Movers & Shakers

Chris spoke to Rep. Chris Pappas (NH-01) about the ongoing fight against COVID, a raid against the leader of ISIS, and much more!

Chris spoke with Retired General Don Bolduc about his candidacy, where he sees the GOP headed, and much more!

Chris speaks with President of the NH State Senate Chuck Morse about his announcement to run for U.S Senator and more!!

Producer of “Movers and Shakers” and “NH Today", has been in radio since 2008, working every job you can think of in radio, including that of producer. Justin also works as a freelance sportscaster, broadcasting games for UNH, Dartmouth, St. Anselm College, SNHU, and many more colleges and high schools. Justin was named 2019 NH Sportscaster of the Year, 2014 “Best Morning Show Team” with Dan Lunnie on “Seacoast in The Morning” which aired on the now defunct 98.7 The Bay. Prior to his radio career, Justin performed as a Professional Wrestler for 12 years, working in rings up and down the east coast as “Justin Shaype” and “The Alpha Male Justin Powers”. Justin lives in Rochester NH with his wife Renee, his children Cameron and Keeley, and their tiny dog Cujo.

Mark Parsons is an artist, entrepreneur, designer, educator, and technologist. He is the founder and executive director of the Consortium for Research & Robotics in New York City, the director of the Science and Technology Entry Program (NYSED & Pratt), and the Director of Production Technologies for Pratt Institute Architecture, where he teaches advanced design studios and materials seminars. He sits on several industrial and educational advisory boards, including a 2019 appointment by the US Department of State as a US Speaker on creativity, innovation and technology. Parsons has held teaching positions in design and art at Pratt Institute, Hunter College, and Cornell University. He has lectured at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, China, SUNY Purchase, University of Massachusetts, ISE Cultural Foundation, Grounds for Sculpture, and presented a TEDx Talk titled “Making a Thing. Discovering aSpace.” With projects ranging from residential to commercial, Parsons architectural designs often focus on tensile structures. Parsons was the lead designer and principal of the Haiti SoftHouse, a 2010 transitional shelter for Haitian communities after the 2010 earthquake. He has led teams to award winning designs at the Architectural Digest Home Design show (DIFFA Dine by Design), the Brooklyn Food and Wine Festival (UrBarn), and with New York City Parks projects (Putnam Pavilion). As an artist, Mark Parsons is the recipient of the Jacob Javits National Fellowship (1997), is a VSA International Fellow (2004), is a two-time winner of the FIPSE Grant (Fund for Improvement of Post Secondary Education, 2009, 2011), recipient of the Wynn Newhouse Award (2012), 3 Faculty Development Grants at the Pratt Institute, and two Tectonic Fellowship Awards (2014, 2015) for community projects in Brooklyn, NY. He is a 2016 recipient of the President’s Award from the American Society of Landscape Architects for his environmental sculpture Big BURR in Montgomery County, Maryland. Parsons has exhibited art work at the United Nations, Kennedy Center for the Arts, Seaport Museum, New Bedford Art Museum, Springfield Art Museum, Provincetown Art Museum, Williams College Museum of Art, and private galleries in New York and abroad. Before coming to New York City, Parsons rebuilt a 41-foot hurricane-destroyed boat named Lazarus, and sailed for 3 years and 30 thousand miles around the Globe; down the Atlantic Ocean, west across the Caribbean Sea, Pacific Ocean, Tasman Sea, Indian Ocean, around Africa, across the Atlantic, a hundred miles up the Amazon River, and home again. He returned to working as a carpenter in the northeast before heading to Cornell University to pursue an MFA, and then moved to New York. Mark Parsons lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.

Jaylen Arnold is the inspiration of Jaylens Challenge Foundation, Inc. He created the concept at the age of 8, after being bullied for having Tourette Syndrome and Autism. He decided to take a bold stand. With the help of a few adults, he created a plan to educate students and the public about the prevalence of kindness and respect in schools and workplaces across the globe. It was soon realized that it was a plague that reached much further than his disorders and that children and adults alike were suffering on a daily basis. With his Motto “Bullying No Way!” anchoring his movement, he set out to change the world one person at a time by spreading awareness and education. He believes “The more we understand each other, the more we will love the differences we have and the similarities we share.” To date, Jaylen has helped to halt 67 suicides and spoken to more than 280,000 students in face-to-face assemblies in classrooms and in corporations all over the world, while providing much needed anti-bullying curriculum. Jaylen Arnold is 20 years old but has been sharing his Leadership for the past twelve years in classrooms, in the community, and all across the United States and the United Kingdom. Jaylen Arnold is the only American to receive the prestigious Princess Diana Legacy Award by HRH’s Prince William and Prince Harry in London, England for his philanthropy. Jaylen has also received his own show on Nickelodeon called ‘The HALO Effect” (Helping And Leading Others). He has been featured in a segment for the Ellen DeGeneres Show, cover for HIGHLIGHTS Children’s Magazine and featured in People Magazine with actress Anne Hathaway for his efforts. In the past, he has been the hallmark with Dr. Sunjay Gupta for a CNN special called the “Human Factor” (twice) and a television documentary on his life for Discovery Health called “Tourette’s Uncovered”. He has been featured on every major television network including, FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS. Jaylen has also been given the Young Hero Award for Philanthropy, The American Spirit Award from Katie Couric, Community Hero Award from the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning, and the highly esteemed World of Children Award (also known as the Nobel Peace Prize for youth). During the NBA playoffs, Jaylen was also chosen to partner with basketball athlete LeBron James for an anti-bullying awareness campaign through Instagram. Recently, Jaylen was awarded in New York City with television’s TLC’s Give A Little Award.

Randy Pierce is the President of 2020 Vision Quest, an organization that inspires students and professionals to reach beyond adversity and achieve their peak potential. Randy not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. He is Inspirational (yes, with a capital I) and a leader. Born and raised in New Hampshire, Randy was active in band, drama, and several outdoor sports before climbing his first mountain at age 10. He earned his BSEE from the University of New Hampshire, then began a successful career at Digital Equipment Corporation as a hardware design engineer. At the age of 22, Randy unexpectedly lost his vision over the course of a short two weeks due to a devastating neurological disease. Still passionate about sports, Randy found ways to continue to enjoy football, basketball, baseball, and even darts! His advancement in karate through his second-degree black belt helped him improve focus and orientation and excel at many of the challenges he faced through his blindness. His lifelong passion for New England Patriots football came full circle when he was named “2001 Fan of the Year” with Ostend, his first Dog Guide and constant companion, at his side. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio in 2002 as a Number One Fan. His “Patriotic” fame led to an HBO feature on his life “HBO Inside the NFL Fanlife: Randy Zip Pierce” which was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award in 2008. At 39, the neurological disorder suddenly attacked in other ways, resulting in being confined to a wheelchair. Randy spent the next two years working to get out of that wheelchair and in time was fully back on his feet with his new Dog Guide Quinn at his side(a/k/a Mighty Quinn, photo inset). In 2010, Randy set a goal to be the first blind hiker to summit all 48 of the New Hampshire 4,000-footers. He accelerated his pace and by 2012, he accomplished all 48 peaks in a single winter season — the winter season offering fewer challenges in terms of footing — and then on August 24, 2013, with Quinn at his side, he completed his original goal of climbing all 48 peaks during the summer seasons, just 37 months after he began his quest. Early in 2014 Randy welcomed his new Dog Guide Autumn and successfully completed the April 2015 Boston Marathon. Randy traveled to Tanzania in September 2015, climbed the iconic Mount Kilimanjaro with a team of 10 friends, reaching the summit on September 26, 2015. Randy battled health problems in the winter of 2016 but still managed to complete the 2016 Boston Marathon in April. In September, 2017 Randy traveled to Peru with 13 friends to visit Machu Picchu and spent 4 days hiking through the Andes Mountains to reach Rainbow Mountain. Randy’s passion for new experiences continues to encourage him to turn adversity into growth and opportunity, inspiring others to reach their peak potential as Randy has and continues to do.

Matt Mayberry is a Decorated Air Force Veteran… Former NHGOP Vice Chair… Successful Businessman… Avid Community Volunteer… NH Human Rights Commissioner… Matt Mayberry is a very busy man. Matt Mayberry proudly served his country in the US Air Force, joining right out of High School. He was awarded his squadron’s Airman of the Year Award for his handling of an in-flight emergency and the contributions he made to the community of Charleston South Carolina. Since retiring from the Air Force, Matt has become an active community volunteer in his Hometown of Dover, NH, particularly within NH’s Veteran community. A life-long Republican, Matt is a former vice chair of the NHGOP. In 2016, Matt chaired an RNC initiative to identify and mobilize over 10,000 NH veterans to vote. He was selected as an alternate delegate to the national RNC conventions of Senator John McCain and again in 2016 and 2020 for President Donald Trump. Matt is a 2 time winner of the Norris Cotton Republican of the Year Award in Strafford County. He is a former 3-term Dover City Councilor and Dover School Board Member. In 2018, he was named Chairman of the New Hampshire Human Rights Commission by Governor Chris Sununu. Matt currently spends a good part of his time giving back through volunteer opportunities, to name just a few: delivering COVID vaccines to low income seniors in Dover NH; delivered thousands of meals through the Strafford County Meals on Wheels program; helping a Gold Star widow get new windows and gutters for her home; helping a widow of a Vietnam Veteran with some major home repairs; helped get an Army veteran a new first floor bedroom and entrance ramps; helped raise over $10,000 to help Coast Guard families when the government was shut down; created Prayers for Prevention the first Sunday in May to ask churches to pray for suicide prevention (200+ NH churches participate); created Wreaths Across NH (1st year) placed 2,000 Christmas wreaths on the graves of veterans; when on Dover City Councilor, created the Dover Arts Commission; Fmr Chair of the NH Human Rights Commission; Created the NH Gratitude Givers; takes care of the Dover High School food pantry…just to name a few, Phew! Twitter: @mattmayberrynh Instagram: @mattmayberrynh FB: @mattmayberrynh

Karen Kerrigan is president & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, and is the group’s chief advocate for its members. She has been called America’s “entrepreneurial envoy” and “small business ambassador” for her extensive speaking, knowledge sharing and capacity-building work overseas. For twenty-five years Kerrigan’s leadership, advocacy and training work has helped foster U.S. entrepreneurship and global business growth. . Kerrigan regularly testifies before the U.S. Congress on the key issues impacting entrepreneurs, investment and the economy. She has been appointed to numerous federal advisory boards including the National Women’s Business Council, the U.S.-Iraq Business Dialog, the U.S. Treasury’s Taxpayer Advisory Panel, and the National Advisory Committee for Labor Provisions of U.S. Free Trade Agreements. Kerrigan chairs the newly formed Small Business Roundtable, a coalition of leading small business and entrepreneurship organizations dedicated to advancing policy, securing access and promoting inclusion to benefit the businesses at the heart of the American economy. She has written hundreds of Op-Eds and newspaper columns, and regularly appears on national television and talk radio programs. Kerrigan regularly appears on Fox Business to provide analysis and commentary on the latest economic data, what’s driving the markets, and the outlook for the economy, entrepreneurship and small business growth. Twitter – @SBECouncil

Thom Walters is a meditation instructor and founder/host of the global ZEN Commuter podcast, as well as Calmer in Five. He began his meditation practice back in 1980 when he was eighteen years old. Thom is self-taught for over 30 years with the help of mentors, Buddhist practitioners and teachers. Through the years he has kept his meditation practice alive practicing over 5,000 hours. He considers it to be the most impactful skill he has learned in his life. Thom has interviewed noted meditation thought leaders on his podcast, ZEN commuter, and studied extensively on a variety of meditation practices. Through his podcasts, classes and lectures he helps people create and strengthen their meditation practice while also empowering them to live more fully and with peace of mind. Thom believes it has kept him centered all these years later, and it will do the same for you as well.

Alicia Preston (Xanthopoulos) is a lobbyist, columnist and podcast host in New Hampshire. Her column can be read weekly Sunday’s in Seacoast Media Group publications and her podcast, NewsCycle with Alicia Preston is nationally distributed by Gannett Media. Alicia began as a radio reporter in New Hampshire and has also worked in newspaper and television as a journalist, focusing on politics and government. In 2004 she joined then Governor Craig Benson as his Communications Director and has subsequently worked on a number political campaigns for Governor, Congress, US Senate and President in several states. Four years ago, she chose to leave the rigors and uncertainty of campaigns and became a lobbyist, representing clients before the NH Legislature and began her work as a columnist and host of NewsCycle shortly thereafter. Alicia lives in Hampton with her husband, step-daughter, three crazy poodles and a hamster named Chonk.

Marilyn D. Landis is the President & CEO of Basic Business Concepts, Inc., a multifaceted service firm providing the support to keep businesses financially balanced, on track and growing. “We provide entrepreneurs access to affordable CFO-level skills that are customized to their unique business” The CFO focuses on strategy and risk and is the forward thinking financial resource to the management team. In this role, Landis has over fifteen years of experience working with small businesses across all industries nationwide, providing financial CFO leadership. Directly, and with her team, she has enabled clients to improve their financial resilience through sound financial planning, improved financial reporting, enhanced cash flow management and improved funding options. Landis has over 30 years of experience in this field. Landis also has extensive Board level experience with nonprofits, ranging from non-profit economic development and social services agencies to for-profit manufacturers. She is currently serving in the role as Chairperson of the Board for the Lutheran Senior Life. –> What’s in the Small Business Stimulus Package for you in 2021? –> How can you pivot to grow your business as the pandemic continues? These are just a few of the questions we address during this upcoming Movers & Shakers iHeart radio program.

John Doherty – After 30 extraordinary and fulfilling years at The Waldorf-Astoria, where this culinary leader holds the distinction of having cooked for more presidents, royalty and heads-of-state than any other chef in the country, Executive Chef John Doherty left in 2009 to fulfill his dream of entrepreneurship. Doherty says “the desire to create an innovative menu and food concepts, develop exciting restaurant brands, and share my Leadership message, is so powerful, that I must pursue my vision”. Doherty is now Chef-Owner of the much-talked-about Black Barn Restaurant in NoMad, NYC with his childhood friend Tom Struzzieri. Although preparing meals for the elite was gratifying, in 2015 Doherty responded to a higher calling and founded Heavenly HARVST Foundation, a 501C3, through which he is determined to make a positive impact on hunger and the less fortunate in this country. Meals are high in protein and nutrition, cooked to perfection with absolutely no preservatives or artificial flavorings, and can be preserved up to 18 months’ time. They meet or exceed USDA recommendations and are sold to both consumers and government sponsored food programs, all of which will donate a percentage of proceeds to Heavenly HARVST Foundation. Doherty has shared his Leadership secrets through numerous published articles and speaking engagements at Universities, national culinary and industry events. His powerful message inspires people to empower themselves to break through the barriers they set for themselves. Doherty has appeared in numerous Travel Channel, A&E and Food Network programs as well as appearances on The Today Show, CBS, FOX, and numerous regional affiliates. He has been awarded an honorary Doctorate degree from Johnson & Wales, an honorary Master’s degree from the Culinary Institute of America and a Leadership award from Niagara University as well as Food Arts Magazines’ Silver Spoon Award.

Richard M. Newman, COO and President of The Newman Group, Inc., has been helping people become professionals, as well as assist professionals to improve their skills, for over five decades. He started out on that path in junior high school as an editor of the school paper and a correspondent for the local weekly newspaper. After three years of college science courses preparing him for veterinary school he decided to return to his journalism roots so after his undergraduate degree, he pursued a Master of Arts in Public Relations/Communications Management. Shortly after his first full-time public relations position he joined the Fourth Infantry Division in Vietnam as a combat correspondent. After the service he spent over 20 years as an investor relations professional working with such diverse companies including but not limited to as Aim Telephones, Bausch & Lomb, Capital Holding Corporation, Mayfair Industries, PAXAR Corporation, Reebok International, and The Madison Fund to name a few. As an avocation during that time he founded the two largest national professional development programs for public relations practitioners, the New York University/PRSA program and The Professional Development Institute, which grew to influence the training of more than 100,000 communications professionals. In the 1990s he joined his wife Joyce at The Newman Group, Inc., a budding business at the time, which was focused on helping professionals improve their communications skills in a variety of speaking situations – from platform presentations to media interviews – since 1975. The Group leads presentation skills workshops and media training sessions in which they teach clients effective video techniques; coach them for testimony and presentations in security analyst and shareholder meetings, sales conferences, and new product introductions; and assists clients in designing and conducting road-shows for initial public offerings. Their clients include such diverse organizations such as the American Diabetes Association, Baystate Health System, BBDO Worldwide, Bear, Stearns & Co., Coca-Cola North America, Ernst & Young, The Gillette Company, GoldenTree Asset Management LP, Hearst Corporation, and USA TODAY to name a few. The Newman Group also works with publishing companies and has helped many best-selling authors to prepare for national media tours. To name just a few, they are Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy, In Our Defense; Johnnie Cochran, Journey to Justice; Janet Evanovich, Hard Eight; Victoria Gotti, The Senator’s Daughter along with many others (see website for the full list). An accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America since 1970, Richard is a Fellow, PRSA and Past Chairman of PRSA’s Investor Relations Section. A director of PRSA’s New York Chapter from 1971-74, he was a member of the National Investor Relations Institute. A graduate of Cornell University, Richard also holds a Master of Arts in Public Relations/Communications Management from Syracuse University. He lives in New York City and Longboat Key FL.

Colin McGarty and his wife are owners of Seacoast Kettlebell in Dover, NH. Colin is not only a father and a veteran, he is also passionate about helping ordinary people achieve functional fitness. The center brings affordable Kettlebell and CrossFit training to the residents of southern New Hampshire. Seacoast Kettlebell is not just a fitness center, it’s a community of people who work together to achieve their goals. The center often hosts events for its members such as creative party themes and events, one which was a party cruise to the Isle of Shoals. They have also developed online training and classes during this Covid crisis. Colin and his wife are also involved in their local community supporting fundraising events for local causes.

Mark Lytal was born in Tucson, AZ. He lived in Sacramento for the first few years of his life. His mother married when Mark was about 4 years old. Shortly afterwards, his new father joined the Army. As a result they moved around quite a bit for Mark’s first 10 years of life. At the age of 10 Mark’s mother passed so he moved out to live with two of the most amazing people God ever created – Mark’s mother’s brother and his most beautiful wife. They became Mark’s parents and lived in Napa for most of his young adulthood. When Mark turned 17, his new parents had a child. That’s when Mark decided he needed to make a move and let them raise their son so he enlisted in the Air Force. Mark eventually got married, has 2 kids and completed his 20 year stint in the Air Force. Soon Mark found a passion riding motorcycles which led to a way to earn income. He has been a motorcycle instructor in California for almost 30 years. He has owned a few companies and has taught over 10,000 people how to ride with a focus on safety. After Mark retired, he moved back to Sacramento and his current journey began. Mark is the founder of Show Up, an organization that provides the homeless with all the necessities for a nice, warm shower — Towels, body wash, care, and compassion are all provided. EVERY individual gets new underwear and socks as well as clothes, if available. Mark feels this endeavor is his calling. He’s grateful he has found a way to help others that also helps them find dignity. He reminds them that they are loved. Show Up recognizes each and everyone as God’s children.

Jay Lucas serves as Chairman and Managing Partner of The Lucas Group, a strategy consulting firm that he founded in 1991, focused on the specialized needs of private equity investors and their portfolio companies. Previously, Jay served as Vice President and Partner of Bain & Company. In addition, Jay is the founder and currently serves as Managing Partner of LB Equity, a fund that invests in small growing brands in the beauty sector. LB Equity currently has investments in nine portfolio brands sourced from around the world and marketed in major retail channels throughout the United States. He is a strong supporter of our veterans, leading the effort in New Hampshire for ‘Children of the Fallen Patriots’ – an organization devoted to making sure that every child who loses a parent in active military service can have their education paid for all the way through college or vocational school or whatever will be most helpful to that child. Thus far, Fallen Patriots has helped more than 950 surviving military children pay for their education. In addition, Jay is the founder of the Newport Sunshine Initiative, an effort to revitalize the town of Newport, New Hampshire, where he grew up. It’s an exciting, positive effort that has garnered widespread grassroots support throughout the community and is on the way to making Newport and the surrounding area a shining example of success and growth. In addition to his business activities, Jay has been actively involved in politics and government, serving two terms as NH House of Representatives as well as a run for Governor, winning the Republican primary, subsequently losing to the then incumbent Governor. Jay earned his MBA from Harvard Business School, a Law degree from Harvard Law School, and a BA from Yale University. He attended Oxford University as a Marshall Scholar where he studied International Relations and Military History. Karen Ballou Lucas is the founder of Immunocologie. The Immunocologie story began following Karen’s falling sick with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. With over 30 years of experience in the skincare industry, Karen grew concerned that the products she was using as a part of her skincare regimen were not supporting her health as she underwent treatment for cancer. Compelled to positively change the relationship between her skin, its health, and her skincare regimen, the Immunocologie philosophy and product line were created to give both men and women an effective, natural and luxurious skincare treatment that is beneficial to their skin – but without causing harm to their mind or body.

Aired December 5th, 2020 11:00 am iHeart Radio | Lauri Loewenberg Lauri is a Certified Dream Analyst (check out her website Lauri Loewenberg – Dream Expert to the Stars), syndicated columnist, author, popular radio personality, speaker and member of IASD, the International Association for the Study of Dreams, an international organization whose purpose, among other things, is to conduct and encourage research into the nature, function, and significance of dreaming. She spent much of her childhood keeping a dream journal in order to capture all those wonderfully strange adventures she experienced every night. One night, after she had a dream where her deceased grandfather visited her and gave her a life-changing message, she decided to dedicate herself to finding the answers we all seek within our dreams. Lauri studied Dream Psychology and became certified as a Dream Analyst in 1996. She has since analyzed and researched over 75,000 dreams from people of all walks of life from all over this planet. Her dream-working techniques are so easy and ground-breaking that she has been invited on The View, Good Morning America, CNN, The Katie Couric Show, The Steve Harvey Show, Pickler & Ben, Fox Business and is a recurring guest on The Today Show and Dr. Oz. Lauri is also one of the most requested guests in radio for over 20 years now, has logged over 3,000 interviews including such nationally syndicated radio shows including but not limited to Oprah Radio and Art Bell’s “Coast to Coast”. She has been featured as an expert source in numerous magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, The New Yorker, Esquire, Glamour, Prevention and Cosmo, and has analyzed top celebrities’ dreams for Globe Magazine. In March of 2011 Lauri released her third book Dream On It, Unlock Your Dreams Change Your Life (St. Martin’s Press). She is also a self-taught artist and has a thriving pin-up art business where she paints her clients as a glamorous pin-up girls YouAsAPinUp.com .

Aired November 28th, 2020 11:00 AM iHeart Radio | Jay & Alison Carroll are co-owners of Wonder Valley, celebrating the holistic uses and benefits of California olive oil, as well as partners in El Rey Court, a 1936 historic adobe motor court located in Santa Fe, NM. Individually, the Carroll’s are also actively entrepreneurial and very creative. Alison Carroll has been working in the California Olive oil industry since 2012 as an industry advocate, consumer and retailer educator, recipe developer, and overseeing a professional taste panel [prior to starting Wonder Valley]. Jay Carroll is a Creative Director, Interior Designer, Writer and Photographer. His works and contributions have been published in the American Express high-end magazine Departures, GQ, Los Angeles Times, Architectural Digest, and The New York Times Style Magazine – to name a few… He is also active in the hospitality industry sharing his expertise in areas of renovating historic hotels, event management, retail merchandising, as a buyer, and in product development. Alison and Jay live with their dog, Lefty, and work in the high desert of Joshua Tree, California.

Aired November 21st, 2020 11:00 AM iHeart Radio | Amy Latta is the bestselling author of Hand Lettering for Relaxation, Hand Lettering for Laughter, Hand Lettering for Faith and Express Yourself: A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids. She has appeared on Hallmark’s Home & Family, Midday Maryland, and Studio 5, and has a twice-monthly “Getting Crafty” segment on the lifestyle show Good Day PA. Amy’s hand lettered designs have been featured nationally in Starbucks and GAP stores, and she has taught workshops all over the country. Amy lives in Hampstead, Maryland with her husband and sons. Learn more at AmyLattaCreations.com.