accessible miniature golf, adaptive playground equipment and basketball. Mary Kaba Valis talks candidly about giving back to others, positivity and those who have gone above and beyond. You will be lifted up with Mary's sense of humor, incredible attitude about serving others and genuine love of people.

Join Bluetiful Host, Allison Elkow-Lazicky as she chats with Jon Coords, Campus Pastor of Liquid Church in Somerset County. Jon talks about the Church and many of the programs that make it unique. You will quickly discover that Jon serves his campus with kindness and truly strives for it to be a relaxed, comfortable church setting for all. You will be moved by the programs they provide locally and globally. Jon also shares what his "5-year-old​ self" would ask him if he came back to visit after all these years. This episode exudes positivity...enjoy it!

Join host, Allison Elkow-Lazicky as she chats with Julian Hagmann, Director of Operations and Business Development at Caring Professionals Home Care in NYC. Julian tells us how he accomplishes being a Kindness Leader each and every day and what he does to help others grow to be Kindness Leaders. He also shares his best day...and his perfect pizza choice! If you want to grow as a leader, this podcast is for you.

Join host, Allison Elkow-Lazicky as she chats with Kindness Leader, Arlieta Hall about how the Rules of Improv have made her a better caregiver for her Dad who has Dementia. Arlieta talks about how she taps in to his past and truly joins his journey to meet him where he is that day. Arlieta's positive attitude and creative approach will leave you totally in awe. This is an episode that you will not want to miss!

Join host, Allison Elkow-Lazicky as she talks with Kindness Leader Cathy Braxton of Silver Dawn Training Institute and the Dementia Raw Program. Cathy talks about how she applies this communication approach, not only when working with those who have Dementia but also with her son who has Asperger's Disease. Cathy shares one of Allison's favorite stories regarding "holding the bucket'...listen and find out more!