My Life's Work

Charles Allen knew he wanted to be a “helper” ever since he was a young child growing up in Alabama. His early aspirations to be a doctor evolved into a broader understanding of what it means to help others - but he has maintained his dedication to social justice and service. Charles has served as Washington DC’s Ward 6 Councilmember since 2014 and today, he finds himself bringing together his public health expertise, commitment to social justice, and political savvy to help lead the city’s recover from COVID-19.

Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org/episodes/allen to see a picture of Charles Allen, or to connect with us by leaving a comment.

Dr. Justin Burton helps children and their families each day, often during one of the hardest times of their lives. Over the course of his career, he has transformed his personal challenge from adolescence into the essence of how he practices medicine. Guided by his determination to give back to his community and an inspiring mentor from medical school, Dr. Burton now models patient-centered care to those around him.

Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org/episodes/burton to see a picture of Dr. Burton, or to connect with us by leaving a comment.

Martha Pope began her career as a middle school art teacher at the same school she attended. But after moving to DC and becoming a receptionist for Senator Gary Hart, she set off on a path that would lead her to make an impact far beyond her hometown.

Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org/episodes/expect-your-life-to-change to see pictures of Martha and the leaders she met, or to connect with us by leaving a comment.

The US Capitol grounds have been the backdrop to over 200 years of memories of DC residents and visitors alike. These grounds, with the grey cobblestones, wide expanse of grass, and the Capitol majestically towering above, are where we gathered with our friends and family, rode our bikes up and down the giant hill, and stood at the marble steps, in awe of the power of the great white building. As Rosemary Freeman expressed in her story, it’s our stories that make this place sacred. This special episode, “Stories of an Unfenced Capitol” features the voices of more than 20 people who shared their memories of the Capitol grounds with us. Their stories show the importance of an unfenced Capitol to our community, our city and our country.

See pictures and access the full, uncut, stories on our website: www.mylifesworkpodcast.org/episodes/stories-of-an-unfenced-capitol

Craig Wallace couldn’t have imagined where he would be today—a renowned DC Shakespearean actor. As a teen, Craig was uncertain of his identity, but a chance decision in high school uncovered a hidden talent and directed him onto his career path. Craig found his true life’s work when he performed in a Shakespearean play for the first time and, struggling to speak and understand the language, set off on a quest to do just that.

(Music in this episode is recorded and composed by Nathaniel on cello & piano. Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org for pictures of Craig Wallace and to see some of his projects.)

Dr. Jennifer Cartland has dedicated her career to serving children.  Inspired by her own second grade teacher, Dr. Cartland discovered her mission at an early age.  She always knew that she was going to be a teacher, and while she remained in the realm of education, Dr. Cartland’s career has evolved and led her to support students in more ways than she ever could have imagined as a young child.

(Music in this episode is recorded and composed by Nathaniel on cello & piano. Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org for pictures of Dr. Cartland.)

KK Ottesen has always held a fascination with people’s stories. In this interview of an interviewer, we explore what it means to “follow your bliss” and how KK grew her childhood curiosity into her life’s work. Featured regularly in the Washington Post Magazine’s Just Asking column and the author of two books, KK uses her talents as a writer and a photographer to explore the essence of humanity.

(Music in this episode is recorded and composed by Nathaniel on cello & piano. Visit our website www.mylifesworkpodcast.org for pictures of KK.)

David Stute started out as an aspiring cellist in Detmold, Germany, but after many twists and turns in his career path, he now lives in Washington DC with his wife and son and works at a local law firm.

(Music in this episode is recorded by Nathaniel on cello. He plays, in order of appearance, an original theme, Bach’s Allemande from the 1st Cello Suite, and an arrangement of “Lisnagun,” a traditional harp jig)

In this mini-episode, we talk briefly about who we are and how we got started on this project. We hope to give you a sense of where we’re coming from and where we’d like to go in the future.

(Music in this episode is an original theme recorded on cello by Nathaniel)