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Between Two Rams: Chats with Grant Heston

Understanding. Undaunted. Unreal. Unflappable.

These are just a few words that describe our team members at Enterprise Marketing and Communications. In our monthly video series, ”Between Two Rams,“ Vice President for EMC Grant Heston sits down for a chat with staff from across the division. You'll hear us tell our own uncommon stories: What we do in our roles at VCU and VCU Health, what we enjoy most about our jobs and what we're passionate about outside of work.

Camille Coy

December 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams: Camille Coy - Welcome to the last edition of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston for 2024! This episode, Grant sits down with Camille Coy, EMC’s Director of Strategic Initiatives. Camille’s role has two functions, supporting employee engagement efforts and leading the administration department. For Camille, company culture means “working in an environment where contentment is really your right,” and adds that “we want folks to feel like they belong here.” Grant mentions that Camille’s office is often filled with the sound of laughter. Camille says that laughter “allows us to take a step back from any issue or problem and come at it from a different approach after having that light-hearted moment.” Maybe this is why, according to Grant, she is the “most well-known person in our division!” Camille adds that she appreciates the relationships that she’s been able to cultivate and has made some life-long friends at VCU. Grant asks Camille what her UN word is, and she responds with “unguarded.” “I approach everyone the same way just with openness and curiosity… Sometimes it gets me in trouble but overall, the benefits outweigh any kind of negative association with being open with people.” Grant and Camille wrap up with a few dad jokes, and Grant rates them as either funny or goofy as a dad who tells jokes. You’ll have to watch for the full rundown! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Nina Friar

October 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams: Nina Friar - Welcome to a very spooky episode of Between Two Rams! This episode, Grant joins Nina Friar, VCU Health Strategy Marketing Manager, in a very uncommon location, Hollywood Cemetery! Grant and Nina chat about poetry, and Nina quotes Thomas Gordon, the tombstone the pair are visiting. “To strive, to seek, to find and not to yield," she quotes. “That’s all about unwavering commitment, and that's something that I think that we care a whole heck of a lot about in Enterprise Marketing and Communications,” she says. Nina then gives a little backstory about her relationship with Hollywood Cemetery, which includes a run in with Bob Dylan when she was a teenager. “Hollywood Cemetery actually has a very special place in my heart,” she concludes. “I've traveled to six of seven continents, lived on three, and I really think Richmond is the coolest place on earth.” After a discussion about her role with VCU Health and her time in VCU’s Executive MBA program, Nina drops a pretty surprising un-word. “So just for today, because it's October and because we're in the cemetery, I'm going to say UNdead.” She adds that she loves people, her colleagues in EMC, and the stories she gets to tell at VCU Health. Grant wraps it up with his un-word for the day: UNafraid. “It's still daylight out, so I will be UNafraid to walk through here for another few hours!” he says. Happy Halloween from EMC! �� Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Health. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Morgan Huff

September 2024

Play Video: VCU Between Two Rams - Grant Heston with Morgan Huff - Welcome back to Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Morgan Huff, EMC’s Digital Technology Manager, in a special location: Révéler in Carytown! Morgan describes Reveler as “not just a music venue but an art making space.” Morgan has been a lifelong music lover, playing semi-professionally for about 20 years before making the jump into cultivating musical spaces. Grant asks Morgan what made him shift gears, and he drops his un-word: “UNafraid.” “Just lean into the fear and do it anyway,” he says. Morgan goes on to talk a little bit about his role at VCU. As EMC’s IT Manager, he’s the “drummer” of the group, “there to make everyone else shine.” He mentions the VCU homepage redesign as one of the recent highlights of his time with the team. Morgan wraps up with a one-of-a-kind theme song. “Gather around good people. Everyone clap your hands. We're here with Mr. Heston, it's another Between Two Rams!” Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Aleixka Block Macfie

August 2024

Play Video: VCU Between Two Rams - Grant Heston with Aleixka Block Macfie - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with your host, Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Aleixka Block Macfie, digital media strategist for social media at VCU Health. Aleixka lets us know there’s no typical day in social media, and her day consists of everything from content planning to photoshopping baby pictures for the division’s next social post. Aleixka says one of her favorite things about her job is collaborating with other teams. “It's always really fun to see what kind of content we come up with and how we can use it across different channels for different audiences,” she says. Aleixka went to JMU, and initially wanted to pursue journalism, but found a passion for social media during COVID. Grant asks Aleixka her UNword, and she gives him a phrase: “UNending curiosity.” “I think that if you're not curious in life then maybe you're not living it to the fullest and it's not as fun,” she says. Grant asks Aleixka about the guides she’s brought, and she describes her newfound passion for moths since moving to West Point in King William County and finding so many on her porch. She goes out first thing in the morning or evening, or “prime moth time,” as Grant describes it. You’ll have to watch to see the rest of Aleixka’s moth friends!

Sherri Brooks

July 2024

Play Video: Between 2 Rams - Grant Heston with Sherri Brooks - Welcome back to Between Two Rams! In this episode, Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division, sits down with Sherri Brooks, VCU’s HR administrator. Sherri’s job is no small feat, as she supports seven departments in VCU, including EMC. Grant and Sherri discuss how there’s no typical day for an HR generalist, as the job can be anything from working on pay transactions to collaborating with managers to create job postings. Sherri has had an interesting career, working in the Virginia Retirement System and in various positions at VCU. In her current role, she enjoys working with and helping people. “I love to try to help people find solutions, whether it's the employee or it's the manager,” she says. Sherri and Grant also discuss the advice she’d give to others. “Just treat everyone like you want to be treated,” she suggests. “Everybody is going through something.” Grant asks Sherri what her “UNword” is, and she chooses “UNtraditional.” “I had a different path to get me to where I am in my career, and I try to think out of the box.” The pair wrap up with a special treat Sherri brought for Grant and the team - a honey bun cake! Sherri tells the team that it is her most requested treat, and can be enjoyed with anything from ice cream to a cup of coffee in the morning. Enjoy, everyone!

Corey Byers Standlick

June 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Corey Byers Standlick - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! On this episode, Grant sits down with Corey Byers Standlick, Senior PR Specialist for VCU Police. Corey describes how she manages the department’s communications, social media, and media relations, among other things. The day to day can be a bit unpredictable, as the team responds to critical communications needs. Although Corey is physically located in the police department, she is in contact with the PR team daily to maintain open lines of communication. “We know if there's something really serious we need to discuss, we just pick up the phone and call and we come up with a plan really quickly,” she says. Grant asks Corey what her UNword is, and unsurprisingly, she responds with “UNdaunted.” “Sometimes some of the communications I'm working on can be really challenging, and I just try to drop whatever I'm working on and refocus and reprioritize very quickly,” she says. Outside of work, Corey has been making pottery for about 9 years. Corey has Grant try his hand at the pottery wheel, which results in the “best volcano” Grant has ever made. Tune in to see the finished product! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Police. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Blake Belden

May 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Blake Belden - Welcome to the first episode of the award-winning show "Between Two Rams"! In this episode, Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division, sits down with Blake Belden, PR specialist for the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Blake has been in his dynamic role at Massy for 9 years, and the tremendous patient care and passionate researchers keep him coming back for more. Blake tells Grant that one of his favorite experiences at Massey has been writing an article about founding director Dr. Walter Lawrence Jr. “When he passed away we wanted to give him a good tribute,” Blake said. After the piece was finished, “It was very rewarding, and the family said they were very grateful.” Blake also touches on Massey’s prestigious Comprehensive Cancer Center status, the highest designation a cancer center can receive. The status means Massey is in the top 4% of cancer centers nationwide, and is a leader in cancer research, care and education. Blake and Grant end their chat with tacos. “I go where the taco brings me,” Blake said, and the pair discuss how Blake is “UNdaunted” in both his personal and professional life.

Eric Hart

April 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Eric Hart - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams! This time, Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division, catches up with Eric Hart, director of trademark licensing. Eric works to license any physical representations of the VCU brand on merchandise. In his job, Eric pays attention to both quantity and quality. “I try to come at it from a standpoint of how does this merchandise fit with our overall brand and our story that we're trying to tell,” Eric says, adding that the main goal is to create reasons for consumers to buy VCU branded products. One way he does this is by creating locally relevant products that showcase things about Richmond, like rafting on the James river. Grant and Eric also discuss how VCU ranks in the top five for merchandise sales for institutions that do not have a football team. Grant says, “That's a pretty good place to be!” Eric tells Grant his “UNword” is “UNderstanding,” as it relates to VCU’s merchandise consumers. Eric says this often means “being understanding when I get told no in some cases because hey, that doesn't make sense right now for the brand.” The pair finish with Eric’s favorite hobby - karaoke. Grant tells Eric he’s heard he’s a great singer, and Eric says “I don't know who you heard that from, but I can assure you that is not the case!” The two belt out lyrics to a tried and true favorite, Sweet Caroline, with Grant’s singing voice really stealing the show.

Danielle Pierce

March 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Danielle Pierce - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! On this episode, Grant sits down with Danielle Pierce, director of public relations for VCU Health. Grant asks Danielle what her typical day is like, and Danielle responds that there’s no typical day in PR. “Every single day looks a little different and I love that because it gives me the opportunity to continue to learn and grow in my role.” One of the stories that stands out the most in Danielle’s career is working with the Sickle Cell Department, who recently completed a clinical trial on one of the newly approved FDA gene therapy treatments. On the other hand, crisis communication situations can arise at almost any time with no warning. Danielle says it’s the work that goes in ahead of time that helps in these situations. “If you have that foundation and you know the steps to take in a crisis communication, or the steps that you need to take for issues management, it helps make that crisis a little bit easier,” she says. Grant asks Danielle her UNword, and she chooses UNflappable. “In Crisis Communications and Issues Management, it's important to approach each time with being calm, cool and collected and so I hope that I present in an UNflappable way.” Grant wraps up by giving Danielle her favorite treat, chocolate! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Health. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Whitney Highlander

February 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Whitney Highlander - Welcome back to Between Two Rams with VCU’s Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division! In this episode, Grant catches up with Whitney Highlander, senior project manager for VCU Brand Marketing. Whitney tells Grant that she grew up doing competitive cheerleading, and even placed first in the Junior Division at Nationals in Myrtle Beach. Today, Whitney gets to experience cheer through her daughter, and says the sport instilled the work ethic she brings to her role at VCU. In her role as Senior Project Manager, Whitney creates a high-level roadmap for her team. No day is typical. “The shift always focuses on that goal for the week. So each day is different, and I do love that about my job,” Whitney says. She also loves helping different groups collaborate on a project and watching everything come together. Whitney also shares her “UNword,” “UNlimited,” and how it impacts her work at VCU. “Just the potential, the growth, it's UNlimited here, and I'm really happy to be a part of it all.” Grant and Whitney end their chat in the only way possible - a cheer! “Can you promise me no injuries?” Grant asks, and Whitney says she’ll do her best. In the end, Whitney shows Grant how to share his VCU spirit!

Nicole Brown

January 2024

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Nicole Brown - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down (on the floor) with Nicole Brown, web manager for VCU Health. Nicole’s job is different day to day, and ranges from content strategy to working with website data. As folks have left, Nicole has taken on a big role in her department to embrace the new brand. She anticipates a gradual brand rollout as more pieces come together! Grant asks Nicole about her life outside of the office, and she responds that she is first and foremost a mom but also loves to be outside. “I love to be among the trees and in nature and the fresh air, so I love to mountain bike,” she says. Nicole also loves yoga, knitting and sewing, which ties into her UNword, UNlimited. “I like it from the aspirational perspective, you know, this feeling of like the horizon's out there, there's so many things to do.” Grant and Nicole wrap up with a few peaceful yoga poses! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Health. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Chelyen Davis

November 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Chelyen Davis - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! In this episode, Grant sits down with Chelyen Davis, executive director of executive communications for the university. Chelyen tells us a little about her job, which involves managing all communications that come out of President Rao’s office, from speeches to social media posts. Chelyen got into executive communications “kind of by accident,” as she was a newspaper reporter for years covering the General Assembly. A friend called with a job opportunity in the government, and Chelyen went for it! When Governor Northam came into office, she took a job as deputy communications director, which also involved speechwriting. Grant asks Chelyen what she does in her free time, and she says she likes to write fiction and play the fiddle “in an old-time string band.” She just so happened to bring her fiddle with her, and she plays “Pretty Little Shoes” for Grant! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about the Office of the President. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Amy Lacey

October 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Amy Lacey - In this episode of Between Two Rams, we join host Grant Heston at VCU's Cary Street Gym to talk with Amy Lacey, senior public relations specialist for the VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Amy shares her passion for exercise as a way to maintain balance in her busy life as a professional and full-time mom. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing her physical and mental well-being, even in small ways like taking 10-minute walks while working from home. Amy reflects on her work at Massey, describing it as deeply inspiring. “What I love about my job is that there is no shortage of stories to tell,” she says. Amy goes on to highlight the hope and breakthroughs Massey provides patients, as well as the privilege of telling stories about patients, clinicians, and researchers accomplishing incredible advancements in cancer care. The conversation also touches on Massey’s alignment with VCU’s "UNcommon" brand, which Amy describes as "UNstoppable," symbolizing their dedication to a future without cancer. Amy shares how she brings lightness to serious work environments and discusses her “UNword” — UNwavering — representing her resilience in both personal and professional challenges. The episode wraps up with plans to hit the gym’s rowing machines! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about the Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Nathan Hanger

August 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Nathan Hanger - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Nathan Hanger, EMC’s creative director. Nathan pulls up in style on a tandem bike and takes Grant for a ride! Nathan talks a little bit about his long history with biking, and how getting out of the office helps spark creativity. “It's kind of good to let the mind wander a little bit. There's something about driving and things like that that promote creativity.” The pair transition into talking about the brand work Nathan and his team do. Nathan has been through one rebrand with VCU, but he finds this one “unique and special in Higher Ed.” Nathan says a brand is not distinct enough if it could work for another school if you cover up the logo and change the colors. Naturally, VCU’s UNcommon brand would only work for VCU! Grant asks Nathan his UNword, and Nathan responds with “UNpredictable.” “I think that the work should be a bit UNpredictable at times and it should be daring and different,” he says. The pair wrap up by getting VCU tattoos! Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Carrie Carroll

July 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Carrie Carroll - Welcome back to the one and only beach-themed episode of Between Two Rams! This time, Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division, chills out with Carrie Carroll, Senior Communications Specialist for VCU Health. We’re diving into Carrie's passion for sunny getaways and how it inspires her life and work! After sharing her love for beach themed vacations, Carrie tells Grant that one of her main responsibilities in her position is managing the VCU Health internet, the “source of truth” for her team members. There is no typical day, but one of Carrie’s favorite things is creating new web pages for departments, since it’s like putting a puzzle together. Carrie reveals that she works well on a deadline, as everything seems to “click into place.” Grant tells Carrie that “deadlines are highly underrated in terms of how we use them.” Grant and Carrie wrap up by discussing her “UNword” – “UNdaunted”! “I am undaunted by a lot of things,” she says. “You just kind of keep going, you just put one foot in front of the other, and just keep swimming.” What a way to end a day at the beach!

Eliana Grijalva

June 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Eliana Grijalva - Welcome back to Between Two Rams with Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division! In this episode, Grant sits down with Eliana Grijalva, executive events coordinator for VCU. Working in the dynamic and fast-paced world of events can be daunting, but Eliana says her favorite part of the job is taking care of people. “If I can see someone and either fix an issue, get them something they need, or just make them feel a little bit more comfortable in the moment, that’s the most rewarding part for me and that makes my job worthwhile.” Eliana discusses the challenges and rewards of managing multiple events, such as coordinating the balloon drop at commencement. Although she’s afraid of heights, Eliana ensured a successful balloon drop – and the rest is black and gold history! We also have a special guest this episode, Eliana’s one-year-old puppy, playfully nicknamed “Cinnamon Toast Crunch,” or “Crunch” for short. Crunch was even a part of the “UNcommon” brand launch, and shows his VCU pride in this video! Grant and Eliana wrap up their chat by discussing her “UN-word.” “I wanted to make mine a little bit aspirational,” she says, adding that she’s working towards being “UNdaunted.” “I want to get to a point where if it's a new big adventure, if it's a good project that we're about to start, even if it's seemingly a challenge that is impossible, you just get rid of the ‘daunt’ and just say, where do I jump in?”

Ryan Knight

May 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Ryan Knight - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Ryan Knight, marketing and design specialist for the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. The pair meet up in CHOR’s fantastic new building and discuss how it felt to be a part of CHOR’s opening. To support the opening, Ryan created invitations, kiosk graphics, and t-shirt designs, in addition to the menu that is used in the cafeteria. “That menu design is kind of based on the aesthetic of the hospital,” Ryan says. “Everything is unified and that's what I was going for.” Ryan’s wife Kim makes and sells cakes. “How are you now a thousand pounds?” Grant asks. When he’s not dodging the sweets his wife makes, Ryan is the assistant coach to his kids’ baseball teams, in addition to being a thrill seeker. Grant asks Ryan his UNword, and he responds with “UNflappable. “Being a designer working in a fast-paced environment you have a lot of requests coming in from different directions of many departments,” he says. “I take pride in being calm and collected.” Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about the Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Michele Howell

April 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Michele Howell - Welcome back to another edition of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! Grant sits down with Michele Howell, FOIA information officer. Michele has another important title she goes by, baseball mom! Her son, Jackson is a third baseman, and he recently hit his first high school home run. Grant asks Michele to describe her role as a FOIA officer. “I manage requests for information for the University and for the Health System,” she says. “We're not talking about medical records, but records from all the business units. So, anything that folks want from the public. They want to see how we spend money, how we make decisions.” Grant asks Michele what her UNword is, and she responds with UNdaunted. “I'm generally UNdaunted in just about every aspect of my life,” she says. “As long as I feel like I'm doing the right thing, keep moving forward, right?” Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Katherine Poarch

March 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Katherine Poarch - Welcome back to another episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Katherine Poarch, senior business analyst for VCU Health. Katherine has another title she goes by, the budget chickey! If there’s a question about the budget, big or small, Katherine knows the answer. “It's not just a bunch of people in a dark corner crunching numbers,” she says. “Some of it is just how we allocate our money, and it's a lot of fun sometimes.” Katherine has been with VCU Health for 26 years, and “kind of fell into the budget chickey role” after having different jobs in the health system. There is no typical day, but she does get to answer random questions almost every day. Katherine loves to feed people, and brought Grant coffee, cupcakes and muffins. The first time Katherine and Grant talked, she picked up the phone “hey sunshine!” Grant asks Katherine what her UNword is, and she responds with UNreal. “We are unreal in-patient care, unreal in clinical innovation, unreal in research, but we also are a little bit unreal in some of our administrative stuff,” she says. Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Health. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.

Kenda Boone

February 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Kenda Boone - Welcome back to another exciting episode of Between Two Rams with Grant Heston, vice president of VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division! Today, we're thrilled to have Kenda Boone, the Director of Social Media Content at VCU, sit down with Grant for a lively conversation about the ever-evolving world of social media. Kenda shares with Grant that there is no typical day in social media, which can range from brainstorming creative content ideas to navigating negativity. “I like to use a lot of empathy because I think in social we want to move so fast, but we really need to find the root of what's going on,” Kenda says. Kenda opens up about what makes her happiest at work—transforming familiar topics into fresh, engaging content that connects with the audience in unexpected ways. She also discusses the importance of self-care for maintaining creativity and how her morning routine of yoga, meditation, and journaling sets her up for success. We learn about Kenda's journey from hosting a morning radio show called "Morning Joy" in college to leading a team in a fast-paced digital environment. She talks about her family life, the humor her husband and children bring, and the joys of "conscious parenting." Finally, Kenda shares her "UNword": UNdaunted. “I see everything that comes at us as a challenge and something that we can overcome if we have the right tools, which we do.”

Taylor MacKillop

January 2023

Play Video: Between Two Rams - Taylor MacKillop - Welcome back to Between Two Rams with Grant Heston! This episode, Grant sits down with Taylor MacKillop, who has been part of EMC’s Video and Photo team for 8 years. Taylor’s role is a mix of collaboration and creativity, coordinating projects, brainstorming ideas, and editing videos. His favorite part of his job is telling patients’ stories by getting them to open up and share their experiences. The project that stands out most to Taylor is a transplant he covered in 2018. A young woman was getting a heart transplant, and he captured the moment her new heart began beating. “All the machines started going off, and there was just like fireworks, absolute goosebumps, and it was unforgettable,” he said. Off the clock, Taylor enjoys spending time with his family on hikes and day trips, tinkering with motorcycles, and experimenting with cooking, particularly barbecue and stir-fry. Grant asks Taylor what his UNword is, and he chooses UNderstanding. “Sitting across from patients and doctors kind of teaches you to listen,” he says, and mentions that his colleague and mentor Joe taught him how to sit down and listen to doctors and patients when interviewing. Learn more about VCU’s Enterprise Marketing and Communications division. Learn more about VCU Health. Find out more about Grant Heston, Vice President for Enterprise Marketing and Communications for VCU and VCU Health System. Interested in attending VCU? Visit the Admissions website.