Collaborative Solutions Podcast

Episode 49: How Cities Move Forward: Leadership, Collaboration, and the Work Ahead with Mayor Brad Finkeldei

We kick off 2026 with a conversation with Mayor Brad Finkeldei, who shares what it’s really like to lead a city through complex and often polarizing issues. From homelessness to community growth, Mayor Finkeldei reflects on the role of political will, collaboration, and steady leadership in shaping Lawrence’s direction.
 
This episode explores what happens when policy, partnership, and persistence come together - and why progress is rarely linear, but always worth working for.

Episode 48: Trusted Navigators - Community Health at Work in Lawrence

Today’s guests are three frontline community health champions: Raul Saenz-Escarcega of Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, a certified CHW who builds trust through relentless outreach—from encampments to home visits with Mobile Integrated Health—connecting neighbors to food, transportation, and care while advocating for equitable systems; Jenn Kessler of Heartland Community Health Center, who leads CHW efforts that remove real-world barriers (think flexible appointment policies, rapid warm handoffs, and a volunteer-powered care cupboard) and weave tight partnerships across agencies; and Shawna Davis, also at Heartland, a pediatric-focused CHW whose lived experience fuels compassionate, rapid response for families—spotting crises early, rallying supports, and meeting parents and kids exactly where they are. Together, they’re the relationship-driven navigators turning “a place for everyone” from slogan into daily practice in Lawrence and Douglas County.

Episode 47: Building Community Infrastructure for Behavioral Health - A Conversation with Dr. Kenneth Minkoff

On this episode of Collaborative Solutions (August 20, 2025), hosts Barry Feaker, Misty Bosch-Hastings, and Brett Hartford welcome special guest Dr. Kenneth Minkoff, a nationally recognized leader in psychiatry, addiction, and system design for behavioral health. Dr. Minkoff shares insights on how Douglas County became connected to his work through the Roadmap to the Ideal Crisis System, and he emphasizes the importance of building proactive, community-wide crisis response networks that treat behavioral health as essential infrastructure—on par with police, fire, and EMS. The conversation highlights Lawrence’s progress in reducing homelessness, the role of outreach teams in engaging people with complex needs, and the value of small, compassionate steps that build trust and long-term stability. Dr. Minkoff also cautions against framing behavioral health investment only in terms of cost savings, stressing instead that effective crisis care is a fundamental community responsibility.

Episode 46: Building Hope and Community: Catholic Charities’ Mission in Action

In this August 13, 2025 episode of Collaborative Solutions, hosted by Barry Feaker and guest co-host Brett Hartford, the conversation centers on tackling homelessness in Lawrence, Douglas County, and beyond, featuring guests Kaitlyn Mercer, Manager of Family Support for Catholic Charities in Lawrence, and Nelson Vowels, Senior Director of Mission Operations for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas. Mercer shares how the Lawrence Family Support Center provides food, clothing, rental and utility assistance, homeless prevention, and rapid rehousing, with a focus on wraparound services that stabilize and uplift individuals and families. Vowels offers a regional perspective, describing Catholic Charities’ 21-county network, including transitional housing programs like Shalom House, eviction prevention, refugee resettlement, and immigration legal services—all available to people of any faith or no faith. Together, the guests emphasize the importance of both transactional aid and relational hospitality, illustrating how simple acts of connection can restore dignity, foster hope, and inspire community transformation.

Episode 45: Business with Purpose - Aaron Thakker on Building More Than Just Structures

In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, Misty Bosch-Hastings and Barry Feaker sit down with Lawrence business leader Aaron Thakker, a man whose journey from justice involvement as a youth to successful entrepreneurship is both inspiring and deeply personal.
 
Aaron shares how one adult’s belief in him at age 17 changed the course of his life, sparking a transformation that now fuels his commitment to helping others. As the founder of multiple companies and the nonprofit Anchored Collective, Aaron uses his success to give back by supporting housing projects, family services, and community partnerships throughout Douglas County.
 
More than a businessman, Aaron is a hope dealer. His story is a testament to the power of second chances, the importance of presence, and the impact that’s possible when people from all sectors unite to address homelessness.
 
This episode is a heartfelt reminder: You don’t have to be in social services to change lives, you just have to show up.

Episode 44: Sunshine on the Front Lines - APRN Becky Lagger-Dyer's role in ending chronic homelessness

In this powerful episode, Misty Bosch-Hastings and Barry Feaker welcome Becky Lagger-Dyer, a nurse practitioner with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health and a core member of the Homeless Response Team (HRT). Becky shares how she brings both medical and psychiatric care directly to unsheltered individuals, building trust and bridging critical service gaps.
 
Her personal journey - from a teen mom on public assistance to a 6 degree having, dual-certified nurse practitioner - is as inspiring as the impact she makes in the field. The team also celebrates a major win: a woman in crisis saying yes to treatment after months of outreach.
 
Someone once believed Becky had more to offer - and now, she’s the one planting that belief in others every day.

Episode 43: Destined for Greatness - Dustin Moore’s Path from Prison to Purpose

In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, we spotlight Dustin Moore—Lead for the City of Lawrence’s Homeless Response Team through Artists Helping the Homeless, a devoted father and husband, and a tireless advocate for people experiencing homelessness.
 
Dustin’s journey to this role is nothing short of extraordinary. Formerly incarcerated and unhoused, he has transformed his life through courage, accountability, and a deep commitment to service. His story is a testament to growth, resilience, and the power of second chances.
 
With raw honesty and deep insight, Dustin reflects on the complexity of addiction and homelessness—reminding us that not every story begins with trauma or hardship. Sometimes, these struggles touch the lives of people who had stability and support. Addiction knows no boundaries. It cuts across income, race, and background—and so does the hope of recovery.
 
Dustin shares how he rebuilt his life, rose into leadership, and now shows up every day to walk alongside others on their own path to stability. His journey challenges stereotypes and reminds us that redemption isn’t just possible—it’s powerful.

Episode 42: From Rock Bottom to Renewal — The Power of One Compassionate Connection

When Eric Knackstedt walked into a Lawrence warming shelter last winter, he was homeless, high, and ready to give up. What happened next changed the trajectory of his life. In this episode, Eric shares his powerful story of survival, recovery, and hope—and how a single, heartfelt conversation with peer outreach worker Kristin Demby helped him believe that healing was possible. Together with Misty Bosch-Hastings, Director of Homeless Solutions for the City of Lawrence, Barry Feaker leads a discussion that explores how peer support, persistence, and human connection are transforming lives across Douglas County.

Episode 41: Signs from Sam- The Story Behind Cardinal Housing with Hannah Bolton

In this powerful episode of Collaborative Solutions, we sit down with Hannah Bolton, founder of the Cardinal Housing Network—a recovery housing program born from heartbreak and transformed into healing. After losing her brother Sam to addiction, Hannah channeled her grief into purpose, creating a safe, supportive space for women in early recovery right in the heart of Lawrence.
 
Joined by Misty Bosch-Hastings and James Chisholm, we explore the gaps in our local recovery system, the importance of community-based solutions, and what it takes to turn personal tragedy into collective hope. Hannah’s story is a moving reminder that change doesn’t start with systems—it starts with people.

Episode 40: Bridging the Badge and the Broken - Sergeant Klamm’s Outreach Revolution

In this moving episode of Collaborative Solutions, Sergeant Joshua Klamm emerges as a quiet force of transformation—proving that true public safety is rooted in compassion, connection, and dignity. A Topeka police officer who defies every stereotype, Klamm’s work in homeless outreach redefines what it means to serve and protect. With a heart-first approach, he meets unsheltered individuals not with handcuffs, but with humanity—offering options, building trust, and honoring the dignity of each person he encounters. From launching a groundbreaking city ID program to helping lead complex camp transitions with empathy and steadiness, his impact stretches far beyond jurisdictional lines. In Lawrence, he’s helping to train the next generation of outreach responders, bringing his signature balance of accountability and love. As Misty Bosch-Hastings puts it, "He was the first officer I ever saw treated like a friend in camp—and the first who made me believe that healing and law enforcement could coexist."