How They See Us with Denise Herd

What does your ZIP code say about your health?
In this episode of How They See Us, Denise Herd is joined by Dana Reed Wise of Marion County Public Health and Taylor Firestine of Health by Design for a conversation about environmental justice and the conditions that shape our everyday lives.
From infrastructure and transportation to food access, flooding, public health and community investment, the conversation looks at why some neighborhoods carry heavier burdens than others, how those disparities develop over time and what meaningful change can look like.
The Conditions We Inherit explores the connection between place and health, and asks a bigger question: how much should where we live determine how well we live?

In this special 15th anniversary episode of How They See Us, Kierra Santillan takes over the mic to interview Herd Strategies President Denise Herd about what it has taken to build and sustain a business for 15 years, and what it means to do so in a changing contracting landscape.
Denise reflects on the relationships, opportunities and access that helped Herd grow, including the role MBE, WBE and DBE contracting preferences played in ensuring businesses like hers were considered in the first place. She also shares her perspective on Indiana’s shift toward a merit-based approach and challenges the idea that these businesses now need to prove their merit when they have been performing at a high level all along.
Built to Last, Forced to Adapt is both a celebration of how far Herd has come and a candid conversation about what happens when the systems that helped open doors begin to change. Kierra and Denise talk about longevity, access, opportunity and what it will take for businesses that have already proven themselves to keep building from here.

In Part II of How They See Us’ conversation on America at 250 and minority mental health, Denise Herd is joined again by Calvalyn Day, Elizabeth White and Quamina Carter of The Well Counseling Group.
After naming the emotional weight many communities continue to carry, this episode turns toward what comes next. The conversation explores healing, allyship, accountability and the work it takes to create spaces where people can feel safe, supported and seen.
Together, they discuss what healing can look like when harm is personal, cultural, generational and still happening, and why moving forward requires more than reflection. It requires honesty, responsibility and a willingness to stop treating harm as normal.

America is preparing to celebrate 250 years, but celebration without reflection is incomplete. This moment should not only ask us what we are proud of. It should ask what we are finally ready to confront.
In this episode of How They See Us, Denise sits down with Dr. Elizabeth White, Quamina Carter and Calvalyn Day of The Well Counseling Group for an honest conversation about mental health, belonging and what people are still carrying as America marks this historic milestone.

In this special two-part episode of How They See Us, host Denise Herd sits down with Carolyn E. Mosby and Kristian Stricklen for an honest conversation about the many paths of motherhood.
Together, they explore what motherhood looks like beyond the picture-perfect version, including the unexpected turns, hard seasons, advocacy, grief, joy and strength that shape the journey. Carolyn and Kristian share how motherhood has stretched them, changed them and taught them what it means to keep showing up with love, courage and resilience.
This episode is a heartfelt reminder that motherhood does not look the same for everyone, but every story deserves to be seen with care.

In Part 2 of this special two-part episode of Herd Strategies’ podcast How They See Us with Denise Herd, Denise continues the conversation with Deana Potterf, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, and returning guest Tamara Winfrey-Harris, President of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana.
This episode turns toward policy, civic engagement, and the bigger systems shaping the lives of women and girls across our community. Together, they discuss what meaningful change really requires, why representation and participation matter, and how women can stay informed, involved, and empowered in moments that directly impact their futures.
It is a thoughtful conversation about responsibility, action, and what it looks like to move beyond awareness and into lasting change.

In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of Herd Strategies’ podcast How They See Us with Denise Herd, Denise is joined by Deana Potterf, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, and returning guest Tamara Winfrey-Harris, President of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, for an honest conversation about the realities impacting women and girls across our community.
Together, they dig into what’s showing up in girls’ day-to-day lives, where women are feeling the most pressure, and why “support” has to be more than a statement. From confidence and leadership development to safety, stability, and access to opportunity, this episode focuses on what women and girls need right now and what it takes to meet them with real, practical support.
Part 2 continues the conversation with a focus on policy, civic engagement, and how we can show up in ways that create long-term change.

In this episode of How They See Us, Denise Herd sits down with Nichelle M. Hayes, Executive Director of the Hurston/Wright Foundation and longtime advocate for literacy and access, to unpack how restrictions on books connect to broader efforts to limit Black creativity, speech, and historical truth.
This conversation goes beyond the headlines. Together, they explore why Black stories are often at the center of censorship debates, how book restrictions impact students and communities, and what it means when history is treated as optional rather than essential.
 

In this episode of How They See Us, host Denise Herd sits down with two respected journalists, Ebony Chappel and Steve “Scoop” Jefferson, for an honest conversation about the complicated, deeply connected relationship between media and public relations. Together, they unpack how news shapes public opinion, what it takes to tell stories beyond headlines, and how coverage decisions are made in today’s media climate. They also dig into what “gatekeeping” looks like, what makes a pitch stand out (or immediately fall flat), and how journalists and PR professionals can work together to open more doors for underrepresented voices.

In this episode of How They See Us, host Denise Herd is joined by Kim Raby, Sales and Planning Manager at the Madam Walker Legacy Center, and Kevin Enders from the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter, for a heartfelt conversation in honor of National Family Caregivers Month. Kim shares her personal journey of caring for her mother during an eight-year battle with Alzheimer’s while working full-time, shedding light on the emotional, physical, and financial toll caregiving takes—especially in communities of color. The conversation also highlights the Alzheimer’s Association’s Know Where Alzheimer’s Hides campaign, aimed at increasing awareness and support in underrepresented communities across Indiana.