Growing Bolder

Living Lands and Waters founder Chad Pregracke is on a mission to clean the garbage out of our rivers. He was 17 years old when he became appalled by the pollution in the Mississippi River and vowed to clean it up. To date, his organization has removed 10 million pounds of trash and is still going strong. 

101 year old, Virginia Oliver has lived most of her life on the water. She’s the oldest lobster fisherman alive. She also drives to the local grocery store every day to buy supplies for her favorite activity, cooking for her family. Hear Virginia's secrets to a long and happy life.  

Donna Orender is a former pro basketball all-star turned sports executive who is now dedicated to helping young women level the playing field in life. By founding WOW she is inspiring the next generation of women to shoot for the stars.  

Eco-Warrior/Rabbi Ed Rosenthal has become a cult figure by connecting his love of religion with his passion for the water. He inspires college students to dive in to protect our oceans. It's why he’s become known as the “Rabbi of the Reef.”  

James Hicks is a professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California in Irvine. He’s developed a new class called Exercise as Medicine that examines how and why physical activity can actually work better for us than pills. 

And meet a woman who saw a need in her community and decided to step up and try to make a difference.   

Psychologist, gerontologist, sociologist, entrepreneur, filmmaker and founder of Age Wave Ken Dychtwald joins Growing Bolder’s Marc Middleton for a candid conversation on the state of aging today. Dychtwald is the worlds No. 1 thought leader and influencer when it comes to the social and business implications of aging. He shares is thoughts on how life today is different than ever before and offers his predictions on how things will change and what you need to do to be prepared.

Then, Sanford restauranteur Shantell Williams decided there was only one way to honor an African-American motorcycle pioneer — she hopped on her own Harley and rode across 48 states in honor of this unsung hero from the past. Williams shares stories from her lifelong mission to break down stereotypes while building friendships along the way.

Hotelier and Author Chip Conley started the Modern Elder Academy. It's the world's very first wisdom school that's dedicated to helping people navigate their mid-life. He joins Growing Bolder’s Marc Middleton in a conversation that will help shift your mindset on what’s possible as we age.

Clyde Butcher is the foremost landscape photographer in America today. In fact, people compare him to the legendary Ansel Adams. Butcher is also a conservationist and humanitarian who believes his purpose is to inspire us to appreciate and protect the true beauty of nature.   

Sometimes it feels like we’d all be safer if we could live inside a bubble. Meet a Miami-based photographer who did exactly that at the start of the pandemic, and the result was a viral sensation. George Kamper explains how each of us can find inspiration, even during the most challenging times.

What is recyclable and what isn’t? Our discussion with author and legal associate Jennie Romer may surprise you. She explains what can and cannot go in the bin, whether recycling is working at all, and what we can do to change the system to better protect our planet.

Dr. Nick Dewan, a nationally known expert in behavioral health, discusses the sometimes painful process of coping with change, including how to make the transition from pandemic isolation to reintegration. Find out how our mental health can affect us physically.

Entrepreneur Angel Cornelius had an idea for a new product. An all-natural hair care system made specifically for people with gray hair, which she prefers to call silver. The company she started in her kitchen has grown into a national brand available on QVC. Find out how instead of covering up her premature gray she decided to celebrate it.

Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich, PH.D. is considered the Godfather of Neuroplasticity. He says cognitive decline is not inevitable as we get older. His groundbreaking research has changed the way scientists and researchers think about the brain. He joins Growing Bolder for a fascinating conversation about what he's learned, proving old dogs can learn new tricks.

Sylvia Earle is a National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence, an oceanographer, author and lecturer who at 86 is leading the fight to protect our oceans. She says it's not just what we’re putting into the sea that’s the problem, it’s also what we’re taking out. A fascinating conversation about our planet, our personal responsibility to it, and how no matter what age you are, you can make a difference.

Actor and musician John Stamos has become a role model for living a healthy and active lifestyle. He talks about becoming a new dad at 55, life on the road with the Beach Boys, the lessons he's learned from his parents and the importance of volunteering.

Harris Rosen has built one of the largest independently owned hotel groups in the country, but what he’s built in his community is far greater. He’s issuing a challenge to other business leaders around the country — why aren’t you investing in your communities and in your people, too?

Lindsey Buckingham, a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer named by Rolling Stone as one of the greatest guitarists of all time has released his first solo album in a decade. He talks with Growing Bolder about his split with Fleetwood Mac, life after a heart attack and the importance of stepping out of your comfort zone.

Bishop Vance Oldes has made the transition from a world of crime to a man of the cloth. He talks about his journey, his unexpected rise as a social media personality and how his popular skating videos are helping him to spread the Word.

Mary Anne Cooper was 96 and competing at the US Masters Swimming National Championship when Growing Bolder caught up with her poolside. What's her secret for living a long, fulfilling life? According to Mary Anne, it's to always be on the lookout for life’s little miracles.

Delusions can be a good thing, according to Shankar Vedantam, the host of the popular podcast and radio show, “Hidden Brain” and a New York Times best-selling author. In his latest book, “Useful Delusions: The Power and Paradox of the Self-Deceiving Brain,” Vedantam says the lies we tell ourselves can actually be helpful. It’s an interesting conversation that reveals that honesty isn’t always the best policy. 

As the host of several travel shows including her latest on Public TV, “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love”, Samantha Brown has visited more than 60 countries, 250 cities and 40 U.S. states. Along the way she’s learned a lot of life lessons. She explains how much we can learn by traveling and meeting people from all walks of life and offers three tips for people interested in seeing the world at a fraction of the cost.