Voice, Heritage, and Returning to Story

In this episode of Moving Forward, Linda Anderson speaks with Jamie Okh, a civil rights leader, strategic communications expert, former federal investigator with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Founder and Creative Director of Stories by Jamie.

Jamie spent more than a decade investigating systemic discrimination in housing and lending, working to enforce civil rights protections and help institutions change practices that caused harm to families and communities. During the 2018–2019 federal government shutdown, she also became a national spokesperson for federal employees and their families, helping the public understand the human impact behind policy decisions.

In this conversation, Jamie reflects on the experiences that shaped her voice — including the influence of her Russian heritage and the storytelling traditions passed down by her grandmother. She shares how those early roots in storytelling eventually resurfaced after years of public service and leadership.

Now the mother of two young boys, Jamie speaks about the ways motherhood has deepened her understanding of justice, responsibility, and the stories we pass to the next generation.

Together, Linda and Jamie explore:

• What heritage and family stories teach us about identity and resilience

• Lessons learned from years investigating discrimination and advocating for fairness

• The importance of credibility and communication during times of crisis

• How motherhood influences leadership and perspective

• Why returning to storytelling became a meaningful next chapter

As Jamie reflects during the conversation:

“Moving forward doesn’t always mean becoming someone new — sometimes it means returning to the voice that was always yours.”

Jamie’s journey is a reminder that moving forward doesn’t always mean leaving parts of ourselves behind. Sometimes it means reconnecting with the voice and passions that were there from the very beginning.

Follow us on:

Instagram: @lluande1

Facebook: @Linda Unrath-Anderson

LinkedIn: @Linda Anderson

Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

The Foundation Beneath Me

Some episodes ask questions about leadership, purpose, and resilience. This one begins at the source.

In this deeply personal 25th episode of Moving Forward, Linda Anderson sits down with someone whose quiet influence shaped everything that followed — her father, Robert K. Unrath, Jr.

Robert stepped into adulthood early. He became a father at 18. By his early twenties he was raising three children and had already purchased his first home.

Years later, when his children were 11, 9, and 6, he built the house they would continue to grow up in — a symbol not of arrival, but of commitment.

Throughout those early years, Robert worked relentlessly, sometimes holding two jobs, carrying responsibilities most young adults never face. What his children saw wasn’t the pressure — it was the consistency. The discipline. The refusal to quit.

In this conversation, Linda reflects on the foundation beneath her own life and work ethic — and the example that shaped it.

Together they explore:

• What it meant to become a father at 18 and carry responsibility so early

• The reality of working multiple jobs while raising a young family

• Buying a first home at 22 and later building the house his children would grow up in

• Why investing in education for his children became a lifelong priority

• Growing up in Brooklyn while his own father served in the military

• Career growth from sales to management, entrepreneurship, and consulting

• The mentors and relationships that helped shape his leadership

• The difficult but meaningful evolution within their family when Linda married Curtis

• How love, growth, and understanding can change over time

• Seeing work ethic reflected across generations — children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren

At its heart, this episode is about something deeper than achievement.

It is about hope with intention — the kind of hope that doesn’t simply wish for a better future but works, sacrifices, and persists to build it.

It is also a reminder that the foundations of our lives are often laid quietly by the people who came before us.

As Linda reflects in this conversation:

“Moving forward isn’t about having everything figured out. It’s about deciding not to quit.”

This episode honors the kind of leadership that rarely seeks recognition — but shapes generations.

Before there was a podcast about moving forward, there was a father who showed me what it looked like.

Follow us on:

Instagram: @lluande1

Facebook: @Linda Unrath-Anderson

LinkedIn: @Linda Anderson

Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez

Reimagining Wellness: From Product to Belonging

With Jordan Carroll

What if wellness isn’t something you buy — but something you experience through connection, identity, and community?

In this episode of Moving Forward, I sit down with wellness strategist and founder Jordan Carroll to explore what it really takes to build brands — and lives — rooted in meaning rather than metrics.

Jordan works with founders navigating uncertainty, growth, and rapid change. He challenges the dominant idea that a great product is enough. Instead, he believes trust, belonging, and human connection are what truly create lasting impact.

In our conversation, we explore:

• When wellness shifts from personal interest to personal mission

• Why leaders struggle with clarity in the middle of building

• What actually creates loyalty in today’s wellness space

• The tension between AI innovation and human connection

• When a brand becomes a community

• The power of founder-led authenticity

• One small shift you can make if you’re feeling stuck

At a time when technology is accelerating and attention is fragmented, people are craving something deeply human.

If you’re building something — or rebuilding yourself — this conversation will invite you to slow down and ask:

What kind of space am I creating… and who am I becoming inside it?

Press play if you’re ready to move forward toward wellness that feels human.Follow us on:

Instagram: @lluande1

Facebook: @Linda Unrath-Anderson

LinkedIn: @Linda Anderson

Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez