Fresno's Best

Today, we have another Bakersfield Connection podcast. I like doing these because I think the Valley needs to be a lot more integrated in order to be successful. And so today we have David Higdon on the show. David is the co-founder of Kern Venture Group, a venture capital fund based out of Bakersfield, California, that's focused on funding founders and businesses that want to develop and improve...

Courtney McNulty is the Zoological Animal Manager of the Bird Show at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, a position she has held for three years. She developed a passion for wildlife through early exposure to zoos and aquariums in southern California, leading her to pursue a career in animal care and education. With over nine years of experience in the field, including specialized training in exotic animal m...

Today, we have Dr. Carole Goldsmith on the show. Dr. Goldsmith became Chancellor of State Center Community College District on January 1, 2022, leading efforts to create a welcoming environment for all. She oversaw the adoption of a new mission, vision, and values, delivered a balanced budget supporting District goals, aligned curriculum for optimal student outcomes, and developed partnerships to...

Today, we have Lindsay Anton on the show. A graduate of the San Francisco Cooking School, Lindsay Anton is currently the chef at Moto Delicatessen. Having started her cooking career in New York in 2008, Lindsay has almost 15 years experience in the food and restaurant industry. Lindsay has spent time in the uber successful kitchens of Nopa, Delfina and Locanda in San Francisco, with the majority o...

Leslie Young, a Fresno native with a Master's from Pepperdine, is a dynamic entrepreneur and educator making waves in small business consulting. She founded MVM Advisory Group during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on helping small-medium enterprises grow through strategic development and emotional intelligence methodologies. Leslie's impact extends to over 400 small businesses, various nonprofits...

Today we have Dr. Harman Virk DO on the show. Dr. Virk is a board certified Internal Medicine physician that grew up in Fresno and is now one of the owners of a new medical clinic called The Modern Medicine Group. He hopes to offer a deeper understanding of the unique healthcare challenges faced by residents in Fresno. He is committed to promoting preventive care, and is excited to discuss his com...

Marco Tovar is a Fresno-based photographer and educator specializing in the Wet Plate Collodion process, a photographic process from the 1850's. Marco's process documents the people of the Central Valley. Marco's Website Books: The Creative Act: A Way of Being Rick Rubin Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind  Jocelyn K. Glei The Pleasures of th...

Today, we have Diane Friederichs who is the founder of FART (Foster - Adopt - Rescue - Transport), an amazing animal rescue service in Fresno. Diane is doing amazing work for animals without homes. This was an incredibly fun and wide-ranging conversation. Below the book recommendations, you can find all the links for how you can support her amazing work.  Books:  Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Co...

Today, we have Danny Bernstein on the show. Danny is the Founder and Managing Partner of  HawkTower , an early-stage venture capital firm focused on underleveraged California, including the Central Valley. HawkTower invests in scalable early-stage technology companies that address real-world opportunities and imperatives outside traditional entrepreneurial patterns and investment behaviors.   Prio...

Today, we have Dr. Lorin Lachs on the show. Dr. Lachs is a professor of psychology and the chair of the psychology department at Fresno State. He has a number of research interests including Multimodal speech perception, Perception of Spoken Language, Psycholinguistics, Perception of Virtual Reality, and Video Gaming Behavior, having published a number of academic articles in these fields. We have...

Today, we have Leonard L. Longmire on the show. Leonard is a professional DJ and general creator of vibes for the city of Fresno. This is an episode we gush about the music we love, explore DJs craft sets, discuss the importance of music venues, and much more. Books: The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors  Frances Cress Welsing Miles: The Autobiography Miles Davis  

Today, we have Jon Forrest Dohlin on the show. Jon has been the Chief Executive Officer and Zoo Director of Fresno Chaffee Zoo since February 2021. Born and raised in California, Dohlin received a BA in Biology from Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA, and a Masters of Architecture from Parsons School of Design in New York. He worked for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) at the Bronx Zoo...

Today, we have Mas Masumoto on the podcast. A farmer, writer, and a repository of memories of the valley, Mas is a central voice in the region. I am so excited to have him on the show to talk about farming, memory, writing, agrarian ideas, glyphosate, real estate development, tell intimate family stories, mental illness, pickled peaches, and much more. Please enjoy my conversation with Mas Masumot...

In this episode, Joseph Rios makes a return to the podcast to discuss the upcoming book festival on May 4th from 9am-4:30pm at the Fig Garden Swim & Racquet Club. Mark your calendars! 

Today, we have Grace Berg and Andrew Feil of the Every Neighborhood Partnership (ENP) on the show. Partnering with churches, the ENP seeks to provide a number of critical resources to neighborhoods across Fresno, including school support, health and fitness, training, and much more. Grace and Andrew both bring a wealth of experience to their work and have just launched a new podcast called What's...

Today, we have Ariel Davis and Mikaela Silva on the show. Ariel and Mikaela are members of Clovis Community College's Speech and Debate Club and team. Speech and Debate is one of the most intellectually rigorous activities available for students, and, as a former member of a speech debate team both in high school and college, I can't recommend the activity more highly.  CCC Spech and Debate Club S...

Today, we have Rev. Simon Biasell on the show today. Simon is the pastor at the Big Red Church and Co-Executive Director of Woven Coalition for Justice. For more than twenty years, Simon has worked to build radical hospitality within faith-based groups and is passionate about connecting and organizing community members to speak truth to power. Simon graduated from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary...

Today, we have Jarron Young on the show. Jarron was born and raised in fresno California and is the co-owner and operator of Phill's Family Grill. In partnership with older brother Phillip Young, they thrive to excel as entrepreneurs by continuing the legacy of late Father Phillip Young owner and operator of Phills Corner Grill in Clovis They are excited to soon be serving Fresno with their twist...

Today, we have Naomi Marie on the show. Naomi is a Fresno Artist born and educated in Fresno, California. She is involved in everything from Art Hop to Murals to teaching Art to students. Her goal, above all, is to bring more positivity back to Fresno’s Art scene. Books: Van Gogh: The Life  Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith  Artist Recommendations:  https://www.instagram.com/aiww/ https://www....

Today, we have Emily Dewise on the show. Emily is the founder of Emmies Swim School, where she gives swim and aquatic instruction. Coming from a family of aquatic instructors, Emily found her passion early and hopes to teach many kids across Fresno to learn to love swimming. With the days starting to warm up, I thought this would be the perfect conversation as we start to dream about swimming pool...

Today, we have Jeremy Hofer on the show. Jeremy is the Lending Manager for Self Help's Charter School division where he assists mission-oriented developers and nonprofits finance charter schools that lead to deep community impact. Before joining Self-Help in 2018, he directed Access Plus Capital, a CDFI loan fund serving small businesses.  Over the course of ten years he developed and managed the...

Today, we have Patrick Burriel on the show. Patrick is a Client Advocate with My Time Recovery and runs a sober living community with Next Door Ministries. Patrick is an incredible person and has a lot of deep wisdom to share. This podcast is deeply personal for me as I have watched family members struggle to work through addiction and I know a lot of people have family members or friends who have...

Today, we have Kaysha Rajani on the show. As the Founder and Creative Director of Curated Giftables, Kaysha Rajani is passionate about building and strengthening relationships through gifting. After enjoying a fifteen-year career in marketing and communications, she launched her company that specializes in large-scale, custom gifting for businesses and events, primarily serving California’s Centra...

Today, we have Keith Newton on the show. Keith has been a woodworker since his early teens. Over the course of a lifetime, he has honed his skills. He always strives for harmony with the wood and the piece the wood finally becomes. Keith chooses his logs carefully and orients them on the sawmill for the maximum benefit the log will yield. The cut slabs dry for three and a half years. Logs are urba...

Diego Arambula is transitioning into the role of Vice President of Educational Transformation at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, following over five years as a Managing Partner at Transcend, where he collaborated with educators nationwide to reimagine learning environments. His journey in public education began in 2005 at Summit Public Schools, where he served in various c...