Local To PA Episodes

Most people spend a lifetime trying to balance their passions. Tannis Kowalchuk planted hers in the same field. In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with the artistic director of Farm Arts Collective and co-owner of Willow Wisp Organic Farm along Pennsylvania's Delaware River. A performer at heart, Tannis always knew she belonged on a stage. Then she met a farmer. What followed was a remarkable journey that combined two seemingly different worlds into one life's ...

What Happens When a Reporter Stops Looking Away? For most people, curiosity lasts a few moments. For Matt Birkbeck, it became a life's work. Long before true crime podcasts dominated streaming platforms and documentary series filled television schedules, Birkbeck was chasing leads, knocking on doors, digging through court records, and asking questions others overlooked. His reporting led him deep into stories involving organized crime, political corruption, missing persons, financial...

All’s Well That Ends Well: Michael Bradshaw Flynn On Bringing Back the Bard Fifteen years ago, staging Shakespeare in Scranton sounded improbable to plenty of people, especially to some New York theater types. The original production was intended as a one-time public performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Nay Aug Park. Organizers hoped a modest audience would turn out for the celebrated Bard. Instead, more than 1,000 people packed into the park. In this episode of HarmonyTALK, hos...

From the Black Forest to Honesdale: A Story Grown by Hand What does it look like to build a life slowly, intentionally, and with your hands in the soil? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with Gudrun Feigl, founder of Mount Pleasant Herbary, whose journey from Germany’s Black Forest to Northeastern Pennsylvania is rooted in memory, creativity, and quiet persistence. Gudrun did not set out to become an entrepreneur. Trained as a social worker, she arrived in the U...

Scranton: The City Fans Thought They Knew How did an architect end up reshaping a city’s pop culture identity? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Todd Stephens sits down with Michele Dempsey, architect, entrepreneur, single mom, and one of the creative forces who helped turn Scranton’s connection to ‘The Office’ into something no one expected: pride, tourism and a renewed identity. Set as the backdrop for the cult NBC sitcom, Scranton risked becoming the butt of national jokes. But Mich...

Following a Different Beat: From State Trooper to Global Travel Guide What happens when the thing you’ve always loved becomes the center of your life? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Greg Frigoletto sits down with Matt Kizis, whose journey reflects a powerful shift toward alignment and possibility. After years of service as a dedicated Pennsylvania State Trooper, Matt traded in his badge for a passport, deciding to follow his passion for travel and turn it into his life’s work. Toget...

Inside George Magazine: Lisa DePaulo on JFK Jr., Journalism, and Getting the Story Right That second call brought the Dunmore, Pennsylvania, native into one of the most influential media spaces of the 1990s. DePaulo shares what it was like to work with JFK Jr. as an editor, how he shaped her approach to reporting, and what he understood about the balance between access and restraint. She reflects on the culture inside George, where politics and celebrity met, and where strong journalism still...

What happens when a story you love becomes the life you choose? In this powerful episode of HarmonyTALK, host Todd Stephens sits down with Scranton native Mike Kunda, founder of the Yo, Philly! Rocky Film Tour and one of the most recognized Rocky impersonators in the world. As a child, Mike faced bullying, insecurity, and a deep sense of not belonging. Then he discovered Rocky. What began as escape became identity. What began as imitation became transformation. Mike shares how he turned...

Chef Von on Hustle, Reinvention and Building Something Real What does it take to bet on yourself when there’s no backup plan? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Greg Frigoletto sits down with Chef Ryan Von Smith, known as Chef Von, a self-taught chef whose journey spans Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, and Macau. After leaving Scranton, Pennsylvania, in search of something bigger, Chef Von worked his way from the door - as a bouncer - at Tao Asian Bistro into high-pressure kitchens acro...

Beyond the Tank: When the Real Entrepreneurial Journey Begins Many entrepreneurs dream of appearing on Shark Tank. But what happens after the cameras turn off? In this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Lisa Champeau sits down with Scranton native and inventor Kim Meckwood, founder of Click & Carry, the simple but ingenious device designed to make carrying grocery bags, paint cans, sports equipment, and everyday loads dramatically easier. Kim’s idea began with a familiar frustration. While ha...

Jeff Braverman joins HarmonyTALK to reflect on 30 years of leadership at Camp Nesher and the unexpected decisions that helped shape one of its most meaningful legacies. What began as a dream to create a vibrant summer camp experience centered on community and faith took an unexpected turn when he was approached by a parent who asked if their wheelchair-bound child with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy could be accommodated and welcomed at camp. Braverman’s decision to move forward would become ...

In this episode of Harmony Talk, host Todd Stephens interviews Kim Stevens, a visionary leader in real estate, who shares her journey from childhood memories at Lake Wallenpaupack to her unique leadership philosophy of 'structure with a healthy dose of magic.' Kim discusses the influence of her entrepreneurial family, the challenges she faced in the real estate market, and her personal hero's journey through adversity, including a battle with cancer. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, m...

We were truly honored to join Congregation Beth Israel in celebrating their 175th Anniversary with a powerful panel discussion—From Surviving to Thriving: Small Town Jewish Life in America! Moderated by past HarmonyTALK guest Skip Vichness, the event was an inspiring testament to history in the making. FOLLOW HARMONYTALK PODCAST @harmonytalkpodcast Join Our Mailing List: https://www.harmonytalkpodcast.com/signup Instagram: https://instagram.com/harmonytalkpodcast Facebook: https://www.faceboo...

Author Amy Ferris has just published a new memoir that lives up to its title-- Mighty Gorgeous, a Little Book About Messy Love.” From her home in northeastern Pennsylvania, Amy chats with Harmony TALK host Lisa Champeau about everything from dropping out of high school at age 15 to being nominated for a big award in Hollywood. But most significantly, Amy talks from the heart about how important it is to embrace who you are and how you got there. FOLLOW HARMONYTALK PODCAST @harmonytalkpodcast Jo...

He has one of the most iconic voices in Philadelphia sports history. On August 17, 1994, Marc Zumoff was named the television voice of the Philadelphia 76ers, fulfilling his childhood dream. His career spanned four decades and includes covering the Rio Olympics in 2016 for NBC, assorted assignments for Turner Sports, NBA-TV, the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Union and various other pro, college and high school events. He’s also been an anchor, producer and reporter and spent the first five y...

He's a businessman and a grandfather, she's a spirited young artist and mother. Different, yes, but with a shared passion. Henry Skier and Jill Carletti chat with Harmony TALK host Lisa Champeau about how they came together to grow Harmony Presents from a small performance space in an old silk mill to a successful, sophisticated yet rustic outdoor performance venue in Hawley, Pennsylvania, called Harmony in the Woods.

Isabel Bohn and Jeff McGinnis founded the Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports to fill a gap in available recreation and sports activities for the disabled on the East Coast. Thirty-five years and mountains of challenges later, they are thriving. The Center has produced 11 Paralympians, but more than that, it’s “really changed people in so many positive ways” and built a flourishing community of inclusivity and possibility.

He's a businessman and a grandfather, she's a spirited young artist and mother. Different, yes, but with a shared passion. Henry Skier and Jill Carletti chat with Harmony TALK host Lisa Champeau about how they came together to grow Harmony Presents from a small performance space in an old silk mill to a successful, sophisticated yet rustic outdoor performance venue in Hawley, Pennsylvania, called Harmony in the Woods.