This week, Susan and educator, writer, and community organizer, Roman Benty talk about community, education, and advocacy. As the community partnership coordinator at the LIGHT education initiative, Roman works to connect schools with the communities they're in to build relationships and make their neighborhoods stronger and more vibrant for everyone in them.
This week Susan is in conversation with Dr. Clyde Wilson Pickett, the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Engagement and Well-Being at the University of Pittsburgh and champion of culture change, inclusion, and well-being. Tune in for a great discussion on community, inclusion, and what it means to thrive.
This week, Susan is in the studio with Donald Alexander, an elementary school teacher in the Carleton School District in Pittsburgh, PA. The pair discuss the role of teachers as community organizers and the programs that Donald, his colleagues and their students have put in place that benefit students and their communities.
This week, we have Susan Graff in conversation with Kristy Joy Weidner, a licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of the Village Center for Holistic Therapy. The pair explore the significance of heart-centered transformation, authenticity, and creating spaces for connection and healing in both personal and professional settings. Then Kristy takes us to the inner gym with an exercise that is bound to change your day for the better
We are back from break with a new studio and a slate of great new episodes!
This week we're sharing our conversation with Dr. Jason A. Deakings, a nontraditional researcher and educator dedicated to improving health outcomes in marginalized communities. With over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Dr. Deakins discusses the significance of community engagement and health equity.
Monica Ruiz, Executive Director of Casa San Jose in Pittsburgh, shares her journey from a case manager to an advocate for minority communities. She discusses challenges faced by Latino newcomers in the city and stresses the importance of embracing immigrants for future growth.
Join us in conversation with Katelan Hudson as she shares her journey of identity formation and healing her primal wound as a Vietnamese transracial adoptee.
This week we are joined by Courtney Lucas, a graduate student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, and so much more. Courtney and the panel discuss navigating academia and life in general as an introvert. What people expect you to say when they ask how you are; the unexpected consequences of taking the time to think and process before responding; the dance between code switching and being true to yourself. Feel free to relax and put your resting blank face on for this one!
Emiola Oriola ultimately sees himself as a lover of people who strives to build unity in diversity proactively and intentionally, wherever he goes. Join us as we discuss the idea of being our whole selves in all aspects of our lives.
This week on the podcast, we continue to explore the importance of being rather than doing with Dr. Mario Browne. The conversation touches on recovery, creating community, and challenging masculine stereotypes. The group share ways that they create space for people to share what's going on in their lives, and the importance of checking in with others.
Show notes available here.
In this episode of Who We Are Inside, Dr. Mario Brown shares his insights on balancing humanity with the demands of a high-pressure academic environment. Dr. Brown discusses the challenge of being a "human being" versus a "human doing" in a culture that often equates worth with productivity. He explores strategies for self-care, such as escaping the desk and connecting with nature.
This week, we are revisiting Susan and Adriana's conversation with Dev Hayostek.
Dev opens up about living with ARFID—what it’s like when food feels unsafe, and how that’s tangled up with class, shame, and family dynamics. Susan and Adriana join the conversation, bringing their own stories and questions about how culture, parenting, and healthcare shape the way we think about eating. It’s honest, emotional, and enlightening.
We're revisiting some of our favorite episodes while we take a little summer break. This week, catch up with Susan and Dr. Ahmed Ghuman as they discuss gratitude, joy, and happiness.
In this episode we are speaking with clinical psychologist and Executive Director of the University Counseling Center on why we should practice gratitude, how gratitude intersects with emotions like grief and joy, and how gratitude can be an antidote to loneliness by helping us feel more connected. For anyone who needs a pick-me-up, this episode is for you!
We're taking a bit of a summer break and revisiting some of our favorite episodes! This week, we look back at our conversation with Carrie Benson.
Some days go really well and some days I end up crying at 9 o’clock because I feel like I was bad at my job and bad at momming. If you’re a parent chances are you have felt this way. In this episode, Susan, John and Adriana talk to Carrie Benson on the triumphs, challenges, and beautiful moments of being a mother working outside of the home. Please know we are intentionally choosing the word “mother” rather than parent because Carrie, Susan, and Adriana are speaking from their lived experiences as cis women parents, and we invite parents of all genders to join us for this conversation.
We're taking a bit of a summer break and revisiting some of our favorite episodes! This week, we look back at our first ever episode with Susan Graff.
Imagine wearing a metaphorical “pinback button” that boldly declares your internal struggles, emotions, and triumphs to the world. Adriana, John and Susan challenge the norm of concealing our authentic selves, offering a refreshing perspective on the liberation that comes with being genuine.
What does it take to be kind and unshakeable? In this episode, Dr. Rickquel Tripp reflects on her path through medicine, military service, and emergency care leadership — and how she stays grounded in empathy without losing her edge.
How do you show up with confidence in spaces not built for you? In this episode, Dr. Nancy Gauvin joins host Susan Graff to explore the power of “confidence as armor” — especially as a Black woman in academic leadership. Together, they unpack vulnerability, imposter syndrome, and the price and power of showing up fully.
Join Susan and Adriana for the second part of their conversation with Dr. Victoria Grieve. They discuss dress codes, professionalism, and the joy of wearing the clothes you like.
Join Susan and Adriana for the first part of their conversation with Dr. Victoria Grieve. They discuss Dr. Grieve's Origin Story - from boardgames to CCAC; Eckerd Drug to assistat professor at Pitt.
Dev opens up about living with ARFID—what it’s like when food feels unsafe, and how that’s tangled up with class, shame, and family dynamics. Susan and Adriana join the conversation, bringing their own stories and questions about how culture, parenting, and healthcare shape the way we think about eating. It’s honest, emotional, and enlightening.
