Surviving a Merger Without Losing Yourself

Summary: Ralph Kellogg is the Chief Human Resources Officer at Lutheran Family Services (Omaha, NE), an adjunct instructor (Bellevue University; University of Nebraska at Omaha), a mentor with HRAM, and the founder of Connection Points Consulting. He’s a published writer (Forbes, HR Gazette, SHRM Blog), a TEDx Omaha speaker, and a frequent presenter at regional and national HR conferences—bringing a candid, human-first lens to inclusion, culture, and mental health at work. Ralph takes us inside a merger-era nightmare: after a manager pushes him to disclose his sexual orientation, he’s assured support—then quietly cut during consolidation. What follows is a raw look at betrayal, survival-mode overperformance, anxiety and panic attacks, and the hard-won clarity that your worth isn’t your output. The conversation doubles as a playbook for anyone navigating acquisitions, identity, and mental health at work.Chapters: 00:00 — The moment everything flipped (news delivered; shock, grief, and silence)05:00 — The interrogation (manager pushes a disclosure; “I’m an ally”)10:00 — No legal protection, real fear (working while bracing for the axe)16:00 — The Monday meeting (projects re-assigned → “there won’t be a place for you”)21:00 — Getting help (diagnosis; CBT; meds; reframing)27:00 — Authenticity beyond output (bring the whole human, set boundaries)35:00 — How to reach Ralph (open invite to continue the conversation)Host Dr. Jim: linkedin.com/in/drjimkGuest Ralph Kellogg: linkedin.com/in/ralphkelloggExecutive Producer Shannon Cornelison: linkedin.com/in/shannon-cornelison-9aa8b8248Creative Advisor Dr. Jim Kanichirayil: linkedin.com/in/drjimkMusic Credit: "Lost in Dreams" by Kulakovka