American Tributaries

Sophie Barrett recently returned to her home state of North Carolina after spending a decade in New York City.  A member of the wine trade since 2005, Sophie is currently the general manager of Haw River Wine Man, which is a wine distributor in the Carolinas.

Sophie shares thoughts about many matters, including:
*her wine career path from retail to distribution, with a number of enviable stopovers
*what irresistibly drew her back home
*a breakdown of North Carolina’s geography
*what Wegman’s tells you about North Carolina’s explosive growth
*erroneous perceptions of the South
*wine pairings with NC’s famous vinegar-based BBQ

Sophie finds hope in the power of wine as a connecting force.

Kathy Buccio has built a multi-pronged career as a tv show host, lifestyle expert and show producer, primarily, in New York City.  Her path drew inspiration from the sportscasting career of her grandfather, Manolo Alvarez, in Cuba and Miami and from the work ethic and drive to succeed of the rest of her Cuban exile parents and grandparents. You may have encountered Kathy on The Today Show, PIX11 of New York, South Florida PBS, Telemundo, Univision and many other television channels. 

Kathy elaborates upon a lot of fascinating topics, including:
*how she learned to pay her dues and get into the entertainment field
*how a move back home to Miami brought about her role as a lifestyle expert
*the role of lifestyle experts and influencers in the broader context of marketing’s evolution
*who you’ll find in the front row of many fashion shows these days
*her pleasantly memorable interactions with some celebrities
*what she would ask celebrities on the red carpet other than “what are you wearing?”

Kathy finds hope in something we all have access to: the power of kindness.

Taryn Williams has been a teacher in the Alutiiq village of Perryville (population, 88), located 500 miles southwest of Anchorage on the Alaska Peninsula, since autumn 2021. It’s a remote land of distinct immensity and beauty (even for Alaska) defined by tundra, coastline and nearby mountains crowned by an active volcano, Mt Veniaminof.

Taryn talks about many fascinating, unique topics, including:
*how the Alaskan “bush” is connected to the state’s more populous areas
*their subsistence diet of berries, tundra grass, caribou and salmon, among other items
*how she teaches all subjects to a classroom of grades 7 through 12
*preservation of Alutiiq culture
*the value of observation, respect and humility in engaging a different culture
*the importance of joining local hunting and fishing trips

Taryn finds hope in her students and how much they’ve accomplished and prepared themselves to confront the world.

Ben Bohen has been a small business owner in Brooklyn, NY since 2011 when he opened his boutique wine shop Waterfront Wines & Spirits in Brooklyn Bridge Park near Pier 5. Host Michael Whidden worked with Ben as his wine sales representative during most of that time and was always impressed with his abilities as an entrepreneur and manager.

Ben shares a variety of insights, including
*the path to opening his own business
*how a crisis for his grand opening became a non-event
*his secret for staying calm amidst myriad demands
*key practices for attentive customer service
*differentiating transformations from trends in the marketplace 

Ben finds hope in people’s capacity for adaptation, innovation and reinvention, which he sees in many aspects of life, from robotic weeding machines to the country’s adaptations in responding to the pandemic.

Leslie Phillips has been a psychoanalyst in the New York metropolitan area for more than twenty years and currently has her own practice in Westchester County. Leslie and host Michael Whidden have been good friends since their high school days when, even back then, it was readily apparent she had a unique aptitude for the subject matter.

Leslie covers a broad array of topics relating to her field (as well as her one detour living abroad), including....
*the various types of professionals who treat mental health
*video sessions and how they have been incorporated into her practice
*social media and how it impacts her practice and our society
*her experience volunteering in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in NYC
*her six months on a kibbutz in Israel
*considerations for when a patient is in a strong-enough place to end treatment

Leslie finds hope in seeing people work to change themselves and to make the world around them a better place.

Eric Foret recently became the corporate wine director of Vin Sur Vingt, a 7-unit French wine bar group based in New York City, after two decades in the wholesale wine trade. He grew up in Lyon, France, and moved to the United States in 2000, obtaining citizenship in 2016.

Eric shares various observations about life in the United States and working in the wine industry and restaurant world, including...
*his reasons for moving away from home and becoming an American citizen
*the optimism and energy he found in the American people
*the intricate system of importing/distributing wines in the United States
*the challenges of operating a restaurant in post-pandemic NYC
*the complexities of restaurant management
*Vin Sur Vingt’s exciting upcoming projects

Eric finds hope in the energy and opportunities here in the United States.

Dr Jacqueline Subka has her own dentistry practice in the city of Thousand Oaks, located between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.  For recreation, she and her daughter care for their horse Rollo and compete in equestrian competitions.

Jacqueline explains her path and attraction to becoming a dentist after pivoting from her original aspiration to become an airline pilot.  Among other things, you’ll also hear about...
   *her thoughts on nail-biting
   *what’s perhaps the worst habit for your teeth
   *dental problems which can endanger the brain and indeed your life
   *why you should not get dental work done overseas
   *technical advances in dentistry
   *navigating her dental practice through the pandemic
   *what it’s like to own your own horse

Jacqueline finds hope in what she regularly sees as a dentist: people’s ability to overcome fear and anxiety to take care of themselves, better themselves and pay that positive experience forward.

Learn about how Njekwa Beasnael successfully and joyfully straddles a wide variety of different worlds.

He spent his early years in Chad and Ghana before moving with his family to the Dallas area.  He then attended Texas A&M, where his passion for wine and food took hold, and moved to New York City to pursue his passions professionally and where he ultimately met his wife who hails from Montana. Njekwa recently joined Cru Luv Selections, an NYC-based wine branding and marketing firm dedicated to blending wine and hip hop culture.

Njekwa talks about the bridges Cru Luv has been building between the worlds of wine and hip and offers his secret to personally straddling so many different worlds: in short, have an open mind and listen.  He fondly reminisces about his first tastes of classic American cuisine and shares his view of life on a Montana ranch (as well as the tantalizing benefits of enjoying beef at its source).  Njekwa describes an unceasing passion for one particular wine region and unquenched curiosity about another.

He finds hope in people’s growing awareness of matters long below the surface and the groundswell of people coming together to make the world a better place.

Learn about the inner workings of local government in the Sunshine State (at least in one locale) and the mindset of someone pursuing public service after a long, accomplished career of naval service.

Jake Johansson was born and raised in western New York before embarking on a 35-year career in the U.S. Navy, which included positions as commander of an air squadron, commander of Virginia area naval bases and naval aid to the Vice President of the United States. After retirement, Jake continued with service to the public by accepting a position as City Manager for Port Orange, Florida.  He is now pursuing a seat on the Council of Volusia County (FL).

Jake describes the responsibilities of a city manager and discusses his concerns about the pitfalls of elected office.  He talks about his time working in the White House when he was responsible for the Vice President’s “football” and how it allows him to sleep comfortably at night. Jake offers extensive thoughts on leadership and management, in both the military and civilian context, and on life in Florida.  Throughout, Jake discusses how modern media can be used more responsibly and effectively by public officials and citizens alike.  Towards the end, he offers advice on how citizens can be productively engaged with their local government.

Jake hopes that we can all learn to more seek understanding, respect differences and accept disagreement.

Kyle Pasewark is a Wyoming native, raised in Laramie in the southeast, and began his studies at the University of Wyoming before his interest took him towards studying theology and, ultimately, practicing law in New York City for more than fifteen years. A few years ago, he moved back to Wyoming, settling in the state’s northwest corner near Yellowstone National Park. Kyle and host Michael Whidden met as fellow corporate attorneys at the law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton in New York City.

Learn about a way-of-life where the topic of neighborhood discussion may be the herd of 200 elk wandering nearby. It’s not just fascinating cocktail talk or a neat social media post but has unavoidable impact on how you think of yourself, relate to your neighbors and look to government.

Kyle shares the reasons for his life’s round trip journey and comments upon the vast differences between living in a Manhattan apartment building with as many residents as in his entire Wyoming community, which comprises 50 square miles. Kyle talks about the nearby Native American communities, the abounding natural wonder which envelopes him and the captivating light that makes for ever-changing photogenic scenes. With amusement, referring to a 5-page real estate contract, he describes the differences in how law is practiced in Wyoming compared to New York City.

In the end, Kyle identifies a cultural code that arises from his home’s unique setting: one that values a reputation for following-through on one’s word above all else and seems to make sense in a land where there are simply so many less people, requiring that those who you *do* engage need to be reliable.

Considering the two vastly different communities he knows well and loves equally but differently, he finds that New York City and Wyoming share two interesting traits: they are both places where folks (a) are free to do almost whatever they want and (b) perceive the other community with a misplaced casual contempt based on untrue caricatures.

Kyle finds hope from the treasured relationship he had with a dear friend, even though they agreed on very little politically, because of their mutual core values of respect for each other as members of the same community. He is hopeful that efforts to break out of our respective bubbles will counter the systemic monetization of anger by broadcast media and social media.