Jessica Cherry's ReImagination Café

In a time of rising polarization, social fragmentation, and widespread disconnection, how can communities rebuild trust and strengthen civic life? In Part 2 of this two-part episode, Jessica Cherry continues her conversation with Bridget Marquis, Director of Reimagining the Civic Commons, exploring how public spaces across the country are being transformed in ways that bring people together in meaningful ways.

Through stories from Detroit and Memphis, the episode highlights how communities are turning vacant land, underused corridors, and even historically divisive spaces into welcoming places of connection and belonging.

The episode features three local leaders: Alexa...

In a time of rising polarization, social fragmentation, and widespread disconnection, how can communities rediscover a sense of shared purpose and possibility? Bridget Marquis of Reimagining the Civic Commons argues that the path forward lies in revitalizing our public spaces.

In this first installment of a two-part conversation with host Jessica Cherry, Bridget explores why the spaces we collectively own—our "civic commons"—matter now more than ever, and how communities across the country are transforming parks, libraries, waterfronts, trails, and other shared assets into vibrant hubs of connection, belonging, and civic life.

The episode also...

In this episode of the ReImagination Café, Jessica welcomes Kate Mudge, Co-Director of the Care Farming Network, and Woody Woodroof, founder of Red Wiggler Care Farm—voices behind a growing movement that uses therapeutic farming to promote health, well-being, and belonging. From one Maryland farm to hundreds across the U.S., they share stories that show how care farms heal, provide purpose, and connect people.

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In this episode of Jessica Cherry's ReImagination Café, Jessica welcomes the visionary founder of Battery Dance Company, Jonathan Hollander — a cultural ambassador, changemaker, and global connector through the art of movement and dance.   From the streets of New York City to communities around the world, Jonathan and his colleagues Emad Salem, Robin Cantrell, and Rutkay Özpinar, share how dance has become a powerful tool for diplomacy, healing, and human connection. Their stories are a testament to the idea that creativity can bridge divides, spark hope, and transform lives.    Don't miss this inspiring conversation about: The power of dance to inspire social change...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Tiffani Martin, Founder and CEO of VisioTech, a social tech company with a mission of harnessing the power of human ingenuity and AI to create a more inclusive and accessible world. Tiffani shares her remarkable personal story, which includes losing her eyesight at the age of 28 due to diabetic retinopathy. Choosing to focus on what she wanted to achieve instead of the obstacles in her path, Tiffani embraced AI-driven assistive technology, and fearlessly forged a new path forward.   Tiffani shares the various assistive technologies that empower her to pe...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica is joined by Jess Skaare, who describes her experience transitioning and coming out as trans while working at the New York headquarters of a large corporation. Jess first shares her personal experience grappling with her gender identity, including many years of feeling like a secondary character in her own life. She then discusses various elements of a trans-inclusive workplace culture, including LGBTQ+ representation in senior leadership roles; a safe space for members of the LGBTQ+ community to connect and share experiences; policies that respect the dignity of trans colleagues and make them f...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Valerie (Val) Jensen, the Founder of the Prospector Theater, which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to providing competitive and inclusive employment to people with disabilities through the operation of a first-run movie theater. Val sets out the wide array of roles that employees - called prospects - perform at both the Prospector Theater and Val's Gemstone Farm. She also describes how she and her team tap into prospects' strengths and passions - which they call "sparkle" - empowering them to shine. Val also discusses the Prospector Theater's...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Rudhir Krishtel, founder of Krishtel. Through keynotes, workshops, and coaching, Rudhir and his team ignite transformational change in our workplaces by opening the door to collective dialogues about issues that arise at the intersection of leadership, well-being, and diversity, equity and inclusion. A former practicing attorney who wore stress as a badge of honor, Rudhir shares the wake-up call that changed his perspective, the meaningful conversation that gave him permission to take a pause from his busy life, and how spiritual practices such as yoga, meditation, and...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Gary Hirsch, Co-founder of On Your Feet, which uses storytelling and improvisation to help companies pursue their business objectives. Gary is also the creator of Botjoy, a global art movement designed to spread joy throughout the world using tiny robots painted on the back of dominos. Whether creating robots through his Botjoy initiative, or delivering innovative training programs through On Your Feet, Gary is passionate about bringing people together and creating experiences that are playful,  interactive, and engaging, and that ultimately lead to better results. Gary shares t...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Heidi Rosenfelder and Jamie Woolf, the Co-Founders of Creativity Partners. Heidi and Jamie draw on their vast experience working at Pixar Animation Studios, and many other organizations, to conduct cutting edge team culture assessments that uncover hidden problems, and work with leaders and teams to build productive, humane, and innovative workplace cultures that support their organization's strategic goals. Passionate about infusing creativity and art into the workplace, Heidi and Jamie discuss the transformative impact of engaging in art, and share some of the innovative programs they have...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by executive coach, award-winning entrepreneur, and Forbes contributing writer Bonnie Marcus. A passionate advocate for women's advancement in the workplace, Bonnie addresses the "double whammy" of gendered ageism and the unique challenges that it creates for women over 50 in the modern workplace. Bonnie highlights the tremendous toll that gendered ageism takes on women who, despite continuing to get great results, are often undervalued and relegated to the sidelines as they age. Bonnie emphasizes the need for women in this cohort to understand their value, state their ambition, be poli...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Richard Martin, CEO of the Mindful Business Charter, which is a framework for reducing unnecessary stress at work by establishing healthier and more effective ways of working. A former senior partner in an employment law firm, Richard describes the day his world fell apart due to a massive breakdown following a period of prolonged stress, and how he picked up the pieces, ultimately embarking on a fulfilling new career helping businesses nurture their employees' mental health. Applying the four pillars of the Charter, Richard highlights straightforward ways...

In Part 2 of this 2-part episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Cheryl Stallworth and Melissa Dougherty, co-founders of ShedLight, a social impact consultancy. Cheryl and Melissa discuss the role of corporations in addressing the complex web of challenges we are currently facing in our country. They address the backlash that many corporations and brands experience when entering the fray on polarizing social issues, and provide strategies for mitigating that risk. They also provide several examples of corporations that are having a positive social impact, while achieving their growth goals. 

In Part 1 of this 2-part episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Cheryl Stallworth and Melissa Dougherty, the co-founders of ShedLight, a social impact consultancy. Cheryl and Melissa discuss why they believe that revealing the untold stories of American life is a crucial part of healing our divided nation. They share insights from community and business leaders, social activists, and other changemakers who they have met during road trips and who are driving change in ways that matter within their communities. They also share stories from everyday Americans to help companies and others better understand the...

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Mel Comer, an experienced CFO and COO, and co-founder of Fuel 3, which provides CFO advisory services and accounting solutions to startups and tech companies in the Web3 world. An inspirational workplace leader whose superpower is cultivating strong relationships within her teams, Mel addresses both the factors that have shaped her leadership style, including the profound and enduring impact of her mentors, and the leadership traits that she believes are most important for creating collaborative work environments that ignite performance.

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Michael (Mike) Kasdan, a law firm partner and Founder of Lawyering While Human, which provides mental health and wellness services for law firms and law schools. Mike takes us behind closed doors, and reveals what it looks like to practice law while battling severe depression. He also addresses the cultural elements within the legal profession that can contribute to the poor state of attorney mental health and offers strategies for creating a culture that better supports the mental health and well-being of attorneys and other legal professionals. 

In this episode of ReImagining the Workplace, Jessica Cherry is joined by Amy Johnston, a licensed clinical social worker and Clinical Director at Urban Wellness, a mental health organization in Chicago. Amy discusses with Jessica how she conceptualizes mental health,  dismantling stigma in our workplaces, ways to build connection with colleagues, and why employers should take a holistic approach to workplace mental health and well-being. 

Join Jessica Cherry as she speaks with leaders who are successfully transforming our workplaces so that everyone can live up to their full potential and thrive. From corporate executives, to mental health professionals, to owners of small businesses, there are bold individuals all around us who are challenging the status quo and transforming the world of work. Join Jessica as she probes these leaders for their insights on what it takes to catalyze positive change at work and why, now more than ever, this is so crucial.