Dad to Dad Podcast

Our guest this week is Jonathan Eig, of Chicago, a journalist, best-selling author, father of two daughters and guardian. Jon and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of two daughters: Lillian (20) and Lola (14) as well as Jeffrey (33) who Jon mentored from Jeffrey's age seven through Big Brothers/Big Sisters before the couple formally became his guardian. W...

Our guest this week is Bob Bourke of Evanston, IL, a retired banker, father of four including a daughter with Down Syndrome and a advisory board member at Misericordia in Chicago. Bob and his wife, Peggy, have been married for 44 years and are the proud parents of three boys: Bo (40), Matt (36), and Nick (32) as well as daughter, Molly (38) who has Down Syndrome. Bob had a storied career in bankin...

Our guest this week is Faye Simon-Harac of Sparta, NJ, a former teacher and current Editor-in-Chief at Exceptional Parent Magazine as well as president and founder of the Irene & Eric Simon Brain Research Foundation. After serving as an educator in the Teaneck, NJ school district for a decade, Faye founded and became president of the Irene & Eric Simon Brain Research Foundation , named in...

Our guest this week is Florence Ann Romano of Hinsdale, IL a village and child care advocate, entrepreneur, author of two books and the oldest of four siblings, including a brother with Autism. Florence Ann served as a nanny for more than 15 years, which led to a variety of opportunities including; starting the web series The Windy City Nanny , which covered the lives of 12 families, her first boo...

Our guest this week is Wil Derouen of Seattle, WA who is a Peer Support Counselor at Dads M.O.V.E. and father of five boys including one with ADHD. Wil and his wife, Hazel, have been together for eight years and married for one year. He is the proud father of five boys from three women: Zion (18), Cameron (21), Treveon (23), Sheraud (24) and Kahlil (26) who has ADHD. Wil's story is rather remarkab...

Our guest this week is Dan Feshbach of Sausalito, CA, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Multiple, a non-profit (501c3) innovation platform for the autism community, whose mission is 'to transform the lives of people with autism at scale.' Dan and his x-wife, were married for 35 years and are the proud parents of 30 year old twins: Emma and Reed, who is Autistic. We’ll learn about Dan’s many innovat...

Our guest this week is Brad Serot, of Winnetka, IL who is Vice Chairman of CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate. Brad and his x-wife, Lexis, were married for eight years and are the proud parents of four children: Billie (6), Jonas (8), and 10 year old twins Stella and Ava, who has Cerebral Palsy. Brad talks very authentically about his early denial about Ava's condition, the dissolutio...

Our guest this week is Jeff Wickersham of Royersford, PA, who is a high performance coach, founder of the Warrior Dad Experience and father of two. Jeff and his wife, Heather, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Jackson (15) and Carter (13), who has Crohn's Disease. Occupationally, Jeff is a sought-after mental toughness and peak performance coach who specializes...

Our guest this week is Sarah Glofcheskie of Toronto, Canada, who is the single mother of a daughter with Autism, a serial entrepreneur, and founder of BeMe, an Autism innovation company. Sarah and her x-husband, who remains a very involved father, were married for six years and are the proud parents of Flynn (12) who is Autistic. Informed by her experience as the mother of a child with Autism, Sar...

Our guest this week is Tim Coughlin a U.S. x-Pat in London, England who works at Morgan Stanley as head of the Commodity and Infrastructure Finance Group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Tim and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for eight years and are the proud parents of two young girls: Alice (4) and Edith (2), who was diagnosed with BBSOAS or Bosch-Boonstra-Schaff Optic Atrophy Synd...

Our guest this week is Adam Birchmeier of Muskegon, MI who is a Business Sales Representative with Access Health and the father of daughter with Angelman Syndrome, who very sadly passed away in August, after a brief illness. Adam and his wife, Nicole, have been married for 4 years and are the proud parents of Maddie who was born in June 2020, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome at 18 months and w...

Our guest this week is Gus Aguilera of Oak Harbor, WA who is a cinematic special effects, IT specialist and a father of three children including a son who has Down Syndrome. Gus and his x-wife Bobbie Jo, became teen parents and were married for 36 years, before divorcing earlier this year. They are the proud parents of three children: Cassandra (35), Jordan (27) and Gabriel (14), who has Down Synd...

Our guest this week is Paul Carroll, of Situate, RI who is senior HR director at CVS Health, founder of Autism Dadvocate and father of an Autistic son. Paul and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of Vaughan(16) who is Autistic. Professionally, Paul is an Executive Director of Talent Manager at CVS Health. Informed by being a father to a neurodiverse child...

Our guest this week is Nate Boltz of Anchorage, AK who is executive director at Challenge Alaska and father of two, including one with Spina Bifida. Nate and his wife, Leah, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of two: Adeline (5) and Anna (16) who has Spina Bifida. Born in Bozeman, MT and raised in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Nate has always enjoyed the outdoors and athletics, in...

Our guest this week is Brady Murray of Salt Lake City, who is father to 11 children, a managing director at Capstone Partners a Mass Mutual General Agent, founder of RODS Heroes as well as the Special Abilities Network. Brady and his wife, Andrea, have been married for 21 years and are the proud parents of 11 children. By age they are: Brinley (17), Nash (16), Ridge (13), Copper (11), Mason (8), W...

Our guest this week is Rob Billerbeck of Lakewood, CO who works for the National Park Service in Colorado. Rob and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of three children; including a son who has Down Syndrome. Rob reflects on being the 9th of nine children and the impact that losing a sister in a car accident and a brother to suicide. Rob also reflects on the c...

Our guest this week is Father Medard Laz of Ft. Lauderdale, FL a retired Catholic priest for the Archdioscese of Chicago, founding pastor of Holy Family Church in Inverness Illinois, the author of nine books and a serial social entrepreneur. His achievements are many; so many in fact, that we’re presenting his conversation with David Hirsch in two parts. This week in part 2, we’ll hear about Fathe...

Our guest this week is Father Medard Laz of Ft. Lauderdale, FL a retired Catholic priest for the Archdioscese of Chicago, founding pastor of Holy Family Church in Inverness Illinois, the author of nine books and a serial social entrepreneur. His achievements are many; so many in fact, that we’re presenting his conversation with David Hirsch in two parts. In this first installment we’ll hear about...

Our guest this week is Eric Swithin of Florence, AL a retired U.S. Marine, a former youth pastor, now founder and executive director of Outdoor Adventures as well as The Alliance For Ending The Fatherless Epidemic. Eric and his wife, Kameron, have been married for 14 years and are the proud parents of two children: Mason (6) and McKinzie (4). After some formative years in the U.S. Marines and serv...

Our guest this week is Eric Jorgensen of Frederick, MD a retired Navy veteran, widower, founder of True North Disability Planning, cancer survivor and father of two, including a son with Autism. Eric and his wife, Christine, were married for 12 years before, very sadly, she passed away in April 2012, after a short battle with HLH (Hemophagocytic Lympho Histiocystosis), a rare autoimmune disease. T...

Our guest this week is Tony Brescia of West Dundee, IL who owns a Hallmark store, is the father of two including a son with Tuberous Sclerosis, and more recently is raising funds to create Project ALEX Communities, a unique residential community for adults with intellectual disabilities. Tony and his wife, Joelle, have been married for 34 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Jason (28) and...

Our guest this week is Jeff Zaugg of Minneapolis, MN, a former pastor of family ministries, a fatherhood advocate and host of the DadAwesome Podcast. Jeff and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of four daughters: Kiva (9), Ruthie (6), Raya (4) and Zara (2). Jeff has been an outspoken advocate for fathers and is founder of Fathers for the Fatherless, a non-...

Our guest this week is Dan Redfield of Anchorage, AK who is an Emmy nominated filmmaker and the father of three children. Dan and his wife, Kristen, have been married for two years and are proud parents of three children; Henry (8 mo.), Reagan (3) and Ava, who very sadly passed away in November 2021 at age six, after suffering from Infantile Tay-Sachs, a rare inherited genetic disease. We’ll hear...

Our guest this week is Krista Mason, of Holland, Michigan, a Christian, wife and mother. Krista and her husband, David have been married for 32 years and are the proud parent of two boys: James (29) and Benjamin (27), who has Autism and developmental delays. Krista is also the co-founder of Benjamin’s Hope, a live, learn, play, worship farmstead community where people of all abilities are transfor...

Our guest this week is Siggi Thosseinn-Gudmundson of Akranes, Iceland who is a healthcare professional and father of five including four with special needs. Siggi and his wife, Fridur, have known each other since they were 15 years of age and have been married for 8 years. They are the proud parents of five children: Sittimfia (7), who has ADHD, Gudmuntuk (12), who is Autistic and non-verbal, Kolb...