Monthly Archives: February 2026
Russ Hanser Seized Opportunity Where – And When – Law And Tech Collided
Russ Hanser arrived at Amherst as a self-described nerd with big ambitions: maybe law, maybe journalism, maybe even director of the CIA. His liberal arts education sharpened his thinking and ultimately launched him into a career shaping telecommunications and technology policy at the highest levels.
Today, Russ serves as Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Chief Legal Officer of NCTA – The Internet & Television Association. In this episode, he reflects on how early interests in politics and computers converged into a career navigating spectrum policy, AI governance, broadband access, and the future of connectivity. He also speaks candidly about carving out space to support not-for-profit organizations and navigating fatherhood through a divorce.
Highlights:
How a high school computer nerd became a leader in tech policy, and the role of both skill and fortuity played in that outcome
The policy debates shaping AI and why he’s an AI optimist
The life challenges that redefined him as a father
Why liberal arts thinking still matters in a tech-driven world
Russ also nominates the next classmates he’d like me to interview. If you’d like to connect with Russ, you can reach him at: rphanser@gmail.com.
Elizabeth Doyle Shows How An Amherst Degree Can Lead Somewhere Beautifully Unexpected
Elizabeth Doyle is one of the proprietors of Doyle & Doyle, a purveyor of antique and vintage jewelry based in New York City. We talk about her wonderfully serendipitous path from Amherst College to the Gemological Institute of America, and then into building a jewelry business that has now spanned decades. Her journey is a delightful example of the good things that can happen from saying ‘yes,’ learning by doing, and staying open to whatever unfolds.
Elizabeth also gives a window into what makes her so good at her work. It’s so liberal arts. She knows the chemistry, histories, and stories of the objects she sells. She also has what it takes to guide couples from engagement ring decisions to helping them celebrate life’s most memorable milestones.
Highlights:
Why selling engagement rings can feel like providing couples therapy
How Elizabeth went from pre-med to geology to gemology
Her leap into entrepreneurship, starting from nothing, learning on the fly, and the early lesson of “don’t spread yourself too thin”
Why it’s a really bad idea to serve red wine during a store opening
Visit https://doyledoyle.com and email Elizabeth at elizabeth@doyledoyle.com.
John Haskell Chose Russia, And One Forged Signature Changed Everything
John Haskell has spent over 20 years living in Russia, a decision that began as a calculated professional bet in the post-Soviet 1990s and became, almost accidentally, a permanent life. John walks us through what it has meant to build a family, a business, and a sense of home in a place most Americans only know through headlines, and why the reality on the ground often looks very different from what we imagine from afar.
We talk about the moment that anchored him there: a near-surreal episode involving forged documents, vanished partners, and a company secretly sold out from under him. Out of that chaos came an improbable outcome: John salvaged thousands of acres of farmland and eventually built a cattle operation that he still operates to this day. Along the way, he offers rare, thoughtful context about personal safety, perceived risk, and what daily life in Russia actually feels like for an American who has chosen to stay.
John also reflects on the enduring value of a liberal arts education—especially language learning—as preparation for an uncertain future.
Highlights include:
What it’s really like to live in Russia as an American during decades of political and social upheaval
How a near-fraud and forged signature unexpectedly rooted John there
Why perceived danger and lived security often don’t line up
The long-term value of language learning and a liberal arts toolkit
The Amherst classmates he wants me to interview next.
Email John at johnhhaskell@gmail.com or find him on Facebook. Big thanks to Evan Wollen for nominating John.
Ricky Quinones Has A Grammy, And Yet Still Approaches Music With Humility
Ricky Quinones has spent his life exploring and expressing music across genres, geographies, and stages, from Amherst to New York, including Broadway, and Grammy-winning collaborations. Ricky opens up about his musical evolution, the artists who shaped him, and why the blues remains the emotional and structural foundation of everything he plays (and, surprisingly, what he sometimes hears in the music of JS Bach).
We talk about the lessons learned from proximity to greatness, playing alongside artists like Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and India.Arie (with whom he won a Grammy). Ricky reflects candidly on what it takes to sustain a career in one of the most competitive and uncertain of professions, and why preparation and empathy matter more than virtuosity alone.
He also revisits his Amherst years, a time he describes as creatively fertile but emotionally difficult, when music became something deeply personal and stabilizing. Today, Ricky continues to evolve as a musician and as a mentor and substitute teacher in Queens, finding new ways to keep his creative cup full while giving back.
Highlights:
Why the blues serves as Ricky’s musical “mother tongue” across genres
What he has learned by watching and working alongside legendary collaborators
The keys to sustaining a long career in professional music
The classmate he wants me to interview next
Email Ricky at rickyqmusic1@gmail.com. Big thanks to David Young for nominating Ricky.
Matt Collins' Blog 