Best Chris Rack Podcasts (2025)

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Small Town City Manager Love Affair with Halley Roberson | Ep. 128 1:16:12

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3h ago1:16:12

1:16:12

Beloit City Manager Halley Roberson is one of my favorite interviews of all-time and I am pretty sure that most of you will enjoy it, too. She is absolutely hilarious and I am glad I drove the two plus hours to meet her. In this episode, we discuss our mutual love for small town city management, especially in Kansas, and the opportunities it presen…

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Chris Mann: Knowing Your Why & Being Prepared to Execute | Ep. 127 1:02:37

6h ago1:02:37

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Chris Mann's journey to the city manager's chair was a circuitous, non-traditional one. The California city manager started his journey as a city councilman in his early 20s and would later go on to start his own public relations firm which heavily focused on local government issues and land development. He would then launch a a successful politica…

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The Black City Manager: A New Series with Troy Body | Ep. 126 56:37

7d ago56:37

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For many months, I have been trying to coax and cajole Troy Body into starting his own podcast or at the very least becoming a regular, recurring guest on my podcast. I have wanted to provide a platform for the Hopkinsville, Kentucky city manager and give him a voice. He has interesting perspectives and opinions you will not find anywhere else rega…

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Blaine Oborn: Persecuted Because of My LDS Faith | Ep. 125 54:32

14d ago54:32

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For nearly 20 years, Blaine Oborn had an unblemished record as a city manager serving in multiple states. That all changed when he became the city administrator in Oak Harbor, Washington. He assumed his duties as the city was at the very tail end of a wastewater plant project that had tripled in costs from $50 million to $150 million under the lead…

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Author and TV Host Zeke Stout Ep. 4 1:38:21

18d ago1:38:21

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In this engaging conversation, hosts Sean and Chris welcome Zeke Stout, Discovery channel TV host, Gunsmith school Instructor and author, to discuss a variety of topics ranging from unique flavor combinations in snacks to the creative process behind Zeke's new book. The discussion delves into the use of AI in writing, character development, and the…

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Lessons From the Death of My Father with Joe Dessenberger | Ep. 124 1:05:52

21d ago1:05:52

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Joe Dessenberger grew up with a father who worked seven days a week until he died rather suddenly after a brief battle with cancer at the age of 62. His father had a vision of what his life would be like in retirement, but never got to enjoy it. In this emotionally charged episode, we discuss the indelible influence of his father's journey through …

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The Briar Ginger Season 5 Ep 3 1:02:48

26d ago1:02:48

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In this episode we have our good buddy Tyler aka @thebriarginger on to hang out and chat.By Chris and Sean

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Paul Sanftner Needs Your Help with His Brilliant Public Safety Idea | Ep. 123 43:25

29d ago43:25

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San Leandro Public Information Officer Paul Sanftner has a fantastic public safety idea that would help local government agencies during emergencies and save lives. But he needs your help! He is trying to persuade YouTube to add an emergency alert feature to their platform so that authorities can communicate important life-saving messages during na…

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Drag Up Coffee, Jordan Sadler 1:27:15

1M ago1:27:15

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In this episode we have the founder of Drag Up coffee, a Texas based coffee company that prides itself on having some of the freshest coffee with some great flavors. Jordan Sadler was a blast to talk to and just a real genuine person who is rocking it as a business owner.By Chris and Sean

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Swingers Edition: Unhinged & Crazy in Rehoboth Beach | Ep. 122 48:30

1M ago48:30

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Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Suzanne Goode dropped 10 voicemail messages on her city manager in the span of 24 hours demanding that he edit or unpublish an official public meeting from their YouTube account. Why? Because another commissioner publicly shamed her for being toxic and abusive toward fellow commissioners and staff at a subcommittee meeti…

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We're Back! Season 5 Ep 1 39:14

2M ago39:14

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After a short summer hiatus Beyond the pipe is back for a new season. Life is busy but it's time to get back in the saddle and bring more content for all 200 millions of you that watch and listen. Thank you all! Chris and SeanBy Chris and Sean

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Star Wars, Tattoos & Community Engagement with Jeff Fiegenschuh | Ep. 121 1:03:33

2M ago1:03:33

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In this powerful episode, Jeff Fiegenschuh talks about his approach to community engagement, connecting with staff, and building relationships with his elected officials as the city manager for Rochelle, Illinois. What prompted my desire to interview Jeff was the fact that he contributes a monthly column to his local paper and I believe most execut…

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Ep. 120 | It's Time to Rate & Review the Recruiters 39:55

2M ago39:55

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In a couple of months, the American Association of Municipal Executives will be launching an online directory that will allow candidates to rate and review executive recruiters and recruitment firms. Under the current system, there is no mechanism or vehicle in place to give candidates a voice or to allow their concerns to be raised or addressed. B…

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City Manager Launches CityOrdinanceAI for Local Governments | Ep. 119 37:02

2M ago37:02

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Perry City Manager Nathan Read wanted to make it easier for residents to decipher the legalese of city ordinances and codes. So with the help of his best friend and business partner, they built CityOrdinanceAI and are now offering it up as a product for other city managers and local governments to purchase. In this episode, we talk about his journe…

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Celebrating the Death of Baker Tilly - Now What? | Ep. 118 50:59

2M ago50:59

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On Friday, Baker Tilly Executive Recruitment announced they were going out of business. It was the culmination of two years worth of work highlighting their poor treatment of candidates and mediocre work product. It all started in July 2023 when I published my first podcast episode about the Canfield, Ohio search. Just a few months earlier, Baker T…

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BREAKING: Horrific Details in PFA Issued Against La Marque Councilman Joseph Lowry | Ep. 117 44:31

3M ago44:31

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Some shocking details concerning La Marque Councilman Joseph Lowry surfaced this week. Hayley Winkelmann is leading the effort to recall the controversial official and she shared some court records with the podcast. On July 24th, Lowry's ex-wife obtained a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order in the State of Washington. The court found her claims cred…

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Arson, Stolen Valor, and an Arrest in La Marque with Reporter TJ Aulds | Ep. 116 47:56

3M ago47:56

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Authorities arrested the former city manager for La Marque, Texas on Saturday. A warrant for the arrest of J.B. Pritchett had been issued about a week prior on charges related to felony arson and tampering with evidence and misdemeanor charges related to allegedly lying about his education and military service on his job applications and resume. In…

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Season 4, Ep, 31, Cigarish stuff 33:40

3M ago33:40

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Chat about cigars and briar cigarsBy Chris and Sean

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What is going on in La Marque with Reporter TJ Aulds | Ep. 115 58:45

3M ago58:45

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This week a warrant was issued for the arrest of former La Marque city manager, J.B. Pritchett. He is facing five charges, of which two are felonies. How in the hell did we get here? To an outsider, the small Texas town of La Marque seems like a chaotic, toxic mess. Many people point their fingers at a councilman by the name of Joseph Lowry who has…

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Skills, skills skills 41:13

3M ago41:13

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Learn something! This is a quick mind dump about how important it is to learn new skills.By Chris and Sean

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The City Manager's Guide to Contract Negotiations | Ep. 114 21:56

3M ago21:56

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In this episode, I share a personal update about my legal matters and mental health. I also tease the release of my new book called: The City Manager's Guide to Contract Negotiations. AAME JOB BOARD: The American Association of Municipal Executives has a free job board exclusively focused on executive and senior level local government recruitments.…

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Season 4 Ep. 29 Pipe Society Documentarian Mike Morales 1:07:48

3M ago1:07:48

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In this episode we discuss the importance of preserving pipe culture and history through getting to know the people around and people of not that have done things for the pipe world as a whole. The guest speaking is Mike Morales of Pipe Society on YT and Pipe.society on instagramBy Chris and Sean

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Challenges Facing Next Sacramento City Manager with Jeff Harris | Ep. 113 57:02

4M ago57:02

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Former Sacramento Councilman Jeff Harris returns to the show to discuss the challenges facing the next city manager. Harris served on the council from 2014-2022 and writes regular columns about the machinations of City Hall. In Part 1, he defended the record of former city manager, Howard Chan. This week, we take a deep dive into the organization i…

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Season 4, Ep. 28 Memories 31:18

4M ago31:18

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In this episode we discuss pipe smoking memories and how the smell of pipe tobacco can trigger them.By Chris and Sean

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Sacramento Councilman Jeff Harris: In Defense of Howard Chan | Ep. 112 1:06:55

4M ago1:06:55

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Got a unique episode this week. Former Sacramento Councilman Jeff Harris comes on the show to defend his former city manager, Howard Chan. Harris served on the council from 2014-2022 and was on the council when Chan was selected to lead their community. He knows the ins-and-outs of Sacramento politics and the truth behind the motives and machinatio…

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Season 4 Ep. 27 "That ain't a flow state that's a 30 rack" 55:53

4M ago55:53

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In this episode we have our good friend Mitch Eckler on who is the_bad_gunsmith on instagram and HangfireTv onYouTube. we discuss the pipe making process and getting in to a flow during work that is great for productivity and creativity.By Chris and Sean

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Rewriting Corporate Culture: How Chili Piper Scales with Humans, AI Agents, and Radical Decision-Making w/ Alina Vandenberghe, Co-Founder at Chili Piper 49:07

4M ago49:07

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Send us a text What happens when an engineer-turned-entrepreneur brings B2C energy to B2B enterprise software and a borderline obsession with fixing broken meetings? You get Alina Vandenberghe—co-founder and Co-CEO of Chili Piper, the woman who turned scheduling software into a billion-dollar empire while managing teams across 38 countries (and som…

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We Carry the Trauma to Our Next Job with Tim Rundel | Ep. 111 1:03:10

4M ago1:03:10

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We continue our conversation with the always entertaining Tim Rundel in this second installment. Tim has not just seen a thing or two, he has personally endured some incredibly challenging and professionally traumatic situations. In this powerful episode, he talks about how we as city managers carry the trauma of abuse and betrayal to our next posi…

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Season 4 Ep. 26 Pipe Sub Brands 37:23

4M ago37:23

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Quick discussion on pipe sub brands and why they exist.By Chris and Sean

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It’s Not Just Strategy: Emotional Labor and the Need for Community in Comms with Gabrielle Ferree, Founder at Off the Record 51:45

4M ago51:45

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Send us a text What happens when comms pros finally take their own advice—and build platforms for themselves? In this episode of Under Embargo, we sit down with Gabrielle Ferree—former VP of Global Comms at Bumble, Slack, and Salesforce—who's stepping off the corporate ladder to launch Off the Record, a new coaching and community space for comms pr…

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Ep. 110 | It Just Takes One to Ruin It with Tim Rundel 1:07:16

4M ago1:07:16

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One new council member can turn everything on its head and send you heading for the exits when you are a city manager. Tim Rundel, the former city manager for the City of Weed, recounts his experience with this elected official who also happened to be married to one of his employees. We talk about the importance of building relationships with your …

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Season 4 Ep. 25 Pipe sightings in movies and Tv 53:22

4M ago53:22

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In this is episode we discuss Pipe sightings in television and movies over the years and projects that we have be apart of.By Chris and Sean

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Episode 45 - Back with Back Issue Comics & R-LEX The Robot 1:03:13

4M ago1:03:13

1:03:13

Burgie's finally back to podcasting! Get the scoop on Burgie's not quite so top secret anymore WORDBURGLAR RHYMES WITH COMICS project and enjoy a great comic book chat with our bff R-LEX THE ROBOT! Make sure you don't miss the Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thewordburglar/wordburglar-rhymes-with-comics-1-graphic-novel-and-so…

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AR is Not Pay-for-Play: 25 Years in Comms w/ Alyssa Stone, Leading Analyst Relations at Wiz 51:44

4M ago51:44

51:44

Send us a text In this episode of Under Embargo, Becca and Parry sit down with one of the best-kept secrets in enterprise comms—Alyssa Stone, head of Analyst Relations at Wiz (the cybersecurity darling recently acquired by Google). With 25 years across SAP, Okta, and Ariba, Alyssa's seen it all—massive analyst tours, impossible PR expectations, and…

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Brian Daily: You're Getting Screwed on Your Property Insurance | Ep. 109 57:55

4M ago57:55

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Brian Daily was the first person I ever hired as a city manager and it was one of the most impactful decisions I have ever made in my professional career. He is an amazing, inquisitive public servant who continually seeks to provide value to taxpayers. He is insanely curious and truly embodies the ethos of a "working executive" who is not afraid to…

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season 4 Ep. 24 Should Pipe Making be fast? 36:31

5M ago36:31

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In todays episode we discuss pipe making efficiency and speed and try to discern if its even important in certain situationsBy Chris and Sean

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Social Media Training for Elected Officials with Sam Toles | Ep. 108 54:42

5M ago54:42

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Picture this scenario. Staff have worked for a year to bring a project or initiative to the finish line. There have been public meetings and notices, multiple discussions at council meetings, and even some news articles published in the local paper. Out of the blue, a handful of vocal social media commenters start lighting up the city's social medi…

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Season 4 Ep. 23 Do's and Don'ts of tobacco storage 34:15

5M ago34:15

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in this episode we discuss some of the finer point of aging tobacco and types of long term storage that we have found to be best over the years.By Chris and Sean

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Authenticity Isn’t a Tactic, It’s the Whole Damn Strategy with Ashley Faus, Head of Lifecycle Marketing at Atlassian 56:43

5M ago56:43

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Send us a text This episode is equal parts spicy comms truth and high-functioning marketing chaos (with a little ADHD sparkle on top). We’re joined by Ashley Faus, Atlassian’s Head of Lifecycle Marketing and the author of Human-Centered Marketing: How to Connect with Audiences in the Age of AI. We cover a lot of ground — and none of it is snackable…

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Sam Toles: The Social Media Playbook for City Managers | Ep. 107 58:34

5M ago58:34

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What is the purpose of social media and why does your organization have a social media presence? In this episode, Sam Toles of CiviSocial and I discuss this issue at length and make a powerful case for why every city and county manager should make sure their organization is doing social media correctly. Not only are there personal and professional …

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Season 4 Ep. 22 Chris And Sean Discuss palate fatigue 31:32

5M ago31:32

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By Chris and Sean

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Sacramento Cesspool & Putting Recruiters on Notice | Ep. 106 44:34

5M ago44:34

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Recent comments attributed to executive recruiters handling the Sacramento, California and Palm Coast, Florida recruitments must be addressed. A Sacramento Bee article alleged that CPS HR recruiter Pamela Derby has "suggested modifying certain incentives in a potential contract, including supplemental leave and severance, to ensure the new hire doe…

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Season 4 Ep. 21 Ryan McKawley 1:18:16

5M ago1:18:16

1:18:16

Fun chat with Texan Pipe Maker Ryan about his experience as a new pipe carver coming up in the last few years and his success with the Carnivore Diet.By Chris and Sean

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Comms Shouldn’t Report to Marketing—Here’s Why with Roberto Munoz, CEO & Founder at Munoz Communications 48:33

5M ago48:33

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Send us a text The phrase “fractional comms leader” might sound like consulting fluff—but Roberto Muñoz is here to tell you it’s anything but. In this episode, Becca and Parry get real with Roberto about: — The rise of the fractional Chief Communications Officer — Why comms gets sidelined while marketing gets the glory — The C-suite’s collective mi…

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Part 3: Conducting a Fire/EMS Needs Assessment with Tim Nowak | Ep. 105 42:31

5M ago42:31

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This is the third and final installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communit…

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Season 4 Ep 20: Hang out with Chris and Sean 56:12

5M ago56:12

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in this episode we are just hanging out smoking pipes and talking about the interesting theories behind the phenomenon of the Mandela Effect.By Chris and Sean

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Part 2: Fire/EMS Staffing & Deployment Models with Tim Nowak | Ep. 104 47:51

6M ago47:51

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This is the second installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities. My h…

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Season 4 Ep. 19 Rich From Briarville! 1:13:36

6M ago1:13:36

1:13:36

In today's discussion, we talk about pipe restorations.By Chris and Sean

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PR for PR: The Meta Magic (and Madness) of Comms at Muck Rack with Linda Zebian, VP of Comms at Muck Rack 47:06

6M ago47:06

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Send us a text In this episode of Under Embargo, we’re joined by Linda Zebian, newly-minted VP of Communications at Muck Rack, for a conversation that’s equal parts insightful and unhinged—in the best way possible. Linda breaks down what it’s like to do PR for a PR tech company (spoiler: it’s very meta), how her time at The New York Times shaped he…

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Part 1: Fire/EMS Operational & Organizational Models with Tim Nowak | Ep. 103 51:29

6M ago51:29

51:29

This is the first installment of my three part interview series with Fire/EMS consultant Tim Nowak. The primary purpose of this series is to create an introductory primer and give local elected officials and taxpayers a 30,000 foot level overview of the major issues that must be considered when evaluating fire/EMS service in your communities. My ho…