Kendra Fisher, still laughs as she remembers standing in the Kincardine arena at 4 years old, watching her big brother playing hockey, turning to her parents, and proclaiming, “I don’t want to figure skate anymore. When I grow up to be a boy, I’m going to play hockey.” And after realizing that goalies get to play the whole game and that there was always a chance to be the “hero”, she settled on her position and quickly discovered that girls can play too!And so it began, a journey towards the only dream Kendra had ever known, the dream of pulling that red and white Team Canada jersey over her head, stepping onto the Olympic stage, and becoming part of the golden tradition of Canadian Hockey.In 1999, while at try-outs for Team Canada, Kendra realized she could no longer hide that something was wrong. After a discussion with her coaches, she made the seemingly impossible decision to walk away from her dream in order to seek help, but not before being told that she had already been selected to join Team Canada. With Team Canada’s help, Kendra was guided down a road that nobody had yet considered, and after several appointments with a sports Psychologist, a psychiatrist, and Doctors, Kendra was diagnosed with a Generalized Anxiety Disorder, severe Panic Disorder, Clinical Depression, Agoraphobia and OCD. So began a whole new journey, a fight for her life.The first 5 years of this journey were filled with hopelessness, isolation, and darkness. Although surrounded by support and access to resources, Kendra was faced with a sense of pointlessness that she struggled to overcome. And then she made a decision, she wanted more. She wanted to live. And more than that, she wanted a life worth living.It took the next 5 years for Kendra to achieve a life of recovery. It took 5 years to learn about what resources were available, and in that time, she also learned about all of the ways she could be helping herself. Kendra often speaks of her greatest achievement in getting to this place in her life, and that was her ability to keep it a secret. Kendra, like so many, was embarrassed by her Mental Illness.Until one day when Kendra had a realization, she was part of the problem. Her silence was exactly the reason that people couldn’t realize that there is help, that there is hope. She had learned to live happily and successfully with what felt like a death sentence, and she was embarrassed to let others know. In that moment, she vowed to never be a part of the problem again, and so began her new journey.Shortly after coming out with her story, Kendra was introduced to the many struggles facing others like herself and she was determined to be a part of the change. Having come to realize the importance of lived experience and shared hope, the Kendra has dedicated herself to helping others find tomorrow.When Kendra started sharing her journey with others, she was amazed by the response she received. And then the simple truth became so clear, we are not meant to get through life alone. Sometimes it only takes one person, a subtle gesture, a kind word, and somebody else may find a reason to keep fighting.

Jeffrey Engel is an Air Force Security Forces Veteran, Special Agent and a New Jersey Dectective Corporal. We discuss his journey into the military, serving in Korea, Force Protection, municipal law enforcement, some career calls, his powerful mental health journey, Boulder Crest and much more.Jeffrey Engel began his career in military law enforcement career in 2001 and later separated active duty, where he transitioned into civilian law enforcement. Over the years, he has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, training officer and is currently assigned to the Investigative Bureau. In addition to his law enforcement career, Jeff has continued to serve in the United States Air Force Reserves. He has been honored with several accolades, both military and law enforcement, including Officer of the Year, multiple PBA awards, multiple military awards and recognition from the Prosecutor’s Office with PROCOPs awards. Jeff has two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and completed his Masters Degree in Cybersecurity.

Ben Strahan is a veteran wildland Hotshot, human performance coach and athlete. We discuss his journey into the fire service, the physical demands of wildland firefighting, the inmate crew program, staffing, mental health, why fires are getting bigger and so much more."From 2020 to present I have operated as the Superintendent of the Eldorado Hotshots, an elite Wildland Fire Handcrew for the US Forest Service. During this time, I have operated as their leader on almost every large wildfire in the western United States and have done so successfully by bringing everyone home safely. With my background in human performance my focus is on the development of the authenticity of a human being expressed. The goal is to encourage the growth of mindset and how we move through the world with passion of life. Being a survivor of suicide and an advocate for mental health, I take my stories of personal healing and growth to people who are ready to step into their truth and develop strong Self-Leadership. Over the years working for the US Forest Service, I have advocated for strong reforms in health and wellness of Firefighters, even at the risk of losing my job. Outwardly bringing important issues into the mainstream media to help educate the public on real challenges Wildland Firefighters have faced for years. Issues such as pay, access to mental health programs, and better working conditions. I have been a part of the development of almost every wellness program developed by the US Forest Service for the last 15 years and continue to bring important issues to the table to be addressed for reform. On my personal side of life, I run a Self-Leadership consulting company called Moment Consulting LLC. The focus of Moment Consulting LLC is to educate people on how to develop strong self-leadership within themselves and realize that self-leadership is the starting point of leading others in life. It is focused on my stories and the realizations I have had to become aware of on my journey in life, and the choices I could make from a place of awareness. Along with this, I am an advocate of first responder mental health as a whole and work directly as a peer supporter with first responders all over the world as they deal with challenges in their prosses of healing themselves. Moment Consulting LLC also works with corporate companies, teams, and organizations in the development of self-leadership and education on how to mitigate risk. With my nearly 24 years of fire service, operating at the highest level of performance working as a Hotshot, and my passion for life witnessing the development of individuals find their truth has only grown. The work is never done to inspire positive change, but my philosophy is to encourage people to have the awareness, that it starts with you and I."

Melissa Mercado is a tactical athlete strength and conditioning coach and the Tactical Manager for Teambuildr. We discuss her journey into coaching, training Marines, the Wounded Warrior Battalion, nutrition, sleep and performance, wearables, disceminating prorgamming to the first responder population, spiritual wellbeing and much more.Melissa holds a Bachelor of Science from Radford University and a Master of Science from Liberty University. Her career began with three collegiate internships at Radford University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Clemson University. She then transitioned into the tactical field as a Fitness Specialist at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where she played a key role in the Force Fitness Instructor Course, developing curriculum and instructing future FFIs and FFITs.During her time at Quantico, Melissa met her husband Matt, a United States Marine. Their journey led them to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where Melissa started out working at Wounded Warrior Battalion-East. She then most recently, served as a Strength and Conditioning Coach at the School of Infantry-East, for the Marine Combat Instructor Course and Headquarters and Support Battalion. Now residing in Tampa, Florida, where Matt is stationed at MacDill Air Force Base, Melissa is excited to bring her experience and fresh perspective to TeamBuildr. Outside of work, Melissa enjoys sunrise runs, discovering new coffee shops, lifting heavy things, walking her dog Wyatt, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Clemson Tigers. GO TIGERS and STEELERS!https://www.teambuildr.com/

Rob Garnett is a 22 year Navy SEAL veteran, athlete and the Managing DIrector of One More Wave. We discuss surfing as a child, his journey into the military, compassion on the battlefield, veteran suicide, his perspective on reducing war, veteran suicide, the therapeutic power of surfing and much more. https://onemorewave.com/

Otto Drozd III is a seasoned leader in fire and emergency services with over 35 years of distinguished experience, dedicated to protecting communities, driving innovation, and advancing fire service excellence on a global scale. In this second conversation, we discuss the pandemic, the fire service recruitment crisis, lithium ion fires, courageous leadership and much more. Currently, Otto serves as the Executive Secretary of the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association under the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), where he leads national and international collaborations to address the fire service's most urgent challenges. His leadership encompasses transformative initiatives ranging from wildfire and emerging energy technology responses to advocating for firefighter health, safety, and resilience.Otto's impact is perhaps most evident in his instrumental role in the fast-tracked development of NFPA 3000™, Standard for an Active Shooter/Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Program. Following the Pulse nightclub tragedy in Orlando in 2016, Otto spearheaded the request for NFPA to create the world’s first standard addressing mass casualty incident planning, resource management, incident command, and responder competencies. Drawing on his decades of public safety expertise, he united more than 50 representatives from law enforcement, fire service, EMS, hospitals, emergency management, private industry, universities, schools, and federal agencies, including DHS, FBI, and DOJ, to create a comprehensive, life-saving framework. Thanks to his vision and leadership, NFPA 3000 was released in May 2018—just 20 months after its inception—marking it as one of only two provisional standards in NFPA’s 125-year history. The 2021 edition further solidified its standing as an essential guide for global public safety.Throughout his career, Otto has been recognized as a thought leader in the fire service. He is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences, sharing insights on emerging risks, strategic innovations, and policy developments shaping the future of fire and emergency services. His presentations reflect his commitment to improving operational efficiency, enhancing community resilience, and addressing the challenges of increasingly severe weather and evolving technologies.Otto's career includes executive leadership in municipal, county, and international fire service organizations. As Fire Chief in jurisdictions across Florida and Texas, he managed large-scale operations, oversaw multimillion-dollar budgets, and implemented strategic planning initiatives that improved emergency preparedness and operational excellence. Under his leadership, departments earned prestigious milestones, including ISO Class One ratings and accreditations for fire, EMS, and emergency management services.A tireless advocate for advancing the fire service, Otto has spearheaded initiatives such as developing national consensus standards, establishing regional training facilities, and launching officer development programs. His advocacy efforts have influenced federal and state policies and secured critical funding for firefighter cancer prevention, lifesaving technology advancements, and fire safety programs.

Paul Collette is a former Senior Probation Officer, Navy Reservist with 30 years experience as a mental health counselor. We discuss his journey into law enforcement, the world of probation, hunting sexual predators, mental health and much more. Hi, I'm Paul! I'm a retired federal LE and an Associate Professor at Connecticut State Community College. I helped those with addiction and co-occurring disorders who are struggling with their recovery. I've built a successful career at helping high-risk clients with unique problems - either through their involvement in the criminal justice system, federal drug courts or their recovery via high-impact work. I have a three decade +history of working in the federal judiciary, non-profit and hospital-based environments with a strong addiction, military and protective services background with skills in Nonprofit Organizations, Government, Criminal Justice, Addiction and Public Speaking. Expert consultant and instructor; law enforcement and court personnel on national policy and sensitive investigations as it pertains to child exploitation, human trafficking, child pornography and cyber-crime matters.

In January 2014 I ejected from a US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet at 695 mph. The fastest survived ejection in the history of naval aviation. The violent ejection left me with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), broken neck, broken arms, broken legs, and a variety of nerve and blood vessel damage. The speed of the ejection shredded my dry suit and I plunged into the icy Atlantic Ocean. A malfunction in my survival gear left my parachute attached to me instead of disconnecting upon impact with the salt water. The parachute that had just saved my life filled with ocean currents as it sunk and began pulling me beneath the frigid water. With shattered arms I had no ability to disconnect my parachute. My tattered dry suit filled with 37 degree Fahrenheit water and became a sea anchor, further inhibiting my ability to breath. If you’ve ever been held under by a big wave surfing you know the feeling. For the next two hours I struggled to gasp for air as I intermittently would bob to the surface. While the hypothermia was slowly killing me, the cold water also helped to slow the rapid bleeding from my torn brachial artery and open leg fractures. I was pulled from the ocean by a Navy H-60 Seahawk helicopter and a heroic rescue swimmer named Cheech. I was incredibly fortunate to make it to a level one trauma center in Norfolk, Virginia where some of the best surgeons on the planet reassembled my destroyed skeleton with titanium rods and steel plates. Over a dozen surgeries later and two weeks in a coma I awoke to face the biggest challenge of my life. Paralyzed and confused from the brain injury and massive amounts of medications, it took months to grasp what had happened. The medical professionals were straight with me. I would most likely never walk again and my career as a strike fighter pilot was over. Something inside me said, “Fuck that! I will prove you all wrong.” I spent the next several weeks shitting myself and trying to wiggle my unresponsive body. Little by little I regained function. After two years of intense rehabilitation and overcoming prescription drug addiction to the dozens of drugs that just seemed to be given to me by default I was able to max out the Navy’s physical fitness test and returned to flying Super Hornets. It seemed I had overcome it all until about two years later I was diagnosed with delayed onset PTSD. My mental function varied greatly and I started going in and out of psychosis. In the psychosis I thought I was being hunted by the government and people were constantly out to kill me and my family. The more pharmaceutical drugs the psychiatrist recommended the worse my problems seemed to get. I spent another year undergoing more surgeries and receiving all available conventional psychological treatments before it became clear that my career really was done. I was eventually medically retired from the service. Had it not been for my wife and family support I would have taken my life. I remember wondering what the barrel of my pistol would feel like on my teeth and how the gun oil might taste just before I nearly took myself out of misery. The only thing that stopped me was when I looked over to see my newborn son sleeping quietly with my wife. To kill myself would have been selfish. As my psychosis worsened my wife found me dressed in a garbage bag. I had shaved off my eyebrows and most of my hair. I though I was going out to fight crime like Batman. My wife drove me to the ER and I was eventually moved to a VA mental health facility. There the only answer seemed to be more drugs. I was injected with Haldol when I tried to resist more oral drugs. Haldol makes your entire body feel like it’s crawling with insects. Your instinct is to run, scream and move to escape to restless urge. Every patient in the inpatient facility was forced to take drugs. https://kegangill.com/

Based in Southfield, Michigan, Dr. Richard Veyna is not just a renowned Board Certified Neurosurgeon but also the driving force behind RSV Medical and Transcend Company. This groundbreaking initiative encompasses a dedicated team of NPs and PAs who are specialists in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and peptide therapy, licensed across all 50 states. They serve as the pivotal consultation backbone for patients at Transcend, a leading health and wellness company committed to redefining healthcare access in areas like age management, sexual wellness, and hormone therapy.Dr. Veyna's prowess in the realm of neurosurgery is evident in his specialization in complex spinal disorders, deep brain stimulation, and minimally invasive techniques. His collaborative endeavors with institutions, notably the Struthers Parkinson's Disease Center, highlight his commitment to interdisciplinary advancements.Having kickstarted his academic pursuits at Baylor University, Dr. Veyna then reached a pinnacle at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where he was honored as valedictorian. He further enriched his expertise through a Peripheral Nerve Fellowship at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center.His roles as a Neurosurgeon at the Michigan Head & Spine Institute and an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine underscore his dedication to clinical excellence and academic contributions. Throughout his career, he has been graced with numerous accolades, memberships in elite medical societies, and a reputation that stands testament to his unwavering commitment to medical excellence and patient care.https://transcendcompany.com/

Craig Harrison joined the Blues and Royals, a Household Cavalry regiment, at sixteen. He has served in Bosnia, two tours of Iraq and two tours of Afghanistan. He trained to become a sniper after his first Iraq tour and holds the world record for the longest recorded sniper kills. He was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery.We discuss his childhood around horses, his journey into the military, the Balkans, his infamous sniper shot, the danger the publicity put his family in, his powerful mental health story, his school Maverick Survival and much more.https://www.themavericksurvivalschool.co.uk/