Tenay Benes's journey from military intelligence to consulting highlights her expertise in strategic transformation. With a background in developing revolutionary intelligence techniques, she now offers keynote speeches and consulting services to health, wellness, and human services organizations. Her approach focuses on leveraging existing resources to improve outcomes, drawing from her experience in both military and civilian sectors to provide innovative solutions without the need for massive budget increases or structural overhauls.

Key Takeaways:

• Transformative strategies from military intelligence applicable to civilian sectors.
• Focus on improving outcomes using existing resources.
• Innovative solutions without massive budget increases or structural changes.
• Expertise in strategic frameworks and fostering early wins for sustainable success.

  If you’re searching for a keynote speaker on chronic illness, healthcare systems change, leadership, or care coordination, this talk reframes the problem—and the solution.
  RESOURCES:

  1. KEYNOTE SPEECHES: Tenay offers two dynamic keynote speeches:
  • 'Winning The War On Complex Illness' geared to help health, wellness, and human services organizations ask the right questions to optimize their teams' cohesion and clients' health outcomes.
  • 'Heal or Die' geared to empower complex illness sufferers with the mindset and lessons Tenay used to go from bedridden to thriving in family and business.

    GO TO: tenaybenes.com/speaker to learn more or book Tenay for your next event.

  1. CONSULTING: Consulting Services to help health, wellness, and human services organizations, corporations, and practices optimize their systems to improve client and team outcomes without spending a ton of money or rebuilding from scratch.

     GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to learn more and submit your request for proposals.

  2. HEALTH-TECH LAUNCH: The Care We Need is new platform designed to streamline the matching and intake process for clients and providers alike. Think "Thumbtack for Healthcare"

     GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to sign up for our newsletter, be the first to know about user testing opportunities, product launch, patient and provider signups, and investment opportunities.

     1. BOOKS: We offer several health and wellness education books, including "Heal or Die" by Tenay Benes, for sale on our Amazon storefront here: [https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH]

     CONTACT:
     Tenay Benes on LinkedIn or at: Tenay.Benes@benescompanies.com

     Brett Benes on LinkedIn or at: brett.benes@benescompanies.com

     DISCLAIMERS: We receive a small kickback if you use these links to purchase these products. The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host or of Benes Companies and does not constitute personalized health advice. To obtain personalized health advice, consult a professional directly.

Dive into a compelling discussion with Fr. Christopher Gaffrey, OFM, a Franciscan priest and spiritual director, and Vance Hansen, a therapist specializing in trauma and addiction counseling. Together, they explore the intersection of spiritual and psychological healing, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between different domains of care. Through real-life scenarios, they demonstrate how integrating spiritual and psychological approaches can lead to more profound healing experiences. Key topics include the role of spirituality in addiction recovery, the impact of trauma on mental health, and the benefits of a holistic approach to healing.

Support Our Mission:
Pay it forward or support efforts to end the complex illness epidemic by giving $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

Resources:

Keynote Speeches by Tenay Benes:

• Winning The War On Complex Illness: Optimizing teams and client outcomes for health, wellness, and human services organizations.
• Heal or Die: Empowering complex illness sufferers with lessons and mindset shifts for healing and thriving.
  More info & bookings: tenaybenes.com/speaker

Consulting Services: Optimize systems to improve client and team outcomes without costly overhauls: BenesCompanies.com

Health-Tech Launch: The Care We Need platform streamlines client-provider matching. Sign up for updates, testing, and launch info: BenesCompanies.com

Books: Including Heal or Die by Tenay Benes, available here: https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH

Contact Us: contact@benescompanies.com

Disclaimer: We Get a kickback if affiliate links are used. Guest opinions do not reflect the host or Benes Companies and are not personalized health advice. Consult a professional for individualized guidance.

Holly Ross, an occupational therapist turned wellness entrepreneur, shares her transition from corporate healthcare to building her own successful practice, offering valuable insights for anyone looking to break away and start their own wellness business. Discover the business acumen and strategies that have propelled her success, and learn how you can apply these lessons to your own entrepreneurial journey.

Guest Resources

Holly Ross LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-ross-090b50276/

Canoe website: https://www.canoecommunity.org/

Support Our Mission:
Pay it forward or support efforts to end the complex illness epidemic by giving $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

Resources:

Keynote Speeches by Tenay Benes:

• Winning The War On Complex Illness: Optimizing teams and client outcomes for health, wellness, and human services organizations.
• Heal or Die: Empowering complex illness sufferers with lessons and mindset shifts for healing and thriving.
  More info & bookings: tenaybenes.com/speaker

Consulting Services: Optimize systems to improve client and team outcomes without costly overhauls: BenesCompanies.com

Health-Tech Launch: The Care We Need platform streamlines client-provider matching. Sign up for updates, testing, and launch info: BenesCompanies.com

Books: Including Heal or Die by Tenay Benes, available here: https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH

Contact Us: contact@benescompanies.com

Disclaimer: We Get a kickback if affiliate links are used. Guest opinions do not reflect the host or Benes Companies and are not personalized health advice. Consult a professional for individualized guidance.

Jake Dresden describes his work as Metro Denver Director of A Little Help, a nonprofit transforming community care for older adults. Professionals will learn how this grassroots model connects volunteers with over 3,000 seniors, addressing both the needs of America’s aging population and the broader challenge of building stronger community networks.

Key Takeaways for Health, Wellness, and Human Services Leaders:

• Innovative, scalable approaches to community-based care
• Strengthening local support networks for older adults
• Lessons in volunteer engagement and cross-sector collaboration

This episode provides actionable insights for organizations looking to improve care coordination, enhance community connections, and support aging populations effectively.

GUEST RESOURCES:

A Little Help's Youtube Channel: @ALittleHelpCO
A Little Help website: https://alittlehelp.org/

LinkedIn: Jake Dresden

Email: Jake@alittlehelp.org

Village to Village Network: https://www.vtvnetwork.org/

Facebook = https://www.facebook.com/alittlehelpCO

Instagram = https://www.instagram.com/alittlehelpco/

Support Our Mission:
Pay it forward or support efforts to end the complex illness epidemic by giving $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

Resources:

Keynote Speeches by Tenay Benes:

• Winning The War On Complex Illness: Optimizing teams and client outcomes for health, wellness, and human services organizations.
• Heal or Die: Empowering complex illness sufferers with lessons and mindset shifts for healing and thriving.
  More info & bookings: tenaybenes.com/speaker

Consulting Services: Optimize systems to improve client and team outcomes without costly overhauls: BenesCompanies.com

Health-Tech Launch: The Care We Need platform streamlines client-provider matching. Sign up for updates, testing, and launch info: BenesCompanies.com

Books: Including Heal or Die by Tenay Benes, available here: https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH

Contact Us: contact@benescompanies.com

Disclaimer: We Get a kickback if affiliate links are used. Guest opinions do not reflect the host or Benes Companies and are not personalized health advice. Consult a professional for individualized guidance.

Dr. Rishan Shah outlines transformative strategies for healthcare professionals to enhance efficiency and patient care through systems optimization and automation. Leverage AI, offshore staffing, and standard operating procedures to free up time for meaningful patient interactions and preventive care. This episode provides actionable insights to help health, wellness, and human services practitioners and organizations transition from burnout-prone caregivers to innovative healers operating at their highest level.

Takeaways:

• Learn how to implement AI and automation to streamline administrative tasks.
• Discover the benefits of offshore staffing in reducing operational costs.
• Understand the importance of systematizing your practice for better patient outcomes and clinician well-being.

Contact Dr Shaw on LinkedIn or at his website: https://golean.health/

DONATIONS: To support our cause to end the complex illness epidemic in the U.S. or pay it forward to support our next podcast, donate $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

RESOURCES:

1. KEYNOTE SPEECHES: Tenay is offering two dynamic keynote speeches:

• 'Winning The War On Complex Illness' geared to help health, wellness, and human services organizations ask the right questions to optimize their teams' cohesion and clients' health outcomes.
• 'Heal or Die' geared to empower complex illness sufferers with the mindset and lessons Tenay used to go from bedridden to thriving in family and business.

  GO TO: tenaybenes.com/speaker to learn more or book Tenay for your next event.

1. CONSULTING: Consulting Services to help health, wellness, and human services organizations, corporations, and practices optimize their systems to improve client and team outcomes without spending a ton of money or rebuilding from scratch.

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to learn more and submit your request for proposals.

2. HEALTH-TECH LAUNCH: The Care We Need is new platform designed to streamline the matching and intake process for clients and providers alike. Think "Thumbtack for Healthcare"

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to sign up for our newsletter, be the first to know about user testing opportunities, product launch, patient and provider signups, and investment opportunities.

   1. BOOKS: We offer several health and wellness education books, including "Heal or Die" by Tenay Benes, for sale on our Amazon storefront here: [https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH]

   CONTACT:
   Tenay Benes on LinkedIn or at: Tenay.Benes@benescompanies.com

   Brett Benes on LinkedIn or at: brett.benes@benescompanies.com

   DISCLAIMERS: We receive a small kickback if you use these links to purchase these products. The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host or of Benes Companies and does not constitute personalized health advice. To obtain personalized health advice, consult a professional directly.

What if the systems already inside U.S. healthcare, wellness, and human service organizations were enough to stop the U.S. epidemic of chronic and complex illness—if used differently?

In this keynote speaker demo, Tenay Benes draws on her experience in U.S. Army intelligence during the Iraq War, where she helped adapt failing systems under extreme pressure to reduce civilian harm in Baghdad. She parallels that experience with today’s fragmented healthcare and human services landscape—where rising chronic illness, burnout, and poor coordination demand a strategic shift, not more tools.

This talk shows healthcare leaders, wellness organizations, nonprofits, and government agencies how to re-align existing resources, teams, and data to improve outcomes for people with complex and chronic illness—without waiting for perfect systems or new funding.

Ideal for:

Healthcare systems & hospital leadership
Public health agencies
Behavioral health & integrative care organizations
Human services & social service agencies
Professional conferences & leadership retreats

Topics covered in this keynote:
Why chronic and complex illness is a systems problem, not a compliance problem
Lessons from military intelligence applied to healthcare coordination
How organizations can use what they already have to reduce fragmentation
Leadership shifts required to meet the chronic illness epidemic
Building coordination, trust, and shared intelligence across disciplines

If you’re searching for a keynote speaker on chronic illness, healthcare systems change, leadership, or care coordination, this talk reframes the problem—and the solution.

📩 For keynote bookings, consulting, or organizational training:
Visit TenayBenes.com/speaker

In this episode of The Care We Need podcast, Tenay Benes shares how her background in military intelligence and consulting informs innovative approaches to healthcare, wellness, and human services systems. Professionals will gain actionable insights on applying a “system of systems” perspective to complex care coordination, leveraging AI tools for more effective outcomes, and fostering collaborative recovery communities.

Key Takeaways:

• Applying military intelligence frameworks to healthcare strategy
• AI-driven solutions for care coordination and provider matching
• Building sustainable, cross-disciplinary healing communities
• Shifting focus from symptom management to root cause resolution

This discussion highlights practical strategies and technological innovations that healthcare leaders can use to improve patient outcomes, streamline coordination, and strengthen organizational impact.

DONATIONS: To support our cause to end the complex illness epidemic in the U.S. or pay it forward to support our next podcast, donate $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

RESOURCES:

1. KEYNOTE SPEECHES: Tenay is offering two dynamic keynote speeches:

• 'Winning The War On Complex Illness' geared to help health, wellness, and human services organizations ask the right questions to optimize their teams' cohesion and clients' health outcomes.
• 'Heal or Die' geared to empower complex illness sufferers with the mindset and lessons Tenay used to go from bedridden to thriving in family and business.

  GO TO: tenaybenes.com/speaker to learn more or book Tenay for your next event.

1. CONSULTING: Consulting Services to help health, wellness, and human services organizations, corporations, and practices optimize their systems to improve client and team outcomes without spending a ton of money or rebuilding from scratch.

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to learn more and submit your request for proposals.

2. HEALTH-TECH LAUNCH: The Care We Need is new platform designed to streamline the matching and intake process for clients and providers alike. Think "Thumbtack for Healthcare"

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to sign up for our newsletter, be the first to know about user testing opportunities, product launch, patient and provider signups, and investment opportunities.

   1. BOOKS: We offer several health and wellness education books, including "Heal or Die" by Tenay Benes, for sale on our Amazon storefront here: [https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH]

   CONTACT:
   Tenay Benes on LinkedIn or at: Tenay.Benes@benescompanies.com

   Brett Benes on LinkedIn or at: brett.benes@benescompanies.com

   DISCLAIMERS: We receive a small kickback if you use these links to purchase these products. The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host or of Benes Companies and does not constitute personalized health advice. To obtain personalized health advice, consult a professional directly.

In this excerpt from The Care We Need podcast, Tenay Benes discusses her vision for transforming healthcare through technology and systemic design—building the real-world equivalent of the “Star Trek computer” to optimize care coordination across the U.S. health, wellness, and human services sectors. Drawing on her experience designing systems solutions for the Army, she shares insights on developing integrated healthcare systems, AI-driven recommendation services, and holistic care models.

Key Takeaways for Professionals:

• Planning and implementing holistic healthcare solutions
• Leveraging healthcare technology to improve outcomes
• Designing integrated care systems for better patient-provider matching
• Strategies for cross-disciplinary collaboration and coordinated care

This episode highlights some exciting developments for leaders and innovators seeking to advance integrated, technology-enabled healthcare systems.

DONATIONS: To support our cause to end the complex illness epidemic in the U.S. or pay it forward to support our next podcast, donate $10 here: https://buy.stripe.com/dRm3cvflvfiE14UdbmaR200

RESOURCES:

1. KEYNOTE SPEECHES: Tenay is offering two dynamic keynote speeches:

• 'Winning The War On Complex Illness' geared to help health, wellness, and human services organizations ask the right questions to optimize their teams' cohesion and clients' health outcomes.
• 'Heal or Die' geared to empower complex illness sufferers with the mindset and lessons Tenay used to go from bedridden to thriving in family and business.

  GO TO: tenaybenes.com/speaker to learn more or book Tenay for your next event.

1. CONSULTING: Consulting Services to help health, wellness, and human services organizations, corporations, and practices optimize their systems to improve client and team outcomes without spending a ton of money or rebuilding from scratch.

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to learn more and submit your request for proposals.

2. HEALTH-TECH LAUNCH: The Care We Need is new platform designed to streamline the matching and intake process for clients and providers alike. Think "Thumbtack for Healthcare"

   GO TO: BenesCompanies.com to sign up for our newsletter, be the first to know about user testing opportunities, product launch, patient and provider signups, and investment opportunities.

   1. Book Offerings: We offer several health and wellness education books, including "Heal or Die: A True Story of Trauma, Chronic Illness, & Unexpected Help" by Tenay Benes, for sale on our Amazon storefront here: [https://amzn.to/4bH7vHH]

   Disclaimers: We receive a small kickback if you use these links to purchase these products. The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the host or of Benes Companies. The opinions expressed and information discussed on this podcast do not constitute personalized health advice. To obtain personalized health advice, consult a professional directly.

   Background music is licensed.