Christopher C. Herring joins host Cedric Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for a wide-ranging conversation about service, business, and the hard math of poverty in one of America's largest cities. Chris Herring is a retired U.S. Air Force officer, former president of the Alamo City Black Chamber of Commerce, past chairman of the Texas Association of African American Chambers of Commerce, and Executive Director of Global Chamber San Antonio. This interview traces a full arc: growing up in New Windsor, New York, next door to Newburgh, a town he describes as the welfare capital of the state; enrolling at Boston University in 1987 and being told on his first day that he did not belong there; receiving his commission and being selected as one of the Air Force's first minority recruiting officers; and eventually landing in San Antonio, where he led a chamber founded in 1938 and served a decade as the mayor's appointee on the city's Small Business Advocacy Committee under three administrations. The back half is where it gets pointed. Chris Herring walks through what happened to the Texas HUB program, why he believes twenty-plus chambers competing instead of collaborating cost San Antonio its minority business infrastructure, and what city economic development staff consistently miss about the people they are hired to serve. He explains why he now studies cities by ZIP code through the National Data System, why he considers childcare a form of infrastructure rather than a family convenience, and what he is publishing at Texas Capital Report. Along the way: Euretta K. Fairchild and the founding of the Alamo City Black Chamber, a college roommate who became a Massachusetts state representative, forty years of servant leadership, and a candid word on faith, reconciliation, and second chances. If this conversation gave you something to think about, hit like, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share it with a business owner who needs to hear it. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency --------- CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro 01:00 Meet Chris Herring: Air Force Officer to Global Business Leader 01:55 Commercial Break - The Blessings of Forgiveness by Blaise Labbe 03:39 How Cedric and Chris First Connected in San Antonio 04:45 Euretta K. Fairchild and the Alamo City Black Chamber's Origins 06:55 Growing Up in New Windsor and Newburgh, New York 09:20 Boston University 1987, Racial Profiling, and Dr. King's Legacy 11:44 Commissioned as One of the Air Force's First Minority Recruiters 12:16 The One Value That Never Changed: Service Over Self 15:25 Twenty Chambers, One City: Why Collaboration Was the Hardest Part 18:03 The Fair Contracting Coalition and the 5-Year Diversity Ordinance 18:52 Commercial Break 19:59 The Texas HUB Program and Less Than 1% of State Spend 23:09 Library of Congress, NMAAHC, and the Price of Advocacy 25:51 How the Air Force Shaped His Leadership Style 26:26 Why San Antonio Can't Break Generational Poverty 28:27 Studying Cities by ZIP Code: The National Data System 31:29 Joining Global Chamber and Thinking Globally from San Antonio 34:01 AI, Geospatial Intelligence, and the Next Five Years 37:24 Faith, Reconciliation, and Second Chances 40:03 What's on His Nightstand 41:34 A System to Pair Nonprofits on Shared Missions 42:38 Closing Thoughts

Bill Day of Frost Bank joins host Cedric Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for a candid conversation about leadership, loyalty, and the power of straight talk in corporate communications. As Senior Vice President and Corporate Communications Manager, Bill has spent a decade shaping the public voice of one of Texas's oldest and most respected financial institutions. In this episode, Bill traces his journey from a childhood in Detroit, Michigan to an academic scholarship at Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, where a front-page byline in the college newspaper hooked him on journalism for good. That reporter's instinct for truth carried him through years in Dallas-area newsrooms, over ten years leading communications at Valero Energy, and ultimately to Frost Bank, where he now handles media relations, executive communication, and crisis response for the entire company. You'll hear the best advice he ever received: a CEO needs someone who will say what the boss doesn't want to hear. Bill shares how Frost chose transparency over cover-up during a cybersecurity incident, why CEO Phil Green crossed out an entire drafted paragraph and replaced it with a single word, and how the bank processed roughly 14,000 PPP loan applications in one week during the pandemic, about 150 percent of its usual annual volume. He also opens up about Frost's Blue Book and a mission statement employees can actually recite, and the three values that define his journey: integrity, caring, and excellence. Whether you're a communications professional, a business leader, or someone weighing what loyalty to an institution really means, this conversation delivers practical wisdom, including why Frost hires nice people and teaches them how to be bankers, never the other way around. 👍 Enjoyed this episode? Give it a like, drop a comment with your biggest takeaway, and share it with a colleague who needs to hear it. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency ---------------- Chapter Timestamps: 00:00 Intro | San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show 01:00 Meet Bill Day: A Decade Shaping Frost Bank's Voice 01:48 Commercial Break - "I Belong Here" by Helen Yee 03:59 Welcome Bill Day: Detroit Roots & Texas Wesleyan 08:14 Detroit Sports Talk: Tigers, Red Wings & Dallas Stars 08:44 Inside the Role: SVP of Corporate Communications at Frost 10:07 Joining Frost: CEO Transitions & a Culture of Honesty 13:48 Straight Facts, No Spin: Lessons from Valero 15:09 Crisis Comms: Cybersecurity & "Is My Money Safe?" 17:52 Why Bill Stays: The Blue Book, Mission & Institutional Thinking 22:05 158 Years Strong: Core Values Meet Modern Banking 24:13 The #1 Leadership Skill: Listening 26:03 Pandemic Response & PPP Loans: Frost's Proudest Chapter 31:47 Career Advice: Loyalty, Institutions & His Father's Example 35:40 Integrity, Caring & Excellence: Bill's Three Words 37:30 Commercial Break - "Oscar the Osprey" By Ed Polansky 39:25 The Personal Side: Introvert, Individualist, Full of Surprises 42:08 On Bill's Nightstand: Book Picks & Farewell

Dr. Melissa Walker, DO, founder of Carol Clinic for Family-Centered Healthcare in San Antonio, joins host Cedric D. Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for a deeply personal and medically powerful conversation about the healing power of education, the calling of medicine, and building an independent practice rooted in community love. Dr. Walker grew up in Spearsville, Louisiana, the youngest of nine children in a working-class family, and rose to become a valedictorian, a two-time graduate of Grambling State University, and a family medicine physician with over 22 years of experience serving San Antonio's East Side. Her clinic, Carol Clinic, is named in tribute to her late mother, Mrs. Carol Williams Walker, whose stroke and death from preventable health complications shaped Dr. Walker's life mission: to ensure her patients always know why they are sick, what their medicines do, and how to take control of their own health. In this episode, Dr. Walker shares: ✅ Why a yearly checkup is the most powerful preventive tool available — and why too many middle-aged patients skip it ✅ What she witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic through the National Medical Association's vaccination campaign at the Bayou Classic football game ✅ The medical board complaint that nearly broke her early in her career — and the mentor who helped her rise above it ✅ Her philosophy on patient accountability: why she makes diabetes patients bring a handwritten log instead of relying on the machine ✅ Why she chooses to run her own independent practice instead of joining a corporate group ✅ A passionate defense of HBCUs — and why Grambling State's motto, "where everybody is somebody," changed her life ✅ Her life-changing book recommendation: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho Whether you're a patient, a healthcare professional, a medical student, or simply someone looking for inspiration from a San Antonio leader who walks with purpose every day, this conversation is for you. 👍 If this episode inspired you, please LIKE, COMMENT, and SHARE it with someone who needs to hear it. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency --- CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro — San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show 01:00 Welcome to Today's Show — Host Cedric Fisher 04:15 Welcome, Dr. Melissa Walker 04:33 Growing Up in Spearsville, Louisiana — Youngest of Nine 06:42 Full Scholarship to Grambling, Then On to San Antonio 07:42 Leadership Lessons from the Pandemic — NMA & the Bayou Classic Vaccination Campaign 10:43 Cedric's History with the National Medical Association 11:42 Preventive Care: Why a Yearly Checkup Can Save Your Life 13:17 Patients Who Live Their Appointed Years — Stories from Practice 14:43 What Actually Prolongs Life — Statins, Smoking, and Real Talk 16:14 Break — Back with Dr. Walker 18:48 A Career-Defining Moment — The Medical Board Complaint 19:32 Dr. Leo Edwards: A Mentor's Wisdom on Resilience 21:17 Medicine as a Calling — "The Nagging to Be a Doctor Would Never Leave" 22:28 Patient Education Over Prescription — Involving Patients in Their Own Health 23:58 GLP Medications, Ozempic, and the Reality of Underserved Patients 25:18 Excellence in Education Award — HBCU People's Choice Awards 25:32 Education Is the Pathway Out — From Inner Cities to Every Opportunity 26:58 Why HBCUs Matter — "Where Everybody Is Somebody" 29:12 Final Question: The Book That Changed Dr. Walker's Life — The Alchemist 32:51 Closing — Thank You, Dr. Walker

Feliza Salazar, founder of The Wicked Wich sandwich shop, joins San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show co-host Marissa Garcia for an inspiring Pride Month conversation about building a beloved local food brand from scratch. From her first job making sandwiches at a major chain -- where she secretly crafted off-menu creations for loyal regulars -- to launching as a pop-up inside a neighborhood tienda in 2022, Feliza's journey is a masterclass in starting small, staying creative, and building something real. In this episode, Feliza walks us through the story behind The Wicked Wich name, what makes her half-pound sandwiches unlike anything else in San Antonio, and how her flagship Beacon Hill location on Fredericksburg Road became a neighborhood institution in just a few years. Now with a brand-new second location at 6410 Bandera Road in Leon Valley, Feliza is expanding her reach while staying rooted in the community values that built her business. Feliza opens up about being an openly LGBTQ+ business owner, the philosophy that "y'all means all," and her active involvement with the Pride Youth Foundation, the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, and the LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce. She shares the real capital challenges every first-time entrepreneur faces, how she found inspiration watching other small business owners build from zero, and the key support she received from Cynthia Gomez at Oscar de la Tienda and the Sadie's Sadie Restaurant Group during her Leon Valley buildout. You'll also get the inside scoop on top menu picks (the Classic Italian, the Wemby Stack, the Beast, and the Ceza sandwich), the story behind the legendary retired "Frankenwich," and what book this San Antonio entrepreneur keeps returning to on her nightstand. If you love San Antonio, local food, and stories of grit and community, this one is for you. 👍 If this episode inspired you, please LIKE this video and leave a comment below: we'd love to hear from you! 📲 SHARE this episode with a fellow San Antonio food lover or entrepreneur. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency ----- CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro — San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show 01:02 Cedric Fisher Welcomes Co-Host Marissa Garcia & Introduces Feliza Salazar 01:42 Commercial Break — Oscar the Osprey (Edward Martin Polansky / CDFCO) 03:43 Feliza's Origin Story: First Job, Seven Years of Sandwiches 05:30 Starting Small: The Pop-Up at Oscar de la Tienda (2022) 05:30 Why "The Wicked Wich"? The Name Origin Story 06:20 What Makes The Wicked Wich Different 07:06 Signature Sandwiches: The Wemby Stack, the Ceza, and More 07:47 Commercial Break — Pride Month / INFLUENCE PSA ("All You Need Is Love") 08:54 The Leon Valley Location & Two-Store Overview 09:23 First-Timer Menu Recommendations: Italian, Wemby Stack, The Beast 10:17 What Being a Local Business Owner Means to Feliza 10:57 Mentors & Community Support: Cynthia Gomez and Sadie's Sadie Restaurant Group 12:32 Pride Month: What It Means to Feliza and Her Business 13:15 Commercial Break — My Daddy: Poems from the Heart (CDFCO) 14:31 Communities That Supported The Wicked Wich's Growth 15:07 The Strangest Sandwich: The Story of the Frankenwich 16:15 Leaders Are Readers: Feliza's Go-To Book 16:39 Where to Find Both Locations 17:20 Closing

Kimberly Davolt sits down with host Cedric Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show to share how she built MCES Industries LLC and Davolt Community Advocacy into a dual mission of cleaning excellence and workforce inclusion across San Antonio and beyond. As President and CEO of both organizations, Kimberly leads with a philosophy of servant leadership rooted in her upbringing as the daughter of two U.S. Air Force veterans: a story that takes her from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, through years of court-appointed child advocacy work, into running multi-state environmental services contracts. In this conversation, Kimberly pulls back the curtain on what most people misunderstand about the cleaning industry: the chemistry, the dwell times, the high-touch protocols, and the simple truth that surgeons can't operate tomorrow if her team doesn't do its job tonight. She walks Cedric through MCES Industries' specialty in EVS (environmental services) cleaning for hospitals, operating rooms, and day surgery centers, including portions of the Seattle airport, and explains how the company's "Empower, Ignite, Succeed" motto translates into real opportunities for foster-care alumni, returning veterans, individuals with disabilities, and second-chance hires. You'll hear Kimberly's most moving story: an autistic young man who joined her team unable to face customers, and who, over months of patient mentorship, walked his way down a corridor and eventually into a full-time IT career. You'll also hear her perspective on San Antonio's homelessness challenge, why zip code shouldn't dictate access to resources, and why she calls herself a "quiet leader" who measures success in lives changed rather than likes received. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a community advocate, or someone who simply needs a reminder of what servant leadership looks like in practice, this episode will leave you with practical wisdom and a renewed sense of purpose. If this conversation inspires you, please like, comment with your favorite takeaway, share with someone who needs to hear it, and subscribe so you don't miss future episodes featuring San Antonio's most impactful leaders. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency Special thanks to our ongoing sponsor and supporter, Ms. Starley Murray: https://www.starleymurray.com ---- CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show 01:00 Host Cedric Fisher Introduces Kimberly Davolt 01:55 Commercial Break - "I Belong Here" by Helen H. Yee (CDFCO) 04:08 Born on an Air Force Base: Kimberly's Military Family Roots 06:11 Behind the Certifications: Why Knowing the System Matters 08:07 Empower, Ignite, Succeed: The Operating Philosophy 10:00 Inside MCES Industries: EVS Cleaning & Medical Facility Specialty 13:13 Two Years In: How MCES Grew as a Woman-Owned Business 15:30 From Social Work to Entrepreneur: Taking the Leap 16:50 San Antonio's Homelessness Challenge & Zip-Code Access 19:08 Misconceptions About the Cleaning Industry 21:17 Commercial Break - Davolt Community Advocacy / Pay It Forward 22:13 Hiring for Attitude: What MCES Looks for in Team Members 24:46 Bridging Corporate Priorities and Frontline Reality 25:28 The Story That Reminds Her Why: An IT Career Begins 29:28 The Quiet Leader: Impact Off Social Media 30:30 Books on the Nightstand: "Broken Country" and "Book and Dagger" 32:00 A Better Tomorrow: Kindness, Grace, and Daily Change-Making 33:08 Closing & Goodbye

Consuelo Montoya joins host Cedric Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show to discuss her inspiring journey as the author of My Daddy, Poems from the Heart: a beautiful collection preserving her father's poetic legacy. In this moving interview, Consuelo shares how a man with only a third-grade education created poetry that touches hearts and transcends generations. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Consuelo overcame significant personal challenges including epilepsy and a movement disorder she's lived with since birth. Rather than letting these obstacles hold her back, she built a successful 23-year career as an educator across Texas school districts including Edgewood, Seguin, and Dallas. Her story is a testament to the power of parental encouragement, self-acceptance, and perseverance. In this episode, you'll discover: - The emotional journey of compiling her father's poems decades after his passing - How her parents' unwavering belief helped her overcome a counselor's prediction that she "wouldn't amount to anything" - The process of selecting 36 poems that best represent her father's bright, positive spirit - Why legacy matters more than financial success when publishing personal work - How children can teach us profound lessons about acceptance - The importance of following your dreams and sharing your unique gifts with the world Consuelo's message is clear: everyone has a story worth telling. Whether you're facing personal challenges, preserving family history, or simply seeking inspiration, this conversation offers wisdom about resilience, authenticity, and the enduring power of a father's love expressed through poetry. My Daddy, Poems from the Heart is available now on Amazon. This collection features heartfelt verses about family, love, and life's meaningful moments—perfect for weddings, celebrations, or personal reflection. Buy it here: https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Poems-Heart-Consuelo-Montoya/dp/B0DRSMKMCZ 💬 Share your thoughts in the comments: What family legacy would you like to preserve? 👍 If this story inspired you, please LIKE this video and help us spread Consuelo's message! 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency #ConsueloMontoya #INFLUENCEMagazine #SanAntonioAuthor #PoetryBook #FamilyLegacy #AuthorInterview #InspiringStory #TexasAuthor #CedricFisher #NeverGiveUp ------ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro to Influence Magazine Show 01:38 Guest Introduction: Consuelo Montoya 02:10 Commercial Break - Sight by Alexandria Claremont 04:16 Meet Consuelo: San Antonio Roots & Teaching Career 06:50 The Journey to Publish "My Daddy, Poems from the Heart" 09:52 The Royal Typewriter & Her Father's Process 11:13 Curating the Poems: Focusing on Family & Light 13:11 Family Support & Building a Legacy 15:08 Commercial Break 16:09 The Reader Experience: Being There in the Moment 17:35 Overcoming Epilepsy, Movement Disorders, & Bullying 21:16 A Teacher's Impact: Acceptance in the Classroom 22:47 Defying First Impressions & Knowing Your Worth 24:40 Consuelo’s Advice: Shine Your Light 25:55 Leaders are Readers: What's on the Nightstand? 26:36 Closing Thoughts

Starley Murray joins host Cedric D. Fisher on San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show to reveal how 30 years in television and media production shaped her mission to help leaders, authors, and experts master on-camera authenticity. In this powerful conversation, Starley shares her journey from behind-the-scenes makeup artist working 80 to 100-hour weeks to national field producer for America's Most Wanted, and ultimately to celebrity image expert and founder of Life Mastery Studio and Starley Murray Live. Starley opens up about her deeply personal story of growing up in a home of domestic violence, explaining how that experience fueled her passion for helping others be seen and heard. She introduces her core philosophy: authenticity is better than an Oscar-winning performance, and people forgive flaws but not fakes. Throughout the interview, she shares practical wisdom on diagnosing imposter syndrome as a core-values misalignment, the importance of protecting credibility while growing visibility, and why "fail forward with finesse" is a better mindset than "fake it till you make it." The conversation also covers actionable advice for young professionals entering the media industry, how Dale Carnegie's timeless principles apply to modern media pitching, and details about Starley's upcoming Credibility and Visibility Retreat at Hotel Emma in San Antonio, Texas. Whether you are an author, speaker, entrepreneur, or business leader looking to strengthen your on-camera presence and personal brand, this episode delivers insights you can put into practice immediately. Starley has worked with clients and productions involving Colin Powell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eva Longoria, Tommy Lee Jones, and NBA Hall of Famers. She has been a recurring guest expert on KENS 5 (CBS San Antonio) and holds a record for television, stage, and podcast appearances across multiple national networks. Learn more about Starley Murray: Web: https://www.starleymurray.com Instagram: @starley_murray Youtube: @StarleyMurray Starley Murray Credibility & Visibility Retreat! Early interest link: https://studio.starleymurray.com/immersive-retreat-transformation If this episode inspired you, please LIKE, COMMENT, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE it with someone who needs to hear Starley's message. Your engagement helps us bring more incredible leaders to this platform. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency ---- CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro and Show Open 01:00 Cedric Fisher Introduces the Team and Guest 01:50 Starley Murray Montage 03:27 Welcome: Starley Murray Joins the Show 03:52 San Antonio Roots and Family 04:39 Career Mission: Protecting Brand While Growing Visibility 05:28 30 Years and Over 3,000 Productions 06:11 The Turning Point: Staying When Everyone Left 08:48 The Call from America's Most Wanted 09:33 Celebrity Clients: Colin Powell, Schwarzenegger, Eva Longoria 10:19 Worst Job, Best Lesson: Leveraging Bad Experiences 11:03 Career Surprises: Behind the Camera, In Front, and Coaching 13:01 Mentoring Philosophy: Trust, Accountability, and Love 14:01 Starleyism: Authenticity Over Oscar-Winning Performance 15:14 Why Rehearsed Can Still Be Authentic 16:23 Advice for Young People Entering Media 17:24 The Greedy Giver Philosophy 18:51 Commercial Break – Oscar the Osprey by Edward Martin Polansky 20:50 Imposter Syndrome: Getting to the Root 22:00 Defining Imposter Syndrome as Core-Values Misalignment 23:25 People Forgive Flaws, Not Fakes 23:52 Vulnerability as a Professional Strength 25:18 Share the Scar, Not the Wound 26:25 How Starley Has Coached the INFLUENCE Magazine Show 28:57 AI Content and Protecting Authenticity 29:21 Leading by Example: Empowering Your Crew 30:20 Commercial Break – Starley Murray Credibility & Visibility Retreat 31:54 What Most People Don't Know About Starley 32:48 Michael Jordan Free Throw Analogy: Try More, Fail More 33:49 Leaning Love Into the Lens 35:08 Books on the Nightstand: Children's Bible and Dale Carnegie 36:46 Carnegie Principles Applied to Media Pitching 38:14 How to Connect with Starley Murray 38:47 Upcoming Penthouse Retreat at Hotel Emma, San Antonio 39:34 Thank You and Outro

Step into a remarkable conversation as Cedric Fisher of San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show welcomes Samuel Scott Jr. and Janet Scott, a true power couple whose lives have spanned four continents and six decades of public service. In this riveting interview, the Scotts share an extraordinary journey that took Sam from San Antonio's Phillis Wheatley High School and Prairie View A&M University into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, then into a full Foreign Service career with USAID across Ethiopia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Malawi, Kenya, Liberia, Ghana, Vietnam, Panama, and Costa Rica. Sam offers a rare insider perspective on what foreign aid actually does, why it directly supports American farmers in Kansas, Nebraska, and Idaho, and what was lost when USAID was dismantled in 2025. He explains the colonial divide-and-rule legacy that still shapes Africa today, shares unforgettable insights on Liberia as an African nation founded by former American slaves, and recounts his post-USAID work with the United Negro College Fund under the late Congressman Bill Gray, including a personal audience with Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg and the establishment of partnerships between American HBCUs and historically Black South African universities. Janet brings her own remarkable story to the conversation, from her East Austin upbringing in a family of educators tied to Huston-Tillotson, through her years as an Embassy Community Liaison Officer, her teaching career at the American School in Kenya, and her tennis exploits as a five-time Cameroon National doubles champion and member of the Ghana team that competed against Nigeria. Her stories of cultural exchange parties in Yaoundé, an attempted coup, and adopting a village in Ghana that built a school still standing today reveal the heart of Foreign Service family life. This is San Antonio history meeting world history; do not miss it. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, drop a comment with your favorite moment, share it with someone who loves international affairs, and subscribe for more conversations with the city's most impactful leaders. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show for more inspiring interviews with San Antonio's most impactful leaders! Web: https://www.influencesa.com || https://www.cedricdfisher.com || https://www.influencemarketing.agency ---- Join our sponsor, world renowned media, TV, and video coach Starley Murray at her upcoming workshop: STARLEY MURRAY CREDIBILITY AND VISIBILITY: IMMERSIVE RETREAT TRANSFORMATION MAY 22-23, 2026 | HOTEL EMMA | TOP 10 HAND-SELECTED ATTENDEES LINK FOR MORE: https://studio.starleymurray.com/immersive-retreat-transformation-invitation?am_id=cedric6878 SEE STARLEY'S INTERVIEW WITH SAN ANTONIO'S INFLUENCE: https://youtu.be/I4Q9f_XMMrY?si=t5TtLsM167hmcL81 ---- 00:00 Welcome to San Antonio's INFLUENCE Magazine Show 00:57 Cedric Fisher Introduces Tonight's Power Couple 01:43 Commercial Break - Starlee Murray Credibility & Visibility Retreat 03:18 Growing Up in San Antonio's East Side & Denver Heights 04:08 Phillis Wheatley High School, Class of 1961 05:03 Prairie View A&M, ROTC & Army Corps of Engineers Commission 07:53 Janet's East Austin Roots & Huston-Tillotson Family 08:22 Blackshear, Kealing Junior High & Austin High Desegregation 09:04 Meeting Sam at Age 12 at a Jack and Jill Event in Dallas 10:36 Sam's USAID Foreign Service Career Across Africa 11:57 Cold War Foreign Aid: Competing With Soviets and Red Chinese 15:48 Cameroon, Liberia & State Department Spouse Restrictions 16:38 USAID Misconceptions: How Foreign Aid Funds U.S. Farmers 19:58 Colonial Divide-and-Rule & Africa's Tribal Politics Today 22:43 Liberia: An African Country Founded by Former American Slaves 24:38 Janet as Embassy Community Liaison Officer 25:22 Cameroon Cultural Exchange Parties at the Scott Home 26:32 The Cameroon Book Club & "The Rape of Michel" Author 28:00 Commercial Break - Anita DeFrantz, My Olympic Life 30:51 Janet's Tennis Career: Inspired by Arthur Ashe & Stan Smith 31:35 Playing for Ghana vs. Nigeria in the Women's Davis Cup 33:38 Adopting a Village in Ghana & Founding the Janet-Coe School 33:55 Five-Time Cameroon National Doubles Champion 34:55 The 2025 Dismantling of USAID & Its Global Impact 37:47 Joining UNCF Under Congressman Bill Gray 38:25 Mandela's Vision for South Africa's Black Universities 40:45 The HBCU & South Africa University Partnership 42:08 An Audience With Nelson Mandela in Johannesburg 44:30 Janet on Teaching: The Kenyan Standard Six Story 45:22 Commercial Break - The Blessings of Forgiveness by Blaise LaBey 46:59 Embassy Stories: The Cameroon Coup Attempt 49:53 International Women, Leprosy Colonies & Panama Outreach 52:55 Gentrification of San Antonio's East Side 53:32 SACIV, Friends of Hospice & Communities In Schools 54:55 Books on the Nightstand: Bishop Curry & Audiobooks 57:25 Closing Thoughts & Goodbye