The James Protin Podcast

Mike Matesic is President & CEO of Idea Foundry, Inc., is a seasoned business executive experienced in working with businesses at a variety of stages. Over the last 21 years at Idea Foundry, he has invested in and participated in the development of over 300 equitable-based small businesses and innovation-based start-ups, creating jobs in the region. 

Beginning in 2010 Mike led the company's global expansion, opera...

George Robinson II is Director of Supplier Diversity & Inclusion for UPMC.  He joined UPMC in April 2018 to enhance strategic planning and execution in the UPMC Supplier Diversity Program. George brings to this position over 20 years of experience in Business and Engineering Administration, Government Management and Diverse Business Development. 

Prior to joining UPMC, George was responsible for the creation of Develop...

Hollie Geitner believes your story is your gift to the world and leads by the mantra: live with intention; embrace imperfection. 

As director of communications and brand for Duquesne Light Company (DLC), Hollie develops and shares stories to help educate, inform, and inspire their more than 1,800 employees and 600,000 customers in the Pittsburgh region.
 
Prior to her role at DLC, she was vice president, culture an...

Our guest for Episode 128 is Lora McKnight, CEO of vibrantPITTSBURGH, where she leads strategic operations and program development. Lora spearheads initiatives to drive diversity, equity, and inclusion across the Pittsburgh region. With a passion for fostering inclusive practices, Lora has crafted and implemented transformative programs to advance these crucial efforts.
 
Previously contributing to the Immigrants and Intern...

There’s a quote that goes, “Nothing happens to you. Everything happens for you.”

Meet our guest for Episode 127, Thomas Exler. Thomas embodies the spirit of those words. He was born with a rare birth defect called bladder exstrophy. When Thomas counts the many blessings in his life…he includes it. Because of it, and on the whole the blessings have gratefully outweighed all the negatives he has had to personally endure.

Ginger beer that is. Our guest this week is Tyler Lewis, an accomplished marketer and entrepreneur who relocated from New York City to Pittsburgh to help launch Jackworth Ginger Beer, Pennsylvania's first ginger beer brewery. 

As Chief Growth Officer, Tyler is responsible for building the brand throughout Pittsburgh and beyond, with the goal of nationwide distribution. Jackworth Ginger Beer was established in partners...

Adam Conner is the Founder of Authentic Avenue, a B2B media production and creative strategy firm, and he is our guest for Episode 125 of the podcast. Adam attended Loyola Blakefield, a Catholic, college preparatory school in Towson, Maryland before graduating from Harvard in 2014. 

Behind those impressive academic credentials is a bright and inquisitive creative mind that fell in love with the Dramatic Arts. 

You...

Our guest this week on the podcast is Lannette McWilliams. She a native to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a rich family history being deeply rooted in our area. Her and her husband have a sixteen-year-old son and their dog Luna, a black Lab/Weimaraner mix. 

Lannette’s ancestors served in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, landing in Pittsburgh and were awarded property for their service by King Edward II...

Have you met Laura Bright?  She is a seasoned non-profit leader, a Rotarian, and a documentary filmmaker. And that’s just for starters. Whether Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania or Kiserian, Kenya, you will find her 

Our guest for Episode 123 of the Podcast is a true “Jill of all Trades” whose enthusiasm is boundless. She’s bright (no pun intended), funny, passionate, and dedicated. There is nothing she can’t do when she sets her m...

“All the Kings horses, and all the Kings men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

I’m sure you recognize that well-known nursery rhyme from your childhood but our guest this we experienced it in real life. 
While riding his motorcycle, he was the victim of a horrific hit and run accident that left him lying in the street broken and literally dead.

Rodney was brought back to life at the scene and li...

After a promising freshman season at Ringgold HS as a varsity starting quarterback and letterman, Will transferred to Central Catholic (Pittsburgh) to continue his athletic and academic career. 

Will is the first player in WPIAL history to serve as a quarterback at the high schools that produced both Dan Marino and Joe Montana.  

Will is an elite level talent who intends to play in college.  As an honors student, ...

Brian Carothers is a 1998 Montour HS Graduate living in Moon Twp with his wife and 2 kids.

Ed Troup is a 1998 Belle Vernon HS Graduate living in Cecil Twp with his wife and 2 kids. 

The fellas met and graduated in 2002 with a Broadcasting degree from Point Park University. They hosted a weekly radio show together, Brian/Ed/Ed/Brian. They have been best friends since. Brian has been a full-time REALTOR for 14 years...

Ebtehal Badawi, an esteemed expressionist artist and dedicated culture explorer, embodies the transformative power of art. Her fervent belief in art as a potent healer and a bridge-builder has been a source of inspiration for many. Through the Pittsburgh Builds Bridges project, she has crafted art installations that not only unite the community but also promote love and acceptance.

Ebtehal's remarkable journey and her...

Our guests for Episode 118 are three young student athletes from our region, Caleb Horner, Collin Moffett, and Anthony Bonari. They are members of the Team USA U16 Ball Hockey tram that is traveling to Slovakia in a few weeks to compete in the world championships.

Caleb and Collin are from Belle Vernon and in the 11th grade a Belle Vernon Area HS, while Anthony is from West Newton and attends Yough Area HS. These guys are ...

Our guest for Episode 117 is Jaime Chesney. 

Jaime has excelled in a variety of roles in her professional life, including Vice President of Sales and Digital Marketing, New Business Development Director, Sales Director, Executive Advertising Consultant, Account Executive, Digital Media Specialist, Keynote Speaker, and Inside Sales Trainer. 

Her expertise spans industries such as advertising, marketing, real estate...

Because our guest for Episode 116, Sydnee Bagovich has a number of interests and roles, she operates under the title “Connector for Good.” 

All of her roles do just that:

As an account manager for Vitalant (formerly Central Blood Bank), she connects with people to host and support blood drives.

As the co-founder of People Connectors, she connects good people for good events in cool spaces. All events incl...

Individually, our guests for Episode 115 of the Podcast are Shawn Leopardi, President of Core3 Group, and Antonino Febbraro, President of Febbraro Media Company. 

Together, they are the hosts of the Boss Juice Podcast. Join us as we discuss all things podcasting, marketing, and entrepreneurship. 

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. 

Our guest for Episode 114, Lorenzo Altobelli believes that the impact we make on others shapes our legacy. As the owner and barber at LA Fades in North Belle Vernon, Lorenzo is dedicated to giving back to his community. 

His mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives, one haircut at a time.

Lorenzo believes a barber can change lives by providing more than just a haircut. They often serve as confida...

Our guest for Episode 113 of the podcast is Virginia Monaghan. Virginia is a Mon Valley kid, born to a loving Italian-American family in Donora, Pennsylvania. 

She graduated for Donora High School in 1964 and went on to California State Teachers College with a Bachelors Degree in secondary education in 1968. Then this Mon Valley kid set off on a more than 30 year career teaching a couple generations of Mon Valley kids at M...