United Planet Radio

To say Francis Tapon is a traveler is an under-statment. He’s more of a guru whose committed his life to seeing every little corner of the world. Mostly by foot. He’s walked the two major trails in North America, one of which took him 5,000 miles south into Mexico, and he spent five years walking through Africa, stopping along the way in various areas in an attempt to gain a better understanding of the human condition that exists elsewhere than from where he was born. While on his journey he met his wife and realized that he had found his calling. Now, Francis has dedicated himself to traveling the world, writing and hosting a podcast on which he discusses his exploits and provides advice for those looking to embark on trans-continental journeys.

In Arnaud’s vision of the world, a few things are required. First, travel. Find a way. Any way. Work the bag checkout at the grocery store. Deliver newspapers in the early mornings (Yes, newspapers are still in circulation). Whatever you have to do to make it work, do that. Second, learn a language, or two. Arnaud is a passionate spokesperson and storyteller. He has been traveling the world since his teenage years and hasn’t stopped for a moment. Keep in mind our conversation was done over the phone as Arnaud was in California at the time of our call so our audio is a bit spotty.

We spoke with renowned journalist Laura Kasinof. She provided great insight into the challenges and necessities of working as a foreign correspondent. Her work has appeared in many newspapers, magazines and journals including The New York Times, The Atlantic, Vice, The Guardian and more. Her work spans a wide range of subjects including but not limited to US foreign policy, migration and religion. Laura reported for The New York Times during the height of the Arab Spring in Yemen. Her story which followed a Syrian Refugee family in Berlin received a citation by the Overseas Press Club. She is also the author of Don't Be Afraid of the Bullets: An Accidental War Correspondent in Yemen. Currently, Laura resides in Tbilisi, Georgia. She has taken a more long-form approach to journalism and continues to advocate for strident reporting. In addition to English, she speaks both Yemeni and Egyptian Arabic.

Dalia is a human rights activist from Egypt. She spends her days writing and looking for areas to increase democratic values in her native Egypt. She is currently operating as the Director of Liberal Democracy of Egypt, a Cairo based think tank dedicated to promoting and advising policy makers on the advancements of human rights.

Naoko Jin, who co-operates a Cafe in Okazaki City with her husband Kuniomi Asai, sat down to chat with us about our newly developed program in Japan. Her love for Okazaki city is entrenched in the cities reminiscent nature. Built during Japan’s Edo period, Okazaki city is often described in folkloric fashion. Naoko and her husband Kuniomi, who has had a long career as a war correspondent, are excited to bring volunteers into the city they love.

If you were to ask Alex Lupafya what led to his success, he’d probably answer with, determination. He was born into a less than ideal situation, where embarrassment and poverty reigned. None of this mattered. Alex, with a vision, embarked on a journey that would forever detail the ethos he holds today. After being turned away by the consulate in his home country, Alex continued to show up at the embassy’s front door. He never quite and never let somebody else dictate his future. We were fortunate enough to hear Alex’s story and insight into what he believes to be the true key to success.

Retirement would have to be put off again for Mr. Markan. After departing from the corporate working world, Jim’s vision had shifted and his need to help others far exceeded his want to sit lakeside enjoying a cold beverage. Inspired by the work of the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu in their co-authored bestseller, “The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,” Jim quickly became encapsulated in the Lifelong Learning Institute where he soon became a speaker and program mentor. He has a wealth of knowledge in positive cognitive development and has spent time traversing the country sharing ideas in hopes of creating a more united planet.

We had the opportunity to sit down with Jonathan Golden who is currently leading a program designed to build medical centers in slower developing countries. His idea is simple, create an affordable and manageable center that allows small towns to properly function when tasked with dealing with the necessary medical procedures often faced in rural areas across the globe. His company is unique in that it uses its connection to coffee bean farmers to implement strategies to build centers and send aid quickly and efficiently. To learn more about Johnathan, his team and the team visit: https://landofathousandhills.com.

Mark Conway, currently completing his master's degree in International Relations at Tuft’s University School of Law and Diplomacy, has over thirty years experience in the technology industry. As a leader in the technology industry, he spoke with United Planet to discuss advances in the industry, technology connection to medicine and his plans for the future. Over the last several decades, Mark has seen rapid growth in an ever-changing industry. His plan? To be as much a part of it as he was when he was first entering the world of technology.

After obtaining her Ph.D. in Human and Environmental Studies and Medical Information Systems from Kyoto University, Dr. Alkhateeb brought her knowledge to Massachusetts Bay College. There, she currently resides as an adjunct professor and mentor coordinator. She has traversed the globe, attended top level universities in many nations, started up a community clothing center and was kind enough to take some time to sit down and chat with United Planet about her journey, interests and her role as an educator.

From an early age, Gianpiero has nurtured his passion for world travel, and for intellectual and cultural exploration. Through experiences gained during his studies and his competitions, first as a member of the Italian Olympic Sailing Team and currently as a competitive triathlete, Gianpiero has had the opportunity to explore remote places and befriend people from diverse backgrounds. His experiences as a business consultant and as a private sector analyst with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have enriched his global vision, preparing him to face adversity and change, to adapt to ever-changing realities and to identify and implement effective solutions to contemporary challenges. In his work he is driven to leverage the private sector and the financial markets to support the transition to more sustainable development and to combat climate change while contributing to the advancement of the economies of developing countries. Gianpiero holds a PhD in the “Economics and Management of Natural Resources” and is now a partnership expert with over 5-years’ experience sustainable development, environmental finance, entrepreneurship, business strategy and management. In 2016, Gianpiero was selected as a Junior Professional Officer sponsored by the Italian Government, since then he has been working as Private Sector Engagement Coordinator at Bioversity International (CGIAR).

There is little doubt that the current state of affairs makes it difficult to implement positive policy towards immigration and refugee groups. Liza Ryan doesn’t mind the difficulty. In fact, she embraces it. She explores ways to actively achieve strong counters to the growing assemblage of harmful immigration policy. With over ten years experience working in related fields, Liza continues to promote outreach and advocacy programs to disenfranchised groups across the globe.

Sebastián, who traveled from Costa Rica to New Hampshire as part of a United Planet Quest, took a moment to sit down and talk about his volunteer experience. For the last six months, Sebastian volunteered at a local center for the disabled. His time volunteering was as much an experience learning about others as it was learning about himself. Of his time spent volunteering for United Planet, Sebastián was humbled by the experience and left determined to continue promoting global understanding, eager to bring the knowledge back home.

Max Noble’s first book Journey To Success, is an international best seller. His forthcoming book, First Impressions: The 42 Laws of First Impressions, provides detailed examples of how to succeed in both business and life. Max has had a successful career, working at top-tier firms and has now dedicated his life to sharing what he learned along the way. For the first time, we spoke with Max on an international call. His insights and story provide some great tips on how to think positively and your inner confidant.

After losing her sight at age seven, Sara Minkara embarked on an inspiring journey. Her accomplishments as a young professional are driven by a need to see positive change in the world. She has worked tirelessly to implement programs across the United States and the globe to ensure that those with disabilities are henceforth included in the universal conversation. Her company, Empowerment Through Education, engages the global community in an effort to educate and stimulate dialogue to reduce stigmas surrounding those with visual impairments. Our conversation together covers everything from what drives Sara to her vision for the future. Enjoy.

After emigrating from Zimbabwe, Marshall embarked on an endless journey of persistence and diligence. His inspiring ethos, which originated from his mother, is not only sensible it's infectious. Having graduated from the Kennedy School of Government with a masters degree in Public Administration from Harvard University Marshal went on to co-find Africa Development and Investment a company where he acts as the Chief Operations Officer. In recent, Marshall has been granted a Fellowship at the Obama Foundation and is currently authoring two books. He hopes to release both of them soon.

Mary Yntema is currently the President and CEO of World Boston, a company dedicated to engaging public international affairs and advancing cooperation between people of all nations. Her background is both extensive and impressive and she has over twenty years of experience assisting non for profit organizations. Having witnessed the collapse of the Soviet Union, Mary become enveloped in the world of non-profit organization. Quickly, they soon became her desired profession. To date, Mary has worked tirelessly to ensure that World Boston acts as a groundbreaking figure in world affairs.

Dr. Dobson has worked in higher education for over twenty-three years. She is the author of Being Global: Making the Case for International Alumni Relations (CASE Books, 2011), the International Travel Handbook: Engaging Constituents Abroad (Academic Impressions, 2014), and editor of Staying Global: How International Alumni Relations Advances the Agenda (EAIE, 2015) and was recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the leading “Innovators in Internationalization” for her work at Tufts University (USA). Dr. Dobson has spent her career traveling the globe promoting higher education and the importance of Alumni engagement. Her drive and commitment is both inspiring and infectious. Currently, she acts as Chair of the Board at United Planet.

Mr. Yusuf was born in Somaliland. In his later teen years he emigrated to the United States to readvanced education from the University of South Dakota. Since then he co-founded and acts as the Executive Director of the Somali Development Center. The center looks to help Somali (and other African communities) in Boston get access to constructive services, information and basic resources. In full, Abdi is a bi-cultural and bi-lingual administrator who speaks on vastly on his experiences as both an immigrant and global citizen.

Ms. Samarasan has dedicated her life to helping those with disabilities. In our conversation, we spoke in depth about its definition, its scope and the impact one can have while working to help those in need. Diana is an avid believer in humanitarian aid and is pertinent to her mission to bring disability services into the limelight. She has done incredible work, diligently providing insight as both the Founder and Executive Director of the DRF which works to provide grants through global and community collaboration.

Dr. Giles is one of the pioneers in Service-Learning. His book Where is the Learning in Service-Learning has provided many academics and volunteers with insight into the field of learning through service and education through experience. Dr. Giles is extremely passionate about promoting Service-Learning and believes that the future is bright. He is currently working as an adjunct professor at UMASS Boston.

Arvi is one of the most well traveled individuals on the planet. His professional experiences expand across a variety of fields but his connection to the world is grounded in his love for travel. Arvi has a long standing relationship with United Planet’s founder and he was pleased to sit down with us to discuss his yearning for adventure.

Dr. Stelling, who spent time volunteering with the Peace Corps in Mali, spoke with us about the groundbreaking technology that looks to gather data in hopes of combatting large scale epidemics. His software is free and is designed to be implemented in hospitals across the globe. In addition to the software, which is used by the World Health Organization, Dr. Stelling is an Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is an extremely well traveled individual and is diligent in his yearning for a broader understanding of the world.

Dr. Leek is an accomplished educational powerhouse. Her work has extended across a range of platforms designed to promote education and student learning. She has an impressive resume that speaks volumes and her drive to motivate others is infectious. We talked to Dr. Leek for a short while about technology in education, the importance of asking the right questions and why knowledge is the most important tool an individual can have.

Born in Schenectady, NY, Mr. Lowen has accredited some marvelous endeavors. He is a graduate of the City College of New York and holds a degree in Cinematography. In 1985 he attended Hunter College where he received a Masters in Social Work. He is a man who is willing to confront the problems of the past and is unwavering in his pursuit of global connection. In short, Mr. Lowen is very much a Global Realist, looking viscously to find the answers to the many questions which arise throughout a life dedicated to creativity. We spoke with Mr. Lowen about his experiences working alongside the mentally ill, his work as a documentarian and his advocation for global understanding.

Oudou Sanogo, born in the West African country of Mali, is currently working with United Planet as an International Programs Coordinator while simultaneously pursuing his Masters in Social Justice and Environmental Sustainability. He is a Fulbright Scholar interested in Education and Sustainable International Development and hopes to continue sharpening his skills to fight against injustice both in his home country and across the globe. His work for United Planet has given him yet another platform to promote his love for education.

Tania Del Rio works in Boston as a Diversity Outreach Officer at the Mayor’s office. She has had an incredible career traversing the globe working as a Diplomat for Mexico in Columbia, assisting with community affairs in her neighborhood of East Boston and actively participating in United States government. Follow the link below to donate to Tania’s GoFundMe page for earthquake relief: https://www.gofundme.com/relief-for-mexico-earthquake

Based out of Boston, Massachusetts, Kelly Fitzsimmons has spent over half her life taking pictures of the world around her. Ranging from lifestyle photography to documentary style portraits, Kelly has focused on capturing stories from across the globe. We spent the morning talking about her time as a photographer as well as her time traveling the world over. She has traveled to Colombia as a part of a mission to help a displaced population, worked on political campaigns in New York and alongside entrepreneurs in Jordan. She has developed a style that crosses multiple genres and is eager to share these experiences, captured through her lens, with the world. You can check out here work here: http://www.kellyfitzsimmonsphotography.com/

Today, we spoke with our founder and President, Dave Santulli about his visions for a more united planet. Having been at the helm of our ship for the past sixteen years, Dave hopes to encourage others to follow a similar path. His urging for others to take part in this global community is only supported by his willingness to step in on his own, leading the charge towards global connections. His passion and drive only permeate throughout the company’s inner confines. It’s infectious and calculated, always remaining true to United Planet’s core values. Having traveled all over the globe looking to spread his message, Dave has come to understand that if we work together and take one step in the right direction, then we will be on a path towards unity, connection and understanding.

Dr. Domenic Amara on the Key to Education, the importance of language learning and being diagnosed by an Ecuadorian Shamen.