Search the archive by guest, theme, or idea. The structure is built to grow as VOICES of OKC adds more leaders, builders, artists, advocates, entrepreneurs, and neighbors.
40 conversations shown
Artie Brylev, managing partner at Battison Honda, reflects on leaving Russia to escape religious persecution and building a life in Oklahoma City. He and Jed Chappell explore reputation,…
Chris Crook, founder of the Chris Crook Foundation and an Oklahoma City youth mentor, uses basketball mentorship to meet middle school boys on common ground. He traces the path from…
Les Thomas Sr., Urban Bridge’s Executive Director of Community Engagement and Oklahoma State’s Hype Man of Hope, shares what it took to move from anger without a blueprint to a life of…
Sabrina Smith is an event planner and designer with a background in interior design. She is the creative force behind Crystal Pink Events and is developing 1155, a vision for temporary…
Caitlin Ferguson spent years trying to understand where she belonged. Growing up biracial, navigating different faith traditions, and later surviving sexual assault, addiction, and…
Lydell Rhodes is 33-9 with 17 knockouts. He fought a world title eliminator his opponent's own coach told him he'd won, watched the fighter ranked seventh skip past him to the belt, and…
Lee Roland led a school turnaround through relationships at Tulakes Elementary - starting with trust, adult culture, and the belief that families had already sent the best children they…
Zack Davis — OKC realtor, investor, and host of the Keep Going Podcast — is a direct descendant of Quanah Parker. He shares the story of his first Comanche gourd dance, two years after…
Blake Raney, founder of SPAIRROW, joins Jed Chappell to talk about aviation, calling, business as service, and what he saw the first time he walked into a prison. From Oklahoma City…
Chef Andrew Black, Oklahoma City restaurateur and 2023 James Beard Award winner, traces the discipline behind his work - from Saturday mornings in his grandmother’s Jamaican kitchen to…
Brad Carter, Oklahoma City’s Ward 1 Councilman, joins Jed Chappell to ask what the city must protect as it grows. They discuss transparent public service, listening across political…
Kristina Mills did not apply for Survivor because she loved camping. In fact, she had never been camping before. She applied because she felt stuck. After walking through postpartum…
Most people see after-school programs as activities, games, and homework help. Christian Matthews sees something deeper. As Program Coordinator at City Center, Christian spends his days…
Brooke Freeman never planned to become a farmer. After years working as a NICU nurse, she found herself wrestling with a simple question: How do we truly help people become healthier? That…
There’s a line Daniel Haynes says in this conversation that quietly captures the entire heart of the episode: “When something is led by love, no one gets left behind.” Daniel is the…
Jordan Miller and Stuart Bennett from Generation Why join Voices of OKC for a conversation about youth mental health, suicide prevention, anti-bullying, mentorship, creative arts, and…
Some people feel behind before they have even had a fair chance to begin. Behind in their career. Behind financially. Behind relationally. Behind the version of life they thought they were…
What does peace look like before it becomes a headline? Sometimes it looks like a phone call before a fight turns into a shooting. Sometimes it looks like a trusted person sitting down…
Some conversations are really about more than the topic on the surface. This is one of them. In this episode of Voices of OKC, Adam Coury joins the conversation to talk about AI, but what…
Bryan Fetzer has spent years around elite performance, but this conversation is not really about sports. It is about people. About what pressure reveals, what success can conceal, and how…
There are careers, and then there are callings. For over five decades, Dr. David Kallenberger lived a life defined by both. As an OB-GYN and fertility specialist, he helped deliver more…
There is a certain kind of exhaustion that runs deeper than being tired. It is the frustration of knowing something feels off in your body while also feeling like no one is slowing down…
What happens when a state begins to rethink justice, not just as punishment, but as restoration, accountability, and public safety working together? In this episode of Voices of OKC, Jed…
Some stories begin with a plan. Others begin with curiosity. Mike Hearne's story started with a plane ticket. Originally from South Wales, Mike arrived in Oklahoma in 2011 to play college…
Jed Chappell sits down with Derrick Sier to unpack why mentorship works, how community “wraps around” youth, and how Restore OKC is building practical pathways from exposure to employment.
Jed Chappell and Jordan Arnett sit down with Mayor David Holt at OKC City Hall to talk leadership, tough decisions, civic engagement, and why investing in youth shapes the future of…
Victoria Haggard’s story is one of quiet transformation. From early struggles and personal loss to discipline through wrestling, mentorship at City Center, and a growing calling toward…
Some stories don’t just inspire you. They quietly change the way you see hope. In this episode of Voices of OKC, the roles flip as 16-year-old City Center student Jordan Arnett steps into…
Exotic Motorsports founder Eliud Villarreal shares his journey of faith, risk, and resilience, revealing how hope and integrity carried him through entrepreneurship’s highest highs and…
Jon Chasteen shares his journey of faith, leadership, and rebuilding through failure—and why real hope must be anchored beyond what we can see.
Ashonte Winston shares her journey of grit, mentorship, and purpose—and why showing up consistently can change the trajectory of a young person’s life.
Emmanuel Rivera shares how discipline, mentorship, and community partnerships through The Come Up Foundation are transforming young lives in Oklahoma City, one relationship at a time.
What you will hear in this episode: In this episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Dr. Wayne Chappelle, a licensed clinical and sports psychologist whose work spans elite military…
What You Will Hear in This Episode • The launch of Voices of OKC and why spotlighting local difference makers matters. • Jeff Morfield's upbringing as a military brat, moving constantly,…
Marcus Jackson recounts his path from a music-loving kid in Northeast Oklahoma City to co-founding the Bridge Impact Center (Urban Bridge), a holistic youth center. He explains how…
Kelli Masters is an attorney, sports agent, author, and speaker known for breaking barriers in sports and law. A former National and World Champion baton twirler and Miss Oklahoma 1997,…
Ron “Spinozi” Benton — From a $250 Bet to a Christmas Movement In this inspiring and wildly entertaining episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Ron “Spinozi” Benton, beloved radio…
Toby Brown — Entrepreneur, Investor & Purpose-Driven Leader In this empowering episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Toby Brown, Founder & CEO of The Brown Group, whose…
Jack & Jay Evans — Twin Brothers, Builders, Developers & Breakers of Generational Cycles In this inspiring episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with Jack and Jay Evans,…
Co-Founder of City Center, Mother of the Center, and Builder of a Culture of Dignity In this powerful opening episode of Voices of OKC, Jed sits down with his wife and City Center…
