In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse discusses the AI spectrum with Nick Thompson, who is the host of "The Most Interesting Thing in AI" podcast and CEO of The Atlantic magazine. Thompson also discusses his just-released book The Running Ground, where Nick, the #1 long distance runner in the world at his age, tells the story of how running both bonded him with, but also kept him from becoming, his father. Nick was previously the editor-in-chief of Wired magazine and editor of NewYorker.com. In addition to being a successful CEO, husband and father, Nick set the U.S. record at 50-Kilometers in the Over 45 age group and this year became the top-ranked runner in the world for his age group in the 50-Mile distance. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!



SHOW NOTES:



Nick Thompson:




* BIO:

* Nicholas Thompson bio





* BOOKS:

* The Running Ground - A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports, by Nicholas Thompson





* PODCAST:

* https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/pwc-2025/the-most-interesting-thing-in-ai/3961/

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Daniel Levintin, PhD, a neuroscientist, cognitive psychologist, musician and best-selling author whose newest book, I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine, explores how music changes the brain, strengthens memory and restores joy. Dr. Levitin’s research explains why that happens. He’s a Founding Dean of Arts and Humanities at Minerva University in San Francisco, James McGill Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at McGill University in Montreal, and the author of ten acclaimed books, including This Is Your Brain on Music and The Organized Mind. Before turning to science, he spent years as a studio musician and producer, working with artists like Sting, Joni Mitchell, and Steely Dan—so he understands music from the inside out. Today, we’ll explore why music is remembered when everything else fades, how it reduces pain and loneliness, and how we can use it as a form of service — to comfort others, strengthen connection, and even rediscover ourselves. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!



SHOW NOTES:



DANIEL LEVITIN:




* BIO:

* https://www.daniellevitin.com/bio





* BOOKS:

* I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine, by Daniel Levitin, PhD



* This is Your Brain on Music, by Dr. Daniel Levitin, PhD



* The Organized Mind, by Daniel Levitin, PhD





* WEBSITE:

* https://www.daniellevitin.com/

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with Robert L. Dilenschneider, who has been called “the Dean of American Public Relations Executives,” to discuss his just-released book, his nineteenth, Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time.   In 1991, Bob formed The Dilenschneider Group, providing strategic advice and counsel to Fortune 500 companies, leading families, and individuals around the world. He is well-known for his experience in fields ranging from mergers and acquisitions, crisis communications and marketing, to government affairs and international media. Prior to forming his own firm, Bob served as the President and CEO of Hill and Knowlton for 15 years. In 2012, he established the Civility in America Lecture Series, featuring many of the nation’s leading thinkers, which provides a perspective on what can be done to restore civility in our Country.  Bob discusses why respecting others and their points of view is so important as well as lessons he learned from his decades leading public relations firms.  LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!



SHOW NOTES:



ROBERT L. DILENSCHNEIDER:




* BIO:

* Bio: Robert L. Dilenschneider





* BOOKS:

* Respect: How to Change the World One Interaction at a Time, by Robert L. Dilenschneider



* Character - Life Lessons in Courage, Integrity and Leadership, by Robert L. Dilenschneider



* Other books by Robert L. Dilenschneider





* WEBSITE:

* https://www.dilenschneider.com/index.php

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Cathy Lanier, whose amazing story continues to inspire. At age 14, Lanier got pregnant, ran away from home, dropped out of high school. But by age 39, this single mother became Washington D.C.’s Chief of Police, earned two master’s degrees, and now serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer for the National Football League (NFL). In her role with the NFL, Lanier coordinates the efforts of the League offices—that is, all 32 clubs!—and federal, state and local law entities to ensure the security of the NFL’s venues, fans, players, staff and infrastructure. Cathy served as Chief of Police in Washington, D.C. from 2007 to 2016, where she was not only the first female police chief but also the longest serving chief, serving under three mayors. Her innovative strategies were credited with reducing violent crime in Washington, D.C. by 21 percent from 2007 to 2015 while the city’s population grew by 15 percent. LISTEN TO the radio broadcast live on iHeart Radio, or to “THE MENTORS RADIO” podcast any time, anywhere, on any podcast platform – subscribe here and don’t miss an episode!



SHOW NOTES:



CATHY LANIER:




* BIO: BIO: CATHY LANIER, Senior Vice President and Chief of Security, National Football League



* NEWS & CLIPS with Cathy Lanier

* Women in Football: Cathy Lanier, NFL Chief Security Officer











* Cathy Lanier, Washington, DC Police Chief





https://www.youtube.com/embed/QE0J8c91rWQ?feature=oembed





* A Conversation with NPS Alumna, Ms. Cathy Lanier









* Other News clips involving Cathy Lanier



* Keynote Speaker, Ms. Cathy Lanier, Senior Vice President of NFL Security, Fall 2018, Naval Postgraduate School Graduation Ceremony



* NFL calls on Congress to address growing drone threats at games



* Cathy Lanier Changes Policing in D.C. and Maybe Nation

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Carmen Policy, former President and CEO of the Cleveland Browns. But Policy is best known for his years as President and CEO of the San Francisco 49ers where he played a key role in all five of the 49ers’ Super Bowl winning teams -- helping shape an organization that became widely viewed as the hallmark sports franchise of the '80s and '90s. Both The Sporting News and Pro Football Weekly named Carmen Policy the NFL Executive of the Year in 1994, the latter award having been determined by a vote of NFL owners and executives. The Sporting News and GQ Magazine have also named him as one of the most influential people in professional sports. An ardent believer in public service, Carmen formerly served for several years on the Board of Trustees of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. He’s earned numerous honors, including being inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame. Carmen and his wife Gail also make a highly-decorated wine, Casa Piena. In this episode, Carmen shares his very interesting career journey, his leadership lessons, and what it means to “Win With Class.” Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



CARMEN POLICY:




* BIO:

* BIO: Carmen A. Policy



* Carmen Policy-Wikipedia





* ARTICLES:

* 'Talk about betting the Farm': Inside 49ers' all-in effort to beat Cowboys 30 years ago - San Francisco Chronicle



* Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame: Carmen Policy



* Why the Micah Parsons trade may be a blessing for the NFL - Los Angeles Times





* VIDEO:

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Ed Kopetsky, retired and award-winning Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Stanford Health's Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford’s Children’s Health. Kopetsky now focuses on mentoring families whose lives have been turned upside down due to drug addiction. In 2017, Kopetsky tragically lost his 31-year-old son to an opiod overdose. In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Ed shares 17 years of frontline experience, including invaluable insights on addressing addiction within families and communities. "There is no one I know who is better to provide guidance on dealing with addiction within a family than Ed," says host Tom Loarie. Kopetsky has served as the Board Chair for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and he is the founder and serves today as the Co-Chair of the CHIME Opiod Task Force. He was awarded the John Gall “CIO of the Year Award” by CHIME and HIMSS. CHIME CEO Russell Branzell describes Ed Kopetsy as “one of the most courageous people I know.” HIMSS CEO Hal Wolf adds that Kopetsky "epitomizes values and traits all in health strive to achieve." This episode showcases the epitomy of ethical leadership and human compassion, honed from deeply held principles and clear leadership that transforms lives, companies, families and communities. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



ED KOPETSKY:




* BIO: https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/about/news/releases/2019/ed-kopetsky-cio-of-the-year-award



* ARTICLE:

* CIO of the Year Ed Kopetsky: “It’s about Expectation Management and Trust” — HealthsystemCIO





* PAST EPISODE with Ed Kopetsky and Dr. Dave Gustafson:

* LEAD BY EXAMPLE: Why and How Two Prominent Healthcare Leaders Chose to Fight the Drug Addiction Crisis Head-on — The Mentors Radio

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Tom Loarie talks with Dana Gower, Vice President of Talent and Client Services at CareerPro, and co-author of Job Hunting in the AI Era, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the job hunt. Gower is also the founder of JobWorks Career Ministry and co-author of Careering. He has personally lived through three periods of unemployment, each followed by a major rebound. Dana Gower has been guiding people through some of life's toughest moments—job loss and career transition—for years. His ministry is built around a provocative reminder, as he puts it: "How to waste valuable job search time and NOT get a job!" This is not a lesson he teaches, but instead a warning he has seen too many job seekers live out. Dana's focus is on showing people a better way, including practical strategies, rooted in both human wisdom and today's AI tools, to help you move forward with confidence. In this episode, Dana shares practical insights on navigating career transitions, tapping into the hidden job market, optimizing resumes and LinkedIn profiles with AI, and—most importantly—why human connections still matter more than ever. Whether you’re between jobs or planning your next move, this conversation offers powerful, practical advice for thriving in the AI era of job searching. Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



DANA GOWER:




* BIO:

* BIO: Dana Gower





* BOOKS:

* Job Hunting in the AI Era: Practical Tips and Proven Strategies, by Martin Brossman, Dana Gower, etc



* Careering: How to Find and Maintain Meaningful Work in Today's Economy, by Dana Wallace Gower, Vernard Paul Dean, etc





* WEBSITES:

* CareerPro



* JobWorks Career Ministry



* Gerard Roble, an attorney volunteer for job support groups throughout the U.S., and co-founder of a job resources website listed below:

* Employment Assistance Ministry (EAM)

In this episode of The Mentors Radio, Host Dan Hesse talks with former U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen about leadership during a crisis. Whether it’s a business crisis, family crisis, natural disaster, supply chain nightmare, government-mandated pandemic shutdown or something else, ethical leadership can make all the difference in ultimately navigating to “safe shores.” Our guest mentor today, Thad Allen, has a lot to share about leadership and crisis leadership. During his Coast Guard career, Allen was asked by two U.S. Presidents to take over leadership of the Federal response to two monumental crises—the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. To achieve resolution in each of these disasters required bringing together a wide swath of diverse constituencies—each with their own focus, concerns, habits of communication and pain points. No easy task. Allen was so successful in his efforts that he became known in some circles as “the master of disaster.” Allen also led the Atlantic Coast Guard forces in response to the 9/11 attacks and coordinated the U.S. Coast Guard response to a major Haitian earthquake. But what was Allen’s secret for bringing very diverse groups together, leading them to work together to achieve a common goal? How did he herd cats in a crisis? Among other things you’ll learn that one of the first things he does—every time, in every disaster with which he was involved—is to focus first on forging a unity of purpose and a culture of compassion. Yes. People First. Every Time! That required hyper-focused listening, clarity of assessment, finding the common threads and building on those, and… did we mention listening, putting people first?!! The lessons and experiences Thad Allen shares in this episode are worth more than gold for any human on the planet—in business, work, life, anywhere, anytime… and for cats too, if they’d only listen. FANTASTIC LEARNING and MENTORING in this episode!  Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



THAD ALLEN:




* BIO:

* Bio: U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen (Ret.)





* ARTICLES:

* “Looking Back at 225 and 100: A former Commandant reflects on the “inflection” points of his personal and professional life and the Service itself,“ by Admiral Thad Allen, USCG (ret), ’71, In the Service and Beyond



* “Recognizing and Responding to Today’s Governance Challenges,” by Thad W. Allen ’71, Admiral James M. Loy Institute for Leadership



* “Hurricane Katrina: How the Coast Guard Gets It Right,” TIME magazine, 10/31/05



* “Confronting Complexity and Creating Unity of Effort: The Leadership Challenge fo...

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Randy Hain, founder of Serviam Partners, a nationally respected executive coach, and the author of 16 books—including Essential Wisdom, Becoming a More Thoughtful Leader, and most recently, Practical Virtue An Actionable Guide to Help You Become a Leader Worth Following. In this latest work, Randy makes the case that mastering virtue is not only essential to career success, but even more importantly, to success in life. You'll discover why there’s a war on virtue today, how to spot the difference between real virtue vs. virtue signaling, how timeless wisdom from thinkers such as Thomas Aquinas still applies in modern leadership, and why practicing virtue is not just admirable—it’s transformative. And you may be surprised to learn why virtues such as gratitude, candor and civility are not just "soft skills," but actually the foundation of true success—in work and in life. This is a conversation that could reshape how you live, work, and lead!  Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



RANDY HAIN:




* BIO:

* https://www.serviampartners.com/about/#randy





* BOOKS:

* Practical Virtue: An Actionable Guide to Help You Become a Leader Worth Following, by Randy Hain



* Becoming a More Thoughtful Leader: Practical Insights to Spark Meaningful Growth, by Randy Hain



* Essential Wisdom for Leaders of Every Generation, by Randy Hain



* Being Fully Present: True Stories of Epiphanies and Powerful Lessons from Everyday Life, by Randy Hain





* WEBSITE:

* https://www.serviampartners.com/

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse is joined by Lt. General Robert Caslen Jr. (Ret.) and Michael Matthews, Ph.D. to discuss The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity, a unique book in the way it combines lessons from extensive leadership research—strengthened by experience and real-life examples of leadership in action, and shares practical tools that can both assess and develop character to maximize leadership effectiveness. Robert Caslen served in the U.S. Army for 43 years. His distinguished military career culminated in 2018 as the 59th superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Under his direction as Superintendent, the Academy was recognized as the Number One public college in the nation by Forbes Magazine and the Number One public college by U.S. News and World Report.  Caslen refined West Point’s leadership program with a focus on professional ethics as an essential part of leadership and character development. General Caslen also served in numerous combat and overseas deployments including operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Central America and Haiti.  After retiring from the Army, he served as the 29th president of the University of South Carolina.   Dr. Michael Matthews is Professor Emeritus of Engineering Psychology at the U.S. Military Academy.  He served as President of the American Psychological Association’s Society for Military Psychology and is a Templeton Foundation Senior Positive Psychology Fellow. He has authored more than 250 scientific papers and edited, authored or co-authored several books.   Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:




* BIO:

* Lt. General Robert L. Caslen Jr. (Ret.):

* https://www.robertcaslen.com/about



* https://militarychild.org/upload/files/NTS%20Resources/2020_DL_Robert_Caslen_Bio.pdf





* Michael D. Matthews, Ph.D.:

* https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/michael-d-matthews-phd



* https://www.westpoint.edu/michael-d-matthews







* BOOKS:

* The Character Edge: Leading and Winning with Integrity, by Robert L. Caslen Jr. and Michael D. Matthews



* The Impossible Mission, by Robert L. Caslen Jr.





* WEBSITES:

* www.mindvue.com



* https://www.robertcaslen.com






-----



Watch your thoughts, they become words.Watch your words, they become actions.Watch your actions, they become habits.Watch your habits, they become character.Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Forbes Magazine publisher and author Rich Karlgaard on the power of “late bloomers.” We live in a world obsessed with early achievement, but you may be surprised and inspired by what older individuals launch and achieve. Not only is Karlgaard and expert on the intersection of business and innovation, he is also a best-selling author and an economic and market forecaster. Plus, Karlgaard considers himself to be a late bloomer! This episode is packed with Karlgaard's wisdom and examples that completely destroy the current trends of pressuring children to overachieve and assuming there is failure if someone is not “a success” by age 30. Absolutely false! And you’ll learn why these notions are false in this very special interview...  Listen to THE MENTORS RADIO podcast anywhere, any time, on any platform, including Spotify and Apple, just click here! We are always grateful for your 5-star review on Spotify and Apple podcasts, which helps us reach even more people!!



SHOW NOTES:



RICH KARLGAARD:




* BIO:

* Award-winning entrepreneur-turned-publisher, columnist, author, television commentator, private investor and board director, Rich Karlgaard has a unique vantage point on the trends driving the business and economic climates.





* BOOKS:

* Late Bloomers, the power of patience in a world obsessed with early achievement, by Rich Karlgaard, Fred Sanders, et.al.



* The Soft Edge: Where Great Companies Find Lasting Success, by Rich Karlgaard and Michael S. Malone



* Team Genius: The New Science of High-Performing Organizations, by Rich Karlgaard





* WEBSITE:

* http://richkarlgaard.com/

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Dan Hesse talks with Michael MacCambridge, the award-winning journalist and author featured on the acclaimed ESPN documentary series about the Kansas City Chiefs entitled "The Kingdom." Today's discussion will focus on MacCambridge's biography, Lamar Hunt - A Life in Sports, about the man who started it all. Lamar Hunt did more than launch the Kansas City Chiefs, he founded the American Football League and brought professional soccer and tennis to America. Lamar Hunt has been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, the International Tennis Federation Hall of Fame, and the National Soccer Hall of Fame. MacCambridge and Hesse discuss how Lamar not only participated in—but was the catalyst for—multiple revolutions in sports. Many of Lamar's innovations we take for granted today. Digging deeper, perhaps most importantly, you'll learn what made Lamar Hunt an effective leader and someone beloved and respected by all who knew him. Dan's guest, Michael, is likewise remarkable in his field of journalism, which makes for an exceptionally rich and engaging discussion.  MacCambridge has written several books, including the critically-acclaimed and award-winning America’s Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation. His most recent book is The Big Time, How the 1970’s Transformed Sports in America. MacCambridge is also the creator and editor of The ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, hailed by Sports Illustrated as “the Bible” of the sport. He now lives in Austin, and serves as an adjunct instructor at the Center for Sports Communication & Media at the University of Texas, and serves as co-chair on the jury of the Dan Jenkins Medal for Excellence in Sportswriting.  



SHOW NOTES:



MICHAEL MacCAMBRIDGE:




* BIO:

* BIO: Michael MacCambridge





* BOOKS:

* Lamar Hunt - A life in Sports, by Michael MacCambridge - How one man's journey changed sports in America



* The Big Time - How the 1970's Transformed Sports in America, by Michael MacCambridge



* America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation, by Michael MacCambridge





* WEBSITE:

* https://michaelmaccambridge.com/

In this episode of THE MENTORS RADIO, Host Tom Loarie talks with Gerald Nosich, PhD, who is among the most distinguished experts in critical thinking alive today. He authored such foundational works as Reasons and Arguments (Wadsworth, 1982) and Learning to Think Things Through, a book that has been translated into multiple languages and is used in classrooms globally. His latest book, Critical Writing, teaches powerful thinking tools through writing. Over the years, Dr. Nosich has led more than 250 workshops in countries from the U.S. to Singapore, consulted on national assessments of higher-order thinking, contributed to educational programming with PBS and Starlink, and served as a consultant for ACT testing. He holds emeritus positions at SUNY Buffalo State and the University of New Orleans and is a senior fellow with the Foundation for Critical Thinking. In the next 43 minutes, join us to explore how unexamined thinking imprisons us—and what it means to truly think critically in our lives. Listen to this episode below, or on ANY PODCAST PLATFORM here. BE SURE TO LEAVE US A GREAT REVIEW on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share with friends and colleagues!



SHOW NOTES:



GERALD NOSICH, PhD:




* BIO: https://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/dr-gerald-nosich/820



* BOOKS:

* Learning to Think Things Through, by Gerald Nosich, PhD



* Critical Writing: A Guide to Writing a Paper Using the Concepts and Process of Critical Thinking, by Gerald Nosich, PhD



* Reasons and Arguments, by Gerald Nosich, PhD (published by Wadsworth, 1982)





* WEBSITE:

* The Foundation for Critical Thinking - CriticalThinking.org





* RELATED:




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