Episodes

What an honor it was to host my state senator Andrew Zwicker for this episode. Knowing how jam-packed the senator’s schedule is (I see him attending community eventsand visiting constituents non-stop!) I was amazed that he found time for our conversation. I had always been proud to say my congressman was a rocket scientist, back when Rush Holt was the U.S. House Representative from New Jersey. And I can still brag on my local legislator because Andrew, too, is a physicist/rocket scientist! N...

What an honor it was to host my state senator Andrew Zwicker for this episode. Knowing how jam-packed the senator’s schedule is (I see him attending community events and visiting constituents non-stop!) I was amazed that he found time for our conversation. I had always been proud to say my congressman was a rocket scientist, back when Rush Holt was our U.S. House Representative for New Jersey. And I can still brag on my local legislator because Andrew, too, is a physicist/rocket scientist! N...

Today I was thrilled to host my fellow YWCA Board member Altagracia Montilla. Observing Altagracia’s amazing inspirational and energetic positivity first hand as she shepherded the YWCA’s board and staff in team building and conflict resolution left me wanting to learn more about her. Where did this talent, well-honed skill set, and positive outlook come from? As it turns out, Altagracia’s renowned leadership in the fields of organizational facilitation, strategy development, leadership traini...

My guest today will be very familiar to my Princeton audience. Pam Hersh is Jersey through and through and has been a part of the fabric of this town for over 50 years. She probably is best known for her writing, both for the Princeton Packet and now for TAPinto Princeton. Her column, Loose Ends, is essential reading for anyone wanting to feel truly connected to this town! But of course, there is much more to Pam than what we’ve grown to appreciate through her writing or her penchant for walk...

Today we are once again talking with Hiram L. Smith, PhD, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Bucknell University. My last podcast with Hiram felt like a cliffhanger…we barely scratched the surface of the language subject matter! Fortunately, Hiram was willing to come back for more. Before I get into the description however, I want to provide any potential listeners with a warning . We cover some aspects of language that some people may find triggering. In the latter part of our...

Today’s guest is Hiram L. Smith, PhD, Associate Professor of Spanish and Linguistics at Bucknell University. I met Hiram in a most unusual way (you’ll have to listen to hear the story) but I am so glad I did! Our conversation covered Hiram’s childhood and youth as a black boy/young man in racist Oklahoma. Some of his tales are hair-raising. But coming from a loving family with an emphasis on learning, and his being a smart kid, the groundwork was laid for a bright future. Turns out, it was a ...

When we first meet a person, or even after we have become familiar with them as they currently “are”, we usually have no idea what came before. How did they get to where they aretoday? What other experiences played a role in their current selves? That’s what is so fun for me in doing these podcasts; hearing the life experiences that build the people around us. Today’s guest is a good example of this. Everyone in Princeton certainly knows who Michelle Pirone Lambros “is”;she’s one of our Coun...

I am very excited to share my latest conversation with all of you! Today’s guest is Marc Uys, Executive Director of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. To be honest, I am a music appreciator, but one with zero musical talent myself. So, talking with Marc was a bit intimidating! But we had a wonderful conversation, and I could have talked with him for hours! (I think perhaps I did…) I learned of Marc’s origins in South Africa and his passion for the violin from the age of three! My listeners w...

Once again, my connections have come through with a wonderful guest! A previous guest, Carol Golden, and friendShelly Yedlin, both had a role in my meeting up with Liz Lempert. Of course, I already knew a bit about Liz because she had been the mayor of Princeton a few years back. I discovered that, of course, there is so much more to Liz’s story than her stint (albeit great for Princeton!) as Mayor. Lizshares with us her path from California, including Stanford, Oxford, the New York Times D...

Today’s guest, Jamie Kyte Sapoch, is a self-described nonprofit junkie”! I was so grateful to have an opportunity tolearn from her, as my nonprofit experience over the last couple of years has been a bit baffling to me! Jamie is truly an expert in the field of running a not for profit, from governance to capital campaigns, to just working well with teams of truly caring and smart people. Her experience started in DC during the 80’s working with Common Cause on arms control and campaign financ...

I feel so lucky that my office was right across the street from the home of today’s guest, because with his wave and a smile, we became acquainted and later, I am happy to say, friends. Lance Liverman is a true man of the community! He has worked passionately for the benefit of those in need. In fact, his community service has been so impactful, the mayor of Princeton has named a day after him; February 25, 2024, is officially Lance Liverman Day! Like most of my guests who are involved in commu...

My connection to today’s guest is yet another example of how each person we meet exponentially broadens our network. I am getting less and less lonely and more and more inspired with each episode and conversation! Join me as I talk with Nathalie Nelson, CEO of Womanspace who I met through Joan Bartl, who I met through…never mind, you get the picture! Womanspace is a wonderful organization, founded in 1977 by Barbara Boggs Sigmund, providing safe haven and resources to victims and families impa...

I’m particularly excited about this episode because it embodies the very reason I started this podcast: to create connections! The purpose of this episode, along with telling a wonderful story, is to help someone launch her own podcast. And I made a new friend in the process! Karen Kowalski, one of today’s guests, is an Occupational Therapist. She reached out to me because her clients’stories about not only overcoming disabilities, but actually using them to springboard into new opportunities...

In this episode, I spoke with Paula Flory, an amazing woman who parlayed a huge shock…her Stage III breast cancer diagnosis…into a catalyst for creating a joy-focused method of care. Recognizing her own un-filled needs during treatment and recovery, Paula’s wheels (literally) started turning. This led to her creation of Move Over Breast Cancer, (MOBC) a fully mobile breast cancer support organization, complete with a beautiful van, fit out to provide breast cancer services in a spa-like setting....

In this episode, we welcome Joan Bartl, a woman who doesn’t sit back (although she does “sit-in”…you’ll get the reference when you listen) when she sees something wrong in the world…sheacts. Joan’s stories demonstrate what you can achieve when you have a clear sense of purpose and can inspire others to share that passion! Joan’s story follows her path from growing up in Philly as a “normal kid”, to her first awareness of inexplicable gender role assignments, to her early adulthood in the 70’s ...

In today’s episode, we enter the world of books, history, journalism, and celebrity! My guest, Landon Jones, is a renowned author and journalist. He served as Managing Editor of both People and Money magazines, and has authored four criticallyacclaimed books. Lanny’s most recent book, Celebrity Nation: How America Evolved into a Culture of Fans and Followers is a cautionary tale about our nation’s shift from hero worship to celebrity/influencer worship. Timely and telling! Lanny shares with ...

Today’s guest, Carol Golden, is yet another involved and engaged individual, constantly looking for ways to improve the world. You’ll want to hear her story about how she came up with the term “community activist” as a response to the question “what do you do?” It’s a fun one! Carol explains how her sense of the importance of community goes back to her roots. Her parents, both “civil servants”, instilled the spirit of “tikkun olam” into their lives and hers. If you don’t know what that means, ...

In this episode of “I’m Frickin’ Lonely”, our conversation returns to the world of art, but a very different medium from what we’ve previously covered. Today we’re talking about cinema…and specifically community cinema. Our guest is Chris Collier, the Executive Director of Renew Theaters, a nonprofit management company that operates four member-supported theaters in the Greater Philadelphia Region, both in PA and NJ. Each of the theaters is a saved historic theater that now operates to share gr...

In this episode of “I’m Frickin’ Lonely”, my conversation is with Claudia Toby, tireless entrepreneur, community advocate and agent for change, addressing issues such as homelessness, mental illness, food insecurity and youth mentoring. Join us to hear about how Claudia’s 20-year background in nursing led her to her ultimate calling to serve the community. Even during times of adversity, Claudia heeded the call to serve others and find her purpose. As Claudia says, “it’s not about you”, it’s ...

In our latest episode, we return to the world of art, specifically photography…although in our guest’s view, the medium is just a conduit for life experience. Our guest is Ricardo Barros, a renowned photographer, artist, writer, filmmaker, curator, and lecturer. Having experienced the power of art as a teenager – Ricardo’s knees shook upon first exposure to Paul Strand’s photographs – he identified his passion early on. The clarity of his purpose notwithstanding, his path forward remained a myst...

In this episode, I was delighted to speak with Earnest James, family man, minister, mentor, speaker, and author. He is also the host of the popular podcast “Deal to Heal with E. James Podcast” , the thrust of which is to help people heal by connecting them with experts in therapy, mentoring and guidance… from suicide to self-love to domestic violence… you name it, he’s covering it. Earnest tells us how early failure taught him to always strive for achievement. (How many of us have been on the re...

Welcome to the latest episode of “I’m Frickin’ Lonely…”. In this episode, my guest, Valerie McKinney shares her story of how life as she knew it was completely upended two years ago! We hear about Val’s path through life…her love of manufacturing and assembly lines and how it parlayed into a pharma career, her wonderful family, and zest for living. But Valerie bravely shares with us the horrible diagnosis she received during the pandemic and how she’s doggedly coping. She tells of how quarantini...

Today’s episode is one helluva story! Glenn Morton, the founder of “Father to the Fatherless Generation” shares the colorful and heart-rending story of his own troubled, very difficult childhood and how a single act of kindness totally changed his life. What was lacking in his “upbringing” inspired him to create his organization, dedicated to helping boys and young men develop into productive and fulfilled adults. “Where fathers lack, we pick up the pace, and we make the relationship personal.” ...

In this episode of “I’m Frickin’ Lonely”, I welcome Leslie Maxie, a U.S. Olympian, keynote speaker and media professional. And she’s just an all-around cool person to boot! She even has a Wikipedia entry! Leslie tells us the story of her background and how that led her to the Olympics. Having strong family support and great coaching didn’t hurt! We also talk about her subsequent media career and her current focus on public speaking (both doing and teaching) and her exciting newest project, “Not...