Sharing the Mic Barrier Islands Center

Ken Heath of the gospel group Ken Heath and the True Disciples: Ken is part of the gospel band The True Disciples, who will once again perform at Art and Music on the Farm at the BIC in May. He is a native of Petersburg, Virginia, where he was raised to the sounds of the gospel music of the Black Holiness Church and Virginia’s rich gospel quartet tradition. The True Disciples are known for their spirited, electrifying performances. 

Dr. Christopher Hein, Associate Professor in Coastal Geology at The College of William and Mary/VIMS. Hein’s research focuses on coastal populations, infrastructure, and ecological communities currently threatened by atmospheric warming, accelerated sea-level rise, changes in the frequency and intensity of coastal storms, and variability in sediment supply rates. His primary research focuses on the mainland and barrier islands of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He also has active projects studying dune processes in the North Carolina Outer Banks, barrier-island processes in the Gulf of Maine, and marshes processes along much of the US East Coast. Chris was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Teaching Award at William & Mary in 2022.

Dutch artist Carole Böggemann Peirson has been a professional oil painter since 2005 and is mainly known for her East Coast landscapes. A few life-changing events in 2020 caused a shift in her work from figurative to semi-abstract. Her ethereal works in oil and cold wax are inspired by the idea that all living things are connected and that we are spiritual beings having a temporary physical experience. Carole hopes her love for life and her optimism about the future will shine through in her work and that the viewer will feel uplifted looking at it time and time again. 

For the past 13 years, Jim Spione has worked with the Barrier Islands Center to produce revealing and enlightening documentaries about the barrier islands of Virginia and life on the Eastern Shore.  Jim and David discuss the 8th film currently in production about the history of the Almshouse- where the Barrier Islands Center is located. 

 Jon Lohman is the founder and Executive Director of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. Before that, he was the director of Virginia’s state Folklife Program, where he initiated and carried out numerous programs, including an award-winning Folklife Apprenticeship Program and the corresponding book In Good Keeping. Jon has presented and served on curatorial committees for numerous local and national festivals, including the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the Richmond Folk Festival, Merlefest, Floydfest, the Lowell Folk Festival, the American Folk Festival, and the National Folk Festival. Jon has presented his work and collaborated with the Smithsonian, the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, the State Department, and numerous cultural organizations and festivals throughout Virginia and the country.

Jeff Holland has been the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel District since June 2005. Jeff is responsible for the general management and oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. In this podcast episode, Jeff will discuss operating, maintaining, and preserving the largest bridge and tunnel complex in the most tumultuous marine environment for surface transportation in the world.