In the last episode of this limited edition series, Rachel Harrison shares her personal leadership journey and the lessons she has learned along the way. She also gives insight into her experience hosting the Leadership Evolution podcast and how it has shaped her own leadership style.

Craig Bedard, Deputy Associate Commissioner for the Office of Strategy, Learning, and Workforce Development at the Social Security Administration, joins the show to interview Rachel and discuss the themes of service and self-awareness that emerged from previous episodes. Hear how the COVID-19 pandemic changed Rachel’s leadership approach, the importance of creating a supportive and trauma-informed work environment, the benefits of collaboration within the community, and the concept of being trauma-informed as a leader. 

About Rachel Harrison:

Rachel Harrison, LCPC, NCC has worked in the field of trauma for 24 years as a therapist, trainer and business owner. After working with clients for over 17 years, Rachel founded Trauma Specialists of Maryland, LLC. Over the years, she realized again and again the root cause of so many issues and symptoms came back to an individual’s trauma.  As such, Rachel has spent many of these years training in different treatment models proven to be most effective at dealing with trauma.  Her vision was to develop a practice where all practitioners were trained in specific trauma therapies and could work as a team to treat individuals most effectively. She is passionate about helping people heal from trauma and about growing and developing leaders. 

About Craig Bedard:

In July 2021, Craig Bedard was named the Deputy Associate Commissioner for the Office of Strategy, Learning, and Workforce Development at the Social Security Administration. Craig began their federal career at the United States Air Force Academy where they earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Basic Academics, with a Concentration in Management.  They also earned a Master of Science Degree from McDaniel College in Human Resource Development and a Master’s Certificate in Intelligence Studies (Counterintelligence) from the National Defense Intelligence College. In the Air Force, Craig excelled as a Missile Combat Crew Member, Instructor, Evaluator, Mission Commander, and Strategic Planner.  Their career arc includes military service, small business owner, financial services, the State of Maryland, and 4 federal agencies (DoD/DIA, HHS/CMS, VA, SSA).  

Episode Timestamps:

• How the podcast changed Rachel's leadership journey
• Themes of service and self-awareness
• Rachel personal journey
• Explanation of EMDR therapy
• Balancing community and team needs
• Challenges faced by mental health professionals during the pandemic
• Trauma and its impact on individuals
• Self-love, trust, forgiveness, and self-care
• Collaboration with other organizations within the community 

“The Leadership Frederick County class of 2023 has been an incredible journey of growth and self-discovery. As the host of the Leadership Evolution podcast, I had the privilege of interviewing my classmates and delving into their leadership journeys. Through these conversations, I learned valuable lessons and gained insights that have shaped my own leadership style.”

Connect with Rachel Harrison:

https://traumaspecialistsofmd.com/

https://www.frederickchamber.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trauma_specialist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064008974101&mibextid=LQQJ4d

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-harrison-81a4796/

The public library has played a major role in Bryan Hissong’s life for almost 20 years now. He started out doing story times and puppet shows at various daycares, and he continued to grow in his career within the library over the years. Eventually, Bryan stepped into his current role as the Community Engagement Manager for the Frederick County Public Library. This new position was created for him to develop vibrant and quality programming that would be engaging for adults of all ages within the community.

Bryan always wanted to work in a service-based industry, and he believes that good leaders are actually good servants. He enjoys going out and making connections within the community, and beyond. Bryan and the library staff want to continue to be an equitable resource, so everyone can have access to valuable resources they need. Learning and listening is one of the best ways to lead in the community, and truly serve others. Bryan has learned that failing is even more important than success; while it’s important to learn from our failures, we don’t need to dwell on them. 

Bryan has found that embracing an iterative mindset versus staying stagnant in his career and life has been very important. He’s also seen that the ‘typical’ image of the public library has been shifting and changing for a while - it’s no longer a place to only study and be quiet. Tune into this episode to learn more about the innovative work Bryan is doing, and why the public library really is a fun and lively place for all ages!

About Bryan Hissong

Bryan Hissong has worked in public libraries for 19 years, and he is currently the Community Engagement Manager for the Frederick County Public Library. He practices servant-led leadership, and truly cares about serving the people he works with in the library, as well as the community and beyond. Bryan is a member of the Leadership Frederick County Class of 2023, and is an unassuming presence with a great sense of humor.

Episode Timestamps:

• Bryan’s story of working in public libraries for almost 20 years, and his current role as the Community Engagement Manager for the Frederick County Public Library {01:25}
• Finding and making engaging connections in the community and beyond {06:20}
• Bryan’s growth process into leadership over the years {07:48}
• Why failing is even more important than success {09:20}
• A valuable leadership opportunity Bryan experienced, which he now incorporates into his own leadership {11:10}
• How the ‘typical’ image of the library is shifting and changing {14:00}
• How the pandemic affected libraries {16:35}
• The importance of embracing an iterative mindset, and not staying stuck in your ways {19:40}

“It’s from our failures that we learn the most important lessons, and that’s difficult because it's not easy to fail. We can oftentimes be very hard on ourselves, but it's important we realize that growth and change is a part of life. We learn when we fail, so it's an important thing to keep in mind.”

Connect with Rachel Harrison:

https://traumaspecialistsofmd.com/

https://www.frederickchamber.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trauma_specialist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064008974101&mibextid=LQQJ4d

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-harrison-81a4796/

Not all of us will take the traditional path when it comes to our careers. Life tends to throw us curve balls when we’re least expecting it, and this was definitely the case for Becki Delauter. Her career path was very non-traditional - she found herself needing to get back into the workforce after going through a divorce. After being a stay-at-home mom for several years, Becki started supporting herself and her two boys by juggling multiple part-time jobs. Eventually, Becki landed her current role as the Philanthropic Services Manager for the Community Foundation of Frederick County.

Becki has always been interested in working in a field where she was really helping people, and doing work that mattered. Throughout her career, she’s realized that it’s okay to ask for help and lean on your support system, because we can’t do it all by ourselves. She’s also learned that leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all. People in leadership lead in different ways, and what really matters is that you’re being your authentic self when you’re leading and working with others.

Becki’s favorite part of her job is the stewardship piece; she truly loves connecting with and staying in touch with donors, so they can really understand the legacy they are leaving. Leading with gratitude is how Becki chooses to start her days now, and she believes that as long as you’re following and embracing your unique path, you are right where you need to be. Tune into this episode to learn more about Becki’s story, and the powerful work she is doing in the philanthropic space!

About Becki Delauter:

Becki Delauter is the Philanthropic Services Manager for the Community Foundation of Frederick County. She has two degrees, one in psychology, and another in human services with a minor in marketing. Becki loves the stewardship aspect of her job; her favorite part is connecting with and following up with donors. She is also a member of the Leadership Frederick County Class of 2023, and is a quiet presence with a lot of great ideas.

www.frederickcountygives.org

Episode Timestamps:

• Becki’s story of a taking a non-traditional career path {01:20}
• Important lessons Becki learned as a single, working mom of 2 while juggling multiple part-time jobs {04:25}
• The incredible work the Community Foundation of Frederick County does {06:10}
• Becki’s role as the Philanthropic Services Manager {08:20}
• Leadership lessons learned along Becki’s journey of growth {09:50}
• How the pandemic greatly impacted the Community Foundation of Frederick County and the work they were doing {12:35}
• Becki’s mindset in her career, and how that’s shifted over time {15:40}

“The thing that I love the most about my job is stewardship, and that's reporting back to the donors. Once the money's gone out and it's done the thing that they were hoping for, it’s taking that story back to them so they can see the impact that it's had. A lot of our funds are started as a memorial to honor somebody who's no longer here. Going back to someone and telling them these things happened because of what you did, and it's keeping your loved one's name alive, is really my most favorite part of my job.”

Connect with Rachel Harrison:

https://traumaspecialistsofmd.com/

https://www.frederickchamber.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trauma_specialist/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064008974101&mibextid=LQQJ4d

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-harrison-81a4796/