Shows
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenStuart Shell S3E133Conversation with architect and sustainability consultant Stuart Shell for whom built environments are not just physical spaces—they are reflections of what we value and how we relate to one another. Who gets comfort, who gets beauty, who - and what - gets left out? Shell invites us along with him to consider the built world as our collective lived and moral landscape.Stuart Shell is an architect, sustainability consultant, and passionate advocate for reimagining how our built environments reflect and shape our shared values. Shell believes our cities and buildings are more than structures—they are livi...
2025-08-1049 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJo GilesAs executive director of the Women’s Fund of Omaha, Jo leads a thirteen-member team to address gender-based inequities in the Omaha community. In our conversation, we talk about the work of the Women’s Fund of Omaha, including the need for responsible, appropriate, and necessary education about sexual and reproductive health literacy, workplace and economic equity, freedom from violence, and women in leadership. Jo also shares her experience in the electoral race for the District 7 seat on the Douglas County Commissioners board and Jo discusses a new statewide, independent digital news outlet called, Flatwater Free Press.Befo...
2021-09-0853 min
Sidewalk TalkSquish Talks’ Stuart Chittenden on the power of conversation | Stuart ChittendenStuart Chittenden is a highly interesting character. A lawyer by trade, he moved to Omaha, Nebraska from England after marrying his wife and grew fascinated by the inherent power of conversation. That fascination led him to start Squish Talks—the organization he has leveraged to unlock human potential in all areas of society simply through conversation.
On this episode of The Sidewalk Talk podcast, Traci laughs, learns, and grows from her conversation with Stuart as they converse about all things politics, crying, crying about politics, the movie “Inside Out,” and their plans for a COVID coming out party...
2021-06-1544 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenErin VikErin Vik is a well-known figure in the region’s food and hospitality landscape. Erin worked at local independent restaurants, private clubs and corporate hotels, and oversaw operations for the Institute for Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College, working with the culinary, hospitality and horticulture programs. His current role is Director, Nutrition at Westside School District, each day providing over 10,000 lunches and more. In our conversation, Erin talks about meal quality, sourcing ingredients, and the challenges of providing thousands of nutritious, tasty meals each day. He also shares his journey from early childhood food memories to the Omaha culinary sce...
2021-02-0351 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAndrea LawseAndrea Lawse is the founder of Artemis Tea and Botanical and is a Clinical Herbalist. She is a Ph.D Candidate working on a dissertation in Critical Plant Studies, specifically focused on relationships between humans and the vegetal. Her studies of the interconnection between the nonhuman and human worlds—all have culminated in building Artemis. Andrea says, however, it is without a doubt the garden she plants and tends, year after year, that offers her the greatest insight and wisdom. In this show, we talk among other topics about:The centuries of wisdom and folk knowledge around plants an...
2021-01-2749 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSue ThadenSue Thaden founded Client Resources Inc., a women-owned IT talent and solutions business in 1999, growing to employ over 180 IT professionals with clients across numerous industries and geographies. Its innovation lab has spun out other successful endeavors, including From Now On, a sports and event based marketing and communication platform working with more than 100 U.S. college & athletic departments, college conferences and NCAA Championship events to drive fan engagement. In our recent conversation, Sue talks about the genesis of this business, the nature of entrepreneurship, as well as her personal character and journey as a female founder and leader, especially...
2021-01-2053 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAisha SharifPoet Aisha Sharif is a Cave Canem fellow living near Kansas City, Missouri. In many ways, much of her poetry and nonfiction addresses the politics of “bordering identities.” As an African-American Muslim woman originally from the south, her work explores how racial, gender, and religious identities align, separate, and blend. Her poem, “Vanna White Reconsiders Her Pact with Her Jinn” was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in 2019 and her poem “Why I Can Dance Down a Soul Train Line and Still be Muslim” was nominated in 2015. Her first book of poetry, To Keep From Undressing, was released by Spark Wheel Press i...
2021-01-1351 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenTraci RubleTraci Ruble is a therapist formerly based in San Francisco and now in Heidelberg, Germany, and is the founder of Sidewalk Talk, a nonprofit dedicated to creating communities of listeners worldwide. Traci talks with me about her thoughts on belonging, parenthood, the challenges facing couples today, and how to approach 2021, as well as the need for hearing each other and being heard. She also shares how her life experiences shaped her personally and professionally and how she journeyed into this field.
2021-01-0652 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden2020 HighlightsThe New Year’s Eve edition of Lives Radio Show & Podcast, which reflects back on a few guests from this past year, focusing on some poets, writers, and artists, who have brought me comfort and inspiration amid the trials of 2020. We will hear from artist Mark Gilbert, and listen to readings from Liz Kay, Rebecca Rotert, Sarah McKinstry-Brown, Carson Vaughan, Maritza Estrada, and - as a teaser for a forthcoming New Year show, Aisha Sharif. And I couldn't resist a few outtakes...
2020-12-3157 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAly PeelerAly Peeler is a singer songwriter, ukulele instructor, mama, mentor, community organizer, and host of one of the most diverse talent filled open mics in Omaha. Aly was recognized by the 2019 Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards for best Americana and folk performer and enjoys performing with some of the most talented musicians around, including Andrew Bailie, David Hawkins, Mitch Towne, Collin Smith, and more. In our conversation, Aly talks about why she creates music, her songwriting craft, musical inspirations, and life as a performer during the pandemic. We also get to hear a recording of one of her songs...
2020-12-2355 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSally BrownSally Brown is a writer, artist and curator who focuses on feminist issues and women artists. In this show, Sally shares her transition from fashion design to art, her passion for art that explores female-centric perspectives, and the evolution of her project Les Femmes Folles.Her writing has been published in Bitch Magazine, Hyperallergic and Artslant, among others. Her artwork has been published and exhibited in the US and UK. The recipient of two Nebraska Book Awards for illustrating books, Sally edits Les Femmes Folles, a blog supporting women in art, and serves as Curator for West...
2020-12-1646 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDenise Powell and Leanne Prewitt, Women Who Run NEWomen Who Run Nebraska is a state political action committee aiming to help elect more progressive women up and down the ballot. It was founded by Denise Powell and Leanne Prewitt who in this show explain the nuts and bolts of setting up and running a PAC, share their motivations for founding it, and the stunning successes that Women Who Run Nebraska saw in the November elections. They also share a little of what to expect in the coming months and years.
2020-12-0250 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenPrecious McKessonPrecious McKesson makes history on Dec. 14, 2020 as the first African-American woman elector for Nebraska’s Second Congressional District, casting her vote for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Recognizing the inspiration and hard work of strong black women, McKesson reflects on being the elector, her role as political director for the Biden for President Nebraska campaign, how she came into politics, and what the future holds.
2020-11-2547 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSarah McKinstry-BrownPoet and teacher Sarah McKinstry-Brown discusses the role of poetry and poets in this fragile time, as well as discussing themes explored in her poetry book, This Bright Darkness, related to mother-daughter relationships and the difficulties faced by women throughout time. McKinstry-Brown also talks about her poetic craft and the privilege and pleasure of teaching.
2020-11-111h 24Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenEric ElnesReverend Dr. Eric Elnes, currently senior Minister for Countryside Community Church in Omaha, NE talks about his faith journey, his “Asphalt Jesus” walk as an affirmation of his beliefs, the intersections of social justice and theology, innovations in worship, and his new calling as he prepares to depart the Midwest for a new position at First Congregational United Church of Christ, Portland, OR, returning to his native Pacific Northwest.
2020-11-0449 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenIlana Shapiro YahdavIlana Shapiro Yahdav shares her personal story of grief and her motivation to becoming an advanced certified grief recovery specialist. Ilana describes what grief is, its non-linear nature, and its impacts upon us, as well as how we might work through our experiences with grief, especially during the pandemic.
2020-10-2149 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenGreg Ptacek, Johnnie Byrd BrewingGreg Ptacek is the President of Johnnie Byrd Brewing Company in Wayne, NE – Nebraska’s first benefit corporation brewery – before which he was Director of Economic Development for the City of Neligh, NE. We talk about his rural small town upbringing, his commitment to rural development, and the inspiration behind his founding Johnnie Byrd Brewery.
2020-10-1450 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSarah RoweSarah Rowe is a mixed media and performance artist and co-founder of Sweatshop Gallery in Omaha, NE. Rowe is of Lakota and Ponca descent and talks with me about how her work confronts issues of self-identity and exploitation and re-imagines traditional Native American symbology to fit the narrative of today’s cultural landscape. Rowe shares her life's artistic trajectory, influences, and aspirations.
2020-10-1045 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenEdison Red Nest IIIEdison Red Nest III is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. After pivotal experiences in his life, culminating in serving a prison term, Edison learned a growing appreciation for his rich cultural heritage and traditions, which led to him founding Native Futures in 2013. Native Futures is a for-profit entity dedicated to supporting the flourishing of Native peoples and is the only native-owned and operated business in Nebraska’s Panhandle. As well as being an entrepreneur, Edison is a keen lacrosse player and owner of a drive-in movie theater!
2020-09-2349 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAdam MorfeldSenator Adam Morfeld is the Nebraska State Senator for District 46 in Lincoln and Executive Director of Civic Nebraska, which he founded in 2008 while an undergraduate. Senator Morfeld talks with me about formative influences in his life, including being raised in a single parent household with his working mom occasionally using government subsidies and food support when times were tough. Senator Morfeld also discusses avoiding the corruption of power, how legislation gets made, working with elected officials across the aisle, and his aspirations for Civic Nebraska's efforts.
2020-09-1047 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMary Fraser MeintsMary Fraser Meints, currently Executive Director of Youth Emergency Services (YES) in Omaha, has spent her life advocating for at-risk youth. Meints has spent thirty-five years in the world of child welfare and juvenile justice including leadership roles with Uta Halee Girls Village and The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. In our conversation, Meints shares the work of YES and some of the powerful stories of the youth served, as well as her own life andmotivations.
2020-09-0246 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJenny GreenPole vaulter Jenny Green was predicted by Team USA’s trainers at Chula Vista, CA to be a potential Olympic Record breaker. Jenny was number two in the world in her age group, but that dream came crashing down at the Junior World Championships, where she had a fall, landing on concrete from 14 feet in the air, breaking her back. Yet this traumatic event opened up other opportunities to excel. Now a wellness expert working with WELCOA, Jenny shares the empowering story of her athletic, professional, and personal rise, fall, and rise again.
2020-08-1951 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRebecca RotertAward winning author and poet Rebecca Rotert joins me in conversation for this week’s show. Recorded via Zoom, we talk about her novel Last Night at the Blue Angel and its themes of motherhood and ambition, relationships, love and sacrifice, and masculinity. Rebecca also offers some advice for aspiring writers, reads from her epic poem Understory, and shares some of her own personal history and understory.
2020-08-1249 minLives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenCraig MoodyAs co-founder and co-owner of Verdis Group, a sustainability consulting firm, Craig Moody shares an evolving definition of sustainability and how Verdis Group’s work is increasingly guided by broader parameters. including issues of justice and race equity. Craig also speaks to the reaction of corporate America to issues of sustainability after the 2016 Presidential election, the opportunities inherent in the current pandemic crisis, as well as the entrepreneurial lessons he has learned over the last decade. In 2016, Craig was elected to the Omaha Public Power District board of directors and currently serves as the chair of the board. We sp...
2020-08-0549 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenWatie White Part TwoArtist Watie White helps us celebrate the 150th episode of Lives Radio Show & Podcast returning after having been the show's first guest in January 2017! This show is part two of our conversation in which Watie talks about the impact on his life and artistic practice of Rembrandt's The Omval and shares the surprising father and son coming of age story behind his forthcoming major exhibition at The KANEKO.
2020-07-3050 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenWatie White Part OneArtist Watie White helps us celebrate the 150th episode of Lives Radio Show & Podcast returning after having been the show's first guest in January 2017! This show is part one of our conversation in which Watie talks about his public art projects “Paying Attention is a Form of Prayer” at Fontenelle Forest and “100 People” all around Omaha, as well as how collaboration and co-creation appear in his artistic practice. Part two of our conversation airs next week.
2020-07-2351 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMicah YostMicah Yost is a serial entrepreneur. Over the past 10 years, he has started a handful of companies - some successful and some not – and consulted on $1 billion worth of fundraising deals for area companies. Micah talks about the attributes of entrepreneurship and his observations on Omaha's entrepreneurial ecosystem, as well as sharing his own personal story and motivation.
2020-07-1649 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenTopher HansenCommunity leader Topher Hansen has been involved in the substance use and mental health field since 1975. Since 2000, Topher has been the CEO of CenterPointe, a behavioral health organization that provides crisis response, treatment, rehabilitation and housing services for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. We talk about the origins of CenterPointe, the social stigma around substance use and mental health issues, the needs in the community, and some of the personal stories that illustrate these issues.
2020-07-0950 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDavid ScottDavid Scott was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, before journeying via Greece, Bali, and other destinations to settle in America's Midwest where he currently works for The Peregrine Hotel, a new boutique hotel in downtown Omaha opening later this year. An award winning hotel management and hospitality industry professional, David talks with me about the appeal of hospitality and the impact of the pandemic, his efforts towards diversity and inclusion in the industry, and more broadly about his life.
2020-07-0349 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenGilion DumasWarning Note: This show references sexual abuse.When not reading books or writing about reading at the Rose City Reader, or adventuring into book discussions online, Gilion Dumas practices law representing adults who were sexually abused or exploited as kids by trusted adults, usually church, school, or Boy Scout leaders. We speak about her work and its impact, as well as her love for books and reading.
2020-06-1849 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJustin FennertJustin Fennert has a passion for building communities and telling stories. His days are split between Hi Omaha, a local print and digital publication, and District Studio, a brand consultancy specializing in marketing and content strategy. In our conversation he shared his vision to contribute to a better Omaha, in the process revealing his own humanity and the rich potential he sees within all of us.
2020-06-1250 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenCelebrating Black LivesAmid the mayhem and the violence inflicted upon our minority communities, this week’s show looks back to conversations with previous guests as they not only speak out against inequity and oppression, but also celebrate the magic, their artistry, and the possibility of peaceful community and communion. Guests include Brigitte McQueen Shew, ED of The Union for Contemporary Art, Merica Whitehall, ED of Fontenelle Forest, Dawaune Hayes of NOISE Omaha, Othello Meadows, CEO of 75 North, the artist Barber, and photographer Zora J. Murff.
2020-06-0447 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJason LauritsenJason Lauritsen is an employee engagement and performance management expert who passionately believes that work can and should be a fulfilling experience for every employee. In our conversation he shares his views on how the current pandemic has revealed the massive lack of trust in our workplaces and how broken those places are for many people. Jason talks about work as a relationship, how we might go about making workplaces better, and what the future might bring. Jason also shares why he cares about these issues and talks about his early life and career influences.
2020-05-2848 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenChristopher WhittDr. Christopher Whitt is Creighton University’s inaugural Vice Provost for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. Our conversation includes discussing the purpose of his role, the need for diversity and inclusion in our colleges and communities, the urgent need for social justice and solidarity, the impacts of COVID-19, and more. Whitt also shares how his upbringing in Baltimore shaped his sense of the world.
2020-05-1451 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMaritza EstradaPoet Maritza Estrada is poetry editor at Hayden’s Ferry Review, a 2020 CantoMundo fellow, poetry post-graduate student, and more besides. I spoke with Maritza via Zoom about finding poetry, her ongoing exploration of language in poetry, and using it to make sense of identify and sense of the world. She aims for her poetry to disrupt our typical ways of seeing and being. A delightful addition is that Maritza also reads some of her work.
2020-05-0750 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenLiz KayPoet and novelist Liz Kay celebrated National Poetry Month in conversation with me. We talk about her exploration in poetry and fiction of themes around gender, control, parenthood, and social norms, her enduring passion for the romantic poets, and the hard work of co-founding and running the literary journal, burntdistrict, and Spark Wheel Press. Added to that, Liz reads some poems from her forthcoming poetry project, a Witch's view of Hansel & Gretel.
2020-04-3047 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenCarson Vaughan“Oh, hey, that’s where Reuben got shot.” So began a decade of investigating, interviewing, and writing for Carson Vaughan, author of Zoo Nebraska, the story of a zoo in the small town of Royal in north east Nebraska and how the wild dreams of its founder and the conflicting tensions in the community culminate in tragedy. Recorded over Skype, this week’s show features my conversation with Carson about his writing career, the book Zoo Nebraska, Cowboy poetry, John Neihardt's interest in parapsychology, a year on the road in a tiny van, and more.
2020-04-2352 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenPublic Radio Music DayApril 16 is the first ever Public Radio Music Day! This show is a special look back, featuring some of our favorite tiny desk concerts and conversations with the musicians that have enlivened us with their stripped down, in-studio performances over the last few years. Guests include Andrea Von Kampen, Andrew Bailie, Clarence Tilton, Virginia Kathryn, Mesonjixx, Jocelyn, The Hottman Sisters, and the Mynabrirds' Laura Burhenn.
2020-04-1652 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMark Gilbert Part TwoArtist and health researcher Dr. Mark Gilbert explores the clinical and human applications of portraiture for patients, caregivers, medical education, and even for himself. His portraits depict caregivers’ and patients’ stories and experiences of illness and recovery, expressing a process recording an intimate collaboration between artist and sitter. Dr. Gilbert reflects back on his family’s artistic practice, his own beginnings with art and portraiture, and his two decade exploration of artistic processes that express the importance of compassionate engagement, a key feature of his arts-based research into portraiture’s clinical, ethical, and aesthetic applications. As Dr. Gilbert says, drawing...
2020-04-0943 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMark Gilbert Part OneArtist and health researcher Dr. Mark Gilbert explores the clinical and human applications of portraiture for patients, caregivers, medical education, and even for himself. His portraits depict caregivers’ and patients’ stories and experiences of illness and recovery, expressing a process recording an intimate collaboration between artist and sitter. Dr. Gilbert reflects back on his family’s artistic practice, his own beginnings with art and portraiture, and his two decade exploration of artistic processes that express the importance of compassionate engagement, a key feature of his arts-based research into portraiture’s clinical, ethical, and aesthetic applications. As Dr. Gilbert says, drawing...
2020-04-0250 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJacob DahlkeJacob Dahlke, a clinical ethicist and the Director of the Office of Healthcare Ethics at Nebraska Medicine, offers a healthcare ethics focused perspective on the coronavirus pandemic. We talk about how standards of care change in the COVID-19 crisis, the ethics of individual liberties balanced with the communal good, and how we might think of ethical choices around social distancing, buying excesses of materials, hand washing, testing, socially isolating our loved ones, and more.
2020-03-2647 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenClare and Stephen BartolomeiReturning from New York City, Clare Watson Bartolomei and Stephen Bartolomei are the co-owners of Lola’s Cafe, a new dining venue in Omaha. They share the inspiration behind this venture along with other stories of “going big” in their lives. They talk about their delightful meet cute romance, whether Clare has extra-sensory perceptive powers, the journey to New York and beyond and back again, as well as their vision of Lola’s as a cultural space serving excellent ingredients in a sophisticated yet simple, casual way.
2020-03-1251 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenLiv SchulmanBorn in France and raised in Argentina, artist Liv Schulman currently lives and works between Paris and Buenos Aires. Schulman talks about her work, which revolves around words and language to reflect on the status quo of the current social and political world, and discusses how she considers these topics through filmed fictions, theatrical performances, lectures, and novelistic writing. Schulman also talks about how her life experiences have shaped her as an artist and as a person.
2020-03-0545 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMatt WynnMatt Wynn is a data reporter on the investigative team at USA Today. Wynn has investigated the Boy Scouts of America, doctors who continue to practice despite being banned in other states, the spread of copycat legislation from statehouse to statehouse, and the shortcomings in care for pregnant women, among many news investigations. Wynn shares some of these stories, how his career began and had evolved, and the implications of investigative and data reporting for our communities and society.
2020-02-2749 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBrooke MasekBrooke Masek is a nature lover and arts enthusiast who spent most of last year traveling the US, working and living in her lovingly converted 2016 Ram Promaster van. A former park ranger at Arches National Park, she also enjoys sauntering - in the style of John Muir - on a mountain top, in the forest, or through an urban jungle whenever she can. In this show she shares the possibilities and practicalities of her van lifestyle and some of the prosaic and profound experiences along the way, including managing difficult times in her relationships with family, friends and career.
2020-02-2043 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRuth MeintsRuth Meints is a violinist, music educator, and executive director of the Omaha Conservatory of Music. She shares her thoughts about the importance of music education, why she wrote the String Sprouts curriculum, and a few stories about her childhood that fueled her passion to create access to musical excellence for everyone.
2020-02-0647 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBetsy Finch of Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Recovery CenterBetsy Finch of Fontenelle Forest's Raptor Recovery Center tours us around the Center and introduces us to a variety of eagles, owls, ospreys, falcons, and other birds of prey being cared for, including one bald eagle being treated for lead poisoning. Betsy shares the story behind the center and her own passion for caring for raptors as well as educating us about these astonishing creatures.
2020-01-3045 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenWill MeinenImprov comedian and writer Will Meinen was formerly a researcher and organizational psychologist before pursuing improv at Chicago’s iO Theater, as well as training at Annoyance and Second City. Meinen shares his path to comedy and beyond it, including his Saturday Night Live audition.
2020-01-1649 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenKevin CloutherAuthor and teacher Kevin Clouther is the University of Nebraska - Omaha's coordinator of its MFA in Writing. In this show he talks about his evolution as a writer and his first story collection, his process for writing, and the philosophy guiding UNO's MFA program.
2020-01-0950 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenNew Year ResolutionsA special New Year show talking about resolutions, personal growth, and some stories about intention setting. Joined by co-host and former Lives Radio Show guest, life coach Mandy Kubicek, our guests in conversation about all things New Year resolutions are Pam Hagge, Annie Thompson, Katie Twit, and Joe Finelli.
2020-01-0248 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden2019 Highlights Holiday Show!Highlights from 2019, drawn from the world of film, some intimate personal stories, and the vibrant pleasure of live in-studio acoustic sets. Plus a few outtakes!
2019-12-2650 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBishop J. Scott BarkerThe Right Reverend Joseph Scott Barker is an American Episcopal clergyman and the eleventh and current Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, caring for 52 church communities planted over 77,000 square miles of Nebraska’s beautiful landscape. Barker was born in Omaha, Nebraska and is a sixth generation Nebraskan. He talks about his family heritage, his journey to faith and clerical service, and the role of religious belief in the modern world.
2019-12-1949 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenGraham Herbst, NE Forest ServiceGraham Herbst, a Community Forest Specialist with the Nebraska Forest Service, talks about what trees we should and shouldn't be planting, some surprising facts about how trees benefit us in urban environments, special wooded places, and why one of Nebraska’s champion trees has a special place in Herbst’s heart
2019-12-1249 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSusan Henricks, CEO of ICANSusan Henricks is the CEO of ICAN (the Institute for Career Advancement Needs), a non-profit leader development organization, prior to which she spent decades in strategic leadership roles in both private and public companies. Susan talks about the pressures facing women and younger generations in the business world as they cultivate their leadership skills and charts her own experiences as a female business leader.
2019-12-0549 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAngie Lauritsen[Note: Trigger Warning for this episode] Angie Lauritsen is the Council President for the City of Gretna and an original board member for Survivors Rising, a working group dedicated to advocacy, education, and support for survivors of sex trafficking, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, and stalking. Angie discusses the need for the work of Survivors Rising and shares her own sexual assault trauma and emergence into her success today. Angie also speaks to her experiences as an elected official and the need for women to run for office.
2019-11-2149 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDiana Martinez PhDDiana Martinez in an expert in film: its meaning, messaging, social impact and relevance, and the business of it all. In this conversation she shares some of her insights, passions, and personal story.
2019-11-1445 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBeth Culross and Steve LanganBeth Culross, Assistant Professor for the College of Nursing at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Steve Langan, poet and, among other roles, Director & Community Liaison of Medical Humanities at the University of Nebraska at Omaha discuss the Ted Kooser Health Humanities Center and the powerful possibilities of the humanities in the field of medical education and healthcare practice.
2019-11-0748 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMandy KubicekMandy Kubicek is a Life and Business Coach. She talks about what coaching is and is not, and how she helps burned out professionals build energizing work lives. Mandy also shares how she overcame her own limiting beliefs to leave a software career to embark on her coaching business, and talks candidly about the loss of her mother and how that has shaped her life.
2019-10-2447 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAmy AdrionAmy Adrion is a film director and writer whose feature debut documentary "Half the Picture" explores the talent and resilience of female directors in an industry that to date sadly under-represents their vision and ability. Adrion discusses her film, her life, her inspirations, and her aspirations.
2019-10-1747 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJustin KemerlingJustin Kemerling is an independent designer, activist, and collaborator working primarily with community organizations, political campaigns, and changemaking entities. Justin shares his passion for making activism beautiful, moving people to action, and getting good things done.
2019-10-0348 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDr. Samantha Senda-CookDr. Samantha Senda-Cook is a communications professor and recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Japan studying rhetorical questions related to community gardening. In this conversation, she explains environmental communication, everyday tactical acts of resistance, and her experiences from living and researching in Japan.
2019-09-2651 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBarberBarber is an interdisciplinary artist whose work and performances have appeared across America. He uses his art practices to articulate various testimonies within and surrounding Black America, surfacing the questions society should be confronting around the black body and experience.
2019-09-1946 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenTheodore WheelerTheodore Wheeler discusses Omaha Lit Fest, which he co-directs, and the inspiration and joy behind the Dundee Book Company roving book cart, one of the world’s smallest bookstores. Wheeler also talks about his creative writing process and reads an excerpt set in 1919 from one of his novels, “Kings of Broken Things,” which has unsettling relevance in our modern climate of racial tension.
2019-09-0549 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenChris HochstetlerChris Hochstetler is the Dean of Innovation and Creativity at Hastings College in Nebraska, before which he had a much decorated 20 year career in the Army, including development of special forces operations. Chris shares his veteran experiences, philosophy on creativity, and his formative upbringing of homelessness and foster care that he encountered as a child.
2019-08-2251 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSylvie FortinSylvie Fortin is an independent art curator and critic and the current Curator-in-Residence at the Bemis Centre for Contemporary Arts. She discusses her work and inspiration, especially her current artistic exploration of the currencies of hospitality.
2019-08-1546 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDavid Leibowitz and MAHAFestival 2019Our third annual exploration of MAHA music festival with David Leibowitz, a music promoter, radio show host, record collector, and life-long music fan.
2019-08-0848 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenSteve Gordon, RDQLUSSteve Gordon is a designer, entrepreneur, and all around creative spirit, as well as an international class athlete. He discusses his perspectives on design, his love for sneakers, and how he navigated his life from a more difficult environment to one as an Olympic hopeful and successful designer.
2019-08-0150 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAndrew BailieAndrew Bailie is a gifted musician who shares the story of his growth as a singer and guitar player, his creative inspiration and experiences, and some of the thoughts behind his debut album, Wasteland, as well as his personal journey through life so far.
2019-07-2550 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAmy Sandeen, Prairie LoftAmy Sandeen loves the outdoors and in this show shares her passion for the natural world, outdoor and agriculture education at Prairie Loft in Hastings, and the pleasures and benefits of being outside.
2019-07-1850 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJacob Dahlke, Nebraska Medicine EthicistJacob Dahlke is a clinical ethicist at Nebraska Medicine. He talks about his primary interests in bioethics, including advance care planning, LGBTQ+ and feminist ethics, and healthcare professional wellness as it relates to moral distress and moral injury, as well as his personal role in guiding people through ethical dilemmas.
2019-07-1150 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenChris Hughes, founder Artifact BagsChris Hughes is the quality obsessed entrepreneur and founder of American handmade manufacturer Artifact Bags. He talks about his ethos, appreciation for quality, and life as a musician turned business entrepreneur.
2019-07-0450 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDusty DavidsonDusty Davidson, cofounder of Flywheel, talks about entrepreneurship, community, and the benefits and joys of living and working for two months each year in Paris.
2019-06-2049 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBrigitte McQueen, The Union for Contemporary ArtBrigitte McQueen shares a roadmap of how her childhood experiences growing up as a bi-racial kid in the 70s suburbs of Detroit led her, via New York to Omaha, through the lows of business failures, near bankruptcy, to founding a thriving cultural institution that uses arts to inspire positive social change.
2019-06-1350 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenNebraska Shakespeare's Sarah Lynn Brown and Katie Becker ColónNebraska Shakespeare's Sarah Lynn Brown and Katie Becker Colón talk about the continued relevance of Shakespeare's works to our lives and current social issues, the nature of acting and its impact on they own identities, the forthcoming all-female season, and their own personal journeys.
2019-06-0652 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMary-Beth Muskin, ADLMary-Beth Muskin leads the Anti-Defamation League's Plains states region and talks about the rise in hate crimes, the work and history of the ADL, and how we might all contribute to the betterment of our communities.
2019-05-3048 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenKatja StarkeyKatja Starkey, founder of Touch the Nations, traveled the world encountering tragedies, natural disasters and civil wars in an effort to contribute to disaster relief and imbue hope. She shares some of her stories, motivation, and efforts since then to continue making a positive impact in the world.
2019-05-0951 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAndrea von KampenAndrea von Kampen is an independent folk singer-songwriter based in Lincoln, Nebraska, whose effortless vocal delivery has been praised as “soulful and worn-in.” She first appeared in the broader public eye when NPR Music All Songs Considered tweeted her 2016 NPR Tiny Desk Contest entry song "Let Me Down Easy" for their featured artist of the day, saying “we were completely blown away.” Andrea von Kampen has since released her first full length album, "Old Country" in February 2019.
2019-05-0245 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRISE with Jeremy Bouman, David Kucinsky, Jason Kotas, and Keet WiyualRISE is an innovative reentry program serving in Nebraska prisons and communities. In this show, formerly incarcerated returning citizens share their experiences with RISE programming and some of the stigma and challenges facing them as they return to their communities.
2019-04-2550 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenTodd HattonAward winning public radio veteran, history nerd and storyteller Todd Hatton, program director at KIOS, talks about some of his public radio documentaries and his life in public radio and beyond.
2019-04-1851 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenGarry ClarkGarry Clark shares his transformative journey from a disadvantaged, dangerous childhood in the nation’s capital to the unexpected opportunities of the rural Midwest.
2019-04-1150 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMatt Mason, State Poet of NebraskaNebraska State Poet Matt Mason reads some of his poetry and that of others, talks about the role of poetry in our lives, and shares his own journey into poetry and his aspirations as the new state poet.
2019-04-0452 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJocelynMusician Jocelyn, recently signed to the global music publisher BMG, has just released “Speak Up,” her first single with that label. Fresh from Steve Harvey’s Showtime at Harlem's world-famous Apollo Theater and Celebrity Undercover Boss with Darius Rucker, 21 year old Jocelyn talks with me about her meteoric rise and aspirations, and performs a few of her songs live in the studio.
2019-03-2845 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRabbi Brian StollerRabbi Brian Stoller couldn't imagine being anything other than a Rabbi and ministering to his congregation. He shares his wisdom, love, and sense of calling, as well as discussing interfaith collaboration as part of Omaha's unique TriFaith initiative.
2019-03-2150 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenErica Wassinger, The Startup CollaborativeStartup maven Erica Wassinger, cofounder of The Startup Collaborative, demystifies blockchain and discusses the psychology of entrepreneurs, women and business, start ups, and her own start and lessons in life.
2019-03-1450 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDawaune Hayes of NOISEDawaune Hayes founded NOISE as community-grounded news resource, creating a contemporary information ecosystem; a news initiative rooted in community, its culture and its people.
2019-03-0847 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRachel Adams, Chief Curator - Bemis Center for Contemporary ArtArt curator Rachel Adams discusses the role of curation as the intermediary in amplifying the public's experience and communicating the artist's intentions, as well as the creative and practical craft of developing exhibitions.
2019-02-2849 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenChanelle ElaineChanelle Elaine is a social impact producer, working in community with filmmakers, activists and philanthropists to advocate creatively for equality for girls and women everywhere. Founder of CreativeBionics, Elaine discusses her first feature film, First Match, her own life story and her impetus towards social justice [Note: this interview was recorded via cell phone; please forgive the static and enjoy the content!]
2019-02-2143 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDanielle Conrad, ACLUACLU Nebraska leader and former state senator, Danielle Conrad discusses the inspiration driving her public service, her experiences as a legislator and a lawyer, and her ongoing battle to preserve civil liberties.
2019-02-1447 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenAndrew MarinkovichPhotographer Andrew Marinkovich shares stories of the craft behind the lens and about those captured in front, covering a couple of decades, several countries, and many lives.
2019-02-0751 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenCei LoofeCei Loofe speaks about his transgender experience, offers insights into misunderstandings and stereotypes, and shares his life story.
2019-01-3148 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDr. Sachit PatelDr. Sachit Patel attends to kids with cancer as well as educating medical students at UNMC. He talks about caring for the whole person – patient and doctor, others and himself – and ensuring that being human is part of the medical education experience.
2019-01-2451 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenMatt GreenMatt Green is the subject of the new documentary film “The World Before Your Feet” directed by Jeremy Workman and distributed by Greenwich Entertainment. For over six years Matt Green has been walking every block of every street in New York City – a journey of more than 8,000 miles. Join our conversation as Matt discovers the world, its people, and himself.
2019-01-0750 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart Chittenden2018 HighlightsHighlights from 2018’s shows and reasons to be excited for more compelling conversations in 2019.
2018-12-2756 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenClarence Tilton bandBand members from Clarence Tilton – Chris Weber, Corey Weber, Paul Novak, and Jarron Wayne Storm (missing Craig Meier for this show) – perform an acoustic set and talk about how they formed from the debris of an elemental collision of whiskey and old-fashioned gear, craft their songs, and weave their musical aspirations into their lives
2018-12-2043 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenPaul MenefeePaul Menefee discusses his experiences and aspirations at the intersection of human trafficking, coffee, and community development.
2018-12-1354 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenRoss and Karen PesekRoss and Karen Pesek share a story for our times; one speaking to immigration, cross-cultural learning, perseverance, altruism, and love.
2018-12-0651 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJamie Vesay, film location scoutJamie Vesay discusses the craft of being a film location scout, manager, production supervisor, and Producer, collaborating with the likes of Alexander Payne, Lady Gaga, Nickelback and Reba McEntire, as well as his views on commercial movie making, community development, and his entry into this world of the moving image.
2018-11-2953 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenDr. Cheryl Logan, Omaha Public Schools SuperintendentDr. Cheryl Logan talks about education trends, the challenges facing her as Omaha Public Schools' new Superintendent, being a role model as an African-American female leader, and about her personal experiences and background.
2018-11-1553 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenJeremy MessersmithIn conversation with musician and songwriter Jeremy Messersmith, hailed as a “Minnesota music hero” by the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Recorded via phone during Messersmith's "Late Stage Capitalism" album tour, we discuss his music, songwriting craft, inspiration and creative ethos.
2018-11-0849 min
Lives Radio Show & Podcast with Stuart ChittendenBrother James DowdBrother James Dowd talks with me about monastic life in the Benedictine tradition and being called to contemplation and community. The Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska has established the Incarnation Monastery and the Community of The Benedictine Way, it's first monastery, where Brother James leads a life both of spiritual contemplation and of service to community.
2018-10-2553 min