The Sound Legacy Podcast

Some people carry a heavy life and become bitter. Helen Hayes carried one of the heaviest lives you will ever hear about and became someone you want to sit next to at breakfast. Helen is the author of Secrets, Shame and Silence, a memoir that begins with grinding poverty in the Pacific Northwest and does not let up from there. Murder, suicide, foster care, loss, and a few continents in between. An...

David Knepler has lived a life that refuses to travel in a straight line. Raised in Connecticut by a professor-hypnotistfather and a glazier's daughter, he studied acting in 1975 Greenwich Village, got arrested protesting nuclear power, picked oranges for room and board, helped pioneer the Bay Area natural foods movement, and eventually found his calling as a gerontologist. He recently retired...

Michele Hughes has spent her life doing things most people only dream about: building a luxury real estate empire across Aspen, Kauai, and San Francisco, and now hosting Ageless and Timeless, a leading podcast on longevity and wellness. In this conversation, Michele sits down with us to talk about what it means to reinvent yourself, why the stories we tell about aging matter, and what she's le...

Our guest today is John Roosevelt Boettiger, psychologist, author, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He is also one of the very few living people who spent his childhood inside the Roosevelt White House, where his grandfather Franklin was busy running the free world, and his grandmother Eleanor was traveling it. While John is the grandson of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, he’s also the...

Cece O'Connor grew up wanting to be Barbra Streisand. She ended up spending decades at the bedsides of the dying. In between: theater on the docks of Nova Scotia, oncology wards in Toronto, and years inside the psychiatric emergency system in San Francisco. Today, she works as an end-of-life consultant and death doula in the San Francisco Bay Area, helping people and families navigate what mos...

Dr. Stephanie Rogers has spent her career doing something most people avoid: leaning into aging. As a geriatrician, reluctant Instagram educator, triathlete-in-training, and lifelong musician, she brings a rare combination of clinical expertise and genuine joy to one of life's most universal experiences. In this episode, we go back to the beginning. Stephanie grew up in Illinois playing music...

Our guest today is Tiffany Fischer, a nurse care manager with Aging Solutions and a former Marine who has spent her career showing up for people at their most vulnerable moments. Tiffany grew up in eastern Pennsylvania with deep military roots. Her father, grandfather, and great-grandfather all served. We talk about her upbringing, her time in the Marines, and the work she does helping aging adult...

Our guest today is Mike Wolpert — photographer, videographer, and fellow keeper of family stories. Mike grew up in Brooklyn in the 1970s, shaped by a close-knit Jewish family and grandparents whose stories deserved to be remembered. Before picking up a camera, he spent years in radio, starting in the New York rock and roll scene before eventually landing in the Bay Area. We talk about the road tha...

In this episode of The Sound Legacy Podcast , Shessa reflects on a life shaped by art, performance, storytelling, and loss. From childhood dance and early writing to embodying goddesses on stage, she shares how creativity, humility, and memory have guided her sense of meaning. The conversation also includes a discussion with Danica about her motivations for joining  Little Brothers – Friends of th...

In this episode of The Sound Legacy Podcast , 92-year-old Janey Norman reflects on a life rooted in history, care, and service. Born in Texas in the 1930s and raised in San Francisco, Janey shares stories of migration and education. She speaks about her deep love for music and African art, her lifelong commitment to People with intellectual and developmental disabilities—including her work with th...

In this special episode of The Sound Legacy Podcast , we talk with Cathy Michalec , Executive Director of Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly , about a life rooted in service, listening, and human dignity. Cathy shares her unique career path, from the Peace Corps to teaching, volunteering, and nonprofit leadership, and how each chapter shaped her commitment to community and care. We explore t...

Our guest today is Paula Marks, Vice President of At Home Caregivers. We talk about her early life—from Northern Ontario to Barbados—and how growing up with independence and uncertainty shaped the way she understands people. Paula shares her perspective on aging and care, and why good caregiving isn’t about fixing what’s broken, but about showing up and being present. With a focus on dignity, empa...

Our guest today is Tiffaney Rae Adams, the Regional Director of Partnerships and Head of Care Coordination with Care For Seniors. We talk a bit about her personal history, her influences and interests, and why those made her the ideal person to do what she does. By ensuring dignity and compassionate care for seniors, Tiffaney helps families honor the ancient contract between a community and its el...

Have you thought about what happens when you die? Not with your soul, or consciousness, but with your bank account, your telephone, your life insurance, your photos, your computer? Well, our guest, Stacey Tunteri, sure has, and she wants to share her findings with YOU! Stacey is a life and legacy organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She approaches her work from a place of deep knowing and pers...

If you care about community radio, take a break and give this one a listen. From tractor-driving on a historic apple farm to leading one of California’s most beloved community radio stations, Amanda Eichstaedt’s journey is anything but ordinary. In this episode, Amanda shares wild hospitality stories, tales of biking across the country, and how she helped KWMR weather both literal and political st...

Gary Arndt has visited over 140 countries, spoken on every continent, and produced more than 1,400 episodes of his podcast  Everything Everywhere Daily . But beneath the stats is a storyteller who’s driven not by clicks, but by curiosity. In this wide-ranging conversation, we dig into the evolution of online content, the dangers of algorithmic gatekeepers, and why podcasting might be the last true...

In this episode of the Sound Legacy podcast, we sit down with Dr. Linda Berry—chiropractor, nutritionist, and gentle guide through the healing process. Her story begins with a life dedicated to dance, until a devastating car accident changed everything. What followed was a remarkable recovery, a complete reimagining of purpose, and a 40+ year career helping others find wellness in body and spirit....

When Mike O’Krent visited Auschwitz in 2020, he didn’texpect to find his family name—71 times—in the Book of Names. That moment cracked something open. What followed was a journey not only through his ancestry but into a deeper purpose: helping others preserve their legacies before it’s too late. In this episode, Mike shares his story with host AndrewCouch—growing up in San Antonio, riding horses,...

When Firuze Gokce and her family moved from Turkey to Petaluma, California, they’d never even visited. But something about a podcast host’s voice, the pull of the ocean, and a gut-level trust in intuition led them across the world—and into a new life. In this episode, Firuze shares her journey from tech entrepreneur to visual artist and whale advocate. Raised in a home filled with political debate...

Today on The Sound Legacy Podcast, acclaimed sports journalist Ann Killion joins us to talk about more than just the games. A longtime columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and co-author of books with Jennie Finch and Hope Solo, Ann shares how sportswriting became a vehicle for storytelling, empathy, and standing up for others. From her creative childhood in Mill Valley to forging her voice in...

When Nancy Spring shared a 90-second clip about her decades-long nursing career, it resonated far and wide, reaching nearly 800,000 people. In this episode, she takes us deeper into the roots of her life in care. Nancy reflects on growing up in the aftermath of her father’s wartime trauma—navigating the quiet devastation of PTSD, poverty, and loss. With honesty and grace, she shares the story of h...

Welcome to the Sound Legacy Podcast. In this episode, hosts Andrew Couch and Paul Shelton discuss their journey into the world of family storytelling through audio and video production. They explore their backgrounds in film and TV news, the art of interviewing, and the emotional connections that arise from preserving personal stories. The conversation highlights the significance of memories and h...