Common Threads Podcast

Jessica Wignall currently lives in West Jordan, UT but grew up in the Kearns area. Professionally, she is a compliance analyst for a bank. Jessica also loves getting to spend time with family, including her two dogs.  In this episode, I sit down with the incredible Jessica to talk about her recent election to city council and what it means to her to truly serve her community. She shares her commit...

Riley Eckenroth is 21 years old and is the youngest sibling of 4. He lives in Ocala, Florida and currently serves in the U.S. Army. In this episode, Riley and I talk about growing up in the South and the values that shaped him early on: kindness, community, and taking care of the people around you. He shares the racial injustices he noticed at a young age, including those coming from elected offic...

Education is a huge contributor to a person's political involvement. In this episode, we discuss how the quality and type of education is more impactful than quantity. We explore statistical research that shows education level does not necessarily make us more openminded, but that it helps to open doors to different perspectives. It is up to us to decide whether or not we walk through those d...

Andelin Mbaki is originally from South Africa but now lives in Southern Utah. She attends Southern Utah University and is double majoring in Dance Education and Exercise Science. Andelin is also a dance instructor, a nanny, and a huge advocate for diversity, faith, and empowerment.  In this episode of Common Threads , I sit down with Andelin to talk about what it means to take up space, speak up,...

Caleb Ence grew up in Santa Clara, Utah as a member of Mormon church and served an LDS mission in Botswana and Namibia. Upon returning, they attended Brigham Young University and graduated with a degree in accounting. Caleb identifies as bisexual and nonbinary and is very passionate about appreciating the beauty of the world, helping people learn about queerness, and LEGOs.  In this episode, Caleb...

Christine Lin was a special education teacher for 23 years and currently works as a healthcare provider. She was born with Neurofibromotosis and is a huge believer in kindness & treating people with love & respect.  In this episode, Christine shares her powerful story of growing up with Neurofibromatosis (NF) and the resilience it taught her from a young age. We talk about what it was like...

Tanner Vario works in higher education, where he focuses on building meaningful connections through events and community programs. He is originally from Tooele Utah and is openly pansexual/bisexual.  In this episode, Tanner opens up about what it was like growing up non-religious in a community where almost everyone around him was. He shares how that sense of being “othered” shaped his early years...

Yamilla Lerma is from McAllen, Texas. She is an IT support generalist and is majoring in math at Utah Valley University.  In this episode, I sit down with Yamilia to talk about finding courage and conviction at a young age. Growing up in an immigrant family, Yamilia shares what it was like to live with the constant fear of loved ones being taken away and how those experiences shaped her voice and...

Taylor King is originally from Southern Utah, but is currently living in Denver, Colorado. She is 25 years old, a Lutheran, and she has Cystic Fibrosis. Taylor also loves snowboarding, hiking, & paddleboarding.  In this episode, I sit down with Taylor to talk about her journey living with cystic fibrosis and the lessons she’s learned from navigating the healthcare system. Taylor shares how her...

Britney Masciotti was born and raised in Payson, Utah but currently lives in Salt Lake City with her husband, baby boy, and their 2 dogs. She graduated from Utah Valley University with a degree in Aviation Management.  In this episode, Britney shares her story of growing up in a small town, learning to embrace her culture, and realizing what it means to stand out — and stand up — for what she beli...

Religion plays a huge role in shaping how people see the world — from everyday decisions to the way we vote, serve others, and understand morality. In this mini episode, we explore how different religions align politically and how those beliefs influence communities here in the U.S. and around the world. Drawing from varying studies and statistical evidence, we look at how religion and politics fo...

Paige Leavitt is a mom or two and an army wife to Matt, who I interviewed last week. She is an out and proud bisexual and loves music, her family, and learning. Paige currently works as a medical assistant (we LOVE to see a women in STEM)! If you haven’t already, make sure to check out my conversation with Matt in the previous episode for another perspective on service, sacrifice, and family value...

Matthew Leavitt is a US Army Soldier and is currently deployed in the Middle East. Matt is also a husband and father of 2 beautiful girls. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Matt, who is currently serving in the U.S. Army. We talk about learning to be open-minded from a young age, and how his conservative values and deep commitment to upholding the Constitution shape his worldview. Matt sh...

Samuel Jacobs was born in Washington but moved to Utah when he was young. He is a state delegate, which I’m sure we’ll talk about more. Samuel also recently got married and currently attending BYU studying cybersecurity.  In this episode, I sit down with Samuel to talk about what it means to be politically active in today’s world. As a state delegate, Samuel has had a front-row seat to the importa...

In this special mini-episode of Common Threads , we take a step back from individual stories to look at the bigger picture—how the generation you grew up in can shape the way you see the world. From Baby Boomers to Gen Z, each generation has been formed by unique historical events, cultural moments, and social shifts that influence how they view politics, relationships, work, and even everyday sit...

Colton Staheli was born and raised in Washington, Utah and now lives in Provo, Utah with his wife Malia, who we interviewed last week. Colton is a member of the LDS church and he served a 2 year mission in Santiago, Chile. He recently graduated from BYU in Construction Management and now works for a commercial general contractor. This week I sit down with Colton, Malia’s husband, to hear his story...

Malia Villarreal Staheli is 28 years old and is from a town called Othello, which is an extremely small farming community in Eastern Washington. She is a beautiful mix of a bunch of different cultures and identifies as Latina-Polynesian. Malia loves fashion, thrifting, food, traveling, listening to ABBA, anything to do with the beach. She also currently works as a marriage and family therapist. In...

Mitchell Price grew up in St. George, UT and currently resides in Provo, UT with his wife, Emma. He graduated from SUU with a degree in Political Science. He works as a data content specialist at Ancestry, but is an aspiring environmental lawyer and author.  Mitch’s story is one of curiosity, growth, and finding his place in a complex political landscape. Growing up in Colorado with liberal-leanin...

Naomi Lin-Anderson is a half-Taiwanese/half-white Utahn who loves to dance, read, and paint. She’s also a church goer and elementary school teacher. Naomi has always had a heart for people—whether that’s her elementary school students, her community, or those she’s met around the world. In this episode, she shares her journey of embracing her identity as a mixed-race Asian American in a community...

Lawrence Mbaki grew up in Cape Town, South Africa and immigrated with his family to Cedar City, UT about 6 years ago. He currently attends Southern Utah University and is double majoring in Theater arts and music education.  In this episode, I talk with Lawrence about his journey from growing up in the Congo and South Africa to building a life in the United States. Lawrence shares what it was like...

Riley Allen is currently serving in the US Army and is married with one child and one on the way. Riley is also an active member of the LDS church. In this episode, I sit down with Riley Allen to talk about what it means to stay true to your values—even when it means stepping away from the party you’ve always known. Riley shares his journey from identifying as a Republican to finding a better fit...

Neesha Farmer was born and raised in St. George Utah and recently moved to northern Utah to further her career in optometry. She’s also an AMAZING nail technician in her free time, so if you live in the SLC area & are looking to get your nails done, Neesha is your girl! She is an out and proud bisexual and is also an active member of the LDS church.  In this episode, I sit down with Neesha to...

Lindsey is currently attending the University of Wyoming studying Agricultural Education and she lives in Laramie Wyoming.   In this episode, Lindsey & I chat about her journey from sunny California to wide‑open Wyoming—and how that move reshaped her sense of community, politics, and faith. Growing up conservative but never quite fitting neatly into any party, Lindsey shares how her experience...

McKay is a freelance writer & producer, as well as full-time barista, living in Salt Lake City, UT. Mckay has lived all over the world and has so many incredible experiences to share with us, so I couldn’t be more excited to kick off this podcasting journey with him. In this episode, I sit down with McKay to talk about growing up in a deeply conservative household — and what happens when your...

This episode explains "the why" behind this podcast and what I'm hoping listeners can gain from being open-minded and attempting to understand other people's lived experiences. Support the show