Lives Radio Show With Stuart Chittenden

Author and award-winning food journalist Summer Miller talks about her first book, New Prairie Kitchen, which won a 2016 Nebraska Book Award for Non-Fiction and was heralded by Oprah Winfrey's private chef as a "love letter to the Heartland.” Miller also talks about balancing being a creative and a mother who works full time, her recipe for developing recipes, and the intersection of food and love and life.Summer Miller’s work has appeared in Eating Well, Saveur, Every Day with Rachel Ray, Edible Omaha, Edible Feast, and Grit among others. Miller currently works as the Senior Executive Editor for Suzy Karadsheh’s media company, The Mediterranean Dish. In her former life she was a humanitarian aid worker in South Africa, served as the editor-in-chief of The Reader, executive editor of Neighborhood News, and spent time as a public relations professional.

Connector and community builder, Jeff Slobotski shares what community means to him and what inspires him to build stronger communities, including a commitment to a vibrant entrepreneurial and creative ecosystem, evident in the founding of Silicon Prairie News, the Big Omaha conference, and efforts now at the Millwork Commons development in north downtown, all aimed at enriching the quality of our communal lives.For more than a decade, uber connector, community builder, and entrepreneur Jeff Slobotski has celebrated and championed entrepreneurs and community throughout the Midwest. His relationships, ideas, and collaborative nature are evident in his influence in the region’s entrepreneurial and community ecosystem. Notable endeavors include Silicon Prairie News, the Big Omaha & Big Kansas City conferences, Router Ventures, and now his work at the Millwork Commons development in north downtown Omaha. Slobotski’s efforts in a region formerly known as "flyover country" have been highlighted by

Author and psychotherapist Chelsea Harvey Garner talks about her debut book, A Pity Party is Still a Party, a feel-good guide to feeling bad, that shows us not only how to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, but why and how we should embrace them if we are to find our way to mental health. Garner shares experiences and insights from her own family trauma and from her clinical practice that inform the book, and why, ultimately, it is a book about love.Garner is a writer, practicing psychotherapist, and founding director of Big Feels Lab: a nonprofit promoting collective mental health. A lifelong outcast, she specializes in helping misfits, survivors, and unconventional families turn pain into purpose and connect with each other more deeply. Her debut book is released in July of ’23 from HarperCollins. When not working, she can be found starting dance parties in public and hosting cuddle puddles at her home in NYC.

Nancy Williams, CEO of No More Empty Pots, talks about establishing No More Empty Pots to support, educate, and to inspire communities about good food, its growth, and distribution. Williams shares the roots of this passion, stretching back to her childhood in Louisiana, growing food with her family, winning a national Future Farmers of America competition, and studying the science of horticulture and agronomy.Nancy Williams has had a diverse career, from serving as an agronomist for local farmers and consultants in a Fortune 500 corporation to grassroots organizing and management for nonprofit community organizations. Williams was Chief Information Officer with Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands in Omaha. In 2010, she co-founded then, in 2016, took on the CEO role at No More Empty Pots, a nonprofit supporting the development of local food systems through self-sufficiency of people and economic resilience of communities. As well as all of these activities, Williams serves on multiple local, state, and reg

Artist, attorney, and global citizen, Shaun Ilahi talks about a life lived in diverse countries and cultures, informing his sense of our profound commonality and of home, and the themes he explores through his artistic practice.Shaun Ilahi is the Vice President of Finance and Operations at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha. He studied economics at Columbia University in New York and attended Creighton University in Omaha to study law. Aside from his professional endeavors, Ilahi is an artist using photographic and musical expression to capture life as a world traveler and global citizen, exploring our everyday, yet profound shared experiences across the planet.

Michelle Quick is a writer, creative, student, and education advisor. In the show she talks about a kaleidoscope life, including a childhood of stories and storytelling, becoming a classically trained traveling chef, studying the relationship of expressive arts and integrative healthcare, and returning to writing to explore the complexities of human connection. Quick also reads an excerpt from one of her short stories.Quick is a Midwest creative, writer, and the architect of The Howler Project. Her writing has appeared in numerous literary journals and she has been honored by the Academy of American Poets. Quick earned an MFA from the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she is currently an instructor, advisor, and - again - a graduate student in social work and human rights. She also studies integrative medicine at the University of Arizona. Quick’s training focuses on releasing trauma through expressive arts, and her research explores the complexities of human connection.

Mick Mulhall, CEO of Mulhalls, talks about the Irish roots and multi-generational history of Mulhalls Nursery and how the business is adapting to current climate and environmental issues that demand we be better stewards of our natural world. Mulhall also talks about the importance of our relationship with the beauty of Mother Nature and shares his own story of growth, in the business and beyond.Mick Mulhall grew up working in the family business, driving for landscape crews as soon as he got his license. He is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and, of course, Mulhall’s really-long-days-landscaping school of management. Mulhall’s grandfather John, who trained as a gardener in Ireland, immigrated in 1953, and now, three generations later, Mulhall is the CEO for a team committed to making Omaha a more beautiful place to live.

Reverend Debra McKnight talks about her journey to being ordained in the United Methodist Church, living her faith as a practice, and a love for liturgy. She also talks about founding Urban Abbey, a congregation flourishing in downtown Omaha despite national trends showing church attendance in decline, and shares how, as an advocate for social justice, women’s rights, and the LGBTQ+ community, she seeks to heal the wounds created by conservative Christianity.Reverend Debra McKnight earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in 2008 and she was ordained in the United Methodist Church in 2010. Reverend McKnight is the founding pastor of Urban Abbey, a United Methodist congregation in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. In 2015, Urban Abbey became an independent, chartered congregation and grew to three Sunday services and weekday programming. During an era in which attendance at mainline protestant churches in the United States has declined, Urban Abbey ha

Catholic moral theologian, Professor Daniel DiLeo talks about Catholic social teaching, especially regarding climate change and Pope’ Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, which calls all people to care for our common home, the earth. DiLeo also discusses Catholic perspectives on other aspects of our lives and how Creighton's Justice and Peace Studies program helps students develop and live a strong “faith that does justice” in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition.An associate professor at Creighton University, DiLeo is also director of its Justice and Peace Studies Program. DiLeo earned his PhD in theological ethics from Boston College and his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Cornell University.

Dr. Arthur “Art” Zygielbaum talks about his decades of study in the fields of physics and engineering, including many years working with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and numerous space missions. Zygielbaum also shares a little of his family experiences during the holocaust and how that human tragedy and lessons from the Jewish faith spark his own sense of social justice.Dr. Arthur Zygielbaum is an Emeritus Research Associate Professor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln School of Natural Resources. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering-Computers from the University of Southern California. He spent nearly 30 years at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, progressing from engineer to executive, and was involved with many space missions. In 1998, Zygielbaum joined the administrative faculty of UNL before retiring, as it were, to pursue a PhD in Geography/Remote Sensing. Achieving that, he joined the research fa

For this National Poetry Month my conversation with poet Jamaica Baldwin explores the themes in her debut full length poetry collection "Bone Language", including race, politics, familial heritage, and womanhood, and why she has been described as a poet of power. Baldwin also talks about the experiences that have shaped her life and, as well as discussing her writing, Baldwin reads some of her poems.Jamaica Baldwin is a poet and educator originally from Santa Cruz, CA. Her first book, Bone Language, will be published by YesYes Books in the Summer of 2023. Her work has appeared in numerous literary journals and among her many accolades are a 2023 Pushcart Prize and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. Baldwin has served as a community based teaching artist, including a generative writing workshop for women in Guatemala. Baldwin is currently the associate editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln where she is pursuing her PhD in English with a focus on poetry and Women's and Ge

"Quilterpreneur" Celeste Butler talks about why quilting is in her blood and how she is carrying on the traditions passed down the generations. She speaks about the genesis of her creative fascination, some of the themes she explores - including the divine feminine and being authentically human - and the process of her artistic craft.Butler is a fiber and textile artist, Quiltologist, ceramicist and storyteller. Her family’s Southern roots and family history plays a major role in the works she creates which can be seen in the themes of family, nature, landscapes and her artistic process. Butler has been honored for her numerous community engagement projects, as an artist, lecturer, and teacher, and been exhibited widely, most recently The Ebb and Flow Between Us exhibit, at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa and now as part of a unique collaboration at the Nebraska Furniture Mart.

Sociologist and entrepreneur Teresa Friesen talks about how her path to founding the business startup SheMate was not linear, but came after a professional career as a sociology college professor and after tragic personal losses in her life. Friesen shares her experiences as an entrepreneur founding a female-centric sports business in a historically male dominated landscape and we talk about how her life experiences have shaped who she is today.Teresa Friesen grew up in a sports-loving family. As she grew older, she realized that the industry chose predominantly to show male sports instead of female. In response, Friesen founded the business SheMate, which betters the sports industry for women through community and publicity. Friesen holds a bachelor's degree from Creighton University and a master's degree from the University of Chicago, and worked as a social worker and college professor prior to starting SheMate. Friesen is also mom to a five year old daughter who fell in love with

Spoken word artist and educator Felicia Casher shares generously of her lyrical wisdom, life experience, and love for words and how we may discover more of our mutual humanity through creative play with language.Felicia Casher, artistically known as Withlove, Felicia is an American poet, educator, healing artist, actor, host, and curator. Casher, formerly Felicia Webster, has been commissioned by and has organized major programs and events with numerous organizations in Nebraska and Philadelphia. With a Master’s in Education, Casher loves to combine textbook knowledge with cultural content, in what often feels like a theatrical experience. Her work colors audiences with the power of spoken word, with a heavy emphasis on affirmation. She is a TEDx speaker and a two time winner of the Omaha Arts & Entertainment Awards Poet of the Year and several other community awards.

Publisher, journalist, and media entrepreneur John Heaston talks about the story that initially drew him into the media business, how his publishing career developed alongside a tumultuous media ecosystem, and why alternative news media is an essential part of our lives. Heaston also talks about the importance of citizen and community led news and what the future holds for the media more broadly.John Heaston is the founder, publisher, and editor of Pioneer Publishing, a group of media channels that includes an alternative, metropolitan news monthly called The Reader, a bilingual community news monthly called El Perico, and OmahaJobs.com. He has served on the Board of the Mildred D. Brown Memorial Study Center, where he helped renew America’s oldest Black female founded and run newspaper — the Omaha Star. Through the Association of Alternative News Media, the National Association of Hispanic Publications, and the National Newspaper Publishers Association - called the Black Press - Heaston is helping resha

Ceramic artist Richard Chung talks about his artistic practice being one of perpetual discovery, informing and informed by his innate curiosity and humility. Chung shares how he became an artist, what draws him to clay in particular, and the themes he explores in his work. Chung also talks about his immigrant family history, existing at the edges, and how that as well as the practice and profession of art has shaped who he is today.Born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1977 and raised in the California Bay Area, Chung is an artist whose primary medium is clay. He received a bachelors degree from UC Berkeley in 2001 under ceramic artist Richard Shaw and then traveled to Omaha to work for world-renowned artist Jun Kaneko. Chung’s work is included in the collections of public museums and private collectors and he has shown his work nationally. Along with art making, Chung teaches art through various organizations both public and private. I am looking forward to learning more about Chung’s life, his artistic practice, and

Advocate and human resources professional Ralph Kellogg talks about coming to terms with being gay, coping with mental health challenges, and advocating for others in the face of persistent prejudice and stigma. Kellogg also shares his grief at the death of a close teenage friend while at the same time learning about love.With over twenty years in the areas of human resources and people management and leadership, Ralph Kellogg is currently the Vice President for People and Training at Lutheran Family Services. Kellogg is an advocate in the areas of LGBTQ rights and belonging at work, and frequently speaks to and consults with organizations on the subjects of authenticity, and how leaders can help team members who are challenged by anxiety and panic within the workplace, a subject he explores in his recent TEDxOmaha presentation on normalizing mental health conversations in the workplace. Kellogg has had articles published in Forbes.com, the Society for Human Resources Management Blog, and the HR Gazette.

Brenda Mainwaring, the President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, one of the region’s largest philanthropic organizations, talks about the Foundation’s work in supporting the community. She shares recollections from her early life, a career going from cultural anthropologist to CIA analyst to corporate leader, lessons learned for leadership and life, and the importance of people and philanthropy in developing thriving communities.Brenda Mainwaring is President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, one of the state’s largest private foundations having awarded more than $500 million in grants since its inception. From a small country school and an outdoors childhood, Mainwaring started her professional life as an intelligence analyst at the Central Intelligence Agency specializing in demographics and cultural dynamics. She advised elected, appointed and military officials during the First Gulf War, the Yugoslav Conflict and military action in Haiti. Mainwaring has 30 years of experience in government and pub

Artist, army veteran, and Native-American cultural educator Steve Tamayo talks about being raised within a Mexican cultural heritage, deprived of his stolen cultural identity as a native American, and how, as he matured, he not only sought out his native American culture through language and art, but has become a respected culture bearer for his Sicangu Lakota and other native peoples. Tamayo is a traditional Sicangu Lakota artist whose family originates from the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. Tamayo studied the traditional arts of the Umonhon people under Howard Wolf and earned his BFA from Sínte Gleska University in 2011 where he developed and taught the traditional arts program. After more than 30 years of study and practice as an artist and educator, he began consulting educational institutions and other organizations on the history, culture and traditions of the Plains Indians, including being a regular consultant to the curatorial and conservation staff at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the

Mikaela Yeager is an eating disorder survivor, certified eating disorder recovery coach, blogger, and founder of Bigger Than a Body. In the show, Yeager candidly shares how eating disorders began to emerge at the age of 4, how she battled them for years in complete secrecy, and what motivated her to seek help, culminating in Yeager being inspired to earn her eating disorder recovery coaching certification and helping others to find peace with their bodiesCONTENT WARNING: The conversation in this episode references suicidal thoughts and personal experiences with eating disorders that some may find disturbing. Please use your own discretion before listening. You can find help through the National Eating Disorders Association by calling or texting (800) 931-2237. The Helpline is not available 24/7, but anyone needing help can leave a message or text “NEDA” to 741741. You can also schedule a free discovery call with me via Yeager’s website—biggerthanabody.com