Designer, musician, and community-radio music director, Jeff Holmes, joins the show to talk creative process, analog style, travel, and the surprising ways ideas find you. We also dig into vinyl reissues, theme-music-making, and why he built a life that leaves space to think.

Oakley’s Global Content Manager Jes Stockhausen has lived the story he now tells. After backpacking across Asia and then spending five years driving the Pan-American Highway in a self-built van, Jes learned to create anywhere. Hot-spotting edits from a remote Mexican point break, fixing breakdowns in Spanish, and eventually returning stateside with Pacha, a Patagonian herding dog he and his (now) wife rescued en route.

Back at Oakley, Jes applies that same resourceful mindset to brand storytelling and sustainability. He’s helping lead a cross-functional push toward the circular economy, prioritizing credible impact over buzzwords and using lifecycle thinking to unlock real innovation. We get into the projects that carry his thumbprint: reframing Oakley Standard Issue around service, launching an innovative surf helmet athletes actually want to wear, celebrating the brand’s 50th anniversary, and—yes—the wild one: a partnership with Axiom Space in which the next person on the moon could wear an Oakley visor.

It’s a conversation about creativity as problem-solving, why “sustainability” is the brief of our generation, and how living simply can sharpen what really matters in work and life. Pack a bag, this one covers a lot of miles.

Oakley’s VP of Soul & Creative Brian Takumi joins Shady Characters to trace 28 years shaping the brand—from BMX roots to the iconic Square O, from wild Foothill Ranch culture to leading creative in a 200k-person matrix. He unpacks storytelling, “physics elevated to an art form,” and why AI is a tool—not the soul—of design.

Filmmaker Chris Stacey joins Shady Characters to share his journey from music videos and viral hits like Teach Me How to Duffy to feature films including The Blind. From selling his guitar to pay rent to seeing his work on thousands of theater screens, Chris talks legacy, creativity, and why saying “yes” shaped his career.

Building Community with Heart – The Story of Intertwined Events. In this inspiring and joy-filled episode of Shady Characters, hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat sit down with Megz Clem and Katie Webb, the powerhouse duo behind Intertwined Events, a multifaceted event and hospitality company with a mission that goes far beyond beautiful celebrations.

Megz and Katie share how their friendship evolved into a thriving business that produces unforgettable events for clients while championing inclusivity and community. They talk about the early days of building Intertwined, the lessons learned from taking creative risks, and the personal values that shape every project they take on.

One of their most meaningful endeavors is RAD Camp (Rising Above Disabilities), a nonprofit camp they run for children and adults with special needs. They open up about the joy, challenges, and profound impact of creating a space where campers can experience independence, friendship, and fun — and how that work influences the way they lead their team and approach their events.

From planning high-profile weddings to coordinating corporate gatherings, Megz and Katie infuse every detail with care, humor, and heart. They also share candid stories about balancing entrepreneurship with motherhood, building a workplace culture where women thrive, and the moments that remind them why they do what they do.

With laughter, warmth, and a shared passion for making people feel seen and celebrated, Megz and Katie embody the spirit of community. This episode is a testament to the magic that happens when you combine creativity, compassion, and a deep commitment to lifting others up.

Guests: Megz Clem & Katie Webb Brundige

Job Title: CEOs & Co-Founders of Intertwined Inc. / Directors of Awesome at RAD Camp

Company: Intertwined Inc. / RAD Camp

Website: intertwinedinc.com / radcamp.org

Social Media: 

• Meghan: Instagram & LinkedIn
• Katie:Instagram & LinkedIn

Two-Stepping Through Life – James & Marie Kelly’s Story. In this lively and heartfelt episode of Shady Characters, hosts Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat welcome local South County favorites James and Marie Kelly — a husband-and-wife duo whose lives blend music, dance, and deep community roots.

James shares a winding life story that spans multiple states, a self-taught education, and a family ethic built on hard work, faith, and generosity. From building houses and living out of a van to finding his voice as a country musician, James’s journey is as unconventional as it is inspiring. Marie’s path, shaped by a lifelong love of dance, took her from line-dancing nights at local clubs to performing, teaching, and eventually leading The Bootleggers, a high-energy dance group.

The two met on the dance floor, became partners in life and art, and now balance their creative careers with raising two daughters. Their conversation is rich with stories of performing for veterans, opening for country legends like Clint Black, and bringing live energy to stages big and small. Marie talks about the creation of her “Champagne Cowgirl” brand and her role as a crowd-moving DJ and dance instructor, while James reflects on playing music for the military community and the importance of staying humble in the spotlight.

Through it all, the Kellys emphasize family, faith, and the joy of sharing their talents. Whether it’s teaching a stranger to two-step, getting a crowd moving between band sets, or inspiring their kids to sing, they approach life with warmth, grit, and humor.

It’s a conversation about chasing passions, serving others, and never losing sight of what matters most — the people you share the dance floor with.

Guests: James & Marie Kelly

Social Handles

• @champagnecowgirldancing
• @thejameskellyband

Under the Shade – The Story Behind Thatch Creative and Shady Characters. In this premiere episode of Shady Characters, executive producer Tom Dioro sits down with creative partners Evan Burgher and Tim DeBrincat to uncover the origins of their friendship, their boutique agency, Thatch Creative, and their new show. They share the meaning behind the “Thatch” name — inspired by a palm frond roof that symbolizes community, connection, and intertwined storytelling — and how “Shady Characters” grew from the idea of casting shade in the best possible way: a place to relax, share stories, and connect with fascinating people. Tim recounts a winding career path that spans big ad agency days to corporate marketing roles at Oakley and Skullcandy, international travel, and even a decade as a touring musician. Evan tells how his start in Oakley retail evolved into on-camera training videos, filmmaking, and eventually launching Thatch Creative in 2012. Their professional worlds collided when Tim sublet an office in Thatch’s San Juan Capistrano space, sparking a partnership that combined Tim’s brand strategy expertise with Evan’s production skills.

They also open up about family life — Evan’s “girl gang” of three daughters and Tim’s young daughter — and how their kids’ imagination often mirrors their own creative process. Throughout, they reflect on why they’ve kept Thatch intentionally small: so clients always work directly with them and they can stay immersed in the creative work they love.

At its heart, Shady Characters is about authentic storytelling. Future episodes will feature a rotating cast of entrepreneurs, creatives, and innovators whose unique journeys inspire, entertain, and connect. For Evan and Tim, it’s not just a show — it’s an open invitation to sit “under the shade” and share the kinds of stories that stick with you long after the conversation ends.