Episode 21: Building Bridges: Mark Raymond, Jr. on Advocacy and Empowerment with Easterseals

Episode 21 Show Notes

The key to impactful leadership lies in proactive problem-solving, fostering connections, and driving unity within communities.

Mark Raymond, Jr., a dynamic leader with a multifaceted background in hospitality, sciences, television, and social entrepreneurship, shares his journey. As the former chairman of the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority, Mark discusses his proactive approach to leadership and his dedication to disability advocacy through the Split Second Foundation.  

Mark emphasizes the economic advantages of empowering individuals with disabilities and the critical role of caregivers. He highlights the importance of unity within the disability community, offering strategic insights and ambitious plans to improve services on both national and international scales. 
 

Connect with Mark Raymond, Jr. on LinkedIn. 

Transcript

Kendra Davenport: Were you this comfortable in your own skin, and were you always this person who is happy to connect others and happy regardless to talk to anyone regardless of their station or how they might come into play with you?

Mark Raymond: So yes. I've always been a connector, and mostly just because I've never felt like I was better than anybody, whether it was the busboy or the janitor or the maintenance person. Again, that person needs to smile and have a good day too and be told and kindness. Right? Like, just being kind is it doesn't cost you anything. It it's free. And in fact, you get a lot out of it once, you know, once you implement it the right right way. I got more comfortable in my skin and my disability and started to notice that though. Not only is it the fear that people have of, like, offending me, but also just the fear of disability itself.

Mark Raymond: Right? Because they don't wanna see themself in it. And I was that person too.

Kendra Davenport: Welcome to On Board with Transparent Leadership in Easterseals podcast. I'm Kendra Davenport, president and CEO of Easterseals, and I am here with Mark Raymond, who since our last talk, I think we did a podcast around this time last year, has joined Easterseals National Board of Directors. And I have to say that was that was in the cards all along. I had designs on that. As soon as I met Mark, Mark is an inspiring person for a myriad of reasons. He was introduced to me by one of our CEOs, Tracy Garner from Easterseals, Louisiana. Mark is a leader, a founder, an innovator, a man of many talents and kind of a renaissance man. But I'll let him do his own intro, because you've you have founded the Split Second Foundation, Mark, and I'd love for you to refresh our listeners and share with new listeners what Split Second is and what brought it about.

Mark Raymond: Yeah. Split Second, if I had to put it in one word, it would be solution. And it came about from my personal experience after a diving accident, being discharged from the hospital into a community with no real tangible resources and services, for people who had gone through that type of tragedy or and trauma. Not having someone who could be a quarterback help me figure out, like, the PCA care situation, help my mom and my family, and kinda, like, really guide us through that, the nuance of it. It was born in that and has grown into just this this constant solution oriented machine, solving problems for people with various, disabilities and, honestly, the entire disability space. So our mission is to provide content comprehensive care, resources, education, and advocacy to people impacted by disability and their families, in an effort to improve quality of life and provide services and resources the best ways that we can.

Kendra Davenport: I love that. I love what you do, and I love that we now have you working with us at Easterseals to do it for a broader array of people, you know, across all disabilities across the nation. And one thing that's always struck me was how involved your mom is. And your mom became your caregiver after your accident. And we are, you know, replacing a massive emphasis on caregiving because more and more people are becoming caregivers. And I think I think writ large nationally, governmentally, we need to be much more aware of what that means and really start to change the way the game is played because so many caregivers, and I know you can speak to this, do so at great expense, great personal cost to themselves. And they'll often be the first to tell you, no. This is this is what I wanna be doing.

Kendra Davenport: I wouldn't wanna do anything else, but we don't compensate them. And oftentimes, they leave jobs.

Mark Raymond: Yep.

Kendra Davenport: And if you amortize what a caregiver really should be paid, it's unattainable. It's unaffordable for most people. Can you speak a little bit about that? Because your mom is sort of a force to be reckoned with.

Mark Raymond: She is. She's a force. I call her a thug, but the good kind.

Kendra Davenport: I'm sure she likes that.

Mark Raymond: She keeps the guardrails real tight. But to your point you know? And it was something that I really had to open my eyes to. We are a nation of caregivers. Right? And everybody kinda transitions into a caregiver. If you've got elderly parents or, loved ones, it's a part of life. Right? It's the part of the circle. But to your point, in providing and getting that the level of, PCA care or caregiving that people with disabilities typically need to live and sustain, is not usually covered and typically is, like, one of the first things that state governments wanna slash in a Medicaid budget if there's a deficit. Right? And we always end up, like, having this expansion retraction fight, and we never really get anywhere.

Mark Raymond: And it's, you know, it's something that, unfortunately, I've seen it now for 8 years. And having a mother who's quit her job to take care of me and, you know, support me and help me build, you know, these entities to address some of the other issues, like, has been critical. But for the families that don't have the level of support that we have, right, like, she was able to quit her job because dad could support the household. And, you know, while I wasn't working and still trying to figure out life and you but, like, we have got to figure out what is the right advocacy approach, what's the right, what's the right policy approach. Because I really feel like at this point, PCA care should be covered by Medicare. Right?

Kendra Davenport: Well, you know how I feel about it. And I think I mean, I completely agree, and I think we just need to wake up, nationally to the fact that this isn't just thousands of people. This is millions of people. And if we were to support care caregiving caregivers financially in a in a more way that's more conducive to actually making a living.

Mark Raymond: Yep.

Kendra Davenport: It really boosts our economy because then it enables people with disabilities the opportunity to work, the opportunity to get educated. Exactly.

Mark Raymond: And it reduces cost. It reduces the cost that the payers are paying, right, to get people out of nursing homes. Like, there's a whole a huge thing in nursing home transition and how nursing homes, have poor health outcomes for people with more severe disability. Right? And if somebody lived at home in community and had the right support, you would drastically reduce all of those all of that cost. So everybody's premiums would go down. Like, this isn't rocket science.

Kendra Davenport: Can you reduce their caregiving costs? Because when people are supported and they feel they're supported in their home, they're more mentally healthy.

Mark Raymond: Exactly. Not just the physical. Their whole well-being is improved.

Kendra Davenport: So the drain on the system for additional services is eradicated. And I know you can speak to this because I know you're a pragmatist. I feel, and we'll move away from disability into more leadership in a second. But while I have you, I just wanna capitalize on this. I have felt that we really need to shift the discussion from always being support for people with disabilities is a cost to supporting people with disabilities really can aid and abet the economy. It's good for business.

Mark Raymond: Yep.

Kendra Davenport: Right? We empower 61,000,000 Americans or at least even if it was just a half of the number of Americans that identify as being disabled to work, to get educated, to teach, to do whatever Yeah. We unlock all that buying power. We create a new economy.

Mark Raymond: Exactly.

Kendra Davenport: And I just don't think we are looking at that. Can you speak a little bit about that? Because I know you have feelings about it.

Mark Raymond: It's like the mental shift from looking backwards at life to looking forward to it. Right? I'll tell you, a health care CEO told me happy people don't go to the emergency room. Happy people don't wanna be hospitalized. It is mental health. Right? But it's I was running back and forth to the emergency room when I in my 1st year, in this when I was really going through the downward spiral of the depression and hearing doctors tell me, you know, go to the emergency room for everything. And I'm like, okay. We end up there. And that's not where anything good really happens there.

Mark Raymond: Right?

Kendra Davenport: Yeah.

Mark Raymond: But to your point, on the flip side of that, you when you invest in people and enable people to participate in community and get back involved, they bring that lived experience now to every space that they exist in. And that is that's a investment that we give back that is immeasurable. Right? Like and that's how I feel we as society get better. You know? Like, I I think health care has moved forward, nominally, but there there's some leaps and bounds that we could take in this space, if we really get creative with providing care services for folks. And I think if the larger Medicaid Medicare providers really put an impetus on PCA care and crunching the numbers, honestly. I I think if they crunch the numbers, they would find some extra profit probably in Right. Providing for providing care for people in the home opposed to, you know, institutionalizing folks in assisted living and nursing facilities or transition housing.

Kendra Davenport: That's right.

Mark Raymond: So that's something I am going to work really hard on in 2025. I'll tell you that.

Kendra Davenport: You said something a minute ago. You said rather than looking backward, you need to look forward. Mhmm. And I think sometimes, because I tend to be, you know, a cockeyed optimist, I tend to be I try any way to stay in the positive. But, occasionally, you know, people take shots at you and say, well, that's really naive. You know, you're this uber positivity really illustrates a naivete. And I think, no. I think I I I, oh, gosh, angrily oppose that notion because I think by living in the positive, by striving and it's not possible.

Kendra Davenport: We all have our days, and you and I talked about that before we got on this. You know, we all have our days where we're like, what the heck? Man, give me a break. But by actively striving to think positively about not where what went wrong, what's in the rear view, but rather, what can I be doing to improve? What can I be doing to help? You it really when you shift mindsets from a negative Nancy, you know, or like you said, happy people don't go to the emergency room. If you really think about that, it's that's so powerful and so true. But you are someone who I think is very comfortable with your own vulnerability. You've shared so much about what you've been through, what you go through day to day with me, and yet you are one of the most optimistic people, forward thinking, progressive people. I know. How do you stay that way? What fuels that, Mark?

Mark Raymond: I'll tell you again. In that 1st year, living in darkness and constantly thinking about, you know, what I would be doing if I hadn't had this accident. Where would I be? Who would I be with? That was a life draining, mentality. And it was, like, it was really driving me crazy. And it wasn't until I got to Sacramento where I saw people thriving with disability that I really shifted my thought process. And it was almost like just slowing down and simplifying it. Right? Like, to focus on problem, solution, like, problem, I'm disabled, I can't fix that immediately. What I can fix, though, is I'm unhappy, and I'm not looking forward.

Mark Raymond: I don't feel like I have purpose. How do I get purpose? How do I Mhmm. How do I move forward with this? And how do I do it in a way that I will enjoy it and want to be in these spaces and places with people that might not understand me or understand, you know, the life that I have to live? And I think once I adopted that that mentality, again, like, seeing the light at the in the tunnel in the darkness. Right? Finding my light Mhmm. It just became something, like, I just focused on. And even now, when I have bad days, I just try to slow down, think about what is making this day bad, and how do I fix it. You know, whether it's I need to go outside and go take a lap around the block and get some sunlight and just clear my head or talk to the universe. And, you know, like, building organization, trying to create order in society, trying to guide society and move masses into what we think are good ideas and executing them takes a lot from people like us.

Mark Raymond: Right? Like, we give it everything. And when people don't, I think, appreciate that, it's almost like we feel like it's a shot. Right? And I had to also Yeah. I, like, I can't focus on how they feel about it right now because they won't know it was good for them until they're in it. You know? And to your point, like, the taking a shot is like, you gotta take it. Let it roll off you and just keep it moving.

Kendra Davenport: I think sometimes it I don't know if it's that people are threatened by that kinda optimism or or more than the optimism, the desire to just push through it.

Mark Raymond: Yeah.

Kendra Davenport: You know, my kids would tell you, mom, you can't just push through everything, and yet I'm I'm not a patient person. I didn't think you can. If you adopt the right mindset, you can. That doesn't mean, like you said, every day is gonna be a good day. You are gonna have your down days. But I think if you're committed to, okay, this isn't working, let's course correct. I often say to my team, I would rather be moving in the wrong direction and course correct on the back end than be inert, just navel gazing or distracted in what we can't do, or stymied by a negative response to something we did. And I know you subscribe to that, so talk a little bit about that, because you and I have had really extensive conversations when things haven't gone right or when people have, you know, taken a shot at us and how you recover from that.

Mark Raymond: I'll tell you. I saw this message the other day. It said, you know, the longer you stay on the train going in the wrong direction, the more expensive the return trip. And I was like, yes. Right? To your point, being positive is a choice. And a lot of times, folks will get inundated with chaos and allow it to shift their moods and dictate how they now move forward. I'm going in with positivity, and we gonna manifest some stuff.

Kendra Davenport: Oh, I love it. I love that.

Mark Raymond: Right? Like, I don't care how it happens. I don't care. But we like, there's a brick wall. We gonna go over it. We might have to go around it. We might have to dig under it, or we might have to just barrel right through it. But we're gonna continue to go right in the direction that we're headed, especially when we know, like, it's the right direction.

Kendra Davenport: Mhmm. One of the things I think I think you and I share and have in common that has always sort of compelled me to talk to you about things or to engage with you is your constant it's almost to me insatiable appetite for new. For we're going to keep doing this, but we're also going to do this, and we're also going to do this. And yet, there's an order to your thinking. And I just wonder if you could share, because I think a lot of leaders struggle with that. Right? And a lot of leaders will hear from their boards of directors, you know, stay I've heard that. You know, stay focused. Don't get too many things going.

Kendra Davenport: And yet I feel when you pursue something new, it aids and assists what you already have going on. And, yes, you need to play that 7 degree game, but and there is a tipping point. Right? There is a thing such thing as, okay, too much is going on, and you and I have talked about that too. But can you talk a little bit about what drives you? How do you come up with the ideas you do, and how do you blend everything so well?

Mark Raymond: So I think I'm a collection of my experiences working in hospitality from being a busboy to a banquet captain, restaurant manager, degrees in chemistry and physics. So critical thinking and being able to assess problems, working on TV, bringing, like, all of that and then becoming this social entrepreneur who just wasn't afraid of failure, and also not afraid to try. Right? Like, a lot of folks, I think, get analysis paralysis. You just think and think and think and think and you never take a step forward where the other entrepreneur who might not be half as smart as you is already 10 steps down the road, made 10 mistakes, pivoted, and figured it out. And, you know, that's just that is, like, how we get better. It's the experiences and how, you know, this, like, getting into the intergovernmental affairs space. And for me, the, like, the RTA board was so influential. Kendra Davenport: Tell listeners what that is just so everybody's on board.

Mark Raymond: Yeah. So I served as the chairman for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority. We the RTA, as it is, and dearly called in New Orleans, administers, operates, and maintains all of the public transportation options in New Orleans. So buses, streetcars, ferries, and our paratransit service that provide services to our disabled and elderly clients. I served on that board for 6 years. I served as a chairman for 2. And in my capacity as chairman, selected and hired, the most recent CEO, Lona Hankins, who's brilliant in her own right, an engineer, and but was also a first time CEO and, like, helping guide that agency, though, so that we provide better services and also, like, getting an opportunity to see how a large organization is supposed to work. Right? Yeah.

Mark Raymond: Like, it's a $200,000,000 economic development engine that needs to focus on transportation because that's the main mission. But it also drives development. It drives, it drives the economy. Right? It gets people to and from school, health care, everything. And without, you know, transportation and that level of connectivity, a lot of people can be isolated. And so that and I joined that space specifically because paratransit was operating so inefficiently, still having to call in 24 hours in advance to schedule a trip for the next day that that they would come late for it. It was just amazing. It's, frustrating.

Mark Raymond: So now adding that to, like, this collection of experiences, and thinking about, like, how do we solve some of these more complex issues for people, you know, in in every aspect? And just, again, like, not being afraid to just try something. Right? And even telling them, like, y'all can talk about this problem. And a lot of times, especially in politics, you see this. Right? They'll talk about the same issue for 6 months before they try something. It's like, just try it. It might work. It might not. We might have to pivot.

Mark Raymond: People might get mad, say you're sorry. Customer service is everything. How you talk to people is everything. And people will be okay with you making a mistake if you acknowledge the mistake and you're kind. You know what's funny? You if you are nice to somebody, even if they're mad, they're gonna have a hard time, like, being mad and mean. You know what I mean?

Kendra Davenport: Yes. I know what you mean.

Mark Raymond: You can try. Some people some people will still be mean. But for the most part, people are gonna have a different disposition opposed to getting in, like, these tit for tats, that I think we like, it's almost like people are walking around with a short fuse because of the nature of society and the, I think, the Pressure. The pressure, the politics, and, everything that is has been, you know, dividing us as a people opposed to keeping us focused on the real problems at hand. And so just, again, simplifying it, thinking about the problem and solution.

Kendra Davenport: I think of you as one of, I think in my network, you are one of very few people who I consider a a super connector. Right? And I think what I what I mean by that is you meet person a, and your mind is already going to, how do I connect them with person b, c, d, g? Yep. And how do I get this group together? Or what could they influence? You, I've watched you, you operate very well with all types of people. At all levels in any organization you are comfortable in almost any situation. And you're comfortable with your disability, and you your comfort, I think, allows people who might not be otherwise comfortable talking to you, comfortable with your disability. And I don't think and you and I have talked about this. I don't think anybody intentionally is uncomfortable. I think it's the fear of the unknown.

Kendra Davenport: I don't wanna say something that's gonna upset Mark. I don't wanna ask a question that's gonna be stupider, you know, that he's gonna think is, you know, insensitive. I don't wanna say the wrong thing because that might not be in the proper lexicon. How did you get this way? How did you were you even before your disability? And I realized that's probably a little bit of a dicey question. But were you were you this comfortable in your own skin, and were you always this person who is happy to connect others and happy regardless to talk to anyone regardless of their station or how they might come into play with you.

Mark Raymond: So, yes, I've always been a connector, and mostly just because I've never felt like I was better than anybody, whether it was the busboy or the janitor or the maintenance person. Again, that person needs to smile and have a good day too and be told and kindness. Right? Like, just being kind is it doesn't cost you anything. It it's free. And, in fact, you get a lot out of it 1, you know, once you implement it the right way. I got more comfortable in my skin and my disability and started to notice that, though, not only is it the fear that people have of, like, offending me, but also just the fear of disability itself. Right? Because they don't wanna see themself in it. And I I'm a I I was that person too.

Mark Raymond: Like, it I struggled looking in the mirror in the 1st year. And it took me a while to, like, really get comfortable and see myself as attractive and as somebody who, you know, could still move and shake and do all the things that I was used to doing, in in the cities that I, you know, always went to. And it so after I, like, I think I got comfortable and then becoming a leader and hearing people in community tell me that they respected my opinions and, you know, that they really loved the work that I was doing. Like, all of those little it's like, like, collecting points. Right? Like Yeah. All of that helped me get to a space where I don't care if I'm talking to the president of the United States or Mhmm. Somebody who's locked up, you know, for murder. Right? Like, I think people just need kindness, and you can't.

Mark Raymond: Everybody needs to kinda just adopt a nicer approach. And that's how I've always moved. Right? You you get more, what's that saying? You catch more flies with honey than poo poo.

Kendra Davenport: Mhmm. Yeah. Is there anybody who today or maybe in the past is a mentor to you? I know I've asked you that question, but I asked it a year ago. So tell me today, is there anybody you derive? Because I kinda also wanna know, in the same vein, do you do you get your energy from pollinating?

Mark Raymond: Oh, I see.

Kendra Davenport: Around people? I mean, you certainly seem to thrive in any situation, in any meeting you and I have ever been in, in any setting. But, so, A, mentor. Is there 1? Is there 2? Is there 3? Are there people you go to get filled up and get advice counsel? And 2, do you do people revive your energy?

Mark Raymond: The answer to both of those is yes. 2 of my mentors, Flozell Daniels, who was the first who was the chairman of RTA when I got to the board, was running another foundation, in in Louisiana, called Foundation for Louisiana, as a matter of fact, just really, like, took me under his wing. And I quickly became the vice chair, finance chair. So we were talking, you know, 2, 3 times a week. And really, like, I that's where I think I really learned and got a understanding of what it meant to lead from a board perspective and not from the CEO's perspective. Because those are different jobs and different jobs.

Kendra Davenport: Very different.

Mark Raymond: And being focused laser focused on setting the mission, the vision, the objectives of the organization, and making sure that, you know, the leadership, the executive leadership team was moving that forward. Flow has always been like that guy, when I'm going through something, I'll call and bounce some ideas off him. I mean, in every, like, every successful initiative I I've taken on. Renaming streets, he was, like, the first phone call. Helena Moreno, who's currently the city council president, and, she's running for mayor. She's another one I lean on a good bit. Just, again, very problem solution oriented. And then a third for me, and probably should have been first, but my godfather, Darrell Willis, who is currently CVP for Microsoft, I think he's basically, like, the CEO of their energy and resource division, globally.

Mark Raymond: He worked for BP for a number of years. He was the, the CEO of BP's Russia operations, the CEO of Angola Africa, their biggest, drilling exploration. Mhmm. Seeing how he moved, and always having, like, his ear and his guidance, has definitely helped me get comfortable, being a leader and being okay with, also, like, people not liking some of the things that I've done. And, also, like, you know, it's not always rainbows because some folks see this young guy and think of, you know, he's arrogant, and he's cocky, and he's doing all this stuff. And what's he know? You know? I'm senior in this. I've done this 3, 4 times as long, and I'm just looking to learn from everybody because, you know, I'm a student of the game and of life. And, you know, my philosophy is you never stop learning.

Mark Raymond: Everybody can teach you something.

Kendra Davenport: Lifelong learner.

Mark Raymond: Yeah. For sure. And just but to your point, like, whenever I need my cup refilled, those are, like, my go to's. You know? But I watch you too. I take I I I take snippets of, like, of everybody. And watching our relationship and watching because, again, like, Easterseals is doing the work for, you know, a 100 plus years, the organizational growth, the development, the changes over time Mhmm. The pivots that it's had to make. And now you've been in your position, what, almost 3 years?

Kendra Davenport: 3 years and another 8 weeks or so. Yeah. Yeah. My fourth year.

Mark Raymond: So, really, like, the energy that you have to come in with to guide an organization like this and get a group of people moving and rowing in the same direction is a challenge, and you do it gracefully.

Kendra Davenport: Well, the only time we're-

Mark Raymond: Well, we're not always gonna be graceful.

Kendra Davenport: Quite a bit. I'm like you, though, I'm learning all the time.

Mark Raymond: But watching how you manage the room at the National Summit, it was amazing. You know? It was it wasn't scripted. It was heartfelt. It because you care. And I think, like, a lot of folks forget the duty of care, as they move in these spaces. And so, you know, I'm always inspired when I meet people like you, and that's why we gravitate towards each other.

Kendra Davenport: I think we gravitate to each other for a whole host of reasons. We can't go into all of them today, but one of them is that I think we just really like being around people, and it's about, you know, meeting them, learning from them. You've touched on a lot of it today. It's accessing mentorship. It's constantly being committed to learning new things and to being okay with being told you're wrong. You know, you're wrong. You don't have it right. Well, teach me.

Kendra Davenport: You know? I think it took me a while. No one likes constructive criticism. No one likes criticism, but even constructive, I was never really good at it. Still working on that. But I think as I get older, I realize, you know, if you've got a better way, you can build a better mouse trap. You can show me how I can be better at something. I'm all in. Tell me.

Kendra Davenport: Tell you gotta tell me. And I think it was very humbling coming into this job. I grossly underestimated how challenging it was going to be, a, to win the trust of the 70 affiliates, 70 CEOs

Mark Raymond: Yep.

Kendra Davenport: That make up the Easter Seals National Network, and, b, how difficult it was going to be to get them rowing in the same direction because I say it all the time, and it sounds trite sometimes when I say, you know, we're stronger together. We are, though. We are. We are a massive voice. We're the largest provider of services and supports for people with disabilities. And and yet, I think there's so much more we can be doing, and I think there's an evolution that's taking place now. And it really is being led by people like you who are coming to the table with new ideas, new spin on how do we approach legislators. And that's why I love that for you, that's an area and I know your family's been political for many years, and that's a skill set you bring, and I think you draw from your ancestors, you know, engagement in politics in New Orleans, which is fascinating in and of itself.

Kendra Davenport: There's probably a book in that, Mark. But, I think that that, you know, the coming year, 2025, can be fascinating to see what happens in Washington. Yeah. Definitely gonna be different the more synthesized, I think, the disability world's voice is, the better off we're gonna be. And you know, and you and I have talked about this, the disability community doesn't play well together. Right? It's not that I think there's not animosity. There's no malfeasance. There's no discord.

Kendra Davenport: It's just everybody is siloed. So one disability speaks for one disability, and then another disability rep speaks for them. And as a whole, I think it's very difficult, and that's been another thing. I think I underestimated how challenging it was gonna be to bring key players in the disability space together to make that chorus louder in Washington. Can you talk a little bit about how you feel about that? Because you in almost in record time have garnered support, have attracted attention, have engaged with legislators. You're doing all the right things, and yet you were totally open to working with Easterseals. You didn't, you know, you didn't for a second think, if you did, you didn't say it, and I don't think you did. You know? No.

Kendra Davenport: I don't know if I wanna engage with them. I don't want them to take my piece of the pie or I don't want them you know what I'm saying? I mean I didn't realize no threat. You were more like arms wide open. Like, let's go. Let's work together. How can we help each other? Can you talk a little bit about that?

Mark Raymond: When there are when there's that collaboration, that that unified chorus, you get to the results faster. Right? Yeah. Yeah. And I've been really intentional about all of the relationships, whether it was joining Centene's Yeah. National Disability Advisory Council to, you know, be be at that table to National Easter Seals. I was really making a push to get on the National Council on Disability. We'll see what the what the new administration is gonna do. But for that very focus of bringing everybody to the table, you know, and really to the party, everybody don't nobody wants to miss a party.

Mark Raymond: They they'll miss a meeting. They won't miss the party. But to get everybody dancing and singing in the same you know, in unison. And to your point, right, like, you've got all of these massive disability entities, nickel, NADD. You've got the developmental disability community, the the the centers for independent living across the country, that have, to your point, all kinda just done their own things. And instead of all been partners, right, and providing this collaborative network of services that could be driven differently. Because now when we go to the state capital as a unit, they don't really wanna mess with us because we also have we touch a 1000000 people. Right?

Kendra Davenport: Mhmm.

Mark Raymond: And the larger that network grows because everybody's gonna be impacted by disability at some point Agree. And need these services. Right? Whether it's, you know, having a child with, with the situation or having a situation yourself or a parent or loved one. And that message to me has always been so strong, which was why we named the organization Split Second Foundation. Anybody's life can change in a split second. Who can argue with that? Right? Like, that to me is a immediate kinda icebreaker unifier. And in all of these situations and what I've learned about the you know, all of these disability organizations, we all pretty much want the same things. Right? Like, we all talk about the same stuff.

Mark Raymond: We just need to talk about it the same time with all these legislators.

Kendra Davenport: Yeah.

Mark Raymond: And when I think about too, like, marketing and advocacy campaigns and how are we messaging to the masses that this is the focus. Right? This is what we wanna accomplish right now, but we've got a list of things that are next. And, you know, in large part, it's you see the statistics on how much we spend on health care and how poor our health outcomes are in comparisons to the rest of the world.

Kendra Davenport: We have to show for it. Yeah. Mark Raymond: And it's like, just in looking at that big picture, you see something is broken. I'm just like Mhmm. We need to all come in and say, what's the okay. Here's what we wanna address first. Right? And PCA care to me is the biggest and lowest hanging fruit. You know? We get that right. That's a every disability is on the same page with that. And the caregiver population, to your point, is the largest population affected by disability.

Mark Raymond: It doesn't matter what religion you are, what creed, what color. That matter.

Kendra Davenport: Yep. You're right. You're right. And in that that sense, I think disability is unifying.

Mark Raymond: It is.

Kendra Davenport: Because it does impact everybody. Talk about I know we're gonna we're gonna try and start wrapping this up, but I can't I have so many other questions for you. What's next on your list? And do you think I think I know the quest answer to this question, but do you think internationally.

Mark Raymond: Yeah.

Kendra Davenport: Does that enter your vision? Because I know you have a bold vision for what you do. What's next? What's on your list, and where do you wanna take this?

Mark Raymond: Okay. Next for split second is the expansion, and growing really figuring out, like, where we fit either as a community care organization or health care quasi health care provider. Mhmm. I really wanna figure that space out, but in a way that still serves community in the way that we do. Because I feel like, again, health care is kinda sterile and a little stale. You know, you said something about Easterseals, that really made me think about this too. Like, you came in and had to bring fresh energy to something that might have also been complacent and figure out what the sparks were gonna be to catalyze people to move and, you know, really get engaged. And I'm constantly thinking about what Split Second needs to do in a state like Louisiana, which is last in the nation in health outcomes, in general, but, but also last in health outcomes for families impacted by disability, and really move some of these folks forward in their thinking, about disability.

Mark Raymond: And I know, like, there's no substitute for presence. Right? So a lot of times, it's gonna require me to go sit down and talk with, you know, legislators that I might not agree with on everything. We might not agree with, you know, going to number 2, big one is spending a lot of time in DC and working with you with the with our nation's leaders to figure out how we also move them in the right direction, and are constantly, the squeaky wheel. Right? I think that is being in DC to me too is all like, it's it feels majestic. Like, it just it has a a presence and a gravitas that you just feel like you can do it. You know? Like, if they built that building, I know whatever I'm trying to do. We could do it. Right? Mhmm.

Mark Raymond: But also working on a documentary like we talked about. Like, I'm really excited to share my journey, but I want a huge part of that, whether it's a documentary or a docuseries, to be, forward thinking about things that we're, you know, we're either hoping to accomplish in the short term, meet medium term, and long term, policy initiatives. Right? Like, again, being that squeaky wheel and trying to figure out how best I can leverage my presence and personality to get people more aligned with a better tomorrow.

Kendra Davenport: Mhmm. You said something, and we are talking a lot about manifesting, here at Easterseals. You mentioned the word manifest early on in our conversation, and I have to say, it came manifesting positivity, manifesting success came to me really through my youngest. I'm a I'm a very faithful, devoted Catholic. So I pray a lot, but I don't necessarily manifest. And my youngest said, mom, you can't say negative things like that. You gotta manifest your success. You gotta envision it.

Kendra Davenport: And the more she said that to me, the more I started to think she's right. She has something there. So you said something else, when you were talking about your godfather, and he is your mentor, and you said he worked for mining company in Angola. So I'm gonna manifest right now. You didn't you dodged the question of where you wanna take split second and whether you'll go international. I know you don't wanna add that probably to your plate right now, but I'm gonna manifest this because some of the work I did in Africa was the most meaningful in my life. Regardless of the country, whether it's Liberia, Ghana, Nigeria, it didn't matter. And when I think of disability on the continent, I think that is one place on the planet that could use Easterseals.

Mark Raymond: Yeah.

Kendra Davenport: Could we could expand to Africa. We could do amazing work, and we could do that in tandem.

Mark Raymond: So do it.

Kendra Davenport: Manifest that, and maybe this time next year, we do our 3rd podcast, and we'll have some traction there. Whether it's Africa, whether it's Central America, South America, Asia, I don't care. I just feel that disability globally needs more attention. Yes. And there are so many things that we take for granted even here in the United States that we do. We have gotten some things right around disability that we could help bring to other countries, and I think you and I could do that. So hold that thought. And go back to the question, maybe I'll let you answer for yourself.

Kendra Davenport: Do you do you see yourself working internationally in time besides working with me? Because we're gonna work internationally, you and I.

Mark Raymond: So the answer is yes. And, ironically, I've already had some of those conversations with, some folks at the United Nations. And, again, my godfather with Microsoft, his team and I lose sight that he's like a world leader, because Microsoft is, of course, the, you know, the biggest company in the world, one of the biggest companies. And his team is multinational. So meeting them and folks from Singapore, India, Asia, Seattle, all over the world, who also planted that seed, and they're like, you know, Mark, the message that and the brand that Split Second represents is hope is resilience. People need that everywhere. People need that that message just like you identify Red Bull with, you know, wings. And it is manifesting that.

Mark Raymond: Right? Like, it takes a real spiritual intensity to, I think, deliver some of the things that have happened. But I'll tell you, about a year ago, I was rolling around my neighborhood. I was having a bad day, and there's a park about a block away right next to the lake. And all of this is right like, my accident happened right on the other side of this park, very close to home. And I went over there, and I was I'm Catholic too. I was talking to God. I I was just like, god. You know? If some of these things don't happen, I'm not gonna be able to continue doing this.

Mark Raymond: And I know that this is the work that I need to do. And it's like every time it looked like it was gonna crash or fail, a check came, or we got an approval, or, I mean, all the way into, like, buying the building. We put the building under contract and put a $10,000 deposit down. We had no idea. I had no idea where we were gonna get the money from. I just knew that it was the right building and that I needed to take that risk to pursue it, and we would find the money. Right? Like, if money is the problem, we can find some money. But it's always been like, I've led like that.

Mark Raymond: And some people will tell you, you know, that's a risky way to lead. That's a risky way to run a business. The most successful people I know are people who've taken big risk and just really fought and clawed to make it happen. So when I think about split second and Easter Seals and the opportunity that is international to help more people, it's a definite yes for me.

Kendra Davenport: Love that. There's a lot of manifesting in there.

Mark Raymond: Oh, it's gonna happen.

Kendra Davenport: A lot of manifesting.

Mark Raymond: We go we're gonna go pray on, on the on the lawn in the front of the White House.

Kendra Davenport: I'm there too. I'm there too. We So it it'll be interesting to see like, NCD's approach moving forward, you know, and how, like, they've I've this past administration has got a lot done.

Kendra Davenport: It's National Council on Disability for anybody who's wondering.

Mark Raymond: Sorry. Yep. Keep tossing around the alphabet soup.

Kendra Davenport: It's okay.

Mark Raymond: It's okay. But, like, they've there there's been some really good things that came out of this past administration. The Airport Transportation Act that Pete just rolled out.

Kendra Davenport: You saw that announcement just this week. Secretary of transportation Pete Buttigieg has really outlined some very significant protections for people with disabilities in air travel. So we are making progress there, and that's a collective effort. Yeah. We see it. We see it. So Paving away. Yeah.

Kendra Davenport: We are. We like to end every episode, every one of these podcasts with an ask me anything segment, so stick around for that. But I wanna ask you just one more question that I ask everybody because everybody knows I read constantly. I'm a voracious reader, and I love to know what other people are reading. So is there anything you're reading now or that you've read recently that you wanna share? Can be can be for pleasure or can be something helpful.

Mark Raymond: There is. I'm actually reading a few books right now. I try to keep a couple just rolling. The changing world order by Ray Dalio. I'm about halfway through that.

Kendra Davenport: Hedge fund guy?

Mark Raymond: Hedge fund guy. Yep. Catching up to crypto. Great.

Kendra Davenport: Oh, there you go again with your big currency.

Mark Raymond: You know, it's like one of those things that's gonna happen whether people like it or not. And a lot of folks, here's a here's another, you know, philosophy of mine. A lot of times, we're either a catalyst of something or a casualty of it. And I feel like crypto is gonna be one of those things. Right? Like, folks thought Bitcoin was a was not a thing, and now it's over a $100,000. You got BlackRock. You know? And all of the big hedge funds were ETFs.

Mark Raymond: Going back to my books. So here's my last one, and this is a fun one. Origin by Dan Brown. Great book about AI and the future of AI in society. Like, I would recommend folks to read it twice.

Kendra Davenport: Read it that's high praise. Okay.

Mark Raymond: Read it twice. And read the last chapter a few times. Okay. The last chapter is just like, okay. Yeah. I could see that. Right? Like but the one of the premises, and I'll just drop this little this little Easter egg. The AI had gotten so good that it could retrace basically the history of the world, of the universe, and, like, retraced the evolution of humans and, like, all of it and spit it back out.

Mark Raymond: And then also had could predict elements of the future and how we're moving more into, like, bionics and the merging of technology and biology. It's fascinating, especially for someone who is disabled and very interested in research and up and coming treatments. You know, I'm always paying attention to stem cell research and what the Miami project's doing. And yeah. Oh, Christopher. This isn't a book recommendation, but I think everybody should watch Christopher Reid's documentary. Mhmm. Great.

Mark Raymond: Powerful. Powerful and innovative. And when I think about somebody who is, like, literally the epitome of positivity and manifestation, you know,

Kendra Davenport: At a time, remember, when disability wasn't even mentioned.

Mark Raymond: Yeah.

Kendra Davenport: I mean, I think our progress in the disability world and getting the rest of the world, the non disabled world, to better understand what disability is and isn't, Really, I think Christopher Reeves did a world of good and catapulted our way of thinking, really changed it for the better. I mean, there are some iconic people like him who have helped move the proverbial needle in terms of disability. So, yeah, I've seen it, and I would see it again, and that's good advice. I might do that while I'm on my little Christmas break.

Mark Raymond: The 88 was 5 years old when he had his accident. And who I mean, I hate to say it like this, but who better than Superman?

Kendra Davenport: The Superman?

Mark Raymond: You know? Literally, like, the guiding light. And so a lot of times too, when I when I was down or I would think about other people whose situations were worse than mine. Right? Like, everybody's situation is variable. Mine is I have a good life. Mhmm. I live a good life.

Kendra Davenport: Sure do. You sure do. I love this I love this conversation. Love talking to you. Love seeing you. Love drawing from your energy, man. So thank you. Thank you for your time, Mark.

Kendra Davenport: Thank you for your candor and your honesty. We're really fortunate to know you, I mean, Easterseals writ large, and to have drawn you in so that we can work together at the national level. Ah. But I'll see you I'll see you soon in New Orleans, my friend. And between now and then, just stay well, and thank you so much.

Mark Raymond: Equally as, as grateful for you and your leadership and Easterseals and looking forward to the work that we'll do over the next few years. A lot of folks look forward to the championship. I look forward to going to practice. I like the journey.

Kendra Davenport: Well said. Okay. So the ask me anything question today is how do you find strength to lead through challenging times, especially when you are experiencing personal obstacles? Always difficult to balance your personal and your professional life, and that's why in mine, they blur. The lines blur between personal and professional. And I know there's a whole school of thought that says, no. You don't miss business with pleasure. You don't miss personal with professional. I think in in a leadership role, where you are the CEO, as I am, of a large NGO like Easterseals, it is almost impossible to maintain really well defined boundaries between personal and professional.

Kendra Davenport: And I've always thought I've always erred on the side of not maintaining those boundaries, not doing anything inappropriate, but rather having many of the people with whom I work become more than just professional colleagues, they become friends. And that's because you're doing work that's impactful. You share the same mindset. You share the same vision. You work to support the same mission. It's hard not to like people that are like minded. And if you enjoy what you're doing and you enjoy your work, then you tend to enjoy the people you're working with. And so it's natural, I think, that relationships begin and are fostered and cultivated, and that helps through the difficult times.

Kendra Davenport: It helps when the people with whom you work know you. They know enough about your family, your personal life, what you might be experiencing if you're caring for a loved one who's sick, if one of your children is going through something, if there's an issue with your spouse or partner. And that knowledge helps people be empathetic. It helps them give you a little grace when you need it. It also helps if you're just a good person and you try to be kind and empathetic and compassionate to others even as a leader. It can be challenging. There have been times when I've been neck deep in work and work is, you know, careening. Right? There's so much going on and had to deal with a personal issue that's draining, draining emotionally.

Kendra Davenport: I know a lot of women, who find the balance between motherhood, and marriage and having a high powered career very, very difficult to strike. And I've had people tell me it's impossible. It's impossible to do both. I'm living proof it is not impossible. Does your personal life suffer sometimes because of work and vice versa? Yes. Yes. We're human. You know, there are times when you cannot devote a 100% of your attention to work, and yet work needs you if you're in a leadership position to be at that 100% capacity more often than not.

Kendra Davenport: Similarly, we ask a lot of the people we love if we're in a leadership position. We ask for their patience without even verbally asking. We just we know to do the jobs we are doing, to take on a leadership role, you're gonna need some grace from the people around you. And there are times when your personal life definitely suffers, when you are not giving a 100% of your time or attention to the people you love when they may need it most because work is diverting that attention. I think you do the best you can. You do the best you can, and you rely on the things that help keep you balanced when you're experiencing a particular challenge in your personal life. Maybe that's prayer. Maybe it's exercise.

Kendra Davenport: Maybe it's meditation. Maybe it's talking in with a therapist. Maybe it's being part of a support group. It's different. That looks different for everyone. For me, it's making time to do the things that I've thoroughly enjoyed doing even in the face of really strenuous professional activity. And I don't mean physically strenuous. I mean mentally tasking.

Kendra Davenport: You know? Sometimes it's physical if you're traveling a lot. But I try very hard to make my weekends my weekends. And while work does creep into weekends, I often do things like paint or ride my horses or just do what I call animal husbandry, you know, take care of my animals, be spend time with my children if I'm really fortunate and they're around, or my husband, and where we're doing things we like, like hiking or walking on the dirt roads that surround us, you know, around our home in Virginia, or if we're shopping and just really enjoying all that Chicago has to offer. Taking that time and recognizing that you need that time, you know, just having spoken with with Mark Raymond on the podcast, he agreed. You know, you need to sometimes take a mental beat and refill yourself so that you can tackle the challenges when they come at you full force, you know, so you have the energy. So I think it's about balance. I think it's about knowing your priorities and your boundaries if you if you, you know, those are important to you and adhering to them. And to consistently replenishing what keeps you going, replenishing the source of energy you need to address big challenges by, you know, as I said, speaking with others, praying, meditating, exercising, doing some other activity that really fills your cup.

Kendra Davenport: Easterseals empowers people with disabilities and their families to be full and equal participants in their communities and within society. Easterseals is where everyone can feel welcomed and people know that they aren't judged, but treated with the dignity that they deserve. Each day, we provide life changing services nationwide and advocate for policies that improve quality of life. From employment to housing services, to job training, childcare, and respite care, adult day programs, and so much more, Easterseals is making a profound impact in thousands of communities every day. You can learn more by visiting easterseals.com. That concludes our episode. Thank you so much for listening. If you like what you heard, be sure to write a review.

Kendra Davenport: Like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, and be sure to join us in the next episode as we discuss how we can all get on board with Transparent Leadership.