Podcast appearances and mentions of cal poly pomona

California State University Humboldt converted to a California State Polytechnic University in 2022, joining Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona. This episode dives into what this new status means — from new degrees offered to career possibilities for graduates — and why students are attracted to this type of education. Guests: Jack Conti, graduate, BFA in media arts, Cal Poly Humboldt Jonathan Juarez, data science student, Cal Poly Humboldt Kate Rix, interim reporter, EdSource Read more from EdSource: Education Beat is a weekly podcast hosted by EdSource's Zaidee Stavely and produced by Coby McDonald. Subscribe: Apple, Spotify, SoundCloud, YouTube

Ian Hunter has spent four decades building miniatures, supervising visual effects and thinking like a filmmaker on some of the most demanding productions in Hollywood. In this episode, he traces a career that began in a garden shed with a punched-up piece of German black velvet and ended up — via James Cameron, Tim Burton, the Coen Brothers, and Christopher Nolan — on some of the most iconic screens in the world.Ian grew up surrounded by art. His father painted oils and acrylics, played music and did pastel portraits, and encouraged his three sons to make things — even when those things destroyed the materials he'd given them. The moment that really clicked, Ian recalls, was being handed a model kit as a kid and taking to it immediately. That creative instinct only grew stronger. In high school, he and his brothers were making Super 8 films, scratching laser effects onto the film with a pin and blowing up overloaded resistors for explosions. One of those films required them to fake-rob a local bank — and the encounter that followed, with the surprisingly enthusiastic vice president of the Monrovia Wells Fargo, led to a meeting with the mother of Rick Baker, whose work Ian had recently encountered in a traveling special effects exhibition and been completely floored by.After drifting away from an aerospace course at Cal Poly Pomona and working in an acid bath plastics factory, Ian answered a classified ad looking for model makers — and on the strength of a modest portfolio, was hired the same day. His first feature was The Abyss. He and fellow model maker Jim McGee built the flooded engine room of the Montana submarine with almost no direction beyond James Cameron's bare-bones description, and shipped it to South Carolina having never seen a frame of the live action. The production was not without its disasters — Ian found himself entangled in the notorious wax crane fiasco, and talks about the valuable early lesson of knowing when to call something out before it goes wrong.From there, a friend pointed him toward Boss Film, Richard Edlund's company in Marina del Rey, where a chance encounter with departing model supervisor Mark Stetson changed everything. What was supposed to be a one-week favour on a music video turned into six years. Working with Stetson took Ian from being a junior model maker building things in isolation to visiting sets, talking directly with directors, and understanding that miniature work only succeeds when it becomes invisible — just more shots in a movie, telling the story rather than showing off the technique.Among the projects from that period, Ian talks at length about Total Recall — including the behind-the-scenes chaos of a scale miscommunication on the final day of shooting, a scene involving a little person that nobody had accounted for, and the moment he glued a Coke can to a model building because they were running out of time. That Coke can, dressed up and shot from the front, made it into the finished film. So did one in Waterworld. And Inception. And Interstellar. And, after the story apparently got around, director Fede Álvarez greeted Ian on Alien: Romulus by asking exactly where he was planning to hide it.Ian built the suburb for Edward Scissorhands — deliberately making it more bland and mundane than real life — and talks about one of his proudest in-camera shots: the final view through the bedroom window and out over the snow-dusted neighbourhood, achieved with a 1:24 scale model and real snow shakers on the night. On Batman Returns he built the Penguin's zoo, and describes receiving one of his all-time favourite compliments from Tim Burton — who, after watching a pyrotechnics test, asked simply: "Where did you shoot this?" Not realising he was looking at a miniature. The zoo also gave Ian one of his best examples of a happy accident: a polar bear sculpture that was supposed to explode but instead toppled slowly sideways with flames coming out of its feet. Tim Burton loved it. The entire subsequent engineering challenge was figuring out how to recreate the mistake.On the X-Files movie, Ian and his partner Matthew Gratzner built a collapsing federal building on a tight budget, referencing Oklahoma City bombing photographs for the detail of damaged concrete and exposed floors. The late Roger Ebert reviewed the finished film and said the sequence should have been cut — because it was too reminiscent of real tragedy. Ian reflects on that as a marker: they'd gotten past the technique and into the emotion.The conversation turns to Christopher Nolan, with whom Ian has worked across multiple films. Ian describes Nolan as collaborative but definitive, someone who discusses a shot in depth and then tells you exactly what he wants. He talks about the liberation Nolan offered on Interstellar when he told the crew to stop following the previs — pre-vis is just a guy at a computer on a Friday trying to get the shot out the door, Nolan told them; if you can see a better angle, do that instead. The result was that the miniature crew started shooting faster, and a number of shots that had been planned as digital moved across to the physical side. Ian also describes the meticulous sun-angle calculation that went into matching the Inception hospital sequence — setting up models in a parking lot at a precisely calculated skewed angle to hit the exact quality of light that had been captured in Calgary on a specific date.On First Man with Damien Chazelle, Ian had drawn storyboards before the first meeting proposing a documentary approach — cameras attached to the spacecraft, nothing sweeping or cinematic, everything either very close or very wide as if shot from another ship. Chazelle walked in and described exactly the same idea. They spent twenty minutes together going through the sequence, working to an animatic cut to music, and Ian went off and shot it. That shorthand — that moment of being in sync before the conversation has really started — is something Ian describes as central to how he has survived in an industry where so many practical effects houses have not. He's a model maker, yes. But more than that, he's a filmmaker.This podcast is completely independent and made possible by listener support. If you'd like to help me keep making these episodes, you can join my Patreon community here: https://patreon.com/jamiebenning Watch more on YouTube:Check out the Filmumentaries YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes clips and extra content: https://youtube.com/filmumentariesAll my links

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/public-policy

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics

A novel and scientific approach to creating transformative social change—and the surprising ways that each of us can help make a real difference. Changing the world is difficult. One reason is that the most important problems, like climate change, racism, and poverty, are structural. They emerge from our collective practices: laws, economies, history, culture, norms, and built environments. The dilemma is that there is no way to make structural change without individual people making different—more structure-facing—decisions. In Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change (MIT Press, 2025) Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly show us how we can connect our personal choices to structural change and why individual choices matter, though not in the way people usually think. The authors paint a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others—warehouse worker Chris Smalls's unionization at Amazon is one powerful example. Taking inspiration from the writer Bill McKibben, they stress how one “important thing an individual can do is be somewhat less of an individual.” Organized into three main parts, the book first diagnoses the problem of “either/or” thinking about social change, which stems from the false choice of making better personal choices or changing the system. Then it offers a different way to think about social change, anchored in a new picture of human nature emerging across the social sciences. Finally, the authors explore ways of putting this picture into practice. Neither a how-to manual nor an activist's guide, Somebody Should Do Something pairs stories with science (plus some jokes) to help readers recognize their own power, turning resignation about climate change and racial injustice into actions that transform the world. My guests today are Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva and Daniel Kelly. Michael is Professor and Chair of Philosophy at John Jay College and Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, Cuny. Alex is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. Daniel is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stories and anecdotes are important and help to touch the emotional side of people's lives. Yet sometimes, we need data and research to support those stories, especially with policy makers. In this episode, Rabbi Joshua speaks with Professor Chris Giamarino of Cal Poly Pomona. Professor Giamarino is a leading expert on vehicular homelessness, which includes the study of safe parking. We hope you will listen and join us in learning some of the in-depth knowledge about the reality of our neighbors living in their cars. Here are three articles, two by Professor Giamarino, on the topic:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10511482.2024.2313511https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10511482.2022.2117990#d1e230https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2022.2050936https://friendsindeedpas.org

How can architects transition from being passive users of technology to the master builders leading the next wave of industry innovation?In this episode of Practice Disrupted, Evelyn Lee sits down with German Aparicio, a licensed architect who operates at the intersection of architecture, software development, and venture capital. As the lead for early innovation and partner development at Trimble Ventures, German shares his journey from a fifth-grade dream of becoming an architect to building the frameworks that are now reshaping the AECO (Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations) industry.German discusses his early career at Arup, where he first encountered the friction of broken industry systems and "redundant rework," which sparked a lifelong pursuit of better technological frameworks. He recounts his time at MIT and Gehry Technologies, his experience through the Trimble acquisition, and the evolution of G-Team into what is now Trimble Connect. The conversation explores how these experiences led him to co-found 0 to 60, an equity-free accelerator that integrates startups like TestFit, Monograph, and ScaffPlan into the broader technology stack to drive industry-wide change.Beyond corporate innovation, German remains deeply rooted in academia, teaching advanced digital design and entrepreneurship at Cal Poly Pomona. He challenges the traditional "service-for-time" business model and presents a vision for an AI-native design practice, one that leverages natural language and automation to do more with less, allowing architects to reclaim their roles as master builders."I encourage all my students to do the same. Imagine the future you want to see and then go build it. Nobody's going to come and save you." - German AparicioThis episode is a call to action for architects to take ownership of their professional evolution. Whether through building software, designing ecosystems, or rethinking the value of architectural output, German emphasizes that the future of the profession depends on architects leading technology rather than being led by it.Guest:German Aparicio is a licensed architect in California and the project manager for early innovation and partner development at Trimble Ventures. He is the co-founder of the 0 to 60 accelerator and a faculty member at Cal Poly Pomona. With a background from Cal Poly Pomona and a master's in design and computation from MIT, German has spent his career building systems, software, and ecosystems that bridge the gap between design and construction.This episode is especially for you if:✅ You are interested in how accelerators and venture capital are influencing the development of new tools for architects.✅ You want to understand the potential of an AI-native design practice to shift the industry from a time-based to an output-based business model.✅ You are a student or early-career professional looking for ways to take ownership of your career path outside of traditional firm structures.✅ You want to learn about the history and future of Trimble Connect and how it facilitates better data flow across complex projects.✅ You believe the architecture profession needs to adopt systems thinking to solve long-standing productivity and collaboration challenges.

In this episode, Paul explores the field of materials engineering by interviewing two faculty members in the Chemical & Materials Engineering Department at Cal Poly Pomona. Dr. Vilupanur Ravi is a Professor specializing in advanced materials, coatings, and corrosion, and Dr. Jonathan Puthoff is a Professor specializing in materials characterization and modeling. During the interview, Professors Ravi and Puthoff describe what the field of materials engineering is all about, the types of courses materials engineering students take, the types of jobs available for materials engineers in industry and government, as well as the importance of getting advanced degrees in their field. Cal Poly Pomona Chemical & Materials Engineering Department: https://www.cpp.edu/engineering/cme/index.shtml Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email. Episode produced and edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on February 17, 2026 at Cal Poly Pomona.

Lisa McCoy, VP of Sales and Operations at J.J. Mauget, breaks down the evolution of tree injection—from Mauget's pioneering micro-injection system in 1958 to the creation of the MXT (Mauget Xylem Translocator). Designed over three years with help from Cal Poly Pomona, the battery-powered MXT delivers precise treatments directly into a tree's xylem, reducing waste, plastic use, and environmental impact while saving arborists serious time.

As we wind down to the end of March and Women's History Month, this week's episode of "Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" features someone who plans on making a name for her own self. While on location at the Western Region Survey Conference in Las Vegas, Tim Burch sat down with Kennedy Williams, a senior at Cal Poly Pomona and budding surveyor/engineer in the making. Kennedy shared her story of making the decision of pursuing a civil engineering degree then "finding" surveying during her sophomore year. They also discussed the importance of the combination of education, experience, and networking to give the surveyor a well rounded career opportunity. A conversation with a dynamic lady so give it a listen today!

Chris Davey, a retired leader from The Toro Company's Precision Irrigation Division, reflects on a career dedicated to the landscape and irrigation industry. A proud graduate of Cal Poly Pomona and the Drucker School of Management at Claremont Graduate University, Chris shares how his curiosity in irrigation hydraulics shaped a journey spanning product management and senior leadership roles. He also discusses his time as a former co‑host of the award‑winning The Water Zone radio show and his induction into the Green Industry Hall of Fame. Throughout the conversation, Chris emphasizes how meeting people, exploring emerging technologies, and engaging with water legislation and science have made his career both meaningful and humbling. Podcast Recorded on March 5, 2026

In today's episode, I speak with Coach Dan from the Cal Poly Pomona Women's Program near Los Angeles. We talk about how they like to recruit freshman over transfers in order to build culture. Coach also shares about how they look for players that bring value to the program. Plus, we discuss their collaborative staff that has a long tenure. See all our interviews. Check out college soccer ID camp listings. Get valuable free college recruiting resources, all at https://discovercollegesoccer.com/  Join the Discover College Soccer Study Table! Get all the resources you need to manage the college recruiting process! https://discovercollegesoccer.com/stu... --- DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE! Be sure you subscribe so you can stay up-to-date with our latest videos. --- Follow us here: TWITTER -   / discover_cs   FACEBOOK -   / discovercollegesoccer   INSTAGRAM -   / discover_cs   TIKTOK -   / discover_cs

Alex Madva (@madva.bsky.social) is Professor of Philosophy, Director of the California Center for Ethics and Policy, and Co-Director of the Digital Humanities Consortium at Cal Poly Pomona. He's one of the authors of the new book Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change.   We discuss how to create true social change, how ideas spread, the pitfalls of being hyperconnected, and some things we can do to "do social change right."   You can pick up the book, "Somebody Should Do Something" at https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049788/somebody-should-do-something/ and you can connect with Alex on LinkedIn.   Join the FREE Facebook group for The Michael Brian Show at https://www.facebook.com/groups/themichaelbrianshow   Follow Mike on Facebook Instagram & X  

Old Testament Study Resources The Scriptures are Real Podcast Kerry received his B.S. from BYU in Psychology with a Hebrew minor. As an undergraduate he spent time at the BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies in the intensive Hebrew program. He received an M.A. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies from BYU and his Ph.D. from UCLA in Egyptology, where in his final year he was named the UCLA Affiliates Graduate Student of the Year. He taught courses in Hebrew and Religion part time at BYU and the UVSC extension center, as well as in history at Cal Poly Pomona and UCLA. He also taught early morning seminary and at the Westwood (UCLA) Institute of Religion. His first full time appointment was a joint position in Religion and History at BYU-Hawaii. He is the director of the BYU Egypt Excavation Project. He was selected by the Princeton Review in 2012 as one of the best 300 professors in the nation (the top .02% of those considered). He was also a Visiting Fellow at the University of Oxford for the 2016-17 academic year. He has published 13 books, over 60 peer reviewed articles, and has done over 75 academic presentations. He and his wife, Julianne, are the parents of six children and one grandchild, and together they have lived in Jerusalem while Kerry has taught there on multiple occasions. He has served as the chairman of a national committee for the American Research Center in Egypt and serves on their Research Supporting Member Council and on the Board of Governors. He has also served on committees for the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities, and has served on their Board of Trustees and as Senior Vice President of the organization, with a brief stint as interim president. He has been the co-chair for the Egyptian Archaeology Session of the American Schools of Oriental Research. He is also a Senior Fellow of the William F. Albright Institute for Archaeological Research. He serves on the BYU Studies Quarterly Editorial Board. He is involved with the International Association of Egyptologists, and has worked with Educational Testing Services on their AP World History exam. The post As You Plan to Study the Old Testament – Kerry Muhlestein – 999.6 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

In the SGV Connect's end-of-year podcast, Damien Newton and Felicia Friesema of Foothill Transit discuss transit updates in response to questions submitted by readers. The discussion addresses: The delayed implementation of Line 289/197 combination/extension due to ongoing student needs at Ganesha High School. Foothill Transit's hydrogen bus program is paused due to funding cuts, with a focus on low-emission CNG buses. The 295 college connector line...and more! A lovingly edited transcript of the podcast can be found below. SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new A Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. "Foothill Transit. Going Good Places."Sign-up for our SGV Connect Newsletter, coming to your inbox on Fridays!   SGV Connect Podcast: End-of-Year AMA with Foothill Transit Recorded December 15, 2025 Host: Damien Newton Guest: Felicia Friesema, Foothill Transit Damien Newton: Welcome to SGV Connect. This is our end-of-the-year podcast with Felicia Friesema of Foothill Transit. I think this is the third year we've done this, but only the second year in a row. According to Chris, that means I can now call it an annual tradition. As always, we asked readers for questions, they sent them in, and we're posing them to Felicia. As a disclaimer, none of the questions were especially controversial. Since we wanted this to be informational, we did provide the questions to Felicia on Friday so she could review them and give us the best possible answers. Also, I'll say upfront, we don't have any really fun questions this time, so we may try to come up with something fun toward the end, depending on how long we spend on the wonky stuff. Before we dive in, a reminder that SGV Connect is sponsored by Foothill Transit, offering car-free transit throughout the San Gabriel Valley, with connections to A Line stations along the Foothill Extension and service into Downtown Los Angeles. To plan your trip, visit foothilltransit.org. Foothill Transit — going good places. That ad copy has been the same since before this podcast was even called SGV Connect. If you ever want to change it, let me know. Felicia Friesema: I'm just ecstatic that this has become an annual thing. I really love these AMAs. They're fantastic. Damien Newton: They're fun and easy on my end, so I'm a big fan too. It looks like we have five questions this year. The first two came with mini-essays attached — written in the first person, but not by me. The first question is about the implementation of the Foothill Forward Line 197 and a proposed combination with Line 289. The reader writes: "I'm excited for the proposed Line 289/197 extension from La Verne to Cal Poly Pomona. It would allow for a weekend connection from the A Line to Cal Poly Pomona — the 295 is weekday only. When will it be implemented? Other Foothill Forward improvements have moved forward, but this one has been pending for years." Felicia Friesema: The proposed combination of Lines 289 and 197 would be a great idea. However, that routing would remove a segment of the current Line 197 that serves Ganesha High School, and we're not quite ready to do that yet. We've been working with Pomona Unified School District and monitoring ridership trends at Ganesha to understand ongoing student needs. Right now, our focus is on continuing to provide that service. The connection from Line 197 to the A Line remains in our plans. We're working with the City of La Verne, the Gold Line Authority, and LA Metro to make enhancements at the station so buses can serve it effectively. As for timing, it's still up in the air. There are no firm plans for 2026. We need to do more due diligence on student demand before moving forward. Damien Newton: I'll just note that the quality of the questions was excellent. The writer even included links — presumably for me — but honestly, they were more useful for you. I've saved their info in case Chris Greenspan ever moves on. Felicia Friesema: Bus riders and bus fans often know the system better than we do, and that's fantastic. Damien Newton: The next question builds off that theme and focuses on Foothill Transit's hydrogen bus program. The reader asks about the future of hydrogen fuel, especially given recent shifts toward battery-electric fleets statewide. Felicia Friesema: That's a great question, and it's one we get a lot. Foothill Transit has been an early adopter of hydrogen fuel-cell buses, and we've learned a tremendous amount from that experience. Hydrogen has worked well for us operationally, especially for longer routes where range and refueling time really matter. That said, the landscape is changing. Battery-electric technology continues to improve, and funding priorities at the state and federal level are evolving. We're keeping a close eye on that and making decisions based on reliability, cost, and what best serves our riders. We're also part of a larger hydrogen hub conversation in California, so this isn't something we're abandoning lightly. But like everything else, it has to pencil out long term. Damien Newton: That makes sense. And I think people sometimes forget that Foothill Transit has always been willing to pilot new technology, even when it's risky. The next question is about ridership, specifically college routes. A reader asks whether Foothill has seen changes in demand now that many campuses are fully back in person, but with hybrid schedules still common. Felicia Friesema: We're definitely seeing a rebound, but it's uneven. Some college routes are close to pre-pandemic levels, while others are still lagging. Hybrid schedules have changed travel patterns, and students aren't necessarily commuting five days a week anymore. We're responding by being more flexible — adjusting schedules, monitoring demand closely, and working directly with campuses. Programs like student transit passes remain a huge part of our strategy, and they've been very successful where implemented. Damien Newton: That leads nicely into the next question, which is about major events — specifically the 2028 Olympics. Someone asks whether Foothill Transit expects to play a role, especially given the geographic spread of venues. Felicia Friesema: We've had preliminary conversations, but it's still early. Large events like the Olympics require coordination at every level — Metro, municipal operators, law enforcement, and local governments. For Foothill Transit, the challenge is balancing special-event service with our core mission: serving daily riders who rely on us to get to work, school, and appointments. We don't want to overextend ourselves in a way that hurts regular service. Damien Newton: That's a good segue to the Rose Bowl, which always generates questions whenever there's a big event. Someone asks whether Foothill plans to expand service there. Felicia Friesema: The Rose Bowl is always tricky. It's not just about buses — it's about traffic control, street closures, and coordination with Pasadena and other agencies. We do provide service for certain events, but expanding that requires partners at the table and funding to match. Damien Newton: Before we wrap up, I want to ask a lighter question — something we've done in past years. Do you have a book or podcast recommendation for listeners? Felicia Friesema: I was hoping you'd ask that. I've been reading a lot more nonfiction lately, especially books about leadership and organizational change. One I'd recommend is Turn the Ship Around! It's about empowering teams and decision-making, and I think it applies really well to public agencies. Damien Newton: That's a great recommendation. I'll add it to my list. Before we close, is there anything coming up in 2026 that riders should be paying attention to? Felicia Friesema: We'll continue rolling out Foothill Forward improvements where funding allows, and we're staying focused on service reliability. Electrification will remain a big theme for us, whether that's hydrogen, battery-electric, or a mix of both. We're also continuing conversations with cities and Metro about bus-priority projects. Those don't always get a lot of attention, but they make a huge difference for riders. Damien Newton: I want to thank everyone who submitted questions. They were thoughtful and detailed, which makes these AMAs much easier to do. Felicia, thanks again for joining us and for being willing to do this year after year. Felicia Friesema: Thank you for having me. I really appreciate the opportunity to talk directly to riders and advocates. These conversations matter. Damien Newton: And thanks to Foothill Transit for sponsoring SGV Connect and making this podcast possible. As always, you can find more San Gabriel Valley transportation coverage at Streetsblog Los Angeles. We'll be back in the new year with more episodes. Felicia Friesema: Looking forward to it. Damien Newton: All right. Thanks, Felicia. Talk to you again soon. Felicia Friesema: Thanks, Damien. Bye. End of recording.  

What if success was less about status and more about gratitude, service, and love? In this Unstoppable Mindset conversation, I talk with strategist and social media influencer Cynthia Washington about climbing and then stepping away from the corporate ladder, choosing a “socio economic experiment” that stripped life back to the basics, and discovering what really matters. You'll hear how growing up in Pasadena, studying at Cal Poly Pomona and Columbia Business School, and working with brands like Enterprise and Zions Bank all led Cynthia to a life centered on emotional intelligence, mentoring young women in tech, and leading with heart. I believe you'll come away seeing gratitude, leadership, and your own potential to be unstoppable in a very different light. Highlights: 00:09 – Explore how early life experiences influence the values that guide personal and professional growth.02:59 – Learn how changing direction can uncover the strengths that shape long-term leadership.05:29 – See how pivotal transitions help define a clearer sense of purpose.10:07 – Discover what stepping away from convention reveals about identity and success.20:05 – Reflect on how redefining success can shift your entire approach to work and life.22:13 – Learn how a grounded mindset practice strengthens resilience and clarity.34:25 – Explore how personal evolution can grow into a mission to empower the next generation.59:11 – Gain a new perspective on how we perceive ability, inclusion, and human potential. About the Guest: Cynthia Washington: Bridging Societal Gaps Through Leadership, Influence, and Love Cynthia Washington is an accomplished business professional, an award-winning leader, and international influencer whose life and career embodies resilience, vision, and compassion.  While studying at Columbia University, she embarked on a socio-economic experiment, which became her reality, highlighting her journey across her social media platforms in hope of sharing her deep commitment to bridge societal gaps and create a better world—one love style, one courageous step at a time.  A proud Park City local of more than twenty years, Cynthia's story begins in Southern California, where she grew up between the San Gabriel Mountains and the beaches of Malibu.  Her cousins called her “Malibu Barbie,” and her stepbrother called her “Love.”  Rooted in her values and guided by her heart, Cynthia's story is not only one of success but of transformation—a legacy driven by her belief that we deserve better. Cynthia leads with integrity and authenticity. She continues to expand her global network of leadership, uniting hearts and minds to inspire lasting, positive change on the right side of history with a framework of faith, family and fun that is built on a foundation of love, kindness, compassion and a hope for peace. One Love, Bob Marley style. Professionally, Cynthia Washington stands at the intersection of strategy, leadership, and emotional intelligence. An agile and results-driven leader, she has distinguished herself through her ability to combine quantitative intuition with deep empathy—qualities that make her both a visionary and a unifier. Known for her collaborative leadership style, she excels in developing teams, leading organizational change, and driving sales performance across diverse industries. Her strategic mindset and exceptional communication skills have made her a trusted partner to executives and innovators alike. Cynthia's work fosters meaningful engagement between employees and senior leaders, helping organizations align vision with values. Through her global portfolio of projects, she has sharpened her expertise in marketing, leadership development, and brand transformation, helping companies from Park City to Silicon Slopes and across international markets thrive. Her career is a testament to excellence, purpose, and adaptability—qualities that have earned her numerous accolades and the respect of peers worldwide. Among her many achievements, Cynthia was honored as a SheTech Champion Impact Award Recipient at the Women Tech Awards, celebrating her leadership, mentorship, and dedication to empowering young women in technology. For more than five years, she has stood alongside thousands of high school students—mentoring, volunteering, and serving as a role model for the next generation of innovators. Motivated by her desire to create a better world for her daughter, she embarked on what she lovingly calls her “mom mission”—a service journey dedicated to making her community and the world around her better. During her sabbatical from Silicon Valley into this transformative period, Cynthia launched LVL UP with CW, her brand, leveraging her expertise to help local and global businesses grow, evolve, and thrive. As an international social media influencer, she has used her platform not for fame or recognition, but for global impact, sharing messages of resilience, hope, and empowerment. This work is a lesson of intersectionality and bridges the worlds of fashion, sports, philanthropy, business, money, technology, spirituality, global preservation, health and wellness in hopes of leveling up and shifting the societal norms. She has partnered with brands across industries to elevate visibility, deepen engagement, and build authentic customer connections. Through brand ambassador relationships, social media management, and content creation, Cynthia has amplified voices, strengthened communities, and showcased how influence, when rooted in integrity, is a force for good. That same belief shines through in Cynthia Washington's powerful memoir, Mind Matters: The Story of My Life. Written during her sabbatical, the respectfully honest memoir captures her life's “grind with grit” story. The cover, graced by her daughter's original artwork, wraps her book with a big thank you hug, encapsulating the power of love that anchors Cynthia's bold voyage.  Mind Matters explores her corporate climb and fall, her studies at Columbia University, her travels across the United States with her daughter, the Aloha spirit of Hawaii, and her experiences in Hollywood and the music industry. Interwoven through these chapters are stories of friendship, including her personal connections with cultural icons like Eminem and Kobe Bryant, whose wisdom and creativity shaped what Cynthia calls The Trifecta - a guiding philosophy built on Kobe's Mamba Mentality, the music of Eminem, and her own life's work. Three forces that together drive her vision and her ability to live her socio-economic experiment proving money is a tool and the real power is in the mind. “You can do anything you set your mind to, man” - Eminem Mind Matters: The Story of My Life is available on Amazon and other major online retailers and can also be ordered through local bookstores. The memoir has been nominated for The Eric Hoffer Award for Excellence in Independent Publishing, a recognition of both its literary merit and its heartfelt message of perseverance. Yet, true to her character, Cynthia did not embark on this journey for fame or recognition—she wrote it to give back, to inspire, and to remind readers everywhere that no matter where you come from, with a healthy positive mindset you too can change the trajectory of your life. Beyond her work as an author and international leader, Cynthia lives a simple life.  She is a mom, a trailblazer, and an advocate, representing many initiatives that level up society and bridge societal gaps. She turned her pain into her strength and used that as fuel to ignite a movement.  Her heart is full of gratitude for all the bands and their aid, as they played a meaningful role in inspiring the Band Aid, a global movement for unity and peace that emerged during a time when the world needed hope most. A true Band Aid. Ways to connect with Cynthia**:** Instagram https://www.instagram.com/misscdub Linkedin  https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-washington-1b13a265 Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mind-Matters-Story-My-Life/dp/B0DJRPQTY2 About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Hi everyone. Welcome to another episode of unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're with us today, wherever you happen to be, hope you're having a good day, and hope that we can inspire you and make this a fun time for you as well. Our guest today is Cynthia Washington. Cynthia describes herself as standing at the intersection of strategy, leadership and an emotional intelligence, and I know that she's going to talk more about that and what what brought her to come to that conclusion, but I've been looking at her information. I think she's got a lot of interesting stuff to talk to us about, and we'll get to it. But for now, Cynthia, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Cynthia Washington  02:05 Oh, thank you, Michael. I appreciate being here and spending this time with you today, and I'm looking forward to our conversation. Michael Hingson  02:13 Well, I am as well. Well, why don't we start? I love to start this way with the the early Cynthia, if you will. Cynthia Washington  02:20 Of course, yes, the early Cynthia. I grew up in Pasadena, California, that Southern California, near the Rose Bowl in the San Gabriel Mountains. I attended an all girls private Catholic school for my seventh to 12th grades. I attended also Cal Poly Pomona, where I studied international business and marketing. And I love everything Southern California. I've always had this dream of living in Park City, and I ended up coming here in when was it 2004 so I've been here almost 21 years. Michael Hingson  03:04 So when you were at Cal Poly, did you help build the Rose Parade Float? Cynthia Washington  03:09 I did not build the Rose Parade Float, even though both Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Pomona do a collaborative effort to build one every year since I grew up with the Rose Parade in my backyard, I had my own special moments with that. I always wanted to be on the Rose Parade court, and so my mom put me into a many different pageants, which helped prepare me and built my confidence so that I could be the person I am today. And I'm forever grateful for that experience like sports, it teaches you about competition, failure and set you up for success. Michael Hingson  04:05 Yes. And again, what did you study at Cal Poly, Cynthia Washington  04:10 international business and marketing? Okay, I originally started in microbiology. I had finished with the intention to become a doctor, and realized I could not stomach blood or needles, and so I quickly changed my major once I made that realization, and I changed my major to English, because I love reading Shakespeare Books. Everything is just so fascinating, fascinating about the English language and its literature. So I studied that for a little while, my father told me that I needed to do something different, and therefore I changed my major to international business and marketing. Michael Hingson  05:00 Hmm, that was different than English by any standard. Yeah. Cynthia Washington  05:06 So it was definitely different. Well, he is a businessman, a banker, and I think you know, for him, it was important for me to kind of follow in those footsteps, which I have, ironically, and I'm forever grateful for him for pushing me in a different direction, I use all three though, the science, the technology, the English and the international business skills in my current role, so, or roles, Michael Hingson  05:37 well, so you graduated. Did you go on and get any advanced degrees or just a bachelor's? Cynthia Washington  05:43 Oh, well, I did. It took me a while, too, though. I recently, in 2022 applied to Columbia University, actually Columbia Business School, and I completed their chief marketing officer executive education program with a Certificate in Business Excellence from Columbia Business School. So yes, I did eventually go back to school. However, I had a few careers in and amongst that along my path and my journey, which helped me have a more well rounded knowledge, yeah, to enter into that up advanced learning. Michael Hingson  06:35 So what did you do after you graduated from Cal Poly? Cynthia Washington  06:40 After I graduated from Cal Poly, I took a gap year, to be honest, and in that gap year, I learned so much about myself. I intersected with Hollywood for a brief moment in time, developed some really great, lasting friendships that have surpassed time. In addition to that, I skied, I snowboard, I learned to surf, and did all the things that I just needed to do as a California girl, yes, it was quite fun and bolted me into the person I am today. With that being said, I once again, had my father reminding me that it was time to get a job, and so I ventured into the management trainee program with enterprise run a car, climbed that corporate ladder, eventually having a territory from Santa Barbara to San Diego that I managed and oversaw a team inside one of our insurance partners headquarters, Which was really amazing opportunity. Then that took me, with a relocation package to Utah with my husband and our newborn baby to come and plant roots. Here he they enterprise was ahead of times in the fact that they wanted to harvest talent from different parts of the United States to strengthen the team they were building in Utah. My husband and I at the time, were part of that strategy, which was really an amazing opportunity, because I was one of a handful women managers that were brought on to the Utah team, and we were able to establish ourselves as influencers and leaders to help grow the women leadership network within Utah and Idaho for enterprise. Michael Hingson  09:14 You said, early I'm sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. You said early on that you always wanted to go to Park City. Why was that? Sounds like, you know, you got to live your dream. But why was that? Yes. Cynthia Washington  09:26 Well, my father worked a lot, and for him to disconnect from work, we would come and visit Park City or travel to Hawaii. Well, we summer it every summer in Kauai for the month of July. So to contrast that we had time in Park City, Utah before it was what it has become, which was really fascinating. And I loved having the exposure to the Four Seasons and just the. Um, simple life that park city offered was really refreshing, coming from the hustle and bustle of Downtown LA and being in the city, it was just something I dreamt of, and I'm so grateful to have lived that dream, to be here and have to and to have raised my daughter here as well Michael Hingson  10:27 makes sense. And as I said, you now get to live your dream. You're living where you wanted to, and you've been there now for, like, 21 years, and you sound like you haven't changed your mind, you're very happy with it. Cynthia Washington  10:43 Yes, you know, my daughter's graduating college soon, and perhaps maybe I'll think of another location to move to. But for now, this is what I call home. This is where I've planted my my seeds and my roots for our little single mom family. So yeah, it's been great. Michael Hingson  11:06 Well, so you you say that you lived a social, socio economic experiment. Tell me more about what that means. Yes. Cynthia Washington  11:19 So while at Columbia University, I opted to live a socio economic experience to contrast the life that I grew up with. So as I mentioned, I attended Cal Poly, worked with enterprise, had a great career with them. When I came to Utah, I kept that career. After my divorce, I began another career at America first credit union. I saw, I saw that I needed to take a step back from the career world, and so I took a 20 hour teller position as I was figuring out my relationship with my husband and determining our next steps. And so once that was dissolved, I had this great team who saw my leadership skills and helped me climb another corporate ladder. After a few years one of my previous colleagues came to me and asked me to venture into Silicon Valley, doing business in Utah with a team, a Medicare sales team that I managed, and that was quite fascinating, talk about baptism by fire. I learned all things Medicare on the fly, and had a really amazing opportunity with that. And so I have steadily over time, climbed three different corporate ladders, made excellent income, six figures, generously raising my daughter here in Utah, and it has always been in the back of my mind to understand life from a different lens, to understand it with a different perspective. And so as a result, when I was in the Columbia application process, I had become really, really, really sick, deathly sick, I like to say I was on my death bed when I applied to Colombia because I was surviving on water and pressed juices for a little over a month, because I was having some difficulties internally. And so while I had that downtime, I had a lot of time to think, and it was important to me to apply at Columbia. Well, I originally applied to Northwestern and they recommended me to Columbia. And so when I did my Columbia application, it was important for me not to just take the northwestern recommendation, but to also set myself apart. And I thought, well, the socio economic experiment would be great at something I've been thinking about, you know, living life through a different lens. I had the savings built up so that I could do so. And I thought, Yes, I can do this. I can You can do anything you set your mind to. Quote. Eminem, I did. I did that. I lived it. I abandoned my ego, I abandoned all the luxurious items that I had, and lived this truly simple life. And it was quite fascinating, because the more I trusted that process, the more I grew and became still and trusted God's guidance in this journey that I was creating. Fast forward through the social media aspect of everything, I was reminded of some Hollywood friends that I had forgotten about, to be honest. And I don't know how you forget about them, but I did, because I never really spoke about those tender moments I had, and cherish them within my heart and my soul. But I was overcoming this really traumatic experience, a bad, bad relationship that put me into hiding, yet with being at Columbia, living the socio economic experiment and sharing my life through my social media influencer role, my Hollywood friends found me in a time of need, and through this reintroduction, I was reminded of a night I like to coin as dream night, and I call it dream night because that's the night I met Marshall Mathers, who the world knows as Eminem, and he and I were from completely different aspects of life, with completely different perspectives on life, and yet, when we met, we intersected. I was leaving Hollywood, he was coming into it, and we spent together, as silly as it sounds, playing beer pong, thinking through all of the world's problems. And in that conversation, I had mentioned that one day I was going to go to Columbia, and one day I was going to live the socio economic experiment so that I could help the world. And you know, he envisioned his dream of becoming this rap star, and together, we would reunite our forces for good to help elevate the world. And I forgot about this moment in time, to be quite honest, I just continued on a path that I naturally was creating when I was younger, because before meeting Marshall, I had met Kobe Bryant while I was a student graduating Cal Poly, and he was new, upcoming rising superstar into basketball. He had his eye on Vanessa. Her group of friends were very smart, and he knew he needed to knowledge up to get his girl. And so here I was this book smart girl, kind of hanging out in Hollywood. I had worked a job at Staples Center, because I love the Lakers, and it was really cool. I, you know, had me more court side than it did have me working because I gave away more of my tables, and I did actually work to spend time building these relationships with Kobe and the Lakers, which I'm so forever grateful for, and because Kobe recognized my book smart, his spotlight and together, we would have these Kobe talks, which ultimately built the framework for Mama mentality and my only ask of him as I exited Hollywood and that era of my life was that he named mob and mentality, mob and mentality, which he did. And so I, you know, I had. Had Mamba mentality. This up and comer rap star Eminem, who, honestly, I didn't even know was Eminem. For me, he was this guy from Detroit that I met through my friend Travis Barker, who happened to be the drummer blink, 182 but I was so unaware of all these people and who they were. They were, to me, were just people I knew and friends that I had. And, you know, fast forward to where we're at now. It's like we're all living our dreams, and it's really super cool. But the socio economic experiment came from that dream night with Marshall and this whole concept of who and how we wanted to be in this future version of ourselves and I wanted to be this socio economic experiment to understand life through a different lens, especially after meeting him that One night and hearing his life experience, my life experience that you know, it was fascinating to me, like I want, I I want to help people, but to truly help people and bridge those societal gaps that exist, Cynthia Washington  21:16 one has To have a full scope of life through all perspectives, and this opportunity through Columbia, with this experiment, positioned me to really embrace that, and now I am very happy because I think it has helped me appreciate the quality, true quality of life. You know, it's not about the money, it's not about the fame, it's not about the recognition. It's about love and family and caring and nurturing one another Michael Hingson  21:59 with and I would presume that you would say that that's what you learned from the experiment, Cynthia Washington  22:05 yes, yes, absolutely. That's what I learned. You know, here, as I was climbing all these different corporate ladders, I always thought it was about having more you know, having more money, having more things, having a bigger house, a nicer car and all this stuff, but truly abandoning all that stuff allowed me to live more because I appreciated the true moment as A gift, especially from being on my deathbed, you know, to being able to live each day to its fullest, that in and amongst itself, was a gift to me, and learning to be present for my daughter was a present for Me. And so these were all things that socio economic experiment taught me about appreciating life. Michael Hingson  23:07 So where do concepts like gratitude come into all of that? And how is gratitude help keep you centered and kind of moving forward? Cynthia Washington  23:18 Great question through this journey I've been on, I've learned to live each day with a grateful heart. I wake up daily appreciative of the moment, to be alive, regardless of what I have or what accomplishments I've achieved. I truly am thankful for the gift of life. And with that being said, I live in a spirit of Thanksgiving, not because Thanksgiving is on the horizon and the holidays grow near, but because having that gratitude rooted in my soul has helped me Stay focused on my Why stay firm in my beliefs and trust the process every step of the way, living with gratitude has just opened my Heart to the possibilities, and it's been a phenomenal growth experience. The more I give thanks, the more I give, the more I serve, the better I lead, the stronger I am, and the more abundant the blessings are. Are, and it's just truly remarkable to be this vessel for good living life with the spirit of Thanksgiving. Michael Hingson  25:12 If somebody were to ask you, how can you teach me how to really have gratitude and make it a part of my life, what? What kind of advice or what kind of guidance can you give someone to help them learn to be a person who's more grateful or have more gratitude? Wow, um, Cynthia Washington  25:33 if someone is looking to have more gratitude and develops a process in establishing more gratitude. I think it would just be to reframe your focus instead of, oh, I don't have these things, right? That's when I let go of my Louis vuittons my fancy car, and, you know, sold all my really nice clothes that you know, just to have some extra cash to accomplish more of my goals, I let go of all Those materialistic things. And instead of having the mindset of like, Oh, I'm getting rid of these things, I was I saw it as an opportunity. So I guess what I'm saying is to reframe, instead of it being like, I don't have these things, or the woe is me attitude reframe that too. I am blessed with a family, I am blessed with food, I am blessed with shelter, I am blessed with a job that provides me with stability. I am blessed with the person in the mirror who has awoken for this moment in time, awoken, awaked it has. How do you say that? Awakened, that's fine. Awakened, yeah, has awakened in this moment, you know, for another beautiful day, and then after that, reframing of the mindset, focus on the positives and count your blessings. I know that sounds so cliche, but be grateful for this. Yes, be grateful for the things that you do have, the people who love you love is the most durable power that there is, you know, and having that focus on those good things with a positive mindset reframed from the negative, you can easily shape yourself into a person who lives with gratitude and then reciprocate it. You know, as you, as you go about your day, give that gratitude to someone else with a nice smile or a thank you. And people can feel a thank you. People can feel a smile. People can feel that authentic, genuine sense of gratitude in any capacity of life. And that is far more reaching than that negative I don't have I don't have enough. I don't I'm not qualified for this type of negative mindset that weighs people down. Instead, when you live with gratitude, you feel lighter, you feel more alive, and you feel unstoppable. Michael Hingson  29:09 Have you ever read a book by a gentleman named Henry Drummond called Love the greatest thing in the world? Cynthia Washington  29:18 No, but it sounds like something I would enjoy reading. It's Michael Hingson  29:21 more, it's very short, but he he talks all about the fact that love is, in fact, the greatest thing in the most powerful thing in the world, and that that it is something that we all ought to express and deal with a whole lot more than than we do. Was written in, in, I think, the late 1800s I believe. But it is, it is well worth reading. As I said, it's very short. I've read the audio version, and it only takes an hour, so it's not very long book. But it doesn't need Cynthia Washington  29:59 to be well. I will definitely add that to my reading list, because my step brother called me love and it's my nickname, and all the work I have done while on my mom mission after Columbia and over the past few years to help bridge societal gaps, to make the world better for my daughter, her friends and our children and the world ultimately stems from love and gratitude and love are to my focuses. There you go. Michael Hingson  30:46 And as makes a lot of sense, as they should be well. So what have you been doing? Well, so you worked for enterprise, and then you went on, I guess, to do some other things. But what have you been doing since Columbia? Cynthia Washington  31:02 Well, since Columbia, my last class at Columbia was in finance. I studied finance, macro economics. And one more thing I forgot, that's okay. So anyway, well, my last class at Columbia was in finance and Oh, corporate governance, yes. So at Columbia, I studied corporate governance, macroeconomics and finance, while also completing my chief marketing officer executive education requirements and my last class being in finance aligned with Zions Bank, 150 year anniversary of being in business. I thought, wow, this is quite timely. Zions Bank is highly reputable, very respected organization in Utah. And I wanted to work with them while I finished Columbia, and initially I took a role to just kind of understand money real time, working on the front lines across a variety of different branches, and now I still work with them. I am in their retail banking administration department. I work with a great team. I am close to the SVPs, EBPs, and with the branches, our clients. I work on multiple different projects, doing different things, which is so fascinating because I'm in the heartbeat of the business, and it satisfies my my desire to stay relevant and use all my skill sets for good, because I have that ability to touch so many different people and projects in the work that I do at science bank, it allows me the flexibility to maintain my social media influencer status, and both give me the stability to be a good single mom for my daughter who's finishing Up in college. So I'm very grateful for that opportunity, and Colombia opens so many doors. As far as the social media marketing piece of the work I've done since Columbia, I sit on a handful of boards, Big Brothers, Big Sisters. I am on the boulder way forward legislative committee as a chair, and I continue to just do a bunch of philanthropic work, which I. I'm able to promote and highlight within the social media work that I do, so the two work beautifully together, and I am happy just to give back in the capacity I can using my skill sets at a maximized level, Michael Hingson  35:24 okay, well, you also formed your own company, didn't you? Cynthia Washington  35:29 Yes, I did form my own company. It's called level up with C dub, and that business has allowed me to work with amazing brands throughout Park Cities, silicon slopes and globally. It started, yeah, go ahead. No, go ahead. It started because I wanted to level up my community and bridge some gaps that I saw, and then it has grown into something bigger and better in the fact that the work that I'm doing is not only helping local businesses, but it's helping level up our youth, and creating an opportunity for our youth to follow a yellow brick road, so to speak, with my work that I have put forth so that they are more resilient, emotionally intelligent, and have the mental strength To endure this ever changing world. So it's been quite interesting to see how it's shifted from helping businesses mentoring individuals into this new space. Michael Hingson  37:14 And so what does the company do today? What? What you talk about helping youth and so on? Tell me a little bit more about what what you do and how you do it, and is it just you, or do you have other people in the company? Cynthia Washington  37:27 No, it's just me. Just now, just me. Yes, I don't have enough time to invest in it because Zions is my nine to five. I work at a local boutique in town to stay in the heartbeat of town, you know. And then I have the social media stuff that I do. So my calendar is quite full. The level up with C dub work has been word of mouth, and people like you have sought me through various platforms, and I like that. I'm not ready to scale it yet, even though it is scalable, but I like being able to control the the the incoming work and produce high quality products with my brand name attached to it. So right now, it's something that exists. Um, it's something it's a labor of love, and so I'm not quite ready to bring on a team, because it's multi faceted. There's a lot of mentoring, there's a lot of coaching, there's a lot of brand building, and these are all things that I just like to do on my own. Michael Hingson  39:20 So what kind of things do you do you do from a mentoring standpoint, what? What exactly does the company do? Cynthia Washington  39:28 Well, from a mentoring standpoint, I mentor across different platforms. I just received an Impact Award for mentoring girls in the tech realm of silicon slopes, over 1000 Utah high schoolers, actually, 1000s of high school girls have been mentored through this program called she tech, of which I am a part of and. Um, in addition to that, I have middle level professionals who want to level up within their career, who utilize me and my services to help coach them to their next corporate move. And so there's some one on one time. People hire me. I fit them into my schedule. We work together. They call me, you know, hey, I have this moment at work that's happening and I need some guidance. How do I navigate it? You know, sometimes it's easier to talk through that situation with a coach than it is to talk through it with your peer or manager, because you don't want to take away the integrity of the the momentum you've created at work. So I act as at sounding board for a handful of other executive, young executives who are up and coming, rising into their career, and so it's it's multifaceted. Everything's been word of mouth, and I don't have a website. I started with one, I perhaps might go back to creating one. But for now, everything is pretty manageable. I just wear a lot of different hats and work through a lot of different projects, helping many different people across different platforms. Michael Hingson  41:48 How do you keep it all together? Cynthia Washington  41:53 Great question. I use a calendar. I write a lot of notes down. I have a very systematic approach to everything that I have going on. I've learned to say no and to prioritize what's most important. I had an executive coach when I was in Silicon Valley and working in the Medicare realm of business and my executive coach brought so much value into being that sounding board for me and Springboarding My career that giving back in that same capacity is so rewarding for me. I find enjoyment out of it, and the busier I am, the more full I feel my life is. And so right now, I manage it all by writing it down and keeping it organized. You know, in my calendars, thankfully, there's flexibility with all that I do, which allows me to be very agile and giving back in the level up with C dub work that I do. Michael Hingson  43:21 Well, it sounds like when you had access to an executive coach, you were very observant about what they did, so that you could do that same sort of thing and pass it on. Because it sounds like you you took to heart the lessons you learned from that coach. Absolutely. Cynthia Washington  43:40 I had the best executive coach. And you know, when I was on my deathbed, she reached out to me and cared for me even though I was no longer her client. You know, we had become friends through that relationship, and I want to be that person for someone else, and that's why right now, I don't have anyone on my team with me, and I don't have an intention of scaling it At this point in time, because I try to, I to take on the workload with intention and purpose so that I can authentically lead and give back to help others grow and thrive within their realm of life, right? Michael Hingson  44:46 Well, you have written a book. Tell us about that and what what it is, and anything you want to talk about, Cynthia Washington  44:54 yeah, this is a book right here for those who. You are able to see Michael Hingson  45:04 it, and it's called Mind Matters. Cynthia Washington  45:07 Yes, sir, Mind Matters. It's the story of my life. It's a memoir encompasses everything and an easy to read book. It encompasses my travels, my corporate climb and fall, my Columbia education and studies, how I overcame some big hurdles with a grind, with grit, mindset and mentality. My time in Hollywood, what I like to call the trifecta me, Eminem and Kobe, and my work, the music of Eminem and Mama mentality with those three things, you can achieve anything. And what else does it include? Oh, it just has some really fun tales of growing up in California. I and some principles, guiding principles I learned from Columbia University that I wanted to encapsulate into this book and share again to give back to others. It's modestly priced on Amazon. You can buy it wherever books are sold. It's I didn't write it for fame or recognition. I respectfully share stories about my friends in Hollywood. Good and, yeah, it's a fun a fun story. I released it a year ago, October 10, and did my first book launch release party, November 15. And so it's really fun to see it become what it has, and to see its ripple effects throughout society. Michael Hingson  47:32 What did you learn about you from writing the book? Cynthia Washington  47:39 Oh, well, writing a book requires a lot of self discipline. I learned that I have lived a story rich with abundant blessings, and I learned that I have accomplished so much with having That spirit of gratitude. I grind it with grit, resilience, that has catapulted me into the space that I am living in now. However, it was also a very humbling experience as I wrote the book, I it healed me in some ways, because I had been in hiding for a year, and as much As I was sharing my life on social media, I was still afraid to live my life because I was in hiding, and so it helped me heal from that trauma, which is why I have it modestly priced, because if I can help someone else overcome something as traumatic that I have lived by sharing my story and giving hope through my story, then I want to put it out there. I'm not in it for money. I'm in it so I can help our society through this humanitarian effort, you know, and sharing a little bit about me might help someone in their time of need. So, yes, I love. Learned. I learned to heal, I learned to trust the process, and I learned who I am. Michael Hingson  50:08 It makes a lot of sense. And I asked the question, having written three books and learning from all three of them, various things about me, but also just learning to have the discipline and to go into that place where you can create something that hopefully people in the world will appreciate. I think that's that's a really cool thing, and clearly you've done that. Cynthia Washington  50:38 Yes, thank you, and you definitely can understand that, you know, you put your heart and soul into this book of creative mindfulness, and it's truly rewarding to share it with other people. And I like to say my books wrapped with my daughter's big thank you hug, because it's wrapped in her artwork that she drew, that I have framed, and I thought it was a perfect cover for it. And it's it's really a blessing to have gone through the trauma, live through it, and for her to see this work of art, share my story and help others and her. Thank you. Hug around it is even a bigger form of love Michael Hingson  51:44 you have won, and you mentioned it earlier, a she Peck she tech champion Impact Award. Tell us about that award, what it is, and a little bit more about why you won one and so on. Cynthia Washington  51:58 Yes, so while at Columbia, I did the level up with CW work, I worked with Zions Bank, had the social media influencer role, and I aligned with a lot of great women and businesses throughout Park City, Salt Lake and silicon slopes, those women became friends and she Tech was founded by one of my friends, and I became involved in that about five years ago, as a mentor, a role model, an influencer, helping young girls learn that there is opportunity in The tech space. Technology space for women and girls learning and their worth, their their value and creating opportunities for them. And so through the social media aspect, I have been able to share to share the great work of she tech and women tech Council and some other brands that I've aligned with to help young girls see other women leaders actively working and living in these different capacities. So all of the work that I do goes hand in hand with this mentoring space and helping our youth see their potential. Chi Tech, I was one of 30 who received that award this year, I was humbly honored to be a recipient of the award. I knew the work I was doing was focused on my love to change the world for my daughter and make the world a better place for her, her friends and ultimately, all children. I just didn't realize how far reaching my impact was until I received the email notifying me of this. Impact Award, and when I stood on stage with all these other champions, champions, champion champions, championing change and this trajectory of our world. It just reinforced all of the work I have done and the profound impact it's having on our youth today, and it's remarkable to like. I can't, I can't express the depth it has, because it's so far reaching, and it's something beyond my wildest dreams that I've created through my work, through all these different intersections of strategic marketing and social media brand work and leading by Cynthia Washington  56:16 good and using my influence for good. And it's just truly amazing to see that I've helped 1000s of teenage girls understand their potential, their value and their worth, knowing that there's so many different possibilities in the tech space for them to learn, grow and do Michael Hingson  56:47 well, congratulations on winning the award. That's a that's a cool thing, and obviously you're making a big difference. Cynthia Washington  56:57 Thank you so much. I'm still so humbled, and I keep having to ground myself because I never expected to be in this moment. I simply was a mom on a mission to change the trajectory for my daughter, and receiving this award was something I never expected, and I keep ground, grounding myself, because I just I'm so humbly honored to have received it, and to have come to this, this elevated level of where I'm at in my current life, by giving up everything, I became something so much bigger and better than I ever expected or or planned for myself, and it's profound to me, and I just have to constantly ground myself and remind myself like that it's it's okay to be here. Michael Hingson  58:17 That's what gratitude can do, and that's what gratitude obviously does for you, because you you clearly exhibit a lot of gratitude in in all that you say and all that you do. And I think that's extremely important. People really should think a little bit more about gratitude than they then they typically do. But you know, it is something that that clearly you have put in the forefront of of your being. You do a lot with social media. And tell me a little bit more about about that as we move forward here and get close to wrapping up. Cynthia Washington  58:57 Well, yes, I do do a lot on social media, but before I answer that question, you found me through social media, and I want you to share a little bit about how you discovered me knowing that you're unable to see a lot of the content I create. So how were you able to find me? And then I'll answer that question. Tell me what intrigued you Michael Hingson  59:31 when you say not see the content, like, What do you mean? Cynthia Washington  59:36 Well, you have a blindness, vision impairment, correct, Michael Hingson  59:46 not an impairment, but that's okay, but, but what is it that I don't see exactly? Cynthia Washington  59:52 How do you see my social media content for you to be able to find. Michael Hingson  1:00:00 I use a piece of software that verbalizes whatever comes across the computer screen, so hearing the the text, listening to what your profile on LinkedIn says about you and so on, is all just as straightforward for me as it is for you, and to describe that in great detail would be like me asking you how you do what you do. It's what we grow up learning. The reality is, blindness isn't the problem. That's why I said it's not an impairment, because people always think about blindness as a visual impairment. Well, visually, I'm not different because I'm blind and I'm not impaired because I am blind, if, if the reality is impairment has nothing to do with it, and we really need to get away from thinking that someone is less than someone else because they may not have the same senses that that we do. And while I don't necessarily have eyesight, I have other gifts that I've learned to maximize, and probably the greatest gift of all, is that I don't happen to be light dependent like you are. The reality is that for you, when there's a power failure or something that causes all the lights and everything to go out, you scramble looking for an iPhone or a smartphone or a flashlight or something to bring light in, because we spent a lot of time bringing light on demand. To you ever since the light bulb was invented, I don't have that problem. The power goes out, doesn't bother me a bit. The reality is we've got to get away from this idea of thing that somebody is impaired because they don't have some things that we do. There are a lot of ways to get information, and eyesight is only one of them. Cynthia Washington  1:01:48 I love that, and that's exactly why I wanted you to explain that, because I think that's super important as we discuss unstoppable mindset. I think that's a critical necessity for society to learn and to know, and because you were able to find me using these great resources that you have and the work I'm putting forth intrigued you to bring me into this meeting with you. So I am, again, so grateful that we have this opportunity to collaborate in this space, bringing both our good works together to Oh, help level up awareness that there are no limits. We are unstoppable. Glasses shattering everywhere because of people like you and me who are doing this good work to change the trajectory of the world, and social media for me, has given me the opportunity to do what you do in this podcast. Michael Hingson  1:03:14 If you want people to be able to reach out to you and interact with you, how best can they do that Cynthia Washington  1:03:22 the like you did through LinkedIn is great. That's how I do receive most of my work is through LinkedIn. People find me there and will message me through then, LinkedIn, what? Michael Hingson  1:03:43 What's your LinkedIn name or your house? Cynthia Washington  1:03:47 Cynthia Washington. Okay, that's easy, yes. Cynthia Washington, Park City, Salt Lake City, will get you to me. Another outlet is through Instagram. I'm little bit more hesitant to reply to the direct messages on Instagram. I do try to filter a lot of my content and screen things. So I do trust LinkedIn a little bit more. As far as the messaging component is concerned, also, I have provided you with my email which you're happy I'm happy for you to share. Okay, so any of those three means will get you connected to me. I do not have a website. As I said, everything is organic, authentic and word of mouth. My Plate is really full, and so I like to be selective of the projects I bring on in hopes that they give back to society in one way or another. Lacher, I'm not doing it to chase every deal or get a bunch of free product. I do it with a very intentional Spirit giving back with gratitude that karmic effect goes a long way well. Michael Hingson  1:05:18 I hope people will reach out. You clearly have a lot to offer, and I think you've you've given us a lot to think about today, which I appreciate a great deal. So thank you very much for that. I want to thank all of you who are listening or watching our podcast today, or maybe you're doing both listening and watching. That's okay too. I want to thank you for being here with us. Love to get your thoughts. If you have any messages or our ideas you want to pass along. Love it if you'd reach out to me. Michael, H, I m, I C, H, A, E, L, H i at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, I B, e.com, you can and I would appreciate it if you would, wherever you're listening or watching this podcast, give us a five star rating, and please give us a review. We really value your reviews highly, and I would appreciate it if you would do that. If you know of anyone Cynthia, you as well, who you think ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset, please let us know. Introduce us. We're always looking for people to come on to help show everyone that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are. But again, Cynthia, I want to thank you for being here. This has been absolutely wonderful. Can you believe we've been doing this over an hour already? Cynthia Washington  1:06:37 Oh no, not at all. Oh yeah. Well, I am so forever grateful again, and as we head into the holidays, just remind everyone to live with a spirit of gratitude, be kind to others. And there are no limits. It's time to shatter those limits that we have created as barriers and Live limitless with an unstoppable mindset. Michael Hingson  1:07:09 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com . AccessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for Listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

The rumors are true: our world is a dumpster fire, and it feels like it's growing hotter and stinkier by the day. If it feels hopeless, like it's useless for one person to even try, perhaps it's a change in perspective. This week, Adam sits with two philosophers to explain why change is ALWAYS possible. Alex Madva is a professor of philosophy at Cal Poly Pomona, and Michael Brownstein is a professor of philosophy at the CUNY Graduate Center. Together with Daniel Kelly, they wrote the new book Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Create Social Change. Find their book at factuallypod.com/books--SUPPORT THE SHOW ON PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/adamconoverSEE ADAM ON TOUR: https://www.adamconover.net/tourdates/SUBSCRIBE to and RATE Factually! on:» Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/factually-with-adam-conover/id1463460577» Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0fK8WJw4ffMc2NWydBlDyJAbout Headgum: Headgum is an LA & NY-based podcast network creating premium podcasts with the funniest, most engaging voices in comedy to achieve one goal: Making our audience and ourselves laugh. Listen to our shows at https://www.headgum.com.» SUBSCRIBE to Headgum: https://www.youtube.com/c/HeadGum?sub_confirmation=1» FOLLOW us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/headgum» FOLLOW us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/headgum/» FOLLOW us on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@headgum» Advertise on Factually! via Gumball.fmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Venus is close-by and similar in size to Earth, but until recently, we couldn't tell much about it. Dr. Rakesh Mogul, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at Cal Poly Pomona took another look at old Venus data to potentially change what we know about our sister planet. Dean chats with Dr. Mogul to unravel the mystery.

In this episode, we explore the critical role lithium plays in the clean renewable energy transition, focusing on the potential of the Salton Sea in the Southern California desert as a lithium-rich resource. Well, there has been plenty of hype from industry as well as some clean energy advocates and environmentalists saying this could be the answer to many environmental problems with hard rock mining and brine evaporation for lithium around the world. We feature an interview with Dr. James J. A. Blair of Cal Poly Pomona, as well as multiple news reports, testimony from Preston Arrow-weed, a Quechan-Kamia knowledge keeper, Christian Torres from Comite Civico del Valle in Brawley, Dr. Ali Sharbat of Cal Poly Pomona, and Daniela Flores of the Imperial Valley Equity and Justice Coalition. Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Also, check out two pieces published on PBS SoCal, host Jack Eidt's project with art-photojournalist Osceola Refetoff, where these issues are illustrated with incredible visuals from both the Salton Sea and Chile. White Snake of Knowledge: Lithium Boom on the Salton Sea: https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/artbound/the-white-snake-of-knowledge-a-lithium-boom-at-the-salton-sea Green Extractivism: Can Our Deserts Survive Our Thirst for Lithium: https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/artbound/green-extractivism-can-our-deserts-survive-our-thirst-for-lithium More on the environmental justice advocacy in the Salton Sea: https://ccvhealth.org/hells-kitchen?lang=us In our third segment we share an interesting discussion from the 2025 Bioneers Conference around the impacts of clean energy balanced with the urgent need to transition away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels with Bill McKibben of Third Act and 350.org Co-Founder, Colette Pichon Battle from Taproot Earth, and Eriel Deranger from Indigenous Climate Action. Join us as we delve into the intersection of technology, environmental justice, and community impact in the pursuit of clean energy. For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio Sources: Dr. James J. A. Blair [https://www.jamesjablair.com/] is an author, environmental consultant, and Associate Professor in Geography and Anthropology at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. His work centers on energy, water, and environmental justice, especially related to extractive industries, including mining, fossil fuels, dams, logging, and fishing. Specific case studies include: geothermal lithium extraction at the Salton Sea in California; lithium mining, hydroelectric dams, and industrial logging in Chile and Argentina; as well as offshore oil and commercial fishing in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes on desert environmental and cultural issues for an L.A.-Press-Club-honored project on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation, and energy needs. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 272 Photo credit: Jack Eidt

It's a milestone moment for Adventures in Advising! Matt and Ryan celebrate 150 episodes by taking you on a two-city advising adventure—first to Las Vegas for the NACADA Annual Conference, then straight to Chicago for the Gardner Institute Symposium.In this jam-packed episode, you'll hear in order:

Send us a textHere's a conversation with a lifelong civic servant whose roots run from Monterey Park to Pomona and the San Gabriel Valley. With decades in urban planning and community development, he brings a ground-level view of how cities actually work—housing, zoning, economic development, schools, and the partnerships that make neighborhoods thrive. He currently serves on the Pomona City Council and has spent years volunteering on youth, planning, and education boards that shape real outcomes for families.We trace his path from Cal Poly Pomona's urban and regional planning program to roles in Claremont and Montclair, including Director of Community Development. Along the way, he bridged policy and practice: general plans, code enforcement, downtown revitalization, and the day-to-day tradeoffs between growth, character, and affordability. His private-sector experience adds a practical lens on budgets, operations, and service that complements public service.Community impact sits at the heart of his story. From the Pomona Planning Commission and the Pomona Unified School District Board to Habitat for Humanity's design and construction work, he has focused on long-term value—safer streets, stronger schools, and projects that pencil out for residents and businesses. We talk about aligning city hall, neighborhoods, and nonprofits so progress sticks beyond any single term.If you care about how local government shapes quality of life—housing supply, small business corridors, parks, transportation, and civic engagement—this episode is a field guide. Keywords: Pomona City Council, Monterey Park, San Gabriel Valley, Cal Poly Pomona, urban planning, community development, affordable housing, code enforcement, economic development, downtown revitalization, Habitat for Humanity, local government leadership.__________Music CreditsIntroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OGStingerScarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio LibraryOutroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG__________________My SGV Podcast:Website: www.mysgv.netNewsletter: Beyond the MicPatreon: MySGV Podcastinfo@sgvmasterkey.com

How do you build a career with intention, navigate unsupportive environments, and find the mentors who will champion your growth? This week, we are joined by Leslie Sydnor, an architect and design manager whose journey offers a masterclass in resilience, self-advocacy, and the power of networks.Leslie shares her story, from being inspired by New York City construction sites as a child to finding her path at Yale and UCLA. She offers a candid look at her career, including her "dream job" designing low-income housing for the City of New York, her time in small, supportive firms, and a challenging stint in a corporate environment that confirmed her fears about who gets to climb the ladder. A pivotal point in her career was finding a mentor in Helena Jubany, who saw her potential and taught her how to run an office, a relationship that shaped her understanding of what's possible as a woman of color in architecture.Now a Design Manager for the country's largest community college district, Leslie acts as a crucial translator between the massive institution and its architects. She argues this is not a role architects have "given up," but a necessary function in a complex bureaucracy, one best filled by an architect who can advocate for the design team. "Find your tribe and keep them close. Architecture is such a small, interconnected world - you'll cross paths with classmates, colleagues, even old bosses, again and again. Your tribe will support you, tell you about jobs, and help you when you need it most." - Leslie SydnorThis episode concludes with Leslie's core advice for the next generation of architects, distilled from years of experience and her current role as an educator at Cal Poly Pomona. She emphasizes the importance of strategy, flexibility, and building a strong professional network, summed up in her key mantra: "Find your tribe and keep them close." Her story is a powerful reminder to treat job interviews as a two-way street, to ask the hard questions, and to find the environments and people who align with your values and will support your long-term success.Guest:Leslie Sydnor is an architect and Design Manager with the Cumming Group, currently working with the Los Angeles Community College District. With a career spanning traditional practice in firms both large and small, design-build, and now owner-side representation, she brings a wealth of experience to her role. A graduate of Yale University and UCLA, Leslie is also an educator at Cal Poly Pomona, where she teaches project management and mentors students on building intentional careers. As one of the first few hundred licensed Black women architects in the U.S., she is a passionate advocate for diversity, mentorship, and self-advocacy within the profession.Is This Episode for You?This episode is for you if:✅ You are a young professional seeking advice on how to navigate the architecture industry and find supportive firms. ✅ You want to understand the career path of a design manager and what the role entails. ✅ You are inspired by stories of mentorship and the impact of finding the right champions in your career. ✅ You have felt undervalued and want to learn more about the importance of self-advocacy. ✅ You believe in the power of networks and want to be more strategic about building your professional community

Today Razib talks to Ryan P. Williams. He is president of The Claremont Institute, a position he has held since 2017. He is also a contributor to The Claremont Review of Books and started The American Mind. Williams earned a B.A. in political science and Economics from Hillsdale College and an M.A. in politics from Claremont Graduate University. He has taught American politics and political philosophy as an adjunct professor at California State University, San Bernardino and Cal Poly Pomona. Razib and Williams first discuss the origins of The Claremont Institute and the influence of Harry Jaffa on the think-tank's founding and current thought. They explore the influence of Jaffa's mentor, political philosopher Leo Strauss, upon his worldview, and the differences that define the “west coast Straussianism” associated with the Institute and “east coast Straussianism.” Williams also articulates how the conservative thought of Claremont affiliated scholars and pundits differs from other movements on the right, and in particular, how it is differentiated from both neoconservatism and paleoconservatism. Razib and Williams then go over The American Mind's decision to publish Michael Anton's “flight 93 election” piece, and the connection of many Claremont scholars to the Trump administration and the MAGA movement.

In this episode, Adam Torres interviews Kathleen Tepley back for LACG's monthly briefing, covering October's stacked calendar: SF & LA Tech Week activations, a flight/aviation investor update, Nasdaq-partnered programming at Cal Poly Pomona, Opal Group's Napa Wealth Conference with private LACG gatherings, and a Bay Area real-estate roundtable. Kathleen also shares LACG's “give-to-give” mission and a sneak peek at 2026 planning. Follow Adam on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/askadamtorres/ for up to date information on book releases and tour schedule. Apply to be a guest on our podcast: https://missionmatters.lpages.co/podcastguest/ Visit our website: https://missionmatters.com/ More FREE content from Mission Matters here: https://linktr.ee/missionmattersmedia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"Surveyor Says! The NSPS Podcast" is coming to you on location again! This time, we have traveled to Cal Poly Pomona to meet with the NSPS Student Chapter during their annual conference and exhibition. Tim Burch spent a bit of time with the enthusiastic group as they discussed the program, how they all "found" surveying, and what it is like to survey in sunny SoCal. Lots of great banter and comradery with this bunch, so load it up and have a listen!  

This week's SGV Connect features a pair of interviews by Damien Newton. Don't worry Chris fans, the next podcast has already been recorded and it has a pair conducted by Chris Greenspon. The first interview this week is with Felicial Friesema about the big changes that have occurred in September with Foothill Transit Coverage. Of course, the SGV's bus agency had to create new routes for the A-Line stations that opened in Glendora, San Dimas, La Verne, and Pomona; but the transit agency also opened a new bus line, Line 295, to serve Cal Poly Pomona and Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. Sac). A transcript of that interview can be found below the podcast embed. Our second interview is a rebroadcast of last week's StreetSmart podcast from Streetsblog California. The episode features Transform CA's Zack Deutsch-Gross and we break down the recently concluded legislative session. To listen to that episode by itself, or for a transcript of the interview, click here.   SGV Connect is supported by Foothill Transit, offering car-free travel throughout the San Gabriel Valley with connections to the new Gold Line Stations across the Foothills and Commuter Express lines traveling into the heart of downtown L.A. To plan your trip, visit Foothill Transit. “Foothill Transit. Going Good Places.” Sign-up for our SGV Connect Newsletter, coming to your inbox on Fridays!       Damien We're here with Felicia Friesema from Foothill Transit. There have been a few big changes since the last time we talked—outside of the regular route adjustments—especially with the… I was going to say Gold Line. Am I allowed to say “Gold Line” here?  Felicia Friesema Not anymore, dude. It's the A Line. Damien When I'm with the Construction Authority, they still let me call it the Gold Line. Felicia Well, because “Gold Line” is still in their name. But yeah, it's the A Line now. Damien Fine. The new “A Line” stations opened, and you also launched a new bus route. Let's start there. What can you tell us about the 295? It opened last week. And while it serves a Gold Line—uh, A Line—station… I'm going to let people in on something Chris Greenspawn knows well: I mess this up in our ad copy at least once a month and we have to re-shoot it. Felicia (laughs) Damien So if you ever hear Chris say, “Why don't you read that ad copy, Damien?” It's usually because I've already messed it up. Anyway, you launched a new bus line serving an A Line station, but you opened it before the A Line station opened. Tell us about Route 295. Felicia Yes! Congratulations to us. I'm really happy about it. Line 295 is one of our shorter lines—it only serves three stops. It runs between San Dimas Station, Cal Poly Pomona at Temple, and the Mt. SAC Transit Center. Service is Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., with 20-minute intervals. We opened on the 15th to introduce people to the new line. We honestly didn't expect much ridership at first—and we were proved wrong very quickly. On the first day alone, we had over 200 rides. We weren't expecting that at all, which means we've got a lot of non–light rail-oriented riders on that line. Damien Just to be clear: you weren't expecting ridership on day one until the rail station opened, right? Felicia Correct—thank you for clarifying that, Damien. We weren't expecting ridership to really kick in until the A Line opened on the 19th. We started the service early to get a sense of traffic patterns, especially on Temple between Cal Poly and Mt. SAC. That area can get pretty hairy at certain times of day when school's in session. We wanted to see how the schedule would run. Little did we know it would become really useful to a lot of people right away. And then, of course, ridership picked up again when the Gold Line—see, I just did it— Damien (laughs) Felicia —when the A Line opened on Friday. Damien This line mostly serves the college campuses. You're expecting students, professors, and people accessing the campus from farther away. It's not quite a first-mile/last-mile connection—it's a bit longer than that—but it's both a rail connector and a local route now. Felicia Exactly. Cal Poly Pomona and Mt. SAC have long been commuter campuses. Cal Poly does have dorms, but a significant number of students drive or take transit from far away—some from downtown L.A., some from Fontana. Having a smooth, easy transit option is definitely a plus for them. Damien As my kids get older, we're starting to look at colleges for my son, who's a sophomore. We've heard: don't sleep on local schools. People undervalue them—especially if they're used to traveling for college. I live in West L.A. and have heard plenty about people commuting to Cal Poly Pomona. I'm not as familiar with Mt. SAC—my kids' interests don't line up with their specialties—but I've already noticed the rail connection. My kid (or I) would only have to transfer twice to get there by train instead of driving. Felicia Exactly. Damien The big transportation story in the San Gabriel Valley right now is the four new A Line stations that opened on Friday. Joe did a Streetsblog story about it. We're going to go out and ride it together soon. How does this impact what you do? It's not just providing connections to stations—you've probably got some bus lines that can be almost replaced by rail. I imagine it's a lot of work every time a new station opens. Felicia It is, but it's good work. When the A Line—then the Gold Line—first started opening in the San Gabriel Valley, we had one line across the Foothill corridor called the 187. We've since split that into the 187 and 188, with Azusa as the midpoint. We thought we'd lose significant ridership along that corridor when the A Line opened… And—see, I'm going back and forth, too. Damien Yeah, it's not easy. Felicia Gold Line for history's sake; A Line for now. Anyway, we found that while travel patterns changed, our ridership wasn't heavily impacted by the opening of the Gold/A Line. Splitting the 187 into two lines also improved schedule adherence. We learned some people needed to get into Pasadena and others into Claremont, so having a transfer in the middle made the line more efficient. We still watch the area very closely. That earlier experience became our blueprint for how service might be affected by these new stations. We're not anticipating major shifts, but we're keeping a close eye on it. We've also worked to get our service closer to the stations for first-mile/last-mile connectivity. For the most part, it's just another great way to make sure people are getting on transit. Damien There's a post on your website—we've been linking to it in the SGV Connect newsletter. It's literally foothilltransit.org/article/foothilltransit-and-metrorail. It shows all the connections to the various stations for people who want to access them. And your website always does a little extra—like highlighting local businesses around the stations. I always appreciate that. Felicia Yes. Damien So it's probably too early to see how 295 has been impacted by the station opening. Friday was a special day, then you had a weekend. We're recording this Monday the 22nd—the second weekday the line and station are both open. Any interesting early observations from the A Line stations and your transit service? Felicia Yes, actually. We're very excited about this and keeping track of where ridership is growing. Fridays are usually low ridership days—people take off early or make it a three-day weekend. But we had really solid ridership on the 295 out of San Dimas Station the first day the A Line was open. We expect that number to grow. We're partnering heavily with the schools and relying on a lot of word of mouth. We're also looking at how other lines are impacted. It's hard to tell exactly how much ridership is shifting because you can't always tell if a boarding is from the street or a transfer from the A Line. We're sending people out to make sure connections are smooth and to help riders with questions. These are still early days, but we're keeping close tabs. Damien I was talking to a friend over the weekend—he's in the industry—and he suggested I ask: Do you think these new stations will mean more overall ridership, or less on the bus lines? I always assumed people would ride the train instead of the bus. His hypothesis is that you'll more than make up for that with people who weren't riding transit at all but will now ride the train and need the bus for the last leg. Felicia I think in the short term, yes. With something like this, you have to take a long view. Our surveys consistently show: the more transit service is available and frequent, the more people ride—period. Any new transit service—more connectivity, more frequency, more access—is good for all transit. In the short term, there may be some shifts as travel patterns change. But long term, anything that makes transit more familiar, accessible, and easy to use is good across the board. Damien All right. Any closing thoughts, or anything I didn't ask that you think listeners should know? Felicia Just one thing about the La Verne Station. We've seen a lot of chatter about accessibility—specifically about having a stop closer to the station or buses going directly into the station. Unfortunately, they weren't able to make the adjustments needed for a proper bus turnaround. We were hoping they could. The Construction Authority is turning the project over to Metro, so it'll be in Metro's hands going forward. We'll partner with them to make it more accessible. For now, bus service will be across the street rather than directly in the station. Damien I did notice on the map that there's a new stop on the 197 significantly closer than the previous ones. Felicia Correct. Damien But the hope is you'll be able to go directly into the station in the medium-term future? Felicia Correct. We'll say the “hopeful” future. Damien Obviously it's not happening next month, but hopefully Metro can make that fix reasonably soon. Felicia We hope. We hope, we hope. But yes, we've adjusted the line as much as possible to make it more accessible. Damien All right. Thank you so much for your time. We usually do an end-of-year check-in around November or December—let's plan on that. Felicia Those are fun. Let's make it an AMA. Damien Oh, we could do that. That'd be fun. Felicia Yeah, let's do an AMA. I loved the last one we did. Damien I always like when people send me questions anonymously, even though you and I can almost immediately guess who sent them. Felicia For sure. We know you guys. We do. Damien Anyway, thank you so much for this. We'll check in again. I've gotten more interested in how bus and rail work together—after watching the last Gold Line extensions and even locally with the Expo (excuse me, E Line) here—how that impacted Big Blue Bus and Metro Bus service. I started as a bike guy, but this has become fascinating to me. Felicia Yes, come to the dark side, Damien.      

We're joined by Chris Bradford, Head Track & Field Coach at Cal Poly Pomona. From recruiting philosophies to training strategies, Coach Bradford shares insights into building a championship culture, developing athletes at the Division II level, and how his program continues to compete on the national stage.

Habitat for Humanity has been helping to put roofs over people's heads for decades and in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire in January of 2025, CEO of Habitat for Humanity San Gabriel Valley has promised to build 200 homes for those fire survivors.  Caitlin and John Stamos recently volunteered at a build day and want to get more people involved in the many upcoming build days on the road to recovery for the Altadena area.Bryan Wong has been leading a team of 50+ individuals in the mission of building homes, community and hope in the San Gabriel Valley since April 2021. Prior to his role as SGV Habitat CEO, the Cal Poly Pomona graduate founded his own affordable housing nonprofit, The American Homeownership Foundation, served 10 years on the board of directors for Los Angeles Nation Bank, and on the Monrovia Board of Education for about 17 years – highlighting his greatest passions, education and homeownership.Link:https://sgvhabitat.org/

In aviation, the most transformative breakthroughs often take place far above the commercial flight lanes, and far below the public radar.  But in today's defense and aerospace economy, those breakthroughs are harder than ever for small companies to bring to life.  Government budgets overwhelmingly favor the largest primes. Smaller, more agile innovators are forced to bankroll their own R&D while competing against firms with deeper pockets, stronger political clout, and guaranteed contracts.  Venture-style “build-to-flip” incentives tempt some to chase quick exits over long-term quality. Even when technology works, commercial adoption can stall as customers demand bespoke designs for each use case. Swift Engineering's record-breaking high-altitude glider is one such breakthrough fighting its way through that gauntlet.  Designed to fly at 67,000 feet for days at a time, this ultra-light, solar-powered aircraft can do what satellites can't: hold a fixed position, deliver real-time intelligence, and land on a runway. At just 1% of the cost. For Hamed Khalkhali, Swift's president, the innovation story isn't just about engineering excellence. It's about surviving and thriving in a system that often seems built for incumbents.  In this conversation, he unpacks the strategic, funding, and talent challenges that determine which companies survive in the next wave of aerospace innovation.   You'll also learn: High-altitude, solar UAV that outperforms satellites at 1% of the cost. Why system integration is aerospace's next frontier. The funding squeeze forcing small firms to self-finance R&D. The “moral accuracy” gap shaping U.S. drone strategy. How fresh grads can drive bigger breakthroughs than veterans. Keeping start-up creativity alive in bigger organizations. Guest Bio Hamed Khalkhali is the President of Swift Engineering and an adjunct professor at Cal Poly Pomona, with more than 25 years of experience spanning technical innovation, leadership, and cross-disciplinary communication. He brings over a decade of expertise in system-level design for Fly-by-Wire flight control systems with the highest safety standards (FDAL-A), along with deep knowledge of ARP-4752, DO-160, and DO-178 certification processes. Throughout his career, Hamed has led high-performance engineering organizations, managing teams across mechanical, electrical, verification and validation, manufacturing, AI, machine learning, quality control, supply chain, and R&D. He is known for integrating manufacturing engineering into the earliest stages of design, optimizing products through rigorous processes such as Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen, and design-for-manufacturability. His leadership approach blends technical precision with a focus on systems integration, efficiency, and innovation in both aerospace and defense. Connect with Hamed on LinkedIn.    About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years' experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women's Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association.    Check out this episode on our website, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you! 

What is the importance of forgiving yourself and past partners? My podcast guest, Tony Silard, says that many relationships fail because we don't practice forgiveness. He's the author of Love and Suffering, and has coached political leaders, including G-20 cabinet ministers. He has taught leadership at various universities around the world and has lectured on leadership at Harvard, Stanford, Georgetown, the University of California at Berkeley, George Washington University, Cal Poly Pomona, and ESADE Business School. In this episode of Last First Date Radio:Why Forgiveness is critical to a successful relationshipHow not forgiving past relationships hinders our relationshipsHow not forgiving creates a never ending cycleThe first step in forgivingWhy you must judge to forgiveConnect With TonyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-silard-a305516/?originalSubdomain=it Download two free books: The Myth of Happiness and The Myth of Friendship: Go to theartoflivingfree.org/freehappinessandfriendshipbooks Purchase: Love and Suffering: Break the Emotional Chains that Prevent You from Experiencing Love https://amzn.to/45tbVgn►Please subscribe/rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/lastfirstdateradio ►If you're feeling stuck in dating and relationships and would like to find your last first date, sign up for a complimentary 45-minute breakthrough session with Sandy https://lastfirstdate.com/application ►Join Your Last First Date on Facebook https://facebook.com/groups/yourlastfirstdate ►Get Sandy's books, Becoming a Woman of Value; How to Thrive in Life and Love https://bit.ly/womanofvaluebook , Choice Points in Dating https://amzn.to/3jTFQe9 and Love at Last https://amzn.to/4erpj7C ►Get FREE coaching on the podcast! https://bit.ly/LFDradiocoaching ►FREE download: “Top 10 Reasons Why Men Suddenly Pull Away” http://bit.ly/whymendisappear ►Group Coaching: https://lastfirstdate.com/the-woman-of-value-club/ ►Website → https://lastfirstdate.com/ ► Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lastfirstdate1/ ►Get Amazon Music Unlimited FREE for 30 days at https://getamazonmusic.com/lastfirstdate  

In this episode, Paul explores the field of industrial engineering by interviewing two faculty members in the Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering Department at Cal Poly Pomona. Dr. Shokoufeh Mirzaei is Professor and Chair of the department, specializing in applied optimization and artificial intelligence, and Dr. Payam Parsa is an Associate Professor specializing in supply chains and logistics.   During the interview, Shokoufeh and Payam describe the differences between industrial engineering and other engineering disciplines. They also discuss the types of courses industrial engineering students take, the types of jobs available for industrial engineers in industry and government, the importance of getting advanced degrees and certifications, and many other topics. Cal Poly Pomona Industrial & Manufacturing Department's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/imecpp  Cal Poly Pomona Industrial & Manufacturing Department's website: https://www.cpp.edu/engineering/ime/index.shtml    “I, Pencil” essay by Leonard Reed: https://fee.org/ebooks/i-pencil  Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email. Episode produced and edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on June 10, 2025 at Cal Poly Pomona. 

What does it really mean to build better athletes—beyond sets, reps, and one-rep maxes? In this episode, Cory sits down with Cal Poly Pomona's Head Strength & Conditioning Coach to explore the evolving world of collegiate performance training.They discuss how DVRT has reshaped movement-based programming for Mike's athletes, the importance of communication and trust in the coach-athlete relationship, and why adaptability matters more than ever when working with teams in and out of season. From developing buy-in to creating a strong culture in the weight room, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to lead with intention and elevate the athletes you serve.If you're a coach, a parent of an athlete, or someone passionate about the “why” behind great training, this episode is for you.

Carina Mills, AIA serves as Senior Talent Director and Senior Associate for RDC-S111, Inc, a group of design firms including:  RDC, DyeLot Interiors and Studio One Eleven. Carina is the rising President of AIA California, currently serving her term as of 2025. She is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona's BArch program and began her service to AIA as soon as she moved to Long Beach and joined the local chapter. Carina began her career dedicated to developing her skills as a technical architect, and as her career path has evolved, she has taken on leadership roles to support practice improvements. Carina has great love for the architecture profession coupled with a tenacious commitment to continuously evolving aspects of it, such as her passion for making the profession more inclusive and equitable.We talk about: - Carina's transition from a technical architect to leading a firm-wide role focused on culture, training, and staff development- How speaking up for junior staff and challenging the status quo positioned her as both an advocate and internal leader; helping her to lead initiatives to replace outdated learning models with intentional coaching structures and peer mentorship programs which support emerging professionals.- How her firm stayed connected and resilient through remote work by investing in mental health, flexible policies, and virtual engagement to maintain a strong firm culture- As the current President of AIA California, Carina discusses her leadership across local and statewide levels and how she advances initiatives that support culture change, climate action, digital innovation, and advocacy within the profession____Links:Connect with Carina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinamills/AIA CA's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiacalif/Carina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_carina/RDC: https://www.instagram.com/rdc.collab/AIA CA Website: AIA California – The Voice of Architecture in CaliforniaConnect with Architectette:- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Learn more)- Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @architectette⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (See more)- Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Behind the Scenes Content)- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Architectette:- Leave us a rating and review!Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Paul explores the field of engineering technology by interviewing two faculty members in the Electromechanical Engineering Technology Department at Cal Poly Pomona. Dr. Farhana Abedin is an Associate Professor and Chair of the department, specializing in structural mechanics and materials, and Gerald Herder is a Professor specializing in industrial electronics, instrumentation, radio frequency systems, and microwave systems.  During the interview, Farhana and Gerald describe the differences between traditional engineering programs (e.g., mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, etc.) and engineering technology programs. They discuss the types of courses engineering technology students take, the types of jobs available to engineering technology students in both industry and government, and many other topics. Map of Engineering: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQgxiQAMTTo  You can read more about the Cal Poly Pomona's engineering technology programs here: https://www.cpp.edu/engineering/et/index.shtml Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email. Episode produced and edited by Paul Nissenson. Thanks to Trevor Henderson for helping set up the sound recording equipment used during the interview. Recorded on May 29, 2025 at Cal Poly Pomona. 

This week on CounterSpin: Media are focused on public protests in LA but seem less interested in what's making people angry. That's in part about the federal government's stated bid to capture and eject anyone who they determine “opposes U.S. foreign policy.” Protesters and witnesses and journalists in LA aren't being shot at and thrown around and sent to the hospital because they disagree with U.S. policy, we're told, but because they're interfering with the federal agents carrying out that policy. See how that works? If you don't, and it worries you, you're far from alone. We hear from Chip Gibbons, policy director at Defending Rights and Dissent, about the critical case of Columbia University student activist Mahmoud Khalil, held without warrant in a detention facility in Louisiana since March, for voicing support for Palestinian lives. There's an important legal development, but just like with ICE sweeps around the country, how meaningfully Khalil's case ultimately translates will have to do with us. If the goal were to “get rid of” unhoused people, the answer would be to house them. It's cheaper than jailing people for being homeless, so if it's those “taxpayer dollars” you care about, this would be plan A. Why isn't it? We hear from Farrah Hassen, policy analyst, writer and adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Cal Poly Pomona.   The post Chip Gibbons on Freeing Mahmoud Khalil / Farrah Hassen on Criminalizing Homelessness appeared first on KPFA.

Stefanie Esteban (She/They) is joined by their fellow Masters of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) graduates from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona to explore their experiences in the Master's program, advocating for anti-displacement and gentrification community organizations and growing as queer Latine professionals in today's political climate. Marcos Molina (He/Him/His) is an LA native that has been living in Pomona for over 10 years. He is a nonprofit worker at a community based organization called Day One working on anti gentrification efforts in the City of Pomona. He is a big advocate for walking and biking – so much as he refuses to drive! He's spent the past years being a civic leader at a local level and is the current chair of the planning commission at the city of Pomona. @aiurareJennifer Lopez (They/Them/Ella), known as JLo, is a passionate advocate for equitable urban development and community empowerment. Finishing their Master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Cal Poly Pomona, JLo's journey began after completing their undergraduate studies at Sonoma State in Women's and Gender Studies with minors in Queer Studies y Chicano Studies. Aiming to address the pressing issues of displacement of their community and advocate for marginalized groups Their leadership stems from being a sister of Sigma Pi Alpha Sorority co-chair representative for the Graduate caucus@ Mujeres Activas en Letras y Cambio Social (MALCS) & The National Association for Chicana Chicano Studies(NACCS)This summer Jennifer will be continuing their professional development this summer through the Equity Policy Fellowship California Housing Partnership.@SweetnLowJlo | Linkedin:linkedin.com/in/jennifer-lopez-201265223 ---------------------------------------Plan Dulce is a podcast by members of the ⁠⁠Latinos and Planning Division⁠ of the American Planning Association⁠. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this Podcast are for general information only. Want to recommend our next great guests and stay updated on the latest episodes? We want to hear from you! Follow, rate, and subscribe! Your support and feedback helps us continue to amplify insightful and inspiring stories from our wonderfully culturally and professionally diverse community.This episode was conceived, written, edited and produced byStefanie Esteban (She/They) Connect:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/plandulcepodcast/ Facebook:⁠https://www.facebook.com/LatinosandPlanning/⁠Youtube:Subscribe to Plan Dulce on Youtube LinkedIn:⁠https://www.linkedin.com/groups/4294535/⁠X/ Twitter:⁠https://twitter.com/latinosplanapa?lang=en⁠

Details on LA Mayor Bass' recent executive orders that aim to speed up wildfire recovery. What displaced LA County residents can do about their voter registration. And ten years of teaching the art and science of the microbrew at Cal Poly Pomona. Plus, more.Support The L.A. Report by donating at LAist.com/join and by visiting https://laist.comVisit www.preppi.com/LAist to receive a FREE Preppi Emergency Kit (with any purchase over $100) and be prepared for the next wildfire, earthquake or emergency!Support the show: https://laist.com

In this episode of Campus Technology Insider Podcast Shorts, Rhea Kelly highlights noteworthy advancements in education technology. Learn about Mistral AI's new optical character recognition API with high accuracy and advanced features, the merger of Gravyty with Ivy.ai and Ocelot to enhance student and alumni engagement, and Cal Poly Pomona's partnership with Avanade to launch an AI & Innovation Center. Stay tuned for the latest in higher education technology. 00:00 Introduction and Top Stories Overview 00:16 Mistral AI's Breakthrough in OCR Technology 00:51 Gravyty's Strategic Merger with Ivy.ai and Ocelot 01:27 Cal Poly Pomona's New AI & Innovation Center 02:05 Conclusion and Further Resources Source links: Mistral AI Introduces AI-Powered OCR Gravyty Merges with AI-Powered Student Engagement Companies Ivy.ai and Ocelot Cal Poly Pomona Launches AI and Innovation Center Campus Technology Insider Podcast Shorts are curated by humans and narrated by AI.

Whittier High School's Cardinal Academy of Technology (CAT) is a three-year STEAM pathway with a mission to inspire high school students to pursue careers in tech and engineering. CAT teachers Daniel Oliver and Steve Swanson are joined by Whittier High senior and CAT president Wendy Carcamo and Whittier High alum and current Cal Poly Pomona architect student Gershwin Mason to discuss what makes the pathway so fun for students, senior projects that include building a replica R2D2 droid and an electric guitar, and how CAT students acquired prestigious Gates and Edison scholarships during the 2023-24 school year.

In this episode, Paul interviews Jared Changizian right when he graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. You can listen to Jared as a freshman in episode 14, as a sophomore in episode 19, and about 1.5 years before he graduated in episode 31. Paul and Jared are joined by Dr. Jessica Perez, a faculty member in the Center for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching at Cal Poly Pomona, who took part in the early interviews with Jared. Jared discusses the hurdles he had to overcome along his journey, reflects upon how he evolved as a student and person during his time at Cal Poly Pomona, and gives advice for students who are just starting an undergraduate engineering program. He also provides ideas on how students can put themselves in a better position to get a job right after college. Have comments about this episode? Send your feedback to TESEpodcast@gmail.com and Paul will personally read your email. Episode produced and edited by Paul Nissenson. Recorded on December, 30 2024 via Zoom.

Steve Healis graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with an engineering degree but quickly realized he did not want to be an engineer. Procter & Gamble only hired engineers for their entry-level supervisory positions because engineers would have a better understanding of the technology – BUT they had to find engineers who also had people skills. Steve started as a supervisor in the laundry detergent (Tide, Bold, etc.) packaging department and, after two years, was promoted to warehouse manager. During this time, he learned how to hire, fire, discipline, motivate, and manage professionally. Later, he was recruited by Frito-Lay as the Sales Operations Manager, overseeing distribution facilities and the truck fleet in the Pacific Northwest. His last corporate job was as Sales and Customer Service Manager for Technicolor Videocassette in Newbury Park, CA. They duplicated videocassettes for all the major studios (Disney, Warner Brothers, MGM, etc.), and it was here that Steve learned about corporate sales and customer service. Six years of corporate jobs, combined with his engineering background, prepared him perfectly for business ownership. In 1988, a friend from Procter & Gamble asked Steve to join him in growing his part-time janitorial business. Steve said yes, and in six years, they grew the company from one employee to 50. Seeking more, they split in 1994, and Steve started Avalon Building Maintenance, Inc. with 20 employees. Over the next five years, he grew it to 450 employees, making the Inc. 500 list. Engineers with Steve's degree were known as “efficiency experts,” and he incorporated a limousine as a mobile office, equipped for work on the go. In 2002, Steve was approached to sell his company but declined because key employees would be let go. Instead, in 2003, he sold the company to his top employees with a 50-year royalty agreement. This allowed Steve to create a unique way to sell businesses that gives the seller a lifetime of residual income while enabling employees to buy the business with no money down. He has since helped many other businesses sell their companies this way (PassTheBaton.com). This reduced schedule over the last 21 years has allowed Steve the time and resources to launch various businesses, including an employment agency, a computer company, and a home cleaning company. He has started 25 total businesses with 28 partners, employing over 1,500 people, and recently launched a logistics company that helps people receive, inspect, store, deliver, and install high-end furniture in their new home or office. Steve lost his only daughter to mental illness and got divorced in 2018. In 2021, Steve met Andressa in Brazil, and they got married in 2023. -- Critical Mass Business Talk Show is Orange County, CA's longest-running business talk show, focused on offering value and insight to middle-market business leaders in the OC and beyond. Hosted by Ric Franzi, business partner at REF Orange County.

Send us a textMarielena Becerra and Jaime Alvarez are a dynamic husband-and-wife team whose journey is deeply rooted in resilience, cultural pride, and the power of community. Together, they have built a thriving legacy through their family-owned restaurants, Baja Cali Fish & Tacos and Girasol Cocina Mexicana, blending their personal histories and shared values into every aspect of their work.Born in San Gabriel and raised in El Monte, Marielena's childhood took a pivotal turn when her father moved their family to Guadalajara, Mexico, in search of safety from rising gang activity in the early 1980s. Spending her formative years in Mexico, she returned to the San Gabriel Valley at age 10, navigating the challenges of adjusting to a new language and culture. Her journey was one of perseverance, shaped by the unwavering support of her parents, educators, and peers.As a first-generation college student, Marielena earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from CSU Los Angeles. She spent 17 years as an educator, guiding students and fostering a sense of belonging that helped them succeed in their college journeys. In 2022, she stepped into a new chapter, partnering with Jaime to manage their restaurants, where her passion for creating meaningful experiences shines.Jaime Alvarez, a proud Angeleno raised in Northeast Los Angeles, found refuge from the gang violence of his youth through his love of baseball. The discipline and commitment he developed on the field carried him through life's challenges, including a 17-year educational journey that culminated in a Bachelor of Science in Business from Cal Poly Pomona and an MBA from the University of La Verne.Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, Jaime co-founded Baja Cali Fish & Tacos in 2017, growing the business to eight locations across Southern California. His vision expanded with the launch of Girasol Cocina Mexicana in Monrovia, a restaurant inspired by the flavors and traditions of Mexico, where food, music, and hospitality create an unforgettable dining experience.Together, Marielena and Jaime embody the values of hard work, family, and cultural heritage. Their journey has not been without challenges, including the impact of COVID-19 on the restaurant industry, but their faith and determination have guided them through adversity.Beyond their professional lives, Marielena and Jaime cherish their roles as parents to their children, Emma, Isabella, Julian, and Camila. They find joy in family walks, cheering on their kids' activities, and sharing moments of celebration. Jaime's love for baseball remains a lifelong passion, while Marielena enjoys self-care activities like crafting caramel apples and dancing with her husband.Their story is a testament to the power of perseverance, the importance of community, and the enduring strength of family. Through their restaurants and their lives, Marielena and Jaime continue to inspire others to dream big, embrace their roots, and work together to create something extraordinary.___________________Music CreditsIntroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OGStingerScarlet Fire (Sting), Otis McDonald, YouTube Audio LibraryOutroEuphoria in the San Gabriel Valley, Yone OG__________________My SGV Podcast:Website: www.mysgv.netNewsletter: Beyond the MicPatreon: MySGV Podcastinfo@sgvmasterkey.com

Send us a textGeoff Gaw is an experienced mechanical engineer specializing in the medical device industry. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering and minors in Materials Science and Energy Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona, he has held leadership roles at Edwards Lifesciences, Medtronic, and Applied Medical. His expertise spans project management, product and process development, and manufacturing support. He has overseen the development of complex medical devices, scaling teams, and driving operational excellence from early development stages to mass production. Currently, he serves as a Sr. Principal Engineer at Edwards Lifesciences.Aaron Moncur, hostAbout Being An Engineer The Being An Engineer podcast is a repository for industry knowledge and a tool through which engineers learn about and connect with relevant companies, technologies, people resources, and opportunities. We feature successful mechanical engineers and interview engineers who are passionate about their work and who made a great impact on the engineering community. The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment such as cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us on the web at www.teampipeline.us

On today's episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire. The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist's toolbox – and now more than ever, it's a key part of the job. The problem is that it's already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less. Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire. The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist's toolbox – and now more than ever, it's a key part of the job. The problem is that it's already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less. Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire. The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist's toolbox – and now more than ever, it's a key part of the job. The problem is that it's already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less. Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today's episode of Hear Me Out: pants on fire. The fact-check is a critical tool in the journalist's toolbox – and now more than ever, it's a key part of the job. The problem is that it's already hard to make the case that definitive “true and false” designations exist anymore… and, it turns out, audiences might be made more suspicious of journalists who fact check, not less. Randy Stein of Cal Poly Pomona joins Hear Me Out to discuss his new research about debunkings and public trust.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. Want more Hear Me Out? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Or, visit slate.com/hearmeoutplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices