Valerie Leipheimer Rediscovers The Joy Of Art Through A New Lens: Motherhood

Apr 21, 2026

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Extraordinary People

JC Leveque Makes The Case For Conversation As A Surgeon’s Best Tool

What do 1990s college radio, Richard Scarry’s picture books, and complex spine surgery have in common? They’re all part of JC Leveque’s journey. Today he’s the Section Head of Neurosurgery at Virginia Mason in Seattle, but his path included years on the road with his Amherst-born band Rosemary Caine, the… Listen ⇢
Jordan Hayslip Lives At The Intersection Of Teaching, Coaching, And Making

When you think of Amherst football in the early ’90s, you probably remember linebacker Jordan Hayslip, a four-year starter and anchor of the defense. But Jordan was much more than a gifted athlete. An English and Fine Arts double major, today he describes himself as a teacher, coach, and maker.… Listen ⇢
Bonus Episode: Professor Emeritus Barry O’Connell

My favorite podcast episodes of all-time tend to feature friends, family, teammates, classmates, and others who love each other. Their warmth comes through every time. Every episode I publish is precious to me, but I love this one in particular because of the deep affection and respect that emerges between… Listen ⇢
Alisa Pincus Finds Home Abroad

Alisa Pincus is in the 22nd year of a five-year plan to live in Sydney, Australia. After starting her legal career in New York, a blind date changed her trajectory, leading her to Australia, a global role with Nielsen, and extensive travel across the Asia Pacific region. In this episode,… Listen ⇢
Abbie Raikes Seeks Out The Hard Stuff And Makes It Better

Curiosity and challenge have propelled Abbie Raikes ever since she left the stage at Amherst College in 1994 with her diploma in hand and launched her career in public service just five days later. Abbie describes the moves she’s made, from Nebraska to Paris and back again, as a series… Listen ⇢
Pete Lalor Brings a Coach’s Mindset to Surgery and Parenting

Pete Lalor, a bariatric surgeon and medical director in Ohio, launched from Amherst College to Ireland to the hockey rinks of Holland—but today we find him leading a surgical weight loss program. A former student-athlete, Pete shares how his performance mentality evolved from athletics into medicine, and why he remains… Listen ⇢
Jane Rohde Bowers Excels In Public Health By Meeting People Where They Are

Jane Rohde Bowers grew up both overseas and in the Pioneer Valley, with parents who graduated from Amherst College and Mount Holyoke. She also had a front-row seat to international public health via her father’s career. A self-described “beach gal” who dreamed of marine biology, she instead found herself pulled… Listen ⇢
Adam Bonin Champions Democracy One Ballot at a Time

Adam Bonin’s voice, passion for politics, and Philadelphia sports devotion certainly will sound familiar to his Amherst classmates, but his post-college path has been anything but predictable. Adam takes us through his early certainty that law was his calling, the disillusionment he experienced practicing corporate law, and the path he… Listen ⇢
Toby King Made His Own Path—From Geology To Bluegrass To Academia

When I think of people who’ve allowed life’s serendipities to shape their course, Toby King comes immediately to mind. In this episode, he walks me through a zigzagging journey that began with a keg behind the geology building before his freshman year at Amherst College even started and took him… Listen ⇢