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S1E120 What Do You Do When 42% of Your Department Walks Out the Door in Less than 2 Years? (with Chris Polen) Ep|120
Police Chief Chris Polen never thought he would become a Police Chief. In fact, early in his career, he didn’t even think he had what it took to be a police officer. Nearly three decades later, he…
S1E119 The 2025 Potomac River Mid-Air Collision & The Power of Praise When Leading (with John Donnelly) Ep|119
Chief John Donnelly has spent more than three decades with Washington, DC Fire and EMS, leading one of the busiest and most complex departments in the country. From responding to large scale…
S1E118 Handling Florida Tax Cuts on Top of Tradition Budget Challenges (with Digna Abello) Ep|118
Chief Digna Abello made history as the first female Fire Chief of Miami Beach Fire, but her journey was anything but paved. From stepping into a traditionally male dominated profession to becoming a…
S1E117 A Second Chance: From Deathbed to Fire Captain and CRACKYL Magazine Founder (with Kory Pearn) Ep|117
Kory Pearn never set out to start a media company. A fire captain with over two decades in the fire service, his journey into building Crackyl Magazine came after a life altering moment that forced…
S1E116 What Most Leaders Get Wrong and How to Make It Right (with Steven Locke) Ep|116
Chief Steven Locke has spent nearly four decades in the fire service, rising from a teenager hanging around the firehouse with his father to leading three different departments and serving in…
S1E115 From Police Chief to Mayor and What You Can Learn from Jelly Bellys (with John Carli) Ep|115
Mayor John Carli’s career began with a simple sentence from someone he had just met: “You’d be a really good cop.” That one comment planted a seed that would grow into a 32 year career in policing,…
S1E114 From Self-Employed Entrepreneur to California Highway Patrol Commissioner (with Sean Duryee) Ep|114
Commissioner Sean Duryee did not begin his career aiming to lead the largest state policing agency in the nation. A former Army infantryman and small business owner, he joined the California Highway…
S1E113 $400M in Federal Grant Funding: Learn How to Position Your Department to Win Your Share (with Cornelia Sigworth) Ep|113
Cornelia Sigworth spent 26 years inside the U.S. Department of Justice, rising to Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor to the Director, overseeing hundreds of millions of dollars in public safety…
S1E112 Why You’re Here For a Reason, Nashville 2020 Bombing, Speech Impediments, and Cookies (with John Drake) Ep|112
Chief John Drake’s journey into policing did not begin with admiration. It began with distrust. As a young man who once had a deeply negative encounter with law enforcement, he never imagined he…
S1E111 How Department Culture Defeated a $26 Million Budget Deficit (with Richard Edwards) Ep|111
Chief Richard Edwards’ career has been defined by resilience, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to his people. From navigating municipal bankruptcy in Stockton — where firefighters worked…
S1E110 The Infinite Game of Policing (with Stacey Graves) Ep|110
Chief Stacey Graves’ career is a masterclass in consistency, curiosity, and adding value wherever you’re planted. In this episode of The Chief Exchange, she reflects on her journey from starting as a…
S1E109 Breaking Down the 2025 Palisades Fire, 3 Core Leadership Principles, and More (with Nick Schuler) Ep|109
Chief Nick Schuler has spent more than 25 years rising through the ranks of CAL FIRE, taking on roles that stretched him, challenged him, and ultimately prepared him to lead during some of…
S1E108 Organizational Terrorists - Where They Exist Within Your Department and How to Handle Them (with Angela Averiett) Ep|108
Chief Angela Averiett brings more than 28 years of policing experience across five different agencies, and her journey is a powerful reminder that growth often requires movement, self-awareness, and…
S1E107 The Founding of FirstNet - A Story Like No Other (with Jeff Johnson and Chris Moore) Ep|107
FirstNet didn’t emerge from Silicon Valley or a federal mandate — it was born out of frustration, persistence, and a shared belief among public safety leaders that communications failures during…
S1E106 From Fire Chief to Private Company CEO - The Secrets Chiefs Can Steal from the Private Sector and Apply in Your Department (with Shane Wheeler) Ep|106
Shane Wheeler has lived leadership from multiple vantage points — as a Fire Chief, an EMS leader, and now the CEO of a rapidly growing regional mobile health organization. In this episode, Shane…
S1E105 Why Your Labor Group Should Be Part Of Strategic Planning Sessions and Budget Meetings (with Matthew Vinci) Ep|105
Chief Matthew Vinci brings more than 31 years of experience across every level of the fire service — from the kitchen table to national advocacy to the Fire Chief’s office. In this episode, he shares…
S1E104 The Lithium-Ion Battery Crisis, Grit as a Key Ingredient to Success, and Solving Wicked Challenges (with John Esposito) Ep|104
Chief John Esposito has spent 34 years rising through every rank of the FDNY, ultimately becoming Chief of Department for the largest fire service in the United States. In this episode, he shares the…
S1E103 For the Chief, Officer, or Firefighter Who’s Thought ‘Maybe They’re Better Without Me.’
Chief Chris Workman has spent over two decades serving others — first in the fire service, then in policing, and now as Chief of Police in Cheswold, Delaware. But behind the badge, the rank, and the…
S1E102 The Art of The Debrief, Not Losing Yourself in Your Profession, and How to Effectively Handle Mass Violence Events (with Stephen Redfearn) Ep|102
Chief Stephen Redfearn has experienced policing at its highest peaks and heaviest moments — from rising through the ranks in Aurora to leading Boulder PD through mass-violence events few chiefs ever…
S1E101 Cracked Department Culture? Here's Your Glue to Fix It. (with Doug Shoemaker) Ep|101
Doug Shoemaker spent more than three decades in policing, serving as chief in multiple agencies and helping shape the national conversation around leadership, culture, and wellness. In this episode,…
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The Chief Exchange has published 122 episodes since February 2024, covering topics in Documentary, Society & Culture.
The Chief Exchange is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 36m.
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