Looking Forward Our Way
We feature expert guests who provide real-world insights, inspiration, and resources, making each episode a valuable touchpoint for adults. You can expect to hear us discuss a wide range of topics, including employment and entrepreneurship, financial advice, legal issues, technology, healthy living, housing, and much more. New episodes are released twice a month. You can also sign up for our free newsletter, access additional resources, or contact the hosts directly at hello@lookingforwardourway.com. If you’re interested in joining a supportive community, learning from experts, and staying ahead of important trends and issues, tune in and subscribe today! The podcast is co-hosted by veteran and award-winning podcasters Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson.
Episodes
Whether you’re a veteran, an employer, or someone who wants to support veterans in your community, this episode is packed with practical advice and up-to-date resources to help ensure our veterans thrive after service.
Welcome to another episode of "Looking Forward Our Way." This time, we’re putting the spotlight on the unique challenges faced by military veterans as they re-enter the civilian workforce. Joining hosts Carol Ventresc...
Whether you’re a veteran, a family member, an educator, or simply someone interested in history and service, this episode offers a profound look at the enduring legacy of America’s veterans—and the power of storytelling to unite and inspire us all.
Welcome to Looking Forward Our Way! In this special episode, hosts Brett Johnson and Carol Ventresca take us inside the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) in Columbus, Ohio, for...
We sit down with former Whitehall Mayor Kim Maggard for an engaging and insightful conversation about her impressive journey in public service, community leadership, and what lies ahead in her own encore career.
From her early days working in librarianship and education to her breakthrough moment mobilizing the community for important school levies, Kim shares how her adaptability, collaborative spirit, and commitment to transparenc...
We welcome back Josh Kinzel from Seniority Benefit Group for his sixth visit to the podcast. The focus of this conversation is on the upcoming changes to Medicare enrollment and coverage for 2026, as well as practical advice for those approaching or currently navigating Medicare options.
Breaking Down the Medicare Alphabet Soup
Josh walks us through the parts of Medicare and why understanding them is so important:
- Original Medicar...
We sit down with Arielle Galinsky, CEO and co-founder of The Legacy Project Incorporated. Arielle is not only a dual-degree graduate student at Yale Law and Harvard's Kennedy School, but she’s also a passionate advocate for intergenerational connections and storytelling.
The Legacy Project, which now spans 25 college campuses, began from Arielle’s personal drive to preserve the life stories of older adults—a mission fueled by loss i...
The Unsung Heroes of Healthcare: "Community pharmacists are maybe the most trusted and most accessible health care provider. They're unsung heroes in our communities but rich with knowledge." - Dr. Taylor Reed
We shine a spotlight on a vital resource in Central Ohio: the Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio.
For 15 years, this nonprofit has been dedicated to providing free, life-saving prescription medication...
Age Diversity in the Workplace: Benefits, Challenges, and Strategies for Employers
In this episode of Looking Forward Our Way, Brett and Carol are joined by Dr. Jennifer Crittenden, Assistant Professor of Social Work at the University of Maine and Associate Director for Research at the University of Maine Center on Aging. The focus is on the challenges and opportunities facing older adults as they transition into paid employment, an...
"And people kept saying to her, well, why don't we have something like that in Ohio? Why don't we have something like that in Ohio? And so she never intended to start a nonprofit organization, but she got enough feedback that people really wanted to have the option to at least start working on it." Molly McMahon Graziano - Director of Outreach for Ohio End of Life Options
We’re talking about the sensitive an...
We shine a spotlight on one of Columbus’s newest community treasures: The Fran Ryan Center. Opened in January 2025 as part of the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department, this vibrant, creative arts and wellness hub sits just east of downtown and serves residents of all ages. We're joined by Kyle Farnbaugh, the center’s manager, who takes us inside the mission, innovative programs, and community partnerships that make the Fran Rya...
We discuss the challenges and opportunities facing Central Ohio as the region experiences rapid—yet manageable—growth.
Our special guest, Adam Porr, the Research and Data Officer for the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC), joins us to demystify how strategic planning helps drive sustainable development in everything from transportation and housing to air quality and infrastructure.
We’ll explore how MORPC’s collaborative ...
Networking Tips: "If you connect with someone in a company that you're interested in working for, please don't ask them if they have any jobs available. What you're really asking is, what's it like to work for this company?" - Sharon Hamersley
We are joined by career expert Sharon Hamersley, known to many as the LinkedIn and Resume Coach. Together, we talk about the complex world of job searching, especially...
The Healing Power of Songwriting: "I don't know how to write a song that doesn't have something to do with healing." - Eric Gnezda
We sit down with the multi-talented Eric Gnezda—an award-winning singer-songwriter, storyteller, and the creative force behind PBS’s Songs At The Center. Broadcasting from Columbus, Ohio, and airing on over 400 PBS stations nationwide, Songs at the Center celebrates the power of ...
The Importance of Values Over Goals: "That goal might shift or change a little bit as life circumstances change, but usually your values as a person are not changing. What is most important to you, your why isn't changing." Ben Hoeger
We sit down with returning guest Ben Hoeger, Director at the Hedley Hoeger Group at Baird Private Wealth Management, to help us navigate the unpredictable world of personal fin...
We welcome Charity Eilerman, manager of Senior Hunger Programs at the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, to discuss the organization's remarkable efforts to support Ohioans facing food insecurity.
Since 1980, the Mid-Ohio Food Collective has been a crucial part of the community, providing nourishing meals and supportive services to those in need. Charity shares her extensive background in social services and her passion for addressing senio...
Here’s the heart of this episode in a nutshell:
This “Looking Forward Our Way” episode is all about helping Ohioans make sense of their utility bills and understand their rights as utility customers. We sit down with Kathryn Metz from the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC)—basically the state’s watchdog and advocate for regular folks when it comes to utilities like electricity, gas, water, and even landline phones.
Why should anyone care?...
The Library Reimagined: "We're really talking about, how our library serves a diverse array of customer needs and in in different spaces and places. So that may not be just checking out a book in a branch, but what's the web presence? Right? What's what's the website like? How do we connect with this really growing area of usage with electronic content, ebooks, and especially digital audiobooks is is our, you know, bigg...
"Tax Fairness for Homeowners": "We need to keep senior citizens in their homes or disabled folks or veterans so they get to keep their homes by doing something for the property taxes so they don't get taxed out of their houses." - State Senator Bill DeMora
In this episode, we look into the pressing issue of the housing crisis and its impact on property taxes in Ohio. Joining us is Ohio State Senator Bill DeM...
In this episode we welcome back Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland, to give an update on the Dream Big initiative and the new STEM Leadership Center at Camp Ken-Jockety.
Tammy shares the excitement surrounding the opening of the building and its functional purpose, emphasizing that it serves not only the girls but also the wider community and youth in Central Ohio.
Top takeaways
- STEM Leadership Ce...
Facing Retirement: "But isn't it interesting that once you retire, as we call it, right, and you leave that organization...you're faced with that "what am I gonna do now?" Well, what do I wanna do? Well, you haven't thought about it because remember, those thirty years, they were spent all about the organization, all about the next career move, the promotion, the stock options, the 401k." - Eric Pennington, Spirit of EQ...
Rethinking Retirement: "People now look at that phase of life after you leave your career, 65 or older, could be 55 or older, as an opportunity to live life differently than you have before." Mark Matson
We sit down and talk with Mark Matson about transitioning into new phases of life and building a rewarding encore career while giving back to the community. As Mark nears 70, he finds himself with more time for personal interests li...
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