Yinz World

Donny Donovan is the owner and founder of Free Will Health and Wellness, a Pittsburgh-based company that specializes in personal training, muscle activation, gender affirming fitness, health coaching, and exercise programming. Donny is a member of the LGBTQIA+ trans community and presented at the 2022 TransPride Pittsburgh Health and Wellness Conference on “Gender affirming and inclusive personal training.” Recently, Donny won 2nd place for Best Personal Trainer for the Pittsburgh City Paper’s Best of PGH Reader’s Poll AND was honored by Pittsburgh Magazine for this year’s 40 under 40 list.  In addition to his personal training and community activism, Donny is also a songwriter and musician.  He’s currently the lead singer and guitarist for the emo grunge indie pop band LEVI.

Mike Mihm is an actor and producer who has appeared in such films as Unsane, Bunker, The Taking of Pelham 123, The Box Cutter and The Old Maid and such shows as The Blacklist.  Most recently, he appeared in a commercial starring Tom Brady for Fox, which airs during NFL 2024-25 season games.  Aside from acting, Mike works as a carpenter and welder for film and tv sets. In this episode, we get a taste for his infectious positive outlook and professionalism, which all started with his Pittsburgh roots. He shares many fun stories from his acting experiences, such as trying not to hit director Steven Soderbergh with a cop car on set and also working with late director Tony Scott.  Lastly, we end with a film-related game.  Please enjoy learning about the life and times of Mike Mihm, aka Mister Yinz.

Chris and Bethany chat on a weekend summer morning from their respective homes. Topics broached include but are not limited to: hair-sparagus, being inspired by our guests, ideas for future episodes, our backlog of guest videos, Chris's new original video game, pets dying, intrastate flights, Bethany's new airport friend, girls juggling phone scrolling and movie viewing, and an insane movie Bethany recently saw. If you want to make this episode a drinking game, you can drink every time Bethany says the word "anyway" (you will be drunk).

In this interview, Chris couldn’t make it, so it’s a one-on-one chat between Bethany and our guest, Jacquea Mae, vocalist for the band NASH.V.ILL. Jacquea is much more than a singer--she is a presence.  When she performs, yes you hear her big, gorgeous voice, but you also experience her strong and beautiful aura.  Outside of music, she works as a teaching artist, playwright, poet, spoken word artist, actress, business owner, event creator, coordinator, host and community activist.  In this conversation, Jacquea shares about growing up in the Wilkinsburg neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the experiences that shaped who she is, finding her voice as an artist and finding her role in one of the most active, versatile and fun bands in Pittsburgh.  This is a deep and thoughtful conversation that gives a glimpse into the kind heart behind Jacquea’s powerful voice.

David Rullo is an award winning journalist and senior writer at the Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle.  His work has appeared in national and international newspapers, magazines and literary journals.  He has spent the better part of five decades exploring and contributing to the city’s art and literary scene.  In this interview, we discuss Rullo's recent book published by Arcadia Press called “Gen X Pittsburgh:  The Beehive and the 90s Scene.”  The Beehive was Pittsburgh’s first true coffeehouse which became a hub for the city’s arts and music scene in the 90s.  We reminisce on our respective colorful experiences there and Rullo shares with us about his research and the interviews that went into writing his new book.  We also learn about his background and advice for aspiring writers.  Please enjoy this coffee talk with Pittsburgh’s most buzzworthy writer of the year.

Cheryl is an artist living in Pittsburgh, who has carved out a name for herself by focusing on several niche art forms:  puppet making, and dryer lint sculptures.  However, her artistic endeavors go well beyond the scope of creating tangible artwork, as she is also an art teacher by day and leads several events in the city that center around her very fun and colorful puppetry.  We talk about how Cheryl got started, her influences, family life, challenges and lessons, as well as lots of laughing about her various fun stories, like the time she was on the Ellen show.  Her reflections on art, the creative process and the connections between us all were beautiful and thought-provoking.  We laughed for a lot of this interview, and we hope you enjoy Cheryl’s infectious and positive energy as much as we did.

Byron Nash is a prolific musician, songwriter, and performer, playing guitar in the Pittsburgh-based rock/funk/R&B band NASH.V.ILL, as well as other projects including his own solo work.  He also serves as the Events Coordinator at the Andy Warhol Museum and as a fitness trainer for his own company called Duya Wellness.  Byron has had an exciting career of evolution–from working in the bar & restaurant service industry for many years, to interviewing bands for the Rock N Roll Reporter, at one point auditioning for Limp Bizkit, creating & marketing new beers, playing countless live shows in all types of settings, and then finding his way to one of the best art museums in the world–while leading what is arguably the most active live band in the Pittsburgh music scene.  We loved learning about Byron’s growth as an artist and businessman, and we hope his dedication and work ethic rubbed off on us!

Gordon Berkstresser is a retired accountant and former U.S. Army Lieutenant.  He has lived in a handful of different places and worked in various capacities, notably as a platoon leader in the Vietnam War, an auditor for U.S. Steel, and Aristech, VP & Controller for RMI Titanium, a professor at Robert Morris University, and later as the CFO of Lifenet Health, where he worked for the last 14 years of his career.  Gordon shares some very personal stories and we sure did learn a lot.  Our conversation takes us from the icy steps of Level Green, PA, to the frat houses at Kent State, the wartime jungles of Southeast Asia, the shores of Lake Huron, the skyscrapers of Pittsburgh and the organ & tissue donation freezers of Virginia Beach.  And then there’s the awkwardly comedic exchange about ducks that Bethany is still shaking her head about.  Lastly, Gordon fielded some great listener questions about his experiences in the war. Buckle up for this riveting ride! This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com  If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Or drop us a line at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or on the socials @yinzworld.

Kathryn Heidemann is the President + CEO of the Cleveland Institute of Art, an arts & design college in our neighboring state to the west.  Kathryn has been working in the arts & culture administration sector for 25 years, having spent nearly 2 decades of her career in Pittsburgh.  She also plays a mean bass guitar and sings AT THE SAME TIME.  You may know her from such bands as Rockit Girl, Blindsider, The Victors!, and most recently, Garter Shake.  She is a powerhouse of a woman and in this interview we talk about her upbringing living abroad in Australia, Venezuela and Germany, as well as her time in Michigan, Chicago and Pittsburgh.  We marvel at Kathryn’s rare-but-refreshing simultaneous affinity for both Pittsburgh AND Cleveland. This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com  If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Connect at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or instagram @yinzworld.

Franklin Carpio is a filmmaker based here in Pittsburgh.  He holds a degree in entertainment design, has directed six short films and will soon be releasing his biggest project to date, EOS Six (Enemy on Sight), a sci-fi crime thriller (watch the trailer here).  He’s also the owner of Carpio Pictures, a small indie film company.  It’s been fun to watch Franklin grow as a professional filmmaker through his work on various TV shows like Yellowstone, American Rust, A League of Their Own, and the film The Pale Blue Eye, as well as launch his own creative projects and releases.  In this episode, we talk about all of the above, as well as Franklin’s Ecuadorian background, his experience skydiving in Hawaii, and why some people are calling Pittsburgh “the Hollywood of the East Coast.” * This episode was recorded before the SAG/AFTRA writer’s strike. This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com  If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Drop us a line at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or on instagram @yinzworld.

Gina Winstead (she/her, they/them) has paved her own road to become the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh’s first ever Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA).  She is working to improve IDEA within Carnegie Museums, including placing a major focus on nurturing relationships with the community and breaking down barriers to pull more people from all backgrounds into the museums.  In this interview, we learn all about the important work that goes into preserving the art and artifacts within the museums and how Gina is helping them evolve to tackle the cultural and tech challenges of the modern world.  Gina has a lot of valuable and varied life experiences, and we get into all of it, from her core identity as a twin (stead) to living in South Dakota, and her time working in ‘techquity.’  We also recently learned Gina’s brother is a member of one of Bethany’s favorite bands, which blew our minds.  Also worth noting, we spent a surprising amount of time talking about cockroaches in this interview.  Please enjoy this stimulating convo! This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com.  If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!

Anne Celedonia is a professional musician and singer-songwriter who has been working in the music industry for over a decade, notably serving for years as a background vocalist in the acclaimed Pittsburgh rock n soul band The Commonheart.   In this episode, we discuss Anne’s start in the classical music realm, and how her path took her to several cities before finding her way back to Pittsburgh.  We chat about her current role as pianist & lead vocalist for Anne Eliza, an ambient pop duo with multi-instrumentalist Alex Herd, as well as another new project.  Anne recently launched Swim Effect, a lucid music movement that was created out of a need to incorporate sober spaces and support within the music world.  She also shares with us about overcoming vocal trauma and her music influences.  Lastly, we ask her some burning questions about the time she sang the national anthem at the Steelers game, and she shares a funny story about the time she ran into singer Jason Derulo.   This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com. If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Drop us a line at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or on instagram @yinzworld.

Dr. Lawrence Ian Reed is a clinical and research psychologist at NYU, who completed his studies at Pitt and his residency and post-doctorate research at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Reed now studies facial expressions of emotion, focusing on why we so visibly express our private motivational and emotional states, and he specializes in treating adolescents and adults with mood and emotional disorders.  Dr. Reed is also an old college friend and music collaborator of Bethany’s.  He currently lives in New York, so we were lucky to snag him for this interview.  Dr. Reed shares about growing up in Pittsburgh, his studies at Pitt, and the experience that spawned his interest in deception in interpersonal relationships.  He also shares about his time living in Boston, in Maine and now New York City.  Lastly, Dr. Reed entertains some Yinz World fan questions. This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com. If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Drop us a line at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or on instagram @yinzworld.

Walter Ino is an L.A. based touring multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer/songwriter who was born and raised in Pittsburgh.  Music has taken him all over the world playing with such bands as the multi-platinum, Grammy award winning band Survivor, Eagles of Death Metal, Wilson Phillips, Denny Laine of Wings/Moody Blues, The Babys, and many more.  Currently, he plays keyboards for Tommy DeCarlo and the legendary rock band Boston.  More personally, Walter served as Bethany’s guitar teacher years ago.  In this episode, we chat about his impressive portfolio of performances, roles, studio work and YouTube superstardom. Lastly, Walter performs his original song ‘Wait to See What Happens” off his first solo album.  His music, including a new song inspired by his fatherhood, is called "Who Would U Take a Bullet For," and it's available on AppleMusic or anywhere you get your music.  Watch Walter's videos on YouTube @walterino4175 or follow him on instagram @wawasmusic.     This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com.  If you like our show, please rate and review on your listening platform!  Drop us a line at yinzworldpodcast@gmail.com or on instagram @yinzworld.

Nearing midnight on New Year's Eve, Bethany and Chris tipsily sit down to reflect on their first 6 months of podcasting, including memorable moments, favorite guests, and their own personal growth following some culturally enlightening interviews.  During their chat, Bethany and Chris discover they each pronounce a certain word differently, which means one of them had been inadvertently taught the "yinzer" pronuncation of the word during their Pittsburgh youth, (see the Fact Check on our website for the correct answer).  Then, Chris performs an acoustic version of a classic rock song, and they both reminisce on the wisdom and significance of their first guest, Chris Engelbert.  Finally, some New Year's Eve revelers climb up to the attic for a celebratory farewell as we head into a brand new year of podcasting adventures!   This episode's "fact check" is available at yinzworldpodcast.com.  If you like our show, please rate, review and share!

Oleh Dovhun is a Ukrainian professional boxer, who currently holds the North American Boxing Association super-bantamweight title and is #3 in the WBA.  Nicknamed the “Ukrainian Pitbull,” Dovhun is an undefeated southpaw from Stebnyk, Ukraine, currently living in Pittsburgh, PA.  In this episode, we chat about his experiences training and fighting, and his observations on notable fights and big names in boxing.  He also shares what it has been like for him to immigrate to the U.S. and live in Pittsburgh; and about the community support he has received here while his country fights a brutal war back home.  Lastly, Dovhun vows to become Pittsburgh’s next champion boxer!  Equally impressive as his boxing record is our guest’s newly acquired English fluency–it’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago, Dovhun only knew a few basic words in English.  Now, he navigates the language with ease in this conversational spar with two yinzers. This episode's "fact check" is available at ⁠yinzworldpodcast.com⁠.  If you like our show, please rate, review and share!

Dr. J. Scott Colombo is a physical therapist and former collegiate basketball player for the University of Pittsburgh from 1986-89, when the team won two Big East regular season championships (1987 & '88), as well as the Rainbow Classic in Honolulu (1986).  Since then, Dr. Colombo has spent many years coaching basketball and he founded The Player’s Edge, a community program here in Pittsburgh that offers youth basketball clinics and performance workshops, among other training and education.  In this episode,  we begin by discussing Dr. Colombo’s time growing up in Altoona, PA, where he leaned heavily on sports and other activities to burn off his excess energy.  Next, we move onto his college years at Pitt, where he walked onto the basketball team as a 5’8” sophomore and enjoyed many memorable experiences training and traveling with the team.  Finally, we talk about Dr. Colombo’s professional and coaching experiences in the Pittsburgh and Greater Pittsburgh region, and he shares some nutrition and fitness tips for long-term health. This episode's "fact check" is available at ⁠yinzworldpodcast.com⁠.  If you enjoy this episode, please rate, review and share!

Shaimaa Fayek is an Iraqi immigrant and proud Muslim living in Pittsburgh.  Our interview takes place during the holy month of Ramadan, so we talk about the significance and cultural traditions of Ramadan.  Shaimaa shares her story of growing up in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s rule, and her family’s experience during the U.S. bombing of Baghdad and subsequent Iraq War.  She describes the circumstances leading up to her family’s decision to leave Iraq–including a kidnapping–and what it was like having to flee to other countries, and eventually immigrating to the U.S. at 17.  We discuss her days at Pittsburgh’s Taylor Allderdice High School as a new immigrant, and what it has been like for her being a Muslim in Pittsburgh.  We also chat about her family life and a terrifying shooting they encountered early in the pandemic.  It’s an eye opening account that we learned a lot from!   This episode's "fact check" is available at ⁠yinzworldpodcast.com⁠.  If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share!

Dr. Sara Petras is a veterinarian who has spent extensive time abroad in Hungary.  In this episode, Dr. Petras shows up with her new baby in one hand and a bottle of Hungarian brandy in the other to celebrate her last day of maternity leave.  Peer pressured, Bethany and Chris find themselves doing shots at the start of the interview.  Chris is promptly drunk and Bethany tries to remember her train of thought for the rest of the interview.  Dr. Petras and Bethany discuss their grade school days together and recall the shared memory of a children’s-birthday-piñata-turned-medical-emergency.  We learn about Hungarian culture and Dr. Petras’s experiences studying veterinary medicine in Budapest–and finding international love.  Finally, Chris tries to finagle a discount on veterinary care, and Dr. Petras shares some of the good, the bad, and the strange of life as a veterinarian. This episode's "fact check" is available at ⁠yinzworldpodcast.com⁠.  If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share!

Josh Verbanets is a musician (Meeting of Important People, Lohio, The You), and one half of the award-winning kids’ music/comedy performance duo Josh and Gab.  In this episode of Yinz World, we chat about Josh’s recent trip to London with VisitPittsburgh, his early music influences, playing in bands in the Pittsburgh music scene and other music industry experiences.  Josh and Chris bond over their shared love of horror films and Josh talks about his work with comedian Gab Bonesso promoting kindness through creativity and education.  He also shares his thoughts on maintaining a positive attitude and balancing family and career.  Lastly, he performs an acoustic rendition of “Blue in Bloomfield” by The Harlan Twins. This episode's "fact check" is available at ⁠yinzworldpodcast.com⁠.  If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share!