Dad to Dad Podcast

Dad to Dad Podcast

Fathers mentoring fathers of kids with special needs - presented by the Special Fathers Network. Host David Hirsch interviews some amazing fathers of kids with special needs.

Episodes

July 18, 2025 50 mins
Our guest this week is Randy Pierce of Concord, NH who is an author, avid outdoorsman, mountain climber, keynote speaker, president & CEO of Future In Sight New Hampshire, and who himself if blind. 

Randy and his wife, Tracy, have been married for 15 years. 

When Randy was in his early 20s he suddenly went blind in one eye and then over a number of years would lose sight in the other eye.  If that wasn't challenging enough, Randy...
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Our guest this week is Dr. Paul Collins, of Portland, OR a professor at Portland State University, a prolific author, and father of two boys including one with Autism.

Paul and his wife, Jennifer Elder, have married for 28 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Bramwell (21) and older brother Morgan (26) who is Autistic. 

Paul is a professor of English in the college of Liberal Arts & Science at Portland State University.  ...
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Our guest this week is Steve Harris of Lanesboro, MN a free-lance writer, widower, author and father of two sons with disabilities.  Part 2. 

Steve and his wife, Susan, have married for 17 years.  Steve and his first wife, Pam, were together for 30 years, before she passed away in 2012 due to a rare neurological disorder.  Steve and Pam had two boys: Matthew who was born in 1980 with Spina bifida and younger son, Andrew, who is 37 a...
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Our guest this week is Steve Harris of Lanesboro, MN a free-lance writer, widower, author and father of two sons with disabilities.  Part 1.

Steve and his wife, Susan, have married for 17 years.  Steve and his first wife, Pam, were together for 30 years, before she passed away in 2012 due to a rare neurological disorder.  Steve and Pam had two boys: Matthew who was born in 1980 with Spina bifida and younger son, Andrew, who is 37 an...
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Our guest this week is Peter Gerhardt of Rich Hill Park, NJ who is executive director at EPIC Schools located in Paramus, NJ, author of dozens of publications and books, an internationally recognized Autism expert and outspoken advocate for the disability community.

Peter has three degrees from Rutgers University: a BA in Psychology, an EdM in Special Education, and a PhD in Education Psychology and Special Education. 

He has dedicat...
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Our guest this week is Peter Gerhardt of Rich Hill Park, NJ who is executive director at EPIC Schools located in Paramus, NJ, author of dozens of publications and books, an internationally recognized Autism expert and outspoken advocate for the disability community.

Peter has three degrees from Rutgers University: a BA in Psychology, an EdM in Special Education, and a PhD in Education Psychology and Special Education. 

He has dedicat...
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Our guest this week is Rick Bolle of Naperville, IL founding pastor of the newly formed Front Porch Church, father of two and retired businessman. 

Rick and his wife, Alinda, have been married for 32 years and are the proud parents of two adult children.  

Shortly after retiring from Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2022, where he was a Senior Safety Specialist, Rick felt a calling to start or plant Front Porch Church.   

Established in 20...
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Our guest this week is Spencer Doman of Philadelphia, PA, who is president and CEO of the Doman International Institute, where they empower parents with knowledge and tools to help their children with special needs thrive and teach parents how to create a loving, stimulating and healthy home so that their child can reach their fullest potential.

Spencer and his wife, Melissa, have been married for 15 years.

Spencer's grandfather, Gle...
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Our guest this week is Rebekah Taussig of Shawnee, KS who is a mother, wife, author, podcast host, outspoken advocate for those with disability and who, herself is a paraplegic.  

Rebekah and her husband, Micah have been married for seven years and are the proud parents of Otto, who is typical five year old. 

Rebekah was diagnosed with spine cancer at age one and due to multiple surgeries lost her ability to walk at age four.  She wa...
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Our guest this week is Leon Logothetis of Los Angeles, a British-born adventurer, author, and television host renowned for promoting global kindness.  Formerly a London-based broker, he left finance to explore human connection through travel. 

Leon created and starred in the docuseries Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (2006–2008), journeying across the U.S., U.K., and Europe on minimal daily budgets.  His acclaimed Netflix series The ...
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Our guest this week is Jim Littlefield-Dalmares of Louisville, KY who is Director of Market Development at BNI Middle Tennessee, author, podcast host, founder of Seeing Ability and perhaps most importantly, father of two including a child with Cerebral Palsy. 

Jim and his wife, LeAnn, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of two: Peter (21) and Sophia (25) who was born very prematurely, diagnosed early on with Spi...
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Our guest this week is Dr. Patrick Schwarz, of Highland Park, IL who is CEO of Creative Culture Consulting, a public speaker, author of numerous books and an outspoken advocate for inclusive education for people of all abilities.

Dr. Schwarz earned his BS, MS and PhD in special education from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.  

Dr. Schwarz is a dynamic professor, author, and motivational speaker renowned for his leadership in in...
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Our guest this week is Jamiel Owens, of Hatfield, PA who is a volunteer firefighter, advocate for those with disability, founder of Ausomeness Inc. and a father of two, including a son who is autistic.

Jamiel and his wife, Marta Santa, have been married for 5 years and you are the proud father of two children: Alejandro (3) and Shane (16), who is Autistic.

With little more than a GED, Jamiel has become a disability advocate and role ...
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Our guest this week is Eli Pierce of Aurora, CO who is a customer service representative at Silk Trade, a UK based software company.  Eli is the father of four children, including one who is a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy and epilepsy.  

Eli, and his wife, Cassidy, have been married for 5 years and he is the proud father of four children: Evelyn (14), Elias (11), adopted daughter Annabelle (6) and Ettison (13) who is spa...
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Michael our guest this week is Michael Pereira of Miami, FL who a financial representative, the father of two and founder of the The Autism Voyage. 

Michael and his wife, Elizeth, have been married for 9 years and you are the proud parents of two children: Amanda Sophia (3) and Christian Omar (7) who is Autistic.  

Michael is also the founder of Autism Voyage, offering financial planning assistance to parents of kids with special nee...
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Our guest this week is Jason Bechtold of Cary, IL. a director of IT services and an executive coach at Bain as well as the father of three who have a variety of neurological, psychological and intellectual challenges.

Jason and his wife, Lori Hermann, have been married for 8 years and he is the proud father of three children: Jordyn (24), Tyler (20), and Jessica (18), who between them have experienced: brain cancer, Asperger’s, ADHD...
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Our guest this week is Jen Lumanlan of Berkeley, CA wife, mother, researcher, parenting coach, author, curator of the Your Parenting Mojo website and host of the Your Parenting Mojo Podcast.  

Jen and her husband, Alvin, have been married for 15 years and are the proud parents of daughter, Carys, who is 10 years old.

Jen was born and raised in England.  She has a bachelors degree: English & Forestry from U.C. Berkeley, a masters ...
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Our guest this week is Rady Johnson of Westport, CT, a recently retired senior executive at Pfizer and a father of three including one with intellectual disabilities.

Rady and his wife, Diane, have been married for 38 years and are the proud parents of three children: Katherine (36), Bridget (30) and Michael (34) who was adopted from Romania as a one year old and who has intellectual disabilities.

Despite a wide range of challenges, ...
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Our guest this week is Kirby Rabalais of Glenview, IL the Director of Strategic Growth at Truce Software, father of two including one with Pitt Hopkins Syndrome and more recently the founder of 4TITUDE an online community created to support dads raising children with special healthcare needs.    

Kirby and his wife, Chelsea, have been married for 8 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Porter (4) and Harley (6), who has Pitt ...
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Our guest this week is Tim Kane of Ridgewood, NJ a former Senior Director of Broadcasting for the NBA, board member at the Epic School Foundation and father of three children including an autistic son. 

Tim and his wife, Laurie, have been married for 28 years and are the proud parents of three children: Katie (27), Caroline (21) and Jack (24) who is Autistic. 

Tim reflects on his storied career that began at ESPN in the early days an...
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