John Haskell Chose Russia, And One Forged Signature Changed Everything

Feb 10, 2026

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Extraordinary People

Nate Smith Missed His Exit But Found His Way

Nate Smith’s post-Amherst journey literally reads like an epic. At the age of 26, he got in his car after work one day at the school where he had been teaching and kept on driving, never to return to the job. Instead, he embarked on a life-changing, sometimes harrowing road… Listen ⇢
Brian Shactman Finds His Voice – And Amplifies Voices All Over Connecticut And Beyond

Brian Schactman in many ways has become the voice of Connecticut. As a co-host of a morning radio talk show, he travels the state to meet residents of interest and explore the topics that animate the 169 towns and cities that call Connecticut home. Having listened to his stuff, I… Listen ⇢
Luke Ryan Comforts The Afflicted – And Sometimes Afflicts The Comfortable

Luke Ryan is a fifth-generation Northampton resident and defense attorney. In his line of work, he often finds himself shepherding clients through their lowest moments. But it also has required that he pursue people in positions of authority who have committed wrongs and attempted to cover them up. Nowhere is… Listen ⇢
Andy Ward Shows How He Edits Some Of The Most Beloved Books Of Our Time

Josh Hamermesh asked, and boy, did Andy Ward deliver. In this episode, Andy, the Executive Vice President and Publisher of Random House, takes us deep into how he edits books written by some of our finest authors. In this episode, you’ll learn: How Andy’s father shaped his writing and editing… Listen ⇢
Ben Batory Gives A Master Class On Building A Winning Culture

Ben Batory, an Amherst College classmate of mine who played professional basketball in Costa Rica, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Malta, Switzerland, and Mauritius, has taken an unconventional path to Wall Street. Today, Ben is SVP and Head of Trading at Franklin Equity Group, but in this conversation, he… Listen ⇢
Lee Maicon Sees A 1994 Revolution in Advertising

Lee Macon has worked in advertising through arguably its greatest transformations. He began at the dawn of the consumer internet, navigated the shift to social media, and now is helping clients figure out AI. As the Chief Strategy Officer at the Community, a global creative agency, Lee oversees strategic efforts… Listen ⇢
Jim Confalone Goes From Art School to Business Cool

Jim Confalone’s journey from fine arts to founding a successful B2B marketing firm is marked by tragedy and a timely eye for opportunity. Jim, the founder of B2B marketing agency Modicum, shares the evolution of his career, from his initial passion for painting to servicing blue chip clients like Google… Listen ⇢
Vicky Levy, Part 1: Survivor

Vicky Levy’s story is so compelling that one episode of this podcast can’t contain it all. In Part 1 of her extraordinary story, she touches on her journey into life sciences and her current role as Global Life Sciences and Healthcare Industry Leader at Deloitte. But her reason for staying… Listen ⇢
Inger-Lise Schwab Reflects On Life, Work, And Parenting In Norway (And Some Amherst Mischief)

The Amherst Class of 1994 diaspora has expanded all over the world, including to Norway. That’s where we find Inger-Lise Schwab representing the Purple and White. In this episode, she shares thoughts on how to combat sunlight deprivation, the distinctions between the elite colleges and universities in the United States… Listen ⇢