Wendy Whelan spent 30 years with New York City Ballet, 23 of those years as a principal dancer. She has danced virtually every major Balanchine role, and worked closely with Jerome Robbins on many of his ballets. She originated leading roles in works by such notable choreographers as William Forsythe, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon. Wendy has been a guest artist with The Royal Ballet and the Kirov Ballet and has performed on nearly every major stage across the globe. She...
Jan 07, 2019•5 min•Ep. 218
Fueled by new ideas, Kris Kimel began IdeaFestival and KSTC. Kimel is the founder of the international IdeaFestival, which originated in Lexington, Ky. in 2000 and moved to Louisville in 2006. The festival is designed to stimulate ideas and innovations across a multitude of categories – from filmmaking to healthcare, sustainable farming and more. The core of the festival is the belief that individuals don’t have to be geographically or economically privileged to have breakthrough ideas and creat...
Jan 07, 2019•35 min•Ep. 216
Acting is a calling for Ryan Burch. At 26, Burch is one of only two Americans, and one of just 27 from over 5,000 applicants, recently accepted into the prestigious London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. One of the most elite acting schools in the world, the acting program has produced a roster of legendary actors including John Lithgow, Benedict Cumberbatch, Donald Sutherland, and Jim Broadbent. Burch has performed across the country in various regional summer stock productions such as “Ev...
Jan 07, 2019•32 min•Ep. 216
Fred Noe carries on the 200-year family legacy of Jim Beam® master distillers. Noe is a 7th generation master distiller at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Ky. In his additional role as bourbon ambassador for the Jim Beam Distillery, he shares the whiskey making craft and his family’s rich legacy in the world of Kentucky bourbon. Noe is the son of the late Frederick “Booker” Noe Jr., master distiller emeritus of Jim Beam Brands Company and great-grandson of founder Jim Beam, who began the le...
Jan 03, 2019•36 min•Ep. 214
Cole Gallagher is a NSCAA Scholar All American soccer player. Gallagher is a recent graduate of Kentucky Country Day School and is currently preparing for his freshman year as an Emory University student-athlete. As a student at KCD, Gallagher was named a Malone scholar, National Merit scholar, and Dabney Family scholar, and was a recipient of a University of Michigan Book Award. He also received the James Pitman Sams Jr. Award for his academic achievements, sportsmanship, citizenship, and outst...
Jan 03, 2019•32 min•Ep. 213
Chef David Danielson applies classic French training with fresh and local flavor. As executive chef of the historic Churchill Downs Racetrack (home to the Kentucky Derby), Danielson celebrates authentic southern flavors with the richness of fresh and local ingredients. He brings over 20 years of hands-on experience in the hospitality industry with classic training to multiple restaurant formats offered at the track. In 2011, Danielson joined the Levy Restaurants team at Churchill Downs as execut...
Jan 03, 2019•42 min•Ep. 212
For Mary Haynes, meeting the needs of long-term memory impaired people is a calling. Haynes leads the Nazareth Home long-term care facility for the elder community in Louisville, Ky. Nazareth Home is an award-winning non-profit ministry guided by a Catholic tradition. Haynes’ career choice came from her experience of a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, and the effect it had on the family. Haynes was named CEO in 2001. Under her leadership, the home has grown in services and capacity and ha...
Jan 03, 2019•34 min•Ep. 211
Michael Dale “Mike” Huckabee is an American politician, Christian minister, author, musician, and commentator. He served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and was a candidate in the United States Republican presidential primaries in 2008 and 2016. Huckabee hosted a Fox News Channel show named HUCKABEE for seven years, ending the show when he left to run for president in 2008. He also hosted a radio show on Cumulus Media Networks in 2012 and 2013. Prior to serving as governor of ...
Jan 03, 2019•5 min•Ep. 210
Wes Henderson co-created Angel’s Envy craft bourbon. Henderson co-founded Louisville Distilling Company with his father Lincoln. He, his father, and his son Kyle, developed Angel’s Envy, the craft bourbon that spends its final six months of aging in used port wine barrels. In 2012, their bourbon earned the highest ever rating for bourbon from Wine Enthusiast magazine. (Side note: His father helped develop Woodford Reserve® for Brown-Forman.) Prior to Louisville Distilling, Henderson served as CE...
Jan 03, 2019•30 min•Ep. 209
A passion for wellness fuels Carlos Rivas. Rivas is a highly regarded health and wellness expert by the medical community for his creation of disease prevention programs. He is a highly sought after presenter and health and wellness consultant, and is recognized as one of the top health and wellness coaches in the country. He has helped many corporations, teams, and individuals reach their optimal level of health and well-being through outcome based programs. He is the fitness and well-being exp...
Jan 03, 2019•34 min•Ep. 208
Dr. Brad Calobrace is a leader in the field of cosmetic breast surgery. Considered an authority in the field of cosmetic breast surgery, Calobrace has a thriving cosmetic surgery practice in Louisville, Ky. He performs over 400 breast surgeries per year. He has participated in multiple FDA clinical breast studies and has been a consultant and speaker for contoured cohesive gel implant manufacturers, Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra. He performs approximately 1,000 major cosmetic procedures each yea...
Jan 03, 2019•41 min•Ep. 207
Robbie Bartlett’s signature voice spans R&B, soul, and jazz. Bartlett and her band have opened shows for Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Sheryl Crow, The Righteous Brothers, and many others. David Crosby and Graham Nash specifically asked for her to perform before and after their concert. The legendary B. B. King once sent word back through his daughter, Shirley King, “Who is that? I like her voice,” after hearing Robbie sing with her band. She is an accomplished vocalist, bandleader, composer, an...
Jan 03, 2019•33 min•Ep. 206
For 20 years, Mike Berry has been at the helm of the Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF), one of the nation’s largest and most notable civic celebrations. The festival spans the two weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Berry oversees the planning and production of nearly 70 events on the official schedule. The festival attracts an estimated 1.5 million people to the area each year. Berry built his career at the festival and is now the longest-serving president and CEO in the history of the organiza...
Jan 03, 2019•28 min•Ep. 205
Technology entrepreneur Stacy Griggs is a high energy executive with strong leadership skills. Griggs leads the day-to-day operations at El Toro, one of the fastest growing AdTech companies in the U.S. The company focuses on hyper-accurate targeting of digital advertising via IP addresses. He is one of the creators of El Toro’s patent for IP Targeting, along with five other pending patents. He has a roster of previous successes in technology. Inc. magazine recognized three previous firms led by ...
Jan 03, 2019•37 min•Ep. 204
Creativity, curiosity and discipline define Delanor Manson’s accomplishments across many fields. Jewelry designer, businesswoman, nurse and Navy captain all describe successful careers mastered by Manson. With degrees in nursing and healthcare management, she has been at the forefront of innovative medical initiatives in both patient care and complex administrative issues. Achieving the rank of U.S. Navy captain, Manson applied her nursing education to positions in the U.S, Japan, Great Britain,...
Jan 03, 2019•34 min•Ep. 203
Peng Looi followed his heart and became a world-class chef. Owner of two successful restaurants, guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House, and recipient of countless awards, Looi traded engineering for cooking and has never looked back. In 1987, Looi opened his first award-winning restaurant, August Moon Chinese Bistro, which features contemporary Chinese cuisine with South East Asian influences that reflect his Malaysian home. In 1994 came the upscale casual Asiatique, serving Looi’s own...
Jan 03, 2019•29 min•Season 1Ep. 202
The desire to serve her community and have a greater impact on more people fuels Theresa Reno-Weber to excel. Recently named president and CEO of Metro United Way, which serves counties across Kentucky and southern Indiana, Reno-Weber has a wealth of experience in private and public sectors. She most recently served Louisville Metro Government where she oversaw the Office of Performance Improvement and Innovation (OPI2), the Department of Information Technology, and the Department of Human Resou...
Jan 03, 2019•36 min•Season 1Ep. 201
A passion for life drives Kinsey Morrison to make a difference. Morrison had survived three different life-threatening illnesses by the age of 15. Today, she is a senior at Stanford University in California, studying international relations and Spanish, and dreaming of being a Supreme Court Justice. She is also training for a half marathon and spending 10 weeks in South Africa through a study abroad program. In 2015, Morrison spoke at the United States Supreme Court, advocating for marriage equa...
Dec 31, 2018•35 min•Ep. 215
A passion for service fuels Jerry Abramson. Abramson’s career spans decades of serving the public – from local and state levels to the White House. His passion for making a difference now focuses on educating future generations. As the executive in residence at Bellarmine University, Abramson is developing a new institute for local and state government leadership, which will train elected officials from across the nation. In addition, he teaches undergraduate courses in leadership and community ...
Jan 01, 2018•43 min•Season 1Ep. 200
Tom Cottingham is a serial entrepreneur who builds successful publishing companies in the digital age. As CEO of Insider Louisville, Cottingham leads his team to deliver news in the world of smart phones, tablets and other emerging platforms in which traditional media may struggle. As he describes it: “Our mission is to deliver useful, engaging information about critical issues. We tell stories, tell them sharply, and in a way that respects the intelligence of our audience.” With a motivation of...
Dec 18, 2017•36 sec•Season 1Ep. 199
Abby Drane leads Uspiritus, whose mission is healing the hearts and minds of vulnerable youth and their families. A career professional administrator in the field of behavioral sciences, Drane re-joined Uspiritus as the president/CEO by unanimous vote in 2014. A twenty-five year veteran in the field, she previously served Uspiritus as CFO before moving to Seven Counties Services as VP of finance and CFO. Having moved fourteen times during her childhood, Drane has an innate passion for helping ch...
Dec 04, 2017•31 min•Season 1Ep. 198
Episode 197. Terry Forcht – Founder, Chairman and CEO, Forcht Group of Kentucky Terry Forcht is a leading Kentucky entrepreneur and investor and the founder of Forcht Group of Kentucky. A lawyer by training, Forcht began a law practice in Corbin, Ky. after serving as the chairman of the commerce department at Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands). In 1972, he purchased the first building block of his future company – Hillcrest Nursing Home. Today, 1st Corbin Long Term Care owns ...
Nov 20, 2017•29 min•Season 1Ep. 197
Ian Derrer leads the Kentucky Opera, fueled by a lifelong love of opera. He became the fifth general director in Kentucky Opera history in 2006 and leads the organization in their mission to entertain and educate a broad and diverse audience by producing opera of the highest quality. Derrer joined the organization after serving in his previous role as artistic administrator and a member of the senior management team of the Dallas Opera. Bitten by the opera bug as a young child, Derrer has worked...
Nov 06, 2017•27 min•Season 1Ep. 196
Donald E. Lassere leads the Muhammad Ali Center and fosters its mission of building and expanding on the Center’s educational programs, partnerships, and other outreach initiatives. He facilitated a comprehensive rebranding process and implemented a strategic plan that focused the Center on the three primary program areas of education, global citizenship, and gender equality. Lassere also launched the Muhammad Ali Global Humanitarian Awards, designed to inspire and encourage young people worldwi...
Oct 23, 2017•29 min•Season 1Ep. 195
Taylor Trusty loves building – be it business or digital properties. He is the guiding force for Blackstone Media, a web design and development agency with offices in Louisville, Ky. and New York City. He built and leads the company with an unconventional background. A self-proclaimed computer nerd, Trusty began computer programming at the age of 13, and was working at a web design company by 15. At the age of 16, he was a territory sales manager for Hewlett-Packard, before becoming the head of ...
Oct 09, 2017•34 min•Season 1Ep. 194
James O’Connor is a former professional soccer player and is head coach of Louisville City FC. O’Connor is a former Orlando City player and coach who came to Louisville to coach the Louisville City team in 2014. In his first season with Orlando, the team broke almost every record in league history – scoring the most goals, conceding the fewest goals, and setting a new point record for the league. While at Orlando, O’Connor won the USL regular season championship and the USL championship. Prior t...
Sep 25, 2017•28 min•Season 1Ep. 193
Conrad Bachmann’s career spans four decades and hundreds of roles. Bachmann’s desire to give back to his hometown community is at the heart of founding the Louisville International Film Festival. The annual festival attracts hundreds of films from all over the world each year, and the proceeds help fund film study in the Louisville community. Bachmann’s impressive career spans film, theatre and television. Beginning over forty years ago with an appearance on the “Dobie Gillis” series, he is know...
Sep 11, 2017•35 min•Season 1Ep. 192
Amanda Duffy’s desire to break boundaries and her competitive spirit to succeed drive her every day. Named president of the Louisville City FC in November 2015, Duffy had previously served as the club’s VP of operations and general manager. In those roles, she saw the club reach the Eastern Conference Final and boast the league’s second highest average attendance. Her rapid promotions – she was promoted to GM in three months and named president within a year – are even more remarkable in a leagu...
Aug 21, 2017•28 min•Season 1Ep. 191
Mitch McConnell has served as U.S. Senate majority leader since 2015. He is only the second Kentuckian to serve as majority leader in the Senate; the first, Alben Barkley, led the Democrats from 1937 to 1947. McConnell has been called “the most conservative leader of either party in the history of the Senate.” He has also earned a reputation as a “master tactician” for permanently locking in critical tax relief for working families and small businesses, and putting in place the most significant ...
Aug 07, 2017•45 min•Season 1Ep. 190
Ingrid Hernandez delivers high quality design while building personalized client relationships. As president and creative director at InGrid Design since 2002, Hernandez leads her business and team, while also providing expertise as a creative director and project manager. InGrid Design is an award-winning graphic design firm offering services from concept to completion, as well as Spanish translation services. The firm helps companies communicate regionally, nationally and globally with a multi...
Jun 28, 2017•31 min
