From Bullying to Boxing Gloves, How My Son Fought Back | Making Maverick Moves #17
Release Date: 07/07/2025
Every Season Has a Purpose
Making Maverick Moves
In this powerful season finale, host Gina L. Osborn — Army veteran, former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge, leadership advisor, and keynote speaker — reflects on the “seasons” that define our personal and professional journeys. Not spring, summer, fall, and winter, but the ones we live through: the seasons of waiting, preparation, and harvest. Drawing from her own experience leaving the FBI, rebuilding her identity, and launching Making Maverick Moves, Gina reminds us that every season has a purpose — and that the quiet moments of growth often set the stage for our greatest...
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Trust Yourself and Take the Leap with Katie McEvilly from U.S. Bank
Making Maverick Moves
What if the key to your next opportunity isn’t confidence… it’s courage? This week on Making Maverick Moves, Gina L. Osborn — retired FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge and Army veteran — talks with Katie McEvilly, Senior Vice President and Branch Banking Market Leader at U.S. Bank, about building courage, finding mentors, and learning to trust yourself enough to take bold leaps forward. Katie’s story proves that purpose often finds us when we least expect it. From starting as an “accidental banker” to leading teams across California, she shares what she’s learned about:...
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Finding Your Leadership Voice with Deborah Shames
Making Maverick Moves
What if the very thing holding you back as a leader isn’t your expertise—but your fear of speaking up? In this episode of Making Maverick Moves, host Gina L. Osborn sits down with Deborah Shames, co-founder of and author of Out Front: How Women Can Become Engaging, Memorable, and Fearless Speakers. Deborah shares her journey from stage fright to speaking mastery, revealing how anyone can project confidence, own their voice, and connect with audiences authentically. You’ll learn how to: ✅ Transform fear into power before a big presentation ✅ Replace outdated templates with...
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From Broadway to Bold Communication with Renée Marino
Making Maverick Moves
In this episode of Making Maverick Moves, Gina L. Osborn sits down with Renée Marino, a former Broadway actress turned communication expert, to explore what it really takes to connect in today’s digital world. From commanding the Broadway stage in Jersey Boys to coaching leaders and entrepreneurs, Renée shares her journey of discovering that the most powerful form of communication isn’t about performance—it’s about presence. Together, Gina and Renée dive into the power of authenticity, vulnerability, and listening as essential tools for leadership and trust. Renée reminds...
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Blueprints for Change: How Kabri Lehrman-Schmid Builds Trust on Billion-Dollar Projects
Making Maverick Moves
In this episode of Making Maverick Moves, I sit down with Kabri Lehrman-Schmid, a superintendent who has led more than $1.9 billion in construction projects. In an industry built on grit and contracts, Kabri is proving that curiosity, authenticity, and compassion are the real blueprints for change. We talk about: The challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field How to turn pressure into power Why empowering overlooked voices transforms entire cultures Bringing mental health to the forefront of construction Learn more about Gina L. Osborn: 🌐 Website: 📖 Bio &...
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Beyond the Crystal Ball: Leading like a Futurist with Katie Rucker
Making Maverick Moves
What if the most Maverick move isn’t predicting what’s next—but imagining what could be and daring to make it real? In this episode, Gina talks with Katie Rucker of MacKenzie Corporation about leading like a futurist: flipping scarcity into possibility, loosening rigidity, and giving your team agency to co-create the future. From the “cone of possibility” to curiosity challenges and implication wheels, Katie shows how to slow down, widen your options, and move from reactive to proactive leadership. In This Episode Futures, not forecasts: Why there’s no crystal ball—and why...
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Rising to the Top: Navigating Male-Dominated Fields
Making Maverick Moves
What does it take to lead with impact in spaces where women are still the minority? In this episode of Making Maverick Moves, Gina L. Osborn shares her insights from the Global Women in Tech Conference and her own journey through the U.S. Army, the FBI, and LA Metro. From breaking down self-imposed barriers to commanding a room with confidence, Gina unpacks the lessons she’s learned about thriving in male-dominated fields, and how you can apply them too. Through her Maverick Moves framework, Gina offers practical tools and inspiring stories to help you: Command the Scene – show up...
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Don’t Quit Before the Magic Happens | UC Irvine Dean Kristine Collins on Leading with Grit & Resilience
Making Maverick Moves
What does it take to become the youngest—and first female—dean at a major university? Kristine Collins, Dean of Continuing Education at UC Irvine (UCI), joins Gina L. Osborn to talk servant leadership, building aligned teams, practicing for hard conversations, performance management, bouncing back from setbacks, and why you should never quit before the magic happens. They discuss Kristine's journey to becoming the youngest and first female dean at a major university, emphasizing the importance of vision, practice, and resilience in leadership. Kristine reflects on her sports...
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Saying Yes Changed Her Life | Rosslyn Cooper’s Leadership Story
Making Maverick Moves
Follow Gina: Follow Rosslyn: What happens when you leave everything behind—your home, your career, your comfort zone—for the unknown? Rosslyn Cooper did just that, moving from Australia to the U.S., taking a 42% pay cut, and stepping into tech leadership with no tech background. In this episode of Making Maverick Moves with Gina L. Osborne, Rosslyn shares her fearless mantra—say yes before you think you’re ready—and how it transformed her career and life. From navigating imposter syndrome and leading global digital transformation to embracing authenticity and mentoring future...
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Betting on Herself, Building Clear Path Solutions, and Redefining Leadership | Helen Lao
Making Maverick Moves
Follow Gina: Follow Helen: Helen Lao, a first-generation American, left a secure HR career to build Clear Path Solutions, one of the top executive search firms in the U.S. In this conversation, she shares her journey from selling tires to leading a national team, her philosophy of relationships over transactions, and the bold risks that shaped her success. Timestamps: 00:01 – Betting on herself: founding Clear Path Solutions 01:31 – Growing up first-generation, language barriers & resilience 02:49 – Expectations, being the “black sheep,” and work ethic 04:22 – Selling...
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Special thanks to Amanda Selogie at Inclusive Education Project, Aldair Perez at Storm mma, and Michelle McDuffie at The Johnson Academy for their support.
When Tamme Smith’s son, Thomas, was bullied, excluded, and physically attacked in middle school, she refused to stay silent. Instead, she wrote a bold, emotional letter to the parents of the bullies—and posted it online. That letter went viral.
In this powerful episode of Making Maverick Moves, Tamme shares her family's journey through pain, advocacy, and healing. From a school system that failed her son to the unexpected hero—a boxing coach named Aldair—who helped Thomas regain his confidence, this story will inspire every parent, educator, and student who’s ever felt alone.
Timestamps:
00:00 – The letter that exposed the truth
01:50 – “I couldn’t get him to go to school”
04:36 – Excluded by his own friends
06:55 – School hears the reports—but does nothing
09:01 – Thomas’ neurodiversity: dyslexia and more
11:17 – A boxing coach offers Thomas his power back
17:58 – Beaten in the bathroom: the final straw
21:09 – Testing reveals academic failure
24:47 – Tamme’s viral open letter to the bullies’ parents
29:03 – Her message to parents everywhere
31:21 – Thomas’ bond with his mentor, Aldair