Dad to Dad Podcast

David Hirsch

Fathers mentoring fathers of kids with special needs - presented by the Special Fathers Network. Host David Hirsch interviews some amazing fathers of kids with special needs.

  1. SFN Dad to Dad 419 - Matt Shepherd of Emporia, KS, Owner of Midwest Evaluation & Research, Father Of Twins, One With Developmental Delays

    2D AGO

    SFN Dad to Dad 419 - Matt Shepherd of Emporia, KS, Owner of Midwest Evaluation & Research, Father Of Twins, One With Developmental Delays

    Our guest this week is Matt Shepherd of Emporia, KS who is President and CEO of Midwest Evaluation & Research and father of two adopted children including one with developmental delays.  Matt and his wife, Brenda, have been married for 35 years and are the proud parents of two adopted children; Jeremy (26) and Bonnie (25) who has high emotional intelligence as well as development delays. Professionally, Matt is owner of Midwest Evaluations and Research, a consulting firm that helps community-based organizations, foundations, schools, and governments evaluate and improve their programs.  Along the way he has developed a high level of experience and expertise doing research for and evaluation of fatherhood programs.  Matt is also to the founder and former board chair of Social Innovation Labratory, a non-profit that drives community-led change through partnerships and research to build equitable, innovative, and sustainable systems. Matt also founded Caerus Place for Woman, based in Souix Falls, SD to provide safe housing, compassionate support, and pathways to stability and independence for women in crisis. We’ll hear all about Matt’s work and family on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Notes - Phone – (620) 757-9101 Email – Matt.Shepherd@Midwestevaluation.com LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-shepherd-86594056/ Company – https://midwestevaluation.com/ Social Innovation Labs – https://www.socialinnovationlab.org/ Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcv Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Join the SFN U.S. Tour in one of 60+ locations all across the U.S. from May 21st to June 21st.  Go to www.21stCenturyDads.org for additional informaiton.  Please conisder hosting, co-hosting or simoly joining the tour near your home.   Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    30 min
  2. SFN Dad To Dad 418 - Mike Griffiths of San Francisco, CA Exec. VP at CBRE & Father Of Two Including A Son With KCNB1 A Rare Genetic Disorder

    FEB 20

    SFN Dad To Dad 418 - Mike Griffiths of San Francisco, CA Exec. VP at CBRE & Father Of Two Including A Son With KCNB1 A Rare Genetic Disorder

    Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcv Our guest this week is Mike Griffiths of San Francisco, CA an Executive Vice-President at CBRE, a real estate management firm and father of two children including one with KCNB1, a very rare genetic disorder. Mike and his wife, Julia, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of two children, daughter Rowe (9) and son, Hall (14) who has KCNB1, a very rare genetic disorder associated with severe developmental delays, intellectual disability, and various types of seizures. Hall and the family have benefited from a number of organizations including; the KCNB1 Foundation,  Support for Families with Disabilities, and Best Buddies to name a few.  Mike has also participated in some endurance cycling events to raise funds for charity.   Mike is very authentic about parenting a child with a wide range of physical, intellectual and emotional challenges.   We’ll hear about that and more on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Show Notes -  Phone – (415) 407-7782 Email – michael.w.griffiths@gmail.com LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-griffiths-63a87/ KCNB1 Foundation – http://www.kcnb1.org/ Best Buddies - https://www.bestbuddies.org/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcv Join the SFN U.S. Tour in one of 60+ locations all across the U.S. from May 21st to June 21st.  Go to www.21stCenturyDads.org for additional informaiton.  Please conisder hosting, co-hosting or simoly joining the tour near your home.   Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    29 min
  3. SFN Dad To Dad 417 - Patton Dodd of San Antonio, TX, Executive Director of the H.E. Butt Foundation, Author & Father of Three.

    FEB 13

    SFN Dad To Dad 417 - Patton Dodd of San Antonio, TX, Executive Director of the H.E. Butt Foundation, Author & Father of Three.

    Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcv Our guest this week is Patton Dodd, of San Antonio,TX who is the Executive Director of the H.E. Butt Foundation, author and father of three.  Patton and his wife, Michaela, have married for 26 years and are the proud parents of three children: Isabell (22), Henry (18) and Luisa (15). Occupationally, Patton is the executive director of the H.E. Butt Foundation.  Since the 1930s, the foundation has served people in Texas and beyond in various ways according to the needs of the time, including improving literacy and mental health care, funding recreation and camps, hosting ecumenical Christian retreats at Laity Lodge, at Laity Lodge, and partnering with other organizations that serve families and children. Patton a longtime journalist and essayist is also author of the book: The Father You Get And The Ones You Make, Believe In And Become, a reflective and deeply personal exploration of how men inherit, reinterpret, and ultimately choose the models of fatherhood that shape their own identity as dads. It's an enlightening and houghtful conversation about fathering all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Notes -  Phone – (719) 325-6965 Email – pattondodd@gmail.com LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/pattondodd/ Substack – https://pattondodd.substack.com/ H.E. Butt Foundation - https://hebfdn.org/ The Father You Get And The Ones You Make, Believe In And Become - https://tinyurl.com/293wx6ur Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Order your copy of the new 21CD book: Dads Raising Chidlren With Special Needs & Disabilities: A Guide For 21st Century Dads on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tdvjcv Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    29 min
  4. SFN Dad To Dad 416 - Christian Pache of Thousand Oaks, CA An IT Manager, Father Of 2 Including One With Angelman Syndrome & ASF Board Member

    FEB 6

    SFN Dad To Dad 416 - Christian Pache of Thousand Oaks, CA An IT Manager, Father Of 2 Including One With Angelman Syndrome & ASF Board Member

    Our guest this week is Christian Pache of Thousand Oaks, CA who is a seasoned financial service IT manager, Angelman Syndrome Foundation board member and father of two including one with Angelman Syndrome & Autism. Christian and his wife, Anna, have been married for 24 years and are the proud parents of twenty-year old twins: Chloe and Aidan, who has Angelman Syndrome and Autism. Born, raised and educated in Germany, Christian immigrated to the U.S. for work in NYC.  A number of years later he met Anna, married and they started their family.  Work opportuinteis took them across the country.  Informed about Angelman Syndrome as the result of Aidan's diagnosis and with a deep passion for helping others and wanting to give back, the couple has been active within the Angelman Syndrome Foundation, where Christian now serves as a board member.   It's an uplifting story about family and service to others, all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast.  Show Links Phone – (917) 882-0562 Email – cpache@gmail.com LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-pache/ Angelman Syndrome Foundation - https://angelman.org/   Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics -  https://cureangelman.org/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    29 min
  5. SFN Dad To Dad 415 - Brad Meshell of Nashville, TN A Wealth Advisor, ED of Jacob’s Audible & Father Of Three Including An Autistic Son

    JAN 30

    SFN Dad To Dad 415 - Brad Meshell of Nashville, TN A Wealth Advisor, ED of Jacob’s Audible & Father Of Three Including An Autistic Son

    Our guest this week is Brad Meshell, a wealth advisor, executive director of Jacob's Audible and father of three, including an autistic son.  Brad and his wife, Jaime, have been married for seven years and are the proud parents of three children: Jailyn (18), Jackson (4) and Jacob (7) who is Autistic.  Brad is also the founder and executive director of Jabob's Audible, a non-profit founded in 2022, whose mission is: Supporting Autistic Kids, Empowering Parents and Building Community.  Some of their events include: Pictures With Santa, Ammo For Autism Clay Shoot and the 444 Mile Walk, Bike, Run. Some of Brad's gifts include his authenticity and his reslience.  It’s a frank discussion where Brad tells of his journey of having a child with special needs all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Links Phone – (615) 589-9898 Email – brad@jacobsaudible.org LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-meshell-a956b21b6/ Jacob’s Audible - https://www.jacobsaudible.org/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    30 min
  6. SFN Dad To Dad 414 - Hugh Hempel of Denver, CO, Rare Disease Entrepreneur, Father Of Identical Twin Girls With Niemann Pick Type C - Pt. 2

    JAN 23

    SFN Dad To Dad 414 - Hugh Hempel of Denver, CO, Rare Disease Entrepreneur, Father Of Identical Twin Girls With Niemann Pick Type C - Pt. 2

    Our guest this week is Hugh Hempel, a technology industry veteran turned health care entrepreneur and father of identical twin daughters with Niemann Pick Type C. Hugh and his wife Chris, have been married for 25 years and are the proud parents of identical twin daughters Addison & Cassidy.  The girls were born in January 2004 and were both diagnosed with Niemann Pick Type C, a type of childhood ALS, a very rare neurogenerative disease.  Despite heroic efforts to find a cure and treatments, very sadly the twins passed away in 2019 at age 15. After a successful tech career that included working at: IBM, Apple and Netscape, to name a few, and as a result of the twins' diagnosis, Hugh & Chris became outspoken advocates for rare disease research.  They also created the Addi & Cassidy Fund, a resource for families impacted by Niemann Pick, Cyclodextrin, and a myriad of stories, and resources for families impacted by a wide range of rare diseases.   Hugh has also served in a wide range of leadership positions, including Solutions Therapuetics, Sparkpr, Parent Advocist, N=1 Collaboration and Strainz.   In January 2015 Hugh gave a TEDx Talk presentation entitled: Why I Changed My Mind About Medical Cannabis, coincidentally on Addi & Cassidy's 11th birthday.   We’ll hear about the Hempel family and about Hugh and Chris’ quest to find a cure and treatments for  rare and ultra rare diseases, all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast.  This is the final sintallment of this two part interview.  Show Links Phone - (775) 338-4844 Email – Hugh@Hempelfamily.com  LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughhempel/?skipRedirect=true  Website – N=1 Collaboration – https://www.n1collaborative.org/ Website – Addi & Cassie Fund - https://addiandcassi.com/ TEDx Talk – Why I Changed My Mind About Medical Cannabis (January 2015) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N8QMeIsX2c&t=1s Dr. Sanjay Gupta CNN story (11.22.14) - https://vimeo.com/420572177?fl=pl&fe=vl Mayo Clinic NPT1 - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/niemann-pick/symptoms-causes/syc-20355887 MIPLYFFA Website - https://miplyffa.com/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    30 min
  7. SFN Dad To Dad 413 - Hugh Hempel of Denver, CO,  Rare Disease Entrepreneur , Father Of Identical Twin Girls With Niemann Pick Type C - Pt. 1

    JAN 16

    SFN Dad To Dad 413 - Hugh Hempel of Denver, CO, Rare Disease Entrepreneur , Father Of Identical Twin Girls With Niemann Pick Type C - Pt. 1

    Our guest this week Hugh Hempel of Denver, CO, a technology industry veteran turned health care entrepreneur and father of identical twin daughters with Niemann Pick Type C. Hugh and his wife Chris, have been married for 25 years and are the proud parents of identical twin daughters Addison & Cassidy.  The girls were born in January 2004 and were both diagnosed with Niemann Pick Type C, a type of childhood ALS, a very rare neurogenerative disease.  Despite heroic efforts to find a cure and treatments, very sadly the twins passed away in 2019 at age 15. After a successful tech career that included working at: IBM, Apple and Netscape to name a few, and as a result of the twins' diagnosis, Hugh & Chris became outspoken advocates for rare disease research.  They also created the Addi & Cassidy Fund, a resource for families impacted by Niemann Pick, Cyclodextrin, and a myriad of stories, and resources for families impacted by a wide range of rare diseases.   Hugh has also served in a wide range of leadership positions, including Solutions Therapuetics, Sparkpr, Parent Advocist, N=1 Collaboration and Strainz.   In January 2015 Hugh gave a TEDx Talk presentation entitled: Why I Changed My Mind About Medical Cannabis, coincidentally on Addi & Cassidy's 11th birthday.   We’ll hear about the Hempel family and about Hugh and Chris’ quest to find a cure and treatments for  rare and ultra rare diseases, all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast.  This is Part 1 of a two part interview.  Show Links Phone - (775) 338-4844 Email – Hugh@Hempelfamily.com  LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/hughhempel/?skipRedirect=true  Website – N=1 Collaboration – https://www.n1collaborative.org/ Website – Addi & Cassie Fund - https://addiandcassi.com/ TEDx Talk – Why I Changed My Mind About Medical Cannabis (January 2015) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3N8QMeIsX2c&t=1s Dr. Sanjay Gupta CNN story (11.22.14) - https://vimeo.com/420572177?fl=pl&fe=vl Mayo Clinic NPT1 - https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/niemann-pick/symptoms-causes/syc-20355887 MIPLYFFA Website - https://miplyffa.com/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    30 min
  8. SFN Dad To Dad 412 - Mike Kinner of Colorado Springs, CO, Founder of Air-O-Sport & Father of Three Including A Son With Microcephaly

    JAN 9

    SFN Dad To Dad 412 - Mike Kinner of Colorado Springs, CO, Founder of Air-O-Sport & Father of Three Including A Son With Microcephaly

    Our guest this week is Mike Kinner of Colorado Springs, CO who is the founder of Air-O-Sport and father of three including a son with microcephaly. Mike and his wife, Stephanie, have been married for 12 years and are the proud parents of three children: daughters; Elieyanah (1) and McKenzie (9) as well as son, Samuel (6) who has microcephaly, which is linked to several disorders, including; epilepsy, cerebral palsy, being deaf, visually impaired and non-verbal. Mike is the founder of Air-O-Sport, a unique fast-paced, non-contact team game where players pass and throw a lightweight ring through the air to score points by hitting targets or completing passes in a defined zone. It blends elements of basketball, ultimate frisbee, and handball, emphasizing agility, teamwork, and quick decision-making. We learn about the Kinner family, their love for Samuel and the energy they bring to life, all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast. Show Notes - Phone – (719) 243-9111 Email – mike@playairosport.com LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekinner/ Website - https://playairosport.com/ Special Fathers Network – SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 800+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: “I wish there was something like this when we first received our child’s diagnosis. I felt so isolated.  There was no one within my family, at work, at church or within my friend group who understood or could relate to what I was going through.” SFN Mentor Fathers share their experiences with younger dads closer to the beginning of their journey raising a child with the same or similar special needs. The SFN Mentor Fathers do NOT offer legal or medical advice, that is what lawyers and doctors do. They simply share their experiences and how they have made the most of challenging situations. Check out the 21CD YouTube Channel with dozens of videos on topics relevant to dads raising children with special needs - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzDFCvQimWNEb158ll6Q4cA/videos Please support the SFN. Click here to donate: https://21stcenturydads.org/donate/ Special Fathers Network: https://21stcenturydads.org/   SFN Mastermind Group - https://21stcenturydads.org/sfn-mastermind-group/ Special thanks to SFN Mentor Father, SFN Mastermind Group dad and 21CD board member Shane Madden for creating the SFN jingle on the front and back end of the podcast..

    30 min
4.6
out of 5
24 Ratings

About

Fathers mentoring fathers of kids with special needs - presented by the Special Fathers Network. Host David Hirsch interviews some amazing fathers of kids with special needs.

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