The 92 Report: Recent Episodes
Will Bachman
Conversations with the Harvard and Radcliffe Class of 1992, hosted by Will Bachman '92. Every member of the class has a story to tell, and the goal is to interview every one of them. There are 1,600 members of the class, so at a rate of one episode per week, this project will take 30 years. Register for email updates at 92report.com
Show Notes
Clare Scherrer outlines her career journey in three main chapters: 25 years at Goldman Sachs in Investment Banking, a number of years as a public company Chief Financial Officer, and her current role as a director on two public company boards of directors. Clare also shares her life immediately post-graduation, including getting married and completing McKinsey's Business Analyst program in New York City.
Love at First Blind Date
Clare recounts her initial post Harvard plan to join the Foreign Service and how a blind date led to her getting engaged and pivoting her career path. She describes the decisive nature of her engagement and how it shaped her life and career.
McKinsey, HBS, & the Pivot to Investment Banking
Clare reflects on her years at McKinsey, emphasizing the importance of critical thinking and learning from her engagement managers. She also explains how her experience at McKinsey influenced her pivot to investment banking during her time at Harvard Business School.
Relationship Building in Investment Banking
Clare details her summer internship at Goldman Sachs and how it led to a 25-year career at the firm. She highlights the various roles she held at Goldman Sachs, including managing client relationships, co-leading a global team, and co-chairing the IPO committee. Clare discusses the skills that contributed to her success, including work ethic, critical thinking, and building trust. She emphasizes the importance of running toward problems and the value of trust in client and colleague relationships. Clare shares her approach to communication, stressing the need for over-communication and the importance of truly understanding how critical business decisions are influenced and taken.
Becoming CFO of Smiths Group
Clare recounts how a long time client approached her about the opportunity to become the CFO of Smiths Group, a global engineering company. She initially hesitated but was encouraged by her husband to embrace the opportunity. Clare describes the company's products and services when she was CFO; including energy efficiency, safety, and connectivity solutions. She highlights how much she valued the experience of being both the CFO and a board member, which gave her a deeper understanding of the importance of public company governance.
Pursuing a Portfolio of Board Directorships
Clare explains her decision to pursue a portfolio of board directorships after her tenure as CFO. She currently serves on the boards of Legrand, a leading electrical and digital infrastructure company; and Shell, an integrated energy company. Clare also discusses that she sets aside some time to coach next generation finance executives in the US, drawing parallels to her experience developing talent at Goldman Sachs. She emphasizes the importance of developing and retaining talent, even outside of a full-time executive role.
Returning to the U.S.
Clare describes her typical work week, including the imperative to stay current on relevant financial markets, industry, and company developments. She also shares her current plans to move back to the U.S. after 15 years in London. Clare also reflects on the importance of consciously investing in personal growth and adopting habits that challenge as well as encourage reflection.
Harvard Reflections
Clare recalls her most challenging course at Harvard, which was Russian, and how rewarding the class and learning process was, despite it not being directly linked to her career pursuits after Harvard. Clare also shares how energizing she finds her weekly tennis match. She encourages others to find a pursuit outside of work that is energizing and allows you to laugh at yourself and with others.
Timestamps:
04:02: First Date and Early Career Decisions
07:03: McKinsey, HBS, & the Pivot to Investment Banking
13:38: Relationship Building in Investment Banking
19:39: Transition to CFO Role
26:06: Board Membership and Coaching
28:45: Personal Growth
36:25: Most Memorable Course and Personal Interests
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-scherrer-651396b1/
*AI generated transcript and show notes.
Show Notes:
Mara Christine (formerly Mara Beverwyk) describes her circuitous path, starting with a job at the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) in Berkeley, followed by a role in the Oakland public library system. She pursued a library degree in Michigan and returned to New Mexico, where she worked as a school and research librarian. She transitioned to teaching at a Montessori elementary school, earning her certification, and later went to law school at age 46, becoming a prosecutor.
A Career Move to Law
Mara explains what drew her to the law, and she cites her midlife crisis and the political climate under Trump as major factors. Mara was inspired by ACLU attorneys helping people affected by the Muslim ban and wanted to expand her impact beyond her Montessori school. She continued teaching while attending law school, commuting long distances, and eventually decided to focus solely on law due to the wear and tear on her truck.
Passing the Bar and Working at a Nonprofit
Mara describes her law school experience as energizing, with a supportive community and accessible professors. She initially focused on environmental justice but faced challenges, including a stroke and a toxic workplace, leading her to a role in disaster law with New Mexico Legal Aid. Mara discusses the challenges of passing the bar exam, including multiple failed attempts. She eventually passed the bar in 2022 and initially worked with an environmental justice nonprofit but found it a toxic workplace.
From Disaster Law to District Attorney
Mara transitioned to disaster law with New Mexico Legal Aid, helping communities affected by wildfires and other climate-related issues. She was laid off after 10 months due to funding fears under the Trump administration and faced a difficult job search in her 50s. A long-time friend encouraged her to apply for a position as a district attorney, which she found fulfilling and aligned with her passion for public interest law.
The Expectations and Reality of being a Prosecutor
Mara explains her role as a district attorney, focusing on helping communities with issues like violence, addiction, and domestic violence. She enjoys being able to support victims and perpetrators through rehabilitation programs and community services. Mara describes the differences between her expectations of being a prosecutor and the reality, noting the importance of constitutional rights and evidence. She also mentions her role in teaching police officers how to write better criminal complaints and ensure legal procedures are followed. Mara reflects on the importance of being a compassionate prosecutor and the support she receives from her colleagues.
Life Lessons as a Librarian and Teacher
Will asks how Mara's work as a librarian has shaped her legal career. Mara highlights the importance of information seeking and disseminating, which she learned as a librarian and teacher. She emphasizes the value of connecting people with resources and information, a skill she still uses in her legal work. Mara credits her teaching experience, particularly with sixth graders, for building her confidence and public speaking skills. She shares a story about a former student now interning with her, illustrating the long-term impact of her teaching.
Knocking on Doors
When asked what is one thing she thinks everyone should try, Mara suggests knocking on doors for a cause, describing it as a humbling and educational experience. Mara reflects on the importance of community engagement and learning about neighborhoods and causes through door-to-door campaigning, and sShe shares a compliment she never forgot.
Harvard Reflections
Mara recalls her freshman English literature survey course and a course on genocide. She fondly remembers her English professor, Helen Vendler, and a professor who shared his personal experience of surviving the Holocaust, both of which had a lasting impact on her.
Timestamps:
00:02: Mara Christine's Career Journey
03:49: Transition from Librarian to Prosecutor
09:42: Challenges and Opportunities in Law School
13:58: Experiences as a District Attorney
19:56: Impact of Librarianship on Legal Career
21:52: Fun Questions and Reflections
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-christine-49b550266/
*AI generated transcript and show notes.
Show Notes:
Kiki (formerly Karen) Snyder shares her 35-year journey since her breakdown at Harvard, which landed her in restraints at McLean Hospital during exams in 1991. She discusses being misdiagnosed as severely bipolar, the 32 years she lost to toxic psychiatric medications, and the self she rediscovered.
"Karen was full of fear and anger. Karen wanted to speak to the manager. But Kiki's in charge now. I am the manager."
Learn more about her transformation on Instagram at @assignedkarenatbirth and at assignedkarenatbirth.com.
From Karen to Kiki
Kiki elaborates on her transformation from Karen to Kiki. A massage therapist specializing in Somatic Experiencing taught Kiki that our brains lie to us, our bodies know the truth. Kiki's body clearly told her it was finally time to leave the zip code she'd lived in for 50 years. She describes the upheaval of uprooting from Northern Virginia to coastal North Carolina after her mother's passing, and the impact of that change on her emotional well-being.
Facing Pain and Healing from Trauma
Kiki discusses the debilitating effects of the psychiatric medications she was on for 32 years and her work to taper off them. She describes the emotional numbness and exhaustion she experienced while on these medications. Kiki explains how getting off the medications allowed her to process trauma and emotions, leading to a significant personal transformation. She emphasizes the importance of sharing her story to help others who may be going through similar experiences.
A Career in Social Media
Kiki recounts her career in social media, including her role at AOL in the early days of the Internet. She describes her work at VeriSign, where she first discovered Web 2.0, which became social media. Her perseverance in the face of resistance resulted in the founding of VeriSign's social media program. Kiki shares her regret at not even considering the offer to relocate to Silicon Valley when the program she founded was moved there. She now realizes that her fear of not being strong enough was fueled by medications and years of being told she was fragile and sick. She discusses her subsequent role at the Federal Aviation Administration, where she founded their social media program.
Layoffs and Life Changes
Kiki shares her experience of being laid off from her dream job at a big ad agency on the same day she moved to coastal North Carolina in 2024. Her entire division was cut, an early wave of workers displaced by AI. She reflects on the impact of the layoff, leading to a significant life change.
Spirituality and Synchronicity
Kiki talks about her interest in spirituality, metaphysics, and Jung's concept of synchronicities. She talks about sharing her story with the world and the positive responses she has received from others. Kiki discusses her efforts to let go of control, a trait she inherited from her former self, Karen.
A Burner Phone and AI "Therapy"
Kiki shares her tips for beating her phone addiction. She installed the BePresent app, which helps her limit wasted time on social media. She recommends Claude, the AI chatbot she uses as a sounding board and where she worked through the grief and anger of losing three decades. And most importantly, a second phone. Every night the real phone stays in the kitchen and the "burner" comes to the bedroom, holding only music, an alarm, and the chatbot. Her advice to anyone trying to put their phone down: Get another phone!
Harvard Reflections
Kiki reminisces about her favorite classes at Harvard, including Irv DeVore's human behavioral biology class and Helen Vendler's poetry class. She shares her fascination with language and culture, particularly the unique language of Gen Z. Kiki discusses her plans to create new content by translating Shakespeare's sonnets into Gen Z slang. She expresses her excitement about learning and exploring new topics, including spirituality and metaphysics.
Timestamps: 04:40: Transformation from Karen to Kiki
08:31: Impact of Medications and Emotional Healing
12:43: Career in Social Media and Early Internet
17:07: Significant Moments in Social Media Career
21:23: Learning and Personal Growth
25:40: Current Life and Habits
30:06: Reflections on Harvard and Personal Interests
Links:
Instagram: @assignedkarenatbirth
Website: https://assignedkarenatbirth.com/
Show Notes:
Maya Browne recounts her senior year at Harvard, including writing her thesis "Idealizing Vision" which was about how magazine editors, photographers, and designers had shaped the ideal female form in the 20th century, and additionally another was an article for Essence magazine about eating disorders. It was the first article of its kind that drew data from women of color, and it won an award called the Excellence in Media Merit Award (EMMA).
Writing, Modeling, and Playing Violin
Maya describes her first job at Details magazine under James Truman, where she handled reader mail and sometimes made-up stories. She shares how she got her job at Conde Nast through a letter from Professor Martin Perez and a meeting with Andre Leon Talley in Paris. Maya describes her side job as a fit model and her transition to working for James Truman at Details. She recounts a call from Jonathan Newhouse offering her a job in London in sales, which she declined to pursue a career in editorial. She shares her involvement in the music industry, playing the violin in music videos and with various artists like James Brown and BB King.
Missed Opportunities and Film Experience
Maya discusses her move to Heart & Soul magazine, a fitness and beauty magazine for women of color. She describes her transition to the advertising business in San Francisco and her marriage to Peter Brattander. Maya recounts a missed opportunity to play with Nine Inch Nails at the MTV Awards and her later involvement in the film Ray. She shares her experience of fame and the attention she received after Ray won six Oscars. She talks about her involvement in the film industry and why she left it to go back to business school.
Philanthropy and Transitioning to Business School
Maya describes her mentorship at The Robin Hood Foundation, leading to her involvement in philanthropy and with Quogue Chamber Music. She talks about her work on the board of The Door, a nonprofit for runaway and homeless youth. Maya shares her current work as an educational consultant and her plans to help kids at The Door in the future. She discusses her involvement in the film Brother Versus Brother and her ongoing interest in supporting various projects.
Rituals, Relationships, and Resources
Maya updates on her current activities, including playing the violin, writing, and fitness. She shares her experience of meditating and journaling as part of her daily routine. Maya talks about interviewing the rising king of Hip Hop, Puffy Combs, and she recounts a recent experience at Bergdorf Goodman during the Knicks parade and the unexpected encounter with Basketball Wives. She reflects on the importance of rituals, relationships, and resources in her life.
Harvard Reflections
Maya found the majority of her courses and professors at Harvard hugely influential. She mentions Professor Martin Peretz and shares a memorable experience from a design class where she made up a story to avoid an F and played the violin instead. Maya talks about her current work with Brownstone as an educational consultant and her approach to helping students with college applications. She emphasizes the importance of early conversations about college goals and the sacrifices required for success.
Timestamps:
03:59: Early Career in Media and Music
34:43: Transition to Advertising and Film
35:08: Involvement in Philanthropy and Education
35:26: Current Activities and Reflections
38:32: Impact of Harvard and Career Highlights
Links:
Instagram: @iammayabrowne
Maya's Podcast, Stories from the Brink: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stories-from-the-brink/id1552888806
D'Angelo "Cruisin'" Video: https://youtu.be/JAfuUZRou7g?si=TmizL6CpKE1Ub3Lk
Brownstone Tutors: http://www.brownstonetutors.com/
Quogue Chamber Music: https://quoguechambermusic.org/
The Door: https://www.door.org/
Interview on Sean Combs: https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/new-again-sean-puffy-p-diddy-puff-daddy-combs
James Brown Video: https://tv.apple.com/us/episode/all-in-the-family/umc.cmc.4knzr9b4kg7gvg0r8zl4dc57w?showId=umc.cmc.30wl2femq05e35uf85r3eks06
*AI generated transcript and show notes.
Show Notes:
Chana Gable Selmon explains she joined Harvard as a transfer student in 1990, overlapping two years with the class of 1992. She graduated in 1993 after completing science requirements due to her history concentration. Chana decided to go to medical school at Cornell, followed by an internship in Emergency Medicine at Bellevue NYU and residency at Harvard.
Commuting between Jerusalem and New Jersey
Chana had her first child in 2000 and continued working as an ER doctor. She describes her experience as a fourth-year resident at Brooklyn Hospital Center during 9/11. She later moved to the suburbs with her husband and had four children. Chana and her husband decided to move to Israel for international experience, despite the challenges of practicing medicine in a different language. She commuted between Jerusalem and New Jersey for work until Covid, when she started working in a clinic in the West Bank.
Working in the West Bank
Chana describes her work in the West Bank as a general practitioner, dealing with patients from diverse backgrounds. She emphasizes the importance of understanding different perspectives and the complexity of the Israel-Palestine situation. She shares her personal connection to the region through her family history and experiences.
A Complex Cultural Heritage
Chana talks about her family's complex heritage, including her grandfather's Yemeni Arab background and her mother's Ashkenazi Jewish roots. She describes the impact of her family's history on her perspective and her desire to connect with different cultures. Chana discusses the challenges of raising her children in Israel and the importance of transmitting her cultural heritage. She highlights the importance of understanding the region's history and the impact of her family's experiences.
Cultural Differences and Challenges
Chana reflects on the cultural differences and challenges of living in the Middle East. She describes the warmth and support of people in the region, despite the chaotic environment. Chana discusses the practical considerations of living in Israel, including the impact of political instability. She expresses her pride in her children's dedication to public service and their ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds.
Media Misinformation and Solomonic Problem
Chana expresses her frustration with the misinformation spread through social media about the West Bank. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the small size and complexity of the region. Chana discusses the unsustainable nature of the current situation and the need for creative solutions. She calls for more informed discussions and less reliance on simplistic labels and slogans.
Harvard Reflections
Chana shares her experience as a transfer student from community college, facing opposition from her ultra-orthodox Jewish family. She describes the support she received from Professor Samuel Draper at Rockland Community College who helped her apply to Harvard. Chana mentions JJ Henkin at Harvard, and she discusses her involvement in the history department at Harvard and her participation in the curriculum committee. She also mentions CityStep with Trisha Perez Kennealy, and reflects on the impact of her Harvard education on her career and personal development.
A Lifelong Commitment
Chana reflects on her decision to stay in Israel despite the challenges and the support of her husband. She discusses the practical considerations of returning to the United States, including her children's education and her aging parents. Chana shares her ongoing interest in history and her commitment to lifelong learning. She expresses her willingness to connect with classmates and share her experiences.
Timestamps:
02:32: Balancing Family and Career
06:38: Life in Israel and the West Bank
08:57: Family Background and Cultural Identity
10:44: Challenges and Rewards of Living in the Middle East
34:44: Educational Journey and Harvard Experience
44:13: Impact of Social Media and Misunderstandings
44:30: Personal Reflections and Future Plans
Links:
Email: cselmon@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chana-gable-selmon-2643907
Show Notes:
Jenny Davidson describes her continued passion for literature, reading, and writing, her interest in primatology, adventures in Tanzania, and her new hobbies.
Form and Technique in Powerlifting
She details her fitness routine, including powerlifting, running, swimming, triathlon, and yoga. Jenny shares her experience with a longstanding injury affecting her ability to do high-volume aerobic training. Jenny explains the basics of powerlifting, distinguishing it from Olympic lifting. She describes her favorite lift, the deadlift, and the other two main lifts: squat and bench press. Jenny shares her powerlifting achievements, including her recent competitions and her current lifting numbers. She emphasizes the importance of proper form and technique in powerlifting.
Health and Community through Fitness
Jenny discusses the impact of her exercise routine on her mood and energy levels. She describes how exercise helps her maintain a schedule and provides a sense of community through fitness activities. Jenny shares her experience with yoga and how it has become a significant part of her life. She mentions her weekly private Pilates sessions for therapeutic purposes.
A Career in Literature
Jenny talks about her career in literature, starting with her graduate studies at Yale. She specializes in 18th-century British literature and has been teaching at Columbia for 25 years. She mentions several books, including Clarissa and Moby Dick. Jenny enjoys teaching a mix of introductory and specialized classes, including comparative European novels and single-author classes. She shares her enthusiasm for teaching complex literary texts and the unique challenges they present.
Recommended 18th Century Literature
Jenny recommends Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels and his other prose satires as essential reading. She highlights Frances Burney's novel Evelina and Edward Gibbon's History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Jenny also recommends Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations and Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France. She mentions Laurence Sterne's Tristram Shandy and A Sentimental Journey as accessible entry points to 18th-century literature.
The Rise of Literacy
Jenny discusses the rise of literacy and popular print in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. She explains how books like Pamela by Richardson were shared among multiple readers, increasing their reach. Jenny notes the evidence of reading among both elite and working-class individuals. She highlights the importance of marginalia and letters in understanding the reading habits of the time.
Reading Habits
Jenny shares her unusual relationship with reading, being a very fast reader from a very early age. She describes her reading habits, including rereading books she teaches and reading modern novels for pleasure. Jenny mentions her book, Reading Style: A Life in Sentences, which explores her life as a reader. She reflects on the challenges of finding enough reading material during demanding times of the semester.
Primatology in Tanzania
Jenny discusses her recent trips to Tanzania and her interest in primatology and being influenced by Jane Goodall from a young age. She shares her experience learning Swahili and conducting oral history interviews with Tanzanian field assistants. Jenny plans to create an oral history digital repository at Columbia and potentially publish essays or a book on her findings. She describes her collaboration with a Tanzanian guide, Rama, and their efforts to revive a tree-planting education program.
AI in Humanities Education
Jenny discusses the potential and limitations of AI in humanities education. She expresses concerns about students using AI for assignments, viewing it as a form of cheating. Jenny shares her positive experience with using AI for transcription of oral history interviews. She emphasizes the importance of creating a quiet mind and immersive reading environments for deep learning.
Harvard Reflections
Jenny talks about classes with Barbara Johnson, Elaine Scarry, and Writing Narrative History with Simon Schama. She also mentions the class Judith Clara taught on political obligation, and a class called The Development of the Modern State taught by Stanley Hoffman, Peter Hall, and Tom Ertman.
Timestamps:
02:21: Powerlifting and Technique
07:45: Impact of Exercise on Personal Life
10:17: Career in Literature and Teaching
13:00: Recommended 18th-Century Literature
13:15: Reading Public in the 18th Century
26:45: Jenny's Reading Habits
29:09: Tanzania Research and Oral History
35:39: AI and Humanities Education
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/214744151893608/user/112738
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenny-davidson-a89a7b1b5
*AI generated transcript and show notes.
Show Notes
Teresa shares her background as a music major at Harvard, focusing on conducting. She discusses her decision to apply for the Michael C. Rockefeller Fellowship to study Indian classical music in India. Teresa describes her year in India, living with a family and studying North Indian classical music.
Exploring Indian Classical Music
Teresa explains her experience with the violin, which was introduced to Indian classical music by the Portuguese in the 1500s. She details the differences between Western tonal harmony and Indian classical music, including the use of a drone and melodic improvisation. Teresa describes her daily routine of practicing the violin and taking lessons in the Indian tradition. She mentions her journaling and pen pal correspondence with Rachel Berger who was in Zimbabwe at the same time.
Working at MIT
Teresa recounts her return to the U.S. and a phone call from Tod Machover at MIT, leading to her enrolment at MIT. She describes her work at MIT, inventing new technologies for music making, including a conductor's jacket with sensors. Teresa discusses her collaboration with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops, using the conductor's jacket in a concert. She explains the insights gained from the conductor's jacket, including the use of force and muscle tension in conducting gestures.
Working as a Freelance Music Technologist
Teresa shares her experience as a freelance music technologist and starting her own nonprofit organization. She describes her role as the first music technologist hired in a music department at the College of New Jersey. Teresa explains the different categories within music technology, including audio engineering, digital signal processing, and composition. She discusses the use of digital audio workstations (DAWs) for multi-track composition and recording. She talks about her book and the inspiration behind it.
Personal Habits and Wellness
Teresa shares her personal habit of taking regular walks in nature to maintain mental health. She reflects on the importance of wellness habits, especially during stressful times of the year. Teresa also discusses the importance of taking risks and making job changes in mid-career. She encourages others to pursue new opportunities and continue growing professionally.
Harvard Reflections
Teresa highlights the influence of professors like Graeme Boone and Jan Swafford on her career. She shares her appreciation for their support and mentorship throughout her academic journey. Teresa reflects on the impact of specific courses, and how it inspired her to go to India and her musical interests. She emphasizes the importance of personal connections with faculty members in fostering a love for music.
Music that Stands the Test of Time
Teresa discusses her personal music listening habits, focusing on classical music, jazz, and world music. She mentions her daughter's influence in introducing her to contemporary music. Teresa reflects on the diversity of her music playlists and her ongoing exploration of new genres. She emphasizes the timeless quality of great music and its role in her personal and professional life.
Timestamps:
02:39: Learning Indian Classical Music
06:48: Return to the U.S. and MIT
13:58: Teaching and Music Technology
19:57: Personal Projects and Publications
23:44: Impact of Technology on Music Education
28:16: Personal Habits and Wellness
30:30: Influential Professors and Courses
34:44: Personal Music Preferences
Links:
Teresa's Book (Constructing Music: Musical Explorations in Creative Coding) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0197669190?tag=oxacglobal-20&linkCode=osi&th=1&psc=1
Oxford University Press website: https://academic.oup.com/book/55879
Academic Page at Stevens Institute of Technology: https://www.stevens.edu/profile/tnakra
*AI generated transcript and show notes
Show Notes:
Kim Goyette reflects on Michael Lim's early days at Harvard, starting with their time in Dorm Crew. They met in Lionel Hall and became friends, with Michael being a physics major and Kim a sociology major. Their relationship began tentatively in their sophomore year, with many ups and downs before they officially became a couple by graduation.
From Harvard to the University of MIchigan
After graduation, Michael went to the University of Michigan for his PhD in physics, while Kim went to Tulane University for her MA in sociology. They maintained their relationship during their separate graduate studies, visiting each other frequently. Eventually, they both ended up at the University of Michigan, where they completed their degrees. Kim shares the challenges and joys of their time in Ann Arbor, including the harsh winters and the support they provided each other.
A Move to Philadelphia
After graduation, Kim started her career at Temple University, while Michael became a postdoc at the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST). They got married in Washington, D.C., and planned to find a city where they could both work together. They had their first child , and Michael later moved to Philidelphia.
Teaching Physics in New Jersey
Michael became a postdoc at Bryn Mawr College and later a physics professor at Rowan University in New Jersey. He was dedicated to mentoring first-generation students and built a lab where he conducted experiments with students. Michael established a relationship with a lab in Singapore, bringing students there for summer research experiences. Kim highlights the impact Michael had on his students, many of whom went on to successful careers in physics, and attributed their success to Michael's mentorship and dedication.
Facing Cancer with Courage
Michael was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years before his death, at the age of 55. The diagnosis came after he experienced gastrointestinal troubles and jaundice. Kim and Michael sought multiple opinions and clinical trials, starting chemotherapy and trying various treatments.
Despite the aggressive nature of the cancer, Michael maintained a calm and scientific perspective, viewing his illness as part of natural processes. Michael approached his illness with equanimity, seeing it as part of the natural laws that govern the world. He lived his life without regrets, seizing opportunities and never deferring experiences. Kim shares that Michael was proud of his children and the impact he had on his students at Rowan University.
Pride in Mentorship
Michael's final year was marked by his participation in clinical trials and the eventual progression of his cancer. Michael's final days were spent on hospice, with Kim and their family preparing for his death. Kim reflects on the conversations they had, with Michael expressing gratitude for his life and the opportunities he had. Michael was proud of his work at Rowan and the students he mentored, many of whom had successful careers.
Harvard Reflections
Kim talks about Michael's role as a Big Brother and how he kept in touch with the boy he spent time with. She mentions how Michael was inspired by the challenge for physics.
Michael J. Lim Memorial Lab Scholarship at Rowan University
Kim shares stories of Michael's love for travel, snorkeling, and body surfing, as well as his appreciation for local cuisines. Michael's impact on his students and colleagues was significant, with many expressing gratitude for his mentorship. For all who want to support future students and contribute to Michael's legacy, Kim introduces the Michael J. Lim Memorial Lab Scholarship at Rowan University, established to support students working in a lab.
An Invitation to Michael's Celebration of Life
Kim has provided an invitation to Michael's Celebration of Life that takes place on Sunday, June 28, 2026, 1-4:30 pm, at Haverford College, located just 8 miles from Philadelphia.
Timestamps:
04:20: Career Beginnings and Family Life
05:45: Michael's Career at Rowan University
09:54: Michael's Diagnosis and Final Year
16:46: Michael's Scientific Perspective and Final Reflections
20:42: Michael's Legacy and Final Days
27:51: Michael's Impact and Memorial
Links:
Celebration of Life: https://canva.link/eaxs96ur97sncsm
The scholarship fund: https://share.remembermyjourney.com/public-memorials/EaXD4gpz
The Scholarship QR code: https://secure.rufoundation.org/s/1653/02-alumni/giving/interior.aspx?sid=1653&gid=2&pgid=4617&cid=7997&dids=1142&appealcode=PLBC
Show Notes:
Chuck Hughes talks about his role on the Harvard Hockey team, being intimidated by recruiting processes and obtaining his teaching certificate while at Harvard. He taught maths, science, and english at a high school. He earned a masters in political science at Boston College.
Working in Harvard Admissions
Chuck talks about his transition to Harvard Admissions in 1995, influenced by a friend's job offer in Stanford Admissions. He describes his experiences in admissions, including visits to remote areas like Alaska and interactions with diverse applicants. Chuck highlights his role in admissions, living on campus, and his interactions with notable students like BJ Novak. He reflects on the challenges and rewards of working at Harvard, including the financial constraints he faced despite his role.
Moving to Monster.com
Chuck discusses his move to Monster.com as a product manager, focusing on high school and college businesses. He shares his experience writing a book about college admissions, What It Really Takes to Get into the Ivy League & other highly selective colleges." At the time, he had not planned to go into education consulting, but the need was there, and Chuck founded his education consulting firm, Road to College, in 2003. The firm helps students navigate the college admissions process. He reflects on the personal and professional challenges of running his own business, including mentoring students and building long-lasting relationships.
The Harvard Admissions Process
Chuck shares insights into Harvard admissions and explains the difficulty of selecting a class from a large pool of applicants. He talks about changes that affect the process, such as the introduction of technological innovation, and applicants who qualify for financial aid. He mentions the importance of balancing various interests, including academic excellence, athletics, and social diversity, and he highlights the role of financial aid in admissions and the challenges of predicting the future success of applicants. Chuck emphasizes the importance of self-motivation and independence in applicants, rather than being overly influenced by helicopter parents.
Student Athletics at Harvard
When asked about Harvard's approach to athletics and the financial success of student-athletes, Chuck explains the challenges of maintaining Division I athletic programs while upholding academic standards. He shares his involvement with the Friends of Harvard Hockey and the financial support raised for the program. Chuck reflects on the balance between athletic success and academic excellence, emphasizing the need for special students to excel in both areas.
Balancing Family and Work
Chuck shares his personal journey, including his divorce, remarriage, and raising two daughters. He discusses the challenges of balancing work, family, and personal well-being, including his commitment to physical fitness. Chuck reflects on the importance of finding passion and purpose in life, despite the pressures of professional and personal responsibilities. He emphasizes the value of mentorship and relationships in guiding students through the college admissions process.
Navigating the College Admissions Process
Chuck provides advice for parents and students navigating the college admissions process. He emphasizes the importance of exploring personal interests and developing a clear vision for the future. Chuck discusses the need for intentionality in academic and extracurricular activities, balancing ambition with realistic goals. He highlights the role of mentors and advisors in supporting students through the admissions process.
A Focus on Education Consulting
Chuck describes his approach to education consulting, focusing on mentorship and personalized guidance. He emphasizes the importance of understanding each family's unique needs and goals. Chuck discusses the challenges of working with motivated students who may face rejection despite their efforts. He reflects on the satisfaction of helping students find success and achieve their academic and career aspirations.
Fundraising for Harvard Hockey
Chuck shares his ongoing involvement with Harvard Hockey, serving as the lead fundraiser for the program. He discusses the importance of alumni engagement and the role of donations in supporting the program. Chuck reflects on the challenges and rewards of working with student-athletes and maintaining connections with the university. He emphasizes the value of community and collaboration in achieving success in athletics and academics.
Harvard Reflections
Chuck mentions Psychology of Law with Ellsworth Fersch and Greg Nash.
Timestamps:
Transition to Monster.com and Education Consulting
06:00: Insights into Harvard Admissions
13:15: Harvard's Approach to Athletics and Financial Success
21:45: Chuck Hughes' Personal Journey and Entrepreneurial Ventures
27:12: Advice for Parents and Students
28:45: Approach to Education Consulting
34:30: Personal Development Habits
43:55: Harvard Reflections
Links:
Company website: www.roadtocollege.com
Show Notes:
Jessica Kerrigan (formerly Jessica McBee) shares that she applied for an internship with the American Symphony Orchestra League but didn't get it, leading her to work with the Greater Boston Youth Symphony. She moved to Iowa City to be with her boyfriend, Wade Kerrigan, who was in law school, and worked at American College Testing. Jessica got engaged, married, and moved to Kansas City, where she worked for Andrews McNeil Publishing as a contract administrator.
From Publishing to Nonprofit Work
Jessica describes her transition from publishing to nonprofit work. She took some time off to stay at home with her daughters when they were young. She started doing social media posts for her knitting club and a fellow knitter like her posts and asked her to do part-time social media marketing for Jackson County CASA. She now works in the fundraising department. Jessica explains the role of Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) in representing children in foster care and advocating for their best interests. Jessica details the funding sources for CASA, including grant funding, state and county funding, and individual and corporate donations.
The Role of CASA Volunteers
Jessica elaborates on the role of CASA volunteers, who visit children in foster care regularly and report back to attorneys. She contrasts the resources of CASA with those of the state's children's divisions, highlighting the consistency and depth of CASA's advocacy. Jessica discusses the potential differences in recommendations between the state, the child's attorney, and the CASA advocate. She shares success stories of CASA's impact, including a young woman who graduated through an online program and a child who reunified with a parent and later got adopted by a grandmother.
Recruiting Volunteers
Jessica talks about the challenges of recruiting volunteers and the effectiveness of community outreach and storytelling in attracting them. She highlights the diverse profiles of CASA volunteers, including retirees, young people, active moms, former professionals, and attorneys. Jessica explains the support system for volunteers, including advocate supervisors who help with practical needs. She reflects on the increased need for volunteers as CASA takes on more cases and the importance of having volunteers to support the attorneys.
At Home in Kansas
Jessica shares how her understanding of the world has changed through her work with CASA, particularly in understanding the root causes of child abuse and neglect. She describes her experience as a stay-at-home mom and the various volunteer roles she took on, including teaching knitting classes. Jessica recounts a story from her time at a knitting store, emphasizing the joy of teaching and problem-solving for customers. She discusses her love for Kansas City, including its central location, sports teams, and local barbecue spots.
Personal Development and Family Responsibilities
Jessica talks about her commitment to exercising through the Bar Method, which has improved her strength, back pain, and mobility. She shares her hiking trips with college roommates and how they inspired her to get in better shape for future adventures. Jessica reflects on the importance of staying active and healthy, especially as her children have grown older. She mentions the challenges and joys of balancing personal development with family responsibilities.
Harvard Reflections
Jessica recalls her time at Harvard, including the Introduction to Russian Civilization class where she met her husband. She highlights a sophomore tutorial in history and literature with Bob Lamb and Mark Dolan, which taught her the value of a deep dive into complex texts. Jessica admits that her interest in history and literature has waned since graduation, but she still tries to keep up with some classmates' writing. She shares her current reading habits, focusing on shorter pieces in The New Yorker and other publications.
Final Thoughts
Jessica encourages listeners to connect with her on LinkedIn and to consider volunteering as a CASA advocate. She emphasizes the importance of meaningful volunteer opportunities and the support provided by CASA programs for volunteers. Jessica reflects on the lasting impact of her Harvard education and the value of deep engagement with challenging subjects.
Timestamps:
04:47: Transition to Nonprofit Work
07:27: Role and Impact of CASA
13:58: Challenges and Successes in Volunteer Recruitment
18:26: Personal Growth and Community Involvement
24:27: Health and Personal Development
27:44: Reflections on Harvard and Personal Interests
31:09: Connecting with Classmates and Volunteer Opportunities
Links:
CASA website: https://nationalcasagal.org/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-kerrigan-b5398811/
CASA program: CASAKC.org
Show Notes:
Ian McNeely talks about his academic path, including a PhD in History from the University of Michigan and a position in the Society of Fellows at Harvard. He met his wife at Harvard, and they both found work at the University of Oregon where they became professors. They raised a family and lived there for 24 years. In 2024, Ian moved to UNC Chapel Hill, where he continues as a professor of history and oversees undergraduate education.
The Society of Fellows
When asked about the Society of Fellows, Ian explains that he thought of it as a mystique during his undergraduate years. The Society was conceived in the 1930s as an alternative to the PhD, offering young men (later women) a three-year fellowship with no academic requirements. Ian attended lavish dinners and lunches with other fellows, including senior fellows from Harvard faculty. He met his wife at the Society, and the fellowship allowed him to convert his dissertation into a book, which was crucial for his tenure.
Exploring the History of Knowledge
Ian explains how he and his wife co-wrote a book on the history of knowledge, covering various institutions like libraries, monasteries, and universities. He describes the different definitions of knowledge across these institutions, from written debates in libraries to scientific experiments in laboratories. Ian emphasizes the importance of institutions in defining what counts as knowledge. He discusses the role of vernacular knowledge and how it has been institutionalized over time.
A Fellow's Activities
Ian talks about his activities as a fellow. He describes his monastic approach, focusing on conversations with people outside his field. Ian interacted with particle physicists, art historians, and other disciplines, which broadened his perspective. He bonded with his wife, who is a medieval historian, over their mutual disdain for the Renaissance. Ian values the diverse group of equals in the Society of Fellows and the opportunity to explore various aspects of knowledge.
The Politicization of Higher Education
The conversation turns to Ian's current role as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at UNC Chapel Hill. He discusses the politicization of higher education and the challenges of the proliferation of knowledge. Ian emphasizes the importance of helping students diversify their intellectual portfolios to hedge against unpredictability, and he expresses optimism that AI will be a force multiplier rather than a replacement for human judgment and expertise.
The Impact of AI on Undergraduate Education
Ian believes AI will not replace human judgment but will be a force multiplier for routine tasks. He stresses the importance of communication skills, teamwork, ethical judgment, and aesthetic judgment in the face of AI. Ian advises students to use AI as a refinement tool after doing cognitive heavy lifting themselves. He emphasizes the importance of preserving curiosity-driven knowledge alongside applied knowledge, and he states that rote-type learning will not be needed while high-level skills will be sought by employers.
The Changing Definition of Knowledge
Ian explains that, over the past two decades, the shift towards justifying knowledge in economic or scientific terms, especially in the United States. He talks about the value of interpretation and judgement, and how he is concerned that students are losing the ability to do the cognitive heavy lifting of assessing research and determining the gaps in information. Ian's administrative career reflects his efforts to balance these two aspects of knowledge. Ian advises students to use AI as a refinement tool after doing their own cognitive heavy lifting, but he stresses the importance of taking time in nature to write by hand and give the mind time to think.
The Meeting of Medieval and Modern History
Ian talks about the difference between his wife's studies in medieval history to his own. Creative thinking plays a role in the study of medieval history where there are gaps in knowledge and errors of interpretation; this contrasts with Ian's field of study which drew research from a high level of bureaucracy. He explains why he structured their book, Reinventing Knowledge, to combat information overload. Ian shares his experience of empowering others in his professional life and giving up the desire to control outcomes. Ian also reflects on the importance of humility and the value of learning a new language to gain a deeper understanding of other cultures.
Harvard Reflections
Ian mentions Math 25 with Mark McConnell, which taught him rigorous thinking and precision, and he highlights a course on European Political development 1850 to 1950 by Peter Baldwin, which inspired him to become a European historian. Ian states that he values the bridge between the arts and sciences provided by these courses.
Timestamps:
02:09: The Society of Fellows at Harvard
04:07: Ian's Research and Book on the History of Knowledge
09:43: Ian's Experience as a Fellow and Interactions with Other Disciplines
11:21: Ian's Role as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at UNC Chapel Hill
12:11: The Impact of AI on Higher Education
23:29: Ian's Perspective on the Evolution of Knowledge
28:17: Ian's Personal Reflections and Recommendations
32:56: Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Links:
Book: https://www.amazon.com/University-Unfettered-Public-Education-Disruption/dp/0231220588
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Reinventing-Knowledge-Alexandria-Ian-McNeely/dp/0393337715
Contact: https://history.unc.edu/person/ian-f-mcneely/
This episode on The 92 Report:
- AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Peter Schmidt talks about his senior year during the Iraq War, and how the news on the problem of jobless recovery led him to consider graduate school.
The Journey from Student to Dean
Peter studied biomechanics at Cornell, focusing on the mathematics of biological systems and modeling clinical trials in orthopedics. He was admitted into a fellowship program in New York at an orthopedic hospital where he worked on total joint replacement. His career path led him to neuroscience, where he led clinical research and worked for a nonprofit before becoming the vice dean of a medical school. He then moved on to running clinical trials and drug development.
A Focus on Parkinson's Disease
Pete shares his interest in Parkinson's disease and explains that Parkinson's affects a tractable part of the brain, the basal ganglia, which is easier to model mathematically. He enjoys thinking about neuronal signaling and the microstructure of the brain, which helps in understanding the macro structure. Pete's PhD work involved modeling bone at the cellular level, and he applies similar thinking to the basal ganglia in Parkinson's disease.
Research on Neurodegenerative Diseases
Pete discusses the challenges in determining whether a question in neurodegenerative diseases is a question of science or engineering. He explains the historical focus on stem cells and extracellular proteins as solutions for diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Pete emphasizes the need to understand the role of extracellular proteins and the importance of scientific inquiry. He mentions the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of prion diseases and the subsequent focus on characteristic proteins in neurodegenerative diseases, which led to initiatives focused on proteins.
The Brain's Micro and Macro Structures
Pete discusses the current focus on extracellular proteins and the challenges in proving their role in diseases like Parkinson's. He mentions the drug Lecanemab for Alzheimer's, which slows the disease but does not reverse it. Pete predicts that future research will focus on intracellular proteins and the need to restore lost cells in the brain. He highlights the importance of understanding the microstructure to inform the macro structure of the brain.
The Logistics of Running Clinical Trials
Pete explains that success in clinical trials is more about logistics than science, with 90-95% of the work being logistical. He discusses the challenges of recruiting subjects and the importance of working with academic medical centers that have a high volume of patients. Pete emphasizes the need for fast-moving ethics boards and efficient contracting to ensure the success of clinical trials.
Incentives for Physicians
When asked about the incentives for physicians to participate in clinical trials, Pete explains that most physicians are driven by scientific interest rather than financial incentives. He mentions the importance of academic leaders who can influence the participation of residents and fellows in trials. Pete highlights the passion of physicians in diseases like Huntington's and cystic fibrosis, which drives their engagement in research.
The Role of Pharma Companies in Clinical Trials
Pete talks about his role at East Carolina University where he oversaw clinical care and research at the medical school. He discusses the changing role of pharma companies in running clinical trials. He explains that many drugs are now discovered in labs, leading to a shift in the need for pharma companies to own their data. Pete mentions the issue of trial fraud, where fake patients are used to inflate data, and the importance of tighter control over trial data. He shares his experience of rescuing a trial from fraudulent data and the challenges of identifying such issues.
Life on the Family Farm
The conversation turns to Pete's family life, and Pete shares that his youngest child recently went to college, and he inherited a family farm that has been in his wife's family for 200 years. He enjoys working with his hands, doing woodworking, and using a skid steer for various tasks on the farm. Pete describes his role as the farm handyman, fixing things and maintaining the farm equipment.
Harvard Reflections
Pete mentions taking a quantum mechanics course and a material science class with X-ray interferometry. He highlights the impact of a physics class on fits and tolerances, which taught him about the importance of clearance and interference fits. Pete also shares his experience taking a folklore course with his roommate, which was his only pass/fail course at Harvard.
Pete explains the concept of fits and tolerances in engineering. He discusses the importance of understanding whether a fit needs to be tight or loose and planning accordingly. Pete uses examples from finance to illustrate the principle of having a cushion in budgeting. He emphasizes the need to know the target fit (tight or loose) to optimize engineering and design solutions.
This episode on The 92 Report:https://92report.com/podcast/168-peter-schmidt-from-math-to-neuroscience/
Timestamps:
02:40: A focus on Parkinson's Disease
05:10: Challenges in Neurodegenerative Disease Research
09:50: The Role of Extracellular Proteins and Future Directions
17:34: Running Clinical Trials and Logistics
27:58: Incentives for Physicians to Participate in Clinical Trials
32:16: Pharma Companies and Clinical Trial Data
38:53: Personal Life and Farming
42:30: Reflections on Harvard Courses
46:23: Fits and Tolerances in Engineering
Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pnschmidt
https://www.instagram.com/pnschmidt
Show Notes:
From Hiking to River Cruises
Lauren Messmore opens the conversation by sharing her experience of hiking Hadrian's Wall in England with her husband, which she describes as a highlight of her international travels. She explains that her husband, an anglophile, had the idea and that she enjoyed the travel and training for the hike, and that she had also lived in England for a few years in the '90s. Lauren details her training routine, including walking six to seven miles two to three times a week and using hiking sticks. They used a service called Mac Adventure for the hike, which provided luggage transport and accommodations. Lauren mentions that after the hiking adventure, she and her husband have shifted to less arduous travel, such as river cruises. She describes a river cruise on the Danube, ending in Budapest, and an upcoming trip to France and Normandy.
Starting a Career on Wall Street
After graduation and a brief backpacking trip to Europe, Lauren launched into her career as an investment banking analyst on Wall Street. She talks about the challenges and excitement of her first day on the job. She contrasts the investment banking culture with her academic experience at Harvard, noting the strict adherence to rules and lack of creativity in the banking world. Lauren discusses her experience working in London and Madrid, including the unique challenges of being an American woman in a male-dominated field.
A Career Shift to M&A in Madrid
Lauren describes the transition to Madrid, where she worked on a mix of mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions. Lauren highlights the millennium bug and the subsequent acquisition of her office by Citigroup, which led to her move to Spain. She shares her experience of learning Spanish on the job and the importance of being fluent in English for international transactions. She also talks about the cultural and personal differences she experienced in business transactions and expectations while working at Citigroup and the difficulties she faced when she decided to leave Citigroup.
Launching an Investment Banking Boutique
Lauren talks about starting her own investment banking boutique in 2002. She explains the challenges of working in a small market like Spain and the cultural clash with the American banking model. Lauren describes the success of her boutique, which focused on private equity clients and independent advisory work. She mentions the financial crisis of 2008 and the impact on her business, leading to a liquidity event and her return to the United States.
Returning to the U.S.
Lauren talks about her return to the United States and the financial crisis's impact on her business, including the divestment of her solar farms. She describes the decision to cash out and the subsequent reinvention of her career in Boston. Lauren took a year off to recharge and plot a new course, eventually finding a strategic consultant role at a community bank. She became the CFO of the bank, which underwent a significant acquisition and went public, marking a shift from advisory to operational roles.
The Current Career Path
Lauren explains her current career path, focusing on creating a portfolio of Board of Directors positions. She describes the process of building this portfolio over three years and the satisfaction of having a busy but less demanding workload. Lauren emphasizes the importance of taking time off to recharge and plot a new course, especially after significant life changes. She shares her approach to setting New Year's resolutions, focusing on easy but impactful habits like daily flossing, drinking two cups of water, and daily stretching.
Harvard Reflections
When asked about a compliment she has never forgotten, Lauren shares a memory of being told she was a leader, which changed her self-perception. She emphasizes the importance of betting on oneself and encouraging others to do the same. She shares a few simple New Year's resolutions and reflects on the importance of small, repetitive routines and their cumulative impact over time.
She mentions taking Spanish at Harvard, which turned out to be the most useful course for her career.
Timestamps:
03:52 Lauren's Journey and Hiking Adventures
08:45: River Cruises and Early Career
13:14: Experience in London and Madrid
21:15: Starting Her Own Investment Banking Boutique
25:25: Return to the United States and New Career Path
32:51: Current Career and Board of Directors Positions
33:19: Offbeat Questions and Final Thoughts
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-messmore/
Solar farm video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kI_s7NntQg
This episode on The 92 Report:
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Miguel Sancho shares his background, mentioning his small-town roots in eastern Kansas and his education at Harvard and Phillips Andover Academy where he studied government and history. He discusses his initial plan to pursue a PhD and become an academic but instead moved to New York City to try his hand at music. Miguel transitioned from music to journalism, starting in 1993, and worked in various roles, including as an investigative journalist for Inside Edition, and 20/20 a prime time show on ABC News, and CBS News.
Launching a Production Company
Miguel talks about his personal life, including his marriage, children, and the challenges of raising a son with a rare immune deficiency. He describes the six-year journey to find a bone marrow transplant for his son, which ultimately succeeded at Duke University Hospital. Miguel left ABC News to start his own production company, working on specials and series for various networks, including A&E and News Nation. He mentions his book More Than You Can Handle, published in 2021, and his new book Evidence of the Extraordinary, set to be released soon.
Exploring Evidence of the Extraordinary
Miguel discusses his new book, Evidence of the Extraordinary, which explores unexplained phenomena like UFOs, legendary creatures, and miracles. It was derived from one of the television shows Miguel produced. He explains how the COVID-19 pandemic led him to take on a show on the History Channel called The Proof is Out There, which investigates anomalous phenomena. Miguel shares his initial skepticism about the paranormal but acknowledges the importance of investigating these phenomena with a journalistic approach. He talks about some of the most extraordinary unexplained phenomena, including deep-sea discoveries, and the Havana Syndrome. He highlights the challenges of balancing skepticism with the possibility of rare, unexplained events, and the importance of humility when addressing what we think we know.
Undercover Journalism at Inside Edition
Miguel describes his experience at Inside Edition, where he wore hidden cameras to investigate corrupt and criminal organizations. He shares specific cases, including infiltrating a pit bull fighting ring and a drug-dealing carnival worker. Miguel discusses the legal and ethical considerations of undercover journalism, emphasizing the importance of thorough research and planning. He reflects on the skills required for undercover work, such as acting stupid and eliciting information from subjects, and how the public's cognitive dissonance plays a role in limiting detection.
Challenges of Working in Television
Miguel talks about the transition from being an employee at networks to running his own production company. He explains the process of setting up an SCorp and the responsibilities of managing a production company, including pitching shows and maintaining client relationships. Miguel describes the development process of selling a show to a network, including creating detailed pitch documents and securing talent. He discusses the challenges of the evolving TV industry, including the rise of streaming platforms and the need for scalable content.
Life Altering Challenges
Miguel shares the personal story of his son's rare immune deficiency and the journey to find a cure. He describes the emotional and practical challenges faced by his family, including the impact on their mental and physical health. Miguel highlights the importance of medical research and the role of institutions like the National Institutes of Health and Duke University Hospital in providing life-saving treatments. He reflects on the broader implications of rare disease diagnoses on families and the need for support and understanding.
Harvard Reflections
Miguel reminisces about his time at Harvard, mentioning influential professors like Bernard Bailyn, Elaine Scarry, and Judith Shklar. He discusses the impact of Judith Shklar's teachings on individual rights, group rights, and the importance of avoiding cruelty. Miguel shares his experience of reading E.O. Wilson's "On Human Nature" years after his course with Wilson, which led to a new appreciation for Wilson's work. He reflects on the lasting influence of these professors on his professional and personal life.
Current Projects
Miguel talks about his current projects, including a new show in development and his ongoing work with News Nation. He discusses the potential of prediction markets and interactive elements in future TV content to engage younger audiences. Miguel reflects on the evolving landscape of the TV industry and the importance of adapting to new technologies and platforms.
Timestamps:
02:02: Personal Challenges and Professional Pivots
04:26: Investigating Unexplained Phenomena
18:28: Investigative Techniques and Notable Cases
33:43: Transition to Independent Production
41:42: Impact of Rare Diseases on Families
42:21: Influence of Harvard Professors
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miguel-sancho-b7aa37a/
More than You Can Handle: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611475/more-than-you-can-handle-by-miguel-sancho/
Evidence of the Extraordinary: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Evidence-of-the-Extraordinary/Miguel-Sancho/9781668085455
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
In this conversation, Bridget Lyons describes her experience with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), which led her to a three-month course in Alaska. She shares her initial struggle with the urban environment of Cambridge after her wilderness experience. Bridget discusses her involvement with the Harvard Outing Club and her decision to teach in Marin County, California.
From Teaching to the Tetons
Bridget explains her transition from teaching to working full-time with NOLS, teaching various outdoor activities. She describes her lifestyle during this period, including living out of her truck and in storage units. Bridget mentions her eventual move to the Tetons, where she continued her outdoor activities and owned a yoga studio. She discusses her move to Santa Cruz and her focus on writing, particularly about her adventures and encounters with wildlife.
The Evolution of Entwined
Bridget talks about her book "Entwined: Dispatches from the Intersection of Species," published by Texas A&M Press. She explains the braided narrative technique used in the book, which combines personal experiences, science, and ethical considerations. Bridget shares that about half of the essays in the book were previously published in literary magazines. She describes the evolution of her writing from individual essays to a compendium focused on non-human creatures.
Cover Art and Woodblock Cuts
Bridget reveals that she illustrated the book herself, using her long-time hobby of making woodblock prints. She explains the process of creating the cover art, which combines elements from different essays. Bridget reads a passage from the first essay, "Tangled," about kelp and her experiences as a surfer. She discusses the importance of valuing non-human creatures for their own sake, not just for their ecological services.
The American Chestnut Tree
Bridget shares her father's involvement in conservation efforts, particularly the American Chestnut Tree. She discusses the tension between her father's expectations and her own choices, including her decision to remain child-free. Bridget reflects on the common ground they have found in their shared interest in nature and conservation. She mentions her father's respect for her outdoor achievements and his interest in her adventures.
Lessons from Nature
Bridget talks about the transformative experiences of students on her Knowles courses. She highlights the importance of practical life skills, such as cooking and taking care of gear, which students often lack. Bridget emphasizes the significance of teaching students the consequences of their actions in the wilderness. She shares feedback from students who continue to apply the lessons learned in their daily lives.
Tapping into the Transcendent
Bridget describes her daily practice of seeking transcendent outdoor experiences, such as trail running and encountering non-human creatures. She recounts a memorable encounter with an ibex in the Alps, which she had longed to see. Bridget reflects on the historical context of the ibex population and its preservation. She shares her appreciation for the beauty and magic of the Alps, which she experiences during her outdoor adventures.
From Journaling to Writing
Bridget explains how her writing started with journals and evolved into formal writing and editing. She describes her transition from administrative work to writing and editing for various clients. Bridget shares her experience of gaining confidence and qualifications through an MFA program. She discusses the reciprocal relationship between her editing work and her own writing.
Harvard Reflections
Bridget reflects on her decision to major in anthropology and its relevance to her current work. She discusses the study of human interaction with the environment and its implications for conservation. Bridget highlights the importance of understanding human evolution and the impact of our actions on the planet. She connects her anthropology studies to the broader questions of how humans should live in the context of biodiversity crisis and climate change.
Timestamps:
03:37: Transition to Full-Time Outdoor Education
06:08: Publication of "Entwined" and Writing Process
09:40: Illustrations and Personal Connection
19:13: Family Dynamics and Conservation Efforts
22:27: Impact of Outdoor Education on Students
28:26: Personal Transcendent Moments in the Wilderness
34:23: Transition to Writing and Editing
38:57: Influence of Anthropology Major
Links:
Entwined: Dispatches from the Intersection of Species: www.entwinedbook.com
Website: www.bridgetalyons.com
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-165-bridget-a-lyons-author-adventurer-and-artist/
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
John Milbauer explains that, although he didn't graduate from Harvard, his education and career followed a unique path involving music and academia. John reflects that his focus has been a combination of music and ideas, but the structure of academia often separates the two. He mentions his role as Dean of the School of Music at DePaul University in Chicago where they are bringing the two together to provide musicians with a more holistic approach to creative development and expression.
Choosing a Career Path
At 17 John was accepted into both Harvard Summer School and Aspen Music Festival, and he had to choose which one to attend. He chose Harvard after the advice that young musicians should not pursue music if they can pursue a career in a different field that offers a better chance at success. He describes his love for music and his initial excitement at Harvard, including taking calculus and expository writing. John applied to Harvard's admissions in seventh grade; to him it represented a world of ideas, culture, sophistication and globalism that small town Wisconsin did not offer.
Leaving Harvard for a Conservatory
John recounts his childhood in northern Wisconsin and his early musical training with Joan Moffitt. He explains how many music instructors tend to teach students bad habits that have to be unlearned later. He explains that he needed purely technical training and he realized that Harvard wasn't set up to provide technical training in music studies, and so, in the middle of his sophomore year, John left Harvard for a conservatory. He details his educational journey from Harvard to Eastman to Juilliard, highlighting the importance of technical training, and the relationship between the mind and body when pursuing creative development.
A Career As a Pianist
John pursued his career as a pianist. He talks about his time at the Hungarian Liszt Academy on a Fulbright. He explains the challenges of being a musician in their 30s, including the need for a stable job with benefits. John shares his experience as a piano faculty member at three universities, including the University of Arizona. He describes his decision to pursue a mid-career Master's in Public Administration at the Kennedy School of Harvard, influenced by his 25th reunion.
Moving to a Career in Higher Education Administration
John talks about going back to Harvard at 49. He realized he needed broader knowledge, particularly about developing economies, and goes on to explain his decision to pursue a career in higher education administration, influenced by his Kennedy School education. John describes his role as Dean of the School of Music at DePaul University and his efforts to integrate music and academia. He highlights the importance of combining his musical skills with his understanding of economics and government, and shares three key takeaways from his Kennedy School education: economic complexity, the importance of imagination, and the need to resist quantifying good deeds. He explains how these lessons have influenced his work at DePaul, including his approach to growing the school's programs.
Harvard Reflections
John discusses the importance of imagination in music and the arts, influenced by his class with Roberto Unger. He highlights the role of values in his work, influenced by his class with Rohit Deshpanda at Harvard Business School. John also recounts a special performance with Steve Balderston, a long-time faculty member at DePaul, which helped build trust within the community, and shares a memorable performance of John Cage's Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano, which attracted a full house.
A Vision for DePaul School of Music
John discusses the importance of revealing the beauty in music rather than imposing his own interpretation. He outlines his vision for the DePaul School of Music, including its role as a top orchestral training institution. He emphasizes the importance of diversifying the curriculum to include recording arts and performing arts management. John discusses the need for conservatories to focus on specialized training while maintaining a broad educational approach, and he highlights the potential for DePaul to become a leader in complex and diversified higher education in the arts.
Timestamps:
05:14: Early Musical Training and Harvard Experience
10:27: Career in Music and Academia
16:02: Transition to DePaul University
21:55: Impact of Kennedy School Education
28:01: Personal and Professional Highlights
34:04: Vision for DePaul School of Music
Links:
Faculty: https://www.depaul.edu/faculty/john-milbauer
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/43vQxUUaMmzDFTKBND7u2B?si=34e1d0776d604cfb
DePaul University: https://magazine.depaul.edu/s/1906/23/interior.aspx?sid=1906&gid=2&pgid=4425
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/164-john-milbauer-pianist-and-conservatory-leader/
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Elisabeth Tavares (Weinberg) describes her journey post-graduation, dividing it into three main chapters: private sector, higher education, and government sector.
Travelling to Egypt, Israel, and Spain
Elisabeth shares her initial post-graduation plans, including travel to Egypt and Israel, and her work with American teenagers abroad in Ireland and Spain. She discusses her passion for international travel and her decision to learn Spanish at Harvard, which later led to teaching Spanish.
Elisabeth explains her motivation for learning Spanish, including her background in European history and her love for the language and culture. She discusses taking Latin in high school and Spanish at Harvard.
A Career in the Financial Sector
Elisabeth describes her early career in the financial sector, starting in Boston and later in New York at Scudder Stevens and Clark, where she worked in communications. She expresses her lack of fulfillment in the financial sector and her dislike for New York City, preferring the Hudson Valley.
On to Marist College and Speechwriting
Elisabeth recounts her transition to Marist College (now Marist University) as a speechwriter for President Dennis Murray. She highlights the positive experience of working at Marist College for 17 years, including writing speeches and communications for the college community. Elisabeth shares her admiration for President Murray, describing him as a transformational leader and a mentor. She mentions her pursuit of a master's degree during her time at Marist College.
From a Non-profit to Public Service
Elisabeth discusses her decision to step back from full-time work to care for her husband, who had open-heart surgery, and her aging parents. She describes her involvement in non-profit work and writing for her local newspaper during this period. Elisabeth shares her unexpected transition to public service as the district director for New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey. She describes her role, which includes overseeing the district office, managing constituent services, and running a capital grants program.
Impacting Local Communities
Elisabeth details her responsibilities in her current role, including managing a team of constituent services staff and running the capital grants program. She shares her experiences of meeting with organizations throughout the district and the impact of the grants on local communities. Elisabeth reflects on her changed understanding of government, particularly at the state and local levels, and the direct positive impact it can have on people's lives. She highlights the importance of being responsive to constituents' needs and the satisfaction of helping people and organizations.
Understanding Community Life
Elisabeth discusses the day-to-day activities in her role, including handling constituent inquiries, meetings, and managing the capital grants program. She reflects on the rich understanding of community life she has gained through her work, including insights into local issues and government operations. Elisabeth shares her admiration for Senator Hinchey's focus on issues important to the district, such as agriculture and affordability. She mentions the importance of being responsive to constituents' needs and the satisfaction of helping people and organizations.
Harvard Reflections
Elisabeth reflects on the impact of courses and professors at Harvard, particularly her Spanish classes and Michael Sandel's Justice class. She shares her long-lasting interest in Spanish, influenced by her family and friends, and her continued practice of the language. She also mentions the influence of other courses, such as the Russian Revolution class with Richard Pipes, and the lasting impact of these educational experiences.
Family Life and the Benefits of Being Bilingual
Elisabeth discusses her family life, including her husband David, her daughter, and their bilingual household. She shares her experiences of traveling with her family, including trips to Mexico and Spain, and the importance of being able to communicate in Spanish. Elisabeth reflects on the role of Spanish in her personal and professional life. She highlights the benefits of being bilingual and the opportunities it provides for travel and communication.
Timestamps:
02:54: Learning Spanish and Early Career in Financial Sector
06:50: Transition to Higher Education: Marist College
14:13: Challenges and Transition to Public Service
17:01: Role in Public Service and Impact on Understanding Government
23:52: Personal Reflections and Professional Growth
27:06: Influence of Harvard Courses and Professors
31:14: Balancing Personal and Professional Life
32:54: Connecting with the Community and Future Plans
Link:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elistavarez/.
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-163-elisabeth-weinberg-tavarez-from-finance-to-higher-ed-to-politics/
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Liam T.A. Ford, also known as LTAF, shares his initial career plans after graduation. After writing for the Crimson at Harvard, he initially considered a career in academia, but pivoted to journalism. He discusses his first job at the Montgomery Advertiser, where he covered crime and interviewed notable figures including the man who headed the pulpit committee that hired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his pastorship in Montgomery. Liam recounts his transition to Chicago, where he became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, covering notable events like Barack Obama's election to the U.S. Senate.
Working for a Non-profit Organization
Liam talks about his work at the Chicago Tribune, including helping to start the paper's breaking news desk and maintaining a database of shootings and homicides. He mentions taking a buyout from the Tribune in 2021 and, while he continued his work in journalism, covering public/private partnerships, he also worked on a non-profit project called the Ignatian Mission Center, which he now does full-time. The non-profit aims to maintain the former food pantry that had been run by a local parish and eventually provide other social services, including a shelter for Spanish-speaking women who have left domestic violence situations. He still writes and edits on a freelance basis.
Crime and the Criminal Justice System
Liam reflects on his time as a crime reporter at the Montgomery Advertiser and the lessons he learned about crime and the criminal justice system. He emphasizes the importance of humanizing crime victims and making readers understand the impact of each death. Liam recounts a significant experience where he had to inform a victim's family about the details of their loved one's death, highlighting the challenges in the criminal justice system. He discusses the role of crime reporters in centering victims and the importance of transparency in reporting.
Covering the 2004 Senate Race
Liam shares his experiences as a political reporter, including covering the 2004 Senate race in Illinois where Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination. He recounts the story of Jack Ryan's divorce records being unsealed, which led to his withdrawal from the race. Liam discusses his interactions with Barack Obama during his coverage and other significant political stories he covered. He reflects on the importance of transparency in political reporting and the impact of his work on local government and community issues.
The Importance of Local Government and News Reporting
Liam talks about his early career at the Tribune covering local government bodies like the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Park District. He shares a story about investigating teen programming in Chicago parks, which revealed disparities in resources between affluent and less affluent neighborhoods. Liam discusses the impact of his reporting on improving teen programming and the creation of programs like After School Matters. He reflects on the importance of local government reporting in bringing wrongdoing to light and improving community services.
The Creation of the Ignatian Mission Center
Liam explains the process of creating the Ignatian Mission Center and the challenges of maintaining the food pantry after the parish closed. He discusses the support from Loyola University and other organizations in providing social services and resources for the community. Liam shares the progress of the non-profit, including securing a planning grant and architectural plans for the former parish property. He reflects on the personal and professional challenges of working full-time on the non-profit project and the impact it has had on the community.
Harvard Reflections
Liam credits the course Government 1061 with Michael Sandel and Harvey Mansfield for teaching him the importance of examining biases and assumptions. He discusses how these lessons have influenced his approach to journalism and his commitment to finding and speaking the truth. Liam reflects on the impact of his Harvard education on his career and personal life, including his journey to sobriety. He shares how the skills and values he learned at Harvard continue to resonate with him in his current work.
Timestamps:
04:19: Transition to the Chicago Tribune and Sobriety Journey
05:47: Impact of Sobriety and Community Involvement
16:04: Crime Reporting and Lessons Learned
24:58: Political Reporting and Significant Stories
30:08: Challenges and Successes in Local Government Reporting
36:12: Formation of the Ignatian Mission Center
43:05: Personal Reflections and Future Plans
Links:
Website: www.ignatianmission.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liam.ford/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liamtaford/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's is brought to you by Kristen Hunter who reports:
Hi. I'm Kristen Hunter, Class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is Ivory Innovations. Ivory Innovations catalyzes innovative solutions in housing affordability through the Ivory prize Applied Research and Policy Leadership, advancing ideas that expand access to affordable and attainable housing. The organization also partners with the Harvard master in real estate program through our summer practicum, which gives students the opportunity to complete a two month placement with a cooperating for profit, not for profit or public organization in the United States or overseas, participating in real estate projects and initiatives that advance cutting edge practices, including those promoting social and environmental best practices. I'm delighted to champion Ivory Innovations, especially as one of our recent Harvard Master in Real Estate graduates, Amy Love Tommaso serves as their director of policy innovation. You can learn more and support their mission at ivory innovations.org That's ivory i, V, O, R, Y, innovations.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To find out more about their work, visit: ivoryinnovations.org
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-162-liam-t-a-ford-from-journalist-to-non-profit-startup-leader/
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Elijah Siegler recalls the day of graduation on June 5, 1992, and the prominent promotion of the movie Patriot Games, which seemed at the time an ominous omen, as graduates began to navigate their post-grad journey. Elijah shares his advice to his kids and students: "You don't need to have your whole life post-college figured out. You just need one cool thing lined up, and that'll lead to another cool thing." Elijah describes his first post-graduation job as the editor of the Greece and Turkey book for Let's Go travel guides, which he found out about due to a last-minute cancellation.
A Ticket to Israel and Traveling Adventures
Elijah had previously been a researcher for Let's Go Pacific Northwest in the summer of 1989. After graduation, Elijah moved back to his parents' house in Toronto, Canada, and spent time reading and applying for jobs. Elijah cashed in his graduation gift from his grandparents, a ticket to Israel, and spent six months in the Middle East, including a solo tour of the Mediterranean. Elijah used his own guidebook for the Greece and Turkey parts of his trip and mentions Gary Bass, a classmate who edited Let's Go Israel and Egypt.
Exploring the Middle East
Elijah enjoyed both Greece and Turkey, finding Turkey to be one of the great travel destinations of the world. He highlights the unique experiences in Istanbul and Cappadocia, including staying in cave hotels and visiting a center for Sufi culture. Elijah reflects on his visit to Syria, noting the cultural richness and the sadness of seeing the country torn apart by civil war. Elijah moved back to Toronto, spent time with family, and eventually found a job in the non-profit sector in New York.
Taking a Slow Boat to China
Elijah describes his temporary job in New York, living in a basement in Chelsea, and the cultural experience of living in New York City. He recounts his decision to travel to Asia, including a trip to Japan, where he received a telegram about a job in China. Elijah took a slow boat to China from Kobe to Shanghai and then trains to Chengdu, where he taught English for nine months. He shares his experiences in Chengdu, including teaching and traveling around China, and his interest in Taoism.
Opening the Door to the World's Parliament of Religions
Elijah attended the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago in the fall of 1993, which marked the 100th anniversary of the original event in 1893. He volunteered at the event, met various religious leaders, and was inspired to study religion academically. Elijah decided to pursue a graduate degree in religious studies, applying to various programs and eventually enrolling at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He describes the rigorous Religious Studies Program at UCSB and his initial research on Taoism in America.
A Focus on Taoism
Elijah explains the concept of Taoism, the indigenous religion of China, and its focus on the Tao, a non-personal divine force. He discusses the transmission of Taoist ideas to America through popular culture, such as the TV show Kung Fu and the book The Tao of Pooh. Elijah interviewed Chinese Taoist masters who came to America and taught Taoist techniques, such as martial arts and meditation. He completed his PhD on Taoism in America and began his academic career, moving from assistant to associate to full professor.
The Americanization of Taoism
Elijah contrasts Taoism with Buddhism, noting that Taoism does not have a missionary impulse and is spread indirectly through practices like martial arts. He discusses the Americanization of Taoism and the role of popular culture in shaping American Taoism. Elijah shares his research on the authenticity of Taoist masters in America and the concerns within the American Taoist community about who is a genuine master. He mentions the organizational structure of Taoism in China and the challenges of defining authenticity in American Taoism.
Religion and Television
Elijah discusses his research on religion and television, contrasting it with the study of religion and film. He argues that television's open narrative format allows for the exploration of religious change over time. Elijah highlights the religious themes in popular TV shows and how they reflect and shape American spirituality. He plans to publish a book on his theory of religion and television combining his previous essays on the topic.
A Spiritual Journey
Elijah shares his personal spiritual journey, growing up in a secular Jewish household and raising his children as Jewish. He expresses a strong affinity for Taoism but does not call himself a Taoist due to the formal initiation required in Taoist traditions. Elijah teaches a class on spirituality, exploring the rise of "spiritual but not religious" individuals and the history of spirituality in America. He emphasizes the importance of interfaith dialogue and understanding different religious traditions, both in his teaching and in his community involvement.
Promoting Interfaith Understanding
Elijah describes his involvement in the Charleston Interfaith Council, organizing cultural and educational programming to promote interfaith understanding. He organized a Jewish Muslim Dinner in 2017, bringing together Jewish and Muslim communities for a shared meal and conversation, which has evolved into the Spirited Brunch, a self-guided tour of different sacred spaces in Charleston with snacks, promoting interfaith dialogue and cultural exchange. He encourages others to replicate these initiatives in their own communities, emphasizing the importance of interfaith connections and understanding.
Harvard Reflections
Elijah was in the comparative study of religion that was drawn from other departments in the Divinity School, and he mentions professor Diana Eck, who was the chair of that committee on the comparative study of religion. She started something called the pluralism project in 1991 and that summer, Elijah was in the first cohort of student employees for that so I actually got paid to go to Los Angeles and study religious diversity there and inter religious dialog, and in particular, Buddhism.
Timestamps:
01:30 Initial Career Steps and Travel Experiences
04:06: Exploring Greece, Turkey, and Syria
09:03: Moving to New York and Asia
12:10: Attending the World's Parliament of Religions
15:21: Research on Taoism in America
17:31: Taoism in America and Its Cultural Impact
28:59: Religion and Television
31:49: Personal Spiritual Journey and Teaching
39:29: Interfaith Initiatives in Charleston
Links:
Faculty Bio: https://charleston.edu/religious-studies/faculty-staff/siegler-elijah.php
Spirited Brunch: https://thefoodsection.com/spirited-brunch-101/
The Musical: https://www.happylandmusical.com/
Featured Nonprofit:
The featured nonprofit of this week's is brought to you by Tobey Collins who reports:
"Hi. I'm Tobey Collins, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is the Barnstable Land Trust, or BLT. Barnstable Land Trust is a land conservation organization dedicated to preserving green space in the town of Barnstable in Cape Cod, and enhancing access to green space for the broader community. BLT, stewards more than 1250 acres of land in Barnstable, and is always on the lookout for new opportunities. I'm proud to have served as a board member for the Barnstable Land Trust since 2022 as well as having been a regular donor going back more than 15 years. I love helping keep Cape Cod beautiful for generations to come. You can learn more about their work at B, l, t.org,
and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To find out more about their work, visit: www.blt.org.
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-161-elij…de-the-classroom/
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Tobey Weintraub Collins pursued a master's degree in international relations at Georgetown, where she met her husband who joined the US Foreign Service. Tobey worked in project finance in Brazil and Venezuela, focusing on energy projects, and later worked for AES Corp in the US and Chile.
She eventually moved back to the US and has been at Astris for the past 13 years, specializing in energy and infrastructure investment banking.
Life in Venezuela
Tobey describes Venezuela in 2000-2001 as relatively normal, with the US still influential, and her work focused on Central America and the Caribbean. She notes that Caracas was a pleasant place to live, though it was quieter compared to Sao Paulo, Brazil. Tobey reflects on the changes in Venezuela since then, expressing optimism for the future despite the current challenges. She shares a personal story about her son being born in Venezuela and the family's eventual move back to the US.
Venezuela Under Chavez
The conversation turns to Chavez's administration and the reforms he implemented. Tobey recalls the acquisition of the largest electricity distribution company in Venezuela by AES during her time in Venezuela. She acknowledges Chavez's initial leftist leanings but notes that he later became more radical. Tobey shares a story about a deal she worked on in Guatemala, helping to refinance a company's debt. She explains the due diligence process, the importance of understanding business risks, and the role of rating agencies in structuring deals.
Working at AES
Tobey talks about her time at AES and the types of deals she worked on. She joined AES during a critical period when the company narrowly avoided bankruptcy and needed to restructure its debt. She worked on restructuring debt facilities in Latin America, including in Brazil, and later became the CFO of AES's business in Chile. Tobey describes a notable transaction in Chile involving twin bonds to refinance transmission lines, which was innovative at the time. She highlights the importance of client relationships in the investment banking industry.
Working in the Battery Storage Sector
When asked about her current role at Astris and recent deals she has found exciting, Tobey explains that her focus has shifted more to the US and Canada, particularly in the battery storage sector. She describes working with a client to bid on a long-term contract for battery projects in Ontario, which they won. Tobey discusses the challenges and opportunities in the battery storage market, including the need for reliable electricity supply. She mentions the importance of data centers and the challenges they face in securing enough energy generation capacity.
The Demand for Electricity in the US
Tobey explains that electricity demand in the US is expected to grow, necessitating more generation capacity. She discusses the role of traditional sources like gas-fired power plants and new technologies like small modular reactors and geothermal energy. Tobey highlights the importance of transmission lines and energy storage solutions to address the demand. She notes the need for investment and innovation to meet the growing demand for electricity.
A Love of Latin American Cuisine
Tobey praises the food in Mexico City, Lima, and Brazil, highlighting the regional variations and delicious dishes. She shares her love for cooking and her hobby of trying new cuisines. Tobey recounts recent travel experiences, including a trip to Morocco and Japan, and the cultural and culinary highlights of these destinations. She emphasizes the importance of traveling to new places and having new experiences.
Harvard Reflections
Tobey credits her close friendships with women from Harvard as the most lasting gift from her time there. She mentions a professor, Stephan Haggard, who taught political economy and had a significant influence on her career. Tobey reflects on the intersection of business and politics in her work, particularly in Latin America. She highlights the importance of maintaining connections with friends and colleagues from Harvard.
Timestamps:
03:47: Life in Venezuela During the Chavez Era
05:28: Challenges and Opportunities in Venezuela
09:15: Tobey's Role at AES and Notable Transactions
16:11: Current Focus and Recent Deals at Astris
18:52: Insights on Data Centers and US Electricity Demand
25:57: Favorite Cuisines and Travel Experiences
33:16: Impact of Harvard and Lasting Connections
Links:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobey-s-collins-2208951/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's is brought to you by Kristen Hunter who reports:
"Hi. I'm Kristen Hunter, Class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is project Reap. Project Reap, the real estate Associate Program advances diversity, equity and inclusion in commercial real estate by providing industry education, training and connections to underrepresented professionals. I'm privileged to serve as an advisor to Project Reap, which continues to transform the talent pipeline under the dynamic leadership of its executive director, Tanisha Nash Laird. You can learn more and support their work at Project Reap. That's project R, E, A, p.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To find out more about their work, visit: www.ProjectReap.org.
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/?post_type=podcast&p=1904&preview=true
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Josh Morgerman describes his initial move to LA to work in the movie industry, which didn't work out. He then started a web design company called Symblaze in the late 90s, which survived the dot-com crash by expanding to Eastern Europe and working with Russia and Eastern Bloc countries while living in Prague. Josh shares his dual passion for weather and advertising, leading to a career as a hurricane chaser while still running Symblaze.
A Pivotal Moment in the Philippines
Josh explains his obsession with violent weather and how he started hunting hurricanes more aggressively and frequently in his 30s. He was also working in the corporate world, still running his company. He led two parallel existences of a brand and advertising consultant, working as a strategist and creative director in his company, and also hunting hurricanes and typhoons around the world and collecting data. He describes a pivotal moment in the Philippines where his hurricane chasing career collided with his corporate life. Josh details his experience in the Philippines during a terrifying typhoon that left thousands dead. Surrounded by desperate people in the water, he jumped in to help rescue people, an act which was captured on video and broadcast on news outlets all around the world, including CNN. He discusses how his two careers coexisted and how he eventually moved to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to continue both.
At the Center of the Hurricane
Josh explains the process of hurricane chasing, focusing on collecting data from the calm center of the storm, which, he explains, is rich in data. He describes the adrenaline rush of being inside a hurricane and how it became a professional sport for him. Josh shares his experience of chasing Melissa, a category five hurricane in Jamaica, and the challenges he faced. He discusses the importance of data collection for scientists and how it helps in post-analysis of hurricanes. Josh describes the essential items in his hurricane go-bag, emphasizing portability and durability. He explains the importance of water and protein bars for sustenance during chases. Josh details the dangerous aspects of hurricane chasing, including the violent winds and flying debris. He shares his experience of being in the eye of a hurricane and the unique calm it brings.
The Storm Chasing Community
Josh discusses the storm chasing community, including tornado chasers and the cultural differences between them. He describes the competitive nature of hurricane chasing and his position as the world's leading hurricane chaser. Josh mentions the growing presence of women in the storm chasing community and the Instagram community called Girls Who Chase. He explains the versatility of storm chasers, who often cover various extreme weather events for media outlets.
Hurricane Chasing Technology
Josh explains the use of computer models to predict hurricane paths and intensities.
He describes the process of monitoring these models every six hours to stay updated on potential storms. Josh discusses the importance of knowing which storms to chase and which to avoid, and how to prepare for potentially dangerous and unexpected crises. He shares his experience of traveling to remote locations and the logistical challenges involved.
International Storm Chasing
Josh describes the process of booking flights and accommodations for international storm chases. He shares his experience of adapting to unexpected situations and the importance of staying calm.
Josh discusses the challenges of chasing storms in different cultures and the varying levels of police enforcement, and how he deals with these situations. He specifically mentions the stringent rules in Western Australia, and explains the role of his media credentials in gaining access to storm-affected areas.
Media and the Hurricane Man
Josh talks about his career as a paid storm chaser and his work with various media outlets. He mentions his involvement in reality series like Hurricane Man and his role as a brand ambassador for hurricane-resistant products. Josh discusses the financial aspects of his career and how it supports his storm chasing activities. He shares his experience of promoting brands like James Hardie and their hurricane-resistant products.
Measuring Hurricane Behavior
Josh explains the significance of measuring air pressure in the eye of a hurricane. He describes the role of his data in post-analysis by the National Hurricane Center. Josh shares his experience of chasing Melissa in Jamaica and the importance of accurate data collection. He discusses the broader impact of his data on understanding hurricane intensity and behavior. Josh reflects on his early interest in weather and how it influenced his career.
He shares his experience of chasing his first hurricane, Hurricane Bob, and the primitive methods used at the time. Josh discusses the cultural experiences he's had through storm chasing and how it has broadened his perspective.
Harvard Reflections
He mentions the influence of his Harvard education, particularly in Cold War foreign policy, on his current analysis of global threats. He mentions how his education introduced him to political cycles through history, and how principles learned he finds applicable today. He mentions professor Ernest May in the Department of History, who was a proponent of historical analogy and talked about the limitations of making aggressive comparisons. Josh still refers to his wisdom in his analysis of what's going on in the world.
Timestamps:
03:02: The Dual Life of a Hurricane Chaser
05:16: The Science and Thrill of Hurricane Chasing
06:51: Preparation and Equipment for Hurricane Chasing
09:16: The Community and Culture of Storm Chasing
15:34: The Role of Technology in Hurricane Chasing
19:33: The Practicalities of International Storm Chasing
19:51: The Business and Media Side of Hurricane Chasing
40:35: The Importance of Data Collection in Hurricane Research
41:07: Personal Reflections and Historical Connections
Links:
Social media:
https://www.facebook.com/iCyclone/
https://x.com/iCyclone
https://www.instagram.com/icyclone1/
https://www.youtube.com/icyclone
Websites:
As a stormchaser: https://www.icyclone.com/
As an ad man: https://www.symblaze.com/
This episode on The 92 Report:
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's is brought to you by Kristen Hunter who reports:
Hi. I'm Kristen Hunter, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is the Goldie Initiative. The Goldie Initiative empowers women to become real estate industry leaders by providing scholarships, mentorship and professional development designed to cultivate future executives across the real estate sector. I'm honored to serve as a member of the Goldie Initiative's Boston Executive Advisory Council, supporting an organization that has transformed the professional trajectories of a number of our Harvard real estate students. You can learn more and support their mission at Goldie initiative. That's G, o, l, D, I, E, initiative.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/?post_type=podcast&p=1897&preview=true
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Allain Roy shares that he left Harvard to become a professional hockey player, signing his first NHL contract out of college. He recalls winning the national championship in 1989 and the team's tradition of reuniting every 10 years. Al mentions attending Coach Clear's 90th birthday celebration and running into former teammates, Tim Burke, Kevin Sneddon, Rich DeFreitas, Brian McCormack and Greg Hess, along with Chuck Hughes at Harvard games.
Participating in the 1994 Olympics
Al discusses turning down an offer to play in Moscow before graduation and signing with the Winnipeg Jets. He played for the Canadian national team in the 1993-1994 season, traveling the world and participating in the 1994 Olympics. Al describes his experience at the Olympics, including the silver medal loss to Sweden in a shootout. He explains his decision to move on from professional hockey after a player strike and his involvement in various businesses with his ex-father-in-law.
Working for the NHL
Al talks about missing the game of hockey and deciding to get back into the sport either as a front office executive or an agent. He met Dennis Polanich, an agent, during an alumni game, leading to his purchase of a small agency in 2000. Al grew the agency into RSG Hockey and became an NHL certified agent for 26 years. He explains the services his firm provides, emphasizing the importance of hockey expertise and personalized services.
The Success of the NRX Hockey Model
Al details the services offered by RSG Hockey, including tax advice, estate planning, investment management, and concierge services. He discusses the NRX Hockey platform, which provides holistic solutions for athletes outside of contract negotiations and endorsements. Al explains the integration of North Rock Partners' services into the NRX Hockey platform to create a comprehensive system for athletes. He highlights the success of the NRX Hockey model and its potential to expand to other sports.
Financial Challenges Faced by Professional Athletes
Al addresses the financial challenges faced by professional athletes, emphasizing the importance of financial literacy and pro habits. He provides an example of an average NHL salary and the need for athletes to plan for their post-career financial stability. Al explains the role of his firm in helping athletes manage their finances, including reviewing cash flow statements and planning for retirement. He discusses the psychological and emotional challenges of retirement for athletes and the importance of planning ahead.
Culture Fit and Team Work
Al talks about the importance of culture fit and teamwork in his firm, moving away from a traditional compensation system to a team-based approach. He describes the growth of his agency from two employees to nearly 20 in North America, with partners in Europe. Al emphasizes the need for deep hockey knowledge among his employees to better serve clients.
He highlights the benefits of a team-oriented culture, including regular team calls and constant communication.
The Impact of NIL Legislation
Al discusses the impact of the National Image and Likeness (NIL) legislation on college sports, turning it into a de facto professional league. He explains the challenges of the open portal system, allowing athletes to switch schools without penalties. Al also talks about pay-to-play schemes and the need for better governance of NIL deals.
He describes the role of his firm in advising athletes on fair market value and potential pitfalls in NIL contracts.
Addressing Stigma and Anxiety
Al shares his enjoyment of returning to campus, including attending Harvard-Dartmouth games and visiting Pinocchio's pizza. He mentions his two children, both graduates of TCU, and his workaholic lifestyle, including traveling for the Olympics. Al discusses his firm's mental health initiative, addressing the stigma and anxiety faced by athletes. He emphasizes the importance of mental health conversations and support for athletes transitioning to post-career life.
Harvard Reflections
Al reflects on his favorite classes at Harvard, including astronomy with Dr. Latham and Dr. Gingrich, and the History of Genocide. He shares the impact of hearing personal stories from professors who lived through significant historical events, including working on The Manhattan Project, and guest speakers who worked on the first atomic bomb and saw the testing, and from a former concentration camp prisoner who testified at Nuremberg trials. Al appreciates the passion and unique experiences of his professors, which made their classes memorable. He also mentions the excitement of attending classes by notable figures like Spike Lee.
Timestamps:
00:02: Journey from Harvard to Professional Hockey
01:10: Early Professional Hockey Career
04:37: Transition to Agency Work
06:41: RSG Hockey Services and NRX Hockey Platform
11:18: Financial Management for Athletes
32:20: Building a Team Culture
36:30: Impact of NIL on College Sports
40:21: Personal Reflections and Mental Health Initiatives
43:23: Memorable Harvard Classes
Links:
RSG Hockey: https://rsghockey.com/
Northrock: https://www.northrock-x.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's is brought to you by Bill Cheng who reports:
"Hi. I'm Bill Cheng, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Team Rubicon. Team Rubicon is a veteran led organization that provides disaster aid all around the world. It was started in 2010 by a Marine veteran who is spurred by the devastation of the Haiti earthquake to bring a team of seven for hands-on support, and has since grown to become a major global relief organization. I first learned about it from my best friend who served in the Army and have donated annually in his honor. You can learn more about their work at Team Rubicon usa.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work, visit: TeamRubiconUSA.org.
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/?post_type=podcast&p=1893&preview=true
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Noah Feldman, Harvard Law professor, author, and ethical advisor talks about his career in constitutional law and his experiences in Iraq and Tunisia, sharing stories from his time guiding, and in some cases, establishing, the law of countries in turmoil or collapse. He also talks about the themes explored in his books and current pursuits.
Real World Projects in Constitutional Law
Noah describes his academic journey, starting from his early love for school and his decision to pursue academia full-time, with brief interruptions for real-world projects. He shares his experiences as a law clerk for the late Justice David Souter and his role as the senior constitutional advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq. Noah discusses his involvement in drafting the Iraqi constitution, starting from scratch, and the unique opportunity it provided to apply his academic knowledge in a real-world scenario. He recounts his work in Tunisia after the Arab Spring, advising the Constituent Assembly on constitutional design.
Oversight on Facebook
After writing his book about James Madison, Noah's next step was unexpected involvement with Facebook's Oversight Board, which was inspired by a conversation with Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg. He was in California giving a talk at Stanford. He was thinking about writing a book on free speech in the era of social media. He explained to Sheryl how he had the idea that Facebook would benefit from having a kind of private Supreme Court. And the idea was that all of the companies privately made content moderation decisions could actually be made in a more public and transparent way, according to principles and the doing so would add to the legitimacy of their decision-making process. She loved the idea and introduced him to Mark Zuckerberg, and the outcome was the Oversight Board. Noah explains his ongoing work advising tech companies on governance issues and the complexities of balancing free expression and ethics in the tech industry.
A Sideline in Journalism and a Focus on Writing
Noah mentions his sideline in journalism, starting with a recommendation from Michael Ignatieff to write for the New York Times. He shares his experience of writing for Bloomberg's opinion section for over a decade. Noah talks about his podcast, Deep Background, which he hosted for three years, and his plans to relaunch it in a slightly different format. He discusses his current book project, The Importance of Being Human, which explores the value of human relationships in the age of AI and technology. Noah elaborates on his book project, focusing on the importance of human relationships in various aspects of life, including work, family, and politics. He expresses his open-mindedness about the potential value of romantic relationships with AI, despite initially holding a different view.
Following a Theme of Constitutions
When asked about his book choices, Noah explains his organizing theme of constitutions, focusing on Middle Eastern and US constitutional history. Noah outlines his planned book series on the history of the US Constitution, emphasizing the narrative throughline of the people who shaped it. He shares his experiences in Iraq, describing the chaotic and disorganized environment he encountered and the challenges of creating a functioning legal system in the midst of civil disorder. He shares the biggest lesson learned, the importance of order and law, arguing that without de facto control on the ground, it is difficult to establish a functioning legal or constitutional system. He also talks about how militias were formed. Noah discusses his work in Tunisia, highlighting the successful transition to democracy and the role of Islamist political parties in the democratic process. He reflects on the importance of norms and conventions in maintaining a functional constitutional system, using the example of Tunisia's failed Constitutional Court.
Norms and Conventions in Maintaining a Constitutional System
Noah emphasizes the significance of norms and conventions in the functioning of institutions, including legal systems and constitutional orders. He discusses the role of norms in the US constitutional system, using the example of the impeachment of Donald Trump to illustrate how norms can be changed by actions that challenge them. Noah reflects on the importance of understanding and respecting norms and conventions in maintaining the integrity of legal and constitutional systems. He highlights the need for clear and effective checks and balances to prevent the abuse of power and ensure the rule of law.
The Importance of Family
Noah shares details about his personal life, including his recent marriage to Julia Allison and his two children, Jamin and Mina, who are pursuing careers in the arts. He describes his relationship with his ex-wife, Jeannie Suk Gerson, and her husband, Jake Gerson, and how they maintain a good working relationship despite being colleagues.Noah reflects on the importance of family and personal relationships in his life, noting the support and encouragement he receives from his family.
Harvard Reflections
Noah reminisces about his time at Harvard, highlighting the impact of his mentors and the courses he took. He talks about his mentorship with Robert Nozick and the influence of his work on his current thinking, medieval Islamic and Jewish Studies and his professors there Isadore Turski, Bernard Septimus, and Mohsen Madi. he also mentions Richard Primus, Constitutional Law with H.W. Perry. Noah discusses his involvement with the Program on Jewish and Israeli Law at Harvard Law School and the importance of medieval Jewish and Islamic Studies in his work. He reflects on the value of response papers in developing his skills as a journalist and opinion writer.
Timestamps:
03:58: Involvement in Real-World Projects
07:52 Journalism and Media Engagement
13:07: Research and Personal Insights
23:51: Lessons from Iraq and Tunisia
37:46: Impact of Norms and Conventions
42:04: Personal Life and Family
45:08: Influences and Mentorship
Links:
Website: https://www.noahfeldman.com/
Email: noah_feldman@harvard.edu
@professornoahfeldman
Linktree
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Anastasia Fernand who reports:
"Hi. I'm Anastasia Fernand, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of the 1992 report is the Rebecca H. Rhodes African Inclusive Literacy Research prize. The African inclusive literacy Research Fund supports African scholars and practitioners undertaking research to identify the best ways of helping children with disabilities become literate as a critical step in reaching their full potential. Rebecca was my roommate throughout college and a member of our class of 1992 Rebecca spent her career proving that every child can learn. Let's make sure her prize keeps proving it for generations to come. And now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.adeanet.org
Show Notes
Ted Caplow graduated with a degree in social science and has had a career in engineering and entrepreneurship. He describes his initial interest in science and his experience with physics at Harvard, which he found challenging. Ted shares his interest in humanities, particularly theater, and his involvement in various theater activities at Harvard. He discusses his consideration of theater conservatory programs and urban planning after graduation.
Joining the Peace Corps and Sailing across the Atlantic
Ted recounts his application to the Peace Corps and the unexpected technical fields he was qualified for, which were teaching English or beekeeping. This led him to reconsider his career path. He describes his sailing adventure across the Atlantic Ocean with his family and friends. They left shortly after graduation and the trip lasted six months. They stopped in the Azores for a couple of weeks, onto Gibraltar and Spain, through the Mediterranean. They stopped in Sardinia and stayed in Malta for a month; they sailed to Greece, the islands and Cyprus where they stopped and decided whether to continue around the world or go back to real life.
Returning to New York and the Theater Industry
Ted returned and went to New York where he joined the theater industry, working on production and starting his own theatrical company. Ted talks about his involvement in the theater industry, including producing interdisciplinary performances and meeting his first wife through a mutual friend. He describes his transition from theater to entrepreneurship. He started his own company and a non-profit theater company. This lasted a few years before Ted felt he should focus on a more technical field and he discusses the separation between creative pursuits and technical professions. Ultimately, he decided to pursue urban planning and his interest in sustainable development.
A Shift to Engineering
Ted shares his experience at Princeton and Columbia, where he pursued a PhD in engineering, despite initial doubts about his qualifications. He reflects on the challenges and rewards of his academic journey, including the intense environment at Princeton and the decision to pursue a master's degree instead of a PhD. He wrote his masters' thesis on solar power. Moving on from academia, Ted's next job was with a yacht designer. He then ran his friend's restaurant for two years before going back to school and earning his PhD. in engineering at Columbia in 2004.
The Development of the Science Barge
Ted explains his idea to create a sustainable technology laboratory in the Bahamas, why he became interested in hydroponics, and why he didn't go to the Bahamas. He explains how the original idea evolved into the Science Barge in the Hudson River. The Science Barge was a hydroponic greenhouse with solar panels, wind power, and aquaponics, designed to educate schoolchildren about sustainable technologies such as recycling the waste water. Ted discusses the challenges of moving the barge every two months and the decision to find a permanent home for it in Yonkers, and how this venture inspired the SunWork Center project.
Sustainable Development Success Stories
He highlights the success of the SunWork Center, a greenhouse on the rooftop of PS 333 in Manhattan, and the expansion of New York SunWorks to over 300 schools. Ted describes the development of Bright Farms, a commercial company that grew local produce in greenhouses on top of grocery stores. He shares the challenges and successes of Bright Farms, including partnerships with major retailers and the acquisition by Cox Enterprises. Ted reflects on the importance of sustainable design and the impact of his work on the food industry. He discusses the evolution of his design firm, Caplow Manzano, and its focus on creating durable, resilient homes that prioritize human health and environmental sustainability.
Technological Innovation in Building
Ted talks about his personal journey and the diverse skills he has developed over the years. He reflects on the importance of technological innovation, the role of engineering in his work, and the difficulty of navigating and innovating around all the components of building houses. Ted shares his plans for expanding his design firm's impact and the potential for scaling sustainable design solutions.
Harvard Reflections
He expresses gratitude for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped his career and looks forward to continuing his work in sustainable design and education. He mentions E.O. Wilson for Evolutionary Biology as an incredible talent and researcher in that field. He also mentions a poetry class with Seamus Heaney. He also mentions a class on China and one on Africa that he found inspiring and eye opening, and taking classes on Shakespeare from actors in the repertory theater.
Timestamps:
04:26: Exploring Career Paths
15:45: Entrepreneurial Ventures and Personal Life
31:56: The Science Barge and Educational Initiatives
48:06: Commercial Ventures and Bright Farms
55:37: Personal Reflections and Future Plans
Links:
Caplow Manzano: https://www.caplowmanzano.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caplow/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Kristen Hunter who reports:
"Hi, I'm Kristen Hunter, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Habitat for Humanity, Greater Boston. Habitat for Humanity, Greater Boston works in partnership with families in need to build decent, affordable homes that strengthen communities, expanding access to home ownership for low income households, I'm proud to support the work of Habitat for Humanity, Greater Boston, whose CEO, James Costars, a longtime mentor, colleague and friend, has brought visionary leadership to their mission. You can learn more and support their work at habitatboston.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work, visit: habitatboston.org
*AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Lloyd opens the conversation by talking about the infinite opportunities at Harvard and encourages incoming freshmen to make the most of their time there. Lloyd shares his initial plan to study pre-med but also pursued fine arts, specifically architecture, and theater work. He mentions meeting Professor James Stilgoe at the Graduate School of Design, which opened his eyes to opportunities beyond STEM.
From Cornell to New York City
Lloyd discusses his decision to attend Cornell and his subsequent move to New York City. He had two job offers: working at Disney or a consulting firm, but chose the consulting firm due to financial needs. Lloyd worked for a boutique workout restructuring organization in New York City and later joined Starwood Capital Group. He was asked to open the London office for Starwood Capital Group in 2001, combining his interests in architecture, finance, and real estate. He honed his skills as an investment guy over the next few years before moving into entrepreneurship.
Founding Yoo Capital
In 2010, Lloyd and his business partner founded Yoo Capital, focusing on real estate private equity. The firm aimed to be responsible and institutional in their investments, creating global iconic destinations in London. Yoo Capital has invested in various sectors, including live theaters, film and television studios, music arenas, hotels, and restaurants. The firm has also created incubator spaces for startups and supports educational programs at Imperial College London and other institutions.
About Yoo Capital
Yoo Capital has committed to contributing 50% of all housing built in central London to government affordable housing. The firm has partnerships with major names in hospitality, food, beverage, music, and entertainment. Yoo Capital's investments are considered strategic to the national interest and socially responsible. The firm ensures accessibility in their destinations, ranging from affordable to high-end options.
Professional and Personal Goals
Lloyd shares his practice of journaling since 1997, mapping out his personal and professional goals. He contributes the success of his journey to education, skills learned, and opportunity to his passions professionally. He and his wife have created an ethos to build opportunities and contribute to social value that they have impressed upon their children. Lloyd discusses the importance of setting targets and reviewing progress regularly. He emphasizes the significance of maintaining a work-life balance and involving his family in the planning process, and he explains his setting targets and weekly review process.
Challenges of Brexit and COVID-19
Lloyd recounts the challenges faced during the Brexit vote and the COVID-19 pandemic. He explains the firm's strategy of being prudent and risk-averse, often forward-selling properties to secure investments. Lloyd shares a story about forward-selling and transforming a million square feet of residential property during the recession. Lloyd describes many of the exciting rejuvenation projects that invest in both the buildings and benefit the community with housing, entertainment, art, and businesses. The firm's approach has allowed them to weather economic storms and continue growing. Lloyd also mentions what he has learned from working with theatres.
Harvard Reflections
Lloyd credits Professors James Stilgoe and Harvey Cox as influential figures in his life. He discusses how Professor Stilgoe's course on the History of the American Built Environment broadened his perspective. Lloyd appreciates Professor Cox's course on Jesus in the world, which reinforced his Christian beliefs. Both professors' teachings have shaped Lloyd's approach to business and personal life.
Guiding Beliefs at Work
Lloyd explains how his Christian beliefs guide his professional decisions and the firm's ethos. He emphasizes the importance of humility and collaboration with world-class partners. Lloyd shares how the firm's investments are rooted in creating socially responsible and accessible destinations. He highlights the significance of maintaining a moral fiber in all business dealings. Lloyd discusses the firm's future plans, including expanding their investments in central London. He mentions ongoing projects like the Camden Film Quarter and the transformation of Olympia. The firm aims to continue creating iconic destinations that are both financially successful and socially responsible. Lloyd expresses his gratitude for the opportunities and challenges that have shaped his journey.
Timestamps:
04:22: Transition from Harvard to Early Career
08:53: Social Responsibility and Strategic Partnerships
12:15: Personal and Professional Growth
21:54: The Weekly Review Process
24:22: Founding Yoo Capital
32:19: Understanding the Theatre Business
43:06: Influence of Harvard Professors
Links:
Yoo Capital: https://yoocapital.com/
Olympia: https://www.olympia.co.uk/
Camden Film Quarter: https://www.camdenfilmquarter.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Elijah Aron who reports:
"Hi. I'm Elijah Aron, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is Earth Justice. Basically, it's an organization of lawyers who protect the planet. I like to give money to environmental causes, but I don't always understand what a lot of these big green nonprofits are actually doing with my money. But Earth justice, I totally understand. They fight court cases against corporations and sometimes the federal government on the side of the earth. You can learn more about their work@earthjustice.org Now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.earthjustice.org.
*Show notes and transcript are AI generated.
Show Notes:
Trisha Pérez Kennealy describes her initial stint in New York in commercial banking, followed by investment banking and studying to become a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in London, where she lived for three years. She moved back to the United States, settling in Lexington. She has three children and while they were little, she was active in town meetings, became a town official, and advocated for public education.
In 2010, Trisha bought a property near the Battle Green in Lexington and converted it into a luxury hotel with 22 guest rooms and a restaurant. It opened in 2014 and has since received four stars from Forbes and earned Michelin Keys status. Trisha still runs the inn today.
An Entrepreneurial Spirit
Trisha shares that she always knew she would be an entrepreneur, influenced by her Puerto Rican heritage and her father's business. She ran the dance and theater program for Cambridge City School kids during her undergrad years, which was an entrepreneurial endeavor. Trisha admired successful businesspeople who transitioned to public service and felt that her banking experience would be an asset to any entrepreneurial venture. She talks about how her background and family influenced her love of cooking. She emphasizes the importance of cooking and is a firm believer that food is medicine. She also emphasizes the importance of "breaking bread" as a strong element of building a successful and supportive community.
Creative Pursuits and Community Building in the Kitchen
Trisha talks about how her background and family influenced her love of cooking. She emphasizes the importance of cooking and is a firm believer that food is medicine. She also emphasizes the importance of "breaking bread" as a strong element of building a successful and supportive community. Her passion for cooking, developed from a young age, led her to pursue professional chef training at Le Cordon Bleu. Trisha explains that her training at Le Cordon Bleu was technical and applicable to various culinary traditions, not just French cuisine. She talks about finding the best ingredients and how to do as little as possible to the ingredients, and the importance of technique. She explains how she is influenced by her passion for agriculture and local products.
Running a Luxury Inn
Trisha describes the Inn at Hastings Park, highlighting its focus on American design aesthetic and high-touch service and the lengths she went to in the design and decor. The restaurant menu is developed with a focus on New England cuisine and offers a well-curated dessert menu. Trisha describes featured items on the menu and discusses the challenges of running a small luxury inn, including the tech-intensive nature of the business and the importance of data management. She emphasizes the value of hiring well-trained staff and being willing to learn and get hands-on with various tasks. Trisha mentions she was surprised to find that it's easier to run a larger property due to fixed costs, but smaller properties offer more personalized service. She highlights the importance of personalization and making guests feel seen and valued, and explains how they have supported long-stay guests during challenging times like medical treatments or family emergencies.
Accolades for the Inn
Trisha talks about the impact of receiving a Michelin Key, which brought significant press coverage and increased visibility. She shares her passion for teaching people how to cook through social media, which has led to meaningful interactions with her followers. Trisha describes the importance of making cooking approachable and encouraging people to experiment with recipes. She mentions the success of her social media content, including videos and reels, which have reached a wide audience.
The Value of Serving in Public Office
Trisha reflects on her role as the Senior Class Gift Chair, which fostered lifelong friendships and a deep commitment to giving back to Harvard. She discusses her involvement in various alumni activities, including serving on the Dean's Advisory Council for the Radcliffe Institute. Trisha shares her experience as a representative for town meetings in Lexington, where she worked on appropriations for the municipality and schools including, zoning policy, and capital expenditures. She emphasizes the importance of civic engagement and the value of serving in public office to bring new perspectives and ideas.
Historical Preservation and Community Engagement
Trisha highlights her work on the town's Tourism Committee, which led to the construction of a new visitor center in Lexington. She describes the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which was celebrated with significant events and community involvement. Trisha shares her pride in preserving the tradition of hospitality in Lexington through the Inn at Hastings Park. She reflects on the importance of historical preservation and community engagement in her work.
Harvard Reflections
Trisha discusses the impact of the Constitutional Law course with HW Perry, which taught her to explore both sides of an argument and think rigorously. She mentions her admiration for Michael Sandel, who encouraged critical thinking and the exploration of ethical questions. Trisha emphasizes the importance of learning how to think and express opinions at Harvard, which has been valuable in her professional and personal life. She reflects on the broader impact of her Harvard education, which fostered a lifelong commitment to learning and service.
Timestamps:
02:46: Entrepreneurial Spirit and Early Influences
09:24: Transition from Banking to Culinary Arts
18:00: Challenges and Lessons in Running a Luxury Inn
25:48: Impact of Michelin Key and Social Media Engagement
29:29: Role as Senior Class Gift Chair and Town Meeting Member
36:05: Significant Projects and Achievements
39:17: Influence of Harvard Courses and Professors
Links:
Trisha's Instagram: @trishaperezkennealy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trishaperezkennealy/
The Inn at Hastings Park: https://www.innathastingspark.com/
Town Meeting Bistro: https://www.innathastingspark.com/dine/town-meeting-bistro/
Hotel Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/innhastingspark/
Featured Non-profit:
This week's featured non-profit is brought to you by Somava Saha who reports:
" Hi. I'm Somava Saha, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Well being and Equity in the World, or We in the World. We in the World works to create a more just and abundant future for everybody by unleashing the power and possibility of communities experiencing poverty over the last five years. As founder and CEO, I've gotten to watch over 11,572 jobs created in communities that are experiencing the greatest harm, and watched as those leaders then went on to restore 195,000 years of life for birthdays in those communities, supported a million and a half of their neighbors to be safe and well in the pandemic and restored that at a 30 to one return in investment, far better than would have been possible had somebody else come in to rescue them. In this time that work is needed more than ever. Please come and learn more about us at Well being and Equity in the World or We in the World. That's W, E, I N, T, H, E, W, O, R, L, d.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: https://weintheworld.org/
*Show notes and transcript are AI generated.
Rana Dershowitz went straight to Harvard Law School after graduating in 1992, partly due to the economy and her love for learning. She describes her experience at Harvard Law School, including her role as a law school "old timer" in Cambridge. After law school, Rana moved back to New York and started working on Wall Street, initially hating the big law environment but appreciating the people she worked with.
Entertainment Law at Madison Square Garden and onto Sports Law
Rana discusses her career counselor's advice to explore sports law, which she had overlooked despite her involvement in sports and technical theater at Harvard. She took a six-month leave of absence and was offered a job in sports law the day she started her leave. Rana worked in entertainment law at Madison Square Garden (MSG) from 2001 to 2007, handling legal work for the Knicks, Rangers, and the WNBA's New York Liberty. She met her future husband during this time and moved to Colorado in 2007, where she continued her legal career.
Joining the US Olympic Committee and Life in Colorado
Rana joined the US Olympic Committee (USOC) as Deputy General Counsel in 2007, becoming interim General Counsel and then General Counsel and Head of Government Affairs. She describes the challenges of commuting between Colorado Springs and Denver, with her husband working in Bould, while managing her job and family life. Rana and her husband moved to Basalt, Colorado, in 2011, where she continued her legal work, joined the Aspen skiing company, and became involved in the Aspen community. She transitioned to a part-time role at Aspen Skiing Company while working as Phil Weiser's policy director for his gubernatorial campaign.
Challenges and Opportunities at the US Olympic Committee
Rana explains the unique structure of the USOC, which is federally chartered and subject to congressional oversight, unlike most Olympic committees. She discusses the complexities of funding and intellectual property rights, including the USOC's unique trademark rights. Rana highlights her work on safe sport initiatives and the challenges of managing independent national governing bodies for various sports. She reflects on the legal and operational complexities of hosting Olympic Games in the United States and the international dynamics involved.
Working at Madison Square Garden and New York Liberty
Rana shares a story that reflects her personal connection to Madison Square Garden. She describes the structure of MSG, which owns the building, the Knicks, the Rangers, and the Liberty, and her role in handling sponsorships and league rules. Rana recounts her involvement in the New York Liberty's WNBA finals run in 1999, feeling proud to be part of the team's success. She also discusses her role in managing entertainment acts during team sports events at MSG and shares a few of her proudest moments.
Policy Work and Campaign for Phil Weiser
Rana explains her role as Phil Weiser's policy director, focusing on active listening and building a grassroots campaign across Colorado. She outlines key issues the campaign is addressing, including affordability, climate change, water resources, and public lands. Rana emphasizes the importance of bridging urban-rural divides and finding innovative solutions that benefit the entire state. She highlights the campaign's efforts to address youth mental health and promote outdoor activities for children.
Rana's Broader Role at Aspen Skiing Company
Rana discusses her expanded role at Aspen Skiing Company, overseeing sustainability, community engagement, planning and development, and PR.
She describes her transition to leading mountain operations and her current role that spans looking into employee housing and childcare. Rana reflects on the importance of understanding systems and structures beyond legal work, drawing on her experiences at Aspen.
Harvard Reflections
Rana shares her initial reluctance to follow in her family's legal footsteps but eventually being drawn to law by her interest in the "Justice" class. She credits the course for shifting her perspective and leading her to law school. She also mentions auditing the "Thinking about Thinking" class taught by Stephen Jay Gould, Robert Nozick, and Alan Dershowitz, and reflects on the importance of considering different perspectives in policy work and legal decision-making.
Timestamps:
02:26: Transition to Sports Law and Madison Square Garden
05:23: Joining the US Olympic Committee and Family Life in Colorado
13:15: Challenges and Opportunities at the US Olympic Committee
20:38: Experiences at Madison Square Garden and New York Liberty
31:34: Policy Work and Campaign for Phil Weiser
40:33: Rana's Broader Role at Aspen Skiing Company
44:24: Reflections on Harvard
Links:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-dershowitz/
Phil Weiser for Colorado: https://philforcolorado.com/
Aspen One: https://aspen.com/
USOPC: https://www.usopc.org/
Madison Square Gardens: https://www.msg.com/madison-square-garden
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Peter Kang who reports:
"Hi. This is Peter Kang from the class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode is the Greg Marzolf Jr. Muscular Dystrophy Center at the University of Minnesota. We provide cutting edge research and clinical care for children and adults with muscular dystrophy and other neuromuscular disorders. I have been the director of this center since 21 and it has been a privilege to see all the good work that we do to find out more. Please go to M, E, d.umn.edu/md center, or email me at p, k, a, n, g@umn.edu, thanks very much. And enjoy today's podcast."
To learn more about their work, visit: https://med.umn.edu/mdcenter
*AI generated show notes and transcript.
Show Notes:
Eugene Kim shares his post-graduation journey staying in Boston to finish research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute which was part of his thesis and also laid down the groundwork for his own cancer research which he has conducted over the years. He credits his understanding of science to his time at Harvard. He also worked at the now-closed Love the Border Cafe. Eugene reflects on the valuable lessons learned from working at the cafe and describes the unique subculture of the cafe's staff, including the Brazilian kitchen staff and the diverse backgrounds of the waiters and waitresses.
Securing a Position in Research
Eugene talks about his major in biochemical sciences and his interest in molecular biology. He describes how he got involved in research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, working with a researcher named Sam Speck. Eugene details the hands-on experience he gained, including growing bacteria, running gels, and learning the importance of meticulous work, and shares memorable experiences of working there, including biking through snow to continue his research during a Thanksgiving blizzard.
Enrolling in Columbia Medical School
Eugene discusses his decision to attend Columbia Medical School in New York City, influenced by his desire to learn in a bustling city and study at a school that was his top choice. Eugene talks about his four years in medical school, his general surgical training, and working in a cancer research laboratory and developing an interest in pediatric cancer. Eugene recounts his experience during 9/11, including the hospital's response and his involvement in helping first responders at Ground Zero. He reflects on the impact of 9/11 on the New York City community and the long-term health effects on residents.
A Focus on Pediatric Surgery
Eugene explains his transition from adult surgery to pediatric surgery, driven by his desire to help children. He describes his training at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the competitive nature of obtaining a spot in pediatric surgery training. Eugene shares his experience in Houston, Texas, and the importance of mentorship in his career. He discusses the challenges and rewards of being a pediatric surgeon, including the need to specialize in various areas of surgery. Eugene emphasizes the importance of mentorship in his career and his efforts to mentor young surgeons and researchers. He describes the physical and mental demands of long surgeries and the importance of staying physically fit. Eugene discusses the impact of new technologies on pediatric surgery, such as robotic surgery and advanced imaging techniques. He reflects on the importance of remaining open-minded to new technologies and incorporating them into his practice.
Harvard Reflections
Eugene reflects on his time at Harvard, including his interest in art history and Japanese art and history taught by John Rosenfield. He shares his appreciation for the seminar course with Mark Ptashne, which deepened his interest in molecular biology. He also mentions an Introduction to Architecture course with James Ackerman. Eugene discusses the importance of taking courses outside of his major and the impact of these courses on his career. He reflects on the value of the requirements at Harvard and how they broadened his perspective and knowledge.
A Journey into Wine
Eugene shares his interest in wine, including his extensive collection and the impact of the Palisades fire on his collection. He describes his journey into wine, including learning about different regions and types of wine. Eugene recounts a memorable experience of tasting rare wines with the head red wine maker from Penfolds in Australia. He reflects on the importance of balancing professional and personal interests and the joy of sharing his passion for wine with others.
Timestamps:
04:44: Early Research Experience at Harvard
08:13: Medical School and Early Career
18:46: Transition to Pediatric Surgery
40:09: Mentorship and Professional Development
44:03: Personal Interests and Hobbies
51:03: Reflections on Harvard and Beyond
Links:
Hospital website: https://researchers.cedars-sinai.edu/Eugene.KimX/about
Twitter / X: https://x.com/dreskim
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugenekim3/
Show Notes: Jonathan Hughes talks about his career in consulting, starting with an economic consulting firm, Putnam Hayes and Bartlett, in Los Angeles. He mentions his connection back to Harvard through CMI (Conflict Management Inc.) founded by Roger Fisher and Bruce Patton, and his subsequent roles at Vantage Partners and BDO. The Career Path As a Consultant Jonathan describes his role at CMI, focusing on complex negotiations and business partnerships, and his role in helping to start the boutique firm, Vantage Partners where he spent around 25 years as a partner. He later moved over to BDO, a large professional services firm, where he led the Management Consulting practice in the US, and globally.
Working As a Conflict Management ConsultantJonathan discusses his work with CMI, emphasizing the importance of managing conflict constructively and approaching conflict creatively to develop solutions. He shares his experience with a pro bono project for OCHA (Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Assistance) at the UN, focusing on partnerships with the private sector. Jonathan highlights his work with conventional and special forces in the military, including SEALs and Civil Affairs, on negotiation and conflict management training. He explains the challenges of internal and interagency negotiations, as well as those with external parties, in both the military and corporate sector.Influence Training to Special ForcesJonathan elaborates on the influence training provided to special forces, including negotiations with governments and local leaders, partner forces, CIA, and the Department of State.He compares the challenges of internal negotiations within organizations to external negotiations with customer, strategic partners, and suppliers. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of aligning different stakeholders and executives within any organization. He shares an example of a multi-billion dollar negotiation with a state-owned enterprise a global corporation where understanding the other side's perspective was key to coming to an agreement.Unpacking Negotiation TechniquesThe conversation turns to the influence techniques at McKinsey, including role-playing scenarios and tools like legitimacy, logical persuasion, and appealing to friendship.Jonathan discusses the importance of fact-based negotiation and the role of psychology and emotional motivations in influence. He introduces the concept of "calling people to a higher purpose" and the psychological drive for consistency. Jonathan shares a story about a negotiation where challenging the other side's unreasonable demand led to a more fair agreement.Work History SummarizedWhen asked how conflict resolution training has influenced Jonathan's personal life.Jonathan says that he is sometimes better at giving advice than incorporating it himself. Jonathan mentions that he has pursued a breadth of experiences working across life sciences, and biopharma, energy and natural resources, the semiconductor industry, and the intersection of software, financial services, and data and analytics. He mentioned extensive work with Equifax over the last 13 years. Jonathan discusses the balance between competition and collaboration in his strategy work.Creative Pursuits and Cat RescuersJonathan mentions his current focus on figuring out his next steps after leaving BDO and shares his interest in film. He mentions his experience as an executive producer on a documentary called "The Cat Rescuers." Jonathan mentions his love for travel, scuba diving, reading, and writing, including contributions to Harvard Business Review and MIT's Sloan Management Review, focusing on topics ranging from innovation, to supply chain management, to negotiation, influence, and conflict management. Jonathan expresses his interest in finding another film project in the future. He emphasizes the importance of reading philosophy and science books, which continue to influence his thinking.Harvard ReflectionsJonathan mentions his concentration in philosophy and the impact of professors like John Rawls and Stanley Cavell. He highlights a course called Thinking About Thinking taught by Stephen Jay Gould, Alan Dershowitz, and Robert Nozick. Jonathan discusses the relevance of his philosophy education to his career in consulting.He mentions his continued interest in philosophy and science, despite focusing on business in his professional life. Jonathan shares recently read books, including a new translation of The Odyssey and rereading the Earthsea trilogy by Ursula K. Le Guin. He reflects on the theme of human finitude in Le Guin's books and its relevance to current discussions on human immortality and transhumanism. Jonathan expresses mixed feelings about the pursuit of human immortality and the importance of accepting human limitations. He mentions his recent LinkedIn post predicting future trends, including the impact of AI and technology on society.
Timestamps:
02:56: Conflict Management and Pro Bono Work
06:25: Influence Training for Special Forces
11:37: Influence Techniques and Training Methods
22:43: Conflict Resolution in Personal Life
23:44: Professional Evolution and Current Focus
27:28: Personal Interests and Future Plans
29:19: Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
32:48: Favorite Novels and Personal Reflections
Links:
LinkedIn: Jonathan Hughes | LinkedIn
Articles:
What's Your Negotiation Strategy? HBR
Formalize Escalation Procedures to Improve Decision-Making - MIT Sloan Review
Unlearning to Innovate - Ivey Business Journal
Why Influence Is a Two-Way Street - MIT SMR Store
Simple Rules for Making Alliances Work - HBR
Featured Non-profit:
Hi. This is Mark Messenbaugh, class of 1992. Special thanks to Will Bachman for putting this podcast together to keep us all informed of what one another is doing. Great to hear your stories. The featured non-profit for this episode of The 92 Report is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. I worked for BGCA back during the 2000s. It is a life changing organization that brings youth development and safe after school and summer programs to neighborhoods around the country that need it most. Saves Lives, saves communities. I hope you'll take a look at them. You can learn more@www.bgca.org and with that, here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.bgca.org.
AI generated show notes and transcript
Show Notes:
Steve recounts his senior year at Harvard, and how he was torn between pursuing acting and philosophy. He graduated with a dual degree in philosophy and math but also found time to act in theater and participated in 20 shows.
A Love of Theater and a Move to London
Steve explains why the lack of a theater major at Harvard allowed him to explore acting more than a university with a theater major. He touches on his parents' concerns about his career prospects if he pursued acting, and his decision to apply to both acting and philosophy graduate schools. Steve discusses his rejection from all graduate schools and why he decided to move to London with friends Evan Cohn and Brad Rouse. He talks about his experience in London.
Europe on $20 a Day
Steve details his backpacking trip through Europe on a $20 a day budget, staying with friends from Harvard and high school. He mentions a job opportunity in Japan through the Japanese Ministry of Education and describes his three-year stint in Japan, working as a native English speaker for the Japanese Ministry of Education, and being immersed in Japanese culture. He shares his experiences of living in the countryside and reflects on the impact of living in a different culture, learning some Japanese, and making Japanese friends. He discusses the personal growth and self-reflection that came from his time in Japan, including his first steps off the "achiever track."
On to Philosophy Graduate School
When Steve returned to the U.S. he decided to apply to philosophy graduate schools again, this time with more success. He enrolled at the University of Michigan. However, he was miserable during grad school, which led him to seek therapy. Steve credits therapy with helping him make better choices in life. He discusses the competitive and prestigious nature of the Michigan philosophy department and the challenges of finishing his dissertation. He touches on the narrow and competitive aspects of pursuing a career in philosophy and shares his experience of finishing his dissertation and the support he received from a good co-thesis advisor.
Kalamazoo College and Improv
Steve describes his postdoc experience at Kalamazoo College, where he continued his improv hobby and formed his own improv group. He mentions a mockumentary-style improv movie called Comic Evangelists that premiered at the AFI Film Festival. Steve moved to Buffalo, Niagara University, and reflects on the challenges of adjusting to a non-research job. He discusses his continued therapy in Buffalo and the struggle with both societal and his own expectations of professional status, however, with the help of a friend, he came to the realization that he had "made it" in his current circumstances. Steve describes his acting career in Buffalo, including roles in Shakespeare in the Park and collaborating with a classmate, Ian Lithgow.
A Speciality in Philosophy of Science
Steve shares his personal life, including meeting his wife in 2009 and starting a family. He explains his specialty in philosophy of science, focusing on the math and precise questions in analytic philosophy. He discusses his early interest in AI and computational epistemology, including the ethics of AI and the superintelligence worry. Steve describes his involvement in a group that discusses the moral status of digital minds and AI alignment.
Aligning AI with Human Interests
Steve reflects on the challenges of aligning AI with human interests and the potential existential risks of advanced AI. He shares his concerns about the future of AI and the potential for AI to have moral status. He touches on the superintelligence concern and the challenges of aligning AI with human goals. Steve mentions the work of Eliezer Yudkowsky and the importance of governance and alignment in AI development. He reflects on the broader implications of AI for humanity and the need for careful consideration of long-term risks.
Harvard Reflections
Steve mentions Math 45 and how it kicked his butt, and his core classes included jazz, an acting class and clown improv with Jay Nichols.
Timestamps:
01:43: Dilemma Between Acting and Philosophy
03:44: Rejection and Move to London
07:09: Life in Japan and Cultural Insights
12:19: Return to Academia and Grad School Challenges
20:09: Therapy and Personal Growth
22:06: Transition to Buffalo and Philosophy Career
26:54: Philosophy of Science and AI Ethics
33:20: Future Concerns and AI Predictions
55:17: Reflections on Career and Personal Growth
Links:
Steve's Website: https://stevepetersen.net/
On AI Superintelligence:
- If Anyone Builds it, Everyone Dies
- Superintelligence
- The Alignment Problem
Some places to donate:
- The Long-Term Future Fund
- Open Philanthropy
On improv
- Impro
- Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Rich Buery who reports:
"Hi, I'm Rich Buery, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is imentor. imentor is a powerful youth mentoring organization that connects volunteers with high school students and prepares them on the path to and through college. Mentors stay with the students through the last two years of high school and on the beginning of their college journey. I helped found imentor over 25 years ago and served as its founding executive director, and I am proud that over the last two decades, I've remained on the board of directors. It's truly a great organization. They need donors and they need volunteers. You can learn more about their work@www.imentor.org That's www, dot i m, e n, t, O, r.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.imentor.org.
Show Notes:
P.J. shares the backstory of his name and how he became a high school principal. He studied simultaneously in law school for a JD and in the Philosophy department for a PhD at the University of Chicago. After realizing he didn't enjoy law or philosophy, he taught math at Phillips Andover and later in Chicago. He helped start a new public school, Walter Payton College Prep, and has been a principal at Lake View High School for the past 10 years.
Teaching Chaos Theory and Math
P.J. describes his experience teaching at Phillips Andover, including teaching chaos theory. He found the environment supportive and the students "good at doing school", which made his first year of teaching easier. He enjoyed working with the students, especially the boys in his dorm, and found teaching math more enjoyable than he expected. P.J. reflects on the differences between teaching at a private school and a public school.
Starting Walter Payton College Prep
P.J. discusses the creation of Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago. The school was designed to attract affluent and white families back to the city. P.J. and his partner, Doug O'Roark, started the math department and implemented common lessons and assessments. The school grew to become the most selective in Chicago, with a high percentage of students enrolling in college.
Challenges and Successes of a Principal
P.J. describes his current role as principal at Lake View High School and touches on what has made the school successful in addition to the challenges. The school serves a diverse population, with 85% low-income students, including refugees, and a high percentage of first-generation college-goers. P.J. emphasizes the importance of providing support and opportunities for all students. He shares the success of the school, with 75% of the class of 2024 enrolling in college, and explains what a principal does on a daily basis.
Leadership Evolution and Philosophy
P.J. reflects on his evolution as a leader, emphasizing the importance of believing in the potential of every individual. He shares his philosophy of focusing on what he can influence and being creative in his approach, and in how the school fosters growth in the students. P.J. discusses the importance of selecting teachers who love working with high school students and are committed to improving their practice, and the key factors he looks for when hiring teachers. He highlights the value of providing conditions for talent to thrive.
Math Circles of Chicago
P.J. explains the concept of the non-profit he started, Math Circles of Chicago, which provides math enrichment for students. The program offers one-day festivals, classes, and a math research symposium. P.J. emphasizes the importance of providing engaging and challenging math experiences for students. He explains the organization's creative approach to supporting both the teachers and students with curriculum development, lesson planning, and workshops. The program has grown to serve 5500 students annually, with many Chicago Public School teachers participating.
Harvard Reflections
P.J. discusses the impact of his education at Harvard, particularly the course "Justice". He mentions the influence of philosophy professors like Warren Goldfarb and the importance of skepticism towards big theories. P.J. reflects on the value of learning from roommates and classmates, which shaped his perspective and approach to life. He also mentions a class on 20th century classical music. He highlights the importance of community and collaboration in his educational journey. P.J. shares his final thoughts on the importance of providing opportunities for all students to succeed.
Timestamps:
03:18: Teaching at Phillips Andover
19:12: Starting Walter Payton College Prep
24:32: Leadership Evolution and Philosophy
36:19: Math Circles of Chicago
40:38: Impact of Harvard Education
51:17: Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Links:
Lake View High School https://www.lakeviewhs.com/
Math Circles of Chicago https://www.mathcirclesofchicago.org/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Dennis Murphy who reports:
" Hi. I'm Dennis Murphy, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Glam Girl, the Global Local athletic movement. GLAM is a youth-led organization that empowers girls through sports by running service projects, advocacy projects, and sports and leadership camps in the US and around the world. Something as simple as not having a sports bra can keep female athletes from playing the sports they love. GLAM helps them stay in the game and partners with athletic directors to support entire teams. I'm so proud of my daughter Izzy for being one of the organization's founders. She currently runs a GLAM club at her high school. You can learn more about their work at GlamGirldotlife. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.glamgirl.life/
Show Notes:
Scott Cole describes his initial struggles at Harvard, dropping out after freshman year, and returning multiple times before finally graduating in 2012. He shares his first dropout experience, including a brief stint in California and a return to Harvard for sophomore year. He details his various jobs and adventures, including working at a car wash, landscaping, and a research assistant position at Harvard Forest.
Working on a Ranch in Wyoming
Scott thinks back to his days working at a ranch in Wyoming, where he learned cowboy skills and participated in cattle drives. He describes his move to Middlebury, Vermont, where he worked on an organic farm, a cross-country ski area, and a bakery. He also shares where he learned to cook.
Back to School and on to a Law firm
Scott discusses his return to Boston to finish college, working part-time at a law firm and attending school. He describes the challenges of balancing work, school, and financial aid, leading to another dropout. Scott talks about his relationship ending and moving back to California, where he worked at Sequoia National Park resort teaching cross country skiing. He quit this job to go to Guatemala with his dad's school group and spent some time there before moving to Oakhurst and working at a restaurant where he learned cooking skills. He worked there for two years until he paid off his student loans, and with his new found freedom, decided to hit the road and hike through the Sierra Mountains. He also talks about working in Fresno and in a job at the UC Cooperative Extension promoting school gardening as a way to teach nutrition education.
From Alaska to Nevada
Scott recounts his time working at a back country lodge in Alaska, teaching cross-country skiing, and working as a hiking guide and naturalist. He later moved to Boston to help a friend renovate a Victorian house and then worked with the Boston Children's Museum. After Boston, Scott describes his move to Michigan to be with a girlfriend in graduate school and working at the Maharishi Vedic University in their organic greenhouse. He also talks about his work with the Nevada Conservation Corps, cooking for a chainsaw crew, and his job at the White Mountain Research Station where he looked after a herd of sheep and cooked for the researchers. Scott finally decided to return to Harvard to finish his last six classes and talks about his experience completing his degree.
Riding the Wave
After completing his degree, Scott biked across the country with a friend. He reflects on his diverse experiences, including working with his hands, helping a friend who is a sculptor on building a sculpture for an exhibit. He talks about "The Table" tour working in Death Valley, and volunteering at various places, and biking in Canada from the Rockies to Bella Coola. He discusses the challenges of returning to school at an older age and the joy of completing his degree. Scott mentions his love for gardening, cooking, music, hiking, and outdoor activities, and how these hobbies filled his off-hours.
Harvard Reflections
An English major at Harvard, Scott mentions seeing Alan Ginsberg read at Harvard. He mentions taking a poetry class and a printing class. He also mentions Literature and Human Suffering with James Engell, Chicano Literature with visiting UCLA professor Héctor Calderón, Folklore and Mythology with Simon Bronner, a poetry class with Henri Cole, and Place, Space, and Region with Stephanie Burt.
Timestamps:
00:02: Scott Cole's Journey through Harvard and Beyond
06:36: Exploring Different Career Paths
09:41: Returning to School and Balancing Work and Education
40:07: Adventures in Alaska and Beyond
54:13: Reflecting on Life Experiences and Future Plans
Links:
Scott's email: scottrc_30@yahoo.com
Instagram: scootersride
Historical building preservation: Welcome to HistoriCorps
Adobe restoration: https://www.cstones.org
Adobe courses and home builder support:
Adobe in Action: https://www.adobeinaction.org
Reuben Margolin art: Waves – Reuben Margolin – Kinetic Artist
Science Research Station:
White Mountain Research Center — Supporting scientific achievement for 75 years.
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week's episode is brought to you by Jared Eigerman who reports:
"Hi. I'm Jay Eigerman, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Street Lab. Street Lab is a nonprofit that works in neighborhoods throughout New York City to activate and improve spaces, including pedestrian streets, at no cost to the public. I've been a board member since 2011 when they first started in Boston. I especially like the street lab sales programming kits at reasonable cost so others around the world can deploy them on their own. Please take a look at streetlab.org. Now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work, visit: streetlab.org.
Show Notes:
Miruna studied art history at Harvard, focusing on Renaissance art. After taking a year off to travel and visit Romania, she decided to study Latin American Studies and Spanish and Portuguese at Yale. She found the graduate experience at Yale challenging, especially the sense of isolation that can come with graduate work when it is not socially or politically involved. Miruna began traveling to Mexico for her research on colonial Latin America, focusing on the intersection of history of science, literature, and ritual.
Teaching History of Science
Miruna moved to Mexico City, where she still resides. She works at a public university, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, in the Humanities Department where she works on narratives that have to do with the history of science. She also teaches courses on collecting and museum formation from a material culture perspective. She works with the national archeological collection in Mexico City, focusing on how collections are formed and the role of material culture in shaping history.
Arriving in the U.S. As a Refugee
Miruna shares more about her experience as a refugee and her journey to the US. Miruna was 13 when she left Romania with her parents, staying in a refugee camp near Vienna before moving to the US. Her parents applied for asylum in Australia, Canada, and the U.S., and the U.S. was the first to grant it. Miruna describes the cultural shock of arriving in Los Angeles in March with heavy winter coats, highlighting the differences between Central Europe and Southern California.
The Cultural Importance of Understanding the Past
Miruna discusses her teaching at a public university in Mexico, where she encourages students to question and engage with the past. She explains the hierarchical nature of Mexican society and how public universities provide a space for people from different backgrounds to meet. Miruna emphasizes the importance of understanding that the past is not fixed and that there are always opportunities to intervene and shape the present. In her courses on the history of archeology and collecting, she encourages students to develop their own relationships with the past.
Archeological Collections and Community Ownership
Miruna shares a story from the 19th century about the National Museum of Mexico and how archeology became a central part of the country's national heritage. She explains how archeological collections were moved from communities to the capital, often with resistance from local people. Miruna discusses a specific incident where urns from the Pacific coast were shattered during transportation, highlighting the different ways of caring for objects. While disciplinary narratives insist that museums care for objects, this episode shows how the opposite is true as well: objects and their meanings can be destroyed, physically and conceptually in their transfer to museum. She further discusses a more recent event, involving state violence and local resistance, when a 168-ton monolith was moved from a village outside Mexico City to the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, in 1964.
Practices and Norms in Archeology
The conversation turns to changes in archeological practices and norms over the years. Miruna notes that younger archeologists are more likely to seek permission from local communities and give credit to local guides and people working on excavations. She mentions the increasing difficulty of accessing certain areas in Mexico due to organized crime, which has reduced the number of archeological projects in some regions. Miruna emphasizes the importance of local museums and community collections in providing more inclusive and contextualized narratives.
The Rise of Political Parties and the Zapatista Movement
Miruna shares her experience of arriving in Mexico and the political changes she witnessed, including the rise of new political parties and the Zapatista movement. She describes the vibrant and dynamic nature of Mexican society, with ongoing efforts to find new ways of relating to the past and imagining the future. Miruna discusses the challenges of prejudice and hierarchies in Mexican society, despite progress in areas like gay marriage and feminist marches.
Science Fiction as a Form of Resistance
Miruna teaches science fiction written from the Global South, which she sees as a form of resistance against dominant narratives. She explains that this genre is relatively new in Latin America and is influenced by writers from the Global North like Octavia Butler and Ursula Le Guin. Miruna highlights the work of young writers like Gabriela Damian and Fernanda Trias, who explore social and cultural realities through science fiction. She discusses the importance of imagining open networks and connected worlds, rather than closed systems and technological fantasies.
Archeological Points of Interest in Mexico
Miruna offers a few recommendations for visitors interested in archeology in Mexico. She suggests visiting the Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City, which focuses on archeology and pre-Hispanic history. She also recommends a trip to Teotihuacan, highlighting the importance of visiting the mural paintings in the residential compounds. Miruna also recommends exploring the center of Mexico City, which is a palimpsest of different centuries and cultures, with the Templo Mayor, a pre-Hispanic structure from the 16th century, which is rising out of the ground due to shifts in soil and shifts in the water table.
Harvard Reflections
Miruna mentions Joseph Koerner, who taught Northern Renaissance art, and John Sherman, who taught Italian Renaissance art. She also recalls Oleg Grabar, who taught Islamic art and read poems such as Yeats' poem "Sailing to Byzantium" to inspire students to see art with different eyes. Miruna expresses regret for not taking classes with other influential professors like Stephen Jay Gould, which she would have loved to do now.
Timestamps:
01:35: Studying Art History and Latin American Studies
03:20: Life and Work in Mexico City
04:43: Experiences as a Refugee and Arrival in the US
08:43: Teaching and Research in Mexico
13:41: Historical Context of Archeology in Mexico
21:43: Changes in Archeological Practices
24:33: Miruna's Experience in Mexico and Political Context
29:38: Teaching Science Fiction from the Global South
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Becca Braun who reports:
“ Hi. I'm Becca Braun from the class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is the Lawrence School in Sagamore Hills, Ohio. The Lawrence School is a leading school in teaching students with ADHD and dyslexia, and its wonderful tagline is “Great Minds Don't Think Alike.”
Lawrence School has been transformative for our youngest child with ADHD, and he went from thinking that he was a troublemaker and problem student to completely believing in himself and loving going to school every day. Every child should have this opportunity, regardless of their financial means. We have donated and hope that you might so that more children with ADHD or dyslexia, those who are unable to thrive in large public school classrooms might have the opportunity to attend this transformative school. Thanks a lot. You can learn more about their work at Lawrence school.org, Lawrence L, A, W, R, E, N, C, E, school.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www.lawrenceschool.org.
Show Notes:Franklin Habit talks about working in higher education administration (and elsehwere) before eventually finding happiness in his current profession within the fiber arts. He discusses some of the blind alleys he explored, including museum work, opera stage directing, web design, and online marketing. Building a Career in KnittingFranklin shares how he learned to knit from a veteran knitter and classmate, Eliza Lake. He describes how his blog about knitting took off, leading to a book deal and a career in teaching and writing. Franklin recounts the early days of his blog, starting with a department lecture where he first heard the word "blog." He describes how he initially thought his blog was private and was surprised by the comments and traffic it received. Franklin mentions attending the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival, and meeting major figures in the fiber arts community. COVID and Transition to Teaching and SpeakingFranklin discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic affected his in-person teaching and speaking engagements. He explains his transition to online teaching and to Patreon, which helped him maintain income during the pandemic. Franklin shares how he enjoys making videos and audio pieces and adapting his in-person classes for online audiences. Living in Paris The conversation turns to Paris, why he moved there, and his life in Paris, including his love for walking and discovering hidden places. He mentions attending performances and visiting museums and galleries. Franklin talks about his Instagram account, where he posts about his daily life, needlework, and animals in his neighborhood. He explains how he balances posting about knitting with other interests to keep his followers engaged. Harvard Reflections Franklin reflects on how his art history degree from Harvard influences his knitting and teaching. He mentions professors James Ackerman, John Shearman, and Seymour Slive, who taught him valuable research and teaching skills. He explains how his background in art history helps him connect historical and cultural elements to his knitting, and he uses his knowledge of art and architecture to design and teach knitting patterns. Franklin explains the complexity of knitting, including the mathematical and three-dimensional aspects. He mentions teaching students how to knit using pre-literate methods and the connections to ancient systems like the Kanon of Polykleitos. He also discusses the gender perceptions and prejudices associated with knitting, and his upcoming project with Knit Stars, a series of classes and documentaries about notable needleworkers. Timestamps: 03:12: Discovering Knitting and Blogging 05:43: Franklin's Unique Style and Books 11:11: The Early Days of Blogging 17:05: Transition to Online Teaching and Patreon 20:45: Life in Paris and Instagram 29:42: Influence of Art History on Knitting 51:09: Complexity and Satisfaction in Knitting 51:29: Gender Perceptions in Knitting 51:46: Franklin's Online Presence and Future Plans Links:
Instagram and Threads: @franklin.habit
Bluesky: @franklinhabit.bsky.social
Patreon:patreon.com/franklinhabit
Knit Stars:
https://knitstars.com/masterclass-franklin-habit/?ref=567&utm_campaign=franklins-season-10
YouTube channel: youtube.com/franklinhabit
Society6 (art prints and merchandise): society6.com/franklinhabit
Spoonflower (fabrics and wallpapers): spoonflower.com/profiles/franklinhabit
Foxe and Boxe Project: foxeandboxe.com
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Pete Schmidt who reports: “
Hi, I’m Pete Schmidt, class of 92. The featured non-profit of this week’s episode of The 92 Report is the Davis Phinney Foundation. Davis started this Parkinson’s disease patient advocacy organization to focus on how people with Parkinson’s disease can be empowered to take charge of their condition and live their best lives now. I've worked with the foundation for over a decade and served on their board for six years and am currently serving as chairman. You can learn more about their work at dpf.org. And now, here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: dpf.org.
Show Notes:
Diego kicks off the conversation with a quick review of his career path, which included working at a business school in Barcelona, consulting in biotech and healthcare, and working as product manager and product running product groups. He then went back to business school. He talks about his job at the business school in Barcelona and what prompted him to take it. He explains that the opportunity arose through a professor he knew, and the timing of the 1992 Olympics made it hard to resist. He shares his insights on Catalonia's cultural differences and the importance of knowing Catalan.
Educational Toys and Founding Imagination Supply Co.
Diego's current work is with educational toys and ed tech. He discusses his exposure to the case study method of teaching, which he found valuable and enjoyable and describes his transition from biotech to setting up a maker space at his daughter's school and becoming a resident tinkerer. He explains the challenges he faced with existing products for teaching electronics and coding, leading him to start Imagination Supply Co. Diego introduces the product line "Electrify" and its focus on making learning about electronics and coding engaging and accessible.
The Very Useful Monster Project Design
Diego elaborates on the "Very Useful Monster" project, which teaches coding through a constructivist learning approach. He discusses the importance of creating products that align with how he believes these subjects should be taught. Diego shares examples of his products, such as a vibrating motor project for exploring the engineering process. He contrasts the traditional pinewood derby project with his approach, emphasizing the importance of iterative learning.
Addressing the “Fear Pyramid”
The conversation turns to the impact of Diego's products on students and teachers. Diego highlights the engagement and transformation he sees in students who build and code their own projects. He notes the unexpected benefit of making teaching more accessible to teachers, who often feel intimidated by STEM subjects. Diego explains the concept of the "fear pyramid" in teaching, where teachers feel increasingly uncomfortable with more advanced subjects like coding.
Diego's Background as a Tinkerer
Diego has a history as a tinkerer and he talks about his interest in building things. He recounts his experience at Harvard, where he took a machine shop class and built a cannon as a project. He shares his independent study project to measure the power output of a cyclist's pedal stroke, which involved designing and building a full pedal.
Maker Spaces in Education
Diego explains the initial enthusiasm and funding for maker spaces, particularly through DARPA's Mentor Maker Spaces program. He discusses the various goals of maker spaces, such as teaching hands-on making, STEM, and problem-solving through design thinking. Diego highlights the challenges of articulating the purpose of maker spaces and the different approaches taken by schools like Nueva and Lick-Wilmerding.
Biotech Venture and Lessons Learned
Diego talks about his experience working with the biotech company, Sutro Biopharma. He explains how he got involved in the company through a class at Stanford and its focus on cell-free protein synthesis. He also discusses the challenges of working in biotech, including the hierarchical nature of the industry.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Diego highlights the impact of John Stilgoe's "Gas Stations" class, which taught him to observe and question the built environment. He shares how this approach influenced his thinking and approach to problem-solving. Diego also reflects on his involvement in rowing and cycling at Harvard, and how these activities have continued to be important in his life.
Timestamps:
03:47: Opportunity in Barcelona and Cultural Insights
06:19: Educational Toys and Imagination Supply Co.
09:24: Product Design and Teaching Methods
13:18: Impact on Students and Teachers
17:03: Diego's Background as a Tinkerer
22:21: The Rise and Fall of Maker Spaces
26:58: Life as an Empty Nester
31:29: Biotech Venture and Lessons Learned
Links:
Lectrify website: https://www.lectrify.it/
Featured Non-profit:
This featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Kerry Dean Carso who reports:
“Hi, I'm Kerry Dean Carso, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Children's Hospital Colorado, as a nationally ranked pediatric hospital. Children's Hospital Colorado cares for families throughout Colorado and surrounding states. My brother works for the Children's Hospital Colorado Foundation, and I'm proud of the work he does to raise funds for the hospital and its mission of improving the health of children in the Rocky Mountain region. You can learn more about their work@www.childrenscolorado.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: www.childrenscolorado.org
Show Notes:
Kellie Doucette describes her journey as zigs and zags, with three distinct chunks defined by her location: Northern Virginia, Bermuda, and New Jersey. She worked for a small health policy consulting firm called the Lewin Group in Northern Virginia, DC, where she met her future husband, John Doucette.
A 13-Year Stint in Bermuda
Kellie, an actuary, began her career in the Bermuda market after taking the actuarial exams. She and her husband moved to Bermuda in 1996, and they enjoyed the adventure of visiting family on the East Coast and raising their children there. The reinsurance industry in Bermuda was growing rapidly, and Kellie joined a life and health group company and continued taking the actuarial exams. Their 13-year stint in Bermuda provided innovative career opportunities, working with clients and devising innovative ways to achieve objectives.
Pursuing a Path in Politics
However, Kellie left her job in 2008 to pursue a different path. She worked remotely for a few years, but she started feeling like she needed a change. In 2016, she became unhappy with the trajectory of national politics and decided to become more involved in politics. She started volunteering for local government office campaigns and met a candidate running in her congressional district during the 2018 midterms who aimed to flip a seat from red to blue. During the midterms, Kellie lived in a swing district, which could potentially flip the seat. Kellie found herself in the midst of New Jersey politics. She was fortunate to work with a candidate, Mikie Sherrill, who won a congressional race and is now running for governor in New Jersey.
Establishing a District Office
Kellie worked to establish a district office for Mikie, which spanned over six years. As the district director, Kellie aimed to build bridges between the district and the mayors, ensuring they served the entire district, not just the blue parts. She prioritized building trust and respecting the fact that they were there for everyone, learning from the mayors, local electives, and community stakeholders. Kellie emphasizes the importance of showing up everywhere and respecting that it would take time to build trust with the community. Her experience highlights the importance of being genuine and understanding the needs of the community.
Working Across Party Lines
Kellie shares her experience working with a congressional office during a divisive time. The office was open to serving constituents and addressing issues that were not always seen in government. She found it rewarding to work with local officials and local officials across party lines to tackle various issues, such as flooding, public safety, and mental health. Since leaving the congressional office, Kellie continues to do what she can to support Mikie in her run for Governor. She has also been involved in consulting work for a county college and serves on two boards - as vice chair of the board of her high school and on the board of Ibis Reproductive Health, a non-profit run by our classmate Kelly Blanchard. Kellie is excited to see what comes next in her journey!
The Challenges of a Congressional Office
The conversation turns to Congress members setting up and running their offices, with a set budget that can be used in various ways due to different priorities and districts. New Jersey is a densely populated state, and in Kellie's district they could have a single district office serving everyone. A district in a western state, for example, may have to budget differently to accommodate multiple offices. Kellie mentions the importance of having support of more established congressional offices in New Jersey when they were setting up and the choice in Mikie's office to have two district directors to ensure mayors in their 54 towns had a senior contact in the office. Kellie also discusses the challenges of setting up a congressional office in a flipped district where you do not get as much cooperation from the prior office. She acknowledges the need for strong communication and organization and stresses the importance of a well-organized and efficient office environment. She goes on to share how the district office works and how the different agencies work.
Outreach During the August District Work Period
Kellie talks about her experiences with the August district work period, which is a time for organizing outreach for the Congresswoman in the district. She highlights how much she enjoyed learning about the strong manufacturing economy and pharma industry in the district, as well as the innovative work happening in various sectors. How important it was to bring local electeds and colleges into the conversations to support these companies and ensure they have the workforce pipeline and education system in place to attract talent. She talks about the role of the bipartisan group of mayors, known as The Strike Force and how it has assembled to deal with the issue of flooding in the area.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Kellie, a former government major, transitioned to economics as a better fit for her. She took Public Sector Economics under Larry Summers, which highlighted the integration of her policy and economic interests. She appreciates the breadth of classes and the opportunity to learn from different perspectives. She believes that the best learning experience was managing the football team at Harvard.
Timestamps:
02;25: Kelly's Career Journey: Northern Virginia and Bermuda
07:37: Transition to New Jersey and Political Career
12:27: Building Trust and Serving the District
35:05: Challenges and Achievements in District Work
41:14: Reflecting on Harvard and Career Insights
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-doucette-a3424a11a/
Email: kelliemitradoucette@gmail.com
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Angela Romans who reports:
“Hi. I'm Angela Romans, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Innovation for Equity. Innovation for Equity is a network of changemakers across the education ecosystem committed to transforming the life outcomes of black learners of all ages. Co-founded by several Harvard 92 and 93 graduates, I have been privileged to serve as the founding executive director of Innovation for Equity, or IFE, since 2021 you can learn more about our work at Innovation Equity dot O, R, G, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: InnovationEquity.org.
Show Notes:
Gregory Mose, an English major, currently lives in Aix-en-Provence where he is the director of international relations and professor of International Law at a small American University program called the American College of the Mediterranean. When he graduated, his parents wanted him to go to Law School, but Greg wanted to travel. He was offered a teaching fellow position at Athens College in Greece, and he fell in love with the place and the experience. He returned to the US and law school at Duke where he met his wife.
Working for United Nations
Greg's interest in international public international law led him to work for the UN during Yugoslavia's war crimes tribunal research project. He secured a two-year contract with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Conakry, Guinea, which was a paranoid, isolated place. He worked with refugees there for two years, traveling through Mali, Timbuktu, Dakar, Freetown, Abidjan, and upcountry Guinea.
During this time, he helped resettle some people to the United States. Greg's experience in Conakry was both powerful and passionate. He helped resettle some people to the United States who wouldn't be able to be resettled today. However, he returned home underweight and suffering from malaria and PTSD.
A Career Changes: Director of International Relations - Stay-at-home Dad
Greg joined his fiance in London. After a period of recovery, Greg secured a job in corporate law at an international firm in London. He worked on IPOs and was hired as a young US lawyer in securities practices. After three years, he moved to a London-based firm, Freshfields, Brookhouse, Deringer. Greg and his wife had their son in 2002 and decided to raise their son themselves rather than handing him over to a nanny. He decided to leave his job to write a novel and raise their son while his wife worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. They considered downsizing and moving to the English countryside or getting more remote to facilitate a change in lifestyle. However, after spending time in the South West of France, they decided to do something radical and bought a medieval farmhouse and land in the South West of France, near a village called Montcabrier.
Village Life in Wine Country
Greg describes their experience living in a wine region called the Lot, near the Dordogne, in the southwest. The village had about 30 full-time residents, but most people lived in farmhouses outside the village. The village had a two-room schoolhouse, a bakery, and a mayor's office. Greg and his family rented out renovated three holiday cottages in summers to families with small children. They built a playground, swimming pool, and a beautiful field on their property. Greg also shares his experiences with their neighbors. He also learned how to use a chainsaw and finished his novel, Stunt Road. However, as their son grew older, they decided they needed a bigger centre with more activities and schools. They moved to Aix-en-Provence.
Working in Education
Greg didn’t know what he was going to do there, but they enrolled their son in the International School where he was hired to teach a critical thinking course called Theory of Knowledge at the International Baccalaureate program. He became a high school teacher for 10 years and realized his love for teaching, and eventually wanted to teach at university. He decided to pursue a PhD program at French universities, which were affordable. The tuition for a PhD was about $500 a year. Greg mentions the benefits of social programs in France. He eventually became a full-time professor at the American College in Aix and runs a master's program in international relations.
Integration with French Culture
Greg's life is different from what people think it is like living in Southern France. He finds it challenging to integrate into the country. In the rural areas, French culture is radically different, with people being warm but also private. Weekends are spent with family, and they do not easily invite people into their homes. However, he finds warmth in the greetings and the respect shown to others. This reinforces a tradition of treating each other as equals and respect. He also talks about how his students from abroad adjust to French culture.
Back to London and Recovery
Greg thinks back to 1998 when he arrived in North London with his fiance and was unemployed. He had been working at UNHCR, which provided decent pay. However, he was always physically cold and underweight due to his previous experiences with malaria and the constant heat in the tropical climate. He was exhausted from the work and the influx of refugees during the renewed violence in Freetown.
One of his bouts of malaria occurred while doing a refugee census in the forest region. He spent three days in a room full of bugs and had limited access to food. He talks about how he broke down and found it was cathartic for him. He talks about a particularly difficult time, and how he teaches a course on armed conflict, linking it to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and refugees. Large glass He often shares anecdotes from his time there, but admits that sometimes he struggles to get through them.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Greg mentions his first year English course with Helen Vendler. He recalls a kind act of kindness from her. He also mentions professor Burriss Young, who was the Associate Dean of freshmen at the time and lived in Mass Hall. Burriss was an archeologist, and he invited students to tea in his apartment filled with archeological artifacts. This made his first year at Harvard a magical experience. Greg, coming from LA, idealized Harvard. He had a wonderful time in Cabot House, and Greg believes that these experiences will be a lasting memory for him.
Timestamps:
04:44: Early Career and UN Experience
09:31: Transition to Corporate Law and Family Life
22:55: Return to Education and Teaching Career
30:10: Life in Southern France and Cultural Adjustments
40:37: Personal Reflections and Professional Growth
45:02: Memorable Experiences and Influences from Harvard
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregorymose/
Stunt Road, by Gregory Mose: https://amzn.to/46Orq4X
The American College of the Mediterranean: https://www.acmfrance.org/
Greg’s Blog: https://quercychronicles.wordpress.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Keith Quinn who reports:
“Hi. This is Keith Quinn, class of 1992 the featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is water.org. Water.org. Is a global NGO working to bring water and sanitation to the world. The water crisis is a global crisis where 2.2 billion people lack access to safe water, and 3.5 billion people lack access to a safe toilet. I've served on the board of water.org for over 15 years, doing rewarding work, along with two other class of 1992 alums, my fellow board member, Larry Tans, and water.org co-founder, Matt Damon, and I'm proud to say that to date, water.org has changed 76 million lives with water and sanitation. You can learn more about their work@water.org and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: water.org.
Show Notes:
Reverend John H. Finley starts the conversation with a nod to family connections and some good news. He also mentions working at the Unilu Shelter, and how it was a transformative experience for him. Throughout the conversation, the importance of recognizing and valuing the contributions of individuals to the institution is mentioned.
The Priesthood and Nativity Prep
John describes his experience working at the shelter and how it led to the decision to work with younger people. He decided to become an Episcopal priest, but the bishop wouldn’t ordain him since he was openly gay. After college he got involved in building a school and decided that he eventually wanted to open his own. John stayed at Nativity Prep for five years, living in a convent. After applying to Harvard Divinity School, a new bishop approached him and encouraged him to re-consider priesthood. After John applied to Harvard Divinity School, the same priest encouraged him to open a school. He spent a year at HDS, raising money, hiring teachers, and building a facility to start the Epiphany School. The school is similar to the first Jesuit school.
Becoming a Priest and Opening a School
John explains the difference between the Epiphany School and Nativity Schools. Nativity Schools serve low-income kids from homeless, abused, neglected, and poverty-stricken backgrounds, but they look for kids of academic promise and engaged parents, and John explains how this influenced how he structured Epiphany School.
In addition to opening the school, John also became a priest. He has a parish in Boston and is the summer pastor at Trinity York Harbor in Southern Maine, but his main job is running the Epiphany School, and he explains how it has grown with many locations around the world. It has also grown from a middle school to five components: the Middle School, Early Learning Center, Middle School, Graduate Support, Teaching Fellow Program, and Epiphany Impact.
After Epiphany and Extra Curricular Activities
John talks about succession planning and projects outside of running the school. He is currently a trustee of a college scholarship foundation that awards several million dollars a year in college scholarships. He is involved in a program that gives grants to people with projects, and he works with others who want to build schools, helping them replicate the Epiphany model. In addition to running Epiphany School, John also preaches, marries, baptizes, and buries people.
The Nature of the Epiphany School
John explains that the core principles of the school are non-merit based admission, tuition-free tuition, extended school days, and graduate support. The school also aims to move every family out of poverty while the kids are in the school. John emphasizes the importance of tracking every graduate every year to improve the program and understand where they are succeeding and where they could improve. He also emphasizes the importance of evaluating the efficacy of the school's interventions. He shares a story of a philanthropist who took 1000 boys at risk and provided 500 with free summer camp and weekend mentoring. John emphasizes the importance of looking at long-term outcomes and holding oneself accountable for social justice work. For Epiphany, 90% of its funding comes from private donors, and the school's graduates have an unemployment rate of less than 1%, whereas the national average is around 20%. This makes it a great way to attract investment and funding.
The Epiphany Investment in Families
John talks about the school's curriculum improvement system, which involves yearly assessments by outside experts and feedback from faculty. This Kaizen approach ensures that every aspect of the school is being evaluated and critiqued by experts. John emphasizes the importance of working with families, as studies suggest that 30 to 50% of Head Start gains are lost within three to five years due to perverse incentives in the social system. John explains how the school aims to help families, including offering an escrow program for families. This program grew out of the school's work on employment and helps families move towards independence from social programs. John also mentions that every child born in the Epiphany system receives a $3,000 or 529 plan, which is invested in a conservative mix of equities and bonds. This investment message is sent to families early on, ensuring that the funds are for their child.
Personal Values and Super Powers John takes stock of his good traits, including his ability to thank people. He believes that he has a decent work ethic and has a decent radar of what is feasible. John acknowledges that he has had an amazing education, including Harvard, Groton School, and a private elementary school. He has also been successful in cultivating a diverse group of people around him, with his team and founding teachers being with him for 20 years. John enjoys raising money and bringing resources to things, which has helped him sustain his success. John believes that his ability to lead by example are key factors in his success.
The Finley Family Legacy
The conversation turns to John’s family legacy and the role it played in his life and world outlook. His great grandfather built City College, a tradition that has been passed down through generations. He left Harvard with no debt and enough income to live a modest life. However, he faced pressure to find his passion and pursue his dreams. John's father encouraged him to pursue his passions, even when he didn't make any money. He eventually realized that he needed more time to pursue his passions. He now enjoys working with his former students and seeing them grow into happy, productive lives.
Social and Emotional Aspects of School
John discusses the importance of social and emotional aspects in a school setting, focusing on rewards for conduct and effort. They use a software program called Class Dojo, which allows teachers to track students' thoughtful choices and courage. This system is tied to parents' phones, allowing them to recognize their child's efforts. John emphasizes the importance of group therapy for all students, with 70% being in individual therapy. Therapists and teachers work together to ensure no one falls through the cracks. The school also has a group called the Brotherhood and Sister Sister, older graduates who provide social and emotional support to students. Another tool used is the holistic student assessment, developed with McLean's and MGH. This self-assessment helps teachers understand a child's progress on social and emotional issues and helps capture the child's heart. The school never gives up on a child, ensuring that they make the school work for them. This discipline is important as it prevents teachers from making excuses for not meeting the full needs of their students.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
John discusses his experiences with various individuals, including Carrie Welch, Peter Gomes, Memorial Church, and the Signet Society. He mentions that the shelter work at Harvard changed his life, as it gave him a sense of making a difference in the world. Many graduates of the shelter went on to interesting careers, such as Katia Falls, who founded a program called On the Rise, which works with women who don't come into the shelter because they don't feel safe. Another example is a recent college graduate who realized the need for a youth homeless shelter in Massachusetts and built a youth homeless shelter in Harvard Square. John believes that Harvard's advantages were ridiculous, but he hopes they are being used in different ways to do good things in the world. The book "Where Harvard meets the Homeless" examines the impact of the shelter work on many people's lives.
Timestamps:
03:13: John's Journey Post-Harvard
07:49: Establishing and Expanding the Epiphany School
14:56: Challenges and Successes of the Epiphany School
20:55: Social-Emotional Support and Financial Sustainability
44:53: Personal Life and Future Plans
47:08: Impact of Harvard and Shelter Work
Links:
www.epiphanyschool.com
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is recommended by Julie Mallozzi who reports:
“This is Julie Mallozzi, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Brown Girls. Doc Mafia. Brown Girls. Doc, Mafia works to disrupt inequity in the film industry by nurturing, amplifying and investing in the creative capacity and professional success of its members. I've been a member of Brown Girls for several years, and find them very well organized and effective. They do a lot to support the documentary community, without huge resources. You can learn more about their work at browngirlsdocmafia.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: browngirlsdocmafia.org.
Show Notes:
Kendalle Cobb, a family physician, has been practicing in Cleveland since 2004. She graduated from George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC and completed her family medicine residency at Kaiser Foundation Hospital in Fontana, California. After a year in Boston, she returned to serve on the faculty at her former residency program. She met her husband, who taught at a boarding school in Claremont, California, and after they got married, they moved to Cleveland to be closer to his family.
Family Physician and Physician Advisor
Kendalle shares that family medicine, as a primary care specialty, takes a more holistic approach with the inclusion of counseling and a “cradle to grave” mentality that follows the patient through different stages of life. She sees patients 50% of the time in a family health center in the community. The rest of her time is spent as one of the associate chiefs of staff and as a physician advisor at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, a five-year program that trains students to be physician investigators, focusing on research, scholarship, personal and professional development, and reflective practice. The physician advisor attests to the students’ competency report is representative of the feedback that the students receive.
Supporting Medical Students
Kendalle talks about working as a physician advisor. She shares what she has learned in this role. One aspect she has realized is that people are often used to being self-sufficient, making it challenging to ask for help or to work in collaborative environments. She explains what some students struggled with in terms of peer-to-peer interaction, challenges of the assessment system, and accepting that there will always be areas of improvement. Kendalle helps normalize expectations for students. She also talks about the connections between her work as a physician advisor and as a family physician.
The Partnership Aspect of Medicine
When Kendalle first thought about becoming a doctor, she initially had an idea of being able to fix things, but now she appreciates the partnership aspect of medicine where she accompanies people along their path. She mentions that there is often a difference between the textbook ideal treatment and what’s best for the patient in front of her. She explains that medicine is a team sport, and group work requires trust and collaboration, and while she didn’t like group work in school, she realizes that, in medicine, no individual can do everything, and doctors rely on others to answer phones, send messages, and process refill requests. By understanding and addressing these challenges, doctors can help their students navigate the challenges they face and become better doctors.
Counseling and Family Medicine
Kendalle talks about how family medicine and her approach to counseling has evolved over time. During her residency, one afternoon a week was dedicated to mental health, in addition to didactic sessions, she had two hour-long patients, supervised by a family physician and psychiatrist. Over the course of her residency, she had an increasing number of clinic sessions to see an increasing number of patients with various physical and mental health concerns. She learned that some people just want to share their feelings without wanting to change anything. She shares a story of a patient who was upset about a situation, and although their conversation was not health related, it helped Kendalle support the patient in figuring out next steps. In addition to counseling, she also learned to use tactical phrases and questions to help patients make decisions that align with their goals. This approach allows for more effective communication and understanding of patients' needs and concerns.
Creating a Safe Space for All Patients
Kendalle discusses the importance of understanding and addressing various health issues in healthcare settings. She shares her experiences with the stub toe theory, which is really "broken arm theory," which is when a doctor attributes any concern with which a patient presents, to some other risk factor (smoking, obesity, gender identity). She also discusses the importance of considering factors that can affect health in interacting with patients. She shares a case of a woman with previously well-controlled blood pressure whose blood pressure was high. Kendalle uncovered a social stressor. Kendalle emphasizes the need to consider different priorities and the reasons behind people's decisions regarding their health. She avoids asking the question "why" and instead asks "what factors contributed" to the patient's decision or thoughts about their health issues. This approach helps patients feel less defensive and allows Kendalle to better partner with patients to manage their health.
Confidentiality in the Doctor’s Office
Kendalle explains that she is often the doctor for more than one generation in a family, and she shares a story that stresses the importance of confidentiality in the doctor's office. She also talks about how difficult it can be when extended family members want to become her patients, but the fact that the family entrusts the doctor with their loved ones is special. She also talks about the trust, gratitude, and grace shown by the patients, and how these are the moments that stay with her.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Kendalle mentions history professor Michael McCormick, who helped her develop confidence in analyzing primary sources from medieval and early modern Europe. She also mentions fundraising for CityStep by organizing a formal event in Memorial Hall.
Timestamps:
01:26: Kendall Cobb's Career Journey
02:28: Understanding Family Medicine
04:12: Teaching and Advising at Cleveland Clinic
05:40: Learning and Adapting in Medical Education
12:02: Counseling and Patient Interactions
13:57: Handling Patient Health Issues
25:21: Patient Relationships and Trust
29:10: Personal Life and Interests
31:33: Harvard Memories and Influences
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kcobbmd/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is the Houston Learning Network recommended by Huang Quan Vu who reports:
“Hi. I'm Huang Quan Vu, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is the Houston Learning Network. HLN helps Houston area educators grow their practice and transform their classrooms by providing funding and support so they could attend in person professional development at Harvard, participate in virtual Harvard educational programming from Houston and learn from Harvard educators who passed through Houston. I was a founding member of HLN, and I'm currently the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. You can learn more about their work at Houston learning network.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: HoustonLearningNetwork.org.
Show Notes:
Pete Zorn, a lawyer and biotech executive, spent nine years in North Carolina, attending law school at the University of Carolina, Chapel Hill. He moved back to the Boston area with his wife and child where he stayed with his law firm, working remotely before taking an in-house position with one of his clients. He took the company public and stayed there for 11 years. He has since worked with three other biotech companies in various business and legal capacities, and is currently the president and Chief Legal Officer of Genevant.
The Leading Nucleic Acid Delivery Company in the World
Genevant specializes in lipid nanoparticles, which help protect and deliver nucleic acids like mRNA in the body to do its job. The company partners with biotech and pharma companies worldwide. Pete explains that nucleic acids, which store and express genetic material, can address diseases by encoding for a gene or addressing gene deficiencies, defects, or overexpression. However, nucleic acids can degrade in the body if not properly protected, making lipid nanoparticles an emerging mode of delivering nucleic acids. He talks about the concept of a lipid nanoparticle, which is a small fat bubble that encapsulates or envelops nucleic acid, protecting it from enzymes in the body and directing it to the desired tissue or cell type. If not protected, nucleic acids like mRNAs would be degraded in the body before they can have their intended effect. Genevant is a pioneer of lipid nanoparticles and owns a substantial amount of intellectual property in the space. They manufacture only at a research scale, but they license the technology to companies, who will manufacture the products in their plants using Genevant's technology.
Partnership Deals in Biotech
Pete explains that, unlike mergers and acquisition deals where negotiation is mostly about price, in life science collaborations you negotiate everything, including sharing intellectual property and responsibility, how parties will work together, and, of course, price. It’s an ongoing relationship that is being negotiated. The most challenging part is negotiating the deal if the partnership comes to an end. This is to ensure that the parties are in the right place when the collaboration ends. Pete discusses the various aspects of a biotech partnership, including ongoing intellectual property (IP) development, responsibility, allocation, and governance issues. He mentions two main categories: consideration of licensing and payment for technology, and the allocation of intellectual property.
Genevant’s Technology Platform
Genevant, a company that expands its technology platform through these deals, owns improvements to their platform. Special arrangements may be included for those that require the payload or partner's technology. These details are crucial in negotiating and time management. In addition to licensing and payment, partnering arrangements involve governance, confidentiality representations, commitments, and risk allocation. The agreed amounts can change depending on external factors and must be carefully negotiated.
Joining the Biotech World
Pete discusses his career in biotech, highlighting the advantages of being with a smaller, growing company compared to working with a larger, established company. He shares his first deal with a big pharma company in his 20s, where he had to negotiate a complex deal for a company that desperately needed to make the deal happen. He talks about the challenges involved, including the human challenge of establishing trust. The company needed to define the rights they were giving to another company while retaining enough space to allow them to work with other companies as well. The technical challenge was to draw fine lines in the constantly evolving scientific area, while also allowing them room to work independently. The deal was a nine-month negotiation and a 300-page contract, but it was a seminal moment for his company, which has since merged out of existence.
Drug Development Success
Pete talks about drug development and successes achieved. He shares a story of a company that had a successful phase two, which led to collaboration with a big pharma company. However, the company subsequently endured a disastrous phase three, which resulted in a dramatic downturn in stock price for the company. Despite this, the company was not sued, which he takes pride in. He emphasizes the importance of taking risks in drug development, as it allows the company to succeed and advance. He approaches the legal side of his job by finding ways to accomplish business objectives while managing that risk.
Career Turning Points
Pete also shares some turning points in his career. He continues to do deal making and is currently involved in intellectual property litigation related to lipid nanoparticles used in COVID vaccines. The conversation turns to the world of chief legal officers in biotech companies, specifically in the Boston area. Pete shares his experience working remotely for a North Carolina company and then with a European company, which allowed him to build networks and interact with other professionals. He also shares his life outside of work, raising two children – including a son with autism – and focusing on their well-being. He emphasizes that autism is a spectrum, with no two kids being the same. He mentions that there are different challenges for parents of children with autism and offers a few words of advice to parents in that situation.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Pete, who was a psychology major at Harvard, mentions his favorite class was a civil rights class with the knowledgeable, charismatic and powerful speaker, Julian Bond. He mentions how he took a year off before going to Law school, and how happenstance played a role in his career in the life sciences industry.
Timestamps:
03:48: Pete Zorn's Role at Genevant and Nucleic Acid Delivery
08:13: Complex Partnerships in Biotech
14:59: Pete Zorn's Entry into Biotech and Key Deals
22:11: Challenges and Successes in Biotech
27:14: Pete Zorn's Career and Personal Life
29:06: Advice for Parents of Children with Autism
37:07: Reflections on Harvard
Links:
Website: https://www.genevant.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-zorn-8b63391/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles recommended by Cara Familian Natterson who reports:
“ Hi. This is Cara Familian Natterson, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Children's Hospital Los Angeles, also known as CHLA. I joined the CHLA Board of Directors last year, but I've been working with the doctors at this amazing hospital for decades. CHLA isn't just one of the top 10 children's hospitals in the country, it's also the only one that is a safety net hospital with more than 70% of their patients on medicaid. They will never turn a child away, regardless of a family's financial situation or immigration status. If you want to learn more, go to C, H, L, A, dot, O, R, G, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: CHLA.org.
Show Notes:
Lawrence Steyn moved to Los Angeles to work with Walt Disney, where he helped think through financing new theme parks and movies. After leaving Disney, he went into traditional investment banking. He also mentions that he was a character in a theme park training program, where he was a penguin in full costume. His experience in LA and his role as a character in the training program were both memorable and challenging, and being a penguin was the hardest job he had in the 30+ years since graduating.
From Investment Banking to the Tech Industry
Lawrence moved to New York and worked at Goldman, including spending several years in London. He worked at Morgan Stanley and also as vice chairman at JP Morgan. After COVID-19, he faced a midlife crisis and decided to work at an autonomous vehicle company called Pony.ai. The company was Chinese-centric and had a large nexus with China. This was around 2020/21 during a time when relations between the U.S. and China were strained. The company faced financial and geopolitical challenges from China, who wanted to assert control over its tech sector, and restrictions from the US. Lawrence talks about an event that took place in the U.S. that allowed a government body to exert their control and limit the company. However, Lawrence started lobbying for Pony's cause, visiting Capitol Hill and California representatives, however it became clear that Pony was never going to go public as an American-centric company.
Joining a Manufacturing-centric P.E. Firm
As his time at Pony was coming to an end, a private equity firm, American Industrial Partners, approached Lawrence to join them. Lawrence discusses the changing business world, government issues, and supply chain changes post-COVID. As an American manufacturing-centric private equity firm, he observes the shrinking of supply chains and the refocus on American hard enterprise, but he compares this with his experience at Pony, as a $6-7 billion company started by seven guys in a garage, compared to the cost of manufacturing enterprises. Lawrence enjoys his work and the opportunity to create billions of dollars of value through low capital and high-IQ work. Lawrence also shares his experience with venture capital tech.
A Superpower and Brokering a Big Deal
Lawrence believes that his superpower is listening to people's words and being thoughtful, especially when dealing with potential clients. He emphasizes being creative and challenging himself to think of unexpected twists in situations. He shares an example from his time at Morgan Stanley, and the most successful deal of his career. He was the sole advisor to United Technologies, which was the biggest industrial deal up to that date. The unique idea was that United Technologies wanted to buy Rockwell Collins. Lawrence talks about the idea he put forward that allowed United Technologies to keep the Rockwell Collins name and maintain its rich heritage, while United Technologies owned about 60% of the company. The deal was a complex and unique one, with high effort and structuring involved.
Global Trade Wars and Tariffs
The conversation revolves around the ongoing global trade wars, particularly the tariffs. Lawrence states that while the uncertainty has slowed everything down, however, the outcome has not been terrible. The market has returned to close to all-time highs. Lawrence mentions that the long-term impact of these tariffs is questionable, as the reduction in the dollar's role as a global reserve currency is problematic. He also discusses the importance of having a strong US global leadership role and the need for a good manufacturing base. He mentions that the lack of access to various materials has proven problematic, and that the US should focus on American manufacturing capabilities. However, he also mentions that American Industrial Partners have been investing in American manufacturing capabilities for decades, and their history and majority of businesses are America-centric.
A Global Trade Slow Down
The Trump administration's focus on tariffs has slowed down global trade, with the US and Mexico experiencing increased tensions. The US has been focusing on geopolitical issues, such as China and Mexico, but the long-term impact of these tariffs is uncertain. The US has been investing in American manufacturing capabilities for decades, and many businesses have found that having an American manufacturing base is more valuable to people around the world. The uncertainty surrounding the introduction of tariffs has led to negotiations and investment being put on hold, as the US has good manufacturing capabilities in Mexico. The short-term impacts of these tariffs have been less dramatic, and the long-term impacts are more theoretical at this point. However, the US has managed to maintain its manufacturing base and maintain its global leadership role.
Barriers to Growth in Manufacturing
The conversation turns to barriers to the growth of the manufacturing industry in America, including electricity, skilled labor, zoning, local supply chain, permits, and environmental reviews etc. Lawrence highlights the importance of re-electrifying America, which is a complex process that takes time and requires skilled and unskilled labor. The supply chain, as seen with Apple's desire to manufacture in the US. The biggest challenge for manufacturers is the uncertainty of tariffs and their impact on the US manufacturing industry. If there were a sustainable and constructive policy in place for decades, manufacturers would be more comfortable investing in advanced manufacturing capabilities. However, the whimsy of these policies can be problematic, as they may be reversed or ended by lawsuits, hinders planning and investment.
An Effective Pro-US Manufacturing Policy
A more effective pro-US manufacturing policy with bipartisan support could be beneficial. Some goals that could be valuable include bringing manufacturing back to the US for data centers, shipbuilding, and auto manufacturing. However, the broad concept of remanufacturing in the US doesn't necessarily mean achieving everything at once. A thoughtful policy with bipartisan support could be powerful, but a more consistent, specific, targeted policy with broad support could be more effective.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Lawrence mentions a Michael Sandel’s core class, Justice, that focuses on different theories of justice, which he believes are important for thinking thoughtfully about political and global events. He also enjoyed a seminar with Marjorie Garber on Shakespeare, which he took as a core class and then revisited as an alumni for a deep dive. He also mentions activities centered around the International Relations Council, Model UN, and American Industrial Partners.
Timestamps:
04:16: Experiences at Pony.ai and Autonomous Vehicles
09:36: Transition to American Industrial Partners
23:35: Challenges in American Manufacturing
37:17: Personal Reflections and Future Plans
40:58: Backgammon and Personal Interests
43:35: Harvard Memories and Influences
48:05: Connecting with the Harvard Community
Links:
Website: https://americanindustrial.com/team/lawrence-steyn/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode is Lighthouse Youth and Family Services in Cincinnati, Ohio recommended by John Unger who reports:
“Hello, class of 1992 this is your classmate, John Unger of Kirkland House in Weld North. I'm submitting to you the featured nonprofit for this week's episode of The 92 Report, Lighthouse Youth and Family Services in Cincinnati, Ohio. Lighthouse is a wonderful and impactful organization that gives guidance and support to orphans and foster care children in our city, and my mom has been a heavily involved volunteer for decades. You can learn about Lighthouse Youth Services at its website, lys.org Thank you for your consideration. Now here's Will with this week's episode”.
To learn more about their work, visit: LYS.org.
Sandi DuBowski discusses the one-year anniversary of his film Sabbath Queen, which he spent 21 years making. He reflects on the journey of the 21st-century radical rabbi and how it has shaped their life. He discusses the inspiration behind his film, Tomboychik, the concept of which was developed after conversations with his grandmother. The film is a living video memorial to her spirit; it won several awards, including the Golden Gate award at the San Francisco Film Festival and the Whitney Museum program, and launched Sandi into the film world. Documentary Films and Festivals Sandi talks about his work as an associate director of the New York Lesbian/Gay Experimental Film Video festival, MIX. He initially worked on a feature film called Fresh Kill and later worked for Planned Parenthood as a researcher and producing videos. After working for Planned Parenthood, he started filming the major feature documentary, Trembling Before G-d, about Hasidic and Orthodox Jews who are lesbian or gay. The film had a World Premiere at Sundance, and won two prizes at the Berlin Film Festival. It screened in cinemas and festivals worldwide, and Sandi went on the road for three years, doing outreach and engagement. Sandi concludes by expressing gratitude for the support and funding he received from the Steven Spielberg Righteous Persons Foundation. He also mentions that his film Sabbath Queen has been a significant moment in his life, as he reconnects with classmates from Harvard, high school, elementary school, film, queer, Jewish, and activist circles. The film has been a testament to the power of storytelling and the transformative power of time. Breaking from Traditional Religious Conventions Sandi fell into the world of filmmaking by accident. He worked with great people, including cinematographers and editors, to create a team of creatives. The film "Trembling Before G-d" was a significant leap forward in technical craft and embraced the lives of people who were not in the public realm. The first Orthodox gay Rabbi came out in the film, and the first person from a Hasidic world to come out as lesbian was featured. The film also convinced Orthodox rabbis to speak publicly on the issue, which was a tipping point in the culture. The filmmaker met with Amichai, who was already post-denominational and pushing the boundaries of Orthodoxy. Sandi talks about the film’s concept and how it inspired a Muslim man to make a movie on Islam and homosexuality.
Filming the Documentary Sabbath Queen Sandi shares the journey of filming Sabbath Queen, which involved following Rabbi Amichai over 21 years. The film took six years to edit due to multiple storylines, nearly 3000 hours of footage, and time spent exploring Amichai's complex identity and his numerous worlds within his rabbinic family. The film was a complicated project, but Sandi and Amichai have remained close friends. The film is Biblical in many ways, as it is a coming of age and a paradigm shift from a thousands-year-old faith to the present. The film aims to address the challenges faced by religion, as well as the rise of authoritarianism and fascism. Sandi believes that creating a film that looks at time and how values can be manifested in our lives, communities, families, houses of worship, and nations is crucial for upholding values and morals.
A Documentary Filmmaker’s Journey Sandi shares his experiences and lessons learned from his journey as a documentary filmmaker. He explains that his life has been unexpected and doesn't fit neatly into boxes. He also shares his experience with Good Pitch, a platform that focuses on social issue documentaries and collaborations with filmmakers. He has built a strong community around films and the film movement, which has been translated into his work with Sabbath Queen. He believes that film communities intersect with many other communities, creating an outpouring of connection and networks. One of the ways Sabbath Queen is promoting community is through live rituals and gatherings. In Berlin, he hosted a Sabbath Queen Friday night feast with Rabbi Amichai, which encouraged togetherness, peacemaking, and reflection. In San Francisco, they hosted a SoulSpa and in Chicago a Saturday night Let the Light In. Sandi also talks about expanded cinema and the importance of gathering, him co-founding a progressive group called The Creative Resistance with media makers and a Queens Food Caravan. Sandi discusses the importance of having creative collaborators who provide feedback and help in the process of creating a character-driven film. He mentions that it is crucial to have test screenings and feedback screenings to help filmmakers work on their work over time.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Sandi mentions a History and Literature course on the Vietnam War. The course focused on the interdisciplinary nature of storytelling and history, which helped Sandi understand how we process our lives, stories, wounds, and traumas.
Timestamps:
03:28: Early Film Projects and Personal Exploration
12:34: Transition to Long-Term Documentary Filmmaking
22:01: Challenges and Rewards of Long-term Filmmaking
22:23: Personal Life and Community Building
22:41: Advice for Long-term Documentary Filmmakers
41:35: Impact of Sabbath Queen and Future Plans
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Mark Jacobstein, class of ‘92, who reports:
“Hi. I'm Mark Jacobstein, class of 1992. The feature nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is The Friends of Cancer Research. The Friends of Cancer Research powers advances in science and policy that speed life saving treatments to patients. I'm proud to have worked with them during my time at Garden Health and found that they were by far the most important and effective 501, C3, in the world of cancer research. You can learn more about their work at Friends of Research, friends of cancer research.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: FriendsofCancerResearch.org.
Show Notes:
Lili Barouch, a cardiologist, went to medical school at Johns Hopkins. After moving to Baltimore, she became a cardiologist specializing in heart failure and transplant. She joined the faculty in 2003 and worked on basic science research, research lab, and inpatient and outpatient care for heart failure and transplant patients. Lili stayed in this role for about 10 years before transitioning to outpatient cardiology. She moved to Howard County, Maryland, where her children have grown up.
Founding the Sports Cardiology Program
Lili started becoming more athletic around 20 years ago. This led to her interest in sports cardiology, a field geared towards athletes. She founded the sports cardiology program at Johns Hopkins and a training program for future sports cardiologists. She talks about building a new program from scratch, how the field of sports cardiology has grown significantly.
Sports Cardiology Screening
Sports cardiology involves screening athletes, including younger athletes, high-level athletes, and masters athletes. Screening includes evaluating athletes for risk factors, symptomatic athletes, those with known cardiac diseases, and those with significant changes in the heart due to high-level exertion. Lili talks about findings through screenings in sports cardiology including congenital heart defects, a family history of cardiac death at a young age, or abnormal ECGs. She mentions that there is no single standard throughout the country for what type of screening is required for college athletics. The general Sports Med and team physician screen everyone to a certain extent. Sports cardiologists typically are involved in second-level screening, for example, high blood pressure is an area that needs to be addressed, especially in younger athletes. By understanding the specifics of each type of screening and addressing any underlying conditions, athletes can better prepare for their future athletic careers.
Stress Tests and ECG Abnormalities
The conversation turns to the importance of stress tests and ECG abnormalities in sports. Athletes often tend to be symptom minimizers, ignoring minor symptoms that don't seem to affect anything at the time. However, many athletes who develop cardiac arrests report having some symptoms before they report them later. Lili talks about finding the balance between not wanting to alarm patients and not wanting them to ignore symptoms.
Guidelines in Sports Cardiology
Sports Cardiology is its own field. New guidelines have come out this year about shared decision making, which helps athletes decide whether to continue playing or not. The previous guidelines were more paternalistic, with doctors telling athletes whether they can play or are not allowed to play. This led to many athletes hiding symptoms or being disqualified. Newer guidelines have looked at more recent research studies to determine if restricting individuals actually helps them. Many places found that it's okay for athletes to participate in ways that were not possible 10 or 15 years ago, but it also affects their psychological state severely if they get disqualified from their sport.
Changes to the Heart
Lili discusses the changes to the heart of elite athletes, including professional athletes, major sports leagues, and Olympic athletes. She explains that the higher level of an athlete, the more likely they are to have more people involved in their care. Studies on elite athletes, such as Tour de France cyclists and Olympic athletes, have shown that those who do high levels of endurance exercise, such as cycling, long-distance running, swimming, and cross-country skiing, tend to have an increase in the size of their heart chambers.
The Health Benefits of Exercise
The American Heart Association guidelines recommend a minimum of two 30 minute strength training workouts and at least three 30 to 45 minute aerobic exercise workouts of moderate intensity per week. The minimum recommended amount of exercise is two and a half hours per week, spread out throughout the week. For endurance athletes, this may be more than two hours a day. Lili talks about the benefits of exercise, highlighting that there are marginal additional gains up to three to four times the minimum recommended amount. The most significant gain is when one goes from zero hours per week to two or three hours per week of total exercise, up to about eight hours per week. This leads to greater fitness, benefits in blood pressure, cholesterol, reducing the risk of diabetes, and longevity. However, beyond eight or 10 hours per week, there are no additional health benefits.
Joining the Race
Lili started running in 2006, initially as a fitness exercise but eventually becoming an athlete due to her autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis. She joined the running club and was challenged by a friend to do a triathlon. She initially struggled with swimming, but eventually learned to swim and competed in several distances, including the full Ironman. Lili has run six marathons, mostly short and medium distance triathlons, and has achieved significant accomplishments such as qualifying for the Boston Marathon in 2018 and competing in the Boston Marathon in 2018. However, she also faced joint issues due to her rheumatoid arthritis, which led her to focus more on long distance triathlons.
The Growth of the Sports Cardiology Program
Lili founded a sports cardiology program based on her clinic, which primarily focuses on athlete patients. The program is also developing a National Registry of masters athletes to study the impact of high exercise levels on athletes' health. The program involves training fellows in cardiology who are interested in sports cardiology. A fellowship program was developed for one fellow, and the first formal graduates completed the program last year. Lili talks about an annual meeting called "The Care of the Athletic Heart" in Washington, DC, where they organize formal talks, educational symposia, and case presentations to help others get into the field. She also talks about resources and funding for the program.
Timestamps
02:19: Transition to Outpatient Cardiology and Personal Life
06:14: Evolution and Role in Sports Cardiology
07:05: Screening and Management of Athletes
15:25: Elite Athletes and Cardiac Health
27:15: Lily's Personal Athletic Journey
33:59: Founding the Sports Cardiology Program
37:26: Administrative and Research Aspects
40:56: Memorable Courses at Harvard
43:30: Resources and Future Plans
Links:
https://profiles.hopkinsmedicine.org/provider/lili-barouch/2705370
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heart-vascular-institute/cardiology/sports-cardiology
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heart-vascular-institute/education/sports-cardiology-fellowship
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Heather Taussig, class of ‘92, who reports:
“Hi, I'm Heather Taussig, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is Fostering Healthy Futures. Fostering Healthy Futures is an evidence based mentoring program for children and teens in foster care. I am the program developer and principal investigator of Fostering Healthy Futures, which my team and I launched in 2002. You can learn more about our work at FosteringHealthyFuturesdotorg.“
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.fosteringhealthyfutures.org/
Show Notes:
Tanya Selvaratnam shares her journey from high school to present day. She moved to New York after graduating and worked at Columbia Law School’s Center for Chinese Legal Studies. She also assisted Anna Deavere Smith on her show “Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992” about the LA riots. Tanya went back to Harvard for graduate school, studying Chinese language and the history of law.
An Adventure in Theatre
After her father passed away, she returned to New York, where she was working on the Beijing Women's Conference. Wandering the streets one day, she came across The Performing Garage with a poster on the wall for a show by the Wooster Group. On a whim, she slipped a note on the door offering to help in any capacity and was taken on as an intern. Before long, she was asked to come to rehearsals, and, despite having no intentions of becoming a performer, this led to her performing with the Wooster Group. She toured all over the world with them and with other companies like the Builders Association.
On Becoming a Film Producer
Currently, Tanya writes books and makes movies. She also advises various organizations, foundations, and corporations. She recently started advising the Open Future Lab in Vienna, Austria. She has also worked as a producer, which began when she worked at the Ms. Foundation for Women, on what was then called "Take Our Daughters to Work Day" as well as the Gloria awards. She also worked with Jed Weintrob, whom she had met at Harvard when she was in his production of “Dracula.” In the late 90s, Jed asked her to produce a movie he was writing at the time. It went on to premiere at Sundance and then the Berlinale in 2002. This led to more work as a producer, and Tanya is still currently producing.
The Connection between Event Organizer and Film Producer
Tanya shares her experiences in organizing events since high school. While at Phillips Academy Andover, she was the head of the South Asian Students Association and served on the divestment committee during apartheid days. She organized events like readings of poetry, essays, and performances to raise awareness about activism and advocacy. After college, she also organized events for the youth tent at the Women's Conference in China, where she performed a piece called "Wet Sari Syndrome," which was a take on Bollywood movies. Tanya learned the craft of producing films directly from her friend and trusted colleague, Jed. She was willing to work hard, focusing on tasks such as finding locations, cleaning up the set, and figuring out what needed to happen to make the film come together. Tanya was able to tap into her resources and connections to make shoots possible and be attentive to Jed's vision.
Dealing with Difficult Times
The conversation turns to her experience with bullying and harassment, which she has faced in various situations. She deals with this by focusing on her tasks and work. Tanya goes to Portland to write and escape from these situations, as it provides a safe space to escape the pressures of life. She also talks about her two books, The Big Lie: Motherhood, Feminism, and the Reality of the Biological Clock, which grew out of her own struggles with fertility and Assume Nothing: A Story of Intimate Violence. When dealing with fertility issues, Tanya was shocked at the amount of misinformation surrounding fertility awareness. She talks about the problems with sex education in America and how the book changed when she was diagnosed with two types of cancer. In her second book, she shares her experiences of being entrapped in an abusive relationship with former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. She explains why she was motivated to write the book and why she went into hiding after her story first became public.
Working with Cultural Institutions
Tanya has also worked on cultural events around the world, such as at the Rubell Museum in Miami, the Women's Conference in China, with Anna Deavere Smith and the Wooster Group. She has collaborated with major institutions and museums, such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Barbican in London, and Victoria Theatre in Singapore. She toured to 62 cities all over the world in a space of 12 years. She’s also worked with the Sundance Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. She talks about The Federation, an organization that aims to show how art unites people and keeps cultural borders open. She recently worked with Carrie Mae Weems at the Torino book fair in Italy.
Co-directing and Producing a Documentary Short
Tanya co-directed and produced a 13-minute documentary short called Love to the Max, which was acquired by the New Yorker magazine and recently nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary Short. The film was inspired by the mother of Max Briggle, who was targeted for loving and supporting her trans kid. Tanya was inspired to make the film after Max Briggle’s mother reached out to a women's listserv for help because she’d been approached by child protection services. Tanya has also been working with Catherine Gund for 17 years, producing a film called Paint Me a Road Out of Here, which is about the interconnected journeys of artists Faith Ringgold and Mary Baxter. She is also working on a new book called Love Me and Leave Me, which is about adventures through intimate pleasure and intimacy in many forms.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Tanya initially thought she would study science at Harvard but found the large classes to be lacking in intimacy. She became interested in Chinese history and legal history, taking classes with visiting scholars and professors like Chang Weijen, William Alford, Professor Kuhn, and Professor Bol; Caroline Reeves, a graduate student, helped her decide what to explore for her thesis.
Timestamps:
05:38: Transition to Producing and Social Justice Work
13:22: Challenges and Learning in the Film Industry
20:28: Personal Struggles and Advocacy
34:07: Work with Museums and Cultural Institutions
37:11: Future Projects and Reflections
41:10: Harvard Experiences and Influences
Links:
Website: Tanyaturnsup.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyaauthor/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Olu Ajilore, class of ‘92, who reports:
“The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, or AFSP. AFSP is a volunteer organization that supports those affected by suicide through research, education and advocacy. I've worked with our local chapter of AFSP raising funds with their annual out of the darkness walks, and I'm proud to serve on the Scientific Council for AFSP. You can learn more about their work@afsp.org.”
To learn more about their work, visit: afsp.org
Show Notes:
Bo Rutledge, a professor and dean at the University of Georgia Law School, opens the conversation by talking about his parents, who made sacrifices to support their children's education, and how he felt called to serve and worked for the governor in California where he met many inspiring civil servants. A Graduate Degree and Long-Distance Relationship In Scotland, he obtained a graduate degree and met his wife Birgit, who is Austrian. They had a wonderful year together overseas and then spent three years in a long-distance relationship while Bo attended law school and Brigit studied to become a teacher. After graduating, Bo clerked for two years, and briefly practiced law in Europe. After the birth of their first child, Bo and Birgit decided to become teachers, Bo as a law professor and Brigit as a foreign language teacher. They have both been teaching for nearly 22 years. Inspiring Students as a Professor and Dean Bo's parents instilled in him an appreciation for education and the power of education. As a professor and dean, he has worked to inspire students about the power of education and the ability to realize their full potential without letting debt hinder them in their careers. In the ten years he has served as Dean, his efforts have led to a significant reduction in student debt and the creation of a generation of people who feel the freedom Bo experienced thanks to his parents.
A Law School Crisis Bo faced a crisis in 2014-15 due to a decline in law school applications. Legal education had experienced a 40% drop in national and 50% drop in local applications. To overcome this, Bo focused on the institution's values. Inspired by the belief that “public higher education is the greatest engine of upward socio-economic mobility in our society”, he acknowledged that tuition increases contributed to the student debt crisis and decided not to increase tuition for the students at the University of Georgia Law School. Building Support for Students In conjunction with a freeze on tuition fees, the school also communicated with the school's supportive alumni cohort, who provided financial support, job opportunities, and counsel. They had a team of 125 people, including faculty and staff, who cared about the impact they could have on students' lives who helped support measures taken to accommodate the low intake of students. They cut 7.5% of their operating budget in the first 18 months, and invested in revenue-generating opportunities and fundraisers. As Dean, Bo measured success ruthlessly, using values rather than spending per student. They focused on student success, job creation, and debt reduction. This approach helped the university navigate the crisis and refine its message. Bo talks about how the recession caused a decline in public investment in public institutions, and how he helped drive support for students and inspire students. One Student Success Story Bo shares the reason why one student decided to go to law school, and how the relationship with alumni presented a strong support group for this student. This story has galvanized Bo’s resolve to focus on helping students over the years. Bo mentions that one focus of the school is to support first-generation graduates. He emphasizes that higher education is truly special in a world where most people in prior generations and societies couldn't afford or attend college, and it offers the opportunity to connect with a mentor. The Higher Education Affordability Crisis Bo believes that the affordability crisis in higher education is fixable and has written published articles on this topic. He believes that the student loan industry is a mixed blessing. It allows people access to institutions they otherwise couldn't afford, but it also makes it easier for institutions to raise tuition. He also highlights the lack of clear ownership lines or a clear line of accountability to boards and shareholders in most higher education institutions. He learned that, as a dean, one must figure out their accountability mechanisms and constituencies in a world without a simplified structure. In summary, Bo's experience as dean has taught him about the economics of institutions, the difficulty of shaping the culture, and the importance of accountability in higher education institutions. Travel Personally and Professionally Bo has traveled extensively for nearly 40 years. He spent his first couple of years in Vienna, Austria, practicing law at an international law firm. Two places that stuck with him were Budapest, Hungary, and Ostrova, Czech Republic. He shares stories of the people he met and how their experience gave him insight into living under communist rule. He has also traveled to countries like Poland and India, where their university traditions are both historically rich and still very nascent, and how they are inspired by the education system in the U.S. Bo has had the privilege of meeting people from different backgrounds and this has allowed him to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by students in different countries, and to bring these experiences back to the university. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Bo mentions professors Michael Sandel, Dennis Thompson, and Stanley Hoffmann. He cites Sandel's justice class as an inspiration for a course he teaches to undergrads on moral dilemmas, which, in addition to the course topics, focuses on teaching the ability to discuss and debate socially divisive topics. He mentions Dennis Thompson's teachings on Political Ethics and Public Policy, Stanley Hoffman's teachings on Ethics and International relations, and Paul Pierson and Mark Peterson. Pierson taught Bo how to have faith in his ideas, while Peterson taught him how to write. He believes that Harvard is both intellectually intimidating and liberating, as it allows students to confront ethically nettlesome issues.
Timestamps:
03:26: Early Career and Mentorship
05:02: Service and Educational Reform
16:33: Inspiring Students and Overcoming Challenges
23:55: Lessons Learned as Dean
28:53: Influential Books and Personal Growth
34:05: Travel and Professional Experiences
41:27: Influential Professors and Courses
Link:
Email: borut@uga.edu
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Bill Ashmankas who reports:
“Hi. I'm Bill Ashmanskas, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is the Delaware Valley golden retriever rescue since 1993 DVGRR has successfully placed 1000s of golden retrievers and other DVGRR dogs into new homes throughout eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and beyond. DVGRR has been recognized for its innovative work in rescuing and rehabilitating puppy mill breeder dogs. Allison and I adopted our first DVGRR dog in 2015 and our current dog in 2021 both retired breeder dogs, and we've been regular donors since 2015 you can learn more about their work at D, V, G, R, R.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www. DVGRR.org.
Show Notes: Dan Tabak, a lawyer and treasurer of Harvard Hillel, spent three years at Columbia Law School, he then worked as a litigator at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, but took a year off to clerk for a federal judge in Brooklyn. He went back to work at Simpson Thacher before moving on to his current firm, Cohen & Gresser which operates primarily in New York City but has offices in London, Paris, Dubai, and Washington, D.C. He currently lives in Scarsdale, New York with his wife and two kids. On the Board of Harvard Hillel Dan joined the board of Harvard Hillel during the pandemic, which allowed him to participate more actively. He explains why he joined the board and supporting the Jewish community was an important part of his decision. In response to the fact that Harvard has been in the news in connection with anti-semitism, Dan states that the board has a diverse board with diverse viewpoints. He also mentions a 311 page study on anti-semitism at Harvard and notes that there are problems at Harvard that were different from what his class perceived, and that students today interact differently than when Dan was a student, specifically the inability to disagree with civility and respect for diversity of opinions. The Decline of Jewish Students at HarvardDan discusses the decline in Jewish students at Harvard and similar institutions, noting that he believes it has not emerged from a top-down decision, but traces back to the Immigration Act of 1965. He notes that there was a high likelihood of having a Jewish roommate or blockmate in the class of 1992 and a lower chance now, which has led to fewer people understanding Jews and Jewish life at these institutions. He attributes the decline to the emphasis on more diversity on identities within admissions and how students feel a responsibility to represent their specific background as well as the Immigration Act of 1965, which opened doors to different communities, particularly immigrant families, who tend to value education highly and are now more represented at Harvard. A Career in Law and Improving the Public School Systems Dan talks about his career at Simpson Thacher, one of the world's largest firms. His senior thesis in college involved a school funding decision in New Jersey. From his first week as a summer associate at Simpson Thacher to his departure years later, he worked with a group bringing a similar case in New York, Campaign For Fiscal Equity against the state of New York. The case involved school kids in New York City suing the state for a sound basic education under the New York State Constitution. The trial went nine months, and the students won the trial. He summarizes the process from determining there is a right to finding the remedy. The remedy involved resources and money, and the case went through another set of hearings to determine the appropriate resolution. Dan also discusses what the research revealed about class sizes, funding, and how the family situation impacts the education of a student. A Focus on Financial Service CompaniesThe conversation turns to Dan’s legal work, focusing on commercial litigation, with a focus on financial services companies, and bankruptcy and bankruptcy-related litigation. He talks about his involvement in a case involving Terry Bollea, also known as Hulk Hogan, in the bankruptcy of Gawker and Gawker's founder. He also touches on how this case helped lead to a change in how the public views the publication of sex tapes. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the legal landscape and the impact of cases like this on the legal landscape. Skills and Superpowers in LawDan believes that his strengths in law are the strategizing of how to get from here to there, listening to the client, and having a goal in mind. He also mentions being a good writer, which helps convey his thoughts. He initially was less strong at oral arguments but has since improved his skills and persuaded judges to change course and decide for his clients. One example of a successful legal strategy involves listening to clients and helping them figure out what they really want. For example, he has worked with pro bono clients who are more interested in justice than achieving a result. They often get a settlement offer and he explains the consequences if they don't take it. He explains that the lawyer must work through the emotional aspects and consider the implications of suing them and going to court. With corporate clients, Dan emphasizes the importance of listening to clients' goals and working relationships with the other party. A settlement can be a win-win situation for everyone involved, as long as they can continue doing business together. This is a different function of listening to what the client is trying to get out of the case. The Limitations of Legal EducationDan believes that a course he took from Roger Fisher with the Harvard Negotiation project was more helpful in negotiation and negotiation strategy than anything he learned in law school. He also mentions that law school was more about hearing the cases and understanding the law, rather than emotional intelligence and negotiating strategies. He also mentions that law schools did not teach how to manage junior attorneys and paralegals, which he believes is essential for success in law firms. He talks about the many small inflection points in a lawyer's career, such as meeting the right people and introducing them to potential clients that change or shape direction and offer opportunities. Influential Harvard Professors and CoursesDan mentions the Negotiation course and a Constitutional Law class with H.W. Perry, where he learned how to read legal cases and understand constitutional law. Dan shares a memorable experience while he was taking the Constitutional Law course where he argued a case in front of classmates, including "Chief Justice" Ketanji Brown Jackson, and also mentions learning in an Intro to Psychology course about the concept of idiosyncrasy credits.
Kirsten Dirksen, An Unexpected Career as a YouTube Home & Lifestyle Content Creator
Show Notes:
Kirsten Dirksen majored in economics and math, but found creative writing to be her passion. She decided to become a magazine writer and interned at the NBC affiliate in San Francisco, where she worked for free for about nine months.
Working at NBC and Moving a Women's Network
After her internship, she went to work with the NBC elite, which was the old chronicle enterprise. Kirsten became the music person, interviewing bands and creating unique stories for interviews. She eventually moved to New York City to work for Oxygen, a women's network. She then worked freelance in New York City and for other networks, including MTV, where she did music-themed stories. She worked freelance for a while, and the Sundance Channel took her to Spain to do an interview with Javier Bardem. She later met her husband in Barcelona.
Reality T.V. and Early YouTube Videos
Throughout her career, Kirsten has been passionate about storytelling and experimenting with different topics. She started working with an old Oxygen producer in Spain to film weddings for a reality show called The Knot. They traveled to various locations, and Kirsten edited the shows which took around five weeks to complete. However, when her husband started a website about environmental sustainability, together they made videos and put them on YouTube. The first viral video was about a micro apartment in New York. The video was picked up and shared on La Republica's homepage. This led to the story being picked up by Good Morning, America.
We the Tiny House People and 20 Million Views
After videos going viral in 2009, Kirsten and her husband continued posting YouTube videos. Since then she has done about five or six documentaries, with one being a taste-style documentary about the tiny house movement. The other two are family-based, chronicling the tiny house movement and the summer of family love. She has also done documentaries on homelessness, focusing on the experiences of homeless people in California. Kirsten's videos have gained popularity, with her first one being called We the Tiny House People, chronicling the tiny house movement. The second one, Our Summer of Family Love, was a road trip across the Pacific Northwest and West for the summer. Her other documentaries have focused on homelessness, focusing on solutions and solutions for those living in small homes. Her videos have gained attention and have been viewed over 20 million times on YouTube. She has also been a guest on the show The Tiny House People, where she shares her experiences with tiny house movements and the challenges faced by homeless people.
From Documentarian to Author
Kirsten began in a formal documentary unit in San Francisco and has since focused on documentaries and tours of tiny homes. Her book, Life-Changing Homes, is titled after these homes, which she believes sum up the stories they tell. The books are categorized into 10 chapters, each with a theme that focuses on simplicity, slowness, impermanence, elevation, restoration, underground survival, resurrection, and future. The book covers a variety of houses, from simple to large, and features thought-provoking chapter headings that cover two or three different houses that fit that theme. Each chapter covers about two or three different houses that fit that theme, and Kirsten interviews the owner. The focus is not on a specific category or type of house, but rather on the story itself. Kirsten's work has been praised for its stunning photos and focus on eco-friendly designs, making it an attractive resource for those interested in living in tiny homes. The book is expected to be a valuable resource for those interested in exploring these unique and sustainable living options.
The People Who Live in Non-Traditional Dwellings
Kirsten discusses the experiences of interviewing people in non-traditional dwellings, such as those in Ontario and California. She highlights the importance of considering what one truly needs out of a home and what skills they have. Some examples include a widow who built a dome home in Ontario, where she had a refrigerator that pops up like a gadget in Willy Wonka's factory. Another example is a chiropractor who bought land near the border of Oregon and started building a tree house and an earth ship along the way. He has a community of people living there. She also mentions the chief architect for Apple who has a small, open home in Sonoma County. He lived on the land first, but then went camping to find the best place to live. He bought two prefabs and kept everything small, with only the bathroom having a bit of a door. His wife and kids enjoyed the openness and connection to the surroundings. Kirsten emphasizes that it's not just about affordability, but also about making the most sense of the space. Sometimes too big houses can be worse than not having the views or being in touch with the surroundings. This is why she came back to the idea of living in a small, open space.
The Importance of Simplicity
The conversation turns to Thoreau and his way of thinking about time in nature, simplicity, and well-being. Kirsten discusses the importance of simplicity in her life and how it can impact her content creation. She also mentions a couple who live in the woods called the innermost house, which they call a place to reflect and experiment in simplicity. She talks about the connection between simplicity and high thinking, as seen in a woman who lived in a tiny house in her backyard in Santa Rosa, California back at a time when it was rebellious to live in a tiny, mobile home. Kirsten mentions how the woman found too many possessions cluttered her mind.
Viral Videos and Duds
Kirsten shares her experiences with videos that go viral and which ones are more of a dud. One example is a story with a young architect living in a 12th-century mansion in Spain. Another example is a video with Special Operations, a flying car from an off-grid home, which has had 700,000 views in a week. The title of the video is "Special Operations," which is about a special operations vet who lives on land at the top of a mountain and works as a rescue mission and firefighters. Kirsten shares her experience of becoming a content creator and how it has changed her outlook on life and making a living. It wasn't something she planned; however, it has given her a lot of freedom and afforded her an income that allows her to make a living.
Plain Living and High Thinking
The conversation turns to the process of making a video, including filming, editing, and producing the perfect thumbnail. Kirsten and her husband usually spend two to three hours at a house or location. The couple also film themselves during their stay, going on runs and shooting in the morning. Kirsten shares stories from many of the productions and the diverse and interesting people she has met along the way. She talks about what motivates and inspires these people to think and live differently.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Kirsten discusses her experience with Verlyn Klinkenborg whose direction inspired her work back then and today.
Timestamps:
02:22 Internship at NBC and Early Career in Television
06:26: Transition to Freelancing and YouTube
11:03: Growth of YouTube Channel and Documentary Work
11:14: Discovering Unique Homes and Themes for Documentaries
11:36: Impact of Unique Living Spaces on Individuals
30:59: Challenges and Surprises in Content Creation
42:58: Balancing Work and Personal Life
43:09: Influence of Harvard Professors and Writing
Links:
Book: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/life-changing-homes_9781419771897/
Press page: https://faircompanies.com/media-kit/
Channel https://youtube.com/kirstendirksen
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.dirksen/
YouTube:
Summer of (Family) Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Iti4JU5ObU
We the Tiny House People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDcVrVA4bSQ
Trapped in paradise: how we got the homeless situation (part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5XIljwl5hI
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Eleanor Stafford who reports:
“Hi. I'm Eleanor Stafford, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts. LVM is a statewide organization that trains volunteers to provide free, confidential and individualized tutoring to adults in basic literacy and or ESL. I have been the lead basic literacy volunteer trainer for about 20 years now, and have managed the Boston affiliate for the past two years. You can learn more about LVM's work at lvm.org and now here is Will Bachmann for this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www.lvm.org.
Show Notes:
Bonni Theriault initially went to business school and worked as a business analyst at McKinsey for a few years, where she worked with consumer products for companies and marketing. After working at Pepperidge Farm for a couple of years, she decided to build her own company and joined forces with a woman who was the head of advertising at Campbell Soup, and together they launched a brand strategy company where they worked for companies like Cadbury Schweppes, Johnson and Johnson, and Stryker.
From Marketing to Coaching to Global Emergency Care
After 13 years at the company, Bonni found herself tired of constantly pitching to employers and sought coaching roles. She had previously worked closely with the McKinsey assessment team, coaching candidates and helping them improve their interview skills. And so, with the experience under her belt, she returned to McKinsey as a professional development manager. When her oldest son turned 14, she took two years off to spend more time with her children and also volunteered with Global Emergency Care, an organization that trains emergency medicine nurses in Uganda. She worked with Global Emergency Care's marketing and fundraising for two years on a volunteer basis.
The Role of Chief Partnerships Officer at Generation
When Bonni decided to return to work, she wanted to stay in the social sector but was offered a position at McKinsey. She worked there until an opportunity at Generation was presented. Generation is an independent non-profit that works with unemployed individuals. Bonni has now worked there for seven years. Bonni explains that her responsibility as chief partnerships officer includes global fundraising and employer partnerships for Generation, a company operating in 17 countries worldwide. They train across 40 different professions, based on labor dynamics in each country. They conduct extensive research before starting a training program to identify job vacancies and bring learners from historically underrepresented groups, and they focus on employment in five different industries: tech, green jobs, customer service and sales, skilled trades, and healthcare. They also teach behavioral skills and the importance of having a growth mindset.
The Impact of AI in Job Forecasting and Training
AI has been a topic of interest for Generation, as it impacts the skills needed to train learners in specific roles. Bonni explains that they have analyzed various roles, including entry-level roles, which may go away entirely or be significantly impacted by AI, and roles that might have a different set of skills. Jobs such as solar panel installation or healthcare, are likely to be more resilient over time in the face of AI. They are also considering more jobs in the data center technician category, where tech roles are more hands-on and dealing with equipment than providing coding or IT support.
How Generation Is Using AI
The organization is using AI to deliver training to learners and alumni, ensuring they have the necessary skills for their jobs. They have created AI modules for learners and alumni to help them upskill and remain relevant in their work. AI is also used to help develop the curriculum, with chat bots helping learners answer first-line questions and focusing on more complex material. This helps streamline the curriculum creation process, as it often involves research and talking to subject matter experts. Operational efficiencies are also being used to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Working as a Professional Development Manager
The conversation turns back to Bonni’s as a professional development manager at McKinsey. She mentions that a lot of time was spent negotiating with partners and consultants to find the right balance between professional growth and client needs. She built relationships of trust between consultants and partners to influence decisions in a way that was best for everyone involved. She also focused on performance evaluation, helping people understand their strengths and areas for improvement, and helping them find ways to build skills through studies, formalized training, coaching, or mentorship.
Marketing Goldfish and Chocolate
Bonni shares her experience working on marketing Goldfish, a product that was initially marketed as a snack for adults drinking beer in bars but later was marketed to moms as an appealing snack for children. She also discusses her experience working with Cadbury, a chocolate brand that had over 150 chocolate brands worldwide. She worked on a brand architecture project to help consolidate these brands and increase their advertising dollars. She was sent boxes of chocolate bars from around the world to analyze packaging and brand identity and helped create seven mega brands for Cadbury, which led to a significant increase in their chocolate market share.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Bonni mentions a course taught by Professor Dominguez where he focused on critical thinking. He presented different perspectives on events, presenting different sides as the truth. This skill has been passed down through her life and has become essential in today's world. Bonni wishes more classes would take this approach, as it helps students analyze and think critically about various situations and perspectives. Bonni’s experiences with Professor Dominguez's course and her critical thinking skills have shaped her life and career.
Timestamps:
02:29: Transition to Coaching and McKinsey
05:41: Role at Generation and Impact on Workforce
09:43: Impact of AI on Training and Roles
15:02: Learners vs. Students and Personal Time Management
20:55: Professional Development at McKinsey
22:59: Goldfish Marketing Strategy and Cadbury Brand Architecture
28:29: Travel Experiences and Language Skills
32:06: Influence of Harvard Courses and Critical Thinking
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonni-theriault-710b79/
Website: www.generation.org
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Juliana Koo who reports:
“Hi. I'm Juliana Koo, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Kaya Press. Kaya is a publisher of Asian diasporic literature, and I was the managing editor for nearly a decade in the 1990s and now serve on the board. You can learn more about Kaya's work at WWW dot k, a, y, adotcom, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www.kaya.com.
Show Notes:
Gideon Yaffe and his then girlfriend-now wife, Sue Chan, drove across the country after graduation to San Francisco, where they had no jobs or prospects. Gideon had applied to graduate school in philosophy but didn't get in anywhere. They got married and his first job was at a pet store, Gideon worked there for a while, then at a computer magazine.
Studying Philosophy at Stanford
While hanging out in San Francisco, he started reading Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past, which he loved and found to be hugely rewarding. This inspired him to apply to grad school again and this time his application was accepted in a lot of places. He decided to study philosophy at Stanford, where he met Michael Bratman, a professor who worked on philosophy of action and related questions about the nature of action, agency, and intention. Gideon also became interested in the history of philosophy and wrote a dissertation about John Locke and contemporary problems related to the Free Will problem. Gideon went on the job market in academia. He got some interviews but didn't get a job. The following year, he got a one-year job at UCSD. His wife, Sue, was working in the film industry, so they moved to LA and he commuted down to San Diego.
Tenure at the University of Southern California
He finally secured a tenure track job at the University of Southern California (USC) in 1999 and taught Philosophy of Law classes. He wrote a paper about addiction, which he found interesting due to his knowledge of addicts and interest in freedom and addiction and how addiction would undermine freedom. When a friend of Gideon’s was a victim of a carjacking incident, he became interested in the legal problem at the center of many carjacking cases that revolves around intention, so he wrote a paper about conditional intention. Gideon explains how carjacking differs from car theft, and the paper questioned whether a conditional intention was enough for the crime when the statute called for unconditional intention. Gideon felt that philosophy of law was important to work on but he needed to know more about the law, so he coerced USC into giving him a year in the law school. Gideon recounts his experience as a law student and how it led to teaching law in law school.
Collaborating on a Neuroscience and Legal Proceedings Think Tank
The MacArthur Foundation launched the law and neuroscience project, which aimed to bring together various people from philosophy, law, and neuroscience to discuss the relevance of neuroscience to legal proceedings, particularly in criminal law. Gideon was invited to be part of this think tank. During this time, he collaborated with neuroscientists on various problems and experiments related to neuroscience that could be useful to the legal system. This led to a desire to learn more about neuroscience and he pursued a grant to support the project. He spent another year as a neuroscience student at Cal Tech which allowed him to learn a lot about neuroscience. Gideon also started writing a book about attempted crimes. Gideon talks about the importance of understanding the double failure of attempts, and inherent impossible attempts. He highlights the number of cases where individuals seem incapable of committing crimes. Gideon received a job offer from Yale University after being a part of the MacArthur think tank and his book. He decided to take the position and he and his family moved to New Haven.
Neuroscience, Law, and GenAI Intentions
Gideon talks about the challenges faced by those who attempt to escape the harsh realities of the criminal justice system. His experiences highlight the importance of understanding the factors that contribute to attempted crimes. The conversation turns to Gideon’s involvement in generative AI and the potential of AI intentions. He is currently working on a project with neuroscientist Uri Maoz, which aims to understand, for example, the difference between self-driving cars and drones in terms of intentions. Another project involves a group funded by billionaire Sergey Brin, who has a daughter with severe autism. The group aims to build AI models of the brain of a person and use the model to see how it responds to various forms of surgery.
AI, Consciousness, and Intentions Organizing Behavior
Gideon discusses the concept of AI consciousness. Gideon states that a lot depends on how consciousness is defined. One understanding is that consciousness involves self-representation of certain kinds of thoughts. He suggests that understanding consciousness depends on what one thinks about it. One way of understanding consciousness involves self-representation of certain kinds, such as having a second-order thought about the thought. If that's all that's required for consciousness, then these LLMs can be conscious. Another way of understanding consciousness involves qualia, or ways of feeling, such as experiencing a particular sensation or feeling something. However, he acknowledges that it is difficult to know exactly what it is like to be an LLM or a toaster. He acknowledges that there are some similarities between the two, but acknowledges the challenges in determining their exact roles in AI and neuroscience. Gideon explains that intentions serve to organize behavior in various interesting ways. For example, if an AI has intentions, they can make decisions now so they don't have to think about them later. This is relevant for coordinating behavior with each other, as well as interpersonal organization. The question of whether AIs have intentions is more tractable than the question of whether they are conscious. Intentions play a crucial role in various aspects of law, such as contract interpretation and legal texts. Understanding the intentions of AI and their potential impact on these areas is essential for understanding the future of AI and its applications in various fields.
Updating Law to Address AI Intention
The conversation explores the need to rewrite laws or update them to address the issue of intention in AI. Gideon states that the intention of a person or AI and the textual language, and the interpretation of the text are all areas that need to be explored. The project Gideon is working on aims to determine the intentions of AI by examining the role their representation plays in guiding their behavior. Gideon suggests that the question is whether inferences can be made about AI's intentions by looking at the role the representations plays from the AI behavior. Gideon talks about a project on criminal activity and neuroscience that he is proud of.
Leniency and Child Criminality
Gideon goes on to talk about leniency and child criminality. He argues that the reason to give a break to kids who engage in criminal behavior is disenfranchisement, not neural immaturity. He talks about the age of maturity, lack of political participation. Gideon's book about kids was written after completing his studies at Yale. He also discusses his personal life, including being in a car accident which resulted in a severe brain injury and how he is immensely grateful for his recovery.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Gideon mentions a core class on the Baroque period by Simon Schama, which he found to be the most influential. The course focused on famous European paintings from the Baroque period, which he found to be a source of inspiration. Other influential courses include a seminar with Hilary Putnam, Rational Action with Robert Nozick.
Timestamps:
04:50: Philosophy Studies and Academic Challenges
11:18: Legal Philosophy and Collaborative Research
22:25: Transition to Yale and Continued Research
27:22: Philosophical Reflections on AI and Consciousness
39:36: Personal Reflections and Career Highlights
49:52: Courses and Professors at Harvard
52:27: Current Work and Future Directions
52:41: Personal Life and Family
Links:
https://law.yale.edu/gideon-yaffe
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Michael Johnson who reports:
“Hi. I'm Michael Johnson, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Son of a Saint. Son of a Saint provides guidance, mentorship and opportunities to young boys in the New Orleans area who did not have a father in the home, usually due to death or incarceration. Founded in 2011 by Sonny Lee, who lost his own father, a defensive back of the saints from a heart attack at the age of 36, Son of a Saint is making a significant impact on the lives of young boys in the New Orleans area. My wife and I have been supporters for many years, as has my firm advantage capital, which recently endowed a scholarship that will cover high school tuition for two boys from the program. Although my circumstances were much different, having lost my own father when I was five years old, I know firsthand how important a male influence can be on a young boy. I luckily had family members and friends who stepped up from me and hope in some small way, my support of Son of a Saint and the work their mentors do can give the boys and their programs similar help. You can learn more about their work at Son of a Saint.org and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www.sonofasaint.org.
Show Notes:
Steven Chao, a US-born second-generation college student, shares his experiences growing up in South Carolina and feeling overwhelmed upon arriving at Harvard in 1988. He found solace in joining the Collegium Musicum, a classical musical singing group at Harvard, which helped him find his footing and connect with people from his class.
From Biochem to Game Design to Consulting
Steven majored in biochemistry, which expanded his social circle and helped him find happiness. Steven's parents were both PhDs and pushed him into the MD PhD program. However, he faced challenges in medical school and research, leading to questions about his path and the decision to pursue a career in computer gaming. Steven talks about his experience working in the sound and asset acquisition field at Activision in LA. He initially had a great time there but ultimately decided that it wasn't the long-term solution for him. He returned to his PhD program and he pinned his hopes on becoming a doctor. During the last half of the MD program, Steven realized that he didn't want to be a researcher or go into medicine. He found an opportunity to explore other careers beyond medicine or research through a sub-intern at McKinsey.
The McKinsey Years
Steven joined McKinsey full-time in 2001 and worked in the Boston office. The bulk of his work was in the payer and provider space, mainly health insurance and hospital systems. He spent about four and a half years at McKinsey, starting from scratch with no business background, which proved difficult. Steven's PhD focused on biology, not analytical skills, but rather gene genetic rearrangement and plasmids, and he felt lost at the beginning of McKinsey. At the same time, he also participated in the mini MBA program in Austria. Despite meeting great friends at McKinsey, his work was hit or miss. Steven talks about a few of the McKinsey projects he worked on and how a pharma project with Jeff Elton piqued his interest in returning to biopharma. He later worked with Kim Packard, who was his first and best mentor at McKinsey. Steven was late to promotion and advancement, and in 2004, when his wife became pregnant, he gave up his job and started considering what he would do next.
Boutique Consulting, Life Sciences, and Biotech Companies
In 2004, Steven joined a small consulting group at an investment bank called Leering Swan, which focused on life sciences and biotech companies. This was a better fit for Steven, who had always wanted to leverage his love for science. He joined the firm and was assigned to a project in Parkinson's disease. The experience was mind-blowing, as he interviewed world experts in this space. He was hooked within a week and found the career to be a good fit for him. The combination of his love for science and medicine, without needing to do research or have a career in clinical practice, was perfect, as he loved learning about different aspects of medicine, and the variety and diversity of the day-to-day work.
Founding ClearView
Steven left Leering Swan with two other people in 2008 to co-found ClearView. ClearView was born of the same concept as Leering Swan, but focused on life sciences, biotech, pharma, private equity clients, diagnostics companies, and strategic consulting. Steven's primary hat was recruiting, and he continued to love every second of doing so. ClearView Healthcare Partners is now a well-known, private consulting firm with several 100 employees. The company has a growing presence in London, India, San Francisco, New York, and Boston.
Family Life and a Love of Musicals
On the personal side, Steven has a family of four children, three girls and a boy. They also have two in college and two still in high school. The oldest is a sophomore at Harvard. Music has always been a significant part of their family. They have a love for Broadway musical theater, and they have spent a lot of time attending performances. Their youngest son is doing a local production of Hadestown in Wellesley, and their oldest is performing at the Agassi theater in a production of 9-5, the film with Dolly Parton, which has themes of female empowerment.
Timestamps:
04:50: Transition to Medical School and Early Career Challenges
13:14: Joining McKinsey and Early Consulting Experience
23:20: Discovering a Passion for Biopharma Consulting
30:04: Founding ClearView Healthcare Partners
37:27: Personal Life and Family
Featured Non-profit:
Hi. This is Steve Chao, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Merriemack Repertory Theater. My wife and I love live theater. The MRT is a fantastic organization that puts on plays and musicals every year, serving a wide catchment area in and around Lowell, Massachusetts. I was actually introduced to the MRT via a fellow class of 92 Carrie Suzawa, married named Michael. And you can learn more about the work of the MRT through the website, mrt.org. And for now, here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit: https:mrt.org.
Show Notes:
Rebecca Hollander-Blumoff shares her journey from college to law school. After deferring her law school for a year, she spent a year in Spain to gain language and cultural experience. She then went to law school in Cambridge and clerked for a federal judge in New York before going into practice. Rebecca was initially interested in becoming a federal prosecutor but realized she first had to go into practice. She worked for a small boutique litigation firm that did about 60% white collar criminal defense and about 40% civil litigation. While she loved being a counselor to her clients, and a person who a client could call, day in, day out, she found the law firm's hierarchy unappealing. The Psychology of Negotiation, a PhD., and Teaching Rebecca decided to pursue a PhD in Social Psychology to study the psychology of negotiation. She talks about negotiation in law, and she began taking classes in NYU's master's program and eventually obtained a PhD in Social Psychology with a dissertation on procedural justice in negotiation. She taught in the lawyering program at NYU and was an adjunct at Seton Hall in New Jersey teaching negotiation. After obtaining her PhD, she went on the job market for academia; she got a position at Washington University in Saint Louis. Rebecca has been teaching at Washington University in Saint Louis since 2006. She teaches various core classes, including civil procedure, federal courts, law and psychology, negotiation, negotiation for executive education, and has also developed a course in women’s leadership and negotiation. She has worked for groups like the Brookings Institution and the Rodel Institute. Women’s Negotiation and Navigating Stereotypes Rebecca's approach to teaching women's negotiation is not about focusing on gender differences but rather on understanding the research that informs her approach. She believes that women need to be armed with knowledge about the effects of gender, culture, and race on negotiation. This knowledge can help them navigate through stereotypes and roadblocks that may arise in negotiations. In her classes, she also discusses the research that is relevant to everyone, not just women, and mentions the issue of different perceptions of men and women in and on negotiations, and how behavior of men and women is perceived differently. The discussion also touches on the misconception that some people are born good negotiators and others are bad at it. This is a misconception that can hinder effective negotiation. The best way to think about negotiation is as an experience that can be prepared for and analyzed from both structural and interpersonal perspectives. This involves considering possibilities, actions to take if negotiations don't work out, and the interpersonal elements present. Negotiation and Problem-solving Rebecca mentions that negotiation is often seen as adversarial, but it is actually more about strategically problem-solving to increase the size of the pie and generate low-cost but high-value outcomes for both parties. Examples of negotiations that are not adversarial include family law, business contracts, and reputational effects. Negotiations can have broader implications, as people may still be in each other's lives after the negotiation. The key piece that students often overlook is the relational aspect of negotiations. In negotiations, parties are not in front of a judge, and the outcome must be decent for both parties. For example, in a negotiation for a new salary or project, one person has all the power, but the decision by fiat can lead to less positive results over time, less employee retention, and less positive feelings about the project. In real-world situations, negotiations can have other elements and dimensions available. Lawyers should question their assumptions and think about the best end goal for their clients. They should also consider the potential negative consequences of their actions and the impact on their reputation and business relationships. Negotiations in Practice The conversation turns to the dynamic between attorneys and clients in family law negotiations. Research has shown that when lawyers experience fairness in negotiation, they are more likely to recommend the agreed-upon outcome to their clients, believing it forms the basis for a better long-term agreement. However, the client is not in the room, and the lawyer may manipulate the client's desire for fair process and present things differently to the client based on what they think might happen. This can lead to a gap between what the lawyer is experiencing and what the client is experiencing. Research by a professor at UC Davis has found that one of the most desirable forms of dispute resolution for regular people is negotiation by their lawyer while the client is present in the room. This could reduce the dissonance between the lawyer and the client, potentially leading to better negotiation outcomes. A Year in Madrid Rebecca recounts her experience in Madrid after college, where she lived with a family for most of the year, a difficult but interesting experience. She studied at the Complutense University, where she participated in a Hispanic studies program, which taught history, language, grammar, and art in Spanish. The program was an international one, and the students from around the world were taught in Spanish. Despite the initial loneliness and lack of familiarity, Rebecca found it fascinating and eventually moved into an apartment with friends. She found that Madrid was a large city, but not warm and fuzzy, and it was a great place to live. A Passionate and Adventurous Baker Rebecca is a passionate baker She enjoys sharing her creative side with her students, who are always happy when she bakes for them. In her home life, she has three boys and two nephews who live nearby, making the house full of baked good eaters. Baking provides a time to disconnect from the stress of professional life and connect with the world through the act of baking. One of her favorite projects was when she baked 12 cakes of Christmas based on the 12 days of Christmas. She also used cooking as a project to open her children’s horizons to different cultures and ideas, especially when her kids were younger. They would research a country and make a whole meal of that country’s cuisine, usually with a baked dessert. One of her favorite baked goods is a Kringle, made from an Estonian recipe. Her oldest child also fell in love with the Mongolian beef patty, a dish made from a dough of flour and water wrapped around ground beef. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Rebecca took Justice as a freshman and ironically found it to be one of her least favorite classes. However, she enjoyed her classes in the history and literature concentration. She also took a phenomenal French literature class and enjoyed a class on modern poetry, which she likens to the study of law, as every word and construction has a reason or purpose.
Timestamps:
06:11: Transition to Academia and Negotiation Research
10:12: Teaching Women's Negotiation and Gender Dynamics
18:08: Negotiation Skills for Law Students
26:12: Relational Aspects of Negotiation
31:08: Consulting and Baking Passion
41:23: Personal Reflections and Cultural Experiences
44:22: Influence of Harvard Classes and Professors
Links:
Author Page for Rebecca E. Hollander-Blumoff :: SSRN
Instagram: @rebeccahollanderblumoff
X: https://x.com/rhollblum
Blue Sky: @rhollblum.bsky.social.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-hollander-blumoff-475636270/
Work: https://law.washu.edu/faculty-staff-directory/profile/rebecca-hollander-blumoff/
Book: https://www.amazon.ca/Research-Handbook-Psychology-Rebecca-Hollander-blumoff/dp/1800881916
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Elaine Lum MacDonald who reports:
“Hi, I'm Elaine Lum McDonald, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is SV2. Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund. SV2 is a community committed to accelerating equity in the Bay Area through grant making to local nonprofits, impact investing in local and global entrepreneurs and immersive learning experiences. I am proud to have been a member of this organization since 2021 and I'm currently serving on the board. I love SV2 because it is truly innovative in two ways. First, it's equity based practices, including putting grantees and investees on the board and its trust based philanthropy practices. And secondly, because of its focus on creating impact across the capital spectrum, from donations to investments. You can learn more about their work at SV2.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: SV2.org.
Show Notes:
Alison Wakoff Loren went to St Louis to medical school at Washington University. She specialized in internal medicine and later completed a subspecialty fellowship in hematology oncology at the University of Pennsylvania. She met her husband in medical school and they have three children all in their early twenties. Alison is now the chief of the Division of Hematology Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, specializing in bone marrow transplantation, a curative therapy for blood cancer.
Taking Care of Patients
Alison finds the best part of her job to be taking care of patients, especially those who have just been diagnosed with leukemia. She gets to know people when they are in a vulnerable place and understand their lives, which is a privilege. She also does a lot of administrative work, mentoring trainees and faculty, helping them understand their passions and connecting them with opportunities. Alison is proud of her mentoring success stories. She encourages everyone to show gratitude and warmth, as the world is not always generous, and it is important to show that we can make a difference for each other by showing warmth and gratitude. She also shares a story of mentoring a talented MD and PhD candidate who was unhappy in her research role.
Helping Patients with Leukemia
Alison discusses the fear and uncertainty people face when discovering they have leukemia. She shares her experiences in delivering sad news to a patient who had been a high school history teacher and had leukemia come back. She mentions that people have incredibly generous spirits and sometimes don't behave their best when they're scared. She also shares examples of people making decisions that matter to their loved ones, such as stopping treatment or continuing treatment when they don't want to. Alison also discusses the range of responses people have when they have to deliver sad news. She explains that most people know they're in for an uphill climb, and it's rare to be surprised. Alison specializes in bone marrow transplants, which are intensive but curative intent therapies, and she emphasizes the importance of laying groundwork ahead of time to make difficult conversations less shocking and offering hope while grounding the conversation. She also stresses the importance of being honest and respectful in her interactions with patients.
Fertility Preservation in Cancer Treatment
The conversation turns to Alison’s research and the importance of fertility preservation in cancer treatment, which can harm reproductive capacity and lead to infertility. Oncology teams often don't discuss this topic, partly because they are focused on cancer and not reproductive endocrinologists. However, there is a focus on making sure all patients are counseled about the reproductive impact of their treatments and reproductive options to engage in fertility preservation before starting cancer treatments. Alison explains what is recommended for women. She mentions that it is important to discuss these options before starting cancer treatment, as it reduces distress and decision regret for people after treatment. Alison is fortunate to be able to speak and advocate for fertility preservation for people with blood cancers, which represents a special population in oncology care. She has been fortunate to co-chair an effort to develop guidelines for fertility preservation from a large cancer organization. She explains that colleagues in reproductive science are doing amazing research to extend options for reproductive care before and after cancer treatment, which is exciting to inform oncology clinicians and advocate for insurance coverage for these treatments.
Family Life, Running, and Circadian Rhythms
Alison shares her experiences with her children, including a daughter who works at the Amherst College Library, an older son considering medical school, and a younger son at Bates College in Maine. Her daughter has inspired her to think about women in the workplace, as she was criticized for not valuing women in her division and for hiring women because they are cheaper. Alison also shares her experience with running, which she enjoys but has to get up early to get in before work. She talks about the concept of morning and night people, stating that people have their own internal clocks. She also mentions that research into the biology of the circadian clock is still in its early stages.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Alison shares her experiences at Harvard, including taking courses with Stephen Jay Gould and Dick Lewontin, who were incredibly intelligent and insightful. She also took Act 10 as a senior, which was an unexpected experience that helped her learn different ways of thinking about the subject. Alison volunteered at the Mission Hill after-school program, which allowed her to get to know the kids and families there. She tried out for various extracurriculars, such as singing and photography, but found it intimidating. She also mentions the training program for photographers.
Timestamps:
01:51: Alison Wakoff Loren's Medical Journey
04:12: Motivations and Rewards in Patient Care
22:20: Mentoring Success Stories
22:36: Challenges and Insights in Patient Care
24:17: Balancing Professional and Personal Life
24:32: Research and Advocacy in Fertility Preservation
28:54: Influences and Reflections on Harvard Education
37:25: Extracurricular Activities and Personal Growth
Links:
Penn Medicine Website: https://www.pennmedicine.org/providers/profile/alison-loren
American Society of Clinical Oncology: https://www.asco.org/
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: https://www.lls.org/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Ming Chen who reports:
“ One nonprofit that I've been involved in is the Keswick Foundation, which funds pilot programs in Hong Kong and mainland China to help the community serve needs that are not being met by the government. So we work with family and vulnerable populations. We work with the elderly, and we work with things like helping promote social work in China, as well as clinical psychologists in different NGOs around the region. The other nonprofit that I am on the Advisory Council of is the Asian American foundation, TAF for short, T, A, A, F, F. The Asian American foundation, basically, is a platform that gets together different organizations around anti hate, changing the narrative education, helping to advocate for Asian American history taught in public schools, as well as narrative change representation in Hollywood and beyond. And again, it was founded around the 2020, around the growing disturbing rhetoric against Asians with the rise of COVID So yeah, those are two nonprofit organizations that I'm involved with. So again, one nonprofit that's been on the board for for many, many years is called the Keswick Foundation, and it funds pilot programs in Hong Kong as well as Mainland China. And then the Asian American foundation. If you want to learn more about the Asian American foundation, it's www dot T, A, A, f.org, check it out.”
To learn more about their work, visit:
The Asian American Foundation: https://www.taaf.org/
The Keswick Foundation: https://www.keswickfoundation.org.hk/
Show Notes:
Julia Lynch opens the conversation with a statement about identifying now as a Radcliffe graduate, despite not having identified with feminism during college. At college, Julia didn’t think feminism was a pressing issue, but later realized that her career has been shaped by discrimination and enriched by her experiences as a mother and wife. Julia's professional trajectory was predictable, but she had to fight for her place in a male-dominated profession. At the age of 50, her life seems placid and predictable, but she is grateful for the surprises and bumps in her journey.
Working in a Male-dominated Career
After leaving Harvard, she worked as a secretary for a year, applied for a Rotary Fellowship, went to Italy, did a Phd. in Political Science, and onto her first job at UPenn where she achieved tenure. Julia discusses her career in academia, which she had no idea was so male dominated. She notes that, while traditionally it was believed that STEM fields were male-dominated, some social science disciplines, such as political science, economics, and philosophy, remain some of the most male-dominated areas despite changes in STEM fields. She initially had no idea that women would be held to a different standard than men in terms of tenure and promotion.
Discrimination in the Tenure and Promotion Process
Julia talks about obvious and systematic discrimination in the tenure and promotion process. When applying for tenure in a political science department, she found that men who had lower qualifications than many women were put forward while women with much better qualifications were typically discouraged from applying for tenure or simply would not make tenure. She mentions the discrimination in the application process, and also noted that women authors tend to get cited less than male authors. She explains why there is less discrimination in the private sector and why, as a student, she didn’t know about the discrimination against female professors.
The Academic Job Market
The conversation turns to the academic job market which is a complex one, with an average of 30% of women in senior faculty positions in political science. Political science is siloed as a field, with four main subfields: American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory. The representation of women in these subfields is different, with less women in international relations and more in comparative politics and political theory. Julia explains that the most important thing to know about this topic is that women are entering the pipeline, but they either jump or get pushed off the tenure track early on in the process, never making it through to become full professors in political science. This results in a market for junior people at the pre-tenured stage, where women get jobs but don't go on to get tenure. Even if they stay on the tenure track, it takes them longer to get to that stage of full professor and spend a shorter percentage of their career at that top rank.
The Push to Increase Diversity
Julia talks about the push to increase diversity in new hires in the academia world and mentions that there was some pushback from younger professors. More women and minorities were hired, and progress was made at the junior level, but the problem was that the leaks in the pipeline were not fixed. Julia mentions the patterns that made this apparent and that women tend to do qualitative work, which is less valued in the profession.
Male Flight in Academic Disciplines
The concept of male flight in academic disciplines is discussed, and Julia explains that this trend is striking, as seen in the case of archeology, a sub-field of anthropology, which was a male-dominated discipline. In political science, there hasn't been a significant change in male representation, although women have made breakthroughs in the political system. Qualitative, comparative historical research, which is dominated by the study of American politics, has seen a shift towards female representation. This shift is also evident in areas like qualitative, comparative historical research, where incoming men are fewer.
Research on Health and Inequality
Julia talks about her research in health and inequality. The United States has a lower life expectancy than Europe. This is partly due to poverty, which prevents access to fresh food and the time and energy to pursue a healthier lifestyle. Poverty also causes stress, which shortens the part of our chromosomes responsible for aging. Political decisions, such as not addressing poverty, particularly child poverty, have contributed to this issue. These experiences accumulate over a lifetime, making health outcomes worse for those starting their lives in poverty. Policy decisions and political decisions, such as allowing people to have a voice in politics, also play a role in health inequality. Julia states that, to address health inequality, the US should prioritize policy changes, including addressing poverty and promoting inclusion in politics. Julia’s research included health and inequality in several European countries, including Germany after reunification. She mentions her book on this topic. Bristol University Press has made the book open access, making it available for free download on Amazon. If ordering from the US, it can be found through an aggregator or local bookstore.
Thoughts on the Second Act
Julia shares insights from her first and second marriages, including what it means to stick it out for the kids or live authentically. She believes that waiting for her current husband to separate their households was the right timing for her second act. She talks about her next project which involves travelling to Europe, her involvement in a women's choir, and playing french horn in a semi-professional orchestra. The women’s choir performs for various events, including concerts and gigs, to raise awareness about women's rights and encourage voter turnout. The choir started as a group of friends and family, but has grown to become a larger organization. They perform music written by women, often contemporary composers. Research suggests that engaging in group activities, such as dancing or singing, can align brain waves and emotions, creating a powerful bond between individuals. This bond is particularly powerful in smaller groups, where the choir can create a sense of community and belonging. Engaging in community is rare for adults, especially in today's world where we are constantly connected to our phones. Julia stresses the importance of engaging in community, whether in a church, synagogue, mosque, or running club.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Julia mentions Justice class and her nickname in the class; she also mentions political theory classes. She remembers the class The Welfare State in the United States, taught by Theda Skocpol and Margaret Weir. Many of Julia’s professors at Harvard have since become peers and colleagues.
Timestamps:
05:21: Challenges of Being a Woman in Academia
13:23: Representation and Diversity in Political Science
20:36: Male Flight and Gender Dynamics in Academia
24:21: Julia's Research on Health Inequality
34:01: Personal Reflections and Life Changes
37:40: Balancing Professional and Personal Life
44:57: Influence of Harvard Professors and Courses
Links:
Faculty profile: https://live-sas-www-polisci.pantheon.sas.upenn.edu/people/standing-faculty/julia-lynch
The Book: Getting Better: The Policy and Politics of Reducing Health Inequalities: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/getting-better
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Ben Dattner who reports:
“Hi. I'm Ben Dattner, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is the Y of Washington Heights and Inwood in New York City. Their website is YWHI.org. I'm proud to have been a donor to and volunteer for this organization for the last 15 years, and they do wonderful things in the Upper Manhattan community. Thank you. Now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.ywhi.org/
Show Notes:
Robert de Neufville dropped out of grad school after spending over a decade in grad school and not finishing his PhD. This was around the time of the financial crisis. Robert realized that after a decade in academia he was less employable than when he graduated from Harvard. He had done a lot of teaching at Berkeley and San Francisco State, but found himself struggling to find a job. He eventually moved to Hawaii to work freelance editing projects. He moved there because he had a friend who wanted to rent out his house.
Working as a Forecaster and Political Writer
Currently, Robert is working as a forecaster and political writer. He has a sub-stack newsletter called Telling the Future, which has about 1500 subscribers. While he is not particularly happy writing about politics right now, he believes it's necessary for his career and personal growth.
Therapy and Political Theory
Robert discusses their first period after college and therapy. He mentions the stigma surrounding therapy and the importance of normalizing it. However, he eventually reached a breaking point. He didn’t know what he wanted to do after college. He drove to New York and worked at several different places, including consulting and Booz and Allen, which he ultimately found lacked meaning and decided to pursue a more intellectual career. He knew that he liked thinking and writing about things, so he applied to grad school for political science, where he studied political theory and moral issues related to community living. However, he found the academic culture at Berkeley to be toxic and, combined with an unhealthy lifestyle, he decided it was not for him. Robert touches on his difficult childhood, which was characterized by narcissistic parents and abusive mother. He eventually sought therapy and found that he felt better, but struggled to complete his dissertation. He dropped out of grad school, despite their professors' concerns, and was diagnosed with chronic PTSD.
Finding Solace in Teaching
Robert found solace in teaching, but disliked the part where he had to grade students. Some people had unhealthy relationships with grades, and he felt he had to refer them to suicide watch. He realized that teaching was great because it allowed them to understand a topic better by explaining it to others. He found that teaching was the only way they could truly understand a topic, but he realized he didn't want to do academic work. Additionally, he found that there was a backlog of people who wanted to become political theory professors who spend their time teaching adjuncts and spending money on conferences and job opportunities. Robert believes that his experience in grad school was intellectually rewarding and that his training and political theory shaped who he is.
Writing for Love and Money
Robert talks about his experience writing for mainstream publications like The Economist, National Interest, California magazine, The Big Think, and The Washington Monthly. He shares his struggles with freelance writing, as he finds it slow and fussy, and finds it frustrating to be paid for work that takes time to complete. He also discusses his writing about forecasting, becoming a skilled judgmental forecaster. He makes money by producing forecasts for various organizations, which is a relatively new field. He encourages readers to support writers they love and consider paying for their work, as it is hard and not very rewarding.
Forecasting Methods and Examples
The conversation turns to Robert’s writing and forecasting. He explains his approach to forecasting and how he uses history to guide his predictions. He shares his method of estimating the probability of events in the future, which involves looking back at similar elections and establishing a base rate. This helps in estimating the probability of what is going to happen in a specific situation. Robert also mentions that there are some situations that require more analytical thinking, such as discovering AGI or other technologies. He talks about The Phil Tetlock project, a government agency that helped invent the internet, aimed to determine if anyone could forecast geopolitical questions. The research showed that people were terrible at it, even analysts and pundits. However, a certain percentage of people consistently outperformed intelligence analysts using methodical extrapolations. Robert participated in the tournament and qualified as a super forecaster in his first year. He works with Metaculus and the Good Judgment Project, which produces probabilistic forecasts for decision-makers. The forecasting community is now working on making forecasts useful, such as understanding the reasons behind people's forecasts rather than just the number they produce.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Robert stresses that he found his interaction with fellow students to be most enriching, and he appreciated Stanley Hoffmann's class on Ethics and International relations, which was taught through a humanist lens and emphasized the importance of morality. He also enjoyed watching the list of movies and reading academic articles alongside his classes, which eventually informed his teaching. He also mentions Adrienne Kennedy's playwriting class, which he found exciting and engaging. He enjoys table reads and reading people's plays fresh off the presses and believes that these experiences have shaped his forecasting skills.
Timestamps:
03:16: Robert's Move to Hawaii and Career Challenges
06:16: Current Endeavors and Writing Career
07:58: Therapy and Early Career Struggles
10:14: Grad School Experience and Academic Challenges
22:41: Teaching and Forecasting Career
26:21: Forecasting Techniques and Projects
41:27: Impact of Harvard and Influential Professors
Links:
Substack newsletter: https://tellingthefuture.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertdeneufville/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Patrick Jackson who reports:
“Hi I'm Patrick Ian Jackson, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is His Hands Free Clinic, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Since 1992 His Hands Free Clinic has been seeking to honor God by helping the uninsured and underinsured in our community. The clinic is a 501, c3 nonprofit ministry providing free health care to Cedar Rapids and the surrounding communities. I love the work of this organization. The church that I pastor, First Baptist Church, Church of the Brethren, has been a regular contributor to the clinic for the past couple of years. You can learn more about their work at WWW dot his hands clinic.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: www.HisHandsClinic.org.
Show Notes:
Cara Natterson moved to New York City where she worked for a drug rehabilitation center, and later moved to Baltimore, where she studied at Johns Hopkins Medical School. She eventually returned to L.A. and practiced pediatrics there. Her writing career began at the age of 31 when a co-worker asked her to read his manuscript, which inspired her to write her own book about raising kids.
The Body Book Series and Less Awkward Company
In 2008, Cara decided to leave clinical medicine and become a full-time writer. In 2011, after speaking at Mattel, she was signed on to write for the Body Book series from American Girl, which has since sold millions of copies. Cara then started touring the country, focusing on puberty education. During this time, she discovered that there was nothing else available for kids whose bodies, brains, feelings, and friends were changing. She launched her own business, Less Awkward, a company that created direct-to-consumer products designed for comfort and health like bras and socks. Cara has since expanded the company to focus on content across social media, podcasting, newsletter, and school curriculum.
Health and Sex Education Curriculum
In the past year, she has rolled out two platforms: a health and sex education curriculum for schools, which is already implemented in three states, and a membership for parents and trusted adults. Cara talks about the importance of understanding and discussing puberty in young people. She highlights the slower pace of puberty, with girls entering puberty at an average age of 8-9, and boys at an average age of 9-10. She emphasizes the importance of discussing the first signs of puberty, such as breast budding or testicular growth. She also highlights the importance of discussing the issue of first porn exposure, which is a significant concern for parents, family members, coaches, mentors, healthcare providers, and educators. She emphasizes the need to educate children about free porn, which is generally violent and aggressive, and calls for a less awkward approach to discussing this topic. By engaging in conversations about this topic, adults can help their children navigate the challenges of puberty and promote healthier lifestyles.
Launching a Direct-to-Consumer Product
Cara talks about the shift from a pediatrician to writer to entrepreneur. She initially went to medical school but, although she found it interesting, she also realized that she was more of a creative type. However, her background combined with her creative mind led to the drive to develop comfortable and healthy products. After a chat with a friend about bras, she was convinced that there was a need for comfortable bras for young girls. The two women partnered with a sewer who made a comfortable and healthy bra for their daughters, and later pulled together a team that developed the product over many years. They patented the product and launched the company during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was initially launched as a mask company, focusing on distribution and production channels instead of bras to supply the then current demand. Six months later they launched their bra products. She talks about the journey from design and development to launching the product and what she learned along the way. Cara’s business ethos has always been to do well and to do good at the same time, and she has found this to be a recipe for success.
The This Is So Awkward Podcast
The conversation turns to Cara’s podcast which she started with her partner, Vanessa Kroll Bennett. The podcast addresses the confusion about the length of puberty. It features background episodes and guest appearances with experts from various fields. In October 2023, they published a book called This Is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained, which explores the changes in puberty and how to talk about them, and it includes essays by kids about their experiences with acne, first periods, and heartbreaks. The podcast has expanded along with content on Instagram and TikTok. All of this content is also available on the website LessAwkward.com. They also have a school-based health and sex education curriculum called That Health Class.
Navigating Today’s Cultural Complexities
Cara emphasizes the importance of pediatricians in understanding and managing the changes in puberty. She explains that kids and their adults are overwhelmed by the complexity of the world and the increased access to a wide and diverse range of information. Pediatricians often lack the time or bandwidth to provide anticipatory guidance for children, an especially big issue given the mental health crisis among children. Cara mentions that pediatricians often turn to the LessAwkward website where they have trained an AI bot on their content. Pediatricians are starting to use it as a healthcare solution when they don't have the time to answer questions but their patients want to be able to anticipate what's coming. The bot is reliable, gated, and trained on good data, making it engaging and entertaining. The levity and warmth of the content make it a valuable tool for pediatricians to recommend.
Factors that Contribute to Early Puberty
The American Girl Body Book series launched just after a 1997 study showed that girls were entering puberty earlier. It stated that the average age has shifted from 11 to 10, and a follow-up study in 2010 found it to be between eight and nine. The reason for this change is under investigation, but it is believed to be due to a number of factors, including stress, adverse childhood experiences, and antibiotics. Stress causes cortisol surges, which can either trigger the release of hormones like LH and FSH, or cause sex hormones to surge. Adverse childhood experiences, such as witnessing trauma or drug abuse, can increase the risk of entering puberty early. Evolutionary theory suggests that the human body is meant to reproduce before life ends, and so it makes sense that the general stress response might drive earlier development. She mentions Louise Greenspan, a woman who has been researching puberty for decades, has written a book called The New Puberty which further explores this topic.
The Male Side of the Story
Cara’s parenting podcast has a diverse audience, with nearly 20% male listenership. She shares her experiences with male listeners and the challenges they face in connecting with their children. She wrote Decoding Boys, and states, with a degree of jocularity, that there is no data on the connection between testosterone and silence, but it is common among males, especially in their tween years. She shares personal strategies to help connect with tween or teen boys, as they do want to talk and share their thoughts with trusted adults. In the book, Cara shares strategies she has used, and in this conversation, she shares a personal experience on how she encouraged her son to talk to her.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Cara's career highlights her interest in sociology and biological anthropology, which she combined at Harvard. She wrote a junior paper about female genital mutilation in Africa and a thesis about HIV prevention in teenagers in Boston suburbs. She had a vivid memory of her thesis advisor, Irven DeVore, who was an interesting thinker and helped her fit her thesis idea into the curriculum.
Timestamps:
02:12: Transition to Entrepreneurship
05:46: Insights on Puberty and Parenting
09:20: Launching Less Awkward
15:42: Content Creation and Engagement
29:05: Raising Boys and Communication Strategies
35:15: Daily Routine and Collaboration
37:19: Impact of Social Media and Content Creation
39:14: Influence of Harvard Education
Links:
Website: https://lessawkward.com/
Podcast: https://lessawkward.com/podcast-this-is-so-awkward-2/
Instagram: less.awkward
TikTok: less.awkward
Cara’s Instagram: caranatterson
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Chris Hull who reports:
“Hi. I'm Chris Hull from Harvard's fabulous class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is The Fund for American Studies. TFAs is an educational nonprofit that develops courageous leaders by providing students who otherwise wouldn't get a chance to come to DC to learn about how to make a difference. I've been honored to have worked with TFAs for more than three decades, since they've allowed me to study at Georgetown. At the same time, I did an internship in Washington, which helped transform my life as it has for so many others over the last half century that it's existed, who otherwise couldn't possibly afford to do such a thing. You can learn more about their work@tfas.org.”
To learn more about their work, visit: work@tfas.org
Show Notes:
Patrick Jackson talks about growing up in his great-grandparents' home in an unincorporated area of Shelby County, where he had no indoor plumbing until age 10. That home, where he lived with his mother and three brothers, was his formative space before going to Harvard. Patrick was initially considering medical school. However, he decided to pursue politics, inspired by an experience he had as a junior in high school working as a U.S. House Page on Capitol Hill.
Becoming a Page in the U.S. House of Representatives
Patrick believes that God opened a door for him to become a Page through his freshman football and track coach, Mac Hawkins, a government and civics teacher and Bartlett High School, who became like a surrogate father to him. In 1985 Coach Hawkins found out about an opportunity to become a page through then-Congressman Don Sunquist, who was looking to appoint a promising high school student. Patrick’s experience with the Page Program highlights the importance of faith, connections, and the support of family and friends. In this conversation, Patrick discusses his experience as a page in the House of Representatives and the impact it had on his life. He recalls the experience as transformative and fueled him to pursue a career in government. Patrick ended up concentrating in Government at Harvard.
Working in Politics
After graduation from Harvard, Patrick landed an internship with the Small Business Administration, an opportunity that helped him gain experience and broaden his horizons. Patrick also mentions that he had a temporary spot with Congresswoman Barbara Boxer, who was running for the US Senate at the time. He was invited to work as a legislative correspondent in the Senate office, answering constituent letters and handling constituent calls. However, he wanted to move up quickly and take on more responsibility, so he left Senator Boxer's office and worked for Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez from New York. One significant experience he had there was witnessing Congresswoman Velazquez testify during the healthcare debate about privacy. He had to help write her testimony, which was a tough day but a good day because it helped many people. Patrick acknowledges that this incident did not directly lead to the enactment of the HIPAA law, but it helped with the debate about privacy and HIPAA, adding to the chorus of voices calling for the law to be made and enacted. In 1995, Patrick left Congresswoman Velazquez’ office and worked for the late Julian Dixon, a California member of Congress who served as a senior Democrat on Appropriations Committee. He learned a lot from his time there, including the importance of strong relationships across the aisle. Dixon was part of a tight California delegation that worked together to get things done for the state, including medical research funding for top universities and public hospital systems. Patrick also owes a lot to Tracy Holmes, his Chief of Staff, who was skilled in working with people and helping them succeed.
Law School and Study Abroad
Patrick discusses his experiences in law school and his study abroad experience. Though he initially planned to work for just two years before law school, he did not enter law school until 1998, when he began at the University of Wisconsin law school in Madison. While in law school Patricj participated in a law school exchange program at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. There Patrick lived in a student house with other international students and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the square area. He learned about European legal systems through the international comparative comparative law program at the University of Wisconsin. After law school, he was offered a job after graduation in Columbus, Ohio. He worked as a firm there for a few years but realized that it wasn't what he wanted to spend the rest of his life doing and left the firm at the end of 2005.
From Law to the Seminary
Patrick left Columbus, Ohio, in 2007, returning to his home in Tennessee to work briefly as a substitute teacher in the Shelby County school system. In 2008 he left Tennessee to return to D.C. to work for United Way of America as a federal lobbyist, covering national issues like the 211 information system and the Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program. He met his wife in 2006 while still in Columbus, Ohio, and they became friends and stayed in touch even long distance. In 2010, they decided to move their relationship forward and got married. He worked with Senator Sherrod Brown from 2009 to 2011, but they decided to return to Columbus in 2011. During that time of transition, Patrick sensed a call to fulltime ministry, which was influenced in part by his involvement in the music ministry at a church in Dumfries, Virginia. He also attended US Senate Chaplain Barry Black's weekly Bible studies and enrolled in his spiritual mentoring classes. During one of these Bible studies, Chaplain Black encouraged him to consider attending seminary. However, Patrick would not attend seminary until 2013, after spending some time working as a contract lawyer in Columbus. Patrick attended Andover Newton Theological School in Newton, Massachusetts, graduating with honors in 2017.
Life As a Pastor
Patrick shares his experience of applying to American Baptist churches for senior pastor positions after graduation from Andover Newton. In 2018 Patrick accepted a Pastoral Residency at Richmond's First Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. It was a tremendously rewarding experience and helped prepare him for his first pastorate at First Baptist Church-Church of the Brethren and Cedar Rapids, a dually-aligned American Baptist and Church of the Brethren congregation. The process of becoming a pastor at the church involved submitting materials, having phone conversations, and attending a candidate weekend. The church then voted on whether to call the applicant. This experience led to his current position. As an African American pastor at a predominantly white congregation. Patrick shares his experiences of working as a pastor and delivering sermons during Covid.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Patrick shares his experiences with the late Professor Martin Kilson, a government professor who taught him about African American political development in the south. He took a graduate course from Prof. Kilson on African political systems: Power, and Legitimacy, which provided insights into the history and politics of Nigeria, the Congo, and Kenya.
Timestamps:
05:02: The Impact of the Page Program and Early Career
18:18: Transition to Capitol Hill and Early Career Challenges
33:20: Law School and International Experience
40:09: Return to Capitol Hill and Transition to Ministry
53:58: Seminary and Pastoral Career
1:08:19: Transition to Cedar Rapids and Current Role
1:20:25: Reflections on Harvard and Influential Courses
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-jackson-0489a6/
Patrick’s church: https://www.thechurchonnorthland.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Julie Mallozzi who reports:
“Hi, I'm Julie Mallozzi, class of 1992 the featured organization of this episode of The 92 report is New Day Films. New Day Films is a filmmaker-run distributor of educational documentaries, many of them exploring urgent social issues. I have been a member of this amazing co-op for six years, and am proud to be serving my third year on its steering committee. You can learn more about our work@newday.com and now here's Will Bachmann with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.newday.com/
Show Notes:
After graduation, Angelo Milazzo returned to his home state and attended medical school at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. He developed an interest in cardiology and decided to pursue post-graduate training in pediatrics and pediatric cardiology at Duke University. Angelo completed his post-graduate training in 2002 and joined the Department of Pediatrics as an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. A Growing Practice and Becoming Chief Medical OfficerIn 2002, he was offered the opportunity to start a pediatric cardiology practice in Raleigh, North Carolina. The practice grew from a one-man operation to a practice with about 30 physicians across various specialty areas. In 2017, Milazzo became the vice chair for practice for the Department of Pediatrics at Duke Health, which has grown to 250 clinical faculty and 50 research faculty. Angelo then became the Chief Medical Officer for the Duke Health Integrated Practice, overseeing all physicians who practice at Duke Health. This role allows him to take the best of his administrative leadership within one clinical department for children's care and spread it across the entire enterprise. The Economics of Health Care and the Business of MedicineAngelo's hands-on administrative experience and managerial experience have led him to become interested in the didactic aspect of his career. He believes that his administrative experience and managerial skills have allowed him to excel in various aspects of his career, including pediatric cardiology. Before the pandemic, Angelo enrolled in business school and completed his MBA in just under two years. He was interested in the economics of healthcare and the business of medicine, but also enjoyed the perspective of classmates from various industries and walks of life. Today, he is a practicing pediatric cardiologist, spending about 40% of his time in clinical practice and 60% of his time in administrative work. He is also interested in health equity research and is part of a project funded by the CDC. What it Takes to Be a Physician Leader Angelo explains that, to be a great physician leader, one must first be a great clinician, and this takes so much more than just medical knowledge. He believes that engaging with patients and families is a privilege and that this energy and insight can inform his managerial work. He has had the privilege of mentors in medicine and being taught by amazing clinicians, which has allowed him to feel comfortable with fraught conversations. He explains how his managerial experiences and administrative experiences make him a better clinician. He has had to negotiate with professionals from different backgrounds and training perspectives, enriching his perspective and broadening it. This constant bilateral communication within him allows him to enhance both sides of his career. The Executive MBA Program ExperienceAngelo talks about the value of his Executive MBA program, and how he appreciates the practical aspects of the program, such as lectures, video calls, and team meetings. However, he also highlights the value of teamwork and learning from professionals from different industries. He shares his capstone project, which involved working with a delivery firm in Eastern Europe, a firm far from his daily work. The team consisted of professionals from various industries, including military, micro brewing, airline, and healthcare professionals. The challenges faced in his work were unique but universally applicable, and he learned valuable lessons from the experience. He also talks about systems used during a public health emergency, the A3 structure and how it is used for improvement projects, and the journey of improvement. The Performance Improvement Journey Angelo talks about management principles adopted in health care and the performance improvement journey that began with the introduction of a standardized electronic health record in 2013 and the adoption of Epic, which is now used by two-thirds to three-quarters of major health systems in the country. This allowed for a common set of data mining tools to collect clinical information and understand success or failure around quality initiatives. The organization's new leaders, including those from other health systems and academic centers, were committed to this continuous improvement environment. By the time the CMO became vice chair in 2016, they were ready to bring these principles into their department. Now, almost a decade later, the organization has built a culture where everyone wants to be a quality improvement scientist. They have developed an academy to train healthcare professionals to become quality improvement scientists, which involves a rapid boot camp that teaches principles over a concentrated period of time. Many of these projects have been presented at regional, national, and international levels, covering various medical specialties, from complicated heart surgery to solid organ transplant to medical genetics to obstetrics and gynecology. Influential Harvard Courses and ProfessorsAngelo mentions three courses and professors that have resonated with him at Harvard: Arthur Kleiman's course on Illness Narratives, Professor Dante Della Terza’s Divine Comedy class, and Gregory Nagy's Heroes for Zeros class. Angelo's course with Professor Kleiman was about the idea that hearing patients talk about their illness is a form of storytelling, which he uses in his work. He also mentions Professor Nagy’s use of a clip from Blade Runner, a sci-fi noir film, in his class. He believes that this class spoke his language and that he was in the right place for him. Angelo also mentions missing the Michael Sandel Justice course, which he later took through the Harvard EdX program.
Timestamps:
01:29: Angelo Milazzo's Journey After Graduation
05:29: Transition to Administrative Roles and Business School
09:48: Balancing Clinical Practice and Administrative Roles
14:30: Learning from Business School and Applying Lessons
26:11: Implementing Continuous Improvement in Healthcare
36:40: Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amilazzomd/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Julie Cotler Pottinger who reports:
“Hi. I'm Julie Cotler Pottinger, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is every library. Every library helps America build support for libraries and also helps us fight book banning in our communities. I'm proud to be the National Ambassador this year for every library under my pen name, Julia Quinn, and I've been working real hard all year to help them raise money and awareness. You can learn more about their work at www.everylibrary.org and now here's Will Bachmann with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work, visit: https://www.everylibrary.org/
Show Notes:
Jung Park, a Korean immigrant, faced a conflict between her passion for acting and her academic pursuits. She initially wanted to concentrate in visual arts but ultimately chose English and American Literature and Language, which she loved. Despite this, she was conflicted about pursuing his artistic dreams versus what was expected of her.
Joining AFTRA and Going into Law School
In her junior year, she auditioned for an open call search for an ABC after-school special about kids with HIV and AIDS, which led to her joining the Screen Actors Guild, renowned as "SAG-AFTRA." After a year in Boston, she returned to California and had to choose between continuing acting, moving to LA, or going to law school. She auditioned for a talent agency in San Diego and was accepted into law school.
A Stand-up Comedian at Law School
While in law school, Jung began doing stand-up comedy in Sacramento and moved to San Francisco, working in law firms and doing stand-up comedy at night. She eventually opened her own law firm in San Francisco and took on numerous cases, including helping a Vietnamese woman avoid deportation for a felony she committed. Jung had wonderful mentors in law, including 70-year-old white men in plaintiff-side civil litigation. She turned down a position at a major law firm after being nominated for the American Ends of Court, which was a group of old white lawyers. Instead, she auditioned and got into a traveling theater program with Kaiser Permanente, which offered health insurance for actors.
Pursuing Acting and Leaving Law
Jung began her acting career in high schools, continuation schools, and juvenile detention centers, performing educational theater shows and counseling Q&As. She later moved to Southern California and focused on stand-up, sketch, and improv. She joined the La Troupe improv training program and worked at a plaintiff side civil litigation law office, where she worked on behalf of farm workers and other vulnerable individuals. In 2012, she grew tired of being a lawyer and opened a Speech and Debate Academy in Pasadena, California. The academy focuses on helping kids be empowered and find their voice. The academy has been around for 13 years and has participated in the Harvard speech and debate tournament. The pandemic hit, and Jung found fulfillment in coaching speech and running her business. She joined an acting class before the pandemic and enjoyed hobnobbing for coffee afterwards. However, during the pandemic, her teacher encouraged her students to start TikTok accounts and post videos related to their work. She had a sketch idea developed in their sketch writing class, which was set up as a GPS that tells driving directions with the Korean accent.
A Career Shift to Screenwriting
Jung is now focusing on writing scripts and developing her content to elevate her unique voice. She has also joined Harvardwood, an organization of Harvard alums in the Hollywood industry, where she took a writing class and attended webinars. She is currently getting a director certificate through UCLA Extension and working on a couple of silly short films. One of her projects is a magical realism short story about an old Asian Tiger Mom visited by a mysterious pigeon. She plans to rewrite it as a short film script and act in it herself, as she can do the pigeon well. She is also considering renting out pigeons for TV or film to see how they move and what they could do. Jung grew up in the Mexican border town of Calexico, near Yuma. She talks about the transition to Harvard and experiencing culture shock. Her stand-up comedy often deals with her experiences growing up in a Mexican American border town and feeling more Latina than Korean. She talks about her family and how her father’s paranoia fueled a lot of jokes. She enjoyed her stand-up and has been considering writing new material or trying it out on America's Got Talent. Her last performance was a staged play reading for a Jewish Arts Council group in San Santa Barbara, which was a fundraiser.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Jung, a self-professed word nerd, was accepted into a special graduate seminar led by Phil Fisher, the head of the English department. The seminar focused on close reading of novels, a subject Park was deeply interested in. Fisher warned that few undergrads would be accepted, and Jung was accepted into the seminar, which she found to be a valuable learning experience. The seminar helped her understand the meanings of the first few pages of a novel and the larger work. She has since used this knowledge to teach English classes and writing skills to students, demonstrating the importance of close reading and analysis in academic pursuits.
Timestamps:
03:15: Balancing Law and Art
07:50: Transition to Acting and Comedy
12:06: Establishing the Speech and Debate Academy
14:09: Re-entering Acting and Social Media Success
19:34: Current Projects and Future Aspirations
Links:
Instagram handle: @momentswithjung
TikTok handle: @momentswithjung
Linktree (shows links to all Jung’s sites): https://linktr.ee/JungPark
Speech and debate academy website for Nova 42: www.nova42.com
Short story Freebird that reached Top 50, Launch Pad Prose Competition 2024 ,and is on the Coverfly Red list as #13 Drama Short Story (Prose) in the past year:
https://writers.coverfly.com/projects/view/37d599e9-9323-4be6-8b60-d58eeb335c04/FREEBIRD
Jung’s IMDB profile:https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2575833/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Generation recommended by Bonni Theriault who reports:
"Hi. I'm Bonni Theriault, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 Report is Generation. Generation is a global nonprofit that supports people to achieve economic mobility and a better life by training, placing and supporting them into employment. I have been a generation for the past six years, and am privileged to serve as the chief partnerships officer. You can learn more about generations work at www.generation.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode."
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.generation.org/
Show Notes:
Michael T. Johnson, a lawyer, shares his experiences during his freshman year at Stanford Law School. He initially wanted to pursue transactional work in finance and looked at New York but later realized that he wanted to return to New Orleans and work there. He stayed long-term in New Orleans and work for companies in the area.
From a Law Firm to the Oil Industry
He spent three years working at Jones Walker, a large law firm in New Orleans. However, after joining the firm, all but one associate left, leading to a split off in the firm and a lot of extra responsibility for Michael. This experience was challenging, but it allowed him to learn and specialize in public company work and mergers. Michael was then hired to do an IPO for Omni Energy Services, a company that drills holes in the ground to find oil deposits. The technology is now advanced enough that they can read 3D seismic imaging to find oil deposits. Michael was excited about the business aspect of the industry and wanted to be on the other side of deals. He talks about his time there and how he was offered the opportunity to document investments.
The Move to Advantage Capital
Michael talks about Advantage Capital, which started as a way to drive capital to underserved states, such as Louisiana, which had been redlined due to corruption and oil and gas booms. The program was created by Harvard economist Beldon Daniels, who was hired by the legislature to give tax credits to insurance companies for investing with funds that agreed to invest in small businesses in the state. Steven Stull, an insurance company portfolio manager, founded Advantage after being approached by a dealmaker. He believed he could create a business around structured financial products, such as selling tax credit bonds to insurance companies. Stull was also involved in public policy and advocacy work, advocating for the adoption of these programs. All of the above lined up with Michael’s dream job. He gravitated towards the advocacy and structuring side of the business, spending most of his time in New Orleans.
The New Markets Tax Credit Program
Michael looks back to 2002 when the New Markets Tax Credit Program was adopted by the Clinton Administration, aiming to bring success from the dotcom boom to urban and rural areas. The program was initially praised by the Federal Reserve, but the Bush administration pushed it further and made it more business-friendly. They team decided to pursue this program, which was 100% focused on low-income community investing. The New Markets Tax Credit Program was a business-friendly initiative that aimed to capitalize on the success of the dotcom boom in California and New York. Michael and his team were able to successfully implement the program, focusing on low-income community investing. Michael discusses the company’s competitive application process for investment grants, which grade applicants based on their track record of investing capital in targeted areas, raising money from investors using tax credits and incentives, and investing in low-income communities. They analyze their portfolio and find that they have been investing about 30% of their money in low-income communities, particularly in states like Louisiana. They were one of the largest allocatees in the first round of awards in 2003 and have been winners 15 times.
The Shift from a Venture Firm to an Impact Investment Firm
Michael explains that they initially focused on raising money as a venture firm, but later transitioned to an impact investment firm. They now focus on creating jobs and creating job opportunities for residents in their communities. They have been doing federal new markets for 20 years and have state versions that can be added on to them. They try to marry programs together to bring the best of certain programs to each other that work for their investors and spin them out. He also mentions his counterpart, Scott Murphy, who manages the investment side and handles the structuring and bringing in the money. They have been together since 2001 and have been working together since 2001. The mission of the company is to invest in businesses that produce more jobs in the region. The decision-making process involves focusing on companies that produce more jobs at the margin. The company does not specialize in any specific area, as they have tight time frames to qualify for incentives. They have to be generalists, investing in various investment types and being generalists on the balance sheet. The company's goal is to invest in businesses that create jobs and contribute to the region's economy. The company also specializes in incentives and tax credits, having been involved in federal, federal, and state Low Income Housing Tax Credit deals and renewable energy deals.
Building a Life in New Orleans
Michael reflects on his family's presence in New Orleans, which has been a significant part of his life. He recalls dragging people to Mardi Gras from Harvard and being invited to do so every year. However, he also had a strong desire to run for office and work in the Public Service sector, but eventually decided against it. At Advantage, he focused on economic development and was involved in policy discussions with economic development groups. He was getting the idea of what he could do for his city through Metro vision trips and talking to investors. However, he was not well off enough to run for state representative, and his boss initially dismissed his idea. Michael also touches on the impact of Katrina on their business, which was not New Orleans-centric. They moved their office to St. Louis, where they worked on a new markets application. After Katrina, the Treasury Department extended an extension for applicants to work in other areas. Five or six of the team members from St. Lewis rewrote the application to use new markets to rebuild New Orleans. He acknowledges that living in New Orleans was a difficult decision due to its unique personality and uniqueness. They had to make a decision about where to go if they couldn't return, as it was a unique place with a unique personality. However, they were able to be dispassionate about the situation and were called in to DC to discuss using incentives programs to speed up rebuilding.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Michael, a classics major, took many courses and professors that resonated with him, such as EC 10, Micro, Macro Economics, and the American Revolution. These classes helped him understand the real political and economic pressures of the time and made him think critically.
Timestamps:
02:14: Returning to New Orleans
09:36: Transition to Advantage Capital
09:49: Advantage Capital's Focus on Impact Investing
27:06: Impact of Katrina and Advantage Capital's Role
28:01: Personal Life and Family in New Orleans
35:35: Michael's Podcast and Community Involvement
38:11: Reflections on Harvard Education
48:56: Advantage Capital's Investment Strategy
49:17: Successful Investments and Impact Stories
Links:
Website: https://www.advantagecap.com/
Michael's podcast: https://jesuitjourneys.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Senior Tech recommended by Ruthie Tanenbaum who reports:
“Hi. I'm Ruthie Tanenbaum Friedman, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Senior Tech. Senior Tech provides free technology support to senior citizens, which is offered by volunteer high school students. The organization is based in Florida with plans to grow and offers in person and remote support. My children founded and run the organization with my son Max, now serving as president and expanding the services that the organization provides. You can learn more about their work@seniortech.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: SeniorTech.org.
Show Notes:
Jacinda Townsend shares her journey of living in 10 different states and two foreign countries, having four careers, including being an elected official, having a couple of kids, and doing various weird things.
Working in Law, Journalism, and Fiction
When Jacinda graduated at 20, she went to law school, which was part of a straight trajectory she had imagined since childhood, and while she initially believed she would go into politics and return to Kentucky, she realized she did not want to pursue a career in law. After finishing her degree, she worked as a news commentator for the Christian Science Monitor network, which led to her being hired as a professional journalist to cover international and national politics. Jacinda was passionate about the news and TV news. Writing for the sound byte was a challenge for her, but she loved it because it allowed her to express herself politically and learn a lot about the English language. She decided she wanted to pursue writing seriously and is now a novelist. She also teaches at Brown University in the MFA program. Throughout her career, Jacinda explains, it has been random events and circumstances that led her to each position.
Motivated by Anger and Moving into Politics
Jacinda talks about her career in politics and how it transpired fueled by her anger at issues she could not ignore. She shares her experiences as a sitting school board member in Bloomington, Indiana. She served in a progressive town with a lot of socio-economic segregation and disciplinary disparities by race and ethnicity which she could not ignore. Jacinda ran for re-election and was elected again, and this time, it was a landslide. She moved to Michigan and was asked to run for the school board there. Jacinda talks about the issues tackled, changes made, and how integration has changed. Jacinda believes that the ideal of integration is not happening. She explains that segregation has increased with 80 percent of white kids going to a school where the percentage of white children is above 75 percent, and minority children and still 90 percent more likely to be in a minority school. She mentions that peak integration happened in 1987 and goes on to explain the driving factors behind the segregation.
Working as a Writer
The conversation turns to her writing career, which includes the award-winning novel Mother Country and the forthcoming novel Trigger Warning. Jacinda talks about her routine, which includes a 500-word word count daily. She also shares a story of working with a student who felt unsure about her writing, and how she copes with the uncertainty of working in the arts. She also shares her approach to keeping up with her characters, and uses random texts to remember what was going through the character's head and keeps up with them. This helps her keep up with the story and remember the characters' reactions to things. When writing a novel, Jacinda immerses herself in the character's world, trying to experience it through their eyes. She doesn't take breaks during the writing process, as she believes that the imagination begets the imagination, and when living with her characters every day, it becomes like a muscle memory. When she returns to the story, she can remember every bit of why she did something, making her work more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Living in Foreign Countries
Jacinda was a Fulbright student in Cote d'Ivoire, and she has lived in two foreign countries, including Mali and Morocco. While in Mali, she encountered modern-day slavery. She also went to Morocco and visited Mauritania, where 20% of the population is enslaved. She explains that Mauritania is a remote country where it is like stepping back 500 years. It is difficult to escape slavery, as employment is caste-based, so if they escape slavery, there is no work. She met an escaped slave and her family, who gave birth to her last of eight children while escaping slavery. Jacinda shares that holding this baby was a profound moment in her life, and it was this experience that led to her novel, Mother Country. Jacinda explains that the reason no-one knows about the slavery issues in Mauritania is because it is not often mentioned in the news. The media is state-run, and the slavery system is brutally enforced. It is also difficult to get to due to its remoteness so there are very few Western visitors. People there often believe they should be slaves, that it is divinely ordained.
Influential Classes and Professors at Harvard
Jacinda mentions Martin Kilson, a brilliant political scholar. She was initially shy in his class, but after her campus activism went viral, he hugged her and said, "You're brilliant." This was a moment that made her feel like she belonged there for the first time. Jacinda appreciates the gift of Martin Kilson's support and tries to make her students feel seen when they are quiet and nervous. She believes that making people feel heard is important and that she will never forget the gift of his presence. Jacinda Townsend shares her campus activism story. At the time she had no idea of the impact this would have. One night, the Boston Police came to her room. She was alone, but before she knew it, seven girls showed up who had come to support her. This experience taught her to speak on television and that even in difficult times, it's important to be there for others, and that others will be there for you, if you share a common belief.
Timestamps:
01:59: Early Career and Education
07:51: Public Office and School Board Experience
22:11: Writing Career and Novels
30:22: Experiences in Foreign Countries
36:39: Personal Reflections and Life Philosophy
40:15: Campus Activism and Media Experience
48:10: Impact of Media and Public Perception
48:27: Final Thoughts and Future Plans
Links:
Website: https://jacindatownsend.com/about-me/
Featured Non-profit
"Hi, I'm Khedrub, Class of 1992.
The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is Kadampa Meditation Center Boston.
I've been privileged to work for this budding organization since I moved back to Cambridge in 2020. In addition to our regular programming, I speak at Lehman Hall in the Yard for GSAS now every month and at HLS once a semester, paying back a bit to Havard."
You can learn more about our work at www.meditationinboston.org
Show Notes:
Daniel Brotman shares his journey from undergrad to medical school. After finishing a year of research in Boston, he decided to work for a year before applying for medical school. He had already taken the MCATs and taught Stanley Kaplan during his year off. He also worked in the lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Music and Circadian Rhythm
Daniel talks about his love of music. He considered himself a better musician than singer, and he loved playing piano. He has a 1930 Steinway piano and plays piano karaoke for fun. He has been participating in a music group at Harvard and has heard about other Harvard alums joining similar groups. From music the conversation turns to circadian rhythms, which are rhythms that cycle through the body based on the action of the circadian pacemaker. Circadian rhythms are synchronized to the 24-hour day based on visual stimuli, such as light coming into the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus.
Internal Medicine and Finding Work/Life Balance
Daniel was accepted to medical school after his year of research. He started at the University of Virginia and found it to be a beautiful, traditional place. He initially didn't want to do internal medicine but discovered his passion for it at the end of his third year. He married his first wife, Edith, while in medical school. Daniel graduated from medical school and went on to become a hospitalist at the Cleveland Clinic. He chose to practice inpatient medicine due to his love for it and the intense work required for his family. Hospital medicine was a new field at the time, and Daniel's career began there.
Working as a Hospitalist
Daniel explains that being a hospitalist means practicing in the hospital rather than having an outpatient practice. Patients often come in through the emergency room and need an inpatient doctor to help them through their acute illness. Daniel's role is also as a consultant to help surgeons care for their patients who have medical issues or help other disciplines help care for their patients who have medical issues. Hospital Medicine is defined by the site of practice being in the hospital, similar to an emergency room medicine doctor practicing in the emergency department. After leaving the Cleveland Clinic, Daniel returned to Hopkins, where he started the Hospitalist program. He learned that humility is essential in healthcare, as taking care of patients alone doesn't make for a good team. He also learned that medicine quickly gets out of date, with many concepts still valid but some completely turned on their heads. Overall, his experiences and lessons learned over the years have helped him become a more effective and compassionate healthcare professional.
The Goldilocks Phenomenon
Daniel Brotman discusses the importance of humility in healthcare, particularly in the context of medical knowledge and practices changing. He gives the example of beta blockers and heart failure treatment. He explains that beta blockers can drive patients into congestive heart failure by reducing their heart pumping activity, which is crucial for patients with weak heart muscles. However, studies have shown that beta blockers can be beneficial for those with weaker heart muscles. Daniel discusses the Goldilocks phenomenon, where doctors should not just jump on the latest research from journals but also not gravitate towards every new strategy published in medical literature. This can lead to side effects or challenges with the effectiveness of new drugs. He suggests that doctors should not rely solely on society's guidelines, as they may not always be updated over time. Instead, they should look for guidelines synthesized by knowledgeable professionals who have considered all issues and come up with a synthesis that makes sense. He also discusses the importance of humility in healthcare, stating that it is essential to rely on the expertise of colleagues and the entire team rather than oneself.
AI in Healthcare
The conversation turns to AI in healthcare such as Bridge, which listens to doctor conversations and creates notes based on them. While Bridge is effective in some cases, it struggles to put things fully in context. For example, it might report that the patient denies edema, which is not what it intended to convey. Despite this, it can create a note without looking at anything. However, there are potential areas where AI can make errors, which doctors should be aware of. And it cannot provide a diagnosis. Doctors should be cautious when using AI tools, as the consequences of not double-checking their work can be significant. AI is expected to be beneficial in making recommendations for treatment strategies, but it should not replace doctors' work.
Directing the Hospitalists Program at John Hopkins
Daniel has been directing the Hospitalist program for almost 20 years. He has since become a full professor and has an endowed chair named after John Flynn, a mentor and resident. He enjoys helping junior hospitalists navigate their career paths, which can be diverse and include research, quality improvement, or patient care. He has a great team of doctors to work with and mentor. One of the biggest challenges of leading a group of 50 hospitalists is delegation. Brotman has worked on developing ways to trust junior leaders and structure supervision in a way that maintains quality control. He has also learned to provide feedback to junior leaders, as they are high-performing and smart. Another challenge in leadership is trying to harmonize the economics of their work with clinical outcomes or academic outcomes. Many doctors feel pressure to be productive, which can negatively impact patient care.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Daniel discusses his experiences at Harvard, including his involvement in research and coursework in circadian rhythms with professors, which he found to be a significant part of his junior and senior year. He also mentions his passion for science and his focus on mastering content to pass tests. His interests have expanded since then, and he still enjoys reading non-fiction books and entertaining activities. He also enjoys skiing, although he was not very good on the ski team in his freshman year.
Timestamps:
00:02: Dan's Journey from Harvard to Medical School
03:36: Understanding Circadian Rhythms
06:00: Medical School and Early Career
08:40: Hospitalist Career and Lessons Learned
22:26: AI in Medicine and Leadership Challenges
32:43: Personal Reflections and Broader Interests
37:19: Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Links:
John Hopkins website: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/som/
Email: brotman@jhmi.edu
Featured Non-profit
This episode’s featured non-profit is Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) recommended by Colin Teichholtz who reports:
“Hi. I'm Colin Teichholtz, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Innovations for Poverty Action, or IPA. IPA discovers and advances what works to improve the lives of people living in poverty around the world. IPA has country offices throughout Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. IPA is all about more evidence and less poverty. I've personally been a supporter of IPA for over a decade, and as of earlier this year, I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve as a member of the board. You can learn more about IPAs work at poverty, dash, action.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://poverty-action.org/
Show Notes:
Jason Furman discusses his journey in economics. He shares his experience teaching Act 10, a course that has evolved over the years, using ideas from psychology and economics that are still relevant today. Jason also discusses his time at the Kennedy School, where his current role is Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors. It was while at the Kennedy School that he was recruited to work in government. He initially didn't want to go into public policy or Washington, but eventually discovered his passion for it. In 2008, he was asked by David Axelrod to move to Chicago for the Obama campaign. He met with Obama and discussed his view of the economy and the issues being addressed in the campaign.
Working for the Obama Campaign
Jason talks about participating in the campaign, which was an amazing experience, as economists typically do economic policy on a campaign, discussing what will happen next year when they become president. The economy was falling apart, and Jason was able to use his knowledge and experience to help address the issue. In the midst of a financial crisis, Obama decided to support George Bushes' idea of a "bank bail out" to save the banks. This campaign became almost as much like governing as campaigning, with Obama meeting with Bush's treasury secretary, Treasury staff, and the Fed. A small team worked together to devise solutions to save the banks, revive the economy, and rescue the auto industry. Jason talks about the market collapsing and how Obama worked on various aspects of the crisis, including the fiscal response, the Recovery Act, the Affordable Care Act, the fiscal cliff, tax reform, technology policy, infrastructure, China, and climate change. The experience was both exciting and challenging, as markets were collapsing and the future of the economy was uncertain.
Exporting Crude and Environmental Concerns
Jason shares an example of where analysis matters. The United States faced a ban on exporting crude oil due to environmental concerns. The analysis, led by a climate change expert, found that the carbon content of US oil was lower than that of Canadian oil, which led to a ban that hurt American jobs and pushed the world towards higher carbon oil. Jason and his team put forward their analysis and the President, who was interested in the idea, met with his environmental and political advisors to discuss it. Despite some disagreements, the President agreed to sign an executive order to implement the idea. However, political concerns arose, and the White House decided to negotiate with Republicans in Congress to make the oil export concession. Six months later, Republicans extended tax credits for wind and solar, which the White House considered a good policy. This case highlights the importance of analysis and the combination of analysis and politics in a decision-making process.
Climate Policies and The Financial Crisis
Jason discusses two decisions that he believes were crucial. The first was for climate change cap and trade, which would have limited carbon emissions and set up tradable permits. The House passed the bill with the support of 55 senators, but it was not passed due to the filibuster. The second was immigration reform, which would have had a stronger border, expanded legal immigration, and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. The financial crisis hit, and Jason explains that Congress had a fixed amount of money for tax credits, states, and unemployment insurance. He talks about Congress spend and automatic aid systems.
Advice for Trump Administration
Jason shares his advice for the incoming president. He states that the economy is in good shape and should not be messed up by big tariffs, immigration, mass expulsions, budget deficit increases, or interference with the Federal Reserve. Jason also discusses mainstream democratic economic policies or beliefs that he would disagree with or push back against. He tries to be unvarnished in his views in real time, and has tried to be honest about his opinions during the presidential campaign. He agrees with a decent fraction of the Democratic agenda, but there is a tendency to ignore trade-offs and the need to decide how best to use finite budget resources. The conversation turns to the debate on tariffs on electric vehicles.
The Oval Office Environment
Jason shares his experience in the Oval Office. He talks about President Obama’s approach to policy discussions, debates, and political advisors. He mentions that the President was also good at compartmentalizing, which is important when dealing with highly emotional issues, such as a school shooting, and being able to move on to international tax policy. Overall, the Oval Office environment is a mix of political and policy discussions. The conversation turns to the Affordable Care Act, the opposition to it, and a government mandate for health insurance, which was originally from a conservative think tank called Heritage. Jason talks about some of the controversial points from both Republicans and Democrats, including costs, what and who should be covered, and defining sharing. Politics played a significant role in the creation and implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
Practical Experience in Policy Making
Jason discusses his economic research and his practical experience in policy making. He focuses on tax reform, sustainability of deficits, and inflation sources, which he worked on in government. Jason shares his views on tariffs. He also discusses the need for cities like San Francisco and New York to address housing issues, arguing that there isn't enough supply of housing due to restrictions on building. He talks about expanding housing vouchers for low-income households and expanding housing voucher programs to serve everyone. Jason believes that for some people, subsidies are needed, but for most people, cheaper housing is needed, requiring more housing. He also discusses the impact of immigration on inflation and prices is a significant economic issue, as immigrants are the labor force that contributes ideas, innovations, productivity, and start businesses. He moves on to the Chips Act, which aims to increase manufacturing of advanced microchips in the US, and has been a legitimate goal, with manufacturing subsidies of $39 billion.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Jason shares his favorite classes and professors at Harvard, including Ec 10, which was taught by Marty Feldstein, who became a mentor and friend. He also mentions Professor Jeffrey Williamson's class on economic history, which he still thinks about to this day.
Timestamps:
02:44: Experience Working for President Obama
09:24: Policy Influence and Decision-Making
15:24: Advice to Presidential Candidates and Policy Disagreements
22:11: Oval Office Meetings and Policy Discussions
27:07: Return to Harvard and Teaching
32:18: Policy-Oriented Research and Personal Life
33:49: Quick Takes on Policy Areas
36:50: Reactions to the CHIPS Act and Personal Interests
39:10: Reflections on Harvard and Final Thoughts
Featured Non-profit
This episode’s featured non-profit is the Committee to Protect Journalists recommended by Peter Lattman who reports:
“Hi. I'm Peter Lattman, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that advocates for press freedom around the world. I have been proud to serve as a board member of CPJ for the past five years. And you could learn more about their work at their website, www.cpj.org.”
To learn more about their work visit: www.cpj.org.
Thomas Doxiadis worked in the construction field before becoming an architect, eventually pursuing a Masters of Architecture and a Masters of Landscape Architecture at Harvard. He served in the Greek Navy and later worked as an architect for the Greek Olympics and at the same time taught at university. He then started his business which has been running for 25 years.
Managing Work Life Balance and Personal Growth
Expanding from his professional life, Thomas spent the next 10 years exploring his mind, heart, and relationships with people. Through therapy, he found that people are much more interesting than he thought. He joined a coaching group called "Get Your Six," which focuses on treating oneself better through health, sleep, nutrition, exercise, relationships, emotions, and beliefs. The group is structured around six people sharing experiences and helping each other through different situations.
Life Lessons and Changes
Thomas talks about life changes related to health, sleep, nutrition, and exercise. He explains that building a business from scratch and trying to be at the top of his field took a lot of focus and energy away from self-care. He emphasizes the importance of taking care of oneself, eating right, sleeping right, learning basic breathing and meditation techniques, and changing priorities. He also emphasizes exploring and understanding the stories of our lives that we construct and how we spend our energy.
Working in the Greek Navy
Thomas shares his experiences in the Greek Navy, where he spent time guarding armaments and working with 18-year-olds, which was a strange situation for him after his time in the professional world, but he found solace in having fun and laughing more than he had in the last decade. He shares a story when he was on guard duty and thought he was under siege.
Working in the Athens Olympics
Thomas recounts his experience working on the Athens Olympics. He had a positive experience despite the short turn around time of three years to complete construction. He worked on the design and construction of mega projects such as parts of the Athenian sea front and coastal areas, Olympic villages, and sports infrastructure. Additionally, he worked on setting up the city's flags, banners, and animation programs. He also spent two years dealing with the environmental and green aspects of the Olympics. His highlight was organizing the first mass olive transplanting, which involved moving the old Athens horse race track to a new area and becoming the Olympic Equestrian Center. The area was full of ancient olive groves and vineyards, some of them as old as 3000 years. The trees were transplanted to create a park and part of the Olympic venues. The trees were reused for the redevelopment of the Athens airport, ensuring they would be a valuable asset for future generations.
Growing up in Greece
Thomas grew up in Greece in the seventies when Greece was still relatively untouched by economic growth and tourism. The rapid economic changes after Greece entered the European Union led to the destruction of places he loved. He studied architecture and landscape architecture to find a win-win solution to building on sensitive, culturally and ecologically important places. His work and portfolio have been built over the past 25 years, focusing on resolving this problem.
Sustainable Development and Landscapes of Cohabitation
Thomas has worked on several projects since his time at the Olympics. One of his most proud projects was working on a pristine Aegean Island, where he and a high school friend developed techniques called the landscapes of cohabitation, which focuses on symbiosis between the environment and human activity. This approach has transformed the local ecosystem and changed people's minds about landscape work. His most recent project is with an MIT graduate from Northern Italy who built an energy corporation in the US and now invests in a small village in Tuscany. They are working on a 200-year sustainability plan, involving climate modeling and climate modeling to understand the future of the village and bringing vitality back to rural areas.
Progressive Adaption to Climate Change
Thomas' goal is to revive the countryside and lead it towards a better and more sustainable future, especially as climate change makes a better future more difficult. The European Union has been funding climate change adaptation programs for countries and universities for the last decade. These programs aim to understand the main impacts of climate change on public health, infrastructure, economy, and tourism. Landscapes are not just visual representations of environmental changes, but also provide a spatial understanding of what will happen due to climate change. Thomas talks about nine case studies that have been conducted across Greece, covering a region the size of Cape Cod. The eastern Mediterranean will be one of the most impacted areas globally, with heat waves, fire, and changing conditions. The European Union stopped spending on mitigation a decade ago and started spending on adaptation. Thomas explains what this entails.
Design for Living Systems
Landscape architects are professionals who design for living systems, not just concrete or steel. They have the skill set to deal with earth, water, plants, animals, and living systems in physical space. The profession has transitioned from being mainly about aesthetics to problem-solving around nature in the past. The advice given by landscape architects is not necessarily heated or useful, but rather based on their experiences and lessons learned. He believes that architects should focus on the bright goal of a better future through design but also be more pragmatic about their surroundings. Thomas also discusses his artistic projects, such as the Castriani mine restoration. He believes that architecture is useful for solving problems through giving form to things, and that the way things look is important because it serves as communication and storytelling. People understand the world through narratives, so architects have the opportunity and responsibility to configure a part of the world that tells people something to add to their own narrative.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
During his time at Harvard, he took courses in Ed Wilson’s Evolutionary Biology and Moral Reasoning 22. He also studied landscape ecology at the Harvard Design School, where landscape ecology was a driving force and he learned how you could design with nature and for nature rather than against it, which set him on his life path both professionally and intellectually. He enjoyed playing music and attending international talks at the Kennedy School. This experience helped him become more international and consider himself a citizen of the world.
Timestamps:
01:40: Personal and Professional Reflections
04:38: Coaching Group Experience
07:17: Changes in Life and Health Practices
12:26: Experiences in the Greek Navy
15:47: Role in the Athens Olympics
25:11: Projects and Philosophy
28:40: National Climate Change Adaptation Program
35:43: Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
39:10: Role of a Landscape Architect
41:29: Advice to Younger Self
44:09: Artistic Projects and Influences from Harvard
Links:
Website: https://doxiadisplus.com/
Website: Got Your 6 Team
Society for the Environment and Cultural Change Website: Ελληνική Εταιρεία Περιβάλλοντος & Πολιτισμού
Featured Non-profit
This week’s featured non-profit is Legal Services NYC recommended by Lisa Velasquez who reports:
“Hi. I'm Liza Velasquez, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Legal Services NYC. The mission of legal services NYC is to fight poverty and seek racial, social and economic justice for New Yorkers who need pro bono civil legal assistance. I've worked with legal services NYC as a board member for the past 10 years, and I'm honored to serve as the current board chair. Every year, our lawyers and staff assist 100,000 New Yorkers in obtaining access to the basic necessities of life, safe housing, economic security, family and immigration, stability, education and healthcare. You can learn more about their work at Legal Services nyc.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: LegalServicesNYC.org.
David Miller kicks off the conversation with a summary of his life since Harvard. He went to Brown University, Providence, and then moved back to Boston, where he spent five years in Cambridge, Somerville, Arlington, and then moved to Santa Monica, California, where his wife was pursuing her fellowship. He then returned to Boston, where he has been for 20 years, minus a three-month stint in Paris, France.
Technology Inventor, Independent Contributor, and Instructor
David met his wife, Ruth Herzman Miller, in October of his freshman year at Harvard. They have three daughters, and David has spent some time as a full-time dad with each of them. He majored in mathematics at Harvard and pure mathematics at graduate school at Brown. After a pause, he worked in speech and language processing at Bolt, Beranek and Newman (BBN) Technologies in Cambridge where he worked on developing speech to text transcription and information retrieval. He went to UCLA to learn bioinformatics and worked at a bioinformatics laboratory at the Molecular Biology Institute. In 2001, he returned to Boston and worked at Aventis Pharmaceuticals, now Sanofi Aventis, applying his knowledge in lead generation informatics. He stayed at Aventis for a few years before taking some time off the workforce. In 2008, David joined Google for 16 years, primarily on the search engine. He has worked on various projects, including the Google Books project and AI Overviews. He has also spent time at Google Paris, Zurich, and Tokyo. He has also taught computer science in the context of the Girls Who Code Project, where he distributed curriculum material to numerous chapters and hosted meetups. He also worked with Microsoft TEALS (technology and learning in schools), teaching ninth and 10th grade computer science.
Inspired by French Theater
During the pandemic, revisited an interest he had discovered in Paris, French theater. He started studying French and learned about the annual Theater Festival in Avignon, France, which is the second largest Fringe Festival in the world. After visiting the festival in 2022, he decided to create a similar event in Boston. He started a limited liability corporation with knowledge of French, Boston theater scene, organizational capacity, and spare finance. The first production was performed in April 2024, and the second is set to open in November 2024. They are currently booking venues and signing contracts for their 2025-2026 season.
Google, AI, and The BERT Revolution
The conversation turns to AI, BERT, and Google. He explains that the feature of BERT was built to transform language problems into arithmetic problems, using embeddings in high-dimensional vector spaces to catch semantics. This allowed for more complex arithmetic than just adding and subtracting. The BERT Revolution, invented by Jacob Devlin and his colleagues, was used to map words to embeddings, allowing for real-world correspondence in arithmetic. This concept was later used in Google's Featured Snippets, which was revamped to use embeddings and the Bert revolution. David’s lecture at Boston University, which is titled "Natural Language Understanding, Deep Learning and the BERT Revolution" discusses the underlying mechanics of natural language processing and how it transformed problems in language into arithmetic. The BERT Revolution allowed for more complex arithmetic than just adding and subtracting, making it easier for neural networks to perform complex tasks.
The Rise of Hidden Markov Models
David talks about the state-of-the-art technology at the time, Hidden Markov models, which had a temporal aspect of a changing probability distribution. These models were based on the sequence of text, and the Bayesian reasoning was used to determine the most likely audio to come from the words. This led to the development of generative models, where words generate the audio through probabilistic models. However, Bayesian modeling has been replaced by deep neural nets in the last five years of generative AI. He mentions that, in the early days, neural networks were untrainable and unwieldy, making Hidden Markov models the Bayesian generative approach. However, deep neural networks are now used.
The Development of Neural Networks
David discusses the development of neural networks, a technology that has been around since the 1950s. The availability of more recordings for speech, text, and language models has made it more accessible on the hardware side. The core of a neural network computation is matrix multiplication, which has been addressed by Nvidia and Google with their TensorFlow units. These units have invested large amounts of money in making specialized, custom hardware for this problem, accelerating things. David talks about how algorithms have also advanced significantly since the 1950s, and mentions key factors that have aided the advancement.
Becoming an Individual Contributor at Google
David talks about how he learned the technology. He decided to become an individual contributor and studied the technology, the code, the papers, books, videos, and experiments. He spent most of the pandemic working on neural nets that eventually became the Gemini technology. David’s journey to becoming a knowledgeable and skilled individual in neural networks was a journey that took him from a theoretical interest to a practical application. He learned to make the most of the technology and its capabilities, ultimately contributing to the advancement of the field. David has faced mixed reactions to his decision to become an independent contributor at Google. While some were supportive and skeptical, others were skeptical. He talks about the advice he received, how he moved forward, the success rate of his projects, and how his career has decelerated since 2019.
Behind the Curtain of French Theater
The discussion moves to French theater and how David has become a French theater producer. He shares his journey of starting a production in Boston from scratch. To start a French theater production in Boston, David had to be integrated into the French community in Boston and the theater community in Boston. They do not create the theater but bring the original production to Boston and add subtitles. He talks about the challenges faced in securing locations, staff and equipment, and managing the production process such as hiring a director, actors, space, marketing, and logistics. He uses services like Playbill to manage administration, program design, publicity, and logistics. He is passionate about creating a new cultural institution in Boston that focuses on French theater. Boston is known for its strong ties to France and hospitals, and David aims to create a French theater festival or translate French theater into English. He works with the French American Chamber of Commerce of New England, which helps create businesses and connections in Boston.
Behind the Screen of Girls Who Code
David has worked with Girls Who Code, an after-school program that runs programs for young women interested in programming and technology. He organized a meet-up at Google's Cambridge office, where he gave a keynote speech at parent meetings, emphasizing the importance of belonging and ownership in the industry. He was able to connect with 150 teenage girls and their parents, who expressed gratitude for his message. David's involvement with Girls Who Code has led to a sense of belonging and empowerment for these young women, who are now more likely to pursue careers in the tech industry. He believes that the French language theater in Boston could potentially sustain them through a 25-year career in the industry.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
David shares his experiences as a TA in the math department and working with Deborah Hughes Hallet, who was running a calculus project. David's theater experience has played an ongoing role in his teaching approach, as he learned from her dedication and approach to teaching. He believes that the notion of understanding the world through teaching is a deep-rooted belief in his approach.
Timestamps:
03:59: Professional Career and Industry Experience
06:52: Non-Professional Activities and Community Involvement
11:22: Technological Advancements and AI Overview
25:07: Transition to Individual Contributor Role at Google
30:17: French Theater Project and Community Building
40:39: Impact of Girls Who Code and Teaching
45:25: Final Thoughts and Contact Information
Links:
Theater: www.frenchtheaterproject.com
Theater Club: https://frenchlibrary.org/french-library-theater-club/
Website: www.monsieurmiller.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidrhmiller/
David’s 2019 lecture "Natural Language Understanding, Deep Learning and the BERT Revolution" at Boston University : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DktFhgxynFE
Featured Non-profit
This week’s featured non-profit is the Cure San Filippo Foundation recommended by Adam Shaywitz who reports:
“Hi. I'm Adam Shaywitz, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Cure San Filippo Foundation. This organization is dedicated to advancing treatment options for children affected by the devastating childhood dementia known as San Filippo syndrome. I am privileged to serve as a board member for the past five years. You can learn more about their work at Cure Sanfilippo foundation.org, that's one word. Cure Sanfilippo foundation. San Felippo is spelled s, a, n, f, i, L, i, p, p, O, that's 1f, 1l, and 2p Cure San Filippo foundation.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: www.CureSanFilippoFoundation.org.
Show Notes:
Raymond Lei Yin moved to New York after graduating and has worked at Goldman Sachs for over 20 years, primarily in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China. He worked in China with a private fund for three and a half years and for UBS Asset Management as the Head of Asia Pacific and Head of China for the past 6 years. Now retired from UBS Asset Management, Raymond is currently traveling around the world, visiting his parents and enjoying the outdoors. He is also looking for opportunities to get involved with communities, businesses or organizations where he can contribute his expertise. Capital Markets War Stories Raymond shares many war stories from his time in Hong Kong, China, and the capital markets during the financial crisis. He started at Goldman Sachs in New York and eventually moved to Asia. He was a program analyst in 1992 and supported the international trading desk at Goldman. This experience was interesting, as the traders he worked with at the time were hires from Salomon Brothers and Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB). He likens this time to working in a jungle where his goal was to survive each day. Raymond's journey has been filled with challenges and opportunities, but he is now focused on pursuing his passion for learning (especially in AI) and helping other businesses to grow. Working in Equity Capital MarketsRaymond began his career in Hong Kong after realizing that the core part of Goldman's business was financial advisory and trading. He decided to look for a job outside Goldman and was about to resign when he was offered a position by a senior MD looking for a Chinese speaking analyst based in Hong Kong. He flew to London for interviews and was hired to work in equity capital markets, which he knew little about. Equity capital markets is an interesting area that straddles between investment banking and equity sales and trading. Raymond was trained by Eric Dobkin, the man who introduced the concept of the Equity Capital Markets (ECM), which orchestrated IPOs and worked with both issuers and investors to set the price. During the Red Chip Boom in 1993, there was a huge demand for Chinese speaking bankers in Hong Kong, as there were not many Chinese bankers at that time. As the first full-time equity capital markets person based in Hong Kong, Raymond worked tirelessly to keep up with the pace of IPOs. Lesson Learned from the MarketOne lesson that Raymond learned during this time was that the market can be irrational. During the Red Chip Boom, Chinese IPOs were richly valued, due to scarcity of Chinese papers and the high demand for Chinese investments. However, since then, the market has seen several cycles of price fluctuations. To make money in the equity market, he believes that one must be a contrarian, have a long sustained power, and be liquid. In the early 90s, Hong Kong had an open market with many foreign capitals and traditional institutions representing their firms in London or New York. Goldman helped Chinese companies raise money in international capital markets through IPOs, global deposit receipts (GDRs), and convertible bonds (CBs). The Chinese government was involved in these deals, as they were selling their best assets to global investors in exchange for professional management and market discipline. The first deal was with Tsingtao Breweries, a famous beer company, and later with Shanghai Petrochemical and China Mobile and PetroChina. These companies were majority-held by the Chinese government, and Goldman had an edge in winning these deals. Goldman also worked on Korean companies like POSCO Steel and Samsung Electronics, as well as Thai and Indonesian companies. The Asian Financial Crisis The Asian financial crisis occurred in 1997, when the devaluation of the Thai Bhat and Indonesian Rupiah led to a massive attack in Hong Kong markets. For a few days, the entire HK equity market was dominated by one buyer, the Hong Kong government. Raymond saw the government’s bid for 100 million shares of Hong Kong telecom got hit within 2 seconds. This could mark the end of capital markets in Hong Kong, as the government was buying the significant part of HK equity market. However, in hindsight this was the single best time to buy Hong Kong equities, as the Hong Kong government made a lot of money that day. In subsequent years, Goldman helped the Hong Kong government sell these stocks at a profit, returning the market to private investors. One company Raymond worked with was PetroChina where Goldman took the company public and Raymond helped to introduce the team management to global investors. It was during the dotcom bubble era, there was ver little investor appetite for oil stocks. Eventually, the IPO was done as a discount valuation. Investors who bought at PetroChina IPO all made money if they hold on to their shares. From Goldman to Private Funds to UBS Asset ManagementRaymond's next move was to the buy side - a China based private fund. He spent three and a half years traveling between Shanghai and Hong Kong to help them set up their international operation, hire people, lease office space, get the Type 9 license, and set up their Hong Kong office. He later joined UBS Asset Management first as Head of China then later as Head of Asia Pacific. He worked at UBS Asset Management for the past 6 years. Influential Harvard Professors and CoursesRaymond shares that his Art History course at Harvard was one of the most useful, as it allowed him to appreciate artwork and visit museums worldwide. He also enjoyed the core course Cultural Revolution taught by Professor Roderick MacFarquar, which was not offered in China.
Timestamps:
04:15: Early Career at Goldman Sachs
09:51: Experience in Hong Kong and Equity Capital Markets
14:46: The Asian Financial Crisis and Market Lessons
26:31: Building Sales and Trading Operations in China
28:44: Transition to the Buy Side and Final Steps at Goldman
31:11: Personal Life and Interests
38:19: Reflections on Harvard and Career Advice
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-yin-cfa-613a017a/
Email: yinraymond@yahood.com
Featured Non-profit:
This week’s featured non-profit is Alex's Lemonade Stand, recommended by Catherine Marcus Rose who reports:
Hi. I'm Catherine Marcus Rose, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Alex's Lemonade Stand, foundation for Children's Cancer. Alex's Lemonade Stand focuses on impacting lives of children with cancer through fundraising for critical research and awareness raising support for families and children with cancer. I love the work of this organization and have been a regular donor for a few years. When our youngest son, age 21 was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma last December, this organization became even more important to us. Only four cents of every dollar spent on cancer research at the NCI goes to research in pediatric cancers. So the work of this organization has taken on extra meaning for us. You can learn more about their work at Alex's lemonade.org, a l e x, s, L E, M o, n, a, de.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.alexslemonade.org/
Show Notes:
Jack Levy spent a year before college studying Judaic Studies and Talmudic studies in the Old City of Jerusalem. During his time in Harvard, he became particularly interested in Israel, as he had grown up with a strong Jewish background. He received a Raoul Wallenberg fellowship, funded by Fred Schwartz, to go to Hebrew University for a year after college during which he interned for Knesset member Naomi Hazan and worked for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. From Columbia Law School to Venture Capital
After Israel, Jack went to Columbia Law School. He worked one summer as a human rights lawyer and later worked for Wall Street firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher to pay off his debt. He chose that law firm based on their Israeli clients and had a great experience with a mentor named Peter Jakes. During his time at law school, Jack met his wife, Dahlia. They settled in New York for a while before moving to Israel. Jack worked at Willkie before transitioning to Register.com, an internet company. In 1999, the internet was booming. Jack spent four years as General Counsel of Register during the the .com boom. In 2003, they moved to Ra’anana, Israel, a suburb of Tel Aviv, and have raised their three children there. Jack practiced law briefly in Israel before becoming a venture capitalist in 2006. He was the first to raise the banner of cleantech or climate tech in Israel in 2006 and 2007, thanks to Harvard classmate Sanjay Wagle. The Israeli Experience after October 7
Life changed for all Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. All of the Jack's children serve in the military, and the community has experienced losses. The country came under attack by Hamas, led by Yahia Sinuar, and immediately followed by Hezbolla in the north. The October 7 attack resulted in horrific violence, crimes, destruction, rape, murder, and burning of people in the Southern Communities. Like many religiously observant Israelis, Jack and his family were in synagogue during the attack, when the rumors started to spread. Jack mentions that in the week prior to the attack he’d been on holiday in Jordan.
Early in the morning of October 8, their best friends called to tell them that their 27-year-old son, Major Aryeh Ziering, had been killed by Hamas command naval commandos who had infiltrated Israel. Arey was an excellent fighter from the canine unit who had captured terrorists alongside some of the most elite forces during his service. He had gone to the United States to help train Navy SEALs with canine warfare. He was killed by 1pm that day.The next day, other friends found out that their son Hirsch had been kidnapped into Gaza, which ended with tragedy about a month ago when he was killed by Hamas. By the end of the first day, they had one friend whose son had been killed as a fighter, one friend who had been captured from the Nova festival and held prisoner by Hamas, and another business partner who lost his cousin's child fighting that day as well. As the war continued in the coming months, their network of friends who experienced loss widened to include – one who lost their nephew in December fighting in Gaza, one whose daughter's boyfriend was killed pursuing a terrorist in the West Bank, and others who lost their lives in the conflict. The story of the heroism of those who fought for their lives and the lives of others is one that will be told for generations. As a 54-year-old Israeli father, Jack has three children who have been fighting in the war, Jack explains the extremely high cost to Israeli families who have children in the army. Jack states that the present generation is remarkable, and he wrote a piece in the Times of Israel about the little league team he had coached going to war. He still plays softball with his boys and realized that by December, every child he coached was fighting in the war. How Heroism Drives Soldiers Jack shares the lessons he learned about conflict and military training. He talks about the importance of respecting American military families. He reflects on the recent tragic death of a soldier who recorded a video of himself before going into Lebanon, expressing love for the person behind him. He believes that Americans of his generation don't understand the importance of military families and the sacrifices made by soldiers. He grew up during the reckoning with the Vietnam War through Oliver Stone movies, and grew up thinking war was primarily unjust or wrong. Jack explains that the men and women fighting are often the best, motivated, kind, and loving people. He identifies with pacifism but lives only because there are people willing to defend him. Civilian War Rooms in Action The state apparatus of defense along the Israeli border failed on October 7, allowing hordes to burst through the borders and kidnap hundreds. However, people jumped into action. People established civilian war rooms, where they could be proactive in helping house, shelter, build and support in multiple ways. After October 7, many communities accepted refugees from the north and south - similar to the Second Lebanon War – and many in Jack’s community helped families who had moved into hotels in the Dead Sea area. A friend of Jack, who lost her nephew, set up a school in the Dead Sea area within four days. The community extended to raising money to buy better helmets and equipment for reservists. This community-building effort was remarkable and comforting. Gazan Civilians under Hamas Jack, a former human rights attorney, discusses the situation with civilians in Gaza and the ethical considerations surrounding the response. He believes that the destruction to Gaza is horrific and tragic, with 40,000 people killed, but the problem is that it is not 40,000 civilians. Recent reports state that 30,000 of those were Hamas fighters or their family members. Jack blames Hamas for the destruction, but also emphasizes the morality and the need not to damage one's own cause. He shares first-hand testimony from his son, who describes his experience as a surveillance unit officer in Khan Yunis. He encourages people from outside Israel to focus on being “pro peace” rather than being “pro Israel” or “pro Palestine”. The Tech Industry in Israel Jack, an investor and startup expert, discusses the impact of travel restrictions on the tech industry in Israel as the travel restrictions due to missile attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran have been problematic for Israeli companies. Despite the obstacles, he notes that Israeli companies have been able to function during this period. In addition, it is common with Israeli technology companies for the CEOs to relocate to New York, Silicon Valley, Boston, or Austin, while the tech teams remain in Israel. Jack believes that the war is not good for the Israeli economy and that it is clearly awful for the lives of Palestinians, South Lebanon residents, and even people in Tehran. He believes that the US needs to take a more muscular reaction to the situation and help the parties find a way to end the war. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Jack discusses his experiences at Harvard, including courses taught by Stanley Hoffman, Michael Sandel, Louise Richardson, and others. He mentions his appreciation for Professor Stanley Hoffman's course Ethics and International Relations. Jack was in touch recently with Professor Emeritus Michael Walzer of Princeton whose book he studied in that course and who had defended Israel's war against Hamas and Hezbollah but was critical of the alleged Israeli involvement in the Pager attack. Jack also mentions his love for Professor Michael Sandel, and Dame Louise Richardson, who was his junior faculty seminar professor when he was 21 and became his thesis advisor. She was a young professor who wrote a great book called What Terrorists Want, which became one of the most popular courses at Harvard after September 11.
Timestamps:
02:52: Transition to Venture Capitalism and Personal Life
08:17: Impact of the 2023 Conflict on Jack's Family
17:27: Community Response and Personal Reflections
25:48: Professional Challenges and the Future of Israeli Tech
26:00: Reflections on Harvard and Influential Professors
Links:
Email: jack@morevc.com
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jack-levy-2a8137
Featured Non-profit:
This week’s featured non-profit of this episode is KIPP public schools, recommended by Grace Voorhis who reports:
“I'm Grace Voorhis, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is KIPP public schools. Maybe not everyone knows that charter schools are public schools just exempt from many of the rules set by local school districts. KIPP schools are established in underserved districts. A third party study reported in The Wall Street Journal noted that KIPP students were 19 percentage points more likely to graduate from a four year college than non KIPP students. They noted an effect of this size, extrapolated nationwide, would be large enough to nearly close the degree completion gap for Hispanic students, or entirely close the gap for black students. I'm proud to have served on the KIPP Northern California Board for over two decades, most recently as board chair. I keep coming back to KIPP because of the results they achieve. You can learn more about their work @kipp.org k, i, p, p, and KIPP Northern California, at KIPP norcal.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.kipp.org/
Show Notes:
Jennifer Gibbs shares her journey as a woman and artist who worked in the entertainment field and later became a mother. She enrolled in a PhD program at NYU in comparative literature, focusing on performance and the embodiment of the female and feminine. She was cast in various off Broadway shows and earned her actors equity card. During her graduate studies, Jennifer received a Mellon Fellowship for teaching. She talks about her decision to focus full time on acting and writing for theater and her recognition of limited support in academia for multidisciplinary approaches to performance. Jennifer worked in the theater for a decade, mainly acting and writing plays. In her mid-30s, she became a mother, experiencing unexpected pregnancy losses and serial grief. This led to a shift in focus to writing, which was fruitful and collaborative. She was the artist in residence at the Here Arts Center, where she developed a play called Sounding, which integrated film, music, lyrics, and scene work. The play premiered three weeks before her son Liam's birth.
From Working in Theatre to Working in Television
As their family relocated to Los Angeles, Jennifer became interested in writing for television and screen. She learned to write for television at the suggestion of an executive at HBO. She took the leap, not knowing how to write for television, but found it fulfilling. For the last decade, Jennifer has been writing new plays and television worlds. Recently, she started a small independent production company, aiming to empower women creators to produce work that might not be produced in film and television or in the multi-platform arena.
Jennifer's most recent project is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on various distribution platforms. The company is driven by her connection to her work and her personal connection to her work. The first project they are producing is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on audio, live, and television platforms.
Early Influences from the Art World
The conversation turns to Jennifer’s father, Tom Gibbs, a Chicago-based artist. Jennifer describes her experience as a child of a sculptor, how she was introduced to and influenced by the artists around her. They often had a band of sculptors at their house, some in assistant positions and colleagues from Chicago. They would have meals together, discuss work, and have opinions on various projects. Despite not wanting to do sculpture, Jennifer loved drawing and painting, and would often work in one of the studios.
A Young Actor on Tour
Jennifer shares her experience as an actor during her national Broadway tour, describing it as exciting and workmanlike. She learned from the technical staff about the complex process of moving from one place to another, like a circus. Gibbs describes the experience as a crash course in self-producing, directing, and balancing personal and professional boundaries. She also discusses the challenges of maintaining a balance in a collaborative environment, where one must leave their family, home, and friends behind to work on a show. Jennifer believes that maintaining healthy boundaries is a challenge for anyone working in theater, film, or television. She found the experience intensive and valuable, making lasting friendships with people she collaborated with in New York.
The Artistic Process and Healing Grief
Jennifer shares how she processed the grief of two stillbirths through her work. At the time, she was working on a film based on a stage adaptation of an Ibsen play. She met Andre Gregory, who was casting Vanya on 42nd Street, and they had a two-hour conversation in a cafe. Although she did not get the role, she received support, encouragement, and mentorship from Gregory. He advised her to make her own project which inspired Jennifer and others from the Harvard theater community, including Jeannie Simpson and Peter Hirsch, to create a play called Lady from the Sea. They spent two years working on the play in Jennifers' living room, creating a unique and rarely produced piece. Jennifer talks about her journey to create a multi-disciplinary theatre show based on a film adaptation of an Ibsen play. She discovered a deep connection to grief and loss in the original play, which they had not considered in their previous work. After a decade of working on the project, Jennifer realized that grief is a form of radical transformation that is generative and creative. She learned that denying or overcoming grief can deprive individuals of the opportunity to create and acquiesce to the next stage in their transformation.
A First Book and a New Project
Jennifer’s first book, "Oh Mother," is a literary non-fiction book about serial grief and the value of a certain approach to grief. The book is experiential and personal, and was written during the pandemic. Her journey highlights the importance of embracing grief and embracing change in life. She talks about a world created with Jenny Castro, that explores the intersection of women's creative process. The story revolves around two middle-aged women who were estranged from their riot girl days in the 90s, and they reunite in a suburban context. She talks about the project, the production team, pitching, and another project called Train Hoppers, a multi-platform, single episode of a story that can be experienced online, at live events, or through a live pop-up event.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Jennifer discusses her experiences with Marjorie Garber's Shakespeare and her seminar on ghostwriters. She was influenced by playwright Adrianne Kennedy, who became a lifelong mentor and friend after graduating from Harvard. Jennifer also discusses her love for 16th-century British poetry and the pressure to conform to Aristotelian standards in the world of television, film, and playwriting.
Timestamps:
00:02: Journey Through Comparative Literature and Theatre
03:30: Balancing Academia and Acting
06:03: Transition to Motherhood and Writing
O9:20: Exploring Television and Film
12:36: Learning from Her Father's Artistic Journey
20:04: National Broadway Tour Experience
26:01: Processing Grief Through Art
37:58: Current Venture: "Riot Mom"
45:46: Influences from Harvard
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gibbs-27b91386/
Featured Non-profit
This week’s featured non-profit of this episode is American Pilgrims On the Camino, recommended by Kelly Murphy Mason who reports: “Hello all. I am Kelly Murphy Mason, a fellow classmate from the Harvard class of 1992 and a former resident of Dunster house. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the American Pilgrims On the Camino, a national organization with international reach. Before I walked the Camino de Santiago in the fall of 2023 the American pilgrims provided me with the necessary credentialing, education, information and support for making this pilgrimage, as it has done for so many pilgrims over the decades, it has also contributed generations of volunteers and generous funds to maintain the infrastructure of this Spanish network of routes to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since my return from Santiago, I have stayed active in the Boston chapter of American pilgrims, leading book discussions and training walks for pilgrims past, present and future who live in my area. You can learn more about the work of the American pilgrims at home and abroad at American pilgrims.org and now here is my old friend Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit:https://americanpilgrims.org/
Show Notes:
Aran Shetterly, author and self-professed late bloomer, took a year off in the middle of his studies to work and travel and study Spanish. After college he pursued an Echoing Green fellowship, which allowed him to set up a nonprofit in Costa Rica to link volunteers to environmental organizations there. He then decided to pursue a master's in American and New England studies from the University of Southern Maine. However, after completing his masters, he realized he needed to explore the world in a different way. He moved to New York and worked as an editorial assistant. A year later, he met an old school friend who founded an internet startup called Comet Systems. Aran recounts his experiences in the world of internet ethics and the impact of internet spyware on the US. He recalls when he was on his way to a meeting with Yahoo to discuss a partnership when he learned that Comet Systems was accused of creating spyware. At Yahoo he was given a lecture on internet ethics. Researching Castro’s Rebellion and The Fight Against ItAran talks about a trip to Cuba where he learns about Fidel Castro's rebellion and asks if any internationals supported the revolutionary effort as they had during the Spanish Civil War. He heard about William Morgan, who was a key figure in the fight against the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. This meeting inspired Aran to leave Comet Systems and start writing his book. Upon returning from the trip, Aran searched for information about Morgan and sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the CIA. He receives two inches of redacted documents, which he uses to write his first book, "The Americano: Fighting with Castro for Cuba's Freedom." Aran summarizes the story and how Morgan played a double agent role in uncovering a plot to topple Castro, but later turned against the revolution as it turned communist. Aran recounts his six-month stay in Cuba, where he worked on two projects: setting up an exchange of artists between Maine and Cuba, and conducting research on William Morgan's life there. He was often followed by officials from the interior ministry and almost ended up in jail. He also spent time in Miami researching the revolutionaries who were excluded from Castro’s rebellion. From Mexico to the Greensboro MassacreAran and his wife, Margot, met at Comet Systems. They fell in love and decided to launch an English language magazine and website called Inside Mexico, which they started in Mexico City in 2005. He talks about journalists they worked with and stories they covered, and how the magazine finally came to an end. After ten years in Mexico, they were drawn back to the U.S. when Margot’s book proposal was optioned by a production company. The book was a success, and the couple returned to help promote it. In 2015, he met Reverend Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson, who told the story of the Greensboro massacre, a civil rights activist and Black Power leader who were trying to organize textile mills in North Carolina. The Greensboro massacre occurred when Neo Nazis and Klansmen shot and killed five and injured 10 activists during a march to educate workers about the divisive nature of the Ku Klux Klan. Morningside - An FBI Investigation and a Hole in the StoryAran's latest book, Morningside, is about the Greensboro activists and the shooting investigation, which he gained access to through interviews with FBI agent Cecil Moses. Moses provided valuable insights into the FBI's perspective and the importance of the Greensboro investigation in the Bureau's attempt to reclaim some esteem in American society. The book also explores the truth and reconciliation process in Greensboro, the first place in the United States to bring the South African model of working out tragic events in public . Aran found that the narratives in Greensboro about who's to blame for the shooting were deeply entrenched within the social community and the extent to which access to one's tribe depends on adhering to a certain narrative. Aran believes that much work needs to be done to work out these hermetic narratives that keep people on different sides of important historical moments. He hopes the book will help readers understand the complex and interconnected nature of the Greensboro shooting and the ongoing struggle to reconcile different perspectives on important historical moments.
Harvard Professors and Courses of Influence
Aran discusses his experiences at Harvard and how his fellow students and friends were hugely influential. He highlights three standout professors who made interdisciplinary connections in his work, which appealed to his sensibility: Stephen J. Gould, Philip Fisher in the English Department, and Bradley Epps in the Romance Language Department.
Timestamps:
02:01: Transition to Academia and Publishing
05:05: Challenges with Comet Systems and Cuban Art
11:08: Researching and Writing "The Americano"
16:03: Life in Mexico and Launching Inside Mexico
26:36: Return to the U.S. and "Morningside"
42:36: Reflections on Harvard and Future Plans
Links:
Website: aranshetterly.com
Event calendar: https://www.aranshetterly.com/events/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is Children’s Flight of Hope recommended by Angelo Milazzo who reports: “Hi. This is Angelo Milazzo, proud member of the class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is children's flight of hope. Children's flight of hope is a nonprofit organization based here in sunny North Carolina, which has a mission of providing flights for essential, specialized life changing and life saving medical care for children in need, these flights are amazing in that they bring children who otherwise might not be able to travel to centers of excellence around the United States, where they can receive innovative, cutting edge and in some cases, miraculous care. These flights are provided to children and their families at no cost, which goes a huge way toward easing the emotional and financial burden on families. I had the privilege of serving on the board of children's flight of hope many years ago, I served for several years following the organization's inauguration. In the late 90s, the organization has grown and has evolved to the point where it is now partnering with major air carriers to provide this life saving transportation for pediatric patients. You can learn more about the work of children's flight of hope at their website, which is children's flight of hope.org, and children's flight of hope is all spelled out together as one word. And now I leave you with Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.childrensflightofhope.org/
Philip Nikolayev, a Russian historian, poet, and marketer went directly into grad school in the history department at Harvard, where he received a master's degree. However, his field of medieval Russian history collapsed during his PhD due to funding dwindling after the fall of the USSR in 1992.
From Russian History to Search Engine Marketing
Philip was interested in studying Russian history from a Western analytical perspective. He quit his graduate program at Harvard when he realized his studies in Russian history didn’t translate into paying work. A polymath with a child on the way, Philip secured a position as a software engineer, but when the dot.com bubble burst, he decided to continue his studies with a PhD in textual scholarship. Intellectually, Philip's career has been far-flung, with no jobs in his field and a need for financial stability, he worked as VP of Marketing for a high-tech company and later started a small business in marketing, seeking clients based on breakthroughs in science and technology. He seeks clients whose technology he can study and translate into the market language.
Working as a Translator and Writing Poetry
Philip's core interests include poetry and had a love for poetry from a young age. Philip has always been bilingual and although he grew up in the U.S.S.R, he spoke English from a young age. Philip went to Harvard at the age of 24 as a transfer student and became deeply immersed in English. He started working as an interpreter and translator when he was 18 in Moscow, switching languages in terms of writing poetry. His first American poet friend, Ben Naser, encouraged him to continue doing it. He has since published several books of poetry in English and volumes of translation. Philip speaks ten languages, and has translated a lot of Ukrainian poetry, resulting from the war Russia is unjustly waging in Ukraine. A Ukrainian issue of a well-known American Poetry Magazine called the Cafe Review has just come out, co-edited by Philip and Anna Halberstadt as guest editors.
The Romanticisation of Russian History
Philip talks about his role as a translator and his work as an interpreter for writers and poets during Perestroika. The conversation turns to Philip's work as a poet and learning languages, including Romanian and why he loves the musicality of language. He also talks about studying Russian history from a western perspective, which he believes is more accurate than the Romantic tradition. Russian history is often written with a patriotic bias, which combines with the idea that nations are ancient and have traditions. This romanticism often leads to the idea that all people of a country form a single nation with one ideology and similar ideals and values. Napoleon exploited this idea to persuade Frenchmen to join the first mass levy army and give their lives for France. Philip also discusses the concept of nationhood in Russia, which he believes is a new idea. The word "Russia" was coined under Peter the Great in the early 18th century, and it is a Latinized form of the name Rus, which shows a Western influence. This was the name of the first dynasty that came to rule the space that eventually became Russia and Ukraine.
The Formal Anarchy of Poetry
The conversation turns to his network of poets, writers, translators, and editors. He mentions that poetry functions as an institution and network, with numerous poets and institutions like poetry festivals and magazines. Poets often seek out other poets and have poet friends to discuss poetry. Philip mentions his favorite poets including his wife, Katya Kapovich. Philip explains that Russia shaped his poetry towards a mix of traditional forms. He believes that poetry exists in a state of formal anarchy, where a text needs to be self-justifying to merit the reader's attention. His style has evolved, incorporating formal traditional verse, experimental and obscure avant-garde verse, and standard lyric free verse. Philip's themes include personal experience, philosophical distillation, and situational poetry. He believes that poetry allows us to express our humanity and resist becoming robots or AI. He admires the way photography has liberated art by allowing painters to paint their mental lives, and poetry can do the same. However, he also acknowledges that AI has its limitations and questions the future of the arts, particularly in the context of AI. Philip shares a poem from his collection, Letters from Oldenderry, titled "Eagles."
From a Background in Mathematics to a Future in Marketing
Philip's interest in mathematics began in the Soviet Union, where strong math schools were present. He was a mathematical prodigy but was too infected with poetry literature to pursue it back then He later became interested in analytical philosophy at Harvard, taking basic math courses like set theory and Introduction to topology. He later took CS 50 and CS 51 in computer science courses. Philip's transition from a PhD in textual studies to running a marketing firm was unexpected, as he had assumed he would become a professor. However, during the 2008-2009 crisis, there were no jobs in the humanities, and he had to find a source of income. He found work at a high-tech company, smtp.com, which is still there today.
Reaching Beyond the Daily Grind
Philip talks about his degree of freedom as a poet and his outside interests. He explains that not being an academic allows him to think about what matters to him and process it intuitively without being obligated to external criterion or peer review. He also mentions his interest in quantum computing, which he began studying from the business side. He works as a director of business development for Aspen quantum consulting, which does technical due diligence for quantum computing and quantum technology companies.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Philip mentions Michael Witzel, who was his Sanskrit teacher, Diana Eck, who was his Hindu studies professor, Ed Keenan, and James Hankins, who taught him Western civilization. These professors have been supportive and encouraging of his interest in these subjects and helped him develop his understanding of various topics and perspectives. He still lives within a two-mile radius of Harvard Square, making it easy to access his work and stay connected to his passions.
Timestamps:
05:11: Transition to Marketing and Poetry
08:46: Role of Poetry and Language Learning
18:58: Influence of Western Perspective on Russian History
23:33: Network of Poets and Writers
33:15: Challenges and Opportunities in Academia and Marketing
39:09: Return to Mathematics and Quantum Computing
40:59: Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
Links
Company: searchbenefit.com
Book: Letters from Aldenderry
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolayev/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is Women’s Money Matters recommended by Lauren Messmore who reports:
“Hi, I'm Lauren Messmore, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode is Women's Money Matters. I'm privileged to have served as a volunteer coach empowering low income women to improve their financial health and create a more secure future for themselves and their loved ones. You can learn more on women's money matters.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://women’smoneymatters.org.
Show Notes:
Kellie Magnus has been working in Jamaica for over 30 years. She returned to Jamaica after completing grad school in Colombia, where she worked in consulting and nonprofits. Since returning to Jamaica, she has been working in nonprofits and with international development partners, focusing on development-related issues. She is now the executive director of the Caribbean Culture Fund, a new entity raising money for arts and culture in the Caribbean.
On the Board of NGOs
During Kellie's time in New York, she attended the Ed School and business school, worked in person consulting, and freelanced on various creative and entertainment projects. Since returning to Jamaica, she has focused on developing arts-related projects that can improve outcomes for a wide cross-section of people. Her first role in Jamaica was working at the University of the West Indies in the Media and Communications Department. She joined boards of government entities and industry associations, and has since become deeply rooted in Jamaica. Kellie talks about her time serving on the board of The Book Industrial Association of Jamaica. She also talks about her work for the NGO Fight for Peace, a global NGO focused on Youth Violence Prevention. It started in Brazil, and opened a branch in England, and then an Alliance Network in about 20 countries around the world, and they wanted to start a program to test out ways to catalyze collaboration between NGOs and state agencies and the private sector around reductions in youth violence, and Jamaica and South Africa. She also ran a project for the World Bank, also focused on Youth Violence Prevention
Fundraising and Growing Arts and Culture in the Caribbean
The conversation turns to Kellie’s position with the Caribbean Culture Fund, a regional entity focused on arts and culture in the Caribbean. It raises money internationally and distributes it through calls for proposals to artists and cultural organizations based in the region. The fund was created as a focal point for Caribbean fundraising about arts and culture. The fund's approach involved inviting prospective donors to campus or meeting with them directly. The head of the program spent a lot of time with the donors, listening to their interests and connecting them with the program they thought most matched their interests. Kellie talks about seed funding, their fundraising strategy, and a new fund they are in the process of setting up. Kelly discusses her personal and social network in the arts and culture space in Jamaica.
Verticals within the Arts and Culture Space
Kellie shares her experience in attending various events and festivals, including art exhibits, book festivals, film festivals, and pottery festivals. However, she acknowledges the complexity of understanding each vertical within the arts and cultural space and the diversity across different territories. She talks about common roots and challenges, and shares how the team is planning to dive deeper into each sector in each country over the next year. Filmmaking in the region is not very country-specific, with some countries like the Dominican Republic doing better than others. Jamaica is getting better, but production costs are still prohibitive. The government has launched a Jamaica screen development initiative this year, which is optimistic about its impact on catalyzing production. She also talks about working across jurisdictions in the Caribbean. Kellie spends her time attending literary, film, and dance festivals, as well as reading and running. She also tries to connect with nature and enjoys spending time at the beach. She recommends Portland, a less touristy part of Jamaica, for its lush, quiet, and beautiful environment. She also recommends going up in the mountains, as it is the most beautiful part of the island. Kingston is a fun, vibrant, and culturally rich city to live in, with live music events, good restaurants, and nightlife.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Kellie mentions Werner Sollors' African American literature class; she also mentions African American History.
Timestamps:
02:18 Return to Jamaica and Early Roles
04:57: Fight for Peace and Youth Violence Prevention
07:09: Caribbean Culture Fund and Fundraising Strategy
14:34: Selection Process and Grant Recipients
19:32: Social Network and Professional Connections
25:40: Cultural Recommendations and Personal Interests
32:22: Harvard Experience and Influence
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-magnus-3b902869/
Caribbean Culture Fund: https://caribbeanculturefund.org/
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode is Heart of Dinner recommended by Nelson Wang who reports:
Hi, I'm Nelson Wang, class of 92 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Heart of Dinner, a group that helps address loneliness, isolation and food insecurity among elderly Asian Americans in New York City. They do this by organizing volunteers to prepare hand illustrated brown bags filled with culturally specific food and other items and delivering them to those in need. I actually just started working with them, in fact, because of a mention on a group chat I'm in of the Harvard Asian American alumni Alliance, also known as h4 a, another great organization, but I had such a positive experience working with heart of dinner that I thought they would be great to highlight here, my 11 year old daughter and her mother and I made more than 20 hand decorated bags recently to help celebrate the upcoming mid autumn festival, the big holiday in the Chinese culture that's somewhat akin to Thanksgiving. And the group itself is super organized and effective, and they're planning to expand to other cities and other Asian communities. One great way to help is by organizing a corporate bag decorating event with your colleagues. Even if you're not located in New York City, you can still send in your illustrated brown bags by mail. They, of course, also welcome donations to help pay for the contents of their care packages. You can learn more about their work at WWW dot heart of dinner. All one word, heart of dinner.org, or by emailing Hello at heart of dinner.org, and they're very responsive. And now, without further ado, here's Will Bachmann with this week's scintillating episode of the 92 report.
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.heartofdinner.org/
Michael S. Chen graduated with a degree in investment banking. He worked at Hambrecht Quest, a smaller investment bank focusing on high tech and healthcare companies in New York City. After two years in investment banking, he decided to pursue medicine, inspired by his father's career as a cardiologist. He then went on to study internal medicine at UCSF, Cleveland Clinic, and then joined cardiac associates in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has been with the practice for 18 years and is now the Chair of Cardiology at Shady Grove Medical Center, and Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at White Oak Medical Center.
Challenges Faced by Cardiac Catheterization Labs
Michael discusses the challenges faced by cardiac catheterization labs in meeting performance measures and ensuring proper procedures. He highlights the need to balance equipment requests with limited budgets and prioritize patient care. He talks about the importance of cardiologist performance in heart attack patients, focusing on door to balloon time and other metrics like aspirin and blood thinners. He mentions the importance of assessing the overall performance of the hospital as a whole, focusing on reducing time spent on administrative tasks and ensuring patients are on the right medications.The conversation turns to steps patients can take to ensure they are prescribed the right medication.
Interventional Cardiology Explained
Michael goes on to explain what interventional cardiology is, what the new trends are, and he addresses common misconceptions. He discusses the learning process for new techniques and tools, such as fellowships and medical device reps. Michael notes that fellowships are the most effective method for learning new techniques, but it's important to stay updated and stay updated with medical device reps. Other methods include working with other doctors, attending training sessions, or learning online through YouTube videos. There are various ways to learn and improve in this field.
Physicians and The Business of Healthcare
Michael discusses the business of healthcare and the factors driving physicians to work with larger healthcare companies. He explains that larger practices have more bargaining power and can offer lower rates and financial security. However, there are drawbacks, such as the need to balance autonomy with financial security. Michael talks about the increasing trend of private equity investing in physician groups, such as anesthesia and cardiology. Private equity is seen as a way to ensure return on investment, which can sometimes be more expensive than providing the best care possible. Stressors for cardiologists include cash flow, meeting payroll, and meeting electronic medical records and government regulations. However, overall, the fit has been good and cardiologists have been happy with the situation.
Participating in the National Senior Games
The conversation turns to fitness and sports. Michael keeps active in terms of exercise, running and working out. He recalls running a 5k five years ago and receiving a gift certificate from Panera for winning first place in his age division. He then qualified for the National Senior Games, (open to anybody 50 years and older) which features various events such as a 5k 10k, pickle ball, tennis, track and field, ping pong, basketball, and softball. Michael has competed in the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale and Pittsburgh. His mom competed in the 5K powerwalk and Michael competed in the 5K and 10 K road race. Michael came in 2nd in the 10K (and won a silver medal!) and 4th in the 5K in Pittsburgh in 2023, His mother placed 8th in the 5K Power walk in Fort Lauderdale in 2022. Michale mentions that he has a 5k coming up on Labor Day week, with his son running it with friends, and the National Senior Games.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Michael mentions Richard Taylor and TA Tom Roberts, and studying bipeds and quadruped to compare the energetics and mechanics. Part of the study included placing turkeys and chickens on a treadmill. They found that turkeys were quite stubborn and not smart, as they were not smart enough to run on a treadmill. They learned that turkeys were efficient at running and that their locomotion mechanics were efficient. They were fortunate to receive a Hoops Prize for their work, which ends up in the Lamont library. This experience was memorable, as the researchers' thesis is on display at the library.
Timestamps:
02:13: Transition to Medicine and Leadership Roles
07:56: Administrative Responsibilities and Performance Metrics
13:08 Advancements in Interventional Cardiology
20:56: Running a Medical Practice and Personal Interests
36:27: Connecting with Harvard Alumni and Future Plans
Links:
Email: mchen2@adventisthealthcare.com
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is Cave Canem, recommended by Eisa Davis who reports:
“Hi. I'm Eisa Davis, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Cave Canem. Cave Canem is an organization committed to the artistic and professional growth of black poets. And I have been a fellow and active member of the organization since 1999 Cave Canem is still going strong and has truly created the landscape in which poetry lives in the United States. You can learn more about their work@cavecanompoets.org that's spelled C, A, V, E, C, A, N, E, M, P, o, e, t, s.org, and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: https://cavecanempoets.org/
David Tavárez, originally from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, completed a degree in anthropology and visual environmental studies. He had several ideas for his future career, wavering between being a scientist or a filmmaker. He secured a place at the Writers Workshop in Iowa and an internship at the American University in Cairo. He spent a year in Cairo after graduation and supplemented that summer by writing about the Baltics for the Let’s Go Europe travel series. Studying Indigenous Culture and ChristianityDavid worked as a journalist for a couple of years then decided to pursue a PhD at the University of Chicago in 1994, focusing on indigenous history. His interest was drawn to two languages, Nahuatl and Zapotec, which have a rich store of texts dating back to the 1530s. David discovered documents related to the arrival of Christianity in Mexico. These documents included calendars, cosmological manuals, and ritual songs written in Zapotec alphabetic script. After graduating from the University of Chicago, he worked at Bard College in Latin American and Iberian studies. He then moved to Vassar, a selective institution with a vibrant student body. David currently lives in Rhinebeck, New York, where he is a full professor in the anthropology department at Vassar. His first book, The Invisible War, explores how indigenous people in central Mexico confronted the church in colonial Mexico and managed to work with their ancestral beliefs while also embracing Christianity. He has translated several books into Spanish and collaborated with other scholars on a book on the great indigenous historian of colonial Mexico, Chimalpahin. The Indigenous Languages of the AmericasDavid's most recent book, Rethinking Zapotec Time, compiles two decades of work. The book, which received awards from the Native American Indigenous Studies Association, the Latin American Studies Association, and the New England Council of Latin American Studies, is a labor of love, aiming to understand the world of the ritual specialist and the Christians they confronted, as well as how they managed to survive and share ancestral beliefs and knowledge with others. The indigenous languages of the Americas before the 20th century were the most voluminous in terms of producing works. By the early 17th century, there were over 100 works, mostly religious, printed, and manuscripts. By the end of the colonial period, there were 1000s of works, mostly mundane literature, such as petitions, wills, and testaments. This diversity is comparable to Greek and Roman literature, but there are gaps and can only be reconstructed from later translations. Mexican songs, such as the Cantares Mexicanos, feature difficult language and are lyrical, sometimes difficult to understand. The most famous song is the Song of the Women of Chalco, which features warriors from a defeated polity dressing up as women and taunting the Aztec emperor Axayacatl. There are many convergences between indigenous intellectuals from the 16th century to present. This work highlights the physical and intellectual growth of different indigenous communities through colonial times and post-colonial legacies. The Zapotec Time-space Continuum The Zapotec conception of time is an eternal, 260-day calendar with specific meanings. They believed in a time-space continuum, where every day had divinatory meaning and moved people to specific regions in the cosmos. They had a notion of the cosmos as having three main domains: sky, earth, and Underworld, with other domains beyond the underworld relating to ancestral time and its origins. Time was seen as a way to think about Earth and the cosmos, rooted in geography and cosmology. They believed that everyone was taken on an eternal journey through space and time, allowing communication with ancestors. While their notion of the time-space continuum may not date back to Einstein or quantum physics, they believed that time and space were interconnected. Influential Harvard Courses and ProfessorsDavid mentions Rosemary Joyce, and taking classes with Noam Chomsky at MIT. He believes that there are many ways to approach and learn about remote worlds through experimental means, such as working with film and visual arts. David discusses his interest in working with ritual specialists and documentary filmmakers. He shares his desire to place students in the past through films and visual arts, such as Aguirre, the Wrath of the God by Werner Herzog, and The Mission.
Timestamps:
04:37: Indigenous history, language, and culture in Mexico
12:01: Indigenous perspectives on Spanish conquest and religion in Latin America
17:09: Indigenous Christian texts in the Americas, focusing on the complexity of colonialism and the diversity of indigenous experiences
25:00: Zapotec conception of time and its connection to geography, cosmology, and ancestral communication
31:08: History, filmmaking, and academia with a Vassar College professor
Links:
Vassar Faculty: https://www.vassar.edu/faculty/tavarez
Guggenheim Fellows: https://www.gf.org/fellows/david-tavarez/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/David-Tavarez/author/B003XJJ3M6?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is, recommended by Ruth Hertzman-Miller who reports:
I'm Ruth Hertzman-Miller, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is North Cambridge Family Opera. NCFO performs original, entirely sung theater works for audiences of all ages with large casts from ages seven to adult ranging from people with no performance experience to classically trained vocalists. I'm proud to have performed with and written music for North Cambridge Family Opera. I've also been a board member for the past two years. You can learn more about their work at familyopera.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: http://www.familyopera.org/drupal/
Show Notes:
J.J. Bartlett kicks off the conversation with a short explanation on how his wife shaped his career in various ways. He took healthcare management in graduate school and his primary reason for this was his interest in extending healthcare coverage. The President Clinton and Hillary Clinton Health Plan had just failed in 1994, and he was interested in finding new ways to extend coverage.
Health Coverage for Fishers
J.J. shares his connection to the fishing industry, which includes individual fishermen working on boats as independent contractors. The majority of these individuals are men, with some women. He explains the situation of fishermen in the 90s, where half were uninsured, while the other half only had coverage through their spouse, Medicare, Medicaid, or junk coverage. The conversation turns to the structure of the plan for community health plans for independent professionals in Massachusetts which was a collaborative effort between fishermen, politicians, and other stakeholders. The plan was designed to provide coverage for those directly related to the fishing industry, requiring more than half of their income to come from fishing. This was done to ensure that income from commercial fishing was counted, and that no whaling or other issues were present. The plan was funded through federal and state funding, with the federal money being kicked in early and the state program being a state program. The federal money allowed the program to reduce the rate that fishermen paid on average by 60%, which was beneficial for taxpayers as they could afford it. This was done on a sliding scale that was redid every year to accommodate fluctuating incomes in the industry. The plan smoothed out a period for fishermen to afford coverage over a period of time, rather than going on and off coverage. J.J. shares a recent example of this which led to fishermen not being eligible for mass health.
The Model for Obamacare
J.J. talks about the origins of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The conversation turns to the Massachusetts State Health Plan, which became the model for Obamacare, and was influenced by the people involved in the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. Some of the lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system include the importance of not carving out the most endangered population in the country, but recognizing the importance of providing healthcare through enrollment offices. J.J. shares an example of a successful implementation of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system can be applied to other industries to help ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive the necessary care and support.
The Health Plan Today
The health plan initially provided treatment for those in shock or depression following an accident, but it stopped in trying to get them insured. However, they now have a system of care available, including safety training for fishermen and a national grant program. This is a preventive measure for the deadliest job in the country. Additionally, they have relationships with trauma centers, providing treatment for those injured or witnessed the accident. This trauma care is available to employers within their HR department. After 15 years, Obamacare allowed people to transition to the new system.
The Fishing Partnership Support Services
J.J. talks about how many workers in many occupations do not have adequate coverage or even the ability to take time off for illness. At the top of the list are Massachusetts fishermen. The organization, Fishing Partnership Support Services, has been in operation since 1997 and focuses on providing various services to the fishing industry. It trains community health workers to help people transition from uninsured to insured, especially for fishermen with fluctuating incomes. The organization also runs a community health program that provides preventive care. They have also begun behavioral health services, addressing the issue of opioid overdoses among fishermen. J.J. also talks about the problem of dealing with extreme pain and addiction. Fishermen are more likely to die from opioid overdoses due to their job-related pain and the high costs associated with working on boats. The organization's navigators help address this issue by educating fishermen about the importance of their jobs and the need for first aid. They also provide training on carrying Narcan and its use, with navigators trained as recovery coaches. The organization partners with various treatment groups, including trauma support, to help fishermen navigate the challenges of substance use disorder and other workplace issues.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
J.J. highlights the importance of the people, such as Governor Maura Healey and Mayor of New Bedford, who have supported the program and worked with him. He also mentions the connection between the fishing industry and the city of Boston's history. He also mentions his experience working with Senator Kennedy and his staff.
Timestamps:
02:04: Career Beginnings and Graduate School
03:36: Healthcare Coverage for Fishermen
05:18: Challenges and Successes of the Health Plan
06:30: Healthcare Options for Independent Workers
14:34: Structure and Funding of the Health Plan
21:44: Transition to Statewide and National Reform
24:30: Impact on the Fishing Industry and Community
43:39: Current Work and Future Goals
43:53: Reflections on Harvard and Career Influences
Links:
Website: Fishingpartnership.org.
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, recommended by Jenny Atkinson who reports:
“Hi. I'm Jenny Atkinson, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Boys and Girls Clubs are places young people can go during out of school hours to get educational support, participate in sports, arts and other programs, build positive relationships with peers and adults and just have fun. They're usually in the most under resourced communities in a city or town. I started volunteering at a Boys and Girls Club when I was a freshman at Harvard, and have worked at the national office and as an executive director of a club and always a supporter of their work. You can learn more at BGC, a.org where you can search for the Boys and Girls Club nearest you. Check out your local club. They're some of the most hopeful and joyful places I spend time. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.bgca.org/
Alison Umminger Mattison talks about a 20-year stint as an English professor, a marriage, a 13-year-old daughter, and publishing a book. She also pursued a master's in Christian spirituality and spiritual direction certification, focusing on spiritual direction, work, retreat, ministry, and facilitating silent retreats with themed content. She has moved around the world, from Boston to London, DC to Missouri, Indiana to Atlanta, and now resides in Carrollton, Georgia. She also discusses her master's degree and her spiritual guidance and retreat ministries.
A Journey in Spiritual Companioning
Alison talks about a spiritual retreat she attended, her experience there, and how this led to a new direction in her life. She explains that spiritual companioning is a listening vocation that involves spending time with people in a healthy space, listening to their stories, heart desires, and listening without judgment. Spiritual companioning focuses on walking with people as far as they need to go. This is different from being a priest, rabbi, minister, or pastor, as it is not about running an organization. Alison discusses her approach to finding spiritual directors. She also shares her experience with two recent retreats, including one on the art and spirituality of Gerard Manley Hopkins.
What Happens on The Retreat
Alison talks about her retreats, which include guided meditations, befriending darkness, soul collage, imaginative prayer, and visual meditations. The first evening, she walks people through a guided meditation, asking them to think about what word or phrase is coming up for them. After leading the meditation, she asks people to trust and let go of their needs. She discusses befriending darkness and the importance of being with others in the same situation. She encourages people to spend time in silence and create mandalas to explore the depths of their lives. She also offers micro spiritual direction, and introduces attendees to an imaginative prayer technique. Lastly, the retreat concludes with a visual meditation called Vizio Divina, where people look at a picture and reflect on what they are attracted to, resist, or miss from it.
Understanding Prayer and Meditation
Alison talks about meditation and prayer. She shares that monks often use techniques like Lectio Divina, where one takes a verse and meditates on it and asks for help or guidance. This technique allows individuals to practice patience and kindness, allowing them to carry the word with them throughout the day. She emphasizes that prayer is a toolkit for spiritual direction, and that each individual may find a form of prayer or meditation that works for them.
The Work of a Spiritual Director
As a spiritual director, Alison often begins by asking questions about the person's spiritual journey and their current state. She has learned to trust her intuition and also listens for words, phrases, or images that come up during the conversation. If they resonate with the person, they may be more open to discussing them. She also listens for consolation or desolation, whether the person is moving away from desolation or towards greater faith, hope, and love. She asks open-ended questions, allowing the person to go deeper with their feelings and experiences. She never asks if something sounds like it's a hopeless or unfulfilling space, as it allows the person to explore their feelings and experiences. She emphasizes the importance of listening and trusting in the process of counseling.
Spiritual Direction as an Ancient Practice
Alison explains what spirituality means to her and that the role of a spiritual director dates back to monks. It has evolved from being primarily clergy to becoming more popular among the laity. Spiritual directors International offers a broad range of practitioners, including shamans, artists, and Zen practitioners. They serve different religious traditions and can be found in schools that work with their traditions. While the role may have been traditionally filled by a formal clergy member, it is now becoming more accessible to lay people. The term "spiritual director" is not new, but it is becoming more common and accessible.
Teaching Fiction Writing and Screenwriting
Alison has a PhD in 20th century literature and an MFA in creative writing. She teaches fiction writing and screenwriting, focusing on narrative perspectives rather than helping students create screenplays. Her journey from a PhD to an MFA and screenwriting began when she struggled with plotting and received rejections for her first novel. She started taking screenwriting classes in Atlanta to put joy back into writing and improve her plotting skills. Screenwriting is structured, making it easier for students to focus on plotting and avoid nebulous spaces. It also provides a social environment, with table reads and conversations about topics that transcend the isolating feel of writing. This social aspect of screenwriting helps students form friendships and feel more comfortable sharing their work. The conversation turns to education in today’s society, and developing classes of interest to today’s students, and Alison’s book.
Harvard Professors and Courses of Influences
Alison’s favorite courses include the Myth of America class, and she explains why she found this class to be particularly interesting and meaningful. The course focuses on the frontier, western expansion, and the concept of individualism, as well as the individual versus culture debate. She believes that the American dream concept is still rich and valuable for students to explore.
Timestamps:
02:00: Spiritual Direction and Retreats
06:15: Differences Between Spiritual Direction and Other Roles
15:39: Meditation and Prayer in Spiritual Direction
26:45: Challenges and Rewards of Teaching
38:54: Personal Life and Book
40:42: Influential Courses and Myth of America
42:51: Future Plans and Invitation to Retreats
Links:
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alison-umminger-mattison/
Website: sacredlistening.net
Upcoming retreat: https://ignatiushouse.org/calendar/spiritual-writing-retreat-jan2025/
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode is National History Day, recommended by Zachary Schrag who reports:
"Hi. I'm Zachary Schrag, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is National History Day. National History Day has given millions of students in grades six through 12 the chance to pursue original historical research and to present their findings in a variety of formats. I am proud to have served as a volunteer judge at local and national contests, and to have contributed to the 50 for 50 fundraising campaigns. You can learn more at NHD. That's National History day.org, and now with this week's episode, it's your host, Will Bachmann."
To learn more about their work visit: NationalHistoryDay.org.
John Knepper thought he would pursue a career in theater after graduating and performing at the Harvard Radcliffe summer theater. However, after moving to Memphis, Tennessee, he took a left turn and started working in the marketing department of the nation's fifth largest security guard company. After nine months there, John quit his job and traveled around the country for six months.
Working in Washington on Immigration Laws
On the last leg of his travels, he was in Washington where, by chance, he met the assistant to the Chief of Staff for Senator Al Simpson of Wyoming. Six months later they called him for an interview and subsequently he started working on Capitol Hill. He talks about his work as a personal assistant for a senator before moving on to work for the Senate Judiciary Committee.
In 1995 and 1996, he worked on the 1996 immigration law, which was the last major piece of immigration legislation passed by Congress. John also worked for Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee on the Governmental Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee for two years, where he worked on investigations into foreign influence in the 1996 Presidential election. John worked on campaign fundraising and regulatory reform, becoming one of the most knowledgeable staffers for the Senate Judiciary Committee without a law degree.
From Washington to Law School
In 1998, he decided to change careers and went to law school. He attended the University of Michigan School of Law, which was considered the best law school at the time.
Upon graduating from law school in 2001, he worked for a federal judge for a year and later held a position with the US Department of Justice in the Federal Programs Branch. He was part of the team that defended the McCain Feingold campaign finance law, and John talks about how the law faced constitutional challenges and the mistrust among the Republican and Democratic National Committees. John discusses his role in document review at the Republican and Democratic National Committees, and his decision to build an effective record of campaign finance regulations. He also talks about working on national security issues for President Bush, such as the freezing of assets of the Iraqi government and the question of how to give Iraq billions of dollars back to the government.
Working as the Associate General Counsel of the OMB
John was called to work as the Associate General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2004. OMB is an agency within the White House responsible for ensuring that federal government actions are consistent with the President's priorities. Originating under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, OMB is responsible for reviewing all testimony, legislation, and major regulations issued by the executive branch to Congress.
He talks about working under President Bush and eventually becoming the deputy general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget. The office was responsible for supporting the President's views and clearing executive orders. The general counsel's office was also responsible for reaching out to other federal agencies to discuss concerns and ensure they understood the consequences of their actions.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Financial Bailouts
In summer 2008, a friend of John's, who had been in the White House Counsel's office, called him to discuss the economic concerns with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. John moved over to become the Deputy General Counsel of the Treasury. The conversation turns to the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the potential bankruptcy of AIG, and the impact of money market funds on the economy. He talks about the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) which was developed to provide an asset against which companies could borrow from the Federal Reserve. This allowed the government to keep the velocity of money in the system, and AIG was a prime example of how the US government managed to keep these businesses operating.
He also discusses an unsung moment during the financial bailout and the collaboration between Merrill Lynch and Wachtell Lipton, Rosen and Katz, and one reason for the bailout.
From Washington to Wyoming
In 2009, John was unemployed due to elections having consequences. He moved to Wyoming, where the economy was buffered by long-term commodities contracts, and he started working for the city of Cheyenne Wyoming as an attorney, working on $50 million government programs. John talks about Wyoming’s unique tax system, with no state income tax, so revenue is largely mineral taxation. He worked with people in Wyoming suing companies over tax burdens. John worked there for two years before falling into another position as the Attorney General of Wyoming. He was appointed as the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Wyoming, and for five years, from 2013 to 2019, he was the number two lawyer for the state where he worked on environmental, law enforcement, and gun rights issues.
Establishing a Solo Practice
From March 2019 onwards, John moved on to solo private practice in Wyoming. He chose this path because he wanted to take on more controversial litigation and avoid moving their family to a different location. He discusses his experience as a political appointee of George W. Bush and involvement in pro life cases, including pre and post Dobbs litigation on pro life issues. John has also been involved in controversial cases, such as defending coverage of gender transition services and determining equal protection. Large law firms often avoid this area due to financial constraints. His practice is paid law, with clients ranging from wills for small to large corporations, and he works on multi-district litigation.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
John mentions a class on the Holocaust and genocide by Professor Eric Goldhagen, which he found to be incredibly profound. This course changed his interest in understanding the reasons behind people's resistance to horrible decisions, such as murder and atrocities. He also took courses on resistance to authority from social psychologist Herb Kelman and his senior thesis on the concept of the witch at the Salem witch trials. He mentions Professor Orlando Patterson of the Sociology department at Harvard had a class on freedom, focusing on the origins of the western and American concepts of freedom and liberty.
Timestamps:
05:00: Career path from Congressional staffer to lawyer
11:26: Defending campaign finance law in court
16:17: Legal questions related to Iraq invasion and asset recovery
21:47: White House roles and responsibilities
27:54: Government bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis
34:28: Financial crisis, bailouts, and government intervention
40:18: Tax compliance, job loss, and career changes
46:12: Legal work in Wyoming, including coal mining and environmental issues
51:40: Legal cases related to gender identity and health insurance coverage
55:24: Personal growth, career paths, and Holocaust education
59:57: The concept of freedom, heroism, and redemption
1:05:36: Life decisions, fountain pen hobby, and connecting with others
Links:
Email: john.knepper@gmail.com
Featured Non-profits
The featured non-profits of this episode are the 52nd Street Project and Village Arts Theater, recommended by Jeannie Simpson who reports:
This is Jeannie Simpson, class of 1992 and the featured nonprofits for this episode are the 52nd Street Project and Village Arts Theater. The 52nd street project is in New York City, and my husband and I both volunteered there for about 10 years. It takes kids from Hell's Kitchen community and pairs them with theater professionals to write and perform original plays. It also offers homework help and mentor programs and all kinds of arts classes. It's free for the children who want to participate, and it's just a really awesome example of the transformative power of storytelling through theater. The second nonprofit I want to recommend is in Los Angeles, California, and it's called Village Arts Theater. It is a nonprofit that provides all kinds of arts classes and opportunities for kids from the community, ages four to 14 to participate in plays and in classes. It's an inclusive program, and no child is turned away because of financial need. And I have taught, volunteered, directed, choreographed for village arts for a decade. I still work with them, and both my children were raised in this theater program, and I have seen countless children benefit from all the amazing things that it has to offer. 52nd Street Project website is the numbers five, two and then the word project.org, and village arts website is one word, village arts theater with an R E at the end.org, 52 project.org, and villageartstheatre.org. And org, and they are both worth checking out and worthy of your time, your money, your talents, resources, whatever you might have to offer. And now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: 52 project.org and villageartstheatre.org.
Show Notes:
Christiane Pendarvis found her career passion in retail and retail merchandising in Neiman Marcus department stores in South Carolina. She started working in a high-end department store, and after working in the retail industry, she went back to business school and earned an MBA.
Experience as a Team Lead and Mentor
After business school, Christiane worked at Procter & Gamble in their brand management arena, but she missed retail and has been there ever since. Throughout her career, she has worked for various large brands and has moved across the country, including Dallas, North Carolina, and Cincinnati, San Francisco, Columbus, Ohio; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New York City and finally L.A. She worked at various companies and gained exposure to different mentalities which gave her valuable experience in both life and work and she explains how her personal growth impacted her professional growth. Her desire today, as a senior executive, anchors on impact and exposure, showcasing the possibilities for other women. She feels blessed to have gone through these moves, cities, and companies, and has been able to impact and expose a wide group of people. She shares a story of how she helped team members grow professionally when working for a direct to consumer retailer in New York City, overseeing websites and a third-party marketplace business. Christiane aims to guide and develop people by considering both the company's needs and individual needs, leveraging their strengths to drive business performance while escalating learning, growth, and confidence.
Working as CO President and Chief Merchant at Savage
As CO president and chief merchant at Savage X Fenty lingerie by Rehana, Christiane talks about her experience in merchandising roles. She describes the role as similar to a buying role, where it involves sourcing product, pricing, inventory. However, at Savage X Fenty, Christiane oversaw all functions related to product creation, including designers, fabric suppliers, technical designers, production teams, and inventory management. The role involves working on various products at different stages of development, such as holiday assortments, samples, and inventory management. Each season is at a different stage, making it challenging to balance the development of different products while also managing the business. Christiane enjoys this dynamic role as it allows him to be inspired but also tactical in solving problems.In addition to overseeing the merchandising team, she also manages e-commerce and direct to consumer sales.
The Pandemic - A Rocket Year
Christiane shares her experiences at Savages during the pandemic. The business started in May 2018 just before the pandemic. The business tripled its size in 2020 due to the pandemic, which was a surprise blessing for the business, as it was a direct-to-consumer business that relied on social media to attract customers. In 2021, the business almost doubled from the previous year, with a total employee base of 225 people. This growth was not only financial but also a success as a leader and executive. The company also opened retail stores, with hundreds of additional employees. Managing supply chain challenges during the pandemic was challenging, but the overall impact on the business and the cultural relevance of Savages was also a proud moment for Christiane.
The Apparel Industry Culture
Christiane talks about the misconceptions people may have about the apparel industry. She explains it is not all as glamorous as many people think. It is a hyper-competitive, business-oriented industry with sustainability challenges. The best people and retailers are run well, like any other business. Victoria's Secret, for example, has a $7 billion revenue business. When it comes to business, it's not just about glamor; it's about strategic product selection, consumer appeal, positioning in the marketplace, and competitiveness. People sometimes underestimate the importance of retail, thinking it's a great place to be if you're a business. However, the industry is not just about fashion, it has challenges surrounding sustainability, and responsible growth.
Staying in Tune with the Market
Christiane shares what she has learned about merchandising and her approach to staying in tune with the market, the importance of testing and learning, and hiring the right people for the right roles. She acknowledges that she is not a trend-setter and that she may not be able to keep up with all the latest trends. She believes that having the right people in the right roles is essential for a company to succeed. She explains how she manages her employees to help them improve their performance, enjoy their work, and remain loyal to the company. While she may not be in the loop with general trends, she does keep up with product trends. She enjoys spending time in stores and trying new beauty products, but culturally, she may not be the best person to stay updated on the latest trends. She also explains how she hires talent and ensures a cultural fit.
Personal and Professional Growth
Christiane shares her journey of self-acceptance and the unexpected opportunities she has encountered. She admits to never having considered becoming the CEO of a company, and has learned now to feel more comfortable not knowing and reaching out for help. She acknowledges that the false narrative of having to have it all together and expose herself to others' perspectives is a false narrative. Her openness towards uncertainty and seeking help has helped build success in her career. She has developed a long-term career plan based on exploration and curiosity, focusing on opportunities that have opened doors she couldn't have predicted.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
Christiane highlights her involvement in various activities and courses. She started a basketball cheerleaders group, which provided her with broader exposure and allowed her to meet interesting people from different circles within the community. She also enjoyed supporting the sports team and was a member of Coumba, a group that provided a platform for her to sing and perform and build a strong network of friends. She was treasurer of the organization that helped fund a Coumba tour.
Christiane believes that the tight network she formed at Harvard has remained strong even 35 years later, with deeper friendships formed due to the shared experience and respect within the class.
Timestamps:
01:53: Career journey, impact on people, and self-acceptance
07:38: Leadership and development of employees in a retail setting
12:25: Product development and inventory management in the lingerie industry
17:21: Business growth and celebrity involvement
22:41: Misconceptions about the fashion industry, merchandising, and consumer understanding
28:38: Talent selection and cultural fit in leadership roles
34:14: Career journey, self-acceptance, and personal growth
40:35: Shared experiences and bonds formed at Harvard University 35 years after graduation
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianependarvis
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode is the Global Medical Research Institute, recommended by Candy Gunther Brown who reports:
“Hi, I'm Candy Gunther Brown, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Global Medical Research Institute, or GMRI. Gmri supports evidence-based research on Christian healing prayer by publishing randomized, controlled trials and case reports in peer reviewed medical journals. Spiritual healing practices like mindfulness and yoga are better studied, though, Christian healing prayer is more common. Doctors and patients and skeptics and believers all have a stake in knowing whether Christian healing prayer helps or harms and which approaches are most clinically beneficial. I'm privileged to have co-founded and served on the GMRI Board for the past 13 years. You can learn more about their work at global mri.org that's G, l, O, B, A, L, M, R, I, dot O, R, G, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.globalmri.org/
Show Notes:
Robert Frost married his high school girlfriend 10 days after graduating. After moving back to New York, Robert worked at a consulting company called A.T. Kearney. He was interested in business and thought consulting would be a good way to go while working towards becoming a CEO. However, three weeks in, he realized consulting wasn't for him.
From Columbia University to Real Estate
Robert worked with Kearney's Global Business Policy Council, which provided political advice to senior leaders in business and advised governments on business practices. He worked on projects advising countries on transitioning to free market economies. He also worked with Kearney on cultivating C suite level clients. After a few years, Robert went to business school at Columbia University. At Columbia, he was attracted to investment banking and private investing. After pursuing more technical training, he worked at Bear Stearns in the real estate gaming and lodging group from ‘97 to 2000, but while he liked the work and people, he didn’t like the lifestyle. and later found a partner and started buying real estate. They bought and sold real estate in New York during the up market, but in 2006, they realized there was nothing to buy. They sold most of their property, found another partner, and started building affordable housing units in the Bronx, rezoned industrial real estate and built housing units.
President of the Lucius N. Littauer Foundation and Buying a Football Team
Robert became the president of the Lucius Littauer foundation in 2011, which he helped streamline. Robert talks about how his business ventures are built on a foundation of unlocking processes. More recently, he has been involved in other projects, such as buying a third-division soccer team in Lisbon, Portugal, which had a beautiful old stadium but needed money to pay bills and become professional. They raised money from investors and bought the team from the club. They professionalized the organization, hiring a head of football, administration, scouting department, and investing in the beautiful stadium. They also invested in a hospitality suite to become a destination for Lisbon visitors. Robert talks about the experience of running a football team and the real estate component of the business play.
Harvard and the Jewish Community
Robert shares a little about his background, his father, and his experience with the Jewish community. His father attended Harvard, joined the navy, and later became the founding president of Harvard Hill. He talks about the culture at Harvard at that time, how it influenced his father, and how, both his father’s and Robert’s role with the Littauer Foundation. Robert talks about the foundation's involvement with the Jewish community and how his father's legacy continues to influence the foundation's future, as it continues to support the Jewish community and provide funding for various programs and projects. The conversation turns to antisemitism, Robert and his father’s experience at Harvard, and how the university's anti-Semitism efforts have evolved over time, with some factors being institutional and others being intentional.
Rezoning in New York City
Robert discusses the process of rezoning in New York City, which involves both formal and informal steps. In the formal process, a draft environmental impact statement is filed, which goes through a series of reviews and approvals by various constituencies, including community boards, borough presidents, city councils, and mayors. The informal process involves scoping of the study on the environmental impact and analyzing the community's needs, and attending numerous community board meetings. He talks about the areas they focused on and why, the transactions made, and putting together teams.
Building Affordable Housing
The conversation turns to the importance of affordable housing, and Robert shares how they developed affordable housing. They have almost no tenants who make more than 60% of the average median income, and their rents are programmatically sized to accommodate 20-30% of people coming out of the homeless system. Robert notes that this industry has existed for a while, but it is now difficult to build true affordable housing due to inflation, land costs, and construction costs. Currently, the Affordable Housing Program is a leveraging of the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, which grants tax credits to not-for-profit entities to build affordable housing. However, this approach has led to increased costs for developers. New York City has provided supplemental financing through second and third mortgages and low interest rate grants, but these grants have not kept up with inflation in construction and land costs. He also talks about financing and regulatory issues.
The Decision to Leave Consulting
Robert explains why he did not like consulting and how his perspective on sales and selling has changed since his time at Kearney. His early experience with consulting led him to realize that he wanted to be in charge of his own business. He initially thought he wanted to run a big organization but realized that he didn't like the level of responsibility over people's lives. He prefers running a small organization and having services provided by third parties, as he doesn't enjoy the human responsibility of running a big organization.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Robert recounts his experience at Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) before becoming president. He explains how his role involved budgeting and rolling up a corporate overhead budget for 10 different businesses. The board was not supportive, but from this experience, Robert learned about dysfunctional dynamics. He emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes and not allowing one person to dictate the dynamics. Despite the challenges, HSA had a successful financial year and renegotiated contracts with real-world implications. Robert's time at Harvard Student Agencies was central to his education and he uses lessons learned from his experiences to improve his career.
Timestamps:
02:27 Career progression from consulting to investment banking to real estate development
07:52: Buying a soccer team in Portugal and its business implications
12:51: Running a small sports team with limited resources
16:19: Jewish immigration and Harvard involvement
21:56: Harvard experiences, anti-Semitism, and cultural acceptance
28:34: Rezoning in New York City and its impact on the community
34:49: Land assembly and rezoning in New York City
36:51: Affordable housing challenges in New York City, including funding and regulation issues
43:29: Sales and consulting experiences, personal growth, and academic experiences at Harvard
48:48: Leadership lessons learned from managing a struggling business
Links:
The Lucius N. Littauer Foundation: http://littauerfoundation.org/
Company website: https://signatureurban.com/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is The Nature Conservancy, recommended by Tom Hughes who reports:
“Hi, I'm Tom Hughes, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the Nature Conservancy. The Conservancy is tackling accelerated climate change and biodiversity loss by preserving ecosystems, driving policy and bringing together communities to reach pragmatic solutions. I love the work of this organization. I've been a regular donor for almost 20 years, and I've personally trained and coached many of their senior leaders, and have the utmost confidence in their integrity, their sincerity and their ability to achieve these goals of matter to all of us, you can learn more about their work at nature.org and now here's will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.nature.org/en-us/
Show Notes:
David Willbrand got married immediately after graduation in 1992. He talks about that period of uncertainty many graduates experience after school, and David did not have a clear professional direction, but with an interest in politics, he started working on a campaign for a city council candidate in Cincinnati, which was short-lived but did lead to a position with the Ohio EPA. David explains that he didn’t have a particular interest in working in government or environmental regulation but he needed a job and so took a job with the EPA, which involved climbing smokestacks, not something he had prepared for! Testing Smokestacks for the EPA David's job was to ensure that the testing would take place properly. He was onsite at regulated entities who had big smokestacks that needed to be tested periodically for particulate emissions and didn’t welcome the EPA oversight. He would climb the 300ft smokestacks in cold weather, sitting up there for eight hours to monitor the people actually doing the testing, aware of the potential impact the emissions were having on his health. Desperate for a new direction, David decided to pursue law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He shared how his unusual approach (desperation meets urgency) encouraged the admissions department into accepting his application. He reflects that he hated the smokestack job is glad he did it, because it forced him to take a step in a new direction. Life at Law School and into the .Com Era David shares his love for law school, in particular the direct interaction he had with the faculty. He compares it to his experience at Harvard, where, with respect to the faculty, he felt like he fell through the cracks. He went into law school without a clear understanding of what it meant to be a lawyer. He initially thought about environmental law but found it unsuitable due to the preference for engineers. He stumbled into corporate law and found the deal work and transactional work enjoyable. He was offered a job at a Cincinnati law firm in 1996, graduating in 1996. The date is relevant because 1996 is typically noted as the beginning of the .com era, and suddenly there were multiple requests to deal with the legalities surrounding startups. Startup work became his area of focus. From Cincinnati to a San Francisco Law Firm and Back Again He was offered a job at a law firm in Boulder and spent three years there, advancing his career and skill set. However, life threw a curveball, and he and his family decided to return to Cincinnati in 2000. David worked remotely for a year with a .com company based in Ottawa and New York City. However, the .com bubble burst, and David decided to leave. At 32 with two kids and a wife, he joined another startup in Cincinnati, a B2B SaaS company. This was a difficult experience, as the company had to lay off many people and he had to take on more responsibilities in finance and HR. Working with Founders and Startups In 2004, David decided to return to a law firm environment; he joined Thompson Hine, an AmLaw 200 law firm, in 2004. They wanted to create a startup and venture capital practice in the Midwest, and David was interested in being on the front edge of that pioneering activity. Working with startup companies and founders, he had the privilege of being a key advisor and gaining exposure to various industries such as biotech, hardware, devices, apps, and social media, and David shares how he liked being involved at the leading edge of innovation. He also felt that having a stake in the innovation economy was important for the future of the Midwest, and it was emotionally rewarding to participate in that mission. From Private Practice to Chief Legal Officer at Pacaso David shares that he got divorced in 2008 and remarried a year later to a woman he practiced with. He explains why they decided to live remotely for the first decade of their marriage. After the pandemic, David felt restless in his legal practice; he needed either a new direction or to change the configuration of his practice. He kept his eyes open for opportunities. He had worked with a client who had sold a company to Zillow and had started a new company called Pacaso. Pacaso was growing rapidly and needed a chief legal officer due to the complexity of the business and legal demands. In April 2021, David walked away from his practice, which he had built over 17 years, and has been at Pacaso since then. He explains that this experience highlights the importance of adapting to change and staying curious about new opportunities in one's career. Making a Long Distance Marriage Work David discusses the challenges of long distance marriages. He believes that the paradigm may be more workable for second marriages due to different expectations in duties. There are challenges, but a big benefit is that the couple really values their time together and doesn't take it for granted. They also get to spend time together without their children (when their children are with their other parents). This segmented approach can allow for a balanced relationship and lifestyle. Counseling Clients and Monetizing Skills David discusses his experience as an attorney and how he found himself as a business counselor to his clients as well. He talks about the difficulties many startup founders face and how he became a person they could talk to, and how he built strong relationships with his clients. He also shares that he has found that using his legal skills through side hustles can be a rewarding experience. David is currently an adjunct law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and has taught courses on mergers and acquisitions, business associations, agency and partnership and, currently, startups and venture capital, for 20 years. He also works with various incubators and accelerators to help founders and startups. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses David's undergraduate experience at Harvard helped him develop critical thinking skills, which are essential for success in law school and other careers. He believes that his undergraduate experience at Harvard helped him unpack inherited beliefs and biases, making him a more dimensional human. He was actively involved at Phillips Brooks House, and the Food Salvage initiative, which provided food to homeless shelters around Cambridge. His experience exposed him to social issues and helped him develop a skill set for running an organization. He learned about people, deliverables, supply chains, and customers, which he believes were invaluable in running a business. David also shared his conservative, evangelical Christian background, which influenced his political, social, and cultural views from his youth through his time at Harvard and into his 30s. However, as he grew older, he struggled with this belief system, and eventually moved in a different direction and built his life on a different set of values and principles. Timestamps:
02:22: Career choices, job dissatisfaction, and law school admission
08:49: Inspecting smokestacks with a wand-like device
11:29: Career path and personal growth in law
17:12: Career changes, challenges, and lessons learned
20:29 Career journey in law firm environment, including startup work and personal life
27:02: Career growth and change, with a focus on a lawyer's transition from outside counsel to chief legal officer
29:33 The benefits of long-distance relationships for couples with children, with insights on how it can positively impact work-life balance and communication
36:35: Career development and pattern recognition in law
39:21: Personal growth, education, and entrepreneurship
45:29: Religious beliefs and their evolution in a Harvard student's life
Links:
David’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-willbrand-9062011/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is The Kentucky Student Voice Team, recommended by Rachel Burg Belin who reports:
“Hi, I'm Rachel Burg Belin, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is the Kentucky Student Voice Team. The Kentucky Student Voice Team is an independent youth led intergenerationally sustained organization. The mission is to support young people as education research, policy and storytelling partners to co create more just democratic schools and communities. I love the work of this organization. So much so that ever since 2012 When I worked with a team of high school students to conceive and CO design it, I've been pouring my everything into it. I also serve as its managing partner. You can learn more about the Kentucky student voice team@ksvt.org And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.ksvt.org/
Show Notes:
As a student, Elijah Aron started writing plays, musicals, and making weird films with friends. After school, he moved to San Francisco and started a theater company with friends from college. They transformed an old shoe store into a theater, where Elijah worked and slept. He talks about the imaginative and adventurous shows, which included surrealist works and musical elements, and simulated carnival rides, but despite their creative success, he struggled financially and worked as a temp and at a bookstore to support himself where he met a wide assortment of interesting individuals.
Working in Television Elijah initially pursued the idea theater, as he was drawn to weird art and unconventional ideas. He explains how he began to write scripts for a TV show called Black Scorpion and in 2000, Elijah moved to LA to try his hand at the TV business where he started working as a low-level executive at Disney Television Animation.
Tips on Pitching a Television Show Elijah talks about his career at Disney where he became a development executive, helped produce cartoons and look for new shows. He shares tips on pitching that he learned from this experience, including which pitches sold and why. He emphasizes the importance of being relaxed and friendly in meetings, as well as summarizing the idea in a sentence to sell it. His job involved listening to pitches and working as a programming executive, reading every draft of the script, and looking at storyboards. Elijah also developed and wrote television shows, and he wrote some TV movies. However, he wanted to move into adult TV and was hired on the show Drawn Together, which was an animated reality show with different characters from different cartoons.
100000 Jokes and Working in the Writer’s Room Elijah talks about his experience in TV writers rooms and recalls the first joke that got him quoted in TV Guide. He spent a decade of writing for network sitcoms, including Better Off Ted and Raising Hope. Elijah's work on these shows was characterized by stress, high-pressure work, and a focus on ratings. He enjoyed working with talented writers and developing sitcoms, but eventually changed course to work on Bojack Horseman, an animated show about a horse actor dealing with depression, and Undone, an animated show about a young woman who learns to move through time and space. He states that being a TV writer is challenging, as it involves collaboration, rewriting, and finding the right balance between being funny and not being offensive. He talks about writing jokes and how he combines inspiration and a method of thinking that helps him find the funny. He also mentions that most writers do not want to use AI for ideas and/or writing, but that it can be useful for research.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors Elijah discusses his lifelong career in the arts, focusing on his extracurricular activities such as creating weird plays and participating in a community of artists. He mentions his experiences with free speech and the creation of a zine called The Little Friend at Harvard, where anyone could publish opinions. He also shared a story about making white jumpsuits with numbers on the back, which led to a cultural education. He took animation classes with Derek Lamb and Janet Perlman, which provided him with a history of animation and allowed him to create his own films. He also mentioned that he is a fan of Helen Venders’ poetry classes.
Timestamps:
05:08: Creating and staging surreal, experimental plays in college
09:43: Career paths, including temping, writing, and TV production
16:58: TV show development and pitching, with insights on what sells and what doesn't
22:07: Writing for TV shows, including jokes and animation experience
27:02: TV writing career, from sitcoms to animated shows
33:12: TV writing, comedy vs. drama, and joke-writing process
38:16: Using AI in TV writing, personal experiences, and career development
Links:
Undone: https://www.amazon.com/Undone-Season-1/dp/B0875GVR67
Instagram: @things_in_elijahs_house
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is Healthy Humor Inc., recommended by Reggie Williams who reports: “Hi, I'm Reggie Williams, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of the 92 report is healthy humor. Healthy humor is an arts organization whose professional performers create moments of joy, wonder, laughter and comfort for hospitalized children and their families during some of their most difficult times. I'm proud to have served on the board for healthy humor for more than two years. Alongside our classmate Derek Horner, who's the board's chair. You can learn more about their work at healthyhumorinc.org. And now, here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.healthyhumorinc.org/
Andrew Ott left college to work at a nonprofit, then moved into technology research and small internet startups before returning to nonprofits and working in social entrepreneurship in Brazil and Rwanda. Now, he runs his own nonprofit, training people from low-income backgrounds, particularly people of color and women, how to code, program websites, and launch new careers.
College Friendships
One of the elements of Harvard that have continued to influence his life is his long-term relationship with his Harvard roommates. They regularly get together once or twice a year, getting their families together and doing fun things together. This group of friends has evolved over time, with some being good planners and others not. The tradition started in college, where they would go to one person's house on Memorial Day weekend and bring friends. After college, they spread out to different cities and eventually started renting houses when they had more income. Andrew reflects on the gift of having friends from high school and college.
Travel and Working in Tech
Andrew talks about the early days of his career. Initially, he needed some time off from college and decided to go to Spain with his roommate. This experience provided him with a new adventure, fluency in Spanish, and a change in worldview. After his father's death, Andrew considered joining the Peace Corps, but he explains how serendipity stepped into his life and helped him secure a position as webmaster at Forrester Research.
From Spain to Brazil
After Forrester, Andrew planned to go to Argentina, but changed plans due to the country's economic difficulties. He spent several months researching and interviewing people connected to Argentina, which led to a job offer at an International publishing house which was offering a salary of $8,000 or $9,000 per year. Despite his interest in the job, the pay was too low to accept, and he returned to the U.S., with a stop-over to Brazil en route. He met up with old friends who live in Sao Paulo. While there, he noticed the abundance of international brands and helipads in Sao Paulo, and decided to pursue work there where his experience working with Forrester and his knowledge as a webmaster was in high demand. Andrew recounts his experience working for startups in Brazil, where he initially worked for four years building websites. He eventually decided to return to nonprofits, starting with CDI, a Brazilian nonprofit that builds computer and citizenship schools in poor neighborhoods across Brazil. He studied nonprofit management and international relations at the Kennedy School.
Social Entrepreneurship in Rwanda
The conversation turns to his work in Rwanda where he explored the concept of social entrepreneurship, which is a startup approach with a social goal. He joined TechnoServe, an organization that was involved in the coffee project funded by the Gates Foundation. The goal was to draw together smallholder coffee farmers into collectives and sell their products to major coffee roasters like Starbucks. TechnoServe intentionally cut out middlemen, ensuring that more of the profit goes back to the farmer. This approach has a positive socio-economic effect on agricultural communities, improving their standard of living, school rates, education rates, and health. Andrew worked with a small entrepreneur to improve his coffee cooperative's business operation. He shares how they discovered fraud in the coffee cooperatives and how they dealt with it.
How CodeSquad Works
Andrew talks about CodeSquad, a nonprofit organization, which trains individuals from low-income backgrounds, focusing on people of color, women, and marginalized communities, without any computer or software background, in entry areas or full stack website development. The organization works with these individuals to find jobs in software, which can significantly impact their livelihoods. The average reported salary for a job in software is over $100,000 a year. Some participants have been homeless or couchsurfing during the program, but the program has had some amazing outcomes, including the range of jobs the participants can apply for after going through the program. The program is now entirely online. This decision-making process is more efficient and effective than traditional interviews. The program has seen a significant increase in interest, with over 1000 people interested in the program this year. Andrew shares information on cost per graduate and funding for the program.
Challenges Faced by People in the Tech Industry
Andrew discusses the challenges faced by people in the tech industry, including the need for education and the educational requirements. He mentions that the minimum requirements for a software developer job are a high school diploma or GED, authorization to work in the United States, and passing through the admissions process. Success in the industry is determined by perseverance and code switching, which can be difficult for those without corporate work experience.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Andrew mentions Professor Joseph Nye, Jr., and his Historical Studies course on International Relations. He was fascinated by geopolitics and power dynamics between countries in other groups.
Links:
https://codesquad.org/
Timestamps:
02:24 Maintaining long-term friendships through regular get-togethers with families and friends.
05:35 Maintaining friendships over time and across distances, with personal anecdotes and experiences
12:17 Career trajectory shift from tech support to web development
15:35 Career path and experience in Brazil
21:16 Social entrepreneurship in Rwanda with a focus on coffee farmers
23:48 Coffee fraud in Rwanda, with a focus on a middleman's inflated expenses
29:45 Nonprofit training low-income individuals in software development, with successful job placement outcomes
31:40 Predicting success in a coding boot camp program
37:43 Non-profit organization CodeSquad's mission to help low-income individuals gain coding skills and find jobs in tech industry
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is The Baby Jesus Community of Petropolis, recommended by Roger Landry who reports: Hi, this is Roger Landry class of 1992, who had the privilege to be interviewed by Will in Episode 42. The featured nonprofit in this episode of the 92 report is The Baby Jesus Community of Petropolis, Brazil. Founded in 1990 by Tonio Tavares, a teacher for Special Needs teens, who, when the Brazilian government pulled its funding, ended up adopting all 45 Special Needs teens and adults and caring for them ever since. I first found out about this extraordinary organization, when I was working as a diplomat at the United Nations. And since then I've helped them get established as a US 501 C-three, contributed to their many needs, and tried to help them find others in the United States who might be able to assist in their beautiful and literally life saving work. You can learn more about their work at their website. communidade.jesusmenino.org.br for Brazil. I'll spell it that is: C OMUNIDADEJESUSME N I N O dot org.br for Brazil, or if that's too complicated, just email me at Catholic priest@columbia.edu Thanks so much for your consideration. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work visit: https://comunidadejesusmenino.org.br/
Show Notes:
Somava Saha's interest in medical school began late in her career. She studied molecular biology in her fourth year at Harvard, but she eventually enrolled in the Berkeley UCSF joint MediCal program. There, she learned about medicine from the perspective of people and cases, as well as the economics of medicine and the history of healthcare and public health. She also completed a master's thesis with the Bahai Community Health Partnership in Guyana, South America, where she worked alongside community health workers, villagers, and teachers to create conditions for collective healing. Somava explains the approach taken and how it led to significant health improvements, such as 90% reductions in malaria rates and elimination of acquired developmental delays.
Getting to Know the People Who Experience Homelessness
Somava also talks about the impact the Spare Change newspaper and getting to know the people experiencing homelessness in Harvard Square had on her and her career. She started to get involved in programs like Phillips Brooks House, and food recovery programs. By listening to the stories of people who were homeless, Somava found that there was an incredible wealth of human potential and people with enormous gifts to offer one another and others in creating communities. This experience taught her how to value the knowledge stored in stories, how to connect people's stories with policies, and see the gift in others as valuable tools for creating better change.
Community-driven Change
Somava talks about her time at Harvard Medical School and the Cambridge Health Alliance. She learned about the importance of community-driven change and how it can build social connections and change systems. During her residency training, Somava learned about the differences in structures and systems. She also encountered the challenges of supporting patients who had recently been assaulted. She talks about the process of collecting evidence and how this experience led to her belief in a model of seamless care that demonstrates true dignity and cultural competence is an important model to follow. She realized that the presence or absence of money does not determine whether systems work for people and communities experiencing inequities. Instead, it is the choices we make as a society and how structures and systems are designed to create a sense of dignity.
Leading a Community Health Center
Somava talks about leading a community health center in Revere, using the same lessons and methods as her life at Cambridge Health Alliance. Over the next two and a half years, the center became known as a national model, and she became elected as the next president of the medical staff. Somava went on to become the Vice President leading the care transformation in Massachusetts. The transformation focused on designing a system that works for people, giving dignity and agency, and valuing all workers based on their expertise, talents, gifts, and contributions. This transformation was chosen by the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation as one for innovative and effective transformations in the country.
Designing a Health System that Works
Somava realized that health doesn't happen when someone goes into the doctor's office, but rather throughout life, leading to toxic stress and harmful outcomes. This led her to propose the 100 million healthier lives initiative, which built a global network across 30 countries and over 1850 partners reaching over 500 million people. In three and a half years, the network improved 738 million lives. She also founded Well Being and Equity in the World, focusing on changing the underlying conditions and root causes that perpetuate harm in people's lives, holding back their potential throughout their lifespan.
A Progressive Medical Clinic Model
Somava explains what made the Revere Clinic a progressive model and offers an example of how it worked for patients. The clinic created high-functioning teams to cater to the needs of the community, ensuring longer hours and safety appointments. The clinic recognized the importance of community members, such as medical assistants and receptionists, who could play a larger role than their technical capacity. Revere changed its financing model to focus on improving health and connecting with people throughout the year. They focussed on quality of care over quantity, building relationships, and supporting the patients. These approaches are just a few that were incorporated and prioritized preventative care, chronic disease management, and provided more time and coaching for individuals to work on their health and well-being goals.
Creating Well-being Initiatives
Somava has worked with over 500 communities across the nation, including black, indigenous Latinx, and other communities, to create wellbeing initiatives designed by people closest to the problems. These initiatives saved over 60,000 years of life and helped communities of color, expunged prison records, and fed and housed the community back in their homes.She emphasizes the importance of understanding that those experiencing inequities have enormous gifts to offer the nation and that it is a loss is when we prevent them from expressing their genius.
A Mission to Advance Well-being
Somava’s mission is to advance intergenerational well-being and equity based on racial and economic justice. She talks about methods employed to create pathways for intergenerational health building and community building, including the Well Being in the Nation network, which connects the dots across organizations and provides support in multiple ways. Many of their initiatives and frameworks have been adopted by organizations and federal agencies. The most important part of their work is building community, and building change agents who can create better change. They have worked with organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the CDC, and the Surgeon General to build capacity in the public health system and to create a network of change agents.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Somava mentions professor Diana Ecks on World Religions, and courses Lessons Learned from the Weimar Republic, Medical Anthropology
Timestamps:
05:17 Healthcare, poverty, and social connection
10:18 Homelessness, poverty, and healthcare
18:11 Improving healthcare systems for marginalized communities
24:05 Transforming healthcare through community-centered approaches
28:45 Healthcare system redesign for better patient outcomes
36:43 Improving diabetes care through patient-led groups
40:56 Trusting patients' knowledge for health and wellness
46:07 Building collective leadership for health equity
Links:
Website: https://weintheworld.org/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this episode is CAPE, recommended by Melinda Hsu Taylor who reports: “Hi, this is Melinda Hsu from the class of 1992. And this week's featured organization is the coalition of Asian Pacific's in entertainment. They're a group that's been around for about 30 years in Hollywood, fostering and Amplifying Voices from the creative side from the industry talent side, all from the Asian Pacific Islander native Hawaiian community. And I'm very pleased to have been involved with many of their outreach programs and the Asian American writers brunch, as well as the mentoring program that they have through not just the cape writers fellowship, but also the showrunner incubator, which I'm helping launch this year. And I hope that you will look up their website which is Cape usa.org To find out more about the work they do the initiatives and also the screenings and the kind of like programs that they do to let people know about what films are coming out and how to support them and how to get involved with all of these things. And now here is Will Bachman and this week's episode.”
To learn more about their work visit: CapeUSA.org
Show Notes:
Julie Lin was a medical student at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons when she met her future husband. It was the first day of medical school and they met while attending a class where they were both serious amateur classical musicians. Julie talks about their shared love of music and how they planned to have a family quartet.
The All-state Orchestra Model
Julie shares her story of starting an orchestra at medical school, which initially had a traditional weekly rehearsal and concert. However, they found that the show rate was low as exam time approached, leading to the creation of the Allstate orchestra model. This model involved distributing music and parts ahead of time, having a three or four-hour rehearsal, and playing in front of an invited live audience.
Experiences at Medical School
Julie initially thought she would be a clinician, but during her nephrology fellowship program, she trains to become a specialist in kidney medicine, she also became interested in clinical research. This realization led her to pursue academic nephrology, which was life-changing for her. After her husband's residency and postdoctoral training in Boston, Julie started working as an instructor at Harvard Medical School and attending physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital. As part of her job offer, she negotiated for funding from the nephrology division to obtain a Master's in Public Health from Harvard, focusing on quantitative analysis rather than policy.
Working in Nephrology Research
Julie worked as an investigator in the Channing laboratory at Brigham and Women's Harvard, where they had ongoing cohort studies of health professionals for over 10 years. She was one of the many NIH-funded investigators in the Nurses Health Study, a cohort study of >120,000 US nurses who signed up in 1976. A subset of women in the study had submitted blood and urine samples, which allowed for analyses of change in estimated kidney function over 11 years between 1989 and 2000.
Kidney Function Decline Research
Julie's research included looking at diet, nutrients, foods, and dietary patterns and how they impacted kidney function and change. Work that gained the most media attention was diet work. Her research found that drinking two or more servings of artificially sweetened drinks, likely soda, was associated with a faster kidney function decline in women over 11 years. This was about three times faster than normal aging alone. The researchers adjusted for factors like diabetes and high blood pressure, which are big risk factors for kidney function loss. Julie also talks about research on the Mediterranean diet vs. Western dietary patterns.
Diet for Kidney Health
The conversation turns to the concept of the blue zone, which has been associated with longevity and longevity, but that many people living over 100 years in these areas may have exaggerated their age due to poor record keeping. This leads Julie to remark that a main concern for scientists is how well information is being captured and measured. Julie shares tips on the best diet for kidney health. Low sugar intake is recommended, as it can lead to weight gain and diabetes. Vegetarian diets are also healthy, and fish is recommended as the main source of animal protein.
A Clinical Research Career in Industry
Julie talks about the reduction in academic research funding, and why she decided to continue her clinical research career in industry, working on clinical trials and developing new drugs. She has worked with Amgen, Genzyme, a rare disease company, as well as at a gene therapy startup called Dimension Therapeutics, which was acquired by Ultragenyx. Her current role is as global project head at Sanofi. She talks about her role and the importance of assessing efficacy and safety of new therapies.
Playing in Community Orchestras and Chamber Music
Julie explains that, as an amateur musician, she has found it to be a great outlet for her stress and the intense work she had to do while working and taking care of her children when they were younger. She joined a community orchestra in 2012, since then she has played in a number of community orchestras, including New Philharmonia, Longwood, and Brookline Symphony. Julie has also played with the Mercury Orchestra, founded and conducted by Channing Yu, Class of 93. Recently, she decided to focus on chamber music, which has been her true love. She has a lot of local musician friends to play with. Julie explains that playing chamber music brings a sense of flow and connection to others, making it a great gift.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Julie shares her experiences in Harvard's music 180 class, taught by Leon Kirchner and Lynn Chang, which was an intense experience. She also recalls a class where a modern and atonal piece was played by an advanced violinist, which changed her view of Schoenberg's music. She also mentions Helen Vendler's poetry class.
Timestamps:
05:38 Medical school experiences, including a non-linear podcast format and a successful orchestra performance
09:30 Career paths in medicine, including becoming a physician scientist, with insights on negotiation for benefits and research in nephrology
16:31 Diet and kidney function, with findings on artificial sweetened drinks and Mediterranean diet
21:17 Aging, nutrition, and kidney health with a former academic researcher turned pharmaceutical industry professional
28:36 Musical experiences and focus on chamber music
33:01 Music, Harvard, and the importance of flow
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-lin-md-mph-fasn-71796b2a/
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode is Esperanza Shelter, recommended by Caribou Honig who reports “Hi, I'm Caribou Honig, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Esperanza shelter. The shelter does incredibly important work, enabling people and very importantly, their children, to escape abusive relationships throughout northern New Mexico. Equally important, is that they provide a wide range of services to help those survivors get back on their feet, providing everything from emergency shelter to transitional housing to counseling and life skills. My wife and I have been donating to Esperanza shelter since 2020. You can learn more about their work at Esperanza shelter.org. Esperanza for those of you not in the know is the Spanish word for hope. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To learn more about their work, visit https://esperanzashelter.org/.
Show Notes:
Dennis Crowley started working for Tyco International in 1996 and spent five years in Europe, spending half his time in Paris and two and a half years in Brussels. This experience was enjoyable as it allowed him to work, sightsee, and travel around Europe. During his time in Europe, he had the opportunity to visit every country in Europe, including Spain, Italy, the UK, and France. He moved back to Florida, then lived in New England for 25 years before settling just south of Boston. Dennis worked in various divisions at Tyco until 2007, where he worked in their healthcare group, which spun off into Covidien. He spent 12 years doing mergers and acquisitions, and this experience opened his eyes to the exciting developments in the healthcare space, particularly in medical devices.
Lifestyle in the US vs. Europe
Dennis compares the pace of life in the US and Europe. In the US, you can get what you want when you want it, but, for example, In Paris most shops are usually closed on Sunday. The cultural norms that may not be easily understood by someone new to the country. Dennis shares a few examples of cultural differences in the workplace. Working in Europe can be a transition from class to a job, but it also presents challenges. For example, Italian culture is different from French culture, and while many people may speak multiple languages, to communicate effectively, one must be respectful of their second language and be able to express ideas in clear and appropriate ways.
Medical Devices in the Healthcare Industry
Dennis finds this field to be an interesting one as there are always problems to be solved and technologies to be developed. In terms of medical devices, the majority of medical devices have been based around surgical procedures, such as abdominal, cardiac, and peripheral surgeries. These opportunities are often focused on general surgery, such as fixing clots, repairing hernias, and C sections. Interaction with physicians and leaders in their field helps in finding companies to build portfolios for a company. He highlights the role of physicians as advisors who often collaborate with engineers and industry professionals to develop new products and address gaps. This collaboration is crucial for addressing the needs of patients and improving efficiency in the healthcare system. Dennis also talks about recent breakthroughs and innovations. He stresses the importance of having a community of physicians who can help address their needs in the marketplace, and emphasizes the need for companies to have a strong network of physicians who can help develop innovative products that address the needs of their patients and improve the overall quality of care.
Mergers and Acquisitions in the Health Industry
Dennis highlights the importance of understanding the business and aligning with the company's vision. He discusses the potential of acquiring companies and their trials, such as Given Imaging, which uses a pill cam to take multiple pictures at once. This technology is used for diagnosing bleeding or other issues in the gastrointestinal tract. It is also an alternative to colonoscopy. Dennis explains that an M&A executive spends most of their time analyzing deals and negotiating them, while also working with the company to understand its business, technologies, and strategies. He mentions that there is also a lot of time spent networking and explains how former classmates and friends had played a role in both his business and personal relationships.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
The conversation turns to Harvard and golf as Dennis talks about his time on the golf team and that he is still in touch with friends made while on the team. He shares how playing golf has facilitated both business and personal relationships. He also discusses the current etiquette around smartphones on the golf course.
Timestamps:
02:08 Cultural differences and lifestyle in Europe 07:17 Medical device innovation in surgery and healthcare 12:33 Medical innovation and product development 16:44 Medical technology and acquisitions 22:12 M&A career path, networking, and golf 27:43 Golf etiquette and networking Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-crowley-8130a44/
https://corza.com/leadership/
Featured Non-profit
The featured non-profit of this episode is Protect Democracy, recommended by Richard Primus, who reports “Hi, I'm Richard Primus from the class of 1992. The featured nonprofit organization of this episode of the 92 Report, is Protect Democracy. Protect Democracy uses the tools of law and communications to protect the rule of law and constitutional democracy in the United States, at a time when those things are in greater jeopardy than we would have dreamed possible when we graduated from college. I'm proud to have worked with Protect Democracy on a volunteer basis, since it was founded a little more than seven years ago, and also to be a member of its board of advisors, which includes a wonderful group of people.”
To learn more about their work, visit https://protectdemocracy.org.
Show Notes:
Title: Media Entrepreneur and Filmmaker
Show notes:
Natalia Tsarkova, a transfer student from Latvia, was the first student from the former Soviet bloc to apply to an American college. She was thrown into a completely different world and roles, but knew she wanted to create more contexts for others to transform their lives like she didher life. Growing up in Latvia, she watched pirated MTV videos and credits seeing Billy Jean for the first time for inspiring her to work in the media space. In 1993, she met a professor at the MIT Media Lab, who recognized her mixed background of mathematics, social studies, and filmmaking. She fell into the master's program at the MIT Media Lab, where she was educated on the new way of thinking about media and how to create more meaningful experiences through on-demand interactive media platforms.
Working in Video on Demand and Interactive Experiences
Natalia was eager to move to New York City and found a job with a startup in Soho. She was driven to explore the world of startups and entrepreneurs, which she didn’t know much about before. She created projects Barry Diller, Sony Music and was hired by the Beatles estate to create the first Beatles digital experience. She had the luxury of diving deep into the Beatles archives and creating unique digital content. Natalia worked with IMG, fashion, and sports, and was tasked with explaining the digital transformation to CEOs in management, helping them imagine new types of media experiences that were digital and on demand. Her journey from MIT to New York City was filled with excitement, partying, and meeting people from all walks of life. She was able to stay afloat as a consultant, working on projects that fascinated her and helped shape the future of digital media.
The Development of Transmedia
In 2001, Natalia met her husband, a French television music television producer, who was looking for a digital media expert. In 2003, they set up the first European video on demand platform, called Transmedia. Natalia convinced television producers that linear television was dead and that video on demand was the future. They built a business by packaging content from France television and other European producers and selling it to telcos in Belgium, Switzerland, and even France. With their large library of live musical content, they launched a video on demand platform called iConcerts, similar to Netflix but with only live music. This platform evolved into a hybrid high-definition TV/Video on Demand channel, licensed by operators in 128 countries between 2007 and 2010. The platform was successful, with collaborations with CCTV, an office in Singapore, Paris and Tokyo and partnerships with Senegalese musicians and Africa. Natalia explains how she became disillusioned a few years before it was sold.
Making a TV Documentary
Ever since Harvard, Natalia always did some form of documentary filmmaking. During summers, she rented a house in France and started filming the Gypsy Kings, a group that were popular in the 90s. Natalia showed the excerpts to a head of a European arts channel called Arte, who suggested she submit a the proposal for a full length film. The film was released in 2016 and received triple primetime ratings on the channel, and the Gypsy Kings loved it. This experience of original content storytelling and the idea of tribes, such as the Gypsy tribe, inspired her. She moved on to create a project called Tribo, designed to be a storytelling platform for groups to share their stories. Tribo has become more about digital storytelling and dynamic storytelling.
The Evolution of the Tribo Platform
Natalia discusses the concept of Tribo as a media platform for storytelling. Tribo was initially designed as an extension of live music festivals, but after two years of testing, it has been found to be particularly effective in private communities during COVID-19. Tribo aims to create a platform where stories that matter over time are told, such as collective storytelling. This can involve recording portraits of different people who are part of the organization, allowing everyone to post photos and videos during an event, and giving CEOs a space to motivate everyone. Natalia emphasizes the importance of engagement from employees, as most companies struggle with sharing their stories due to busy work and reluctance to share. By providing equal opportunities for sharing and having leaders interviewing people, Tribo can capture the heritage and legacy of the community.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Natalia was particularly fond of the VES department, where she watched two movies a day, and had a close friendship with Robert Gardner, Director of the Film Study Center and Svetlana Boym, an expert on Soviet art and modern art. She mentions Liah Greenfield, her thesis advisor. She also worked for the Harvard Negotiation Project, created by Roger Fisher, a professor at HLS known as the ultimate expert on negotiation.. Her first job at Harvard was working at the Russian research center, where she was hired by Marshall Goldman, a big Soviet studies professor.
Timestamps:
05:12 How a Latvian student applied to Harvard despite obstacles
11:30 Moving to NYC, starting a business, and networking
14:00 Digital media, video on demand, and startup experience
21:03 Entrepreneurship, media, and filmmaking
24:15 Filmmaking, loss, and entrepreneurship
31:27 Using tech for collective storytelling in organizations
41:17 Grief, trauma, and resilience after loss
44:42 Filmmaking, Harvard experiences, and connections
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalia-tsarkova
Website: Tribo.Live
Kings of the World: https://vimeo.com/197952008/d444b20c11
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nataliatsar/
William Cheng has been working in the Silicon Valley area since 2000. He graduated from Harvard as a bio concentrator and later attended UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine. He completed residency training in internal medicine at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, a county hospital affiliated with Stanford Hospital System. He then joined the Palo Alto Medical Foundation as a hospitalist, focusing on acutely ill patients.
Working as a Hospitalist
William's understanding of the world has changed over the two decades as a hospitalist. He now understands the importance of non-hard science aspects, such as interactions, communication skills, and bedside manners. He also learned logistical skills, such as navigating the healthcare system and getting patients in and out of the hospital efficiently. William talks about the need for continuous learning in his field, including navigating insurance and bureaucracy. He shares how the recent pandemic had a significant impact on the Bay Area, and how the hospital environment has evolved over time, with new challenges and opportunities for growth. William shares tips for being a smart patient in the hospital, such as asking questions, double-checking medication, and understanding the importance of being a smart consumer of hospital care. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication and respecting the intelligence of patients and families. William explains what makes a good doctor, and the various demands that come with the job, including intellectual demands, emotional demands, physical demands, and long hours on the feet.
Challenges Faced by Hospitalists
Hospitalists interact with patients and families more frequently during the day, especially in difficult situations such as difficult medical diagnoses, potentially life-threatening diagnoses, and end of life care. These discussions can be gratifying and stressful, but they also involve complex social interactions and relationships. He talks about the challenges of discussing severe conditions with patients, determining the appropriate treatment options, and navigating complex social discussions. Another challenge is reviewing charts quickly, understanding the patient's condition, and formulating a plan of action. In the initial admission orders, physical therapy and occupational therapy are often put in, but if the patient is too weak, additional help may be needed. Social workers or nursing case managers can then discuss these recommendations with the patient or family early on. They can teach the patient or family about the process of getting them home and ensuring they understand the process. William talks about the admission process and mentions that there are different types of patients, such as good teaching patients and non-teaching patients.
A Professional Point of Pride
From a professional standpoint, William is most proud of his early involvement in scheduling for his group. Scheduling is one of the main pain points or stress factors for hospitalists, as they have to be on call for certain periods of time. The traditional seven-on-seven off schedule is not ideal for patients, as it can lead to stress and dread of work. William developed a good system that has led to very little turnover in his group and accommodates everyone's time off requests. His scheduling is essentially a giant logic puzzle, and he does it all by hand within a spreadsheet for over 20 years. He continues to do this to this day to ensure that everyone is happy with their work.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
William mentions his love for the Glee Club Harvard Glee Club, where he sang in junior and senior year. William found that there was no experience after college that matched the quality of his time at Harvard. He has been involved in an alumni chorus, which he started in the late 2000s, which has been performing in Japan and the US. They have performed three times so far and are planning to perform at SEMA this year, focusing on peace and harmony among the world.
Timestamps:
02:56 Medical education, hospital care, and COVID-19 experiences
08:25 Hospital care and communication between doctors and patients
13:35 Medical work-life balance and emotional stress
18:27 Challenges and skills of a hospitalist
25:01 Streamlining hospital discharge process for elderly patients
27:35 Medical education and patient care
31:50 End-of-life care and scheduling for hospitalists
37:13 Work-life balance, scheduling, and singing experiences
43:46 Singing, harmony, and endorphins with a Harvard Glee Club alumnus
Jeanne Simpson moved to New York after graduating. She started doing day jobs in New York City to make ends meet while attending free dance classes, which allowed her to continue her training without having to pay for grad school. She eventually joined the American Isadora Dance Company, a modern company.
Beginning a Career in the Performing Arts
Jeanne began her acting career at HB Studios, where she was given a scholarship and studied under Austin Pendleton, a talented teacher who taught the advanced Acting Program at HB. She worked with other amazing actors and learned to choreograph scenes with them. This experience led her to work on original college shows and she choreographed for various shows. In addition to acting, she also taught at a dance studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn, before being offered her first professional choreography job where she choreographed a birthday cake song for a series on Nickelodeon and was subsequently hired for the series. This was her first professional choreography job which led to several others on films.
A Volunteer in Performing Arts Programs
Jeanne started volunteering at the 52nd Street Project in New York, which takes kids from Hell's Kitchen and lets them experience the transformative power of theater. They take them out of town to enjoy nature and rehearse plays with the kids, then perform the plays in Hell's Kitchen. This experience continues to inspire her belief that the performing arts can change lives, even if it doesn't lead to acting or dance. Jeanne has continued to work with the 52nd Street Project. Her experiences in the performing arts have had a profound impact on her life and she continues to inspire others to pursue their passions in the performing arts.
Working in Television and Film
She worked on a show called Wishbone, which was shooting in Texas. After leaving Wishbone, she returned to New York where she ended up doing more choreography jobs, and acting jobs, and getting married. She and her husband moved from New York to Los Angeles and Jeanne jobs teaching dance and theater, and worked for Princeton Review and IV West. She auditioned for Tim Robbins Actors Gang, a theater company, she worked there and eventually choreographed for the Grand Guignol company. Then she started auditioning for television and found an agent with Avalon Artists Group. Jeanne earned parts on several TV shows, including Madman, Parks and Rec, and How to Get Away with Murder. The couple moved to Valley Village, where they still live today, and they had a second child, Vivian.
Arts Programs and Community Theater
She started working with a community arts theater, an all-inclusive arts program that offers various classes and activities for children. She started a camp called Make Them Laugh classic comedy camp with her husband and another comedy writer, introducing classic comedy to a new generation of kids. She later taught at Berklee School, where she teaches improv and has directed at Harvard. She also teaches a dance class at Evolution Dance Studios called Big Shots. She is currently directing a production of Anything Gos with four or five and six-year-olds, and she has also choreographed a rock opera movie musical called The Promise. While she still auditions, Jeanne also tutors kids on their essays to get into schools, which has become an accidental side business. Their house is like Grand Central Station, filled with people of all ages, which they love. The journey has been a rollercoaster ride, but she is grateful for the opportunities it brings.
Pursuing Acting and Choreography
Jeanne discusses her experiences as an in-school ambassador for the National Young Arts Foundation and how she started dancing at age five and how her mother helped and inspired her. She talks about the different modes of acting, acting, dancing, teaching, and choreography. Acting and choreography are the two that bring the most happiness, as they allow them to be present and happy. Directing drives her insane, but as an actor and choreographer, she can let go and be present. Choreography is also fun because it allows her to share her vision with others, and learn from others, creating a collaborative experience.
A Choreographer’s Process
As a choreographer, Jeanne starts with the story, which is essential for their dances to convey something and then, of course, the music. She also considers the style of dance, the capabilities of her dancers, and their potential. She then develops steps that grow out of this story, making it easier to remember. Jeanne shares the example of her Saturday morning class routine. Jeanne also discusses her process and how choreographers keep their thoughts straight in their heads. She uses choreographers notation, which is mainly used as a step notation, but she also writes down the story when she does a piece.
The Importance of Relationships in the Performing Arts
Jeanne shares her experiences with relationships in the performing arts industry, highlighting the importance of connections and connections in her life. She shares stories of various projects and connections, such as working on a Broadway musical project called Three, where she was hired to choreograph one of the shows and supervise all others. This experience led to her becoming part of a larger community of artists, which eventually led to other jobs or volunteer opportunities. She also mentions her involvement in a community theater that taught children at a public elementary school, where she taught and was recommended by a vocal coach for her kids.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Jeanne credits James Davis, her sociology professor, for her interest in studying people and trends. Davis was supportive and kind, attending every play and dance concert she performed. She also mentions Arthur Holmberg and Jian Guo, who was a mentor, where she learned about professional theater companies. She also mentions Jane Nichols, an adjunct professor and acting teacher who Jeanne is still in touch with.
Timestamps:
10:07 Career, marriage, and TV show experiences
17:07 Career, family, and art
20:13 Career transitions and passions with a former Broadway performer
26:04 Art, dance, and theater with a passionate artist
31:16 Choreography process and creativity
34:05 Choreography and dance notation
40:06 Career connections and networking
45:18 The challenges of pursuing a career in the performing arts
47:19 Wait Wait Don't Tell Me and its hosts, Adam Felber and Paula Poundstone
53:28 Arts career and education with a guest speaker
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeanneGottaDance/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotta_dancenj/
Joshua Brandon Holden, the author of The Mathematics of Secrets, Cryptography from Caesar Ciphers to Digital Encryption, graduated with a degree in pure math and went on to teach at the University of Massachusetts and Duke. He discovered that he was spending most of his time on teaching, so he sought jobs where they would reward teaching. He then worked at the Rose Hulman Institute of Technology, where he did both teaching and research.
Common Misconceptions about Cryptography
Joshua discusses common misconceptions about cryptography and its connection to the internet. He explains that people often knew about cryptography in ancient times but don't know about the throughline. Older theories of cryptography were implicitly mathematical but not explicitly, while new theories are very explicitly mathematical. Joshua aims to open up the connection between older forms of cryptography and the new ones, stating that everyone has some ability to do all of it in varying amounts. He talks about the current state of cryptography online, including public key cryptography, which originated in the 70s and gained popularity in the 90s with internet commerce. Public key cryptography allows users to send secret messages through a one-way key, which is only decrypted by the sender who has a different key. This is important for sending credit card information to companies like Amazon or Walmart. However, end-to-end encryption means middlemen are no longer able to decrypt messages, so it's crucial to look carefully at providers' policies to determine if they stay in the loop. Joshua talks about the networks and relationships within the cryptography field, including the opportunities for professionals to work in private camps, government agencies, and academia. He notes that while there is money and space in the field, there is also a lot of space for professionals to stay updated on the latest theories and developments.
Quantum Computers in Cryptography
The conversation turns to the potential of quantum computers in cryptography and the potential for breaking encryption systems. He believes that quantum computers are expected to be better at breaking the problems used in creating mathematical problems used in special public key systems, such as encryption used by browsers to protect credit card information and communications. He also discusses the development of quantum resistant cryptography, which is a more complex system but the basic principles of quantum resistance systems are still relatively graspable for anyone with high school algebra and a willingness to dig deep. By applying enough computing power to end-to-end encryption systems, it is possible to break them. The only way to achieve perfect secrecy is to have a secret key, which is as long as the conversation. This method was supposedly used for the famous red phone between the White House and the Kremlin during the Cold War.
Keeping Your Data Safe
In terms of security, Joshua advises people to know their threat model and consider the potential threats they face. Some people may worry about powerful governments trying to break their communications, while others may be concerned about corporate spies, children, or random people passing by. For those worried about corporate espionage, it is recommended to look for end-to-end encryption systems. While quantum computers may not be easy to break, they do not guarantee that someone can’t break the system with enough computing power.
Class Field Towers Explained
Joshua talks about his research in the field of mathematics, specifically in the area of class field towers. He explains why imaginary numbers are not square roots but rather arbitrary choices. He also discusses the concept of Galois groups, which track the number of ways complex numbers can be shuffled around without making a difference. He explains that class field towers consist of rational numbers, real numbers with irrational decimals, and complex numbers on top of them. These towers record the complexity of each jump made in the tower.
Joshua talks about the role of computers in mathematical research, stating that there is more computer usage in this area due to improved software tools and more applications in cryptography. He identifies two traits that are most useful for being successful in mathematical research: perseverance and curiosity. Perseverance is the reason most people persist. In graduate school or postgraduate school, those who stick with their passion and interest in math may be more likely to succeed in mathematical research. He encourages students to not give up on problems that require a different kind of math, even if it's not necessary for their career. He believes that having a sense of curiosity about everything comes from the fact that in mathematics, all one needs is to just think hard about things and talk to others. This gives one a sense of confidence that they can figure things out without the need for special abilities or tools.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Joshua mentions Math 25, an honors calculus course. He also enjoyed Professor McConnell, who he still maintains a friendship with. He also shares his experience with changing his name, which was the first of his non-professional wanderings.
Timestamps:
04:33 Cryptography and its applications in online security
11:57 Cryptography, public key systems, and quantum computing
21:07 Encryption, mathematics, and data security
27:49 Mathematical research and talent
33:41 Math education, career choices, and personal growth
Links:
Website: https://wordpress.rose-hulman.edu/holden/the-mathematics-of-secrets/
Mark Jacobstein resides in Stanford, California with his wife, two children, and his mother in law. Mark's career has primarily focused on entrepreneurial technology, primarily in health tech, biotech, molecular diagnostics, and digital health arenas. After Cambridge, he worked with Scott Murphy, a close friend and business partner. He moved to California in 2003 to start a technology company and has been there ever since. He lives on the Stanford campus, which allows his children to grow up on a college campus.
Founding a Fantasy Sports Business
Mark shares his journey from writing software for Mike Bloomberg in the early 90s to inventing the first online fantasy sports business [Small World] in 1994. He and his partner, Scott, initially struggled with starting a technology company due to their naivety and lack of experience in the tech startup ecosystem. However, they eventually built the first online fantasy sports business, which was one of the biggest consumer sites in the world at the time. In 1995, they spun out a web consultancy to solve various problems for corporate clients, building stateful and database-driven websites. They later built corporate websites for companies like Xerox and consulting for McKinsey on the internet's future. The business was sold to i-EXL in 1998. One common thread Mark has seen over the past 30 years is looking for systemic paradigm shifting changes in technology. Mark’s career highlights the importance of adapting to new technologies and finding the most effective way to grow a business.
Entrepreneurship in Machine Learning and AI
Mark’s last two companies and new venture studio focuses on machine learning and AI. He discusses his journey as an entrepreneur and the transition from a hobby to a business. He emphasizes the importance of looking for latent demand in businesses, he also emphasizes the importance of not engaging in gambling and making ethical choices in business decisions. His first experience as an entrepreneur was when he and his roommate Scott started hiring employees. They faced challenges like the.com crash and the need to lay off employees.
Startup Business Mistakes
Mark discusses the mistakes made by his company in structure and decision-making processes. He believes that they were naive and didn't put enough thought into the process of disagreements, which caused friction and strained relationships. He also mentions that the biggest mistakes they made were sins of omission. They were too early to realize the monstrous opportunities that nobody was taking advantage of. One example is hiring Matt Funk, a summer intern who later became a hedge fund manager. He suggested they buy domain names, but Mark argued that this was unethical. Another example is building the first Business to Business Exchange (B2B) website, TextTrade.com, in 1996. This was an effort to make the textiles business more efficient. However, Mark argues that they missed out on the commercial implications of the internet and how they could have used their technology to service other industries.
Silicon Valley and the Tech Landscape in the 2000s
Mark shares his experiences in the 2000s, particularly in the mobile business industry. He sold his fantasy sports business, Small World Sports, to Paul Allen, who bought Sporting News, an interactive TV channel. After a burnout at Sporting News. Mark met Trip Hawkins, founder of Electronic Arts and 3DO. Mark was offered a position as co-founder and president of a mobile phone company. He was invited to Silicon Valley to meet with Sequoia and Kleiner Perkins. He was mentored by Trip and his experience in Silicon Valley was a pivotal moment in his life. He shares his experiences in the tech industry, starting with his time at Digital Chocolate and then moving on to venture capital firm Sequoia. He was introduced to Sam Altman, a young wunderkind, and worked with him to build a company called Looped, which was later sold to Qualcomm.
Working in Health Technologies
After leaving Digital Chocolate, he decided to make a career shift into health tech. He enjoyed his work in fantasy sports but felt that nothing had changed the world in a profoundly important way. He eventually joined Guardant Health, a molecular diagnostic company that applied machine learning to big omics and developed cancer detection using blood draws. He was drawn to the intellectual challenge of working on circulating tumor DNA for early detection of cancer. Mark worked with Immunai, a company that uses single cell genomics and machine learning to improve immunomodulatory therapeutics. He appreciates the importance of the immune system's complexity and the work in the field. He recently founded Jiminy Health, a company that aims to address care gaps in mental health care through mobile and MLMs.
The Importance of Authentic Leadership
Mark has learned the importance of authenticity in running a company that is non-obvious or counterintuitive. He believes that authenticity is crucial in leadership and having a compelling vision. As a CEO, he focuses on making that vision clear and helping organizations untangle their knots to pull towards a common goal. He has learned from Sam's outrageous ambition and his ability to build companies that start with seemingly outrageous ideas. He applies these lessons to his own work, thinking about what different people would do in different situations as long as it aligns with his values and aligns with his values. He compares running a lab to running a business, which involves raising money, hiring people, meeting deadlines, and missing milestones.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Mark discusses his experiences at Harvard, focusing on courses and professors that resonate with him. He mentions Harry Lewis, who was a computer scientist, and his career in tech. He emphasizes the importance of having a vision and articulating it to attract customers and recruit a team. He also highlights the importance of social reflection classes like Robert Coles, which taught him how telling a story can change the world and create an ethos that cares about the world. Mark’s mental health startup, Jiminy Health, aims to make scalable mental health services for millions of people. He believes that being raised in a liberal, progressive family still helps his businesses make the world a better place.
Timestamps:
02:59 Entrepreneurship, technology, and business success
08:46 Entrepreneurship and technology trends
10:36 Entrepreneurship, business decisions, and growth
16:58 Missed opportunities in tech and entrepreneurship
23:34 Entrepreneurship, leadership, and the video game industry
27:03 Career shift from tech to healthcare with valuable insights
32:55 Entrepreneurship, leadership, and management style
38:02 Leadership, authenticity, and lessons learned from mentors
41:29 Relying on a spouse as a counselor in healthcare
45:58 Entrepreneurship, technology, and mental health
Links:
https://twitter.com/mjacobstein
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjacobstein/
https://www.jiminihealth.com/
nearhorizon.vc
Andreas Stavropoulos, a venture capitalist and entrepreneur, came to the United States from Greece at 18 and has been in the United States ever since. His big moves include marrying his high school sweetheart, arranging their lives around graduate school, medical school, business school, and moving to California. He is now 55-years-old and is excited about the third act of his life, where he can choose where to spend his time more than he used to.
A Career as a Venture Capitalist
Andreas started his career as a venture capitalist in 1999 and has been doing so for over two and a half years. He has stopped making new investments in this endeavor and is now spending most of his time back to nonprofit public service and helping his country. He is increasingly spending more time back in Greece. In the third act, Andreas is considering the empty nest and choosing where to spend his time. He is now in the third act phase, where he is stepping back from full-time work, focusing on what he chooses to do with his 20+ 25+ productive years. This involves stepping back from full-time work, reducing board load, and not chasing after new deals.
A View of the Business Landscape in Greece
Andreas talks about his decision to pursue public service in his third act. He gives a brief overview of the crisis Greece has experienced since the 1980s. The crisis was ushered in after a short, populist five-year phase of trying empty promises. However, in 2019, a new generation of moderate, business-friendly leaders emerged, inoculating voters against the empty promises of populism. Greece is now a leader in this regard, showing the rest of Europe how a post-populist society and governance model can look like. The generation of leaders in power is younger and more business friendly, making them an opportunity to help the country catch up with Western Europe. He is also working on a board of a private company that manages large privatization and public-private partnerships in Greece, such as airports, ports, and highways. Another area of focus is AI. He is on an advisory committee to the prime minister on topics related to artificial intelligence, and he talks about the influence of Greek diaspora.
On the Board of a Privatization Entity
Andreas discusses his experience on the board of an entity that manages privatization. The board includes seven independent members. The nominating committee has combined complementary skills, providing a sound foundation of skills in various areas. The finance side of the board includes working with portfolio companies to mature them for financing, going public, or getting sold. The board also oversees state assets that are not ready for deal-making, designing business plans and leveraging them to create something attractive to private investment while maintaining upside for the state. The board also involves working with bankers and consultants to do transactions, as well as fiduciary duties. They also work with assets to maximize value and develop eco-friendly tourism activities. The advantage of being on the board is learning about the country's large construction projects and local opportunities efficiently. Additionally, working with local players, such as large investors and consultants, allows the board to build a network that allows them to understand data and the players in a relatively small economy.
Managing and Motivating People
Andreas shares his insights on the business world and the way things work. He explains that talented people, particularly project managers, can be difficult to unleash due to non-meritocratic and bureaucratic processes. For example, Greece's promotion system was purely seniority-based, based on degrees and years of service. However, this approach has led to a loss of motivation for people to go above and beyond. Andreas has learned the importance of thinking about reward systems and what drives human motivation. He believes that humans are rational and evaluative maximizers, constantly processing inputs and making decisions.
Third Act Pursuits and Dharma as a Guiding Principle
Andreas discusses his personal portfolio, including his involvement in public service, sailing, and travel. The couple plans to focus on their children and professional responsibilities, with Andreas' wife aiming to maintain her FTE at Stanford. He and his wife have also been involved with education, serving as chair of the board and treasurer at their children's school. He is currently president of the Alumni Board for Harvard Business School and has recently joined the board of a nonprofit that provides policy recommendations for the diaspora of Greece.
Andreas believes that leaving professional firms is intentional and requires planning and commitment. He has had to tell his partners about entering a new phase, which involves changing their brand and deciding who will be in and who will not. Andreas discusses the concept of Dharma, which translates to roughly "destiny, duty, purpose.” Meditation, a spiritual element that began about 567 years ago, helped him understand their essence and purpose in life. The COVID-19 pandemic forced him to reevaluate and rethink his beliefs. He suggests that the Dharma concept is not prescriptive, but rather a gradual, intentional approach to life. He suggests that by focusing on the essence of their goals and leaving a mark on the world, they can evolve in the right way.
Lessons Learned in Hiring Talent
Andreas shares his lessons in hiring people who are not just like him, but also have different backgrounds, approaches, and styles. He emphasizes that having diverse people around you can lead to better outcomes overall. The biggest lesson learned is to stop thinking about hiring people based on their appearance or experience. Instead, focus on having people with different backgrounds, approaches, and styles that work well together. It's not about being friends or building a nice place to work, but about creating fair and purposeful environments. Another important lesson learned is the importance of communication and truthfulness in venture capital. Building a reputation goes beyond single interactions, and it's never about a single moment. Instead, it's about building value over multiple years, and in many cases, those same founders or employees will go on to other companies. Instead of being transactional, it's crucial to be upfront about what you stand for and what you can help with. Being upfront and admitting that you don't know is difficult, but it's essential for long-term success.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Andreas discusses his courses and professors at Harvard that continue to resonate with him, whether it's professional or side interest. He highlights Justice with Michael J. Sandel as the most relevant course, and his computer science classes on algorithms have taught him the ability to think systematically and break down problems in a way that works for him. He plans to spend a chunk of his third act living in Greece, despite being away for nearly 35 years, and he believes that the culture, business outlook, and family connections are all factors that lead to better quality of life.
Timestamps:
02:56 Life phases and prioritizing personal choices in the third act
07:22 Greece's economic crisis and potential for growth
14:06 Board experience and diaspora contributions
19:07 Government work, talent, and motivation
25:10 Human behavior and personal interests
27:58 Personal growth and planning for a successful third act
33:44 Intentional exit from professional firm after 10+ years
39:31 Selecting and working with talented individuals in the venture capital industry
45:28 Retirement, quality of life, and family ties in Greece
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreasstavropoulos/
Show Notes:
Shannon Frison joined the United States Marine Corps during her time in law school. She spent her second year at officer candidate school and became commissioned as an officer. After law school, she returned to Massachusetts, worked for a year at the TAs office, took the bar, and went on active duty with the Marine Corps. After serving at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, North Carolina, she worked for a litigation firm called Dwyer and Clora before opening a law firm. In 2009, she applied for the bench in Massachusetts and was appointed to the Boston Municipal Court. She then applied again to the Superior Court and was appointed to the Superior Court in 2013 where she stayed until 2024 when she retired from that position and reopened a law firm.
The Decision to Join the Marine Corps
Shannon was initially an athlete in college but later discovered the judge advocate program in the Marine Corps while taking a firefighters course. She found the Marine Corps offers a physical experience that is not sanitized or lighter training, and lawyers are considered line officers. They go through the full Marine Corps infantry officer training, which is the minimum required for being a judge advocate. Shannon shares her transformation from the Marine Corps to active duty service, stating that she was physically and mentally transformed. She learned about boundaries, limits, and how to lead people effectively. The training in the Marine Corps is designed to push individuals to their limits.
Training in the Marine Corps
One of the challenges she faced during her training was a 15-foot jump from a tower, which she struggled with for six months. Despite being encouraged by others, she struggled with this mental block and graduated late. This experience made her realize her weaknesses and strengths. She explains how she managed to overcome this mental block. Shannon's experience in the Marine Corps has had a significant impact on her personal growth and development. She has learned to appreciate her limitations and the challenges they present, and has been able to adapt and improve her skills throughout her time in the military. This experience has helped her become a better person and better equipped for her future roles in the Marine Corps. Shannon shares her experience of jumping off a helicopter after completing the swim qualification, which helped her overcome anxiety and mental anxiety. She also shares that her time in Harvard and the Marine Corps taught her that she would not always be the best at everything, as she met many outstanding individuals in those environments.
A Career on The Bench
Shannon talks about her time as a judge, where she applied to the Bench through an application process. The Massachusetts system of selecting judges mimics the federal system, but it is an application process. People may recommend applicants, and applicants must fill out a long, dramatic application that asks for every detail in their life and legal life. She explains the rigorous vetting process for applicants before they reach the governor's desk, where they meet with their lawyer for further vetting. Once the governor nominates them, Congress and the governor's counselors confirm their nomination to the bench. If they get their seat and commission on the bench, it is a lifetime position and they don't need to do it again unless they go to another court.
Explaining The Difference between Courts
Shannon discusses her experience working in the Boston Municipal Court and Superior Court, two different courts in Massachusetts. The Boston Municipal Court and district courts handle a variety of cases, including criminal, restraining orders, traffic tickets, and small claims matters. She states that all cases begin in these courts. The Superior Court is a court of general jurisdiction, handling more serious matters such as rapes, robberies, and murders. Judges must do both civil and criminal trials, with each session lasting three months. Finally, Shannon discusses her experience as a judge from 2009 to almost 2020. She has gained more education about law and has learned about various areas of law. She is concerned about her own safety, as threats and assaults are more common in Massachusetts. The court system enforces safety measures for judges, but she has taken steps to keep her address out of the public eye.
The Role of Race Bias in the Criminal Justice System
Shannon emphasizes the importance of addressing racial disparities in sentencing. She believes that conversations about race should be solidly on the table all the time, especially in sentencing. She emphasizes that the goal of sentencing should be rehabilitation, deterrence, education, and other goals, rather than satisfying the prosecutor's office or victim's family.
She suggests that mandatory training on issues of bias would be beneficial, especially at the police level. She believes that more education is needed for officers to better understand the historical and consistent disparities in the criminal justice system. However, she acknowledges that people may become weary of discussing race, and it is difficult to keep it on the table.
Finally, she stresses that it is essential to continue pushing for change. She believes that people must believe in the existence of these disparities and work towards changing them. Shannon discusses the need for more training for police officers, specifically in areas such as bias training and soft skills. She suggests that there is a need for more education and training to better understand the psyche of these individuals.
A Speaking Career Focused on Law
Shannon mentions her speaking career, which includes engagements around trial advocacy, race and bias, and navigating legal careers. She enjoys speaking to law students, undergraduates, new lawyers, affinity law groups, and associations. She also speaks regularly for different Bar Associations in Massachusetts and continues legal education for lawyers. Shannon explains why she decided to retire from the bench because she believes that a job has a season in one's life, and she wants to be part of shaping and advocating for various aspects of society, policies, politics, and culture. She believes that 15 years of her professional life is enough, and it’s time to move on and do other things, as everyone is in a lifecycle and should focus on what they aim to do while they are on the planet.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Shannon shares her experiences with professors at Harvard, including Martin Kilson, and J. Lorand Matory. Kilson was a government major who taught courses on city development, race, and ethnic groups. Matory, an anthropology professor, taught seminars on Afro Atlantic religions, which taught about non-Christian religions created during slavery. She believes these courses and information have stayed with her throughout her career.
Timestamps:
04:24 Career change and military training
14:17 Overcoming mental block in military swim qualification
19:47 Becoming a judge in Massachusetts
27:30 Judicial experience and safety concerns
31:48 Criminal justice system reform and addressing racial disparities
39:46 Police training and community relations
44:07 Judicial experience, identity, and advocacy
Links:
Website: www.frisonlawfirm.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/shannonfrison
Website: https://touch.npaper-wehaa.com/baystatebanner/read/content?content_id=4209621
Show Notes:
Anastasia Fernands has been practicing law since graduating from NYU. She started practicing in Boston at Hutchins, Wheeler and Dittmar, which was the oldest continuously running firm in Boston at the time. Anastasia has since moved to New York and now practices at Quinn Emanuel. Anastasia’s career primarily focuses on intellectual property litigation, particularly patent litigation since the mid to late 90s. At that time there were two schools of thought on patent litigation: technical people who understood technology and those who were litigators by trade. There was a shift for litigators who weren’t necessarily experts in technology to be more involved in patent litigation.
The Initial Stages of Patent Litigation
Patent litigation starts after someone has received a patent from the patent office. If the patent owner thinks someone is infringing, they might reach out in a friendly business manner, send a cease and desist letter, or immediately file a complaint. Litigation begins when a complaint is filed, and sometimes even a motion for preliminary injunction is filed to try to enjoin the competitor from selling the accused infringing product. Depending on the jurisdiction, there are local patent rules in many jurisdictions. Once the complaint is filed, there is an answer, a scheduling conference, and, in jurisdictions that have patent rules, a number of specific deadlines. The preliminary phase involves exchanging information about how to interpret the patent, exchange documents, take depositions, and have expert discovery where experts give their opinions on infringement and invalidity, as well as other issues.
Statutory Damages Limitation and Prosecution Latches
In patent litigation, damages are limited by statute to only six years before filing of the complaint. Prosecution latches is based on delay in patent prosecution. If a party continues to file follow on applications with the patent office, prosecution latches could kick in, if they get new claims 10-12-15 years into prosecution. [AF1]
A Discussion on High-profile Litigation Cases
Anastasia talks about her involvement in Samsung versus Apple and Apple vs. Samsung. Her role was to be a member of the team in various trials and appeals, and she was on the team from the beginning of the case through trial for one of the Northern District of California litigations. Anastasia also shares her experiences in pharmaceutical and biologics cases, highlighting the challenges of patent law. She discusses Section 101, which determines whether a patent claims patent-eligible subject matter. Invalidity can occur due to the nature of the subject matter, such as if something is naturally occurring or a law of nature. The bargain between the patent office and patentee is that the patentee must advance the art to obtain exclusive rights for their invention. A patent must provide adequate written description and sufficient information for a skilled person to recreate it. Anastasia reflects on her understanding of the world and how it has changed over the years as a patent litigator.
Misconceptions about the Patent System
Anastasia discusses the misconceptions people have about the patent system, particularly regarding the concept of patentable ideas. She explains that just because an idea is great doesn’t mean it meets all the requirements for statutory patentability. She discusses the difference between trademark, copyright, and patent, and the different types of intellectual property rights each covers. Anastasia cites the Supreme Court case of the Myriad, which revolved around a link between the BRCA gene and breast cancer. She also discusses the concept of section 101, which determines whether a subject matter is patentable. Section 101, concerning not patentable subject matter, has been a hot topic in law over the last 10-15 years. As advancements in science and the human genome continue to link specific genes to specific conditions, there is a tension between the remarkable advancements in identifying genes that correlate with specific conditions and the notion that a naturally occurring gene cannot be patented.
Patenting AI Generated Ideas
The conversation turns to the possibility of patenting an AI-generated idea using Chat via Chat GPT. They discuss the potential for a computer-assisted story to be copyrightable and the question of whether using technology to assist in idea formulation does not prevent patentability. They also discuss the possibility of independent AI agents submitting ideas to the patent office. Anastasia explains that patents currently have humans identified as inventors, and they discuss whether AI programs could also be considered as inventors.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Anastasia talks about why she chose to pursue a career in patent litigation and who influenced her decision. At Harvard, some of the courses that resonated with her include Shakespeare, The Early Plays, Eckehard Simon’s Medieval Court, and Michelangelo, and the tutor for her Sophomore History Tutorial, Rachelle Friedman.
Timestamps:
03:49 Patent litigation stages and latches
08:59 Patent law and litigation involving smartphones and pharmaceuticals
13:55 Patent law and its applications
21:21 Patentability of natural gene discoveries and AI-assisted inventions
26:43 Patent law and AI inventorship
32:15 Harvard experiences
Links:
https://www.quinnemanuel.com/attorneys/fernands-anastasia-m/
After Brett Janis left Harvard, he worked as a journalist in Southeast Asia and later attended Georgetown University's Masters of Science and Foreign Service program, which introduced him to the International Affairs world. After a stint in Egypt, Brett joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in 1995, where he focused on economic issues related to the Southeast Asia crisis, including issues related to banks and financial markets. He left the CIA just before 9/11, which was a critical moment in his life. He went back to Asia and started a business which dealt with finances for family offices.
Brett returned to the US in 2005 and went to Columbia Business School, where he managed money for a family office with an international focus. Since then, he has been doing finance and consulting, working for PWC, McKinsey and the Treasury Department under Obama's second term. Brett joined the Financial Stability Council as a senior analyst during a time of financial system regulation. He also reconnected with Tim Geithner, who was one of his first principals at the CIA. Brett currently runs a private Wealth Management Practice called Strong Bridge Advisors, LLC, based in San Francisco.
Working at the CIA
Brett talks about his interactions with Tim Geithner and Larry Summers, two influential figures in the Treasury. Geithner was part of the committee at Treasury, which focused on social stability and risks that had not yet been faced and not just economics. The remit at that time was to understand the impact of a banking sector crisis on smaller Asian economies. Brett had his most critical briefing with Larry Summers in 1998, where he brought valuable insights from his deep knowledge of Southeast Asia and Thailand. He believes that the role of an advisor is to bring insightful information, listen to other views, and he states that a lot of the quality policy decisions are made through authentic dialogue and respect for different perspectives. Brett goes on to explain why he was comfortable with the processes and structure of the role at that time.
Working at McKinsey vs. CIA
As a former associate partner, Brett compares the approach of the CIA to McKinsey, both with a reputation for intense cultures and intellectual horsepower. While the CIA dealt with serious issues, such as life-threatening issues, national security and social stability issues, Brett believes that both prioritize risk-awareness. He mentions that people at the CIA have more seniority and dedication to the issues they are passionate about because their sense of public duty to the government is higher than for employees at McKinsey. In conclusion, Brett's experiences with the CIA and McKinsey highlight the importance of maintaining strong relationships and being creative in risk-taking and decision-making.
Setting Up an Investment Advisory Practice
Brett discusses his decision to set up an investment advisory practice after becoming a CFA. He began managing money and private capacity for family office clients at Columbia Business School, working with people who were friends and retired from different government agencies and services. He completed a value investing program at Columbia and brought this skillset to his company. Brett felt that larger institutions often didn't provide the same attention to clients as they needed, and industry pressures were often not in clients’ best interests. His company, Strawbridge, cuts through this clutter and focuses on the investment process, serving the best interest of his clients. The practice provides skills in tech investment, good value investing, and understanding macroeconomics.
A View on Relationships
Relationships play a significant role in Brett’s career. Many former friends and associates have become clients. He enjoys building relationships with people who have helped him or who he respects and has maintained relationships through personal changes, geographic changes, and stress situations.
Brett believes that relationships are more important than what people are doing in their lives, and that it doesn't have to be business relationships. Trust is essential for managing assets and staying in touch with clients. He also enjoys staying in touch with people who share similar experiences.
The Impact of the Ukrainian War
Brett discusses the impact of the war on his family and his Ukrainian wife. The war has been a massive refugee issue; many families have been torn apart, they have faced issues in bomb shelters, suffered daily harassment, and medical care has been impaired leading to deaths that could have been avoidable. He is a huge supporter of Ukraine and hopes that people in the US will take action to continue their support.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Brett shares his experiences at Harvard, His major is in English literature and he also pursued a visual arts course, where he took oil painting and continues to do, he also took Mandarin Chinese which helped him pick up Thai, some Cantonese, and even a little Russian. continued to write and explore various writing techniques. Brett also mentions learning Thai while living in Southeast Asia, where he was trained by the CIA to be like an Uber Thai speaker.
Timestamps:
05:15 CIA experience, problem-solving approaches, and McKinsey
12:06 Investment philosophy and business practice
16:03 Relationships, career, and personal life
22:17 Ukraine, language learning, and personal experiences at Harvard
Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brettjanis/
Company Website: StrongBridgeAdvisors.com
Show Notes:
Richard Primus initially had no idea what he wanted to do professionally after graduation, but eventually realized that he wanted to be a professor with interests in both law and political theory. He took HW Perry's constitutional interpretation class and decided to pursue graduate school and political theory before going to law school.
Richard decided to study political theory at Oxford with the idea of becoming a law professor. He found his studies there focused on the abstract nature of political theory at the time, which required abstract questions about justice, liberty, and government. Richard wanted to ask questions about Hobbes's ideas and how he saw the world he lived in and the system in which he was operating, but this didn’t align with what his teachers at Oxford taught.
His time at Oxford made it clear that he belonged in America, and he was excited to return home and attend Yale Law School where he confirmed his decision to become a law professor.
His experience in England and Yale helped him understand the importance of being an American and the need for a diverse perspective on the world. He also learned about the challenges faced by students in law schools and the importance of a good professor in teaching.
Working in The Supreme Court
He spent four years in New Haven clerking for a federal judge and spent two years in Washington, DC, clerking for Justice Ginsburg at the US Supreme Court.
Richard discusses his frustration with the US Supreme Court and goes on to explain how a great law school teaches students. He also talks about his time as a clerk on the US Court of Appeals, and what he learned about processes and how cases are approached. He goes on to talk about his time at the US Supreme Court, which was more personality-driven and focused on technical cases. He found that these cases were satisfying because they weren't just about clashing ideologies. He later worked as a lawyer in DC before deciding to finally become a law professor. He was offered a position at the University of Michigan where he has taught for 23 years.
Behind the Scenes at The Supreme Court
Richard shares insights gained while working in The Supreme Court, which is often seen as the least lawful court in the federal system, which can distort our perception of courts and law. However, when functioning well, it has a different function: statesmanship rather than rule application, which is essential when dealing with difficult cases where ideologies play a role and there are no easy answers. It calls for the exercise of a different kind of judgment than is applied in other parts of the system. Trial judges must exercise judgment about witnesses' credibility, litigation progress, and governance, whereas Supreme Court Justices need to exercise judgment about governance and how it functions, and how it negotiates among the various aspects of the system that trade off against each other. A lot of this falls outside of the scope of rules that can be applied. Some justices may pretend this isn’t the case, but this is not a realistic understanding of what the court does or could do. Richard goes on to explain what he has been unhappy with in a lot of the recent work and direction of the court. He also talks about the right vs. left components of involvement, and how the steady shift right by judicial doctrine in most areas was largely masked from the general public.
A View on Federal Judges
Richard talks about why people become federal judges. They are often smart, good attorneys who could make more money as private practice people. They take pay cuts, often from private practice. People become federal judges partly because they like the idea of public service, partly because the work is interesting, and partly because they like prestige and power. One of the hazards of the job is spending their working life with people who defer to you, which can lead to losing perspective. Some of the best federal judges create structural ways to prevent themselves from losing perspective.
Constitutional Expectations
Richard discusses his favorite essay, "Constitutional Expectations," which he wrote 15 years ago after a minor crisis in American constitutional history. The incident involved President Obama taking the inaugural oath, but he and Chief Justice John Roberts got their signals crossed, resulting in Obama saying all the words in the presidential oath out of order. The next day, they restaged the oath one on one with the Chief Justice. However, the second time through, they still didn’t recite the oath exactly as it appears in the Constitution. This highlights the deep and important aspect of constitutional law, as it teaches us that people do not believe they have a constitutional obligation to adhere to the printed words in the text of the Constitution. Instead, it’s society's deeply developed expectations about how the system is supposed to work. The essay "Constitutional Expectations," explores the difference between the big C constitution and the smaller C constitution. Richard offers a few examples of interpretations from the big C constitution to small c constitution and norms that have developed.
Richard’s Book on The Constitution
Richard moves on to talk about his book that explores a central idea in constitutional law, which is that, state legislatures are legislatures of general jurisdiction, meaning they can make any law without affirmative prohibition from the federal government. However, Congress has a specific list of authorizations written into the Constitution called the enumerated powers of Congress. This understanding has been an orthodox part of American constitutional law since its inception.
Richard's book aims to show that many of the things we say about enumerated powers are not true, and that the system of federalism doesn't depend in any way on Congress. He believes that the text of the Constitution and the history of the Constitution do not fully explain the enumerated powers required by the Constitution. He goes on to explain the role of the Bill of Rights and the myths surrounding it, its function, and its place in history.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Richard shares his passion for teaching and the experiences he gained from his first year of college. He enjoyed taking various classes, including Greatest Hits, Sandell’s justice class, Stephen Jay Gould Science B16. He also enjoyed Seymour Slive’s Rembrandt class, and a European history class with Peter Baldwin. He mentions the Constitutional Interpretation class with W.H. Perry, and one of the teachers he appreciated was Judith Shklar in the Gov. department. Richard also mentioned his dual track in law school, where he learned from professors and implemented best practices in his own teaching. He learned from Carol Rose, a property professor, who taught the class critically, asking questions, and building conversate conversations with students. Richard learned the importance of communication, high expectations, and pushing students' success.
Timestamps:
05:11 Academic journey and approaches to political theory
09:30 Law school, clerkships, and judicial decision-making
15:01 The politicization of the Supreme Court and its unique workings
22:27 The role of judicial judgment in the Supreme Court
27:15 Why people become federal judges and research interests
31:19 Constitutional Expectations vs. Textual Interpretation
40:07 The origins of the US Constitution and Bill of Rights
46:36 Constitutional Interpretation and Historical Record
51:42 Teaching techniques and intellectual growth in law school
Links:
Website: https://michigan.law.umich.edu/faculty-and-scholarship/our-faculty/richard-primus
Show Notes:
After graduation, Chris Ball spent his summer working in Cambridge before returning to Columbus, Ohio, where he began graduate school in physics at The Ohio State University. He worked with Professor Frank DeLuca, a world-renowned researcher in microwave spectroscopy. Chris’ research focused on the microwave absorption of sulfur dioxide and its relationship to NASA's Microwave Limb Sounder instrument.
Studying Interstellar Bands
During his time at OSU, Chris collaborated with Professor Patrick Thaddeus from the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, who was looking to hire for a postdoc position. Chris moved back to Cambridge and worked in a lab in Somerville. He continued to do spectroscopy, but this time focused on long chains of carbon that don't occur naturally on Earth. These chains are unstable and are routinely observed in radio telescopes and optical telescopes. Chris and Thaddeus attempted to study the diffuse interstellar bands, which were optical features observed in telescope measurements that had never been explained over many years. They used laser spectroscopy to measure these bands and try to determine if any exotic carbon chains were responsible for them. Unfortunately, none of the exotic carbon chains were found, but the experience was rewarding.
The Intersection of Science and Engineering
After their first child was born, Chris and his family decided to move back to Columbus, Ohio, where he was offered a position at Battelle where his career began to focus on the intersection of science and engineering, specifically on developing sensor technologies and communications technologies. He worked on defense and security applications, such as detecting chemical and biological weapons, explosives, and narcotics. He also worked on pollution monitoring systems and handheld sensor technologies. Around 2015, Chris became disenchanted with Batel's strategic direction and started looking for alternatives. He found a similar job at Ohio State University's ElectroScience Laboratory, which focused on radar and communication systems. He left Batel, which coincided with his marriage falling apart. He moved offices, moved to an apartment, and started a consulting business.
Working on the CubeSat Satellite at NASA
Chris continued to focus on sensor and communication systems development. He was involved in a NASA program that built a CubeSat satellite, which was launched in 2018 from Wallops Island, Virginia, on a resupply mission to the International Space Station. The satellite went into orbit in July 2018. Chris discusses his exciting work in space, including developing sensors to detect toxic gasses and developing handheld infrared sensors for food and agricultural products. He is also working on an x-ray communication system, which uses X-rays as a carrier for wireless communications in space. In parallel with his work, he has a consulting company and has also discovered the joy of improv comedy, which he has been practicing for several months and now is part of an improv group called The Bunsen Burnouts.
Interstellar Clouds and Molecules
The discussion turns to interstellar clouds, and Chris explains what they are. There are many fundamental studies about the dynamics of molecules inside interstellar clouds and how they exist and might turn into stars in some regions. He also touches on the rotation of molecules, which is a fundamental discovery of quantum mechanics, and explains that, the transitions between rotational states in molecules are typically in the infrared part of the spectrum, while electronic transitions occur in the visible and ultraviolet part. However, molecules can also have bound atoms rotating, with quantized angular momentum and transitions corresponding to microwave frequencies.
X ray Communications Research
Chris talks about one of the projects he is proud of, X rays and the concept of wireless communications, which involve modulating a carrier frequency to transmit information. He explains that the idea of using X rays as a carrier and modulating them in some way came from discussions with NASA. NASA had a problem communicating with spacecraft during blackout periods when they enter the Earth's atmosphere. They developed a small X ray source that can be switched on and off quickly, allowing for about a gigahertz of bandwidth. This is better than current spaceborne optical systems, which can only transmit about a gigabyte of information per second. The team licensed this technology from NASA and applied its principles to X rays. X rays have significantly smaller wavelengths than optical systems, so they can propagate them much farther than optical systems. This could be advantageous for high data rate systems that can talk to Mars, as it would allow for interplanetary communication. Chris goes on to explain their process of research, feasibility of concepts, and demonstrating applicability.
Detecting Drugs and Toxic Chemicals
Chris has developed detectors for detecting drugs and toxic chemicals at extremely low concentrations and explains how these work. These detectors use microwave spectroscopy principles to measure gasses like formaldehyde in a low-pressure environment. The spectroscopic lines, which are sharp Gaussian distributions, are used to distinguish different gasses from each other and uniquely identify them. They achieve high sensitivity by making the lines taller and larger, and can be used in multipass configurations where the microwave beam passes through multiple times. This allows you to discriminate different gasses from each other and uniquely identify them like a fingerprint.
Chris talks about a collaboration with his PhD advisor at Ohio State that led to the development of a mission adaptable chemical sensor funded by the Department of Defense. This sensor sucked in air and measured hundreds of different chemicals apart in a relatively short time. However, the technology is expensive due to the millimeter wave frequencies used in the microwave part of the system. The best available technologies cost around $60,000 for a transmitter and $50,000 for a receiver. This means that a $100,000 instrument is needed to buy the transmitter and receiver, along with all the electronics and pumps.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Chris discusses their experiences at Harvard, focusing on the core curriculum courses and expository writing as the most valuable course he took. His advisor encouraged him to write a NASA fellowship proposal, which was well-written due to their expository writing skills. This experience has made him more valuable in various jobs, including red team reviews and proposal reviews for NASA and other funding agencies.
He also shares their experiences with math 22 and physics courses, and he mentions working at the high energy physics lab during their junior year and senior year, which was a valuable experience as they helped build a prototype muon detector system and perform measurements.
Chris took advantage of opportunities to get involved with research while at Harvard, working at the high energy physics lab during the summer before his junior year and after his senior year. This experience allowed him to learn a lot about the science of expository writing and how to write effectively in academic settings.
Timestamps:
01:03 Career path after Harvard graduation with a focus on physics research
06:04 Career progression from postdoc to industry to academia
10:39 Career changes, space research, and improv comedy
18:58 Interstellar clouds and molecular rotation
22:57 Wireless communication technologies and innovations
27:02 Using X-rays for high-speed communication in space
33:39 Developing infrared detectors for space applications with a focus on sensitivity and accuracy
39:16 Chemical sensing technology and its applications
45:36 Writing tips and research experiences at Harvard
Links:
ElectroScience Laboratory: https://electroscience.osu.edu/
Page at OSU: https://electroscience.osu.edu/people/ball.51
Email address: ballc92@gmail.com
Show Notes:
Tom Hughes initially planned to pursue an MD, PhD, and work on multiple sclerosis, but decided against it due to his poor chemistry skills. Instead, he focused on being an English professor, inspired by his father, who had been an English professor.
During his senior year, his brother joined him and encouraged him to pursue his passion for acting. Tom auditioned for two of his favorite plays, The Lion in Winter and The Foreigner, and was cast in both of them. This was a rare moment in life where everything fell in his direction, and he was cast in all of the shows he auditioned for.
He then decided to focus on his English major and thesis work.
Tom recounts his journey from being a singer in The Pudding to auditioning for a production of Dangerous Liaisons. He was inspired by his love for theater and the Utah Shakespeare Festival, which he had attended every year with his family. After graduation, he moved to New York and started working off Broadway. He auditioned for Harvard's ART Institute and moved back to Cambridge. In between these years, he met a woman, got engaged and married. They moved back to New York, and Tom continued auditioning and getting small film gigs. He went back to Columbia for a master's degree in organizational organizational psychology, which eventually led to a position at Booz Allen consulting firm. Tom moved on and worked for Duke corporate education for seven years before moving to the Carlsbad California office. They stayed there for another three years before being laid off during a downsizing. This led to establishing his own business, he partnered with another friend and colleague to form a small consulting firm, and this is their 11th year working for themselves.
A Conversation about a Theatrical Background
Tom discusses his avocation in the theater, mentioning his father's audiobook recording as a fun outlet. He directed one show and a radio show version of It's a Wonderful Life, but he found this was not for him and decided to stay with acting. Tom’s wife is actively involved with the theater, and Tom talks about how she worked on a show during COVID-19 restrictions; this led to a part for Tom which led to directing a radio show.
Tom finds the theater experience enjoyable and has worked with amazing people and talented people in the community. He believes that the experience should be about the show rather than the social aspect.
Community Theater vs. Professional Theater
Tom talks about the difference between community theater and professional theater which are two distinct aspects of the arts. Community theater is about the community, where friends perform for the benefit of the community, rather than aiming to become Hollywood stars. Professional theaters are more prepared, have worked before, and have more rehearsal time. They come with a different tool set, such as singers, actors, and professionals who know their craft. In community theaters, people often don't even write down their blocking notes, which can be frustrating for those who don't have the time to practice. Professional theaters have a dedicated team, preparing and working on their craft, and have more time for rehearsal. They also have a better tool set, such as experts in their craft.
Mental Models and Acting
Tom discusses his mental models and how his way of thinking changed from a junior in college to pursuing theater professionally. He shares two key lessons: the importance of listening and being present for others, which is crucial for success in the industry. He shares a conversation with a colleague about a famous breakup in Hollywood and how it can be difficult to stay faithful without falling in love when playing an intensely romantic role with an attractive actor.
He also shares a lesson from a classmate, Glenn Kessler, who taught him that no way of working is always right. There is no style, approach, or version of oneself that will be right everywhere. Being a professional means doing what the job calls for, and it is freeing to feel like an asset and get rewarded for it.
Acting Coach and Consultant
Tom talks about his work as an acting coach and developing listening skills. In group settings, such as meetings, online learning, and virtual meetings, listening is crucial for effective communication. However, many people are not paying attention to others, leading to unsatisfying experiences and hindering learning. In coaching, listening and reflecting are essential for helping individuals think through their thoughts. Practicing listening and turning off the "I'm planning my response mechanism" can help create a more authentic and engaging interaction with the audience. By practicing and hearing people, one can create a more authentic and memorable experience for both the actor and the audience.
Tom started his consulting practice with a partner, Jared Blake, a Harvard EDD. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he and Blake started working independently, but later reconnected and decided to work together. They formed an entity and started marketing together, serving well-known brands like Nike. They both teach for various schools, including corporate education and the Texas A&M Executive Education program. They also provide individual coaching and advisory work on leadership development and coaching for clients.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Tom shares his experiences with courses and professors that have shaped his life. He mentions his experience in an organic chemistry course, where he was told that it probably wasn’t for him. He also took a class from Joe Harris on Norse mythology. He was also accepted into a graduate seminar with Barbara Lewalski, who was a brilliant and challenging professor. Tom also talks about his experience working in law as an undergraduate, and why he decided this path was not for him after working on a murder case.
Timestamps:
02:31 Acting career and personal life
09:49 Career transitions and theater involvement
15:29 Professional vs. community theater experiences
21:04 Acting techniques and personal growth
26:32 Active listening and its importance in professional settings
31:45 Career transition and leadership development with a Harvard MBA
35:45 Academic experiences and career choices
41:28 Legal system, theater, and personal experiences
Links:
Website: www.appianleadership.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-hughes-5955a7/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/appian_leadership/
Utah Shakespeare Festival: https://www.bard.org/
Show Notes:
Candy Gunther Brown, professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University and co-founder of the Global Medical Research Institute, discusses empirical research on prayer for healing, her own miracle story, and yoga in public schools. Candy has held her current position since 2006. She has been studying mostly Christianity in the United States and globally since 2006, however, her specific focus on healing practices has led to including world religions in her studies. She initially focused on the history of Christianity, but later realized that much of the growth of Christianity was in areas of Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity, where people pray for God to heal them when they are sick. This led her to explore questions about modern medicine's effects on praying for healing, particularly in contemporary practices.
Clinical Studies on the Healing Effects of Prayer
Candy has conducted field work in Mozambique and Brazil, working with medical doctors and researchers to develop clinical studies on the effects of prayer, and has published significant findings in peer reviewed medical journals. Dialogue with patients led Candy to explore the world of complementary and alternative medicine, which has become more mainstream medically than some of the prayer practices. Her research has taken on different emphases over the years, including being an expert witness in court cases over yoga in public education. One of the best courses she took at Harvard was constitutional law, which helped her consider constitutional issues involved with yoga and meditation in public schools from a legal perspective.
A Personal Experience with Healing through Prayer
Candy's personal journey also led to new academic and personal questions, as she met someone she met while at Harvard during graduate school and had new experiences that opened up new academic and personal questions. The Global Medical Research Institute (GMRI) was founded by Carol and her husband Josh, a brain scientist at Washington University in St. Louis. After Josh's untreatable terminal brain tumor was diagnosed, they began investigating the power of prayer for healing. They found that prayer can lead to significant improvements in various aspects of life, including hearing, vision, and emotional well-being. When Josh recovered, they decided this was an area that should be studied more consistently and in more depth, so they founded the GMRI.
Healing through Prayer and the Placebo Effect
Candy discusses the comparison of healing through prayer and the placebo effect, which is limited in its impact; it often sees a reduction in pain but does not provide significant changes in organic conditions. She shares the results of studies on healing through prayer, and how proximal intercessory prayer, or proximal intercession, has been shown to result in substantial improvements. For example, a subject in Mozambique was able to read fine print on an eye chart after five minutes of prayer. This is a much larger improvement than most placebo effects or related mind-body effects. Scientific research shows that people are convinced that they are healed through prayer to such a degree that it has been a major factor in the growth of Pentecostal and charismatic Christian movements worldwide. This belief has been a major factor in the growth of these movements, with approximately 635 million Pentecostals and charismatics globally, and around 2.4 billion Christians.
Research on Intercessory Prayer
Candy talks about research that took place in Mozambique where they were conducting studies on distant intercessory prayer. She discusses the difficulties they encountered and surprising results when conducting studies with people from different branches of christianity. In one study, researchers prospectively recruited every individual who was brought up in communities with little technological connection. They tested them with equipment and recorded all results before and after prayer, regardless of whether they reported improvements or not. The effect had to be large enough and common enough to find an actual statistical difference. The study found statistically significant improvements in those who received prayer. Cindy goes on to explain that prayer is a growing force in areas with limited access to medical care and basic necessities. She mentions research that was conducted in collaboration with 17 other scholars in Pentecostal movements worldwide. The findings suggest that healing and deliverance practices are the driving growth edge for these movements, as people in need of medical care and food security often lack the resources and support they typically receive. This finding underscores the importance of further research in this area.
A Personal View on Proximal Prayer Healing
Candy discusses the impact of proximal prayer on healing. She has been researching this topic for 20 years and has come across cases of fraud and falsification, however, she believes that these cases are less common than people think. She also mentions cases where people believe they got healed through prayer but also have other factors that caused them to recover, such as self-limiting conditions or mobility issues. She allows people to evaluate the data from the studies for themselves and acknowledges that some cases are hard to come up with a medical explanation for what took place, and she shares a few stories of healing, including a blind woman whose sight was restored. One studies she cites states that 73% of U.S. doctors believed that miracle healing had taken place.
Alternative Medical Practices and Constitutional Implications
One of Candy's research projects focused on alternative medical practices and constitutional implications. She was asked to evaluate the legal challenge over yoga in a public school district in San Diego, California. The yoga program was promoted by a Hindu guru who believed yoga was becoming one with God. However, parents, including Christian, Hindu, and atheist parents, were concerned about the teachings and wanted a secular education for their children. Candy's book explores the global cross fertilization of yoga programs, from India to the United States. Candy shares results from various studies on yoga or mindfulness practices.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Candy shares her fond memories of her time as a professor, including being invited to a professor's house for dinner, attending a core curriculum class, and working with Owen Gingrich, a professor with a Mennonite background. These personal connections have been significant in her career, as she has been invited to his house for dinner parties and conducted research for him while traveling in the Philippines. Other memorable experiences include studying Latin 3, listening to Marjorie Garber's Shakespeare lessons, learning about Michelangelo, and writing a senior thesis. She also had significant experiences through Phillips Brooks House, particularly working with the refugee youth summer enrichment program (RISE) and the Harvard Radcliffe Christian fellowship.
Timestamps:
05:19 The power of prayer in healing with a neuroscientist and religion professor
10:44 The effectiveness of prayer for healing
16:07 Clinical trials and prayer with a focus on ecological validity
23:26 Healing and spiritual practices in Pentecostal movements
28:10 Healing and divine intervention through prayer
32:08 Yoga in public schools and belief in miracles
36:56 Secularization of yoga programs and their impact on mental health
Links:
Website: https://www.globalmri.org/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Debating-Yoga-Mindfulness-Public-Schools/dp/1469648482
Article: huffingtonpost.com/candy-gunther-brown-phd
Article: psychologytoday.com/blog/testing-prayer
CONTACT
University: https://religiousstudies.indiana.edu/about/faculty/brown-candy.html
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candy-gunther-brown-a28a3232/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/candygbrown
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Candy-Gunther-Brown/100063617970195/
In this episode of The 92 Report, Peter Kang attended medical school in Philadelphia where he had a wonderful experience at the University of Pennsylvania, learning about different fields and cultures, and making friends. One pivotal moment in medical school was during a physician patient relationship course led by a thoughtful psychiatrist who reminded him that it’s a routine experience for the doctors, but it could be one of the most pivotal moments in the patient’s life, and they can remember everything about their encounters, which has been helpful to him throughout his career.
A Career in Pediatric Neurology
Peter chose pediatric neurology as his field of study, completing most of his training in Philadelphia and New Haven. He spent over a decade in Boston, where he gained valuable exposure to both the Boston area and New England. His mentorship from a well-known geneticist, Luke Konkel, helped fill a crucial gap in his career as a physician scientist. This experience gave him a strong background in genetics and has been useful to him up to this day.
Peter's research interests include rare diseases. In his clinic work, he deals with these patients daily, as they might be one of only a few dozen people in the United States with that particular diagnosis. The challenge is finding enough patients to prove that a treatment works or an idea about the disease is valid. Peter also runs a research laboratory and spends much of his time supervising the lab. However, he finds it both interesting and useful to be able to connect his work in the lab with his work in the clinic.
Genomics Research and Genetic Diseases
Peter discusses his experience running a research lab and how it has evolved over the years. He started his independent research laboratory in Boston and later moved to Florida in 2013. He learned about running a lab from his mentor, which involved a lot of subtleties and was a lot like running a small business in terms of financing, grant applications, and hiring and managing personnel etc. The lab's focus is on genomics research, which helps identify patients with genetic diseases that don't have clear diagnoses. He explains some of the difficulties they run into and how they approach mystery diagnosis.Peter is currently a professor at the University of Minnesota, where his lab is based. He moved to Minnesota during the COVID pandemic. He and his wife were initially excited about moving to Minnesota.The move was motivated by the opportunity to work with a renowned muscular dystrophy center at the University of Minnesota, which had a unique focus on the condition.
Finding Solutions to Mystery Diagnosis
Peter's lab has been working on finding solutions to mystery diagnosis in genetic testing, which has been a focus for over a decade. He believes that genetic testing can help solve these mysteries and is working towards a more accurate understanding of genetic diseases. Peter discusses the challenges of treating rare neurological diseases, particularly in children. He highlights two types of diseases that have been challenging to diagnose and treat: muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a childhood disease, with milder forms starting in adulthood. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a well-known example, with patients often experiencing difficulty walking and falling as they grow older. Genetic testing has become more effective in diagnosing these diseases, but there are still shortened life expectancies and increased dependence on others for activities. Spinal muscular atrophy is another type of disease that is not technically classified as muscular dystrophy but is also seen in neuromuscular specialists. The most severe form of this disease was typically fatal by the age of two years due to motor neuron loss in the spinal cord. However, in 2016, the first FDA treatment for spinal muscular atrophy was approved, which has helped children to walk normally and avoid ventilators.
Screening Programs and Metabolic Disorders
Peter talks about the newborn screening programs that have been around for several decades, with each state offering slightly different panels of tests. The original screening tests focused on metabolic disorders, which could be treated by eliminating certain nutrients from the baby's diet. Newborn screening has evolved to include spinal muscular atrophy and genetically based tests. Some metabolic disorder diseases have been cured now, with some being cured through diet changes and new therapies being developed. However, Peter highlights the fact that the exact cure depends on how the word "cure" is applied, which is a topic of discussion among inpatient communities. Overall, he emphasizes the importance of early detection and treatment for rare neurological diseases to improve outcomes and overall health.
Peter discusses his experiences dealing with pediatric patients and how he is constantly developing his interaction skills. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the patient's perspective and avoiding taking sides. He also shares his experience of dealing with multiple people in the room, including parents and spouses, and how to navigate these conversations effectively.
Challenges in Pediatric Medicine
One challenge in pediatric medicine is dealing with multiple people, and sometimes there may be a difference of opinion between the child and their parent. To address this, he suggests documenting both sides of the medical record and discussing the perspectives of both parties. When discussing a child with muscular dystrophy, he advises communicating the diagnosis to the parents and the child, considering their age and preferences. He also advises being candid about the prognosis and focusing on the positives. He does not spontaneously discuss life expectancy during clinic visits due to its unpredictable nature and the hope that new therapies will come online for these patients.
Advances in Biotechnology
Peter talks about advancements in biotechnology. In the past few years, there has been an inflection point in biotech with advancements like RNAi, Moderna, and other technologies. There is an incredible array of technologies available that were not available in the past, such as small molecules, gene therapies, stem cells, and proteins. The interaction between academia and the biotech industry has become more collaborative, and there is a better understanding that they are working towards the same goals. Peter states that, in the future, there will be more genetic or molecular solutions specific to certain targets for treating both rare and common diseases. This specificity will continue to grow, and there will be ways to accelerate the pace of developing tailored treatments.
Harvard Courses and Professors on Influence
Peter mentions two gratifying courses that still resonate with him today. One was Philosophy 168, taught by John Rawls, which helped him understand Kant's ethical theory and how to see things from a different perspective. Another course was Expository Writing 52, taught by Richard Marius, who showed him how powerful writing could be and how words can influence people's behavior. Peter believes these courses have helped him develop confidence in his writing abilities and have prepared him for the challenges of personalized medicine in the coming decades. He is looking forward to the developments in the biotech sector and the potential for personalized medicine to become more of a reality. He recalls a conversation with Richard Marius, who encouraged him to bring the story to life and that it's okay to write about one's family. He also discusses how his education as a philosopher major has helped him with thinking and analysis, and achieving clarity around a particular issue or ethical dilemma. He uses this knowledge to resolve complex issues and helps patients make informed decisions about therapy options.
On a global scale, Peter addresses the resource allocation for Rare Disease Research, which is a thorny problem due to limited resources. He believes that it's crucial to not let individuals with rare diseases be left behind, as they often feel isolated and struggle to find others who understand their condition.
Timestamps:
04:20 Rare disease research and clinical practice
08:52 Running a research lab, genomics research, and mystery diagnoses
14:03 Muscular dystrophy diagnosis and treatment
20:00 Treating and curing neuromuscular diseases in children
28:26 Communicating with children about serious illnesses
32:57 Rare disease diagnosis and potential treatments
38:13 Personalized medicine, gene editing, and philosophy
43:00 Writing skills, ethical dilemmas, and rare diseases
CONTACT:
https://med.umn.edu/bio/peter-b-kang
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pbkang
pbkang@post.harvard.edu
Genève Allison, an attending physician in infectious diseases, shares her journey since graduating from Harvard. She took a leave of absence from work in 2023, which was not something she would have predicted but turned out to be one of the best things she's done. Her journey began with working in a research lab and meeting physicians, leading her to pursue medicine as a career. She went to the University of Massachusetts Medical School and completed a residency in infectious diseases before returning to Boston to pursue infectious diseases at Tufts.
Methods of Recovering from Burnout
During the pandemic, Genève experienced burnout and emotional exhaustion. She sought support from her primary care doctor, who helped her get a medical leave for three months. This allowed her to heal from the trauma and work on toxic habits that can lead to burnout. She believes that we don't talk enough about taking care of ourselves in society, and she wants to share her experience on the 92 Report to inspire others to reach out for help.
Genève's leave of absence was a time for her to try everything, including therapy, journaling, and writing exposure therapy. She used specific therapy notebooks to process traumatic events and write about them in detail, which helped her dissipate the stress and improve her mental health. She also participated in a pottery class, which was enjoyable and allowed her to get out of her perfectionistic stressful mindset. Genève talks about the fundamental need to make things with our hands, such as building a shed, baking, knitting, gardening, and pottery. During the pandemic, baking became a major concern, and people talked about sourdough as a solution. The conversation also touches on the importance of taking time off from work to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as playing the flute or attending therapy sessions.
A Physician’s Personal Experiences during the Pandemic
The conversation shifts to her personal experiences during the pandemic. She felt scared that she didn't care enough to be a doctor, which led her to take time off. However, she found that her caring barometer was off, and she realized that she had to care for patients and their well-being. She talks about experience as an infectious disease specialist during the pandemic. She describes the surreal and bizarre situation of being the only person on her train to go to work, especially in the pediatrics where the inpatient pediatrics floor was converted into an adult Intensive Care Unit due to the need for ventilators. Genève shares her experiences with fighting with elderly chaplains who would enter patients rooms with COVID, despite not having vaccines yet. The suffering experienced by patients dying of COVID was beyond what the physician was prepared for. Patients were not allowed to have families present at their bedside, and nurses were at their bedside when they were dying. This was unimaginably painful for both the patient and their family. The emotional labor that comes with being present at a loved one's death is also difficult to witness.
Factors Leading to Burnout
Genève explains that a mix of things led to her burnout, including perfectionism, type A behaviors, and restlessness. The pandemic magnified these issues, as the work was never going to be done, and recommendations were constantly changing. She realized that she needed to take care of herself and figure out fixed beliefs that she couldn't prioritize. This led to therapy and the realization that she needed to prioritize herself over her work. She discusses how her approach to work has changed over the years. She now takes secondary prevention, such as avoiding smoking, exercising, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She now focuses on self-care and taking care of her mental health, which has helped her avoid burnout in the future. Genève uses an analogy of a heart attack, where people talk about secondary prevention because they don't want another heart attack.
Healing from Burnout
Genève talks about her skepticism about their energetic capacity and their decision to say no more often. She mentions that she has said no to various activities, such as being part of a research committee or helping a research group. She also mentions that being tired is not a character flaw but a human emotion. She talks about acupuncture and that some studies suggest it has no scientific impact, but the placebo effect may play a role. She acknowledges that there is a lot of literature on the meridians used in acupuncture and the physiological correlates of these effects. During her training in California, she became best friends with a physician who had trained in both allopathic medicine and acupuncture and herbs. They worked together on a residency and have since worked with a group where she does acupuncture for patients undergoing chemotherapy to alleviate side effects. Her motivation for doing acupuncture was due to physical symptoms of burnout, such as migraines, dizziness, and neck pain from stress. She experienced an immediate improvement in their well-being after receiving needles in their legs, which she continues to maintain.
The Field of Infectious Disease
Genève talks about why she was interested in the Infectious disease field. She mentions that it is a fascinating field that involves solving puzzles and figuring things out when others cannot. It's a satisfying field where doctors can make diagnoses, create treatment plans, and see people get better.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Genève shares her experiences with mentorship and support from Carl Liam, a professor of biology and an IQ theologist. His mentorship and belief in him made a huge difference during their sophomore year, helping her become better mentors and learn that stumbles are normal parts of life. She emphasizes the importance of seeking help for medical professionals, as many doctors commit suicide every day due to fear of losing their licenses.
Links:
https://www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org/PhysicianDirectory/Geneve-Allison.aspx
https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/resources/the-body-keeps-the-score
https://www.medscape.com/sites/public/lifestyle/2023
https://shop.therapynotebooks.com/products/after-trauma-notebook?gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm66pBhDQARIsALIR2zAqJRHjPOAmEqoK44NVYKpdCGYch0GbFgWxQiLrq-yB5UVcRQHaGDkaAgepEALw_wcB&tw_adid=599080069633&tw_campaign=16508759695&tw_source=google
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_and_Medical_Leave_Act_of_1993
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy
https://www.acgme.org/globalassets/PDFs/ten-facts-about-physician-suicide.pdf
https://drlornabreen.org/
https://iwgdfguidelines.org/allison/
Alex Choi has been involved in various professional pursuits since graduating. He joined a consulting company and worked as a research associate before moving back home to Indiana to pursue medical school. Alex obtained a master's in biology and physiology to secure admission to Indiana University School of Medicine. He met his wife in the second year of med school and they have two children. After medical school, Choi joined a private practice in Indianapolis, where he became the managing partner and president of the Anesthesia Consultants of Indianapolis. Alex also received a master's in public health and policy management, which helped him become more involved in public policy issues. He was the physician leader for the division at IU Health until last year when he stepped down to go into pre-retirement.
Alex left IU Health and joined another surgery center practice and was asked to be the Indiana Medical Director for the organization. He has been involved in various organizations, including the national society and state societies of organized medicine. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder over a decade ago and has since recovered from it. This inspired Alex to partner with people who formed the Zionsville Alliance for Mental Wellness Exam, a nonprofit that helps people navigate the mental health network system. He talks about his experiences in police and has been involved in public policy, working on the transition team for governors and serving on the Zionsville Town Council. However, he decided not to run for reelection to focus on his family and watch his children grow up.
Misconceptions about Bipolar Disorder
Alex discusses the challenges and misconceptions about bipolar disorder, a mental health issue that is a spectrum. He emphasizes the importance of not stigmatizing anyone with bipolar disorder or any mental health issues. Alex shares his own experiences with rapidly cycling episodes of mania and depression, which can last months, weeks, or months. He emphasizes the need for support networks and the importance of understanding that bipolar disorder is a chronic illness that can be overcome with the right therapy, support, and medications. He has been open about his journey and has used his town council status to put messages out about mental health treatment for mental health disorders. His openness has encouraged others to seek help.
A Governor’s Role in Healthcare
Alex has also worked on the healthcare transition team for two different governors and a new mayor. In the governors' case, he helped determine healthcare priorities for the state, discussing data and determining priorities. He had a one-sheet agenda and an open forum for discussing these topics. In the mayor's role, he became involved in the town's finances, overseeing the town's finances and overseeing the city's budget.
The governor oversees the Department of Health and public health systems, which are interconnected and heavily influenced by Medicaid. In Indiana, the Medicaid system is administered by the governor's office through the Family and Social Services Administration, providing a safety net for those suffering from chronic illnesses or those unable to afford health care due to income or special status. As an unpaid lobbyist, Alex was involved in lobbying state representatives and advocating for better health care in Indiana. He ran for a state representative in a caucus election in 2015. Alex talks about why he wanted to be a state legislator and his efforts in that area, including pushing for the licensure of anesthesiologist assistants, a group of advanced providers, and establishing a program that graduates 24 anesthesiologist assistants annually to address shortages and anesthesia in the state. He talks about medical liability insurance in Indiana, and lobbying from the Trial Lawyers Association which led to increased limits on liability insurance costs. Despite these challenges, Alex believes that the state has made progress in improving healthcare policies and addressing the challenges faced by physicians and patients in Indiana.
Expanding the Potential of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
Alex discusses the potential of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to perform additional procedures that current regulations prohibit. He acknowledges that these areas vary from state to state, and medical schools and residencies must adhere to strict guidelines. However, he believes that there is higher variability in what is taught in medical schools and residencies, which can lead to a lack of qualified clinicians. He believes that medical schools and residencies will continue to train physicians to more complex procedures and specialties, leading to a shortage of doctors for certain procedures or patient types. As a result, physicians will need to push towards greater involvement from nurses and physician assistants but also ensure proper oversight.
Running a Political Campaign
Alex talks about what he learned when running a campaign, which involves getting people to believe in oneself and their views. He found it challenging to run for office due to his full-time job and campaigning, but also appreciated the support of his family and friends. During his campaign, he faced opposition from the General Assembly, which passed one of the harshest anti-abortion laws after the DODDS decision. He had to navigate the public reaction and find a balance between advocating for pro-choice and expressing different views within a party.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Alex shares his personal and professional experiences with several courses and professors. He attended a church near his freshman year and was an usher. While there, he found the sermons of Professor Gomes helpful and realized the importance of his involvement in student lives.
Timestamps:
04:46 Bipolar disorder, treatment, and advocacy
12:14 Mental health treatment and government policy
18:52 Healthcare policy and legislation in Indiana
31:34 Medical professional scope of practice and campaign lessons learned
39:03 Mental health, politics, and career with former Indiana state senate candidate
Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aschoi/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexander-choi-a4005b47/
CONTACT:
Email:alexander_choi@yahoo.com
Rachel Berg Belin shares the journey of her career which has been inspired Inspired by the recognition that young people are underestimated in the value they can offer to communities and politics. Rachel has focused on creating spaces for young people to play a more meaningful role in schools and public life. Rachel's journey with youth and politics began with her involvement with the radio at the Institute of Politics and Phillips Brooks House, and producing a radio show called Kid Company. She has also worked with youth journalism venture Cultural Express in Massachusetts. She trained young people in the Boston area to be reporters on serious issues, interviewing people from all walks of life, including Supreme Court justices, the President of the U.S., local activists, and marginalized individuals. Rachel also moved around and led a media literacy nonprofit called Youth Voice Collaborative.
She moved to Rochester, New York, where she got her master's in teaching and curriculum. She was teaching high school but felt frustrated in the classroom which felt mostly like an autocracy and wanted to do something outside of the classroom that was more in the vein of guerilla social studies. She worked with a program called Prichard Committee, which aimed to mobilize citizens to improve public education. She believed young people were a missing piece of this puzzle. Rachel's journey has been a rebellion against underestimation of the capacity of young people to contribute to our communities and affirmation of what is possible when we support young people to co-design our communities and do democracy with us. She believes that young people can be empowered and have a voice in democratic life when supported by adults and young people and established The Student Voice Team in Kentucky where young people are involved in shaping and forming education in schools, creating more just and democratic schools.
Youth Leading and Designing Education Research
The Student Voice Team has conducted over 16 original education studies over the last 11 years. They have conducted qualitative and quantitative studies of the extent to which their schools are safe, inclusive, and engaging, with the support of students, teachers, and families. The team has surveyed and interviewed thousands of students in diverse schools across the state, using data to write opinion pieces and columns that lift student voice on issues such as student mental health, safety, and policy. Two statewide studies have been conducted, each generating over 11,000 student responses from nearly every Kentucky County. These studies have had a significant impact on raising student voice on serious issues, such as the impacts of COVID on learning from home and the ineffectiveness of online learning for the vast majority of students. Another study focused on classroom conversations about race and racism in Kentucky during the height of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) debates. Over 11,000 students responded from nearly every Kentucky County, and the majority of students felt that their schools were not doing nearly enough to confront racism. The team presented their findings and recommendations to the State Board of Education and held a pop-up press conference on the Capitol steps to share their data and serve as a counter narrative to what older people were saying they needed in their schools. In conclusion, the Student Voice Team's strategies for creating more justice in democratic Kentucky schools involve young people leading and designing education research, policy, and storytelling.
Navigating Intergenerational Dynamics
The research is a youth-led, intergenerationally sustained organization that focuses on navigating intergenerational dynamics and creating space for young people to participate in decision-making processes. The organization is a reflection organization, allowing young people to contribute to the research process and guiding them in the analysis of data and messaging to the public. Adult partners, such as University of Kentucky researchers, are also involved in the research process. The organization's mission is to target an intergenerational audience and ensure equity in its ranks. They conduct research, influence policy, inform decision-makers, and develop storytelling skills. Students participate in media events, press conferences, testifying before legislatures, and writing their own pieces. They also train students in journalism to cover Kentucky Education news and provide commentary, and they have an independent news platform, The New Edu where students report on Kentucky education news, provide commentary, and produce.
Funding of the Organization
The organization has raised funding from various sources, including the Walton Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg and Bezos Foundation, and smaller funders in Kentucky. This has allowed the organization to pay young people fairly for their work and support those with greater economic needs. The fundraising and development process is unique because there is no gatekeeper for the work, and young people are often involved in developing proposals, and building relationships with funders, and reporting on successes and identifying metrics used to measure successes. The organization has a team of about 25 students from all over the state participating in their journalism training track. A young author and journalist, Rainsford Stouffer, leads some of the training and teaching of storytelling and journalism foundations. The goal is to fill the vacuum in Kentucky's education journalism by supporting young people to analyze and follow education news and report it to an intergenerational audience.
Youth Empowerment and Agency
Rachel discusses her recent learnings and thoughts on young people's empowerment and agency. She believes that democracy is more than ever a faith, and as an older person, she has to model faith rather than cynicism in democracy. She believes that young people have tools and self-awareness that we need to value as a broader intergenerational community. Rachel also mentions the Future Coalition, which is a group of young people leading the way around education justice.
Influential Harvard Professors and Courses
Rachel shares her experiences at Harvard, particularly the core classes and professors who had a significant impact on her career. She loved the core courses like Justice, Evolutionary Biology, and 17th-century Dutch art experience. She mentions professors Michael Sandel, Simon Schama, and Stephen Jay Gould. In conclusion, Rachel emphasizes the importance of empowering young people and fostering a broader intergenerational community. She encourages listeners to connect with other students and organizations interested in this work.
Timestamps:
05:55 Education reform and student voice in Kentucky
12:37 Student-led research on mental health, race, and education in Kentucky
20:20 Youth involvement in nonprofit organization's fundraising and decision-making
25:02 Empowering young people in journalism and civic engagement
31:44 Education justice, Harvard experiences, and thesis on Massachusetts liberals during the bus crisis.
Links:
Kentucky Student Voice Team website: ksvt.org
KSVT's Independent Education Journalism Platform: thenewedu.org
KSVT's Youth-Led Education Research: https://www.ksvt.org/research
Rachel Belin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-belin-18b1211/
Wei Cui shares his journey since graduating from Harvard. He describes it as a 30-year journey, with three phases: first decade, where he continued attending school in the United States, second decade, where he practiced law in New York City and Beijing, and last decade, living in Vancouver teaching at the Law School of the University of British Columbia. This period was the favorite stretch of his life, partly because of having them as part of his life and partly because it was nice to live in a beautiful part of the world and pursue scholarship at a major research university. Wei's life in Vancouver is different from earlier stretches in his career, especially from the years spent in China. He moved to Canada after spending seven and a half years working in China. The journey has been interesting from the perspective of Canada, as it allows him to think about these different parts of his life in the US and in China from the perspective of Canada. Cui's journey began when he was in Harbor College on a student visa in the United States. After deciding to stay in the US, he found a terminal master's program in philosophy at Tufts. He continued to study philosophy in Ph.d programs, then went to law school, where he became interested in China and the idea of law being applicable to China. He eventually graduated from Yale Law School in 2002, worked in New York City for three years, and moved to China in 2006.
Working As an Attorney in China
Wei worked in China for seven and a half years. He took up an academic position at China's largest law school in Beijing, but the university was disorganized and he had a light teaching load. He took up legal practice part-time at a local Chinese law firm. In 2008, he worked at the China Investment Corporation (CIC), which invested in Blackstone and Morgan Stanley shares. In 2009, he was secunded to CIC and started setting up a tax practice in house. He also worked in consulting with the Chinese government, working extensively on tax policy projects. He left CIC in 2010, but by that point, he decided to focus more on academia. Wei's third decade in China involved working with the Chinese government on tax policy projects. He was sought out for tax law and tax policy advice for seven years until 2013. In his third, Wei focused on research and teaching, focusing on the challenges of pursuing a career outside of China and in North America. He believes that focusing on academic work and pursuing a career outside of China helped him achieve his goals. He also talks about his current teaching role at the University of British Columbia and as an author.
Divergent Economic Development
Wei discusses various examples of social science scholarship, including the divergence in economic development paths and the study of ancient economic geography. He also discusses the field of philosophy, particularly the study of philosophy of mind and the foundation of self consciousness. The field of evolutionary psychology, specifically the study of cultural evolution, has gained significant attention. Wei's scholarship was broad, focusing on tax law and policy, with a focus on the US and Canada. He mentions that his book on international taxation is driven by US tax policy, with Canada playing a secondary role. China, however, has made no significant contribution to international tax policy. Wei argues that the US is an outlier in terms of its tax system, with a tax revenue to GDP ratio of 27% compared to other OECD countries. This is a significant difference from countries like France and Germany, where the tax to GDP ratio is 40%. He also discusses the unique structure of the US tax system, which is radically different from what most listeners are used to. The US has a relatively low tax rate, especially for the middle class, which is referred to as "middle-class" in the Biden and Obama administrations. In conclusion, Wei Cui's research on tax law and policy highlights the importance of understanding the unique structures and systems of advanced economies.
US Tax Revenue Redistribution vs. OECD Countries and China
The US does more effective redistribution of tax revenue than other OECD countries, such as France and Germany, which collect their revenue through pensions and payroll taxes. However, the US spends a greater portion of its GDP, distributing to the bottom 50% of the income distribution than these other countries. The US does not have a value-added tax, but rather low rate state sales taxes, which could potentially collect more revenue through a value-added tax. The US is also unusually reliant on personal income tax in collecting revenue, making it easier to afford less complicated tax laws. The US tax law is complicated, with the IRS being thinly staffed and heavily reliant on taxpayers and return preparers for tax compliance. The rule of law is crucial in this system, as it dictates how people should pay taxes and is followed by private parties. In contrast, China invests little in writing tax law and has many tax administrators providing taxpayer services. In China, there is a lot of individual discretion in tax administration, with each tax administrator responsible for different taxpayers and facing revenue targets. This leads to a more predictable and predictable tax collection process. Tax farming is another analogy used to describe the approach in Rome, where private societies auction off the right to collect taxes to private societies, collecting as much money as they want.
Tax Compliance and Tax Avoidance across Countries
Wei discusses the differences between societies that do not rely on a legal system and those that do. He talks about tax compliance and tax avoidance across countries. In advanced economies, cash collection mostly operates through business firms, which collect corporate income tax, sales tax, VAT, wage payments, interest payments, and creditors. As a result, individual behavior in terms of tax compliance does not matter as a first cut. There is quite a bit of commonality between countries and their modern tax systems, with richer countries having more big business firms to collect taxes for the government. However, there are variations in tax compliance and evasion across countries. For example, in Greece, most taxes are collected by business firms, while in the US, compliance rates for self-employed individuals are substantially lower than those employed by firms. This highlights the need for scholarship to advance and better educate the public about tax collection and evasion. From a tax law perspective, the biggest differences in China and the US are not in tax law but more in their systems of redistribution. Public finance systems define what these countries are like, making them more worthy of discussion.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Wei discusses his experiences in college and his connection to liberal political philosophy. He took a John Rawls’ course Theory of Justice and other philosophy courses, which he believes continue to resonate with him personally and professionally. Wei's liberal philosophy was heavily influenced by his American experience in the 1990s, which he associates with American ideology. However, he finds it sobering that people do not subscribe to these philosophies and that academics and others who subscribe to them do not make much effort to persuade others of their correctness. Wei's first irreversible awakening was the US invasion of Iraq, which he found morally wrong. He believes that what he learned from professors like John Rawls is partly what is creating a sense of discomfort and reflection about the world 25 years later. In summary, Wei Cui's experiences in college and his journey to China, the US, China, and Canada have shaped his views on morality and politics.
Timestamps:
05:32 Personal background, education, and career path
10:48 Legal career, academic research, and international tax law
18:51 Academic research in various fields
23:33 China's tax system and its differences from other countries
30:02 Tax complexity and compliance in the US and China
35:06 Taxation, compliance, and avoidance across countries
41:53 Taxation, state capacity, and social safety nets in China and the US
48:18 Philosophy, politics, and personal growth
Links:
Website: https://allard.ubc.ca/about-us/our-people/wei-cui
CONTACT:
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-cui-462a3a5/
Show Notes:
Angela Romans, a graduate of Harvard, has been an educator since graduating. She studied engineering but wasn’t sure she wanted to pursue this field. A serendipitous ad set her on a new path in education. She realized that she had a passion for education and wanted to make an impact on young people's lives. She began her career as a high school science and math teacher, working in alternative high schools in New York and Boston. Angela also worked in college admission at Brown University, where she worked as an admission officer for eleven years before she became the director of minority recruitment and academic advisor. She missed working on the ground, and moved into a position that focused on coalition building, cross-sector collaboration, and systems change work in education. She worked at an organization that supported opportunity youth and transitioned students who had stopped out of high school back into school.
In 2009-10, she was invited to participate in the education campaign of Providence Mayor Angel Divaris, who was passionate about education. She was appointed the first Senior Education Advisor in Providence and served for three years of his administration. Angela also had other system building roles, including working with a nonprofit consulting firm that focused on social sector organizations. She led their racial equity work and education work, and was selected as a fellow for Innovation for Equity. She moved on to work in a non-profit consulting firm that worked with social sector organizations. She has since worked with various organizations, including the Annenberg Institute and Innovation for Equity, and continues to work on a variety of projects and initiatives.
Innovation for Equity
Innovation for Equity (IFE) is a unique organization that focuses on connecting, convening, and supporting senior black education leaders across the entire education ecosystem. It includes senior leaders at various levels, including CEOs, directors, and C-suites in education organizations, superintendents, college presidents, nonprofit leaders, and private sector investors. The organization focuses on two levers: connecting, convening, and supporting black education leaders, and helping to identify and scale solutions specifically working for black learners of all ages. The organization offers a Senior Leadership Fellowship, which is a year-long fellowship that connects black senior leaders for building themselves as a cohort, improving their leadership skills, and connecting them to resources such as mentors and consultants. Learning events throughout the year, such as the annual Black Education Forum and HBCU EdTech summit, help college students understand the power and potential of ed tech careers. IFE is expanding its research agenda this year to identify what's working for black learners and what black leaders need to be successful in their work. They are also expanding their research agenda to identify what black leaders need to be successful in their work to stay in organizations across education and build their coalitions and power to be as effective as possible. One of the solutions for black learners is targeting universalism, which suggests that what works for some of the most underrepresented and least well-served people tends to lift all boats. For example, having a black teacher in the classroom significantly increases the likelihood of black students graduating high school and having one during their career. Research shows that having a black teacher in the classroom leads to better outcomes for all students across the classroom. In conclusion, Innovation for Equity is a unique organization that focuses on connecting, convening, and supporting black education leaders to identify and scale solutions specifically working for black learners of all ages.
Angela shares her experience as a black student of a single mom and has found that telling her story explains her why to employers and organizations to help pull all parties together. She talks about how to support black leaders and shares a story from a recent EdTech Summit. As a leadership coach for executive leaders, Angela talks about the importance of identifying common patterns and understanding experiences to help black leaders solve those problems.
Angela’s Role as Senior Education Advisor
As the Senior Education Advisor, Angela has been instrumental in bringing people together and improving outcomes for students in Providence. She led the Providence Children Youth cabinet, which aimed to bring together school districts and higher education businesses to work towards improving student outcomes. Major accomplishments include increasing FAFSA completion, helping the mayor prevent the city from going bankrupt, and building community coalitions at individual and larger city levels. Angela is particularly proud of her work on raising awareness about early literacy skills and the role of families and communities in this process. As the director of minority recruitment at Brown University, Angela has a unique perspective on the recent Supreme Court ruling on Students for Fair Admission versus Harvard. She believes that the decision will have a significant impact on selective colleges as an engine of social mobility. She believes that colleges need to have black students who are doing well economically and whose families are doing well, as well as black students whose families are not. To recruit a more diverse class, colleges should be more active in recruiting and visiting schools where diverse groups of students and communities are present. This can help create pipelines of students in specific areas, where some of these students are now graduates and doing amazing things in the world. Brown University has been successful in recruiting students from diverse backgrounds, including students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college bound students. By doing more of this, colleges can continue to diversify their student body and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for all students.
How to Promote Diversity in Education
Angela discusses the importance of supporting black learners in education, focusing on two or three options. The first is to increase the presence of black teachers in classrooms, providing them with professional development opportunities and networks for collaboration. This could lead to their growth and development in leadership roles within schools, districts, and charter school networks. However, barriers to this include policy and practice awareness, as well as the lack of support from school leaders and other black teachers. Paying teachers more at the college level can help bridge these gaps, but it's essential to ensure that black teachers have access to the right resources and networks to progress in their career. Additionally, creating after-school opportunities for all students in communities with curriculum and resources steeped in black culture can supplement what they receive in school. Investing more in black entrepreneurs who want to start companies can make a difference in the education sector, as having the right people with the right lived experience and technical experiences can make a difference.
Harvard Professors and Courses of Influence
As a woman of color in engineering thirty years ago, Angela had a difficult time in her program. She mentions that Professor Howard Stone and Doug Mazur were supportive and helped her through her program. She also mentions the course Black Women Writers in African American Studies, and the course Greek Heroes with Gregory Nagy.
Timestamps:
04:48 Angela’s path to becoming an education leader
10:05 The role of innovation for equity leaders
15:34 Solutions that work for black learners
20:43 How to effectively convene a group of leaders
30:00 Impact of the supreme court ruling on diversity
35:20 Supporting non-selective colleges and universities
40:17 The importance of getting more black teachers in the classroom
45:36 The importance of diversity in the classroom
50:49 Courses and professors that continue to resonate with Angela
Links:
Website: https://innovationequity.org/
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-romans/
Show Notes:
Amelia Noel-Elkins, a graduate of Harvard, shares her journey since graduating from the university. She began her career in intercollegiate athletics after graduating and worked as the manager of the men's swim team and an internship in the athletic department, and she was convinced this was the path she wanted to follow. After moving back to Indiana, she was accepted into an internship, and she started a master's program at Indiana University, where she also worked in the academic advising office in the athletic department. She eventually became a full-time academic advisor and was promoted to the role of associate director.
After finishing her PhD at Indiana, and started the position as an Associate Director, one of her basketball players set her up with his professor. They met at a bar in Bloomington, Indiana, where her parents had met. They married and moved to Illinois where Amelia took a position as Director of University College. She talks about what was involved with this role.
After 15 years, she was promoted to Interim Assistant Vice President for Student Success at Illinois State. Most recently, she started as the Associate Provost at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Amelia believes in fate and believes in following signs and signals that guide you through life. She has two children, one starting college and another junior. Amelia talks about academic advising and how she was focused on athletic advising. She talks about the friendships formed and helping students with individual courses, tutoring, time management, mentoring and working with students over the course of several years.
Amelia discusses the challenges of managing the workload and balancing the demands of athletics and academics. She explains the demands of Division One athletics and offers examples of challenges faced. An example of a player student that Amelia worked with was a baseball player who faced constant travel and strict attendance requirements. Athletes especially find it difficult to manage traveling during the school year, and combining academic studies with athletic demands. She helped them plan their schedules, ensuring they could take courses at another institution or time and transfer them back to finish their degree. Amelia also discusses the importance of setting up students for success in the long term, especially during championship sports. Many of her soccer and basketball players went pro, and she helped them manage their identities as athletes while focusing on their career. She explains that a typical week for a division one athlete involves choosing classes carefully, with many morning classes and afternoon practices. However, smaller schools may have limited facilities and practice facilities, making it more challenging to manage time.
Amelia also discusses the differences between student athletes and general population students in terms of time management and self-management. She believes that students from the general population school experience includes extracurricular activities, such as student government, orientation, jobs, or research labs.
Overall, the advising profession in higher education is a complex and multifaceted field that requires a deep understanding of the students and their needs.
Amelia has a passion for athletics management, having worked with the men's swim team and gaining an internship in the athletic department. She believes that if student athletes have people who are committed to helping them be students and athletes, there is the capacity for them to succeed. She sees this happening at Harvard, Indiana, and Illinois State, but not as much at School of the Art Institute where they don’t have a collegiate athletics program.
Amelia also shares her favorite theory in student development, the challenge and support theory. This theory suggests that students need both challenge and support to overcome challenges and grow. Some students need more support at the beginning, while others need less. In conclusion, Amelia emphasizes the importance of providing students with the necessary support and challenge to succeed in their academic pursuits. By advising students on time management and promoting a love for their studies, they can achieve success in their future careers.
An Academic Advisor’s Advice
The challenge and support model is essential for students to perform optimally in their academic pursuits. It is crucial to provide both leeway and support, which can be beneficial for both students and adults. One tip for young people struggling with study tips is to go to office hours and consult professors for guidance. In the world of electronic gadgets and apps, Amelia stresses the importance of time management. It is important to remember the basics of plotting all tasks and print out a weekly schedule. This helps students plot their classes, jobs, and eating habits, etc.
Amelia states that the political landscape has a significant impact on higher education, particularly in the field of College Student Personnel Administration. Many professionals in this field work with students on equity, diversity, and inclusion issues. Recent Supreme Court decisions and subsequent issues are expected to have a significant impact on how college personnel operate. Amelia’s perspective on the coddling of the American mind is complicated, as it is more complex than often described. She believes significant mental health issues need to be addressed. In higher education, providing mental health support is not coddling them, but rather a medical issue.
Amelia's current role involves working behind the scenes on curricular issues that she didn't normally have the ability to work on in her previous job. At the School of the Art Institute, which has a high rate of students seeking a creative outlet for their creativity, it can be difficult to help identify which courses students’ actually need. She mentions a project she recently completed to help the programs work more effectively. The challenge and support model is crucial for students to perform optimally in their academic pursuits. By focusing on the basics and addressing the complex issues faced by students, institutions can better support and help students navigate the challenges they face.
Amelia talks about her experiences with professors and courses that have resonated with her personally and professionally. She mentions History Professor Mark Kishlansky, who was her shadow advisor for her thesis. Kishlansky was known for his expertise in Early Modern English history which Amelia loved.
After graduation, she continued working part-time for the library while she was there, which was a fun post-college job. She enjoyed not only getting books but also having conversations with the people who were working there. In summary, Amelia's experiences with professors and professors during her college years have been invaluable in her personal and professional growth, and her experiences at Widener Library and her work at the library have left a lasting impact on her life and career.
Timestamps:
01:30 Career path and life journey after graduating from Harvard
05:29 Academic advising in higher education
09:45 Balancing athletics and academics for college athletes
13:47 Managing time and balancing athletics and academics in college
19:34 Time management tips for college students
24:01 Mental health, and higher education challenges
28:54 College courses and professors' impact
33:16 Bear and bull baiting sporting laws
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/amelia-noel-elkins-240ba229
Email: anoel92@post.harvard.edu
FB and Instagram: amelianoelelkins
Show Notes:
Cristina Hernandez, a graduate of Harvard Law School, shares her journey since graduating. She went to law school for three years and graduated in 1995 then went into private practice. After getting married and having two kids, she became a law firm partner in Wisconsin. Cristina decided to move to California and started working with Renee Meyers in 2012. She still practiced law, but she began working as a consultant on diversity, equity inclusion, and eventually became her VP handling all of her clients. Six years later, they were working with Netflix, where they started the Diversity, Equity Inclusion practice at Netflix. They worked at Netflix for four and a half years, and later became the chief diversity officer at Synopsis, a semiconductor company with 18,000 engineers and employees all around the world.
Christina's journey has been marked by the rapid pace of change in her life and the world in which she works. She has experienced both personal and professional growth, and is now looking forward to continuing her journey in the legal profession.
Cristina explains what DEI means outside the U.S. and talks about the challenges of addressing diversity in the US, particularly in terms of gender, LGBTQ, and disability rights. She highlights that while efforts may work towards more women, African Americans, black, and Hispanic individuals, there are also other forms of diversity that exist globally. Gender oppression is a global issue, manifesting differently in different countries.
Cristina highlights the importance of being curious, thinking critically, and being open to experiencing differences in various cultures. She shares an example from her time working with Netflix colleagues in Japan, where she had to listen hard and be humble about understanding gender differences playout in various workplaces. She talks about the global implications of Black Lives Matter and explains that colorism is a real issue worldwide, manifesting in different ways and affecting people of color, and how it is crucial to learn from each other's experiences.
She also touches on the need to understand the complexity of different perspectives and work together with these differences. She mentions that caste oppression is another complex issue, with socio-economic differences playing out in almost every country differently. Disability rights are another area where companies like Microsoft have been pushing for improvements, but accessibility varies greatly around the world. Cristina emphasizes the importance of understanding and respecting diverse perspectives in order to work towards a more inclusive and equitable society.
How to Integrate DEI in the Workplace
Cristina offers background information on the DEI space and goes on to explore the adoption of DEI in the workplace. She explains that employee resource groups and bias training are important for creating fair workplaces, but they are not the only factors to consider. Companies need to invest in their systems and practices, as these are the sticky things that last for a long time. Companies often get involved in these efforts for defensive, curious, or customer-based reasons. Systems that impact people include hiring, development, promotion, and mentoring. She mentions Joan Williams, a professor at the University of California in San Francisco, who has written an amazing book about bias interrupters and various practices around hiring. Cristina emphasizes the importance of writing down evaluations to mitigate recency bias and ensure accurate recall. Onboarding and promotion processes should focus on understanding generational differences and taking down barriers to welcoming employees into teams. Development and promotion systems should be structured around development and selecting high potentials, and ensuring everyone gets access to mentorship. Cristina explains that sponsorship is vital for progression and can be either explicit or implicit. It involves leveraging personal capital to ensure success, but it cannot sponsor someone or move their career along.
In terms of mentorship, Cristina identifies the difference between mentorship and sponsorship, and why one size does not fit all. She talks about the various different ways of making this work.
Singing as an Opportunity to Transcend Division
Cristina shares her lifelong passion for singing, which began with her father who was a choral conductor. She sang throughout her schooling and college. After moving to Los Angeles, she joined her husband's choir, which brings her joy and a sense of fulfillment. She now commutes to Silicon Valley three days a week, and she finds herself enjoying being with other people. Cristina also shares her experience of transcendence in choirs, where she feels a sense of unity and hope. Choirs are generally made up of people from different backgrounds, and the only thing used is their voice. This moment of transcendence is a testament to the power of human beings to come together and create something beautiful. She believes that this opportunity to transcend through art is sorely lacking in today's divided society. She takes this inspiration into her work, as it gives her hope and inspiration to be with people from different backgrounds making beautiful things.
Cristina's passion for singing has been a significant part of her life. She believes that the opportunity to connect with others through music is a valuable skill that can help bridge the gap between individuals and create a more inclusive and meaningful world.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Cristina mentions Bernard Bailyn’s class on Constitutional History and how it offered transformative debate and discourse in a different kind of way through the lens of history; she also loved Greg Nagy’s The Ancient Greek Hero, and professor Julian Bond.
Timestamps:
07:17 What DEI means outside of the U.S.
09:32 The definition of colorism
13:06 Caste division and disability inclusion
15:53 Business drivers that drive companies to hire a chief diversity officer
24:48 Systems and processes recommended to clients
26:09 How to mitigate recency bias
30:08 Formal mentoring programs and measuring success
36:61 The power of singing in a group
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristina-hernandez-72b2811/
Email: cristina.hernandez.95@gmail.com
Show Notes:
Ivan Montoya, a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe, shares his journey since graduating from the university. He married a woman he had been dating at Harvard and moved to California and Stanford for business school in 1995. Ivan worked in McKinsey in the Houston office and in Mexico City. He moved to New York in the third year, but moved to the Bay Area just as the internet went public and he started working on projects in technology. About four years ago, Ivan started angel investing in early-stage Latin American startups.
Ivan was born in Colombia and moved to the US when he was young. Both his parents were doctors, and Ivan was expected to go into the same field, however, after agreeing to finish pre-med, he decided to focus on development economics and did his thesis on Colombia during his time at Harvard with the goal of helping Columbia. After working at McKinsey in Mexico City, he returned to Colombia in 2013, and went back in 2018, and this was a hugely influential experience for Ivan. He believed the next 20 years in Latin America were going to be just as important in technology as China was in 2000 and that he needed to get involved. Ivan shares the beginning steps of this journey that led to 40 investments and involvement in the ecosystem with accelerators and startup communities in Latin America.
Ivan talks about the startup tech scene across Latin America, focusing on three areas: FinTech, property tech, and supply chain and mobility. He shares stories about his investment in early-stage companies, mostly in Spanish-speaking Latin America. The hotbed in Spanish-speaking Latin is Mexico City, which is considered the Mecca of the tech scene. The other Mecca is Sao Paulo, and Bogota, Colombia, which he refers to as the Mountain View of the tech scene. Ivan also discusses the accelerator scene. He is involved with several Latin American companies that go through Y Combinator, including Platon Ventures, which started in Chile, and other startup communities like Latitude and TechStars. He also mentors at TechStars in Miami, where many Latin American founders attend. Ivan's experience with Y Combinator has been invaluable, as it has helped many Latin American startups gain access to the tech ecosystem and accelerator scene. He also highlights the importance of fostering strong connections with local startups and accelerators to foster growth and success.
Proptech and Fintech Startups
Ivan explains the issues facing Prop Tech such as access to credit and the availability of credible property listing platforms. Some companies working with Prop Tech are addressing these issues, such as Go Home in Peru, which aims to create the Zillow of Latin America, and other real estate systems. Access to credit is also a challenge in Latin America, with only 20% or less of the population owning a home using a mortgage. He explains that, in the informal economy, many people lack access to credit bureaus, making it difficult for them to access services like renting apartments or buying a car. Ivan talks about his investments in startups with the goal to improve the financial infrastructure and improve access to credit for those in the informal economy. He invested in a company called Jeeves, a B2B credit card and talks about a concept in Chile, called Built Rewards, which allows people to pay rent and utilities with a credit card to earn rewards and improve their credit score. He talks about how he invested in a 20-year-old founder with no college degree who wanted to start a car ownership/lending company.
How an Investor Sources Startup Founders
Ivan has a unique approach to sourcing founders. He believes that there is a lot of bias in the market, as many founders come from wealthy families and have a background in the US. However, Ivan's approach is inspired by Silicon Valley which is more meritocratic, focusing on founders who are doing great work and have traction. He takes numerous first meetings with founders, often focusing on metrics and traction. His primary referrals come from other founders, and he works with these founders for anywhere from one to three months before making an investment. This allows them to learn more about Ivan and he learns more about their company. Ivan illustrates how this works with a story from a startup he invested in.
Ivan has been investing in startups for four and half years. He has backed 40 founders and helped hundreds of founders active in Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. He also uses WhatsApp to connect with founders in Latin America, and he receives numerous referrals from founders, which is beneficial as they can vouch for Ivan as an investor. He is involved in the startup community and mentors in big groups, which has led to referrals from founders. One founder reached out to him after watching him talk on a webinar. He states that his job is not to refer a startup lead to an investor and how a selfie on LinkedIn helped raise the profile of many founders and shares what he learned from posting a profile for his cat on Instagram.
A Freemium Model to Help Startup Founders
Ivan talks about his approach to helping founders with his freemium model. He focuses on three areas: pitch decks, professional brainstorming, and connecting founders with potential investors. In the first 30 minute introductory meeting, he listens to the founders' pitch or describe their model, and then engages in 10-20 minutes of professional brainstorming. He provides constructive feedback and helps them understand their business model in more depth and explains how he helps them dig deeper to relay the benefits to an investor. In the second meeting, he introduces the founder to other investors. He talks about the pitch deck as a strategy document that is high leverage, and how he uses his experience as a consultant and McKinsey to help them refine their pitch. He believes that the first meeting should filter out potential investors and focus on assessing traction, product market fit, and indications of people wanting what the founders have created. He shares the key points of what he looks for when investing in both the founder and the startup.
Ivan states that he is an equal opportunity investor, with people from all backgrounds and shares stories of some of the founders he has backed, including a company called Foodology and a company called Pick App. He believes in the laws of economic gravity and believes that even those without connections to the US may still have resources.
Coco the Cat - An Instagram Success
Ivan shares his story of starting an Instagram account with his Bombay cat, Coco. It started as a bet with his daughter that he could gain 1000 followers within a set time period. So, he started posting pictures of Coco on Instagram and using various tactics, such as following other popular cats. He eventually got banned from Instagram for a day or two because he’d followed so many people the bots thought he was a bot. He then discovered that pictures with kids perform better, and he started doing pictures with kids. However, he hit a wall when he reached 6000 or 7000 followers, but he noticed a lot of comments with Japanese characters and decided to post during Tokyo rush hour, which took him over the top and he reached 10,000 followers.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
Ivan talks about his experience with Professor Dominguez’ Cuban Revolution course at Harvard. He highlights the content's interesting structure, which included a three-day class with one position on an argument and the another on the importance of individual on the issue. One of the key takeaways from the course was the importance of being open to different perspectives and seeking the truth. He also highlighted the importance of being a lifelong learner and never assuming one's knowledge is the truth. This experience has helped him meet many people he is still close to.
Timestamps:
02:50 How Ivan became an investor in startups
08:56 Ivan’s areas of focus
11:39 The accelerator scene in Latin America
15:09 Investing in Proptech
19:47 Companies Ivan has invested in
23:12 Ivan’s investment model
28:50 How Ivan builds awareness as an investor
34:41 How Ivan helps founders through his freemium model.
39:01 How Ivan assesses founders and startups
43:48 A view on investors’ bias
47:13 Ivan’s criteria for getting a cat and what not to do on Instagram
Links:
Website: https://numundoventures.com/
Coco the cat: https://www.instagram.com/coco.the.cat/
The Tim Whitmire episode: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-49-tim-whitmire-founder-at-cxn-advisory/
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivanmontoya1/
“Climate change is a matter now of extreme urgency. Our failure to act is a failure of imagination but recent developments suggest the pace is picking up. Within asset management, climate change and specifically carbon emissions are central factors within the broader sustainability/ESG approach.
Finance is a key conduit and asset managers now need to assess the climate risk within their investments. The need to extract this information from the companies in which they invest will not only create greater transparency in terms of disclosing climate risk but it also will force change on companies who are not making the necessary adjustments.” Jean-Jacques Barrow
Jean-Jacques Barrow, a member of the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992, shares his journey since graduating from Harvard. He began his career as an English major and moved to Paris for a four-month contract as an editorial assistant with the International Herald Tribune, which has since been rebranded the International New York Times. He learned about how journalism functions and how it is required that one serves their time on the periphery and provinces. One of his tasks was transcribing key data from the Bloomberg terminal for the financial section, so he began educating himself about the world of finance. After this position ended, he moved back to Geneva during a recession and took many jobs, including working at a construction work removal company. He eventually secured a job as an editor at Capital International, one of the world's largest asset managers where his job was to take minutes and write reports on investment meetings.
Working in Swiss Private Banking
He was initially impatient to secure an opportunity in the investment industry, but eventually landed a job at Swiss private banking. The Swiss private banking industry was built around tax evasion and tax optimization, but over the last 20-25 years, the industry has changed due to pressures from the European Union and the US following many scandals. The industry has become more regulated, open, and legitimate, with a focus on decoding assets and legitimate tax optimization. He believes that the key driver for change in the industry is the pressure from the US around undeclared funds from people who had not survived the Second World War, particularly Jewish, deposited in Switzerland. This pressure has led to a shift in the industry's focus on decoding assets and legitimate tax optimization.
Jean-Jacques shares what he learned about tax evasion when he moved to the investment desk and started his apprenticeship, knowing very little and learning on the job. He worked for Bankers Trust, which was a pivotal moment in his career, but it ended up collapsing due to the Russia bond crisis and Korea's aggressive approach. He learned the basis of implementation and focused on discretionary portfolio management. His experience in private banking was interesting, and he talks about the many interesting developments he witnessed. He was also involved in the world of events and geopolitical forces. He later moved to the Royal Bank of Canada, where he was assigned to the French Canadian market and North American markets. However, due to the Canadian bank's regulated status, there was limited investment content based in Switzerland.
Investment Management, Social Entrepreneurship, and Microfinance
Jean-Jacques decided to pivot towards investment management and pursued an executive MBA at INSEAD. He became interested in social entrepreneurship and microfinance. After graduating, he found himself in the midst of a potential slowdown in 2008, which was a challenging time for job opportunities. He found a disconnect between what microfinance was supposed to be and the reality. However, the initial concept has evolved, and he was inspired by the business model developed by Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus, who aimed to help the poor with micro loans.
Sustainable Investing as a Growing Trend
JJ talks about sustainable investing as a growing trend in the financial sector. This shift has been driven by the changing regulatory environment in Europe, which is becoming more strict about financial reporting on portfolio content. The screening process has evolved, with companies now actively screening companies within sensitive sectors, such as the extraction industry and energy banking. The process has also been refined, with a global climate 2035 portfolio focused on names and companies related to fighting climate change. This approach is a reaction to the increasing regulatory environment in Europe, which is becoming more strict about financial reporting on portfolio content. He talks about investing in secondary markets and how investing in companies with technology can help support the emergence of technology in the mainstream. However, when investing in secondary markets, the capacity to generate changes may be muted. The regulators are pushing companies to be more explicit about their environmental risks and more detailed about the externalities they generate. This will drive change, if companies are not open about their environmental risk, they may face punishment from shareholders and public challenges in general meetings. In Switzerland, the collapse of a major Swiss bank, Credit Suisse, was a prime example of how minority shareholders pushed companies to exit investment banking to stop funding fossil fuels. This has led to the closure of investment banks and the need for companies to be more transparent about their environmental risks.
ESG Investing and Shareholder Power
Jean-Jacques mentions the importance of ESG investing and its potential to drive change in the energy sector. He explains that ESG investing has outperformed the broader market over the last five years, with a natural quality bias and exposure to tech. However, the recent increase in enthusiasm for this style of investing in 2022 has led to delays in good intentions. He discusses the evolution of ESG investing in Europe, with companies realizing that stricter regulations will require more disclosure of information. This has led to companies realizing they need to be more open or push back. The energy sector is experiencing a shift towards clean energy from companies like Macau and BP, and moving towards electric generation and grid technologies. Despite the pessimistic mood in Europe, he believes there are reasons to be hopeful about the scale of investment and deployment. He points out that banks can add value by engaging and challenging major companies to change their remuneration policies and CEOs. He also emphasizes the importance of shareholder cooperation and the power of shareholders to influence corporate behavior. He cites the example of a company that failed to listen to dissenting shareholders, but he believes that if shareholders work together, they can make a significant difference in the industry.
The ESG Scorecard and How it Works
JJ explains that analysts typically have a scorecard across ESG, with different industries having different weights. For example, in the mining industry, the environmental side is higher, and there are subset segments in terms of water usage, pollution risk, and other externalities. To have an ESG rating, a company must meet a certain score. The industry has a lot of topsy-turvy stuff going on, and some analysts don't consider Tesla to be eligible because of the GE and Tesla, the government side is diabolical, and Exxon has extraordinarily good governance. Companies with good ESG attract good talent, draw upon a broader pool of talented individuals, and have better employer loyalty. The urgency around emissions has led to a sense of urgency in engagement in company response, investment, fairs, exchanges, and industry discussions. He explains that he played his cards differently in his first job at Capitol International by keeping his big mouth shut and being less confrontational. He learned to respect rules and respect rules in the American corporate environment, and he learned to source his views from different areas. He also appreciates that he has a different educational and career route, having attended Harvard and a level of intellectual curiosity. He emphasizes the importance of going off the intellectual print, orthodoxy, and looking beyond traditional sources. He advises interns and juniors to listen to other reports and sources, as it helps him understand viewpoints from classmates in different areas and doing different things.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
JJ discusses his time at Harvard and the two key takeaways he learned from his time there. He highlights the expository writing course he took as a freshman year and the masters swimming course, which he found to be a valuable source of learning. He also highlights the importance of being clear, concise, and succinct in his daily work, especially when dealing with an audience not necessarily in English. These two key takeaways have shaped his future, particularly in terms of his interests and the core curriculum. He mentions the Behavioral Biology and Evolution courses, as well professor Neil Wilson and professor Raymond Siever's class on geology, which exposed him to the world's cycles of physical life and the impact of man on the planet.
Recommended Reads:
Saving the Plant without the Bullshit, Assaad Rarrock. Don’t let the title put you off, this is good starting point.
How the World Really Works, Vaclav Smil Makes clear the scope of the transition. Great reality check and myth buster.
Petroleum Papers. Geoff Dembicki The role of energy companies in the current climate debate. I would not be long oil stocks…
Learning to Die in the Anthropocene, Ray Scranton Bleak but an eye opener on the worst case scenario.
Five Times Faster. Simon Sharpe. The author is active within government, policy making and the COP meetings. Very insightful, and great primer on why we are where we are. There is still time but we need to move five times faster.
Useful Sources:
Bloomberg Green, MSCI ESG. In terms of sustainability disclosure, ISSB has launched IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standard (S1 General disclosures, S2 Climate related).
Timestamps:
02:16 The start of his career in finance
09:11 Pursuing a career in social entrepreneurship and micro finance
18:09 The evolution of sustainable investing
21:09 How sustainable investing makes a difference
25:51 ESG reporting requirements
27:42 The current state of the energy sector
30:55 How banks can add value to their shareholders
37:40 The ESG scorecard
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-jacques-barrow-710a606/
Show Notes:
Steve Lebowitz discusses his journey since graduating from Harvard and his passion for investing. He graduated from law school at HLS. He practiced law for around seven years but decided it wasn’t for him. He developed a passion for investing and joined a private equity group, where he worked for 17 years. Then,four years ago, he launched a private equity firm called Brand Velocity Group. The firm focuses on consumer-focused middle market expertise and marketing. He believes that private equity often overlooks the human side of the equation, which is critical for founders’ businesses. He believes that founders should focus on employee well-being and culture, giving 10% of their carried interest to the employees of their portfolio companies, not senior employees. This approach is not only about money but also shows that employees matter and that founders care about people. Steve and his firm wanted to make a difference and align their firm with human nature and what successful businesses do, focusing on the important role employees play and not merely reduce them to a number on a spreadsheet. Steve and his team have been working on various initiatives, such as coaching, training, and acts of kindness, to bring their company closer to human nature. He found the current culture of private equity firms is dated and wanted to change how their company operated.
Building Company Culture and Employee Loyalty
The company is focused on building goodwill and treating their own and their client’s employees well, not just financially. They are implementing various strategies, such as coaching, democratizing coaching, and offering discounts to employees. They are also phasing coaching to 20% of their company's employees, which is a significant portion of their company's earnings. Another example is offering gift cards to employees affected by hurricanes. This gesture shows that the company is committed to helping employees during difficult times. They also provide various Disney perks, such as VIP tours and tickets, in partnership with Barbecue Guys. The company's approach to interacting with frontline employees is based on a mix of in-person and virtual interactions, introducing themselves and discussing the company's goals. However, this can be challenging due to the large number of companies and the distance between them. The company's goals depend on the management team, who can help disseminate the company's values and goals. They maintain an open door policy to allow employees to share feedback and questions.
Screening Companies as a Private Equity Firm
Steve talks about his investment process and how he filters companies to determine if they are a good fit for his firm's approach. He starts by looking at companies with at least 10 million earnings minimum, but the firms typically come in at around 20 million. His background as an investor comes from his father's interest in investing. Steve began by focusing on consumer opportunities, sometimes with a sports angle. His partner has spent his career in the world of sports and brings that knowledge to the firm. He looks at companies with a differentiation that gives them a competitive edge, a reasonable growth trajectory, and a decent history, and if they have those characteristics, they are interested in investing in them. The fit with the owners is also important, as is the price. Cultural factors, such as the company's culture, are also considered. His team brings a range of expertise, including financial analytics, business development, marketing expertise, and relationships in the consumer market. Steve talks about the clients his firm serves and what his firm proves in addition to capital, such as additional support advice, services connections, and connections to the portfolio companies. They bring financial analytics, marketing expertise, advice on acquisitions, and a strong network of contacts to help companies succeed in their respective industries.
The Changing Landscape of Private Equity Firms
Steve talks about the changing landscape of the industry and the importance of focusing on attributes other than acquisition price. He explains that sellers now focus on price versus legacy, which is crucial for the success of their business after sale. He envisions private equity to be more human-centric and less focused on numbers and numbers. He hopes that the idea will spread, and that the business model will be successful in terms of financial success and the message it sends. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on attributes other than acquisition price in private equity deals. He believes that the future of private equity will see a more human-centric approach to the industry, with a focus on promoting kindness, common humanity, and financial success.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
He also mentions his time at Harvard, where he took a course called East Asian Studies with Professor Washburn, which was a Japanese literature course. The class was small and interactive, with a personal touch, making it memorable. He also mentioned that he was not the most serious student and often skipped classes.
Timestamps:
01:47 The launch of Brand Velocity Group
06:48 The importance of putting your money where your mouth is
12:27 Sharing the growth and helping employees
15:32 How Brand Velocity Group connects to employees
18:22 How Brand Velocity Group screens companies
25:43 What it takes to compete for deals now
Links:
Company: https://brandvelocitygroup.com/
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-lebowitz-29698/
Email: Slebowitz@brandvelocitygroup.com
Show Notes:
Lindsay Sturman, an English major from the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992, discusses her advocacy work in Los Angeles. She moved to Los Angeles after college and returned to New York for film school at Columbia and became a TV writer and has been doing that for around 20 years. She has always been interested in public policy, and she became involved with the Ed Reform movement to improve public schools. Lindsay and a group of 3000 people fought the election for the Democrats. After the 2020 election, she became aware of the housing crisis in Los Angeles. The problem was that the city stopped building housing in the 1990s. The city's downtown was built in 1987, but it took decades to catch up, making it difficult and expensive to build. People drove further and further out, leading to a massive increase in rents. Rents are now twice as high as the rest of the country’s comparable cities. Lindsay and the group have been working to unpack the issues and find solutions. She talks about what they found in terms of a wide range of issues leading to the housing crisis and best possible solutions to the problems which the group are bringing to city council.
Barriers to Building Houses
Lindsay talks about over regulations and the barriers to building housing. They unpacked the causes of the high cost of construction, which surprisingly leads back to parking. One of the solutions is to allow companies and people to build without parking, which could lead to the construction of three to five-story buildings in under a year or eight months, but this can only be achieved with citizen buy-in, which can be achieved through deep canvassing, where people are trained to listen to NIMBYs and their reasons for building without parking. Other barriers to building include reduction of single family house value, privacy, noise, and visual appeal.
The 15-Minute City Solution
Lindsay explains the 15-Minute City concept, developed by Carlos Moreno, a French Colombian scientist who created the idea that everything people need can be reached in 15 minutes. She refers to lower Manhattan, where 80% of people don't own a car. The idea is that housing doesn't need parking, and people can walk or bike to everything they need in 15 minutes. However, there are several hurdles to implementing this solution. One of the main challenges to the adoption of this concept. Lindsay identifies the list of changes that need to be made to green light this movement, including politicians' control. The idea is to take the power away from politicians and set up a system where city streets are allowed to build according to standard plans.
Building Reforms in L.A.
Lindsay explains how the organization is taking practical tactical steps to get reforms passed in LA. They are meeting with city council people one-on-one and attending 99 neighborhood councils. They are networking and telling the story, focusing on pain points. They are also addressing the misinformation that housing can only be built if it is 100% affordable, that developers are evil and greedy, or that there is no housing crisis.
The Livable Communities Initiative
The organization advocates for a few streets in the city to become low-car, bikeable streets with low traffic. They are advocating for a network of these 15-minute communities, which are being implemented all over the world. They are convincing people to use their ideas hand-to-hand, convincing neighbors, skeptics, electeds, and bureaucrats. They are also working with planners to show them the problems in the building codes and make them frictionless. The organization is praying for electeds to join the parade and lead the way in addressing the housing crisis.
The Climate Crisis and Transport Solutions
Lindsay shares what drives her commitment. She talks about people who work with the homeless and how they call them their unhoused neighbors, and it's heartbreaking to see. She explains that housing and transportation are interconnected, and that often 50% of the area of a city is ripped down for surface parking lots. She also highlights the importance of rethinking the inner core of cities. Her passion for this work stems from understanding the tensions in cities and the impact of transportation on climate emissions. She further explains that 20% of the city's climate emissions are from transportation, with cars being the primary source of emissions. She cites the debate over bike lanes and the supply chain issues surrounding electric vehicles (EVs).
During COVID, she became interested in bikes and was interviewed about her tweets on a podcast called Bike Talk. She interviewed a climate scientist who found that EVs cannot scale in time to reach Paris climate goals, which are modest. She believes that climate is far more alarming than the average person. She believes that we need to address the crisis in 15-minute cities and understand how mobility systems work. She believes that we need to advocate for more forceful and existential solutions to address the crisis. She believes that climate is the top priority and that addressing it with 15-minute cities is a crucial step towards climate crises.
Lindsay discusses her conversations with politicians, city officials, planners and developers and the difficulties they encounter in the process of getting building approval. She talks about the solutions for the transit system, mobility, and the importance of building affordable housing units for the homeless.
Addressing Issues to Affordable Housing
She also discusses the need for low and moderate income affordable housing as opposed to building luxury housing and hoping the occupancy will trickle down. She suggests that there are three main issues to address: building the deficit, building affordable housing, and inverting the current model. She believes that building affordable housing should be small and affordable. Lindsay also emphasizes the importance of equity in building housing. She believes that a ton of vacancies at all price points is crucial to prevent 70% of unhoused neighbors from falling into homelessness. She also suggests working with nonprofits to build housing, which can be done through church land donations and construction loans.
Influential Harvard Classes and Professors
Lindsay mentions a class called Rock for Jockeys, changing the surface of the earth, and Rob Moss, a professor of VES 10, and the resources available at Harvard.
Timestamps:
02:45 How the problem of parking became visible
09:06 The issue of NIMBYs
11:46 The 15-minute city concept
17:24 The problem of windshield blindness and car blindness
22:24 The livable communities initiative
25:20 How housing and transportation are interconnected
31:17 Working with city administrators and bureaucrats
37:22 Luxury housing and the missing middle
42:12 How do you build housing that doesn’t push longtime residents out?
Links:
Website: LivableCommunitiesInitiative.com
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-sturman-168a334/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindsayJS
Show Notes:
Neil Hendin, a graduate of Harvard, has a diverse career history, including being an undergrad, grad student, teaching assistant, teaching fellow, and staff member. Neil has worked in various engineering departments, including physics, electronics, and computer systems. He has also been involved in campus radio and radio engineering. Neil also completed his master's degree at Harvard. His first job as an engineer was at Maxim Integrated Products, a semiconductor company headquartered in Portland, Oregon. He moved to Hewlett Packard, where he worked in radio engineering. He has been in Silicon Valley since working at Maxim and has also worked at HP, Nvidia, Palm, and Google. Neil currently leads the ChromeOS hardware team at Google and has moved up the engineering management ladder over the past 12 years.
Neil started his career at WHRB after helping a woman set up a stereo for her college. He joined the radio station as a technical staff member and later became chief engineer. He was responsible for maintaining the hardware, including transmitter repair and maintenance. Neil's interest in radio engineering was sparked by the analog nature of circuit building and the ability to analyze and simulate the engineering tools available today. He believes that the field of radio engineering is considered one of the "black magic" fields in electronics, as it requires a lot of skill and experimentation.
Radio Engineering Explained
Radio engineering is the process of transmitting signals over long distances using electromagnetic radiation, such as electromagnetic waves or Morse code. It involves modulation, which involves sending data that is decoded to transmit multiple messages. Radio engineers deal with high frequency circuits, typically ranging from 100 megahertz to 70 gigahertz. The frequency range of these signals depends on the language and technology evolution, with the term "micro" being higher than UHF. Antenna engineering is another subspecialty, involving the antennas that launch signals into free space. Modern smartphones have at least six or eight antennas, which can be divided into lower, mid-range, and high bands. Some phones combine these bands, while others have a pair of antennas for each set of bands. Bluetooth is often combined with Wi-Fi, as they are in the same frequency range and are often done by the same chip in the phone. Radio engineers often gravitate towards the cell phone business due to the challenges of fitting all of this in their pocket and the challenges of running the phone off of batteries. They also worry about the potential interference with aircraft sensors and the plane's avionics. While there were initial fears of interference, radio engineers do not turn off their phones during takeoff or landing to ensure aircraft safety..
From Palm OS Architecture to Chromebooks
Neil talks about the birth of the modern smartphone as a significant milestone in the history of technology. Palm and handspring invented the Palm OS, which was popular among 30 million people. They spun off from Palm and started cellular phones, adding cellular modems into the Palm Pilot type architecture. The Palm Pilot was the first modern smartphone with an app store, replacing paper calendars and address books. Neil talks about the evolution of the Palm Free and how it led to the accelerated development of the iPhone. Neil left Palm and joined the Chrome team, where they piloted a test of Chromebooks.
Managing a Group of Engineers at Google
Neil transitioned from being an individual contributor to managing a group of engineers. He realized that team dynamics, collaboration, communication quality, and trust were crucial for everyone's individual abilities. He realized that having a diverse mix of backgrounds and experience levels made teams more productive.
At Google he noticed how well-run teams were, even if not everyone was equally experienced. He decided to manage a small team of engineers, allowing him to have more impact. He asked people if they wanted to try new roles and gave them organizational flexibility. He managed a group of 75 engineers, which is currently in the low 40s due to a recent layoff. Managing a group of engineers is different depending on the type of roles they have in their organization. His current team size is around 44 engineers. Neil shares stories of engineering challenges that may bubble up to managers, such as the down economy and the decline in the personal computer market.
The Process of Designing and Interacting with Manufacturers
Neil discusses the process of designing and interacting with manufacturers, such as OEMs like Dells, HP, Lenovo, Acer, Samsung, and LG. These OEMs, often based in Taiwan, have access to China's resources for high-volume manufacturing and have factories in various parts of China. Neil has a team of around 28 to 22 people, based in the Taipei office and two engineers in Sydney, Australia. They work with manufacturing companies (ODMs) to design a reference design and tweak it to ensure it stays agile and cost-effective in the current landscape. The team works closely with OEMs to build prototypes, and a lead OEM, such as Dell or HP or Lenovo, implements a lead product on one at the same ODM. The learnings from this build are then shared with another OEM.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Neil shares his experiences at Harvard, mentioning two professors who have influenced his career, his electrical engineering professor, Al Pandiscio, was a mentor, friend, and instructor, while Victor Jones, a professor of electromagnetics, taught the electromagnetics class and cellular communications.
Timestamps:
07:57 How Neil got into radio engineering
25:16 Leaving Palm and joining ChromeBook
27:30 Testing ChromeBook
27:52 Transition from individual contributor to managing a small team
35:10 Managing as an engineer
39:28 Managing a team of new managers
45:51 How Neil works with manufacturers?
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nhendin
Email: Neil.Hendin@gmail.com
Show Notes:
David Block, a graduate of Harvard, had always been interested in cities since he was a child. He decided to explore his interest in cities and their physical aspects, rather than people or economics. But since Harvard does not offer undergraduate architecture major, so he took a year off from Harvard to study at Columbia University's program, "The Shape of Two Cities," which offered a comprehensive introduction to architecture, urban planning, and urban history. The program was divided into two parts and took place in both New York and Paris. He decided to apply to architecture, so upon graduating, he applied to architecture schools. He went to Princeton for one semester, but dropped out due to the program's focus on post-structuralist or literary thinking. He eventually returned to the Midwest and transferred to Washington University, where he enjoyed a more pragmatic and focused program. David's journey to becoming an architect was marked by a shift in focus from making cities and buildings to power dynamics and the influence they can have on society.
David was hired as a graduate student staff for the Mayor's Institute on City Design Midwest, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts, designed to bring mayors of cities of all sizes around the country together. They covered 12 states and worked with city planners, council people, and economic development specialists to identify key economic development and urban development challenges facing midsize cities. The program was held at Washington University each fall and brought together nationally recognized experts in architecture, urban planning, and economic development. David graduated from the School of Architecture and later returned to Boston, where he worked for several firms.
Working for an Affordable Housing Developer
In 2000, David moved to Providence, where he could afford a house. He was hired at the Providence office of the nonprofit affordable housing developer, Community Builders. He spent five years working at the Providence office and worked on several projects around New England, including the Hope Six redevelopment, Dutch Pointe complex, Mill Village revitalization project, and a new library. In 2006, David moved to Chicago, where he joined the growing Chicago office of Community Builders. He was hired at TCB where he was involved in several of the phases of projects, including the development of a rec center and many mixed-use urban developments. He worked there for 12 and half years before he was offered the opportunity to really help build a new, national, affordable housing development practice at Evergreen Real Estate in Chicago
He became involved in adaptive reuse projects, converted old ice cream factories into loft housing, and converted former Art Deco hospital buildings into senior housing. One of the most exciting projects is the one that created the biggest splash for Evergreen in terms of national growth. David’s department was selected by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to do buildings that combined a new Chicago Public Library neighborhood branch with affordable senior housing on prominent sites in several neighborhoods in Chicago. He worked with talented architects, including John Ronan, who was the only Chicago-based architect to be a finalist for the Obama Library. He also worked with Perkins and Will, an international firm based in Chicago, on a small neighborhood project in his hometown. David believes that his projects have had an important impact on cities and neighborhoods, providing much-needed affordable housing opportunities in markets where there is a growing need for affordable housing.
Barriers to Building Affordable Housing
Barriers to building affordable housing include the involvement of minority groups (NIMBYs) and the “not in my backyard” backlash. Some states, like St. Paul, Minnesota, and California, are considering creating opportunities for developers to override local zoning concerns to get affordable housing done, however, David is a big proponent of working with local communities to find a solution that everyone wants to see. However, sometimes, people's concerns are not rational and cannot be rationally argued. In such cases, additional tools involving state involvement in local zoning may be needed. He also talks about the impact of COVID on the supply chains and labor shortages that impact construction.
Barriers to Single-Use Occupancy Buildings
David explores the concept of single room occupancy (SRO) buildings as they were once viable for people who were homeless or unstable. However, zoning restrictions have made it difficult to build such buildings, making them more expensive. The current thinking is that housing for a homeless or near homeless population should include services to address underlying issues, such as mental health or drug addiction. The challenge is to find funding and staff for these services in an incredibly resource-constrained environment. National statistics show a $3-7 million dollar shortfall in housing units nationally, and the vulnerable, homeless, mentally ill, or drug addicted population are the ones who are least able to compete for housing. This leads to a massive societal crisis.
Cost of Construction and Development of a Housing Unit
The primary system for building affordable housing dates back to the Reagan tax reform of 1986 and the creation of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit. Back then, a housing unit could be built for under $100,000, and the tax credit functioned well in that model.
However, today, construction and development of a housing unit is approaching a million dollars, even in Chicago. The financing model for affordable housing is at a crisis point, with regulatory requirements, union and prevailing wage requirements, and the sheer layers of financing involved. The question of whether the government should follow the old public housing model of the 1930s and 1940s is a question that has been answered by the better-maintained housing built with tax credits, market exposure, and oversight by banks and regulatory agencies. In conclusion, the current model for affordable housing is at a critical point, and it is unclear where to go from here. While the intentions are right, the financing model may be at a breaking point, and there is no definitive answer to where to go from here.
The Issue of Empty Commercial Real Estate Post-COVID
Post-COVID, many cities are experimenting with various opportunities for redevelopment. In Chicago, the city's Planning Department has put out an RFP for the redevelopment of several buildings along LaSalle Street, which is known for its historic 1920s and 30s Art Deco buildings. These buildings need significant work to adapt to residential use, particularly the newer ones. Cities are offering varying degrees of funding to address these problems, with the city of Chicago offering significant TIF tax increment financing. San Francisco is struggling with this issue, with a giant shopping mall in the middle of the city that the owners have just handed back to their lender. David talks about ways to follow a career path in urban development, however, he states that it is crucial for individuals with an extremely broad range of interests to understand the challenges and opportunities in repurposing these buildings for residential use.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
David, an English major at Harvard, credits his English classes with inspiring insights into English literature and poetry. He took three classes with Helen Vendler, an expert on Yeats. These classes opened his eyes to the importance of artistic and creative matters in advancing meaningful conversations. Another professor was Derek Pearsalll, who taught Chaucer. David's passion for great design for housing and working with talented architects has led to the creation of beautiful buildings that can be part of urban neighborhoods. He believes that the ultimate test of his work is whether it will stand the test of time, as he believes that buildings that stand the test of time are a work of art.
Timestamps:
08:45 Working as an architect in Boston
14:43 Working at TCB.Inc in Louisville, Kentucky
24:44 The impact of zoning restrictions on development
30:00 Permanent supportive housing
33:10 Why affordable housing is so expensive
36:08 On empty commercial real estate post COVID
38:57 The difference between older buildings and newer buildings
39:34 Architectural code rules on light and air
Links:
Website: https://www.evergreenreg.com/
Show Notes:
Carolyn Gibson, a graduate of Harvard and Radcliffe, has had a diverse and different path since graduating from the university. She initially wanted to be an ambassador, but realized that she wouldn't be a great ambassador to the United States due to her Dutch passport and not agreeing with the U.S. foreign policy. Instead, she decided to go into international aid and development. She tapped into the Harvard network to find information about Europe and the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. She worked as a speechwriter for the High Commissioner herself, Madame Agata, and later landed a three-month internship with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.
Carolyn was encouraged to work in the field. She had been working with two Italian men from Napoli who had received funding from George Soros to start a reunification program in the former Yugoslavia. She took up the offer to start a program using CD ROMs to record the names and photographs of children displaced during the war and make them available in UNHCR offices in the war zone for parents to find their children's homes. She talks about the importance of International laws for protecting and helping refugees, and how the Harvard network can help alumni find positions.
Working in Yugoslavia during the War
Carole recounts her experience in former Yugoslavia, where she helped reunite children with their parents. She experienced disillusionment with the war and the profiteering surrounding it, which led to loss of life and inappropriate media coverage. She talks about smuggling and how the role of the UN. Carolyn met her future husband, Trevor Gibson, who worked for the UN Fire and Rescue Service in Syria, which was a cowboy unit that was on the front lines, running ambulances and stopping fighting. Carolyn talks about the bias in the media and how a lack of willingness to understand and inappropriate media coverage contributed to her disillusionment. They decided to leave Yugoslavia, and Carolyn was offered a post in East Africa helping reunite parents and their children after the Rwandan genocide. She and her husband eventually decided to return to the States in 1995, but decided to move to Scotland where her husband decided to pursue a law degree in Birmingham, UK. They found themselves in a city that was similar to the Detroit of the UK, with car manufacturers and coal mining where Carolyn worked as a copywriter for nonprofit organizations before she earned a scholarship to an MBA program from Warwick University.
Working in Consulting at Deloitte
Carolyn talks about her experience of working in the management consulting practice of Deloitte. She started with Deloitte's program leadership practice and later worked with a child support agency. Carolyng and her husband decided to stay in Birmingham to settle down and have children. She then moved to a local government practice with Deloitte. They set up the first contact center for multiple local governments in one spot, and she became a specialist in setting up cross-governmental contact centers. However, the local government practice and Deloitte's public sector practice merged, which involved a lot more travel, so Carolyn decided to become a stay-at-home mom.
Writing a Book on Teaching Languages
She had been home for 10 years, running the PTA and serving on the Board of Governors for a school, and she wrote a book on teaching other languages. She shares three key tips from the book: make fun, set aside time, give children exposure as much as possible to the language they find fun. She discusses her experiences teaching their children French and moving to France for a year. They eventually moved back to Birmingham, which she has found to be a friendly city and a great place to raise a family.
She moved out of the stay-at-home mom phase and started working in a startup tech company in Coventry, which focused on strategy execution software. She worked with top Fortune 500 companies, such as Nestle, Pratt Whitney, Societe Generale, Philips, L3, and energy companies and eventually became head of consulting. However, the company struggled to translate their investment into a working financial model, and she missed the opportunity to work with public sector organizations, but she gained their support to pursue a master's degree at Oxford, which had links to the UK Government.
Working for the U.K. Defense Ministry
After completing her master's, she worked for the Cabinet Office, particularly in the Ministry of Defense. She is in their strategic supplier program, which aims to align strategic suppliers with the UK Government's goals and vice versa. She works with Rolls Royce, a company that makes engines and E power plants for their nuclear submarines, and Babcock, helping them work at a strategic level, aligning across government, and identifying problems and improving them. Carolyn talks about her accomplishments at the Ministry of Defense and her work as a consultant, where she can make specific nudges that make a big difference. She has helped resolve major contracts and ensured that the government's goals are met. Carolyn explains the culture of a military environment, and how an open door and willingness to share information is crucial, as it allows for a more open and diverse workforce. She found that the defense industry is highly meritocratic and open to new ideas, which is important for women in the industry. Carolyn is now considering pivoting back into the nonprofit world, particularly in the area of unconditional cash transfers, which she believes is a growing area in the United States.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Carolyn shares the courses and professors at Harvard that resonated with her, including a course with Stanley Hoffmann about war, and a seminar with Rena Fonseca on India-China relations. She also shares her experiences with Stanley Hoffmann, who taught her the importance of holding onto convictions and ideas, and Rena Fonseca, who taught her the importance of perseverance and adaptability in the face of challenges.
Timestamps:
05:11 How Carolyn’s involvement with the Harvard network helped her find work
10:30 Smuggling and profiteering in war-torn Yugoslavia
13:35 Media coverage of the war that was inappropriate
21:46 Working at Deloitte
24:00 Carolyn’s book on teaching kids languages
28:07 Working in strategy execution software at a tech startup
31:06 Impressions at the Ministry of Defense
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-gibson
Facebook: Harvard/Radcliffe Class of 1992
Show Notes:
Seth Hilton graduated from Harvard and later went on to law school at UC Davis, started working as a litigation associate at a law firm before joining a large firm in the Bay Area. During the California energy crisis, he was tasked with monitoring regulatory developments and participating at regulatory agencies when needed. He eventually shifted his practice from energy litigation and energy-regulated regulatory work to almost exclusively regulatory work, although occasionally doing a little bit of litigation.
Seth's interest in law stemmed from his father's law practice and his father's enjoyment of the law practice. He took a constitutional law course at Harvard, which inspired him to explore the field further.
Seth is currently a partner in the law firm of Stole Rives, focusing on California energy regulatory work. He works with companies in the energy sector in California, many of which are regulated by various state agencies or entities. He advises them on current regulations and assists them in adapting or changing those regulations to better suit their clients or their customers. Seth's clients range from electric to natural gas, oil and gas, and more recently, hydrogen.
Seth talks about how the California Public Utilities Commission regulates utilities and other entities providing electric and natural gas service to retail customers. They dictate what resources and types of energy are procured to serve retail customers. The commission is concerned about the near term, the next five years, and the transition to more electrification. They have directed utilities and other load-serving entities to procure renewable resources, such as solar or wind, and sometimes specify energy storage that might assist with bringing in more renewable sources of energy.
Blending Hydrogen and Natural Gas
Seth talks about exploring the potential of blending hydrogen with natural gas to reduce carbon intensity. This could involve blending hydrogen with natural gas or using hydrogen instead of natural gas. The California Public Utilities Commission is currently evaluating the role of hydrogen in its overall GHG reduction strategy. They are considering whether to use pure hydrogen or blend it with natural gas for retail customers, or if to use pure hydrogen and convert retail appliances to use blended hydrogen.
Seth explains what the two flavors of hydrogen are and the challenges in determining the appropriate regulations for hydrogen use, such as whether to require it to be solely produced by renewable energy or if to relax regulations to make hydrogen more cost-effective. He also mentions the debates around the methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions, including accounting for the entire lifecycle of energy sources.
Seth talks about how he originally wanted to study engineering but decided it wasn’t for him. He explains why enjoys working in the energy sector, particularly in response to climate change, which has had significant impacts on California, such as heat, wildfires, drought, and increased rainfall. He believes that a specific regulation or detail would be beneficial in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing the existing challenges faced by California.
Nuclear Power in California
Seth discusses the problems with the California grid, which is outdated and requires upgrading. The grid's old distribution system has caused wildfires and caused significant damage. The state is also trying to connect new generation resources, such as solar and offshore wind, to the grid, which requires planning and upgrading the transmission system. However, concerns about timing, cost, and retail customer satisfaction arise.
Seth explains that the future of nuclear power in California is uncertain, despite the significant advantages to nuclear power, such as GHG emission-free generation and the ability to provide consistent power. However, there are also concerns about waste management and waste disposal.
Currently, there is little hope for nuclear power in California, but there are potential technical developments that could change the situation, such as smaller generators. However, it would require significant technical breakthroughs to see nuclear power again in California.
Stability of the Grid and Energy Storage Facilities
Seth talks about the stability of a grid, and how, in California, a grid with a high percentage of solar and wind power can be unstable due to technical challenges. He explains that regulatory agencies are aware of these challenges and are creating regulations to address them, such as requiring procurement of additional energy storage. California has procured a vast amount of energy storage, primarily lithium ion batteries, which are large utility-scale batteries that store energy and discharge it when needed. Most of the storage resources in California consist of battery storage facilities, which can be either out in the field or in a large warehouse. Seth talks about storage facilities and how many homes can be served by one megawatt.
The Development of Charging Stations for EV's
Seth discusses the development of charging stations for electric and hydrogen vehicles, as well as the need for them in the transportation sector. The California Energy Commission is working towards creating additional hydrogen fueling stations across the state, which will provide the fueling stations for fuel cell hydrogen fuel cell cars. Hydrogen is also a good solution for larger vehicles like truck transport, as it provides the energy infrastructure to provide the energy for those vehicles.
His contact information is available on his website, and he would be happy to hear from people interested in his work.
Influential Courses at Harvard
Seth took a Constitutional Law course which interested him as a potential profession and led him to law school.
Timestamps:
05:50 How you create a market for renewable energy
11:22 The difference between clean good hydrogen and dirty hydrogen
14:16 Why Seth likes working in the energy sector
18:17 Information about the grid in California
22:26 Nuclear Power in California
24:22 How energy storage works at utility scale
29:51 How many homes could be served by a megawatt battery
33:59 How Seth ended up in the world of energy regulatory policy
Links:
https://www.stoel.com/
CONTACT:
Email: seth.hilton@stoel.com
Show Notes:
After Greg Lisi graduated from Harvard, he spent nine years in the military before working in the medical device space for several companies. He then transitioned to a small company called Prep MD, which does medical device training. After graduation, he took his officer basic course and received an active reserve commission in the military. He spent six months at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, learning about military intelligence and officer training. He served three years as an Intel officer at Fort Hood, Texas, and attended Airborne School, Ranger School. Greg also worked as a scout platoon leader, providing forward reconnaissance for a tank battalion.
Life as a Military Intel Officer
Greg describes the military experience of an Intel officer. He requested a special assignment from his advanced course to attend the Armor Maneuver School. He spent six months at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and had the opportunity to go to Germany and learn about the Battle of the Bulge and the German armor officer school with his German counterparts.
Upon returning, he was invited to spend his captain years in Europe, spending a year in Bonn, Germany, working for a Military Intelligence Battalion. The unit was mostly electronic, flying RC 12 airplanes and collecting electronic intelligence while supporting peace operations in Bosnia. Greg was tasked with collecting electronic intelligence.
One day, he was contacted by Colonel Dragon, a battalion commander, who asked about his transfer to a new unit. Greg was transferred to his unit, which was preparing to deploy to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to monitor and stabilize the border between Albania and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The mission was to monitor and stabilize the border while ensuring the conflict in Kosovo didn't spill over into the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.
Greg talks about his post serving on the UN mission to monitor and stabilize the border between Albania and Macedonia. The unit had outposts along the border, and Greg describes the drills that were different from military training, including how to respond to a sniper.
Greg describes his experience as an Intel Officer in a military unit, specifically an infantry battalion, and how the officer is responsible for reporting to the brigade commander and providing advice and counsel. He talks about his experience with the largest foreign deployed operation in Europe today.
Greg highlights the importance of intelligence in ensuring a stable geopolitical environment and addressing potential resistance from Serbs.
Life after a Career in the Military
Greg talks about his decision to leave the military after nine years. He worked with a company called Cameron Brooks, which helped junior military officers find opportunities with different organizations in corporate America. He eventually took a job in the medical device space at a company called Guidance Corporation, which was later bought by Boston Scientific. He initially worked as a field clinical representative in cardiac rhythm management, where he was the point person between the physician, patients, and the technology.
Working as a Clinical Representative
He fell in love with the medical device space and the patient care and technology. He served as a clinical rep for about 18 months and later took his own sales territory. He explains what he enjoyed about this job, as his livelihood was driven by the need to create relationships and create value around the technology he was working with.
Greg discusses the role of a clinical representative in the healthcare industry, which is often overlooked and/or unknown. He explains that a clinical representative serves as a bridge between technology and the physician, helping bridge the gap between the two. A clinical representative can help ensure the correct things are being done for the device they represent on a given day.
Greg explains how they help a physician with technology and during procedures. He discusses the importance of being quiet, good listeners, and being three steps ahead of the physician when dealing with senior attending physicians. He also discusses the importance of checklists. He learned the efficacy of checklists from his military experiences and believes that checklists are good for training people in working through procedures early in their training.
Founding Prep MD
Greg talks about his company, Prep MD, founded in 2009, which aims to teach, inspire, and connect talented individuals with the medical device industry. The company initially had five members, who designed a six-week program that partnered with local medical institutions in Boston. The program included hands-on didactics, simulation equipment, and a mock catheterization and electrophysiology lab. The program prepared participants for clinical rotation and observation rounds, and helped place them with companies or healthcare providers in clinical specialist roles.
Today, his company trains people to become clinical representatives and helps place them with companies or healthcare providers around the country. This role serves as a bridge between the technology and the physician, making it easier for physicians to keep up with the latest innovations.
The company has three different companies under the Prep MD umbrella: the initial training company, a staffing entity, and a third LLC called prep MD RMS for remote monitoring solutions. The monitoring space is growing, with wearables becoming more prevalent. Greg talks about how the company has expanded its training and development side, and how it is now looking to expand into wearables and other areas.
Working with the Non-Profit Med Tech Vets
Greg discusses his experience working with Med Tech Vets, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring for veterans transitioning from the military. They recently established a scholarship program for individuals who complete their online training program, which is currently at $35,000 for the six-month program. The cost of the program is not cheap, but employers appreciate the commitment to professional development and the ability to find pre-qualified candidates who can learn and master technology. Greg talks about the entry requirements, financial aid packages available, and the high placement rate post graduation.
Greg talks about the monitoring business, which involves reconnection of devices or monitoring patients' health. He explains that some healthcare providers prefer to have their staff handle patient outreach, while others outsource this task to third-party providers. Lisi also discusses the shift towards app-based technology, where everything becomes app-based, and how it is transforming the way healthcare providers work.
Timestamps:
08:20 The UN’s mission to monitor the border with Macedonia
11:15 How to avoid conflict spilling over
16:22 How Greg became an intel officer
19:19 The decision to leave the army
25:11 How Greg became a clinical representative
28:15 The role of a clinical rep in guiding the physician
33:58 How Greg founded Prep MD
43:14 The entry requirements for students coming to the program
47:34 App-based medical monitoring devices
Links:
Website: PrepMD.com
CONTACT: Greg.Lisi@PrepMD.com.
Show Notes:
Lauren Galit began her career as a magazine editor for about a decade before transitioning into editing and agency work. She started with Gentleman's Quarterly, she worked for advertisers, and later worked for Mode magazine, a plus size women's magazine. She eventually landed her last job at Good Housekeeping.
Lauren was a deputy editor at a magazine, where she was responsible for managing the entire content and was in charge of every word that went into the magazine. She worked with a team of writers, editors, and editors and was able to bring her ideas to life. However, Her passion for connecting authors to audiences and helping them craft their voices led her to switch from magazines to books. She realized that going longer form was a better way to nurture these relationships and nurture the writers’ voices. She went to an agency where she took a major pay and title cut and became an assistant.
Working as a Literary Agent
Lauren’s journey from magazines to books has been a journey of connecting authors to audiences and helping them craft their voices. She has learned to adapt her approach to different publications and agencies, focusing on building relationships and fostering a supportive environment for authors.
Agency work involves generating book ideas, seeking out authors, and working with them to shape their proposals and sell the books to publishers. The agent works with the author to execute the book, executing contracts, shepherding covers, production schedules, and timelines. Lauren started working for John Boswell Associates, a company known for creating 365 Ways to Cook Chicken, and later worked on other projects such as What Not to Wear. The success of this book led her to start her own agency in 2006 and has since worked on various projects in categories such as parenting, diet, exercise, and fitness.
What a Literary Agency Does
As an agent, Lauren used to work with authors to shape and create their proposals, ensuring that they were well-researched and well-written. I also helped them navigate the publication process, including negotiating deals and addressing issues with the editor. The role of the editor in publishing houses, particularly for nonfiction books, is crucial, as the author may have a vision of what the book should be, and the editor may have a different version of what will appeal to the market.
The agency provides services based on the category and interventionist approach. For nonfiction, the agency shapes a proposal, which includes a table of contents, advice, tips, and anecdotes. The proposal, along with marketing and publicity sections, goes to the publisher to entice the publisher to buy the book. In fiction, the book is sold on a full manuscript, while in nonfiction, the book is sold on a proposal.
Lauren explains the business side of the agreement between agent and author, the services provided, percentage of the deal, and what the publishing house covers.
The Role of the Editor and Relationship with the Author
Lauren explains that the agent, editor and author often have a phone call to discuss the concept, and if there are conflicts, the editor expects the author to deliver a different version of the book. There are various options for rewrites, and if they cannot come to terms, the contract can be dissolved.
Lauren has written many books around exercise, diet, and fitness, including books about eating fruits and vegetables, exercising, and getting fit. She has shifted her focus to children's literature and middle grade literature for the last decade. She explains the importance of developing a hook and offers a few examples to illustrate how the hook works.
Lauren discusses her experiences in the middle grade and YA fiction space, focusing on magical realism and contemporary books with hints of magic. She highlights the importance of casting a lens on children's emotional lives and making them more consequential.
Exploring What Editors Want
Lauren also discusses approaching publishers and the Rolodex process, which involves researching what editors are looking for and aligning interests appropriately. She suggests that there is a need for more middle grade fiction, as dystopian fiction is being burned out. Lauren also discusses the gender imbalance in middle grade, with boys reading children's books up until a certain age. They often switch to genre fiction, mysteries, adventure novels, and fantasy, but not YA books. She explains why editors don't want to invest too heavily in YA books with male protagonists.
Lauren's advice for other authors in the middle grade and YA fiction space is to focus on matching interests and aligning interests appropriately, and to be patient with the process.
The Landscape of the Book Industry
Lauren explains how the book industry works and how it has been broken down into imprints, with each house having different rules. Lauren touches on the decline of children's imprints, such as Razorbill, which was decommissioned and merged into a single imprint. This has led to a significant downturn in the children's market, with the famous imprint Ink Yard at HarperCollins being discontinued. As a result, the number of outlets and opportunities for book deals decreases.
The shift in the book industry is driven by specialization, specialization, and the need for a diverse range of genres and formats. The book industry is a complex and evolving landscape, with authors often being upset about their intellectual property being trained by AI. This can lead to a lack of understanding of what people know or think about book publishing.
Lauren talks about the role of publishing houses in the future, the importance of an agent, and offers insight on advances for writers. For both fiction and nonfiction, there may be apps that can help authors create books for themselves, such as AI tools that can write books for specific topics or provide personalized advice. However, Lauren states that AI is flawed in its current state, as it is repetitive, clunky, and introduces falsehoods.
Influential Courses or Professors at Harvard
Lauren mentions Marjorie Garber as an influential professor.
Timestamps:
04:13 Bringing out an author's own voice
09:39 How Lauren started her own publishing company
16:03 The role of the editor at the publishing house
22:17 How Lauren got into parenting books
27:34 How to approach publishers for manuscripts
32:56 Boys and girls and YA?
37:08 Selling books with fewer and fewer big buyers.
41:23 The importance of having an editor who loves your book
45:47 Advice for aspiring writers
Links:
Website: LKGAgency
CONTACT:
X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/LKGagency
Show Notes:
Reggie Williams, a Harvard graduate, had a great experience in his four-year period at Harvard College. After graduating, he went to Harvard Law School, which was a much more difficult and a lesser social experience. He was disillusioned with the law, finding that it was influenced by politics and was more subjective than objective. He decided law was not a profession he wanted to pursue.
Moving into the Entertainment Industry
While in law school, Reggie was inspired by the notion that he could pursue entertainment and started asking people around campus for advice. His goal was to eventually become a senior executive at a multimedia entertainment company or run his own company. He did not achieve his best grades in law school, but he did pass and he wrote a thesis about Tupac Shakur and the music industry needing to regulate itself with a voluntary rating system.
Reggie took a negotiation class with Bruce Patton and Roger Friedman, which was the greatest course he took in any stage of academics. He applied to 27 law firms in New York and LA, and only one firm accepted him. He had a great interview with a man who became his mentor. He was invited to New York City to work for Paul Hastings, an entertainment litigation practice, which represented stars like Madonna and CBS Records.
However, when he got there, they didn't have a place for him in the entertainment litigation department. Reggie learned that sometimes life doesn't give you what you expect, but it's what you need. He found himself doing business law, which was more aligned with his interests in entertainment, learning contracts and IP. As a business law associate interested in entertainment, he was the first person to give deals in the entertainment industry, which helped him navigate the challenges and opportunities in the entertainment industry.
Starting a Digital Lifestyle Entertainment Company
He realized he didn’t want to stay in corporate law for too long, and Reggie shares how he gained experience and made connections that helped him move forward in his career and land his dream job. He talks about having three dream jobs on the table but how negotiations fell apart and he lost all three. However, he finally landed one of them and found he was moving full speed ahead negotiating and closing deals with artists he loved. After two years, the partner came to him and asked him to write business plans for a couple of clients, which he did, and then decided that the next one he wanted to write was for his own business. So, in 1999 he launched his first business and built a digital lifestyle entertainment experience, based around hip hop which was to become the next 25 years of his career.
Founding Ambrosia for Heads
After a rollercoaster ride of financial and relationship difficulties, Reggie was navigating the economic downturn in 2008, and his second wife was pregnant. In 2009, Williams realized that hip hop was growing and needed a platform that targeted people 25 and older. He created Ambrosia, a curated service for hip hop fans, and branded it Ambrosia for Heads (AFH), which would eventually become a streaming platform. He aimed to be a concierge through hip hop culture for people, starting as an editorial platform and building an audience around it. When Reggie founded AFH and was initially unsure of the role technology would play in the entertainment industry. However, he realized that technology is sovereign and that content is king. He had a dream of creating a hip hop lifestyle that encompassed TV, film, music, and other forms of entertainment. He set out to build a sustainable platform, similar to Netflix or Rolling Stone, but with a focus on adults.
As social media exploded, Reggie used Facebook to build a community focused around hip hop culture. He aimed to make it like a Rolling Stone, with roughly 75% of the content being about music, 60% entertainment lifestyle, 15% politics, and 10% dark corners of the world.
Merging Technology and Entertainment
In 2017, Williams launched a subscription video service like Netflix on several different platforms, with over 300 hours of programming. Despite a successful launch, AFH was unable to raise capital, although having built an audience of 15 million a month. He listens to 20,000 hours of music last year and has a son and three sons who all have the same favorite artist, Kendrick Lamar.
Reggie shares stories of meeting and working with artists, revealing that they are often very different from their appearance on stage or in public interviews. Most artists are incredibly smart, but this is not always welcomed in certain genres. They can be both introverted and magnetic on stage, but when they work with them, they start to get to know them as real humans.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
Reggie mentioned being impressed with Derek Parfit, a philosopher who taught at Oxford but later came to Harvard. Parfit's book, Reasons in Persons, explores personal identity and the concept of the Star Trek transfer transformer analogy, which suggests that everything is created in the next place.
He took a course called Moral Reasoning in his freshman year taught by Harvey Mansfield. He also took feminism courses, which he found fascinating, and he also mentions film courses, which he had taken in his freshman year.
Timestamps:
03:12 Going to law school as an entertainment lawyer
09:07 A job offer from an entertainment law firm
15:51 The turning point in his life
18:31 The opportunity to work for Bbt
24:22 What has surprised Reggie about the industry
30:54 Taking a stand on social media
39:10 The unwritten rules of meeting celebrities
42:44 Reggie reflects on fatherhood
Links:
Website: AmbrosiaforHeads.com
CONTACT:
Email: Reg@afhtv.com
Show Notes:
Chris Cowell, a computer science major, shares an anecdote about his college experience. He mentioned that the computer science major concentration at Harvard was different from today, and how he worked with paper and pencil more than computers. Chris talks about the multiple paths taken in life after graduating from Harvard, including working for a public service program called Vista, which was started during the Vietnam War as a way for conscientious objectors to provide service to the country.
Chris was assigned to an adult literacy group in Lansing, Michigan, where he was in charge of matching tutors and literacy tutors with students who needed to learn how to read. This experience was unpleasant and lonely, but it was also a good antidote to the occasional preciousness of Harvard.
Through this experience, he was able to understand the struggles of a large portion of the population, including students who struggled with brain problems, mental health issues, and other struggles. This experience helped him understand that life doesn't come easy for many people. Chris shares a few anecdotes from his time in the program, including how the term dyslexia is used, how his experience taught him that there are many reasons an adult may have difficulty learning how to read, and how he would match teachers to students.
Pursuing a Philosophy Degree and Moving into Consulting
Chris initially had a side interest in philosophy and decided to pursue a philosophy degree. He took two years at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, taking more undergraduate philosophy classes and decided to pursue a PhD in philosophy. He went on to Berkeley for grad school and spent six years there, but felt like he was barely hanging on and didn't have much to contribute. He finished the program in 2001 but decided he wouldn’t pursue a career in the academic field and decided to go back into computer science. Chris was recruited by Anderson Consulting, a company that had just spun off from Arthur Andersen, which had been involved in the Enron scandal.
Chris' experience with Anderson Consulting was not what he expected. He was assigned to an eight-year in-town project in Sacramento, which was a contract with the government of California to set up a child welfare website, which was unfortunate because, although he had learned theory of computer science, he didn’t have the practical coding skills to complete the project. He was given the opportunity to learn programming but later transitioned to Accenture and moved into their research and development lab in Palo Alto during the height of the innovation era in the San Francisco Bay area.
Starting a Technical Training Company
Chris moved to Portland, where he worked for Oracle as a computer programmer. He worked for different companies in the Portland area, specializing in testing programs that test other programs. However, he realized that he had only been promoted once over the course of his 20-year career. This realization led him to change their focus from tech to doing technical training. Chris started a one-person technical training company, teaching people how to use software. He sold classes and in-person training to local companies and had fun building the curriculum. He also enjoyed public speaking. However, the COVID pandemic hit, but he had no marketing savvy and his company was failing. After a few years, he got a job with a real software company, teaching people how to use their software. He recently shifted to another company, and their career now focuses on technical training, building materials, and giving presentations on software usage.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Chris remembers a few courses from college, but he found the core science courses the most interesting. David Lazarus’ Space, Time and Motion, the Recent History of Iran course, and Diana Eck’s Comparative Religion course. He loved the music appreciation course taught by Louise vos Gershon, who was described as the only faculty member at Harvard without a PhD. The skills learned in music appreciation have been useful in his singing and guitar playing ever since. Chris also values learning basic music theory, which is essential for musicians who want to understand how music theory works. He also joined the Harvard Speech in Parliament and Debate society where he may have debated Ted Cruz.
Timestamps:
03:23 Adult Literacy group in Lansing, Michigan
08:51 How to pick the right student
11:19 How Chris decided to pursue a Phd
15:25 How Chris started his career in tech
22:39 On starting his own technical training company
25:41 Courses and professors that have stayed with him
CONTACT:
Facebook: Cowell-shah
Email. Chris@post.harvard.edu
Show Notes:
Margaret Abe-Koga shares her journey since graduating from the university. She returned to the Bay Area and studied American government, eventually volunteered for Anna Eshoo, a San Mateo County Supervisor. She worked for her for six years before deciding to try other things. She ran a small business and started a Leadership Institute for Asian Pacific Americans at a local community college. After getting married, she decided to start a family and had her first daughter in 2001. People encouraged her to run for political office, and she ran for Santa Clara County Board of Education and Mountain View City Council. She was elected in 2006 and served as mayor in 2009 and 2020.
The Crises Mayor and City Council Responsibilities
As a city council member in Mountain View, she is the first AAPI Asian American Pacific Islander female to serve on the council and is currently serving her fourth term and fifteenth year.
The council's main work is land use, planning out city development, and ensuring services for housing and residents. They are responsible for police, fire, public works, parks and recreation, and run a library. They also make land use decisions and allocate funds for services.
Mountain View is home to Google, and over the last 15 years, Margaret has worked with Google to create a business-friendly community and ensure businesses are mindful of the community. Margaret’s main responsibility is to attend city council meetings. Recently, she has been working on a general plan to create a vision for the city and align projects with it.
Margaret also serves on several regional boards, including the Air Quality Management District, a clean energy authority. She spends a significant amount of time on these boards, attending meetings and meeting with constituents. She also attends community events, such as ribbon cuttings and neighborhood block parties, to get out to the community.
Dealing with Complex Issues of City Council
Margaret talks about how important it is to listen to different perspectives, from libertarian to democrat, and make decisions without making it too personal. The council has a tradition of treating businesses business and not making it too personal, allowing for deliberate decision-making and voting. Margaret talks about the challenge of handling complex issues like housing impact fees and the Brown Act, which prohibits outside discussions. To sway or persuade colleagues, Margaret works with community groups or constituents to gather their input and provide public comment time.
The Importance of Policy Issues and Raising Minimum Wage
Margaret discusses the importance of policy issues and the politics involved in implementing them. One of her major initiatives was raising the minimum wage in Mountain View, which now has one of the highest minimum wages in the country. However, the council did not have enough votes to pass the increase by ballot initiative. Margaret shares what she did to engage and persuade the public and convince council members to vote for the increase.
Margaret explains that the politics of policy initiatives involve figuring out who the players are, what motivates them, and who they are aligned with. She also discusses the costs and benefits of a minimum wage increase.
Margaret emphasizes the importance of data in decision-making, she also highlights the importance of research, and outreach to the business community and public opinion in addressing the costs and benefits.
Working in Air Quality Management and Clean Energy
Margaret talks about the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, a group of 24 elected officials representing nine counties, responsible for ensuring clean air and pollution control. They regulate oil refineries and other pollutants, but have not set regulations yet. Recently, they banned the replacement of gas appliances in 2020 by 2029, focusing on the link between gas appliances and public health issues like asthma and lung cancer. The district is also working on reducing pollution levels in cars, as lower socioeconomic populations often live near freeways, contributing to poorer health. The district is working to combat and lower pollution levels to create more equitable communities, and to address pollution from automobile exhaust and promote more electrification with funding programs that are also available for lower-income households.
Margaret discusses her experience procuring wholesale clean energy and her journey in the industry. She shares her goal of having her own sources and building new sources of energy to increase the grid. The industry is growing rapidly, and she is excited about the innovation happening. Margaret mentions that she has been involved in the Institute of Politics, which allowed her to intern and receive a stipend for her work.
Influential Courses and Professors at Harvard
Margaret mentions Professor Morris Fiorina at Stanford who taught her in a government class.
She also mentions her involvement with the Asian American Association (AAA) at Harvard, which has been a significant part of her work. She talks about how her identity as an Asian American was shaped by her parents' immigrant background and realized the importance of having a voice in communities and the importance of empowering the Asian American community and communities of color. She believes that everyone has a voice in the political process and that her involvement with AAA at Harvard has helped her understand the importance of empowering communities of color.
Margaret is currently running for the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors and has a website with links to her campaign. She appreciates the interest and support from her peers, and she wishes her the best in her future endeavors.
Timestamps:
04:21 What does the city council do in Mountain View?
09:21 A typical week for a city council member
14:58 Housing Impact fees
19:51 Evolving public sentiment on housing
22:51 The politics of raising the minimum wage
31:10 The impact of the minimum wage increase on housing
35:39 The link between gas stoves and asthma
39:22 What Is the Silicon Valley clean energy authority?
Websites:
https://www.mak4supervisor.com/
http://www.margaretforcouncil.com/
Show Notes:
Virginia Ravenscroft has had a long and winding road since graduating from Harvard in 1992. Her journey has taken her through a diverse range of experiences, including graphic design, teaching, project management, and tech. However, despite her success in these fields, she felt that something was missing. She realized that she wanted to offer a more healing type of work. It's something that she had been learning about, practicing, and pursuing training for over time. Virginia's journey is emblematic of the changing nature of work in the 21st century, where people are no longer expected to have one job for life. Instead, they are encouraged to explore different paths and find work that aligns with their passions and values.
Founder of Two Companies
Virginia's two companies, Offering Abundance and Abolition in the Bones, are the culmination of her journey. Offering Abundance is a company that offers a diverse range of services, including coaching, software development, travel arrangements, especially to places that are off the beaten track, and healing practices. Virginia's goal with Offering Abundance is to provide a one-stop-shop for all of her clients' needs by providing a diverse range of services that can help people in many different ways.
Abolition in the Bones, on the other hand, is a company that focuses on anti-racism coaching. Virginia's journey and her two companies highlight the importance of finding work that aligns with one's values and passions.
Abolition in the Bones
The focus of Abolition in the Bones is anti-racism coaching and support for those who have experienced racism. The company provides a 15-20 session curriculum that is tailored to each individual's needs. Virginia works one-on-one with her clients to help them understand the impact of racism and how to be anti-racist.
Virginia explains that one of the ethical problems with white people in anti-racism coaching is that they don't really know about the impact of racism as a person of color. Virginia is aware of the issue of a white person doing racism coaching, and the blind spots she may encounter. To overcome this, she has an accountability circle of Black women who are the experts that help her shape the curriculum and review her practice.
Virginia's Healing Practice
Virginia's healing practice is one of the many services that she offers through Offering Abundance. She is trained in a modality called Indigenous Focusing Oriented Therapy (I-FOT). I-FOT is a body-based practice that attends to the wisdom within the body. It is a decolonizing practice that is rooted in Indigenous ways of healing. Virginia explains the origin of the practice and the difference between this practice and the traditional western approach to illness. Virginia's approach to healing is focused on helping people become their best selves and understand the wisdom within their bodies. She talks about who this practice serves and why they look for a healing practice outside of the traditional medical industry.
Virginia's journey and her two companies have important implications for the changing nature of work in the 21st century and that it is possible to have a diverse range of experiences and still find work that is fulfilling.
Working in a Healing Practice
Virginia discusses her experiences with healing and anti-racism and the exercises she uses to help clients uncover and address their problems and discover the root cause through paying close attention and focusing on the body’s reactions in various situations. She talks about how we perceive intelligence and her education practice. She talks about her work as an end-of-life doula. Her goal is to focus on queer and trans people as they approach the end of their life and how she can help them plan, communicate, and cope with this difficult period.
Working as an Anti-racism Practitioner
Virginia talks about her work in Abolition in the Bones and it helps people with internalized racism, unconscious bias, and problematic attitudes. She talks about the "why exercise," to recognise behavior. As an example, she talks about thinking about a time when they felt like they had to control a situation. Virginia believes that underneath this urge to control or dominate is fear and a desire for safety. She also highlights how this sense of being out of control can be triggered in situations with racial components. She explains how this is used to recognize the trigger and control the response, and how body-based exercises help people recognise unconscious impulsive behaviors. Virginia believes that understanding the interiority and full humanity of people of color is crucial for overcoming racism and promoting inclusivity.
Virginia is passionate about anti-racism and has been working on it since college. She attended an anti-racism workshop led by a black woman, and a presentation by Jacob Holt, a photographer from the Netherlands, who documented racial injustice and counteracted each one with a new photograph which challenged her to work on anti-racism work. She also mentions how she became aware of her own unconscious racial behavior.
Influential Courses and Professors
Virginia discusses her experiences with various courses and professors at Harvard, including Professor Edwin Cranston, who was her advisor throughout her sophomore, junior, and senior year. She was fortunate enough to come into Harvard already speaking Japanese fairly well, and she went into classical Japanese classes with him. She also mentions a course on the art and architecture of Suleiman the Magnificent with Gülru Necipoğlu, Simon Schama's class on art and history in the Baroque era, and Regina Johnson's class on Modern Japanese Women Writers.
Timestamps:
06:46 An introduction to indigenous focusing oriented therapy
14:42 Examples of the body mind connection in holistic healing
16:51 Assisting the healing journey
19:21 Virginia’s healing methods
22:15 Virginia’s work as an end-of-life doula
27:42 Explaining problematic meanings
30:30 Running abolition in the bones
34:23 Exercises to uncover racism
39:06 The story behind Virginia’s focus on racism
49:50 Preparing to live abroad
Links:
https://abolitioninthebones.com/
https://virginiaravenscroft.com/
Brent Chinn, an East Asian Studies and Economics major at Harvard talks about his journey since graduation in 1992. Since he was 12, Brent had a desire to work in the Pacific Rim. He got a job in San Francisco but was offered a position in Indonesia by the wife of a fifth-year senior when he was a freshman. At the time, Brent had no idea where Indonesia was but saw it as an opportunity to work in the Pacific Rim. He arrived in Indonesia in 1996 and made every rookie mistake, including overconfidence and underestimating how much he didn't know.
An American in Indonesia
Brent talks about his job in Indonesia. The stock market had just opened, Indonesia was an emerging economy and considered one of the five tigers at the time. His job was not just to work as an analyst but to also recruit talent. Brent had a car and a driver, which was part of the expat package, less enticing was his first lunch delivered to his office. He found it challenging to get settled with utilities and getting an apartment. However, he was fascinated by the country and its culture, and he started learning Bahasa Indonesia, the official language. It was a rockin' time. However, two years later, the Asian financial crisis hit, and everything came tumbling down. Brent made a rookie mistake when he advertised a summer barbecue and invited people to his apartment. He didn't realize that Indonesians didn't have the concept of summer or barbecue, because it’s on the equator and don’t have the same seasonal shifts, and he struggled to get the briquets and hot dogs. Despite the initial challenges, Brent has been in Indonesia ever since and has been working in various fields.
Indonesia’s Democracy
Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world, but its constitution is a secular democracy. Its democracy was messy, with demonstrations and volatility, and Americans got evacuated. In 1998, after the financial crisis, President Suharto stepped down, and for the first time, there was a democracy. Indonesia recognized that their country was full of 16,000 islands with thousands of different languages and dialects. They had to get everyone speaking the same language and realize they were better together than apart. They put their differences aside and moved forward, hacking out their differences in a democratic way. Indonesia is considered one of the biggest success stories for democracy. It's also a great growth story. Indonesia has a lot of lessons that they can give to Americans in terms of what happens when you don't have to dominate political parties and how to build consensus to drive a political agenda.
Working in Finance during the Financial Crisis
Brent arrived when Indonesia was a hot market, but Brent's personal experience was challenging, as he had been in the country for only two years when the financial crisis hit, and suddenly, nobody was taking any debt. Brent decided to stick around during the crisis, and the company he worked for became one of the largest issuers of debt. He had to print bearer bonds complete with terms and conditions. He was working with medium-term notes, which were a financial innovation at the time but are now banned. However, when the market changed, the company got into the debt trading business and made more money selling distressed bonds than they did issuing primary debt.
Brent talks about the riots that started during the financial crash and why he decided to stay in the country despite the fact that many Americans were being evacuated. Brent left Indonesia and went to business school at Wharton in 2001 and worked for a start-up in the US in 2004 but later returned to Asia in 2009 where he helped his old company build mobile stock applications.
Building the Startup TimKado
He started his own company in 2017 called TimKado, which makes software tools that fit on top of WhatsApp. The company automates content contact management for different popular chat applications, primarily WhatsApp but also Telegram, and other chat applications. Their major market at the moment is travel agents, but they also serve retailers, ecommerce, and some insurance companies.
WhatsApp is the dominant chat application for 2 billion people, particularly in Indonesia, India, Brazil, and some European countries. The company has its own API, and there are a whole group of third parties that make applications that work with WhatsApp. Chinn's company aims to be the first SaaS-based software platform that can extend beyond Indonesia, but go to other markets like Brazil, Mexico, and Europe. They want to help corporate companies build out their own chat networks and be ready for chat GTP or whatever should come down the pipeline in terms of AI.
Brent's experiences highlight the risks and rewards of working in emerging markets. The market can be volatile, and financial innovation can lead to toxic products. However, there is also potential for high financial rewards. His story also underscores the importance of regulation and the need for caution when investing in emerging markets.
Life in Jakarta
Brent currently lives in Jakarta. He believes that Indonesia has a lot to offer and wants to be an advocate for the country. Despite Jakarta's population of over 30 million people, there are plenty of parks and outdoor spaces to enjoy, and the city has a fantastic food scene with a variety of ethnic foods and organic options at reasonable prices. Jakarta has also experienced significant growth in infrastructure, including malls and public transportation, in the last 10 years. He believes that Jakarta is a safe place with a laid-back atmosphere and good music scene.
Influential Harvard Courses and Professors
Brent reflects on his college experience and how a class on ancient Chinese art has helped him in his current job, where he is trying to use technology in innovative ways to increase productivity. He shares that the biggest lesson he learned from Harvard is to change the paradigm and do something amazing. He invites people to connect with him on LinkedIn to learn more about his work and to explore Indonesia, including Bali, and Komodo Island.
Timestamp:
17:47 Discussion on investment banking and the industries dealt with
18:06 Experience with emerging markets and bearer bonds
20:16 Working with state-owned enterprises and financial innovations
21:39 Explanation of medium-term notes and their downfall
23:38 Personal experience during the financial crisis
24:20 Trading debt after issuing it during the financial crisis
28:17 Working for a startup in the US and returning to Asia in 2009
29:42 Building mobile stock applications and starting his own company
30:41 Information about his current company TimKado
CONTACT:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-chinn-125b3a1/
Show Notes:
Shannon Winakur and Will Bachman discuss Shannon's journey since graduating from Harvard. Shannon came to Harvard with the intention of going into politics and running for office in her hometown of Richmond, Virginia.
Pursuing a Career in Medicine
Shannon talks about her experience in politics when working for Doug Wilder influenced her decision to pursue medicine. She decided that medicine would be a better way to help people, thus, she decided to attend medical school, unfortunately, the decision to enter medical school was easier than the process; Shannon shares the many hoops she had to jump through to get there. She finally studied at Bryn Mawr College. Shannon is now a cardiologist. She worked at Hopkins for a year before following Richard Winakur to Maryland for medical school. She went to University of Pennsylvania for her cardiology fellowship. Shannon talks about the process of deciding what medical field to pursue, explaining that the major branch points are deciding to take care of adults or children and choosing internal medicine or surgery specialties.
Dealing with Multiple Sclerosis
Shannon shares her experience of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), how it progressed, medication she took, how it influenced her career, and how the diagnostic criteria for MS has changed.
Shannon started out in a more traditional medical role, but after several positions, jobs in different locations, and intense schedules, the toll on her health made her reconsider where she was spending the majority of her time especially after the birth of her daughters. She stepped back and found a better work-life balance as she pursued her medical career. Shannon is currently a practicing community cardiologist.
Becoming a Player on the Ice Hockey Team
Shannon's talks about how her medical career and her discovery of women's ice hockey are intertwined.
She discovered women's ice hockey at Harvard and talks about how hockey has helped her throughout her career. In 2010, she quit playing hockey due to the foot drop caused by her Multiple Sclerosis which affected her ability to run. In 2019, she met a woman in Ireland who taught her how to skate and got her in touch with a women's hockey league called the ‘Mother Puckers’. Despite her foot drop, she was able to play hockey again and she joined a women's hockey league in Laurel, MD.
Dealing with Depression and the Stigma of Mental Health Issues
She also discusses the difficulties she faced in managing her depression while working part-time and dealing with multiple sclerosis (MS). She found it challenging to juggle the work schedule while also taking care of herself and being a good parent and wife. She talks about the benefits of Integrated Health and her experiences with different diets. She has since done a lot of therapy and has found methods that work for her in order to cope, such as getting enough sleep, diet, and taking care of herself. She also stresses the importance of medications, stating “I completely forgot to mention that I take an antidepressant. Given all the stigma and anti-medication sentiment out there, I think it's important that we publicly discuss the use of these medications."
Shannon talks about mental health in the workplace, and how she had hid her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) from her professional colleagues because she was fearful of being judged or discriminated against. She explains how the Americans with Disabilities Act protects people in such situations, how mental health is now more openly talked about, and how it has made her a better doctor, as she has a better understanding of what her patients are going through. Shannon also talks about the discrimination and chauvinism she experienced in the healthcare system, and how standing up for herself was necessary to keep her job.
Influential Professors and Classes at Harvard
When asked which courses or professors resonated with Shannon, she mentions the History of Astronomy course, Shakespeare courses, Neil Gorsuch, the 113th justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and The Constitutional Law class with H.W. Perry, but more than professors and courses, Shannon reflects that it was her friends and the people she met that had the biggest impact.
Timestamps
05:41 How Shannon Winakur Found Her Path to Medical School
13:12 The Effects of Multiple Sclerosis on Career
18:24 Medical Therapy and Ice Hockey
25:42 Health Habits for Managing Multiple Sclerosis and Depression
31:12 Dealing with Depression
35:18 Mental Health Stigma and the Impact on Healthcare Professionals
38:36 Negotiating a Work Situation in the Face of Discrimination in Medicine
39:14 Pursuing a Career in Medicine
41:10 Harvard Coursework and Reflection on Paradigm Shift
44:33 Overcoming Adversity and Thriving
CONTACT INFO:
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/shannonwinakur/
LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-winakur-51634823/
Show Notes:
Elaine Lum MacDonald and Will Bachman have a conversation about Elaine's journey since graduating from Harvard in 1992. Elaine started off her career in management consulting at the Monitor Company in Cambridge. After gaining experience in the field, after that she moved to Asia. She was based in Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, Taiwan, and China for four years, gaining meaningful and memorable experiences. After this, she went to Harvard Business School and graduated in 1998. She then spent a decade working in technology roles with Microsoft and Amazon before launching her own company, the Knowledge Impact Network. This organization focuses on helping leaders and organizations build trust and increase their impact. Elaine also works as a consultant for other organizations that are looking to make a difference in the world.
Working in Indonesia and California
Elaine shares her experiences working in Indonesia and Hong Kong in the 1990s. She describes how she had to take taxis to get around in rural communities and how the retail landscape was changing rapidly. She also shares some of the daunting and scary scenarios she encountered, such as being mistaken for a call girl or not knowing who to trust when taking a taxi. Despite the challenges, she found the experience interesting and eye-opening. She also enjoyed the experience of proving people wrong by breaking stereotypes of a young Asian woman.
Elaine wanted to experience deeper operational management and decided to move to California in the late 1990s to work for Clorox doing brand management. There was a great exodus of people from the East Coast to Silicon Valley during this time, as it was a land of opportunity with startups. She met her husband and decided to stay in California where she currently lives with her family.
Working as a Strategic Marketing Consultant
Elaine worked part time while her children were young, she and her colleague shared a job and a joint identity where they were known as Elady. Elaine left Clorox to become a strategic marketing consultant, allowing her more flexibility with her time and to do more volunteer work.
Elaine shares her story of finding her passion for volunteer consulting while studying at Harvard Business School. Through the Harvard Business School Community Partners program, she was able to provide pro bono volunteer consulting to local nonprofits. She enjoyed the experience of being able to think through challenges and help organizations, and eventually she took on the role of recruiting organizations and alumni to donate their time. For the following seven years, she worked at HBS Community Partners in Northern California with the goal of inspiring and empowering alumni to use their skills for social good. She found her niche in being a connector and bridge, finding people with bright minds and big hearts and matching them with organizations that could really use their help.
Founder of the Knowledge Impact Network
Elaine became the founder of the Knowledge Impact Network (KIN). KIN is an organization that connects alumni of Harvard Business School (HBS) to nonprofits who need assistance in a variety of areas. Elaine first got the idea for KIN from her experience of helping Bay Area nonprofits while she was working with the Harvard Alumni Association. After the pandemic hit, she noticed the need for more help from alumni and decided to create KIN to allow alumni to provide support to nonprofits virtually. KIN provides a bridge between alumni and nonprofits, allowing the alumni to help with a variety of issues, such as food supply chains, by connecting them to the right experts. Elaine hopes to continue to expand KIN and provide more assistance to nonprofits.
KIN focuses on three areas of impact: core human needs (food, water, health, shelter); educating for workforce readiness; and protecting our planet. Elaine explains how she and the founders of KIN, who are YPO distinguished leaders, hit it off when they discussed how they could bring the power of CEO networks to share their knowledge with positive causes and accelerate impact. KIN is open to social impact organizations, social ventures, and experts from anywhere in the world. Organizations can apply through the KIN website, and experts can sign up to share their knowledge of a specific area. KIN then connects the organizations and experts and facilitates a 90-minute catalyst session to help the organization solve an issue.
The Social Ventures Network
Elaine then expanded the network with the Social Ventures Network, an organization which connects professionals with causes and social ventures they can get involved with. Elaine talks about how easy it is for professionals to leverage their skills for good and how the Social Ventures Network takes away the friction of getting involved. Elaine explains how the Network works with family offices who want to support a specific cause, as well as companies and individuals. The Network helps people figure out how to get involved with social ventures and learn about them, while also advancing a cause they feel passionate about.
Elaine talks about Impact circles and explains that they are a way to bring together a community of social innovators who want to take action in a certain area. An example of an Impact circle was formed when a knowledge partner met a renowned climatologist at UC Santa Barbara's Climate Hazard Center who spoke about the data available to help farmers adjust their crops and improve yields in the face of changing weather. The Impact circle brings together experts, companies, government, and academics to help figure out how to get this data to rural smallholder farmers in places like Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department agreed that this data would be extremely helpful. The team is now in the process of developing a site with the right type of data to get it into the hands of the farmers.
Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard
Elaine recounts her experience as a Harvard student, mentioning Nancy Kane, Marty Feldstein, and Michael Sandel as two of her most memorable and inspiring professors. Elaine was a history and science major, which was unusual at the time, and enjoyed the challenge and creativity of connecting the dots between different disciplines. Her current project is a great example of how people from different parts of the world can come together to make something happen.
Timestamps:
05:17 Experiences Working in Indonesia and Hong Kong in the 1990s
10:26 From Consulting to Brand Management
13:23 Joint Identity and Strategic Marketing Consulting
17:54 Harvard Alumni Connecting Nonprofits with Expertise During the Pandemic
21:43 Exploring the Knowledge Impact Network: Leveraging Knowledge for Social Impact
26:35 Catalyzed Sessions for Social Ventures
30:05 Leveraging Skills for Social Good
34:00 Harvard Education and Global Development Projects
Links:
Website: https://www.knowledgeimpactnetwork.org/
CONTACT INFO:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elainelmacdonald/
Ruth Hertzman-Miller, a member of the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992, graduated with a degree in biology and went on to a career in medicine, completing a residency in internal medicine at Cambridge City Hospital and a fellowship in general internal medicine in Los Angeles. After returning to the Boston area, she worked as a physician at Cambridge Health Alliance and then at Newbridge, a retirement community. Ruth discussed her journey since graduating, reflecting on the unexpected twists and turns it has taken. Ruth made the difficult decision to switch from medicine to music four or five years ago. She took catch up courses at a conservatory in Boston and is now doing a master's in composition. Ruth is a pianist and choral singer and was inspired to pursue music again when her seven year old daughter joined North Cambridge family opera.
An Education and Career in Medicine
She didn’t know what she wanted to do with her life when she went to college, but her dad and grandfather were both psychiatrists, so she figured she'd take some premed courses and see what happened since she liked science and helping people, but she also got to take electives in other subjects like music. In medical school at Case Western, she was interested in the clinical aspects of the program where she was assigned to a pregnant woman and followed her through delivery and the baby's first year of life, but along the way, she had many doubts about how much she wanted to be in the program. At the end of her internship year, she went to her residency director and was considering quitting, but he talked her into staying.
Balancing Family Life and Work
After the birth of her first child, she found it difficult to focus on both the intense schedule of work and study and family, but she finished her master’s and eventually made the decision to pursue a master's in music and wrap up her medical career. Ruth balanced work and motherhood for many decades. Initially, she worked at Cambridge Health Lines and then various medical but non-clinical jobs such as the Joslin Diabetes Clinic and the Hearst Company, and then at EBSCO Publishing. For around six to seven years, she worked one day a week at Cambridge Health Alliance and thenHebrew Rehab, and onto Newbridge Retirement Community when she decided to cut down on her work and dedicate more time to music, so she kept her one day a week job at Hebrew Rehab and started studying for a certificate in music.
Studying Musical Composition and Theory
Ruth discusses her experience studying composition and writing music and what was included in the coursework. As a composer, she is interested in exploring the form of music. She studies what has been done in the past, the many options and choices available, and considers how she can create something new. She refers to Mozart and Haydn, who approached their compositions differently and how they did so. Ruth is not expecting to make a professional career out of her work, as it is difficult for a composer to make money, but instead, is more interested in exploring new forms and having her work performed. Video game music and film music are some of the biggest markets for composers; however, Ruth is not particularly interested in these areas. She is more interested in writing for small ensembles such as string quartets, for which she can find performers without much difficulty. She also talks about the place of AI in composing music, and how it can be helpful but not necessarily inspiring.
The Creative Process of Composing Music
When asked if composing music feels three-dimensional, or if it has different mental qualities, Ruth answers that this is subjective and depends on the individual, but it is likely that the experience of composing music entails a combination of physical and mental elements. It requires both the ability to think in abstract terms, as well as the creative ability to visualize and construct musical ideas. It is a process that is both intuitive and analytical, where the creative elements of music are balanced with the technical aspects of composition.
Ruth talks about the creative process behind composition. She explains that she typically has a broad idea, such as writing a piano piece, and then breaks it down into smaller details such as melody and harmony. She then works on generating variations on the material and figuring out the logical progression of the piece. She explains that she usually isn't trying to express something that can be explained in words, but rather it is usually a feeling or an exploration of the music itself. She uses the example of a recent project to explain the process. Ruth also talks about conveying emotions through music. For some pieces of music, the goal is to introduce the theme to the audience and have them understand it through the different changes in the music. At the opposite end of this, there is writing an opera scene where the focus is more on portraying the emotions.
Professors and Courses of Influence
Favorite professors and courses from Harvard include Luise Vosgerchian course on the Development of the String Quartet and John Stewart’s course on Introductory Music Theory. She also talks about her current professor, Lyle Davidson, who happens to be in the same tradition of Luise Vosgerchian. Biology of Fishes with Carl Lehman, Scientific Ethics with George Whitesides, Moral Reasoning with Thomas Scanlon, Marjorie Garber on Shakespeare.
Timestamps:
01:41 Pursuing Music After a Career in Medicine
05:19 Motivation and Commitment During Medical School
09:57 Medical Training and Fellowship
16:28 The Process of Studying Composition
20:28 Composing and Making a Career in Music
25:32 Reading and Generative AI in Music Composition
28:03 Exploring the Creative Process of Composing Music
36:05 Music Study and Harvard College Professors
Links:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ruthhertzman-miller3349/videos
Show Notes
Mary Dixie Carter, a journalist and author, talks about her journey after graduating from Harvard. She starts with her novel, The Photographer. The novel focuses on Delta Dawn, a disturbed woman who is the subject of the novel. Mary explains that she got the idea for the book when she hired a photographer to take pictures of her kids.
The photographer took photos of the children but the eyes in the photos were unnaturally bright blue. When questioned, the photographer said that there is no real color, which made Mary think about the photographer's point of view, and how the character could make the world whatever she wanted it to be. This later transpired to be a novel about a woman who is an outsider and wants desperately to be part of something.
The character in the novel is a photographer who inserts herself into a wealthy Manhattan family, and over the course of the book she becomes an integral part of the family. Her behavior is considered to be horrible, and it is suggested that her desperate desire to belong and her misplaced idea of what that means is the reason for this. The photographer ends up using the family and the family uses her, forming an awkward and fraught relationship.
Mary talks about how her characters are based on a combination of her own experiences and people she knows. She talks about how the creepiness of the book reflects the dark and disturbing side of human nature. Will and Mary discuss the importance of creating art that reflects a variety of experiences and perspectives.
Mary talks about the media she did for the book and the questions. She explains that she was often asked where she got the idea for the book and the character, in addition to questions about motherhood, and social media. She also talks about lying, why she is so interested in it, and how it is at the core of the book, as Delta Dawn lies to herself and actually believes the stories she makes up. Finally, she notes that we all come into contact with people who lie to themselves.
A Career in Acting and Journalism
Mary has had an interesting journey since graduating college. She moved to New York and auditioned for plays and studied acting, then moved to Los Angeles for a few years where she was cast in plays and classical theater. Eventually she moved back to the East Coast when her husband was accepted to Harvard, and she accepted her father's offer to work for his newspaper, The New York Observer. She worked there for six years until Jared Kushner bought the paper and she left. She started freelancing and wrote for various publications such as The Economist, San Francisco Chronicle and Chicago Tribune.
After becoming pregnant with her first child and her mother passing away, she decided to focus her creative energy on writing. She wrote a novel which was not published, and eventually put it aside before moving on and writing the book that became The Photographer.
Finding an Agent and Focusing on Writing
After a period of struggling to be published, Mary found a wonderful agent and is thrilled with the people at Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press who published her first book. She is currently writing her second book tentatively called Marguerite by the Lake, which has a bit of a Gothic feel, meanwhile, the first book is being developed into a TV series. Though it has taken longer than she expected, she hopes to have the second book finished by the end of the summer, potentially releasing it in 2024.
Meeting the Trumps
Mary shares a few thoughts on Jared Kushner when he bought the paper from her father. She noted that he was very knowledgeable and charming in the beginning, but changed his direction once the paper was sold. She believes that Jared lacks a moral compass, and does what is convenient and most beneficial to him at the time, rather than being rooted in what is right or good. Mary talks about meeting Donald Trump. Mary speculated that Trump was hoping to get some positive coverage in the newspaper where she was working, but the newspaper had integrity and wouldn't write a puff piece about Trump. Reflections on Professors and Courses When thinking back to Harvard, Mary reflects on two influential teachers, Helen Vendler. She was greatly impacted by Helen’s readings of poetry, as she was able to experience the sound of the words and their lyricism. The second teacher, D. A. Miller’s unique approach to Jane Austen was also impactful, as he was able to teach the novels in a way that truly allowed her to appreciate the literature. Both of these teachers left a lasting impression on the speaker, and have likely influenced her reading and writing.
Timestamps
00:01 The Inspiration behind The Photographer
07:21 The story behind the main character in her novel
18:44 Acting and Working for the New York Observer
26:34 Writing Process and Upcoming Book Release
27:58 Upcoming TV Series Adaptation
36:23 Donald Trump's Motivations for meeting with the Newspaper
42:34 Reflections on meeting Jared Kushner
47:14 Education and Writing
Links:
Website: MaryDixieCarter.com
Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/marydixiecarter/
Show Notes
Sharif is a vascular surgeon currently living in Manhattan. After graduating from Harvard in 1992, he went to NYU for medical school. He completed his residency and fellowship at Mount Sinai and was on faculty there for 12-13 years before going to Cornell in 2016. Sharif is also a father of two sons, and, throughout the years, he has managed to maintain some of his Harvard friendships and connections to his family in Egypt. He is currently part of the Society for Vascular Surgeries Communication Council to help raise awareness of the field.
The Role and Responsibilites of a Vascular Surgeon
Vascular surgeons are responsible for diseases involving blood vessels outside the heart and brain. Sharif explains how they treat these diseases with open surgical techniques, including bypasses, stents, and balloons. Vascular surgeons also work with orthopedic surgeons, cancer surgeons, neurologists, or any time there is a challenge when dealing with blood vessels. Sharif talks about the diseases he commonly treats and the techniques he uses to perform surgery such as magnification in addition to muscle memory through repetition, and vascular repair techniques.
Sharif discusses his work as the Program Director for the Vascular Surgery Fellowship of New York Presbyterian Hospital, which he has been running since 2016. To further trainees' education, Sharif has been involved in simulation training and runs a boot camp that has been operating since 2017. The boot camp is an in-person course with faculty from across the country and focuses on the technical side of vascular surgery and is designed to teach techniques without putting patients at risk. The program uses endovascular simulator and cadaver workshops to provide trainees with hands-on experience. This also gives them a chance to get to know the wider vascular community.
The Vascular Podcast, Audible Bleedings
Sharif’s most proud accomplishment is the podcast he was asked to produce with the trainees. This podcast, Audible Bleedings, which was bought out to be the official podcast for the Society of Vascular Surgery, was trainee-driven and has become increasingly popular in the past couple of years. This is a great way for trainees to develop their content and professional development.
On the podcast, Sharif interviews prominent vascular surgeons, giving listeners insight into the personal life of a vascular surgeon, how they approach the difficulties in their work, and what the process of being a vascular surgeon looks like. During the pandemic, his podcast provided the vascular community with knowledge and insight.
He interviewed two of his colleagues from Seattle, Ben Starnes and Nitin Singh, who are both vascular surgeons and military surgeons, to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Seattle. He also had another guest, Mel Sheehan, a vascular surgeon at LSU, who had been there during Katrina and stayed throughout the pandemic. The conversation focused on how to respond to unexpected situations and the process of being a vascular surgeon.
Recent Developments in Vascular Surgery
Sharif points out that there are many specialists in the field, and talks about his focus, his practice, and recent developments in vascular surgery, including endovascular simulation and remote access points when the focus is on endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms. This procedure has revolutionized the treatment of these aneurysms, allowing patients to come in, have the procedure done percutaneously, under local anesthetic, and go home the next day. This technology has allowed for a much less invasive and much more convenient way of treating aneurysms, making it a major development in the field.
He also talks about the limitations of current technology when it comes to repairing aneurysms. He explains that it can be difficult to maintain blood flow to branch vessels, such as the arteries to the kidneys and intestines, while also excluding the aneurysm. To solve this problem, devices have been developed that have branches with holes to maintain blood flow while still excluding the aneurysm. It is also possible to print out a 3D model of the vessel ahead of time to help in designing the device. CAT can be used to create a 3D model of a patient's blood vessels.
Industry Collaboration in Health Innovations
Vascular surgeons continuously need to develop technology to help patients. To do this, they have to partner with industries that have the resources to develop new technology, and that it is important to seek out industry partners to provide necessary support and experience. In order to create solutions for patients, it is essential that vascular surgeons and industry collaborate. He mentions that it is the surgeon's goal to do what is best for the patient and that they must remain aware that the job of industry is to sell the device.
When reflecting on his career, Sharif initially found general surgery attractive because of the dynamic nature of the work and the ability to offer patients medical and surgical therapy. However, he grew to like vascular surgery due to its meticulous nature and the fact that it allows for minimally invasive procedures. He found his mentor, Dr. Michael Marion, Chief of the Vascular Division, and Dr. Larry Hollier to be inspiring and both were a major factor in his decision to pursue the specialty.
Professors and Courses of Influence
Ellozy also recalled his college days at Harvard where he found courses such as Literature Arts where he read Chaucer, and Ethics, and International Relations. However, he found the most impactful course was Cultural Illness and Healing taught by Arthur Kleinman. He specifically remembers a book they read called Forgive and Remember, which was written to help physicians deal with medical errors.
Timestamps:
09:21 Treating Aneurysms, Clots, and Varicose Veins
11:42 Surgical Suturing Techniques
16:38 Audible Bleedings Podcast
19:39 Vascular Surgery and the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic
20:30 Vascular Surgeon's Practice: A Day in the Life
24:46 Endovascular Surgery and Simulation
30:55 Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms
34:32 The use of New Technology in Healthcare
37:32 Becoming a Vascular Surgeon and Harvard College Experiences
Links:
Forgive and Remember
AudibleBleeding.com
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.instagram.com/sharifellozy/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharif-ellozy-215a2920/
Show Notes:
Rachel Berger and Will Bachman talk about Rachel's journey since graduating from Harvard. Rachel graduated with a degree in biochemistry and moved to New York City to attend Columbia medical school. She moved to Pittsburgh for her residency and ended up staying for 27 years. After completing her residency, she did a fellowship in general academic pediatrics in Braddock, Pennsylvania.
Rachel took a job at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in a new division for child advocacy as a child abuse pediatrician. She eventually became board certified in the field when it became a subspecialty. Rachel then advanced in her career to become a tenured professor in 2016. After nine years as the leader of the division of child advocacy, Rachel stepped down in September of 2022 and is now focusing on clinical research and advocacy for children.
Establishing the Child Advocacy Centre
Child abuse work in the United States has been around since the mid-1970s, when laws were passed which mandated reporting of child abuse but it wasn’t a subspecialty until 2009. Establishing this subspecialty and law to report was in response to the number of children who were abused and sent back into a situation that was often fatal. The Child Advocacy Center was set up at the hospital and employed physicians, nurses, social workers and forensic interviewers to ensure that this would not happen again. The subspecialty combines expertise in pediatric and orthopedic medicine, as well as knowledge in communicating with criminal courts and family courts to help keep children safe. Unfortunately, it is the most underfunded and understaffed of any pediatric subspecialty in the country. However, there are fellowships and other resources available for medical students and residents interested in this field.
Recognising and Reporting Child Abuse
Rachel explains that there are several different paths a child may take to get to see a child abuse pediatrician. These may include being referred by a hospital, Child Protective Services (CPS) if the child turns up at the Emergency room. Schools are a major source of reports, as teachers often have a close relationship with the children they are supervising, and can be more likely to spot possible abuse. Sometimes a family member may reach out. If abuse is suspected, the school or other responsible body can call the child abuse pediatrician to access their expertise.
Rachel talks about how the specialists determine if abuse is taking or has taken place but they put support and services in place that, hopefully, help the children and family. To help recognise whether a child is the victim of abuse, Rachel suggests checking the TEN-4 FACES P mnemonic to identify any signs of abuse that may be serious.
The Prevalence of Child Abuse
While it is difficult to determine the number of abuse cases since most children don’t or won’t talk about it until they are adults, the official data states that around one in seven girls say they have been victim of sexual abuse before they reached the age of 18. She also states that there is a myth that you can “tell” the perpetrators of abuse, and that parents who abuse their children don’t love them. Sometimes, it’s anger control issues, or even discipline gone awry.
Rachel also reflects on the importance of communication between medical experts and child protective services, social workers, attorneys, and police. This can be difficult because they don’t understand the medical information.
She talks about how the subspecialty of child abuse pediatrics had developed to advocate for children in court. It was seen as a combination of different elements, such as the increasing evidence base and the need for experts to advocate for children. However, there was a concern that other pediatrician reporters may become less involved if the subspecialty was created.
There is concern that this could lead to a dangerous precedent where the responsibility for reporting child abuse cases is removed from other pediatricians because they don’t think it’s their job to do so.
The advantages of having a child abuse pediatrics subspecialty is that there has been a growth in high quality research, and that the NIH has now funded a child abuse pediatric research network. However, Rachel is concerned that there are not enough people going into this field and that this could lead to a lack of access to people with expertise in this field. She suggests that the high bar of board certification might be discouraging people from people covering a small area of child abuse. Overall, they believe that the subspecialty has been a benefit to children and research, but that there is still a need for more people in this field.
Rachel has focused her research on how to better identify physical abuse in its early and mildest forms to prevent catastrophic injury. She mentions the Child Abuse Pediatric Research Network (CAP-NET) as a resource for research and noted that it has numerous projects looking into better ways to identify risk, concerning injury, and intervene in cases of physical abuse. Rachel explains how electronic records and machine learning can help track and identify cases of abuse across different hospitals, locations, systems, and services.
Socio Economic Factors in Child Abuse
Rachel discusses policy surrounding child protection and laws established to do so. Research has proven that fatalities from child abuse are far higher than expected and this has led to the need for protective laws to be passed. She goes on to talk about the difficulty of creating laws that protect both the child and the family from maltreatment or misjudgement, and what she offers suggestions on how the systems could be improved.
She cites decreasing childhood poverty as the major factor in reducing abuse. She explains that 30% of kids in the United States are supported by Medicaid, but 70-80% of children involved in child welfare rely on it. While abuse does occur in wealthier families, it is much more common in lower socioeconomic classes, and neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment. To decrease child abuse, Rachel suggests using the earned income tax credit and housing vouchers as two ways to reduce the impacts of childhood poverty.
Rachel shares examples of neglect, such as supervisory neglect, malnourishment, educational neglect, and medical neglect. She discusses physical abuse and sexual abuse, explaining that physical abuse often results in the child being admitted to the hospital for treatment, whereas sexual abuse is seen more often in an outpatient setting. Rachel also noted that sexual abuse often involves someone the child knows and trusts. Overall, the conversation highlighted the prevalence of different forms of child abuse and the need for society to address the issue.
Working on The Obama Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities
Rachel talks about her position as a research lead on the Obama Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities and why she was selected for the commission. The commission traveled to 17 places in the United States, including at least one Indian Reservation, and talked to different child welfare agencies, hospitals, police, and child advocacy centers. The commission's report focused on different types of child abuse and how communities respond to these situations. She was shocked to discover that communities were not seeking out information from other communities on how they were dealing with situations of abuse despite reports sent out from newspapers around the country about children who had died or nearly died of abuse. The commission put together a public report at the end, but it wasn't implemented due to the change in presidential administrations. Some of the recommendations from the commission have been implemented by the Casey Family Programs.
Rachel reflects on how powerful the experience was, how it shaped the next step of her career, and how she learned a lot about politics and how it is involved in an area that should be beyond political machinations of the day.
Courses and Professors of Influence
Professors that resonated with Rachel include Marc Kirschner and Doug Melton.
Timestamps:
07:42 Child Abuse Referrals and Prevalence
15:15 Myths Surrounding Child Abuse and Navigating External Systems
15:39 The Challenges of Communicating Medical Information to Non-Medical Professionals
17:51 The Evolution of Subspecialty in Child Abuse Pediatrics
24:41 Research in the Field of Child Abuse Pediatrics
28:46 Potential for Machine Learning to Identify High Risk Kids in Medical Records
31:07 Exploring the Benefits of Electronic Health Records in Clinical Practice
34:28 Policy Changes to Better Protect Children from Abuse
39:19 Socioeconomic Distribution of Child Abuse
45:15 Child Maltreatment and Presidential Commissions
CONTACT INFO:
rachel.berger@chp.edu
Rachelpberger@gmail.com
Show Notes:
Mark Wilson is a history professor at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte and author of several books on American business and the winning of World War Two, the business of Civil War, military mobilization, and the state and the military and the market. Mark talks about his journey since Harvard which includes teaching English in Japan, his PhD in history in Chicago and meeting his wife, the last two decades in Charlotte with his wife and two teenage boys, and writing his books.
Mark was finishing up his senior thesis and his last season on the Ultimate Frisbee team when he was nominated for a Harvard-run fellowship which allowed him to teach in the UK but the position didn’t come through, and, with the poor job market, he was unable to find suitable employment and didn’t know what to do, until he and his friend Ernie Chung decided to go on a cross-country road trip in the US in his parents Honda Accord.
They visited some friends, and explored national parks like Glacier and the Grand Canyon, and while on the trip, he received news that a potential job opportunity had opened up. Mark was offered a job to teach English in Japan and he decided to take the opportunity. During his time in Japan, he taught a variety of people from children to factory workers, doctors and fighter pilots and he traveled throughout the country. He also took a trip to Beijing in 1993, which was just before China shifted to fiber optics and leaped forward as a global economy. It was much different to China now. He also saw a different side of Japan, which included some of the grittier parts of the country, as well as the typically polite and quiet people. Mark's fondest memories include being invited to join his students on weekend outings.
Stories about the Business of Civil War
While in Japan, he applied to several grad schools and was accepted into the University of Chicago where they had a Phd. History program where he specialized in the History of the United States and completed his Phd dissertation project, The Business of Civil War. He wrote about how the North supplied its armies during the Civil War and focused on the business/political history of that economic mobilization project. During his research, he found records from correspondence records and court martial case files, which proved an interesting source of information.
The Civil War and Industrialization
Mark pointed out that there is a big debate among historians about the long-term economic impact of the Civil War on industrialization. His 300-page book on the subject offers insights into how the Civil War affected American business. The consensus among economic historians is that the US Civil War had very limited or even a negative impact on the country's industrialization. This is contrary to the popular notion that it stimulated industrial growth. Evidence for the limited impact of the war can be seen in the decisions of the North’s top contractor, John Martin, who invested his wartime fortune in high-end European paintings rather than advancing technology. However, the author of a book on the war economy argues that the army’s quartermasters should be recognized as among the greatest business leaders of the 19th century because of their massive acquisition efforts and logistics networks such as supply chain management difficulties. He talks about how the military set up army-run factories rather than going through the private sector but to meet demand they had to turn to the private sector. However, he believes that the public sector was as influential in the rise of big business as the private sector.
Teaching History
They left Chicago when his wife was offered a post at Cornell, and Mark started teaching part-time while he finished his dissertation. They moved to Charlotte in North Carolina where Mark was offered a position as an assistant professor.
In 2004, he went back to Harvard for a year where he got a postdoctoral. He finished his manuscript and started his second book on World War Two while teaching history. He teaches thematically organized courses, including the History of Democracy in the US or the Military Industrial Complex, or the History of Charlotte.
Mark discusses his book, Destructive Creation, which focuses on the business side of the story of the military industrial mobilization in World War II. He used archives from companies like Ford Motor Company, Boeing, and Du Pont, as well as records from civilian mobilization agencies and the military acquisition people in the services. Mark’s book offers the best book-length account of the big military industrial mobilization of WW2, but also about business's political and PR efforts during the war.
The Business Community and Industrial Military Complex
During the war, the business community worked hard to produce the necessary munitions and also waged a battle to win the public relations battle over who deserved the credit for the successful output of war supplies. This was an anti-New Deal political effort, as the business leaders were suspicious of the growth of government that occurred during the New Deal and World War II. He wrote not only about the machinations of production, but also the cultural and political interpretations.
He talks about how the US government had to pay for the plants and tools needed as the private sector didn't have the incentive to build them. He also mentioned how the military was involved in the supply chain, and how the government set up new factories and plants to supply the military and then brought in private companies to manage them.
He mentions how surprised he is that some of his book's readers have been the Green New Deal crowd and those interested in the COVID-19 pandemic, as they look for ways to mobilize industrial production. He believes the US defense sector has become more privatized and driven by short-term financial goals, which may lead to shortages and fragility. Mark shares his thoughts on the industrial military complex which he explores in his new book. He mentions how he’s not surprised that there are shortages of munitions or other problems because of the ways the defense sector has changed in the last few decades, mainly, the fact that the U.S. defense sector has become more privatized and driven by short-term financial concerns.
Mark mentions influences from courses and professors at Harvard, including the course Human Physiology, and the instructors in the History and Literature program Dan Terrace and Steve Biel.
Timestamps:
06:09 Reflections on Teaching English in Japan
13:50 Reflections on Living and Working in Japan and Applying to Graduate School
20:21 The Impact of the Civil War on American Economy and Business 24:11 Exploring Army Acquisition Strategies During World War II 29:11 Early American History and Defense Acquisition History 35:39 "Exploring the Business Side of World War II
39:33 The Military Industrial Complex and US Industrial Mobilization +
51:39 Ukraine's Military Production and Harvard Influences +
Links:
Destructive Creation
The Business of Civil War: Military Mobilization and the State, 1861–1865
CONTACT INFO:
mrwilson@uncc.edu
Show Notes
Tara Altebrando is a scripted audio creator and author who was part of the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992. She spoke to Will Bachman about her journey since graduation. As a senior, she had been the arts editor of The Independent and had interviewed various artists passing through Boston. She met the editor of a magazine based in Dublin at a New Music Seminar in New York and expressed her interest in working for him. After this conversation, Tara went to Dublin and was given an internship at a magazine called Hot Press. She also worked at a bar-restaurant, music venue called the Rock Garden and wrote a column for the magazine reviewing demos by unsigned Irish bands. After a few years, she decided to move back to New York and tried to pursue rock journalism, but ended up cobbling together a bunch of weird jobs in writing-adjacent fields. She eventually worked at the Museum of Television and Radio in New York, where she watched TV with a headset and summarized programs for their database. She went on to work as a proofreader and copy editor for Romantic Times Magazine. While there, she noticed one of her classmates was already writing novels, and this led to her trying her hand at writing a romance novel.
From Romance Writer to Published Author
Tara wrote two thirds of a contemporary romantic suspense novel, and a novel about a 20 something working at a music magazine, but neither were successful. She decided to take fiction workshops to learn the ropes as a fiction writer, and ended up finding a job in publishing houses as a proofreader, copy editor, and copywriter. She found the books she read varied in quality, and decided to write her own. She was working at Simon and Schuster at the time, and they published women’s fiction at a time when Chick Lit was popular. Will and Tara mention how 80% of literary fiction is bought by women, and more than 50% of paperbacks are romance novels.
From Copywriting to a Young Adult Author
She wrote a novel called Love, Love Will Tear Us Apart about a celebrity journalist hired to write the biography of a pair of conjoined twins. The book flopped in the market, but it led to her success as a novelist. However, when she was given an assignment to read a Young Adult novel, it inspired an idea for a Young Adult novel, and decided to explore writing in this genre. She had a book come out in June 2020, but due to the pandemic, it didn't find an audience. This made her reevaluate what she wanted to do with her time and creativity and led her to explore the world of scripted audio dramas. This was a new direction for Tara, and it was exciting to explore the possibilities and potential of audio drama writing.
From YA Fiction to Scripted Radio Dramas
During the pandemic, there was an influx of interest in this kind of screen-free entertainment because families needed something to keep them occupied during quarantines and lockdowns. She pitched an idea for a series called Dream Breachers which was picked up and is now in its third season. Tara describes the process of creating a scripted drama, from scripting and finding actors to recording and producing. They discussed differences between writing for audio dramas and audiobooks. Tara noted that for audio dramas, the writer needs to convey everything through dialogue and sound effects, which can be a challenge. She revealed that she often plays a game with herself to figure out how to convey information without being too obvious. Tara also shared her pet peeves when it comes to audio dramas and talked about moving into producing her own show, and building an audience for these shows.
Chasing Creative Projects
Tara followed a pattern of chasing creative projects throughout her career. She explains how the creative process differs when writing for a series over writing for a novel and shares how writing for Dream Bleachers required going deeply into world building and setting rules which cannot be broken. When writing both YA and middle grade fiction, Tara draws upon her own life experiences and memories, and finds talking to her children a source of both information and inspiration when creating her stories. She also does research on topics relevant to her work, such as memory science for her YA book The Leaving and artificial intelligence for her most recent book.
Courses that resonated with Tara are Creative Writing with Verlyn Klinkenborg, The Sociology of Peace, EthnoMusicology with Graeme Boone, and a professor whom she particularly enjoyed listening to was John Stilgo.
Timestamps
03:29 From Rock Journalism in Dublin to Writing Adjacent Jobs in New York
05:04 On Romance Writing and Editing
08:14 Writing a Contemporary Romantic Suspense Novel
14:24 The Personality of a YA Writer
16:22 Staying Current in the YA Market
20:12 Scripted Radio Dramas
28:29 Exploring Audio Production and Building an Audience
33:48 Incorporating Reader Feedback into a Series
35:02 Exploring Creative Pivots and Entrepreneurial Initiatives
Links:
Tara’s Books on Amazon
Dream Breachers
https://pinna.fm/blog/a-sit-down-with-tara-altebrando-by-amy-thetford
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.facebook.com/TaraAltebrandoBooks/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-altebrando-0831b3201/
Will Bachman talks to Tai Wong, a Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992 alumni. Tai has been a trader for thirty years but believes that his best trade was asking his high school girlfriend to marry him. They married after she finished business school and they now have four children. Tai shares that his family has been together for 27 years and have had the opportunity to travel to many places together, but one of his favorite locations is Norway.
A Career in Finance as a Trader
Tai initially became interested in finance after a summer internship at JP Morgan where he worked on the foreign exchange trading desk. Tai is a sell side trader, meaning he works for a bank and prices and facilitates client business, as well as making bets with the institution's money. He has eight years of experience in currency trading, and five years experience in helping to build a successful large scale client trading platform for currencies at UBS. He has also been trading precious metals like gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, as well as base metals like copper, aluminum, and nickel, for the last 15 years. Being a trader has had a significant impact on his personality, teaching him to be direct, loud, and decisive.
He considers his 'real' job to be being a father, husband and son, but he loves his day job too.
Spoofing and Manipulating the Market
Tai discusses how the past 10 years have seen a shift away from human trades in markets such as gold, silver, crude, and natural gas. He explains that 80% of trades are now done by machines, which take the human element out of trading and make it more anonymous. He also mentions spoofing, a crime where traders will show false offers or bids to try to manipulate the market. He explains that traders have tried to fool the machines by using techniques such as spoofing, though this has been made illegal since 2000. The shift to machines has resulted in fewer one and two lot trades, as well as fewer requests for quotes as machines can be programmed to execute trades over time.
Tai describes his daily routine which involves waking up to check Bloomberg on his phone to see what has moved since he last checked, and then scanning the headlines.
Using the Bloomberg Tool for Trading Insight
Bloomberg is a remarkable tool which tracks an immense amount of data and is used by 250,000 people per month, making them around $8 billion. When in the office, the Bloomberg tool is used to log in overnight and use pricing tools for options, sheets that show risk, futures and liquidity. It can be confusing for those who have not used it before, and is similar to what air traffic controllers have to do. The conversation then shifted to an example of a moderate potential trade. Bloomberg allows traders to monitor the market and look for opportunities to buy and sell, and can use a variety of tools to determine the best time to enter and exit the market. For example, a trader might monitor the market and look for a particular stock to rise or fall after an announcement, and use technical analysis to determine the best time to enter the trade. The trader can then use limit orders and stop loss orders to protect their capital and maximize their profits.
Life as a Trader and The Big Short
Tai reflects on his experience as a trader, discussing the rapid decisions that are often made and the importance of developing a thick skin. He talks about traders’ skepticism of authority and dislike of arbitrary rules and notes how their experience impacts their personality. Tai remembers the many crises he has witnessed and the feeling of watching the markets move in response, and he reflects on his experience at Lehman Brothers when it went bankrupt in 2008.
He noted that the movie The Big Short did a good job of recounting the episode and was almost 100% accurate except for the empty trading floor scene. He further explained that many people continued to go to work each day after the bank went bankrupt and that the paychecks kept coming.
The Complexities of Trading in the Metals Market
Tai discussed the complexities of trading in the metals market, and the need to understand the nuances of each metal type. He broke metals trading into two parts: precious metals and palladium. He explained that palladium is expensive, and prices rose when Russia invaded Ukraine due to concerns about supply. He noted that the U.S. government did not put it on a restricted list, meaning supply was not interrupted. He concluded that it is important to understand the jargon and nuances of each metal market in order to be a successful trader.
Influential Professors and Classes
Tai remembers certain classes and professors that he found inspiring include Martin Feldstein and American Economic Policy, John Shearman, Professor of Fine Arts with whom he took a course on Michelangelo, Ezra Vogel who taught Industrial East Asia Foreign Cultures 26, and Richard Pipes who taught about the Russian Revolution.
Timestamps
04:30 Exploring Norway in the Summertime
05:53 30-Year Wall Street Trading Career
11:17 Exploring the World of Metals Trading
18:57 Exploring the Impact of Automated Trading on Financial Markets
24:20 Bloomberg Trading Tools and Risk Management
25:05 Hedging Gold Futures: A Discussion of Trade Mechanics
31:29 Counterparty Reputations in Financial Trading
34:23 Exploring the World of Commodity Trading:
36:31 Colorful Traders and Jargon on the Trading Floor
39:36 Experiences on Wall Street and Regrets of Not Taking Certain College Courses
CONTACT INFO:
linkedin.com/in/tai-wong-cfa-9547641
Tai.wong@post.harvard.edu
Show Notes
Will Bachman and Nicholas Eisenberger discuss his career path since graduating from Harvard. Nicholas explains that he was always interested in the environment, but there was no real outlet for his interest in school or business at the time. After graduating, he took a year off and a friend of his from Princeton called him from Budapest, Hungary and told him that action around environmental issues were happening there, so he made his way to Hungary where he and his friend started the Environmental Management Law Association in Eastern Europe. The company was a hybrid between a nonprofit and consulting organization. Within a couple of months Nicholas and Peter Kellner were advising the Environmental Minister of Hungary.
They wanted to help the locals catch up to the West in terms of environmental management. They won a contract from the EPA, in conjunction with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund in California, to train regional mayors outside of Budapest on environmental management. Nicholas traveled to California from Hungary to meet with the International Director of the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund where they talked about how to implement the EPA contract. At the end of the meeting, Nicholas was offered an environmental legal job with the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, which he knew he should have been elated about since he was accepted into Law school and had planned a career as an environmental lawyer, but he felt deflated.
Inspired to Create Solutions to Environmental Problems
However, he had an epiphany and realized he did not want to be a lawyer and sue people, but rather that he wanted to use the tools of business to create solutions that addressed environmental problems. This became his journey. He was inspired by the post cold war zeitgeist of harnessing the tools of business to solve problems, and he wanted to combine business and environment in a way that was impactful, profitable, and good for people.
Nicholas went back to Cambridge for law school where he learned a lot and could apply it in several ways. He found the professors who had an environmental intersections, including environmental management, environmental economics, and spent his time studying the intersection between environment and business, and in an exchange program, he took an entrepreneurship class at The Business School in Berkeley. At that time in California the Internet was exploding. So, he started an internet company called MyPoints.com, an email marketing company that encouraged people to accept spam. It went public and Nicholas had to make the decision to become an advisor instead of taking a full time position and went back to law and for two years worked in environmental law at a large San Francisco law firm where his goal was to bring together cleantech businesses and investors. He convinced the law firm to sponsor a CleanTech pitch event for companies starting to come up with business concepts to solve environmental problems. After a few positions where he was bringing together business and environmental solutions, he
Businesses Focused on Environmental Solutions
After a few years and positions where he was bringing together business and environmental solutions, he was asked to partner at a small consulting company called Green Water, which focused on helping business institute greener practices and products. They helped to develop a strategy for GE's Ecomagination campaign, the success of which inspired other corporate leaders, who wanted to compete in this space. Ultimately, the company was sold and this led to a new chapter where Nicholas began doing more work in sustainability, including starting the non profit DACCoalition.Org, CircularCarbon.Org, and PureEnergyPartners.Com.
Global Thermostat, a company founded by his father and a partner from Columbia, was created to be a game-changing company that could help with the effects of greenhouse gas. Nicholas was an early investor and advisor. It was realized that simply limiting what we put into the atmosphere is not enough, and that we need to extract billions of tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere on top of stopping the emission of it. This needs to be done in the next 70-70 plus years, which means tens of billions of tonnes a year need to be extracted.
Reducing CO2 Emissions on Global Level
Will and Nicholas discussed ways to reduce CO2 emissions on a global level. Biological methods such as planting trees and mangroves, restoring natural ecosystems, and stopping deforestation are important, but they are not sufficient to address the amount of emissions that have been produced in the last 150 years. Direct Air Capture, a technology developed by Global Thermostat can extract more carbon dioxide than trees can in a single year, per square meter. This technology works like a sponge, using an ultra high surface area material to attract and bind CO2 molecules. Industrial fans are used to suck the air through the material, and then low temperature heat is used to drive the molecules off the contactor and collect them so they can be sequestered or used in products. This technology is helpful in removing billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year.
Inspirational Professors and Courses
Professors and courses that had an impact on Nicholas include Stephen Jay Gould, and the History of Earth and Life, and the scientific magic of our existence; Michael Sandel’s course on justice, and Bob Stevens at the Kennedy School who taught about the discipline of economics.
Timestamps:
06:08 Environmental Entrepreneurship
08:22 Building a Community of Diverse Professionals in Hungary
09:44 Career Paths and Environmental Intersections
20:04 Reflections on the Founding and Sale of Green Order Consulting Firm
33:41 Carbon Capture Technologies
39:16 Discussion on Global Carbon Emissions and Strategies for Reduction
47:58 The Cost and Safety of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration
49:38 Exploring the Benefits and Challenges of Carbon Capture and Storage
Links:
circularcarbon.org/market-report/
pure-energy-partners.com
https://daccoalition.org/
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/neisenberger/
Globalthermostat.com
Will Bachman is hosting a conversation with Jamylle Carter, a member of the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992. Jamylle graduated from Harvard with a degree in mathematics and went on to complete a PhD in math from UCLA. While at UCLA, she also held a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications in the University of Minnesota.
Math Think Tanks and Researching Algorithms
Will and Jamylle had a conversation about math think tanks, in which Jamylle described her experience. She had spent four years in a math think tank at a university, and then another four years at a Mathematical Sciences Research Institute in Berkeley. Jamylle fell in love with the Bay Area and decided to stay, working as an adjunct professor, running a Math Circle and working at a science museum in San Francisco. She has been a math professor at Diablo Valley College since 2009. Jamylle explained that a math think tank is a place funded by the National Science Foundation and other private funders for mathematicians to leave their university appointments and focus on their research with other people in the field. Jamylle's research was applied math, and it was for image processing. Jamylle was researching a new algorithm to solve a mathematical problem. The problem was related to blurring or noise in an image, and the goal was to approximate the original picture as closely as possible. She was looking at optimization methods, which are mathematical techniques that can find the best answer to a problem.
Teaching Math in the Math Circle Program
Jamylle then went on to explain a math circle she organized for middle school kids. The math circle was inspired by a program from Eastern Europe that was designed to expose kids to higher level math. The math circle would also give kids a chance to struggle with a problem and get excited about learning. Jamylle learned more about the program while at the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute.
The MSRI sponsored a Berkeley Math Circle for the children of professors and wealthy families. Seeing the need for a Math Circle for a different demographic, Jamylle proposed an Oakland Math Circle for black middle school students in order to challenge the idea that black people can't like math. With the help of the Exploratorium, the Institute for the Advanced Study of Black Family Life and Culture, and the Teacher Institute, the speaker was able to get grants totaling $8,000 to run the Oakland Math Circle. The Math Circle ran hands-on activities to engage students, teaching them that it was okay to be both black and like math.
She taught all the modules, did the recruitment and covered topics such as rocket science, probability and music and math. She also mentioned that in minoritized spaces, students tend to work alone, which can be due to racism, fear of being too nerdy, or fear that they won't be seen as capable due to their race. Carter's motivation for starting the Math Circle program was to provide a space where Black kids could come together and enjoy doing math without such pressures.
Designing a New Math Curriculum
Jamylle was a graduate student who eventually became faculty in the Math Department at a university. She never earned her doctorate, but the math department still treated her like real faculty. She was also at the forefront of the calculus reform movement and wrote textbooks to help teach the subject. Jamylle was an important figure in the Math Department, providing guidance and support to students in need and advocating for reform in the subject.
Jamylle and Will discussed math education and its importance. Will then asked about how to build a high school math curriculum from the ground up. Jamylle believes that everyone should have a solid background in arithmetic, such as fractions, decimals, and percentages. She also suggests introducing courses on probability, statistics, computer science, and using spreadsheets. Additionally, she wants to focus on dimensional analysis and number sense in order to help students become more comfortable with math. Finally, she believes it’s equally important to teach math in a way that avoids creating math phobias and traumas, and to make sure teachers are supported and not overworked.
Jamylle talks about the courses and professors that have had an impact on her life. Carter starts by talking about her undergraduate advisor Deborah Hughes Hallett, who she credits with helping her to graduate. A class that stood out was music 51, a year long music theory course.
Timestamps
08:24 Investigating Mathematical Methods for Image Optimization
11:15 Analysis of Total Variation Method for Image Processing
15:50 Optimization Problems and Finite Time Solutions
18:13 Image Enhancement Technology
20:00 Math Circles and Problem Solving
31:46 Intersecting Racial Identity and Mathematical Affinity
40:13 Comparing Experiences at Harvard and a Historically Black College
48:19 Supportive Mentorship in the Math Department
52:58 Music Theory and Performance
1:00:59 Exploring Equity in Mathematics Education
Links:
https://mathematicallygiftedandblack.com/honorees/jamylle-carter/
CONTACT INFO:
https://twitter.com/CarterJamylle
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamylle-carter-3184259/
Show Notes:
Will Bachman and Tim Whitmire talk about Tim's journey since graduating from Harvard. Tim started as a freelance journalist, then got a job at the Associated Press and covered Harvard Men's Basketball. He moved to the Providence Bureau of the Associated Press and eventually to New York City. He was transferred to Lexington, Kentucky to work as a sports writer and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina after that. He worked at the Charlotte Observer and then returned to the Associated Press to work as the head of the Charlotte Bureau until 2006.
Forming the Non-profit F3 Nation
Tim Whitmire was working for the AAP when he decided to look for work in Charlotte, NC. He ended up getting hired in a marketing and business development role at a sell side and investment bank. He then co-founded a firm called Black Arch Partners, where he worked for a few years. After leaving the second bank, he found his way into his current work as an executive strategy consultant. Will then asked him about his nonprofit, F3 Nation. F3 Nation is a group that Tim founded that works to develop innovative solutions to social challenges, such as poverty, illiteracy, and inequity. F3 Nation works with organizations, groups, and individuals to provide resources and support to those in need.
Finding Groups to Form Friendships
Will and Tim discussed the difficulties men face in forming friendships. Will suggests that people meet through parents of their kids' friends, their work colleagues, golf clubs, or religious institutions. Tim suggests F3, a free workout group focused on fellowship and fitness. Tim explains the format of F3 workouts. F3 stands for Free, Open to all men, and taking place outdoors, and the workouts are led by a member with no certification. At the end of each workout, there is a Circle of Trust where participants share their name, F3 nickname, and age. This helps build relationships and foster friendship amongst the participants.
Afterwards, the group usually has a conference area at a local coffee shop where they can hang out and chat. F3 also encourages events such as distance running relays, mud runs, and other completely stupid and utterly pointless activities that foster friendship and bonding. F3's expansion process, called the Leap, involved creating a logo to sell gear from, with 10% of the proceeds going back to F3 for growth.
Tim, a former member of the executive board of F3, explains that the group had to find innovative ways to get members out to cities in the Carolinas, and eventually beyond. In 2014, Tim took a trip to Richmond, Virginia, New Orleans, and Nashville, and others went to different cities. He would run workouts early in the morning and teach a class in the evening about the core principles of F3. This was called Gross School. He explains that the concept of shared leadership was developed and that each workout has a different attendee to lead it. The idea is to rotate the leadership of the organization to ensure that everyone is able to take on a leadership role. He also explains that F3 is now crossing international borders, with a Grow Rock event set to take place in England this fall.
Team Alignment and Goal Setting Skills
Tim Whitmire is an expert in team alignment and goal setting. He discusses the lessons of F3 and how they helped develop these skills. The main lesson is that not everyone has the same skill set or will lead in the same way, so it is important to leave space for people to express themselves and to lead. He also described the workouts themselves, which can be quite varied. His experiences with the group inspired him to co-author a book called Free to Lead about the F3 experience.
Harvard classes and professors Tim found inspiring include: Verlyn Klinkenborg’s creative writing classes, George Dominguez’ teachings on the Cuban Revolution, and Panther Schneider who lectured on post-war Germany.
Timestamps
02:40 From Investment Banking to Executive Strategy Consulting and F3 Nation
12:49 The Story of F3: How a Small Workout Group Grew to Become a Global Phenomenon
13:09 Empowering Leadership and Building Community Through Fitness
17:36 Exploring the Benefits of Men's Fellowship
18:49 Exploring the Need for Male Bonding
23:09 Building Male Friendships in F3 Workouts
28:35 Exploring the Growth of F3: A Conversation with Tim Whitmire
32:37 F3: Exploring Shared Leadership and Expansion Beyond the Carolinas
35:00 F3 and the Benefits of Shared Leadership
41:18 The Benefits of Group Fitness and Fellowship Across Class Lines
Links:
Cxnadvisory.com
https://www.f3metro.com/
Freed to Lead
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-whitmire-7955145/
Twitter: @trwhitmire_OBT
Will Bachman and Honig Caribou, a member of Harvard and Radcliffe's class of 1992, had a conversation about Caribou's journey since graduating. Caribou graduated from the University of Virginia with a JD MBA and got his first and only real job at Capital One. During his tenure, he met his soon to be wife and had a couple of kids. In 2006, Caribou left Capital One and took a year off to spend time with his family. He then co-founded a boutique venture capital firm and launched a couple of industry tech conferences.
Hosting a Successful Conference
Honig Caribou was not expecting to be in the conference business, yet he found himself creating an industry tech conference. He began to focus on the subsector insure tech around 2015 and was looking for a good industry conference to attend. He couldn't find one to his liking so he decided to create his own and has since been running the conference successfully.
Honig explains how he created the world's largest Insurer Tech conference. With a partner, he launched the Insurer Tech Connect conference, which became a large success. Subsequently, they launched Transform, a conference focused on the impact of technology on the workplace. This year, they are launching other conferences such as Prop Tech, Logistics Tech, Food, and Ag Tech. Honig Caribou shared that the process of creation was exciting and interesting for him. They lined up the venue and dates for the conference, which was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Tactics for a Successful Conference
Honig talks about how they organized and promoted a successful Insurtech conference in Las Vegas. They booked the Las Vegas Convention Center, set a goal of 600-1000 attendees, and ended up with 1500. They created a one-page PDF to explain the event and sent it to potential attendees and key speakers. They also asked venture capitalists to promote the event and offer discounts to their portfolio companies. In the end, the conference was a success, and it was gratifying to see 1000 people having conversations and networking.
Honig was a VC at a conference that wanted to make it easier for people to meet and double opt-in to meetings. To do this, they created an app where people could see who else was attending, what they were interested in, and describe what they were looking for. In addition, they had flags at tables with numbers so that when people double opted-in to meetings they knew exactly where to meet at what time. However, they had more people than they had tables and flags, so they had to make do with tape on the floor and numbered squares. In the end, the solution worked and people appreciated the simple social engineering.
Events for Venture Capitalists
Will asks what makes the event great for a VC, and how that could be different from what other stakeholders like an entrepreneur might value. Honig explains that vendors can be a difficult stakeholder to work with because they often come to events with the intention of making a sale. This does not align with the investor mindset, so vendors can sometimes get frustrated when they are not able to get on stage. The conversation highlights the tension between creating an event that is tailored to the needs of the VC and the needs of other stakeholders.
The conversation discusses the post-COVID period, how people are now more eager to attend events, and that people are cutting back on attending certain events. Honig suggests that certain categories of people, such as entrepreneurs gearing up to fundraise, can benefit from attending such events.
Prequalifying People for a Conference
Honig and Will discuss how to prequalify people for a conference. Honig explains that they would not prohibit people from buying tickets and attending, as it would be exceptional and bad behavior. However, they need to curate what's on stage, so if a company is uninteresting to them, they won't be onstage. They are open to the idea of companies paying for space in the Expo Hall. Pay-to-play on stage is something they avoid, as it cheapens the quality of the product. The events are all held in Vegas, as it is neutral territory, has great logistics, and it is difficult for people to just pop in and out. This ensures all attendees get the most out of the event.
Timestamps:
07:28 Planning a Successful Conference Event
11:46 Leveraging Word of Mouth and Earned Media for Event Promotion
14:11 Designing a Networking Event
15:57 VC Matchmaking at Honig Caribou Conference
19:58 Designing Events for VCs and Other Stakeholders
26:24 Social Engineering Design Insights: Bringing in Name Brand Artists to Increase Attendance
29:11 The Economics of Running a Conference
32:47 Impact of COVID-19 on B2B Trade Marketing and InsureTech Connect Conference
40:05 Prequalifying Attendees and Benefits of Hosting Events in Las Vegas
52:28 Investing in Innovative Companies and Harvard Courses
54:19 Overcoming Challenges in Physics Math Class
Links:
Website: sempervirensvc.com
CONTACT INFO:
linkedin.com/in/caribou
Twitter: @caribou101
Show Notes:
Sarah’s passion is creative writing and teaching it in ways that inspire and delight others. Today she works as a writing professor at a community college and offers creative writing workshops in hospitals, libraries, alternative education programs and more. Yet Sarah considers her real work to be caring for her three children and their rural homestead through the various challenges and opportunities that come their way.
Sarah Silbert, a member of the Harvard and Radcliffe class of 1992, speaks about her journey since graduating from Harvard. She explained that she had been passionate about two areas while at Harvard - social service and community service, and creative writing. She went on to explain that Harvard ran its own homeless shelter, just two blocks from Adam's House, and that this had been the start of her journey and passion for social service. Since then, she has gone on to work in the Middle East and Africa, and then onto the Clinton Global Initiative, where she has been able to work on projects to help people around the world. Finally, she became a professor of social innovation at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is able to use her knowledge and experience to help students make a difference in the world.
Collecting Stories of Runaways
She describes how she spent a lot of time at a runaway shelter in Boston. She started working for a person salvaging food from a nearby market and received an Echoing Green Fellowship which allowed her to teach youth about finding their passion. This led to writing a book called Teen Voices which focused on collecting stories of runaways. She started teaching creative writing workshops in libraries, hospitals, treatment centers and other places for troubled youth. She had no prior experience with Soro but was inspired to try it out after reading the writing of teen runaways, which all revolved around the idea of home and belonging. Eventually, she realized that she wanted to live in a countryside setting and decided to pursue that goal.
Building a Cabin in Vermont
To further explore this concept, she applied for a series of creative writing fellowships which allowed her to stay in cabins in various locations. During her stay in the MacDowell cabin, which was once occupied by James Baldwin, she was inspired to find her own land and build a cabin. She took a house building course in Maine and looked for land in Wyoming and Eastern Washington. She wanted to create a space for young people who didn't have access to artist colonies. She was living out her teenage dream of building a cabin in Vermont. She had been given the land at a rock bottom price, but it had no water, power or road. Then, the electrical company offered her a large sum of money to put a power line across her property, which gave her the power she needed.
Coping with Illness and Grief
Unfortunately, her boyfriend was diagnosed with leukemia, and they were in and out of hospitals for seven years. She was 25 or 26 at the time and had to give up her dreams of family and children to take care of him. Sarah felt a spiritual calling to be in this situation, spending many days in the hospital sleeping in a cot by his bed. Despite the hardship, it was an experience that she believes brought her closer to Jeff and taught her to appreciate life. To cope with the grief of Jeff passing, Sarah decided to jump into a new idea of life and family. She took a year off from college to work for Mother Teresa, which she believes helped her get through the tough time.
Building a Village
A few years later she was hired as a teacher at a community college, and started taking in tenants to help with the house and kids. Eventually, her tenants became her fairy godmothers, helping with the house and kids, and her neighbors and godparent also came in to help. Now, six years later, Sarah and her kids are living for their dreams.
Sarah Silbert has traveled the world and seen many different kinds of families. She has found a way to raise her three children without a spouse, but still loves having another adult around to help her with her children. To her, family means having both mom, dad and kids, but she also has a tribe of people who love and support her and her children. She is proud of her physical strength and her mental strength, which she is developing further in a leadership program. The program’s motto is “how to be an island of calm in a storm”, which she applies to her own life and the lives of those around her.
Harvard courses and professors who influenced Sarah include Susan Dodd, creative writing instructor, and Ed Cohen, founder of The Echoing Green Fellowship.
Timestamps:
12:20: The hardships of living off grid
17:41 Caring for a Loved One with Leukemia
22:42 The Meaning of Family and Personal Accomplishments
26:13: The dynamic tribe
32:30 Combining Physical Endurance with Mental Clarity and Stewarding Kids in Unforeseen Craziness
34:48 Taking a Year Off to Work with Mother Teresa
41:17 Exploring Adventure and Opportunity
Links:
https://echoinggreen.org/
“The River We Call Ourselves” in the Sun
“Fighting in the Zendo”in the Sun
“The Land” in Ploughshares
CONTACT INFO:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-silbert-97909111/
Show Notes:
Will Bachman and Ming Chen had a conversation about Ming's journey since graduating from Harvard in 1992. Ming is currently Chief Cultural Officer EF Education First, an education company with 50,000 employees. Will asked Ming to tell him a bit about what she does at EF Education First, and Ming explained that she is the company's Chief Culture Officer. Ming Chen is a long-time employee of EF Education First, a company that provides language programs, educational travel, cultural exchange programs, and academic degree programs.
She joined the company in 1998 after graduating from college with an East Asian Studies degree, and she has since worn many hats. She advises people starting out their career to not be discouraged if their degree does not directly prepare them for a specific job. She found his way in by moving to Hong Kong and joining EF, which is meaningful, global, and fun. She has an MBA, but didn't know what she would do with it when she graduated, so she fell into the job.
From Hong Kong to EF Education First
Ming Chen, now a Chief Culture Officer, has had a long and varied career path. After graduating college with a degree in a concentration she wasn't quite sure what to do with, she began eliminating possibilities of what he didn't want to do. After spending summers teaching and working at Christie's Auction, she decided to move to Hong Kong due to her family's history there. She describes it as a magical place with access to the beach and the mountains. She compares it to a college campus with pay, and praises the efficient public transportation and the easy tax forms. She also mentions the difficulty of the reintegration to mainland China, but still calls it the mecca of capitalism.
EF Education First is a company that provides educational services, including cultural exchanges. One of their cultural exchange programs is High School Year Abroad, which brings foreign students to public high schools in the U.S. to live with host families for a year. Another program is Cultural Care Au Pair, which helps match American families with au pair students. The programs are quite inspirational and transformative, as they help participants become fluent in English and American culture.
The Backstory of EF Education
EF Education first was founded in 1965 when its founder, Bertil Hult, who was dyslexic, took a group of Swedish students to Brighton for the summer to help them learn English. He believed that real-life, immersive learning was the best way for students to learn and this became the foundation for the Heritage Program. EF Education first then expanded to include German, Japanese and Mexican students and opened their first school in Hastings, England. Now, they have 600 schools and offices around the world and welcome students from 100 countries to learn English. As well as language schools, they also offer EF English Live, the world's largest online English school, with teachers teaching classes every hour.
On Writing Books and Running Marathons
Ming Chen has written with her identical twin sister Wah. Their book titled Escape: One Day We Had to Run was inspired by the story of the nanny who brought up Ming and Wah during their formative years. The nanny had to swim from mainland China to Hong Kong during the 1960s due to the famine. The nanny eventually made it to New York and was like a mother to Ming and Wah, though communication was difficult due to the language barrier. The duo also mention how the book was born out of a longer and more ambitious project.
The book was written to help children cope with difficult and traumatic experiences. The book was born out of a larger product project that Ming and her twin sister had been working on for many years, and Carmen Vela, an artist based in Spain, was chosen as the illustrator. The book was published by Lantana Publishing, which was a great success. Ming is also a marathon runner, and she attributes her motivation to running to the friends she made while attending a freshman week party at the University of Pennsylvania.
Ming mentions a professor at Harvard who inspired her: Roderick MacFarquhar, a leading scholar on the Cultural Revolution.
Timestamps
04:56 From Working in Television to Becoming Chief Culture Officer
08:31 Exploring EF Education First's Cultural Exchange Programs
13:41 Vetting Host Families for High School Exchange Programs
15:29 The Benefits of Educational Travel
16:46 Conversation Summary: EF Education First's Language Training Programs
19:38 On writing books
23:22 Exploring the Inspiration Behind Escape and Other Books
23:37 Writing, Illustrating, and Publishing Escape: One Day We Had to Run
26:59 Reflections on Marathoning and Brand Ambassadorship
31:22 East Asian Studies Major and Hong Kong Expat
Links:
Nobel House, James Clavell
Indelible City, Louisa Lim
Escape: One Day We Had to Run
https://demingaling.medium.com/
ef.com/wwen/
CONTACT INFO:
linkedin.com/in/therealmingchen
Show Notes:
The Restorative Power of Arts in Education
Michelle Holdt is the founder of Arts Ed Matters, a nonprofit organization that works to promote access to arts classes in public schools. She is also the Arts and Restorative Learning Coordinator in Santa Clara County. Holdt has been working since 2010 to address the issue of access to arts classes, teaching teachers how to integrate the arts into their academic curriculum. Holdt has also developed workshops on the Art of Self Care, which includes mindfulness and restorative practices. Additionally, Holdt is certified in restorative practices, which she teaches as an alternative to discipline for restoring problems when there has been harm. In 2022, Holdt moved back to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she currently resides with her three children.
Access to the Arts through Education
Will Bachman and Michelle Holdt had a conversation about Michelle's journey since graduating from Harvard. Michelle created her own major in theatre, child psychology, and education while at Harvard. After graduation, she received a fellowship from the Stride Right Foundation through Phillips Brooks House to lead theatre workshops for deaf children, mentally ill adolescents, and other special needs children. Michelle then went on to teach drama for close to 20 years in Chicago, Albuquerque, and San Francisco. She realized the inequities in terms of who gets access to the arts and decided to take a leadership and advocacy role for arts education for all students in 2010.
Michelle is the founder of Arts Ed Matters, a nonprofit organization that works to promote access to arts classes in public schools. She is also the Arts and Restorative Learning Coordinator in Santa Clara County. Holdt has been working since 2010 to address the issue of access to arts classes, teaching teachers how to integrate the arts into their academic curriculum. Holdt has also developed workshops on the Art of Self Care, which includes mindfulness and restorative practices. Additionally, Holdt is certified in restorative practices, which she teaches as an alternative to discipline for restoring problems when there has been harm.
Building Community in the Classroom
Michelle, an expert in restorative practices, discussed the importance of taking time to build a community in the classroom in order to ensure that students feel safe and engaged in the curriculum. She also brought up the mental health crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This crisis is being addressed by the US Surgeon General, Dr. V.T.E. Murthy, who is pulling together an advisory and leading speeches and meditations on self-love. Restorative practices are a proactive way to build a sense of community and safety in the classroom which can help combat the mental health crisis in our youth.
Michelle is also the founder of Creative Compassion, a new organization that addresses the crisis in education. She believes that people around the world are still in trauma from the pandemic, and that they need to do more social and emotional learning in order to heal.
Mindful and Compassionate Practice
Michelle utilizes mindfulness and self-compassion to help her approach her day. She practices meditation for five minutes each day, which she believes has made a huge difference in her life. She also employs a strategy of self-awareness to course correct not so helpful thoughts about herself and others. Holdt has also started a project called Compassionate Clips, where people can write to her and ask for a two to three minute audio clip on a particular topic they are struggling with. She then offers them reassuring and kind words to listen to as a mindfulness meditation. Finally, Holdt lives her life by Rumi's poem, The Guesthouse, which states that we should welcome and entertain all guests, even if there are sorrows and dark thoughts.
Timestamps
05:25- Interview with Michelle Holdt, Founder of Arts Ed Matters and Arts & Restorative Learning Coordinator
13:54- Visual Thinking Strategies and Tableau for Critical Thinking and Curriculum Connections
14:38- Embodied Cognition and the Benefits of Play-Based Learning
16:36- The Benefits of Integrating Arts Education in Schools
27:10- Building Classroom Community with Restorative Practices
27:16- Restorative Practices with a Creative Twist
36:06- Self-Love and Trauma in Education
36:54- Pecha Kucha Presentation: Cultivating Self-Awareness and Compassion Through Mindfulness
43:50- Creative Compassionate Strategies for Educators and Leaders
46:35- Retirement and Parenting
49:49- Reflection on Professor William Alfred: A Mentor and Friend
52:30- Exploring the Impact of Arts Education
Links:
Website: http://www.creativecompasssionate.com
Film: Arts is the Root (Why Arts in Schools Matter)
Book Radiance the Art of Self Love: https://a.co/d/huttfPZ
Pecha Kucha: PechaKucha Presentation: Cultivating a Creative Heart-Centered Practice
CONTACT INFO:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-holdt-51a56123/
Will Bachman and Ben Balbale discuss Balbale's journey since graduating from Harvard. Balbale talks about how he has applied technology to the world in various different guises. He also talks about how he worked during the summer to help pay for college. The speaker discusses their background in computer science and how it has helped them in their career.
The Changing World of Computer Science
They mention how the world of computer science has changed dramatically since they graduated college. They talk about how they started their career in management consulting and then went to business school. They mention how a third of their business school class moved to the Bay Area during the peak of the dot com bubble. Joe started out his career in sales, working for a software company in San Francisco. He then moved to New York to work for another software company. In 2005, he started looking at buying software companies that were trading below cash. This led to him joining a long-short equity fund in Boston. He then decided to go to business school. In the past 30 years, software has become increasingly prevalent in society.
A Career in the Software Industry
Ben Balbale reflects on his career in the software industry, and how it has changed over time. He discusses his decision to shut down his public software investment fund, and how he is now taking a pause to think about where he sees market opportunities and what he wants to do with the next 15,000 days of his working life.
The Future of Investing
In the first realization, Ben Balbale realized that he had effectively jumped over the next hurdle and that it was time for him to do something for himself. The second step was to realize that the software industry was not about the software itself, but rather about what you could do with that software. The speaker discusses the importance of computer science, especially in relation to software development. They mention the chat GPT algorithm and how it can be used for various purposes. The speaker then talks about how they have been thinking about markets where the concept of automation can be easily implemented.
Links:
https://www.amazon.com/Noise-Human-Judgment-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0316451401
https://www.amazon.ca/Masters-Scale-Surprising-Successful-Entrepreneurs/dp/0593239083
https://www.amazon.ca/One-Up-Wall-Street-Already/dp/0743200403
https://www.amazon.ca/Benjamin-Graham/e/B000APZXBQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1
https://www.amazon.ca/Philip-A-Fisher/e/B000AR9D8I/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
https://a16z.com/
Timestamps
- 4:23: How Ben’s career history began.
- 9:49: The first step is realizing what is it that would be fun.
- 15:47: Gold standard resume box-checking.
- 20:44: What do you look at the world today?
- 24:52: Looking for a monster market with evangelical customer resonance.
- 32:54: How people are learning about investing.
- 37:58: The rise of ISIS and Islamic extremism.
- 41:34: Top books to read about investing.
Jamelle Bowers is a Hospital Medicine expert in Cincinnati, Ohio. She has been practicing medicine for over 25 years and her top areas of expertise are Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF), Saddle Pulmonary Embolism, Colonoscopy, and Endoscopy.
You can reach out to Jamelle on Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 07:24: On residency training
- 16:02: Working in a minority community
- 27:17: Accomplishments as a leader in medicine
Father Roger J. Landry, a priest of the Diocese of Fall River, Massachusetts, serves as Catholic Chaplain to Columbia University in New York City and to the Thomas Merton Institute for Catholic Life. He has been a pastor, newspaper editor and high school chaplain in the Diocese of Fall River. He writes for many publications, appears regularly on television and radio, and is the author of Plan of Life: Habits to Help You Grow Closer to God (Pauline Books and Media 2018).
You can learn more about Roger’s writing at www.Catholic preaching.com, or connect through email: RogerLandry@post.harvard.edu.
Key points include:
- 12:52: On friendship with the late Pope John Paul
- 21:31: On being a diplomat at the United Nations
- 39:32: On his writing career
Keith Quinn graduated from Harvard with a B.A. in American and English Literature. He has been an executive producer, content strategy consultant, and head of scripted content. Currently, he is the founder of Engine Room Media, a company that helps creators achieve their full potential, fueling growth with resources for content creation, subscriber acquisition, and audience and IP maximization. You can connect with Keith through Linkedin and learn more about his company EngineRoom
Key points include:
- 00:42: Journey into media after Harvard
- 16:27: Revenue in content creation
- 23:34: Content creators to back
Elizabeth Hansen is a lawyer and human resources professional with over a decade of experience creating and leading the Title IX and Equity offices for public and private colleges and universities. She works with organizations throughout the country, and in today’s episode, she talks about her work with schools and colleges on equity and diversity inclusion.
You can reach out to Elizabeth on Linkedin or through her website ecanninglaw.com.
Key points include:
- 08:55: Her work as a public defender
- 20:21: On trigger warnings
- 38:04: Gender-related cases
Lisa Ware graduated from Harvard with a B.A. in Neurobiology. After school, she worked as a research assistant at the Department of Molecular Neurobiology. During this time she co-authored publications on nerve regeneration, and developed and administered new personnel training processes, reducing training time by 75%. In 1994 she decided to change career paths and went back to school to earn an MBA. She now has a rich background in training, leadership, process improvement, problem-solving, project management, and managing business operations. You can reach out to Lisa through Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 08:59: On being a research analyst at McKinsey
- 15:04: Leading the chain of concern in the military
- 27:27: On being a professional musician
Evelyn Ch’ien graduated from Harvard with an A.B. in Philosophy and a Ph.d. in English Language and Literature/Letters. She is the author of Weird English, and co-editor of The Annotated Poetry of Liao Entao. Formerly a tenured professor. Recently, she was a principal investigator of a project funded by the European Union, and currently, she is Senior Books Editor for Hyphen. You can connect with Evelyn through Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 07:36: Writing a book about immigrant language
- 24:50: Censorship in 1940’s China
- 31:33: The art scene in the Asian American community
Henry Bial earned a B.A. in Folklore and Mythology from Harvard and a Ph.D. in Performance Studies from New York University. He is currently the Professor of Theatre and Director of the School of the Arts at the University of Kansas, where he also serves as Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He is the author of Playing God: The Bible on the Broadway Stage and Acting Jewish: Negotiating Ethnicity on the American Stage and Screen. You can reach out to Henry on Linkedin or through his website www.henrybial.com.
Key points include:
- 05:32: Folklore and mythology at Harvard
- 17:37: The role of performance in the military and theatre
- 28:39: What a theatre major learns
Ben received a B.A. in Psychology from Harvard College, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from New York University, where he was a MacCracken Fellow. His doctoral dissertation analyzed the relationship between narcissism and fairness in the workplace, and his masters thesis examined the impact of trust on negotiation.
Currently, Ben is an executive coach, an organizational psychologist, and the Founding Principal of Dattner Consulting, LLC. You can reach out to Ben on Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 02:22: The social psychology of organizations
- 15:44: Valuable psychometric tests
- 32:11: Favorite team-building exercise
When John Unger graduated from Harvard Law, he immediately started working at a Law firm in Cincinnati, and immediately realised it was a career path he did not want to follow. So, he left and began teaching high school students, and he has been teaching ever since. John talks about teaching, coaching, and how he connects with students. satisfaction.
Key points include:
- 05:15: How his style of teaching has changed over the years
- 12:55: Behind the scenes as a high school coach
- 21:54: On building leadership skills
Richard Buery has spent his career fighting to advance equal opportunities for families and communities often left behind. In September 2021, Richard became the CEO of Robin Hood, one of the nation’s leading anti-poverty organizations. He talks about his career since graduating from Harvard and his experiences in working to eliminate poverty.
You can learn more about Robin Hood at www.robinhood.org or reach out to Richard on Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 07:07: What works in running a successful nonprofit organization
- 17:33: Measuring, comparing and determining the impact of a nonprofit organization
- 22:28: Surprising elements of being in city government
David Plotz graduated with a magna cum laude B.A. in political economy before launching into a career as a journalist, becoming the editor-in-chief at Slate magazine, and the author of two books. He has written for Slate, The New York Times Magazine, Harper's, Reader's Digest, Rolling Stone, New Republic, The Washington Post, Business Insider, and GQ. He won won the National Press Club's Hume Award for Political Reporting in 2000, an Online Journalism Award for a Slate piece on Enron, and was a National Magazine Award finalist for a Harper's article about South Carolina's gambling industry. You can connect with David through Linkedin, his websites, atlasobscura.com and citycast.fm or on Twitter, @davidplotz.
Key points include:
- 06:32: Getting divorced and moving forward
- 26:26: On the changing face of journalism
- 32:51: Behind the scenes of national politics
After graduating from Harvard with an AB in History and Literature, Yuko moved to London where she started a career in financial services. Prior to joining Tetragon in 2006, Ms. Thomas was an Executive Director at Goldman Sachs International where she was the Head of Human Capital Management Strategy and Management, Europe, and a Senior HCM Generalist and Chief of Staff for the Equities Division in Europe. You can connect with Yuko through Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 11:30: Distinctive elements of the Goldman Sachs culture
- 17:29: The inspiration behind Yuko’s anglophilia
- 21:45: On being a trustee
Statsbomb is a comprehensive data collection organization that brings advanced analytics to global football. Prior to his position with StatsBomb, Shergul held senior roles in sales, digital strategy, business development, corporate development, loyalty marketing, affiliate marketing and eCommerce for numerous sports, gaming, entertainment, eCommerce and technology companies. Previously, Shergul was at Time Warner, eBay, Amazon, StyleFeeder, Sports Loyalty Systems and FairMarket. Shergul hails from Florence, Italy, and lives in London, UK.
You can connect with Shergul through Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 06:59: Sports data tracking
- 16:33: The world of sports betting
- 21:00: The early days of the consumer internet
Rene Celaya talks about his career and a life well-traveled from teaching English abroad post Harvard to becoming a monitoring evaluation officer for CARE, working in the Republic of Georgia, Honduras, Panama, Mozambique and Jerusalem. He and his family came back to the States where he secured a position as Assistant Dean at Columbia University, School of International and Public Affairs for two years. After a stint in education, he went back to work for CARE as the Country Director at CARE where he worked for the next 15 years. Rene is currently a leader in international humanitarian and development strategy and practice.
You can learn more about Rene’s work at sesameworkshop.org and connect with him on Linkedin.
Key points include:
- 05:29: Social, economic, political, and cultural issues in international development
- 11:44: On the CARE organization
- 19:00: On the Sesame Workshop program
After completing a B.A. in Social Studies at Harvard, Kelly went on to earn a MSc in Population and International Health. Post education, she worked as an Associate for Population in Health before moving on to Ibis Reproductive Health in South Africa where she has worked for 17 years. Kelly has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications in The Lancet, the American Journal of Public Health, AIDS, and Obstetrics and Gynecology and has also published op-eds, letters, and blogs in the New York Times, the Boston Globe, and RH Reality Check.
Key points include:
- 07:35: An Ibis Reproductive Health project
- 13:33: On self-managing abortion
- 30:05: On running the organization
After graduating from Harvard with a B.A. in Government, Valeria Laitenin continued her studies for an M.A. Law and Diplomacy, International Negotiation/Conflict Resolution and Complex Emergencies, and went on to complete a ME.d., in Educational Leadership and Administration. Valeria’s career in education has taken her to international positions in Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Slovakia and Ukraine. Currently, she works at the American Community School in Athens, Greece. You can reach out to Valeria through email at Valeria_Laitinen@hotmail.com.
Key points include:
- 12:28: Working in Slovakia
- 17:29: Moving to Ukraine
- 35:41: Being a part of the Foreign Service community
After completing a B.A. in English and American Literature and Language at Harvard, Kerry Dean Carso earned her M.A. in American Studies at Boston University where she also finished a Ph.D in American Studies. Kerry pursued a career in teaching and is now a professor and the Chair in the Art History department at SUNY, New Paltz, NY.
Key points include:
- 05:03: Architectural history as her major field
- 24:45: Historical follies discovered
- 38:20: Influential professors at Harvard
After completing an A.B. in Biology at Harvard, Olu Ajilore earned a Phd in Neuroscience from Stanford and an M.S. in Clinical Research. He was an assistant professor at UCLA, and is currently a professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago and co-founder of Keywise AI, software intended to track brain function objectively and offers a continuous remote monitoring system for mental health. You can connect with Olu on Twitter @pshrink.
Key points include:
- 04:43: What Keywise AI and mood disorders
- 08:36: Research on psychiatric issues in the elderly
- 25:11: On methods of behavior change
Adam Pachter is a screenwriter who specializes in sci-fi features, historicals, thrillers, and TV dramas. He is also an Affiliated Faculty member at Emerson College and the Boston/Campus chapter head for Harvardwood. Adam studied American History at Harvard and is currently developing a TV series about America's most unusual courthouse. You can reach Adam through LinkedIn or reach out on email at adampachter@yahoo.com.
Key points include:
- 22:52: Adam’s experience at Law school
- 30:13: How he moved into screenwriting
- 58:15: Influential professors at Harvard
Susmita Pati has an A.B. in Chemical Sciences from Harvard and an MPH in Epidemiology from Columbia. She specializes in population health analytics, innovation, and system transformation to achieve health equity. Susmita is currently a Professor of Pediatrics & Chief, Division of Primary Care Pediatrics at Stony Brook University and an external advisor for McKinsey. You can reach out to Susmita on LinkedIn.
Key points include:
- 07:14: Research projects Sumita is working on
- 28:04: Exercises in communication skills for health workers
- 36:00: Examples of theatre-based training
Jon Berlin has a BA in Economics (magna cum laude) and an MBA from Stanford School of Business. Jon has 25+ years of financial services and management consulting experience, expertise in strategy, analytics, customer experience, marketing, sales and service delivery, organizational change, and system/process development. He is currently the President and CEO at Chevron Federal Credit Union. You can reach out to Jon at BerlinJM@yahoo.com.
Key points include:
- 12:30: On being the CEO of a credit union
- 24:15: How a credit union acquires new customers
- 42:55: Recommended books
Melinda Hsu Taylor is a television writer and producer. She is currently Executive Producer and showrunner of Tom Swift and co-showrunner of Nancy Drew for the CW Network.
Melinda was also a writer on Lost and was nominated for the Writers Guild of America Award for best drama series on the fifth season of Lost. She won a Primetime Emmy Award for the series' sixth and final season and has also worked as a writer on Medium, Vanished, Women's Murder Club, Falling Skies, Touch, The Vampire Diaries, The Gifted and Nancy Drew. In this episode, she talks about how shows like Star Trek inspired her to become a writer, her journey to becoming a television writer, and what it’s like working in the writers’ room. To find out more about Melinda’s work, visit her IMDB page.
Key points include:
- 06:18: Moving up in the writer’s room
- 10:15: How the writer’s room works
- 20:26: Why television shows have multiple writers
Geoff Rodkey is the author of a bestselling children’s series, he co-wrote two books with comedian Kevin Hart, and he recently published his first adult novel. Geoff is also a screenwriter; his film scripts include Daddy Day Care starring Eddie Murphy and RV with Robin Williams. He’s come a long way from his first writing gig for his high school newspaper, and in today’s episode, he talks about his journey.
Learn more about Geoff at www.geoffrodkey.com or connect with him through social media @jeffrodkey.
Key points include:
- 04:48: His journey to becoming a screenwriter
- 17:32: The shift to writing children’s books
- 21:32: Changes in the book business
After graduating college, Kimberly Moore Dalal was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force; however, it was quickly realized that her time was best served studying to become a doctor.
She discusses her journey to becoming a surgeon, the biases she overcame, and the factors that pushed her forward. Kimberly has worked as a general surgeon, a trauma surgeon, and an adult cancer surgeon, she has also performed surgery on a 10-month-old baby boy. She talks about memorable and powerful moments in oncology, and the differences between trauma surgery and other types of surgery.
Key points include:
- 16:43: On being a trauma surgeon
- 22:48: Advice on choosing a doctor
- 49:03: The personalities of surgeons
Angela Kelly Smith has a background in both business and the arts. She has a bachelor’s degree in biological anthropology from Harvard College, a master’s degree in biology from Tufts Graduate School of Arts and Science, and a master’s degree in communication from Johns Hopkins University, and as an artist, her work has been featured in both solo exhibitions and solo exhibitions in various galleries throughout Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania. Kelly has also acted as a co-producer on the 2007 film Control—a biopic about Ian Curtis, the lead singer of the band Joy Division, and was the assistant editor of the documentary Introducing Brian Broome. You can learn more about Kelly’s work at www.angelakellysmith.com and www.angelakellysmith.art Key points include: * 02:19: Kelly’s career as an artist * 12:58: On moving into film * 20:28: Services provided as a marketing consultant
Mike Grunwald is a journalist and the author of two books, The Swamp: The Everglades, Florida and the Politics of Paradise, and The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era. He has worked for The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, Time and is currently a senior writer for Politico Magazine. Mike has earned several journalism awards and is currently working on a book for Simon & Schuster about food, land and climate change. You can follow Mike on Twitter @MikeGrunwald. Key points include: * 05:57: Behind the scenes in Washington, D.C. * 10:25: Cultivating sources as a journalist * 17:53: Involvement with the Everglades * 35:43: Proudest career moments
Charlie Reece is based out of Carrboro, North Carolina, United States and works at Rho as General Counsel. He holds a law degree from North Carolina School of Law, and prior to his current position, he was a city council member with Durham City, and before that, Assistant Attorney General with the North Carolina Department of Justice. Key points include: * 04:48: Behind the scenes of how a city works * 14:04: Points of pride in office * 21:59: Riding every bus route in Durham * 29:41: Dealing with opposing parties
The Rev. Dr. Bill Carroll has served as Rector (Senior Priest and Pastor) of Trinity Episcopal Church since April 2019. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2004 by Bishop Dorsey Henderson of the Diocese of Upper South Carolina. As a former seminary professor and college chaplain, he received his Master of Divinity and Ph.D. in Christian theology from the University of Chicago Divinity School and a certificate of Anglican Studies from the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Key points include:
- 04:36: Shopping for a denomination
- 07:17: The gay marriage debate
- 17:55: The workweek of an Episcopal priest
- 20:09: Growing the membership of a congregation
Dr. Robert Waldinger is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, Director of the Center for Psychodynamic Therapy and Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development. He is a practicing psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and he teaches Harvard medical students and psychiatry resident. He is on the faculty of the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute, and he also happens to be a Zen priest. In this episode, he talks about lessons learned from the Harvard study of adult development. You can learn more about Robert’s work at adultdevelopmentstudy.org and lifespanresearch.org. Key points include:
- 06:02: The importance of investing in relationships
- 16:23: Counterintuitive findings from the study
- 24:05: Career and life satisfaction
- 27:43: What people regret most
Jenny Atkinson has a master's in education and decided to pursue a career in teaching, but before doing so, she decided she needed to understand more about the issues affecting urban schools. She worked in the Boys and Girls club, which eventually led to her overseeing the education programs and led to a position as executive director of a club in Boston for a few years. Over the years, Jenny also studied massage therapy and the body-mind connection. Currently, Jenny is a nonprofit consultant with the consulting company Smarter Learning Group, where she serves a range of clients from national organizations mostly focused on education and services that support communities in need. Jenny can be reached at JAtkinson2000@yahoo.com. Key points include:
05:42: The Harvard of massage schools
13:13: The purpose of the Boys and Girls Club
17:53: Funding sources for the Boys and Girls Club
27:31: Harvard courses Jenny found most influential
Zachary Schrag is the author of four books. He was the editor of Washington History and guest editor for the Journal of Policy History. Zachary has received many grants and fellowships. He is currently a professor of history at George Mason University, a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Urban History, and a member of the board of the Urban History Association. You can connect with Zachary on Twitter @zacharyschrag. Key points include: * 03:40: How he became a professor * 11:39: The Fires of Philadelphia, and the Princeton Guide to Historical Research * 16:53: Two different anti-immigrant movements * 24:14: Compiling data and the writing process
Andy Arends is a self-professed "intrapreneurial" executive and servant leader. He has significant healthcare strategy and operations experience, and his experience includes health plan strategy, care management, digital transformation, core administration systems / operations, and Business Process as a Service (BPaaS). Past public speaking engagements and webinars include CHIME, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the California Association of Health Plans (CAHP), the Association of Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), and multiple private webinars and workshops focused on healthcare strategy. Contact Andy by email at Andy_Arends@post.harvard.edu or reach out through LinkedIn.
Key points include:
11:04: Life lessons from Alzheimers
15:04: Forming new friendships
17:03: Strength through faith
21:33: Integration in South Africa
Scott Johnson’s career path is anything but ordinary. After graduating from Harvard, Scott headed home to Jackson, Mississippi, where he volunteered in the Clinton ‘92 campaign before moving to Washington, DC. He waited tables for a while before landing a minor position at the White House. He went back to school and earned a degree in journalism then moved to New York for a position at ABC network. After working as a writer for several years, he eventually found his way back to music, and in today’s episode, Scott shares his experience as a musician. Key points include:
- 10:33: A musician’s outlook
- 16:46: What would have most surprised Scott’s younger self
- 20:36: The experience of being on stage
- 24:22: Most memorable classes at Harvard
Dr. Zarya Rubin grew up practicing surgery on her dolls, so it was no surprise that she pursued medicine. She is a Harvard educated physician who also believes in holistic health and wellness and is well-versed in the practices of yoga and meditation. She has trained at the world-renowned Institute For Integrative Nutrition, where she studied over 100 dietary theories and worked with mentors like Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Deepak Chopra. In today’s episode, she talks about her journey towards becoming a holistic health coach. You can learn more about Zarya and her work through the following links: Email: healthcoach@wildlilacwellness.com Website: www.wildlilacwellness.com
IG: www.instagram.com/wildlilacwellness
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildlilacwellness
Private Women’s Wellness Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/268114707221770/
Subscribe to Newsletter: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/607b43d71717a7247c111359
Book a FREE Consult: https://p.bttr.to/3u6eJvE
Richard Nash is an award-winning editor and publisher; he has held leadership positions at a range of media start-ups and consulted with Fortune 500 companies. Richard has spoken on the future of media at a wide array of International events, including Booknet Canada in Toronto where his keynote speech was described by former Wired Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson as the "best talk on the future of publishing I've ever seen. In today’s episode, Richard shares his journey from graduating Harvard to his current position, in addition to insights from the world of publishing. Key points include: * 04:31: Why publishing is not an industry * 11:30: Self-publishing and entrepreneurship * 16:11: What would most surprise Richard’s college self * 21:48: How Richard’s coaching practice evolved
Donna Cryer began her career in health care after a seriously debilitating autoimmune liver disease. For her work in this area, she has been writing the book of advocacy in liver disease and recently received the Distinguished Service Advocacy Award from the Hepatology Medical Society partner.
Key points include:
- 08:16: Key issues in unequal access to transplants
- 14:37: Top priorities for the advocacy organization
- 21:40: Ethical issues and incentives
- 24:58: What would most surprise her college self
Philip Hartley is a design director at Fjord in Washington, D.C. He worked as a design engineer before transitioning to innovation strategy, and he has also been a boat builder in Australia where he built and repaired wooden boats ranging from 5-foot to 50-foot sailboats, dinghies, and river cruisers. You can reach out to Philip through email at philiprhartley@gmail.com.
Key points include:
07:58: Examples of design strategy
17:03: How career training shaped day-to-day thinking
26:12: How design training influences being a dad
40:24: What would most surprise his college self
Rebecca L. Walkowitz is an author and Dean of Humanities in the School of Arts and Sciences and a former Chair of the English Department at Rutgers University. She is also a Distinguished Professor of English and Affiliate Faculty in Comparative Literature, and the editor or co-editor of eight books. You can learn more about Rebecca through the university website.
Key points include:
07:33: Involvement at Harvard
12:16: Research on cosmopolitanism
15:30: Day-to-day life as a Dean
30:37: Lessons learned managing a department
Gary Bass is a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University, and the author of The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide (Knopf); Freedom's Battle: The Origins of Humanitarian Intervention (Knopf); and Stay the Hand of Vengeance: The Politics of War Crimes Tribunals (Princeton University Press). For the Blood Telegram, he is a Pulitzer Prize finalist in general nonfiction, and he won the Arthur Ross Book Award from the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bernard Schwartz Book Award from the Asia Society, the Lionel Gelber Prize, the Cundill Prize in Historical Literature, the Robert H. Ferrell Book Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, and the Ramnath Goenka Award in India. It was a New York Times and Washington Post notable book of the year, and a best book of the year in The Economist, Financial Times, The New Republic, and Kirkus Reviews. In today’s episode, Gary talks about his book.
Key points include:
0:46: Overview of Blood Telegram
04:51: The backstory of Archer Blood
15:19: Why Nixon and Kissenger did not intervene
24:14: How Gary found his area of specialization
Rajani was born in Bangalore, India before her family immigrated to the U.S. She attended Harvard College and Harvard Medical School and has been working as a primary care physician since 2001. A voracious reader as a child, books inspired her to pursue medicine and eventually turn to write stories of her own. She is now a celebrated and prize-winning children's author. You can learn more about Rajani and her books at RajaniLarocca.com.
Key points include:
08:44: How her journey as an author began and where her ideas come from
14:54: Rajani’s writing process
23:02: How being a writer has changed how she moves through the world
30:25: Questions that help people tell their story
Angel Taveras is a lawyer and former mayor of Providence, Rhode Island. He is currently an adjunct professor and partner at Womble Bond Dickinson LLP, a transatlantic law firm serving corporate, individual, and nonprofit clients across every business sector. You can connect to Angel through his LinkedIn profile or social media profiles. Key points include:
11:05: Managing a city – an overview
20:02: How Angel’s perspective has changed on how things work
35:19: How he negotiated budget cuts
43:54: What would most surprise his college self
At Harvard, Gabrielle studied English, American history and literature, and creative writing. She won the OAC’s Individual Excellence Award two years in a row, in poetry and in filmmaking. Gabrielle established a film production company with her sisters aptly named the Five Sisters Production. And most recently, she directed the award-winning documentary on gender, Kings, Queens, & In-Betweens. You can learn more about Gabrielle and her production company at FiveSisters.com, and watch the comedy series Old Guy on YouTube. Key points include:
- 09:25: The backstory on the Old Guy series
- 14:59: How being a filmmaker changes how Gabrielle looks at life
- 19:28: What would most surprise her college self
- 29:30: The Harvard courses that most influenced her life
This is the introduction to the 92-Report where I provide the origin of the The questions I'll be asking my guests in each episode.
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