01. Roll up Your Sleeves: Vaccine 101
02. Why Are African Americans Wary of the Vaccine?
03. December 28 and 29: Free Expert Job Advice
04. Grammy Winner Remakes Christian Christmas Classic
05. COVID Can’t Cancel Christmas Caroling!
06. 5-Minute Fix for a Stress-Free Holiday
07. Help for Uncomfortable Holiday Conversations
08. From Cookies to Cannoli: Beat the Call of Holiday Sweets
09. Will 2021 Be the Year of the Rule-Breaker?
10. How to Have a New Career in the New Year
11. Online Oratory: Zoom Presentation Tips and Tricks
12. Stress is Wreaking Havoc on Kids’ Stomachs
13. Fight Fibromyalgia and Feel Better in 2021
14. Alex Trebek’s Legacy: Facing Cancer with Joy
15. The Govt. Agency that Tracks Santa (You Can Too!)
1. ==> Roll up Your Sleeves: Vaccine 101
A massive push to inoculate the country against COVID-19 is on. The first doses of the vaccine have arrived at hospitals across the nation as the country’s death toll from the virus hits 300,000. Invite pharmaceutical technologies expert Dean Fanelli to answer your vaccine questions including who will get the vaccine first and how long it will take to vaccinate the entire U.S. He’ll also discuss what’s happening with other vaccines in development, and whether Americans should be worried about the accelerated pace of the testing and approval process. Dean Fanelli, Ph.D., is a partner in the intellectual property department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Washington D.C. office. His focus is on pharmaceutical- and chemical-related technologies. Contact Ryan McCormick at (516) 901-1103; (919) 377-1200 or ryan@goldmanmccormick.com
2. ==> Why Are African Americans Wary of Vaccine?
With African Americans dying at more than twice the rate of white Americans who contract COVID-19, it’s hard to understand polling that finds they’re less than half as likely to take the vaccine. Fred McKinney says the discrepancy is based on a completely different set of historic and political considerations than what motivates anti-vaxxer whites. He says African Americans’ views on the vaccine are the result of a history that includes multiple examples of health-care policies that targeted Black bodies for experimentation, exploitation and discrimination. He says without an understanding of that history, it’s difficult to understand their response to the vaccine and impossible to have the type of public intervention that will change those long-held views. He says, “It will not bring back lives, but saying ‘we are deeply sorry for the harm we caused you and your ancestors’ will go a long way towards changing how African Americans feel about this vaccine today.” Fred McKinney is the Carlton Highsmith Chair for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and director of the Peoples United Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Quinnipiac University School of Business. Contact him at (203) 582-7832; Frederick.McKinney@quinnipiac.edu
3. ==> December 28 and 29: Free Expert Job Advice
Millions of Americans are out of work and the employment outlook doesn’t look bright, but there is some help at hand. On December 28 and 29, for the 35th consecutive year, global outplacement and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas will suspend business for two days to provide free career and job-search advice to callers nationwide. Usually, they create an in-house phone bank with dozens of coaches to field hundreds of calls. This year, coaches will take calls from their homes. Andrew Challenger, a senior vice president at the company, says, “We feel strongly that we must continue this service, especially at a time when millions unexpectedly find themselves out of work.” Coaches can answer callers’ questions about finding the hidden job market and switching careers and share tips for resume writing and virtual job interviews. Challenger will explain how your listeners can participate and can discuss the job market, economy, and job search process in 2021. Contact Colleen Madden Blumenfeld at (312) 422-5074; (314) 807-1568 (cell) or colleenmadden@challengergray.com
4. ==> Grammy Winner Remakes Christian Christmas Classic
You may have caught Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus and Jason Crabb debuting the new single “Strange Way To Save The World” on “Fox and Friends” last week. Crabb says, “To get to share this moment with Jay and to sing such an amazing song that celebrates the true reason for the season – the birth of Jesus – was very special.” The Red Street Records release celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Christmas classic originally performed by Christian vocal group 4Him. Jason Crabb has 2 Grammy Awards, 22 Gospel Music Association Awards and a host of industry honors and chart-topping hits. DeMarcus, a member of Rascal Flatts and a Grammy award-winning producer and bassist, launched the gospel record label Red Street Records in 2019. For interviews contact Aaron Crisler at (615) 474-8673; aaron@conduitmediaemail.com
5. ==> COVID Can’t Cancel Christmas Caroling!
Families across America are having heart-wrenching conversations about how to spend the upcoming holidays. People want to have their loved ones around them, but many recognize that gathering for this year’s holidays just isn’t safe. So how do we have meaningful, memorable, joyous celebrations together? Renae Baker says, “Traveling and gathering may be on hold for this December, but holiday spirit doesn’t have to be.” Affectionately known as Mrs. Christmas, Baker has managed a professional caroling company for decades and this year she’s bringing live carol sing-alongs to virtual holiday spaces. The “I’ll Be Zoom for Christmas” and “Zoom Gali” parties feature professional Broadway carolers taking real-time requests. Baker and her carolers have been featured on Fox News Chief Religion Correspondent Lauren Green’s “Mighty Christmas” special and many more media outlets. She’s the author of “Defeating Scrooge: How to Harness the Power of Christmas Carols to Revive Your Spirit Anytime of the Year” and the Defeating Scrooge Spirit Saver Calendar. Contact her at (917) 509-9022; ismileny@gmail.com
6. ==> 5-Minute Fix for a Stress-Free Holiday
We all have a lot on our plates right now and the stress is adding up. With the holidays now upon us, how can we dial things back to actually enjoy the season? Invite New York-based meditation expert Adam Weber to share his method for relaxing and calming your mind anywhere, at any time of the day, even at work. Weber says that in only three to five minutes you can decompress and build a meditation practice that fits into your busy schedule. Invite him to share why it’s not hard to start meditating and how you can really relax your mind in a stressful place like the office. He is the author of the soon-to-be-released book “Meditation Not Medicine: Survive and Thrive in Our Stress Filled World.” Contact him at (917) 779-8177; aweber@rtirguests.com
7. ==> Help for Uncomfortable Holiday Conversations
Awkward holiday conversations continue this year, whether in person or on Zoom. A gathering of friends and family, whether across the table or online, can end up feeling like an interrogation, negotiation, or worse a fight. “It’s probably been a while since a simple conversation was just that,” says Ivan Obolensky. “It’s become nearly impossible not to talk about emotionally charged topics … because that’s all we’ve got!” Interview Ivan about the art of conversation during a divisive election year and pandemic. He will show your audience how to set better boundaries around who they are talking to and what they are talking about, so that simple conversations don’t feel like negotiations that need to be won. Ask him about the four N’s of negotiating that can help conversations become a win-win. Ivan is an author and Renaissance man. His novel “Eye of the Moon” won “Best First Book (Fiction)” in the IndieReader Discovery Awards. Contact Ivan Obolensky at (818) 495-8731; IObolensky@rtirguests.com
8. ==> From Cookies to Cannoli: How to Beat the Call of Holiday Sweets
Yummy treats seem to go with the holidays. But everyone from watchful parents to determined dieters and sugar-avoiding diabetics (or others with health issues) will want to control their family’s intake of sweets. That’s where the “Sugar Witch” comes in! You’ll want to interview Marsha Allen, who will help everyone in your audience celebrate the holiday season without overdoing sugar. As a sought-after guest and speaker, Marsha hosts “Sugar Addicts” on Crown City News TV and is known as America’s Sugar Witch. She is the author of “Spoiled Rotten on a Diet: Gluten, Sugar & Dairy-Free Made Simple.” You’ll learn how to quell sugar cravings even when sweet treats abound, healthier options for all ages, and ways to identify sugars that are hiding in many foods. Contact Marsha Allen at (902) 906-5231; MAllen@rtirguests.com
9. ==> Will 2021 Be the Year of the Rule-Breaker?
If you are thinking about starting a business in 2021, you need to talk to Raj Girn first. Raj started what would prove to be a lasting, successful publishing business just one year after learning how to write a check and attributes much of her success to not knowing the rules and not realizing she was breaking them! Raj gave numerous mainstream celebrities, including Jennifer Lopez, Nicole Scherzinger, and Nelly Furtado their first South Asian covers in her ANOKHI Magazine; she is also a confidence expert and has an inspiring life story of how she survived an arranged marriage with a stranger, life in a new culture and country and more to achieve a new identity and to work with an impressive roster of multinational clients (L’Oréal Paris, Estée Lauder, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Hilton and Sheraton Hotels). Raj heads the Open Chest Confidence Academy, is a well-known media personality in Canada and a serial media entrepreneur who has worked with thought leaders, celebrities, and multinational corporations. She has been featured in two coffee table books, a documentary, and a motivational book that became an international best-seller. Contact her at (647) 490-3158; Rgirn@rtirguests.com
10. ==> How to Have a New Career in the New Year
In 2021, many people will be thinking about switching careers due to furloughs, unemployment, burnout and plain dissatisfaction. Geraldine Hogan can offer them hope and guidance. She has helped thousands of educators, business professionals and entrepreneurs explore new challenges and can offer tips for anyone who wants to apply their skills in a new direction. Learn three simple, life-changing questions to ask before making any career move, whether salary should guide your decision, and how to overcome obstacles, hesitation and fear of the unknown. Hogan, a former educator, attorney and judge, can talk about her own career journey as well. She’s the author of “Career Moves for Teachers and Other Professionals: Strategies for a Successful Job Change.” Contact Geraldine Hogan at (305) 902-3869; ghogan@rtirguests.com
11. ==> Online Oratory: Zoom Presentation Tips and Tricks
Public speaking is considered the #1 fear. And while most of us will never have to debate someone in a national forum as political candidates do, we’re now challenged with audiences who are spread out, behind masks, and even virtual. Moreover, many people would rather quit their job than speak on stage, be interviewed on camera, or present on Zoom. A groundbreaking approach could change all that, and Jill Jaysen has one. She’ll identify the five biggest public speaking blunders and replace them with five strategic power-up principles. Not only will your audience feel transformed, but they will also finally believe they can consistently win big at public speaking! Contact Jill Jaysen at (203) 442-9301; jjaysen@rtirguests.com
12. ==> Stress is Wreaking Havoc on Kids’ Stomachs
Stress is the main trigger for irritable bowel syndrome, abdominal pain, and digestive issues in children, adolescents, and adults. These problems occur in 14% of children, 35% of adolescents, and 15% of adults and lead to absenteeism in school and the workplace. There are no medications that are helpful for these problems. And this makes the problem vexing to both parents and patients. For a look at why the numbers are so high and what patients and parents can do, interview Stanford-trained pediatrician Jeff Lazarus, M.D. He has developed the “Controlling Your Gut Feelings” program using a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy, medical hypnosis, and motivational interviewing techniques to assist young patients and adults. Ask him: How serious are gastrointestinal problems in children? What are typical symptoms? Is diet ever a culprit? Will these problems persist for life? What can you do to help your child? Contact Dr. Lazarus at (216) 202-3112; jlazarusmd@rtirguests.com
13. ==> Fight Fibromyalgia and Feel Better in 2021
Leah McCullough, affectionately known as The Fibro Lady, appreciates that she no longer deals with life-impacting pain, fatigue and depression. Now an international wellness speaker and author, she’s on a mission to help other pain sufferers cope, manage, and even recover from fibromyalgia. Invite this informative and vivacious speaker to discuss secrets to an upbeat mood, boundless energy, achieving a great night’s sleep, and also timely topics such as the coronavirus pandemic’s effects on chronic pain patients, as well as medical cannabis. Leah is the author of “Freedom from Fibromyalgia: 7 Steps to Complete Recovery and Eat to Energize.” Her free online program is “How to Reduce and Even Eliminate Fibromyalgia Pain.” Contact Leah at (859) 279-0413; LMcCullough@rtirguests.com
14. ==> Alex Trebek’s Legacy: Facing Cancer with Joy
Alex Trebek’s last taped “Jeopardy!” episode will air on Christmas Day and millions will mourn the loss of his presence each weeknight. The iconic host died from pancreatic cancer back in November after a very public battle with the disease. But even with this sadness, there are lessons to be had in how Trebek lived his life since his diagnosis last year, lessons understood by Kipp Harris, who has been struck by a rare form of cancer three times. Kipp can share what he learned from his journey such as the importance of living fully, recognizing the many lives we touch every day, and even finding joy during chemotherapy. Kipp’s latest book is “Improbable Joy: A 3-Time Cancer Survivor’s Journey to Finding Joy in Unexpected Places.” Contact Kipp at (701) 638-4051; Kharris@rtirguests.com
15. ==> The Govt. Agency that Tracks Santa (You Can Too!)
COVID-19 may have canceled a lot of things, but it’s only made Santa’s Christmas Eve flight more anticipated than ever! Though he’ll probably be wearing a mask and maintaining social distance, St. Nick is on schedule to take his sled and reindeer to the skies for the annual trip around the globe and 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 be following his every move 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 50 years later, and how the process has evolved to include social media and flight apps that let you track Santa on your cell 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 inflight interviews for December 24. Contact NORAD Public Affairs at (719) 554-6889; NTSMedia@outlook.com
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