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Well this was an unusual "season." I bring it to end with the Too Long; Didn't Listen wrap-up highlight what I've learned from the guests in this season, as well as news about my upcoming book.

Guests you'll hear from in this episode:

For our TLDL episode, it’s not about trying to summarize 15 episodes, but giving a sampler plate. It’s a rich one.

Why play is so important:

• Jacqueline Lloyd Smith, Founder of Strategic Play® Global
• Alex Suchman, Co-Founder of Barometer XP
• Retired Col. Jason TOGA Trew

Building deeper connections and conversation:

• Lee Kim describes how she invites people to connect with her in NYC
• Cheri Torres, who co-authored the book Conversations Worth Having with and Jackie Stavros, shares the intersection of Appreciative Inquiry and playfulness
• Joacim Mattison on bringing the Swedish model of Almedalan to the States as a re-imagined playground of civic engagement

Female leadership thoughts:

• Deb Valentina, who coaches female executives and coaxes their stories into being
• Maricella Herrera Avila, former CEO of Ellevate Network for Professional Women
• Brandi Mitchell, who both provides spaces to play literally through SD Soccer Women and challenges the collective image of women over 50 in her visibility for these adult leagues.

The power of play in moments with heavy emotion:

• Hiba Tanvir, whose pause and play method facilitates connection with how we want to show up in the world
• Dan Moyle, marketing consultant
• Liz Vogel, ED for the civic organization New Pluralists, who shares the story of Briar Bates’ play when she discovered she had limited time left in this world.

Companies built on play:

• Alex Suchman, Co-Founder of Barometer XP
• John Grindle, Chief Purveyor of Fun and Games for Grin Events
• Steve Rix, CEO of the start-up, PlayLab
• Vanya Boardman, Co-Founder of Play Innove

Check out their individual episodes for more information about each of these amazing guests.

Mentioned in this episode:

Book Campaign Now Live

Join the community bringing to life the book inspired by Lead with a dash to Play. Participate in my book campaign: https://books.manuscripts.com/product/play-works-lead-with-a-dash-of-play/ Closes September 28, 2026.