The Reaching Higher Podcast

Chef Christine Ha — MasterChef Season 3 winner, New York Times bestselling cookbook author, restaurateur, and disability advocate — joins Aaron Strout for a deeply moving and inspiring conversation. Christine shares how losing her mother at 14, gradually losing her sight to neuromyelitis optica, and competing on the world's biggest cooking stage all shaped the chef, author, and advocate she is today. From the kitchen of her Houston gastropub, the Blind Goat, to the halls of the United Nations, Christine's message is clear: resilience, purposeful living, and celebrating small victories are the keys to a fulfilling life.Killer Quotes:"I think [losing my vision] just really taught me the resilience of our human bodies and our minds if we really have a will — we will find a way to achieve whatever goals we have, regardless of whatever challenges that may come our way.""Learn to celebrate the small victories. When I lost my vision, I went from making an entire Thanksgiving meal to barely being able to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. But week by week, I kept at it — and eventually I realized how much progress I'd actually made.""People with various abilities or disabilities can live very purposeful, fulfilling lives and meet their goals and achieve their vision, so long as there's a network of support."Show Links:The Blind Goat Restaurant (Houston): https://www.theblindgoat.com Christine Ha on Instagram (@TheBlindCook): https://www.instagram.com/theblindcook Helen Keller International (donate via Christine's Instagram link): https://www.hki.org Easter Seals Southern California: https://www.easterseals.com/southerncal Kids Meals Houston: https://www.kidsmealsinc.org No Barriers USA: https://www.nobarriersusa.org Bonus — Queen Live at Live Aid (referenced by Aaron): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbvyNnw8GQo

In this deeply moving episode, host Aaron Strout sits down with Luke Mickelson, founder of nonprofit "Sleep in Heavenly Peace" (SHP) — the organization behind the powerful mission: "No kid sleeps on the floor in our town."What started in Luke's Idaho garage after discovering local children sleeping on piles of clothes has grown into a global movement with over 400 chapters across the US and four countries, delivering hundreds of thousands of beds to children in need.Luke shares his journey from farm kid to purpose-driven leader, and his grounding philosophy: *humans helping humans. A true masterclass in service leadership — have tissues ready.🔗 Show Links:* Sleep in Heavenly Peace – https://www.shpbeds.org* Mike Rowe's (of "Dirty Jobs" fame) "Returning the Favor" episode featuring Luke and Sleep in Heavenly Peace – https://fb.watch/Gx7hUfR8wi/* SHP on CNN Heroes – https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/28/us/cnnheroes-luke-mickelson-sleep-in-heavenly-peace

What does it take to go from a terminal diagnosis to transforming an entire industry? In this episode, we sit down with Kathy Giusti — two-time cancer survivor, founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF), Harvard Business School faculty member, and author of Fatal to Fearless — to talk about adopting a CEO mindset when navigating a cancer diagnosis, breaking down silos in healthcare, and why curing cancer is as much a business problem as a scientific one. Kathy also walks us through her 12-step guide for patients at every stage of their journey.Show Links:* Kathy's website & 12-step guide: https://kathygiusti.com* Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation: https://multiplemyeloma.org* Fatal to Fearless (book): https://www.kathygiusti.com/book

Today’s guest is someone who truly embodies what it means to reach higher—Chef Aaron Sanchez. I met Chef Aaron Sanchez about 15 years ago at his friend's restaurant in New Orleans. My family and I had discovered him on the Food Network's show, Chopped back in 2009 and he was one of our favorites.Over the years, we kept in touch and he was gracious enough to be a guest on my previous What2Know (which morphed into the Real Chemistry pod). I was reminded of what a talented, humble but still competitive chef he was on HBO/Max's Wildcard Kitchen this year and couldn't resist reaching out to see if he'd join me once again on the Reaching Higher Podcast.During our engaging conversation, he talks about starting life as a mischievous kid who found structure and purpose in the kitchen and his journey to becoming one of the most respected voices in food today.Chef Aaron’s journey is rooted in mentorship, humility, and heart. Inspired early on by his mother, his grandmother and the legendary Chef Paul Prudhomme, Aaron learned that cooking isn’t just about flavor—it’s about discipline, culture, and life lessons. In addition to Chopped, you may have also seen him on shows like MasterChef, Next Iron Chef, Heat Seekers, Chef vs City, and Taco Trip. Most importantly we dive into his founding of the Chef Aaron Sanchez Impact Fund, how he picks his candidates and why he sees mentoring them as so critically important.Show links* Impact Fund: https://www.aaronsanchezimpactfund.com/* Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ChefAaronSanchez/* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefaaronsanchez* Hiking My Feelings: https://hikingmyfeelings.org/

In this episode, Aaron Strout sits down with Alaina Percival, co‑founder of Women Who Code to explore her journey from global brand management at companies like Puma and Versace to building one of the world’s most influential communities for women in tech.During the conversation, Alaina shares how teaching herself to code sparked a mission that ultimately supported women across 147 countries before Women Who Code transitioned operations amid 2023–2024 tech layoffs. Now a venture partner at Valor Ventures, she discusses investing in B2B AI and SaaS startups across the U.S. South, the coming wealth transfer to women, and how AI will reshape—not erase—jobs. The conversation closes with reflections on focus, leadership, and embracing reinvention.Show Links* Women Who Code: https://www.womenwhocode.com* Valor Ventures: https://www.valor.vc

In this episode of Reaching Higher, host Aaron Strout sits down with Dr. James McKowen, a clinical psychologist and addiction specialist at Mass General, to explore the evolving mental health challenges facing today’s youth. Dr. McKowen shares his unconventional journey from marine biology to youth addiction research, shaped by personal loss and deep scientific curiosity. Together, they unpack the misunderstood realities of youth addiction, the rise of cannabis dependency, and how climate anxiety is reshaping an entire generation’s emotional landscape. The conversation offers practical tools, hopeful insights, and a compassionate roadmap for supporting teens in an increasingly complex world.Show links:* Climate | Health | Resilience: https://www.climatehealthresilience.com/* Change is Simple: https://www.changeissimple.org/* Gardeners Question Time podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gardeners-question-time/id325945259* Alice Coltrane: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0oKYiTD5CdNbrofRvM1dIr?autoplay_ok=1

On this episode of The Reaching Higher Podcast, Aaron Strout sits down with legendary futurist Faith Popcorn for a mind‑bending conversation about cocooning, ethical consumerism, AI agents, corporate “troublemaking,” and the rapidly shifting social landscape. Faith unpacks how she predicts the far future with 95% accuracy, why bots will soon shop on our behalf, and how women are poised to reshape the global economy. From business insights to societal transformation, this episode challenges assumptions and inspires listeners to think boldly about what’s next.Show LinksFaith's website: https://faithpopcorn.com/Her current luxury interest: https://loveluxury.co.uk/SXSW session on March 13: https://schedule.sxsw.com/events/PP1162575Aaron's book publisher: https://captainofbooks.com/

Today on the Reaching Higher podcast, we're joined by someone whose life story is as extraordinary as his talent, comedian, actor, storyteller, and Oakland native, Don Reed. Don's journey spans two radically different worlds, from a deeply religious upbringing to the chaotic vibrancy of his father's street-level hustle, ultimately shaping a performer with unmatched empathy, range, and heart.He went from navigating moral extremes in East Oakland to becoming a nationally recognized comic, a master storyteller, and a thousand episode veteran of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Today we'll explore Don's upbringing, his creative inspiration, the power of authentic storytelling, and the impact he's making through Elevate Oakland. Don Reed is a for us and you're about to hear why.Show LinksElevate Oakland - https://www.elevateoakland.org/Redwood Nights: Storytelling Under the Stars - https://redwoodnightslive.com/IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0715394/