Best Hope Beyond the Badge Podcasts (2025)

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Barb Bigalke - Center for Suicide Awareness 1:44:55

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6h ago1:44:55

1:44:55

Barb Bigalke joins us on the podcast. Barb is the founder of the Center for Suicide Awareness, a 501 c3 non-profit where they create the kind of mental health support that doesn't wait for someone to hit rock bottom. No red tape, no judgment, just real, early intervention. Barb talks about working for the department of justice delivering death noti…

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Madison Elie Thompson - First Responder Clinician 1:15:52

11h ago1:15:52

1:15:52

Madison is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor & the owner of Madison Elie Counseling where she provides online trauma therapy for adults across Maryland & Pennsylvania. Coming from a First Responder Family, Madison has been working almost exclusively with First Responders, Veterans, and other professionals in high stress roles since 2018. H…

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Fran Graham - International Peer Support & CISM Expert 1:18:33

6d ago1:18:33

1:18:33

Fran Graham is an International crisis response & trauma specialist, instructor & consultant with proven emergency management skills. Proficient team builder & strategic planner, with an emphasis in First Responder Peer Support & Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Before Fran was a trauma specialist, before she was an expert in peer suppor…

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Abington PD Officers - Friends of Alex - Suicide Loss Survivors. 2:14:46

26d ago2:14:46

2:14:46

Our regular listeners and followers might notice that this episode is being released on a Wednesday, where our weekly episodes are typically released on Fridays. The reason for that is because SGT Alex G. Kokoros died by suicide on October 29th 2018. Today marks the 7th anniversary of his loss. So this episode is in memory of Alex - with his family…

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Jeff Dill - Fire Captain (Ret.), Founder of FBHA 1:32:15

16d ago1:32:15

1:32:15

Jeff Dill is a retired Fire Captain , the founder of Firefighter Behavioral Health Alliance (FBHA), and the behavioral health administrator for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue. At FBHA they hold workshops to educate firefighters, EMS personnel, and dispatchers on behavioral health, moral injury, and suicide prevention. They also track data on firefighter…

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Matty and Liz Fiorenza - Fire Fighter (Ret), First responder and family advocates 2:16:39

23d ago2:16:39

2:16:39

Matthew and Elizabeth Fiorenza join us on the podcast . Matty and Liz are husband and wife, they are both strong advocates for first responder and family mental health and well-being. Matty is a retired firefighter paramedic with 22 years of service. His journey into the realm of mental health advocacy began a decade into his career when he began f…

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Police Chief Neil Gang (Ret.) - Wellness Advocate 1:10:07

1M ago1:10:07

1:10:07

Retired Police Chief Neil Gang joins us on the podcast. Chief Gang is a nationally recognized Law Enforcement Leader with over 36 years of service, he has a reputation for innovative leadership, transformational change, and a deep commitment to organizational wellness. Chief Gang discusses his career in law enforcement, he openly shares about losin…

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Carrie Mathews - LEO Suicide Loss Survivor 2:03:34

1M ago2:03:34

2:03:34

Carrie Mathews joins us on the podcast. Carrie is a police officer from from the Chicago Police Department, and comes from a family of service in law enforcement. Mental health has always been a focus of Carries. However, when her father - a retired officer himself - died by suicide, Carrie became an outspoken advocate for mental health in first re…

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Katie Carlson - Officer Wellness Director, Peer Support Team Coordinator 1:43:21

2M ago1:43:21

1:43:21

Katie Carlson joins us on the podcast. Katie is the director of wellness initiatives and peer support team coordinator for the Marion County Sheriffs office in Indianapolis Indiana. She also serves as an instructor at multiple law enforcement academies where she teaches meditation, yoga, breath work, and crisis intervention strategies to public saf…

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Donna Georgiana - Suicide Loss Survivor 1:11:45

2M ago1:11:45

1:11:45

Donna Georgiana joins us on the podcast. Donna lost her son Mitchell - a police officer, to suicide. After Mitchell's loss, and based on one of the last text messages he had sent, Donna felt a sense of duty to keep his name alive, and his memory served, so she founded the non profit "Gotcha Covered Blankets". While she has always been involved with…

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Ep 44- Felice Zaslow, Lessons in Love and Loss from Sept 11th 1:04:45

2M ago1:04:45

1:04:45

The attack on September 11, 2001 became America's tragedy. We all remember where we where when it happened. We know the stories of those that made it out and, sadly, those that didn't. What we don't hear as much are from those that are left behind when their loved ones perished. Felice Zaslow lost her husband Ira in the World Trade Center on that h…

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Mike Morgan - LEO Ret. 1:19:59

2M ago1:19:59

1:19:59

Mike Morgan joins us on the podcast. Mike transitioned from working as an accountant to a 30 year career of service in law enforcement. In this episode Mike reflected on those years, he spoke about his love for the job, shares with us about some of the difficult calls he responded to, including the incident that was most impactful for him. He share…

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Chris Michael - LEO Ret. 2:04:18

3M ago2:04:18

2:04:18

Chris Michael is a retired Police Captain with 25 years of experience in law enforcement in a large Metro area Atlanta department. When he retired, Chris was the departments peer support team commander. Chris discusses his career with us and some of the critical incidents he experienced, to include 2 officer involved shootings, his partner and back…

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Liz Bartholomew - First Responder Family Member and Advocate 1:39:35

3M ago1:39:35

1:39:35

Elizabeth Bartholomew joins us on the podcast. Liz worked as a police records clerk in Batavia Illinois where she met Joe Bartholomew, a paid on-call firefighter, they married in 1980. Joe was hired as a full time Firefighter in 1986. While their daughters were young Liz was able to be a stay at home mom. Later she drove a school bus part-time in N…

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Regan Faulk - LEO Suicide Loss Survivor 2:10:24

3M ago2:10:24

2:10:24

Regan Faulk joined us on the podcast and shared the story of meeting her husband Kevin in collage, falling in love, starting a life together which included marriage, the birth of their twin boys, and Kevin joining the Philadelphia police department. She spoke about how much he loved the job in the beginning, she spoke about the changes she witnesse…

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Erin Maccabee - First Responder Coach 1:27:03

3M ago1:27:03

1:27:03

Erin Maccabee joins us on the podcast. Erin is an ICF trained integration coach who specializes in supporting First Responders, their partners, and departments. Erin has nearly a decade of experience, with almost half that time focused on trauma exposed populations. Erin is the creator of the Pressure System - A whole human framework for navigating…

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Allan Garcia part 2 - LEO (Ret) Veteran 1:16:43

3M ago1:16:43

1:16:43

Part 2 of a 2 part episode. Allan Garcia is a retired police officer from the Middletown Rhode Island Police Dept. He joins us on the podcast and shares his story of growing up in a seaside community, being raised in a first responder family, his time in the military, and how he became a police officer. Allans career included service as a DARE offi…

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Allan Garcia - LEO (Ret) 1:19:39

4M ago1:19:39

1:19:39

Part 1 of a 2 part episode. Allan Garcia is a retired police officer from the Middletown Rhode Island Police Dept. He joins us on the podcast and shares his story of growing up in a seaside community, being raised in a first responder family, his time in the military, and how he became a police officer. Allans career included service as a DARE offi…

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(Ep. #117) Part 2 - Meg Hawkins (LEO) & Eric Provow (Fire Service/EMS/Veteran) 1:34:16

4M ago1:34:16

1:34:16

Meg Hawkins and Erik Provow join us on the podcast. Meg is a dedicated police officer with over 21 years of law enforcement experience, and the proud wife of Eric - a firefighter/paramedic and retired combat veteran who lives with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eric’s military career spanned two decades, split between the Marine Corp…

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Meg Hawkins (LEO) & Eric Provow (Fire Service / EMS / Veteran) 1:17:37

5M ago1:17:37

1:17:37

Meg Hawkins and Erik Provow join us on the podcast. Meg is a dedicated police officer with over 21 years of law enforcement experience, and the proud wife of Eric - a firefighter/paramedic and retired combat veteran who lives with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Eric’s military career spanned two decades, split between the Marine Corp…

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Siblings - Suicide Loss Survivor's 1:15:32

5M ago1:15:32

1:15:32

In this episode - We bring together a panel of siblings who tell us about their brother or sister who worked in first response, the lives they lived before the job, & the process of losing their loved one to suicide.By Hope Beyond the Badge

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Rich Creamer - LEO & Wellness Advocate 2:11:57

5M ago2:11:57

2:11:57

Rich Creamer - A native of Chelsea Ma, is a Navy Veteran, and retired Sergeant with 24 years of service with the Norfolk VA police dept. During his career Rich worked homicide, gangs, served on the FBI's violent crimes task force, and in the training division. He is a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of officer wellness and peer support, …

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Tommy Bolin - Fire Service 1:36:25

5M ago1:36:25

1:36:25

Tommy is a 30 year fire service veteran, lieutenant, and mental health advocate who has dedicated his life to changing the culture of public service. After battling depression, PTSD, and anxiety from years of service on the front line, Tommy now uses his voice to break the stigma around mental health for first responders. He authored the Book "Unse…

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Deputy Commissioner Matt Walsh - FDLE 1:33:06

5M ago1:33:06

1:33:06

Deputy Commissioner Matt Walsh of the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Joins us on this weeks podcast! Matt is a Weymouth Native who takes us on a journey from growing up in Weymouth, traveling to Florida to pursue a career in Law Enforcement, his early career including an officer involved shooting and how that impacted him, his rise to lead…

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Dr. Kevin Gilmartin - LEO Behavioral Scientist / Author 1:11:18

6M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

Dr. Gilmartin joins us on the podcast, Dr Gilmartin is a behavioral scientist specializing in law enforcement and public safety related issues. He is the author of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families. He previously spent twenty years working in law enforcement in Tucson Arizona. During his tenure…

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Meghann Holloway (LEO) & Kelly Berger (LCSW) 1:43:00

6M ago1:43:00

1:43:00

Meghann has been working in law enforcement for 24 years & currently serves as her organizations first wellness coordinator. Meghann's partner Kelly has been working with youth and families for over 20 years, and is the current executive director of Caminos programs in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. In this episode Meghann and Kelly tak…

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Ep 43- Words and Letters That Outlive Us (Memorial Day 2025) 11:47

6M ago11:47

11:47

For Memorial Day 2025, we honor all service members that have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country, also including CIA and other agencies. During this episode, we share some powerful final words and letters from those that have died while serving. These include: Nathan Hale (Revolutionary War), 1776 Sargeant James Henry Gooding (Civil War), …

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Police Chief Frank Fredrickson (Ret.) 1:59:48

6M ago1:59:48

1:59:48

Chief Frank Fredrickson is a retired Police Chief of the Yarmouth Police Department, the current director of governmental affairs for the Massachusetts Fraternal Order of Police, and the executive director of the New England Association of Chief's of Police. Chief Fredrickson talks about coming from a LEO family, how he entered a life of service, t…

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Tara Waters - LEO 1:10:22

6M ago1:10:22

1:10:22

Tara Waters is a Police Officer, Wife, & Mother of two children. Tara discusses duty trauma, the impact(s) of her son's diagnosis & battle with cancer, faith, family, & how difficult times helped her grow into a more compassionate Police Officer.By Hope Beyond the Badge

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Jim Ward - LEO (Ret.) 1:13:35

7M ago1:13:35

1:13:35

Jimmy Ward joins us to talk about his career in law enforcement, and what he's doing now to help his fellow LEO's and first responders. Jimmy is a former Senior Trooper with the Maryland State Police, where he served for over 15 years—more than 90% of that time focused on narcotics enforcement. His work placed him on the front lines of complex inve…

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Greg Wilcox - Suicide Loss Survivor 1:25:09

7M ago1:25:09

1:25:09

Greg Wilcox is a suicide loss survivor of a police officer . Greg shares the story of losing his husband Joe Nagle to suicide (EOW 8/4/2019). He also shares the story of falling in love, witnessing the decline of a loved one over time, and the red flags he is aware of now, that he was unaware of in real time. Joe also discusses how he was able to p…

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Ep 42- Michael Thatcher | CEO of Charity Navigator (part 1) 25:54

7M ago25:54

25:54

Part 1 of the interview with Michael Thatcher, CEO/President of Charity Navigator (rating over 225,000 charities), which helps millions of donors to align their passions and values to a charity. Michael shares how Charity Navigator leads the effort to make impactful philanthropy easier for everyone. He also discusses how his path forward, filled wi…

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Chris Moore - Fire Service 2:06:14

7M ago2:06:14

2:06:14

Chris Moore Joins us on the podcast. Chris is a highly respected Fire Captain on the Chesapeake Va FD, a National keynote speaker, and one of the most influential voices in the movement to transform how first responder agencies approach mental health, wellness, and suicide prevention. Chris shares with us how years on the job began to effect his mo…

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Mark & Pat Freire - Part 2 - (LEO / Peer Support) 1:15:16

7M ago1:15:16

1:15:16

Part 2 of a 2 Part Episode - Mark and Pat Freire are father and son, they are both LEO's, they are both compassionate towards first responder trauma, and passionate about first responder wellness. Mark Freire (Father) - is a retired Boston Police officer, and past director of the departments Peer Support Unit. He speaks openly about some of the cal…

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EP 41- Michael Meyer | Author of Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet 40:16

7M ago40:16

40:16

We always hear about Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments while he was alive, but his bet on America in his Final Will and Testament truly left a legacy. Author Michael Meyer joins us and shares this story and more from his book "Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet: The Favorite Founder's Divisive Death, Enduring Afterlife and Blueprint for American Prospe…

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Mark and Pat Freire - Part 2 - (LEO / Peer Support) 1:11:36

8M ago1:11:36

1:11:36

Part 1 of a 2 Part Episode - Mark and Pat Freire are father and son, they are both LEO's, they are both compassionate towards first responder trauma, and passionate about first responder wellness. Mark Freire (Father) - is a retired Boston Police officer, and past director of the departments Peer Support Unit. He speaks openly about some of the cal…

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Jim DeFeo (LEO - Ret) 1:48:13

8M ago1:48:13

1:48:13

Jim is an OEF/OIF Veteran who served 30 years in the Army and retired as a LTC, and a 25 year Veteran of the Boston Police Dept. Jim has worked patrol, as a bomb technician, in sexual assault investigations, and as an operations supervisor. Jim talks openly about his own struggles, personal and family problems, the challenges of being a single pare…

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Josh Goldberg (Boulder Crest Foundation) 1:18:06

8M ago1:18:06

1:18:06

Josh Goldberg is the CEO of Bolder Crest Foundation - A nationally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on ensuring the military, veteran, and first responder communities can live great lives in the aftermath of trauma. Boulder Crest Foundation is the home and global leader in the development of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). They exist as an organi…

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Dr Kevin Gilmartin - LEO Behavioral Scientist / Author 1:11:18

8M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

Dr. Gilmartin joins us on the podcast, Dr Gilmartin is a behavioral scientist specializing in law enforcement and public safety related issues. He is the author of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families. He previously spent twenty years working in law enforcement in Tucson, Arizona. During his tenur…

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Ep 40- Aly Riley, author of She Spies 31:43

8M ago31:43

31:43

The American Revolution was fought on more than just the battlefield and it couldn't have been won without the use of female spies... especially the mysterious Agent 355. Aly Riley, historian and author, discusses her book "She Spies: Women of the American Revolution, Their Heroic Missions and Agent 355 Revealed." This is the fascinating true story…

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Molly O'Neil - Suicide Loss Survivor of a First Responder 1:37:34

8M ago1:37:34

1:37:34

Molly O'Neil joins us and shares about her husband Chris. She talks about meeting him when she was still in high school, going to the same college, and falling in love. She talks about starting a family together, and how Chris lived and loved to be a father. She describes her experience when Chris began to struggle, and what was going on in those d…

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Ep 39: Justin Lea, Founder of Hayworth Athletic 51:36

9M ago51:36

51:36

Soccer is the biggest sport in the world, but we never talk about the origin of the soccer ball or where they're made. Justin Lea, Founder of Hayworth Athletic, went on a quest to find out and it landed him in northern Pakistan, where over 70% of the world's soccer balls were made (3 million balls per month!). After witnessing the terrible conditio…

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Mike Best (LEO - LEOSF), Tom Kelly (LEO. Ret. - SMAC), James Creed (LEO - Peer Support) 2:23:46

9M ago2:23:46

2:23:46

Mike, Tom, and Jim come together and join us on the podcast to share about their careers in Law Enforcement, why they chose to serve in the first place, some of the critical incidents they have been involved in, the impacts those incidents had on them both professionally and personally, and the ways in which they offer service and support to their …

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38- Died 14 Times, The Chris Guiry story, Live from Northern Barrell 58:16

9M ago58:16

58:16

What's it like to die 14 times? That's the real life story that Chris Guiry shares and how his "widow maker" event changed his life. Join us as we share a beer at Northern Barrell (Voorheesville, NY) and discuss: the experience of life and death, how his wife Shelia's presence at a baseball game saved his life, the amazing first responders being th…

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Bryan Mokrisky - Prior Law Enforcement, Public Safety Wellness Coordinator 1:47:06

9M ago1:47:06

1:47:06

Bryan Mokrisky joins us to share his journey of service, as a soldier, in law enforcement, and now as the Public Safety Wellness Coordinator for the town of Stoughton Ma. Bryan talks about serving in the Army as a Military Police Soldier, his time spent working for the Sherriff's Dept as a corrections officer, serving as a Police Officer in the tow…

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Jason Palamara (Ret LEO, Author, Public Speaker) 1:38:13

9M ago1:38:13

1:38:13

Jason joins us to discuss his career of service, the lessons he learned along the way, and what he's doing now to inform the next generation of first responders. He is a Navy Veteran, retired NYC police officer with over 20 years of experience in forensic and criminal investigations, and was a member of the NYPD Peer Support Team. He co-authored th…

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Davin Cole (Ret LEO) 1:43:12

9M ago1:43:12

1:43:12

Devin Cole is a retired Police Officer, First Responder Wellness Advocate, and Public Speaker. He discusses his career which spanned over 30 years and included roles in patrol, gang enforcement, community outreach for addiction programs, K9 officer, and attachment to the departments SWAT team. Davin explains how he suffered an on duty injury, how t…

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Dr. Medina Baumgart - LEO Psychologist 1:24:57

10M ago1:24:57

1:24:57

Dr. Baumgart is a licensed psychologist who is board certified in police and public safety psychology. She is an author, speaks publicly about the challenges police officers face when transitioning into retirement, is on staff as a psychologist within a law enforcement organization, and is married to a now retired police officer. Dr Baumgart shares…

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Police Chief Christopher Workman 1:33:43

10M ago1:33:43

1:33:43

Police Chief Christopher Workman began his career in the fire service before transitioning into policing. He has a combined total of over 3 decades working in first response, he is an author, public speaker, founder of the Deep Blu Project, and podcast host. Chief Workman shares openly about how the job unwittingly influenced his personality, his p…

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Doug White - LEO (Ret), Veteran, Author, Speaker. 1:34:18

10M ago1:34:18

1:34:18

Doug joins us and shares his personal journey of service, stress, struggle, and recovery. He embraces vulnerability as he tells his story, explaining how Post Traumatic Stress Injuries influenced his relationship with himself and caused his marriage to deteriorate. It was clear to us and it will be to you as you listen that Doug began to explore th…

Hope Beyond The Badge Podcasts