Holding Short

Episode 37 is out today! This episode was hosted by our producer Cameron in Laura's stead.

This episode involves discussions around Trauma, Mental Health and Mental Healthcare. We recognize that this topic may be difficult for many listeners. If you are not up for that conversation, for any reason, please take a moment to click away.

Phil Ralph, CD, Captain (Ret'd), currently serves as the Director of Health Services for Wounded Warriors Canada and has served in various capacities throughout the organization’s history, including serving as Chair for two years. As Director of Health Services, he oversees the implementation of a robust and exciting slate of transformative culturally appropriate group-based interventions that are clinically facilitated and grounded in evidence that draws upon leading trauma research benefiting veterans, first responders, and their families.

For over a quarter century until releasing from the Canadian Armed Forces in 2016, Phil served our nation as the Regimental Chaplain to the 32 Combat Engineer Regiment (formerly the 2nd Field Engineer Regiment). In that capacity, he was exposed to the challenges and needs of today’s veterans. Having seen firsthand the effects of deployments on our veterans he has a passion to contribute to assisting today’s veterans towards wholeness and healing. As the son of a firefighter whose family's service extends back into the 1800’s he has also witnessed first-hand the challenges that face first responders and their families.

Padre Ralph has served as Directing Staff at the Canadian Forces Chaplains School and Centre located within Canadian Forces Base Borden on several occasions. He has also served as the Senior Chaplain at Blackdown Cadet Training Centre, supervising his staff as they cared for a Camp of 3,000 personnel including up to 2,500 young people.

Phil holds a Bachelor of Theology degree from Ontario Bible College and a Master of Divinity degree from Ontario Theological Seminary. Beyond military and congregational ministry, Phil has been active in the wider community by serving on the Boards of several agencies dedicated to assisting those in need. For his work in the community, he was awarded the Canada 125 Medal, given for “Significant Contributions to Canada.” and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal. He is also the recipient of the Canadian Forces Decoration.

For more information on Wounded Warriors Canada, please visit their website at www.woundedwarriors.ca or find them on social media. They can be found on instagram @woundedwarriorscanada, facebook @woundedwarriorscanada, and on twitter @woundedwarriorCA. Phil can be found on instagram @ralph_phil.

Episode 63 is out today with guest Emily Reiman!

Emily is an Aerospace Control Operator in the RCAF, the Director of DEI on the Senior Leadership Team for Elevate Aviation and Project Coordinator for Allies in the Workplace. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Sociology and a Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in Equity Studies. Emily is currently working in the Combat Operations Center in Cold Lake AB and has deployed operationally on Operation Reassurance in Romania and Operation Impact in Kuwait. She has participated in numerous exercises throughout North America and has had the opportunity to travel throughout her military career.

Emily is a member of the Defence Women’s Advisory Organization (DWAO) that seeks to address and overcome barriers that women face in the workplace, and a member of the Transforming Military Cultures (TMC) Network - a collaboration that seeks to challenge, reimagine, and transform the Canadian Armed Forces culture into one that embraces inclusivity and difference. Emily was recently published in the Canadian Military Journal for an ethnographic article on culture change as a wicked problem with the CAF through her lens as a Jr NCM. Through academia and personal passion, she has committed to bettering the workplace through the implementation of DEI practices. She believes deeply in allyship as a way to lighten the burden on others to create a more inclusive world.

Emily was born and raised in Niagara Falls, ON and is the youngest of three. She loves to golf, cross country ski, weight train and stare up at the stars - she loves astronomy and all things space!

If you’d like to know more about Emily, and her work, she can be found on instagram @rammyreiman, Twitter @rammyreiman, and Linkedin under the name Emily Reiman.

Episode 36 is out today with guest Michelle Matte-Stotyn!

Becoming a skydiver was never part of her life plan, but when Michelle Matte-Stotyn did her first tandem jump she was hooked. In the middle of completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa in Leisure Studies, Michelle drastically turned her focus from studying recreation in indigenous cultures to finishing her degree studying the gender barriers in extreme sports. In the process of her studies she joined the Women’s Initiatives Committee of CSPA as a volunteer member looking to increase female involvement in skydiving. During that time, she completed a graduate diploma in Sport Business Management from Algonquin College and in 2013, became the Executive Director of CSPA. She continued her studies part-time while working for the association and just recently finished an Accounting Diploma, to complete a tertiary qualification of sport, business, and accounting.

Michelle has been a certified skydiver for over 10 years, with a D license, and multiple coach, instructor and examiner ratings. She holds four Canadian skydiving records and has competed in both indoor and outdoor skydiving competitions. When she’s not skydiving, she can be found on the golf course in the summers and actively skiing in the winters.

For anyone interested in finding out more about the Canadian Sport Parachuting Association, please visit their website at www.cspa.ca or find them on facebook @canadianskydiving.

This episode we interview the crew behind Deadstick Radio! Brian Murray and Scott Holmes started their podcast project with the goal of sharing aviation stories that haven’t been heard before. They draw on their own wide variety of experience, from flying gliders, air racing, and building experimental aircraft, to interview people from across the country, and around the world.
Brian Murray has always had aviation in his blood. He started his aviation journey in flight simulators as a kid and worked his way up through RC aircraft, gliders and now holds a private license. Brian is the proud owner of a Lake Buccaneer, which he hopes to take around the world.

Brian's career has been marked by an entrepreneurial drive, and a desire to leave aviation better than he found it. He now hosts two podcasts, and a YouTube channel that focuses on aviation technology and amphibious adventures. Brian has also written several successful mobile apps, including a Glider navigation and optimization app.

Scott Holmes has been flying since before he could drive. Starting in the Air Cadet Program and finishing his PPL in high school, Scott soon set his sights on learning to fly aerobatic aircraft while studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. After graduation, he looked to a new challenge... air racing: a sport that requires engineering, aircraft construction, and high performance flying to be successful.

Scott now races in the Formula 1 class at the Reno Air Races and globally in the Air Race 1 World Series. He is also working on two aircraft development projects. The first is his electric Cassutt conversion, and the second is a unique racing aircraft being purpose built to challenge speed, altitude, and distance records

Deadstick Radio can be found on many streaming services, including YouTube, podbean, Spotify, Google podcasts, and Apple podcasts. They are also on Facebook and Instagram @deadstickradio. Brian is on YouTube under Brian Murray, as well as Instagram @intheblueyonder. Scott is on Instagram @holmes540, and his race team, Outlaw Air Racing is on Facebook.

Emily Wood is an AQP (Advanced Qualification Program) Training Specialist at Air Canada. In her current role she works with a team to ensure all pilots, when passing through their airline training program, obtain training that is responsive to continuous industry change so they can achieve the highest levels of both individual and crew performance.

Emily has her Master’s of Aviation Management from Griffith University where she wrote her final thesis on Human Factors in Flightdeck Automation. This research worked to determine if the advanced technology of flightdeck automation continues to be an effective, beneficial safety tool when increased sophistication of the relationship between the human operator and the technology has, on multiple occasions, proven responsible for aircraft incidents and accidents.

Outside of work, Emily volunteers as Elevate Aviation’s Mentorship Lead for their Ontario Wing and is passionate about giving those who want a career in aviation the resources and support they need to find success.
Emily can be found on Instagram @e.m.wood