The Iowa Idea Podcast: Recent Episodes
Matt Arnold
The Iowa Idea: Robert Hanserd “That’s Why We Have Summer School.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Dr. Robert Hanserd. Robert is an Associate Professor of African and Atlantic History at Columbia College Chicago. West African culture and history and its circulation throughout the Atlantic World serves as his central […]
The Iowa Idea: Hannah Soyer “Listen to those living the experience.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Hannah Soyer. Hannah is a queer disabled writer born and living in the Midwest. Her work explores the representation of “Othered” bodies, and how the arts–in particular storytelling–can be beautiful acts of survival, […]
The Iowa Idea: Jen Rice “How do we create a more human future of work?” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jen Rice. Jen is the founder and CEO of Groundbreaking LLC, an integrated coaching and strategy firm that nurtures natural growth of impact-driven leaders, brands and businesses, or as […]
The Iowa Idea: Devin Green “Paint the world with good design.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Devin Green. Devin is a full stack designer working in the space of brand design, digital design, and development. We talk about Devin’s journey from growing up in Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan to […]
The Iowa Idea: Angela Maiers “You Matter!” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Angela Maiers. Angela founded the global movement, Choose2Matter in 2014, with a singular mission to help individuals recognize their value and potential contribution to change both their own lives and the world. The non-profit organization grew out […]
The Iowa Idea: Abena Sankofa Imhotep “Embrace books.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Abena Sankofa Imhotep. Abena is the director of Sankofa Literary & Empowerment Group, which promotes works by black authors and is the principal consultant for Sankofa Strategies Consulting. An active advocate, Abena serves on several boards […]
The Iowa Idea: Bob Nastanovich “Lester P. Jenkins” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Bob Nastanovich, a resident of Des Moines, IA. Bob is an American musician and member of the indie rock band Pavement, as well as a former member of Silver Jews. In addition to his career in […]
The Iowa Idea: Justin Topp “Every day I have to learn something new.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Justin Topp. Justin is an Iowa native and alum of the University of Iowa, graduating with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from the College of Engineering in 2000. After a Ph.D. […]
The Iowa Idea: Jeff Simmermon “It was like river wearing down rock.” On this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jeff Simmermon. Jeff is a beautiful creative – a comedian and storyteller who hosts a fantastic podcast called “The Reluctant Phoenix.” His podcast is a series of conversations with a wide variety […]
The Iowa Idea: Matthew Gilbert “It knew it just required me to continue to learn.” Matthew Gilbert joins me on this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast. Matthew, a native of Waterloo, IA is a descended from generations of servant leaders. he is the founder and President of Iowa C.O.R.E. Inc., Economic Development Chair for […]
The Iowa Idea: Alyx Coble-Frakes “I had to stop being shy about it.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Alyx Coble-Frakes. Alyx is a Holistic Coach and the CEO and Co-Founder of The Agenda. App who specializes in period empowerment. After returning from the Peace Corps in 2015, she felt out of […]
The Iowa Idea: John Hagel “I’ve always been attracted to edges.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by John Hagel. John is an author, strategist, management consultant and entrepreneur with more than 40 years’ experience. After retiring as a partner from Deloitte, he released his latest book, The Journey Beyond Fear, that addresses […]
The Iowa Idea: Alan Moore “We can reclaim our dignity.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Alan Moore. Alan is a designer and business innovator on a mission to help businesses discover their own unique beauty. Alan’s most recent books, 2016’s Do Design: Why beauty is key to everything and this year’s […]
The Iowa Idea: Dave Hill “It’s a sloppy look.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, Dave Hill, from show business, returns to talk about his creative process and new work that’s he’s launched since our last conversation (May 2020). One of his latest projects is The Bunny Shop, named after Dave’s mom, started by Korri […]
The Iowa Idea: Janna DeVylder & Steve Baty “There’s no hero in solving complex challenges.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Janna DeVylder and Steve Baty of Meld Studios, an award-winning service design consultancy in Australia. Janna, who grew up in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and graduated from The University of Iowa, is […]
The Iowa Idea: Jessi Shakarian “Tell people what you’re excited about.” In this episode Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jessi Shakarian. Jessi is a developer turned UX designer at DIA Design Guild in Los Angeles, California. She is a UX industry writer and public speaker on usability, design, and chess. Her work has been […]
The Iowa Idea: Mohamed Traore “No losses, only lessons.” In this, the 100th episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Mohamed Traore. Mo works as a Sales Development Representative for Roboflow, Inc., a computer vision and artificial intelligence startup, based in Des Moines, Iowa. He also works as a freelance web developer, hosts a […]
The Iowa Idea: Kelly Leonard “Meaning is made in moments.” In this episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Kelly Leonard. Kelly is the Executive Director of Learning and Applied Improvisation at Second City Works. His book, “Yes, And: Lessons from The Second City” was released to critical acclaim in 2015 by HarperCollins. […]
The Iowa Idea: Preston So “Hiraeth” In this episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Preston So. Preston is a product architect and strategist, digital experience futurist, innovation lead, developer advocate, three-time SXSW speaker, and author of Voice Content and Usability (2021), Gatsby: The Definitive Guide (2021), and Decoupled Drupal in Practice (2018). A product leader at Oracle, Preston […]
The Iowa Idea: L.D. Kidd “100% Over Racism.” In this episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Lovar Davis Kidd. Lovar, known by L.D., is a poet, author, dance educator, musician, and fashion activist in Cedar Rapids, IA. He the CEO and Founder of 100% OVER RACISM. L.D. is no stranger to the […]
The Iowa Idea: Natalie Nixon “Wonder and Rigor.” In this episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Natalie Nixon, PhD. Natalie changes lives through ideas so that people build their creative confidence for years to come, make an impact, and get paid their worth. She is a creativity strategist, global keynote speaker and […]
The Iowa Idea: Jackie Pelland “You’re just not that big of a deal.” In this episode of the Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jackie Pelland. Jackie obsesses about leadership. She is a founding partner of the organizational design company, Slingshot25 where she designs and delivers leadership learning programs and provides executive leadership coaching. For […]
The Iowa Idea: Miguel Encarnação “Look for the patterns.” In this episode of the Iowa Idea, I’m joined by Miguel Encarnação. Miguel is an innovation thought leader and serial chief innovation officer with experience across industries, including banking, healthcare, international development, management consulting, and higher education. He currently serves as head of data visualization (SVP) […]
The Iowa Idea: John Morley “Accommodate the richness of different perspectives.” In this episode I’m joined by John Morley. John represents my third interview with Cork natives and reinforcing the strong connections between Cork and Iowa. This Cork troika, Stephen McDonnell, Paidi O’Reilly, and John are phenomenal conversations on collaboration and innovation. Since the late-90’s […]
The Iowa Idea: Jason Narducy “Just Start Moving.” In this episode, I’m joined by Jason Narducy, who Greg Kot of the Chicago Tribune describes as “a first-rate songwriter and band leader.” KEXP says “you won’t see more indie rock cred than on the CV of Jason Narducy.” Hailing from Evanston, IL, Jason has recorded and […]
The Iowa Idea: Ed Hess “Inner peace… that’s the human journey.” For the first episode of year two at The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Ed Hess. Ed is Professor Emeritus of Business Administration in the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia. His new book Hyper-Learning: How to Adapt to […]
The Iowa Idea: Paidi O’Reilly “We have to innovate the way we innovate.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Paidi O’Reilly. This is another show that draws on the connections between Iowa and Cork. Paidi is an innovation specialist, lecturer, and trainer focused on building innovation teams that pursue bolder […]
The Iowa Idea: Ed Morrison “There’s no best practice, only promising practices.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Ed Morrison. Ed is director of the Agile Strategy Lab at the University of North Alabama. Ed started his career in Washington, DC, where he was legislative assistant to an Ohio congressman, staff […]
The Iowa Idea: Bill Schmarzo “Don’t create boxes, create swirls.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Bill Schmarzo. Bill is an author, professor, innovator, and consultant. He is the author of four books including The Economics of Data, Analytics and Digital Transformation. Bill is the former Chief Innovation Officer at […]
The Iowa Idea: Jon Levy “You’re Invited.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jon Levy. Jon is a behavioral scientist best known for his work in influence, human connection, and decision making. More than a decade ago, Jon founded The Influencers Dinner, a secret dining experience for industry leaders ranging […]
The Iowa Idea: Nina Lohman “Worry less about the label.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Nina Lohman. Nina is a Writer, Editor, Publisher, and community builder. Her writing explores how the lived experience of chronic pain can be understood through medicine, theology, and philosophy. She is the Founder and […]
The Iowa Idea: Stephen McDonnell “Nothing cures fear faster than action.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Stephen McDonnell from Cork, Ireland. Stephen is a leadership, performance, resilience & team development consultant, facilitator of transformation and cultural change professional who has been helping organizations across a broad range of industries […]
The Iowa Idea: Andrew Sherburne “It’s all about trust and relationships.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Andrew Sherburne. Andrew is co-founder and Executive Director of FilmScene, Iowa City’s nonprofit cinema and a producer/director at Northland Films. His most recent film, Saving Brinton, was named one of “the Best Movies of 2018” […]
The Iowa Idea: Ben McDougal “You don’t need this book.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Ben McDougal. Ben is a tech founder, multimedia marketer, entrepreneurial ecosystem builder and inspired author in the connected era. He evolves ideas into reality and accelerates others through the art of connection. We dig […]
The Iowa Idea: Nate Kaeding “The importance of design.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Nate Kaeding. Nate is the Director of Business Development for Build to Suit, Inc. a construction management and real estate development firm based in Bettendorf and Coralville, Iowa. Nate is an active venture capital investor […]
The Iowa Idea: Varun “It happens all the time.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by researcher, entrepreneur and author Varun Murugesan. Varun is cofounder and Head of Research at Apple & Banana where he believes that everyone can do fruitful research. Varun has spent his career immersed in psychology, technology and […]
The Iowa Idea: Scott Smith “How to Future” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by futurist and author Scott Smith. How to Future: Leading and Sense-making in an Age of Hyperchange, co-authored with Madeline Ashby, was published in September 2020. I was introduced to Scott’s work by friend and podcast guest Nick […]
The Iowa Idea: Rachel Williams “There are people who work really hard at it.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Rachel Williams. Rachel is a native of Eastern North Carolina. She holds a Ph.D. in Art Education and an M.F.A. in Studio Art from Florida State University. She is an […]
The Iowa Idea: Abby Covert “Maybe we don’t know.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Abby Covert. Abby is an information architect, writer, community organizer, and all-around awesome human. Abby served as President of IA Institute, co-chair of IA Summit, and Executive Producer of IDEA. She is a founding faculty […]
The Iowa Idea: Jim Sherlock In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Jim Sherlock. Jim is Director of Information Security & Technology Implementation at Pearson. Jim’s teams are responsible for protecting more than 250 million sensitive records that are processed and maintained by Pearson’s global Assessment platforms. Jim is one of the […]
The Iowa Idea: Saul Kaplan “You can’t analyze your way to transformation!” Welcome to The Iowa Idea Podcast. In this episode, I’m joined by Saul Kaplan. Saul is an innovation junkie, the founder and Chief Catalyst of the Business Innovation Factory (also known as BIF) and author of The Business Model Innovation Factory: How to […]
The Iowa Idea: Dr. Kenneth G. Brown “An opportunity to get better together.” Welcome to the 75th episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, where I’m joined by Dr. Kenneth G. Brown. Ken is a Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship in the Tippie College of Business at The University of Iowa. He also serves as Associate […]
The Iowa Idea: Annie Duke “This is going to be such a weird podcast.” Welcome to this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, where I’m joined by Annie Duke. Annie is an author, speaker, and decision strategist. Her latest book is called How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices. Annie’s previous book, Thinking […]
The Iowa Idea: Dan Klyn “What has been will always be.” Welcome to this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast where I’m joined by Dan Klyn. Dan is a wonderful human. He teaches information architecture at the University of Michigan School of Information, is co-founder of World Information Architecture Day, past President of the Information […]
The Iowa Idea: Justin Ahrens “If somebody wrote a story about your life, would it be interesting?” Welcome to this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast where I’m joined by Justin Ahrens. Justin is the Chief Evangelist at Rule29 and the author of Life Kerning. Since 2000, Justin has led his creative agency and Certified […]
The Iowa Idea: Gregg Bernstein “Writing is the superpower for researchers.” Welcome to this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast where I’m joined by Gregg Bernstein. Gregg establishes user research practices for growing organizations, and wrote Research Practice: Perspectives from UX researchers in a changing field. He spends his days advocating for and practicing user-centered […]
The Iowa Idea: Dan Clay “Attend to the people side.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dan Clay. Dan is currently professor and dean of the University of Iowa College of Education. Prior to this, Dan served as the dean of the University of Missouri College of Education since […]
The Iowa Idea: Ophira Eisenberg “Go towards the people that are saying yes.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Ophira Eisenberg. Ophira is a standup comedian, writer, and host of NPR’s national syndicated comedy-trivia show and podcast Ask Me Another. She is a regular host and teller on The […]
The Iowa Idea: Tim Easton “Let’s go set something on fire.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Tim Easton. Tim is a singer/songwriter based out of Nashville. Raised in Akron, OH, Tim was influenced by a combination of pop icons (Beatles, Stones) and bluegrass/folk legends (Doc Watson, John Prine). […]
The Iowa Idea: Erin Rollenhagen “At our core everything we do is meant to solve human problems.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Erin Rollenhagen. Erin is the CEO and founder of Entrepreneurial Technologies. In 2019, she released Soul Uprising: It’s Never Just Business, a book that encourages entrepreneurs […]
The Iowa Idea: James Tutson “Trying to do something more beautiful.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by James Tutson. James is a singer-songwriter from Iowa City. His style is a combination of southern soul and rhythm & blues. He has recorded four studio albums, two solo and two with his […]
The Iowa Idea: Kaleb Wyse “Use what you have until it becomes what you want.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Kaleb Wyse. Kaleb the fourth generation to live on his family farm in Iowa. Leaving business and accounting he started Wyse Guide as an outlet for his passions in […]
The Iowa Idea: Anuvab Pal In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Anuvab Pal. The New York Times calls Anuvab India’s Most Intelligent Comedian. The Times of India calls him one of India’s top 10 comedians. His work has been featured on The BBC, Time Magazine, CNN, and other global media. He’s […]
The Iowa Idea: Josh Krakauer In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Josh Krakauer. Josh is the CEO of Sculpt, a B2B social media marketing agency. Sculpt launched in 2012 with a mission to connect clients with their human customers more humanly. Josh has developed social media strategies and awareness campaigns […]
The Iowa Idea: Erin Becker “Make sure you have something to say.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I’m joined by Erin Becker. Erin is a writer, communications consultant, and storytelling expert. She founded and runs Becks Communications, a consultancy that helps clients in a range of industries in the US and Latin […]
The Iowa Idea: Dave Gould “Feeding friends and community.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with David Gould. Dave is a modern-day embodiment of the Iowa Idea. He is a self-described accidental academic. David is a Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Iowa’s Public Policy Center. Previously, Dave served […]
The Iowa Idea: Tim Carty “Actively choose where you live.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Tim Carty. Tim has lived in Iowa City since 2009 and has lived in Iowa most of his life. He is a passionate advocate for local development and entrepreneurship. Tim has served as […]
The Iowa Idea: Aaron Proietti In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, Aaron Proietti returns as we try to make sense of 2020 from an innovation perspective. Aaron is the author of Today’s Innovator. He is an innovation expert with seventeen years of experience innovating in complex organizations. Through his company “Today’s Innovator” and […]
The Iowa Idea: Jorge Arango “We need to resist the siren call of the extreme.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Jorge Arango. Jorge is an information architect, author, and educator. He helps design products and services that bring business goals and user needs into alignment. Jorge is the author […]
The Iowa Idea: Jesse Elliott You can’t always get what you want. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Jesse Elliott. Jesse is the Director of Creative Ecosystems for CACHE (Creative Arkansas Community Hub & Exchange), is a lifelong champion of collaborative social entrepreneurship, the power of multimedia and storytelling, […]
The Iowa Idea: Matthew Swift In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Matthew Swift. Matt is an entrepreneur, restauranter, and CEO. If you enjoy great beer, great food, and well-designed settings in the ICR corridor, you’ve most likely been at one of Matt’s hospitality projects, which include St. Burch, Mosely’s, […]
The Iowa Idea: Mark Nolte “It mattered to that one.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down Mark Nolte. Mark is a lifelong Iowan who feels indebted to this state and has spent his professional life trying to help strengthen and grow the economy through entrepreneurship. He and his wife Leslie […]
The Iowa Idea: Samantha Ferm “I just followed what felt like the next best step.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Samantha Ferm. Samantha helps businesses in southeast Iowa navigate the world of local, state, and federal government contracting. She also owns and operates her own massage therapy and […]
The Iowa Idea: John Coyle “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down John Coyle. John is the founder of the online Design Thinking Academy, and a graduate of Stanford University’s D-School and holds an MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg Graduate School. At Stanford, John’s advisor […]
The Iowa Idea: Andy Stoll “Creativity is the synthesis of diverse elements.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down Andy Stoll. Andy is a serial social entrepreneur and producer and has co-founded six entrepreneurial-focused organizations and currently serves as a Senior Program Officer in Entrepreneurship at the Kauffman Foundation. His career […]
The Iowa Idea: Don Smithmier “Culture became everything.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with songwriter, musician, and serial entrepreneur Don Smithmier. As is the case with many guests, we have to talk about Cheap Trick and Don shares his story about meeting the pride of Rockford, IL. Don and […]
The Iowa Idea: The Mads In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with comedians Trace Beaulieu and Frank Conniff wrote and performed on the Emmy nominated, Peabody award-winning TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000. Trace played Mad Scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester and Crow T. Robot, while Frank played the lovable bumbling […]
The Iowa Idea: John Richard In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with filmmaker John Richard. John is a documentary filmmaker and photographer living in Iowa City, Iowa. After receiving a degree in Environmental Science and working at the Daily Iowan newspaper, John worked as the assistant to photographer Danny Wilcox Frazier until taking a […]
The Iowa Idea: Nate Staniforth “The tricks are irrelevant.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with magician and author Nate Staniforth. Nate is a magician, writer, speaker, and star of the Discovery Channel’s hit series Breaking Magic. In 2018, Bloomsbury Publishing released Nate’s memoir Here is Real Magic, which I highly recommend […]
The Iowa Idea: Kim Casko “Take your time to figure it out.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Kim Casko. Kim is President and CEO of the Iowa City Area Business` Partnership, serving nearly 800 member businesses throughout Johnson County and beyond. Kim grew up in New York and […]
The Iowa Idea: Kenn Goodman “That one year off turned into the rest of my life.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Kenn Goodman. For the past 30 years, Kenn has been an important part of Chicago’s indie music scene. Known for his bands The Service and The New […]
The Iowa Idea: Vivianne Castillo “Don’t let anybody take your voice away. Speak your truth and see where it lands.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Vivianne Castillo. Vivianne is a User Experience Researcher with 8+ years of psychology and research experience spanning multiple contexts, cultures, and industries whose […]
The Iowa Idea: Chemda “One minute at a time.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Chemda. Chemda was born in Israel and has lived in New York City since she was 4 years old, currently residing in Queens. She is a talk show host, writer and singer. She hosts […]
The Iowa Idea: Shonali Bhowmik “Write it down.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Shonali Bhowmik. Shonali is a proud multi-hyphenate — she is a musician, actress, comedienne, filmmaker, and writer. She currently co-hosts her own live variety show podcast series called We Don’t Even Know. She is the leader of […]
The Iowa Idea: Bill Veeck “I try not to break the rules but merely to test their elasticity.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, Gino Chirio returns as we celebrate October baseball, even though our beloved South Siders were bounced from the playoffs. Gino and I are not talking about his Harvard Business […]
The Iowa Idea: Dana James “Your voice is valuable.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dana James. Dana is the founder of Black Iowa News, a website and newsletter, to chronicle the lives of Black Iowans in the era of COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement. She is […]
The Iowa Idea: Cassini Nazir “It’s about people.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Cassini Nazir. Cassini is a designer of conversations, curriculum, and interfaces. He is a Clinical Associate Professor in New College at the University of North Texas where he teaches classes in design thinking and interaction […]
The Iowa Idea: Michele Williams “2020 Is really the year of sensemaking.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Michele Williams. Professor Williams, Tippie College of Business, University of Iowa, has taught negotiations to executives, startups, MBAs, and undergraduates at leading schools of management for over ten years. She […]
The Iowa Idea: Gary Kroeger “Life is a journey.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Gary Kroeger. Gary was born in Cedar Falls and attended Northwestern University. In Chicago he helped found The Practical Theatre Company with fellow alums Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Brad Hall. This association caught the eye […]
The Iowa Idea: Aaron Proietti “Make the offer.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Aaron Proietti. Aaron is the author of Today’s Innovator. He is an innovation expert with seventeen years of experience innovating in complex organizations. Aaron views innovation not as an activity, but as a core business […]
The Iowa Idea: Mike Maddock “You can’t read the label when you’re inside the jar.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Mike Maddock. Mike is an entrepreneur, inventor, writer, keynote speaker, and an idea monkey. He is the CEO and founding partner of Maddock Douglas, an internationally recognized innovation […]
The Iowa Idea: Melissa Murer Corrigan In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Melissa Murer Corrigan. Melissa was the founding Executive Director and CEO of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) in Washington, D.C. from 1994-2011. In 2012, Melissa joined the educational assessment leader ACT as an executive leader for […]
The Iowa Idea: Chris Gersbeck “xxx.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Chris Gersbeck. Chris is a producer, publicist and writer based in Queens, NY. He currently produces and makes regular appearances on comedy podcasts Dave Hill: History Fluffer, Dave Hill’s Podcasting Incident, and So… You’re Canadian with Dave […]
The Iowa Idea: Alex Hillman “I’m really bad at faking it.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Alex Hillman. Alex is always thinking about the intersection of people, relationships, trust, and business. These days, he splits his time between running Indy Hall (Philadelphia’s oldest coworking space), teaching creative people […]
The Iowa Idea: Katie Roche “No one can give you permission to become the person you want to become.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Katie Roche. Raised in rural Eastern Iowa, Katie has always been an advocate for artists and arts the community. She honed her arts-world skills […]
The Iowa Idea: David Dylan Thomas “It’s not about having more information. It’s about having the right information.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with David Dylan Thomas. Dave is the author of the book Design for Cognitive Bias from A Book Apart, serves as Content Strategy Advocate at Think […]
The Iowa Idea: Adam Hansen “The brain is a great goal-seeking instrument.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Adam Hansen. Adam is a Principal and VP of Behavioral Innovation at Ideas To Go, Inc. and a career-long innovation leader, and student. He is co-author of Outsmart Your Instincts: How […]
The Iowa Idea: Andre Perry “How can we better express ourselves through art?” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Andre Perry. Andre is an essayist and arts advocate. He received his MFA from the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program and his work has appeared in The Believer, Catapult, […]
The Iowa Idea: Tim Houlihan “We don’t know our own motivations very well.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Tim Houlihan. Tim is intensely curious about why people do what they do. His understanding of human behavior and his applied experience help policy makers, marketers, human resource executives, and […]
The Iowa Idea: Anne Carter “It takes work. It takes effort. It takes intentionality.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Anne Harris Carter. Anne has more than twenty-five years of experience in corporate leadership. A graduate of Yale, Anne conceived and created diversity strategy roles at two corporations, including […]
The Iowa Idea: Andre Wright “The foundation of it is creativity and art.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Andre Wright. Andre is a father, husband, creative, fashion activist, author, entrepreneur, and Iowa native. He is the co-founder of Humanize My Hoodie. Along with Jason Sole, the Humanize My […]
The Iowa Idea: Bob Kasenchak “In a lot of ways, as soon as you name something and classify it, you’ve ruined it.” In this, the 25th episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Bob Kasenchak, perhaps my favorite taxonomist in the world. Bob is a taxonomist and Senior Manager of Client Solutions […]
The Iowa Idea: Chris Bernat “Let’s make art!” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Chris Bernat. Chris is the lead singer and sometimes rhythm guitarist for the bands Tripmaster Monkey and Chrash. Over the past 20-plus years, I’ve been able to catch Tripmaster Monkey – Chris, Jamie Toal, Wes […]
The Iowa Idea: Aarron Walter “It’s about emotion. Our full range of emotions.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Aarron Walter. Aarron is the VP of design publishing at InVision, drawing upon fifteen years of experience running product teams and teaching design to help companies enact design best practices. […]
The Iowa Idea: Howard Allen Hopefully, you’re listening, learning, and making adjustments. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Howard Allen. Howard is the founder and owner of the Caribbean-inspired brand Maroon Sausage Company in Brooklyn, NY. Prior to creating Maroon, Howard spent almost twenty years as a graphic designer […]
The Iowa Idea: Andy Joynt It’s really a team effort. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Andy Joynt. Andy is the Head Brewer at Big Grove. As a beer nerd and fan of Big Grove, it was a joy to talk with Andy and discuss his craft and approach. […]
The Iowa Idea: Jonas Dupuich. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Jonas Dupuich. Jonas… About Jonas Jonas Dupuich runs a Northern California bonsai nursery where he teaches and writes about bonsai. He is the author of The Little Book of Bonsai and the Bonsai Tonight blog, a twice-weekly publication […]
The Iowa Idea: Gino Chirio Chop wood, carry water. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Gino Chirio. Gino is an Executive Vice President with the insights-driven growth consultancy Maddock Douglas, where he helps organizations develop strategies and solutions to maintain relevance and realize competitive advantage. From creating, launching and redefining […]
The Iowa Idea: Kate Moreland The value of owning one’s voice. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Kate Moreland. Kate is the President of ICAD (Iowa City Area Development Group). She is also the co-founder of Her Experience, and certified Strategic Doing practitioner. ICAD’s mission is to create, collaborate […]
“If you’re functioning, it’s there.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with artist Joe Tait. I first met Joe at The University of Iowa, where we worked on the award-winning sketch comedy show, Eggplant. Most of that last sentence was true. After 20-plus years, Joe and I catch up to […]
“It’s going to messy. It’s going to be beautiful.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Yasmin Marrero. Yasmin talks about her journey and personal narrative – growing up as a first-generation Afro-Latina American from the West Bronx, to her work in behavioral neuroscience, and now an entrepreneur and coach. […]
Life is all about attaining that wisdom. Elise is talented director, teacher, and all-around great person I’ve known Elise for nearly 20 years. It was a treat to catch up and talk with her about theater craft and collaboration regarding collaboration we talked about the importance of trust in creative acts we also explored how […]
The Iowa Idea: Dr. Tanya English Healing with the Blues. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Tanya English who is a healer and blues singer, based in Iowa. Tanya brings her dynamic “infotainment” approach to help people access healing through the blues. I appreciated Tanya taking the time […]
The Iowa Idea: Mary Cohen Who we are as people helps us relate to others. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Mary Cohen who is an Associate Professor and Area Head of Music Education at the University of Iowa. Mary researches music-making and wellness with respect to prison […]
The tragedy of the commons. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Nicki Limoli, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Iowa. Our conversation covers Nicki’s journey to becoming a research scientist and complex systems of communication that can be found in bacteria, as well as […]
“Be sure to laugh today” I think improv is an essential mindset for innovation and design. In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with John Sweeney. John, along with wife Jenni Lilledahl, are the co-owners of The Brave New Workshop (BNW). The Brave New Workshop is the nation’s longest running satirical […]
“Be kind. Work hard. Have fun. Entertain yourself and be a hero to your fifteen-year-old self.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Dave Hill. Dave and I talked about his approach to his various creative endeavors. From a design perspective, I really appreciated how context matters for each medium […]
“Making things easy to use is not enough. It takes time to make something meaningful.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Kade Schemahorn. Among the many topics we discussed, we explored design ethics and design responsibility. I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside Kade on a number of projects. […]
“We approached it like we were never going to be invited back.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with friend Ed Nehring. Ed has ben a fixture of the Iowa City music scene since the early 1980’s. Some of his bands have included Red Throb, The Day Glow Bomber Boys, […]
“There’s always something new being created.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with John Kenyon, executive director of The Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature organization. John grew up in Des Moines and graduated from the University of Iowa and lives in Iowa City. I enjoyed being able to talk […]
“Context Matters.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Kurt Nelson, PhD. Kurt earned his bachelor’s degree and his MBA at The University of Iowa. He is a business owner and co-founder, along with Tim Houlihan, of Behavioral Grooves, one of the world’s top podcasts on behavioral science. In honor […]
In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Mike Monteiro, the co-founder of Mule Design. Mike has authored three books on design and speaks frequently about the craft of design and the importance of ethics. As Mike says, “designers are ultimately responsible for what they put fourth in the world.” Mike […]
“We’re all human.” In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with the host of IPR’s “Talk of Iowa,” Charity Nebbe. We discuss her approach to her show, the importance of collaboration, and the impacts of the current pandemic at the local and national level. We touch upon Iowa City’s connection to […]
In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with my friend Nick Scappaticci, co-founder and CEO of Tellart. Tellart formed over 20 years ago is an experience design firm filled with fantastic explorers, inventors, and storytellers. In 2016, Tellart was recognized for their contributions to interaction design and received the Cooper Hewitt […]
In this episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, I sit down with Vero Rose Smith, artist, educator, and curator living in Iowa City. We caught up with Vero before she moves to Chicago. We discuss her approach to art and education, art in the public domain, and how everyone has a tree story. We touch […]
In the first episode of The Iowa Idea Podcast, host Matt Arnold sits down with Alex Dezen (MFA 2010, The University of Iowa). They discuss support, collaboration, influences, and what one can learn from being on tour with Cheap Trick. Alex talks about how the music business has changed, the importance of discipline in the […]
Welcome to The Iowa Idea Podcast. Join host Matt Arnold for in-depth conversations with artists, designers, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders, as he explores how they approach their craft and represent a modern version of the Iowa Idea.This podcast is rooted in the concept of the Iowa Idea, which was originally conceived at The University of […]