This week, we're speaking with radio broadcaster Neal Augenstein. Neal has been a general assignment reporter with the Washington DC radio station WTOP News since 1997 and is also a multimedia journalist and mobile journalism trainer. Because of his unique voice and insightful storytelling, he has been dubbed the “Voice of DC."

In November of 2022, Neal was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, which for many can be incurable. But after a robotic-assisted lobectomy and targeted therapy, Neal is now, thankfully, cancer free. Since November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, we asked if Neal could join us to discuss his cancer journey from diagnosis to treatment. What's unique about his journey is that there's been a wide audience following him on his road to recovery as he's explained every milestone.

Neal has produced videos in which he interviewed his own care team: the oncologist, the director of thoracic surgery at the hospital where he was treated, and his interventional pulmonologist, who helped translate complex medical jargon into easily-understood messages.

Connect with Neal by visiting the WTOP website, or by finding him on Instagram, Twitter/X (@AugensteinWTOP), YouTube, or LinkedIn.

This week, we're speaking with Júlíus Ingi Jónsson, CEO and Founder of Iceland's Lava Show. Júlíus and his wife Ragga have created what's billed as the world's only live lava show, and on this episode we talk about Iceland's ever-changing landscape of fire and ice. After that, we get into how Júlíus and his team took the Lava Show from just an idea to an ever-growing business, and, above all, how he conveys the mysteries of volcanoes to lay audiences across Iceland.

On this episode of The Dragon Tree Podcast, we're speaking with board search extraordinaire Christal M. Cherry. She's Principal & CEO of The Board Pro, an organization that has helped boards of directors diversify and strengthen their membership – and to learn more about themselves and others in the process.

Christal works with nonprofits, corporations, and universities who want to modernize their boards to better resemble their clientele. Drawing on her background of 25 years as a fundraiser, consultant, DEI Specialist, and certified leadership coach, she collaborates with CEOs, board chairs, and future board members to drive highly-effective and impactful results.

She is an author and sought-after presenter on topics like equitable board governance; recruitment; and diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Christal thinks your age shouldn't be an obstacle either; in fact, she points out that a varied age cohort has just as much business joining boards as other seasoned professionals, since they frequently bring a fresh and out-of-the-box perspective to a rapidly-changing landscape.

Christal has advised many well known organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, the Boys & Girls Club, UNCF, and Emory University. And, walking the walk, she serves on the board of directors for several nonprofits, along with having founded and serving as the current Chair of the Board of Directors for a nonprofit called Fabulous Female Fundraisers Inc., or F3.