My SGV Podcast

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with D. Michael Hamner, FAIA, an architect, educator, and longtime community leader whose story starts in East Los Angeles and runs straight through Montebello and the University of Southern California. We talk about what it means to build a career that blends design, teaching, and service, while staying rooted in the communities that shaped you.

Michael shares his journey as a pro...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Emanuel Griffin, the founder of Heart2Soul Legacy, an organization built to help people navigate life’s toughest transitions through coaching, facilitation, and leadership development

Emanuel shares how his background in theology and his real world work inside the prison system, treatment centers, and with at risk youth shaped the way he communicates. He has a gift for making ...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Alex Cheah, a plastic surgeon who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and took a long road through elite training before bringing his work back to Southern California. We talk about his early years in the SGV, how sports shaped his discipline, and why he always felt pulled toward a career that combined precision, results, and service.

Alex walks me through the evolution of h...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Manuel “Mano” Agulian, known to many as Pastor Mano, a Pasadena based pastor who leads the Armenian Christian Outreach at PazNaz and serves in Armenian Ministries. 

We talk about his story of leaving Beirut, Lebanon and coming to the United States during the civil war, and how that journey shaped his faith, his family, and the way he thinks about purpose. We also get into what...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Edward Maldonado, better known as Coach Buck, the owner of Marathon Batting Cages in South El Monte. We talk about his coaching journey and what it means to build athletes the right way, with patience, consistency, and real belief in the kid standing in front of you.

Coach Buck shares what he looks for when a player walks into the cage for the first time, how he simplifies the...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Lupita Ramirez and Dennis Ramirez, the husband and wife team behind Think, Create & Connect, Inc., a family owned creative marketing agency that helps businesses strengthen their online presence through brand strategy, social media management, and creative campaigns.

We talk about what it takes to elevate a brand when you are busy running the day to day of your business. D...

Send us a text

In this episode, I sit down with Shaunt Der Ohannesian, the son of Shahan Der Ohannesian and part of the family behind Lee’s Hoagie House in Pasadena. Lee’s has become a true neighborhood staple, and Shaunt now helps run day to day operations while carrying forward what makes the place feel like home. 

Shaunt opens up about his journey through addiction, and how the loss of his best friend became the turning point that...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of a producer, creative, father, and entrepreneur who blends music, storytelling, and authentic Hawaiian food. Born and raised in Pepe‘ekeo, Hawai‘i and rooted in values of aloha and community, he moved to the San Gabriel Valley in 2008 to pursue audio engineering. An internship with Doggystyle Records opened doors to collaborations with Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, and Jay Rock. By 2015 he began relea...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of a first-generation Chinese American filmmaker whose roots in Alhambra and the San Gabriel Valley shape every frame she makes. With a psychology degree from UCLA and a name honoring her parents’ immigration lawyer, she crafts grounded family dramas with a hint of fantasy—stories of resilience, friendship, and hope drawn from the immigrant communities she grew up around.

She’s directed 13 short films ...

Send us a text

Here’s a conversation with a restaurant growth operator who’s spent 20+ years at the intersection of dining, loyalty, and partnerships. From helping launch LivingSocial’s first outside sales footprint to expanding Square’s Caviar gourmet delivery in Downtown LA, he’s now at Rewards Network, where he runs dining programs for major brands across airlines, hotels, and wireless. The focus: predictable traffic, measurable ...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of a San Gabriel Valley nonprofit turning loss into action. Based in Covina, the Man-e Moreno Foundation was created after the death of Manuel Joseph Moreno, transforming a family tragedy into a mission to serve youth and support families affected by violence. The focus is whole-person impact—meeting physical, mental, and academic needs while strengthening community ties.

At the center of its work is t...

Send us a text

Here’s a conversation with a broadcast veteran who’s spent nearly 30 years in large-market media—hosting radio, interviewing icons like Eminem, Mike Tyson, Jim Brown, and Kendrick Lamar, and now operating on the executive side with a global music brand. He helped pioneer the shift from traditional radio to YouTube, building on-air personalities into on-screen creators and translating audience habits into sustainable d...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of a San Gabriel Valley daughter who turned community roots into a career of service. Raised in Monterey Park and Montebello, she grew up at Robert Hill Lane, Macy Intermediate, and Schurr High—so the SGV isn’t just a place, it’s her identity. After a brief move to Chino Hills, she came home so her three kids could grow up in the same tight-knit neighborhoods, splitting time between Brightwood Element...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of an SGV native building community through coffee. Raised in Covina and West Covina and now rooted in Pasadena, Melissa Spolar blends events, marketing, nonprofit work, and café culture to connect neighbors and small businesses. She created the Pasadena Coffee Passport to spotlight the city’s specialty shops and invite locals and visitors to explore together.

Her community-building chops were sharpene...

Send us a text

Here’s the story behind a multi-Emmy-winning journalist whose roots run deep in the San Gabriel Valley. Raised by a family that fled Vietnam, she grew up in local neighborhoods, went to San Gabriel High, and learned early how community shapes character. Those SGV years—family hustle, public schools, and a love for Dodgers and Lakers seasons—set the tone for a life built on curiosity, resilience, and service.

Her career...

Send us a text

Here’s a conversation with a lifelong civic servant whose roots run from Monterey Park to Pomona and the San Gabriel Valley. With decades in urban planning and community development, he brings a ground-level view of how cities actually work—housing, zoning, economic development, schools, and the partnerships that make neighborhoods thrive. He currently serves on the Pomona City Council and has spent years volunteering...

Send us a text

Here’s the story of a radical preacher and Christian hip-hop artist from Rosemead in the SGV whose life was changed by a powerful encounter with Jesus. He shares how he was healed from an “incurable” mental illness, received a new purpose, and set out to reach the streets, homes, and the hearts of the broken with the gospel. From local roots to West Coast impact, his mission is simple: make Jesus known.

We talk about t...

Send us a text

Here’s a conversation with a seasoned UI/UX designer and design strategist with 20+ years of experience building products used by millions. Her portfolio spans Google, PayPal, CBS Interactive, Fox Broadcasting Company, and Warner Music Group. She leads with empathy and business clarity—using research-driven decisions to ship smart, simple solutions that serve users and goals.

We unpack how to turn complexity into clari...

Send us a text

Here’s the story behind B Nutritious, a Southern California meal-prep brand built on a real transformation. After years in a desk-bound insurance role, Brian Nguyen gained weight, discovered Muay Thai, and went deep on nutrition to rebuild his health—dropping 80 pounds in the process. Friends and family started asking for his Asian-inspired, macro-friendly meal plans, and a personal habit turned into a business focuse...