No Pix After Dark Podcast

NoPixAfterDark EP 270: Brittany Wisniewski Author & Co-Founder of trash cleanup organization Hands On HIIT

Brittany Wisniewski is a best selling author of “Keeping Well: An Anti-Cancer Guide to Remain in Remission”, a detoxification therapist and Co-Founder of trash cleanup organization Hands On HIIT . After losing her mother to breast cancer, she transformed her pain into a passion by studying natural health which opened her eyes to The Earth’s severe environmental issues. She started Hands On HIIT with friends during the global pandemic to provide Baltimore City citizens the opportunity to take care of themselves and give back. The event connects the community through fitness classes, cleanups and happy hours . So far, Hands On HIIT has removed over 12,000 lbs of trash and counting from cities and beaches all over the United States.

NPAD EP 269. “Stronger Together” ft Altmann R. Pannell MPA, Davion Percy & Maurice Simpson Jr.,JD

In the latest episode of Nopixafterdark, Aaron sat down with Altmann R. Pannell, MPA, Director of Government Relations over the Mid-Atlantic Region Coca-Cola Consolidated Davion Percy, Vice President of Community Relations & Public Policy with Luminis Health, and Maurice Simpson, Jr., JD Senior State Government Affairs Manager at Constellation- these three Government Relations Executives have been friends for over a decade. They shared their life stories and discussed how they became friends while working together in Prince George's County Government. Their motto is “Stronger Together”. Tune in to learn more about their journey and how they continue to make an impact in their communities and Annapolis. #Nopixafterdark #communitysupport i#governmentrelations #Friendship #Annapolis

Bios

Altmann R. Pannell is a native of Petersburg, Virginia, who began his career of service through his achievement of the Boy Scouts of America, Eagle Scout Rank during his matriculation through high school. Altmann earned a B.A. in African American Studies with a focus in Public Policy from the University of Maryland College Park in 2009 and a Master of Public Administration with a focus in Public Policy from Bowie State University in 2016. Upon graduation, Altmann began his career in the arena of politics and government relations serving under three elected officials in the State of Maryland for over 10 years. In March 2016, Altmann began working in the Non-Profit Sector of the District of Columbia for Food & Friends Inc., as the Manager of Intergovernmental Relations and Public Funding.

After a successful service career with Food & Friends, Altmann continued to strive for higher aspirations and worked for the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (IACLEA) in 2019 as the Director of Government and External Affairs. During his tenure at IACLEA, Altmann directly interacted with and advocated to, members of the U.S. Congress, the Executive Administration, and federal government agencies in the public safety arena. In pursuit of enhancing best practices and striving to find solutions to problems in the policing community, Altmann worked tirelessly to bring different perspectives to difficult conversations addressing community policing in America. During his time at IACLEA, he was also tasked to lead the COVID-19 Rapid Response Task Force for the nation’s Colleges and Universities at the onset and throughout the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the early Spring of 2021, Altmann was presented with an excellent opportunity to join Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc., as the Director of Government Relations over the Mid-Atlantic Region. Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest independent bottler of Coca-Cola in the United States. Since that time, Altmann has continued to work to raise awareness surrounding the positive economic, environmental, social, and sustainable impact that his company and The Coca-Cola brand have on the region and country as a whole.

Davion Percy is a Government Relations Executive with nearly 2 decades of experience in Government and Politics. He began his career by working in Prince George’s County Government. While with the county, he worked for 5 years. The executive branch and another 5 years in the legislative branch before taking so government relations job at Alexander & Cleaver, P.A. (A&C). He quickly rose through the ranks of A&C, becoming Vice President of Government Relations before leaving to launch his firm, Percy Public Affairs. He now serves Luminis Health as its Vice President of Community Relations & Public Policy.

 

Maurice Simpson Jr. JD has established himself as a leader in government, grassroots politics, and the private sector. As Senior Manager of State Government Affairs for Constellation, the nation's largest clean energy provider, Maurice leads the company's legislative and regulatory efforts to modernize energy policies for customers in Maryland, DC and Delaware. Prior to joining Constellation, Maurice spent over 7 years in public service as an aide to the Prince George's County Council. He was elected president of the Prince George's County Young Democrats and served as an At-Large Member of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) Youth Council. With over 60,000 votes, Maurice was elected one of the youngest Delegates to the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Maurice is native of Prince George's County, Maryland where he serves on the board of Ardmore Enterprises, a local non-profit that empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He is an active member of the Prince George's County NAACP and First Baptist Church of Glenarden.

NoPixAfterDark Ep 268: President Walter Reap, of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Baltimore

Walter has been involved in education for almost 30 years. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, where he competed on the Men's basketball team.
He later earned a Master of Arts from Bowie State University. He is currently engaged in doctoral research emphasizing educational leadership to improve secondary literacy outcomes. Walter has served as an educator at all levels and college. He has worked with students of all levels and abilities as well as led high schools on the eastern shore of Maryland, Annapolis, and Hyattsville, served as a Teacher and Math Specialist, and his work improving learning outcomes, he subsequently received the Nancy Grasmick Minority Achievement Award. Walter facilitated the transition as the first International Baccalaureate Primary Year's Programme in Anne Arundel County. As a result of his transformative work, he was awarded the Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leader Award. Before arriving at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, he was the founding principal of a school in Prince George's County, Maryland. He is a member of civic and professional organizations. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, where he serves as a mentor and is dedicated to community outreach. As a Secondary Commissioner for the Middle States Association, he works with distinguished school leaders to accredit early childhood through post-secondary, non-degree granting public, private, and faith-based educational institutions, including special purpose schools and learning services providers. Walter believes that the answers to the complex challenges in schools require highly focused attention and care to deepen our relationships and co-create service ministries. He believes in a collaborative school culture where partnerships ensure cura personalis is woven into daily interactions with faculty, staff, and students. His calling to serve at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School is grounded in the belief that we are called to live out the authentic desires to swell up within us. We use each day and each opportunity to become better versions of ourselves, and in this spiritual growth, we find ways to use our gifts in service and support of one another.

NoPixAfterDark EP 267: Beth Anne Dorman CEO For All Season Inc

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Beth Anne Dorman, CEO of For All Seasons, the only non-profit behavioral health clinic and rape crisis center serving Maryland's Mid-Shore. We touched on some critical issues such as community, access, and crisis management, with the added bonus of recording live at a sold-out Girlfriends Weekend Retreat in St. Michael, Maryland. One of the most significant takeaways was their commitment to providing immediate care without wait times. It was an honor to have such a meaningful conversation and share it with all of you.

 

For All Seasons provides outpatient mental health, psychiatric, education, and rape crisis services to English and Spanish speaking communities regardless of one’s ability to pay. Trauma-certified therapists and psychiatrists provide a variety of treatment approaches and individualized care for children, adolescents, adults, and seniors on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.

NoPixAfterDark Live at Baltimore Peninsula Womens History Month Celebration

NoPixAfterDark Live conversation series event at Baltimore Peninsula's ROOST continued on Thursday, March 7th. The  host Aaron Dante was joined by Award-Winning Chefs Catina Smith, Keyia Yalcin, and Amber Croom in celebration of Women's History Month. There was a food tasting provided by the Chefs before the show. We discussed an array of topics such as why did you get into the industry. What are some of your proudest achievements. How they overcame adversity in the culinary field being a woman. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

NoPixAfterDark EP 265: Dr. Danielle McCamey Founder and CEO of DNP of Color

Dr. Danielle McCamey is an acute care nurse practitioner, visionary leader and trailblazer in the nursing profession. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. Her scholarly pursuits and fervent dedication are centered around propelling diversity and development within the nursing workforce. As the Assistant Dean for Strategic Partnerships at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Dr. McCamey leads initiatives to build and strengthen relationships with key leaders, including healthcare organizations, educational institutions, and community partners. She is also the founder and CEO of DNPs of Color, a national nonprofit organization that provides community, mentorship, and advocacy for nurses of color pursuing and holding doctoral degrees.

EP 264: Amber Wendland, AIA, AICP Associate Principal at Ayers Saint Gross

Amber is an Associate Principal at Ayers Saint Gross and leads the firm's practice in community and campus edge design. Trained as both an architect and planner, she works on projects that bridge across disciplines and scopes from feasibility studies for the Smithsonian Institution to campus master plans for Purdue University to neighborhood vision plans for East Baltimore.

While she enjoys working on a wide variety of project types, Amber has a particular passion for creating thoughtful and sensitive planning and design solutions for communities in need. By sharing her knowledge, she works to elevate client and community voices in crafting the future of their neighborhoods. Amber is particularly proud of her work designing revitalization plans for East Baltimore and the Harlem Park neighborhood, some of the most historically disinvested neighborhoods in Baltimore. Her engagement and master planning efforts in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. have been awarded the Greater Baltimore Committee's Mayors Business Recognition Award and the American Planning Association National Capital Area Chapter's Award for Outstanding Regional or Comprehensive Plan.

Amber leads the firm's People and Culture committee and is passionate about promoting gender and racial equity in the field of architecture. Outside the firm, she serves on the board of the Neighborhood Design Center, the board of the Baltimore Tree Trust, as a member of the Greater Baltimore Committee Economic Development Committee, and as a mentor with the Baltimore Design School. In 2021, Amber was included on the Daily Record's list of "Maryland's Top Women" for her professional achievements, community leadership, and service to others 

EP 263:JADA McCRAY Chief Operating Officer BTST Services & CO-Owner of BLK SWAN & Prim and Proper

With a start in the Baltimore school system, most notably the historic Western Senior High School, Jada M. McCray, LCSW-C, began a lifelong dedication to education and growth. After receiving a Bachelor's Degree from Coppin State University, Jada moved on to the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where she received a Master's Degree of Social Work with Honors. After graduation, Jada launched her career as a Social Worker in the Child Protective Services Unit at The Baltimore County Department of Social Services.

This eventually led to an active leadership role, introducing and implementing innovative programs such as Family Team Decision Making Meetings, which continue to help at risk families, social workers, and other community stakeholders find common ground. It was in this capacity that Jada discovered a passion for helping people to find mutual understanding and amiability within relationships. She further developed her clinical skills to begin training as a psychotherapist. Jada continued advancing her career and became a Licensed Certified Social Worker Clinical, a Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners Approved Supervisor, and a Certified Trauma Trained Therapist. With a continually growing love for mental health, Jada fully immersed herself into providing individual and family therapy, continuing her work and eventually becoming Director of Program Development at an area community mental health clinic, helping to grow the company from a small organization with 15 therapists to a major mental health provider with nearly 100 employees and 3 locations. Though having already succeeded greatly, Jada felt the call to forge new paths in the mental health field. In recent years, ada has become an entrepreneur.

Presently, Jada M. McCray, LCSW-C, is the Co Owner and COO of Cornerstone Health Management, the founder and CEO of The Inspire Institute for Professional Development and Continuing Education, Founder of Joshua Homes, as well as the Co-Owner and COO for BTST Services Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, a mental health provider in Baltimore City, Prince George's County, Frederick County, Washington County. She wholeheartedly agrees with the agency's mission "to become the leader and trailblazer of both the health and social work fields..." In this capacity, Jada is a member of Baltimore County Schools Mental Health Committee, an Advisory Board Member of the Cecil County CSA, a Board Member of the Children's Guild and a member of the Charles Village Business Association. Most recently, Jada was honored as one of the "Women Who Move Maryland" given by the Baltimore Magazine.

NoPixAfterDark 262: D. Watkins NYT Best Selling Author| Writer| Editor

Aaron recently had the pleasure of interviewing D. Watkins, a New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, writer, and 2024 Gordon Parks Fellow from Baltimore. During their conversation, they delved into Watkins' passion for reading and how he's committed to helping other creatives. Watkins also shared insights into his journey to becoming a bestselling author and TV writer for some of HBO's most popular shows “Slow Hustle” and . Check out the interview to learn from this accomplished writer and gain inspiration for your own creative journey. #DWatkins #NYTimes #BestsellingAuthor #HBO #GordonParksFellow #Baltimore #Creatives #WritingCommunity 

NoPixAfterDark EP 261: CLARENCE " KD" MCNAIR Author - Entrepreneur - Brand Architect

McNair is a Baltimore native who began his career as a recording artist and producer in his early teenage years. He landed a multi-million-dollar music contract with his mother help at Motown Records. This opportunity led his music group to work with Grammy-awarded music producers. They landed a feature in Jamie Foxx soundtrack for the action-comedy film Bait and made T.V. appearances on Soul Train, MTV2, and BET&106th & Park with hosts A.J. and Free.

The group gained recognition in Vibe, Billboard, Sister 2 Sister magazine, and the media mogul radio show Wendy Williams. The group also performed in Tokyo, Japan, for the U.S. troops. After McNair music career, his ability to stay current with entertainment industry trends led him to the reality television space. He coordinated and co-produced the first fashion runway presentation for Coco &; Lucious Apparel&; during season three of &; Ice Loves Coco on E! at
N.Y. Fashion Week in 2012. Shortly after, he worked closely with some of VH1 top reality stars to create content and enhance their careers. His expertise helped him broker successful brand deals and secure bookings for the BET Awards. McNair passion for music navigated his path to work with music executives like Brooklyn Johnny, known for kickstarting the career of Grammy award-winning artist Cardi B. McNair worked as the brand strategist to Pinky Cole,

CEO of Slutty Vegan, a company valued at 100 million dollars. Today, he works as Pinky Cole Manager on her personal management team. He recently closed one of the most significant partnership deals of this decade, solidifying Slutty Vegan founder and CEO Pinky Cole as a development partner in Rye Street Market, a five billion-dollar development project on the Baltimore Peninsula led by MAG Partners and MacFarlane Partners. The deal also includes investments from Under Armour founder Kevin Plank plus his Sagamore Ventures Investment Firm and Goldman Sachs Asset Management Urban Investment Group.

In November 2019, McNair released his first book, Give It One More Try to shed light on the importance of mental fitness. He shares the depths of his early traumatic experiences and how he found ways to push for the life he has now. During his Give It One More Try campaign, he received honorary awards, and his book was rated number one on Amazon for men health. He appeared on T.V. One Sister Circle Show, FOX, and radio outlets. His second book Blessings in Uncertain Times featured a foreword by Cora Jakes, daughter of world-renowned Bishop T.D. Jakes and Serita Jakes. The book offered a new perspective in times of uncertainty. McNair recently sat with White House Correspondent Gerren Keith
Gaynor to share how his book, “Give It One More Try,” has inspired thousands across the globe to persevere in the face of adversity and never stop striving for their goals.

McNair is grateful for his knowledge and experience as a strategist and problem solver. His life skills and career coaching have inspired many lives. He received multiple recognitions and awards for his community outreach. In October 2023, he was honored by the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, for his distinguished community service and leadership. Today, he
advocates for programs that help the youth; get ready for obstacles in the world. These programs are especially significant to him because the organization focuses on mental health and positively impacts minorities. McNair's experiences have led him to become a problem solver and strategist. He is grateful for the opportunities that have allowed him to help others through
community outreach and advocating for programs focusing on mental health and minorities.

NoPixAfterDark EP 260: LUKE COOPER Founder and General Partner of Latimer Ventures

Luke Cooper is the General Partner and Founder of Latimer Ventures. A JD/MBA from Syracuse and Babson, he is a multi-exited founder and M&A specialist. Early in his career he achieved more than a quarter of a billion dollars of transactions as a corporate attorney at DLA Piper and in-house counsel with State Farm. He went on to build 2 VC backed enterprise software companies, exiting both for 8 figure all cash deals to Fortune 300 buyers, the most recent one occurring in late 2020. Mr. Cooper is a product of abject poverty growing up in Bridgeport Connecticut with a father in prison. He knows firsthand the importance of wealth creation and how to achieve it for the diverse unicorns he interacts with daily. One of Mr. Coopers core values can be summed up in the Latin phrase... Esse Quam Videri... which means ‘to be, rather than to seem”