In this final episode of A Williams Life before the Class of 1975's 50th reunion, host Gordon Earle is interviewed by Jon Earle, his producer, nephew and fellow Williams alum ('09). Gordon reflects on his positive experience talking with fellow classmates, most of whom he didn't know, or knew only slightly during his undergraduate years. He discusses their lives and legacies, and how they were shaped by their time at Williams—and beyond.

Gordon also reflects on his family legacy at the College. His father, Harry Earle ('47), had his initial years at Williams interrupted when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and flew 50 missions as a B-17 pilot in Italy during WWII before returning to the College to graduate. Gordon also talks about his uncle, John Earle, a multi-sport star athlete at the College, who graduated from Williams in 1941, but tragically died in the Pacific theater of the war. In addition to his father and uncle, Gordon's two brothers (David and John) attended Williams, as did two of David's sons (Jon and Matthew). Gordon also discusses his own years at Willams, including memories of this favorite professors and the impact they had on his life.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

This episode of A Williams Life features a conversation with Jackie Laughlin, who was known during her undergraduate years at the College as Jackie Meadows.  And that's one of the aspects of Jackie's life that makes her time at Williams so unique.  Because she was not only a student, like most of her classmates, but also—during her senior year—a wife and mother. Although strongly encouraged by her father to attend either medical or law school following Williams, Jackie instead opted to pursue a master's degree in education and counseling at Howard University. She then embarked on a long and varied career in public service, with a specific focus on women's health, while serving as a midwife in various locations around the country. Jackie is also a trained archivist, who has recorded many stories as part of what she calls her oral history collections, including some that she labels "Conversations with Wise Women." Additionally, she's engaged in a variety of other pursuits as a scholar, artist, poet, writer, and activist—all of which are discussed during the podcast.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

This episode of A Williams Life will take us on a journey from the banks of the Mississippi, to Williamstown, to the bond trading world of Wall Street, and finally to the dazzling universe of artificial intelligence. Our guide will be Jon Myers, a self-taught inventor and entrepreneur, who has spent many years founding and investing in technology companies designed to, in his words, “make the world a better place.” In recent years, Jon has devoted a great deal of time and energy focusing on ways to optimize artificial intelligence while mindful of the challenges, even dangers, it poses to humankind. Prior to joining the ranks of tech entrepreneurs, he spent 15 years on Wall Street immersed in the culture that Michael Lewis described so memorably in his 1989 book, Liars Poker.   

📍 00:00 – Introduction
📍 01:00 – Growing Up in Small-Town America
📍 06:30 – Williams College: A Culture Shock
📍 14:00 – The Wild Days of Wall Street
📍 19:30 – A Life-Changing Medical Crisis
📍 27:00 – Reinventing Himself as a Tech Entrepreneur
📍 35:00 – Dickinson Corp: The Nanotech Revolution
📍 38:00 – Artificial Intelligence
📍 50:00 – Silicon Valley's Rightward Shift?
📍 56:00 – Final Thoughts: Innovation & Uncertainty

Recorded at CDM Studios in New York City in January 2025.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

This episode of A Williams Life features a conversation with Reggie Garrett, a Seattle-based singer/songwriter, who plays a wide range of music, including folk, blues, Celtic and more, with individual musicians as well as his band The SnakeOil Peddlers. One reviewer noted his “mellifluous voice reminiscent of Bill Withers or Terry Callier that draws you into the song rather than putting you off.” On A Williams Life, Reggie talks about his life on and off the stage, including growing up in Cincinnati with seven brothers and sisters, life as a starving artist in New York, and, eventually, his experience teaching in a special program for high school dropouts. And through it all—music.

00:00 Introduction
00:56 Childhood in Cincinnati
06:20 Discovering Music and Artistic Pursuits
10:40 High School and College
19:41 Williams College
28:03 Starving Artist in New York
35:23 Returning to Music
36:06 Teaching
37:51 Impactful Moments with Students
38:55 Musical Evolution and Style
40:25 Acoustic Guitar
41:42 Influences and Inspirations
43:19 Songwriting and Themes
45:21 "York's Lament"
51:39 "A Woman's Work is Never Done"
55:52 "All That Bleeds"
01:00:08 "The Road Taken" (with Christine Gunn)
01:07:05 Reflections and Future Plans

Recorded at CDM Studios in New York City and Q’s Recording Studios in Tacoma, WA in August 2024.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

Polly Wood-Holland is a scenic artist and designer for film, TV, and theater. She's worked on many iconic Broadway productions, including The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, and Mary Poppins. On this episode, we discuss the projects, mentors, and serendipitous moments that have shaped her career, as well as her experiences with legendary figures such as Paul Newman and Mike Nichols.

00:00 Introduction
01:08 Experience at Williams
04:55 Mentorship and Early Career Challenges
09:58 Working with Tony Walton on "The Wiz"
22:15 Mechanical Wolves and Practical Effects on "Wolfen"
27:58 Learning from Industry Legends
30:27 Moving to Vermont and Starting a Mural Business
35:48 Returning to New York
36:50 Kanye West's Coachella Project
38:36 Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Camp
43:03 Broadway Highlights
44:23 Transition to Movies and TV
46:15 "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"
50:06 Reflections and Future Plans

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

On this episode of "A Williams Life," we delve into the enduring friendship of classmates Will Parish and Perk Perkins, whose bond spans 50 years. Starting in the fall of 1975, they embarked on a 20-month journey, crossing five oceans and seas, and exploring 35 countries—an experience they chronicled in their book, "Around the World in a Jeep.” We also explore their lives today, with Will engaged in educational and environmental causes in California, and Perk running Orvis, a family-owned business specializing in outdoor sporting goods, previously run by his father. Additionally, Will and Perk discuss the strong influence that their fathers, both Williams alums, played in their lives. Their friendship remains the central theme of the episode, including how they use annual retreats to strengthen their friendship and reflect on life.

00:00 Introduction
01:23 Beginnings of a Lifelong Bond
03:43 Embarking on a Round-the-World Trip
05:26 Memorable Encounters
13:17 Navigating Challenges and Embracing Humanity
15:36 Reflections on Mortality and “Invincibility"
23:53 Life Lessons from the Trip
27:25 Will & Perk’s Annual Retreats
30:01 The Evolution of the Retreats
33:40 Navigating Family Legacies and Career Paths
37:24 Conservation & Activism
50:38 A Climate Message to Future Generations
53:26 Closing Thoughts

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

Pamela Hawkes is a national leader in historic preservation. On this episode, she discusses her time at Williams, early inspirations, and takes us on a tour of three projects—the renovation of the Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls, NY, the restoration of Georgia O'Keeffe's home and studio in New Mexico, and the design of a girls' boarding school in Tanzania. She also talks about her experience as a woman in a male-dominated field, the value of a liberal arts education, and the virtues of hand-drafting in a computerized age. Lastly, she tells the story of co-founding Scattergood Design with her husband Scott and shares her passion for sailing.

Click here to view pictures of the projects mentioned in this episode.
If you would like to know more about Pamela's work, please visit her website.

00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:07 Pam's Journey to Williams College
00:02:19 Experiences at Williams College
00:08:48 Transition from College to Career
00:10:48 Influence of Early Experiences on Career
00:14:49 Design Philosophy
00:16:06 Case Study: Crandall Public Library
00:22:45 Case Study: Georgia O'Keeffe's Home and Studio
00:32:20 Case Study: Girls' School in Tanzania
00:49:33 Hand Drawing and AI
00:56:47 Starting Scattergood Design
01:00:00 Sailing Adventures and Future Plans

This episode was recorded in June 2023 in New York City.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

Dr. Frank "Rick" Richards is a world-leading expert on parasitic and tropical infections. He's traveled to some of the poorest and most remote locations of our planet to fight diseases that have harmed millions. During his long tenure at the Carter Center in Atlanta, where he has worked closely with former President Jimmy Carter, Rick played a leading role in the eradication of river blindness from Guatemala. In addition to his career, Rick talks about his experience as a Black student at Williams, his campus activism, and the significant academic and personal challenges he faced during his four years at the College.

00:00 Introduction
00:55 Frank's Early Life and Family Background
01:48 Childhood Experiences of Segregation and Racism
05:34 Activism During High School
08:02 Father's Influence and Life Lessons
09:24 Challenges and Experiences at Williams College
22:35 Activism and Protests at Williams College
26:12 Influence of Professor Joe Harris and Interest in the African Diaspora
30:44 Transition to Medical School and Global Health
33:50 Early Interest in Infectious Diseases
35:33 The Journey to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
36:45 The Fight Against River Blindness
42:40 Challenges Post-Eradication
43:51 Poverty and Global Health
49:06 The Personal Toll of Global Health Work
53:56 Working with President Carter and the Carter Center
01:00:31 Reflections on the 50th Reunion

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

Denise Littlefield Sobel takes us on a highly personal journey through her varied and interesting life. It starts with her experience as a member of the first class of women to enroll at Williams for a full four-year term. Denise talks candidly about her mental health struggles as a student, including serious bouts of depression. Continuing in this personal vein, she discusses her conversion to Judaism against the strong wishes of her mother, and how she has come to practice acceptance as a parent herself. Another intensely personal portion of the interview focuses on the loss of Denise’s son, Elliot, who died at a tragically young age. Denise closes the episode with a discussion of her many years of philanthropy—focusing on arts and culture—and her recent appointment as Chair of the Clark Art Institute’s Board of Trustees, the first woman to hold the position.

00:00 Introduction
00:30 Choosing Williams College
02:57 Experiences as a Woman at Williams
04:45 Challenges and Triumphs of Women at Williams
08:24 Struggles With Depression and Journey to Judaism
13:25 Family Reactions to Denise’s Conversion
15:31 Embracing Diversity and Acceptance as a Parent
19:06 Philanthropy: A Family Tradition
19:34 Promoting Diversity and Inclusion through Philanthropy
20:30 The Tikkun Olam Foundation: Repairing the World
25:06 The Loss of Denise’s Son
34:53 Denise’s Early Philanthropy
43:47 Leading the Clark Art Museum
49:15 Reflections and Future Aspirations 

This interview was recorded in January 2023 at CDM Studios in New York City.

Click here to view pictures and hear more episodes of A Williams Life.

Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)

Frank Doelger is a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV producer whose credits include HBO’s Game of Thrones, Rome, and John Adams. Frank begins by talking about Williams and the professors who had an early influence on his career path. He then discusses his time as a graduate student at Oxford, where a chance encounter led to his becoming a theater producer. Afterwards, the conversation turns to how Frank broke into the TV business, initially as a script reader for network television. During the remainder of the episode, Frank details his role as an executive producer on Game of Thrones, one of the most successful TV series in history, and other HBO hit productions. Lastly, we hear about Frank’s latest project, The Swarm, produced by his new production company, and the Winter Study class he taught this past winter. 

00:00 Introduction
00:44 Time at Williams
01:40 Discovering Passion for Narrative
04:30 Exploring Career Options
10:14 Journey into Theater
14:33 Struggles and Triumphs of Early Career
17:48 From Unemployment to Columbia Pictures
27:05 Joining HBO and Learning to Produce
31:40 Mentorship Under Linda Gottlieb
35:23 Frank’s first hit—“Taking a Stand” (ABC)
44:09 Rome (HBO): Creating Problem Solving
52:04 Game of Thrones (HBO): Creating Worlds
56:03 John Adams (HBO): Bringing Historical Figures to Life
01:12:00 Balancing Fantasy and Reality on Game of Thrones
01:16:54 Reluctance to Work on Game of Thrones
01:27:53 Working with Writers
01:32:51 Deadlines and Stress
01:35:39 Critics, Criticism and Controversy
01:45:08 The Swarm and New Projects
01:51:58 Winter Study at Williams: Getting to the Big Idea
02:09:52 Reflections on a Career in Television Production

This interview was recorded in February 2022 at CDM Studios in New York City.

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Senior Producer: Jon Earle ('09)