Welcome to the official The House of You® Podcast Sponsored by Voices for Voices, where we discuss how mental health, and our careers intertwine. I’m your host, Justin Alan Hayes, business professor, author, college, career and life consultant, Founder, and President of The House of You® and Voices for Voices, an organization centered on making mental health a non-negotiable priority for people everywhere coupled with long-term career development to become a healthy and productive member of society.

Here at The House of You®, we’re passionate about helping others navigate their workforce preparation while thriving on their mental health journey. So, we’re sitting down with career professionals and mental health advocates to take a deep dive into our professional lives, ambitions, swap stories on mental health in relation to career moves, and so much more. 

In this episode, Justin Alan Hayes interviews Wayne Nieman and Dr. Jake Protivnak, Board members from State of Mind: Hudson, a mental health awareness organization. Wayne Nieman is the Senior Development Director for the Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, headquartered in Stow, Ohio. He started his career in 2013, serving the Scouting program in Akron, and he now oversees development and fundraising in Greater Akron and the Mahoning Valley.

A native of Alliance, Ohio, and current resident of Akron’s North Hill neighborhood, Wayne graduated from the University of Akron in 2011 with degrees in Secondary Education and History. After a brief career in education, he made a change to the nonprofit sector. Wayne is a Rotarian (current member of the Boardman Rotary Club, former member of Hudson Clocktower Rotary), current Vice President and Treasurer for Northeast Ohio Roy Hobbs baseball, Leadership Hudson Class of 2019 graduate, and State of Mind Hudson Board member.

An avid baseball fan, Wayne plays competitively in the Ohio MSBL league in Canton…where he pitches for the 3x defending champion VukGripz (pronounced VOOK-grips) Akron A’s. Additionally, he is the player/manager for the Ohio Gamecocks of NEO Roy Hobbs Greater Akron AA baseball…where he led them to championships in 2017 and 2018.

Dr. Jake Protivnak is a Professor and Counseling Program Director in the Department of Psychological Sciences and Counseling at Youngstown State University. He is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Licensed Professional School Counselor, and a Nationally Certified Counselor.  Jake has almost 20 years of experience as a counselor educator, counselor, and supervisor working in clinical mental health, school, and college settings focusing primarily on counseling children, adolescents, and college-aged adults. He has authored over 20 refereed journal publications, over 30 book chapters and invited articles, and delivered over 100 regional, state, and national presentations.  Jake is a past-president of the Ohio Counseling Association. He has received recognition from the American Counseling Association, Association for Counselor Education and Supervision, and Ohio University for his professional leadership, scholarship, teaching, and service. Within his local community, he is a board member of State of Mind: Hudson, an advocacy group of individuals from different professions working together to increase mental health awareness and reduce stigma of seeking treatment.  Jake currently resides with his wife Carrie, daughter Danica, and their pet golden doodle Zeda in Hudson, OH.

Voices for Voices is a 501c3 nonprofit founded to provide a platform for folks to share their stories with others as we work to break the negative stigma around mental health and disabilities. In the future VfV will provide free mental health care to those in need throughout the community. Voices for Voices is a 501c3 that survives solely by charitable contributions. GIVE TODAY