It’s Your Community

July 30, 2023 ~ John Mansour lost two of his three children, Alexander, 11, and Gabrielle, 6, in a boating accident 10 years ago. Eleven-year-old Adriana survived the accident, suffering severe brain trauma, and was in critical condition for months. She is currently progressing and able to attend school. The family took comfort from many, but it was the church, several priests, and seminarians tha...

July 23, 2023 ~ Rick Culleton is hardly the kind of person you would expect to fly an airplane. He is fearful of heights and lacks a good sense of orientation. None of this, however, prevented him from earning a pilot’s license. Anxiety, ADHD and people labeling him a lost cause did not stop him from becoming highly successful as an entrepreneur either. In his candid debut book, "Messed Up Like Yo...

July 16, 2023 ~ Teresa Tomeo is the founder of T's Italy as a travel coach and consultant, which supplies advice on how to travel the country. She is also an author of more than 10 books, hosts a syndicated Catholic talk show host, and is a motivational speaker. She has more than 30 years of experience in TV, radio, and newspapers. Tomeo joins the show to talk about travels and pilgrimages to Ital...

July 8, 2023 ~ Lost Voices Executive Director Mike Ball joins the show to talk about his group of professional folk and blues musicians, who use the power of songwriting to bring hope and healing to kids who have experienced severe emotional trauma due to abuse, neglect, violence, addiction, and human trafficking. The group has reached over 2,500 young people to help them find a healthy place for...

July 2, 2023 ~ Elizabeth Arbaugh, curator of mammals at the Detroit Zoo, joins the show to talk about two recent animal births: a baby chimpanzee and a baby giraffe. A sea otter named Finn, miniature donkeys Rain and Pearl, and red ruffed lemurs Iray (ee-ray) and Telo (Tee-low) also recently joined the zoo's lineup.

June 25, 2023 ~ CEO of Life Remodeled Chris Lambert originally pursued a degree in marketing at Indiana University with the hope launching a career as a real estate developer. A spiritual awakening during his junior year led to a passion to follow Jesus, eventually earning his MDiv and doctorate in preaching. Moving to Liberia in 2007, he and his wife helped a village raise the necessary resources...

June 18, 2023 ~ AAA-The Auto Club Group spokesperson Adrienne Woodland joined the show to talk about AAA: The 100 Deadliest Days for Teen Drivers, and other travel topics. Over 30% of deaths involving teen drivers occur between Memorial and Labor days, making summer a dangerous time for young drivers. For more information, download the AAA Mobile app, visit AAA.com, and follow AAA on social media.

June 11, 2023 ~ Host Vanessa Denha Garmo interviewed several guests from the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island. The conversations focused on connecting, communicating, and collaborating with the community. Guests include President and CEO of the Midwest Independent Retailers Association, Bill Wild, Dan West, president and CEO of the Livonia Chamber,...

June 4, 2023 ~ Matt McCormick is a business coach and consultant from New Boston, Michigan. He has more than 30 years of experience helping entrepreneurs and small businesses procure and manage resources and personnel. McCormick has been working with the Vocational Villages in the Michigan Corrections System and has helped place several returning citizens with manufacturing and other companies all...

Doyle Glass was born in Midland, Texas is an author, historian, and sculptor dedicated to honoring those who fought in war. After earning degrees in history and law, he worked as an Assistant District Attorney in Texas and served as Assistant Attorney General in Kentucky. In 2000, Glass turned to the arts to tell stories of his childhood heroes. He sculpted a bronze statue of John Squires, who sav...

May 21, 2023 ~ Director of Educational Services and Youth Development at Dale Carnegie Courses Kathy Tosoian talks about how her classes changed after the COVID-19 pandemic, with teenagers and adults now attending classes together.

May 14, 2023 ~ Brigadier General Carol Ann Fausone joins the show to discuss her career as a medical officer. She graduated from the University of Michigan School of Nursing in 1975, and then received her commission in the United States Air Force as a medical officer in 1977. She established The Veteran Advocate, LLC, which is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business that assists veterans w...

May 7, 2023 ~ Scott Lorenz, of Westwind Book Marketing, is the author of the book “Book Title Generator.” In a typical book marketing campaign, Westwind Communications targets book reviewers at magazines, newspapers, and electronic media across the United States. Lorenz has developed and nurtured relationships with writers, editors, and producers.

April 30, 2023 ~ Melanie Duquesnel is the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which serves Eastern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. For more than 100 years, the BBB has helped people find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. In April, the BBB shared several consumer tips and warnings such as bait-and-switch scams targeting Detroit Metro Area Facebook groups.

April 23, 2023 ~ The new Executive Director of Playworks Vincent Kirkwood joins the program to discuss the nonprofit's effort to create healthy play environments across Michigan. By its 25th anniversary, Playworks served about 2.4 million children through 3,259 school partnerships, out-of-school providers, and community organizations.

April 16, 2023 ~ Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) put all of our kids at risk, regardless of race, health, or socioeconomic background. MPHI Center for Strategic Health Partnerships Senior Research Scientist Kelsey Sala-Hamrick, and Community Action Assistant Director Kristen De Long discuss some of the causal experiences for ACE, including divorce, parental incarceration, abuse, and neglect,...

April 9, 2023 ~ Detroit Zoological Society Public Events Manager Marissa Ratzenberger talks about the Detroit Zoo’s 2023 events, including the GreenFest, the E-Recycling Weekend, and the Zoo Brew, and how these events help to support the organization’s mission of creating meaningful connections between people, animals, and the natural world so that all can thrive.

April 2, 2023 ~ The Pacific Institute President and CEO John McNeil talks on how his workforce advisory firm applies the science behind human achievement to create high-performance work environments that deliver remarkable results.

March 26, 2023 ~ Certified Etiquette Coach Courtney Opalko talks on how the customary code of polite behavior helps her students to build confidence and improve communication skills, while realizing the true value of empathy and respect.

March 19, 2023 ~ Disabilities advocate Jennifer Stang talks during Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month about this debilitating nervous system disease that can cause vision loss, pain, fatigue, and impaired coordination. Learn about the stages of MS, the available treatments and support programs, and the research currently underway that gives hope for a cure.

March 12, 2023 ~ New York Times bestselling author Jay Margolis talks about his book, “My Maril: Marilyn Monroe, Ronald Reagan, Hollywood, and Me,” which recounts a memoir of experiences from Terry Karger, a close friend of these iconic stars.

March 5, 2023 ~ Dale Carnegie Educational Services & Youth Development Director Kathy Tosoian talks about the Dale Carnegie Course for Teens, a workforce preparedness program designed to help each enrolled high-school student build self-confidence, control stress, strengthen relationships, improve communication, and become a leader.

February 26, 2023 ~ Rick Brown from The Pacific Institute, a workforce coaching and advisory firm, talks about the philosophies behind curriculums that have built successful work environments across multiple industries, including education, veterans’ groups, athletics, law enforcement, government agencies, and real estate.

January 19, 2023 ~ Real estate broker Scott Agnew, author of the book, “Long-Term Leader,” speaks with Vanessa about how business leadership is evolving, and why a commitment to empathy, tenderness, understanding, and communication are critical qualities in helming a successful modern-day operation.

February 12, 2023 ~ Vanessa Denha Garmo interviewed Joe Hart, CEO of Dale Carnegie, about his new book he co-authored. “Take Command” offers powerful tools and time-tested methods to help you live an intentional life by transforming how you approach your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and future. Filled with stories of everyday people and based on expert research and interviews with more than...