An Honorable Profession

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Virginia State Delegate Irene Shin. They discuss her path to public office, the split partisan composition of the state, and how she aims to bring a fresh perspective and energy into her work to create a more inclusive democracy. Shin comments on the challenges of serving in a part-time legislature and the issues unique to governing in Virg...

We're celebrating our fifth anniversary and our 200th episode of An Honorable Profession! Thank you to our listeners for being a part of this journey – we look forward to many more years of introducing you to inspiring leaders from across the country who are solving problems and making a difference. In this special episode, hosts NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan and Ryan Coonerty are joined by Democr...

This is the last episode in our series celebrating National Voter Registration Month. For the past three weeks we've covered a range of topics, from threats to our elections system to how to remove barriers to voter participation, and shed light on the leaders who are helping to restore our democracy. In this episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Jefferson County, CO, Clerk an...

Today is the second episode of our three-week series celebrating National Voter Registration Month, covering a range of topics, from threats to our elections system to how to remove barriers to voter participation, and shedding light on the leaders who are helping to restore our democracy. In this episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulo...

Today kicks off a three week series celebrating National Voter Registration Month. Over the next few episodes, we'll cover a range of topics, from threats to our elections system to how to remove the biggest barriers to voter participation, and shed light on the leaders who are helping to restore our democracy. We begin with Hannah Fried, the Executive Director of All Voting is Local, an organizat...

As trust in national news continues to decline, studies demonstrate that most Americans consider local news to be the most trustworthy form of media. Recognizing the importance of a healthy press to our democratic process, An Honorable Profession is excited to bring you the first episode in a semi-regular series on the state of local media across our country, how to address challenges facing the i...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Representative Nicole Clowney, who is working hard to address gun violence, protect reproductive rights, and support firefighters and teachers in the overwhelmingly Republican state of Arkansas. Clowney discusses her unusual journey to the legislature, offering broader insights on political theory and societal change drawn from her studies...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Waterloo, IA, Mayor Quentin Hart. They talk about his vision for Waterloo, his path to becoming his town's first African American mayor, and how, after four terms, he's still inspired every day to do his job. Hart also discusses the importance of taking on statewide and national leadership roles and what he's learned serving with the Iowa L...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Nashville, TN, Representative Caleb Hemmer, who has finished his first session in the state legislature. They talk about the national attention that Tenneese has received this year for the Republican party's profoundly undemocratic actions, including the expulsion of two Democratic lawmakers for minor infractions, and how Representative Hem...

In this week's episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan speaks with Ken Weber, who, along with his son Daryl Weber, co-authored the new book Branding Democrats: A Top-to-Bottom Reimagining of Campaign Strategies . Ken talks about the difference between marketing and branding and the need for Democrats to look ahead and build a lasting brand around values and policy ideas rather than individ...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with Washington State Representative Kristine Reeves. They talk about her youth in the foster care system and her path to becoming the first Afro-Latina woman elected to the Washington House in eighteen years and the only woman in the legislature with children under the age of five. Representative Reeves has authored critical legislation to expa...

In this week's episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Sean Scanlon, who, after serving four terms in the Connecticut state legislature, was elected last November as Comptroller, making him the youngest person ever elected to this statewide position. As a legislator, he tackled the high cost of healthcare and its impact on working families like his own. In his new capacity as Co...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty engages in a thought-provoking conversation with New Hampshire House Minority Leader Matt Wilhelm, who talks about how his diverse experiences, from the music industry to serving as an AmeriCorps member in under-resourced schools, have guided his political career. Wilhelm delves into strategies for engaging Gen Z in politics, as well as the ideas and p...

In this week's special episode, co-host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan engages in an urgent discussion about threats to our democracy with David Pepper, a former city and county official, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, and author of the new book, "Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American." Following his previous best-selling book that sounded the alarm about challenges f...

On the latest episode of  An Honorable Profession , co-host Ryan Coonerty sits down with Bexar County, TX, District Judge Monique Diaz to discuss her path to public service, the unique role of judges in Texas politics, and Judge Diaz's admirable work in curbing domestic violence and advocating for families. They talk about Judge Diaz's former career as an attorney representing low income families,...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty talks with Bowie, MD, Delegate Adrian Boafo, a dedicated advocate for community empowerment who is a leader on a wide range of policy issues, including climate change, economic opportunity, mental health, and easing medical debt. They talk about his vision for advancing these priorities and Maryland's state policy landscape, and they trace his journey...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty talks with North Wilmington, DE, Representative Krista Griffith. They discuss her key areas of legislative focus, such as expanding health care coverage for undocumented children and enacting more comprehensive data privacy laws for better consumer control over personal information. They also explore another pressing area of need: Delaware's attempts t...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty engages in a captivating conversation with Mayor Luke Bronin of Hartford, CT about taking over a city experiencing its worst ever financial crisis and the incredible journey that brought Bronin to that point. A Rhodes Scholar, former Navy Reservist, and Yale Law School grad, Bronin brings a wealth of experience to his role, including a stint as the Dep...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty speaks with La Mesa, CA Councilmember, and California State Assembly candidate Colin Parent. A prominent figure in housing, transportation, and environmental advocacy in Southern California, Parent shares insights from both his experience in local government and as Executive Director and General Counsel at Circulate San Diego, a nonprofit organization...

In our latest episode, released during Infrastructure Week, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Mary Ellen Wiederwohl, President and CEO of Accelerator for America, about her hopes for a transformation of American infrastructure amid major federal investments. A former leader in local government who is passionate about working on the country's most complicated problems, Mary Ellen di...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty talks with Eboo Patel, Founder and CEO of Interfaith America and the author of the book "We Need to Build: Field Notes for a Diverse Democracy." The conversation focuses on the importance of interfaith efforts to reduce dangerous nationalism and strengthen civic life in America. They discuss what it means to create an interfaith movement in America, th...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonety talks with Cedar Rapids, IA, Councilmember Ashley Vanorny. Ashley brings a unique perspective to city government due to her professional background in healthcare. She discusses how her experience has informed her holistic approach to city affairs and shares current municipal initiatives in Cedar Rapids, including policies driven by public health concern...

In this week's episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan talks with Mike Schmuhl, who serves as the chair of the Indiana Democratic Party. Schmuhl, who started his career at the Washington Post, recounts his shift to politics to work on campaigns for Congressman Joe Donnelly and NewDEAL Alumnus Pete Buttigieg. He and Debbie also discuss Indiana's political shift to the right over the past tw...

In this week's episode, co-host Ryan Coonerty talks with Rosalynn Bliss, the first female Mayor of Grand Rapids, MI. They discuss her journey from social work to elected office, as well as the challenges she has faced in addressing racial equity, affordable housing, and the city's economy. In addition, Bliss also details her vision for how a mayor can create positive change through accountability,...

In this week's episode, host and NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan speaks with Pittsburgh City Councilmember Erika Strassburger, the first woman elected to represent her district on the Council. Erika shares her journey from being an environmental organizer to a policymaker, and discusses how to restore public faith in government. She also reflects on the impact of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting...