Jo Ann Boyce, Civil Rights Pioneer, Author, and Retired Pediatric Nurse Artwork

In the Arena: Conversations of a Lifetime

What makes leaders tick? In the Arena podcast delves into the inner workings and personal dynamics of leadership. We’ll shine a light on the life-shaping experiences and perspectives of leaders who have navigated adversity and moved their organizations and themselves forward. Defining moments, lessons learned, and points of inspiration provide a roadmap for these conversations of a lifetime. The podcast title In the Arena has historical roots. In 1910, a year after leaving the presidency, Teddy Roosevelt gave a rousing address in Paris in which he chastised cynics and grenade-throwing critics who lambasted leaders as they worked valiantly to improve the human condition. Over time TR’s “The Man in the Arena” became indelibly linked to the nobility and struggles of leadership. In the Arena host Brad Rieger is the chief executive officer at Cooper-Smith, a full-service marketing and advertising agency headquartered in Toledo, OH with a satellite office in Stamford, CT. Prior to working in the private sector, Brad enjoyed a meaningful 31-year career in education serving in the roles of teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and superintendent. He is a student of the complexities and nuances of leadership and admires the strivers, trailblazers, and influencers who lead with conviction, courage, and resilience. Host/Executive Producer; Brad Rieger, Audio Engineer/Production Coordinator; Kerry Schwable, Social Coordinator; Tim McCarthy, Graphic Designers: Stephen Shankster/Jeremy Thomas. Content made possible by Cooper-Smith Advertising LLC 2023

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In the Arena: Conversations of a Lifetime

Jo Ann Boyce, Civil Rights Pioneer, Author, and Retired Pediatric Nurse

December 16, 2020 • Brad Rieger • Season 1 • Episode 6

At the age of 15, Jo Ann Boyce became a Civil Rights pioneer. She was one of the Clinton 12, a courageous group of black students who pushed thru racist taunts and mob violence to become the first students of color to attend an all-white high school in the Old South. The year was 1956; the place was Clinton, Tennessee. Jo Ann has been sharing her school integration story and other life lessons with school and community groups for decades. In 2019, she published a book about her Clinton 12 experience titled: This Promise of Change: One Girl’s Story in the Fight for School Equality.

Host/Executive Producer; Brad Rieger, Audio Engineer/Production Coordinator; Kerry Schwable, Social Coordinator; Tim McCarthy, Graphic Designers: Stephen Shankster/Jeremy Thomas. Content made possible by Cooper-Smith Advertising LLC 2023