Health Hats, the Podcast

Health Hats walks & floats through ancient Maya caves in Belize with forearm crutches, teamwork, trust, and shared decision-making every step of the way. Watch this episode on YouTube. Audio is published, but not the same Podcast episode on YouTube Summary What does it take to go cave tubing in Belize when you use forearm crutches and have no electric wheelchair? For Danny van Leeuwen, it takes the 3 T’s: Time (a half-mile walk), Trust (in guides and companions), and Talk (real-time decisions about stairs vs. river crossings). HHP245 is a first-person GoPro video of Danny floating through the sacred Caves Branch River — ancient Maya ceremonial grounds — with his wife and friend Linda. It’s part adventure, part health advocacy, and part proof that with the right team, you can push your capabilities further than you thought. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemNarrativeReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci   Inspired by and Grateful to: Mike and Linda DeRosa, Ann Boland, Ruben, David, and all our guides and helpers Photo Credits for Videos All by Danny van Leeuwen using GoPro10 Referenced in episode Nohoch Che’en Caves, Branch Archeological Reserve, Episode Proem I delight in pushing the boundaries of my capabilities. In Belize, floating in a tube through caves and snorkeling stretched me. How can tubing stretch anything? It’s passive floating. The event included a mile-long walk to the cave entrance – relatively flat with some steps and wading across the river, a mere six-inches deep. No electric wheelchair, just my forearm crutches. Our guide and my compatriots shared in the decision-making and assisted me. This video episode was taken with a GoPro camera hanging around my neck. Watch the video. Reading will not give you the flavor. Narrative Let me tell you a little bit about where we are what you’ll see. Excuse me, as I will be certainly butchering some of the names of stuff. So where we are is Nohoch Che’en Caves, Branch Archeological Reserve, also called the Caves Branch River. It’s in the Cayo District, and districts are like provinces or states. It’s by far the most famous cave tubing destination in Belize and one of the most unique in the world. So this was sacred to the ancient Maya. They were considered portal to Xibalba, the Maya underworld. This wasn’t just mythology. The Maya actively used these caves for religious rituals and ceremonies, particularly during times of drought when they needed to communicate with the rain God, chaac. I don’t know. Archeologists have found ceramic offerings, jade artifacts and human remains inside; evidence of sacrificial rights dating back over 2000 years. The caves were largely forgotten after the Maya civilization declined and weren’t widely known to the outside world until the 1980s and nineties when the Belizean guides and explorers began documenting them and it became a active tourist destination in the early two thousands. So the Caves Branch River flows through a network of limestone caves carved out over millions of years. The system I floated on. Is part of a much larger Karst landscape riddled with interconnected caves. Some of them still unexplored. Pretty amazing, huh? Reflection That was it. Fifteen minutes of about an hour total time and 30 minutes of recording. I hope it gives you a flavor of what we did. It was awesome. I will be producing a couple more videos from Belize over the next few months. The next video will be of the Mayan ruins, then making tortillas and tamales, and then, we’ll see. Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/pod223/ https://health-hats.com/pod191/ https://health-hats.com/pod164/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only

Former Nike exec Mark Hochgesang interviews Danny on Heavy Hitter Sports Podcast about MS & being an adaptive athlete. Just back from Belize! Training works. Summary My friend Mark Hochgesang, former Nike exec and host of Heavy Hitter Sports, recently interviewed me. While I usually wear my life on my sleeve on Health Hats, this conversation revealed something different—how I think about myself as an adaptive athlete. Phil Knight’s mantra: “If you have a body, you’re an athlete.” I never thought of it that way until Mark helped me see it. Training to travel? That’s athletic training. Loading a 60-pound wheelchair into an SUV? Strength work. Walking 3,500 steps a day with MS? Competition with myself. Here’s what we covered: 🧠 The Swiss cheese brain scan – My MS diagnosis story (turns out I’d had it for 25 years) 🎷 The baritone saxophone – My neurologist’s #1 prescription for MS. Music creates new neural pathways. 🚶 The 3,500-step goal – Why movement is non-negotiable, even with foot drop and proprioception issues 💪 The “every other day” rule – Setting yourself up for success (stretching, balance, upper body work, squats) 😤 The two-minute bitch – No “happy horseshit” allowed. Life with MS sucks sometimes. Two minutes to vent, then move forward. 🌍 Training to travel – From 70 miles of Camino de Santiago to just returning from Belize (videos coming!) 👨‍👩‍👦 The team – Wife (OT), sons, grandkids (my scouts!), medical team, massage therapists, the Cuban van driver who didn’t speak English 🎯 The win – People understanding that disability takes many forms and asking “How can I help you?” instead of aggressively helping 💡 The legacy – Being remembered as “the cool Opa” The biggest lesson? Build a team. You can’t do this shit alone. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemRedefining Athletic PerformanceNerd to AthleteCoachingCompetingCalculated RisksDiagnosis – FinallySwiss Cheese BrainHad It for Twenty-Five YearsWhen You Know One, You Know OneMovement RegimenBlessed with OptimismManaging HelpThe TeamSelective Decision-MakingAnd Then There’s MusicTraining to Travel with AbilitiesReading the RoomSuperpower and the 2-Minute BitchPushing Through?Scouting it OutHealth Hats, the PodcastBuild a TeamAggressive HelpLegacyReflection Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Inspired by and Grateful to: my entire team Photo Credits for Videos Featured Image by Mark Hochgesang Referenced in episode Heavy Hitter Sports Episode Proem Mark Hochgesang, a former Nike exec and my podcasting buddy, recently hosted me on his podcast, Heavy Hitter Sports. You all know I wear my life on my sleeve and take any opportunity to talk about myself. I’m sharing this episode of Mark’s because it reveals a different story of my abilities and self-image, which I now tell through my collaboration with Mark and his deep understanding of sports. Redefining Athletic Performance Mark: Welcome to Season 4 of Heavy Hitter Sports, where we talk to inspirational figures in the world of sports. Athletes come in many shapes and sizes, and not all heroes perform on a big stage. Today’s episode is a bit different and one that I’ve long been looking forward to. It’s focused on how we adapt to unplanned life changes and adversity, then train, compete, and battle to win on our own terms. My guest is a good friend and fellow podcaster, Danny van Leeuwen. Danny is a former nurse, healthcare executive, musician, traveler, and a man who has lived with multiple sclerosis for many years. This is not a tale about limitations or illness. It’s a story about focus, fortitude, optimism, preparation, and team-building to live an amazing life. Danny’s story as an adaptive athlete challenges us to rethink what strength, toughness, and success look like. If you care about maintaining optimal health, sharpening your mindset, and winning the long game, this is the episode for you. Danny, welcome, my good friend. I’m looking forward to catching up and talking to you about some of the challenges that have been thrown your direction in life. And I’d like to open by getting your thoughts on this Nike

Health Hats Danny celebrates 50 – years with his honey & pounds lost. With gratitude for privilege, & best health thru family, media, music, travel, & advocacy. Summary Think of 2025 as Danny’s Sofrito year—familiar and unexpected ingredients simmering together. The base: 50 years married, daily saxophone practice, steady MS management. The aromatics: Cuban jazz immersion, co-founding a Personal Health Data Bank, and celebrating with old friends on Bloom Mountain. The heat: losing 50 pounds, earning $150 as a “professional” musician, and learning from his grandsons. What makes sofrito work is the slow sauté, the patient layering of flavors. Danny’s learning the same with music (leave white space), with health (five out of ten is excellent), and with AI (it changes the work but doesn’t replace Mom’s feedback). Between PCORI Board meetings, podcast production, band rehearsals, and startup strategy sessions, he’s discovered that retirement’s spicy complexity comes from knowing when to drop out, when to join the rhythm section, and when to let the energizing endorphins carry you through disturbing times. The recipe? Nap whenever and keep improvising. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemFrom Mom to AI50 Years of Love and Privilege RoastedRolling in CubaToo Many and Too Few HornsBest GovernanceGame-Changing StartupOnwardBest Health NowEndorphins and GratitudeRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro and outro Claude, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci, Whisper Transcription Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: All of you! Photo Credits for Videos 50th Anniversary images by Patti Harris, Rich Rieger, Jodi Buckingham, Ann Boland, Christine Higgins, and me Swiss cheese image by Rahul Pugazhendi on Unsplash Nourish image by Santiago Lacarta on Unsplash Cuba images by Ann Boland, Richard Fish, Gisselle Perez, and me Zoom images by Michael Chaffin and Steve Heatherington Links and references The Curse of an Aching Heart Music by Al Piantadosi, Lyrics by Henry Fink 1913 played by the Summer Street Stompers https://health-hats.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-Curse-of-an-Aching-Heart-20251206.mp3 Referenced in episode Dan Fox and Morningside Studios, the Havana Music School, the Havana Jazz Festival Lechuga Fresca Latin Band and Summer Street Stompers Dixieland Band Research partnerships and participatory governance of AI Personal Health Data Bank https://goodlistening.org Episode Proem I love retirement. I have plenty to do on my own schedule. I can nap almost whenever I want. I‘m no better at saying no. Every day feels rich, although I don’t always know what day it is. From Mom to AI My podcast about best health continues to flourish and nourish. Thank you very much. I embrace the tension between creativity and productivity as I test new approaches and media. I published fifteen new episodes in 2025, plus 32 YouTube episodes, and countless social media shorts. What do you think of my new intro and outro? Grandsons Leon and Oscar encouraged me to update them. Leon has been updating my website, as a growing proportion of people access my back catalog. Both Leon and Oscar advise me on direction, content, and strategy, especially using social media. I meet regularly with my virtual, supportive, and challenging podcasting peeps. I enjoy experimenting with AI in production to find and create images and suggest brief descriptions and section headings. My favorite prompt is “Suggest three ironic titles, brief descriptions, and section headings, a tech-savvy teen would appreciate.” I rarely use the suggested responses, but I chuckle and take an unexpected path. AI does not make me more productive; it changes the work a tad. When I first started blogging, I would read draft episodes to my mom. Her feedback was more often helpful than AI’s. I miss my mom. 50 Years of Love and Privilege Roasted The highlights of the year included celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with old friends and my grandsons. Our son, Ruben, served as Master of Ceremonies. Nine people from our 1975 wedding joined us in July on Bloom Mountain in West Virginia to tell stories. We played the Dating Game and Danny and Ann Trivia. We, rather, I, got roasted. Oscar, Bruce Kimmel, and I played Simple Gifts on clarinet, bass, and baritone sax. We sang Simple

Kirk & Lacy on shifting research funding away from federal grants: what happens to community partnerships when the money—and the rules—change? Summary Three Audiences, One Report Lacy Fabian and Kirk Knestis untangle a fundamental confusion in community health research: there are three distinct audiences with competing needs—funders want accountability, researchers want generalizable knowledge, and communities want immediate benefit. Current practice optimizes for the funder, producing deliverables that don’t help the people being served. The alternative isn’t “no strings attached” anarchy but rather honest negotiation about who benefits and who bears the burden of proof. Kirk’s revelation about resource allocation is stark: if one-third of evaluation budgets goes to Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProem1. Introductions & Career Transitions2. The Catalyst: Why This Conversation Matters3. The Ideal State: Restoring Human Connection4. The Localization Opportunity5. Evidence + Story = Impact6. The Funder Issue: Who Is This Truly Benefiting?7. Dissemination, Implementation & Vested Interest8. Data Parties – The Concrete Solution9. No Strings Attached: Reimagining Funder Relationships10. Balancing Accountability and Flexibility11. Where the Money Actually Goes12. The Pendulum Swings13. The Three Relationships: Funder, Researcher, Community14. Maintaining Agency15. Listen and LearnReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: Ronda Alexander, Eric Kettering, Robert Motley, Liz Salmi, Russell Bennett Photo Credits for Videos Data Party image by Erik Mclean on Unsplash Pendulum image by Frames For Your Heart on Unsplash Links and references Lacy Fabian, PhD, is the founder of Make It Matter Program Consulting and Resources (makeitmatterprograms.com). She is a research psychologist with 20+ years of experience in the non-profit and local, state, and federal sectors who uses evidence and story to demonstrate impact that matters. She focuses on helping non-profits thrive by supporting them when they need it—whether through a strategy or funding pivot, streamlining processes, etc. She also works with foundations and donors to ensure their giving matters, while still allowing the recipient non-profits to maintain focus on their mission. When she isn’t making programs matter, she enjoys all things nature —from birdwatching to running —and is an avid reader. Lacy Fabian’s Newsletter: Musings That Matter: Expansive Thinking About Humanity’s Problems Kirk Knestis is an expert in data use planning, design, and capacity building, with experience helping industry, government, and education partners leverage data to solve difficult questions. Kirk is the Executive Director of a startup community nonprofit that offers affordable, responsive maintenance and repairs for wheelchairs and other personal mobility devices to northern Virginia residents. He was the founding principal of Evaluand LLC, a research and evaluation consulting firm providing customized data collection, analysis, and reporting solutions, primarily serving clients in industry, government, and education. The company specializes in external evaluation of grant-funded projects, study design reviews, advisory services, and capacity-building support to assist organizations in using data to answer complex questions. Referenced in episode Zanakis, S.H., Mandakovic, T., Gupta, S.K., Sahay, S., & Hong, S. (1995). “A review of program evaluation and fund allocation methods within the service and government sectors.” Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Vol. 29, No. 1, March 1995, pp. 59-79. This paywalled article presents a detailed analysis of 306 articles from 93 journals that review project/program evaluation, selection, and funding allocation methods in the service and government sectors. Episode Proem When I examine the relationships between health communities and researchers, I become curious about the power dynamics involved. Strong, equitable relationships depend on a balance of power. But what exactly are communities, and what does a power balance look like? The communities I picture are intentional, voluntary groups of people working to

Your health data belongs to you—but how can you share it safely? Fabienne Bourgeois, MD, exposes the complex truth about privacy, permissions, and data control. Summary According to Fabienne Bourgeois, MD, patients want control over their health data, but privacy preferences and constant changes complicate this. The discussion is relevant to people with disabilities, caregivers, and others navigating complex health information. About 80% of people share common privacy concerns that current systems can’t address. The remaining 20% need more detailed controls and customization, though balancing autonomy with privacy remains challenging. Ownership means individuals have the right to participate in research and make informed choices. They need “digital intermediaries”— professionals who assist with data sharing—and genuinely intuitive interfaces. Privacy protections must remain a top priority as health and AI tools continue to develop. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemWhen Life Throws Your Kid a CurveballEmerging Adults MatterYour Medical Records Called—They’re Lost and SeparatedOne Size Fits All? Please!Spoiler: This Affects Way More People Than You’d ThinkCan We Teach Tech to Understand ‘It’s Complicated’?All-or-Nothing Privacy: The Sledgehammer ApproachMacGyver Solutions: When Your Software Says ‘No’The Secret Society of People Who Actually CareJuggling Your Mom’s Meds and Your Kids’ Forms: A Sandwich Generative NightmarePlaying Gatekeeper (Because We’re Scared You’ll Overshare)80% We Can Solve + 20% That’s a NightmareInformed Consent: What If People Actually Understood?Needles in a Haystack: Finding Your 100 People WorldwidePlot Twist: When It’s Your Data, Everything ChangesTraining Wheels for Privacy: Teaching People to ChooseThe New Job Nobody’s Hired Yet: Your Privacy ConciergeCan We Build This So My Oma Can Use It?Tech’s Outrunning Privacy (And We’re All Just Watching)ReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: Alexis and Sara Snyder, Amy and Morgan Gleeson, Fatima Mohammed Ighile, Esosa Ighile, Jill Woodworth, Tomas Moran, Marianne Hudgins Photo Credits for Videos 80/20 by Austin Distel on Unsplash Design flaws by Getty Images on Unsplash Privacy by Hector Reyes on Unsplash Links and references Fabienne Bourgeois, MD LinkedIn and Publications National Center for Medical Legal Partnerships Episode Proem The slogan, “Give Me My Damn Data,” began in 2009 with E-Patient Dave DeBronkart as a call for transparency and control: patients arguing that real involvement in their healthcare needs open access to their personal health information. But once we have our data, what will we do with it? Who will we share it with, and in what situations? What are the personal and technical challenges of managing that sharing? I know enough to be dangerous about data-sharing technology. I do understand the personal and relationship sides of data sharing, though. To learn more, I reached out to my former colleague, Fabienne Bourgeois, an Adolescent Medicine doctor and Associate Chief Medical Information Officer (ACMIO) at Boston Children’s Hospital. Fifteen years ago, we worked together, learning from emerging adults about their worries and issues with data sharing. We enjoyed catching up and reviewing the current landscape. For my followers who prefer the written word, this transcript has been lightly edited and organized for readability. When Life Throws Your Kid a Curveball Health Hats: Hi. When did you first realize health was fragile? Fabienne: Oh, that started pretty early on in medical school. I had some very transformative interactions and experiences with patients and families during my medical school rotations, particularly in pediatrics, which really led me to pursue a career in pediatrics. But there really were some extraordinary families. And it just became very apparent that things could change very quickly and that patients and parents were managing patients with really chronic conditions. Regularly, something could change—really change —and we had to be very vigilant about everything. And the familie

Healthcare AI isn’t a tech problem—it’s a mirror reflecting how our health system already fails. Uncomfortable truths from Datapalooza 2025. Summary We’re asking the wrong questions about AI in healthcare. Instead of debating whether it’s good or bad, we need to examine the system-eating-its-tail contradictions we’ve created: locking away vital data so AI learns from everything except what matters most, demanding transparency from inherently secretive companies, and fearing tools could make us lazy instead of more capable. Privacy teams protect data, tech companies build tools, regulators write rules—everyone’s doing their part, but no one steps back to see the whole dysfunctional picture. AI in healthcare isn’t a technology problem; it’s a mirror reflecting how our health system already falls short with privacy rules that hinder progress, design processes that exclude patients, and institutions that fear transparency more than mediocrity. The real question is whether we’re brave enough to fix these underlying problems that AI makes impossible to ignore. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemParadox, Irony, Catch 22Burying the Treasure to Keep It SafeBias, Treating the Chart, Not the PatientCircular Dependence, Chasing Your TailIt Doesn’t Have to Make Sense.Throwing Out the Baby with the BathwaterClear as MudRedistricting to DemocratizeHumanize Through the Looking GlassDriving while looking into the Rearview MirrorA Million Interns Working for YouWhat Keeps Me Up at Night About AI?ReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: Christine Von Raesfeld, Mike Mittleman, Ame Sanders, Mark Hochgesang, Kathy Cocks, Eric Kettering, Steve Labkoff, Laura Marcial, Amy Price, Eric Pinaud, Emily Hadley. Links and references Academy Health’s Datapalooza 2025 Innovation Unfiltered: Evidence, Value, and the Real-World Journey of Transforming Health Care Tableau a visual analytics platform Practical AI in Healthcare podcast hosted by Steven Labkoff, MD Episode Proem Here’s the thing about AI in healthcare—it’s like that friend who offers to help you move, then shows up with a sports car. The Iron Woman meant well, but it doesn’t quite meet your actual needs. I spent September 5th at Academy Health’s 2025 Datapalooza conference about AI in healthcare, ‘Innovation Unfiltered: Evidence, Value, and the Real-World Journey of Transforming Health Care. a is Academy Health’s strongest conference for people with lived experience. I’m grateful to Academy Health for providing me with a press pass, which enabled me to attend the conference. I talked to attendees about how they use AI in their work and what keeps them up at night about AI. I recorded some of those conversations and the panels I attended. When I listened to the raw footage, I heard terrible recordings filled with crowd noise and loud table chatter, like dirty water spraying out of a firehose. Aghast, I thought, what is the story here? I was stumped. How can I make sense of this? I had to deliver something. So, here’s how I use AI in my work as a podcaster/vlogger. I used the Auphonic app to clean up the audio and remove noise, and then the Descript app to create transcripts of all the recordings. I went into my Claude podcast Project (a Project is an ongoing thread with everything I’ve done with Claude for my podcast over the past three months). I attached the transcripts and prompted the AI platform to identify themes. OK, that was helpful, but dull. So, I prompted Claude to think like a tech-savvy teen with a sense of humor. Eureka! Now we’re getting somewhere. I edited heavily and then prompted Claude to identify clips of speakers that illustrated the themes. I used the Perplexity app for research. Finally, I did the last written edit with a polish from the Grammarly app. For audio, I returned to the Descript app, found the recommended clips, and extracted them. Then I recorded a video of myself, again using Descript. Compilation editing of the video was done with the DaVinci app. I should give production credit to Auphonic, Claude, Descript, Grammarly, Perplexity, and DaVinci. Paradox, Irony, Catch 22 Datapalooza

Letters beat emails for trustworthiness. A gullible skeptic reflects on navigating trust in a 50-year marriage, and the energy cost of distrust. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digital marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Podcast episode on YouTube Episode Dear Listener and Reader, I thought I’d start writing you letters. I miss letters. I send cards thanking my guests for their participation. People universally appreciate getting something via snail mail. But cards aren’t letters. They’re preformatted notes, where I just change the image and the name. For giggles, I looked back at my very first blog post, July 31, 2012. It was a paragraph, a letter of sorts, short and simple, Improv and Best Health. It’s taking me longer to produce each episode. So, no more frequently than once a month. So, why not a letter, short and sweet, from time to time? Let’s start with trust. A letter feels more trustworthy than an email or a tweet. It’s signed; a person who writes a letter really wants to communicate and thinks about what they’re saying. So, perhaps, not a troll, more trustworthy. I always open letters. My immediate, momentary, default reaction to almost anything is trust. My kids say I’m gullible. My next instant reaction is skepticism. I think about what’s not true about whatever. ‘AI is the solution to everything.’ What do you mean, everything? What is AI anyway? Like that. I’ve been married for 50 years because at our core, my wife and I trust each other. We disagree, we misunderstand, we anger, I sulk. Yet we trust. On the other hand, I make stuff up. I misremember, create a story, and if it serves my purposes, stick with it or modify it as needed. My wife and grandkids are my fact-checkers. Still, we trust each other. In my personal life, trust isn’t an on-or-off switch, all or nothing. Well, not usually. It’s a matter of degree; it’s about something. I trust that I can count on you to be there for me, unless you can’t. I trust that you’ll return my call, unless you’re hurt, don’t feel like it, or missed it. Distrust sucks energy; be more careful with my words, self-censor, close my heart and mind. I don’t expect to trust everybody or everything. When I do trust, it’s priceless. Thanks for listening, I’ll be back. Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/improv-and-health/ https://health-hats.com/pod113/ https://health-hats.com/trust-willing-to-be-vulnerable-worth-the-investment/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. [email protected]. Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)

Ronda Alexander on strategies to build inclusive health coalitions, manage power dynamics, center marginalized voices, & design sustainable governance. Summary In this episode of Health Hats, host Danny van Leeuwen talks with Ronda Alexander, a community health advocate and skilled facilitator, about the challenges of building and maintaining effective health coalitions. Alexander shares her journey from attending Detroit’s innovative Henry Ford Academy to working with Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies on workforce development, ultimately finding her calling at Vital Village Networks in Boston, where she spent seven years supporting national coalitions focused on health equity and early childhood wellbeing. The conversation explores practical ways to manage power dynamics in cross-sector collaborations, from setting group norms that encourage real participation to designing decision-making processes that balance speed and sustainability. Alexander stresses the critical importance of listening to marginalized communities—those “furthest from opportunity”—and making sure they have real seats at decision-making tables, not just token representation. Key insights include strategies for inclusive facilitation, such as incorporating quiet reflection time, small group discussions, and developing shared talking points that coalition members can take back to their organizations. Alexander advocates for proactive governance planning, comparing effective coalition building to chess strategy, where groups think “seven to eight moves down the board” to prepare for inevitable challenges. The episode wraps up with Alexander’s call to action for health advocates: start by listening to the communities you want to serve, trust what people tell you about their needs, and design systems that place those most affected by health inequities in leadership and decision-making roles. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemWhen did you first realize health was fragile?Vital Village NetworkLeadership, Impact, and MeasurementData StorytellingCommunity Research CollaborationFundingConvening, FacilitatingGetting Started at Henry Ford AcademyFord Partnership for Advanced StudiesTeaching Takes a VillageBack to DetroitPower DynamicsNorms: Don’t Be a JerkFirst, Take a Few SecondsGovernanceFast or Sustainable DecisionsWho are the Decision-makers?Coalition BuildingTalking PointsFirst, We ListenReflectionRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site managementresil Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection, including Moe’s Blues for Proem and Reflection and Bill Evan’s Time Remembered for on-mic clips. Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to: Jan Oldenburg, Ellen Schultz, Tomas Moran, Susannah Fox, Betsy Neptune, Tania Marien Links and references Ronda Alexander Henry Ford Academy Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies Vital Village Network The Networks of Opportunity for Child Wellbeing Dr. Renee Boynton-Jarrett B’More for Healthy Babies Marginalization refers to the inequality certain individuals face in society due to power imbalances built into our systems. Episode Proem Learn with People on the Journey toward Best Health. That’s my tagline. Let’s break it down. Learn with People implies endless curiosity with the people I travel with. Makes sense, I’m a networking extrovert who learns best with others. I prefer to travel with selected peeps (my team). Best health means accepting current circumstances and maximizing abilities, function, and spirit. So, we’re headed to a relatively better place, or at least the best possible health given whatever circumstances of the moment. A journey typically involves a destination (goals), tactics, and costs. The only guaranteed person on the team is me, you, or us, depending on whether it’s community health. Otherwise, the team is constantly changing. Who’s on the team, who’s off? Travel implies choices. Right, left, up, down, stop, rest, shop, eat. We can’t continue without making decisions together. Decision-making means power, group dynamics, and trust-governance. I broke all this down to get to governance, small group governance. After 50 years in health care, I’m still a student of governance. How do we, as mission-driven teams, attain our health goals with the power we possess? How do we coll

Exploring bird flu prevention with farm owner Shannon Hayes. Discover boot washing, flock protection with coyotes, and best practices in biosecurity. Summary 🎯 The Lede: Bird flu cycles have shortened, forcing farmers like Shannon Hayes to reimagine their biosecurity protocols completely. Farm owner Shannon Hayes reveals how her family protects their livestock from bird flu at Sap Bush Hollow Farm. Key strategies include washing boots with soap and vinegar solutions, timing poultry purchases for summer months, ending public farm tours, and maintaining coyote populations as natural buffers against wild waterfowl. Hayes emphasizes that bird flu prevention requires continuous practice and adaptation, not perfection. The episode highlights farmers’ critical but often overlooked role in biosecurity and food supply protection during disease outbreaks Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemPodcast introIntroducing Shannon HayesBird Flu: Context and HistoryAn Ecosystem for BiosecurityProtocols for Biosecurity Call to actionChanging Protocols – Our BootsChanging Protocols – Chicks, Eggs, and ChickenDucks, Geese, Overflying BirdsTraining our CoyotesMore about Shoes and BootsGap Found at a Farm MeetingPractice, Not PerfectReflectionPodcast OutroRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site managementresil Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection, including Moe’s Blues for Proem and Reflection and Bill Evan’s Time Remembered for on-mic clips. Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to Sue and Jay Spivack, Jim Donahue, Pat Hultz Links and references Sap Bush Hollow Farm The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow Podcast & The Radical Homemaker Blog “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards, ‘Your Local Epidemiologist’ Substack by Katelyn Jetelina and Edward Nirenberg New York State Grown and Certified Episode Proem The only time I felt I could draw was when my Oma was dying. I sketched the outside of her. I had recently read “Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain” by Betty Edwards, which revolutionized art instruction by teaching readers to perceive edges, spaces, and relationships—core skills for realistic drawing. It features exercises in contour and blind contour drawing, emphasizing the importance of drawing what you actually see, not what you think you see. Now, when I’m curious, I want to know the backstory to fill out the edges. My antennae stirred when reading ‘Your Local Epidemiologist’ about Bird Flu. The Paramedic and Emergency Nurse personas in me feel anxious. No reports are coming out of the CDC, the aggregation of State infection data has been discontinued, and the administration is comfortable with days-long reaction times to disasters, having defunded and staffed mitigation work. So, look out farther to the edges of bird flu –the front line of people managing flocks of birds. Bird flu is nothing new, but the usual 10- to 15-year interval between epidemics has changed. Bird flu isn’t dying out or going dormant anymore. The CDC is reporting incidents of infection jumping from birds to people. Our federal government seems unprepared – danger, danger, danger. I know so little, and I’m scared. Not a healthy mix. Podcast intro Welcome to Health Hats, the Podcast. I’m Danny van Leeuwen, a two-legged cisgender old white man of privilege who knows a little bit about a lot of healthcare and a lot about very little. We will listen and learn about what it takes to adjust to life’s realities in the awesome circus of healthcare. Let’s make some sense of all of this. Introducing Shannon Hayes Fortunately, I have a dear friend, Shannon Hayes, owner and CEO of Sap Bush Hollow Farm in Upstate New York – West Fulton. Shannon and I met 25 years ago when my wife and I were buying lamb, chicken, turkey, and eggs from her parents. Shannon podcasts, too. Warm, humorous, informative: The Hearth of Sap Bush Hollow Podcast & The Radical Homemaker Blog. I recommend them.   This conversation with Shannon took place in February of 2025. Shannon is informed, humble, and eager to share. I’ll cut in a couple of times. Not because Shannon’s tale needs a drop of translation or background. But I’ve learned more from these words each time I’ve touched them in production. I needed a second to digest what I just heard. I’ll do that aloud with

MS patient turned healthcare disruptor shares why your biggest “problem users” are actually your most valuable system improvers. Summary 🎯 The Lede: Collaborate with patients, caregivers, and clinician partners to develop tools that truly inform health decisions. From a reluctant keynote speaker who prefers hallway conversations comes wisdom about transforming healthcare through authentic partnership. At the American Nursing Informatics Association conference, Danny van Leeuwen shared how his MS diagnosis led to a revolutionary approach with his neurologist: “You don’t know anything about multiple sclerosis, but I don’t know anything about you.” Key Insights: Healthcare hackers aren’t criminals—they’re your most dedicated users finding creative workarounds Collaboration is about power dynamics; the more you hoard power, the less you can truly partner Everyone needs to be at the table: patients, caregivers, AND clinicians Aim for a .300 batting average—failing more than succeeding, but keep swinging The secret sauce? Bobbleheads on his desk representing different audience personas, grandsons who told him to stop burying the lede, and the understanding that making healthcare decisions is like renovating a kitchen—endless choices requiring trusted partners. Ready to take one more step in collaboration? Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProem: A Reluctant Keynote Speaker’s ConfessionGrandkid WisdomLead with the LedePodcast introPrepare for ActionStart with Self-KnowledgeMS Detective: Dr. SherlockActivists, DisruptorsThe Bottom LineHealth and Care Decisions, Like Kitchen RenovationBobbleheads of InformaticistsIn Defense of Healthcare Hackers, the Good KindMy HacksCall to actionInevitable Disruption, PearlsCat Herding 101: Without Losing Your MindCollaboration: Sharing Your ToysHouse Cleaning before ReorganizingPartnership from the Ground UpThe Power Dynamics Tango: Who’s Leading This Dance?Foundational ExpectationsCapacityThe .300 Batting Average PhilosophyCulture, Listening, Sharing PowerNext StepsReflectionPodcast OutroRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team You know who you are. I’m grateful. Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to Mark Heyward Johnson, Kristina Moran, Leon and Oscar van Leeuwen, Michael Chaffin, Josef Chlachula, Tom Trainer, Pegret Harrison, Fred Gutierrez, Jeff Horner, CA Stockwell, Wendy Coad, Bob Lecher Links and references American Nursing Informatics Association Susannah Fox Episode Proem: A Reluctant Keynote Speaker’s Confession A confession: I’m a keynote speaker who’s ambivalent about keynote speeches. Give me the hallway conversations, the poster sessions, and the coffee-break connections—that’s where my unexpected learning happens. But when my friend and podcast guest, Mark Heyward Johnson, invited me to speak at the American Nursing Informatics Association conference in New Orleans, I faced a delicious challenge: how do you transform a formal presentation into the kind of authentic exchange that changes how people approach their work? Grandkid Wisdom The answer, it turns out, lies in the space between listening and action—and in the wisdom of my two teenage grandsons, who advised me to stop burying the lede and use fewer words on my slides, along with my international colleagues who offered expertise in honing audience engagement through storytelling and keeping the focus on the ask. Lead with the Lede The conference took place at the end of March. I received the full professional multimedia recording of the presentation in mid-May, and I’m starting the episode production in early June. Before I can create a lede introducing the episode, I need to clarify its purpose. What action do I hope readers, listeners, and viewers will take after consuming this content? The lede for the presentation is: Collaborate with patients, caregivers, and their clinician partners to develop and evaluate tools that inform health and care decision-making. So, is my purpose to share the recording of the presentation and hope podcast consumers take one more step in partnerships? Or is the process of creating a presentation more valuable to my followers? Can I do both? Podcast intro Welcome to Health Hats, the Podcast. I’m Danny van Leeuwen, a two-legged cisgender old white man of privilege who knows a little bit about a lot of healthcare and a lot about very little. We will listen and learn about what it takes to adjust to life’s realities in the awesome circus of healthcare. Let’s make some sense of all of this. Prepare for Action What is my ambivalence about attending and speaking at conferences? As

These families created a pandemic pod with clear rules & shared childcare. While adults navigated anxiety, their kids called it “the best time of their lives.” Summary Bevin Croft and David Weintraub talk about their experience forming a “pod” during the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Hats introduces participatory governance – a concept I’ve studied throughout my life in various contexts, including families, communities, organizations, and healthcare. My history with governance spans from 1968, through college activism, homeschooling my children, living in an intentional community, and working in corporate settings. The main segment features a conversation with Bevin and David, who formed a COVID-19 support group, or pod, with other families to help one another during the pandemic. They discuss: They spontaneously decided to form the pod in May 2020 Creating formal rules and a written agreement to manage risks and expectations The challenges of prioritizing the pod over extended family relationships The practical arrangements include shared meals, childcare, and rotating responsibilities Their collective approach to virtual schooling for their children The difficulties David experienced as a teacher during hybrid learning How their children viewed the pod experience as “the best time of their lives” despite adults’ pandemic anxiety The lasting bonds their “family of friends” developed and maintained The pod used tools from Bevin’s work in person-centered practices to create its governance structure. They made decisions based on consensus, with particular attention to accommodate the most cautious member’s concerns. Their experience strengthened existing friendships and created lasting bonds between the families. Click here to view the printable newsletter with images. More readable than a transcript, which can also be found below. Contents Table of Contents Toggle EpisodeProemPodcast introMy Life with Participatory GovernanceForming a PodRulesNot easyPrioritiesRules, Contract, RisksTools for AgreementAccountabilityHow are You Different?MealsChildcareTraveling TogetherSchool and WorkingTough Times as a TeacherKids Loved ItBelated Introductions Call to actionReflectionPodcast OutroRelated episodes from Health Hats Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Production Team You know who you are. I’m grateful. Podcast episode on YouTube Inspired by and Grateful to Jan Oldenburg, Nakela Cook, Russ Howerton Links and references World Health Network National Center on Advancing Person-Centered Practices and Systems Episode Proem My advocacy revolves around participatory governance in everything that contributes to a decent quality of life. Participatory governance entails broad involvement, accessible information, transparency, and accountability, leading to trust in decision-making. I’m a lifelong student of governance, having studied it in families, communities, teams, organizations, healthcare, research, and various other settings. Podcast intro Welcome to Health Hats, the Podcast. I’m Danny van Leeuwen, a two-legged cisgender old white man of privilege who knows a little bit about a lot of healthcare and a lot about very little. We will listen and learn about what it takes to adjust to life’s realities in the awesome circus of healthcare. Let’s make some sense of all of this. My Life with Participatory Governance I’ve watched and participated in governance since 1968, when I was 16, dealing with the Vietnam War draft. I learned that the plumbing of the draft contained laws, written regulations, and unwritten rules, with people making decisions, people moving paper, and massive numbers of kids like me processing through. I wanted to prepare myself, so I went to a church for draft counseling. My counselor invited me to become a counselor, helping men learn the process, make life decisions, and execute those decisions. I went to college and lived in several group settings. We had to decide how the chores would get done, meals made, bills paid, and transportation arranged. While protesting the Vietnam War, I learned how activists organized rallies, and how the University was run. I gained insights from my professor friends about how change happens. While raising kids and homeschooling, my wife and I experimented with participatory democracy. The same issues arose: chores, money, and who sits where. After that, we lived in an intentional community with four other families on 160 acres. We needed an infrastructure for effective decision-making. We formed a corporation to own the land, created bylaws and a Board of Directors, and established rules for joining and leaving, paying taxes and bills, and behavior guidelines. As a corporate change agent, I was fascinated by governance, managing clinical and IT