01. New Mail-In Ballot Changes Could Affect Upcoming Election
02. Why the PA Data Center Pause Matters
03. Will the Treasury’s Buyback Fix the Bond Market?
04. Why Do We Trust AI With Our Health, Until Our Doctor Uses It?
05. 50 Years Later: Celebrate the First Women in the Air Force
06. Great B-T-S Show: Safety Skills Every Teen Needs
07. What it’s Really Like to Run for Office in America Today
08. Anti-AI Sentiment Grows: Messy is More Relatable
09. The Push for Peak Productivity Is Making Professionals Miserable
10. Sell By, Use By, Best Before: What Does it All Mean?
11. The Trauma No One Talks About in American Healthcare
12. Are You Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired?
13. Listeners Want Uplifting Stories: This Guest Has 80 of Them
14. Love, Sex & Second Chances After 50
15. Why You Keep Choosing the Wrong Partner—and How to Break the Cycle
1. ==> New Mail-In Ballot Changes Could Affect Upcoming Election
New U.S. Postal Service rules could significantly change how mail-in ballots are handled ahead of the November 2026 midterm elections. Under the new requirements, states would have to provide USPS with lists of voters receiving mail ballots and use new tracking and verification measures, while ballots from states that do not comply could potentially go undelivered. Invite Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, executive director of the George Washington Graduate School of Political Management, to discuss the new rules, how the changes could affect how millions of Americans cast their ballots by mail, and create uncertainty for voters and election administrators as Election Day approaches. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell is a longtime public servant, former U.S. Representative and a higher education leader. Contact Skyler Sales at skylers@gwu.edu
2. ==> Why the PA Data Center Pause Matters
Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania has signed an executive order directing the Department of Environmental Protection to limit new data center projects. Emma Claire Foley of the Data Center Action Network says while it’s a step in the right direction, an executive order is a fundamentally inadequate instrument of governance with which to deal with the critical issue. “We need durable long-term solutions that impose stringent limits on new and existing data centers. We cannot allow this critical issue to hinge on the preferences of individual leaders.” Shapiro’s order removes all AI data center proposals from the state’s fast-track permitting process and prohibits the use of nondisclosure agreements, which have been used to prevent communities from learning basic facts about data center projects in their backyards. Emma Claire Foley coordinates the Data Center Action Network, a joint endeavor of RootsAction and the RootsAction Education Fund. Contact her at emmaclaire@rootsaction.org
3. ==> Will the Treasury’s Buyback Fix the Bond Market?
The U.S. Treasury surprised investors earlier this month when it announced that it would at least double the amount of longer-dated Treasury bonds that it would buy back from investors this fall. The news came after ten-year and thirty-year U.S. government bond yields both hit twenty-year highs, with several non-U.S. government bond yields echoing the trend. Rebecca Patterson can explain what’s going on with bond market and whether investors should be worried. Ask her: What are the sustainable paths to lower borrowing costs—the kind that flow through to households, businesses, and government debt-servicing costs—and are any of them plausible in the foreseeable future? How meaningful is it if bond yields settle at structurally higher levels? A globally recognized investor and macro-economic researcher with more than twenty-five years of experience across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, Rebecca Patterson is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and the cohost of The Spillover podcast. Contact her at (917) 846-8565; rpatterson@cfr.org
4. ==> Why Do We Trust AI With Our Health, Until Our Doctor Uses It?
How do Americans view AI and their healthcare? A new Pew Research Center study finds that eight in ten Americans want their provider to tell them when AI is used for things that can directly affect their care or medical decisions. Anmol Madan finds that interesting because consumers are increasingly willing to turn to AI themselves, putting symptoms into ChatGPT or Claude and using the responses to better understand a condition or diagnosis. Madan, who has authored numerous scientific publications and holds multiple patents related to AI and healthcare, believes there may be an important distinction between choosing to use AI yourself and having AI used as part of a decision about you. The author of “The Machines Will See You Now: A Human Roadmap to Autonomous Health Care” can discuss what the Pew findings tell us about trust, transparency, patient choice, and what healthcare organizations need to get right as AI becomes more deeply integrated into care. Anmol Madan, PhD, is a healthcare entrepreneur, computer scientist, and founder and CEO of RadiantGraph, a company using artificial intelligence to help health plans and healthcare organizations better engage consumers and improve health outcomes. Contact Johanna Ramos-Boyer at (703) 646-5137 (office); (703) 400-1099 (cell) or Erin Bolden at (703) 980-2705 (office)
5. ==> 50 Years Later: Celebrate the First Women in the Air Force
On June 28, 1976, 157 young women entered the US Air Force Academy, marching into a world that had never imagined them. They and the more than 12,000 women who have followed in the 50 years since have faced a contentious culture, inadequate facilities, and a system designed to break them. Told they were destroying military standards, and promised they would never graduate, more than 7,000 women have proved them wrong. Former US Air Force commander and decorated combat pilot Eileen Isola is one of them. She’ll share stories from her life and others’. From the crucible of Basic Cadet Training to the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan, from shattering the Combat Exclusion policy to leading at the highest military and civilian positions, hear how women have reshaped the military—and the nation. Ask her about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s comments about women in combat and his recent interventions in military promotion lists, stripping multiple highly rated female officers from advancement slates. Isola was the first woman to serve as an Advance Agent to the President of the United States, flew high-performance jets, trained combat pilots, invaded other countries, airlifted humanitarian relief, resupplied Amazon jungle radar sites and commanded an Air Force squadron. She is the lead editor of “Necessary Turbulence: Fifty Years, One Unbreakable Sisterhood Forged in the Crucible of the Air Force Academy.” Contact Lissa Warren at (617) 233-2853; LissaWarrenPR@gmail.com
6. ==> Great B-T-S Show: Safety Skills Every Teen Needs
Keeping teenagers safe isn't as simple as giving them more rules. After 40 years in crime and violence prevention, Stephanie Mann says the teens best equipped to navigate danger are the ones who develop their own inner strength. As students return to classrooms, sports, friendships, and greater independence, Mann will reveal how self-awareness, emotional strength, and a centered sense of identity can help young people navigate risky situations. She'll explain what can make teens vulnerable to gangs, toxic relationships, and other dangers, why tighter restrictions can create false security, and how parents can build genuine resilience instead. She gives families a different way to think about protection: empower teens rather than simply shelter them. After 40 years as a crime and violence prevention specialist, Mann brings decades of firsthand experience understanding the conditions that put young people at risk. Contact Stephanie Mann at (925) 438-0716; smann@rtirguests.com
7. ==> What it’s Really Like to Run for Office in America Today
Most people think running for office is about speeches, slogans, and shaking hands. Rob Curnock knows better. As a former TV political reporter, party leader, and unlikely congressional candidate, he’s seen the process from every angle. He pulls back the curtain on the physical exhaustion, emotional toll, family strain, and political hardball that define modern campaigns. After challenging and almost winning after running against an “unbeatable” incumbent, he discovered how power really works behind closed doors. “I experienced the often brutal realities of running for office—and learned how ordinary citizens can shake up the system,” he says. Rob is a long-time broadcast journalist and the author of “Dead Man Running.” Contact Rob Curnock at (254) 822-3741; rcurnock@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Anti-AI Sentiment Grows: Messy is More Relatable
Audiences are growing tired of polished, AI-generated content — and they can spot it instantly. Lisa Rothstein, New Yorker cartoonist, former advertising creative, and Axiom Award-winning author of “Drawing Out Your Genius,” isn’t surprised. Her answer to businesses trying to make sense of their messages now: the messier and more human your communication, the more trusted you become. Rothstein will reveal why imperfect hand-drawn visuals are now outperforming slick presentations for buy-in, innovation, and team alignment — and why that gap is only widening. She'll share quick techniques anyone can use to tap their own visual thinking, simplify complex ideas, and stand out as authentically human in an AI-saturated world. Ask her: Why are audiences turning away from AI-generated content — and what do they want instead? How does drawing badly actually build more trust than a perfect presentation? Contact Lisa Rothstein at (310) 388-8093; Lrothstein@rtirguests.com
9. ==> The Push for Peak Productivity Is Making Professionals Miserable
Productivity has become a badge of honor. Yet despite countless apps, systems, and productivity hacks, many high achievers feel more exhausted, disconnected, and dissatisfied than ever before. Entrepreneur and award-winning author David Hampson says the problem isn't a lack of productivity—it's an unhealthy obsession with it. Invite him to explain why the relentless pursuit of optimization often leads to burnout and how professionals can build careers that create both achievement and meaning. Hampson will challenge conventional thinking about work, ambition, and what a successful life actually looks like. Hampson built and led successful businesses while questioning many of the assumptions behind modern work culture giving him both entrepreneurial credibility and hard-earned perspective. He’s the author of “Rainbow Gold: Building a Business That's Both the Journey and the Destination.” Contact David Hampson at dhampson@rtirguests.com or (603) 605-8594
10. ==> Sell By, Use By, Best Before: What Does it All Mean?
What’s the difference between a ‘sell by’ and ‘best before’ date when stamped on your food? If you think they all mean the same thing you’re probably among the many people who throw away perfectly good food. But you’re hardly alone. Many Americans misunderstand the food stamps and what they mean, resulting in a lot of confusion and billions of dollars in food waste. “Food product dating rarely indicates when the food is safe to eat,” says Nicole Arnold, an assistant professor and food safety field specialist at the Ohio State University. Instead, she adds, “almost all food product dating in the United States represents how long a product will maintain its peak quality.” So, when should you respect the date on the package? Experts say you should always toss any meat, poultry or fish with an expired safety date because you can’t use appearance, smell or taste to detect the invisible pathogens. But Arnold says there’s some wiggle room with dairy products like hard cheeses, yogurt and eggs. And when assessing snacks, cereals and condiments that may or may not have a date stamp, she says it’s smart to use your senses to gauge freshness. “When in doubt, throw it out,” she advises. “When you notice funky smells or striking changes in texture, toss the items.” She can also discuss a bill now pending in Congress that would limit the jargon on food to just two terms: ‘best if used by’ for peak quality and ‘use by’ for safety. Contact Nicole Arnold at arnold.1363@osu.edu
11. ==> The Trauma No One Talks About in American Healthcare
America’s healthcare system is in crisis—but what’s often ignored is the trauma beneath the surface. Kathy Allan, a board-certified holistic nurse with over two decades of experience in trauma recovery, says many nurses today are emotionally broken, betrayed by the very system they once trusted. Patients, too, are suffering from care that feels cold, rushed, and disconnected. In interviews, Allan reveals how this hidden trauma plays out, much like in the TV show, “The Pitt.” Drawing on her “12 Steps of Healing Care” and years as a healing touch instructor and somatic experiencing practitioner, Allan offers a spiritual and body-centered roadmap for transforming pain into purpose. Her stories and insights will resonate with nurses, healthcare workers, and anyone who’s ever felt harmed by the system that was supposed to help them. Contact Kathy Allan at (619) 932-5206; kallan@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Are You Sick and Tired of Feeling Sick and Tired?
When symptoms don’t respond to traditional approaches, Marilyn Mercado says it’s time to look at energy. This holistic wellness expert will explain how emotional stress and unresolved experiences can disrupt the body’s energy centers and show up as pain, fatigue, or recurring illness. Mercado will explain what the body’s chakra system is and how it supports physical and emotional health. Learn how it can become out of balance and how simple awareness practices can restore flow. Her perspective offers an intriguing complement to conventional wellness conversations. Marilyn is an energy practitioner and holistic wellness expert specializing in chakra balance and mind-body healing. Contact her at (805) 332-4863; mmercado@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Listeners Want Uplifting Stories: This Guest Has 80 of Them
After 56 years in the movie business, Dan Klusmann learned that audiences rarely remember explosions or special effects. They remember the stories that made them feel something. That realization inspired “Life Answers Back,” a collection of stories gathered over 15 years from more than 80 contributors. Klusmann can discuss why certain stories stay with us forever, what makes audiences emotionally connect to a story, and why uplifting storytelling is resonating again in today’s stressful and negative world. Drawing from decades spent studying audience reactions in the movie business, Klusmann shares how stories can inspire hope, create emotional connection, and help people feel understood, comforted, and less alone. Ask him: Why do certain stories stay with us forever? What did decades in the movie business teach you about emotional connection? Why are uplifting stories making a comeback right now? Can one simple story change the way someone sees life? Contact Dan Klusmann at (406) 578-7999; dklusmann@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Love, Sex & Second Chances After 50
More than 37 million single adults over 50 are reentering the dating world and discovering it’s nothing like they remember. Known as the next “Dr. Ruth,” Dr. Victoria Vaughn brings candid, humorous insight into love, sex, and starting over later in life. She’ll share lessons from her own dating journey: spotting red flags like financial instability and emotional un-availability, avoiding the pressure to “settle,” and why loneliness often leads smart people to relationship mistakes. Her stories resonate with men and women, including same-sex couples, offering a practical “buyer beware” guide to dating after 50. Ask her: Why do smart people ignore red flags after 50? Is it really possible to have more than one true love? Vaughn is the author of “Oh the Frogs I Kissed Before I Finally Found My Prince.” Contact her at (512) 585-1876; vvaughn@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Why You Keep Choosing the Wrong Partner—and How to Break the Cycle
Nearly half of American marriages end in divorce, and many people say their next relationship feels eerily similar to the last. Author and speaker Charisse Walker says it’s not a coincidence. Most people enter relationships without understanding the deeper beliefs, experiences, and patterns quietly shaping their decisions. On your show, Walker introduces the powerful idea behind her book “Flipping the Iceberg”: every relationship has an iceberg. The small portion above the surface includes what we easily see—attraction, personality, and shared interests. But the much larger portion below the surface includes our beliefs about love, expectations, communication habits, past experiences, and values. Walker explains how these hidden influences shape who we trust, commit to, and ultimately marry. She shows audiences how greater self-awareness can help people stop repeating painful relationship patterns and make more intentional decisions about love and commitment. Charisse Walker is an entrepreneur, author, and former host of the Emmy-nominated national television show The American Dream. She now speaks about the importance of self-awareness and understanding the deeper dynamics that shape healthy relationships. Contact Charisse Walker at (801) 251-6965; cwalker@rtirguests.com
