Explore every episode of the podcast Route Notes

In this episode of Route Notes, we reflect on the central role of story in planning, leadership, and decision-making. Over years of working with organizations and communities, we’ve found that strategy doesn’t emerge from filling in templates—it emerges from narrative.

We talk about what changed in our own facilitation approach, including the moment we stopped asking people to start with templates and instead invited them to tell a story. 

This is an episode about how humans are wired for meaning, not metrics—and how facilitators, leaders, and strategists can harness the power of story to unlock clarity, alignment, and momentum.

In this episode of Campfire Chat, we dig into Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, a bold call to rethink how we approach public policy, innovation, and problem-solving. Framed around a powerful question—what if we planned for abundance instead of assuming scarcity?—this conversation explores the real potential of government-driven innovation, from Operation Warp Speed to climate tech, housing reform, and scientific research.

We discuss the book’s techno-optimism, the role of crisis in mobilizing action, and why some of our biggest wins—like the COVID-19 vaccine rollout—became political orphans. We also wrestle with the deeper tradeoffs, like red tape and risk aversion, that slow down real progress. Along the way, we reflect on what this framework could mean for universities, health departments, and anyone leading through complexity. Spoiler: it starts with being willing to change.

Want to read along for next time? We’ll be tackling Moral Ambition by Rutger Bregman in the next Campfire Chat. Grab a copy and join the conversation.

You’ve heard the phrase. You’ve probably said it: “Let’s not reinvent the wheel.” But what if that mindset is keeping us from real solutions?

In this episode, Wes and David take a hard look at the cliché—and argue that relying too heavily on other people’s answers can actually short-circuit innovation, especially in rural communities and complex systems.

They unpack:

• Why “not reinventing the wheel” can be lazy leadership
• The dangers of assuming sameness in community solutions
• How starting from scratch invites creativity, ownership, and context
• Why borrowing policies and plans can erode public trust
• The power of starting with a blank sheet and local wisdom

This one’s for the leaders who are tired of copy-paste planning and want to build strategies that actually fit their communities.

In this first installment of a recurring series - Campfire Chat, we gather around the fire to explore Jonathan Haidt’s The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion. Through conversation that weaves together moral psychology, public health, theology, and community engagement, we reflect on what Haidt’s work can teach us about polarization and the limits of reason.

We discuss how moral intuitions often drive human behavior more than evidence or logic—and what that means for professionals working in divided communities. Drawing on real-world examples from public health practice and education, we consider how relationships, trust, and shared values might offer a better path toward understanding and collaboration. This episode also touches on broader questions of relevance facing both the church and higher education, and the importance of reimagining connection in a fragmented world.

What do Jurassic Park, public health, and artificial intelligence have in common? More than you'd think. In this episode, David and Wes take a detour into the ILM docuseries Light & Magic and the story of Phil Tippett—the legendary visual effects artist who thought he was rendered obsolete by CGI, only to find himself more valuable than ever.

Using this moment in film history as a powerful metaphor, they explore the AI revolution in public health, higher education, and everyday work. What happens when the skills we’ve mastered are no longer needed in their original form? What does it mean to transition from stop-motion expert to strategic guide for the future?

If you're a public health professional, educator, or anyone wondering how to stay relevant and human in the age of machines, this one’s for you.

Route Notes is a weekly podcast hosted by David Tillman and Wesley Rich. Each episode dives into leadership, systems thinking, and the messy realities of making change—whether in organizations, communities, or everyday life. Smart, reflective, and occasionally funny on purpose. New episodes weekly on Spotify, iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

What does it mean to see someone—not just treat them?

In this episode of Route Notes, Dr. Shaunesse’ Jacobs Plaisimond joins Dr. Wesley Rich and Dr. David Tillman for a powerful conversation on person-centered care, maternal health, and how systems often fail to honor the full humanity of the people they serve. Drawing from her work in religion, ethics, and human rights, Dr. Plaisimond shares why personhood is not a soft concept—it’s the foundation of ethical health practice.

From the legacy of exploitation in medicine to the promise of reimagining public health through story, spirituality, and justice, this episode is a moving call to see patients as people, not problems.

Healthcare isn’t just about outcomes—it’s about dignity.

What if the public health “magic bullet” isn’t a single program or intervention—but a mindset?

In this episode of Route Notes, Dr. David Tillman and Dr. Wesley Rich explore the astonishing 72% reduction in fentanyl-related deaths in Harnett County, NC, and unpack why it didn’t come from doing just one thing. Instead, it came from embracing complexity, honoring local wisdom, and resisting the urge to oversimplify wicked problems.

They challenge the iconic upstream/downstream metaphor, share insights from real-world opioid response work, and introduce a new way of thinking: health as a watershed, not a pipeline. If you're tired of linear models that don’t reflect real life—and want to know what happens when a community truly co-creates its own strategy—this episode is for you.

Data still matters. But so does trust, tacit knowledge, and making room for every voice.

In this powerful first episode of Route Notes, Dr. David Tillman and Dr. Wesley Rich dive deep into the heart of public health in America—particularly in rural communities—and why this moment matters more than ever. From an unforgettable keynote in Iowa to honest reflections on vaccine hesitancy, polarization, and the overlooked power of relationships, this conversation is a hopeful call to action.

Hear why relationship-building—not just data—is the future of public health, how small towns are poised to lead, and why taking people’s questions seriously might be our most effective strategy yet. With humor, humility, and hard-earned insight, David and Wes invite you to reimagine the public part of public health.

This is not about selling health—it's about cultivating it.