About this episode:

What if some of the most effective tools for feedback, performance management, and emotional intelligence had been refined for centuries?

In this practical and thought-provoking conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Dr Laura Lois Greenwood, a leadership and emotional intelligence specialist who has helped tens of thousands of people transform challenging emotions into clear, compassionate workplace responses.

Drawing on decades of Buddhist practice and real-world organisational leadership, Laura translates ancient mind-training principles into fully secular, workplace-ready tools. Together, they explore why performance management so often fails, why feedback is the pivotal leadership skill, and how leaders can learn to motivate rather than deflate.

The conversation covers emotional intelligence under pressure, common leadership traps, and Laura's use of frameworks such as "Friends, Enemies, and Strangers" and the Buddhist understanding of anger, grasping, and indifference — all grounded in everyday organisational behaviour.

Listeners will leave with practical insights, a simple feedback structure, and a short mind-training exercise they can apply immediately at work.

More about Dr Laura Lois Greenwood:

Dr Laura Lois Greenwood is a leadership and emotional intelligence specialist who has supported tens of thousands of people in transforming challenging emotions into clear, compassionate responses that strengthen relationships and improve workplace effectiveness. Drawing on decades of Buddhist practice, she translates ancient mind-training methods into practical tools for communication, feedback, and emotionally balanced leadership.

She has designed and delivered more than forty original training programmes across leadership, conflict resolution, mindfulness, cultural diversity, and organisational development. As the founding Director of the Workforce Training Centre at the University of Hawaii Maui College, Dr Greenwood led workforce initiatives for 22 years and certified hundreds of facilitators through Train-the-Trainer programmes. Her clients include leading hospitality, healthcare, and public-sector organisations in Hawaii and internationally.

Dr Greenwood holds a BA with Phi Beta Kappa distinction, an MA in East Asian Studies, and a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. A committed student of Buddhism since 1968, she has studied extensively in Asia and Nepal and helped found Vajrapani Retreat Centre in California. Her work integrates Eastern contemplative wisdom with Western leadership practice to foster resilience, emotional intelligence, and lasting organisational change.

About this episode:

Chris Cooper is joined by bridge-builder and social entrepreneur Simon Greer for a powerful conversation about how to bridge divides in a world where people increasingly see those they disagree with as "the other."

Simon shares his early life, his rise through progressive politics, and the turning point when he realised he had been contributing to the very demonisation he opposed. He came to see that real change had to begin with himself. That insight sparked a decade-long journey to better understand the people his own side had cast as enemies, immersing himself in perspectives he had once dismissed.

Together, they explore why today's conflicts may be less political than spiritual — rooted more in identity and belonging than in policy. They discuss what it really means to "get inside" the issues that divide us, why listening is a superpower, and how to enter courageous conversations with honesty and humility. They also examine how we can honour the competing truths people carry from their own histories and traditions.

The conversation dives into Simon's work on college campuses, in prisons, and in Israel–Palestine — places that serve as laboratories for dialogue and understanding. They consider why recovering a shared story of who we are may be essential if we are to solve our problems together.

A timely and deeply human discussion about what each of us can do to foster understanding, rebuild trust, and bridge divides in our families, communities, and wider society.

More about Simon Greer:

Simon has spent the last decade seeking to bridge the gaps in our polarized nation, including conservatives and progressives, secular and evangelical college students, and corrections officers and the formerly incarcerated. Greer speaks regularly at The Nantucket Project, on campuses across the country, and at corporate events and retreats on topics including bridge-building, listening as a superpower, and building high-performing teams. He has hosted courageous conversations on stage with the likes of Sean Spicer, Valerie Jarrett, Karl Rove, Candace Owens, John Haidt, Juan Williams, Joe Kennedy, Andrew Yang and Glenn Beck. In 2025, he won a MidSouth Emmy® for his work as a producer on The North Carolina Listening Project, recognized in the Interview/Discussion category.

Considered to be a serial entrepreneur in the nonprofit world, Simon has also founded and led a range of organizations including founding Bridging the Gap and serving as Senior Advisor to One Voice United and Managing Director of the Fund for New Leadership. Today, he works with organizations and institutions—colleges and universities, tech, media, healthcare and fashion companies, philanthropies and purpose-driven organizations—to cross lines of difference and solve pressing problems.

About this episode:

Biodiversity loss isn't just an environmental issue—it's a financial, social and business risk that affects us all.

In this episode of The Business Elevation Show, Chris is joined by Helen Avery, Director of Nature Programmes at the Green Finance Institute (GFI), to explore how private sector investment is being mobi-lised to restore nature and why this matters for leaders, organisations and communities worldwide.

Helen leads the team overseeing GFI's work on supporting the UK Government's investment readiness funds, the UK's National Consultation Group for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and an international nature investment programme with UNEP FI and UNDP Biofin. She shares how finance, gov-ernment and business are working together to turn ambitious nature goals into real-world action.

Together, they discuss why biodiversity is rising rapidly up the global agenda, how nature risk shows up in sup-ply chains and communities, and what "high-integrity" nature investment really means. They also explore how we can make nature inclusive and relevant for everyone—not just policymakers, investors and NGOs—and how systems change actually happens on the ground.

This is a conversation about hope, system change and the role we can all play in creating a nature-positive fu-ture—because good matters.

More about Helen Avery:

Helen Avery is Director of Nature Programmes at the Green Finance Insti-tute (GFI) where she focuses on unlocking private sector investment into nature-based solutions and nature restoration.

Helen leads the team that oversees GFI's work on supporting the UK Gov-ernment's investment readiness funds, as well as the UK's National Consul-tation Group for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. The team also oversees an international nature investment programme with UNEP FI and UNDP Biofin.

About this episode:

Words shape lives. If you want your communication to build trust, inspire action and change—or even save—lives, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Chris Cooper is joined by Elevation Collective member Rhonda Curry, a global communications and marketing leader who has spent decades shaping the narratives behind health and cancer research, prevention, treatment and care. From UCLA Health to the University of Miami Health System, Rhonda has been at the forefront of telling stories that build trust, inspire hope, accelerate philanthropic support and help breakthrough science reach the people who need it most.

Rhonda's work spans local, national and global audiences, including initiatives across Latin America, Africa and Asia. Together, Chris and Rhonda explore how "communications for good" works in practice, and why simple, human relatability is often the key to translating complex science without losing accuracy or integrity.

This conversation is designed to be genuinely useful. Rhonda shares six principles for writing compelling marketing communications, with real-world examples of powerful storytelling — from patients telling their own stories, to the craft of "transcreation" across cultures and languages, to how leaders can embrace generative AI without sacrificing authenticity, ethics or trust.

A hopeful, practical and deeply human conversation about storytelling with integrity, leadership with purpose, and how great communication can create meaningful global impact.

More about Rhonda Curry:

A seasoned communications executive, Rhonda has decades of experience leading strategic marketing and communications for academic medical centers with an emphasis in cancer research, prevention, treatment and care.

She leads communication and marketing at the University of Miami Health System for its NCI-designated cancer center. She previously served as chief of communications and interim chief of marketing at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. Prior experience also includes leading communications and marketing for the renowned Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, home to three Nobel Laureates.

The throughline of Rhonda's career reflects her deep commitment to telling the story of health care research and advances in urban and rural settings, from coast to coast across the United States. In addition, she leads marketing and communications for global cancer research – focus areas have included China, Uganda, South Africa, and Latin America.

An innovative MarComm leader, she designs teams around digital content hubs to earn top-tier media placement, industry awards, increased philanthropic giving and new patient acquisition.

At the University of Miami Health System since 2022, she has created and leads a specialized MarComm team focused on cancer research and prevention, clinical care and community engagement. The geographic endowment of Miami as the gateway to Latin America is a unique opportunity for cancer research that will benefit human health in the US and across the globe.

Rhonda earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration from St. Joseph's College of Maine, and her Master of Arts in communication and leadership studies from Gonzaga University. Her proudest accomplishment is being Nonna (Italian grandmother) to twelve beautiful children to whom she dedicates her work.

About This Episode:

Dr Lori Leyden (PhD, MBA) is an internationally recognised trauma-healing professional, transformational leader, and mentor whose work has supported thousands worldwide — including genocide survivors in Rwanda, communities impacted by the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings, and Indigenous and refugee communities in Australia. Lori joins Chris Cooper to explore what it really takes to heal trauma in individuals and communities — and why regulating the nervous system and cultivating therapeutic presence can be more effective (and safer) than "talking it out" for PTSD.

We'll explore Lori's story and book, Embodying Grace, which is a practical and deeply compassionate guide to healing trauma by restoring safety, presence, and dignity in the body — not by reliving the story. We also discuss powerful insights from her humanitarian leadership journey — from founding the nonprofit Create Global Healing and launching Project LIGHT: Rwanda, to her current resilience work with Ukrainian leaders living through active war — and what it means to build peace from the inside out, even in the most challenging circumstances. Listen in for inspiration, wisdom and a transformational perspective on how best to overcome trauma.

About Lori Leyden:

Lori Leyden, PhD, MBA is an internationally recognized trauma-healing professional, transformational leader, and mentor who helps individuals and communities heal in the aftermath of profound tragedy. Her work has supported thousands worldwide, including genocide survivors in Rwanda, survivors of the Sandy Hook Elementary School and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shootings, as well as Australian Indigenous and refugee communities.

Inspired by the resilience of orphan genocide survivors in Rwanda, Dr. Leyden founded the nonprofit Create Global Healing and established Project LIGHT: Rwanda, the world's first international youth healing, heart-centered leadership, and entrepreneurship program. Project LIGHT offers a new model of humanitarian aid—empowering young people to heal trauma, develop meaningful livelihoods, and lead with compassion. She also served as Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary When I Was Young I Said I Would Be Happy, which follows the transformational journey of Project LIGHT Ambassadors as they bring healing to others from Rwanda to Sandy Hook, Connecticut.

Dr. Leyden's vision is to cultivate a global movement of peacebuilders creating peace from the inside out. She mentors individuals seeking deeper healing, meaning, and impact, and is a member of the Global Evolutionary Leaders Council and the Association of Transformational Leaders, as well as an Evidence-Based EFT Master Trainer. She received the Personal Achievement Award (2019).

She is the author of The Grace Process Guidebook and The Stress Management Handbook, available in multiple languages. Dr. Leyden holds a doctorate in Health and Human Services with a concentration in psychoneuroimmunology, and an MBA in management.

About this episode:

Life and business rarely move in straight lines. There are ladders that elevate us faster than expected—and snakes that can suddenly knock us back. In this insightful and timely conversation, Chris Cooper is joined by Paul Davis, renowned business growth consultant, intuitive advisor, and three-time best-selling author, to explore the wisdom at the heart of his latest book, Winning the Snakes and Ladders Game of Life.

Together, they explore how to navigate both the highs and the setbacks with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Paul draws on decades of entrepreneurial experience and his unique intuitive approach—one that has helped transform struggling businesses into multi-million-euro success stories.

As the creator of The Genius Code™, Paul is passionate about helping people uncover their unique genius, reconnect with what truly matters, and build success that is not only financially rewarding, but deeply meaningful and sustainable.

This episode will be a brilliant way to start the year, offering reflection, perspective, and practical wisdom for anyone rethinking their direction, their leadership, or the game they're choosing to play.

If you're ready to move forward with greater alignment, intention, and impact, this is a conversation not to be missed.

More about Paul Davis:

Paul Davis is a renowned business growth consultant, sought-after speaker, and intuitive personal advisor, with a passion for empowering professionals worldwide to unearth their unique genius and lead their field.

As the creator of The Genius Code™ for personal mastery and a three-time best-selling author, Paul is dedicated to helping individuals discover their true purpose, tap into unparalleled fulfilment, and make a profound impact through their business.

Often hailed as a "life-saver" by his clients, with his remarkable intuitive approach, combined with decades of entrepreneurial experience, he has transformed countless struggling businesses into multi-million-euro success stories. With a client list that spans industry leaders, celebrities, and innovative entrepreneurs, Paul's expertise transcends borders and sectors.

As an award-winning consultant and visionary thought leader, Paul Davis is committed to guiding you on a transformative journey of self-discovery, purpose-driven growth, and lasting prosperity.

About this episode:

Robin Dreeke is a retired FBI Special Agent and behavioural expert who served as Chief of the Counterintelligence Behavioural Analysis Program, where he honed his skills in building unbreakable alliances with spies, terrorists, and everyday professionals.

A sought-after keynote speaker, trainer, and author of bestsellers like *It's Not All About "Me"* and *Sizing People Up*, Robin equips leaders with actionable strategies to master communication, foster trust, and drive team success.

His unique blend of high-stakes intelligence insights and practical tools transforms relationships and elevates business performance worldwide.

About this episode:

In a world marked by growing complexity, division, and ecological tipping points, a new story is emerging — one that reclaims our deep interconnectedness with each other, with the Earth, and with the cosmos itself.

Dr. Jude Currivan, cosmologist, planetary healer, and former international business leader, invites us into a radical shift in perception: from the illusion of separation to the embodied reality of unity.

In this Special Encore conversation, we explore how her groundbreaking work in The Cosmic Hologram and The Story of Gaia offers not only a profound scientific narrative but a practical, ethical, and evolutionary framework for leadership and business in the 21st century.

What does it mean to live — and lead — from the awareness that we are inseparable from the systems we shape? How do organizations evolve from extractive and competitive to regenerative and co-creative? And what becomes possible when we align our strategies not just with markets, but with meaning?

This is a conversation for visionary leaders, changemakers, and anyone ready to explore what it really means to take a whole-world view — and lead from it.

More about Dr Jude Currivan:

Dr Jude Currivan is a cosmologist, planetary healer, award-winning author latterly of The Cosmic Hologram (2017) and The Story of Gaia (2022), educator and previously a senior UK-based international business woman. In 2017 she co-founded WholeWorld-View (www.wholeworld-view.org) to serve the understanding, experiencing and embodying of unitive awareness, healing and conscious evolution.