C-10 Mentoring & Leadership Podcast

Matt Fulks/

Each episode of the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership Podcast brings listeners thought-provoking and educational conversations with community-minded leaders and mentors. Hosted by “C” You In The Major Leagues Director and author Matt Fulks, along with various guest co-hosts, we dig deep to see how successful leaders view leadership. Each episode’s guest shares thoughts and experiences with a focus on the foundational elements of CYITML: Care, Character, Coach, Commitment, Competitor, Composure, Comprehension, Concentration, Confidence and Courage. read less
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Episodes

159: Danan Hughes, former Chiefs player and current radio analyst
6d ago
159: Danan Hughes, former Chiefs player and current radio analyst
Episode 159 of the C-10 Podcast welcomes former Kansas City Chief and current Chiefs Radio Network color analyst Danan Hughes for a special live recording at Music Theater Heritage in Crown Center. In front of our C-10 students and mentors, Hughes shares his fascinating journey from New Jersey to becoming a two-sport star at the University of Iowa, where his athletic prowess caught the attention of both the NFL and MLB.After being drafted by both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Milwaukee Brewers, Hughes chose the gridiron, spending five seasons as a wide receiver with the Chiefs during a transformative period for the organization. His insights into those years provide a unique perspective on a crucial chapter in Chiefs history.Following his playing career, Hughes has built an impressive second act in Kansas City's financial sector, currently serving as a senior business development officer and mortgage originator with Community America Credit Union. Now in his fifth season alongside Mitch Holthus as color analyst for the Chiefs Radio Network, Hughes continues to impact the Kansas City community both on and off the air.LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
158: Matt Stewart, FOX4 reporter on his career, playing college football and battling cancer
Nov 1 2024
158: Matt Stewart, FOX4 reporter on his career, playing college football and battling cancer
Episode 158 of the C-10 Podcast takes listeners on an exciting new journey with our first-ever (and possibly last) "car chat" featuring Fox4 news reporter Matt Stewart. In this unique and intimate setting, we dive deep into Matt's career, exploring the journey that led him to become a respected figure in the Kansas City media.As we, um, cruise through the conversation, Matt shares invaluable lessons from his days as a college football player at Northwestern University. These experiences helped shape his views on leadership, team building and how every person matters to a team.In a poignant turn, Matt opens up about his personal battle with cancer, offering a raw and inspiring account of his journey. This powerful episode showcases Matt's resilience, determination, and positive outlook in the face of adversity, making it a must-listen for anyone seeking motivation and perspective in their own lives.LINKS:To order Matt Stewart's books or "Stewart Strong" merch, visit his website.For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
157: Mari Foster, Dance Coach, Coaches with Character Honoree
Oct 18 2024
157: Mari Foster, Dance Coach, Coaches with Character Honoree
On Episode 157 of the C-10 Podcast, we're chatting with Mari Foster, one of this year's six Blue KC Coaches with Character honorees.Mari has been a coach in the Kansas City Public School District for more than 25 years. She started at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy Middle School in 1998, and then created the Tiger Dance Team in 2005, which reached the state championships just three years later, in 2008. In addition to dance, Foster has also been the head boys’ and girls’ track and field coach at East High School since 2019 and is USA Track and Field Level 1 certified.Additionally, she works with House of Hope KC.As her nominator, Dr. Lee Allen Sr. wrote: “Coach Foster has been a coach and mentor to hundreds of students in multiple schools throughout her illustrious career. In addition to founding the Tiger Dance Team and growing it into one of the best dance teams in Missouri, she’s also helped capture multiple state championships and has had several of her student-athletes continue their careers at the collegiate level. Because of her love of children, Kansas City Public Schools asked her to serve in a role where she can mentor other district dance teams, and replicate her success district-wide. She means so much to so many students, past and present.” LINKS:For more information about the Blue KC Coaches with Character program, visit this page on our site.For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
155: Jill Courter, Blue Springs Golf Coach, Blue KC Coaches with Character
Aug 23 2024
155: Jill Courter, Blue Springs Golf Coach, Blue KC Coaches with Character
On Episode 155 of the C-10 Podcast, we're chatting with the July Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree, Jill Courter, the girls golf coach at Blue Springs High School. Jill Courter has worked in the Blue Springs School District for more than 25 years, and has been the golf coach since 2007. During the past 17 years, she had an undefeated team that won the Missouri state championship in 2014, she’s had one individual golfer win the state championship, and she’s had five all-state golfers.But, as Alli Bowers, one of Jill Courter’s former golfers and her nominator wrote: “Jill’s tireless efforts to create a place where female athletes are respected and loved is her priority. I still remember the love, care and concern she gave me as a young athlete. Constantly encouraging, teaching, and pushing me to be my best self.” LINKS:For more information about the Blue KC Coaches with Character program, visit this page on our site.For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
151: Mike Sewell, co-Inventer of StepNpull on COMPOSURE on Shark Tank
May 10 2024
151: Mike Sewell, co-Inventer of StepNpull on COMPOSURE on Shark Tank
In this episode, we're chatting with Mike Sewell, who's the co-inventor of the StepNpull foot-operated door opener. (You've probably seen it in some public restrooms.) Mike led the company through its exponential growth and international recognition as businesses look for ways to minimize the spread of germs, particularly in light of Covid.Part of that growth in 2020 came from Mike — and StepNpull — being featured on the hit television show, "Shark Tank," where entrepreneurs seek funding from five or six investors. (More on that momentarily.) Mike’s focus shifted to long-term initiatives such as recruiting key talent, expanding StepNpull’s product line, and implementing new processes. In December 2022, in addition to his work with StepNpull, Mike became the Procurement Manager with Ubiquity, a communications company that works on digital infrastructure for communities.In addition to all of that, from a personal side, Mike happens to be the step-father of one of our C-10 Mentoring & Leadership students, Elijah.This interview was conducted in front of our students and mentors at Music Theater Heritage inside Crown Center. LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To watch part of Mike's segment from "Shark Tank," click here.To sponsor the 3rd Annual C You At Topgolf event, go here.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
150: Steven Screen, co-founder of The Better Fundraising Co.
Apr 26 2024
150: Steven Screen, co-founder of The Better Fundraising Co.
In this episode, we're excited to be joined by someone who's helped shape some of the things we do at C You In The Major Leagues on the fundraising side. Steven Screen is the co-founder and creative director at The Better Fundraising Company, which launched 10 years ago this month in the Seattle area. And he’s been with other agencies that work with nonprofits during a 31-year career.CYITML Executive Director Matt Fulks -- who's hosting this week's C-10 chat -- has leaned on Steven's expertise, as well as that of The Better Fundraising Co., to help with several of our donation appeals, newsletters...well, many things that have landed in our donors' physical and virtual mailboxes. During this conversation, Steven talks about legacy, his dad's influence on the fundraising business, the Los Angeles Dodgers of the 1980s, tips on telling stories, and so much more.LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To learn more about The Better Fundraising Company, visit their site.To sponsor the 3rd Annual C You At Topgolf event, go here.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
149: NFL Network's Jeff Chadiha on COACH and much more
Apr 5 2024
149: NFL Network's Jeff Chadiha on COACH and much more
You might know the name Jeff (or Jeffri) Chadiha from his time at Sports Illustrated or ESPN, or what he’s doing now at the NFL Network.But Jeff, who makes his home in the Kansas City area, is a great spark for several nonprofits in the KC community.In fact, he’s been vital to several things we’ve done at C You In The Major Leagues during the past seven or eight years.He was a part of the curriculum committee to help develop what became the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program, he has participated in our Wiffle ball and Topgolf fundraisers, and he’s been one of our Character Champions to help raise money for C You In The Major Leagues. He’s recruited some of our mentors, and so much more. Frankly, C You In The Major Leagues is lucky to have him involved.This is a conversation between Jeff and C-10 Podcast (and CYITML Executive Director) Matt Fulks in front of our C-10 students and mentors at Music Theater Heritage inside Crown Center on Wednesday night, March 13.  LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To sponsor the 3rd Annual C You At Topgolf event, go here.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
148: Toby Cook on Billy Joel, the UKHS, job transitions
Mar 8 2024
148: Toby Cook on Billy Joel, the UKHS, job transitions
If you’re a long-time Kansas Citian, you likely recognize the name Toby Cook. He was an anchor for eight years on Fox4 in Kansas City. And then he spent more than 14 years with the Kansas City Royals as the Vice President of Publicity.But then in the spring of 2021, he had a job pivot — in his early 50s — when he left the Royals and became the Director of Public Relations for the University of Kansas Health Systems.Additionally, Toby is the chair of the committee for the C You At Topgolf fundraiser, which is coming up on May 23, 2024.In this episode we talk to Toby about the job he’s doing now, what advice he'd give to someone looking for a job, the upcoming C You At Topgolf event, and he takes a swing at a Billy Joel version of our Pre-Game Batting Practice. LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To sponsor the 3rd Annual C You At Topgolf event, go here.To listen to Toby's first appearance on the C-10 Podcast, Episode 60, click here.To listen to Toby's second appearance on the C-10 Podcast, Episode 119, click here.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
147: Matt Dimmick on the military, working in the White House and COURAGE
Feb 23 2024
147: Matt Dimmick on the military, working in the White House and COURAGE
Matt Dimmick served as the Director for Russia and Eastern Europe on the National Security Council Staff. He previously served as the Russia Director in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Through that he consulted a president on Russian affairs. He also held the positions of Senior Defense Official and Defense Attaché in Tbilisi, Georgia, Deputy Foreign Policy Advisor for the Chief of Staff of the Army, and Assistant Army Attaché in Moscow.A veteran of the US Army, Matt served as an infantry officer and foreign area officer for 29 years with overseas assignments in Saudi Arabia, Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo, Russia, Iraq, and Georgia. Matt is a graduate of the United States Military Academy, holds a Master of Arts degree in National Strategy from the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, and a Master of Arts degree in Russian and Eastern European Studies from the University of Kansas.He retired from the Army and joined the nonprofit Spirit of America in 2022 as a regional program manager. LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
146: Ryana Parks-Shaw, KCMO Mayor Pro Tem, on COMMITMENT in leadership
Feb 9 2024
146: Ryana Parks-Shaw, KCMO Mayor Pro Tem, on COMMITMENT in leadership
On this episode of the C-10 Podcast, we're chatting with Ryana Parks-Shaw, the Mayor Pro Tem in Kansas City, Mo. She began serving her first term as council woman in the 5th District in August 2019. She has lived in the 5th district with her family for more than 22 years.Mayor Quinton Lucas appointed Ryana Mayor Pro Tem of Kansas City in August 2023. She also serves as the Chair of the Neighborhood Planning and Development Committee, Chair of the Land Bank Commission, Vice Chair of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission, and Co-Chair of the Health Commission. She previously served as the Chair of the Mayor’s Houseless Task Force. She is also a member of the Kansas City Zoo Board of Directors and the Starlight Board of Directors.Mrs. Parks-Shaw is a long-time healthcare executive. She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Missouri State University and a Master of Science degree from Southwest Baptist University. She is an alum of Ruskin High School in the Hickman Mills School District. She has a deep passion — a COMMITMENT — for community service and improving the quality of life for Kansas City residents.LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring and to help families in crisis, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
141: Al Wallace with Max Utsler
Dec 8 2023
141: Al Wallace with Max Utsler
This is episode 141 of the C-10 Podcast and as we do occasionally, we're turning over the hosting to Al Wallace, a longtime sportscaster here in Kansas City — and now one of the mentors in the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program. This week, Al interviews Max Utsler, who taught journalism at both the University of Missouri and the University of Kansas, and was instrumental in helping to develop the C-10 program.If you’ve listened to many of the previous 140 episodes, you’ve heard Max a time or two. We even did an interview with Max during the early days of this podcast, episode 16 to be exact, in August of 2020. But this week you’ll hear a little different side of Max as he’s interviewed by one of his longtime friends, Al Wallace.A little about Max, though.In 2020, Utsler received broadcast journalism education’s highest honor, the Edward L. Bliss Award. Before retiring, he was also recognized at KU as the top mentor among his peers.Prior to joining the faculty at KU, Utsler served as assistant news director at KOMU-TV (NBC) and Associate Professor for the School of Journalism at Missouri. He joined the KU faculty in 1984 and served in both teaching and administrative positions. After serving as assistant news director at KSDK-TV (NBC) in St. Louis, he was a reporter, producer, and freelance writer with major media outlets like MLB.com, MLB-TV, CBS Sports, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN. He spent half a year at KPNX-TV covering sports in Phoenix, Arizona.Utsler, who's from a farm community in central Illinois, graduated from Knox College before starting his career as a junior high English teacher in Minnesota.This interview with Max and Al Wallace was recorded in front of the C-10 students and mentors in November.LINKS:For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.
140: COMMITMENT with Klee Nelson, a 2023 Coaches with Character honoree
Nov 24 2023
140: COMMITMENT with Klee Nelson, a 2023 Coaches with Character honoree
This week we’re chatting with one of the Blue KC Coaches with Character honorees from this season, Klee Nelson.What is the Blue KC Coaches with Character program? Well, since 2017 we’ve had a program in partnership with Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas City and the Kansas City Royals called Coaches with Character. Each year we recognize six coaches who are making Kansas City a better place.This year we are featuring the coaches on this podcast because who knows better about leadership, building teams, team chemistry and so on than successful high school coaches?Klee Nelson, the football coach of the Kansas City East Lions, was this season’s first honoree back in April.Klee Nelson has been coaching at KC East, a homeschool organization in the Kansas City community, since 2015 and never takes a single day of his job for granted. His passion for coaching makes him a key asset in helping student-athletes engage in fun, happy and healthy competition outside of their homeschooled environments.Through coaching, Nelson is able to give homeschooled kids an opportunity to play sports that they never thought they could. He says that it is his honor and privilege to be able to serve homeschool and small private-school communities when they feel they do not have any other options. He is providing opportunities that he never had as a child, and he knows how fulfilling it is to the players who he and the rest of the staff coach and mentor. LINKS:Here's the article about Klee Nelson as the April Blue KC Coaches with Character honoree.For more information about the C-10 Mentoring & Leadership program for high school students, visit our website.To make a financial gift to give students life-changing one-on-one mentoring, visit our secure donation page.For all episodes of the C-10 podcast and ways you can listen, click here.If you’d like to make a comment, have a suggestion for a future guest, or your company would like to help underwrite this podcast, please visit our contact page.