Inspired Island

In this episode, we get to know Amanda Knox! Amanda is an exoneree, journalist, advocate, author, host of the podcast ⁠⁠ Hard Knox ⁠⁠, and a fellow islander. Many people around the world are familiar with Amanda's story, but we go way beyond the headlines in this conversation. We chat about Amanda's newest projects -- her second book,  ⁠⁠FREE: My Search for Meaning⁠⁠ , and the Hulu/Disney+ mini-se...

In this episode, we sit down with Abigail Lawson of  Studio Stillpoint ! Abby is a yoga teacher, a community builder, and a small-business owner on Vashon Island. With the help of a diverse group of fellow teachers, Abby curates a variety of yoga classes, community gatherings, and holistic practices at Stillpoint. Join us to hear how Abby first fell in love with yoga, her passion for community, an...

In this week's episode, we get to know Susan Ross, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and owner of Susan Ross & Associates here on Vashon Island. With over four decades of experience in therapy, Susan is passionate about supporting islanders with their mental health, especially overcoming traumas and conditions like PTSD, anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Susan sheds light on several popular...

In this episode, we get to know Aimée Cartier! You may know of Aimée from her Voice of Vashon show,  Intuition For Changemakers . In this episode, we chat about Aimée's work as a psychic guide and intuition and empath teacher who supports her clients and students as they align with their own highest good. Aimée shares her personal story and how she realized her psychic gifts, and the unique op...

Join us to meet Katelyn Costley! Katelyn is a licensed midwife and the executive director of Vashon Island Midwifery, an organization providing personalized and accessible reproductive, pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum health and education services to birthing families on the island. Katelyn shares her journey into midwifery - inspired by her own personal childbirth experience - and her visio...

In this week's episode, we get to know Eva Papp! Eva is a psychotherapist, field researcher, and the author of the new book  Chasing the Wild Authentic: A Field Guide to the Practices, Boundaries, and North Star of Living Your Truth ,  which presents a framework to discover a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of oneself through tapping into emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations -- w...

In this episode, we get to know Ainslie MacLeod and Christine Love-MacLeod! Ainsley is an internationally-acclaimed past life psychic and author, and he has broken into the mainstream media through appearances on the Ellen DeGeneres Show and Oprah's Super Soul podcast. Christine is a grounded spiritual mentor, and together they explore the significance of past lives in understanding one's...

Join us to meet Bill Moyer, the Executive Director and co-founder of the Backbone Campaign, a movement-building organization based here on Vashon Island. Bill chats with us about the origins of the Backbone Campaign, their art-driven activism, and some of their most memorable campaigns -- including helping to organize the community to block the development of a gravel mine on Maury Island in 2008....

In this episode, we meet Max Silverman, the creator and developer of the brand-new (and free!) Ferry Godmother app, designed specifically to help Vashon Islanders coordinate errands and rides off the island. We learn about the inspiration behind the app and the features that make it unique, including sharing expiring ferry passes. Max discusses his childhood dream of being an inventor, his transit...

In this episode, we get to know Dr. Steven W. Nourse, a seasoned educator and host of " IsAbled " on KVSH which explores topics pertinent to various disabilities. Steve shares stories from his life, including his experiences of being adopted and meeting his biological siblings as an adult, and his perspectives from using a wheelchair since 1971, when he contracted a virus on his honeymoon. We also...

In this episode, we get to know Ted Kennedy Watson! Ted is a designer, curator, businessman, and author, and he owns and runs two iconic stores in downtown Seattle: Watson Kennedy Fine Living and Watson Kennedy Fine Home. Join us to hear how Ted got his start in the design and retail world (hint: it involves Bill Gates) and how he has managed to keep two shops successful for over 20 years in a cit...

In this episode, we meet Seth Zuckerman, an islander who co-authored the exciting new book  A Forest of Your Own: The Pacific Northwest Handbook of Ecological Forestry . Seth and co-author Kirk Hanson have developed the first comprehensive how-to guide for forest stewards and enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest, lending their decades of experience and expertise in all things forest-related to the...

In this episode, we sit down with Odin Lonning! Odin is a prolific and award-winning Tlingit artist based here on Vashon Island. Born and raised in Alaska, Odin has a deep knowledge of and relationship with the natural world that is reflected and celebrated in his art. With his wife Ann Stateler, who many of us know as Orca Annie, Odin is a tireless advocate for the rights and health of the iconic...

Meet Don and Charlotte Stuart! Don is a respected advocate for the economic, environmental, and political sustainability of farms and fisheries, and he recently published  No Farms, No Food: Uniting Farmers and Environmentalists to Transform American Agriculture . Don also directed the American Farmland Trust’s Pacific Northwest Regional Office for over a decade and is a retired attorney. After a...

In this new episode, we get to know Manny Chao of Georgetown Brewing Company ! Yes, our fellow islander Manny is the man behind Manny's Pale Ale, the iconic Seattle beer. Join us to learn about Manny's childhood in Spain and beyond, how he fell in love with beer while trying to impress a date during college, and the persistence it took to land his first big job in the industry. Manny share...

In this episode, we get to know Emily Wigley! Emily is the woman behind the beloved Orca Eats food truck. As Emily enters retirement, she sits down to reflect on what it was like to run this popular business for the last six years. Join us to hear how Emily’s teenage job taught her how food service can also be community service, and how she has put this into practice through her work with the Vash...

In this episode, we chat with Ann McLaughlin! Ann recently published the book "World Change-Maker: Build Skills in International Development and Social Work", which is designed as a guidebook to help people looking to volunteer or work internationally. But, as we discuss in the interview, the book offers value for anyone hoping to make a positive impact on the world. Ann is a psycho...

In this week's episode, we chat with Tara Morgan of  C'Mon Barber ! During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, a simple request from a neighbor led Tara to her new passion and business venture. After finishing barber school, Tara launched a mobile barbershop in June 2021, biking or driving to islanders to cut, groom, and style their hair in the comfort and safety of their own surroundin...

Join us to get to know Dr. Jim Bristow! Many of us on Vashon Island know Dr. Bristow from his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic; he is part of a core team of volunteer medical professionals who have worked tirelessly to keep Vashon safe and informed. But what you might not know is that Dr. Bristow is a semi-retired physician-scientist who practiced as a pediatric cardiologist in San Fra...

In this episode, we get to know Amy Carey! As the Executive Director of  Sound Action , Amy helps to protect vital nearshore habitat and species -- including wild salmon and orca -- across the Puget Sound region. Amy is well known for her local expertise in animals and wildlife, and she is also behind the Pod Blast , a subscription alert system providing text notifications when whales are vis...

In this episode, Grace sits down with Captain Marsha Morse, one of the most experienced ferry captains in Washington State. Captain Morse was one of the very first women to be hired by Washington State Ferries, working her way up from an entry-level position in the 70s. Join us to hear how it was Captain Morse’s horse that led her both to Vashon Island and into this unique career, and how working...

Inspired Island is back after a long hiatus!!  In this episode, we sit down with Kate Dowling. As Executive Director of Voice of Vashon , Kate manages the day-to-day operations of our beloved community radio station. Kate’s story takes us across the world, from her childhood in Canada, to adventures in Europe as an au pair, to San Antonio, to traveling around Asia for her job at Starbucks. Jo...

After a winter hiatus, we're back with an exciting new interview! Captain Joe Wubbold is well-known on Vashon for being a guardian, historian, and educator for our historic Point Robinson lighthouse. Captain Joe had a long and distinguished career with the U.S. Coast Guard, where he commanded six different ships and served as Chief of Operations for the 13th Coast Guard District (including th...

In this episode, we meet Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma! Tom is married to last week's guest, David Mielke , and together they are preparing to premiere their show, " Gaybaret: An Offering of Story and Song " on November 22 at Vashon Center for the Arts. Tom is an author, poet, translator, teacher, magician, and musician. His first book of poems, The Safety of Edges , was published earlier this year. Tom...

In this episode, we meet David Mielke! David and his husband Thomas Hitoshi Pruiksma are performing their original show " Gaybaret " at Vashon Center for the Arts from November 22 to 24, 2019. David is a professional actor, having appeared in both film and television and creating and performing one-person shows. Join us to hear how one amazing teacher changed David's life and helped him overcome a...