Everyday Brave: Podcasts for Emergency Responders Jason Hopcus

Abigail Manning is an innovative voice in preventing unhealthy behaviors and proactively building prosperous cultures. As a culture expert, she offers workshops and keynotes on how to transform toxic and abusive behaviors and prevent Adverse Spiral outcomes of depression, addictions, cycles of abuse, PTS and thoughts of suicide. Her passion for teaching comes from rising above her first-hand experience of childhood abuse and domestic violence. She authentically connects and cares about others and building cultures where we all can thrive.

Ben O’Brien is a Firefighter, Peer Advisor, and Peer Support Training Coordinator for South Metro Fire Rescue. He has led the development of the Responder Strong Resilience Standards, which teaches and trains emergency responders on skills of resilience, concepts of stress Injuries and the Stress Continuum model of health, and how to use our values the retire gracefully with confidence.

Captain Halaba began her career with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office in 1999, She has served in detentions, patrol, as a school resource officer, and on a drug task force team. She moved through the ranks, breaking the glass ceiling to become the first female captain in the agency in 2014. Currently, she is one of two captains assigned to the Arapahoe County detention facility, overseeing courthouse security operations and the mental health and medical section inside the facility for inmates. She is also the peer support/employee wellness coordinator for the Sheriff’s office. In that role, her passion to support employee wellness and resiliency has expanded agency wide.

Officer Emily Hitchings is in her 15th year at the Aurora Police Department and her third year as the Employee Support and Wellness Unit officer. Prior to her current assignment, she was an investigator in both, the Narcotics and Fugitive Units where she spent more than eight years in an undercover capacity. Sergeant Mike Pitrusu is in his 20th year with the Aurora Police Department and his third year as the Executive Officer to the Chief of Police. Prior to his current assignment, he spent time as the Employee Support and Wellness Sergeant and 14 years on the full-time SWAT Team as an officer, team leader, and a Sergeant.

Chris Macklin worn many hats in his career. Firefighter. Paramedic. Engineer. Training engineer. And now, wellness manager for South Metro Fire Rescue. His passion to support Emergency Responders began after responding to the Columbine shooting in 1998. In the years since, he has worked tirelessly to support the responder community and currently leads the wellness initiatives at South Metro Fire.

Jolene Conway is the Manager of Community Development at SonderMind and a licensed mental health therapist. In her role at SonderMind, Jolene builds partnerships to align community efforts, as well as oversees the expansion of the therapist network. In her private practice, Jolene continues to work with individual clients, connecting her background in mental health as well as integrative nutrition to address obstacles leading to whole person health and vitality.