Podcasts

AMANDA MISSILDINE, RN: To be so thankful to someone…

Eight years ago, Amanda Missildine should have been winding up her senior year with prom, graduation and all the festivities that come with finishing high school. Instead, she became gravely ill from a rare genetic disease. A liver transplant saved her life. Now, as a nurse at Maricopa Medical Center, she cares for patients and [...]
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XAVIER’S SISTER JOAN: Grateful for the opportunities

Sister Joan Fitzgerald arrived in Phoenix in 1962, ready for the assignment from her order, the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or BVMs. She was to be a Spanish teacher at what was then Xavier High School. She never left. Fifty years later, now principal of Xavier College Preparatory, Sr. Joan talks [...]
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TARA HITCHCOCK-FRANCIS and DYLAN FRANCIS: “Your life could change like that”

When his father said, “Tonight your life is about to change,” they were prophetic words for Dylan Francis, now 17. The Scottsdale teen had been grounded indefinitely that January 2012 afternoon for making some bad decisions while his dad and stepmom, former “Good Morning Arizona” host Tara Hitchcock Francis, were out of town. Remorseful about [...]
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JOHN ELLIOTT: Providing a “blueprint” for high-risk pregnancies

He was an ambulance driver with plans to become a trauma surgeon. But when he delivered his first baby as a young medical student, John Elliott, M.D., FACOG, was scared to death. Fear gave way to pure joy as he watched the family see their new baby for the very first time. Now, he’s a [...]
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PEARL CHANG ESAU: Cultural change for Arizona’s students

Pearl Chang Esau is the president and CEO of Expect More Arizona, a communications and advocacy organization dedicated to bringing what she calls “world class education” to all students in Arizona. Expect More’s goal is to enlist parents’ help to raise the expectations for students so they are better prepared for jobs requiring higher levels [...]
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RON HABERLE: PeppedUp! to support kids battling cancer

When Hodgkin’s disease interrupted his life at age 19, Ron “Hab” Haberle spent post-chemotherapy recovery sessions in his dad’s recliner, with little to distract him from thinking about how sick he was. Now a software engineer with a passion for giving back, Haberle started the nonprofit organization PeppedUp! to provide portable electronic devices to young [...]
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LEEVON GUERITHAULT: Everything but the cooking

She does the planning, the hiring, the managing, the organizing, the marketing—whatever it takes—to run the family business, which includes Vincent on Camelback, Vincent Market Bistro, a Saturday seasonal French market and a corporate catering offshoot, Vincent Van Go. Everything, that is, but the cooking. Leevon Guerithault talks about raising kids around a restaurant, mentoring [...]
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ANTHONY CONTI: Fighting pediatric cancer

Nitalia Conti distributed blankets because she knew firsthand that chemotherapy treatments make you cold. She walked the halls of the oncology floor to reassure other patients fighting pediatric cancer. The Conti family of Gilbert lost 14-year-old Nitalia to the disease in January 2011. Soon after, they formed The Purple Society, a foundation that supports families [...]
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BOBB COOPER: Making magic happen

This fall, Bobb Cooper, producing artistic director for Valley Youth Theatre, begins his 17th year with the company. He talks about taking risks, keeping the audition process positive and why theater “families” bolster the confidence of young actors on stage—and in life. Talk about what drew you to the theater. It was something that I [...]
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PIYA JACOB: Just a sweet school touching lives

It’s a teacher’s utopia, a parent’s dream and it offers what every child deserves—a chance to fall in love with going to school. Desert View Learning Center, a small private K-4 school in Paradise Valley, began nearly 40 years ago when a few dedicated teachers hoped to create a place that would launch young children [...]
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DALE GUTHRIE, M.D.: Move ahead and be positive

This month, Gilbert pediatrician Dale Guthrie, M.D. begins a two-year term as board president of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. A father of six and grandfather to eight, he talks about the hip injury that led him to pediatrics, the long-term impact of a mission trip in Central America and what [...]
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ARTURO GONZALEZ, M.D.: Treating patients as family

This month, Scottsdale pediatrician Arturo Gonzalez, M.D., ends a two-year term as board president of the Arizona Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He talks about backyard surgery, “Dr. Google” and barriers to pediatric health care. You were born in Nogales, Ariz. What are your earliest memories of visiting the doctor? They are not [...]
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JANE WALTON: Helping families and patients share their stories

Jane Walton, senior media relations specialist for Phoenix Children’s Hospital, has been connecting Valley reporters with medical experts, patients and families for more than 20 years. She talks about her own early hospital memories, a career change after five kids, and why she absolutely adores her job. Vicki: Your experience with hospitals dates back to [...]
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JESSICA LIVINGSTON: Building Arizona’s girls lacrosse community stick by stick

Fifteen years ago, an east-coast college coach put a lacrosse stick in Jessica Livingston’s hand—and she never let go. She packed up her passion for the sport when she moved to Arizona after graduation, and set out to build a lacrosse community as coach, player and general LAX evangelist. Jessica talks about the sport that [...]
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KAITLIN MACKAY: Fighting back after traumatic brain injury

Passionate volleyball player for Xavier College Preparatory. Nutrition major at Cal Poly. Health advocate and accomplished athlete. Kaitlin MacKay’s life was forever changed Sept. 9, 2009, when she was hit by a car in an intersection near her college in San Luis Opisbo, Calif. Kaitlin, now 22, talks about her personal healing journey after a [...]
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MICHELE MICHAELS: You don’t know what you can’t hear

Around 700,000 people in the state of Arizona are hearing impaired. Michele Michaels is one of them. As an outreach and educational specialist for the Arizona Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Michele travels throughout the state providing information, resources and support to people of all ages faced with the challenges of hearing [...]
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DANIEL B. KESSLER, M.D.: Respecting individual differences

Last year, developmental behavioral pediatrician Daniel B. Kessler, M.D. joined Southwest Human Development to help establish the Children’s Developmental Center. The center offers a team approach to assessing and treating children birth to age 5 who face developmental or behavioral challenges, minimizing the frustration factor for parents seeking answers and support. Kessler talks about medication [...]
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KATHLEEN LEWIS: Sending comfort and gratitude with Packages from Home

Kathleen Lewis always considered herself a patriot. But when her son Christian enlisted in the U.S. Army on Sept. 11, 2001, her love of country shifted into overdrive. Just after Christian’s initial deployment, she established Packages from Home, a non-profit organization that packs and ships boxes of comfort items year-round to service members all over [...]
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MICHELLE RAY: Finding the keys to gratitude

Nursing student and single mom Michelle Ray talks about the diabetes diagnosis that threw her life off track until her daughter Uriel, 4, was born, the challenges of managing chronic disease while homeless and finding a way out with help from UMOM New Day Centers. Vicki: You were diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 12. [...]
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TIM McCLELLAN: What you can learn from training the best

Pick a sport. Any sport. For more than 30 years, strength and conditioning coach Tim McClellan has likely helped somebody get better at it. McClellan thrives on tailoring a plan for anyone who wants to work hard—from local high school sports teams to middle school Little Leaguers to pro athletes in the off season and [...]
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LUIS GONZALEZ: About a Dad

Ten years after that big World Series win, you’ll find retired star outfielder Luis Gonzalez in a tiny front office at Chase Field, learning the business side of the game as special assistant to Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall. Gonzo talks about lasting bonds with the team, baseball beginnings and what he’s learned about [...]
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KENDALL GLOVER: Lives to dance

CBS called her “the amazing Kendall” and her performance last February on the dance competition show “Live to Dance” certainly fulfilled that expectation. The only solo finalist—then just 11 years old—Phoenix dancer Kendall Glover wowed the judges and the audience, coming home with a second place finish and a lifetime of memories. Those memories include [...]
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RACHEL BENNETT YANOV: What perseverance looks like

Rachel Bennett Yanov never intended to be a teacher; she planned a career as a politician, or maybe an investment banker. But after a chance meeting with representatives recruiting for Teach for America during her junior year at Georgetown University, Rachel’s path took a yearlong detour. When she graduated in 2003, she came to Arizona [...]
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JEN BOWMAN: One hundred pounds lighter, one bite at a time

Jen Bowman of Laveen had packed on the pounds. A stressful career as a mortgage writer, the birth of her son, then a layoff during the failing housing market period—which drastically cut the family income—combined to create a sedentary lifestyle full of calories and devoid of exercise. But when she became pregnant a second time [...]
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GUNTHER BRENES: A sense of gratitude

The toppling of dictators, shooting in the streets. Daily violence and chaos, anxiety about the future. Children witness the trauma of social and political upheaval, too—and the disruption of young lives leaves a lasting imprint. It’s a story Gunther Brenes, a Scottsdale software engineer, knows well. As a young child, he and his family left [...]
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JEANNE NIZIGIYIMANA, MSW: Medical advocacy for women and children refugees

Mass killings and political unrest, persecution by dictators. Jeanne Nizigiyimana was born and raised in Burundi, a small, landlocked country in East Africa that witnessed unspeakable violence when a decade of ethnic-based war shattered countless lives. After receiving asylum to reside in the United States, Nizigiyimana and her young family began anew in Arizona, facing [...]
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CECI CHRISTENSON: Fueled by passion

If you want to have a conversation with 17-year-old Carolyn “Ceci” Christenson, choose the phone or her back patio. After treatment for a blood cell disorder, she must limit close contact with others as her immune system gains strength. As she heals, she’s working to raise awareness about a simple test that could save countless [...]
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DENA CABRERA, PSY.D.: Encouraging healthy relationships with food

Wickenburg’s Remuda Ranch has treated women and girls for eating and anxiety disorders since 1990. Psychologist Dena Cabrera, Psy.D., director of educational outreach, talks about the connection between bullying and eating disorders, bargaining with kids about food and why every family should have a “no diet” policy. Talk about what led you to the work [...]
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LIZ AND JAMES ZORN: A commitment to marriage, medicine and parenting

Every year in late June, a photo composite of new residents appears on the wall at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. That’s where James Zorn, R.N., MBA, caught a first glimpse at Liz Foley, M.D. He made sure their paths crossed on the floor during the night shift, and the rest is history. James and Liz Zorn [...]
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ANNETTE BURNS: Why divorce attorneys stay married

Phoenix attorney Annette Burns has been practicing family law in Arizona since 1984. She talks about how custody arrangements have changed, how her career has impacted the way she’s raised her daughters and why divorce lawyers tend to work extra hard at staying married. People come to lawyers with disputes. But they come to family [...]
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JOHN HINSON: Software engineer, pianist, composer, dad

John Hinson composes solo piano music on a massive vintage Chickering concert grand that sits smack dab in the middle of his Anthem home. His technical talents as a software engineer may pay the bills, but his true passion keeps him creating, composing and contributing his art to anyone who wants to listen. When did [...]
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NANCY SMITH: A career’s worth of puppets

It’s a form of entertainment that spans centuries, cultures, and continents. Nancy Smith, founder of the Great Arizona Puppet Theater, talks about her early experiences with puppetry, changes in audiences she’s observed over the years and how to prepare small children for a first performance. For more than 25 years, you’ve created performances that entertain [...]
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GAYLE SHANKS: Books connect us to the World

Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe began in 1974 with the musings of a few parent volunteers hoping to connect a community of readers. Gayle Shanks was one of its founders and is currently a co-owner (with Cindy Dach and co-founder Bob Sommer). She talks about changes in the book-selling industry and why books matter. Why [...]
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ANN SPISAK: 50 years of dance

Spisak Dance Academy’s beginnings trace back to a screened porch in Wickenburg. That’s where Ann Spisak, a professional dance performer, began giving lessons to her daughters and neighborhood children in 1960. Why did you open a dance studio? [Laughs.] I didn’t really think it through. It wasn’t in my plans. But it just happened so [...]
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SHEILA ROBERTS: Ready to respond, wherever & whenever

Phoenix Fire Battalion Chief Sheila Roberts talks about tough calls, saving lives and getting along with the guys. You became a firefighter when the profession didn’t exactly welcome women. A friend of mine worked for the Mesa Fire Department. He said that the men hated girl firefighters. I said, “Are you kidding me? You wouldn’t [...]
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ANN MEYERS DRYSDALE: Mercury GM still just wants to compete

Phoenix Mercury General Manager Ann Meyers Drysdale talks about breaking barriers, raising kids and building the WNBA. What shaped your interest in sports? I have five sisters and five brothers. When you’re that big of a family, you’re very competitive and very active. Sports were a great outlet for all of us. My oldest sister [...]
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LARRY WINGET: A “tough love” message for parents

Paradise Valley resident Larry Winget has written six books on personal and financial responsibility. He’s a regular on radio and television, but I had never heard of him until his book, Your Kids Are Your Own Fault: A Guide for Raising Responsible, Productive Adults (Gotham Books, 2010) landed on my desk. Its hard-edged approach to [...]
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LAURA ROBERTSON: Driving better patient care from the business side

If you’ve ever spent time in the hospital, well, you know who really runs the place. Nurses work the front lines, serving as intermediaries between patients and their physicians and families. Laura Robertson began work as a registered nurse taking care of critically ill patients in the cardiac intensive care unit (ICU). Her career blossomed, [...]
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ETOI DAVENPORT, M.D.: CSI Mom: Life as a Maricopa County medical examiner

Determining how a life has ended is what Etoi Davenport, M.D., does every day as a medical examiner for Maricopa County. Her work can deliver justice, provide answers and lend comfort to grieving families. Vicki: What is the role of the medical examiner? Etoi: A medical examiner is also known as a forensic pathologist. Our [...]
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BRITTANY HALEY: Working for change from the inside out

Eighteen-year-old Brittany Haley of Mesa didn’t choose to become an expert on the foster care system. Since the age of 5, she has lived in group homes, in residential treatment centers, with foster families or with relatives. And as a life-long student of the system, she’s determined to become a teacher and mentor for other [...]
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DAVID ADELSON, M.D.

The Children’s Neuroscience Institute at Phoenix Children’s Hospital takes a team approach to caring for young patients with brain disorders and brain injuries. We spoke with Director and Pediatric Neurosurgeon David Adelson, M.D., who explains why doctors should never underestimate the insight of a parent.
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MARTIN MORENO: Saving lives: the power of art

Martin Moreno was born in Michigan to Latino parents who picked vegetables and fruits for a living. He learned English, played the role of family translator, helped organize for better working conditions and struggled against the prejudice many Latino migrant families faced during the 1960s. Ultimately, art became the language he would use to speak [...]
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KURT AND BRENDA WARNER: Not just a football story

Kurt and Brenda Warner don’t pretend they know the secret formula to a happy marriage. They aren’t saying they’ve figured out a foolproof way to raise seven kids. Actually, they can’t even agree on when to say “no” to autograph seekers dazzled to be in the presence of the quarterback who led the Arizona Cardinals [...]
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JUNIE B. JONES AUTHOR BARBARA PARK: Wowee Wowee Wow! Wait till you hear this!

For Barbara Park, finding the voice of 5-year-old Junie B. Jones is easy. So easy, she says, that it’s actually kind of scary, and maybe not a talent to brag about. But Park, who’s lived in Arizona for more than 30 years, is an award-winning author with more than 50 titles currently in print. This [...]
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DANA HERZBERG: “You can’t say that I don’t understand”

As a child, Dana Herzberg needed lots of visuals to help her study for a test. She covered the walls of her room with posters filled with formulas and data. Tutors helped to break concepts down so they would stick in her brain. As an adult, Dana channeled a strong sense of determination and a [...]
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THE JENSEN FAMILY: Dancing across two worlds

Lane Jensen began learning pow-wow styles of dancing when he was 9 years old, growing up on the Navajo reservation in northeastern Arizona. He’s performed for audiences around the state, around the country and in Canada. He’s won awards in many inter-tribal competitions. So it was probably just a matter of time before Lane and [...]
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SANDRA DAY O’CONNOR: Cyber civics from an irrefutable source

Since Justice Sandra Day O’Connor retired from her seat on the Supreme Court in 2006, life’s been busy. Recently, the Arizona native has been promoting her newly published children’s book [see page 8] and her Our Courts project (ourcourts.org), a website designed to boost interest in civics education. O’Connor recruited experts in law, history, education [...]
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SHIRLEY DUNLAP: “911: What is your emergency?”

Shirley Dunlap’s voice is what many Maricopa county citizens hear when they grab the phone to seek help in an emergency. Her job takes calm patience, a thick skin and the ability to visualize what might be happening on the other end of the line. For 23 years, she has guided unseen, often frantic callers [...]
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SUSAN BROWN AND DAD JIM: Birthing Susan Brown’s Baby

More than 25 years ago, scientist and entrepreneur Jim Brown moved his family to the Valley and founded Floratech, a supplier of botanical ingredients to major skincare companies. The Brown children grew up with a resident chemist who brought home jars of skincare concoctions from the lab. When daughter Susan decided that moms and babies [...]
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CAROL POORE: Taking the message of HIV/AIDS to women and youth

Just a few decades ago, the disease carried a death sentence. Today, new treatments mean that people can live with HIV/AIDS for many years. But is the next generation getting the wrong message? Are today’s young people ignoring the risks of an HIV-positive result, thinking it simply requires taking a few pills? Not if Carol [...]
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CHRIS VISSER: Doc to the animals

Who do you call when a rare Sonoran jaguar needs a root canal? After Mexican authorities liberated the endangered cat from a rancher’s trap in Sonora, the Phoenix Zoo partnered with Hermosillo Zoo to offer support. But the damage was huge. As the jaguar attempted escape by chewing through a metal cage, he ended up [...]
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ABBIE AND BUZZI SHINDLER: A special kind of food fight

We do it for survival, for comfort, for pleasure. We eat. It’s vital part of life; it’s a routine part of life. Imagine, however, that feeding your baby doesn’t help him grow or thrive at all. Instead, it does the opposite: it makes him sick. Suppose the sustenance you offer through a bottle or a [...]
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KAREN BARR: Dreams to reality…one step at a time

Before there was a magazine, there was a manila folder. Before the folder, there was a new mom with an MBA. And before that, there was an inquisitive, adventurous Karen Davis—aspiring novelist, high school newspaper sports editor, University of Arizona Wildcat reporter and writer/editor for both the Pacific Daily News on Guam and the Arizona [...]
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DEACON WILL SCHMID: A young man’s decision to become a priest

What is the meaning of life? Most of us spend years in the search: pondering, seeking, questioning. But for William Schmid, 26, the answers to that age-old question found him. The loss of a close high-school friend in a tragic post-prom accident left Will—at the time a high school junior—reeling, rudderless, lost and lacking a [...]
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KAYE McCARTHY: Healing broken families, one visit at a time

She re-jiggered her life, leaving a successful law career after the sudden deaths of two of her colleagues. She helped start an organization that gives broken families a cozy, safe environment in which to play and fills in where needed to make life a little easier for children and teens in the foster care system. [...]
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JEFFREY BUCHHALTER: Making sense out of epilepsy

Epilepsy has plagued humans since the dawn of time. Named the “falling sickness” by early cultures, seizure disorders were recorded in biblical scripture—and even in hieroglyphics on cave walls. Throughout history, experts estimate that about one percent of humankind suffered from some form of the condition. That number holds true today. But recent developments in [...]
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JADE JOHNSON: Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Jade!

You can find Jade Johnson of Paradise Valley among the girls in plaid at Xavier College Preparatory. She’s another voice in the honor choir. She’s rocking a tough college-prep curriculum. But when the dismissal bell rings, Jade, a junior, heads for the stage. She’s been singing, dancing and acting since the age of 8. She’s [...]
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NADINE MATHIS BASHA: Fights for Arizona’s smallest citizens

She was a key player in the 2006 passage of Proposition 203, which uses the tax on tobacco sales to fund early childhood development and health programs. She chairs First Things First, the state board responsible for administering those funds. But when it comes to understanding the needs of infants, toddlers and preschoolers, Nadine Mathis [...]
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TSGT. ELENA BARAJAS: A mom’s life in the USAF

TSgt. Elena Barajas, U.S. Air Force, grew up near a military base in southern California. Her mother, a beautician, struggled to raise her daughter and a younger son on her own. It was a childhood that inspired Elena to yearn for adventure but ultimately seek security and steadiness for her own family. After high school, [...]
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ERIC BENJAMIN: Holidays and ADD/ADHD

Family parties, shopping trips to the mall, changes in scheduling… listen to tips from Phoenix Children’s Hospital child psychiatrist Eric Benjamin on how to keep things running smoothly during holidays or special occasions while coping with a family member who has ADD/ADHD.
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GRANT HILL: On fatherhood

On the court, Grant Hill is respected for the dedication, experience and sportsmanship he brings to his role as a veteran small forward for the Phoenix Suns. But when Grant steps off the court, he is simply known as dad to daughters Myla, 6, and Lael, 8 months. Grant shares his earliest basketball memories and [...]
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COACH CHARLI TURNER THORNE: ASU Women’s Basketball Coach Charli Turner Thorne has a passion for the game

She fell in love with basketball years before there was a WNBA. Back then, few opportunities existed for organized team play for girls, so she’d ride her bike through her Southern California neighborhood to play at the park with the boys. A passion for the game lives deep within Charli Turner Thorne, who has built [...]
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CHRISTOPHER AND ADAM MOFFITT: Scene change

Last fall, Arizona Theatre Company cast two Tempe brothers in this spring’s production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.” Adam Moffitt, 13, and his brother Christopher, 9, have landed roles in many local theater productions over the last few years. This past winter, they—and their mother, Karin—took to the road. The boys played the roles of [...]
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HARVEY SIMON, MD: Bedwetting advice

Bedwetting is a common but frustrating and difficult challenge. We’ve got some helpful tips from Harvey Simon, M.D., a Valley pediatrician and the president of Goodnight Pediatrics.
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MICHAEL PATRICK GALLAGHER: Luck o’ the Irish brings dance champ to Arizona

Two-time Irish Dance World Champion Michael Patrick Gallagher discovered Arizona while on tour as principal soloist with Riverdance. He’s now a teacher and artistic director at Tir Conaill Academy of Irish Dance in Phoenix, where he shares his talents with some very lucky kids. Vicki: Irish dancing was introduced to America through Riverdance performances. But [...]
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KALEENA NEWMAN: Growing up gay

Arcadia High School student Kaleena Newman talks about the challenges of growing up gay — and how she came out to her family and friends.
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IAN MILES: Relief of coming out

Valley teen Ian Miles shares his story of self-discovery and talks about the relief of finally coming out.
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MICHELE DEAN: Raising a gay child

Ian’s mom, Michele Dean, shares her perspective on raising a gay child.
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BRAIN AND JENNY MASCHE: It’s real love

The story goes like this: Brian served in Kuwait in the Air Force at the start of the Iraq war with his good friend, Mike. Mike and his sister grew up in Camp Verde and were childhood friends with Jenny. Mike emailed Jenny to tell her about his good friend Brian. Jenny emailed Brian, figuring [...]
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RANDAL CHRISTENSEN, M.D.: A committed doc takes his show on the road

Randal Christensen, M.D., takes care of some of the Valley’s 5,000 homeless youth and adolescents who live on the streets. He’s medical director of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Crews’n Healthmobile, a medical clinic on wheels. Inside are examining rooms, a nurses’ station and the latest medical technology. Christensen and staff counsel and educate youth on [...]
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EDNA HAWES: An advocate for age-appropriate justice

In 1996, the passage of Proposition 102 paved the way for Arizona children as young as 14 to be prosecuted as adults—even for non-violent crimes such as sexually inappropriate behavior. Since then, many juveniles have ended up in jail right alongside adult sexual predators. While there, they are 50 percent more likely to be assaulted [...]
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