Shows
Be Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Elle AndersonToday's episode is with Elle Anderson. Elle is a CPR and preparedness advocate for teens. She shares her personal experiences that have helped her to overcome challenges and drove her to start a movement.Elle is Miss Timpanogos Teen 2025, a professional-level violinist, and a passionate youth advocate. She is the founder of Every Beat Matters, an initiative partnering with Utah fire departments to train teens in CPR and life-saving skills. As the President of her FBLA chapter and a Turning Point USA chapter president, she leads with vision and purpose, dedicated to empowering youth to discover their...
2025-10-0229 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Kaden JensenOn todays episode I get to chat with Kaden Jensen. We talk about his difficult road to recovery from substance abuse and suicidal ideation. Kaden shares how one single step can save your life. His message is sooo important and impactful!Disclaimer: In this episode we talk about abuse, substance abuse and suicide. My name is Kaden! 27 years old from Kaysville, UT. A few things about me… I love to be active, I love working out, I love to travel, and most importantly, I love to live life to its fullest at any opportunity I get...
2025-09-2525 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: ShayLee HunterOn todays episode I chat with ShayLee Hunter. She shares about her journey with chronic illness and invisible disability advocacy. He goodness shines through and is a great example to all of us. ShayLee Raye Hunter is the Fundraising Coordinator working for Mascot Miracles Foundation. She graduated with her Master’s in Professional Communication from Weber State University. She has her undergraduate in Communications, emphasizing in Civic Advocacy. ShayLee has worked for numerous companies that strive for advocacy such as The Oley Foundation where she is currently the HPN Hero Award recipient for 2025, Hope Hero Foundation, Hidden Dis...
2025-09-1828 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero Podcast: Brighton & Harper ChatterronOn today's episode I speak with Brighton and Harper Chatterton. Two sisters that have suffered with life threatening food allergies their whole lives. We talk about their journey of overcoming and being stronger on the other side. Brighton (16) and Harper (14) are authors of the book "Hey, It's Me, Preslee!". Available on Amazon and Barns & Noble. More about the book: Eleven-year-old Preslee Thompson has serious food allergies. She dreams of a world where she doesn’t live in fear and have to worry if the food she eats will cause a life-threatening allerg...
2025-09-1223 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero Podcast: Brighton and Harper ChattertonOn today's episode I speak with Brighton and Harper Chatterton. Two sisters that have suffered with life threatening food allergies their whole lives. We talk about their journey of overcoming and being stronger on the other side. Brighton (16) and Harper (14) are authors of the book "Hey, It's Me, Preslee!". Available on Amazon and Barns & Noble. More about the book: Eleven-year-old Preslee Thompson has serious food allergies. She dreams of a world where she doesn’t live in fear and have to worry if the food she eats will cause a life-threatening allerg...
2025-09-1100 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Kira Gardner Welcome to season 2!! On todays episode we get to chat with one of my very best friends, Kira Gardner. Kira shares her love of the arts and how her experiences have shaped her personal initiative H.O.P.E. Through The Arts. Miss Utah’s Teen 2024, Kira Gardner, is a 18 year old senior at Freshman at Brigham Young University. She has advocated for her Community Service Initiative, Hope Through the Arts, since she was 13 years old. With background as the Lehi youth city council mayor, business owner, Hope Squad member, and a lover of many...
2025-09-0421 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe You Own Hero: Natalie CastroOn today's episode I get to chat with my friend Natalie Castro. Natalie is not only Miss Utah For America, but also a Neurodivergent Child Development Coach. We talk about how teens today can be inclusive and advocate for the special needs community.More about Natalie: My journey began with my sister Angie, whose autism shaped my childhood. A turning point came at Denny’s when Angie’s actions left me heartbroken. But that moment of frustration transformed into understanding, as I learned autism meant Angie saw and communicated with the world differently. This r...
2025-02-1224 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Natalie CastroOn today's episode I get to chat with my friend Natalie Castro. Natalie is not only Miss Utah For America, but also a Neurodivergent Child Development Coach. We talk about how teens today can be inclusive and advocate for the special needs community.More about Natalie: My journey began with my sister Angie, whose autism shaped my childhood. A turning point came at Denny’s when Angie’s actions left me heartbroken. But that moment of frustration transformed into understanding, as I learned autism meant Angie saw and communicated with the world differently. This r...
2025-02-1223 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Haylee SullivanMy guest today is Haylee Sullivan. She is a teen on a mission to support veterans and their families. Learn all about how she is helping military families in her community and how we can do the same.More about Haylee: Haylee Sullivan is 15 years old from Lehi, Utah. She loves talking to and meeting new people. She is new to pageants and has fallen in love with them. Her Community Service Initiative, No Family Left Behind is about military families and is inspired by her dad who serves. Her favorite thing to do outside of...
2025-02-0521 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: AnaLeigha MeekOn todays episode I get to chat with one of my favorite humans, AnaLeigha Meek.We talk about her community service initiative, Healthy Habits, Healthy Hearts and how we can make healthy habits today to help us in the future. We talk about perfectionism and how it’s not about being perfect; it’s about striving to uplift others and live with faith and kindness in everything we do.More about Ana:Spreading Kindness, One Connection at a Time: The Story of AnaLeigha Meek AnaLeigha Meek is a 21-year-old media marketing student at Utah Valley Univ...
2025-01-2924 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Joe Tuia'anaThis is such a special episode with my friend Joe Tuia'ana. He is the founder and CEO of the i love you bro PROJECT. We talk about why it is so important to support the men and boys in our lives. Joe teaches that our most vulnerable selves can be our superpower!Here is a little more about Joe:Founder and CEO of the i love you bro PROJECT - a 501c3 nonprofit organization for Men's Mental Health, Suicide Prevention, and ongoing Personal Development through connective evidence-based programming. Joe started the i love you bro PROJECT...
2025-01-2230 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Cooper & Shantay LowellI have been wanting to interview these two since my podcast started! My conversation with Cooper & Shantay Lowell was so great. Cooper is a 10 year old with achondroplasia. He shares about his life and some of the difficult things he has had to go through lately. I get to chat with him and his mom Shantay about how we can still be resilient through our challenges. You can follow their journey on Instagram: shantaylowell
2025-01-1525 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Soph GainesToday I get to chat with my darling friend Soph Gaines. She is such a great example of using her superpower to help others. Soph is a 14 year old actor, dancer, daughter and sister. She lives life to the fullest and makes friends with everyone, everywhere she goes!Follow Soph on Instagram: Personal: Sparkling._.Soph, CSI: _Share.Your.Light_
2025-01-0815 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Noelle CondieTodays episode is with my sweet friend and real life superhero Noelle Condie. She is the founder of This Mind of Mine! This is an organization meant to encourage healing, growth, foster community, and highlight resources within the world of Mental Health. We talk about her experiences and how she has been able to help others. Noelle Condie, published journalist, Junior at the University of Utah double majoring in Political Science and Communications with emphasis’ in Community Engagement & Nonprofit Organization, and Broadcast Journalism. Noelle is also the current Miss Deseret. Follow along with Noelle on Inst...
2025-01-0123 min
Be Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Brenna TorresToday I get to chat with one of my besties, Brenna Torres. She is a powerful force sharing body positivity in her community. Brenna shares what she teaches about the power positivity. Find Brenna on Instagram: @brennatorres811 or @Misssalemsteen.ut
2024-12-1819 minBe Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Here: Keira BixlerI'm so excited to share this episode with my conversation with Keira Bixler. She is such a powerhouse and such an inspiration. She found her superpower at a young age and hasn't looked back since. Keira is a literacy advocate and Miss California’s Teen 2024. For over 13 years, Keira has been working to irradicate national illiteracy. She also is a freshman at UC Berkeley studying economics and media studies with a minor in dance and performance, lobbies on behalf of the American Heart Association, and has her own podcast called Imagine with Keira which aims to uplift sto...
2024-12-1119 min
Be Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero: Elysia ButlerOn todays episode I get to introduce you to one of my real life superheroes, Elysia Butler. I am lucky to work with her as an Ambassador for The Hope Hero Foundation. Elysia (Ee-lee-sha) is a passionate advocate for proactive mental well-being and suicide prevention, especially among youth. As the founder of the Hope Hero Foundation, Elysia is dedicated to equipping young people with the tools and resilience needed to become the heroes of their own stories. Drawing from personal experiences and over 14 years as an educator, Elysia has created innovative programs that combine the Hero's Journey f...
2024-12-0430 min
Be Your Own Hero PodcastBe Your Own Hero Introduction EpisodeWelcome to the Be Your Own Hero Podcast with host Laynie Anderson. Here a bit of my story and how I discovered one of my inner superpowers and decided to help others do the same.
2024-12-0203 min
The Winter Growth Challenge (John)John 19 (Trevor Burns)Trevor Burns is a college senior at the WKU BCM. Listen to what he has to share about John 19.
The Winter Growth Challenge Reflection is by Laynie Boggs, one of the Women's Coordinators at the WKU BCM.
2022-03-2632 min