The Healing Power of Songwriting: "I don't know how to write a song that doesn't have something to do with healing." - Eric Gnezda We sit down with the multi-talented Eric Gnezda—an award-winning singer-songwriter, storyteller, and the creative force behind PBS’s Songs At The Center . Broadcasting from Columbus, Ohio, and airing on over 400 PBS stations nationwide, Songs at the Center celebrates the power of music and the often unsung art of songwriting. Eric opens up about his journey from radi...
Jun 30, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 7Ep. 139
The Importance of Values Over Goals: "That goal might shift or change a little bit as life circumstances change, but usually your values as a person are not changing. What is most important to you, your why isn't changing." Ben Hoeger We sit down with returning guest Ben Hoeger, Director at the Hedley Hoeger Group at Baird Private Wealth Management, to help us navigate the unpredictable world of personal finance. With the stock market experiencing constant ups and downs, rising interest rates, a...
Jun 16, 2025•54 min•Season 7Ep. 138
We welcome Charity Eilerman, manager of Senior Hunger Programs at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, to discuss the organization's remarkable efforts to support Ohioans facing food insecurity. Since 1980, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective has been a crucial part of the community, providing nourishing meals and supportive services to those in need. Charity shares her extensive background in social services and her passion for addressing senior hunger and nutrition. We explore various programs and services ...
Jun 02, 2025•39 min•Season 7Ep. 137
Here’s the heart of this episode in a nutshell: This “Looking Forward Our Way” episode is all about helping Ohioans make sense of their utility bills and understand their rights as utility customers. We sit down with Kathryn Metz from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC)—basically the state’s watchdog and advocate for regular folks when it comes to utilities like electricity, gas, water, and even landline phones. Why should anyone care? Because utilities are something we all have to deal with, and ...
May 19, 2025•41 min•Season 7Ep. 136
The Library Reimagined: "We're really talking about, how our library serves a diverse array of customer needs and in in different spaces and places. So that may not be just checking out a book in a branch, but what's the web presence? Right? What's what's the website like? How do we connect with this really growing area of usage with electronic content, ebooks, and especially digital audiobooks is is our, you know, biggest area of growth." - Benjamin Reid, Public Services Director for the Columb...
May 05, 2025•55 min•Season 7Ep. 135
"Tax Fairness for Homeowners": "We need to keep senior citizens in their homes or disabled folks or veterans so they get to keep their homes by doing something for the property taxes so they don't get taxed out of their houses." - State Senator Bill DeMora In this episode, we look into the pressing issue of the housing crisis and its impact on property taxes in Ohio. Joining us is Ohio State Senator Bill DeMora of the 25th District, who shares his journey from being the "accidental senator" to h...
Apr 21, 2025•57 min•Season 7Ep. 134
In this episode we welcome back Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland , to give an update on the Dream Big initiative and the new STEM Leadership Center at Camp Ken-Jockety. Tammy shares the excitement surrounding the opening of the building and its functional purpose, emphasizing that it serves not only the girls but also the wider community and youth in Central Ohio. Top takeaways STEM Leadership Center : The Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland has opened a STEM Leade...
Apr 07, 2025•45 min•Season 7Ep. 133
Facing Retirement: "But isn't it interesting that once you retire, as we call it, right, and you leave that organization...you're faced with that "what am I gonna do now?" Well, what do I wanna do? Well, you haven't thought about it because remember, those thirty years, they were spent all about the organization, all about the next career move, the promotion, the stock options, the 401k." - Eric Pennington, Spirit of EQ We look into the complex and often misunderstood concept of retirement with ...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 7Ep. 131
Rethinking Retirement: "People now look at that phase of life after you leave your career, 65 or older, could be 55 or older, as an opportunity to live life differently than you have before." Mark Matson We sit down and talk with Mark Matson about transitioning into new phases of life and building a rewarding encore career while giving back to the community. As Mark nears 70, he finds himself with more time for personal interests like swimming and planning a cross-country adventure, though he st...
Mar 17, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 7Ep. 130
What steps should you take if you suspect your identity has been stolen? We are joined by guest Victor Russell, Operations Manager at Apprisen , to explore the pervasive issue of financial scams and how individuals can protect themselves. The discussion covers various scams, primarily targeting seniors, such as the "grandparent scam" where victims are manipulated into sending money continuously until they realize they have been deceived. Another prevalent scam involves romance, where lonely indi...
Mar 03, 2025•53 min•Season 7Ep. 129
Our focus is on VOICECorps , an essential service for individuals with visual impairments in Ohio. Featuring guests Mark Jividen, the Executive Director, and Dana Sims, the Marketing and Development Director, the episode explores the organization's impactful work, its adaptation to new technologies, and the crucial role of volunteers. Mark Jividen starts by discussing how the prevalence of blindness has shifted over time. Previously, many young people were affected by diseases now largely conque...
Feb 17, 2025•50 min•Season 7Ep. 128
The federal government created individual retirement accounts (IRAs) in the mid-1970s as a retirement savings vehicle. Over time, the financial landscape has changed, impacting tax consequences and distribution rules for IRAs, especially inherited non-spousal accounts. We welcome expert Larae Schraeder from Schraeder Law to discuss Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and the associated financial and tax consequences, particularly for inherited non-spousal accounts. Larae, who transitioned from...
Feb 03, 2025•40 min•Season 7Ep. 127
"In Ohio, small businesses drive $1,700,000,000 of economic impact. And in 2023, Ohio jobs create or Ohio businesses small businesses created 10,747 new jobs in 2023." Brett Johnson and Carol Ventresca invite Kelly Fuller, a seasoned guest expert and the Senior Vice President of the Columbus Chamber Foundation , to discuss entrepreneurship. Emphasizing local resources, Kelly provides a wealth of recommendations for those starting or running a small business. Networking and Local Resources Fuller...
Jan 20, 2025•31 min•Season 7Ep. 126
We are thrilled to present an episode rich with insights for aspiring and current entrepreneurs, with tips from several local experts. Each guest brings a wealth of experience and valuable advice for those looking to start or grow their businesses in Ohio. We begin by discussing the significance of self-confidence and the myriad of questions that come with starting a business. Our first guest, Katie Ellis, the president and CEO of the Tri-Village Chamber Partnership, highlights the benefits of j...
Jan 06, 2025•16 min•Season 7Ep. 125
Welcome to the new year! We are celebrating our five-year mark as we enter 2025. We began during the COVID-19 pandemic and have since produced over 124 episodes. We appreciate our loyal listeners and enjoy making the podcasts. We emphasize the importance of having the right co-host and maintaining a good rhythm in their conversations. Our podcast focuses on interviewing experts to provide valuable information to listeners. We encourage listener feedback and suggestions for future topics, aiming ...
Dec 30, 2024•15 min•Season 7Ep. 124
How can the death of a spouse affect the surviving partner's financial stability and credit score, and what steps can be taken to mitigate these impacts? We discuss financial challenges facing Ohioans aged 50 and over, with a specific focus on surviving spouses. Featuring consumer law attorney Laura Nesbitt, the episode focuses on the financial instability that can arise after the death of a spouse, emphasizing the importance of managing banks, bills, and credit scores effectively. Laura highlig...
Dec 16, 2024•51 min•Season 7Ep. 123
The latest episode of "Looking Forward Our Way" features an engaging discussion about the pivotal role of advisory councils in addressing the needs of older adults at the state and local levels. The episode brings together Anna Tobin and Melissa Owens, two prominent figures in the aging services sector, to share their insights and experiences. Grant Ames, Government and Community Relations Manager at the Central Ohio Area Agency on Aging (COAAA), also provides valuable context about the agency's...
Dec 02, 2024•29 min•Season 7Ep. 122
"This was a a really strong convening then for employers and education to to better communicate and then plan on how to improve that connectivity between graduating students and employment." We welcome guest experts John Hambrick , Work-Based Learning Coordinator at the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Central Ohio, and Lauren Stowe Jones , Senior Director of K-12 Partnerships at Columbus State Community College. John Hambrick, who moved to Columbus in 1998, transitioned from a background in ...
Nov 18, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 7Ep. 122
Employee resource groups (ERGs) are vital in providing support to veterans, helping them feel less isolated and more integrated into their new work environments. We sit down with Ronnie Bailey, the Human Resources Manager at Bullen Ultrasonics , to talk about a critical topic during this National Veterans and Military Families Month : the value of veterans in the civilian workforce. We explore the challenges veterans face when transitioning from military to civilian life. This includes the stres...
Nov 04, 2024•46 min•Season 7Ep. 121
Empowering Voters: Understanding Campaign Financing, Fair Districting, and Poll Participation Brett and Carol chat with Jen Miller, the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters Ohio, about the nitty-gritty of ballot issues and voting policies. Jen talks about a cool bipartisan effort to draft a new amendment (Issue 1), mentioning notable figures like Maureen O'Connor and Yvette McGee Brown. This amendment has some serious backing from a wide range of groups, including teachers' and nurse...
Oct 21, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 7Ep. 120
In this episode, we are joined by Josh Kinzel from Seniority Benefit Group to discuss key changes and updates for Medicare Open Enrollment 2024, highlighting how these alterations might impact current and prospective enrollees. Josh Kinzel brings 18 years of experience, with a focus on Medicare for the past 16 years. He assists individuals with the often intimidating and multifaceted choice of Medicare plans, alleviating concerns without any charge for services. Open Enrollment for Medicare runs...
Oct 07, 2024•56 min•Season 7Ep. 119
Are you curious about how Central Ohio plans to evolve its transportation network to support future growth? MORPC leads strategic transportation planning and coordinates the allocation of federal transportation dollars to local governments. Our guest, Maria Schaper, is the Transportation Study Director at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). The central focus is the upcoming levy and its significance for the region’s future transportation and development needs. The upcoming levy ai...
Sep 30, 2024•45 min•Season 7Ep. 118
We are joined by career expert Sharon Hamersly to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can be a crucial tool in the modern job search, while also emphasizing its limitations and the critical role of human input. **Crutch Words in AI Writing** A common issue with AI-generated content: the over-reliance on generic phrases and crutch words such as "consequently" and "furthermore." These phrases can result in writing that appears insincere or overly generic. **Outdated Free AI Models** The limit...
Sep 16, 2024•48 min•Season 7Ep. 117
**Disaster Preparedness**: "If we are separated and a disaster occurs, where's our meeting place a little bit away? Right? Where are those 2 or 3 meeting places in the 20 mile radius, 50 mile radius, where we know that you're gonna be if I can't reach you." — Cory Paul We welcome Cory Paul, the Executive Director of the Greater Columbus Chapter of the American Red Cross . We discuss a range of crucial topics including the Hero Care Network for service members and their families, training program...
Sep 02, 2024•54 min•Season 7Ep. 116
Aging Population Boom: "There will be more seniors than there are kindergarteners by 2030." — Chanda Wingo We're thrilled to have Chanda Wingo, Director of the Franklin County Office on Aging . She shares insights on an innovative blueprint aimed at understanding the impact of an aging community and guiding local stakeholders in allocating necessary resources. We explore the various programs and support systems the Office on Aging provides, such as the successful Senior Options levy program, whi...
Aug 19, 2024•57 min•Season 7Ep. 115
"They can grab a cart, grab a clipboard, and essentially go shopping free of charge for whatever they need to support their program."— Eric Rutkowski We welcome Eric Rutkowski, the program director for Leveling The Playing Field Ohio . Eric shares his inspiring mission to support youth sports across Ohio by ensuring that programs in Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati can share equipment and resources. We'll talk about the importance of community donations, the need for unrestricted funds, and t...
Aug 05, 2024•38 min•Season 7Ep. 114
Consolidating Accounts and Legal Risks: "I think the biggest risk would be for the financial accounts because the person that does know the password that is the key to the kingdom may not understand where their control starts and where their authority ends, And just because they know the password to that bank account doesn't mean that the dollars sitting in that account are theirs or can be transferred lawfully."— Larae Schraeder In this episode, we talk about the intricate world of digital esta...
Jul 29, 2024•24 min•Season 7Ep. 113
We have a special announcement: Employment Forward Seniors, a casualty of the pandemic, now finds a new home under the New Directions Career Center as Mature Works. Joining us are experts Kat Yamaguchi and Jami Phillips from New Directions Career Center. With rich backgrounds in nonprofit program development and job seeker support, they share insights on the unique challenges older job seekers face, such as transferable skills communication, navigating online applications, and balancing life res...
Jul 15, 2024•48 min•Season 7Ep. 112
The episode focuses on the challenges and solutions associated with ageism in the workplace, particularly concerning mature adults. With insights from experts Dr. Phillip Taylor and Dr. Phyllis Cummins, the discussion explores the importance of addressing age discrimination, rethinking job roles for older workers, and the benefits of intergenerational collaboration. Dr. Phyllis Cummins, Senior Research Scholar, Scripps Gerontology Center, Miami University, and Fellow for the Gerontological Socie...
Jul 01, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 7Ep. 111
We are joined by tech experts Andy Landrum and Alex West from Nice Guy Technology . We dive into the importance of rebooting your computer, the crucial practice of backing up data, and the precautions you should take with USB drives. Andy and Alex share insights from their rich background, offering practical advice on diagnosing tech problems and differentiating between hardware and software issues. We also explore how cloud services like OneDrive and Dropbox stack up against traditional backup ...
Jun 17, 2024•45 min•Season 7Ep. 110
