White Fence Living

A lot of cities throw festivals. We try to build gatherings that feel like you belong there, even if you’ve never been before. That’s why I brought Abbey and Alonna from New Albany Community Events onto White Fence Living to talk about what’s happening this summer and what it really takes to make it welcoming, organized, and genuinely fun. We start with practical, local details like the free New A...

People toss around “Chamber of Commerce” like everyone automatically knows what it means, but most of us only see the logo and the event invites. We wanted the real, day-to-day picture, so we sat down with Emily Manter and Cherie Nelson from the New Albany Chamber of Commerce to talk about what they actually do, how they choose programming, and why it matters in a city that keeps growing faster th...

Motherhood looks polished from the outside until you are the one juggling pickups, homework, work stress, and the constant mental checklist. We sit down with three moms who have lived very different versions of it, then get honest about what actually helps: a real community that shows up, clear boundaries at home, and the courage to stop comparing yourself to everyone else. Justin is joined by his...

New Albany is booming, Brick House Blue is full, and the next location is already coming together in Hilliard. We sit down with Dave, co-founder of Brick House Blue, to talk through what coworking looks like when it’s built for real people, not just rented desks. Along the way we swap local updates, from Tiger Talks to the way New Albany keeps adding schools, buildings, and new projects that signa...

A community doesn’t “just happen” and New Albany is proof. We’re joined by Craig Mohre from the New Albany Community Foundation for a behind-the-scenes look at how local philanthropy, smart planning, and relentless collaboration turn big ideas into places people actually use. We start with what’s coming up around town, from school theatre at the McCoy to the New Albany Symphony featuring Renée Fle...

A priest tells the parish to “drink beer” during Lent and somehow it turns into one of the clearest roadmaps for spiritual growth you will hear all year. We sit down with Father Dave and Father PC from Resurrection Parish in New Albany, Ohio, and start with the personal stuff: vocation stories, conversion moments, and what it’s like to serve families week after week as parish priests. Along the wa...

Five New Albany seniors walk into the White Fence Living Podcast with nerves, jokes, and the kind of honesty you only get after the season ends. We start with a legendary “three fouls in twenty seconds” moment, then pivot into what really defined their year: surviving rough patches, leaning on teammates, and learning how to play free while still staying disciplined when the stakes rise. We dig int...

Five seniors from New Albany girls basketball join me for a loose, funny, and surprisingly honest roundtable about what it takes to build a winning high school program. We start with the season arc: a 17-9 record, an OCC title and district championship, and a run that reaches the regional final. The ending stings, but the pride is real, especially when you hear how much growth happened behind the...

Some towns shape you; some you help shape. Christy and John Richardson have done both in New Albany, Ohio—raising four kids through a blur of rec leagues and travel teams while transforming their family business, Traditions Landscape, from mowing routes into a boutique design-build shop known for thoughtful patios, pavilions, and lighting. We trade memories of two-lane roads and dairy stands, then...

What does real support look like when a cancer diagnosis hits the middle of ordinary life? We dive into the story behind the Karen Wellington Foundation and explore how “fun” becomes care: dinners that taste like freedom, concerts that shake off chemo fog, Disney pools where a mom laughs with her kids and forgets she’s bald for an afternoon. It’s not about escaping reality; it’s about restoring it...

One tangled mic cable led to a wide‑open conversation with Jean‑Luc Grand‑Pierre that hits harder than a blue line check. We go from Montreal’s big‑city pulse and Haitian family roots to the quiet advantages of Columbus and why New Albany’s 20‑minute radius just works when you’re juggling practices, school runs, and careers. Jean‑Luc traces his path from junior hockey at 16 to the NHL and then int...

The heart of a hometown isn’t a map; it’s the people who keep its stories alive. Lauren joins us to chart New Albany’s journey from fields and single-campus days to a thriving, intentionally planned community where a preserved mill becomes a brewery, a new roundabout reroutes semis, and a Friday night crowd can still feel like family. Her path runs through athletics—cross country, basketball, trac...

A few rows of tomatoes. That’s all it took to spark a movement that now feeds families across Central Ohio with fresh, organic produce grown by neighbors who care. Catherine Duffy joins us to share how she and her husband Sean turned pandemic downtime into Garden for All, a year-round operation that donates tens of thousands of pounds of food to local pantries while building a stronger, kinder com...

What happens when 7,500 cyclists, 3,000 volunteers, and tens of thousands of spectators come together for a common cause? Something truly extraordinary.  Joe Apgar, CEO of Pelotonia and a cancer survivor himself, takes us behind the scenes of the organization that has raised over $320 million for cancer research at The James Cancer Hospital. His personal journey from testicular cancer diagnosis du...

What does it take to build a thriving art gallery from the ground up? Hayley's journey offers a masterclass in following your passion against all odds. Growing up on Long Island with its breathtaking beaches, Hayley developed an early love for beauty and creativity through museum visits with her art-teacher sister. While her corporate marketing career took her around the world, art remained h...

What if the solution to a complex challenge isn't what experts assume, but what users actually need? Aaron Westbrook discovered this truth firsthand, born without his right hand in a world where representation for people with limb differences was practically non-existent. Aaron's story begins in New Albany, where his family has deep roots going back to the 1940s. As a tech-savvy teenager...

What if technology could bridge equity gaps instead of widening them? In this thought-provoking conversation with Brad Griffith, founder of Buckeye Innovation, we explore how purposeful technology is transforming lives in unexpected ways. Brad takes us on a journey from his early days as one of the first tenants in New Albany's business incubator to building applications that help students wi...

Have you ever wondered what makes a service dog so extraordinary? In this eye-opening conversation with Matt from Canine Companions, we uncover the remarkable journey these dogs take from puppyhood to becoming life-changing partners for people with disabilities. Nestled on 16 acres in New Albany sits one of the country's most impactful nonprofits that many locals don't even realize exist...

Three identical brothers, one million YouTube views, and a rapidly growing podcast that's capturing their community's attention. Meet Houston and Alexander, two-thirds of the triplet team behind "Anything Flies," a podcast that transformed from casual lunch table debates into a media platform with impressive reach. What started as six high school friends discussing sports has e...

What happens when a physician reimagines healthcare from the ground up? Dr. Oza takes us behind the curtain of his concierge medical practice, revealing a revolutionary approach to patient care that prioritizes time, relationships, and prevention over the traditional revolving-door model. As a third-generation physician who transitioned from hospital medicine to concierge care, Dr. Oza explains ho...

Katie's journey between Madrid and Columbus reveals the profound ways living abroad shapes your perspective on community, work, and what truly matters in life. After falling in love with Spain during a high school language program, Katie built a relationship with the country that spanned years, eventually living in Madrid while working remotely for a Texas-based insurance startup serving Hisp...

What happens when the final out is called on your high school baseball career? Four graduating seniors from New Albany's baseball team take us behind the scenes of their remarkable journey to the state semifinals. Jacob Richardson (second base), Brandon Pettinger (DH/first base), Trey Wentz (pitcher), and Tanner Hamilton-Ekinger (pitcher/shortstop) bring us into their world with candid reflec...

Mario Jordan sits across from me with a quiet confidence that belies his youth. Having just graduated from New Albany High School, this young man has already accumulated more life experience than many twice his age. Our conversation reveals an extraordinary story of adaptation and perseverance. After transferring from Columbus City Schools as a freshman, Mario faced the challenge of catching up to...

When Michaela Nash posted a TikTok video of her family that went viral in December 2022, she decided to follow her dream of applying for Family Feud. Little did the Nash family know this spontaneous application would lead to an unforgettable adventure on national television a year later. In this engaging conversation, the Nash family—Michaela, Braylon, and Marsha—share their remarkable journey fro...

What if a cancer diagnosis didn't just mean treatment schedules and doctor appointments, but also included something to look forward to—a moment of pure joy during the toughest battle of your life? That's the revolutionary idea behind the Karen Wellington Foundation, an organization I had the privilege of exploring with Columbus chapter leader Irene Adams. Karen Wellington lived with bre...