No Barriers

As President of The Prouty Project, Peter Bailey develops creative experience-based leadership development programs for companies and people to expand their life skills, belief systems, and communication processes. In his free time he roasts his own coffee beans, writes, sails, surfs, rock climbs, and enjoys time with his wife, kids, and two cats. Resources:Peter’s TEDx talk: “Developing The Heroic Journey Mindset”To learn more visit: www.proutyproject.com

Gerry Leary is the founder of the coffee shop, Unseen Bean in Boulder, CO. Gerry has been blind since he was born but his lack of vision does not stop him from roasting coffee. You don’t need sight to roast coffee, you need a heart, and Gerry has a huge one. Before coffee, Gerry was an auto mechanic for 40+ years. He loved working with his dad in their garage growing up and was told he couldn’t work on cars as a blind person - which only made him determined to do so. Gerry Leary's passion for coffee began in 1994 when visiting a San Francisco cafe. He heard what sounded like a rock tumbler and discovered it was a coffee roaster. He realized then that coffee didn’t have to be flat and bitter, as coffee roasting was a true art form. Gerry's visual impairment kept him from finding an apprenticeship in the coffee business. So he attended the San Francisco Coffee Training Institute and began a journey into the land of gourmet coffee roasting.Resources:Visit Gerry’s website to purchase coffee: https://www.theunseen

In 2017, Hadeel Ayoub founded BrightSign, a wearable technology start-up. BrightSign develops technology pieces that employ AI to facilitate communication for individuals who need it, such as people with hearing or speech disabilities or children with non-verbal autism.  Hadeel’s BrightSign Glove innovation has gained international recognition and has won global awards in Innovation and Artificial Intelligence. A special thanks to Arrow Electronics for sponsoring this episode as part of their series highlighting people pioneering inclusive technology. Resources:Twitter: @hadeelayoubSite: brightsignglove.comFrom Sign to Speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qDUK1xOY8o

Nicole Kelly proudly identifies as a person living with a disability and spends much of her time advocating for it! Nicole stepped into the role of a public figure in 2013 when she won the title of Miss Iowa, making her one of very few to compete at Miss America with a physical disability.  Nicole is the co-creator and co-host of the podcast, Disarming Disability, which aims to break down the stigma surrounding disability by engaging disability experts in conversation. Nicole has proudly spoken at schools, universities, and corporations across the country about disability equity and inclusion.This episode is sponsored by Wells Fargo, CoBank, Prudential, Arrow Electronics, and Winnebago Industries Foundation.Resources:www.missnicolegkelly.comFollow Nicole on Facebook, Instagram  & TwitterSubscribe & watch Nicole's videos on Youtube 

Subhasis has spent about 20 years developing cutting-edge technology, 5 years of practicing therapy, and 10 years in clinical research with varying degrees of success and failure. His diverse background led him to invent and commercialize the world’s first fully wearable, connected brain plasticity training tool that trains brain and body in one system. SynPhNe is the outcome of his Ph.D. (Biomechatronics) study which he completed after recovering from a brain injury himself. He is passionate about neuroplasticity, movement analysis, learning mechanisms, and aging. He has been a yoga and martial arts practitioner for the past 40 years and is currently living in Singapore. He makes friends easily with those who love food, traveling, and adventure.This episode was made possible by the support of Arrow Electronics. Resources:Visit SynPhNe’s Website:  www.synphne.comAdditional reading: The Brain that Changes Itself  by Norman Doidge 

Ann Curry is an award-winning journalist and photojournalist. She is a former NBC News Network anchor and international correspondent and has reported on conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Darfur, Congo, the Central African Republic, Serbia, Lebanon, and Israel; on nuclear tensions from North Korea and Iran and on numerous humanitarian disasters, including the tsunamis in Southeast Asia and Japan, and the massive 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Her awards for journalism include 7 Emmys. She has also been given numerous humanitarian awards, including from Refugees International, Americares, and Save the Children.  One award she especially prizes is a Medal of Valor from the Simon Wiesenthal Center, for her dedication to reporting about genocide.She has also reported and executive produced a documentary series about people caught in transformative world events entitled “We’ll Meet Again,” anchored and executive produced a live series about medical care in America entitled “Chasing the Cure,” and is a con

Michael Brown has excelled as both an adventure athlete and as a filmmaker. He has been to the summit of Mount Everest five times, each time with cameras rolling. His work as a director and cinematographer spans all seven continents and has won many film festivals and industry awards, including three national Emmy Awards. Michael is also a recipient of the International Alliance For Mountain Film's 'Grand Prix' awards at the Banff Mountain Film Festival, the Explorers Festival’s Camera Extreme,' and the Giant Screen Cinema Association (IMAX) 'Outstanding Cinematography' Award. Michael's lens has captured ice caves for NOVA, tornadoes for Discovery, science at the South Pole for National Geographic, avalanches for the BBC, and mountain climbing for four giant screen IMAX movies. Michael has made a habit of going to the world's harshest, most dangerous environments and always comes back with incredible footage and compelling stories. Outside Magazine describes the cerebral filmmaker as a "swashbuckling libraria

Sam Morris is the founder of Zen Warrior Training®, an enlightened leadership and embodied wisdom coaching program. In 1999, Sam endured a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the waist down. This incident catalyzed a deep dive into somatic healing arts, depth psychology, wisdom traditions, and the innate intelligence of the body. Sam trains his clients in how to master the inner workings of the mind, body, and spirit and live from an enlightened state of presence in their businesses and in their personal lives.Thank you to our No Barriers Podcast sponsors: Wells Fargo, Prudential, CoBank, Winnebago Industries Foundation, and Arrow Electronics.Resources:Zen Warrior Training WebsiteWatch Sam Morris speak at the 2020 No Barriers SummitSam’s email: Sam@zenwarriortraining.comFollow Sam on Instagram at @zenwarriortrainingBooks:The Untethered Soul by Michael SingerThe Power of Now by Eckhart TolleBreath by James NestorHow to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan

Michael May was blinded by a chemical explosion at the age of three, but regained partial vision, at the age of 46, after cornea transplants and a pioneering stem cell procedure. He has raised millions of dollars to develop four companies and has changed the landscape of how blind people get around independently. Mike’s start-up ventures have included developing the world’s first and only Laser Turntable, inventing a portable heating cushion for sports and medical applications, and starting 2 companies in adaptive technology including Sendero Group in 1999, which released the first-ever accessible GPS for the blind. Currently, he is Chief Evangelist for Good Maps, Inc., a pedestrian navigation company with an emphasis on accessible navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired. Mike also holds the record for downhill skiing by a person who is completely blind -racing at 65 mph-and is the subject of the best-selling book Crashing Through by, Robert Kurson.Huge thanks to Arrow Electronics for sponsor

Having Minnesota roots, Quinn’s parents were committed to taking their children to national parks all over the country, gradually traveling further and further west. With her first look at El Capitan, Quinn knew that she’d climb it one day; ten years later, she did. Since that first climb, Quinn has amassed an impressive list of big wall ascents, speed records, and difficult free climbs, first in places like Yosemite and Zion and then in the larger mountains of Patagonia, Greenland, and India. But everything changed in 2017 when Quinn took a one-hundred-foot fall while climbing the Nose of El Cap, leaving her paralyzed from the waist down. Today, Quinn lives in her beloved Estes Park, Colorado where she works for the National Park Service, using her background as an environmental advocate to speak up for increased accessibility on public lands. Special thanks to the Winnebago Industries Foundation for their support of this podcast and their advocacy for accessibility in outdoor spaces. Resources:Book recommen

Victor Mifsud is a citizen scientist, biohacker, natural vision educator, psychedelic advocate, and filmmaker. He has recently completed a very personal feature-length documentary called “My Neuroplastic Adventure”. His journeys take him from the cutting edge of neuroscience to the most ancient forms of tribal healing. He has interviewed doctors and scientists who are using technology and wisdom in equal measure. He has worked with renowned National best-selling author & physician Dr. Gabor Maté; Canada Research Chair in Neurobiology of Motor Learning Director, Dr. Lara Boyd, and NY Times best-selling author Dr. Norman Doidge to name a few. He also happens to be blind.Resources:IG @blindbiohackerVictor’s Documentary:  www.myneuroplasticadventure.com Documentary trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aKKP477-MA&t=6sRead Breath by James NestorRead The Brain that Changes Itself by Dr. Norman DoidgeRead It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn Explore Dr. Gabor Maté’s workWatch the 2011 Film, The Jungle

Dr. Kurt Papenfus works in family practice and emergency medicine in the rural communities of Colorado. Kurt attended school at the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine where he graduated in 1986 and began to complete his internship and residency at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, CO. Kurt has been involved in the Center for Disease Control, National Occupational Research Agenda, Oil and Gas Sector Council, and was an Occupational Safety and Health Administration Advisory Council member. Kurt was also the doctor for the USA Climbing Team on Mt. Everest with the USA-Soviet-Chinese in 1990 and 1992 and can be remembered as the doctor on staff for the movie “Cliffhanger” in which Sylvester Stallone played an important role. Resources:Dr. Papenfus featured on CPRRead Breath by James Nestor

To many, Heather Thomson is an adored reality star from the hit Bravo reality television series, The Real Housewives of New York City, but what many don’t know is that she also is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and recently launched beyond fresh organic nutrition brand and Heather Thomson superfood shows, developed to educate and support people making positive and sustainable changes impactful to their health and well-being. The real Heather wears many hats as a married mother of two, successful entrepreneur, celebrated designer and inventor, philanthropist, speaker, avid adventurer, and her latest undertaking as host of her new podcast, in MY heart - with new episodes, every Tuesday.Resources:For more information go to Heatherthomson.comFollow along on Instagram and Twitter @iamheathert and find Heather A. Thomson on Facebook.Heather Thomson: No Barriers AmbassadorCheck out Beyond Fresh & https://www.shophq.com/Listen to in MY heart Podcast

When Joanna Sprtel Walters graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1994, she was among the first group of women out of the Academy to have selected warfare specialties.She served aboard the USS PAUL F FOSTER (DD964) and the USS LA MOURE COUNTY (LST 1194) and finished her career in the Navy at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes while getting her MBA from DePaul University. Since graduating with her MBA in 2001, she has enjoyed a very diverse career ranging from Procter & Gamble, Real Estate Investing, REI Course writing, Casino owner/COO and eventually CEO, Principal of a Private Equity Firm, author of Girl At Sea, Motivational Speaker and e-commerce entrepreneur/owner of  Wish Rock Relaxation.  Joanna spends her downtime enjoying the mountains with her family and can often be found climbing the cliffs of North Table Mountain, running or riding the trails, hiking to the top of 14ers, and playing in the snow.  What she treasures most are the adventures she shares with her family as a single mom of two teen

Courthney Russell is a creator, activist, and social entrepreneur. At one time on a collision course with incarceration or death, Courthney turned his life around after high school when he applied and was accepted to a pre-med program. Though he found his calling in med school, he continued to struggle with homelessness until graduating in 2011. Courthney’s resolve to overcome his difficult life experiences propelled him to be the authentic, determined, and humble leader he is today. Courthney is the co-founder of A2H2, a non-profit focused on meeting the health needs of those experiencing homelessness in Atlanta; he co-runs WeUp, a company built on the idea of uplifting community through hope and empowerment; and he co-hosts the podcast, Humanize, which broaches uncomfortable topics with the goal of disrupting social order and creating a more just and equitable society. Resources:Visit A2H2  and follow on Instagram: Changing Healthcare & Facebook: Changing Healthcare - A2H2WeUp.org & on InstagramHuman

Maureen Beck was born without her left hand, but that didn’t stop her from picking up the sport of climbing at the age of 12. Now based in Colorado’s Front Range, Mo spends her nights training at the gym and her days climbing all over the American southwest. She works closely with the adaptive climbing community as an instructor with Paradox Sports and is the Chair of the USAC Paraclimbing Committee.As a competitive climber, she has won 6 national titles, a gold medal at the 2014 Paraclimbing World Championships in Spain, and defended that title with a gold medal at the 2016 World Championships in Paris. In 2018, she went on her first alpine expedition to the Northwest Territories in Canada’s Nahanni National Park where she and fellow adaptive climber Jim Ewing attempted the legendary Lotus Flower Tower.  Maureen starred in the 2017 Film Stumped which has won numerous awards and toured hundreds of cities all over the world, and in the 2019 film Adaptive. Mo is an athlete for The North Face, Petzl, Sterling Ro

Listen to the full episodes referenced in this episode:Episode 57 - Cultivating Compassion with Physician, Dr. Rana AwdishEpisode 78 - Serendipity with Jill WheatleyEpisode 54 - Thinking Through Uncertainty: Neuroscientist, Beau LottoEpisode 53 - Examining Collective Grief with Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber Episode 64 - Exploring Vision with Lieutenant Governor Cyrus HabibEpisode 41 - Harnessing Adversity with Dr. Paul StoltzEpisode 58 - Harnessing Positivity with Jim Kwok

Eduardo Garcia is a professional Chef who owns retail food brand Montana Mex, a Mexican inspired line of Organic, NON-GMO condiment sauces, seasonings, and Avocado oil. He is known as the "bionic chef" because he cooks with a prosthetic left arm, the result of an accident while hunting in 2011. His story is the subject of the feature-length documentary Charged. Eduardo is an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, hunter, triathlete, and motivational speaker.After becoming the first blind climber to summit Mt. Everest, Erik Weihenmayer turned his focus to an entirely different kind of challenge: He learned to kayak and decided to attempt to paddle the length of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. It was the next chapter in Weihenmayer’s quest for presence, independence, and self-agency — things hard to achieve without sight. As The Weight of Water chronicles, the trip was much more than an adventure athlete notching another accomplishment in his belt. Weihenmayer joins a team of guides and new friends — includi

Mike SavickiIn November 1990., while training to become a U.S. Navy F-14 fighter pilot, Mike Savicki sustained a severe spinal cord injury after diving into the ocean. In an instant, he went from being a fit, active, promising Naval officer – commissioned as the top-flight candidate in the nation’s number one ROTC college graduating class – to a quadriplegic who was challenged with learning to live life again using a wheelchair.  As he regained his independence, Mike earned an MBA, delivered the commencement address, and became involved in wheelchair sports. He is a 22-time finisher (and five-time division winner) of the prestigious BAA Boston Marathon (making him the only person to have completed the marathon on foot and subsequently in a wheelchair) and has earned more than 100 gold medals in the National Wheelchair Veterans Games. In 2009, he became the first quadriplegic to finish the 70.3-mile Beach to Battleship Half Ironman Triathlon.From there he became deputy director of World T.E.A.M. Sports, a non-

Kate Merrill is a Registered Nurse who worked in a Trauma Intensive Care Unit for 22 years before taking the plunge to open her own bakery in Chicago. Edge of Sweetness was off to a strong start in 2020, hitting its sales targets and becoming a neighborhood favorite. Then, COVID-19 hit, and after months of adjusting and taking the necessary precautions, Kate and her staff made the choice to temporarily close. Kate then answered the call from the Governor for nurse support and return to work at the hospital she had worked in previously, to treat patients with COVID. Since she has been laying the groundwork for her bakery to make a triumphant return. Resources:Visit Kate's bakery:  https://www.edgeofsweetness.com/Check out “What’s Within You” to read more of Kate’s story