Positivity Matters

Mia Sundstrom: Toward a Radiantly Kind and Playful World   
CEO, The National Institute for Play
Play Styles: Mover (Kinesthete) | Explorer (Adventurer) | Competitor (Sports Competitor)
Sports competitor, adventurer, kinesthete
VIA Strengths: Leadership | Humility | Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence | Creativity | Judgement
Recorded Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026

David Thomas: On Becoming a Playvolutionary for Fun
Dave's CliftonStrengths: Ideation | Strategic | Intellection | Input| MaximizerDavid Thomas hosts the podcast The Fun Question and co-founded Professors at Play — the nearly-1,000-member "Playvolution" remaking higher education — and co-author, with John Sharp, of Fun, Taste, and Games (MIT Press, 2019). His work argues that play isn't ornamental or adjacent to serious work. It's a distinct aesthetic with its own structure: ludic form, ambiguity, and set-outsidedness.
Recorded: Friday, May 8th, 2026

Jarrod Elwell: MI ↝ ABCD ↝ AI ↝ CI = How Community Change Happens Along the Lines of Relationships at the Speed of Hope
Jarrod Elwell is the Community Development regional manager for the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, serving Virginia and Washington D.C.
Strengths: Fairness, Love of Learning, Kindness, Spirituality, Hope
Record: March 31, 2026

Retired police lieutenant and positive psychology practitioner David Berez, MAPP, DRE joins us to discuss how we can transform trauma into a catalyst for growth. David shares his journey from a 20-year career in law enforcement—where "resilience" meant simply bouncing back—to his development of "Courageous Optimism," a framework that empowers first responders to become "anti-fragile" in the face of chaos. By blending the science of human flourishing with the gritty reality of police work, David illustrates how storytelling and vulnerability can break the stigma of silence and save lives.
David Berez’s VIA Strengths: Honesty | Kindness | Curiosity | Perspective | Social Intelligence
Audio Editor: Kyle Gross (https://kylegross.myportfolio.com)
Recorded: January 7, 2026

Dele Davies, MD, Interim Chancellor at University of Nebraska Medical Center
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) = (Personal Competence = Self Awareness x Self-Management) x (Social Competence = Social Awareness x Relationship Management)
CliftonStrengths: Significance | Futuristic | Focus | Maximizer | Strategic | Learner | Achiever | Responsibility | Belief 
Recorded: January 8, 2026