Heartbeat For Hire with Lyndsay Dowd

Scott MacGregor — a leader, builder, and connector who’s turned vision into a movement.

But what makes Scott extraordinary isn’t just the accolades. It’s the life he’s built in the face of unimaginable storms — from family battles with addiction to his own fight with a life-threatening heart condition. Through it all, he’s chosen to live wide open, to make every single day count, and to remind the rest of us that “special occasions” don’t need a calendar.

To know more about Scott visit his website: www.theoutlierproject.live

Annika Hylmö, Ph.D. is an award-winning filmmaker and documentarian whose films have screened at CameraImage, Tribeca Film Festival, as well as smaller specialty festivals. She co-produced Image Makers: The Story of America’s Pioneer Cinematographers for TCM and her narrative short film Dr. Penelope (2022) is winning awards and hearts around the world.

Annika produced Women in Media’s renowned CAMERAderie Initiative, creating powerful films empowering female filmmakers. Along with THE LAST WITCH, she is currently preparing to direct her next short narrative EDDIE’S TURN.

To know more about Annika visit her website:

https://www.thelastwitchfilm.com/

Sarah Kalmeta, also known as Sarah the Pivoter, is a leadership catalyst with a knack for flipping chaos into clarity. She built Pivot Point International and The Adaptability Lab™ to help leaders stop clinging to certainty and start thriving in the unknown.

Her background runs from aviation and aerospace to global stages, but what makes Sarah stand out is how she fuses sharp strategy with real humanity—and a little irreverence—to wake leaders up to their own potential. She’s been called a perspective provocateur, a cultural conduit, and even a firestarter, but at her core, she’s all about helping people rise when change knocks them sideways.

When she’s not on stage or coaching executives, Sarah can usually be found chasing big ideas, curating community, or reminding us all that adaptability isn’t just a skill—it’s a superpower.

To know more about Sarah visit her socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarah.kalmeta/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahthepivoter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-kalmeta/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sarahthepivoter/featured

Mark Peters is the Chief Executive Officer of Butterball Farms, Inc., which was nationally recognized as one of The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® from 2018 to 2025. Most recently, named a Top 101 Companies to Work For® in the nation. The second-generation family business, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is America’s leading producer of culinary butter and margarine and creates custom butter flavors for some of America’s biggest brands. 

Peters began as a factory worker in his father’s company at the age of 12: an experience that taught him first-hand about the challenges that frontline workers face. At 30, he took over the company determined to lead a financially successful business that would also enrich the lives of its workers.

In 2003, he organized a pioneering group of CEOs and community leaders to found The SOURCE, a not-for-profit organization that has helped hundreds of workers navigate personal challenges that were interfering with their jobs and delivered an average annual return on investment of 200 percent to its partner organizations.

This West Michigan-based model has been replicated in nearly 12 states; and Peters is currently expanding its mission to help frontline workers not only maintain their jobs but progress into better positions within or across partner companies. 

His second book, The Retention Trap,  was published June 3 of 2025 and highlights the need to rethink talent and focus on investment rather than retention.

Recognized by numerous companies from Ernst & Young to McDonalds for his leadership, Peters is an engaging speaker and storyteller who has addressed TED-x and other audiences. He lives in Grand Rapids with his daughter and dog and is an avid boater, biker, and skier.

To know more about Mark visit his website: www.i-3leadership.com

Lyndsay founded Neo Walk following a life-changing experience in 2010 when she lost her leg to a catastrophic MRSA infection. Faced with the need to use a walking stick, she was frustrated by the dull, clinical options available. Determined to reclaim her sense of style and confidence, Lyndsay began creating her own beautiful, acrylic walking sticks—vibrant, stylish, and unlike anything on the market.

What started as a personal solution quickly became a passion to empower others facing similar challenges.

Today, Neo Walk is dedicated to transforming perceptions of mobility aids, offering tools of self-expression and pride to people worldwide.

To know more about Lyndsay visit her website: www.neo-walk.com

Darius Christian is a GRAMMY- WINNING and genre-bending artist, producer, and creative. A prolific trombone and brass player with rich vocals. spoken word, and insatiable jubilant energy. You’ve heard him with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Lenny Kravitz, Miley Cyrus, Gwen Stefani, Jonas Brothers, Solange, Andrea Bocelli, Rihanna, DNCE, Bastille, Ricky Martin, Macy Gray, and Andy Grammar. You’ve watched him on America’s Got Talent, The Tonight Show with Jay Rock, Good Morning America and Saturday Night Live, and CMT Music Awards. You’ve heard his music scores on Vice and you may have even seen him in campaigns for Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger, MasterCard & Cadillac. You could place him on the list of “Renaissance Men” due to his diverse experiences in modeling, film, composition, and media, but the real renaissance can be found in his music. Music to get lost. Music to fall in love. Music to laugh. Music to forget hate. Music.

To know more about Darius visit his website: www.dariuschristian.com

Dr. Hoby Wedler is an insightful, disarming, and passionate thinker who loves to bring people together to help them see new possibilities. With the heart of a teacher, Hoby helps turn dreams into realities. Hoby has been completely blind since birth. He is a chemist, an entrepreneur, a sensory expert, and is driven by his passion for innovative, creative, and insightful thinking. Hoby is remarkably tuned into his surroundings and has frequently chosen to walk the unbeaten paths in life over known territories. In 2016, Hoby earned his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from UC Davis. His fearlessness is infectious, and he has actively paved the way for others to join him in his quest to follow passions regardless of the challenges that lie ahead.

In 2011, Hoby founded a non-profit organization to lead annual chemistry camps for blind and visually impaired students throughout North America. In the same year, he began opening doors to the world of wine aromas by developing Tasting in the Dark, a truly blindfolded wine experience, in collaboration with Francis Ford Coppola. He has since expanded the program to a global market in a variety of industries and special projects. Hoby uses his highly-trained palate and acute sensory insight of his surroundings in his work as a sensory expert and product development consultant. Over the years, Hoby has become a motivational speaker, a mentor, and an educator committed to making the world more inclusive and accessible for all. Hoby also co- founded a gourmet seasonings company, Hoby’s Essentials and is co-founder of Senspoint, a Creative and Marketing firm who works with anyone committed to creating positive impact.

In Hoby’s work, you will find a unique trilogy between sensory awareness, scientific knowledge, and a love for sharing his insights.

Numerous people and organizations have recognized Hoby’s work over the years. To name a few, President Barack Obama recognized Hoby by naming him a Champion of Change for enhancing employment and education opportunities for people with disabilities. Also, Forbes Media named Hoby as a leader in food and drink in their 30 under 30 annual publication. In 2021, Hoby was named a 40 under 40 Tastemaker by The Wine Enthusiast. Hoby is dedicated to impacting everyone he works with by unlocking doors, overcoming challenges, increasing awareness, and expanding their horizons.

To know more about Hoby visit his website: www.hoby.com

Colonel Merryl Tengesdal (ret), born in 1971 in The Bronx, New York, is a trailblazer in the field of aviation and a symbol of perseverance and excellence. She is notably recognized as the first and only African American woman to pilot the U-2 “Dragon Lady,” a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft in the United States Air Force. Her journey to this remarkable achievement began with a degree in electrical engineering from the University of New Haven, where she was one of only three women in her program and actively participated in basketball and ROTC.

Merryl’s military career started in the Navy as a commissioned officer after graduating from Officer Candidate School in 1994. She excelled as a Naval Aviator, piloting the SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter and serving in various global locations, including the Middle East, South America, and the Caribbean. Her transition to the Air Force marked a historic moment as she became the only Black woman to fly the U-2 spy plane, accumulating over 1,000 flight hours and participating in critical reconnaissance missions worldwide.

To know more about Merryl visit her website:

www.merryltengesdal.com

Chris Schembra, a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, keynote speaker, and one of the leading voices on the power of gratitude and human connection in the workplace.

In a world where over half the workforce feels lonely and nearly 8 out of 10 people are disengaged at work, Chris offers a radical but refreshingly simple idea: the key to thriving isn’t pushing people harder, it’s helping them feel seen, appreciated, and connected.

He’s the creator of the 7:47 Gratitude Experience™, a framework used by hundreds of companies like Google, Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Citi, and even the U.S. Navy to build trust, deepen relationships, and create cultures of belonging. Over the past decade, Chris has facilitated more than 750 transformative experiences, helping thousands of professionals slow down, reconnect, and rediscover what truly matters.

Known as “The Gratitude Guru” by USA Today, Chris is also the author of Gratitude and Pasta and Gratitude Through Hard Times. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Good Morning America, Forbes, Fast Company, and more, and he serves on the Executive Board at Fast Company and as a Founding Member of the Rolling Stone Culture Council.

Whether through a question, a story, or a plate of pasta, Chris’s mission is clear: to help people unlock human potential, one meaningful moment at a time.

To know more about Chris visit his website:

www.chrisschembra.com

Scott Jacoby is a Grammy Award-winning Writer, Producer, Engineer, Mixer, Musician and Recording Artist. His work – spanning all media and virtually every genre of music – has garnered awards, graced platinum-selling albums and topped charts throughout the world. John Legend, Coldplay, Vampire Weekend, Sia, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monae, Pink, Aloe Blacc, Natasha Bedingfield, Moses Sumney, Laura Izibor, Stormzy, Ty Dolla Sign, Rachel Platten, Jose James, Rozzi, Vanessa Hudgens, Fabolous, Jackie Evancho, SZA, Allen Stone, Chimene Badi, Naturally 7, Son Little, Ronnie Spector and Cory Henry are a few of his diverse and notable collaborations.

An acclaimed Composer, Scott has scored and engineered award-winning feature-length films (New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization, The Immigrant, My Last Day Without You), documentaries (Frontline’s Policing The Police, CNBC’s Escape From Havana, Doped – The Dirty Side of Sports), television shows (Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Shield, Book Of Pooh), and national television commercials (Old Navy, Oscar De La Renta, Jansport) for the world’s leading studios, film-makers and brands.

Scott is the Founder/President of EUSONIA – a family of progressive music industry enterprises which includes a state-of-the-art recording studio in Manhattan (Eusonia Records), an independent record label featuring Grammy-winning and nominated artists (Eusonia Studios), and a world-class recording equipment company (Eusonia Audio). Scott is also the CEO of his production company, SCOJAC Music Productions.

To know more about Scott visit his website:

Scott Jacoby is a Grammy Award-winning Writer, Producer, Engineer, Mixer, Musician and Recording Artist. His work – spanning all media and virtually every genre of music – has garnered awards, graced platinum-selling albums and topped charts throughout the world. John Legend, Coldplay, Vampire Weekend, Sia, Jason Mraz, Janelle Monae, Pink, Aloe Blacc, Natasha Bedingfield, Moses Sumney, Laura Izibor, Stormzy, Ty Dolla Sign, Rachel Platten, Jose James, Rozzi, Vanessa Hudgens, Fabolous, Jackie Evancho, SZA, Allen Stone, Chimene Badi, Naturally 7, Son Little, Ronnie Spector and Cory Henry are a few of his diverse and notable collaborations.

An acclaimed Composer, Scott has scored and engineered award-winning feature-length films (New Worlds: The Cradle of Civilization, The Immigrant, My Last Day Without You), documentaries (Frontline’s Policing The Police, CNBC’s Escape From Havana, Doped – The Dirty Side of Sports), television shows (Keeping Up With The Kardashians, The Shield, Book Of Pooh), and national television commercials (Old Navy, Oscar De La Renta, Jansport) for the world’s leading studios, film-makers and brands.

Scott is the Founder/President of EUSONIA – a family of progressive music industry enterprises which includes a state-of-the-art recording studio in Manhattan (Eusonia Records), an independent record label featuring Grammy-winning and nominated artists (Eusonia Studios), and a world-class recording equipment company (Eusonia Audio). Scott is also the CEO of his production company, SCOJAC Music Productions.

Website:

www.scojac.com

www.cantinuummusic.com