While the media often overuses the word "crisis," the reality of childcare in the United States presents a specific, measurable challenge that many families can no longer ignore. On this episode of Naturally Curious, Bruce C. Bryan explores the cultural and economic factors driving the current shortage of reliable care.

The discussion centers on the growing gap between the number of families needing support and the limited spots available for children. It is a systemic issue that extends far beyond local borders, impacting workforce participation and community stability at large.

Imagine being able to combine all of your professional passions into one work. When you hear Michael Hemphill's story, you quickly realize that if the pieces can fit together so nicely for him, they can for you as well. Michael is a former award-winning newspaper reporter and when he chose to switch to nonprofit work, after years of helping individual nonprofit organizations, he had a bigger idea.

Michael wanted to match an organization doing good work with a marketing firm, which could help him get more...buzz. This is a story of a passion filled man who had a wild idea. He didn't just dream it.

But found a way to make it happen. In turn, he has helped hundreds of nonprofits and tens of thousands of people. I've long believed that interviewing interviewers makes for an incredible show. Above is the FULL UNEDITED version. BUZZ4GOOD's Michael Hemphill.

In this episode, we're sitting down with Ethan Long, President and CEO of VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment. Managing a team that covers over half the state's geography, Ethan oversees work that's as complex as it is vital. There are no easy answers in this field, but VIA is dedicated to educating and training young people, supporting their families, and accelerating their paths to post-secondary success.

This is the full, unedited version of our conversation. We’ll dive deep into the realities of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), VIA's impact, and how leadership can challenge a team to stay in a state of continuous improvement. It’s a discussion that sits at the intersection of healthcare, education, leadership, and the strengthening of our families.

 Abby Hamilton is the president and CEO of the United Way of Virginia's Blue Ridge. During this episode of Naturally Curious, we're going to discuss early childhood education, workforce development, and how the United Way tackles the most difficult challenges facing the region. And we'll go deeper. You'll hear about leadership, career development and how Abby's career path can inspire you or those around you.

In fact, we'll even address some of the interesting aspects of immigration. Not only that, but we'll dig into how the United Way as a leading national nonprofit organization has had to adjust their approach. It's an ongoing evolution, and you'll see how Abby is facing these times head-on. With a deep passion for doing good, you're in for a treat with this episode.

Naturally Curious host Bruce C. Bryan talks to Stan Hale of The Roanoke Tribune about the history, struggles and perseverance of Roanoke’s longest-running African-American newspaper.

Michael Hemphill – founder and host of the PBS Television Show Buzz4Good discusses the challenges nonprofits face and the good work they do, how a journalist created a 3.0 career, and shares some inspiring stories of the work being done to build our communities.

Dr. Ethan Long – CEO of VIA Centers for Neurodevelopment shares about the work this regional nonprofit does in the arena of Autism, education, career development and the impact of this work on the world around us.

Angie Covey (former Executive Director of the New River Community College – VA - Education Foundation) discusses workforce development, higher education accessibility in rural areas, and building a viable economic engine.  These are topics that regions all over the country are facing.

Naturally Curious is an up-close conversation with interesting people who have meaningful stories to tell.

The host Bruce C. Bryan takes his listeners on a journey that is both personal and universal.  The people he talks with are dynamic, engaged, helpful, and willing to share what they’ve learned and how their lives impact others.  Everyone has a story to tell and when these interesting folks share their’s, the listeners immediately feel the impact and are motivated to learn, do, or say more.

We talk about their stories, their challenges, how they impact the world around them.  We discuss what inspires them and how their work or their organization inspires or supports change and improvement in the world.

Abby Hamilton serves as the President and CEO of the United Way of Virginia's Blue Ridge, an organization she has been with for nearly 25 years. Before taking the helm, her journey from living in the Pacific and finding her way to Virginia through her non-profit work will fascinate you. A recognized leader, Hamilton is dedicated to mobilizing the caring power of the community to create lasting positive change in the Roanoke Valley.

Naturally Curious is an up-close conversation with interesting people who have meaningful stories to tell.

The host Bruce C. Bryan takes his listeners on a journey that is both personal and universal.  The people he talks with are dynamic, engaged, helpful, and willing to share what they’ve learned and how their lives impact others.  Everyone has a story to tell, and when these interesting folks share theirs, the listeners immediately feel the impact and are motivated to learn, do, or say more.

We talk about their stories, their challenges, and how they impact the world around them.  We discuss what inspires them and how their work or their organization inspires or supports change and improvement in the world.  These will be very personal interviews and stories – I’ll dig to ensure that happens each episode.