Dear San Diego is a public affairs podcast with personality.
Hosted by veteran communication specialists Tony Manolatos and Juan Hernandez, Dear San Diego gives newsmakers and others a platform to discuss the big issues of the day, but that’s just the beginning.
Tony and Juan’s guests share what’s not in their bios, who they are away from work, secrets to success, and more. Tony and Juan also discuss work, home, fatherhood, health and wellness, and youth sports – where the politics can be way more fierce than they are at city hall.
Tony and Juan met a decade ago while working for dueling mayoral candidates in San Diego. Since then, the two friends have worked together on numerous public affairs, land-use, and issue campaigns.
Publisher
Tony Manolatos
Category
business · education · government · health & fitness · news · society & culture
Aimee Faucett on Leadership, What People Don't See, and Why San Diego’s Housing Crisis is So Hard to Solve
Aimee Faucett has spent her career in the room where decisions get made.
From City Hall to the Chamber of Commerce—and now as CEO of the San Diego County Building Industry Association—she’s built a reputation as someone who doesn’t just understand how things work in San Diego, but how to actually move them forward.
In this episode of Dear San Diego, Tony Manolatos and guest co-host Elizabeth Wilberg sit down with Aimee to talk about what it really takes to lead under pressure—and why some of the region’s biggest challenges remain so difficult to solve.
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Welcome to Dear San Diego & ECS Community Impact
00:04:17 – Introducing Aimee Faucett: From City Hall to Housing Leadership
00:09:03 – Early Life, SDSU, and a Career in Public Affairs
00:13:00 – Inside the Mayor’s Office: Pressure, Crisis, and Leadership
00:17:20 – COVID Response and Managing Citywide Challenges
00:19:39 – Leadership Styles: Jerry Sanders vs. Kevin Faulconer
00:28:10 – San Diego’s Housing Crisis: Policy, Politics, and Reality
00:35:21 – Leading the Building Industry: Solutions Over Complaints
00:38:20 – Women in Leadership: Challenges, Mentorship, and Growth
00:43:53 – Is San Diego on the Right Track? Final Thoughts & Predictions
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
27 Mar 2026
Deacon Jim Vargas on Homelessness, Hope, and the Human Beings Behind the Crisis
Deacon Jim Vargas, CEO of Father Joe’s Villages, joins Dear San Diego for a powerful conversation about homelessness, housing, behavioral health, and what it really takes to move people from the streets to stability.
But this episode goes beyond policy and systems. Deacon Jim shares his journey from the Bronx to San Diego, how faith shaped his path, and why simply saying hello, volunteering, and listening changes how we see people experiencing homelessness.
Chapters:
00:00:00 – Welcome to Dear San Diego + Life Updates
00:02:20 – Introducing Justine Murray & Deacon Jim Vargas
00:04:06 – From the Bronx to San Diego: Jim’s Early Life
00:07:35 – From Banking to Ministry: A Life Pivot
00:11:11 – Leading Father Joe’s Villages
00:14:05 – The Legacy of Father Joe Carroll
00:18:26 – Innovation in Homeless Services
00:21:12 – What Father Joe’s Villages Actually Does
00:27:15 – Measuring Progress & What’s Working
00:39:13 – Behavioral Health Surge & The Human Side of Homelessness
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
16 Oct 2025
Little League & Travel Baseball: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Young baseball players who play with confidence and joy tend to separate themselves from their peers, but the mental side of the game is a constant challenge for players at all levels. The pressure proves to be too much for most kids – the majority of whom quit youth sports (https://ilovetowatchyouplay.com/2018/05/20/how-adults-are-ruining-youth-sports/) by the time they turn 13. Adults often are cited as the reason why. If your son or daughter plays baseball or wants to, this episode is for you. Tune in now to listen to Dear San Diego’s Tony Manolatos discuss all that’s right and wrong with Little League and Travel Baseball. Tony’s wife, Elizabeth Wilberg, and their twin boys, Alex and Nicky, join him on this episode – and their takes are fire!
Don’t forget to follow and subscribe at olasmedia.com (http://olasmedia.com) also subscribe to Baseball Dad & PR Guy (https://tonymanolatos.substack.com/), Tony’s new Substack, and join our FB Group, Travel Baseball Moms & Dads (https://email.mg-d0.substack.com/c/eJx0kDHSpCAQhU8j2W9B2zoQEGwy17AaaJVaBUtgp7z91swmk2zc_d776vNUec3XbVtaYopl4_BTmiv-imeNOYlgp4GWMQi26jFJlKClEXxQ3OeVE19UOcxUv65qMGKzj8GgNCNIJq8RnDeTIgS3GAnaKRLRgoRRSYVS4oS6H3rPUi888aIkEGPo0762kl7UoTzWnyD7N1sl_7v3-RCxzMvFHxZbr8Zit1utZ-mGXx08O3i-Xq9-Ic8u50-ig-d65XaWDp4KtdEGDcIAgDCKs7nZ5-NoKdZ75kRu5_Cv92xuj57eQuYY7DgofGgjLkupbjndB6W8U82lQ3nTlvMHrzQX8kEx2fr9I-p_ZbfC13tATYPEhx6V-GPhbwAAAP__giqK9Q). We’re building a thoughtful community for parents, coaches, and others who love the game.
RESOURCES for Little League and Travel Baseball Parents
Tony: @tonymanolatos (https://www.instagram.com/tonymanolatos/); Substack (https://substack.com/@tonymanolatos?)
Elizabeth: @birdiewilberg (https://www.instagram.com/birdiewilberg/); Substack (https://substack.com/@elizabethwilberg?)
‍Podcasts, Websites
@Mfhannaford (https://www.instagram.com/mfhannaford/#) host of The Most Valuable Agent (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/most-valuable-agent-with-matt-hannaford/id1757332100) Podcast
Talkin Shop with Coach Ballgame (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/talkin-shop-with-coach-ballgame-chop-and-flikke/id1595461779)
Greg Olson’s Youth Inc. (https://www.youth.inc/about)
I Love to Watch You Play (https://ilovetowatchyouplay.com)
Clearing The Bases - Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/clearing-the-bases/id1559817005)
SD CAP in El Cajon
Hitting: @sdcaphitting (https://www.instagram.com/sdcaphitting/)
Hitting and pitching ca_coachtbtbaseball (https://www.instagram.com/ca_coachtbtbaseball/#)
Hitting and fielding: @jalenfejeran (https://www.instagram.com/jalenfejeran/#)
‍Fielding
@_mateomedina_ (https://www.instagram.com/_mateomedina_/#)
@pryordevelopment (https://www.instagram.com/pryordevelopment/#)
@f.a.s.t_developmentsd (https://www.instagram.com/f.a.s.t_developmentsd/#)
‍Hitting
@baseballnotes (https://www.instagram.com/baseballnotes/#)
@Hitting_done_right_hdr (https://www.instagram.com/hitting_done_right_hdr/#)
@yougoprobaseball (https://www.instagram.com/yougoprobaseball/#)
‍Pitching
@mvp_san_diego (https://www.instagram.com/mvp_san_diego/#)
@topvelocity (https://www.instagram.com/topvelocity/#)
@santiagosoldiers (https://www.instagram.com/santiagosoldiers/#)
‍Strength & Conditioning
@1kru_sd (https://www.instagram.com/1kru_sd/#)
@Ericcressey (https://www.instagram.com/ericcressey/#)
@bobbycongalton_1rmperformance (https://www.instagram.com/bobbycongalton_1rmperformance/#)
‍Mental Side of the Game
laurenjohnsonandco.com (https://www.laurenjohnsonandco.com/)
@laurennicolejohnson (https://www.instagram.com/laurennicolejohnson/#)
truemindsets.com (https://truemindsets.com/)
@truemindsets (https://www.instagram.com/truemindsets/#)
‍Misc.
@baseballperformancecenter_ (https://www.instagram.com/baseballperformancecenter_/#)
@chipsperformance (https://www.instagram.com/chipsperformance/#)
@coach.rac (https://www.instagram.com/coach.rac/#)
@michiganskip13 (https://www.instagram.com/michiganskip13/#)
@baseballbatbros (https://www.instagram.com/baseballbatbros/#)
@esim3400 (https://www.instagram.com/esim3400/#)
Here are some notable moments from this episode:
00:00:00 – Welcome to Dear San Diego
00:01:25 – Tony’s Baseball Journey
00:02:45 – The Twins and the Game
00:04:20 – Falling in Love with Baseball Again
00:06:00 – Little League Politics and Drama
00:10:10 – Talking Baseball with Alex
00:12:30 – Nicky’s Perspective
00:15:20 – Elizabeth on Parenting Through Sports
00:23:45 – Travel Ball and the Balance Factor
00:36:20 – Advice, Resources, and Final Thoughts
See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
38
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
32
Contact Dear San Diego
Guest appearances
Books guests
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