Guests
Martin Fletcher is the author of WALKING ISRAEL: A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation. He has been one of the most highly respected foreign correspondents in television news for more than thirty years. He has covered almost every conflict and natural disaster in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, winning five Emmys, a Columbia University Dupont Award, and several Overseas Press Club Awards. Fletcher was NBC Bureau Chief in Tel Aviv for many years, and is currently a special correspondent for NBC News. He is also the author of Breaking News. Fletcher and his wife, Hagar, have raised three sons. Martin Fletcher started with NBC News as a cameraman in 1977 in South Africa; after working in the Paris and Frankfurt bureaus he began his Tel Aviv assignment as network correspondent in 1982. He added Bureau Chief to his duties in 1996. He has received five Emmy awards [...]
"I never had model cars or train sets when I was a kid," says TV naturalist Nigel Marven. "My bedroom was full of stick insects and green lizards, baby crickets and boa constrictors. Oh, and a giant eel in the bath tub.” Some 40 years later, the boy with bugs in his bedroom has become British televisions busiest wildlife presenter - spending at least 300 days a year away from home. Currently he wears the title International Ambassador to the Pandas at the Chengdu Panda Base in China. Nigel has swum with sharks and wrestled with alligators. He's slithered with snakes; crept and crawled with insects. He's even donated his own blood to mosquitoes, leeches and giant kissing bugs in the interests of science and television entertainment. Speaking of which, he also mislaid some giant millipedes somewhere in Jay Leno's studio during the latest of several appearances on the U.S. [...]
Composer, guitarist and violinist, Lucas Lechowski was born in Poland, where he began his professional music training at age seven in classical violin. He would go on to study classical violin, jazz violin, and jazz guitar. He eventually graduated from the Academy of Music in Katowice, Poland, receiving: B.A. in Violin Performance, M.A. in Jazz Violin Performance, and M.A. in Jazz Guitar Performance. Lechowski started his career as a classical violinist, participating in two elite European orchestras: The International Youth Orchestra Academy in Bayreuth, Germany and The Young Austrian Philharmonic in Innsbruck, Austria. He toured all over the Europe, performing at the most revered symphony halls, including the famous Wagner’s Bayreuth Festspielhaus. The multiple years of experience performing in different classical ensembles has given Lechowski an intimate understanding of the structure of orchestral and chamber music, as well as an insider’s view of the music of the great masters. As [...]
William Devane is an Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actor born in Albany, New York, the son of Joseph Devane, who served as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's chauffeur when he was Governor of New York. After graduating from New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Devane made his Broadway debut in "The Watering Place" with Shirley Knight. He later originated the role of Randall McMurphy in One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, a role made famous by Jack Nicholson later. He made his movie debut as a revolutionary in the independently produced In the Country (1967) and began appearing on series TV. He had a small but memorable part as the lawyer committed to free-enterprise in Robert Altman’s's masterpiece McCabe & Mrs. Miller in 1971, but what made his reputation was his turn as President John F. Kennedy in The Missiles of October (1973), a television film about the Cuban [...]
Lou Diamond Phillips is a Filipino-American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film La Bamba. Lou Diamond Phillips was born 17th February 1962 at the Subic Bay Naval Station in the Philippines. Filipino, Hawaiian, Chinese, Spanish, Scottish/Irish, and eighth Cherokee Indian origins gave Lou Diamond his unusual good looks and brought him main leads in movies. Named after the World War 2 hero Leland 'Lou' Diamond, he seemed destined for stardom right from the beginning. He later took the Phillips surname from his step father, George Phillips. As a child he lived with his family in many American States before finally settling in Corpus Christi, Texas. Becoming interested in acting, Lou took a keen interest while at Flour Bluff High School, before majoring in Drama at The University of Texas at Arlington where he performed in many lead roles [...]
As a combat veteran, Christopher Loverro provides a unique perspective as a writer, director, and actor when it comes to telling stories about the modern warrior. He served as an Army Reserve Staff Sergeant attached to the Army’s first Stryker Brigade Combat Team. During his time in Iraq he participated in a plethora of missions along the full spectrum of warfare. In addition to their war-fighting mission, his Combat Brigade conducted numerous humanitarian operations to include providing relief supplies for over 2,000 refugees. Because of his civilian background as a police SWAT team operator, SSG Loverro helped with some of the training for the Iraqi police and designed and implemented the Defensive Tactics Training program for the basic training battalion in Mosul where he helped train 600 new Iraqi Army recruits. Christopher Loverro has a Bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley in Peace and Conflict Studies and has studied at the [...]
Rodney Ray is a West Monroe, LA native and a successful businessman. Ray owns three businesses, one of which is the first major film production company in Northeast Louisiana entitled R-Squared Productions. Prior to his business ventures, Ray served in the United States Navy and earned a degree from Louisiana Tech University. Ray had written, produced and directed numerous theatre productions before entering the film world. Prior to the release of his first feature film “Flag of My Father,” Ray wrote and directed two short films: “Desires of the Heart,” and “Mumbai Baby.” He has recently expanded into documentary filmmaking with “We Call Them Heroes” and “Price of Freedom.” “Heroes” captures the sorrow, strength and victory of Vietnam veterans who have waited up to 45 years to open the door to their past, while “Price” takes a glimpse into soldiers’ prospective of each American conflict since WWII. Ray is a [...]
Mike Bowers joined People to People Ambassador Programs, the leader in global educational travel experiences, in 2008 as Senior Director, Health & Safety. As the only educational travel organization to employ a full-time director of travel health and safety, People to People Ambassador Programs solidifies its position as a safety leader in the tour operations market. As Senior Director, Bowers offers more than 30 years of experience in travel safety and operations management. He takes pride in the organization’s ability to take all necessary steps and then some, in order to ensure that every person traveling with People to People Ambassador Programs is safe. Heavily involved in carrying out day-to-day safety operations, Bowers oversees the execution of health and safety initiatives such as: safety incident analysis, employee training programs and customer and employee communications. First and foremost, he provides his safety expertise and guidance to ensure the safety and well [...]
Stephen Shore, Ed.D., is an assistant professor at the Ammon School of Education at Adelphi University teaching courses in special education and autism. He focuses his research and teaching on matching best practices to the needs of people with autism. In addition to working with and talking about life on the autism spectrum, Dr. Shore presents and consults internationally on educational and social inclusion as well as on adult issues pertaining to relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure as discussed in his numerous books, articles, and DVDs. Nonverbal and diagnosed at age two and a half with "Atypical Development and strong autistic tendencies," recommendations for institutionalization were rejected in favor of parent-based intensive early intervention and support. Dr. Stephen Shore serves on the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC), on the Board of Directors for Autism Society of America (ASA), as past President of The Asperger's Association of New England (AANE), and [...]
Caroline Baron’s many producing credits include the Oscar nominated film Capote, the cross-cultural hit Monsoon Wedding, winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and numerous awards worldwide. Baron began her career as the production manager on the cult classic film, The Toxic Avenger. Over the years, she has served as the associate producer for the hit television series The Wonder Years and co-produced such films as Center Stage, Flawless, Addicted to Love, The Santa Clause, and Mira Nair’s Kama Sutra. She also produced the NBC miniseries Witness to the Mob with Robert DeNiro and coproduced the documentary Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer for PBS. She is currently the Executive Producer of Another Night, directed by Paul Weitz and starring Robert DeNiro. In 1999, motivated by reports of families who fled their homes in Kosovo to seek refuge in crowded camps in Macedonia, [...]
Geir Ness was born in Oslo, Norway to a humble home and loving parents who taught him that the greatest gift anyone could offer in life is to love, care and share with those less fortunate. His mom taught him that you should never give up on your dreams, to stay focused on your goals, get a good education and with dedication and hard work you will succeed. Early in his teenage years, he knew that he wanted to do something with his life that had meaning and would make a difference in the lives of other people. He started working as volunteer at a specialized school for handicapped and disabled children. This volunteer work gave Geir a lot of experience and a better understanding of how important it is to give love and kindness. In return Geir received from these kids so much more than he could ever expect. [...]
Sean Kanan is an actor who is best known as the deviously sexy Deacon Sharpe on THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, the number one show on daytime television. Kanan is set to begin filming the lead role in the feature film, MY TRIP BACK TO THE DARKSIDE, directed by Shane Stanley. Recently Kanan starred in ABRACADABRA, directed by Julie Pacino. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Early in his career, Kanan was chosen at an open call by Oscar winning director, John Avildsen from over 2,000 hopefuls for the role of Mark Barnes in THE KARATE KID III. He went on to use his martial arts skills again in the feature CHAOS FACTOR and co-starred in the films EXTREME LIMITS and CARPOOL GUY. Kanan’s popularity in Italy and ability to speak Italian garnered him the lead role in the film, SONS OF [...]
