Ever wondered what's actually on that two-mile-long train rolling through town? Chriss Nielsen has spent 30 years as a freight rail economist and she ended up there entirely by accident. In this episode, she breaks down how goods move across America, why your Amazon package probably crossed three states by rail, and what AI might mean for driverless trains. Then Chriss shares her other passion: At Home in Alexandria, a village-style nonprofit helping neighbors age in place, including the 92-year-old she drives to the gym every Wednesday. Oh, and she grew up trick-or-treating at Dr. Seuss's house. 

00:00 Welcome to Old Town

00:56 Book Club Beginnings

03:39 From Temp to Rail

05:52 Rate Cases Explained

07:49 Rail vs Trucks

10:40 Deregulation Debate

13:05 Big Railroads Today

14:59 Future of Freight

16:53 AI and Driverless Trains

19:46 Amtrak vs Freight

21:04 Amtrak vs Freight Priority

22:46 Why US Rail Lags Europe

23:41 High Speed Rail Reality

25:38 Best Rail Systems Today

26:32 Transit Subsidies Debate

27:23 At Home in Alexandria

28:14 Village Services Explained

31:40 Volunteer Story at the Y

32:58 Dr Seuss Connection

36:38 Lightning Round Favorites

37:42 Markets and Monopoly

38:11 Seuss Railroad Rhyme

38:40 Final Thanks and Wrap 

Around Old Town - places mentioned in this episode:

• Fresh Baguette: 1101 King St | freshbaguette.net | IG: @freshbaguette
• Principle Gallery: 208 King St | principlegallery.com | IG: @principlegallery
• At Home in Alexandria (AHA): 3139 Mt. Vernon Ave | athomeinalexandria.org | IG: @athomeinalexandria

Email us at [email protected]. To stay up to date with The People You Meet In Old Town, and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Apple podcasts and Spotify. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a rating and review on Apple, Spotify or YouTube. 

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.

© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.

In this episode of People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria, host Jane Khodos Beyer sits down with Anne Metcalf—lobbyist, architectural enthusiast, historic home restorer, and author of Old Town At Home. Together, they explore the rich stories behind Old Town’s iconic homes, from centuries-old construction techniques to the surprising discoveries hidden within their walls.

Anne shares her personal journey—from growing up surrounded by architecture and history to restoring historic properties and advocating for cultural institutions. You’ll hear fascinating insights into what it really takes to preserve these homes, the challenges of renovation, and why protecting architectural legacy matters.

They also dive into:

· The untold history behind Old Town homes

· Real-life restoration stories (including oyster shell fireproofing!)

· The balance between preservation and modern living

· How community, history, and architecture intersect

· The inspiration behind Anne’s book and what may come next

Whether you’re a homeowner, history lover, or simply curious about what lies behind those beautiful Old Town facades, this episode offers a rare look inside one of America’s most charming historic neighborhoods.

00:00 Introduction to Old Town

00:26 Meeting Anne Metcalf

02:06 Growing Up in McLean

02:44 Early History Connections

04:25 Professional Background in Lobbying

05:45 Historic Home Restoration Journey

09:09 Discovering Hidden History

13:16 The Genesis of the Book

15:41 The Book Creation Process

18:47 Uncovering Home Stories

19:10 The Chapman Home Story

21:16 Architectural Styles and Favorites

23:20 Building Community Through Book Clubs

25:16 Lobbying for Museums

28:34 Future Book Projects

30:16 Where to Buy

30:47 Closing Thoughts

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.

© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.

Host Jane Khodos Beyer sits down with Chaz Cirame, founder of Big Fish Recruiting, who specializes in placing top talent in public affairs, public policy, and communications. Chaz shares why LinkedIn applications are basically a black hole, why a handwritten thank-you note is still the ultimate power move, and how AI-generated cover letters are backfiring on candidates in ways they don't expect.

You'll also hear:

• Why networking beats cold applying every single time (the real numbers will surprise you)
• How to negotiate an offer without pricing yourself out
• What employers are doing wrong — and how it's costing them great hires
• Why experience almost always trumps a graduate degree
• The career pivot framework Chaz used himself to leave public affairs and build Big Fish from scratch

Plus book recommendations you'll want to write down: Designing Your Life, Aware, and How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Chaz also shares his favorite spots in Old Town Alexandria — from Bollywood Masala to St. Elmo's Coffee — in our lightning round.

00:00 AI Job Search Mistakes

00:15 Meet Chaz Cirame

01:24 How We Met

02:18 Career Pivot Story

04:27 Designing Your Life

07:15 Hiring Market Reality

09:01 Standing Out in Interviews

11:13 Candidate Interview Donts

13:32 Networking Beats Applying

16:12 Using LinkedIn Wisely

18:53 AI Cover Letter Pitfalls

20:07 AI Resume Pitfalls

21:26 Beating ATS Bots

22:36 Employer Hiring Mistakes

25:45 Offer Negotiation Reality

32:03 What Drives Top Pay

33:44 MBA Versus Experience

37:23 Job Search Timelines

38:35 Networking And Books

40:20 Old Town Lightning Round

41:34 Wrap Up And Contact

Chaz’ favorite places around Old Town:

• St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub: 529 Montgomery St | stelmoscoffeepub.com | IG: @stelmos
• Southside 815: 815 S Washington St | southside815.com | IG: @southside815
• Bollywood Masala: 219 King St | bollywoodmasalaalexandria.com | IG: @bollywoodalexandria

Further Reading Recommendations

• Cirame recommends two pivotal books on career design and self-awareness: "Designing Your Life" by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, and,
• "Aware" by Les Csorba. 

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.

© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.

Heather Penney, an Old Town Alexandria resident, former U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter pilot, and Director of Studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, joins The People You Meet in Old Town podcast to share the full arc of her remarkable career. Penney recounts growing up around aviation, becoming part of the first generation of women in combat aviation, and what it was like to train and serve as the only woman in many of her units. She reflects on her 9/11 mission to intercept United Flight 93 and the leadership lessons shaped by high-stakes decision-making.

Penney also breaks down key national security and aerospace policy issues, including U.S. airpower, space as a warfighting domain, and conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. She discusses the future of warfare—from aging aircraft and military modernization to AI and autonomous systems—and what it all means for the next generation of airmen.

00:00 9/11 Mission Tease

01:05 Neighbors and Book Club

03:01 Early Dream to Fly

04:37 Women Enter Fighters

08:08 Being the Only Woman

10:45 Mentors and Nuance

12:02 Leadership and Culture

14:26 Vintage Planes Passion

17:14 Saving 9/11 Aircraft

19:03 F-16 Policy and Sales

20:57 Stealth Tech Fascination

22:47 Mitchell Institute Role

24:59 Middle East Nuclear Stakes

26:52 Air Power Against Iran

29:09 Space as Warfighting Domain

31:10 Funding the Space Force

32:19 Can We Control the Skies

34:04 F-35 Procurement Gap

35:03 Ukraine Drone Air War

37:48 Modernization and Readiness

38:59 AI and Autonomous Wingmen

43:47 Future of Fighter Autonomy

44:21 Next Generation Airmen

45:12 Old Town Lightning Round

49:24 Museums and Closing Thoughts

Here’s a list of all the local establishments we discuss:

• The Majestic: 911 King St | majesticoldtown.com | IG: @majesticoldtown
• Josephine: 109 S St Asaph St | josephineoldtown.com | IG: @josephineoldtown
• Southside 815: 815 S Washington St | southside815.com | IG: @southside815
• Chadwicks: 203 Strand St | chadwicksrestaurant.com | IG: @chadwicksoldtown
• Union Street Public House: 121 S Union St | unionstreetpub.com | IG: @unionstreetpub
• Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center: 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy | airandspace.si.edu/visit/udvar-hazy-center | IG: @airandspacemuseum

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria

The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.

© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.

An introduction to the podcast The People You Meet in Old Town.