So many of my guests are people who have been in the trenches, often far removed from the spotlight, doing invaluable work for our community. This week's guest is no exception. You can hear my discussion with Former Director of Security for Caddo Schools, Roy Murry, here (or wherever you get your podcasts by searching "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, …

What do we sound like as a community? This week for the first time we dive into our local music industry. You can find my full discussion with Drummer John Hoffman here (or wherever you get your podcasts by searching "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"). Here are the questions I asked: 0:44 1. You are at least a second-generation l…

Collaboration, Communication and Capitalizing on External Resources are the themes of this week's episode. You can find my full discussion with Commissioner Stormy Gage-Watts and Captain LaTienda Pierre here. Here are the questions I asked: 0:43 1. Commissioner, let’s start with you. You serve as the Chair of the Juvenile Justice Committee. How oft…

"If you want friends, you must first find yourself friendly" is the title of this week's episode. You can find my full discussion with Mario Chavez, Former Caddo Parish Commissioner and Owner of MersaTech, here. Here are the questions I asked: 0:27 1. We’ll cover a lot of ground today but let’s start here. On October 9th you will be the featured sp…

This episode is a first as I sit down with a friend and former employer who in the second half of the episode wanted to ask me the questions. You can find my full discussion with Kempten Schwab, Managing Director for STS Capital Partners here. Here are the questions I asked: 0:45 1. You appear to have had three large chapters in your professional c…

Dr. Aubra Gantt, Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:35 1. In March of 2023, you were named the first female Chancellor for Southern University Shreveport (or SUSLA as many call it). You are a …

Damien Ford, Project Manager and Associate Architect for Mike McSwain Architect, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:36 1. Damien, you are a Project Manager and Associate Architect for Mike McSwain Architect. Let’s start here today. Tell me s…

Filmmaker Alexander Jeffery sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:35 1. In 2015, your short film, The Bespoke Tailoring of Mister Bellamy, won the Louisiana Film Prize. I’ve read where you called this a “life-changing moment”. Talk to me about …

Paralympian Jillian Elwart sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:34 1. Jillian, you are a pediatric prosthetist for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Let’s start here today. I once heard you tell a story about an American Girl doll and the way t…

Director of STRIKEWERX, Russ Mathers, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:31 1. You are the Director of STRIKEWERX, the innovation hub of the US Air Force Global Strike Command. In a little while, I want you to tell me about a couple of STRIK…

Former US and Ghana Olympic Weightlifting Coach, Kyle Pierce, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:30 1. Dr. Pierce, you are a world-renowned sports scientist. Let’s start here today. You once said the following: “I wasn’t a very good athlete.…

Jordan Ring Scroggs, Executive Director at MLK Health Center & Pharmacy, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:30 1. Let’s start at the beginning if we could. The founder of MLK Health Center & Pharmacy was Doctor Robert J Jackson who in 1985 r…

Chef Hardette Harris sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. For the last two years, 103 podcast episodes, I have been sitting down with folks in our community asking them to help me understand why we don’t take more pride in being from her…

Sportspectrum Owner Andrew Gaspard sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:26 1. Andrew, you’re one of my favorite type of guests to have on here. Someone who is not from here but who is doing great things for and in our community. You are the re…

Caddo Parish's Poet Laureate, Poetic X, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:30 1. Poetic, you are Caddo Parish’s poet laureate. Let’s start here today. You grew up in Shreveport’s Lakeside/Allendale neighborhoods. I’m always curious to hear t…

Local Music Historian Chris Brown sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:34 1. Chris, you are the archivist of Centenary College and the Louisiana United Methodist Church. But today I would like to focus on a hobby of yours. I don’t know anyone …

Mike and Mark Mangham of Twin Blends: Northwest Louisiana History Hunters sit down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 1:30 1. You guys are the founders and operators of Twin Blends: Northwest Louisiana History Hunters, an incredibly popular group that i…

Venture Capitalist Ross Barrett sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:36 1. Ross, you’re a venture capitalist. Let’s start here today. For the lay people out there, and I put myself in that group, could you explain what venture capital is and h…

Larry Clark, LSU Shreveport Chancellor Emeritus, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:34 1. You have had an incredibly productive and successful career and I know there’s still much more ahead for you. You were the Dean of the College of Busin…

Businessman, Community Philanthropist and Caddo Parish Commissioner John Atkins sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:30 1. John, you’ve long been one of the people I really look up to in town. Let’s start here today. What role did the Atkins F…

Chairman of Just Believe Training, Jamon Turner, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:33 1. I know you do a lot of different things. Let’s start here today. You once said the following: “We’re a youth program. We host these really wild camps w…

3rd Grade Math and Science Teacher, Rolanda Hewitt, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:35 1. You are a 3rd grade math and science teacher at University Elementary School. In your career, you have received numerous awards for your work, inclu…

Common Ground Youth Program Directors Vicki and Matt Whitehead sit down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:36 1. You are the Youth Program Directors at Common Ground. How did you first get involved with this extraordinary nonprofit? 8:13 2. Common Gro…

Businessman and Community Philanthropist Glenn Kinsey sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:28 1. I could cover so much ground with you here as you and your family presently and historically are one of the most important families in the Shrevep…

Historian Gary Joiner sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:26 1. Gary, you are one of our community’s foremost historians. Among numerous other things, you are the chair of the department of history and social sciences at Louisiana State Unive…

Academic and Higher Education Administrator Dr. Betsy Boze sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:25 1. Betsy, you are one of our great local success stories. Graduating from Byrd High School, you went on to become (to name but a couple of the p…

Chancellor of LSUS, Dr. Robert Smith, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:36 1. You came to Shreveport after serving six years as Provost of Valdosta State University in Georgia. You once said, “LSUS is one of the few institutions, regional u…

Executive Director of the North Louisiana Jewish Federation, Barbara Joseph, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:28 1. Barbara, you’re the Executive Director of the North Louisiana Jewish Federation. I want to get into the Federation and all …

Shreveport Youth Boxing Club's Coach Donny Jackson and Tim FitzGerald sit down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:38 1. Our community consist of too many families who suffer from generational poverty and too many young people who lack mentors and role…

Outdoor Educator Jon Soul sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. Jon, you’re involved in numerous aspects of our community, with a focus I would say on education, our environment and outdoors, and just an overall effort to strengthen Shrev…

Education Thought Leader, Dr. Michael Hicks, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:38 1. Although you and I don’t know each other all that well, we go way back. We were at Caddo Middle Magnet at the same time and then after that at Captain Shre…

Laura Baxter, Director of the Institute for Childhood Resilience at LSU Health Shreveport, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, and Kristi Gustavson, CEO of the Community Foundation of North Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:56 1. Define adverse childhood experience…

Architect Mike McSwain sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:26 1. Mike, you are one of our community’s most beloved architects, having designed countless projects including the Sci-Port Discovery Center, Bossier Parish Community College, the C…

Father Raney Johnson, administrator at Cathedral of St John Berchmans and one of the chaplains at Loyola College Prep, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. On 6/5/21, you were ordained the first native-born priest of the Diocese of Shrev…

Entrepreneur and Multiple Local Business Owner Andrew Crawford, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:26 1. Andrew, you are part of the Atkins-Crawford family, one of the most philanthropic and important families in the history of Shreveport. C…

Lieutenant Amy Bowman, Shreveport Police Department, and Doctor James Patterson, Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, sit down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:27 1. Lieutenant Bowman, you are a Lieutenant in the Shreveport Police Department. Until recent…

Young Adult Author Kayvion Lewis sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, and Community Activist LeVette Fuller, to answer the following questions: 0:49 1. Kayvion, you are a massive, local success story. The US book rights for your book Thieves’ Gambit were acquired in a seven-figur…

Angel Martin, Triathlete AND Director of Student Activities and Recreational Sports at LSU Shreveport, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:25 1. Angel, you recently competed in one of the most prestigious and daunting races in the world, The …

Ryan Williams, Chief Executive Officer and Owner of Seedlinks Behavior Management, LLC, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:29 1. Ryan, you were raised in the MLK community, graduated from Green Oaks and went on to receive your Bachelors and …

Sophia Herron Sanders, Director of Child Life & Community Engagement at the Gingerbread House, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:34 1. Sophia, you are the director of child life & community engagement and a forensic interviewer at the Ginge…

Martha Marak, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. Martha, you are the Executive Director of the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana. In a little while, we will get more into the d…

K.C. Kilpatrick Baird, Founder and Executive Director of Geaux 4 Kids and Project Geaux Bags, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. KC, you are a true hero in this community and I find your story so inspiring and so moving. Your nonprofit…

US Attorney Brandon Brown sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:44 1. Let’s start today with a bit of a civics lesson. On December 10, 2021, you were sworn in as the US Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. You are one of 94 US Attorn…

Emerie Holtzclaw, Owner of Lagniappe P.R.I.M.E., LLC, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:38 1. I don’t know how you do all that you do. You are and have been involved in so many aspects of our community that I can’t even begin to list everyt…

Ben Whalen, Owner of Clean Slate Botanicals, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:32 1. Like many of our local entrepreneurs, you first made a name for yourself at the Shreveport Farmer’s Market. You have intentionally and patiently grown a co…

Caddo Parish Administrator and CEO, Erica Bryant, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Nortwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:37 1. On April 20, 2023, you were appointed Caddo Parish Administrator and CEO, after working with the Parish since 1997. Let’s start today, just explaining …

Dr. Toya Graham, Executive Director of the Carolyn W and Charles T Beaird Family Foundation, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:41 1. Toya, since 2014 you have served as the Executive Director of the Carolyn W and Charles T Beaird Family Fou…

Chancellor Dr. Jayda Spillers sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:43 1. In December of 2022, after being a high school principal and the parish Career Technical Education supervisor, you became the chancellor of Northwest Louisiana Technical …

Community activist Nell Shehee sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:33 1. In 2022, you partnered with KTAL NBC 6 to launch the “Operation Kindness” initiative. Tell me about the genesis of this initiative, its mission and some of how it works.…

Community activist LeVette Fuller sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions: 0:31 1. LeVette, in my opinion, you are one of the top thinkers abut community that we have. You see our problems, you see our strengths, and I could talk to you for hours an…