The 92 Report

Show Notes:

Jack Levy spent a year before college studying Judaic Studies and Talmudic studies in the Old City of Jerusalem. During his time in Harvard, he became particularly interested in Israel, as he had grown up with a strong Jewish background. He received a Raoul Wallenberg fellowship, funded by Fred Schwartz, to go to Hebrew University for a year after college during which he interned for Knesset member Naomi Hazan and worked for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. From Columbia Law School to Venture Capital

After Israel, Jack went to Columbia Law School. He worked one summer as a human rights lawyer and later worked for Wall Street firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher to pay off his debt. He chose that law firm based on their Israeli clients and had a great experience with a mentor named Peter Jakes. During his time at law school, Jack met his wife, Dahlia. They settled in New York for a while before moving to Israel. Jack worked at Willkie before transitioning to Register.com, an internet company. In 1999, the internet was booming. Jack spent four years as General Counsel of Register during the the .com boom. In 2003, they moved to Ra'anana, Israel, a suburb of Tel Aviv, and have raised their three children there. Jack practiced law briefly in Israel before becoming a venture capitalist in 2006. He was the first to raise the banner of cleantech or climate tech in Israel in 2006 and 2007, thanks to Harvard classmate Sanjay Wagle. The Israeli Experience after October 7

Life changed for all Israelis and Palestinians in the wake of the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. All of the Jack's children serve in the military, and the community has experienced losses. The country came under attack by Hamas, led by Yahia Sinuar, and immediately followed by Hezbolla in the north. The October 7 attack resulted in horrific violence, crimes, destruction, rape, murder, and burning of people in the Southern Communities. Like many religiously observant Israelis, Jack and his family were in synagogue during the attack, when the rumors started to spread. Jack mentions that in the week prior to the attack he'd been on holiday in Jordan.

Early in the morning of October 8, their best friends called to tell them that their 27-year-old son, Major Aryeh Ziering, had been killed by Hamas command naval commandos who had infiltrated Israel. Arey was an excellent fighter from the canine unit who had captured terrorists alongside some of the most elite forces during his service. He had gone to the United States to help train Navy SEALs with canine warfare. He was killed by 1pm that day.The next day, other friends found out that their son Hirsch had been kidnapped into Gaza, which ended with tragedy about a month ago when he was killed by Hamas. By the end of the first day, they had one friend whose son had been killed as a fighter, one friend who had been captured from the Nova festival and held prisoner by Hamas, and another business partner who lost his cousin's child fighting that day as well. As the war continued in the coming months, their network of friends who experienced loss widened to include – one who lost their nephew in December fighting in Gaza, one whose daughter's boyfriend was killed pursuing a terrorist in the West Bank, and others who lost their lives in the conflict. The story of the heroism of those who fought for their lives and the lives of others is one that will be told for generations. As a 54-year-old Israeli father, Jack has three children who have been fighting in the war, Jack explains the extremely high cost to Israeli families who have children in the army. Jack states that the present generation is remarkable, and he wrote a piece in the Times of Israel about the little league team he had coached going to war. He still plays softball with his boys and realized that by December, every child he coached was fighting in the war. How Heroism Drives Soldiers Jack shares the lessons he learned about conflict and military training. He talks about the importance of respecting American military families. He reflects on the recent tragic death of a soldier who recorded a video of himself before going into Lebanon, expressing love for the person behind him. He believes that Americans of his generation don't understand the importance of military families and the sacrifices made by soldiers. He grew up during the reckoning with the Vietnam War through Oliver Stone movies, and grew up thinking war was primarily unjust or wrong. Jack explains that the men and women fighting are often the best, motivated, kind, and loving people. He identifies with pacifism but lives only because there are people willing to defend him. Civilian War Rooms in Action The state apparatus of defense along the Israeli border failed on October 7, allowing hordes to burst through the borders and kidnap hundreds. However, people jumped into action. People established civilian war rooms, where they could be proactive in helping house, shelter, build and support in multiple ways. After October 7, many communities accepted refugees from the north and south - similar to the Second Lebanon War – and many in Jack's community helped families who had moved into hotels in the Dead Sea area. A friend of Jack, who lost her nephew, set up a school in the Dead Sea area within four days. The community extended to raising money to buy better helmets and equipment for reservists. This community-building effort was remarkable and comforting. Gazan Civilians under Hamas Jack, a former human rights attorney, discusses the situation with civilians in Gaza and the ethical considerations surrounding the response. He believes that the destruction to Gaza is horrific and tragic, with 40,000 people killed, but the problem is that it is not 40,000 civilians. Recent reports state that 30,000 of those were Hamas fighters or their family members. Jack blames Hamas for the destruction, but also emphasizes the morality and the need not to damage one's own cause. He shares first-hand testimony from his son, who describes his experience as a surveillance unit officer in Khan Yunis. He encourages people from outside Israel to focus on being "pro peace" rather than being "pro Israel" or "pro Palestine". The Tech Industry in Israel Jack, an investor and startup expert, discusses the impact of travel restrictions on the tech industry in Israel as the travel restrictions due to missile attacks from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran have been problematic for Israeli companies. Despite the obstacles, he notes that Israeli companies have been able to function during this period. In addition, it is common with Israeli technology companies for the CEOs to relocate to New York, Silicon Valley, Boston, or Austin, while the tech teams remain in Israel. Jack believes that the war is not good for the Israeli economy and that it is clearly awful for the lives of Palestinians, South Lebanon residents, and even people in Tehran. He believes that the US needs to take a more muscular reaction to the situation and help the parties find a way to end the war. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Jack discusses his experiences at Harvard, including courses taught by Stanley Hoffman, Michael Sandel, Louise Richardson, and others. He mentions his appreciation for Professor Stanley Hoffman's course Ethics and International Relations. Jack was in touch recently with Professor Emeritus Michael Walzer of Princeton whose book he studied in that course and who had defended Israel's war against Hamas and Hezbollah but was critical of the alleged Israeli involvement in the Pager attack. Jack also mentions his love for Professor Michael Sandel, and Dame Louise Richardson, who was his junior faculty seminar professor when he was 21 and became his thesis advisor. She was a young professor who wrote a great book called What Terrorists Want, which became one of the most popular courses at Harvard after September 11.

Timestamps:

02:52: Transition to Venture Capitalism and Personal Life

08:17: Impact of the 2023 Conflict on Jack's Family

17:27: Community Response and Personal Reflections

25:48: Professional Challenges and the Future of Israeli Tech

26:00: Reflections on Harvard and Influential Professors

Links:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/jack-levy-2a8137

Featured Non-profit:

This week's featured non-profit of this episode is KIPP public schools, recommended by Grace Voorhis who reports:

"I'm Grace Voorhis, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is KIPP public schools. Maybe not everyone knows that charter schools are public schools just exempt from many of the rules set by local school districts. KIPP schools are established in underserved districts. A third party study reported in The Wall Street Journal noted that KIPP students were 19 percentage points more likely to graduate from a four year college than non KIPP students. They noted an effect of this size, extrapolated nationwide, would be large enough to nearly close the degree completion gap for Hispanic students, or entirely close the gap for black students. I'm proud to have served on the KIPP Northern California Board for over two decades, most recently as board chair. I keep coming back to KIPP because of the results they achieve. You can learn more about their work @kipp.org k, i, p, p, and KIPP Northern California, at KIPP norcal.org and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode."

To learn more about their work visit: https://www.kipp.org/

Show Notes:

Jennifer Gibbs shares her journey as a woman and artist who worked in the entertainment field and later became a mother. She enrolled in a PhD program at NYU in comparative literature, focusing on performance and the embodiment of the female and feminine. She was cast in various off Broadway shows and earned her actors equity card. During her graduate studies, Jennifer received a Mellon Fellowship for teaching. She talks about her decision to focus full time on acting and writing for theater and her recognition of limited support in academia for multidisciplinary approaches to performance. Jennifer worked in the theater for a decade, mainly acting and writing plays. In her mid-30s, she became a mother, experiencing unexpected pregnancy losses and serial grief. This led to a shift in focus to writing, which was fruitful and collaborative. She was the artist in residence at the Here Arts Center, where she developed a play called Sounding, which integrated film, music, lyrics, and scene work. The play premiered three weeks before her son Liam's birth.

From Working in Theatre to Working in Television

As their family relocated to Los Angeles, Jennifer became interested in writing for television and screen. She learned to write for television at the suggestion of an executive at HBO. She took the leap, not knowing how to write for television, but found it fulfilling. For the last decade, Jennifer has been writing new plays and television worlds. Recently, she started a small independent production company, aiming to empower women creators to produce work that might not be produced in film and television or in the multi-platform arena.

Jennifer's most recent project is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on various distribution platforms. The company is driven by her connection to her work and her personal connection to her work. The first project they are producing is called Riot Mom, a multi-platform universe story that unfolds on audio, live, and television platforms.

Early Influences from the Art World

The conversation turns to Jennifer's father, Tom Gibbs, a Chicago-based artist. Jennifer describes her experience as a child of a sculptor, how she was introduced to and influenced by the artists around her. They often had a band of sculptors at their house, some in assistant positions and colleagues from Chicago. They would have meals together, discuss work, and have opinions on various projects. Despite not wanting to do sculpture, Jennifer loved drawing and painting, and would often work in one of the studios.

A Young Actor on Tour

Jennifer shares her experience as an actor during her national Broadway tour, describing it as exciting and workmanlike. She learned from the technical staff about the complex process of moving from one place to another, like a circus. Gibbs describes the experience as a crash course in self-producing, directing, and balancing personal and professional boundaries. She also discusses the challenges of maintaining a balance in a collaborative environment, where one must leave their family, home, and friends behind to work on a show. Jennifer believes that maintaining healthy boundaries is a challenge for anyone working in theater, film, or television. She found the experience intensive and valuable, making lasting friendships with people she collaborated with in New York.

The Artistic Process and Healing Grief

Jennifer shares how she processed the grief of two stillbirths through her work. At the time, she was working on a film based on a stage adaptation of an Ibsen play. She met Andre Gregory, who was casting Vanya on 42nd Street, and they had a two-hour conversation in a cafe. Although she did not get the role, she received support, encouragement, and mentorship from Gregory. He advised her to make her own project which inspired Jennifer and others from the Harvard theater community, including Jeannie Simpson and Peter Hirsch, to create a play called Lady from the Sea. They spent two years working on the play in Jennifers' living room, creating a unique and rarely produced piece. Jennifer talks about her journey to create a multi-disciplinary theatre show based on a film adaptation of an Ibsen play. She discovered a deep connection to grief and loss in the original play, which they had not considered in their previous work. After a decade of working on the project, Jennifer realized that grief is a form of radical transformation that is generative and creative. She learned that denying or overcoming grief can deprive individuals of the opportunity to create and acquiesce to the next stage in their transformation.

A First Book and a New Project

Jennifer's first book, "Oh Mother," is a literary non-fiction book about serial grief and the value of a certain approach to grief. The book is experiential and personal, and was written during the pandemic. Her journey highlights the importance of embracing grief and embracing change in life. She talks about a world created with Jenny Castro, that explores the intersection of women's creative process. The story revolves around two middle-aged women who were estranged from their riot girl days in the 90s, and they reunite in a suburban context. She talks about the project, the production team, pitching, and another project called Train Hoppers, a multi-platform, single episode of a story that can be experienced online, at live events, or through a live pop-up event.

Influential Harvard Professors and Courses

Jennifer discusses her experiences with Marjorie Garber's Shakespeare and her seminar on ghostwriters. She was influenced by playwright Adrianne Kennedy, who became a lifelong mentor and friend after graduating from Harvard. Jennifer also discusses her love for 16th-century British poetry and the pressure to conform to Aristotelian standards in the world of television, film, and playwriting.

Timestamps:

00:02: Journey Through Comparative Literature and Theatre

03:30: Balancing Academia and Acting

06:03: Transition to Motherhood and Writing

O9:20: Exploring Television and Film

12:36: Learning from Her Father's Artistic Journey

20:04: National Broadway Tour Experience

26:01: Processing Grief Through Art

37:58: Current Venture: "Riot Mom"

45:46: Influences from Harvard

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-gibbs-27b91386/

Featured Non-profit

This week's featured non-profit of this episode is American Pilgrims On the Camino, recommended by Kelly Murphy Mason who reports: "Hello all. I am Kelly Murphy Mason, a fellow classmate from the Harvard class of 1992 and a former resident of Dunster house. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is the American Pilgrims On the Camino, a national organization with international reach. Before I walked the Camino de Santiago in the fall of 2023 the American pilgrims provided me with the necessary credentialing, education, information and support for making this pilgrimage, as it has done for so many pilgrims over the decades, it has also contributed generations of volunteers and generous funds to maintain the infrastructure of this Spanish network of routes to Santiago de Compostela, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since my return from Santiago, I have stayed active in the Boston chapter of American pilgrims, leading book discussions and training walks for pilgrims past, present and future who live in my area. You can learn more about the work of the American pilgrims at home and abroad at American pilgrims.org and now here is my old friend Will Bachman with this week's episode.

To learn more about their work visit:https://americanpilgrims.org/

Show Notes:

Aran Shetterly, author and self-professed late bloomer, took a year off in the middle of his studies to work and travel and study Spanish. After college he pursued an Echoing Green fellowship, which allowed him to set up a nonprofit in Costa Rica to link volunteers to environmental organizations there. He then decided to pursue a master's in American and New England studies from the University of Southern Maine. However, after completing his masters, he realized he needed to explore the world in a different way. He moved to New York and worked as an editorial assistant. A year later, he met an old school friend who founded an internet startup called Comet Systems. Aran recounts his experiences in the world of internet ethics and the impact of internet spyware on the US. He recalls when he was on his way to a meeting with Yahoo to discuss a partnership when he learned that Comet Systems was accused of creating spyware. At Yahoo he was given a lecture on internet ethics. Researching Castro's Rebellion and The Fight Against ItAran talks about a trip to Cuba where he learns about Fidel Castro's rebellion and asks if any internationals supported the revolutionary effort as they had during the Spanish Civil War. He heard about William Morgan, who was a key figure in the fight against the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. This meeting inspired Aran to leave Comet Systems and start writing his book. Upon returning from the trip, Aran searched for information about Morgan and sent a Freedom of Information Act request to the CIA. He receives two inches of redacted documents, which he uses to write his first book, "The Americano: Fighting with Castro for Cuba's Freedom." Aran summarizes the story and how Morgan played a double agent role in uncovering a plot to topple Castro, but later turned against the revolution as it turned communist. Aran recounts his six-month stay in Cuba, where he worked on two projects: setting up an exchange of artists between Maine and Cuba, and conducting research on William Morgan's life there. He was often followed by officials from the interior ministry and almost ended up in jail. He also spent time in Miami researching the revolutionaries who were excluded from Castro's rebellion. From Mexico to the Greensboro MassacreAran and his wife, Margot, met at Comet Systems. They fell in love and decided to launch an English language magazine and website called Inside Mexico, which they started in Mexico City in 2005. He talks about journalists they worked with and stories they covered, and how the magazine finally came to an end. After ten years in Mexico, they were drawn back to the U.S. when Margot's book proposal was optioned by a production company. The book was a success, and the couple returned to help promote it. In 2015, he met Reverend Nelson Johnson and Joyce Johnson, who told the story of the Greensboro massacre, a civil rights activist and Black Power leader who were trying to organize textile mills in North Carolina. The Greensboro massacre occurred when Neo Nazis and Klansmen shot and killed five and injured 10 activists during a march to educate workers about the divisive nature of the Ku Klux Klan. Morningside - An FBI Investigation and a Hole in the StoryAran's latest book, Morningside, is about the Greensboro activists and the shooting investigation, which he gained access to through interviews with FBI agent Cecil Moses. Moses provided valuable insights into the FBI's perspective and the importance of the Greensboro investigation in the Bureau's attempt to reclaim some esteem in American society. The book also explores the truth and reconciliation process in Greensboro, the first place in the United States to bring the South African model of working out tragic events in public . Aran found that the narratives in Greensboro about who's to blame for the shooting were deeply entrenched within the social community and the extent to which access to one's tribe depends on adhering to a certain narrative. Aran believes that much work needs to be done to work out these hermetic narratives that keep people on different sides of important historical moments. He hopes the book will help readers understand the complex and interconnected nature of the Greensboro shooting and the ongoing struggle to reconcile different perspectives on important historical moments.

Harvard Professors and Courses of Influence

Aran discusses his experiences at Harvard and how his fellow students and friends were hugely influential. He highlights three standout professors who made interdisciplinary connections in his work, which appealed to his sensibility: Stephen J. Gould, Philip Fisher in the English Department, and Bradley Epps in the Romance Language Department.

Timestamps:

02:01: Transition to Academia and Publishing

05:05: Challenges with Comet Systems and Cuban Art

11:08: Researching and Writing "The Americano"

16:03: Life in Mexico and Launching Inside Mexico

26:36: Return to the U.S. and "Morningside"

42:36: Reflections on Harvard and Future Plans

Links:

Website: aranshetterly.com

Event calendar: https://www.aranshetterly.com/events/

Featured Non-profit:

The featured non-profit of this episode is Children's Flight of Hope recommended by Angelo Milazzo who reports: "Hi. This is Angelo Milazzo, proud member of the class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is children's flight of hope. Children's flight of hope is a nonprofit organization based here in sunny North Carolina, which has a mission of providing flights for essential, specialized life changing and life saving medical care for children in need, these flights are amazing in that they bring children who otherwise might not be able to travel to centers of excellence around the United States, where they can receive innovative, cutting edge and in some cases, miraculous care. These flights are provided to children and their families at no cost, which goes a huge way toward easing the emotional and financial burden on families. I had the privilege of serving on the board of children's flight of hope many years ago, I served for several years following the organization's inauguration. In the late 90s, the organization has grown and has evolved to the point where it is now partnering with major air carriers to provide this life saving transportation for pediatric patients. You can learn more about the work of children's flight of hope at their website, which is children's flight of hope.org, and children's flight of hope is all spelled out together as one word. And now I leave you with Will Bachman with this week's episode."

To learn more about their work visit: https://www.childrensflightofhope.org/

Philip Nikolayev, a Russian historian, poet, and marketer went directly into grad school in the history department at Harvard, where he received a master's degree. However, his field of medieval Russian history collapsed during his PhD due to funding dwindling after the fall of the USSR in 1992.

From Russian History to Search Engine Marketing

Philip was interested in studying Russian history from a Western analytical perspective. He quit his graduate program at Harvard when he realized his studies in Russian history didn't translate into paying work. A polymath with a child on the way, Philip secured a position as a software engineer, but when the dot.com bubble burst, he decided to continue his studies with a PhD in textual scholarship. Intellectually, Philip's career has been far-flung, with no jobs in his field and a need for financial stability, he worked as VP of Marketing for a high-tech company and later started a small business in marketing, seeking clients based on breakthroughs in science and technology. He seeks clients whose technology he can study and translate into the market language.

Working as a Translator and Writing Poetry

Philip's core interests include poetry and had a love for poetry from a young age. Philip has always been bilingual and although he grew up in the U.S.S.R, he spoke English from a young age. Philip went to Harvard at the age of 24 as a transfer student and became deeply immersed in English. He started working as an interpreter and translator when he was 18 in Moscow, switching languages in terms of writing poetry. His first American poet friend, Ben Naser, encouraged him to continue doing it. He has since published several books of poetry in English and volumes of translation. Philip speaks ten languages, and has translated a lot of Ukrainian poetry, resulting from the war Russia is unjustly waging in Ukraine. A Ukrainian issue of a well-known American Poetry Magazine called the Cafe Review has just come out, co-edited by Philip and Anna Halberstadt as guest editors.

The Romanticisation of Russian History

Philip talks about his role as a translator and his work as an interpreter for writers and poets during Perestroika. The conversation turns to Philip's work as a poet and learning languages, including Romanian and why he loves the musicality of language. He also talks about studying Russian history from a western perspective, which he believes is more accurate than the Romantic tradition. Russian history is often written with a patriotic bias, which combines with the idea that nations are ancient and have traditions. This romanticism often leads to the idea that all people of a country form a single nation with one ideology and similar ideals and values. Napoleon exploited this idea to persuade Frenchmen to join the first mass levy army and give their lives for France. Philip also discusses the concept of nationhood in Russia, which he believes is a new idea. The word "Russia" was coined under Peter the Great in the early 18th century, and it is a Latinized form of the name Rus, which shows a Western influence. This was the name of the first dynasty that came to rule the space that eventually became Russia and Ukraine.

The Formal Anarchy of Poetry

The conversation turns to his network of poets, writers, translators, and editors. He mentions that poetry functions as an institution and network, with numerous poets and institutions like poetry festivals and magazines. Poets often seek out other poets and have poet friends to discuss poetry. Philip mentions his favorite poets including his wife, Katya Kapovich. Philip explains that Russia shaped his poetry towards a mix of traditional forms. He believes that poetry exists in a state of formal anarchy, where a text needs to be self-justifying to merit the reader's attention. His style has evolved, incorporating formal traditional verse, experimental and obscure avant-garde verse, and standard lyric free verse. Philip's themes include personal experience, philosophical distillation, and situational poetry. He believes that poetry allows us to express our humanity and resist becoming robots or AI. He admires the way photography has liberated art by allowing painters to paint their mental lives, and poetry can do the same. However, he also acknowledges that AI has its limitations and questions the future of the arts, particularly in the context of AI. Philip shares a poem from his collection, Letters from Oldenderry, titled "Eagles."

From a Background in Mathematics to a Future in Marketing

Philip's interest in mathematics began in the Soviet Union, where strong math schools were present. He was a mathematical prodigy but was too infected with poetry literature to pursue it back then He later became interested in analytical philosophy at Harvard, taking basic math courses like set theory and Introduction to topology. He later took CS 50 and CS 51 in computer science courses. Philip's transition from a PhD in textual studies to running a marketing firm was unexpected, as he had assumed he would become a professor. However, during the 2008-2009 crisis, there were no jobs in the humanities, and he had to find a source of income. He found work at a high-tech company, smtp.com, which is still there today.

Reaching Beyond the Daily Grind

Philip talks about his degree of freedom as a poet and his outside interests. He explains that not being an academic allows him to think about what matters to him and process it intuitively without being obligated to external criterion or peer review. He also mentions his interest in quantum computing, which he began studying from the business side. He works as a director of business development for Aspen quantum consulting, which does technical due diligence for quantum computing and quantum technology companies.

Influential Harvard Courses and Professors

Philip mentions Michael Witzel, who was his Sanskrit teacher, Diana Eck, who was his Hindu studies professor, Ed Keenan, and James Hankins, who taught him Western civilization. These professors have been supportive and encouraging of his interest in these subjects and helped him develop his understanding of various topics and perspectives. He still lives within a two-mile radius of Harvard Square, making it easy to access his work and stay connected to his passions.

Timestamps:

05:11: Transition to Marketing and Poetry

08:46: Role of Poetry and Language Learning

18:58: Influence of Western Perspective on Russian History

23:33: Network of Poets and Writers

33:15: Challenges and Opportunities in Academia and Marketing

39:09: Return to Mathematics and Quantum Computing

40:59: Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard

Links

Company: searchbenefit.com

Book: Letters from Aldenderry

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikolayev/

Featured Non-profit:

The featured non-profit of this episode is Women's Money Matters recommended by Lauren Messmore who reports:

"Hi, I'm Lauren Messmore, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode is Women's Money Matters. I'm privileged to have served as a volunteer coach empowering low income women to improve their financial health and create a more secure future for themselves and their loved ones. You can learn more on women's money matters.org and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode."

To learn more about their work visit: https://women'smoneymatters.org.

Show Notes:

Kellie Magnus has been working in Jamaica for over 30 years. She returned to Jamaica after completing grad school in Colombia, where she worked in consulting and nonprofits. Since returning to Jamaica, she has been working in nonprofits and with international development partners, focusing on development-related issues. She is now the executive director of the Caribbean Culture Fund, a new entity raising money for arts and culture in the Caribbean.

On the Board of NGOs

During Kellie's time in New York, she attended the Ed School and business school, worked in person consulting, and freelanced on various creative and entertainment projects. Since returning to Jamaica, she has focused on developing arts-related projects that can improve outcomes for a wide cross-section of people. Her first role in Jamaica was working at the University of the West Indies in the Media and Communications Department. She joined boards of government entities and industry associations, and has since become deeply rooted in Jamaica. Kellie talks about her time serving on the board of The Book Industrial Association of Jamaica. She also talks about her work for the NGO Fight for Peace, a global NGO focused on Youth Violence Prevention. It started in Brazil, and opened a branch in England, and then an Alliance Network in about 20 countries around the world, and they wanted to start a program to test out ways to catalyze collaboration between NGOs and state agencies and the private sector around reductions in youth violence, and Jamaica and South Africa. She also ran a project for the World Bank, also focused on Youth Violence Prevention

Fundraising and Growing Arts and Culture in the Caribbean

The conversation turns to Kellie's position with the Caribbean Culture Fund, a regional entity focused on arts and culture in the Caribbean. It raises money internationally and distributes it through calls for proposals to artists and cultural organizations based in the region. The fund was created as a focal point for Caribbean fundraising about arts and culture. The fund's approach involved inviting prospective donors to campus or meeting with them directly. The head of the program spent a lot of time with the donors, listening to their interests and connecting them with the program they thought most matched their interests. Kellie talks about seed funding, their fundraising strategy, and a new fund they are in the process of setting up. Kelly discusses her personal and social network in the arts and culture space in Jamaica.

Verticals within the Arts and Culture Space

Kellie shares her experience in attending various events and festivals, including art exhibits, book festivals, film festivals, and pottery festivals. However, she acknowledges the complexity of understanding each vertical within the arts and cultural space and the diversity across different territories. She talks about common roots and challenges, and shares how the team is planning to dive deeper into each sector in each country over the next year. Filmmaking in the region is not very country-specific, with some countries like the Dominican Republic doing better than others. Jamaica is getting better, but production costs are still prohibitive. The government has launched a Jamaica screen development initiative this year, which is optimistic about its impact on catalyzing production. She also talks about working across jurisdictions in the Caribbean. Kellie spends her time attending literary, film, and dance festivals, as well as reading and running. She also tries to connect with nature and enjoys spending time at the beach. She recommends Portland, a less touristy part of Jamaica, for its lush, quiet, and beautiful environment. She also recommends going up in the mountains, as it is the most beautiful part of the island. Kingston is a fun, vibrant, and culturally rich city to live in, with live music events, good restaurants, and nightlife.

Influential Harvard Professors and Courses

Kellie mentions Werner Sollors' African American literature class; she also mentions African American History.

Timestamps:

02:18 Return to Jamaica and Early Roles

04:57: Fight for Peace and Youth Violence Prevention

07:09: Caribbean Culture Fund and Fundraising Strategy

14:34: Selection Process and Grant Recipients

19:32: Social Network and Professional Connections

25:40: Cultural Recommendations and Personal Interests

32:22: Harvard Experience and Influence

Links:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellie-magnus-3b902869/

Caribbean Culture Fund: https://caribbeanculturefund.org/

Featured Non-profit

The featured non-profit of this episode is Heart of Dinner recommended by Nelson Wang who reports:

Hi, I'm Nelson Wang, class of 92 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Heart of Dinner, a group that helps address loneliness, isolation and food insecurity among elderly Asian Americans in New York City. They do this by organizing volunteers to prepare hand illustrated brown bags filled with culturally specific food and other items and delivering them to those in need. I actually just started working with them, in fact, because of a mention on a group chat I'm in of the Harvard Asian American alumni Alliance, also known as h4 a, another great organization, but I had such a positive experience working with heart of dinner that I thought they would be great to highlight here, my 11 year old daughter and her mother and I made more than 20 hand decorated bags recently to help celebrate the upcoming mid autumn festival, the big holiday in the Chinese culture that's somewhat akin to Thanksgiving. And the group itself is super organized and effective, and they're planning to expand to other cities and other Asian communities. One great way to help is by organizing a corporate bag decorating event with your colleagues. Even if you're not located in New York City, you can still send in your illustrated brown bags by mail. They, of course, also welcome donations to help pay for the contents of their care packages. You can learn more about their work at WWW dot heart of dinner. All one word, heart of dinner.org, or by emailing Hello at heart of dinner.org, and they're very responsive. And now, without further ado, here's Will Bachmann with this week's scintillating episode of the 92 report.

To learn more about their work visit: https://www.heartofdinner.org/

Michael S. Chen graduated with a degree in investment banking. He worked at Hambrecht Quest, a smaller investment bank focusing on high tech and healthcare companies in New York City. After two years in investment banking, he decided to pursue medicine, inspired by his father's career as a cardiologist. He then went on to study internal medicine at UCSF, Cleveland Clinic, and then joined cardiac associates in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He has been with the practice for 18 years and is now the Chair of Cardiology at Shady Grove Medical Center, and Medical Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at White Oak Medical Center.

Challenges Faced by Cardiac Catheterization Labs

Michael discusses the challenges faced by cardiac catheterization labs in meeting performance measures and ensuring proper procedures. He highlights the need to balance equipment requests with limited budgets and prioritize patient care. He talks about the importance of cardiologist performance in heart attack patients, focusing on door to balloon time and other metrics like aspirin and blood thinners. He mentions the importance of assessing the overall performance of the hospital as a whole, focusing on reducing time spent on administrative tasks and ensuring patients are on the right medications.The conversation turns to steps patients can take to ensure they are prescribed the right medication.

Interventional Cardiology Explained

Michael goes on to explain what interventional cardiology is, what the new trends are, and he addresses common misconceptions. He discusses the learning process for new techniques and tools, such as fellowships and medical device reps. Michael notes that fellowships are the most effective method for learning new techniques, but it's important to stay updated and stay updated with medical device reps. Other methods include working with other doctors, attending training sessions, or learning online through YouTube videos. There are various ways to learn and improve in this field.

Physicians and The Business of Healthcare

Michael discusses the business of healthcare and the factors driving physicians to work with larger healthcare companies. He explains that larger practices have more bargaining power and can offer lower rates and financial security. However, there are drawbacks, such as the need to balance autonomy with financial security. Michael talks about the increasing trend of private equity investing in physician groups, such as anesthesia and cardiology. Private equity is seen as a way to ensure return on investment, which can sometimes be more expensive than providing the best care possible. Stressors for cardiologists include cash flow, meeting payroll, and meeting electronic medical records and government regulations. However, overall, the fit has been good and cardiologists have been happy with the situation.

Participating in the National Senior Games

The conversation turns to fitness and sports. Michael keeps active in terms of exercise, running and working out. He recalls running a 5k five years ago and receiving a gift certificate from Panera for winning first place in his age division. He then qualified for the National Senior Games, (open to anybody 50 years and older) which features various events such as a 5k 10k, pickle ball, tennis, track and field, ping pong, basketball, and softball. Michael has competed in the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale and Pittsburgh. His mom competed in the 5K powerwalk and Michael competed in the 5K and 10 K road race. Michael came in 2nd in the 10K (and won a silver medal!) and 4th in the 5K in Pittsburgh in 2023, His mother placed 8th in the 5K Power walk in Fort Lauderdale in 2022. Michale mentions that he has a 5k coming up on Labor Day week, with his son running it with friends, and the National Senior Games.

Influential Harvard Professors and Courses

Michael mentions Richard Taylor and TA Tom Roberts, and studying bipeds and quadruped to compare the energetics and mechanics. Part of the study included placing turkeys and chickens on a treadmill. They found that turkeys were quite stubborn and not smart, as they were not smart enough to run on a treadmill. They learned that turkeys were efficient at running and that their locomotion mechanics were efficient. They were fortunate to receive a Hoops Prize for their work, which ends up in the Lamont library. This experience was memorable, as the researchers' thesis is on display at the library.

Timestamps:

02:13: Transition to Medicine and Leadership Roles

07:56: Administrative Responsibilities and Performance Metrics

13:08 Advancements in Interventional Cardiology

20:56: Running a Medical Practice and Personal Interests

36:27: Connecting with Harvard Alumni and Future Plans

Links:

Email: [email protected]

Featured Non-profit:

The featured non-profit of this episode is Cave Canem, recommended by Eisa Davis who reports:

"Hi. I'm Eisa Davis, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Cave Canem. Cave Canem is an organization committed to the artistic and professional growth of black poets. And I have been a fellow and active member of the organization since 1999 Cave Canem is still going strong and has truly created the landscape in which poetry lives in the United States. You can learn more about their [email protected] that's spelled C, A, V, E, C, A, N, E, M, P, o, e, t, s.org, and now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.

To learn more about their work visit: https://cavecanempoets.org/

David Tavárez, originally from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, completed a degree in anthropology and visual environmental studies. He had several ideas for his future career, wavering between being a scientist or a filmmaker. He secured a place at the Writers Workshop in Iowa and an internship at the American University in Cairo. He spent a year in Cairo after graduation and supplemented that summer by writing about the Baltics for the Let's Go Europe travel series. Studying Indigenous Culture and ChristianityDavid worked as a journalist for a couple of years then decided to pursue a PhD at the University of Chicago in 1994, focusing on indigenous history. His interest was drawn to two languages, Nahuatl and Zapotec, which have a rich store of texts dating back to the 1530s. David discovered documents related to the arrival of Christianity in Mexico. These documents included calendars, cosmological manuals, and ritual songs written in Zapotec alphabetic script. After graduating from the University of Chicago, he worked at Bard College in Latin American and Iberian studies. He then moved to Vassar, a selective institution with a vibrant student body. David currently lives in Rhinebeck, New York, where he is a full professor in the anthropology department at Vassar. His first book, The Invisible War, explores how indigenous people in central Mexico confronted the church in colonial Mexico and managed to work with their ancestral beliefs while also embracing Christianity. He has translated several books into Spanish and collaborated with other scholars on a book on the great indigenous historian of colonial Mexico, Chimalpahin. The Indigenous Languages of the AmericasDavid's most recent book, Rethinking Zapotec Time, compiles two decades of work. The book, which received awards from the Native American Indigenous Studies Association, the Latin American Studies Association, and the New England Council of Latin American Studies, is a labor of love, aiming to understand the world of the ritual specialist and the Christians they confronted, as well as how they managed to survive and share ancestral beliefs and knowledge with others. The indigenous languages of the Americas before the 20th century were the most voluminous in terms of producing works. By the early 17th century, there were over 100 works, mostly religious, printed, and manuscripts. By the end of the colonial period, there were 1000s of works, mostly mundane literature, such as petitions, wills, and testaments. This diversity is comparable to Greek and Roman literature, but there are gaps and can only be reconstructed from later translations. Mexican songs, such as the Cantares Mexicanos, feature difficult language and are lyrical, sometimes difficult to understand. The most famous song is the Song of the Women of Chalco, which features warriors from a defeated polity dressing up as women and taunting the Aztec emperor Axayacatl. There are many convergences between indigenous intellectuals from the 16th century to present. This work highlights the physical and intellectual growth of different indigenous communities through colonial times and post-colonial legacies. The Zapotec Time-space Continuum The Zapotec conception of time is an eternal, 260-day calendar with specific meanings. They believed in a time-space continuum, where every day had divinatory meaning and moved people to specific regions in the cosmos. They had a notion of the cosmos as having three main domains: sky, earth, and Underworld, with other domains beyond the underworld relating to ancestral time and its origins. Time was seen as a way to think about Earth and the cosmos, rooted in geography and cosmology. They believed that everyone was taken on an eternal journey through space and time, allowing communication with ancestors. While their notion of the time-space continuum may not date back to Einstein or quantum physics, they believed that time and space were interconnected. Influential Harvard Courses and ProfessorsDavid mentions Rosemary Joyce, and taking classes with Noam Chomsky at MIT. He believes that there are many ways to approach and learn about remote worlds through experimental means, such as working with film and visual arts. David discusses his interest in working with ritual specialists and documentary filmmakers. He shares his desire to place students in the past through films and visual arts, such as Aguirre, the Wrath of the God by Werner Herzog, and The Mission.

Timestamps:

04:37: Indigenous history, language, and culture in Mexico

12:01: Indigenous perspectives on Spanish conquest and religion in Latin America

17:09: Indigenous Christian texts in the Americas, focusing on the complexity of colonialism and the diversity of indigenous experiences

25:00: Zapotec conception of time and its connection to geography, cosmology, and ancestral communication

31:08: History, filmmaking, and academia with a Vassar College professor

Links:

Vassar Faculty: https://www.vassar.edu/faculty/tavarez

Guggenheim Fellows: https://www.gf.org/fellows/david-tavarez/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.ca/stores/David-Tavarez/author/B003XJJ3M6?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

Featured Non-profit:

The featured non-profit of this episode is, recommended by Ruth Hertzman-Miller who reports:

I'm Ruth Hertzman-Miller, class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is North Cambridge Family Opera. NCFO performs original, entirely sung theater works for audiences of all ages with large casts from ages seven to adult ranging from people with no performance experience to classically trained vocalists. I'm proud to have performed with and written music for North Cambridge Family Opera. I've also been a board member for the past two years. You can learn more about their work at familyopera.org, and now here is Will Bachman with this week's episode.

To learn more about their work visit: http://www.familyopera.org/drupal/

Show Notes:

J.J. Bartlett kicks off the conversation with a short explanation on how his wife shaped his career in various ways. He took healthcare management in graduate school and his primary reason for this was his interest in extending healthcare coverage. The President Clinton and Hillary Clinton Health Plan had just failed in 1994, and he was interested in finding new ways to extend coverage.

Health Coverage for Fishers

J.J. shares his connection to the fishing industry, which includes individual fishermen working on boats as independent contractors. The majority of these individuals are men, with some women. He explains the situation of fishermen in the 90s, where half were uninsured, while the other half only had coverage through their spouse, Medicare, Medicaid, or junk coverage. The conversation turns to the structure of the plan for community health plans for independent professionals in Massachusetts which was a collaborative effort between fishermen, politicians, and other stakeholders. The plan was designed to provide coverage for those directly related to the fishing industry, requiring more than half of their income to come from fishing. This was done to ensure that income from commercial fishing was counted, and that no whaling or other issues were present. The plan was funded through federal and state funding, with the federal money being kicked in early and the state program being a state program. The federal money allowed the program to reduce the rate that fishermen paid on average by 60%, which was beneficial for taxpayers as they could afford it. This was done on a sliding scale that was redid every year to accommodate fluctuating incomes in the industry. The plan smoothed out a period for fishermen to afford coverage over a period of time, rather than going on and off coverage. J.J. shares a recent example of this which led to fishermen not being eligible for mass health.

The Model for Obamacare

J.J. talks about the origins of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The conversation turns to the Massachusetts State Health Plan, which became the model for Obamacare, and was influenced by the people involved in the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. Some of the lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system include the importance of not carving out the most endangered population in the country, but recognizing the importance of providing healthcare through enrollment offices. J.J. shares an example of a successful implementation of the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system. The lessons learned from the Fishing Partner Health Plan healthcare system can be applied to other industries to help ensure that the most vulnerable populations receive the necessary care and support.

The Health Plan Today

The health plan initially provided treatment for those in shock or depression following an accident, but it stopped in trying to get them insured. However, they now have a system of care available, including safety training for fishermen and a national grant program. This is a preventive measure for the deadliest job in the country. Additionally, they have relationships with trauma centers, providing treatment for those injured or witnessed the accident. This trauma care is available to employers within their HR department. After 15 years, Obamacare allowed people to transition to the new system.

The Fishing Partnership Support Services

J.J. talks about how many workers in many occupations do not have adequate coverage or even the ability to take time off for illness. At the top of the list are Massachusetts fishermen. The organization, Fishing Partnership Support Services, has been in operation since 1997 and focuses on providing various services to the fishing industry. It trains community health workers to help people transition from uninsured to insured, especially for fishermen with fluctuating incomes. The organization also runs a community health program that provides preventive care. They have also begun behavioral health services, addressing the issue of opioid overdoses among fishermen. J.J. also talks about the problem of dealing with extreme pain and addiction. Fishermen are more likely to die from opioid overdoses due to their job-related pain and the high costs associated with working on boats. The organization's navigators help address this issue by educating fishermen about the importance of their jobs and the need for first aid. They also provide training on carrying Narcan and its use, with navigators trained as recovery coaches. The organization partners with various treatment groups, including trauma support, to help fishermen navigate the challenges of substance use disorder and other workplace issues.

Influential Harvard Courses and Professors

J.J. highlights the importance of the people, such as Governor Maura Healey and Mayor of New Bedford, who have supported the program and worked with him. He also mentions the connection between the fishing industry and the city of Boston's history. He also mentions his experience working with Senator Kennedy and his staff.

Timestamps:

02:04: Career Beginnings and Graduate School

03:36: Healthcare Coverage for Fishermen

05:18: Challenges and Successes of the Health Plan

06:30: Healthcare Options for Independent Workers

14:34: Structure and Funding of the Health Plan

21:44: Transition to Statewide and National Reform

24:30: Impact on the Fishing Industry and Community

43:39: Current Work and Future Goals

43:53: Reflections on Harvard and Career Influences

Links:

Website: Fishingpartnership.org.

Featured Non-profit:

The featured non-profit of this episode is The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, recommended by Jenny Atkinson who reports:

"Hi. I'm Jenny Atkinson, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Boys and Girls Clubs of America. Boys and Girls Clubs are places young people can go during out of school hours to get educational support, participate in sports, arts and other programs, build positive relationships with peers and adults and just have fun. They're usually in the most under resourced communities in a city or town. I started volunteering at a Boys and Girls Club when I was a freshman at Harvard, and have worked at the national office and as an executive director of a club and always a supporter of their work. You can learn more at BGC, a.org where you can search for the Boys and Girls Club nearest you. Check out your local club. They're some of the most hopeful and joyful places I spend time. And now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode."

To learn more about their work visit: https://www.bgca.org/

Show Notes:

Alison Umminger Mattison talks about a 20-year stint as an English professor, a marriage, a 13-year-old daughter, and publishing a book. She also pursued a master's in Christian spirituality and spiritual direction certification, focusing on spiritual direction, work, retreat, ministry, and facilitating silent retreats with themed content. She has moved around the world, from Boston to London, DC to Missouri, Indiana to Atlanta, and now resides in Carrollton, Georgia. She also discusses her master's degree and her spiritual guidance and retreat ministries.

A Journey in Spiritual Companioning

Alison talks about a spiritual retreat she attended, her experience there, and how this led to a new direction in her life. She explains that spiritual companioning is a listening vocation that involves spending time with people in a healthy space, listening to their stories, heart desires, and listening without judgment. Spiritual companioning focuses on walking with people as far as they need to go. This is different from being a priest, rabbi, minister, or pastor, as it is not about running an organization. Alison discusses her approach to finding spiritual directors. She also shares her experience with two recent retreats, including one on the art and spirituality of Gerard Manley Hopkins.

What Happens on The Retreat

Alison talks about her retreats, which include guided meditations, befriending darkness, soul collage, imaginative prayer, and visual meditations. The first evening, she walks people through a guided meditation, asking them to think about what word or phrase is coming up for them. After leading the meditation, she asks people to trust and let go of their needs. She discusses befriending darkness and the importance of being with others in the same situation. She encourages people to spend time in silence and create mandalas to explore the depths of their lives. She also offers micro spiritual direction, and introduces attendees to an imaginative prayer technique. Lastly, the retreat concludes with a visual meditation called Vizio Divina, where people look at a picture and reflect on what they are attracted to, resist, or miss from it.

Understanding Prayer and Meditation

Alison talks about meditation and prayer. She shares that monks often use techniques like Lectio Divina, where one takes a verse and meditates on it and asks for help or guidance. This technique allows individuals to practice patience and kindness, allowing them to carry the word with them throughout the day. She emphasizes that prayer is a toolkit for spiritual direction, and that each individual may find a form of prayer or meditation that works for them.

The Work of a Spiritual Director

As a spiritual director, Alison often begins by asking questions about the person's spiritual journey and their current state. She has learned to trust her intuition and also listens for words, phrases, or images that come up during the conversation. If they resonate with the person, they may be more open to discussing them. She also listens for consolation or desolation, whether the person is moving away from desolation or towards greater faith, hope, and love. She asks open-ended questions, allowing the person to go deeper with their feelings and experiences. She never asks if something sounds like it's a hopeless or unfulfilling space, as it allows the person to explore their feelings and experiences. She emphasizes the importance of listening and trusting in the process of counseling.

Spiritual Direction as an Ancient Practice

Alison explains what spirituality means to her and that the role of a spiritual director dates back to monks. It has evolved from being primarily clergy to becoming more popular among the laity. Spiritual directors International offers a broad range of practitioners, including shamans, artists, and Zen practitioners. They serve different religious traditions and can be found in schools that work with their traditions. While the role may have been traditionally filled by a formal clergy member, it is now becoming more accessible to lay people. The term "spiritual director" is not new, but it is becoming more common and accessible.

Teaching Fiction Writing and Screenwriting

Alison has a PhD in 20th century literature and an MFA in creative writing. She teaches fiction writing and screenwriting, focusing on narrative perspectives rather than helping students create screenplays. Her journey from a PhD to an MFA and screenwriting began when she struggled with plotting and received rejections for her first novel. She started taking screenwriting classes in Atlanta to put joy back into writing and improve her plotting skills. Screenwriting is structured, making it easier for students to focus on plotting and avoid nebulous spaces. It also provides a social environment, with table reads and conversations about topics that transcend the isolating feel of writing. This social aspect of screenwriting helps students form friendships and feel more comfortable sharing their work. The conversation turns to education in today's society, and developing classes of interest to today's students, and Alison's book.

Harvard Professors and Courses of Influences

Alison's favorite courses include the Myth of America class, and she explains why she found this class to be particularly interesting and meaningful. The course focuses on the frontier, western expansion, and the concept of individualism, as well as the individual versus culture debate. She believes that the American dream concept is still rich and valuable for students to explore.

Timestamps:

02:00: Spiritual Direction and Retreats

06:15: Differences Between Spiritual Direction and Other Roles

15:39: Meditation and Prayer in Spiritual Direction

26:45: Challenges and Rewards of Teaching

38:54: Personal Life and Book

40:42: Influential Courses and Myth of America

42:51: Future Plans and Invitation to Retreats

Links:

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/alison-umminger-mattison/

Website: sacredlistening.net

Upcoming retreat: https://ignatiushouse.org/calendar/spiritual-writing-retreat-jan2025/

Featured Non-profit

The featured non-profit of this episode is National History Day, recommended by Zachary Schrag who reports:

"Hi. I'm Zachary Schrag, class of 1992 the featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is National History Day. National History Day has given millions of students in grades six through 12 the chance to pursue original historical research and to present their findings in a variety of formats. I am proud to have served as a volunteer judge at local and national contests, and to have contributed to the 50 for 50 fundraising campaigns. You can learn more at NHD. That's National History day.org, and now with this week's episode, it's your host, Will Bachmann."

To learn more about their work visit: NationalHistoryDay.org.

John Knepper thought he would pursue a career in theater after graduating and performing at the Harvard Radcliffe summer theater. However, after moving to Memphis, Tennessee, he took a left turn and started working in the marketing department of the nation's fifth largest security guard company. After nine months there, John quit his job and traveled around the country for six months.

Working in Washington on Immigration Laws

On the last leg of his travels, he was in Washington where, by chance, he met the assistant to the Chief of Staff for Senator Al Simpson of Wyoming. Six months later they called him for an interview and subsequently he started working on Capitol Hill. He talks about his work as a personal assistant for a senator before moving on to work for the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In 1995 and 1996, he worked on the 1996 immigration law, which was the last major piece of immigration legislation passed by Congress. John also worked for Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee on the Governmental Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee for two years, where he worked on investigations into foreign influence in the 1996 Presidential election. John worked on campaign fundraising and regulatory reform, becoming one of the most knowledgeable staffers for the Senate Judiciary Committee without a law degree.

From Washington to Law School

In 1998, he decided to change careers and went to law school. He attended the University of Michigan School of Law, which was considered the best law school at the time.

Upon graduating from law school in 2001, he worked for a federal judge for a year and later held a position with the US Department of Justice in the Federal Programs Branch. He was part of the team that defended the McCain Feingold campaign finance law, and John talks about how the law faced constitutional challenges and the mistrust among the Republican and Democratic National Committees. John discusses his role in document review at the Republican and Democratic National Committees, and his decision to build an effective record of campaign finance regulations. He also talks about working on national security issues for President Bush, such as the freezing of assets of the Iraqi government and the question of how to give Iraq billions of dollars back to the government.

Working as the Associate General Counsel of the OMB

John was called to work as the Associate General Counsel of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in 2004. OMB is an agency within the White House responsible for ensuring that federal government actions are consistent with the President's priorities. Originating under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, OMB is responsible for reviewing all testimony, legislation, and major regulations issued by the executive branch to Congress.

He talks about working under President Bush and eventually becoming the deputy general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget. The office was responsible for supporting the President's views and clearing executive orders. The general counsel's office was also responsible for reaching out to other federal agencies to discuss concerns and ensure they understood the consequences of their actions.

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Financial Bailouts

In summer 2008, a friend of John's, who had been in the White House Counsel's office, called him to discuss the economic concerns with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. John moved over to become the Deputy General Counsel of the Treasury. The conversation turns to the bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the potential bankruptcy of AIG, and the impact of money market funds on the economy. He talks about the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) which was developed to provide an asset against which companies could borrow from the Federal Reserve. This allowed the government to keep the velocity of money in the system, and AIG was a prime example of how the US government managed to keep these businesses operating.

He also discusses an unsung moment during the financial bailout and the collaboration between Merrill Lynch and Wachtell Lipton, Rosen and Katz, and one reason for the bailout.

From Washington to Wyoming

In 2009, John was unemployed due to elections having consequences. He moved to Wyoming, where the economy was buffered by long-term commodities contracts, and he started working for the city of Cheyenne Wyoming as an attorney, working on $50 million government programs. John talks about Wyoming's unique tax system, with no state income tax, so revenue is largely mineral taxation. He worked with people in Wyoming suing companies over tax burdens. John worked there for two years before falling into another position as the Attorney General of Wyoming. He was appointed as the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Wyoming, and for five years, from 2013 to 2019, he was the number two lawyer for the state where he worked on environmental, law enforcement, and gun rights issues.

Establishing a Solo Practice

From March 2019 onwards, John moved on to solo private practice in Wyoming. He chose this path because he wanted to take on more controversial litigation and avoid moving their family to a different location. He discusses his experience as a political appointee of George W. Bush and involvement in pro life cases, including pre and post Dobbs litigation on pro life issues. John has also been involved in controversial cases, such as defending coverage of gender transition services and determining equal protection. Large law firms often avoid this area due to financial constraints. His practice is paid law, with clients ranging from wills for small to large corporations, and he works on multi-district litigation.

Influential Professors and Courses at Harvard

John mentions a class on the Holocaust and genocide by Professor Eric Goldhagen, which he found to be incredibly profound. This course changed his interest in understanding the reasons behind people's resistance to horrible decisions, such as murder and atrocities. He also took courses on resistance to authority from social psychologist Herb Kelman and his senior thesis on the concept of the witch at the Salem witch trials. He mentions Professor Orlando Patterson of the Sociology department at Harvard had a class on freedom, focusing on the origins of the western and American concepts of freedom and liberty.

Timestamps:

05:00: Career path from Congressional staffer to lawyer

11:26: Defending campaign finance law in court

16:17: Legal questions related to Iraq invasion and asset recovery

21:47: White House roles and responsibilities

27:54: Government bailouts during the 2008 financial crisis

34:28: Financial crisis, bailouts, and government intervention

40:18: Tax compliance, job loss, and career changes

46:12: Legal work in Wyoming, including coal mining and environmental issues

51:40: Legal cases related to gender identity and health insurance coverage

55:24: Personal growth, career paths, and Holocaust education

59:57: The concept of freedom, heroism, and redemption

1:05:36: Life decisions, fountain pen hobby, and connecting with others

Links:

Email: [email protected]

Featured Non-profits

The featured non-profits of this episode are the 52nd Street Project and Village Arts Theater, recommended by Jeannie Simpson who reports:

This is Jeannie Simpson, class of 1992 and the featured nonprofits for this episode are the 52nd Street Project and Village Arts Theater. The 52nd street project is in New York City, and my husband and I both volunteered there for about 10 years. It takes kids from Hell's Kitchen community and pairs them with theater professionals to write and perform original plays. It also offers homework help and mentor programs and all kinds of arts classes. It's free for the children who want to participate, and it's just a really awesome example of the transformative power of storytelling through theater. The second nonprofit I want to recommend is in Los Angeles, California, and it's called Village Arts Theater. It is a nonprofit that provides all kinds of arts classes and opportunities for kids from the community, ages four to 14 to participate in plays and in classes. It's an inclusive program, and no child is turned away because of financial need. And I have taught, volunteered, directed, choreographed for village arts for a decade. I still work with them, and both my children were raised in this theater program, and I have seen countless children benefit from all the amazing things that it has to offer. 52nd Street Project website is the numbers five, two and then the word project.org, and village arts website is one word, village arts theater with an R E at the end.org, 52 project.org, and villageartstheatre.org. And org, and they are both worth checking out and worthy of your time, your money, your talents, resources, whatever you might have to offer. And now here is Will Bachmann with this week's episode.

To learn more about their work visit: 52 project.org and villageartstheatre.org.