Some people follow the path they planned. Others take the one they were meant for.

Mike Lebsock was supposed to be a doctor. Instead, he became something rarer: a teacher who changes not just what you know, but how you see the world.

By tapping into his own story—and the stories buried in America’s past—he’s turned classrooms into conversations and students into thinkers. And along the way, he’s helped educators rediscover why they teach in the first place.

This isn’t just about history. It’s about curiosity. It’s about connection. It’s about the power of a teacher who reminds us that the right story, at the right time, can change everything.

Huzzah... and welcome, Mike Lebsock.

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He’s not a politician. Not an influencer. Not a name you’ll see trending.
But Matt Elliott has been quietly changing the world for 20 years.

In this episode, we meet the man who lit the spark behind civic leader Sarah Teti (Ep. 30), and never stopped building bridges.

Raised in the small town of Newport in upstate New York and shaped by the wild beauty of the Adirondacks, Matt saw early on how environmental damage didn’t just touch the land -- it touched lives.

So he did something radical: he kept showing up. First as a student organizer. Then as a deep-woods surveyor. Now as a lobbyist who listens more than he lectures.

Matt doesn't seek attention. He seeks impact. And in this conversation, he shares what he's learned about finding common ground in divided rooms, how small towns shape big convictions, and what to do when you want to make a difference -- but don’t think you have the time, the talent, or the title.

Because as Matt proves, sometimes the greatest leaders are the ones who walk in quietly, build something lasting, and leave it better than they found it.More on The Great Unfamous:

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The 10 Lies We Carry: Brian F. Martin on Breaking the Silence Around Childhood Domestic Violence

What if 1 in 8 people are carrying invisible scars from something they don’t even know they experienced?

This week on The Great Unfamous, I sit down with Brian F. Martin, someone who’s not only survived an invisible epidemic, but is devoted to helping others name it, understand it, and rise above it.

It’s called Childhood Domestic Violence (CDV).
1 in 8 people are affected. Most have no idea.

Brian's book, Invincible, names the 10 lies CDV teaches us:
That we’re not good enough.
That we’re to blame.
That we’ll always be broken.
That love, confidence, and calm are for someone else.

But here’s the good news: those lies aren’t permanent. They’re not true.
They’re just stories — stories that can be rewritten.

In this conversation, Brian and I unpack what it means to reclaim your narrative, how a 30-second self-screening tool could be the spark of a turning point, and why shining a light on the hard stuff is the beginning of healing.

For you. For someone you love.
For the part of you that knows there’s more.

It’s about awareness.

And action.

Listen in. It matters.

More on CDV

# Visit the CDV.org website

# Take the free 30-second CDV screening

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