At seven years old, Mark Godoy Jr. was abused by an older cousin. What happened to him would reverberate through decades of his life—shaping his ability to trust, his relationships, and his understanding of vulnerability and manhood. In this deeply personal conversation, Mark reflects on the silence he carried, the childhood he grieves, and the difficult journey through therapy, faith, and forgiveness toward healing—and the man he is still becoming.

Who tells us we belong—and what happens when they tell us we don’t? Dr. Rosslyn Knight, Hartnell College’s Interim Vice President of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success, joins me for a deeply personal conversation about education, race, access, the meaning of merit, and the teachers and institutions that can shape what we believe is possible for our lives.

Raised in the church and ordained as a minister at a young age, Jonathan L. Allen spent years wrestling with his identity, the roll of faith in his life, and the cost of living truthfully. In this episode of At the Podium, Jonathan joins Patrick Huey for a conversation about courage, purpose, leadership, and the lifelong journey of becoming more fully ourselves. Together they explore the personal sacrifices that come with authenticity, the mission behind Leadership Brainery to expand access to graduate education, and why coming home is ultimately about living in alignment with who you are rather than who the world expects you to be.

At nineteen, Connor Schoen co-founded Breaktime with a bold vision to help end young adult homelessness. Since then, he has become one of Boston's most respected civic leaders, but this conversation reveals a journey far deeper than professional success. Connor reflects on the pressures of leadership, embracing his identity, and the freedom that comes from no longer performing the person you think others expect you to be. Together, we explore authenticity, integrity, purpose, and the ongoing work of becoming—discovering that true leadership isn't defined by titles or achievements, but by allowing the person you are in public and the person you are in private to become one.

In this episode of At the Podium, US Congressman Christian Menefee of Houston’s historic 18th District reflects on growing up in Houston, the public programs that shaped his family's life, and why he believes government can expand opportunity when it serves people well. Together, we explore leadership, education, citizenship, personal responsibility, and the lasting influence of public servants who came before him. Rather than debating political headlines, this conversation asks a more enduring question: What happens when responsibility becomes personal?