01. Follow Santa’s Sleigh on Christmas Eve
02. Free Job Helpline Reaches Out to Marginalized Workers
03. How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century
04. ‘Free Britney’ Exposed the Legal Guardianship Swamp
05. Crazy but True: Hilarious House Hunting Stories
06. How to Build Your Life Back Better in 2022
07. Why You Need Fewer (and Smaller) Goals to be Happy
08. Will 2022 Be Even Worse for Wildfires?
09. The New Year’s Resolution You’ll Be Happy to Keep!
10. How to Immunize Yourself from the Virus of Change
11. Should School Shooter’s Parents Be Held Accountable?
12. Bombed, Shot at, and Nearly Kidnapped: She Knows How to Conquer Stress
13. Do Southerners Know the Secret to Happiness?
14. How the Youngest of 10 Kids Achieved a Doctorate
15. Former NFL Linebacker on Overcoming Obstacles
1.==> Follow Santa’s Sleigh on Christmas Eve
This Friday, St. Nick is scheduled to load his sleigh with gifts, harness his reindeer and take to the skies for his annual journey across the globe, and there’s one government agency that will be following his every move … and you can too! The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the government agency that tracks everything that flies in and around North America in defense of our homeland, will track Santa Claus just as they have each year since 1955. Book an interview with a Santa Tracker to hear the unlikely story of how this modern tradition began with a child’s accidental phone call, why the agency continues to provide Santa’s flight updates more than 60 years later, and how the process has evolved to include social media and flight apps that allow you to track Santa on your phone! The folks at NORAD can provide video b-roll and graphics and arrange general interviews with a Santa Tracker or tailor the interview for your specific region. You can even book live in-flight interviews for December 24. Contact NORAD Public Affairs at (719) 554-6889; NTSMedia@outlook.com
2. ==> Free Job Helpline Reaches Out to Marginalized Workers
Nearly 4.7 million fewer Americans are employed now than at the end of 2019, according to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. To help navigate the current job market, outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. is providing free career and job-search advice to callers nationwide. “Right now, we’re experiencing low unemployment, but millions of workers have left the labor market. It’s a perfect time to undo the structures that have kept marginalized people out of the workforce,” says Andrew Challenger. “COVID was particularly hard on people of color, those who have different abilities, older workers, women, and parents and created employment gaps for millions. Now is the time for employers to hire from these groups who are so often overlooked.” For the first time in the firm’s 36 years of holding this event, Challenger is providing a designated number for Spanish-speaking callers. The call-in sessions will be held on December 28 and 29. For details and interviews, contact Colleen Madden Blumenfeld at (312) 422-5074 (office); (314) 807-1568 (cell) or colleenmadden@challengergray.com
3. ==> How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century
Former tech CEO Ronald Gruner’s research into American presidents started with his wanting to understand how and when American politics transitioned from merely polarized to openly hostile. Growing up in Oklahoma then living most of his adult life in Massachusetts, Gruner questioned how Americans had lost the common thread of presidents over the last century, working to build an America that represented and benefitted all. His new book, “We the Presidents: How American Presidents Shaped the Last Century,” is a presidential history, devoid of politics and instead, a history of what impacted the people and their economic well-being. Gruner will detail the economic growth, personal income, income equality and taxation during each presidency and the influence those policies had through the decades. Ronald Gruner founded, served as the chief executive and sold three successful technology firms during his long career: Alliant Computer, Shareholder.com and Sky Analytics. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or johanna@jrbcomm.com or Briana Caywood at (703) 646-5188 (office)
4.==> ‘Free Britney’ Exposed the Legal Guardianship Swamp
Thanks to the widely publicized “Free Britney” movement, legally binding adult conservatorships have begun to emerge from the shadows and Léonie Rosenstiel thinks it’s about time. Her elderly mother, a retired professor with dementia, was placed under such an arrangement, with dire results. She’ll explain how the conservator prevented her from seeing her mother for nearly three years, against her mother’s wishes and her own, and forced her mother to remain in her bed for the rest of her life after suffering a broken hip. Originally a classical violinist, Rosenstiel made a promise to her mother to expose the flaws in the guardianship system and empower other families caught in its web. She went back to school to earn a master’s degree in public health and undertook a vigorous research process before writing “Protecting Mama: Surviving the Legal Guardianship Swamp.” Léonie Rosenstiel and her work have been featured in “The New York Review of Books,” ”Los Angeles Times,” “Albuquerque Journal,” “Chicago Tribune,” the “Boston Globe,” the “Cleveland Plain Dealer” and more. Contact her at (505) 317-2405; L.rosenstiel1@gmail.com
5. ==> Crazy but True: Hilarious House Hunting Stories
Selling real estate to the rich and famous can sometimes be crazy, often hilarious but never boring. Let top Realtor Valerie Fitzgerald, cohost of the new podcast “Real Estate, Real Laughs,” take your audience behind the scenes to hear some of the greatest stories never told before. While she can’t mention names, Valerie can dish on the unusual and sometimes embarrassing situations she and her peers have encountered (for example, showing a house while a naked couple were visible directly outside the window) and a whole lot more. Maybe you’ll hear about the role cats play in whether someone likes a house or not, celebrities who show up for appointments in disguise, or the fantastic perks the wealthiest potential buyers may be awarded to keep them happy. The former star of HGTV’s “Selling L.A,” former Ford model and TEDx speaker, Valerie Fitzgerald is one of Coldwell Banker’s Top 10 Agents, with $3 billion in sales. She has 30,000 followers on Instagram. Her new weekly podcast proves there is a side to real estate most people don’t know about: the fun side. Contact Valerie Fitzgerald at (310) 861-3238; vfitzgerald@rtirguests.com
6. ==> How to Build Your Life Back Better in 2022
The pandemic has wreaked havoc on everything from the economy to our relationships and our mental health. Families have lost loved ones, businesses and careers and been forced to make choices they never expected. For those who feel lost, stuck or unsure what to do next, Oreste D’Aversa has four steps to start creating a new life that’s even better and more prosperous than before. Oreste D’Aversa is a life and business coach, corporate trainer, minister and the author of “Life Beyond the Pandemic: A Practical New Journey Handbook,” his revolutionary step-by-step blueprint to reinvent your life and thrive in the post-pandemic world. Ask him: What one thing can make the fastest impact in getting unstuck? What’s the biggest mistake people make in defining their life’s purpose? Contact Oreste D’Aversa at (201) 949-3002; odaversa@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Why You Need Fewer (and Smaller) Goals to be Happy
It’s that time of year when people are thinking about what they want to accomplish next year. Invite Patrick Sanaghan on your program to explain the wisdom behind creating fewer and smaller goals that feed success and eschew disappointment so that your audience members get off to a great start in 2022. Sanaghan (the “g” is silent) heads The Sanaghan Group, an organizational consulting firm. The author of “How to Be a Better Procrastinator” earned a doctorate in education, wrote 12 books, and published 50 academic articles despite being a life-long procrastinator. Ask him: What do people gain by procrastinating? What are some of your favorite strategies for tamping it down? Contact Patrick Sanaghan at (215) 234-1346; psanaghan@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Will 2022 Be Even Worse for Wildfires?
We’ve seen the photos of gigantic trees enveloped in “fireproof” wraps to protect them from the killer flames of wildfires in forested areas of California and Canada. Will that be enough to protect some of the largest and oldest lifeforms on Earth? What about protecting communities (some already decimated by wildfire), farms, homes, pets, wild animals and human lives in 2022? As climate change imperils the planet and leads to fires and other dangers that could make millions of acres uninhabitable, your audience will want to discuss this topic with wildfire expert James Moseley. He can talk about the latest actions and technologies that can save lives and property. Ask him: What connection could NASA have to the wildfires plaguing our drought-prone world? How can new technology be successful? What should everyone know, whether living in wildfire areas or not? Contact James Moseley at (818) 486-4662; jmoseley@rtirguests.com
9. ==> The New Year’s Resolution You’ll Be Happy to Keep!
Ever wondered how to easily learn more about wine? Or how to enjoy and appreciate wine more than you already do? Let Jim Laughren, CWE (certified wine educator) show your audience how. Jim is one of the most interesting, and least intimidating, wine experts available. A veteran of TV and radio, Jim knows how to make listeners glad they tuned in. The author of “50 Ways to Love Wine More” as well as “A Beer Drinker’s Guide to Knowing & Enjoying Fine Wine” and eBooks “The 15 Minute Guide to Red Wine and “The 15 Minute Guide to White Wine,” Jim consistently provides insight and enjoyment to anyone interested in knowing more about wine, especially for the New Year! He’ll share interesting, little-known facts about wine and explain how to end “wine intimidation.” You’ll find out the most important thing to know about wine lists and whether 2022 will be a good year for wine. Contact Jim Laughren at (954) 317 9623; JLaughren@rtirguests.com
10. ==> How to Immunize Yourself from the Virus of Change
The past two years brought lots of changes to most people’s lives in ways that could not have been anticipated. In fact, the pace of change has been accelerating exponentially and is likely to continue doing so. That‘s why Tim Winders wants to prepare your listeners to meet future challenges by building up their immunity to “the virus of change.” Tim can offer advice on embracing change so that it doesn’t knock you off course to your hopes and dreams. Ask him what three words help build immunity to change? How can you use the concepts those words illustrate to be better prepared? How did the idea for comparing change to a virus come to you? Tim has over 25 years of experience as a strategic coach for leaders and leadership teams. He also hosts the “SeekGoCreate” podcast and has written his debut novel, “Coach: A Story of Success Redefined.” Contact Tim Winders at (404) 846-4639; winders@rtirguests.com; available as a last-minute guest
11. ==> Should School Shooter’s Parents Be Held Accountable?
A Michigan school shooter’s parents are being held without bail facing involuntary manslaughter charges for their alleged roles in the November 30 shooting that left four students dead and seven others injured, including a teacher. Discuss the issue of parental responsibility with Mark Simon. When he was a teen in 1980, he was terrorized by a group of bullies who attacked his entire family in the front yard. Simon fought back in court and became the first person in the country to successfully use a law holding parents legally responsible for the violent actions of their kids. The author of “Attacked!” can discuss his precedent-setting case, what it takes to successfully try a case against parents, and how the laws can vary from state to state. Mark Simon has done over 100 radio and TV interviews. He’s a writer, story artist and producer/director for live-action and animation. Contact him at (321) 217-1254; marksimonbooks@yahoo.com
12. ==> Bombed, Shot at, and Nearly Kidnapped: She Knows How to Conquer Stress
Everyone could use some tips for handling stress better. Col. Debra M. Lewis (USA, Ret.) has already coached thousands of people on her battle-tested methods to overcome obstacles and use life’s daily stresses to their advantage. Col. Deb will share those tips and tools along with her action-packed life story as one of the first women to attend the Military Academy at West Point, a survivor of the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, and a commander in combat. She is the author of “Why Is Pono Not Pono Today?” and its companion course, “Take Kids from Stressed to Success.” Ask her why are most reactions to stress destructive? Why do good people make bad decisions under stress? Contact Deb Lewis at (571) 332-7240 (text first as she is in Hawaii); Deb@ MentallyToughWomen.com
13. ==> Do Southerners Know the Secret to Happiness?
As many Yankees may have noticed, Southern folks have a unique, laidback charm, colorful ways of expressing themselves and a deep love of humor. According to former Miss America contestant, best-selling author and humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong, y’all could learn how to be happier by emulating our Southern kinfolks. “Southerners remember their heritage and all that makes us unique and curious to others,” says the native of South Carolina. “We hold on to our traditions like we grip moon pies.” Jane is the award-winning author of numerous books including the upcoming “Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep Fried South,” and has recorded music CDs and personal growth and comedy DVDs. As a humorist, her comedy is featured on Sirius XM 97. Contact Jane at (803) 599-2941; JHerlong@rtirguests.com
14. ==> How the Youngest of 10 Kids Achieved a Doctorate
Dorothy Kegler is the author of three books and holds a bachelor’s degree, two master’s and a doctorate in higher education. As if that weren’t impressive enough, she was the youngest of 10 kids, has a learning difficulty and is African American, of which only 5.4 percent of the population holds doctorate degrees. “As an African American female with a learning difficultly, I endured many challenges,” she says. “But my family and my faith taught me to be resilient and to not let anything hold me back.” Dr. Dorothy can share her inspirational life story, as well as tips for goal-setting, building a network of mentors and maintaining faith in oneself, despite seemingly insurmountable odds. Contact her at (619) 679-9627; dkegler@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Former NFL Linebacker on Overcoming Obstacles
Back in the late 1980s, Keith Davis was living the dream: he was signed to play professional football for the New York Giants until a knee injury abruptly ended his career but led to a new one. Davis, who has appeared on ESPN and ABC and in “USA Today” and “Sports Illustrated,” has overcome tremendous obstacles. The former NFL linebacker, Rose Bowl champion, and USC graduate surmounted reading difficulties to obtain a degree in business finance and before that, the loss of his father to drug addiction and suicide and a mother who suffered from addiction and abusive relationships. Davis uses all of his life experiences to inspire others to rise above their challenging circumstances. Contact Peggi Merkey at (281) 346-9528; pmerkey@rtirguests.com
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