ChemekeTable

Not every educational journey follows a straight line—and that's exactly what makes it valuable. On this episode of The ChemekeTable Podcast , host JD Shinn sits down with Arjay Mendiola to discuss how learning happens in many different places and for many different reasons. From marketing and entrepreneurship to real estate, Arjay shares how each experience has shaped his path and helped prep...

In this episode of the ChemekeTable, host JD sits down with Carmelle Bielenberg, Executive Director of the Albany Chamber of Commerce, to explore the vital role chambers play in supporting businesses and strengthening communities. Carmelle breaks down the misconceptions, highlights the behind-the-scenes work, and shares why chambers remain a key driver of local success.#SupportLocalBusiness #Commu...

On this episode of The ChemekeTable Podcast , host JD Shinn sits down with Holly Nelson from the Executive Team at Chemeketa to explore the true impact of a community college beyond the classroom. From building meaningful partnerships to strengthening local economies and creating opportunities for students, this conversation dives into how colleges serve as powerful connectors within their communi...

In this episode of The ChemekeTable Podcast , host JD Shinn sits down with “Big Tony” Blosser—a small-town city councilor whose life changed when he was invited to play basketball and attend Chemeketa Community College. What began as an opportunity on the court became a discovery of purpose, direction, and service. Tony reflects on the life lessons he learned through the game, the lasting impact o...

Welcome back to The ChemekeTable , where we gather around the table to talk about learning, work, and the real paths people take to get where they are today. On this episode, I’m joined by Buddy Puckett. Buddy’s learning journey didn’t stop at college—like many of us, some of his most impactful lessons came from life itself. By trade, Buddy is a mortgage lender, but at his core he’s someone who de...

In this episode of The Chemeketable Podcast , we sit down with Margaret Rothe , co-founder of CounselMore , a platform dedicated to guiding students and advisors through the complexities of college life. Margaret shares her perspective on what it really takes to succeed in higher education—how to define success on your own terms, stay resilient through challenges, and use the right tools to make i...

In this episode we sit down with local author Will Robertson , author of 20 True Things and the When We Listen series, to explore the art of writing with meaning. We talk about the creative process behind turning complex ideas—sometimes drawn from ancient wisdom—into stories that connect with everyday life. Will shares his approach to reflective writing, translating inspiration into clarity, and f...

Customized training is all about creating learning that really fits — whether that’s for a business, an industry, or an individual looking to grow. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, it’s designed to meet people where they’re at and focus on the skills that matter most in the real world. In this episode, I’m joined by Lori, a fellow customized training coordinator, to talk about how this wor...

When you're passionate about work it shows. Today's guest has a podcast discussing people who are passionate about their job. Dean Craig sat down at the Table to talk about his role at Willamette Workforce Partners and his podcast All in a Day's Work. jshinn2@chemeketa.edu https://open.spotify.com/show/0mGoT8oA4eMwJtneVFFZ7P?si=3cc4f317c92f4688

How often do you get to interview your boss? Today we sit down at the Table with the Director of Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry to discuss what all goes on in our building. We got to know him a little bit and explored some of the cool things that go on here in the Center. #communitycollege #smallbusinessdevelopmentcenter #SBDC #customizedtraining https://www.chemeketa.edu/locations/cen...

What makes a leader a good leader and how can we upskill our leadership qualities? Today brings local leadership speaker and coach Jacob Espinoza to the table to chat about leadership. Stories and even insecurities show up as we gather around the table for this episode. https://jacobespinoza.com/

Education indeed has a price on it. But is it daunting? Maybe. Today's guest, Howard Freedman, discusses some methods he uses as a financial aid consultant to help families find ways of getting the most bang for their buck when it comes to post-secondary education. Pull up a chair. https://www.financialaidconsulting.com/

Chemeketa loves its partners. Since everyone has a seat at the Table we love sitting down with our partners. This episode we sat down with WorkSource Oregon's Neil Johnson. Neil came in to share about what WorkSource does for workers and employers to help ensure that workers at all levels are skilled to do their job well. Pull up a chair, there's always a spot for you at the Table.

Today we sit down with Kip Miller from SEDCOR and have a discussion about one type of education, apprenticeships. Kip is a team member of the Strategic Economic Development Corporation and has vast experience in educating trades of many kinds. Pull up a chair, there's a spot for you at the Table. https://www.sedcor.com/ https://www.chemeketa.edu/programs-classes/program-finder/apprenticeship/

This episode we will get more serious. We sit down with local author Allen Prell. "I Miss Hugs, Kisses and Conversations" is an ode to Prell's experience with a loved one who suffered from mental illness and his desire to share some thoughts with the world about how to navigate those challenges. As he shares, be sure to 'pull up a chair' this is a heavy conversation with light at the end of the tu...

When I think of Public Safety I think first of police fire and ambulatory service. Then hospitals and a list of others who care for the safety and well being of the public. Chemeketa Public Safety is another realm of serving and protecting. We sat down at the Table with Tony Moore who then served as the Director of Chemeketa Public Safety to discuss what it looks like from an educational standpoin...

So many acronyms. This particular acronym might be of interest to those in our community who are part of business community. Small Business Development Centers all over the nation serve to help businesses by serving them with free or low cost services to help them reach new heights. I sat down at the Table with Angie Oven, Chemeketa SBDC's lead advisor to discuss what an SBDC does.

As a College that celebrates various cultures we had the opportunity to sit down at the table with Fata Levi Ariu who shares the beautiful history of his Polynesian culture. Come on in, there's a seat for you at the Table.

Chemeketa makes wine. Did you know that? We have students and a full viticulture program at our Eola Campus in West Salem. We sit down at the Table with the Dean and the Director to discuss Chemeketa's wine program. http://ccbi.chemeketa.edu/ https://chemeketa.edu/programs-classes/program-finder/wine-studies/

School pride. Text books and friendly faces. Today we have a sit down from a bookstore veteran. Tim King has been working in Chemeketa's book store for many years and carries his experience from other book stores into his work here at our place of learning. We chat about the book store and various other stories, including his own. Pull up a chair.

Every young athlete's dream is to play in the big leagues. The journey is long though to get there and the road is winding and challenging. Chemeketa Alumni Domo Lawrence sits down at the Table to discuss his dreams and his journey. https://salemcapitalsbasketball.com/ @domo.sama Instagram

Several years before the recording of this episode The Arbinger Institute put our a series of books and practices regarding "The Outward Mindset". Chemeketa has implemented this way of thinking and we decided to have Jon Mathis come in and sit down and the Table to talk about it. https://arbinger.com/

Around Chemeketa we call it Storm Chasing. Following our own local athletes as they compete. Today we'll sit down with a behind the scenes look at Chemeketa Sports through the eyes of former head Men's Basketball Coach and current Athletic Director David Altenhofen. He talks about stories of young student athletes, his family, and the dynamics of Community College Sports at Chemeketa. http...

How does learning happen? What about young men who don't have mentors? Today's guest has an outreach to young men who are experiencing fatherlessness. Come sit down at the Table with us as we have a conversation with Chad Wallen.

What is a WIB? We sit down at the table with Executive Director of local Workforce Investment Board "Willamette Workforce Partnership", Kim Parker-Llenares to talk about how businesses and humans are being impacted by workforce dollars being reinvested. How does that pertain to Chemeketa? They are housed in the Center for Business & Industry downtown Salem so we invited them to come...