Lives Radio Show With Stuart Chittenden

Joshua Foo is a photographer and director whose work fuses a chef’s sensibility with a filmmaker’s eye, grounded in his perspective as a queer Asian-American immigrant. We talk about “ways of seeing,” the craft behind his images, identity and heritage, and how life experience, not least a recent heart attack, shapes the stories he chooses to tell.Based in the Midwest, Foo draws on his experience working in kitchens as a chef and his background in culinary arts and film production to bring food, people, and spaces to life with a cinematic and tactile approach. He has photographed and filmed chefs, farmers, and industry professionals all over the world, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, People Magazine, with collaborations including James Beard Award-winning and Michelin-starred chefs. Foo has led both photo and video projects for companies like Lipton Ice Tea, Qdoba, Pepperjax Grill, and more. Rooted in his perspective as a Queer Asian-American immigrant, Foo values equality, equity, and r

Karalee Picard, a Navy veteran and former defense intelligence analyst turned leadership consultant, shares experiences and lessons from her service, what leadership looks like, and how she is charting a new empty nest chapter of life, personally and professionally.Dr. Karalee Picard is an organizational and leadership expert with a deep background in defense intelligence, where she built her craft around high-stakes decision-making in complex, information-limited environments. A Navy veteran, Picard now serves as principal of Insight Leadership Consulting, helping teams strengthen culture, clarity, and belonging through coaching, strategy, and leadership development. In recent reflections on retiring from federal service, Picard emphasizes a next chapter shaped less by noise and more by discernment: pausing, listening, and choosing what matters.*************************Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.*Bonus content* for Lives members only features exc

Levelle Wells shares his journey from incarceration, addiction, and gang life to sobriety, healing, and a life of service, and what the “Red Road” has meant in rebuilding his own life and in helping others find their way forward.Wells is an Omaha-based Afro-Indigenous community leader (Elk Clan of the Omaha Tribe) whose life story spans incarceration, gang involvement, addiction, and a hard-won return to sobriety and service. Sent to prison at 17, Wells reached a turning point that led him onto what he describes as the “Red Road,” a spiritual path of recovery and accountability. Today, Wells supports others navigating reentry and sober life through Native-led community work. He also collaborates with the University of Nebraska Medical Center as a community scientist, helping build awareness and participation in cancer research, as well as advocating for healing, identity, and building pathways forward for Indigenous communities.*************************Today's show and others are supported by the generous mem

In my conversation with reporter and news anchor Melissa Wright we trace the roots of her calling, what she’s learned along the way, and what it takes to be the “face” of the news in a world of mistrust, misinformation, and algorithms. It’s a wide-ranging talk about journalism, neighborhoods, identity, and the kinds of questions that don’t just inform us, but help us live.Melissa Wright is a journalist and former North Omaha Neighborhood Reporter and Weekend Anchor at KMTV Channel 3, and she is known for community-centered storytelling that informs, uplifts, and connects people. A graduate of the University of Houston, she earned her master’s in journalism from New York University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. Raised in California’s San Fernando Valley, Wright brings a deep respect for how neighborhoods shape lives, which guided her reporting in North Omaha. After two years here, Wright is now preparing for her next reporting role closer to home.*************************Today's

Mohammad Sahil, executive director of the Nebraska Afghan Community Center, shares a journey that moves from refugee beginnings and work as an interpreter for the US military to life in America, ultimately building community infrastructure for Afghan and other immigrant families in Nebraska. It’s a conversation about home, dignity, moral responsibility, and what it looks like to pursue the American Dream.Sahil is a former combat interpreter who served alongside the U.S. military in Afghanistan for nearly a decade before immigrating to the U.S. with his wife through the Special Immigrant Visa program. For almost nine years, he’s supported refugee and immigrant communities through case management, education work, and interpretation, including service with Omaha Public Schools, where he received a 2021 Excellent Service Award. He now leads the Nebraska Afghan Community Center and serves in key community leadership roles, including Chair of the Omaha Refugee Task Force.*************************Today's show and ot

Nebraska State Poet, Jewel Rodgers, talks about how her poems arrive, and how they land; the possibilities of writing and performing to make sense of herself and for community, and what it takes to step fully into an artistic life when your creativity and work become public and the stakes feel real.Jewel Rodgers is the 2025–2029 Nebraska State Poet, a 2025 Academy of American Poets Fellow, and a nationally touring interdisciplinary performer who blends poetry, storytelling, and placemaking. A three-time TEDx speaker and Omaha Entertainment & Arts Award–nominated performance poet, she’s shared her work from major arts stages to civic gatherings and moments of social witness. Beyond performance, Rodgers also reshapes neighborhoods through PlaceMade, the resident-led initiative she founded to transform blighted lots into community spaces.*************************Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.*Bonus content* for Lives members only features exclusive

This end of year show features a curated selection of guest conversations from 2025, plus a couple of teaser snippets from shows coming in 2026.The end of the year is a time for reflection. In today’s show, I look back on conversations with some guests this year that illuminate what it is to be human. In fact, I look back in astonishment at the sheer privilege afforded to me to be an intimate witness to people’s lives.I am a humanist, meaning my life is informed by well-reasoned critical thinking, humbled and called to action by empathy, and enlarged by wonder and respect for the world around us. I bring that humanist life stance to my work as an existential coach, providing space, support, and guidance for people asking life’s big questions: Who am I? What matters now? How do I live well?Lives Radio Show and Podcast is a public expression of that commitment to our shared humanity. Above all, for me, it is the immeasurable gift of bearing witness to the lives of others. I am interested in people’s “who” and “

Community activist and organizer Leo Louis II has spent nearly two decades turning pain into purpose. From roles leading the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation and in the documentary film “My Omaha” he shares why, after decades of struggle and service, he is doing the work he was born to do.Louis has experience in various disciplines including gang intervention, urban farming, entrepreneurship, public speaking, fatherhood, facilitation, and more. Louis has led various community efforts, including the March for Solidarity in Omaha during 2020 unrest after George Floyd’s death, in which more than 2000 people took part. Louis was featured in the Nick Beaulieu 2025 documentary "My Omaha," which addresses racial and cultural prospectives in Omaha; is a recent recipient of the Omaha NAACP Presidents Award, and the Civic Nebraska's Adam Morfeld’s Founders Award of 2025. Louis is most known for his decade plus volunteer leadership role with the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation from which he stepped down in 2024 as the board

Intuitive communications coach Tina Be Bakehouse shares how, drawing on theatre, storytelling, and a spiritual lens, she helps people speak in ways that truly resonate and connect. Bakehouse also shares coming into her own truths around sexual identity, faith, and personal healing that has transformed the way she works, lives, and shows up in the world.Bakehouse helps heart-centered leaders move beyond performance into presence. Drawing on over 25 years in communication, theatre, and teaching, she guides clients to tune into body, breath, and voice so they can clarify their message and speak with grounded confidence. Her work blends skill, play, and spirituality—shaped by university teaching, storytelling and improv, and training in holistic approaches to the whole person. A two-time TEDx speaker, Leadership Iowa alum, former Walt Disney cast member, and author of Discovering Our Magnetic Speaker Within, Tina empowers people not just to speak, but to resonate—because your voice is not only how you’re heard, i

Public health expert Dr. Athena Ramos shares her commitment to public health and justice, such as tobacco prevention efforts and improving farmworker health, safety, and equity in the Midwest. Dr. Ramos talks about the cultural, health, and lived experiences influencing this award-winning passion and that are reshaping her life and her work, including becoming a cowgirl.Dr. Athena Ramos is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Promotion at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health, where she leads community-engaged research focused on farmworker and agrifood worker health, social determinants of health, and reducing health disparities across the Great Plains and Midwest. A native Nebraskan and first-generation scholar, Dr. Ramos partners closely with Latino, immigrant, and rural communities, working with producers, workers, and organizations to improve conditions in agriculture and meatpacking. Her work has been recognized with numerous honors, including UNMC’s 2025 Dis

Omaha-based artist and web developer Brian Wetjen recounts a childhood programming the family’s first computer to make it funnier, leading to the heady early days of web-based businesses and entrepreneurship. Wetjen also shares his transformative plant-medicine journeys that have quieted his anxiety and OCD, and sharpened his attention, presence, and being in the world.Brian Wetjen is an Omaha-based artist, web developer, husband, and dad who moves between paint and pixels, plants and code—from his home office and Hot Shops Art Center—to create calm, nature-infused art and human-centered websites. A lifelong Nebraskan, his curiosity has recently deepened through plant-medicine journeys that he describes as profoundly transformative, quieting anxiety and OCD and sharpening attention and presence. He shares music, books, and playlists freely, seeing art, psychedelics, code, and culture as different ways to explore, heal, and help people feel more at ease in the world.********************Today's show and others

Organizational and community development consultant Sarah Phelps recognized early in life that she was neurodivergent and very very smart. Influenced by her experiences from the rural midwestern town of her upbringing to time in France, India, China and more, Phelps has become a champion for people thriving, bringing a deep care for community at every opportunity.With an IQ over 160, Sarah Phelps is smart. She is a facilitator, strategist, and community builder who helps organizations weave wellbeing, equity, and innovation into the everyday realities of learning, leadership development, and culture change. Drawing on more than 20 years of nonprofit and corporate experience in strategic HR and organizational development, she’s known for identifying solutions that stick. Phelps has consulted with values-driven organizations nationwide—including OutNebraska and Inclusive Communities—to cultivate inclusive, mission-aligned teams and brave, growth-oriented conversations. She is the founder of the Emerging Speaker

Shelby Seier, a multi-disciplinary and disabled artist, transforms the idea of accessibility into an expressive art form—one that invites care, creativity, and community. She reflects on her artistic journey through chronic illness, with improvised quilting, drawing everyday objects of accommodation, and the political power of play. Seier envisions how rest, imagination, and relational design can reshape our understanding of what it means to live well—with and for one another.********************Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.*Bonus content* for Lives members only includes Shelby Seier sharing a favorite snooping story! For that exclusive content and more, find a Lives membership tier that fits you - support link here.

James Eagle Feather is a formerly incarcerated individual returned to the community as a mentor and entrepreneur. Surrounded by gangs and violence in north Omaha, Eagle Feather was incarcerated at 18 and spent nearly two decades behind bars. From those years emerged a story of resilience and redemption in a calling to mentor youth on the same problematic paths. Now a motivational speaker and TEDxOmaha presenter, Eagle Feather shares a journey towards hope, from prison to purpose.Listeners are advised that today’s show features descriptions of violence that some listeners might find disturbing. ********************Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.*Bonus content* for Lives members only includes James Eagle Feather sharing more on the context of his name and heritage and entertaining examples of his discovering new technologies as he returned to the community from incarceration. For that exclusive content and more, find a Lives membership tier that fi

Certified retirement coach and business consultant, Dr. Ginny Curley, as the seventh of eight children, learned early how relationships, and their loss, shape our lives — insights deepened through decades of study and personal experiences in surviving a near-fatal heart attack and cancer. Today, as a certified retirement coach and consultant to family-owned businesses, Curley brings wisdom to questions of meaning, legacy, and what truly matters.From a big family, Ginny Curley learned early to navigate complex relationships—deepening that knowledge with a theology and sociology degree, a master’s in counseling, and a Ph.D. in educational administration and leadership. After decades in higher education and leading organizational development in industry, she now helps family-owned businesses develop continuity and helps those nearer to retirement navigate change with clarity and confidence. As a survivor of a near-fatal heart attack and of cancer, Curley brings a hard-won clarity about meaning, legacy, and what

Dr Lucas Schulte, Director of Education and Outreach at Tri-Faith, was raised on a Nebraska farm, tutored in college and divinity schools, seasoned on archaeological digs, and blends grit and thoughtful reflection. As well as deep religious scholarship, he has spent decades asking how people of different faiths live well together. We talk about all that in the show, as well as Indiana-Jones moments, religious identity, and why interfaith engagement matters in a polarized era.Dr. Schulte leads efforts to promote Religious Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through community education and engagement. A Nebraska native, he earned degrees from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Yale Divinity School, and Claremont Graduate University, specializing in the Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Judaism, and the ancient Near East. His career includes teaching at universities and seminaries nationwide, archaeological work in Israel, and published scholarship, including a book on the Book of Nehemiah and a chapter in The Cambridge

Veteran and fundraising professional Kenley Sturdivant-Wilson traces a journey from a childhood in Thailand to a small Arkansas delta town, and from profound loss to a life of service. His story blends tragedy with resilience and weaves a diverse cultural heritage. What emerges is a life committed to equity, hope, and belonging.Sturdivant-Wilson’s life bridges cultures, tragedy, and service. Born in Thailand to a Thai mother and Black American father, he grew up a military child, moving often but ultimately calling home a small Arkansas delta town. The early death of his mother left a lasting sorrow, yet also shaped his compassion and resilience. Inspired by her courage and his grandmother’s trailblazing achievements in the segregated South, he has dedicated his professional life to philanthropy—strengthening communities through the arts, education, and affordable housing—always grounded in equity, heritage, and belonging.____Today's show and others are supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Tren

Wellness entrepreneur Glenisha Nelson has faced obstacles in life, including a difficult childhood environment, becoming a teenage mom, and people that doubted her, but through talent, determination, and faith, she built her vision, creating The G Spot Spa & Wellness as a place for healing, balance, and community. Nelson shares her journey of strength, entrepreneurship, and purpose.Nelson, a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Lymphatic Therapist who founded of The “G” Spot Spa & Wellness in Omaha. Nelson has combined determination with vision and resilience with kindness to overcome hurdles in her life, develop her entrepreneurial success, and and respond to a calling to serve people’s wellbeing and healing.____Today's show and others is supported by the generous membership of Amy and Tom Trenolone.

Entomologist Doctor Jody Green takes us from her roundabout path into entomology to her current role as a science communicator and extension educator. With warmth, humor, and a no-nonsense style, Dr. Green talks about changing perceptions of the buzzing, crawling world around us and the surprising insights and life lessons she’s found through both bugs and people.Dr. Green is a Board‑Certified entomologist specializing in urban and industrial insects. Originally from Ontario, Canada, she earned an associate’s degree in environmental pest management at Sir Sandford Fleming College and went on to complete her M.S. and Ph.D. in entomology at Purdue University. After working as a pesticide applicator, termite inspector and pest consultant, she joined Nebraska Extension, where she serves as an extension educator for Douglas-Sarpy Extension. She co‑hosts the Arthro‑Pod podcast and appears regularly on the PBS Backyard Farmer program on Nebraska Public Television. Known for her no-nonsense style and motto “stop and

Cartoon artist and comic book author Caitlin Cass creates comics about failing systems, strange historical narratives, and irrational hope. From mail-order zines to Eisner Award winning graphic histories, she crafts stories that are sharp, strange, and full of heart. Hear how ghosts, humor, and historical research fuel her singular artistic world.Cartoonist and illustrator Caitlin Cass uses comics, cartoons, and installations to explore failing systems, query traditional historical narratives, and pursue irrational hope. Her 2024 book - Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in the US - which won an Eisner Award, dubbed the Oscars of the comic book industry. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Lily, and The Nib. Growing up near Chicago, Cass studied the Great Books at St. John’s College in Sante Fe and earned an MFA in Visual Studies from the University at Buffalo, and since 2021 teaches studio art and illustration at the University of Nebraska Omaha.