The Sound of the Pacific Northwest

If you’ve been looking for a sign to step up, get involved, and make a real difference in your community, you won't want to miss Oregon's premier volunteer event. The Standard’s Volunteer Expo is returning to "Portland's Living Room"—Pioneer Courthouse Square—connecting thousands of attendees with more than 100 non-profit organizations that keep our region thriving. To give us an inside look at what to expect, what kinds of skills are in demand, and how you can get plugged in, we’re thrilled to welcome Bob Speltz. As the Senior Director of Community and Public Relations for The Standard, Bob has a front-row seat to the incredible impact of local philanthropy.

Aimee Says is a 24/7 private AI companion and advocacy tool designed for people dealing with domestic abuse, coercive control, and narcissistic or post-separation abuse. To talk about this, we invited Anne Wintemute, Co-Founder & CEO of Aimee Says.

Scammers preying on senior citizens is nothing new, but today these cons are highly sophisticated and convincing, making it easy for anyone to fall victim. From AI-cloned faces and voices that sound like loved ones to impersonation scams that mimic trusted companies, today’s threats are now past the ability for the human eye and ear to spot. Jocelyn King, founder and CEO of Smarter Online Safety, joined us today to help families understand who scammers target and what to do to protect yourself and your family.

Let’s talk about our last trip to Portland and seeing the dragon boats on the Willamette.

That team we saw that day, is called Pink Phoenix and my team Survivor SAKE has raced against them many, many times… They are strong! They have a really annoying habit of winning… I have so much respect and admiration for them that I decided to invite them on our show to see if I can steal their secrets. So, to talk about Pink Phoenix, today we’re joined by Lena Bruncaj, Public Relations Coordinator for Pink Phoenix.

 If someone you loved suddenly collapsed from cardiac arrest, began choking, or stopped breathing, would your family know what to do before first responders arrived? Fire captain, paramedic, EMS educator Brad Newbury and emergency medical technician Kiera Newbury say preparedness is one of the greatest gifts you can give the people you love. Brad and Kiera wrote a book: “The Saved Effect: True Stories of Lives Reclaimed by People Who Were Ready to Act.” We talk about it with them on this episode of The Sound of the Pacific Northwest.

In 2018, Yori, a 3-year-old from Seattle, drowned in a pool when he was just 3 years old. After this happened, his mom, Chezik Tsunoda, knew she had to do something to honor her child. That’s how “No More Under” was born. Chezik joined the Sound of the Pacific Northwest to talk about it.

Food inflation is high, and across the country, thousands of families are quietly wondering where their next meal will come from. In fact, a massive loss in funding recently forced Catholic Charities of Oregon to close nine of its eleven permanent food pantries.

But instead of pulling back, they pivoted.

Today, they are launching high-impact, one-day pop-up pantries to bridge the gap—but each single event costs a staggering fifty thousand dollars to run. Joining us today to talk about the reality on the ground, the logistics of feeding a community, and the personal mission driving this work is Rose Bak, Chief Operating Officer for Catholic Charities of Oregon.

On today’s show, we’re gonna talk about a love affair. Relax, Pedro, this is no gossip, this is a love affair we all can enjoy. I’m talking about a new book called “Have a Love Affair with the USA.” Perfect for the 250-birthday party this weekend. Today we have invited the authors of this book. Evelyn and Natalie are a mother-daughter travel expert team. They have traveled to seven continents, 89 countries (and counting), and 50 states. Evelyn’s goal is to visit 100 countries before she turns 100. Evelyn and Natalie Kelly, welcome to the Sound of the Pacific Northwest.

Joining us today is the woman behind one of Portland’s most iconic summer traditions. As the Festival Director and co-owner of Fuller Events, she leads the team that transforms Tom McCall Waterfront Park into a massive celebration of music, community, and charity. The Waterfront Blues Festival returns this July 2nd through 4th with three days, three stages, and an incredible lineup. Christina Fuller, welcome to the Sound of the Pacific Northwest.

Teen Feed has been serving youth experiencing homelessness for decades—offering more than just meals, but also consistency, trust, and critical support services that help young people take real steps toward stability. From nightly meal programs to outreach and case management, their work is rooted in one simple but powerful idea: meeting people where they are, and staying with them as they move toward something better.

Janine is with us today to share what’s happening on the ground in Seattle, the realities facing local youth, and how Teen Feed is working every day to build connection, confidence, and hope—one meal at a time.

Richard Ramos is the author of Parents on a Mission: How Parents Can Win the Competition for the Heart, Mind, and Loyalty of Their Children. In Parents on a Mission, Richard Ramos explains the importance of healthy parent-child relationships and parents' role in shaping their children's lives.

June 6th and 7th is Free Fishing Weekend in both Washington and Oregon, and the gates are open and the lakes are stocked. Joining us today is a man who practically has river water in his veins. Bill Herzog, widely known in the angling community as "The General," is a legendary figure in Pacific Northwest fishing with nearly 40 years of professional experience. He is most celebrated as a master of steelheading, having begun his career during the "golden age" of the fishery in Western Washington.

Seafair is almost here! ! The Seafair Summer Kickoff is on June 1 and it goes on till the Seafair Weekend Festival, July 31 through August 2 at Genesee Park and Playfield. This event anchors the Boeing Seafair Air Show and the Apollo Mechanical Cup Hydroplane Races on Lake Washington. Have you ever wondered when and why Seattle became so huge on hydroplanes racing? Our guest today knows everything about hydroplanes races in Seattle. As a matter of fact, he was an unlimited hydroplane driver himself! And he has written and published several books on the subject of unlimited hydroplane racing. David Williams’ latest book is “The Chuck Lyford Story. Every Day Counts.”

We’re excited to welcome Natalie Edwards, Interim Executive Director of Portland Backpack, to the program. Hear how Portland Backpack is making a difference by helping fight food insecurity for children and families in the community. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation on the latest episode of Sound of the Pacific Northwest!

New Episode of Sound of the Pacific Northwest! 

This week we welcome Roula Bland, Head Coach of SAKE Paddling Club, for an inspiring conversation about teamwork, resilience, competition, and the growing dragon boat community in the Pacific Northwest.

From championship races to building community on the water, Roula shares the passion and purpose behind the sport — and why paddling changes lives.

Don’t miss this encouraging and energetic episode

Furnish Hope is more than just a furniture bank—it is a community movement dedicated to turning empty houses into warm, dignified homes for those in need in Bend, Oregon. As the only organization of its kind east of the Cascades, it serves as a critical bridge for individuals and families rebuilding their lives after crisis. To talk about Furnish Hope, we invited their Founding Executive Director, Megan Martin.

The Des Moines Legacy Foundation is hosting their 4th Annual Bayside Diamond Ball on June 6th at the Des Moines Yacht Club. To talk about Bayside Diamond Ball “PARTY” and the Des Moines Legacy Foundation, invited their president Patrice Thorell.

CASA began in King County with just a small group of volunteers recruited by word of mouth. Today, it has grown into a nationwide network of more than 70,000 volunteers. These individuals are specially trained by the court to advocate for children who have been removed from their homes due to allegations of abuse or neglect.

CASA volunteers play a vital role by gathering information, providing reports to the court about each child’s needs, helping inform critical decisions, and ensuring that every child’s voice is heard throughout the process.

To share more about this important work, we’re joined by Sarah Childs, Recruitment & Retention Coordinator for the King County Dependency CASA Program, and Michael Griesedieck, Program Manager.

Nourish Oregon is hosting their 10th annual Share the Love gala on Saturday, April 18 at the Oregon Golf Club. To Talk about Nourish Oregon and the Share the Love gala We’ve invited Betty Brown the president of Nourish Oregon and Aaron Brown, their deputy director.

Ever feel like your phone is basically glued to your hand? Today, we talked with Mitra Manesh, author of The Attentionist: New Choices for a New World. She says this isn’t about lacking discipline; it’s an attention crisis, and most of us don’t even realize it.