All Things Local

Welcome to episode number 11 of the All Things Local Podcast. On this episode, I speak with Michelle Donahoe, Executive Director of the DeKalb County History Center. She shares her journey as a public history student, as a volunteer, and now leading an organization that reaches across the county, preserving and sharing our county’s history. During this pandemic, the History Center reminds us all that history happens every day and encourages residents to share their stories, to document what’s going on in the world around them for future generations. I want to remind everyone that Give DeKalb County is May 7 and encourage you to make any size donation to any of the over 100 participating nonprofits. This is a critical time for nonprofits as programs and fundraising events have been cancelled, while many of them are seeing increased demand for their services. Share what you can and support Give DeKalb County on May 7. On behalf of these organizations and the people they serve, thank you. Enjoy this podcast episode and stay well.

Jo-Anne Stately is the Director of Impact Strategy for the Minneapolis Foundation in Minnesota.  She kicked off the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies' 2020 Research Colloquium series on February 12 speaking about Native American philanthropy.  This recording was made with a live audience so I apologize in advance for the audio quality.

I hope you enjoy this second part of my interview with the police chiefs of DeKalb and NIU.  In this part of our interview, both chiefs talk about their department’s collaboration with nonprofits, about very specific events that turned them towards making a career in law enforcement, and then we get into a discussion of mental health issues facing first responders. I am editing this episode as we are all dealing with the disruption to our daily lives and the serious health consequences of the coronavirus. This episode is dedicated to all of those public servants, health care workers, and business employees that are risking their own lives and their family’s lives in order to help the rest of us stay healthy and safe. Take care everyone and enjoy the episode!

On this episode, I speak with Chief Tom Phillips of the NIU Police Department and Interim Chief of Police for the City of DeKalb, John Petragallo. We discuss their relationship with each other, to their communities, how they arrived at their positions and why did they go into police work in the first place. We are reminded how the city and the university are intricately linked, tied together, interdependent.  Because of our lengthy and candid conversation, this podcast will actually be split up in two parts. Enjoy this first part.

Welcome to episode number 7 of the All Things Local Podcast. On this episode, I speak with Lynnea Erickson-Laskowski from Safe Passage, DeKalb County’s domestic violence and sexual assault crisis center.  Lynnea shares her journey from student to advocate. She reminds us that sexual assault and domestic violence does not discriminate by income, ethnicity, race, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Safe Passage works with so many entities to support their clients and could use our community’s help so think about volunteering, donating funds or items they are in need of, like gas gift cards especially as we come into the holiday season. Enjoy the episode!

Welcome to Episode number 6 of the All Things Local Podcast, and my second in my new role as acting director of the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies. In this episode, I interview Amanda Christenson the Superintendent of the DeKalb County Regional Office of Education. Although she has an extensive teaching background, you might be surprised at what she really wanted to be when she grew up. Hint, it wasn’t a teacher. She does her work with a social justice lens.  The regional office of education does so much behind the scenes for DeKalb County children and I hope you learn as much as I did.  We hear about the extent of collaboration with nonprofits and governments to carry out the vision and mission of the ROE.  Enjoy the episode!

Welcome to Episode number 5 of the All Things Local Podcast, and my first in my new role as acting director of the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies. In this episode, we learn all about the Egyptian Theatre from its executive director Alex Nerad. The Egyptian supports the quality of life of this region which attracts residents, businesses, and visitors.  You might be surprised to know that the Egyptian Theatre has a $2 million direct economic impact every year, thanks to the 40,000 visitors to the theatre and it will turn 90 years old in December.  Alex reminds us that the theatre is a community centre, welcoming all generations, from all walks of life. It’s where community conversations happen. Hear about exciting plans ahead with a $4.5 million renovation. Enjoy the episode!

On this episode, I interview Dan Templin from the DeKalb County Community Foundation, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. Growing up in Peoria, we’ll hear how Dan spent his time at Northern volunteering with local nonprofits and then graduating with a degree in psychology. Eventually administration found him very early in his career, first at the Dekalb County Youth Service Bureau when he became an executive director at just 26, and then he jumped at the chance to get involved in the nonprofit sector more broadly by moving to the DeKalb County Community Foundation.  He truly loves working in what he calls the field of generosity. 

In this episode, number 3 of the All Things Local podcast, I speak with Dan Kenney, Founder and Executive Director of the DeKalb County Community Gardens  https://www.dekalbgardens.org.  We hear about his childhood experiences growing up in a farming family, his passion for social justice sparked by Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King in the 1960s, and how he sees access to food as a social justice issue. We learn how government, nonprofits and individuals have come together to address issues in the Annie Glidden North Neighborhood in DeKalb through community engagement. Dan challenges all of us to see people for people, not others, not them and us. He truly believes in service to others. I know you’ll enjoy this episode!

Welcome to episode number 2 of the All Things Local Podcast. On this episode, I speak with Deanna Cada from the DeKalb County Mental Health Board. We learn about what the mental health board actually does in our community to improve access to mental health services and the overall quality of life for all residents. Hear about the new Mental Health Court, mental health first aid, and how the mental health board responds during a disaster such as the tornado in Fairdale. Deanna offers tips to those studying or working in local government. She shares memorable stories that affected her own commitment to public service and she even shares lessons from her first job at Dunkin Donuts, reminding us how important relationships are as well as the importance of looking at any situation from multiple perspectives. 

On this first episode, I am joined by Paul LaLonde, Vice President of Operations and Human Resources for the Voluntary Action Center.  Paul graduated with an MPA from Northern Illinois University in 2009.  He discussed his career path in public service, as well as his organization’s role in providing public transportation across five counties in Northern Illinois.   Paul notes that transit "is a perfect example of governance in action" as VAC works with all levels of government.