PERSONAL VERITAS: Harvard alumni reflect on life's twists and turns and the impact they hope to have on the world

About PERSONAL VERITAS: Harvard alumni reflect on life's twists and turns and the impact they hope to have on the world

Twenty-five years after graduating from Harvard College, members of the Class of 1997 come together in this series of conversations to reconnect, share stories, and reflect on lessons learned outside of the classroom. Hear from this cohort of diverse classmates about how their lives have unfolded and where they find themselves now. What was it like arriving at Harvard all those years ago? How does the privilege of a Harvard education and degree impact opportunities and decisions after graduation? How do perspectives on success and personal values evolve over time? What is the legacy we desire to build on the foundation of the privileges we have received? Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

Publisher

Harvard Radcliffe Class of 1997

Category

education · health & fitness · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Apr 2022

Latest episode

15 Jul 2022

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   15 Jul 2022

   Lindsey Turrentine on parenting, her son’s trans journey, and her unusually long media career

   Lindsey Turrentine is a journalist, media executive, and mom. She has worked for the same employer since 1999, making her a near-record holder among alumni of the Harvard class of ‘97 in this regard. Lindsey is also a mom of boys. Her 16-year-old son came out as transgender at the start of the pandemic, a moment that has been affirming in many ways not only for him but also for his family and community. He graciously agreed that Lindsey could share his story so we can all learn from their journey of making sure our kids can be exactly who they are meant to be. In this episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, Lindsey and classmate and fellow Crimson editor Corinne Hammons talk about Lindsey’s son’s story, parenthood, and how we live dynamic and compassionate lives 25 years post-college. The music for this episode was written and performed by Lindsey’s partner, Mike, who composed this song for Lindsey’s son around the time he came out. BIOS Lindsey Turrentine is a media nerd who has had the unique privilege of working for the same brand for most of the 25 years since we graduated. She used to call herself a journalist, but now she’s technically a media executive who runs content and audience strategy for CNET. Mom of two teenage boys, one still at home and one off at college, Lindsey got a bit of a head start on the kid thing. She has learned a lot about – and is still learning – about how different members of the same family can be and how much texture and love a diverse family can generate. Lindsey lives in Berkeley, California with her boys, her partner and his teenage son, and their two cats. She bakes a lot and tries not to eat too much of what she bakes, but usually fails at restraint. She’s also increasingly into strength training, much to her own surprise. Corinne Hammons has spent most of the 25 years since Harvard leading charitable human services work in New York, including the response to 9/11, Superstorm Sandy, and Covid. For the past seven years she has been the President & CEO of Little Flower, a historic child welfare organization which provides residential and community services for both children and adults. She loves non-profit strategy, risk management, and governance - the latter of which leads her to enjoy serving on and leading nonprofit boards. She is most recently past board President of the Collaborative for Children and Families (New York’s downstate children’s health home) and Harbor Country Day School, from which her daughters are both proud alums. She lives in East Setauket, NY with her husband Lee, daughters Caroline & Grace, rescue dog Graham, and bunny Wafer Simmons Hammons. Her hobbies include writing, yoga, and beginner guitar. She has read every issue of PEOPLE magazine since January 1986. CREDITS Executive Producer: Shauna Springer Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Michael Andrews, IG: @experimental397 Art: Kate Isenberg Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

2. 

   30 Jun 2022

   Andrew Sachs on filming during the pandemic, winning an Oscar, and losing his Dad

   Andrew Sachs was a VES major (Art, Film and Visual Studies) at Harvard who went on to become a producer of film and television and whose recent work includes two documentary series for Netflix: Heist (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14865290/?ref_=nmbio_mbio) (2021) and We Are the Champions (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12409154/?ref_=nmbio_mbio) (2020), as well as the Oscar-winning live action short film Two Distant Strangers (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13472984/?ref_=nmbio_mbio) (2020). When the pandemic hit, Andrew and his team had to make some difficult, high-stakes choices. Andrew led on creating health and safety protocols that allowed the productions to film safely, as well as solutions to enable remote editing and color mastering. In this interview with Harvard classmate Larry Huynh, Andrew reflects on emotional and technical challenges of navigating the pandemic through his role as a film producer. BIOS Andrew Sachs fell in love with filmmaking at Harvard, and after graduating worked his way up the ranks on film crews to become a Director of Photography. He brought his passion for the craft to shooting music videos, independent feature films, commercials, and documentaries. Around the time his first child was born, he birthed a production company and started to both produce and shoot corporate communications, branded content, music videos, and experimental feature films. Looking to grow as a producer and collaborate to tell stories that would have wider social impact, he joined a larger production company as they embarked on their first documentary series. He helped expand the production capacity of the company and eventually became head of production. He is currently a producer on a premium documentary series for Showtime. Andrew lives in Los Angeles with his wife and two kids and loves hiking and camping with his family. After graduating from Harvard, Larry Huynh went to San Francisco for love and work. After meeting in the Harvard Glee Club, Brent Blackaby '96 and Larry now share two amazing kids through surrogacy and live way up in the Berkeley Hills. He dreads joining the PTA, knowing he will be sitting in the back corner complaining about the annoying parents (or will he be the annoying parent?). For the last two decades, Larry has run a digital marketing firm specializing in political campaigns and corporate public affairs. The struggle to make the world better is real. As crazy as his home state is, Larry will love Texas forever and cheers for the Astros, Rockets, and Longhorns when his kids allow him to turn off Paw Patrol. CREDITS Executive Producer: Shauna Springer Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Art: Kate Isenberg Music: Too Late for Tears Written by Andrea Litkei and Ervin Litkei Courtesy of APM Music Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

3. 

   17 Jun 2022

   José Padilla on the fear of death and a life without regrets

   In this episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, former college roommates and longtime friends José Padilla and Marios Broustas talk about how the fear of death can actually inspire, and often ensure, a meaningful life. BIOS José Padilla (http://linkedin.com/in/jpadilla2000) is a father and husband to his wife from Siberia and four children, as well as a corporate lawyer running his own firm, Padilla Law (https://padilla.law/) in San Antonio, TX. José was the first in his family to finish elementary school, ending up at Harvard College and later the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Since graduating, he has lived in New York City, Philadelphia, Austin, Washington, D.C., Dallas, Las Vegas, and, now, San Antonio. He ran for U.S. Congress while living in Las Vegas and is an avid traveler who speaks five languages and has already visited more than 60 countries and aspires to reach every country one day. Marios Broustas lives in Geneva with his wife and two children. While he worked on the Harvard Crimson all four years of college and thought he’d become a journalist after graduation, he ultimately pivoted to pursue a business path. After a career in finance in London and New York, he is now head of strategy in a family-owned Swiss company that sells fragrances and flavors around the world. CREDITS Executive Producer: Ann Elisabeth Samson Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Rachel Garlin Art: Kate Isenberg SONG Night Time Words, music, guitar, voice: Rachel Garlin (ASCAP) Recorded and mixed by Ron Alan Cohen Most people who know me Would say that I smile a lot I’m a positive optimist slowly Metabolizing all his fear that I’ve got When I get older Maybe I’ll grow out of it And get used to the fact that this life is finite And the only wild card that you get We’re all driven by something If we’re lucky we’re inspired I think about death quite a bit Usually at night time My grandma on the mountain Some days I still grieve her And I never lost trust in what I was told Of the story of Julius Cesar He stood at the statue In the apocryphal tale Came to realize the number of years that we get Has nothing to do with what’s fair We’re all driven by something If we’re lucky we’re inspired I think about death quite a bit Usually at night time Oooh, oooh, oooh Oooh, oooh, oooh No family before me Wore a cap and gown No one finished up elementary school Or traveled away from this town And that just makes me grateful For the past that I had Our house was the smallest, but we didn’t notice You compare, you despair, then you’re dead We’re all driven by something If we’re lucky we’re inspired I think about death quite a bit Usually at night time Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

4. 

   2 Jun 2022

   Kevin Krim & Kate Schutt on grief, hope and the incredible human spirit

   In this episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, classmates Kevin Krim and Kate Schutt have an incredibly intimate conversation about grief, hope, and the incredible human spirit that enables us to keep going in the midst of painful and unthinkable losses: the sudden and tragic murder of Kevin’s children Lulu and Leo in 2012, and the expected but still surprising loss of Kate’s mom from cancer in 2015 after she spent 5 years as her primary caregiver. Both turned to creativity in the wake of these losses and share in this episode how the act of creation, for themselves and others, can be an incredible source of healing. BIOS Kevin Krim (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinkrim/) is a father, husband and veteran digital media executive. Kevin is currently the CEO of EDO, Inc. (https://www.edo.com/), a data measurement and analytics company for marketing, research and creative pros. He previously served as general manager and senior vice president of CNBC Digital, and has also served in leadership positions with Bloomberg, Yahoo!, LiveJournal.com, LookSmart Ltd., and McKinsey & Company. Kevin is the chairman of the Lulu & Leo Fund, a non-profit co-founded with his wife, Marina, in memory of two of his children lost in a 2012 tragedy. The fund’s flagship initiative Choose Creativity (https://choosecreativity.org) has grown into an inspirational global movement and set of curricula and training programs serving educators and children. Kevin earned an A.B. in economics from Harvard College. He lives in New York City with his family. Kate Schutt (https://www.kateschutt.com/) is an award-winning singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer whose voice NPR calls “glassily clear and glossily sweet.” Kate’s songs have won top honors from the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and ASCAP. American Songwriter (https://americansongwriter.com/review-with-touching-tales-about-life-and-loss-kate-schutts-bright-nowhere-casts-light-on-a-particularly-sad-scenario/) calls Kate’s newest album, Bright Nowhere, “illuminating” and “the work that ought to bring her the wider recognition she so decidedly deserves.” Kate has shared stages with Terri Lyne Carrington, Bill Frisell, Julian Lage, Scott Colley, and Bernard Perdie, to name only a few. When not making music, Kate is a change coach who specializes in helping people navigate pivotal, powerful moments of transition: being ready to die, creating new careers, starting (or growing) businesses, and chasing Olympic medals. Her TEDx talk (https://www.ted.com/talks/kate_schutt_a_grief_casserole_how_to_help_your_friends_family_through_loss?language=en) has over 60,000 views and has been called “nothing short of life- changing” for people struggling with grief and loss. CREDITS Executive Producer: Sally Wolf Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Kate Schutt Art: Kate Isenberg SONG Carrying On Without You - Kate Schutt Carrying on without you is exactly that Carrying on without you is exactly that Without you I don’t want the grief to end, if it makes me someone new I don’t want the grief to end, if it makes me someone new Without you Time does me in Breathe out, breathe in By now I’ve made a home here in this empty place No dust, no fire, no color wheel, no saving grace Without you Time does me in Breathe out, breathe in Carrying on without you is exactly that Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

5. 

   19 May 2022

   Shauna ‘Doc’ Springer on close relationships, critical life decisions, and healing from trauma

   Shauna ‘Doc’ Springer is a licensed psychologist with expertise in trauma and close relationships who has become a trusted Doc to our nation’s warfighters and first responders. She is an award-winning podcast host, frequent media source, and best-selling author of three books focused on our military and first responder communities. The first 10 years of Springer’s career were focused on close relationships. As part of this, in 2008, she polled a sample of more than 1200 women, mostly Harvard alumni, who were establishing their lives just after graduation from college. In this episode, she explores these survey results with her Harvard College roommate, Carmen O’Shea. They discuss participants’ views on marriage, their ratings of relationship satisfaction, decisions about having children or not, attitudes towards work, and the most personal challenges facing this sample of recent Harvard graduates in 2008. Throughout the conversation, Shauna and Carmen openly reflect on their own career and personal life decisions. Shauna also shares insights on trauma and healing based on her work at the extremes, with individuals exposed to unimaginable trauma. She discusses the cutting edge of innovation in trauma care, as part of her co-founding role in a company that has launched more than 50 trauma-focused treatment clinics across the United States, Australia, and Israel. Finally, she considers her greatest lessons learned and her individual perspective on what creates real wealth and a deeply meaningful life. BIOS Shauna ‘Doc’ Springer (https://www.docshaunaspringer.com/) is a licensed psychologist, keynote speaker, award-winning podcast host, frequently requested media source, and one of the world's leading experts on psychological trauma, military transition, suicide prevention, and close relationships. She married her Harvard College sweetheart (Utaka Springer, class of ’99) and they are raising their two children in the California Bay Area. Shauna remembers her time at Harvard as some of the best years of her life, and contributes to Harvard in diverse ways, as a “resident class psychologist,” reunion planner, 20th reunion panel host, alumni interviewer, and now executive producer of the “PERSONAL VERITAS” podcast series in honor of the Class of ’97 25th reunion. Carmen O’Shea (https://www.parentresourceadvisors.com/): After graduating from Harvard, Carmen was commissioned as a Lieutenant and spent 7 years with the Air National Guard part-time while simultaneously beginning her business career. For the first two decades of her non-military career, she worked as an executive in the corporate world, in senior consulting, strategy, marketing, and HR roles. 2 years ago, she pivoted to seek more meaning and purpose. As part of this, she co-founded a consulting firm called Parent Resource Advisors, focused on supporting parents as they navigate the journeys of their neuro-diverse and gender diverse children. Carmen describes herself as a language geek who loves music, dance, travel, and spending time with her family and friends. CREDITS Interviewer: Carmen O’Shea Executive Producer: Shauna Springer Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Rachel Garlin Art: Kate Isenberg Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

6. 

   5 May 2022

   Colonel David Huang on military life, practicing medicine, and making wine

   After graduating from Harvard College, David Huang felt a pull in two directions - towards practicing medicine and making fine wines. After exploring his options, he pursued a medical degree and a career in the Air Force as a flight surgeon. Following being stationed in Northern California, and now after retirement as a Colonel from the military, David has re-discovered his love of viticulture. He and his wife planted a vineyard in Napa, CA, and David is now the co-owner of David Clinton Wines. As he and his business partner put it, "We created David Clinton Wine Cellars to pursue our mutual passions for making wine and building friendships. Our wines are made by two friends, for friends, to share with friends." In this episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, Dr. David Huang and classmate Dr. Shauna Springer, a psychologist who works with the military, reflect on David's personal and professional developments over the past 25 years. BIOS After his 1997 graduation with a Bachelor's in engineering sciences, David Huang joined the Air Force through the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences military medical school, and became a flight surgeon and psychiatrist. After four wartime deployments to the Middle East and commanding a medical squadron as a Colonel, he retired from the military with 24 years of service. He then moved into civilian medicine, joining Kaiser Permanente in Northern California as a psychiatrist and site department chief, mostly doing hospital consultations. Avocationally, he has pursued enology and viticulture studies, planting a small vineyard next to the forested home he and his wife built, and producing zinfandel wines under his David Clinton Wine Cellars (https://davidclintonwines.com/) label. He loves living in the Napa Valley with his wife Rina and teenage daughter Xochi. Shauna ‘Doc’ Springer (https://www.docshaunaspringer.com/) is a licensed psychologist, keynote speaker, award-winning podcast host, frequently requested media source, and one of the world's leading experts on psychological trauma, military transition, suicide prevention, and close relationships. A Harvard graduate who has become a trusted Doc to our nation’s military warfighters and first responders, she is the author of two best-selling books, WARRIOR and BEYOND THE MILITARY. In her next book, RELENTLESS COURAGE, she tackles the complexity of trauma within the law enforcement community. As Chief Psychologist for STELLA, an innovative healthcare organization with more than 50 clinics across the US and Australia, she advances a new model for treating psychological trauma that combines biological and psychological interventions. CREDITS Executive Producer/Interviewer: Dr. Shauna Springer Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Rachel Garlin Art: Kate Isenberg SONG Labors of Love - Rachel Garlin Some days the clocks release their powers Head down, you’re on the job for hours Doesn’t cross your mind that it’s time to go The night crew asks you why you’re staying No one’s requiring it and no one’s paying You sink into your groove and let the record flow Giving care or making wine Some work outranks the nickel and dime Boundaries blur in the service of your purpose and drive Late in the day, you’re sitting with a friend Filling your glass and taking it in Labors of love, over time We went to work with a sense of duty Came back with reverence for beauty Somewhere beyond the promise of accolades It was never about the abundant supplies We didn’t have a Bandaid to save our lives Sometimes holding a hand is the salve that saves When you're CHORUS Labors of love, labors of love Over time How could it end in an ambulance Despicable acts, callousness The markings of Red Cross are never vague There is no way to make amends Just a moment of silence Every now and then To remember good women and men CHORUS Labors of love, over time Labors of love, over time Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

7. 

   28 Apr 2022

   Crescent Muhammad & George Fatheree on discovering Harvard, dope black lawyering, art, being present and slaying the mid-life crisis dragon

   In this episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, Attorney George Fatheree and Attorney-on-paper-only Crescent Muhammad, discuss acceptance of not being invincible, preserving legacies, and using your superpowers for good. BIOS Crescent Muhammad (https://themadnesscollective.com/) is a Managing Director with the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), a non-profit specializing in diversity, equity and inclusion programming and leadership development training for diverse professionals. Prior to CUP, Crescent was SVP of Development at Marquee Media, where she managed programming material for a new multi-cultural streaming service and led communication efforts for a national launch. She worked at Forward Pass directly under its founder, Oscar®-nominated writer and director, Michael Mann managing daily operations, writer agreements, project development and research, and special events. As a Project Manager for Muse Communications, she executed a joint Black History Month ad campaign with JCPenney and ESSENCE Magazine featuring Black filmmakers. She remains a passionate creative with experience as a blogger, on-air personality, producer and actor. Her work has appeared on TVOne and Lifetime Networks, amongst others. She hosted the digital series unREAL: CrescentSpeak Recap where she unpacked weekly episodes of Lifetime's hit drama UnREAL. During the pandemic she resurrected her co-hosted weekly politics and pop culture talk show, The Madness Collective, which has helped immensely in maintaining her sanity. George Fatheree (https://www.sidley.com/en/people/f/fatheree-iii-george-c) is a partner at Sidley Austin specializing in an array of complex real estate deals, high-profile art transactions as well as advising museums, artists, educational institutions and other non-for-profit organizations in the arts and culture spaces. He was named a 2020 “California Lawyer Attorney of the Year” by the Daily Journal, in recognition of his representation of the J. Paul Getty Trust in acquiring the photography archives of Ebony and Jet magazines. He is currently leading the legal effort for the historic return of the Bruce’s Beach property in Southern California, which was wrongfully taken from the Bruce family in the 1920s. He has also secured reparations for Holocaust survivors; represented the Debbie Allen Dance Academy in its development of a state-of-the-art performing arts academy; advised school districts on education reform issues; and helps special needs students gain access to educational services. He and his wife Azita are collectors of art and vibrant humans who they host regularly. CREDITS Lead Producer: Crescent Muhammad Coordinating Producer: Shauna Springer, Ph.D. Technical Producer: Jen-Chun Chao Music: Jazz Will Art: Kate Isenberg Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

8. 

   18 Apr 2022

   Personal Veritas unveiled: How the podcast series came to be

   In this launch episode of PERSONAL VERITAS, three members of the Class of ’97, Shauna Springer, Ann Elisabeth Stuart Samson, and Sally Wolf, the podcast’s executive producers, share the story behind the stories: how this podcast series came to be, the types of stories you can expect, and our goals for the episodes to come. They also provide brief introductions to the rest of the team: sound/tech guru JC Chao, musical director Rachel Garlin, and design artist Kate Isenberg. Detailed bios for each of the team members appear below. Shauna ‘Doc’ Springer (https://www.docshaunaspringer.com/) is a licensed psychologist, keynote speaker, award-winning podcast host, frequently requested media source, and one of the world's leading experts on psychological trauma, military transition, suicide prevention, and close relationships. A Harvard graduate who has become a trusted Doc to our nation’s military warfighters and first responders, she is the author of two best-selling books, WARRIOR and BEYOND THE MILITARY. In her next book, RELENTLESS COURAGE, she tackles the complexity of trauma within the law enforcement community. As Chief Psychologist for STELLA, an innovative healthcare organization with more than 50 clinics across the US and Australia, she advances a new model for treating psychological trauma that combines biological and psychological interventions. Ann Elisabeth Stuart Samson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/annelisabethsamson?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BUQ8D9Es5QbOdAAZc4GUimw%3D%3D) has built organizations and platforms from the ground up. Her current project is a university-based think tank focused on Canada's future. She began her career working in women’s rights and with CBC television, and launched and ran BabyCenter Canada, a top pregnancy and parenting digital platform for 12 years. A recognized science and health journalist, she edited two best-selling parenting books and appeared on radio and TV across Canada. She studied History and Science at Harvard College and earned a master’s from University of Cambridge (UK) in the History and Philosophy of Science. She has three teenagers, serves on the Harvard Alumni Association Board of Directors, is a volunteer rowing coach, and an avid open water swimmer. Sally Wolf (https://www.sallywolf.com/) is an entrepreneur and speaker who empowers and inspires others to flourish. Her company, LightWorks, guides corporate teams and individual clients toward wellbeing, personal/professional alignment and resilience. Her work integrates her studies at Harvard (AB, psychology) and Stanford (MBA, MA Education), her certifications in positive psychology, coaching, resilience, meditation, and Sparketype advising, and her lived experience with metastatic breast cancer. She also regularly speaks about authenticity, vulnerability, post-traumatic growth, and positivity. A former media executive, Sally created and launched OneFifty, a content incubator for innovative, diverse storytellers. A former camp counselor, Sally still passionately brings childlike wonder, creativity, and community into everything she does, most especially her adventures with her nephew and nieces. Jen-Chun “JC” Chao (https://jcchaosound.com/) is a re-recording mixer and sound designer currently based in New York. With a passion for the craft of sound, he has dedicated his career to audio post-production for film, television, and podcast, and earned a Master’s degree in Music Technology at NYU. His work has been displayed at Phoenix Film Festival, Bushwick Film Festival, and Santa Barbara International Film Festival. In 2020 and 2021 he was awarded Best Sound at the MOD Golden Short Film Festival in Taipei. Rachel Garlin (https://www.rachelgarlin.com/) is a nationally-touring singer-songwriter with eight indie albums in the folk-rock genre. Her interest in people—their stories, struggles, and truths—is at the heart of her work and has been featured in the San Francisco Chronicle, Glide Magazine, and Curve Magazine (“storytelling at its best”). Rachel’s latest album The State That We Are In offers a provocative walk through the personal and political. Rachel lives in San Francisco with her wife and three kids. Kate Isenberg (https://www.kateisenberg.com/) is a cartoonist and an animator whose drawings have appeared in The New Yorker and other magazines. Her comic strip Stewball stars a unicorn-horse poet with an existential dilemma. Kate brought Stewball to the big screen in her animated short film Dear Death, which received a grant from Simpsons creator Matt Groening and screened at festivals worldwide. With an MFA in animation from UCLA, Kate teaches animation and sound design at California College of the Arts. Powered by Firstory Hosting (https://firstory.me)

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Apple Podcasts (US)

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