Drew's News

In this episode, I had the opportunity to catch up with none other than Dr. Allison Forrest for an insightful conversation about leadership, growth, and the evolving landscape of athletics.   We dive into Dr. Forrest’s career journey, the experiences that shaped her path, and the lessons she’s learned along the way while working in and around collegiate athletics. From navigating opportunities to...

Nashville country artist Noah Hunton joins Drew’s News Podcast to share his journey from Ocala, Florida to building a successful independent music career. Leading his own label, Noah Hunton Music LLC, he discusses authenticity, songwriting, and what it takes to chase your dreams without limits. Noah and his band have earned three Josie Music Award nominations at the Grand Ole Opry, including Song...

Celebrating a decade of spreading JOY!! Hear all about the incredible work the amazing local non-profit organization Xtraordinary Joy is doing for rare chromosome disorder research, as well as for people with disabilities across the globe! To find out more about the incredible work they do and how you can support their organization, you can visit: https://www.xtraordinaryjoy.org You can also follo...

I am so excited to be back with you all! We will officially be back up and running in October 2025, so stay tuned for all the exciting things to come. :) In the meantime, check out my Drew Dees HOPE scholarship fund. I’m excited to announce that my fund will award a UF student with a physical disability a scholarship to help with the cost of participating in the UF Disability Resource Center ’s fu...

Chris O'Brien is the state Capitol reporter for WKRN News 2 and Nexstar in Nashville, Tennessee. He's a proud graduate of the University of Florida, and a lover of all things Gators. Chris worked in Greensboro after graduating, prior to his current position in Nashville, as a general assignment MMJ. Chris is also a lover of the National Parks System, and would like to see all 63 National Parks in...

I caught up with the Executive Director of the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida, Tony Delisle, to talk about the fantastic work we do in the community! (Yes, I said we because it just happens to be where I work). We provide services through partnerships with the Department of Education, the Department of Health, Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program, and the Alachua, Bradford,...

She has a heart of pure gold, works hard to make sure each of her students feels loved and cared for, and she bleeds purple and gold!💜💛🏈 I am talking about none other than Gilchrist county’s very own 2023 Florida Teacher of The Finalist, Brooke Whittington!! In this episode, we relived the magical moments of her becoming a teacher of the year state finalist and chat about the keys to becoming a...

The Drew's News podcast is back, baby! For the official return of the podcast, we have the honor and privilege of speaking with Emmy award-winning meteorologist Alex Calamia about all things weather and gardening. Enjoy! Connect with Alex! Twitter: AlexCalamiawx  Instagram: AlexTropicalPics  Facebook: Alex Calamia Drew's News Podcast want to be on the show?' Please email me at deesreport...

I caught up with disability advocate Ryan Lundy. Over the years he received occupational therapy and accommodations in school. He had a 504 which is a plan for students that need accommodations in regular education. This means he had many tutors, counselors, and academic advisors. Attending school was not easy for him, he got taken advantage of a lot and bullied by kids. Many days he would come ho...

 Jordan Ellis is a Unversity of Florida Alum. Writing is what she loves to do, so her dream job is to be an author. She lives with cerebral palsy and walks with two crutches, but she doesn't let that hold her back from much. Currently, she has recently completed her Bachelor's degree and has been focusing on her blog, which she's had for almost 4 years now. She really just loves a good story...

Billy Floyd is a former morning news anchor in Casper, WY, and Eugene, OR, and thanks to a change in his career path, he's now going crazy with his very own podcast show, "Who's On The News" — having the time of his life! Billy is everyone's hype man-- from career advice to advice about life in general Billy covers it all in this episode!  Connect with Billy on all platforms: @1billyfloyd You...

I caught up with my good friend, Kirby Snead, a former Florida Gator baseball player, and current member of the Toronto Blue Jays organization. During our conversation, he told me baseball has always been in his blood since he was a little boy. he also explains what it was like growing up as a small-town kid with big city dreams. Connect with Kirby:  Twitter and Instagram @KirbySnead Drew's N...

 I had a wonderful conversation with the dynamic duo, Chrissy and Michael Holloway, about all things Special Friends Care Inc., and the secret to being a powerhouse business providing services and supports for people with disabilities in the North Central Florida community for over 20+ years! 😊 Learn more about Special Friends Inc: http://www.specialfriendscareinc.org/  Email: services@...

I had a chance to catch up with Blade Hall, a local musical artist and content creator from Ocala, Florida. We chatted about a variety of things from his musical creative process, to how he went viral on TikTok!  Connect with Blade: IG: HallPassForBlade Twitter: BladeHalll TikTok: bladehall Drew's News Podcast want to be on the show?   Please email me at deesreports@gmail.com or follow m...

I had the pleasure of catching up with recent Gator grad Henry Coburn, who is currently a reporter for WSPA 7News in Spartanburg, South Carolina. We had a great conversation covering a variety of topics, ranging from what life has been like as a journalist since graduating from the University of Florida to career advice for aspiring journalists who are getting ready to enter the industry.  Co...

I had the honor of talking with the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications' 2020 teacher of the year, and one of my biggest UF mentors, Harrison Hove, about incorporating diversity and inclusion within a TV news course. We learned so much from each other during our time together. Connect with Harrison Hove! Twitter: @HarrisonHove Email: hchove@ufl.edu Drew's News Podcast wa...

Rita Inman, Assistant Director for Access Services, from the University of Florida Disability Resource Center joined me to talk about all things DRC! From academic accommodations to accessible housing, we covered it all.  You can take a virtual tour of Cypress Hall.  Get connected with the DRC via social media on all platforms @UFDRC or send them an email to accomodations@ufsa.ufl.edu. D...

 Kirsten Wolff, News Director at WESH 2 News, and Jess O'Neill, the former assistant News Director at WESH, and current News Director of KOAT in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Join me for a  conversation about what went into the process of ensuring I had the best internship possible, and what they hope to see as far as #disabilityinclusion within newsrooms in the future.  You can connect...

Drew's  News Podcast Want to be on the show?    Please email me at deesreports@gmail.com or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms.  And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it. In this episode, Drew's parents Samantha and Chris Worley, share their journey of what it's like raising a child with a disability. You can connect with Samantha and Chris vi...

Drew's  News podcast do you want to be on the show?    Please email me at deesreports@gmail.com or follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms. And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.    The game of basketball: with Kevin Scott O'Brien, a professional international basketball player!🤩🙏🏻🏀   Connect with Kevin on social media: Instagram:...

I plan to use this platform to shed light on journalism from a disability perspective as well as showcase people with and without disabilities who are doing good in the world. Follow me on social media @DrewDeesReports on all platforms: -Facebook  -Instagram -LinkedIn -Twitter And Youtube  And remember, if you can dream it, you can Drew it.