The James Protin Podcast

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...

Kate Crawford is a nonprofit leader, fierce advocate, digital creator, and more importantly, wife and mother. 

Kate is no stranger to struggle and tragedy in her life. Kate's journey to motherhood led her to find a hope that would carry her through some of her hardest days. All four of her children were treated in the neonatal intensive care unit right after birth due to different complications. Her first daughter sad...

Mom.  Career woman.  Side-hustler.

Rachel Winner wears many hats.  A Pittsburgh native, Rachel is currently the Advertising Director for Pittsburgh City Paper, managing the sales and marketing team.  Pittsburgh City Paper is Pittsburgh’s alternative for news, arts, and entertainment since 1991.  

Winner has been in media sales and management her entire career, including The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, KDKA-Radio, Lam...

Caroline Boyce moved to Pittsburgh from London, England at the age of six and has considered herself a Pittsburgh native ever since. She brings 30 years of experience in leading nonprofit organizations in executive roles and as a change consultant. She began her collaboration with Ryan Shazier in September of 2020, to lead the establishment of the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. 
 
With a BA from Connecticut Co...

Our guest for Episode 109 is Justin Ellis, an Associate Attorney at Zacharia Brown. Justin counsels clients in estate and asset protection planning, Medicaid eligibility for long term care, Veterans’ benefits eligibility, and estate administration. 

He also represents clients in Orphans’ Court litigation, including guardianship proceedings for incapacitated adults. Justin regularly represents hospitals and nursing homes to...

Jessica R. Towhey is an accomplished communications strategist with more than a decade of experience developing and implementing short- and long-term communications strategies. Jessica runs her own strategic media and communications consulting firm, 2e Communications, focusing on media consulting, crisis communications, reputation management, helping clients develop larger platforms for their advocacy, communications and media trai...

Our guest for Episode 106 is Linda Long, currently the Owner/Designer of Long Awaited Design LLC, a full service residential Interior Design company.  She labels herself as a late bloomer because she didn’t go to college until her two children were in school and became a Registered Nurse at age 36. 

She worked for 28 years as a Nurse working in multiple disciplines, including Cardiac, Critical Care, Oncology Research, and ...

Our guest for Episode 105, Jamie Holmes Ward founded Jamie’s Dream Team in 2005 when she was just eighteen (18) years old. 

The mission of Jamie’s Dream Team is to offer hope when there is little, to ease the burden caused by serious illness, injury, disability, trauma, or catastrophic events, and to finally celebrate individual differences by acknowledging dreams as possibilities. 

Jamie was born with a rare diso...

You know my affinity for coffee shops, I’ve always done my best writing…and now interviewing in a local cafe. My friend and Pastor, Tim Burgan and I believe a cup of coffee can change the world. 

Pastor Tim is our guest for Episode 104 of the podcast. Tim is Lead Pastor of the Christian Center Church in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. He is also an important mentor as I walk my spiritual journey. 

With the Full Potent...

Bryan Trilli is a Charleroi HS graduate…yes a Cougar…and foremost expert on the intersection between Faith and AI. He has bought or started 6 different businesses in 5 different industries in 4 different states, from a brick-and-mortar service business to the #1 online company for AI computer vision training in the world, PyImageSearch.com. 

He also runs a successful lead-gen agency, Optimized Marketing. Bryan and his brot...

Our guest for Episode 102 is Olivia Behanna. 
She is a second generation Funeral Director, (Family Business: Frye Funeral Home), a Small Business Owner (The DeRose Decor / Etsy), an Author, and a Blogger/Writer. 

She’s also a cancer survivor, a Make-A-Wish Alum, an overprepared problem solver, a spooky history lover, a truth seeker, and an advocate for proper education. She’s a small town Italian girl who loves the Lor...

Who is Armand Ferrara? If you know him, you’re thinking:
Real Estate Broker
PA Real Estate Commission Board Member
President of Mon Valley Regional Chamber

And you would be right…

If you really know him, you’re thinking:
Man of God
Husband
Father
Grandfather 

And you would also be right…

Armand is all of those things and more. To me he is a mentor, friend, and brother....

Eric McElvenny is one of us, a western PA kid…Belle Vernon to be exact. Eric graduated from Belle Vernon Area High School and the United States Naval Academy. Eric served as an infantry officer in the United States Marine Corps. 

Eric deployed three times as a Marine and on his final tour, an incredible experience in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, was wounded during combat action by stepping on an IED.  

That’s wh...

Our guest for Episode 99 is Christine Brookins of Oakbridge Advisor Group and Outspoken. Christine was introduced to us by our good friend Melissa Migliaro.

During her over 30-year career in financial services, Christine has filled many roles.  As a licensed insurance agent, registered representative, and investment adviser representative, Christine offers a wide array of products and services to small businesses, individu...

Our guest for Episode 98 is Tracy Montarti, an award-winning photographer, educator and the founder and creative force behind Villa Montarti, a boutique portrait studio that creates custom portrait experiences for dynamic midlife women and the people they love. 

A California native, she spent two years in Poland with the Peace Corps during the 90s before moving to Pittsburgh for graduate
school, where she received fell...

Our guest for Episode 97 is Marta Sauret Greca, the CEO of MEDIA – The Creative Agency, a marketing and pr agency that provides an entire team of creatives to business owners with missions to serve and heal the world. 
 
Marta has been named “Woman Business Leader of the Year.” Her book, The Minimalist Method: The Emerging Entrepreneur’s Guide to Peace and Prosperity, is a #1 bestseller. She has been featured in national me...

Our guest for Episode 96 is Davis Slagle is the Vice President of BeeGraphix, a thriving business located in Fredericktown , PA nestled just south of Pittsburgh. 

He resides nearby with his beloved wife Chelsea and their delightful twins, Dex and Silver. 

What sets Davis apart is his innate ability to be an early adopter. When the pandemic swept the globe, he was among the first to bring in direct-to-film printing...

Our guest for Episode 95 is Lindsey Hanlon. 

Lindsey has been a collegiate swimmer in the ultra-competitive SEC Conference. She now an entrepreneur, podcaster, and author. Oh…and she’s also a wife and mother, she and her husband, Mike, have four children. 

She has been on a journey over the last several years, beginning with joining an amazing community in a network marketing company!  During that time she has bee...

Our guest for Episode 94 is Jennifer DiLucia is the host of Spill with Me Jenny D podcast.  She is a wife, mom of three beautiful children and two barking beagles.  She’s a proud Pittsburgh native.  

Jenny D was a Broadcast communications major with a Theater Arts minor from Westminster College.  That’s where she started her own Entertainment Report.

After being a stay at home mom she knew her passion was to help ...