No Barriers

Mark served in the United States Air Force for ten years, starting out as an aircraft mechanic. He loved his job but was looking for more challenges, so he switched to air traffic control for the remainder of his time in service. During a deployment in Kuwait, he sustained injuries resulting in his right leg needing to be amputated above the knee. He went into a deep depression and lost all hope and was very inactive. Eventually, he found outdoor therapy programs like No Barriers and regained purpose and meaning in his life. Now he is the Founder and Executive Director of Outdoor Salute to Veterans. There are 22 veterans that commit suicide every day and OSTV strives to reduce these numbers by taking disabled veterans on outdoor activities such as hunting, fishing, rafting, rock climbing, and camping.   Mark has also been married to his wife for 34 years and has three wonderful and successful children and five beautiful grandchildren.Special thanks to CoBank for sponsoring today's episode in a series highlighting Veterans. Resources:Outdoor Salute to Veterans: https://outdoorsalutetoveterans.com/  

Comedian, Josh Blue, sat down with Erik and Jeff at our studio in Golden, CO to discuss his career as a comic who happens to have cerebral palsy. Following his groundbreaking win on NBC’s Last Comic Standing in 2006, Josh Blue has risen through the ranks to become a well-established headliner at venues throughout the world. His story has been featured on Fox, CBS, ABC, MSNBC,  and CNN.  He was the first comedian to perform stand-up on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, was named Best Winning Reality Show Guest on Live with Regis and Kelly, and made standout appearances on Comics Unleashed. Recently, Josh crushed his set on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and was honored with a performance at the William H. Macy Gala at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal, Canada. He also just recorded his fifth-hour special at his home club, Comedy Works in Denver, CO. Josh does over 200 shows a year, continuing to spread laughter and break down stereotypes of people with disabilities. His stand-up routine is in a constant state of evolution and his off-the-cuff improvisational skills guarantee that no two shows are alike. Critics have said Josh is not a cerebral palsy comic; he’s a comic who happens to have cerebral palsy. However, his closest friends describe him as “a d-bag.Resources:Cast your vote for Josh on America’s Got Talent “AGT” app on your phone or head to NBC.com/AGTVote.Check out more on Josh's website: https://www.joshblue.com/ Follow Josh on FB and Instagram 

Colleen Rose is a military caregiver for her husband, John, an active duty Marine. While on his 2nd tour in Afghanistan, John was wounded by an IED blast sustaining vision loss and extensive injuries. Colleen acted as his caregiver, and then, in 2016, the roles were reversed when Colleen was diagnosed with breast cancer. Several years later, Colleen has helped her husband retain his active duty status, and Colleen is cancer-free and in remission, and they are proud parents to their baby, Declan. Colleen now serves as a Dole Caregiver Fellow, placing her in a great position to advocate and provide encouragement for all caregivers, sharing her experiences as a caregiver and care recipient.Thank you to our sponsor, Prudential, for sponsoring this episode and more featuring alchemists like Colleen.Resources:For Military and Veteran Caregiver resources as part of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation: https://hiddenheroes.org/Elizabeth Dole Foundation FB group: https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethDoleFoundation/Watch more about Colleen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D546jZFsCVE

Sean Passmore served 22 1/2 years in the Army before retiring in 2014. Today, he leads the Military Talent Strategic Outsourcing (MTSS) team and oversees enterprise military and veteran initiatives at Wells Fargo, supporting the military community with housing affordability, financial wellness, small business support, and career transition assistance programs. The MTSS team is 100% dedicated to attracting, recruiting, coaching, and advocating for veterans seeking career opportunities at Wells Fargo.Wells Fargo is a longtime supporter and partner of No Barriers. We are grateful for their ongoing support and their sponsorship of this episode - the first in a series highlighting folks who are working to increase inclusion and representation in career mobility. Resources:Sign up for the No Barriers Summit 8/28-8/29 (both in-person and virtual options): https://www.nobarriers.live/  Make sure to check out Wells Fargo’s career panel on 8/29 at 1 PM Mountain.Wells Fargo Military Resource Page: https://www.wellsfargo.com/militaryWells Fargo Military Jobs: https://www.wellsfargojobs.com/militaryReach out directly to Wells Fargo Careers: militaryrecruiting@wellsfargo.comCheck out America’s Mentoring Network for the Military: https://www.veterati.com/Read:  What Color is Your Parachute?

Antoinette, an 11-year United States Army Veteran,  is an American Adult Cross-Cultural Kid (ACCK) and Third Culture Adult (TCA) with family ancestry in Nigeria, Ireland, China, and Jamaica. Antoinette is a former IT executive, a blogger at the New Normal Big Life blog, Producer of New Normal Big LifeTV for Culturs Global Multicultural TV, Contributing Writer at Paddling Magazine and Culturs, global, multicultural magazine. Antoinette is also a transformational public speaker and an advocate for people living with traumatic brain injury, health challenges, and those diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. She is also the Producer of WhitewaterTV, a Kokatat National Brand Ambassador, and co-founder— Diversify  Whitewater to name a few of her many accomplishments.Thank you to our sponsor, Prudential, for sponsoring this episode and more featuring alchemists like Antoinette.Resources:https://antoinettetoscano.com/about-me/https://www.instagram.com/antoinetteleetoscano/www.linkedin.com/in/antoinettetoscanohttps://xotv.me/channels/359-whitewatertvhttps://www.instagram.com/whitewatertv_xotvhttps://cultursmag.com/author/atoscano/https://twitter.com/AntoinettesPen

Sean Entin was a successful entrepreneur who suddenly had a stroke at 39 years old. After many surgeries, doctors told him he would never walk, talk, drive or be independent again. It has been 10 years since he had his stroke and he has not only regained his independence — in his recovery process —Sean became the StrokeHacker; learning how the brain works and what it takes to make it better. His mantra “I can, I shall, I will” helped him through the mostdifficult times in his life. That knowledge allowed him to teach thousands of people how to do the same. He is currently a survivor coach, podcast host, and founder of the StrokeHacker Community.Resources:Learn more: https://strokehacker.com/Watch Sean on ABC: https://abc7.com/curt-sandoval-mma-training-sean-entin/1101903/

Keely Cat-Wells is an Entrepreneur and Disability Activist dedicated to making social, systematic, and economical change. Keely is the Founder/CEO of C Talent, Zetta Studios, and Zetta Finance. She founded her first company at a very early age while in the hospital, which eventually evolved into C Talent. C Talent represents Deaf and Disabled artists, athletes, and influencers globally to normalize disabled people being experts in subjects beyond disability. After noticing the lack of access in the entertainment industry, Keely formed Zetta Studios, which is the world’s first-ever studio to be fully accessible, designed with disabled people in mind.Keely is a Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe Entertainment 2021 honoree, an Aerie Change-Maker, Advisory Board Member at Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, a Disability Subject Matter Expert at Google and The Lego Group name a few of her awards and recognitions.Special thanks to Wells Fargo for their sponsorship of today's podcast in a series featuring leaders who are facilitating a cultural transformation in the workplace.Resources:Follow C Talent on IGFollow Keely on IGCheck out the C Talent website: https://ctalent.orgCheck out Keely's website: https://keelycatwells.com#DisabilityInMedia #DisabledAndProud #DisabilityAdvocate #DisabilityInclusion #InclusionMatters #DisabilityAwareness #Disability #InvisibleDisability #RepresentationMatters  

Chris Prange-Morgan has worked extensively in the field of mental health and is familiar with the topics of trauma and resilience, grief and loss, adoption, and adapting and overcoming obstacles. Today, Chris and her husband, Scott, host a podcast and website, Full Catastrophe Parenting, which is dedicated to helping parents and professionals in the trenches of working with challenging family/life circumstances. Over the past several years she has provided clinical pastoral care to hospitalized patients, created an adaptive rock climbing program, taken second in the para-climbing nationals (2015 female leg amputee division), and summited her first Colorado 14’er with her family. Chris’ book, Full Catastrophe Parenting: Adoption, Disability, Trauma and Other Joys of Motherhood, is forthcoming.Resources: WEBSITE:  https://www.fullcatastropheparenting.com/INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/full_catastrophe_parenting/FACEBOOK: https://m.facebook.com/cprangemorganPSYCHOLOGY TODAY: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/chris-prange-morgan-ma-msw

Judaline Cassidy hails from the twin islands of Trinidad and Tobago. Having experienced, first-hand, the challenges and injustices women working in male-dominated fields face, Judaline has devoted her life and work to being a force of change. By day, she’s a history-making plumber in NYC, where she’s mastered her trade over the last two decades while fighting for equality in the construction industry. She dedicates every other waking second to her trademarked "Jobs Don’t Have Genders" activism, and to Tools & Tiaras Inc., the pioneering nonprofit she founded in 2017.Through hands-on, mentoring workshops and summer camps led by tradeswomen leaders, her organization introduces girls and young women to skilled trades jobs like electrician, carpenter, plumber, and auto mechanic. Girls gain awareness of these rewarding and lucrative career options, along with invaluable life skills. Ultimately, Judaline is empowering girls with the grit, moxie, and self-confidence needed to succeed in whatever professional path they choose. A powerhouse role model, captivating speaker, founder of Lean In: Women In Trades, and recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, Judaline’s ability to inspire crosses generations and genders, and the impact she makes extends to her industry and beyond. Judaline was recently featured as one of CNN's 2020 'Champions For Change'.Thank you to our sponsor, Prudential, for sponsoring this episode and more featuring alchemists like Judaline.Resources:Watch Judaline on CNN’s 2020 ‘Champions For Change.’Watch Tools & Tiaras 2018 Girls Camp videoJudaline’s website: https://www.judaline.com/Follow Judaline on IG, FB, and Twitter

Mark Wellman is a nationally acclaimed author, filmmaker, and motivational speaker. Despite being paralyzed in a mountain climbing accident, Mark has inspired millions to meet their problems head-on and reach for their full potential. A two-time Paralympian and former Yosemite Park Ranger, Mark's NO LIMITS philosophy encourages individuals to adventure into new horizons; to go beyond the seemingly unreachable.An accomplished wheelchair athlete, Mark is best known for the first historic paraplegic ascents of the sheer granite faces of El Capitan and Half Dome, in Yosemite National Park.His notoriety has been acclaimed on national television, by congressional commendation and meetings with two United States Presidents. The first paraplegic to sit-ski unassisted across the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, Mark has also carried the flaming torch up the 120-foot rope, shocked by thousands of spectators, and lit the cauldron for the opening of the Paralympic Games in Atlanta.Mark shares his story in the autobiography Climbing Back.Resources:Learn more about Mark: https://www.nolimitstahoe.com/Order a copy of Mark's autobiography: Climbing Back.Check out our No Barriers Summit page!Sign up for our No Barriers newsletter to get news about our upcoming No Barriers Summit and other events.