The James Protin Podcast

Our guest for Episode 114, Lorenzo Altobelli believes that the impact we make on others shapes our legacy. As the owner and barber at LA Fades in North Belle Vernon, Lorenzo is dedicated to giving back to his community. His mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives, one haircut at a time. Lorenzo believes a barber can change lives by providing more than just a haircut. They often serve as confidants, listeners, and mentors, offering a safe space for clients to express themselves and receive guidance. By building relationships and offering support, Lorenzo positively impacts mental health and overall well-being of his customers. Additionally, through community involvement and initiatives like free haircuts for those in need, barbers can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 113 of the podcast is Virginia Monaghan. Virginia is a Mon Valley kid, born to a loving Italian-American family in Donora, Pennsylvania. She graduated for Donora High School in 1964 and went on to California State Teachers College with a Bachelors Degree in secondary education in 1968. Then this Mon Valley kid set off on a more than 30 year career teaching a couple generations of Mon Valley kids at Monessen (PA) High School. It was at California State Teachers College, where she was the Sigma Tau Gamma White Rose Queen and Miss Torch for the Mon Valley United Way, that she caught the eye of her husband. They were married in 1968 and remained so for 46 years until his unexpected passing in 2014. Virginia loved teaching English and Public Speaking at Monessen High School. During her career, she sponsored the newspaper, performing arts group and the broadcasting club. She received three "Great Ideas" grants and was listed in "Who's Who in America's Teachers." Virginia has one daughter, Melanie, a cohost for a Pittsburgh radio morning show and two granddaughters; Quinn, a freshman at Penn State (main) and Brecklynn an eighth-grader in the Belle Vernon Area School District. She didn’t rest on the laurels of her distinguished career. After her husband's untimely death, I started a Foundation, a (501(c)3) nonprofit to keep his legacy alive. The foundation helps underprivileged children and has been extremely successful. Virginia has written one children's book and is working on two more. She lives the mantra…you’re never too old and it’s never too late. In her spare time, this amazing woman enjoy ls walking, reading poetry, gardening and movies. This was a delightful conversation with a dedicated educator, wife, mother, and grandmother who has walks in faith and and continues to give back to her beloved Mon Valley community. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Kate Crawford is a nonprofit leader, fierce advocate, digital creator, and more importantly, wife and mother. Kate is no stranger to struggle and tragedy in her life. Kate's journey to motherhood led her to find a hope that would carry her through some of her hardest days. All four of her children were treated in the neonatal intensive care unit right after birth due to different complications. Her first daughter sadly died just 3 days after being born. Her twin daughters would just need some help to grow strong. Due to complications with her last pregnancy, she and her son nearly died. As a result of her son being premature, he suffered many life-altering complications. Kate never wanted a family to feel alone during such a trying time in their lives so she and a few of her close friends created the organization, Project Sweet Peas. Project Sweet Peas quickly grew to become a national non-profit organization coordinated by volunteers, who through personal experience have become passionate about providing support to families of premature or critically ill infants and to those who have been affected by pregnancy and infant loss. Kate served as the President of Project Sweet Peas until 2013 when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer at just 28 years old. The cancer entirely covered her liver, both breasts, shoulder, ribs, thoracic and lumbar spine, and completely covered her pelvis. A diagnosis this severe gave her a less than 15% chance of surviving for 5 years. With little hope, Kate started a "Mommy Bucket List". Her twins were 4 and her son just turned 3 when she was diagnosed so her list was all the things she still wanted to do with her children, things she wished to do, and experiences she had hoped to see achieved. Each year that passed after Kate's diagnosis brought more optimism but it brought many health challenges as a result of intense cancer treatments. Kate found out she had two cancer-causing genetic mutations and has faced three other primary cancers. In the past 11 years, Kate has had 179 treatments, a double mastectomy, oophorectomy, gall bladder surgery, lumbar puncture, radiation, broken bones from treatment and cancer, fluid buildup in her brain, blood clots in my lungs, hip surgery and heart failure. One thing Kate didn't do was lose hope. Just as she did with Project Sweet Peas, Kate dived into the breast cancer nonprofit community, raising nearly $100,000 for breast cancer research and local organizations. She has traveled the country sharing her story to advocate for better patient-centered care practices in healthcare. She works closely with local breast cancer community leaders to ensure Pittsburgh continues to be a pioneer in research and patient care. When Kate is working as a cancer advocate you will find her volunteering her time elsewhere. Kate remains an active volunteer with Project Sweet Peas and spearheaded the global initiative, NICU Awareness Month. Kate volunteers for as many things that involve her kids as she can. She and her family still work on checking things from the bucket list. She has a large following on TikTok, where she brings humor to her diagnosis. She loves being an artist and usually spends her free time in her studio at home crafting. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Mom. Career woman. Side-hustler. Rachel Winner wears many hats. A Pittsburgh native, Rachel is currently the Advertising Director for Pittsburgh City Paper, managing the sales and marketing team. Pittsburgh City Paper is Pittsburgh’s alternative for news, arts, and entertainment since 1991. Winner has been in media sales and management her entire career, including The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, KDKA-Radio, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Pittsburgh Magazine. Rachel has built an invaluable network of thought and business leaders in Pittsburgh, and has coupled that with volunteer work for various nonprofit entities including, The American Heart Association, Junior Achievement, The Allegheny Conference/ Athena Host Committee, The Community Liver Alliance, and most recently sits on the board of the Media Association of Pittsburgh. Rachel holds a B.A. in Communications & Advertising from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She resides in the Wexford/Pine Township area with her 16 year old daughter Abigail and her 12 year old son, Nicholas. On the side, Rachel has been a Brand Ambassador for Plexus Worldwide for over 2 years and is living the life of health & happiness. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Caroline Boyce moved to Pittsburgh from London, England at the age of six and has considered herself a Pittsburgh native ever since. She brings 30 years of experience in leading nonprofit organizations in executive roles and as a change consultant. She began her collaboration with Ryan Shazier in September of 2020, to lead the establishment of the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. With a BA from Connecticut College and an MA from Cornell University, Caroline specializes in assisting nonprofits that are starting up or going through significant transitions. She is a Certified Board Source Nonprofit Governance Consultant, a graduate of the Support Center’s Interim Executive Director program, and a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh. Caroline’s outside interests include cooking, architecture and Pittsburgh sports teams. A long-time Steelers fan, Caroline is delighted to be part of Ryan Shazier’s team to advocate for the victims of Spinal Cord Injuries and advance the agenda of this new and dynamic organization. Episode 110 drops tomorrow. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. #JamesProtinPodcast #RyanShazierFund #community #advocacy #rehabilitation #nonprofit #ThePersonintheChair #LiveLoveLearnPrayInspire

Our guest for Episode 109 is Justin Ellis, an Associate Attorney at Zacharia Brown. Justin counsels clients in estate and asset protection planning, Medicaid eligibility for long term care, Veterans’ benefits eligibility, and estate administration. He also represents clients in Orphans’ Court litigation, including guardianship proceedings for incapacitated adults. Justin regularly represents hospitals and nursing homes to secure medical and financial decision makers for patients in need of such individuals. Justin is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate degree from John Carroll University and his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he represented indigent clients in Elder Law matters as part of the Sikov Elder Law Clinic. Justin is a member of both the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA). Justin can be heard broadcasting for Pittsburgh Elder Law on KDKA 1020 AM every other Saturday at 12:00 noon. He also provides educational seminars to community organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area. Justin was raised in Peters Township and currently lives with his wife in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 108, Lynn Banaszak, knows what it means to fight for something, for someone. Lynn currently serves as the Global Head of Inclusive Strategies & Initiatives at Amazon Corporate, shaping a culture of inclusion for its 1.5M employees. With a rich 30-year tenure among the C-level executives of the Greater Pittsburgh region, Lynn has been instrumental in fostering economic development, civic engagement, and innovation, contributing to the investment and branding of over $80M in emerging healthcare and Digital technology solutions. This effort catalyzed an impressive $1B in follow-on investments throughout southwestern Pennsylvania, alongside securing $90M for various community initiatives and supporting over 400 startups.Lynn's leadership extended to heading two prestigious innovation centers at Carnegie Mellon University, managing $54M in research funds. As a co-host and producer of the nationally ranked podcast, Innovation Unleashed, and founder of Women in Bio Pittsburgh, she has made significant strides in promoting innovation and equal opportunities for all people. Her efforts were recognized with the 2015 Athena Greater Pittsburgh Award for mentorship and fostering equality.In 2016, Lynn established the Caileigh Lynn McDowell Foundation in memory of her extraordinary niece Caileigh, focusing on creating a more equitable society through scholarships and community programs, including a significant commitment to youth voter registration and a kindness initiative that has reached national levels.Lynn's contributions have been widely acknowledged, earning her numerous accolades including the 2023 Person of the Year by Get Involved, Inc., and recognition as a Top CEO by the Pittsburgh Business Times in 2020. Her dedication to community service is evident through her active involvement with boards and foundations, emphasizing her commitment to youth, community betterment, and economic development. She is also a contributing author of Digital Transformation for the University of the Future which is part of the World Scientific series Digital Transformation: Accelerating Organizational Intelligence. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Jessica R. Towhey is an accomplished communications strategist with more than a decade of experience developing and implementing short- and long-term communications strategies. Jessica runs her own strategic media and communications consulting firm, 2e Communications, focusing on media consulting, crisis communications, reputation management, helping clients develop larger platforms for their advocacy, communications and media trainings, and freelance writing. Jessica has developed and led Communications Workshops for the U.S. Department of State, including for the International Women of Courage Award and the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report Heroes. In the political arena, Jessica served as the communications point-person for a number of federal campaigns, including several top-tier U.S. Senate and U.S. House races. She worked as a senior communications advisor on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC., for leading Members of Congress. In 2011, Jessica moved to the private sector where she prepares clients for intensive media situations such as high-stakes litigation and regulatory matters with federal and state authorities as well as developing comprehensive communications strategy campaigns for reputational management, influencing debates, and managing crises as well as general Public Relations strategies. Clients have included those in the pharmaceutical, energy, defense, airline, and financial sectors as well as nonprofit organizations and trade associations. She has created and run Media Centers for large-scale events with Members of Congress, coordinating multiple press conferences and individual media interviews for event participants. She was the primary incident spokesperson for the train derailment that occurred as Members of Congress, including U.S. House and U.S. Senate leadership and their senior staffs were traveling to a conference, briefing reporters and on- and off-camera in real-time as the situation unfolded. She successfully changed the narrative from “train carrying Members of Congress crashes, kills 1” to “Members of Congress render aid to train crash victims” as the day progressed and then seamlessly pivoted to the media activities planned for the conference. Prior to entering politics, Jessica was a newspaper reporter at daily papers in Northern California and Annapolis, MD, where she covered a variety of issues ranging from education to police and courts to military affairs. Today, Jessica is a freelance reporter and her bylined articles have run in Real Clear Education, InsideSources, Detroit News, Florida Sun-Sentinel, Providence (RI) Journal, and the Northwest Times (IN). She freelances for InsideSources on energy issues and for McKnight’s Long-Term Care News, the largest trade publication for nursing home owners and operators. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 106 is Linda Long, currently the Owner/Designer of Long Awaited Design LLC, a full service residential Interior Design company. She labels herself as a late bloomer because she didn’t go to college until her two children were in school and became a Registered Nurse at age 36. She worked for 28 years as a Nurse working in multiple disciplines, including Cardiac, Critical Care, Oncology Research, and Case Management. She then decided to totally shake up her world by changing career paths and returning to school at the New York Institute of Art and Design majoring in Interior Design at the age of 60. After completing her degree in Interior Design, she started her business in 2016 at the age of 65. She works with homeowners in all stages of their lives, from the first-time homeowner working on that fixer-upper to the older homeowner looking to downsize. In January 2021 Linda was diagnosed with Stage II Invasive Lobular Carcinoma. After surgeries and months of chemotherapy, radiation, physical therapy, and now ongoing adjuvant treatment, she is currently cancer free. During this time, she continued to be involved in many organizations doing philanthropic work when possible. In 2022 she was the co-chair of the annual Pink Pamper Bubble Ball hosting over 400 people to raise money for women in Southwest Pennsylvania with a cancer diagnosis. She has volunteered with many non-profit and charitable organizations to help raise money and awareness of their cause. She is an active member of The Southwest Regional Chamber of Commerce where she was named Woman of the Year in 2022; POSH-Power of the South Hills; People Connectors; Inspired Women; PEEL-Pittsburgh’s Elevated and Emerging Leaders as a founding member; and is on the Board of Directors for Face2Face Healing, a local non-profit charity. Linda has also appeared on several Podcasts and spoken at women’s groups about her career and her life journey, encouraging women to never give up on their dreams and to practice self-care and get their mammograms for early cancer detection. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 105, Jamie Holmes Ward founded Jamie’s Dream Team in 2005 when she was just eighteen (18) years old. The mission of Jamie’s Dream Team is to offer hope when there is little, to ease the burden caused by serious illness, injury, disability, trauma, or catastrophic events, and to finally celebrate individual differences by acknowledging dreams as possibilities. Jamie was born with a rare disorder known as V.A.T.E.R. Syndrome. Children born with V.A.T.E.R. Syndrome can have congenital abnormalities of the vertebrae, lower intestine, trachea, esophagus, and kidneys. In Jamie’s case, she was born with abnormalities in all those areas. She has had over forty-five (45) surgeries and/or medical procedures since birth, including surgeries to reconstruct her esophagus, trachea, and lower intestine, and to fuse several vertebrae in her spine. Despite the pain and suffering that she has, and will continue to endure, she hasn’t let any of it stop her. She’s a tireless advocate and a devoted mother to her daughter Daisy, and her heart will always be with others who are suffering.

You know my affinity for coffee shops, I’ve always done my best writing…and now interviewing in a local cafe. My friend and Pastor, Tim Burgan and I believe a cup of coffee can change the world. Pastor Tim is our guest for Episode 104 of the podcast. Tim is Lead Pastor of the Christian Center Church in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. He is also an important mentor as I walk my spiritual journey. With the Full Potential Project, a non-profit organization located in Monessen, PA, and serving the surrounding areas, Tim is proving the value of one cup of coffee. FPP’s mission is to bring and restore hope to individuals and communities by offering youth programs, activities, tutoring, community events, recovery celebrations, and more, to help individuals find and reach their full potential. Full Potential Project aims to help every person to discover skills, talents, and abilities. Pastor Tim showed me that every person is valuable, loved by God and God has placed them on this earth for a purpose. No natter how broken they may be. He is helping me to know my purpose and develop a real and honest relationship with the Lord.

Bryan Trilli is a Charleroi HS graduate…yes a Cougar…and foremost expert on the intersection between Faith and AI. He has bought or started 6 different businesses in 5 different industries in 4 different states, from a brick-and-mortar service business to the #1 online company for AI computer vision training in the world, PyImageSearch.com. He also runs a successful lead-gen agency, Optimized Marketing. Bryan and his brother, Greg, have been developing custom AI software since 2017; however, after ChatGPT put AI on everyone's mind, they realized some of the most important AI questions aren't being discussed, so they authored the #1 Best Seller, "Soulless Intelligence," which will be released in May of 2024.

Our guest for Episode 102 is Olivia Behanna. She is a second generation Funeral Director, (Family Business: Frye Funeral Home), a Small Business Owner (The DeRose Decor / Etsy), an Author, and a Blogger/Writer. She’s also a cancer survivor, a Make-A-Wish Alum, an overprepared problem solver, a spooky history lover, a truth seeker, and an advocate for proper education. She’s a small town Italian girl who loves the Lord… and she is only 23. Olivia graduated from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Class 164. But she didn’t choose to become a funeral because it was the family business, or that it was cool. Yes…there is a century old legacy to carry on and it means the world that to her to continue that. She is a funeral director because she feels helping people during their most difficult time is a really special thing; and every day is a different day. You can find her wonderful blog, Little City, Big Life at www.oliviabehanna.com. It’s a mix of everything she loves and wants to tell people about. She also found time to contribute a beautiful, heartfelt foreword to “The Person in the Chair” Olivia is a warrior and her story inspires me and others every day.

Who is Armand Ferrara? If you know him, you’re thinking: Real Estate Broker PA Real Estate Commission Board Member President of Mon Valley Regional Chamber And you would be right… If you really know him, you’re thinking: Man of God Husband Father Grandfather And you would also be right… Armand is all of those things and more. To me he is a mentor, friend, and brother. He is the lighthouse we all need. He doesn’t judge…never criticizes. He just walks on showing us all what a good man looks like. All of us who are blessed to know Armand through any of the many hats he proudly wears, are better humans as a result. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Eric McElvenny is one of us, a western PA kid…Belle Vernon to be exact. Eric graduated from Belle Vernon Area High School and the United States Naval Academy. Eric served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. Eric deployed three times as a Marine and on his final tour, an incredible experience in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was wounded during combat action by stepping on an IED. That’s where this story really begins… Eric suffered the amputation of his right leg below the knee, a life-changing opportunity that began his next journey. Yes…opportunity. Lying in a hospital bed, recovering from the amputation, inspiration hit him hard. Eric made a promise to himself to run an Ironman Triathlon. On his journey from that hospital bed in southern California to the finish line in Kona Hawaii, he realized that the challenge and adversity he was up against and the practical techniques he used to reach the finish line could be used against the challenges we all entertain. He now travels the country speaking to and inspiring people to embrace their challenges.

Our guest for Episode 99 is Christine Brookins of Oakbridge Advisor Group and Outspoken. Christine was introduced to us by our good friend Melissa Migliaro. During her over 30-year career in financial services, Christine has filled many roles. As a licensed insurance agent, registered representative, and investment adviser representative, Christine offers a wide array of products and services to small businesses, individuals and families. These include retirement accumulation and distribution, estate and education strategies, and a focus on planning for people with Special Needs. After 20+ years focusing on operations and supervision, to better serve her clients, Christine joined Securities America, Inc. and formed Oakbridge Advisor Group. Christine is passionate about enhancing the lives of individuals with special needs. She likes to pay-it-forward by connecting families to resources in her network. One of the ways she does this is by presenting a monthly virtual speaker series. As a mother, and professional, Christine Brookins brings her lived experience and specialized training to her efforts serving the disability community. Christine is mom to an adult son with multiple disabilities. She has been in the trenches and learned the ropes of speaking up, searching for resources, and pursuing appropriate strategies for him. Life is tough enough. No one should have to re-invent the wheel. Christine shares what she has learned. She is passionate about enhancing the lives of individuals with special needs. Whether she is coaching Special Olympics, presenting her monthly speaker series, Connecting Our Community, or otherwise engaging with community partners, you will find Christine constantly learning, sharing and supporting individuals with disabilities. Christine launched Outspoken to give a voice to those who may not be heard. Through speaking engagements, workshops, family coaching and individual support, Outspoken provides education around, and advocacy for, members of the disability community. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 98 is Tracy Montarti, an award-winning photographer, educator and the founder and creative force behind Villa Montarti, a boutique portrait studio that creates custom portrait experiences for dynamic midlife women and the people they love. A California native, she spent two years in Poland with the Peace Corps during the 90s before moving to Pittsburgh for graduate school, where she received fellowships at Duquesne and CMU. She met her husband during her studies and made Pittsburgh her home. As a long-time family portrait photographer and a woman over 50, Tracy is dedicated to empowering midlife women and helping them create lasting legacies. Her 50 over50 Project photographing 50 women over 50 years old has found an enthusiastic audience and created a community of dynamic women who are excited about embarking on their second act. Tracy's passion for helping midlife women through portraits stems from her years of experience in portrait photography, education, community development, and women's networking organizations. The 50over50 Project focuses on the strength, wisdom, and beauty of women who are over 50 and celebrates their stories. Having a beautiful portrait is just the beginning – the opportunity to share their stories is the focus. Montarti is creating a magazine that will include all 50 women, their portrait, and their story. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 97 is Marta Sauret Greca, the CEO of MEDIA – The Creative Agency, a marketing and pr agency that provides an entire team of creatives to business owners with missions to serve and heal the world. Marta has been named “Woman Business Leader of the Year.” Her book, The Minimalist Method: The Emerging Entrepreneur’s Guide to Peace and Prosperity, is a #1 bestseller. She has been featured in national media outlets like KDKA, WPXI, The Today Show Blog, and Inspiring Lives Magazine. With over ten years of marketing experience, Marta generates her clients millions of dollars a year but more importantly thousands of free hours to do whatever they love to do instead of feeling stuck doing things in their business they really don’t want to be doing. She leads with passion and teaches lessons through humor, launching her clients and listeners alike into life-long success. Marta was born in Rome, baptized in the Vatican by the Pope, and emigrated from Europe to the USA at 9 years old…not speaking a word of English. Today Marta is fluent in English, as well as Italian and French and is a dual citizen of both Italy and France. She takes pride in having created a business that provides careers for many creatives. Her favorite thing to do in the entire world is be a present for her family, most importantly, her six kids…soon to be seven. You can book Marta as a speaker, influencer, spokesperson, and consultant to help you educate and motivate and inspire your audiences. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 96 is Davis Slagle is the Vice President of BeeGraphix, a thriving business located in Fredericktown , PA nestled just south of Pittsburgh. He resides nearby with his beloved wife Chelsea and their delightful twins, Dex and Silver. What sets Davis apart is his innate ability to be an early adopter. When the pandemic swept the globe, he was among the first to bring in direct-to-film printing. From those early days, he has worked tirelessly to hone his processes and elevate the quality of his work. But Davis is not content to rest on his laurels. He is always looking to the future, and now he has his sights set on the latest and greatest technology: AI and automation. He believes these innovations have the power to transform his business, and he is committed to making the most of them. With his determination, his foresight, and his unwavering work ethic, Davis Slagle is a force to be reckoned with in the world of decorated apparel. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 95 is Lindsey Hanlon. Lindsey has been a collegiate swimmer in the ultra-competitive SEC Conference. She now an entrepreneur, podcaster, and author. Oh…and she’s also a wife and mother, she and her husband, Mike, have four children. She has been on a journey over the last several years, beginning with joining an amazing community in a network marketing company! During that time she has been on a path of self discovery. Almost a catapult of new energy to life and motherhood. In that self discovery journey she found her true purpose in life which includes helping lead others to finding what helps them set their soul on fire. She has recently published a book about her journey, she is host of the Wing it, Rise Up podcast that holds 100 episodes, she enjoys sharing her heart on social media and is always looking forward to what comes next. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.