Stories from the Center of the Universe

Episode 63: Thomas Leachman

Thomas Leachman has an affinity for doing things a little differently, be it from his days barefoot kicking on his college football team, to being one of the few proud UMBC fans courtside on the day of their fateful win over UVA. Thomas joined us to talk about growing up here in Ashland, his love of sports that led him to starting his own remarkable basketball event marketing company, and adventures in his current work as a relocation consultant, such as what to do when a moving container filled with expensive furniture goes down in the open ocean.

Episode 62: God Grew Tired of Us

"As one of the 27,000 “Lost Boys of Sudan”, John Dau has experienced challenges that most people could never imagine. As a young man, he fled his home during the Second Sudanese Civil War, spending much of his adolescence as a refugee fleeing hostile militias, fighting against extreme hunger and thirst, and leading thousands of young boys just like him across hundreds upon hundreds of miles in search of safety.

Today, John Dau is a compelling motivational speaker whose life is defined by his uncompromised commitment to having a lasting impact on the future of his native country." [1]

In our conversation, John recounts his incredible story for us, and his activities since, including founding the John Dau foundation, which provides crucial medical and nutritional services to the citizens of South Sudan. To get involved and donate, please visit johndaufoundation.org.

[1] https://johndaufoundation.org/

Episode 61: McB

Darren McBurnett AKA McB is a former Navy SEAL and author of Uncommon Grit, a photography book documenting the famous and notoriously difficult Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL training. We had a great conversation covering McB's upbringing, his thoughts on BUD/S, some of his experiences in the SEAL Teams, and how his instagram has become a uniting refuge from the divisive norm. To find out more about him and to buy his book, check out dmcburnett.com.

Episode 60: Zachariah Hani Jambo

Zachariah Hani Jambo is currently a student at the African Leadership University in Kigali, Rwanda. He was born in Khartoum, Sudan, although he is of South Sudanese origin - specifically, of the Moru tribe. His family moved to Cairo, Egypt when he was just three, and he grew up there under tenuous circumstances - for example, he and his family had to avoid the Egyptian authorities until his father, a professor, was able to secure a registration with the UNHCR. He went on from Cairo to study at the African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg, South Africa, and had a brief stint in Uganda before ending up in Kigali. This episode, Zach tells us about his life so far, his travels, adventures, and hopes for his future. 

Episode 59: Belfast to Bama

Jamie Malaugh is a Northern Irishman from England who, in a serious culture change, ended up moving to Alabama as a teenager. He realized he was pretty good at math from a young age, and ended up getting his undergrad, master's, and PhD in Mathematics from the University of Alabama at Birmingham by the remarkable young age of 24. This episode we talk about all of that, his family, and his love for both Rugby and American Football.

Episode 58: The First 50 Lookback

This is a lookback on the first 50 episodes that we recorded and ideas for the future, along with some general conversation. Featuring Katy De Koning and Roger Lee.

Episode 57: Cheron Smalls

This episode we have Cheron Smalls on the show to share her refreshingly positive perspectives on things. Having led a 20+ year career in HR, she talks about why good HR is crucial for people and companies, what she loves about her work, and some common misconceptions people have about HR. We also hear from her on what it’s like being an older mom, and how she navigates raising black children. Finally, Cheron stands out from the crowd with her optimistic and positive attitude surrounding the year 2020, an attitude we certainly welcomed.

Episode 56: Tim Malamphy

Tim Malamphy is a pinball lover and statistics enthusiast who enjoys the thrill of casinos, horse races, and odds games. Tim is also a volunteer mentor at Richmond's Swansboro elementary school. This episode, we hear about Tim's life, some of his stories, including how he grew up with eccentric golfer John Daly, and more. 

Pictured: The Malamphy Family (L-R: Daniel, Tim, Wendy, Annie, and Brian)

Episode 55:Kyle Stephenson

Kyle Stephenson is a real estate entrepreneur and former football player for the University of Pennsylvania. This episode we talk about Kyle’s origins as a first generation Jamaican American, life in NJ, football, and how he got started with his first property that led to a 30 year career and a successful real estate company.

Episode 54: Mohammed Saeed

Mohammed Saeed served as an interpreter for the US Army for 7.5 years throughout the Iraq war. Born in Najaf, Iraq, Mohammed moved around the country during his upbringing, before eventually following his younger brother's lead in becoming a translator. After his years of service, he was able to leave for the United States in 2012, and became a citizen in 2018. He now happily lives and works as a salesman in Williamsburg VA.

Mohammed talks to us about his journey, his perspective on Sunni and Shi'i sects, the Kurdish people, the war, Saddam Hussein, Judo (of which he is a black belt), and other elements of Iraqi culture and history.