The Lantern with Dr. Ryan Martin

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with Wisconsin artist and UW–Green Bay Lawton Gallery curator Cristian Andersson to talk about creativity, mentorship, community, and the power of figuring things out along the way. Cristian shares how a career in painting, photography, performance art, and even credit union management shaped his approach to making art and building commun...

In this episode of The Lantern, host Ryan Martin sits down with Beth Hudak, director of community engagement at House of Hope in Green Bay and the 2025 Wisconsin Women’s Network Excellence in Advocacy Award winner. Beth shares the journey that led her from studying women’s studies and film theory to a career centered on advocacy, nonprofit leadership, and community change. She reflects on the wome...

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with Dennis Rockhill, Makerspace Director for the Einstein Project, award-winning children’s book author and illustrator, and UW–Green Bay graduate. Dennis shares how creativity and curiosity have shaped his career, from graphic design and packaging to product development, makerspaces, and science education. Ryan and Dennis explore why cr...

In this episode of The Lantern, host Dr. Ryan Martin sits down with Barb Cedergren, founder and director of Barb’s Center for Dance, to reflect on 40 years of dance, determination, and community. Barb shares how growing up with limited resources, and a mother who sacrificed so much to support her dream, shaped her commitment to helping others. From starting her studio with just 60 students to grow...

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with Dennis Buehler, president and CEO of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, to explore the power of philanthropy, community, and small acts of kindness. From nearly 30 years in professional theater to leading one of Green Bay’s philanthropic organizations, Dennis reflects on how creativity, collaboration, and showing up every da...

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with CEO of Storytelling with Data and bestselling author Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. From her early career in applied mathematics and banking to teaching data visualization at Google and leading a global education company, Cole shares how she discovered that communication is just as important as analysis. Ryan and Cole explore storytelling,...

In this episode of The Lantern , Ryan sits down with UW–Green Bay music alum Randy Knaflic, whose unconventional career has taken him from jazz performance to leadership roles at Google, SpaceX, and Jawbone before returning to Wisconsin to help lead Storytelling with Data. Randy shares how curiosity, embracing discomfort, and meaningful relationships shaped a career that never followed a tradition...

Amanda Miceli believes connection begins with courage. In this episode of The Lantern , the founder of The Bold Marketing Agency shares how a creative mindset, a passion for people, and a willingness to trust her instincts helped her build a growing business centered on authentic branding and intentional community. Ryan and Amanda discuss entrepreneurship, mentorship, personal growth, and the impo...

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with UW–Green Bay assistant professor and documentary filmmaker Justin Kavlie. With a background that spans psychology, media production, and a PhD in communication, Justin shares how curiosity and a desire for deeper connection led him from the business world back into the classroom. Ryan and Justin explore the role of storytelling in fi...

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin sits down with Dr. Jenene Calloway, Senior Vice President of Human Resources at Schreiber Foods and founder of the Calloway Leadership Collective. With a background in industrial-organizational psychology and global leadership, Jenene brings both academic insight and real-world experience to her work developing leaders and strengthening organizatio...

In this episode of The Lantern, host Ryan Martin sits down with UW–Green Bay associate dean and writing professor Dr. Jennie Young, creator of the Burned Haystack Dating Method. Drawing on her background in rhetoric and discourse studies, Jennie applies critical thinking and communication analysis to the world of modern dating. Ryan and Jennie explore how online dating culture has evolved, why Gen...

“We’re here to serve.” That belief has guided DeDe Heid from her early days as a student leader at UW–Green Bay to her role today as president of Heid Music, a 75-year family business employing more than 90 people across Wisconsin. In this episode of The Lantern, DeDe shares how a small-town upbringing, a deep love of community, and a willingness to lean in shaped her path. From walking on to the...

Keifer Sykes has played in the NBA and across the globe, but some of his most formative years happened right here at UW-Green Bay. From arriving on campus at just 17 years old to becoming a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year and eventually seeing his jersey rise to the rafters, Keifer reflects on the work, belief, and community that shaped him. In this episode of The Lantern, he shares how...

Former Congressman and UW-Green Bay practitioner-in-residence Reid Ribble joins The Lantern to talk about truth-telling in an age of outrage, misinformation, and misplaced incentives. From social media, to Congress, to the classroom, Ribble reflects on leadership, failure, and why the next generation may be America’s greatest hope. 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and follow for more powerful stories from No...

In this episode of The Lantern, UW–Green Bay alum and marketing instructor Brad Zima reflects on the winding path that led him from engineering, to radio broadcasting, to higher education, and eventually to hosting his own podcast – Rooted Wisconsin. Brad and Ryan explore how gratitude, curiosity, and responsibility shape our willingness to take risks, how personal brand is built when you’re not i...

What does great leadership really look like? According to Pam Roecker, it starts with authenticity, confidence, and being willing to take risks. In this episode of The Lantern, the UW-Green Bay alum and current Dean of Athletics at Regis College shares lessons on networking, personal branding, career pivots, and why “it’s not who you know — it’s who knows you.” A must-listen for students navigatin...

In this episode of The Lantern, host Ryan Martin sits down with Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, to discuss fiscal responsibility, political polarization, and the importance of curiosity in public life. MacGuineas explains why growing federal deficits matter for everyday Americans, how borrowing today shapes opportunities for younger generations, and wh...

This week on The Lantern, Host Ryan Martin sits down with Otis Day, longtime radio personality and host of KISS FM Mornings with Otis, Katie, and Nick. Otis opens up about learning to choose positivity, navigating burnout, leaving radio after decades, and the surprising path that brought him back. He shares stories about his mom’s influence, his chaotic first internship, the power of surrounding y...

In this episode of The Lantern , Ryan sits down with actor, comedian, and UW-Green Bay alum Mary Gallagher , whose career includes appearances on Friends , How I Met Your Mother , The West Wing , Flightplan , and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert . Mary shares the unexpected path that led her from a quiet, artistic childhood in Wisconsin to the stages of Second City and the studios of Los Angeles...

In this episode of The Lantern, host Ryan Martin sits down with Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich to talk about public service, community, and what it means to lead with curiosity. From his start in local government to his ongoing work strengthening connections between the city and its people, Mayor Genrich reflects on what drives him—his deep roots in Green Bay, a belief in the power of collaboration,...

Dr. Alison Jane Martingano believes most people are good — not perfect, not flawless, but genuinely trying their best. And she’s got the research to prove it. In this episode, host Dr. Ryan Martin chats with Dr. Martingano, assistant professor of psychology and head of UW–Green Bay’s Social Research Lab, about what empathy really means, why it’s so hard (but so worth it), and how things like books...

Corey Behnke has produced the worldwide New Year’s Eve broadcast in Times Square for more than a decade, co-founded Cheesehead TV for Green Bay Packers fans, and now finds new passion tending a pollinator garden across from Lambeau Field. In this episode of The Lantern, Corey joins host Ryan Martin to talk about risk, resilience, and the creative drive that connects livestreams, sports, and soil....

In this episode of The Lantern , host Ryan Martin talks with Barb LaMue, President and CEO of New North, Inc., about her journey from growing up on a family farm to leading economic development across 18 counties in Northeast Wisconsin. Barb shares the story of her grandparents’ immigration, her passion for mentoring veteran-, women-, and diverse-owned businesses, and the programs she leads to con...

In this episode of The Lantern, Adam Kinzinger – former Congressman of Illinois' 16th District and Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard – joins Ryan Martin for a candid conversation about standing alone, pushing through doubt, and what it really means to lead with integrity. From imposter syndrome to national unity, Kinzinger reflects on the personal cost of breaking with his party and why...

In this episode of The Lantern Podcast, Dr. Ryan Martin sits down with Brian Johnson, CEO and driving force behind On Broadway — a dynamic local organization where vision, creativity, and community come together. Discover how Brian overcame unique challenges, built his platform from the ground up, and continues to spark positive change right here in Green Bay. 🎧 Listen, subscribe, and follow for...