The Sound Lens Podcast

Amber Pendergraph-Leak is the Executive Director of BirthMatters, which is in Amber’s words, “A small non profit making a big impact, in the Upstate of South Carolina”. BirthMatters reduces teen pregnancy through reproductive health education and empowers expectant young adults to raise healthy families through doulas utilizing the community health worker model. Amber’s work educating and celebrat...

Araceli Hernandez-Laroche is the Founding Director of South Carolina Centro Latino (El Centro) at the University of SC Upstate, where she is also a professor of Modern Languages, and past Assistant Chair of the Department of Language, Literature and Composition. In addition to her roles on campus, she serves on the Chamber of Commerce, the LGBT Fund Committee, the Board of the Chapman Cultural Cen...

Hannah Materne is an artist, designer, poet and tattoo artist. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Design from Concordia University in Montreal Canada, and runs the Point Artist Residency as founder, facilitator and on-site guide. Her first book of poetry, little cures volume 1 : change, was published in December 2019, and volume 2 : solace followed in 2020. Hannah’s creativity blurs the conventi...

Jacquie Gauthier has been a popular radio host and television personality in Canada, a playwright and producer in New York, and now an author, yoga teacher and certified nature guide in South Africa. Our conversation spans three countries and two continents! Jacquie’s adventures reveal her grit and determination to lead a life filled with love and possibility. References: Canadian Aid to Southern...

Jason MacDonald was born and raised in Canada and moved to New York City to attend Circle in the Square Theatre School. He is an actor, director, producer and instructor, and you may recognize him from his roles in The Vampire Diaries, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, The Man from Toronto, Welcome to Flatch, to name just a few! He is also the co-founder of the acting school Drama Inc, in Atlanta. Jaso...

Jennifer Slay is a multi-award-winning speaker, coach, therapist, registered social worker and a certified trainer, having served on numerous boards and advisory committees all while running her successful business, Jennifer Slay Counseling and Coaching. With over 20 years experience in community leadership, she has just stepped into the role of Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolon...

Donna Creighton is a storyteller and musician, whose lifelong career in music has included record deals, music awards, cross-country tours, and New York off Broadway shows. Her most recent audiences, though, have been in the classroom, and this is where we begin our conversation. We discuss with Donna the transition from her career as a touring musician to full-time teacher. In the recap, Gillian...

Meghan Kirwin is the co-founder of Vitality At Work and The Kirwin Group, which are an extension of her mission to empower individuals, teams and organizations to thrive. She has a Masters of Science in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of East London, which she utilizes as an instructor at the Centre for Public Health and Wellbeing at Wilfrid Laurier University. Meghan details socie...

Donald D’Haene is an award winning author, performer, blogger, reporter, stand-up comedian and tv host. He was on Oprah Winfrey’s 200 Survivors Episode after the launch of his first book, Father’s Touch. Donald is currently writing his second book, a sequel to Father’s Touch. Donald shares his heart wrenching and inspirational story in writing his family memoirs. It’s a revealing conversation that...

Carlee Dowsett is the creator and owner of the handmade jewelry company Sunday Brunch, as well as the event planning company Everlee, a self-described dreamer and weirdo, which we can relate to. And she's also obsessed with her rescue pups, Molly and Loony. With humour and candid insight, Carlee shares her journey of resilience through marketing, event planning, and an unexpected leap into jew...