Spokesperson
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to tell stories. Around the dinner table, on air or in print. I have been lucky enough to meet and share the stories of a Syrian refugee turned New England Patriots fan, a professor who teaches his best lessons on skis, a man who lost 275 pounds (!), and a World War II veteran who fought at Utah Beach. (A story which earned a Telly Award.)
I also met a very good dog named Nelson and another named Zev. Their humans were pretty extraordinary too. Take a look around for more stories or tell me one of your own. And don’t forget to say hello.
Spokesperson
Audio Features
I met Scott Purcell many years ago–long before I even knew what a producer was–but even then I knew he had a story to tell. Today, Scott is a successful real estate agent who knows more about the importance of having a roof over your head than any other.
Marc Maximov got his first bicycle—yellow with a banana seat–when he was about seven years old. He’s been riding ever since, driving a New York City pedicab. So when Marc moved to Durham, North Carolina a few years ago, he decided to keep pedaling and live-car free.
According to the US Census Bureau, one in three children now live in a home without a father, leaving single mothers to juggle finances, schedules, child care--and a persistent stigma-- on their own. But one mom is about to change all of that.
Kevin Stenstrom has survived melanoma. Three times. But rather than pulling a blanket over his head and feeling sorry for himself, Kevin ran. And ran. And ran. I interviewed Kevin for Seize the Days, a website celebrating cancer survivors. (Photo credit: Wiennat Mongkulmann)
Imagine a basketball arena filled with screaming fans. But you won’t see any athletes here and the only way that ball will make it into the hoop is if a robot tosses it. A robot built and programmed by students. Still, the robots are only part of the story.
Sama Waham has been telling stories and taking pictures since she was a little girl. Resight, her award-winning documentary, is the true story of Yvonne Felix, an artist who is legally blind. Much like her subject, Waham’s own story is all about vision.
The bible is filled with stories about “naughty” women including Eve, Mary Magdalene, and Jezebel. In this interview for Interfaith Voices (now Inspired), Dr. Sandra Scham, a professor of biblical archeology at Catholic University talked about archaeology is helping us to learn about these controversial figures.
This is an old story now, but still a favorite, from Pennsylvania Avenue, just a few blocks from the White House. I went to hear some of the voices of the "occupying" who had been living outside in the cold to fight back against injustice. Photo credit: The City Project.
On Air Demos
This story was for the Learning English division of VOA. Sound a little slow? The newscast was provided in a slower pace and with a limited vocabulary specifically to help English learners all over the world.
This story was for the Learning English division of VOA. Sound a little slow? The newscast was provided in a slower pace and with a limited vocabulary specifically to help English learners all over the world.
Producing
An L.A. Times columnist set out to save a mentally-ill homeless musician and found his own life profoundly changed. This is a true story about an unlikely friendship and the redemptive power of music (Later made into a movie!) I have been lucky enough to work on a few public radio talk shows like this one. Before a show gets on the air, producers, interns and volunteers help the host get ready by pitching topics, booking and sometimes pre-interviewing guests, and doing lots of research and...
Charles Schulz knew from early on that he'd one day be a cartoonist. A biography examines the life of the artist who created Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and Charlie Brown. The man behind the most successful cartoon strip of all time. I have been lucky enough to work on a few public radio talk shows and this is one of my favorite episodes. Before a show gets on the air, producers, interns and volunteers help the host get ready by pitching topics, booking and sometimes pre-interviewing guests, and...
Many American writers have tried their hand at the road novel. But Mark Danielewski takes this classic genre onto an entirely different plane, creating a book that reads backwards, forwards, and sideways as it tells the story of two....I got this assignment early on in my tenure on the show and wow it was challenging! But the interview turned out great and it was delightful exploring this totally original book.
For more than fifty years, renowned photographer David Plowden has traveled "one step ahead of the wrecking ball," documenting the buildings and backdrops that are disappearing from the American landscape. Describing photography on the radio? Not easy! But Plowden was fascinating interview. He is now 90 years old and you can see his work here: https://www.davidplowden.com/
Voice of America Television for English Learners
Does this clip sound a little slow? This is a news report for Voice of America's Learning English division. The slow pace and seeing the words helps people around the world learning English to understand the report.
Does this clip sound a little slow? This is a news report for Voice of America's Learning English division. The slow pace and seeing the words helps people around the world learning English to understand the report.