Lives Radio Show With Stuart Chittenden

Sherry Kennedy Brownrigg, the general manager of Classical 90.7FM KVNO shares that initial moment when radio first called to her and began a lifelong vocation on the airwaves, as a host behind the microphone and as a leader at a public radio station. Brownrigg also talks about the business of radio and its importance to our community, as well as her stints at a christian radio network and her personal faith journey too.An Omaha native, Brownrigg is one of few women who hold the title of General Manager among the nation’s 55 classical radio stations. Classical KVNO began broadcasting in 1972 from what is now the University of Nebraska at Omaha campus, recently celebrating 50 years on air. Brownrigg has worked at radio stations in Omaha and across the country, including the role as president of Relevant Radio network, a Christian national radio network headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Award winning actor and theater company cofounder Haley Haas talks about a life on stage and behind the scenes. She shares her passion for performing and bringing those opportunities to others, especially for marginalized voices. Haas also talks about the Anastasis Theater Company’s belief that the theater helps us to really see ourselves and each other and that art has the power to impact social change..Haley Haas is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Anastasis Theatre Co. Haas recently directed the tour of the Anastasis play More Than a Number, as well as the original production of the play inside the NE State Penitentiary. She has also directed the Anastasis plays Stories: On the Brink and Voices Unbound. Haas has worked as a teaching artist and facilitator with numerous local organizations and for 15 years as an actor and the Training and Education Director for R.E.S.P.E.C.T., a touring educational theatre company. As an award winning actor, favorite roles in s

Jim Begley is the Director of the William Brennan Institute for Labor Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Begley, who was raised in a union family, talks about organized labor’s historic rise in the face of oppressive working conditions, its decline over the last few decades, and the resurgence of unions in recent years to tackle inequity, support human rights in the workplace, and to hold on to labor’s historic victories for adult and child workers. Jim Begley grew up in a union household in Omaha and spent 15 years addressing labor and human resources issues for the City of Omaha. Since 2012, he has been an elected member of the Metropolitan Utilities District (MUD) Board of Directors in Omaha. Begley is a member of the UNO Chapter of the American Association of University Professors, the faculty union at UNO. Begley received his Master’s degree in Public Administration and Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from UNO. Begley and his wife, who is a public-school teacher and union me

Architect Jeff Day talks about the role of architecture in our individual and communal existence, the cultural influences shaping our buildings, and some of the contemporary conversations in this field. Day also shares his personal influences and philosophies for designing our built environment.Jeff Day is the founding principal of Actual Architecture Company and a Professor of Architecture at the University of Nebraska. Day has received numerous awards including the Architectural League of New York’s 2016 Emerging Voices, a 2019 Progressive Architecture Award, and many more besides, and his work has been published in a wide range of journals, design magazines, and books. In 2019 Day was elevated to Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects, an honor bestowed on only 3% of member architects. Day also serves on the National Architectural Accrediting Board.

Artist Rachel Ziegler talks about the role of material, media, and meaning in her work, influenced by a life connected to the Lutheran Church, both spiritually and literally, as a child inspired by the chapel’s stained glass and as an adult creating an artist community space in a decommissioned church.Rachel Ziegler is a visual artist whose work is in numerous private collections and has been exhibited across the country Ziegler works across many mediums to create works exploring personal stories while contemplating the role of technology and the mixing of time and symbols. Born in Denver, Ziegler grew up in Omaha as well as a few small towns throughout Nebraska. She graduated with a BFA in Commercial Art from Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, then worked for the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, before moving to Texas where she created music and multimedia paintings while traveling and living primarily in Texas. Since returning to Omaha, Ziegler has been co-creating Reformed, an artist community sp

Mike Hogan of KIOS 91.5FM, NPR's Omaha affiliate, reveals more about the person behind the voice on the radio. Hogan shares how the laughter and storytelling that epitomized his early family life inspired his own commitment to a life in radio, acting on the theatrical, television, and movie stages, doing live sport play-by-play announcing, and even becoming a stand up comedian, before returning to radio’s airwaves where, as well as being our local host of NPR’s show “All Things Considered” Hogan presents the “Live and Local” feature.By joining the staff at KIOS as the local "Morning Edition" host in November of 2017, Mike Hogan’s radio career came full circle. His first radio job was with St. Louis, Missouri NPR affiliate 88.1 FM KDHX. In between Hogan was an actor based in Los Angeles, appearing in the movie “Stay Tuned” with John Ritter and on the television shows “Hearts Afire” and “Beverly Hills, 90210,” after which he became a play-by-play live hockey broadcaster, including an opportunity with the Omaha

Mustafa Babak, the executive director of the Afghan-American Foundation, talks about his formative childhood in Afghanistan, when conflict forced his family to flee to Pakistan, and his return to Kabul to help rebuild his country after the American led invasion in 2001. Babak shares how the pursuit of further education led him to college in California, adjusting to a different culture and finding love, and how he has now dedicated his life to supporting other Afghan immigrants seeking refuge and opportunity here after America’s withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.Born in Afghanistan in the mid-eighties, Mustafa Babak now serves as the executive director of the Afghan-American Foundation, a national advocacy organization committed to advancing the voices of the Afghan-American diaspora. Prior to moving to the US, Mustafa worked as a public relations executive advising the Afghan government and international partners on key development issues including counter narcotics, civic education, and local governance. M

Artist Nathaniel Ruleaux talks about a life exploring identity, influenced by his indigenous Oglala Lakota Nation artistic heritage, rural western Nebraska life, and a love for theater, which he pursued academically and professionally across the country. Ruleaux also shares his personal awakening to indigenous rights and lore, which he explores in a fusion of contemporary and traditional visual arts.Nathaniel Ruleaux is an award-winning artist and culture worker currently located on unceded land of the Umónhon & Očhéthi Šakówiŋ in Nebraska. A partner, father, and member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, his work combines modern art with traditional indigenous imagery. He is a founding member of Unceded Artist Collective. Recently, he created work for Opera Omaha’s 2023-2024 season and the national 2022 Indigenous Futures Survey. In addition to creating visual art, he is a classically-trained actor and educator. He received his MFA in Theatre from the University of Houston’s School of Theatre and Dance after re

Lauren Hance is a playwright, producer, director, and performer. We talk about The Holy O, Hance’s interactive one-woman show coming to the Omaha Fringe Festival in August, as Hance’s character Vera considers becoming a Catholic nun through the funny, troubled, and moving stories of the women in her life. Hance also talks about being raised in the Christian purity culture of 90s America, her evolving faith, and balancing the creative arts with spiritual beliefs.Lauren Hance’s plays have been produced from coast to coast, and her career encompasses most areas of theatre. She earned her degree in Theatre from Abilene Christian University and a Master of Arts in Theology with an emphasis in Theology, Arts, & Culture from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her interactive one-woman show The Holy O shares the story of Vera, a vivacious and possibly lost woman, who is contemplating becoming a Catholic nun but has never considered celibacy one of her virtues. Vera’s situation is complicated by the onset of vision

Author and award-winning food journalist Summer Miller talks about her first book, New Prairie Kitchen, which won a 2016 Nebraska Book Award for Non-Fiction and was heralded by Oprah Winfrey's private chef as a "love letter to the Heartland.” Miller also talks about balancing being a creative and a mother who works full time, her recipe for developing recipes, and the intersection of food and love and life.Summer Miller’s work has appeared in Eating Well, Saveur, Every Day with Rachel Ray, Edible Omaha, Edible Feast, and Grit among others. Miller currently works as the Senior Executive Editor for Suzy Karadsheh’s media company, The Mediterranean Dish. In her former life she was a humanitarian aid worker in South Africa, served as the editor-in-chief of The Reader, executive editor of Neighborhood News, and spent time as a public relations professional.

Connector and community builder, Jeff Slobotski shares what community means to him and what inspires him to build stronger communities, including a commitment to a vibrant entrepreneurial and creative ecosystem, evident in the founding of Silicon Prairie News, the Big Omaha conference, and efforts now at the Millwork Commons development in north downtown, all aimed at enriching the quality of our communal lives.For more than a decade, uber connector, community builder, and entrepreneur Jeff Slobotski has celebrated and championed entrepreneurs and community throughout the Midwest. His relationships, ideas, and collaborative nature are evident in his influence in the region’s entrepreneurial and community ecosystem. Notable endeavors include Silicon Prairie News, the Big Omaha & Big Kansas City conferences, Router Ventures, and now his work at the Millwork Commons development in north downtown Omaha. Slobotski’s efforts in a region formerly known as "flyover country" have been highlighted by

Author and psychotherapist Chelsea Harvey Garner talks about her debut book, A Pity Party is Still a Party, a feel-good guide to feeling bad, that shows us not only how to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, but why and how we should embrace them if we are to find our way to mental health. Garner shares experiences and insights from her own family trauma and from her clinical practice that inform the book, and why, ultimately, it is a book about love.Garner is a writer, practicing psychotherapist, and founding director of Big Feels Lab: a nonprofit promoting collective mental health. A lifelong outcast, she specializes in helping misfits, survivors, and unconventional families turn pain into purpose and connect with each other more deeply. Her debut book is released in July of ’23 from HarperCollins. When not working, she can be found starting dance parties in public and hosting cuddle puddles at her home in NYC.

Nancy Williams, CEO of No More Empty Pots, talks about establishing No More Empty Pots to support, educate, and to inspire communities about good food, its growth, and distribution. Williams shares the roots of this passion, stretching back to her childhood in Louisiana, growing food with her family, winning a national Future Farmers of America competition, and studying the science of horticulture and agronomy.Nancy Williams has had a diverse career, from serving as an agronomist for local farmers and consultants in a Fortune 500 corporation to grassroots organizing and management for nonprofit community organizations. Williams was Chief Information Officer with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands in Omaha. In 2010, she co-founded then, in 2016, took on the CEO role at No More Empty Pots, a nonprofit supporting the development of local food systems through self-sufficiency of people and economic resilience of communities. As well as all of these activities, Williams serves on multiple local, state, and reg

Artist, attorney, and global citizen, Shaun Ilahi talks about a life lived in diverse countries and cultures, informing his sense of our profound commonality and of home, and the themes he explores through his artistic practice.Shaun Ilahi is the Vice President of Finance and Operations at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha. He studied economics at Columbia University in New York and attended Creighton University in Omaha to study law. Aside from his professional endeavors, Ilahi is an artist using photographic and musical expression to capture life as a world traveler and global citizen, exploring our everyday, yet profound shared experiences across the planet.

Michelle Quick is a writer, creative, student, and education advisor. In the show she talks about a kaleidoscope life, including a childhood of stories and storytelling, becoming a classically trained traveling chef, studying the relationship of expressive arts and integrative healthcare, and returning to writing to explore the complexities of human connection. Quick also reads an excerpt from one of her short stories.Quick is a Midwest creative, writer, and the architect of The Howler Project. Her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and she has been honored by the Academy of American Poets. Quick earned an MFA from the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she is currently an instructor, advisor, and - again - a graduate student in social work and human rights. She also studies integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. Quick’s training focuses on releasing trauma through expressive arts, and her research explores the complexities of human connection.

Mick Mulhall, CEO of Mulhalls, talks about the Irish roots and multi-generational history of Mulhalls Nursery and how the business is adapting to current climate and environmental issues that demand we be better stewards of our natural world. Mulhall also talks about the importance of our relationship with the beauty of Mother Nature and shares his own story of growth, in the business and beyond.Mick Mulhall grew up working in the family business, driving for landscape crews as soon as he got his license. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and, of course, Mulhall’s really-long-days-landscaping school of management. Mulhall’s grandfather John, who trained as a gardener in Ireland, immigrated in 1953, and now, three generations later, Mulhall is the CEO for a team committed to making Omaha a more beautiful place to live.

Reverend Debra McKnight talks about her journey to being ordained in the United Methodist Church, living her faith as a practice, and a love for liturgy. She also talks about founding Urban Abbey, a congregation flourishing in downtown Omaha despite national trends showing church attendance in decline, and shares how, as an advocate for social justice, women’s rights, and the LGBTQ+ community, she seeks to heal the wounds created by conservative Christianity.Reverend Debra McKnight earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 2008 and she was ordained in the United Methodist Church in 2010. Reverend McKnight is the founding pastor of Urban Abbey, a United Methodist congregation in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. In 2015, Urban Abbey became an independent, chartered congregation and grew to three Sunday services and weekday programming. During an era in which attendance at mainline protestant churches in the United States has declined, Urban Abbey ha

Catholic moral theologian, Professor Daniel DiLeo talks about Catholic social teaching, especially regarding climate change and Pope’ Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls all people to care for our common home, the earth. DiLeo also discusses Catholic perspectives on other aspects of our lives and how Creighton's Justice and Peace Studies program helps students develop and live a strong “faith that does justice” in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.An associate professor at Creighton University, DiLeo is also director of its Justice and Peace Studies Program. DiLeo earned his PhD in theological ethics from Boston College and his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cornell University.

Dr. Arthur “Art” Zygielbaum talks about his decades of study in the fields of physics and engineering, including many years working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and numerous space missions. Zygielbaum also shares a little of his family experiences during the holocaust and how that human tragedy and lessons from the Jewish faith spark his own sense of social justice.Dr. Arthur Zygielbaum is an Emeritus Research Associate Professor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering-Computers from the University of Southern California. He spent nearly 30 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, progressing from engineer to executive, and was involved with many space missions. In 1998, Zygielbaum joined the administrative faculty of UNL before retiring, as it were, to pursue a PhD in Geography/Remote Sensing. Achieving that, he joined the research fa

For this National Poetry Month my conversation with poet Jamaica Baldwin explores the themes in her debut full length poetry collection "Bone Language", including race, politics, familial heritage, and womanhood, and why she has been described as a poet of power. Baldwin also talks about the experiences that have shaped her life and, as well as discussing her writing, Baldwin reads some of her poems.Jamaica Baldwin is a poet and educator originally from Santa Cruz, CA. Her first book, Bone Language, will be published by YesYes Books in the Summer of 2023. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and among her many accolades are a 2023 Pushcart Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Baldwin has served as a community based teaching artist, including a generative writing workshop for women in Guatemala. Baldwin is currently the associate editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln where she is pursuing her PhD in English with a focus on poetry and Women's and Ge