“If service is below you, then leadership is above you.”

Cassie Donegan is not your typical Miss America. Raised in a military family and shaped by real adversity, she grew up navigating financial stress, family illness, and the quiet weight of feeling different. But instead of allowing those challenges to harden her, they became the foundation for her purpose. A lifelong artist, performer, and advocate, Cassie now uses her platform to champion access to arts education and remind people that visibility means nothing without authenticity.

In this episode, we sit down for a raw, deeply personal conversation about her unexpected road to becoming Miss America 2026. We talk about the behind-the-scenes twists, public perception, and how she stayed grounded through it all. Cassie opens up about reframing trauma, the myth of the perfect background, and the cost of stepping into your calling when the world expects someone else.

Scott Stalker led at the highest levels of U.S. national security for more than 30 years. Then one day, his career ended with a call. He didn’t ask to retire, and he wasn’t ready for what came next.

In this episode, Scott talks openly about what it felt like to leave the uniform behind, how he processed the emotional weight of transition, and how he began rebuilding his purpose. We dig into identity, resilience, the quiet moments that followed retirement, and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

We cover:

• The reality of losing a role that defined you

• Why he boxed up his medals and left them for his daughters

• How physical habits helped ground him

• What identity and leadership mean after service

Scott’s new book Left of Leadership: The Prequel to Success explores the mindset leaders need before they step into positions of influence and shares lessons from his remarkable journey.

Learn more and connect with Scott:

Website: https://stalkersolutions.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/s2stalkersolutions

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottstalker/

Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/LEFT-LEADERSHIP-Scott-H-Stalker/dp/1960299913

There are moments where the mission chooses you.

Marine Corps Radio Operator SgtMaj Ted Painter was stationed in Okinawa when everything changed. A sudden illness left him paralyzed, intubated, and fighting his way out of an ICU with no windows and no clear answers.

In this episode, Ted walks through how he went from that hospital bed to Iraq, then into Fortune 500 work, and finally into his role at CareSource Military and Veterans. He now focuses on improving how military families get care and support.

We talk about Okinawa, Guillain-Barre, transition, mental health, TRICARE, military transition, and why Marines never really stop being Marines.

Timestamps:

00:00 Waking up paralyzed in the ICU

00:38 How the crisis became a mission

05:21 Okinawa, Guillain-Barre, and learning to walk again

15:42 Fighting out of the hospital with Marine grit

24:20 Finding purpose in healthcare

29:39 What the TRICARE Prime demo actually is

35:04 How this could change care for military families

45:47 Open season, eligibility, and how to enroll

How veterans can use CareSource Military and Veterans:

If you are in the Tampa or Atlanta areas and you are eligible for TRICARE Prime, you may be able to choose the TRICARE Prime demo with CareSource Military and Veterans. This is a Defense Health Agency program that gives families another option for how their care is supported. It does not replace TRICARE.

What it offers:

Simpler access to specialists within the network

Help from real people when you need it (not chatbots)

A focus on scheduling appointments faster and closer to home

For eligible retirees and their family members who choose CareSource during the demo, the TRICARE Prime enrollment fee is waived for the first 12 months.

Open season runs from Nov 11 to Dec 9. That is the window where you can choose CareSoure.

To learn more or check your eligibility:

CareSourceMilitary.com

Questions about the TRICARE Prime demo: 1-833-230-2080

Ready to enroll during TRICARE Open Season: 1-877-996-9333