THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

Joanna Whaley has lived in Southeast Michigan her whole life and is now running for State Representative for House District 2 to serve her community. She earned her Bacherlor's Degree in Arts Management from Eastern Michigan University, attended the University of Michigan for Clinical Pastoral Education and a Clinical Pastoral Education Residency, and received her Master of Arts in Theology and Theological Studies from Wartburg Theological Seminary. As a transgender woman running to represent every member of the district, a clinical spiritual care provider in local hospitals, and a parent, some of her top issues include civil liberties, economic fairness, healthcare access, and public safety. Joanna and her family make their home in Detroit, Michigan.

Sig Muller is an author, motivational speaker, consultant, and founder. He was on the swimming team at Northwestern University in Illinois, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering; following, he received his MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Darmouth in New Hampshire. His career includes leadership roles at Accenture, Ben & Jerry's, Mayo Clinic, UnitedHealth Group General Mills, and multiple startups. In 2024, he survived a sudden cardiac arrest that reshaped his mission, which led him to write and publish "Dying to Be the World's Best" in 2025. Sig makes his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Brian Warren was elected to be Judge of the 209th Criminal District Court in Harris County, Houston, Texas in 2018. Originally from New York, he earned his Bachelors of Business Administration from James Madison University in 1997 then his Juris Doctorate from St. Mary's School of Law in 2001. His entire legal career has been dedicated to the practice of criminal law, starting his own criminal defense practice, serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County, and, most recently, being elected to the bench. Brian, his wife, and their three children make their home in Houston, Texas.

Andrew Lienhard is a pianist and software developer. After graduating from the High School of the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, Texas, he earned both a Bachelor's and Master's Degree in Mathematics from the University of Houston, then another Master's Degree in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California at Berkeley. In addition to composing and playing jazz music on his own, he plays piano and keyboards in The Crusaders Experience, a group of musicians based in Houston who celebrate the legacy of The Crusaders. Andrew, his wife, and their pets live in Houston, Texas.

Dan Simons was born and raised in Southeast Texas and became the first person in his family to graduate from high school. He then graduated from Sam Houston State University at the top of his class, went on to attend Thurgood Marshall School of Law, and earned his Master's Degree in Tax Law from the University of Houston. He has handled many cases as Assistant District Attorney and as Misdeeanor Chief in Criminal Court No. 14. Dan now has his own practice, Dan Simons Law Firm, in Houston, Texas.

Special episode! Terry Lord & Chris Tritico discuss law and the justice department under the current administration. Terry worked as a prosecutor in the US Department of Justice, Criminal Division for nearly 30 years, even prosecuting the first RICO case against the Mafia. Chris has been a criminal defense attorney for his entire career, handling cases in both state and federal courts, including the Oklahoma City Bombing trial.

Judge Walter "Bud" Paulissen was appointed to begin hearing cases in 2019 by then-Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1977 from the University of Texas at Austin and his Juris Doctor in 1980 from the University of Texas School of Law. Following graduation, he worked in corporate and private law practice from 1980-1990, then served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in San Antonio and Houston, Texas from 1990-2000. He went on to work as the Chief of Major Crimes until 2013 and served as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the Western District of Texas until 2019. Judge Paulissen lives in San Antonio, Texas.

Erica Lee Carter served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 18th Congressional District from 2024-2025. The daughter of U.S. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, she earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and her Master of Public Policy from Duke University, then went on to work as a teacher in the Houston Independent School District and quality coordinator for a nonprofit public health organization before entering politics. She also served on the Board of Trustees of the Harris County Department of Education from 2013-2019. After being defeated for a Senate seat in 2016, she ran to complete her mother's term in Congress following her passing in 2024 and won, serving as a member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. Erica, her husband, and their two children call Houston, Texas home.