Soul of the Glass City

Voices Around Us™

This podcast is centered on the pulse of what makes Toledo and Northwest Ohio great, its people! Take a deep dive into the lives, businesses and experiences of these many awe-inspiring individuals. Have Questions? Email Us with any questions you may have. We're here to help!

  1. May 27

    Mike & Jackie Moore: Trauma to Healing & The Birth of TBIRC

    Mike and Jackie Moore are lifelong Toledoans who turned a personal tragedy into a mission of hope and support for brain injury survivors throughout Northwest Ohio and beyond. Jackie, a graduate of Waite High School, and Mike, who attended St. Francis de Sales School, met in 2006 and married in 2007. Their lives changed in 2011 when Jackie suffered a traumatic brain injury in a multi-vehicle accident, leading the couple to seek treatment, participate in clinical research through the National Institutes of Health and the University of Oregon, and discover the lack of long-term support available for survivors and families. In response, they founded the Traumatic Brain Injury Resource Center (TBIRC) in 2014, the first organization of its kind in Ohio, with a mission to support survivors, caregivers, and families while increasing awareness of the impact of traumatic brain injury. Since opening its doors in 2015, TBIRC has provided free group programming with speech and occupational therapists, nutrition and wellness initiatives, food and toiletries assistance, therapeutic activities, and community outreach programs such as Serenity Sacks and handmade fleece blanket projects that benefit hospitals and local nonprofits. Through their leadership and advocacy, Mike and Jackie have helped create a compassionate community where survivors can find practical support, dignity, and renewed quality of life after brain injury.

  2. May 13

    MidwestTexMex: Meet Maria Molina

    Maria Molina is a proud Hispanic-American professional with over two decades of experience in non-profit event administration and logistics. She has contributed her expertise to organizations such as the American Heart Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. A lover of music, Molina has been instrumental in coordinating Mexican and Tejano dance events in the Toledo area. After leaving the workforce, she founded the home-based business De La Luz Marketing, allowing her to care for her daughter with special needs while leveraging her skills in web design and graphic arts. She is also the owner of the online radio station MidwestTexMexRadio.com, which highlights musical artists from Ohio and Michigan, with its program La Comunidad Show promoting community events and organizations.

  3. Apr 29

    The Spirit of Giving with Jeanette Hrovatich

    Jeanette Hrovatich is the Director of Planned Giving for Lutheran Ministries of Mercy and its affiliates, where she cultivates relationships with donors, churches, and financial professionals across Northwest Ohio and Southern Michigan. Beginning her career as a classroom teacher, Jeanette has spent over 40 years in nonprofit leadership, helping raise more than $30 million through events, planned giving, and grants to support community programs. She has served numerous organizations, including the Ronald McDonald House of Toledo and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Northwest Ohio.

  4. Apr 8

    Somica Alexander: Beating The Odds

    Somica Alexander, also known as Coach Milli, is a transformational author, speaker, financial educator, and certified trauma-informed life coach. As author of Beating The Odds: The Blueprint to Becoming, and the creator of the B.A.M. Method™ (Being Authentically Me) she empowers individuals to rediscover their authentic selves, align with their purpose, and live with intention. Combining storytelling, financial literacy, and healing-centered conversations, Coach Milli helps people overcome limiting beliefs, rewrite their narratives, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth.

  5. Mar 25

    A Loving Legacy Lives On: Brandon Johnson

    Brandon Robert Johnson, a beloved entrepreneur and philanthropist from Deshler, Ohio, passed away on December 5, 2024. At just 44, Brandon left behind a lasting legacy through his many successful ventures, including Team Johnson Limo and Charter, Team Johnson Trucking, and several other businesses he founded and nurtured. Known for his generosity and boundless spirit, he dedicated his life to helping others, from organizing annual holiday gift programs to supporting his employees and community. His mother, Becky Johnson, his sister, Bobby Jo Raftery, and his son, Landon Johnson, gather in the studio to honor his memory, carrying forward his mission of giving and inspiring others to do the same. Brandon’s legacy lives on through his family, friends, and the countless lives he touched with his kindness, and compassion.

  6. Mar 11

    A Talk with Toi Creel

    Toi Creel is a multi-hyphenate creative originally from Michigan. She spent a significant chapter of her career in Toledo, Ohio, where she began as an entertainment reporter for NBC24. Her journey then took her to California, where, as a red carpet interviewer, she had the opportunity to connect with Oscar-winning stars like Regina King. Throughout her career and entrepreneurial ventures, Creel has remained deeply committed to the art of communication and believes strongly in the power of storytelling.

  7. Feb 25

    Glass City Grown: The Story of Sonia

    Sonia Flunder-McNair is the founder of SONIA Organics Products LLC, a USDA-registered urban farm in Lucas County, Ohio. She integrates food production, youth workforce development, and herbal product formulation to create economic opportunities in underserved communities. Sonia also developed the Urban Agriculture and Herbalism Curriculum and founded Urban Wholistics to expand agricultural education in Toledo. She has testified before the Ohio Senate on SB 134 and SB 120, advocating for non-traditional farming systems and youth agricultural workforce pathways.

  8. Feb 11

    Anna Toney - The Unlikely Path to Leadership

    Anna Toney is a Toledo native and the Executive Director of Leadership Toledo, a position she embraced after first participating in the organization's Signature program. Her passion for the nonprofit sector and the Northwest Ohio community led her to join the team and ultimately take on a leadership role. Anna holds a BA in Musical Theatre from Indiana University and a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Lourdes University. She is deeply committed to community engagement, serving on the board of the Valentine Theatre and as President of the Beverly Elementary PTO, in addition to previously serving on the board of Notre Dame Academy. A wife, mother of four, and avid lover of the outdoors, Anna is as dedicated to her family as she is to the communities of Toledo.

See All (48)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

This podcast is centered on the pulse of what makes Toledo and Northwest Ohio great, its people! Take a deep dive into the lives, businesses and experiences of these many awe-inspiring individuals. Have Questions? Email Us with any questions you may have. We're here to help!

Information

More From Voices Around Us™