Straight Talk

Are bosses leaders? Are leaders bosses? What’s the difference? What are some leadership best practices and lessons learned? Join our host Doña Keating of Professional Options as she explores these topics and more.

This is our first podcast since August 2019, so we're coming in hot to discuss global, national, and local issues. Some topics include the coronavirus pandemic and what we've been doing about it locally and globally. The upcoming elections. Let's see what else we can get into.

Founded by the United Nations Foundation in 2010, Girl Up works with a global community of partners to achieve gender equality worldwide. Girl Up Clubs are billed as champions for change that have had a huge impact on girls around the world, empowering both people in their own communities and adolescent girls in developing countries to rise up. Through education, fundraising, advocacy and service, Girl Up Club members develop the leadership skills necessary to make a positive difference in the lives of girls everywhere. There are more than 3,100 clubs registered in 48 states and territories and 98 countries. Bainbridge Island Girl Up was founded by Merrill Keating In December 2018 to provide an exciting and unique opportunity for middle and high school girls on the island to engage and step up as leaders on behalf of all girls and women in the world. She also wanted to encourage high school members to serve as mentors to younger girls, and for the club to work with adult women and advisors to advocate on important issues. Finally, she wanted a forum where members could attend and represent Girl Up at local, national and international events, and learn or improve their advocacy, public speaking, fundraising, and event-planning skills. Join us as we learn more about this club and movement, its efforts and initiatives to date or going forward, and how girls and women can engage.

Recent media frenzy has been whipped up by President Trump's response to four Congresswomen, aka 'The Squad', where he allegedly tweeted that they should go back to where they came from. Is that what he actually said or meant? Join us as we discuss some history about the 'Love it or Leave it' sentiment and share our take on the issue.

We haven't done a podcast in a while, so join us while we discuss global, national and local issues. Some topics include Governor Jay Inslee's presidential campaign; the new Race Equity Network on Bainbridge Island; Boeing's recent 737 Max 8 issues; Spartronics robotics team 4915; the first black hole photo; and more

Nike recently created a commercial in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its "Just Do It" ad campaign. It is scheduled to air during the NFL's season opener between the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, and celebrates Kaepernick and other athletes. But some have begun to boycott Nike in opposition to his inclusion. Kaepernick’s call at the end of the commercial to “believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything” references his ongoing battle against the NFL, which he accuses of keeping him out of the NFL over his kneeling protests against racial injustice and the police killings of unarmed black men and women. Others, however, believe the protests are an employment issue, disrespectful to the flag and America, and an affront to the veterans who have fought and died in service.   Join us as we discuss this and related issues.

“Talking With Youth About Suicide – for parents and adults who work with youth” - PSA

Now that ballots will be showing up in your mailbox soon, we're hosting an in-depth discussion about each of the six (6) candidates for Bainbridge Island City Council from the north, central, and south ward. Does it all come down to how long you've lived here or the clubs you've joined?What role should candidates play in speaking for themselves versus through their supporters?Should the person with the most endorsements win?At what point is a vote for a candidate a vote for new and fresh ideas, versus status quo? Join us as we assess each candidate now that we've interviewed them, attended candidate forums, and conducted extensive website/social media review. Will we endorse anyone? You'll have to listen! Also, feel free to call in to our live broadcast with your own thoughts.

Ted Jones moved to Bainbridge Island in 1997. He and his wife Wendy have been active in environmental, social and political causes. Ted is a registered professional Civil Engineer, a certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (Continuous Process Improvement), a certified Energy Manager (American Association of Energy Engineers), and is an engineering project manager for US Navy (Naval Facilities Engineering Command). As a program manager, Jones has been involved with ocean engineering worldwide, environmental cleanup and restoration in Alaska and Washington, US and NATO military base planning, design and construction in Italy, and public works facilities (infrastructure) maintenance, repair and sustainment for Navy bases in the Pacific Northwest Region. He has Bachelors and Masters degrees in Civil Engineering from George Washington University, and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Management from City University, Bellevue WA. Join us for a chat on the issues of climate change, affordable housing, governance, and more.

"It wasn't until I had my own children that I realized what my grandmother's herbal wisdom was all about. ? My grandmother had a huge garden and was always making things from her plants. I loved when she crushed geranium leaves and asked me to smell them before tucking them into my pockets to rediscover later.  Even though I have masters degrees in sustainability  and  environmental systems, it wasn't until I had children that I realized how much  the world was missing effective and pure, beautiful skincare products friendly to people & planet.  So I began making them for my children and now for all of you. ?These are the ingredients I use to make healing, sustainable, and effective products that buoy your mood and protect and enhance your skin - there is no compromise when it comes to pure." --Amos Laurel Staffler FOUNDER, ALCHEMY APOTHECARY CO.

Kevin and Martha moved to Bainbridge Island 18 years ago and have come to love the small town feel of the island.They were attracted because of its physical beauty, the schools, the parks, trails and the neighborly manner.   Fetterly is an Electrical Engineer with an MS degree from Stanford University (1977).  In his work, he develops instrumentation for testing integrated circuits (like the ones in your cell phone).  Kevin is very interested in the future our electricity supply and its reliability. He has also seen, close-up, the workings of high-speed mass transit (SF BART) and believes that technological solutions can eventually prevail for our transportation needs.   Join us as we discuss the issues of renewable energy, affordable housing, transportation, and more.

Wayne Roth worked in public media for more than 40 years, including thirty years as the President & General Manager of KUOW Public Radio. He was elected to three terms on the National Public Radio Board of Directors (NPR), two years as Chair. He co-founded and was the managing director of the Northwest News Network (N3), a regional consortium that produces news reports and features for public radio stations in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Mr. Roth serves as a director of Ballantine Communications, a Colorado newspaper publisher serving the Four Corners area. He served on the boards of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association and the Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council. He helped establish the Marge Williams Office Center in 1999. Mr. Roth is married with three children and four grandchildren. His son Ben graduated from BHS in 2007. He has an MA degree in communications and a BA degree in English.   Join us as we discuss the issues relevant to his re-election campaign.

Joe's first career was a brokerage firm in Seattle, followed by years overseas working for the Securities and Futures Commission (the financial market regulator for the Hong Kong Government). There, he protected small investors and helped recover lost assets resulting from the Asian financial crisis of 1997. When he returned to US and settled on Bainbridge Island (his home since 2000), his passion for the natural environment and climate change led him to co-found nonprofit Community Energy Solutions. He worked with then Senator Phil Rockefeller, passing innovative community solar legislation, Senate Bill 6658. Thousands of Washingtonians went solar as a result, and more than 60 community solar projects across the State are creating clean power, jobs, and needed local infrastructure. Bainbridge Island City Hall's 72-kilowatt photovoltaic system is a project he led. Financed entirely by 24 Island families, the City receives a constant revenue stream from the electricity generated. Deets also led or participated in a solar program for low-income housing (which continues to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Kitsap County), and a community-wide residential energy efficiency program for Bainbridge Island funded by the US Department of Energy. He is currently a consultant for Sunergy Systems in Seattle, and speaks to state policymakers, tech graduate students, various organizations & environmental groups. Joe has a B.S. in Business Administration with special focus in Finance from Univ of Montana, a MBA from Seattle University, and a MA in Environment and Community from Antioch University Seattle (Thesis: Adapting to a New Energy Paradigm: Evaluating Behavior-Based Strategies for Increasing Renewable Energy Adoption at the Community Level) . He is Ethics Board Chair for the City of Bainbridge Island, and volunteers for Bainbridge Island School District, Habitat for Humanity, and Hospice of Kitsap County.  

Rasham Nassar is an Island mom and farmer who recently became involved in local environmental advocacy. Through her efforts, she connected with a passionate and caring community whose concerns for the future of our Island mirrored her own personal apprehension for the future of our world. Nassar was born in 1983, the eldest daughter of an immigrant who came to America in 1967. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of California at Berkeley in 2007. In the years following graduation, her career path included law, management, and journalism. Her husband brought her to Bainbridge Island, his family's home for over 30 years, after a 2 year tour of the world by bicycle. The insights gleaned from their extensive travels inspired a mutual dream to live simply and sustainably, and together they started a small organic farm. Meanwhile, Rasham began working for the family business as a Certified Real Estate Appraiser Trainee, and in 2016 they welcomed a son. His presence in their life has inspired Nassar to rise on behalf of all our children: it is with respect to their future inheritance of our world that she bases her campaign. Join us for a chat on the issues.

Matthew Tirman was born in Bedford, New Hampshire and attended East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina where he studied Political Science. During his time at university, Matthew was actively involved in environmental campaigns in North Carolina and Boston, leading a statewide canvassing effort to pass a safe beaches bill in Massachusetts. He worked in China after graduation and received his MA in International Relations from Lancaster University in the UK. Out of graduate school Matthew worked as an Environmental Advocate for the US Public Interest Research Group in Washington D.C, lobbying Congress on Superfund and public health issues. Tirman served in a variety of roles with the US Department of Defense, including senior speechwriter for the Commanding General of the US Army Reserve and senior advisor to the Commanding General of US Forces in Iraq.  Matthew was employee number one, equity holder, and Managing Director of Strategic Social, a technology and services company he and his partners grew to more than 400 employees across the US, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Upon the sale of the company in 2014 he advised firms investing in East Africa and frontier markets in South East Asia. He also served as interim CEO of a cybersecurity company based in Oregon. He is currently Chief Commercial Officer of PlanetRisk, a global big data analytics company based out of Washington, D.C. He and his wife have lived on Bainbridge Island since 2012, and all four of their children attend Bainbridge Island public schools.  Given his years of experience with complex multinational businesses, and working cross-culturally, Matthew is committed to progressive solutions for citizens of Bainbridge Island. His love and passion for the island compelled him to run for City Council. Join us for a chat on the issues, and the qualities he vows to bring to Bainbridge Island City Council and the community.

Two years ago in late April, we hosted a podcast with Jane Lindley and Steve Johnson of Island Power about their efforts to encourage Bainbridge Island to own and control its own electric utility. Join us as we bring you up to date on what's happened since then. Our Apr 13 broadcast on the subject experienced software issues, so we're doing a recast.

JOIN us as our host, guests, and listeners sound off about the election and what has taken place since. Try to keep it civil, and focus on solutions instead of problems.

We haven't had a broadcast in a while, so join us while we catch up with some headlines and other news.

Join us as we talk about Donald's Trump unexpected rise and success on the campaign trail. Is he REALLY running, or is there an ulterior motive? Why is he appealing, and to whom?

The gun debate has been a popular topic request from our audience, so we're donig a show about the pro and con positions, relevant stats, and headlines which have influenced discussion. Call in and share your thoughts, send them via chat, or just listen to the LIVE broadcast. No screamers, please!