American Journey

Dr. Harvey & Sharon Rishe live in a suburb of Salt Lake City, Utah. They are recently retired from the mental health profession. Together, they helped run a private practice in West Valley City, for over 20 years, where Harvey was a partner and Sharon was a clinical social worker. They met in California, and share a deep appreciation for an outdoor lifestyle, which is how a couple of Jews wound up in Utah.

They are my parents, and their roots trace back to various parts of Europe. Their ancestors arrived in North America separated by hundreds of years, and from very different sub cultures, but as the forces of nature do turn, they found each other.

Tim's ancestors hail from Ireland. They entered the United States through Canada, several generations ago, to find warmer climes, eventually settling in the Dakotas.

Tim is a long-time resident of New York City and has traveled extensively in Africa, South Asia and Europe. He pursues a lifelong goal of fluency in French and Italian, and studies classical singing.

Tim’s professional global health training ground was the Population Council, a premier international non-profit, non-governmental institution that conducts biomedical, public health, and social science research, helping to build research capacities in developing countries. He joined the Council in 1991, and was promoted to play a leading role in external relations, public affairs, and fundraising. During his tenure, the Council’s unrestricted funding from foreign governments increased by 132%, and new funding schemes were established with the Governments of Japan, New Zealand, and the U.K. He also served as the primary point of contact with the international NGO community and with the U.S. Government, managing the Council’s $13 million co-operative agreement with the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

From 1998-2001, Tim was a senior consultant at the London-based communications agency InterScience, working with a range of clients on their sexual and reproductive health programs. When InterScience folded in 2001, he continued consulting privately. By analyzing policy trends, programmatic developments, donor priorities, and a vast range of research, he helped clients shape their communications programs, fundraising strategies, and address their organizational development needs.  Some of his major clients were the Rockefeller Foundation, the International Council of AIDS Service Organizations; the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative; the International Partnership for Microbicides; the Guttmacher Institute; GlaxoSmithKline’s Positive Action program and GSK Biologicals. 

In April 2006, Tim was appointed Executive Director of the Staying Alive Foundation at MTV Networks International based in New York.  A global grant-making and advocacy organization, the Foundation encourages and enables young people who are involved in HIV and AIDS awareness, education and prevention campaigns.  When MTV changed its philanthropic directions, Tim returned to private consulting. 

In late 2008, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation awarded a $12m, 3-year grant to launch The Maternal Health Task Force, and the CEO of its host NGO (EngenderHealth) called in Tim to spearhead the process of turning the proposal into a project.  Starting with public announcements and events throughout the global public health world using an array of interpersonal and electronic communications vehicles, soon the MHTF was ensconced as a vital convening, coordinating and catalyzing entity in the maternal health field.  When the MHTF moved to the Harvard School of Public Health In 2011 with an increased Gates grant and several other major donors including the MacArthur Foundation, Tim continued as Senior Advisor on a broad range of communication and policy projects.

 From 2014-2016, Tim was a Senior Program Officer at the Gates Foundation.  His portfolio spanned the continuum of sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health policy and communication with grants at the global and country levels.  Starting in 2017, Tim re-launched his consultancy, "timothythomasdotnet" where he continues his work to improve the health and well-being of women and girls everywhere. 

He graduated with honors from the Interlochen Arts Academy; he holds a Bachelors of Arts degree from Iowa State University and a Masters of Fine Arts degree from New York University. 

Hannah D. Scott moved to the US in 2009 on a student visa, and lives here now with a valid work visa. She is an actress and stunt performer, and is based in New York City. Originally from the UK, Hannah trained at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (3yr BA Acting). She is a proud member of British and American Actor's Equity, and SAG/AFTRA. https://vimeo.com/hannahdscott

Nedra McClyde is New York based actor born in Maryland. She is a descendant of American Slaves, and this episode focuses on that lineage.  She moved to New York to pursue the arts. Her professional credits include Mr. Burns at Playwrights Horizons, Headstrong at Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Macbeth at Classical Theatre of Harlem. Nedra is a recipient of New Dramatists' Charles Bowden Award, two-time AUDELCO Award nominee, NYIT Best Leading Actress nominee, Associate Artist with The Civilians, MFA graduate of The Actors Studio Drama School, Assistant Professor of Acting at the New School for Drama, and Adjunct at Pace School of Performing Arts. Favorite regional theater includes Good People at The Old Globe and Fairfield at Cleveland Play House. Nedra has made television appearances on new Netlfix/Marvel series "Jessica Jones," "Blue Bloods," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "30 Rock," "As the World Turns" and "One Life to Live." Please visit her website.

Gail Frydkowski is the child of holocaust survivors. She has been a high school special education teacher since 2005. As an educator, she has used humane materials to help students prepare for New York State English Regents exams and for college research work. She had students sponsor orphaned chimps with In Defense of Animals. She was previously a New York Humane Education Ambassador for Best Friends Animal Society and has held their ‘I Read to Animals’ programs in venues across the city. She has been a volunteer for Best Friends, Animal Haven and Humane Education Advocates Reaching Teachers, helping to carry out the Caring Kids program held weekly at Animal Haven. She has run a teen animal lovers club in her school and in 2015 she will be a certified humane education specialist through the Humane Society

She is currently teaching the kids of the Animal Lovers YAP Club in Manhattan about Humane Education and animal welfare issues. 

She is the UFT Co-Chair of the Humane Education Committee; which provided workshops for teachers to bring Humane Ed into their classrooms. Gail has a masters in Special Education, and before becoming a teacher, has worked in the medical field and traveled the world working in the airline industry. She has also worked with such organizations and rescues as The HSUS, Best Friends Animal Society, BeFreegle Foundation, and Animal Haven NY.

I met Malcolm in 2002. He was a guest artist in a singing class I was taking at NYU with Deb Lapidus. I worked with him on the Scarecrow's song from The Wiz, and he said, "You're just great! Let's sing that again." I'll take that one with me all the way!

Wikipedia tells us: Malcolm Gets is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Richard in the American television sitcom Caroline in the City. Gets is also a dancer, singer, composer, classically trained pianist, vocal director, and choreographer. He played Gould in the 2009 film Grey Gardens opposite Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore and his first solo album came out in 2009 from PS Classics.

Gets was nominated for a Tony Award in 2003 (Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical, Amour), and was awarded the Obie Award in 1995.[2]

Gets was born in Waukegan, Illinois, the son of Lispbeth, an educator, and Terence Gets, a college textbook salesman.[3] Both parents grew up in London, England. He moved with his family to New Jersey. He lived there until he was six, when his family moved to Gainesville, Florida. He has an older brother, Erik; an older sister, Alison; and a younger sister, Adrienne.

Gets started studying performing arts early in life. He started studying piano at age nine. This skill helped him pay his way through college. He began singing lessons at 14. He also danced with a studio in Gainesville as a teenager.

Gets skipped two years of K-12 education and graduated from Buchholz High School in Gainesville, Florida, aged 16. He then attended the University of Florida, where he won Best Newcomer's Award in acting and at age 24 earned a BFA in Theatre (1989). Following that, he completed an MFA at the Yale Drama School.

Due to the sensitive and personal nature of our guest's story, they have requested that we use a pseudonym in the title and description, to mask their search-ability. Miranda is a gentile from Utah (aka non-Mormon; we make the distinction because that is always the next question) who now lives in New York City.

Miranda's father immigrated as a young boy from Mexico, and their mother was born in Indiana. Miranda and Jeremy have known each other for over a decade, and, in that time, walked a few artistic paths together. In 2009 they co-produced and starred in Creditors at Studio T. Miranda's acting credits include: Off-Broadway Credits: "The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd" (Mint Theatre Company), and "As You Like It" (Harold Clurman Theatre Lab).  Selected New York Credits: "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" (Metropolitan Opera) "Creditors" (Studio Tisch). Selected Regional Credits: "Lombardi" (The Milwaukee Rep), "Man of La Mancha" (National Tour), "Guys and Dolls" (National Tour), "Coriolanus" (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), "1776" (Utah Shakespeare Festival), "Taming Of The Shrew", "Measure For Measure", "Merry Wives of Windsor", and "The Winter's Tale" (Texas Shakespeare Festival)

This episode contains graphic language that may not be suitable for young children; ironically, Ruy was an adolescent when these events occurred (go figure). Ruy Iskandar is an actor and director, known for Benders (2015), Eluscid (2007) and Rex (2016). He appeared on Broadway in Macbeth (Lincoln Center Theater). His off-Broadway credits include The Dance and the Railroad (Signature Theatre); Measure for Measure (Public Theater); The Hunters (Cherry Lane Theatre); Purim Play (Classic Stage Company); You for Me for You (Ma-Yi Theater Company) and Hamlet, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, The Storm and The Hot L Baltimore (NYU). Mr. Iskandar’s regional work includes American Night: Ballad of Juan José (Denver Center Theatre Company) and Twelfth Night and King Lear (Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival). His TV credits include The Blacklist (NBC) and the upcoming Gotham (FOX). He attended NYU’s graduate acting program.

Olga is a linguist who teaches Russian around the world, all from her home in Brooklyn NY, where she now lives with her husband and son. Her website states: "My main field of interest is language learning. I studied Linguistics at the University and during that time I was really impressed by language diversity in the world. Now I teach Russian, study foreign languages and constantly research and try teaching methods and self-study solutions (web services and applications). Distant learning is my second field of interest. I moved to Brooklyn, New York and I am now looking for a local job in E-learning." For lessons visit, www.panda-russian.net

Desai was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania but grew up in Binghamton, New York. Her parents are physicians; her father is Indian and her mother is Filipina. Desai is a professional actress. She has performed in many Off-Broadway productions, including The Winter’s Tale (2003), playing opposite David Strathairn, and The Tempest (2008), starring Mandy Patinkin. Her Broadway debut was playing Marta in the Tony Award winning 2006 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Company, in which her rendition of the show-stopping “Another Hundred People” met with critical praise. Other stage performances include David Schulner's An Infinite Ache in New Haven, Connecticut, and as part of Shinsai: Theaters for Japan, a benefit production performing "Four Black Dragons" and "Next" from Pacific Overtures by Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman. The 2001 comedy feature film Black Knight starring Martin Lawrence was Desai’s cinema debut. She has since had supporting roles in such films as Heights and The War Within. Desai's television credits include recurring roles in The Education of Max Bickford, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Kings, Dollhouse, The Event, and Damages. She earned her MFA at New York University, in its Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program.