Powered by Authenticity

What happens when someone in your community needs helpputting food on the table, but you don't even realize they're struggling? Batavia City Councilman Nick Lord joins Powered byAuthenticity for a conversation about food insecurity, the challenges facing families in smaller communities, and his mission to make a difference through Homelessfor Hunger . Recorded outside First Presbyterian Ch...

What does it take to make a meaningful difference in thelives of more than 32,000 people each year? At Harvest House in Buffalo, the answer begins withlistening to the community and recognizing that everyone deserves access to opportunities and support. We visited Harvest House to sit down with CEO BrandyLoveland and learn how an organization that began in 1993 has grown into a vital resource for...

What does it really take to turn something you love into a successful career? For Chef Charmaine Broughton, the journey began long before the television appearances and the publication of her cookbook Delicious & Doable . This week on Powered by Authenticity , Charmaine shares how she built her career through hard work, persistence and a passion for bringing people together through food. Charmaine...

For Jon Tesch, becoming a restaurant owner was something he'd dreamed about for years. But when the opportunity came to purchase Uncle Jon's Place in Batavia, New York, the timing wasn't exactly perfect. As Jon shares, there may never be a perfect time to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Sometimes you simply have to do it. On this episode of Powered by Authenticity , Jon takes us t...

What does an executive look like? What does an executivesound like? And who gets to decide? After 16 years in corporate finance, Jenny Chen receivedplenty of feedback. At one point, she was told she wasn't nice enough. She adjusted. Later, she was told she was too nice. Then, at a senior level in her career, she was told she didn't look or talk like an executive. Her response? “What do exe...

A great idea means very little if we never act on it. Lindsay Joseph joins Emily Carlson to talk about the idea that eventually became BedConnect and the leap of faith required to leave a successful healthcare career to build it. Lindsay is the Co-Founder and CEO of BedConnect. Her career has taken her from PricewaterhouseCoopers to hospital operations and eventually the CFO role at a Level 1 trau...

Technology can change how we work. But it can't replace perspective, relationships and the people behind the work. Charles “Charlie” Gaudet joins Emily Carlson for a conversation that starts with the changing world of business and ultimately explores a much bigger question: What does success really look like? Charlie is the founder of Predictable Profits and a lifelong entrepreneur who helps b...

Buffalo is known for a lot of things. But did you know some of the technology helping us return to the moon is being built right here in Western New York? Emily and Producer Ken visit Moog for a conversation with Nicole Wodka Cook, General Manager, Space Actuation Systems, about the people behind some extraordinary work. Moog recently celebrated 75 years in business. Today, approximately 4,500 peo...

In this exciting, on-location BONUS episode of Powered by Authenticity, recorded at the beautiful Rife Estate Winery, a Title Sponsor of the Niagara 5000, we are joined by Garth - a returning participant in the event from Western NY. Garth shares his journey from Jamaica to Buffalo, his appreciation for automotive engineering and artistry, why he thinks events such as Niagara 5000 are so important...

What does it take to completely change the direction of your life? After nearly 30 years in the corporate world, Marzia Murdoch knew she was ready for something different. That decision eventually led to 180 Estate Winery in Jordan Station, Ontario and a new chapter built alongside her family. In this conversation, Marzia shares the journey behind her 180. We talk about leaving a long career, taki...

Some of the most important opportunities in our lives begin with a connection. Christine Bongard knows the power of those connections firsthand. As co-founder and CEO of The WIT Network, she has helped build a global community where women can find support and develop relationships that can change the direction of a career. Christine joins Emily Carlson on Powered by Authenticity to share the story...

Supercars. Aviation. Incredible experiences. The beauty of Niagara. Niagara 5000 is designed to create something founder Alana Hurov describes as a truly cinematic experience , unlike anything else in the region or, as she shares, even in North America. But behind the wow factor is a story with a much deeper purpose. In this episode of Powered by Authenticity, Emily Carlson sits down with Alana at...

Small towns don't move forward on their own. They need people who see possibility, invest in ideas, preserve what matters and are willing to take action when opportunity presents itself. Matthew (Matty) Gray is one of those people in Batavia, New York. His journey wasn't mapped out years in advance. When Matty and his wife knew they wanted to return home to Batavia, they didn't necessarily know wh...

On this episode of Powered by Authenticity , Emily welcomes back Claire Skillen for a thoughtful conversation about leadership, healing, resilience, and the power of human connection. While Claire's "Copilot Approach" serves as the foundation of the discussion, the conversation quickly becomes something much deeper. It's about helping people rediscover their own strength, trustin...

Some people change the world by inventing something new. Others do it by simply making someone smile. On this episode of Powered by Authenticity , Emily sits down with artist, Food Network champion and Guinness World Record holder Eric Jones. While many people know Eric for his incredible snow sculptures, pumpkin carvings and larger-than-life public art, this conversation quickly reveals that his...

Every community has places that become part of its story. They're the places where children learn to skate, families gather on weekends, lifelong friendships begin, and traditions are passed from one generation to the next. For Batavia, New York, the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena is one of those places. In this episode of Powered by Authenticity, Emily Carlson sits down with Executive Director...

Cancer changes lives—not just for the person receiving the diagnosis, but for their family, friends, and entire support system. The Circle the Wagons Foundation exists to ensure that no one has to face that journey alone. In this episode of Powered by Authenticity , Emily welcomes the founders of the Circle the Wagons Foundation back to the show for an update on the incredible momentum the organiz...

What do rescue dogs, York Peppermint Patties, Buffalo Bills football, mentorship, and AI infrastructure have in common? This week on Powered by Authenticity, quite a bit. Emily is joined by Kathy Kirchner, Senior Vice President ofService Assurance at Zayo, for a conversation about leadership, telecommunications, AI infrastructure, and the people working behind the scenes to keep the digital world...

Enhancing the human experience starts with putting peoplefirst. In this episode of Powered by Authenticity, Emily sits downwith Chris Hallberg, CEO of GoExpand, and founder of The Business Sergeant. Chris is a veteran, entrepreneur, and leadership coach who believes organizations perform best when leaders empower others to lead. Together, they explore leadership that scales, teams thatexecute, and...

What does it take to build a career by recognizing opportunities before everyone else? In this episode of Powered by Authenticity , Emily sits down with Christina Duvall, President of Renegade Talent Management and CelebExperts. Christina shares the experiences that shaped her leadership journey, from becoming the youngest Vice President in company history at 22 to leading one of the industry's pr...

Polished grit. Refreshingly spicy. Casually iconic. That's Buffalo for you. In this episode, I sit down with Patrick Kaler, President & CEO of Visit Buffalo, to explore the story behind Buffalo's evolution and why the city continues to earn recognition as one of America's most reimagined cities. While many people know Visit Buffalo for helping attract visitors to the region, this conversation...

Behind every fundraising goal is a story, and behind every story are the people who help make it possible. In this follow-up conversation, Russell Hill reflects on reaching his fundraising goal for the American Lung Association's Fight for Air Climb and the incredible support that helped make it happen. What began as a personal mission to honor his daughter became a powerful reminder of what is po...

In this episode of Powered by Authenticity, Emily sits down with Sergeant Justin Collins of the Rochester Police Department for a conversation that goes far beyond policing. With more than two decades of experience in law enforcement, Sergeant Collins shares not only his journey in public safety, but also his passion for mentoring and developing the next generation of leaders entering the workforc...

This is a very special episode of Powered by Authenticity as we take our listeners inside the Women in Tech of Western New York conference in downtown Buffalo. Throughout the day, we had the opportunity to connect with some of the most inspiring trailblazers, leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers helping shape the future of Western New York. From mentorship and leadership to innovation, technol...

We recently had the opportunity to speak with the American Lung Association to talk about the upcoming Fight for Air Climb. While there, I had the distinct pleasure of speaking with Erika VanDette. Erika is part of Team Roswell and shares her story of ‘why she climbs’ each year. Hearing how she is raising funds for lung health awareness in memory of her mother is something that resonated deeply wi...