Dr. Brenda Lloyd-Jones: Over Three Decades of Building Community

In this episode

In this episode I sit down with Dr. Brenda Joy Lloyd-Jones — affectionately known as Dr. Brenda Joy — a human relations professor at the University of Oklahoma whose life work centers on leadership, connection, and community. Over thirty-five years ago, Brenda and her family moved to Tulsa with no relatives and no friends nearby. Knowing it takes a village to raise a child, she did something wonderfully bold: she put an ad in the paper inviting like-minded moms to gather. That small circle became The Mothers Group Incorporated, and it's been building community ever since.

I love that what started as playdates for her only child grew into the Santa Community Project — an annual morning of brand-new books, Santa and Mrs. Claus, live performances, and family cheer that began in 1989 because Brenda overheard a little girl who couldn't get to the mall to see Santa. She saw a need and she met it. We talk about why belonging matters so much for our mental and emotional health, and how leaders can make people feel like they're in the "in group" with something as simple as stopping by to say hello.

Heading into the holidays, Brenda shares her three emotional intelligence practices — emotional awareness, regulation, and validation — and her favorite reframe for 2025: blend instead of balance. If you've ever felt like you're balancing on a tightrope above a volcano, this one's for you. Keep going — and let's connect, learn and grow together.