Yes! We Rise Christine Gyovai

June has been weaving networks, helping others weave networks, and writing about networks for over 40 years. She is currently increasing her capacity to capture learning and innovations from the field and sharing what she discovers through blog posts, occasional virtual sessions and a forthcoming book. In 1981 June discovered complexity science and became intrigued with the process of transformation. How could communities change in ways that would make them good places for everyone? 
The hundred or so network projects she has advised range from local networks to international ones; included networks focused on a specific sector such as food access or health access as well as cross sector initiatives such network leadership networks; reached from small rural networks with a few dozen participants to massive networks with thousands of international participants including the networkweavers network.
In this episode, Christine and June discuss the importance of collaboration and how developing synergy within relationships can help any network flourish. June shares stories about her life in Ohio and explains how her roots in Appalachia have played a key role in her passion for developing, growing, and learning from networks. June explains the importance of synergy and how shifting our mindsets towards collaboration can help build stronger relationships and establish trust within a network. She provides insight into how networks can become successful,  by listening to people, figuring our their passions, and utilizing their strengths to become re-energized within our own communities.
 
Throughout this episode, June provides examples of how to form deep relationships using her own insight from working with multiple communities across the globe, from indigenous groups to food-based collaboratives. With every story, you will learn how to build meaningful connections, create lasting equity, and learn how to self-organize to determine what strategies will work best for your network. 
 
Join us as June shares her experiences and ideas on how to grow lasting networks within our own communities, wherever that may be in the world. Welcome to Yes! We Rise.
 
“The more we build community, the less we care about consumption.”
 
Topics:
(6:48) Why networks are personally important to June
(15:25) How online connection is important to deepen global relationships
(21:51) Effective ways people are networking across the globe today
(34:05) The connection between building community and building networks
 
Links mentioned:
NetworkWeaver - Weaving System Shifting Networks: https://networkweaver.com/
Impact Networks book: https://www.amazon.com/Impact-Networks-Connection-Collaboration-Catalyze/dp/1523091681
Peter Plastrik: Books: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Peter-Plastrik/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3APeter+Plastrik
Our networks - VITO: https://vito.be/en/about-vito/our-networks
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates: https://www.dialogueanddesign.com
Music by Drishti Beats: https://drishtibeats.com/music/
Yes! We Rise podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeRisepodcast
Yes! We Rise podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswerise/
Find our email list at the website: https://yeswerise.org
 
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Thanks for listening!
 

Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier is an award-winning workplace mental health expert, psychologist, advisor and speaker. She brings a signature mix of business and clinical expertise to the groups she works with. Dr. Pelletier translates psychology research about health, resiliency, and overcoming challenges into strategies professionals, business leaders and their teams need to thrive. She’s a bilingual practicing psychologist who combines clinical, counseling, and workplace psychology. 
In this episode, Christine and Dr. Pelletier discuss the intersection between individual and collective resilience, and how these two can work together harmoniously. Dr. Pelletier provides step-by-step guidance on how to grow your individual resilience based on where you are in your journey, whether you’re just starting out or you’re looking for ways to grow. Dr. Pelletier explains the importance of identifying, providing context and prioritizing your goals in order to begin building your individual resilience.
On the other side of the resilience spectrum, Dr. Pelletier shares approaches on how to improve collective resilience, especially as a leader. She provides examples of how leaders can institute small changes while still pursuing their organizational goals without sacrificing the greater collective. With each example, you will learn new ways to build your self efficacy, increase your growth mindset, and help grow your inner and collective resilience. Join us as Dr. Pelletier shares her strategies and ideas on how to build resilience in your personal and professional life. Welcome to Yes! We Rise.
 
“We can only influence team and organizational resilience if we have enough resilience ourselves, individually.”

 
Topics:
(5:20) What needs to shift in systems of the workplace for people to be able to work better
(11:00) Ways to increase your resilience as an individual and team
(18:24) Businesses who have flourished by focusing on resilience
(22:55) What resilience looks like over the long term for an organization
(26:10) Ways that people can work with the edge of burnout



Links mentioned:
Marie-Helene Pelletier’s website: https://drmarie-helene.com/
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates: https://www.dialogueanddesign.com
Music by Drishti Beats: https://drishtibeats.com/music/
Yes! We Rise podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeRisepodcast
Yes! We Rise podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswerise/
Find our email list at the website: https://yeswerise.org
 
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Thanks for listening!
 

Hannah is the Workforce Development Program Manager and Farmer PRIDE Coalition Coordinator at Appalachia Sustainable Development (ASD). She joined ASD as an Americorp VISTA in 2021 and has continued as part of the Groundwork staff ever since. She has a genuine love for farming, gardening, and the community-driven ethics of Appalachia and its people.
 
In this episode, Christine and Hannah discuss laying the groundwork for workforce development programs and paid skills training for individuals transitioning into the agricultural workforce. Hannah shares stories of her journey in Appalachia and the new initiatives at ASD focusing on building strong support networks for agricultural farmers - from home gardeners to agroforesters. Hannah explains her journey towards building one-on-one relationships with folks and helping them find the resources they need, whether its funding opportunities, mentoring programs, or support systems. 
 
Appalachia is rooted in a long history of mutual aid, with countless stories of people helping others in times of need. In continuing this legacy, Hannah shares stories of how individuals are breaking down barriers in agriculture and transitioning to a just economy through community empowerment and self education. With each lesson, you will learn how Hannah and ASD are meeting people on their level, figuring out where they want to go, and developing lasting pathways to get there. 
 
From building regenerative agricultural practices, to growing equity and inclusion for the LGBTQ+ community - join us as Hannah shares strategies and ideas on how to build inclusive and sustainable communities in Appalachia. Welcome to Yes! We Rise.
 
“For me, a bright future for Appalachia is one that’s rooted in that really ingrained value of what community can be, which is centered on love, centered on joy, and centered on the abilities of the people here to support each other.”
 
Topics:
(8:50) How the Groundwork program provides skills training in Appalachia for folks who have struggled to get a job
(14:40) An effective way to imagine the future you’d like to see in your community
(19:25) What Hannah sees as the future of Appalachia and what is possible
(25:30) How to get over the barrier of land access for individuals who want to get involved in agriculture
(36:55) What it looks like to build lasting equity for all community members through programming
 
Links mentioned:
Appalachian Sustainable Development: https://www.asdevelop.org/
Follow ASD on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asdevelop/
Follow ASD on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/livingbetterlocally/
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates: https://www.dialogueanddesign.com
Music by Drishti Beats: https://drishtibeats.com/music/
Yes! We Rise podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeRisepodcast
Yes! We Rise podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswerise/
Find our email list at the website: https://yeswerise.org
 
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Thanks for listening!
 

In this new series of the Yes! We Rise podcast, Christine explores the ten part framework for building community resilience that her firm Dialogue + Design Associates uses working with communities across the nation. This series will not only include stories and ideas that you can try out and explore in your own neighborhood or region, but it will help you build collective resilience and create the change you want to see. 
 
In this episode, Christine discusses how community members can create change from within by building a sense of belonging to create a more resilient future. Christine shares that people have the answers within themselves already – often they just need the space and place for those answers to emerge, to work together toward a common vision, and to find the tools and resources to make that vision a reality. Community members often have the ideas they need to shape their own futures, and at the end of the day, they are the most qualified people to determine the design and future of their own communities. 
 
Christine explains several key lessons that she has learned from these communities - ranging from creating Indigenous-led regional solutions in the Arctic north to address climate change, to creating successful community gatherings in Appalachia. With each story, you will hear how community members have implemented successful initiatives themselves, from creating diverse downtown improvements, to cultural revitalization, to building artisan networks.
 
Join us as Christine shares strategies and ideas on how to create change and belonging in the community. Welcome to Yes! We Rise.
 
“Folks need to be the ones to decide what happens in their own communities. They are their own best guides and advisors for their own communities and lives.”
 
Topics:
(1:30) Why community members are the best suited people to create resilience and transformation in their environment
(9:40) Two small town examples of community transformation led by local residents in West Virginia and Tennessee
(13:30) Why belief that communities can change and are changing is essential



Links mentioned:
Bioneers Article: https://bioneers.org/how-indigenous-leaders-are-addressing-climate-change-in-the-arctic-zmbz2301/
Economic Resilience Guide: https://www.arc.gov/report/strengthening-economic-resilience-in-appalachia/ 
Try This West Virginia: https://trythiswv.com/have-a-community-conversation
Chattanooga Climate Action Plan: https://chattanooga.gov/images/citymedia/sustainability/CAPcompressed.pdf
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates: https://www.dialogueanddesign.com
EP. 12 with Amanda Workman-Scott: https://yeswerise.org/amanda-workman-scott/
EP. 2 with Tony Skrelunas: https://yeswerise.org/podcast-2/
EP. 50 with Jacob Hannah: https://yeswerise.org/jacob-hannah/
Music by Drishti Beats: https://drishtibeats.com/music/
Yes! We Rise podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeRisepodcast
Yes! We Rise podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswerise/
Find our email list at the website: https://yeswerise.org
 
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Thanks for listening!
 

Jacob Hannah grew up in a coal mining family in West Virginia. He saw the slow loss of coal jobs in the area, as well as the costs associated with mining and extraction in communities and the broader region. Jacob moved through his own journey – leading with curiosity – to working with communities, creating new opportunities for projects leading with innovation and sustainability, and building resilient communities based on the vision and ideas of local leaders. Jacob talks about listening to people as they are the experts in their own community, and building relationships and trust to create life-sustaining jobs and regenerative ecosystems.
 
Jacob Hannah is the Chief Conservation Officer at Coalfield Development, which is based in Huntington, West Virginia. This innovative organization is working to rebuild the Appalachian economy from the ground up, and Jacob is a core part of this precedent setting work in Central Appalachia. 
 
Jacob graduated as a first generation student in Business Management from Garrett College and holds a Bachelor degree in Management for Sustainability from Bucknell University. Jacob also studied cultural sustainability in France and Scotland, and spent 3 years testing triple-bottom line sustainability concepts for coal towns in central Pennsylvania, and social sustainability programs in Western Maryland. He enjoys spending his time writing music on his guitar and piano, getting lost in the woods, spending time with his family, and harvesting fresh dank memes from the internet.
 
“Scarcity creates value. The less you have of something, the more exclusive it becomes.”
 
Topics:
(5:00) What led Jacob down the path of becoming a conservation officer from growing up in a coal mining family
(12:10) How Jacob’s background helps him see renewable energy solutions from a both/and perspective
(16:50) The best way to let people’s expertise come to the surface instead of pushing your ideas onto them
(21:05) Shifts in the Appalachia community that have strengthened the bond between community members
(32:20) Jacob’s vision and hopes for Appalachia in the next 10 - 50 years
(40:22) Quick roller questions for Jacob
 
Links mentioned:
Coalfield Development: https://coalfield-development.org/
Jacob Hannah on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-hannah-9b608642
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates: https://www.dialogueanddesign.com
Music by Drishti Beats: https://drishtibeats.com/music/
Yes! We Rise podcast on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WeRisepodcast
Yes! We Rise podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yeswerise/
Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org
 
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Thanks for listening!
 

Every interaction we have impacts others, and every interaction someone has with you impacts you. So how do we take this knowledge and allow it to transform the way we show up in the world?
On this episode of Yes! We Rise, founder and CEO of Collaborative by Design, Cheri Torres, PhD, joins Christine to share her life's work around supporting growth and evolutionary purpose in people and organizations. She dives into the power of asking generative questions, understanding your broader purpose, and how curiosity unlocks inherent wisdom.
This rich conversation is both relatable and transformative. Tune in and begin accessing inner clarity, creativity, and deeper relationships. Welcome!
Cheri Torres is passionate about supporting growth and evolutionary purpose for people and organizations. As an organizational consultant and facilitator, Cheri catalyzes positive change, encouraging people to recognize they are integral parts of a whole system and that what they say and do matters significantly. She’s worked with thousands of leaders and teams around the world to support high performance, engagement, strategic planning, culture transformation, and organizational success. The foundation of her work draws upon a living systems paradigm and the strength-based approach of Appreciative Inquiry, one of the most widely used approaches for systems change.
LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED
Check out Cheri’s book: Conversations Worth Having: Using Appreciative Inquiry to Fuel Productive and Meaningful Engagement, and discover more about her powerful work, including resources, through her website.
You can also experience Cheri’s work at the next Conscious Leadership Retreat for Women through The Sami Project.
The Yes! We Rise podcast is produced by Dialogue + Design Associates, Podcasting For Creatives, with music by Drishti Beats.
Follow the We Rise podcast on Facebook and Instagram.
Please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast so we can continue spreading our message far and wide. Find our email list at the website: www.yeswerise.org. Thanks for listening.
The Yes! We Rise podcast features solutions-seekers, change-makers, and those creating a resilient future. We share stories and strategies to inspire action to build collective resilience and community transformation. To create change, people need to feel like they belong and that they are part of a growing movement. They need to know their voice matters and that they have the inspiration, agency and ability to transform their lives and their communities. They are the key to a resilient future.    
From the Navajo Nation to the mountains of Appalachia, incredible work is being done by community members and leaders. Change is often sparked by inspiration: seeing what others have done, especially in similar situations and places. People see that when someone looks like them or lives in a place like theirs, and has created real, true and lasting change, change that will allow their granddaughters and grandsons to thrive — they begin to imagine what might be possible for them.  No longer waiting for someone else to come and save them, they realize they are the ones they have been waiting for.  But what creates that spark? What creates that inspiration?  Learning through stories and examples, feeling a sense of agency and belonging, and getting fired up to kick ass creates that spark. 
We Rise helps community leaders and members learn to forge a new path toward creating resilience and true transformation. One person at a time, one community at a time, one region at a time, the quilt of transformation can grow piece by piece until resilience becomes the norm instead of the exception. Together, we rise.