THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

Dwight Love was born and raised in DeWitt, Arkansas and earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Arkansas State University. After working for Touché Ross as a CPA for almost 4 years, he decided to continue his education at Harvard Business School. He spent the next 35 years working for Ford Motor Company, and even got to travel to places like Mexico and Brazil. Dwight is presently enjoying retirement in Florida.

Chris Tritico, a native Houstonian, has dedicated his life to defending the accused. After graduating from Sam Houston State University with a degree in Political Science, he went to law school at South Texas College of Law. He's been a lawyer about 40 years, has represented many high profile clients, and is a frequent legal commentator. Chris and his wife Debbie live in Houston, Texas.

Teresa Sharp, a native Houstonian, is an assistant principal in Pasadena, Texas. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Houston in 1990. She went on to work in the corporate world for a few years before going back to the University of Houston for a Master of Science in Elementary and Middle School Administration/Principalship. She taught 5th grade for 5 years, was a peer facilitator for 5 years, and has been an assistant principal for just over 13 years. Teresa has one daughter and lives in Houston, Texas with her husband.

Stephanie DeMartini, a first generation American on her father's side, grew up in Elmont, New York. She lived in Chile for a year during her teenage years, then graduated from high school in Garden City, New York. After attending Binghamton for an undergraduate degree in Art History, she earned her Masters of Science in Teaching from Fordham University. She taught in Rye, New York for 13 years before going to law school at age 38. Now a public defender, Stephanie enjoys her days as a Grateful Dead and Mets fan in Hudson Valley, New York.

Emily Parsons, who grew up on the East Coast, became a winemaker 12 years ago. She began working as an assistant to one of the founders at Eagle Harbor Wine Co. in 2009 while continuing her education at the University of California Davis. After getting married, she and her husband invested in Eagle Harbor Wine Co. in 2012; then, in 2014, she purchased it. Emily is now the owner and operator of the winery and lives with her husband of over 30 years and their 2 children in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Pepper Massey, originally from Rhode Island, has lived all over the US and in Canada. After graduating with a Journalism major from Los Angeles Pierce College, she worked at a law firm, served as a director of the National Coalition of Motorcyclists, was executive director of Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, directed the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, served as director for the Rapid City Arts Council, and is presently employed by the Pennington County Fire Service and the Rapid City/Pennington County Department of Emergency Management. Pepper now lives in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Ziggy Gruber, originally from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, owns and operates the #1 delicatessen in the United States, Kenny & Ziggy's, in Houston, Texas. A third generation deli man, he began working in his family's restaurants at age 8. After his grandfather's death when Ziggy was 15, he moved to London and attended Cordon Bleu; following his graduation, he worked at London's first Michelin three-star restaurant, Le Gavroche. Two years later, he moved back to the US and operated delis in New York, California, and, eventually, Texas. He is the main focus of Deli Man, a 2015 documentary film looking at the people, food, and traditions behind delicatessens in Jewish culture. Since 1999, Ziggy has worked in his deli almost every day, and he, his wife, and their two daughters live in Houston, Texas.

Ziggy Gruber, originally from the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York, owns and operates the #1 delicatessen in the United States, Kenny & Ziggy's, in Houston, Texas. A third generation deli man, he began working in his family's restaurants at age 8. After his grandfather's death when Ziggy was 15, he moved to London and attended Cordon Bleu; following his graduation, he worked at London's first Michelin three-star restaurant, Le Gavroche. Two years later, he moved back to the US and operated delis in New York, California, and, eventually, Texas. He is the main focus of Deli Man, a 2015 documentary film looking at the people, food, and traditions behind delicatessens in Jewish culture. Since 1999, Ziggy has worked in his deli almost every day, and he, his wife, and their two daughters live in Houston, Texas.

Hezekiah "Heck" Watkins, born in Wisconsin and raised in Mississippi, is the youngest Freedom Rider and has been a civil rights activist since the early 1960s. After being arrested at age 13, he began organizing boycotts and registering Black voters in Mississippi; he was arrested over 100 times during those years, ordinarily with unnecessary force. In 2019, he published Pushing Forward: The Story of Mississippi's Youngest Freedom Rider, a book about his experiences during the civil rights movement. Hezekiah lives in Jackson, MS and spends his days working at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.