The James Protin Podcast James Protin

Our guest for Episode 114, Lorenzo Altobelli believes that the impact we make on others shapes our legacy. As the owner and barber at LA Fades in North Belle Vernon, Lorenzo is dedicated to giving back to his community. 

His mission is to make a positive difference in people’s lives, one haircut at a time.

Lorenzo believes a barber can change lives by providing more than just a haircut. They often serve as confidants, listeners, and mentors, offering a safe space for clients to express themselves and receive guidance. 

By building relationships and offering support, Lorenzo positively impacts mental health and overall well-being of his customers. 

Additionally, through community involvement and initiatives like free haircuts for those in need, barbers can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Our guest for Episode 113 of the podcast is Virginia Monaghan. Virginia is a Mon Valley kid, born to a loving Italian-American family in Donora, Pennsylvania. 

She graduated for Donora High School in 1964 and went on to California State Teachers College with a Bachelors Degree in secondary education in 1968. Then this Mon Valley kid set off on a more than 30 year career teaching a couple generations of Mon Valley kids at Monessen (PA) High School. 

It was at California State Teachers College, where she was the Sigma Tau Gamma White Rose Queen and Miss Torch for the Mon Valley United Way, that she caught the eye of her husband. They were  married in 1968 and remained so for 46 years until his unexpected passing in 2014.
 
Virginia loved teaching English and Public Speaking at Monessen High School. During her career, she sponsored the newspaper, performing arts group and the broadcasting club. She received three "Great Ideas" grants and was listed in "Who's Who in America's Teachers."
 
Virginia has one daughter, Melanie, a cohost for a Pittsburgh radio morning show and two granddaughters; Quinn, a freshman at Penn State (main) and Brecklynn an eighth-grader in the Belle Vernon Area School District. 
 
She didn’t rest on the laurels of her distinguished career. After her husband's untimely death, I started a Foundation, a (501(c)3) nonprofit to keep his legacy alive. The foundation helps underprivileged children and has been extremely successful.

Virginia has written one children's book and is working on two more. She lives the mantra…you’re never too old and it’s never too late. In her spare time, this amazing woman enjoy ls walking, reading poetry, gardening and movies. 

This was a delightful conversation with a dedicated educator, wife, mother, and grandmother who has walks in faith and and continues to give back to her beloved Mon Valley community. 

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Kate Crawford is a nonprofit leader, fierce advocate, digital creator, and more importantly, wife and mother. 

Kate is no stranger to struggle and tragedy in her life. Kate's journey to motherhood led her to find a hope that would carry her through some of her hardest days. All four of her children were treated in the neonatal intensive care unit right after birth due to different complications. Her first daughter sadly died just 3 days after being born. Her twin daughters would just need some help to grow strong. Due to complications with her last pregnancy, she and her son nearly died. As a result of her son being premature, he suffered many life-altering complications.

Kate never wanted a family to feel alone during such a trying time in their lives so she and a few of her close friends created the organization, Project Sweet Peas. Project Sweet Peas quickly grew to become a national non-profit organization coordinated by volunteers, who through personal experience have become passionate about providing support to families of premature or critically ill infants and to those who have been affected by pregnancy and infant loss.

Kate served as the President of Project Sweet Peas until 2013 when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer at just 28 years old. The cancer entirely covered her liver, both breasts, shoulder, ribs, thoracic and lumbar spine, and completely covered her pelvis. A diagnosis this severe gave her a less than 15% chance of surviving for 5 years. With little hope, Kate started a "Mommy Bucket List". Her twins were 4 and her son just turned 3 when she was diagnosed so her list was all the things she still wanted to do with her children, things she wished to do, and experiences she had hoped to see achieved.

Each year that passed after Kate's diagnosis brought more optimism but it brought many health challenges as a result of intense cancer treatments. Kate found out she had two cancer-causing genetic mutations and has faced three other primary cancers. In the past 11 years, Kate has had 179 treatments, a double mastectomy, oophorectomy, gall bladder surgery, lumbar puncture, radiation, broken bones from treatment and cancer, fluid buildup in her brain, blood clots in my lungs, hip surgery and heart failure.

One thing Kate didn't do was lose hope. Just as she did with Project Sweet Peas, Kate dived into the breast cancer nonprofit community, raising nearly $100,000 for breast cancer research and local organizations. She has traveled the country sharing her story to advocate for better patient-centered care practices in healthcare.  She works closely with local breast cancer community leaders to ensure Pittsburgh continues to be a pioneer in research and patient care.

When Kate is working as a cancer advocate you will find her volunteering her time elsewhere. Kate remains an active volunteer with Project Sweet Peas and spearheaded the global initiative, NICU Awareness Month. Kate volunteers for as many things that involve her kids as she can. She and her family still work on checking things from the bucket list. She has a large following on TikTok, where she brings humor to her diagnosis. She loves being an artist and usually spends her free time in her studio at home crafting.

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Mom.  Career woman.  Side-hustler.

Rachel Winner wears many hats.  A Pittsburgh native, Rachel is currently the Advertising Director for Pittsburgh City Paper, managing the sales and marketing team.  Pittsburgh City Paper is Pittsburgh’s alternative for news, arts, and entertainment since 1991.  

Winner has been in media sales and management her entire career, including The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, KDKA-Radio, Lamar Outdoor Advertising and Pittsburgh Magazine. 

Rachel has built an invaluable network of thought and business leaders in Pittsburgh, and has coupled that with volunteer work for various nonprofit entities including, The American Heart Association, Junior Achievement, The Allegheny Conference/ Athena Host Committee, The Community Liver Alliance, and most recently sits on the board of the Media Association of Pittsburgh.

Rachel holds a B.A. in Communications & Advertising from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania.  She resides in the Wexford/Pine Township area with her 16 year old daughter Abigail and her 12 year old son, Nicholas.

On the side, Rachel has been a Brand Ambassador for Plexus Worldwide for over 2 years and is living the life of health & happiness.  

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.

Caroline Boyce moved to Pittsburgh from London, England at the age of six and has considered herself a Pittsburgh native ever since. She brings 30 years of experience in leading nonprofit organizations in executive roles and as a change consultant. She began her collaboration with Ryan Shazier in September of 2020, to lead the establishment of the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. 
 
With a BA from Connecticut College and an MA from Cornell University, Caroline specializes in assisting nonprofits that are starting up or going through significant transitions. She is a Certified Board Source Nonprofit Governance Consultant, a graduate of the Support Center’s Interim Executive Director program, and a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh.
 
Caroline’s outside interests include cooking, architecture and Pittsburgh sports teams. A long-time Steelers fan, Caroline is delighted to be part of Ryan Shazier’s team to advocate for the victims of Spinal Cord Injuries and advance the agenda of this new and dynamic organization.

Episode 110 drops tomorrow. As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform. 

#JamesProtinPodcast #RyanShazierFund #community #advocacy #rehabilitation #nonprofit #ThePersonintheChair #LiveLoveLearnPrayInspire

Our guest for Episode 109 is Justin Ellis, an Associate Attorney at Zacharia Brown. Justin counsels clients in estate and asset protection planning, Medicaid eligibility for long term care, Veterans’ benefits eligibility, and estate administration. 

He also represents clients in Orphans’ Court litigation, including guardianship proceedings for incapacitated adults. Justin regularly represents hospitals and nursing homes to secure medical and financial decision makers for patients in need of such individuals.

Justin is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He received his undergraduate degree from John Carroll University and his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he represented indigent clients in Elder Law matters as part of the Sikov Elder Law Clinic.

Justin is a member of both the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys (PAELA).

Justin can be heard broadcasting for Pittsburgh Elder Law on KDKA 1020 AM every other Saturday at 12:00 noon. He also provides educational seminars to community organizations throughout the Pittsburgh area.

Justin was raised in Peters Township and currently lives with his wife in the Brookline neighborhood of Pittsburgh.

As always, the visually inclined can catch it on YouTube, or listen in on Spotify or your favorite podcast platform.