ERS Walk & Talk Podcast
Join us on a 20-30 minute walk while we talk about health, wellness, and life in general. From the Employees Retirement System of Texas, podcast host Lacy Wolff walks and talks with her mentors, friends, experts and leaders about health and wellness.
Episodes
70 episodes
Revolutionizing Musculoskeletal Health with Daniel Perez, CEO of Hinge Health
Discover how you can finally conquer chronic pain without ever leaving your home. Daniel Perez, the CEO and co-founder of Hinge Health, joins us to reveal how his innovative digital health program is revolutionizing musculoskeletal care. You'll...
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29:58
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From $40K Debt to Financial Freedom: Kari Karber's Journey
Ever wondered how a single mom can pay off over $40,000 in credit card debt? Join us as we bring you the remarkable story of Kari Karber, Assistant Director of Customer Benefits at the Employees' Retirement System of Texas (ERS). Kari opens up ...
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29:46
Revolutionizing Heart Health: An Interview with Maayan Cohen of Hello Heart
What if you could take control of your heart health with the help of a simple app? Join us in this episode as we chat with Mayan Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Hello Heart, a groundbreaking digital health platform. Hello Heart combines a connecte...
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34:32
Strength Training Explained with Demetrius Bailey
Unlock the secrets to effective strength training with Demetrius Bailey, a seasoned coach with a wealth of experience training professional athletes and military personnel. Demetrius reveals practical strategies to integrate strength training i...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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43:31
Empowerment Through Wellness: One Trooper's Journey to Support Employee Wellness
In this episode Lacy chats with Corporal Harold Estep, a State Trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Corporal Estep shares his inspiring story about how he lost 50 pounds and kept it off for over 10 years. He talks about his passi...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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38:16
Becoming Sugar Savvy with Alexis Schminke
In this episode of the ERS Walk & Talk Podcast, host Lacy sits down with Alexis Schminke, a Senior Training Specialist at DPS in the Aircraft Division, and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a background in chemistry and exercise physio...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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41:14
Dr. Benjamin Renfro: What is Airrosti and how can it help me?
Lacy interviews her own Airrosti (AIR-ROSTI) health care provider who has helped every member of her family with their injuries and pain over the years. Dr. Renfro talks about the most common types of pain he treats, like lower back, shoulder a...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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25:12
Sarah Karnes & Andrew Glass: Beyond Bookshelves
Lacy talks with Sarah Karnes, Director of Library Development and Networking at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and Andrew Glass, Director of Records Management at ERS about the boundless resources available through stat...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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36:19
Oscar Mendoza: from Leadership to LeaderSHIFT
Lacy talks with Oscar Mendoza, Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who experienced a profound shift in his leadership after experiencing profound grief and introspection. When he lost Warden Sergio Perez to a ...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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37:25
Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph.D.: The Science of Grief
Lacy talks with Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology and director of the GRILL Lab at Texas Tech University, which studies and provides support around Grief and Response to Illness into Late Life (GRILL). ...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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34:16
David Michel: Breaking down barriers to preventive health
Lacy talks with David Michel, CEO of Catapult Health, the provider of an exciting NEW benefit for those who want to stay healthy or improve their health – the Catapult Health VirtualCheckup®. By making it easy to get a check-up from the comfort...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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24:30
Todd Whitthorne: This is Water
Lacy talks with thought leader Todd Whitthorne about the ways our environment is designed for us not to be healthy – to move very little, to eat processed food, and spend vastly more time passively consuming than actively connecting or creating...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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28:01
Thrive by Design with Lacy Wolff
Lacy goes solo in this episode to guide you through the essential steps for cultivating healthy habits in 2024. Segment 1: Aspirations vs. Goals vs. BehaviorUnderstanding the distinction between aspirations, goals...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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14:19
Noel Landuyt, Ph.D.: Measuring Employee Engagement to build Organizational Excellence
In this episode, Lacy sits down with Dr. Noel Landuyt, Ph.D. principal researcher, adjunct professor, and Director of the School for Organizational Excellence at the University of Texas' Steve Hicks school Social Work to learn about the Survey ...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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41:56
Rebecca Castillo saved her own life
Lacy talks with Rebecca Castillo, who works for the TDCJ Training and Leader Development Division and is a mother of two boys. With her busy lifestyle, she had not been prioritizing herself, and knew something had to change. The decision to tak...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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27:22
Patricia Hord: Money Mindsets!
Lacy talks with Patricia Hord, the Grant Education and Communications Specialist at the Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner.How does your personality and family background shape your relationship with money and spending habits. Was yo...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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43:51
Pre-paying for College with the Texas Tuition Promise Fund
Imagine the comfort of knowing that your child (or grandchild) will to be able to go to college. Texas college savings plans can help you turn that dream into a reality. Lacy talks to Linda Fernandez about one of these: The Texas Tuition Promis...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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30:37
When a state employee needed a kidney, his co-worker donated hers
Lacy interviews her ERS co-workers, Armando Villarreal and Amy Chamberlain about an unusual “office gift exchange.” When Amy learned that Armando was undergoing daily dialysis in January, she already knew what that meant… that his kidneys were ...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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48:24
Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruett, M.D: MORE Q&A about Women's Health
In the second part of this two-part series on women’s health, Lacy brings your questions about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), urinary incontinence, sex drive, hormones and weight gain (and more!) to Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruitt, M.D., Regional D...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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36:58
Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruett: Menopause & Perimenopause Q&A
In this two-part series, Lacy brings your questions about menopause and perimenopause to Dr. Elisa Brown-Pruitt, M.D., Regional Director for the Laura Bush Institute for Women’s Health at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and Profess...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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24:38
Dr. Alex Lesko: How we can support the health of men in our lives
Lacy talks with Dr. Alex Lesko, Executive Medical Director for the ERS HealthSelect health plans, about how we can support our male family members and friends when it comes to their health and well-being. Up to 60% of men do not see a doctor on...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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26:55
Tara Humphreys: State Parks are for Everyone!
Lacy talks with Tara Humphreys, Field Interpretation Coordinator with Texas State Parks, who shares her passion for connecting our hearts and minds with all that our state parks have to offer. With 89 parks that are as varied as this state, the...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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26:36
Todd Whitthorne: Finding Strength in Relationships
In this episode Lacy talks with Todd Whitthorne, a nationally recognized health and wellness speaker about the one key driver for health and happiness, the quality of our relationships. Todd shares insight on what distracts us from our re...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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32:01