Positivity Matters – Details, episodes & analysis

Jarrod Elwell: MI ↝ ABCD ↝ AI ↝ CI = How Community Change Happens Along the Lines of Relationships at the Speed of Hope

Jarrod Elwell is the Community Development regional manager for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, serving Virginia and Washington D.C.

Strengths: Fairness, Love of Learning, Kindness, Spirituality, Hope

Record: March 31, 2026

Retired police lieutenant and positive psychology practitioner David Berez, MAPP, DRE joins us to discuss how we can transform trauma into a catalyst for growth. David shares his journey from a 20-year career in law enforcement—where "resilience" meant simply bouncing back—to his development of "Courageous Optimism," a framework that empowers first responders to become "anti-fragile" in the face of chaos. By blending the science of human flourishing with the gritty reality of police work, David illustrates how storytelling and vulnerability can break the stigma of silence and save lives.

David Berez’s VIA Strengths: Honesty | Kindness | Curiosity | Perspective | Social Intelligence

Audio Editor: Kyle Gross (https://kylegross.myportfolio.com)

Recorded: January 7, 2026

Becca Schusler: The Win-Win of Workplace Wellness

VIA Strengths: Gratitude | Learner | Hope | Forgiveness | Self-Regulation

Born in a struggle for justice (Horace Carter Fights the Klan), Atlantic Packaging works to build wellbeing (Atlantic Wellness) and a thriving planet (A New Earth Project)

Core Values: Connection, Nourishment, Purpose, Movement, Nature, Prevention

Vision: To establish health, in all of its dimensions, as the fundamental guiding principle that informs all of our decisions.

Mission: Health & well-being is the throughline connecting our employees, our business community, and the overall vision for our company.

Recorded: July 25, 2025

Maital Neta: Positivity Matters to Our Brains!

Professor of Psychology at UNL

CliftonStrengths: Empathy, Achiever, Responsibility, Relator, Learner  

Recorded: 7/23/2025

Josha Sietsma: The Nebraska Capitol is a Question Mark 

The Nebraska Capitol asks us to respond to a series of profound questions:

What does it mean to live a good life? 

How best to live a good life to the fullest together and transmit that wisdom to future generations in ways that expand that fullness?

www.21panels.org

Recorded: July 17, 2025

Meghan Talarowski

Founder and Executive Director, Studio Ludo
A finding a the study that Meghan draws on to inform her playground designs: “Play builds grit, prevents burnout, ignites joy through movement, and helps us become better people together.“ 

Carlos Garcia

Co-Founder & CEO, True Progress Lab

VIA Strengths: Honest | Perseverance | Hope | Humility | Spirituality

Recorded on July 11, 2025

Tracy Edgerton: Leveraging Our Unique Strengths to Achieve a Shared Vision

President & CEO, Lincoln Community Foundation

Lincoln Vital Signs | Prosper Lincoln

CliftonStrengths: Learner | Input | Intellection | Developer | Achiever

Recorded: July 1, 2025

Zoya Awan - Creating Sparks of Hope

Director of Public Affairs, Walmart

Zoya the Explorer!

CliftonStrengths: Positivity | WOO | Includer | Adaptability | Connectedness

Recorded: July 9, 2025

Andrew Hanna - Emerging Leadership, Life Design, & More

Assistant Professor of Management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln 

Prof. Hanna spoke at Nebraska's International Day of Hope celebration.

CliftonStrengths: Woo | Relator | Input | Positivity | Futuristic

Recorded: June 25, 2025

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