Practicing Connection

OneOp

4.3 (3)
Education
Updated Weekly

Improve your resilience and readiness in a rapidly changing world.Jessica Beckendorf and Erin Carlson Rivera host this exploration of personal and collective practices that empower us to work together to help each other, our families, and our communities improve our resilience and readiness.

4d ago

The Connective Tissue: A Look at Statewide Collaboration to Support Military Families. With Jennifer Holliday

Send us Fan Mail Many military families don't live near a large installation. Jennifer Holliday, Alabama's first Military Family Liaison shares what it takes to coordinate support for geographically dispersed families and what any service provider can do to build that connective tissue in their own community. Jennifer Holliday serves as the first Military Family Liaison for the State of Alabama. She is a military spouse with over 21 years of military life experience with her Army husband Doc Holliday, including 7 wartime deployments and 9 PCS moves while raising their three Army BRATS. They now live on the “retiree side,” in Huntsville. Her past military spouse leadership roles centered around Family Readiness Group Leader and Advisor positions, including the 3d SFG(A) Headquarters and 3ID Headquarters. Jennifer was also the Vice President of the Stan the Man Foundation from 2006-2010, helping the organization continue and expand its mission to support military families in need at Fort Bragg. Since moving to Alabama in 2016 for Doc to serve as the Redstone Arsenal Garrison Commander, Jennifer has cultivated an expansive network across the local military spouse, civilian, Federal, and Veteran communities. She has volunteered in a variety of roles across the community and continues to serve as the Communications Director for the Semper Fi Community Task Force. Links and resources from this episode: The Heroes Welcome Initiative websiteHeroes Welcome LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alabama-heroes-welcome-initiativeHeroes Welcome on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlabamaHeroesWelcomeInitiativeJennifer on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferholliday1Connect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Aug 6

When Community Works: Care, Connection, and Collective Resilience. With Julika von Stackleberg, Ph.D.

Send us Fan Mail Belonging isn’t just a warm feeling - it’s something people build together over time. In this episode, we’re talking about how communities learn to do that in ways that are genuinely caring, how they keep it going, and what that means for people who have to rebuild their sense of community again and again, including many military-connected families. Jessica and Erin talk with Julika von Stackelberg, a Family and Community Resilience Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension, whose work sits at the intersection of parenting education, community development, and systems change. Through programs like the Orange County Resilience Project, Julika brings people together to build communities rooted in care, connection, and shared responsibility. Together, they unpack what “belonging” looks like in practice, why the feeling of being cared for can matter even more than visible acts of support, and how communities can sustain that care over time—even when people are constantly coming and going. Whether you work with military families or are simply interested in how stronger, more resilient communities are built, this conversation offers practical insights and thoughtful questions to carry into your own work. Links and resources from this episode: Julika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julikavstackelberg/Connect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jul 30

Asking Powerful Questions

Send us Fan Mail Community engagement, co-creation and collaboration depend on meaningful conversations. Asking the right question is the most effective way of expanding a conversation, keeping it engaging and making it meaningful. In this replay episode from 2024, Jessica and Bob share a practice to help us engage people in the meaningful conversations we need to have, in order to plan and do our work together. Connect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jul 23

Finding Your Purpose as a Group, Four Questions That Can Help

Send us Fan Mail Getting to a shared purpose as a group often requires digging a little deeper than usual. In this replay episode from 2024, Jessica and Bob talked about the "chaordic stepping stones," a helpful tool for going below the surface with a group, and share four questions that can help groups work toward a clear statement of purpose together. Links and resources from this episode: "You don't have to be local" by Derek Sivers"Keep Going" by Austin KleonConnect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jul 16

How Does a Small North Carolina City Become a National Example of Collaboration Between Military and Community?

Send us Fan Mail How does a small North Carolina city become a national example of collaboration between military and community? Mayor Will Lewis says it starts with relationships - and a willingness to show up for one another. In this replay episode from early 2026, Jessica talks with Havelock, North Carolina Mayor Will Lewis about what it looks like when a city and an installation grow together. As president of Allies for Cherry Point Tomorrow, Mayor Lewis helps connect community, education, and military partners to strengthen opportunities for service members, veterans, and local families alike. Their conversation explores how collaboration, communication, and long‑term vision can build lasting readiness at every level. Links and resources from this episode: Visit the ACT website: https://alliesforcherrypoint.com/Connect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jul 9

Applying Systems Thinking to Local Issues

Send us Fan Mail What is the value of using a systems lens in community work? In today’s archive episode, we are hearing from Bob and Jessica about solving issues in your community on a systems level, not just on a focused project level. It’s easy to get caught up in a silo, or to talk past each other. While hyperfocusing on one event or initiative in your community can have great results, it can also cut you off from system changes that have a greater impact on your community. So what can you do to help you and your community start thinking about the whole system? Jessica and Bob have some great places to start. Our From the Archive series is where we update and rerelease retired content that we feel is still relevant today. Links and resources from this episode: Military Family Readiness Academy: oneop.org/mfraConnect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jul 2

Leveraging the Community Assets to Support Military Families

Send us Fan Mail We talk a lot on this podcast about the importance of collaborating with others in your community. But if you are finding yourself overwhelmed or with limited capacity, this framework and practice are a great way to get started. You don’t have to make everything happen yourself! Today we are diving into an episode about leveraging community assets as part of our From the Archive series. In this series we are updating and rereleasing retired content that we feel is still relevant today. This episode is specifically about the Community Capitals Framework and how to get connected with the assets that already exist in your community. Jessica and Bob discuss how this framework, developed by Jan and Cornelia Flora, identifies seven types of capital - natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, and built - and how these capitals can be leveraged to build resilient and supportive communities for military families. Links and resources from this episode: Strategic DoingHolding ChangeCommunity Capitals FrameworkSpiraling-Up: Mapping Community Transformation with Community Capitals FrameworkMilitary Family Readiness Academy: oneop.org/mfraRelated episodes: Feeding Military Families with Stronghold Food Pantry CEO Monica BassettAn Ecosystem of Military Family Support with Nicola WinkelPartnering on Early Education for Military KidsReconnecting with Nature: Health and Well-Being for Military Communities (webinar)Connect with us! Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org
Jun 25

Putting your Icebreakers to Work

Send us Fan Mail Do icebreakers always make things awkward? Have you ever had to do an icebreaker that made you cringe? What if your icebreakers actually helped your team do better work? In this episode Erin and Jessica discuss why icebreakers sometimes suck the energy out of the room and share real world examples of what it is like when they actually work. Then Erin shares a practice on how to design an icebreaker that makes team building, making connections, and getting work done easier. Links and resources from this episode: Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletterJoin our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/ Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

4.3

out of 5

3 Ratings

Improve your resilience and readiness in a rapidly changing world.Jessica Beckendorf and Erin Carlson Rivera host this exploration of personal and collective practices that empower us to work together to help each other, our families, and our communities improve our resilience and readiness.

Creator

OneOp
Years Active

2020 - 2026
Episodes

131
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Practicing Connection
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Practicing Connection