Carlsbad: People, Purpose and Impact

Witness a teacher's profound impact as she becomes a pillar of support & inspiration to her students, leading her to take on a new role as assistant principal. In this episode, we meet Aimee Nava - CBAD’s High School Teacher of the Year 2023! Aimee is a dedicated and beloved Spanish teacher at Carlsbad High School, who creates a safe and supportive learning environment where her students feel...

Kelly Griffin’s mission is to build a kindness-focused classroom, and she does it by creating a culture of compassion. Find out more in this inspired interview. Meet Kelly Griffin of Mission Estancia Elementary School - recently honored as Teacher of the Year - a truly special, passionate, and dedicated teacher who is driven by her unwavering commitment to making a positive impact in her students'...

It’s the home of award-winning tacos and community giving - hear all about Senor Grubbys' commitment to quality and philanthropy with owner Justin Jachura. Meet Justin Jachura, proud president and co-founder of a batch of burgeoning and delicious restaurants everyone in Carlsbad knows: Senor Grubby's, Grubby's Poke & Fish Market and Los Tacos. The stomach growls in recognition… Senor Grubby’s...

Discover how Ginger Rabe, a successful Design CEO started her company, the challenges she faced, and her insights on business growth and community engagement. Meet Ginger Rabe, the owner and lead designer of Ginger Rabe Designs, a full-service interior design firm based right here in Carlsbad, California.  Ginger has been in the industry for over 20 years and specializes in luxury residential desi...

Crystal Lynn Privett empowers people to live their greatest lives by building new neurological pathways in their brains and changing their mental narratives. She is a renowned subconscious reprogramming expert, energy psychologist, and keynote speaker. Her passion and purpose are in teaching others how to build new neurological pathways in their brains, and how to think, feel, act, and react in a...

Andria Taylor, CEO and Chief Talent Officer of TalentXponential, gets into the real nitty-gritty of company culture: how to cultivate it, how to nurture your people and how to see real, tangible, positive outcomes as a result.  Company culture is not just about free snacks and a ping-pong table, but rather about creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported, and motivated to do th...

For Aaron Byzak, it’s a team effort keeping Tri-City Medical Center at the forefront of technology, innovation & the changing healthcare needs of our community. In this podcast, the Chief External Affairs Officer of Tri-City Medical Center, Aaron Byzak, discusses the current state and future plans for the medical center. Byzak explains that Tri-City has undergone significant changes in recent...

The Carlsbad Strawberry Company has never sold a day-old strawberry.  Hear all about this local institution in a mouth-watering and informative episode with owner Jimmy Ukegawa. The Carlsbad Strawberry Company is a local institution in Carlsbad, and for good reason.  From the mouth-watering strawberries in the winter and spring, to the endless maze of cornfields and pumpkins in the autumn, there i...

EcoDirect’s mission is to deliver clean, affordable, solar energy to every home. CEO Renee Donaldson explains the ins and outs of how to make the transition. The solar energy industry is in a state of constant evolution and improvement, and it takes an expert to be able to understand and navigate the changes as they happen. EcoDirect’s CEO Renee Donaldson is that expert. In this informative interv...

Madrid, the Costa del sol, the Rock of Gibraltar and much more are waiting for you in November as the Chamber heads to sunny Spain!  All aboard for adventure! This year, the Chamber is proud - and excited - to offer a 9-day trip to Spain, November 8-16, 2023.  In this episode, the Chamber’s Director of Fun, Kathy Steffen, gives listeners a sneak-peek at the itinerary, which includes a day at Spain...

New Haven Youth & Family Services CEO Doreen Quinn shares the challenges and triumphs of helping young adolescent boys restore their dignity and self-worth. The staff at New Haven Youth & Family Services play many roles in the rehabilitation of troubled boys - therapist, behavioral coach, parent partner and crisis counselor – but more than any other, they play the role of champion.  Under...

Chocolate makes everybody happy, and with 21 different unique and custom flavors, Chuao Chocolatier has lots of ways to share the joy.  A delectable episode! Meet Michael Antonorsi, the Chief “Joy Activator” at Chuao Chocolatier, whose inspiring success story is happening right here in Carlsbad. From a modest start as a little shop on the 101 selling bon bons and truffles, to a manufacturing power...

They are the charity that funds other charities. Get to know The Carlsbad Charitable Foundation, and hear how they do it all with Chair Justin Peek. Carlsbad is a beautiful place. In fact, it’s paradise. But even in paradise, we still have all the same issues of human financial need you see across the country.  The Carlsbad Charitable Foundation has made it their mission to celebrate Carlsbad, inv...

Freedom Window Cleaning enjoys a spotless reputation, and with good reason. Lupe and Kolan Hairston’s team clean with pride and add new life to your windows.  Meet Mr. and Mrs. Clean. Kolan and Lupe Hairston have built a company dedicated to brightening people’s days, Freedom Window Cleaning. Hear their inspiring story in this candid interview, as they share the good, the bad and the ugly of keepi...

Get to know CBAD’s Non-Profit of the Year, 2022 - The San Diego Food Bank. Join CEO Casey Castillo to learn about all the good they do for our families in need. We all experience storms in life, and The San Diego Food Bank is there to help and support families in need.  Last year, they distributed 40 million pounds of food in San Diego County.  This year they are expected to do the same.  That’s a...

For Kim Wakefield, teaching Spanish has always been much more than simply teaching a language. It’s teaching another culture in a very open and passionate way. An appreciation of other cultures is something Kim Wakefield grew up with, and it’s something that has informed her teaching for over 25 years.  Being open to other cultures - and the way people do things - has brought an international flav...

I Love a Clean San Diego leads and inspires our community to actively conserve and enhance the environment through example, outreach and local involvement. Learn the fascinating history behind I Love a Clean San Diego – from its humble beginnings 69 years ago, and how their work has grown from a “War Against Litter” to a county-wide environmental crusade. Executive Director Steve Morris covers, in...

Photography by Melanie Robertson with hair and makeup by Rosanna Nykanen together capture the essence of their HS Senior subjects in breathtaking ways. We’ve all heard the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words”, but a memorable portrait of your high school senior that really captures their true personality - or a heartfelt and genuine Mother-Daughter portrait - those pictures are priceless....

Hear the inspirational story of Rory Graham, his life, legacy, and the Foundation founded by his mother, helping to inspire the young men of Army & Navy Academy Good role models are hard to come by. For the young men of the Army & Navy Academy, the legacy of Rory Graham has proven to be just that. One of their own, Rory graduated in 3 years with honors, became a minister, traveled all over...

Associate Publisher Chris Kydd gives the inside scoop on The Coast News, from its colorful history and commitment to our community, to its brave new future. Archiving local history. Connecting people with their local government, their neighbors, and their community. Being a credible platform they can go to for real information. These are the core beliefs of The Coast News, our beloved local paper....

Mission San Luis Rey will be celebrating its 225th anniversary this year. Gwyn Grimes shares the Mission’s best stories - from its history to the gift shop!   Join us for an in-depth conversation about Mission San Luis Rey, the largest of California’s missions.  From its rich history to its vibrant daily activities, the Mission is an active and truly beautiful place to be. Host to tours, schools,...

Meet Carlsbad’s Middle School Teacher of the Year 2022 Winner, Edric Uy, who makes math engaging, energetic and relatable to the real world for his students.  For students who may not consider themselves “math people”, there is no better teacher than Edric Uy, who has transformed his classroom into an environment where his students feel motivated and capable of understanding and applying challengi...

ECOLIFE Conservation’s mission is to take a humanitarian approach to conservation, so environments, ecosystems and civilization can coexist and thrive together. In conservation, the old way of thinking used to say, “to protect nature, get the people out”. Well, that’s no longer a reality, because there are no fully natural environments left. So, what to do? ECOLIFE Conservation is at the forefront...

The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is proud to welcome Wade Blair as the guest presenter at the very first First Friday Breakfast of the New Year! He’s going to share “The Y Method” and in this fascinating interview, he gives us a preview of what to expect. You can register here https://web.carlsbad.org/events/FirstFriday%20Breakfast-2989/details   Why do people set goals and never take the next ste...

Barrio Glassworks, Carlsbad’s very own public glassblowing studio, captures all the art and craft of Italy’s masters and brings it to our doorstep.  The Murano glass masters of Venice, Italy have been creating art in glass for generations.  Now, that one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted artisan glass can be found right here in Carlsbad, CA at Barrio Glassworks.  Listen in as Bret Schanzenbach interviews Ma...