April 21, 2020
01. The Best Way to Reopen the U.S.
02. Global Pandemic Leadership: China vs the U.S.
03. How Ecuador Descended Into COVID Chaos
04. The Lincoln Conspiracy You’ve Never Heard About
05. 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: The Singing Tree Lady
06. When You’re Quarantined with Your Abuser
07. Life After COVID-19: What You’ll Need to Do
08. Your Child is Better Off Now That You’re His Teacher
09. How to Doodle Your Coronavirus PTSD Away
10. Self-Love for Surviving Isolation
11. How to Have Fun with the Fear of Uncertainty
12. Hypnotist Uses Zoom to Send Healing During Coronavirus
13. The Most Important Trait You Have for Surviving a Pandemic
14. 5 Easy Ways to Combat Eco-Anxiety and Disease Dread
15. Don’t Worry, Be Healthy: Balancing Fears with Facts
16. Stuck at Home? Time to Write a Book
17. Everyone Needs a Coach: How to Have One on Any Budget
18. ‘What I Learned about Fear after Facing Cancer Three Times’
19. How to Raise Boys to Respect Women in the ‘Me Too’ Age
20. ‘Benji’ Creator: The Real Story 50 Years Later
1. ==> The Best Way to Reopen the U.S.
A team of Harvard economists, social scientists,
lawyers and philosophers published a white paper last
week outlining the best way to reopen the country. The
group says there’s an available policy pathway that
would cost no more than we’re already planning to
spend, with much better effect and linked to a clear
timetable for the end of aggressive social distancing.
Invite Dr. Daniele Allen to discuss two real options
that combine a public health strategy and an economic
strategy. The first paradigm involves repeated orders
to “shelter in place” — a rotation of roughly two
months under quarantine, one month out, for 12 to 18
months. To support this, the economy is “frozen,” much
as Denmark is doing now. The second paradigm, “mobilize
and transition,” treats the potential collapse of our
health infrastructure as a major national security
threat. With the coronavirus as the enemy, this
involves a single, upfront period of aggressive social
distancing of approximately three months, to reduce
transmission of the disease; simultaneously, the
government aggressively builds an infrastructure for
fighting and surviving the pandemic — investing in the
production of testing capacity and test administration,
personal protective equipment, and tools for case
identification and contact tracing. Dr. Daniele Allen,
director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics at
Harvard University and a member of the panel, can
explain why the second strategy is the best way to get
the country moving again. Contact Cherise Fields at
(617) 495-9646; cherisefields@fas.harvard.edu
2. == > Global Pandemic Leadership: China vs U.S.
As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world, a secondary
debate over the longer-term implications of the
pandemic for global leadership has surfaced. Elizabeth
Economy of the Council on Foreign Relations says
neither China nor the U.S. is rising to the occasion.
She says rather than acknowledge culpability for the
initial spread of the virus, and then, with grace, lead
the world in donations of personal protection equipment
(PPE), the Chinese government has attempted to offload
responsibility with spurious theories about the virus
originating in Italy or dropped in Wuhan by the U.S.
army. Here in the U.S., Economy says President Trump
has done no better after wasting weeks with his
determination to ignore both the seriousness of the
virus and the need to provide a strategy for responding
to the threat. She says, “The only question that
remains now is whether China or the United States will
rise to the occasion in the aftermath of the crisis to
demonstrate another quality of great leadership: an
ability to learn, adapt, and do better. Unfortunately,
the character of the current leadership in both
Washington and Beijing means there is little chance of
this.” Elizabeth Economy is director for Asia studies
at the Council on Foreign Relations and a distinguished
visiting fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover
Institution. She is an acclaimed author and expert on
Chinese domestic and foreign policy. Contact her at
(212) 434-9641; eeconomy@cfr.org
3. ==> How Ecuador Descended into COVID Chaos
In the last few days and weeks, media outlets around
the world have been publishing shocking stories and
images of the COVID-19 crisis in Ecuador. Invite
Guillaume Long, a senior policy analyst at the Center
for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR), to explain how
the country descended into COVID-19 chaos. He says,
“Scenes of corpses abandoned in the streets of
Guayaquil, Ecuador’s second-largest city, have shaken
audiences in Latin America and beyond. Statistics, even
the highly untrustworthy official ones, have confirmed
the dire picture of a fast accelerating crisis.” He
adds, “Government ministers and diplomatic
representatives abroad were told to give interviews
denouncing it all as ‘fake news.’” Prior to joining
CEPR, Guillaume held several cabinet positions in the
government of Ecuador, including minister of foreign
affairs, minister of culture, and minister of knowledge
and human talent. Most recently, he served as Ecuador’s
permanent representative to the United Nations in
Geneva. Contact Dan Beeton at beeton@cepr.net or
@ceprdc
4. ==> The Lincoln Conspiracy You’ve Never Heard About
Invite Brad Meltzer of the History Channel on your show
for a fascinating discussion about a secret society
that plotted to kill Abraham Lincoln right after he was
elected. Meltzer will share the real-life story that
few people know. You’ll learn about the work of a famed
detective and one of the first female private
detectives in America and how strong leadership during
a time when the nation was divided by the Civil War
helped thwart the plot and unite a nation — drawing
parallels to the divisions that exist in the U.S.
today. Meltzer is the host of the History Channel shows
Brad Meltzer’s Decoded and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.
Meltzer is the author of a dozen books including his
latest, “The Lincoln Conspiracy.” Contact John Angelo
at john@premieretv.com
5. ==> Fun Show for 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: The
Singing Tree Lady
Laurie Marshall is a two-for-one guest who can help you
celebrate Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 24)
in a year in which environmental holidays are more
important than ever. Laurie is capable of discussing
everything from fascinating facts about trees (did you
know that tree-like structures show up in lungs,
brains, arteries, and rivers or that trees communicate
with each other?) to how to talk to kids about the
overwhelming issues of the pandemic and climate change
by involving them in finding solutions. Laurie is a
cutting-edge educator whose many books include “Beating
the Odds Now” and “Singing Trees: A Growing Forest.”
Known as The Tree Lady, Laurie is a project-based
learning and arts integration specialist who has worked
with underserved youth for over 30 years. Her partners
include FEMA and Project Drawdown, the World’s Leading
Resource for Climate Solutions. She has trained over
6,000 teachers in project-based learning and
facilitated 125 nature-based murals with over 25,000
people in schools, nonprofits, and government agencies.
Contact Laurie Marshall at (415) 360-3304;
lmarshall@rtirguests.com
6. ==> When You’re Quarantined with Your Abuser
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic
Violence, abuse has increased 30% since social
distancing began in the U.S. Dr. Dellia Evans says
survivors are reporting increased distress and anxiety.
“They feel even more isolated from support and social
connections, and that they have no escape. With
finances becoming limited, their partners are taking it
out on them with control and manipulation. Some abusers
are threatening victims if they try to leave. Others
are threatening victims that they will throw them out
to get exposed to COVID-19.” Dr. Evans knows the issues
associated with abusive relationships only too well
having been married to a man who abused her for nearly
20 years. The author of “Heart Vision: How to See Your
Path Forward When You’re in a Dark Place” and the
companion “Heart Vision Journal” will discuss the
dynamics of abusive relationships, how to get to the
other side of the fears and anxieties of a destructive
marriage and share a quiz to see if you are in a toxic
relationship. Dr. Dellia Evans is a certified laser
vision correction surgeon and optometrist. Contact her
at (844) 798-9898; visible@drdellia.com
7. ==> Life After COVID-19: What You’ll Need to Do
Yes, the day is coming when the pandemic will be behind
us. But, according to Dr. Annalee Kitay, before we even
have the chance to let out that big sigh of relief we
should be aware of this truth: “A great number of
people’s immune systems will be in a compromised
state,” she says. And, she adds, even people who look
healthy will still need to boost their immune systems.
Invite Dr. Kitay to explain why this is so and offer
some tips on what to eat and what supplements to take
to get back to where you were before you knew what
COVID-19 was. Dr. Kitay can also talk about the brain’s
role in immune function as well as share information
about the Neural Organization Technique that she
practices and trains physicians in. Neural Organization
Technique is one of health care’s best-kept secrets.
She is one of fewer than 50 practitioners in the U.S.,
who are using the revolutionary proven natural
technique to help people with everything from
concussions to learning disabilities and low-back pain.
Dr. Kitay did several guest spots with the late Dr.
(Robert) Atkins. Contact Dr. Kitay at (561) 462-4733;
akitay@rtirguests.com
8. ==> Your Child is Better Off Now That You’re His
Teacher
Many parents are facing the scary reality that they
will be in charge of their kid’s education for the rest
of the school year. Is it possible to enjoy this time
and feel confident that your children won’t fall
behind? “Absolutely!” says educator and school
administrator Lee Jenkins. According to Lee, it’s
easier than you think to create a fun, creative
learning environment at home … using many of the same
principles he teaches to teachers and administrators in
schools. Lee will share simple strategies like why your
child should draw a picture before they write a story,
why you should just spell a word for a child when they
ask, how your smartphone, your bathroom scale and a
measuring cup are all it takes to teach some math, and
why you should never use a red pen when editing your
child’s work (and what to use instead). Lee Jenkins is
the author of How to Create a Perfect School, with a
foreword by Jack Canfield. He has been an educator and
administrator in public schools and universities.
Contact Lee Jenkins at (484) 306-8784;
LJenkins@rtirguests.com
9. ==> How to Doodle Your Coronavirus PTSD Away
Most people today are feeling some degree of overwhelm
as daily routines are suspended and social distancing
becomes the norm. But, according to Carol Edmonston,
aka The Doodle Lady, there is a unique, simple and
creative way to deal with this intense stress: take
some paper, a pencil or pen and … doodle! The niece
of the late cartoonist and children’s book author Syd
Hoff, who wrote “Danny and the Dinosaur” and “Sammy the
Seal,” among others, Edmonston says doodling is a fun
form of mindfulness which allows our spirits to rest,
recover and regroup. Edmonston, who attributes
overcoming breast cancer twice to what she calls her
doodling therapy, has just released the pioneering new
book “The Healing Power Of Doodling: Mindfulness
Therapy To Deal With Stress, Fear & Life Challenges.”
Contact her at (714) 609-4654;
carol.edmonston@gmail.com
10. ==> Self-Love for Surviving Isolation
Social distancing may help slow the spread of the
coronavirus, but it’s left many people feeling isolated
and lonely. We crave the comfort of friends and family
during difficult times, yet we can’t embrace them right
now, which can be distressing and disorienting. “It’s
hard to stay grounded when the world seems to be
spinning out of control,” says Joffre McClung. “That’s
why it’s more important than ever to be kind to
yourself and practice habits that support you and
promote a positive outlook.” Whether you’re an
essential worker on the front lines, holed up with kids
and a spouse, or you’re quarantined alone, Joffre can
share tips to practice self-love during this pandemic.
Learn ways to incorporate meditation into your daily
life, how to get to know yourself better, and why
having fun and experiencing joy should be considered
life-sustaining needs right now. Joffre McClung has
appeared on numerous radio and TV programs. She’s a
former media producer, independent filmmaker, and the
author of “The Heart of the Matter.” Contact Joffre
McClung at (917) 994-0225; JMcClung@rtirguests.com
11. ==> How to Have Fun with the Fear of Uncertainty
According to Laura Di Franco, we can either choose to
accept the gifts we’ve been given during this pandemic
or we can choose to suffer. She’ll explain how to have
fun with the fear of uncertainty and why she thinks
that’s the key to our success right now. Invite her on
your show and learn how to cultivate pandemic
positivity and see the possibilities in the future. She
says, “When the whole world is in crisis together, the
people of the world will finally understand what
matters, and everything else will fall away. That’s
what I think has happened, and is still happening, as a
result of putting ‘normal’ on hold to survive. It’s a
grand awakening, re-prioritizing, and fine-tuning of
our life’s purpose.” Laura Di Franco, MPT, is a
holistic physical therapist, owner of Brave Healer
Productions, and the author of many books including the
upcoming “The Ultimate Guide to Self-Healing
Techniques: 25 Home Practices & Tools for Peak Holistic
Health and Wellness.” Contact her at (703) 915-3653;
bewarriorlove@gmail.com
12. ==> Hypnotist Uses Zoom to Send Healing During
Coronavirus
Life as we used to know it bears little resemblance to
what we are experiencing today as the coronavirus
pandemic upends everything from work to childcare to
celebrations, death and human contact. To counteract
the negativity coming at us at warp speed — whether we
listen to the news or not — the world needs more
positive thoughts and healing vibrations and that is
exactly what Mary Beth Battaglia is sending out with
her twice-daily Zoom sessions. “I’m using Zoom to
conquer feelings of doom, you might say,” Battaglia
observes. She’ll explain how the sessions connect
people throughout the world and reinforce that we are
all in this together. “People share what their
quarantine is like, where to get groceries and what
helps them stay calm,” she says. Invite this New
Jersey-based hypnosis and sound practitioner on your
show and learn ways to distance yourself from
negativity and fear, clear your mind of unwanted
thoughts and use affirmations to stay positive.
Battaglia has appeared on Fox News and offers hypnosis
tips on the program Conversations with Joan.
“Transformation Through Hypnosis: Relax, Clear Your
Mind & Step Into Your Power,” is her new book. Contact
Mary Beth Battaglia at (833) 732-2333;
marybethpeace@gmail.com
13. ==> The Most Important Trait You Have for Surviving
the Pandemic
As the world is rocked by the COVID-19 pandemic, most
people are experiencing one overriding, debilitating
emotion. Fear is the biggest enemy in times of
uncertainty, says Kim Chestney. “Now, more than ever,
the most important thing we can do is to reconnect with
our inner power.” Let Kim tell you how as she explores
the role intuition can play in navigating stressful
times. She’ll teach you how to cut through the stress,
the BS and fake news, to get back to your center by
tuning in to your inner truth. Kim is an international
best-selling author and the founder of IntuitionLab.
Her new book, “Radical Intuition: A Revolutionary Guide
to Your Inner Power,” will be released this fall.
Contact Kim at (412) 214-9502; KChestney@rtirguests.com
14. ==> 5 Easy Ways to Combat Eco-Anxiety and Disease
Dread
It’s impossible to ignore the climate crisis with
headlines focusing on the increase in carbon dioxide
emissions, warming of the oceans and climate disasters.
While we want to be aware of environmental issues, it
is not uncommon for these events — and contagious
disease outbreaks — to trigger anxiety, helplessness,
sadness, and fear for future generations. Registered
psychotherapist Elke Scholz can explore on-air such
topical questions as what is the cost of eco-anxieties
and health worries on our well-being? How is all this
affecting today’s youth? Why should listeners pay
attention to such topics? Elke will recommend five tips
to alleviate stress while acknowledging your
discomfort; including, how to recognize where the
anxiety is coming from and how to make safer, greener
choices. Elke has two books on anxiety, “Anxiety
Warrior Vol. One and Vol. Two.” She also offers anti-
anxiety and pro-wellness kits for employees, at-risk
youth and seniors. For over 35 years, Elke has run a
private therapy practice. Contact Elke Scholz at (705)
710-4315; escholz@rtirguests.com
15. ==> Don’t Worry, Be Healthy: Balancing Fears with
Facts
Erasing stress is not only critical to success but also
critical to our survival, says Janet McKee, a former
Fortune 500 executive who nearly died from massive
stress and burnout. But how can we erase stress in the
midst of a pandemic? McKee knows. Allow her to explain
how to balance fear with facts to reach a place of calm
acceptance, how to maintain positive energy to get your
power back amid the chaos and to self-regulate the news
you take in. She’ll also share four ways to build a
strong immune system and even discuss the good that is
coming out of the epidemic. Janet McKee, MBA, CHPC,
CHHC, is a High-Performance™ success coach, wellness
expert, and CEO of SanaView. She is the author of the
No. 1 bestseller “Stressless Success: The Surprising
Secrets to a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Prosperity.”
Contact her at (724) 417-6695; janet@janetmckee
16. ==> Stuck at Home? Time to Write a Book
An estimated 80 to 90% of Americans would like to write
a book someday. Most of them let their dream die
without ever acting upon it. Let Fabi Preslar,
president of custom publishing house SPARK Publications
and an author herself, explain why this pandemic might
be the right time to finally get started. She’ll reveal
five powerful reasons to write your book today
including the importance of letting others learn from
your hero’s journey. She can also answer such questions
as what’s the biggest roadblock to getting a successful
book written? And, book publishing isn’t what it used
to be, what does a new author need to know? Articulate,
smart and honest, Fabi (Fay-Bee) is the author of
“Fabulous F Words of Business Ownership: Redefining
Choice Words to Fuel Your Small Business” and winner of
Charlotte Business Journal’s 2018 First-Generation
Family Business of the Year Award. Contact Fabi at
(704) 291-3566; FPreslar@rtirguests.com
17. ==> Everyone Needs a Coach: How to Have One on Any
Budget
Think you don’t need a coach to help navigate your
challenging career and reach your goals? Think again!
Then interview Dr. Sarah Brown, a sought-after coach
and trainer who’s helped thousands define and pursue
success based on their unique interests, strengths and
needs. She’ll help listeners understand the critical
role coaches play and describe how anyone can turn a
friend, colleague, or mentor into that much-needed
role. People can even learn to coach themselves! Dr.
Brown will share her 5-step KTS Success Factor™ Model
and must-know secrets, including finally clarifying
exactly what you want … getting started even without
all the answers (and without going bankrupt!) …
whether it’s wise to give-up one’s current job first
… remedies for lackluster performances … and
special advice for entrepreneurial businesses. Contact
Sarah Brown at (302) 274-0624; SBrown@rtirguests.com
18. ==> ‘What I Learned about Fear after Facing Cancer
Three Times’
Kipp Harris knows what he’s talking about when he
explores myths and truths about living with fear —
especially when it involves health hurdles. He has
faced cancer three times. Your audience will want to
hear Kipp’s inspiring story of what he learned from
facing cancer multiple times including the importance
of living fully, recognizing the many lives we touch
every day and even finding joy during chemotherapy. His
upcoming book is “Improbable Joy: A 3-Time Cancer
Survivor’s Journey to Finding Joy in Unexpected
Places.” Ask him: What epiphany did he have in Spain?
What was the first thing he did after he learned that
his cancer returned? What lessons did he learn that
could apply to coronavirus fears? Contact Kipp Harris
at (701) 638-4051; Kharris@rtirguests.com
19. ==> How to Raise Boys to Respect Women in the ‘Me
Too’ Age
As a single dad of two young boys, Pastor Eric
Hawthorne is especially aware of the pressures young
males face to be “one of the boys” when it comes to how
they treat girls. “That’s why it’s crucial for boys to
have dads and other strong male role models who set
examples about how to respect women,” he says. Pastor
Eric can share tips for how to raise boys to be
gentlemen in this complex modern age. He is the second-
generation pastor of Daystar Deliverance Ministries in
Richardson, Texas, and the author of the upcoming book
“Are You Ready For Marriage?” Contact Eric at (214)
225-0769; EHawthorne@rtirguests.com
20. ==> ‘Benji’ Creator: The Real Story 50 Years Later
Joe Camp created “Benji,” one of the most famous dog
movies of all time, but Camp was rejected by every
major studio in 1974 so he produced the film himself.
When it came time for distribution, he was rejected
again so he distributed it himself. Against all odds,
“Benji” became a summer blockbuster and Camp went on to
become a successful independent filmmaker. Now a
Tennessee farmer and author, Camp tells the story of
not only how “Benji” was brought to life, but how he
was brought to life. He says he didn’t realize until
decades later that every rejection had to happen just
as it did for people to see “Benji” — and for him to
see God and the purpose in it all. With millions of
events, ceremonies, opportunities, and dreams now on
hold indefinitely or possibly lost, Camp encourages
people to trust that a bigger story is being written.
Joe Camp’s new book is “God Only Knows.” Contact Jason
Jones at jason@jonesliterary.com
Don’t see any guests or topics for your show? Search
through past RTIR Newsletters and find hundreds of show
ideas and possible guests at www.rtironline.com