The San Diego UnionTribune Podcasts

Kaci Brown is a member of the Barona band of the Kumeyaay Nation. She's an archaeologist and a community contributor at the U-T, where she’s written about lessons we can all learn from Native culture. She has an incredible life story, beginning with a milk carton ad.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Amber is a nonbinary drag queen who incorporates social justice themes and commentaries into their art.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Ari Novy is the president and CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas. He is an expert horticulturist and a fourth generation florist.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dr. Lisa Will is a professor of astronomy and physics at San Diego City College and she’s also the resident astronomer at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. She oversees not one but two planetariums, and just generally loves everything related to space and sci-fi.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Chef Lan Thai AKA Chef Lando is the owner of the Enclave restaurant at JuneShine Ranch in Scripps Ranch, where she cooks farm-to-table Asian fusion cuisine.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Brian is an associate professor of film at San Diego State University and the artistic director of the San Diego Asian Film Festival, which basically means he gets to watch movies for a living.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Mayor Sotelo-Solis is the first ever Latina to hold her position. She’s a third generation resident of National City and a proud poli-sci graduate of UC San Diego. Plus, she has really amazing style. We’ll talk about that, as well as family, life philosophy and -- I totally wasn’t expecting this -- but zombie apocalypse escape plans.…

Brit Bennett is the author of "The Vanishing Half," about twin sisters from the South who choose to live in two different worlds, one black and one white.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dr. Bukata is one of only four women to hold this position in the United States.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Lisa Easterly is the CEO of the San Diego Cyber Center of Excellence, which promotes innovation and excellence in the region's cyber community. We talked about jobs, diversity in the industry, and of course about Lisa.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Today's guest is Joaquin McWhinney, AKA Quino, the singer behind the 1994 hit "Baby I Love Your Way." His band, Big Mountain, formed in San Diego in the '80s and that song took them to the top of billboard charts and all around the world.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Cody Hooven is the COO of San Diego Community Power, which just inked a big deal with San Diego County to purchase its power. In general, she is a problem solver, champion of the environment and lover of the outdoors.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Joel is the CEO of PATH, also known as People Assisting the Homeless. He lives in downtown San Diego and over the past 25 years has grown a small Los Angeles transitional living home into a statewide operation serving more than 140 communities.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Beth Demmon is a San Diego-based freelance journalist who writes about beer and cider. She’s had a bunch of amazing bylines including Playboy, Vice, Thrillist, Eating Well and the Union-Tribune’s very own Pacific Magazine.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Maya Reddy is the founder of Queer Asian Social Club, a San Diego-based collective that promotes Asian/Pacific Islander/Southwest Asian and Desi visibility.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Shawn is a Navy veteran and the co-founder of the San Diego chapter of the Truman National Security Project. He's hyper involved in San Diego and sits on several boards including the San Diego Convention Center, and the public policy committee of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Mitch is the San Diego chapter manager of the Surfrider Foundation, a volunteer-driven organization that protects our beaches and oceans. Under his leadership, the group advocates for clean water, beach access, limiting plastic consumption and more. Mitch himself has been mostly single-use plastic-free since 2008.…

Minh writes picture books and comics and is a childhood policy expert for the federal government. He’s the award-winning author of Drawn Together, Lift, The Perfect Seat, The Green Lantern Legacy and Let Me Finish, one of NPR's best books of 2016. He recently moved to San Diego with his wife, who is from here, and their two sons.…

Margaret Leinen joined UC San Diego in 2013. In addition to directing Scripps, she's been the vice chancellor and the dean of marine sciences.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Growing up in El Centro, Fernando Zweifach López Jr. never thought they'd end up as the executive director of San Diego Pride, an organization with a mission to create a world free of prejudice and bias. But looking back, the trajectory makes perfect sense.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

San Diego native Bobby Rubio grew up going to Comic-Con and loving comics. Now he creates his own and works as a story artist for Pixar.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins is one of the most influential politicians in California, and she got her start here in San Diego. On this episode, she discusses LGBTQ rights and her own coming out story, her SB 9 housing bill and why she loves Dolly Parton.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Rafael Payare, music director for the San Diego Symphony, has conducted orchestras all over the world, but his approach always remains the same, no matter the location. "I go all in, or nothing -- completely," Payare said.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Award-winning UC San Diego composer Lei Liang was just a teenager when he participated in the now-infamous 1989 pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, but the experience still influences his life.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Ken Layne is behind Desert Oracle, a zine, radio show and now book by the same name.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Shawn Walchef's efforts to make Cali Comfort BBQ a digital-first restaurant paid off during the pandemic and now he's opening up shop at the new Barrio Food Hub.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Whether you’re a new or seasoned gardener, a houseplant fanatic or just someone who wants to grow basil on your windowsill, our guest this week has wisdom to share. She’s a botanist, a sustainability activist, a garden designer and a journalist with bylines in Sunset Magazine, the LA Times, Better Homes and Gardens and more.…

Tamera Kohler, CEO of the Regional Taskforce on the Homeless, somehow remains optimistic, despite all the obstacles in the way of ending homelessness in San Diego.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Jesse Agler joined the Padres organization in 2014 and became the lead broadcaster — working side by side with Tony Gwynn Jr. — this season in 2021.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Andrew Strong may just be getting started as director of San Diego County's new Office of Equity and Racial Justice, but his family has a history of fighting for racial justice.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

How can classical theater better reflect modern times and more diverse audiences?That's what Jesse Perez, as director of the The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, has in mind as he teaches and directs Master of Fine Arts (MFA) students.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Tommy "The Fishmonger" Gomes is from a San Diego commercial fishing family and is committed to making sure locals eat fish that has been caught off the West Coast, especially in San Diego.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

JoAnn Fields has been a vocal leader in the new movement to stop hate and violence toward Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. But she's also been a longtime advocate in San Diego County, fighting for better recognition and representation of Filipinos and all communities of color, especially in the South Bay.…

Matt de la Peña is an author of young adult, middle grade and children's book originally from National City. He's also an SDSU professor and his latest release is "Milo Imagines the World."By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Our guest this week is Tina Guo. She’s a classical and electric cellist whose playing has been described as “metal cello." Her epic work has appeared in movies like “Wonderwoman,” and the upcoming "Top Gun: Maverick" as well as video games like "Call of Duty."By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Californian Ron Nehring has a uniquely comprehensive view of the Republican Party over the last 20 years. He's worked in the GOP at every level, chairing the San Diego County Republican Party, chairing the California Republican Party and serving on the Republican National Committee. He also ran for lieutenant governor of California against Gavin Ne…

Dean Nelson is the founder of the annual Writer's Symposium by the Sea in San Diego. He reacts to the famous Prince Harry and Meghan interview, shares stories from his travels and more.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Kelly Marie Tran is an actress from San Diego who you may have seen in "Star Wars," "Sorry For Your Loss," and other tv shows and films.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Marisa Reichardt wrote "A Shot at Normal," about a teen who sues her parents for the right to be vaccinated, before the pandemic began, but now the anti-vax conversation is all the more timely.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Makeda "Dread" Cheatom is a San Diego legend. She's the founder of the WorldBeat Cultural Center at Balboa Park. She started one of San Diego's first vegetarian restaurants, The Prophet, in the 1970s. And she's a radio DJ and concert organizer who has spent time with Radiohead, No Doubt, Shaggy, Sublime and more.…

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Dr. Wilma Wooten is in charge of San Diego County's COVID-19 response. If you follow local pandemic news, you've definitely heard her name. In this episode, we get to know the personality behind the public figure, including her favorite reggae, the best advice she's ever received and her post-pandemic travel plans.…

Art is about humanity, if you ask Roxana Velásquez, because it teaches us about ourselves and others. In this episode, the director of SDMA talks about her lifelong love of art, her curation philosophy and how she put the Balboa Park museum on an international map.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dr. Bhutani of San Diego State University studies intermittent fasting, holiday weight gain and more.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Freshman Congressperson Sara Jacobs was only four days into the job when a mob of pro-Trump rioters broke into the Capitol. She recounts the terror in the House Chamber, why she supports impeaching President Donald Trump, Congress' plans for COVID-19 relief and more.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dr. Fricker has one of the coolest jobs in San Diego — literally. Using satellites, she studies the ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland and they effect they have on our climate. In this episode, she talks about what it's like to go to Antarctica, her work with NASA and more.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Dr. Eric Topol is one of the most influential physicians in the country. He has many areas of expertise, but COVID-19 wasn't one of them ... until now.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Mario Lopez was born and raised in Chula Vista prior to being cast as AC Slater on Saved by the Bell.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

At 32, multi-instrumentalist Ilan Rubin is the youngest musician to ever be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He's the drummer of NIN and Angels & Airwaves with Tom DeLonge of Blink-182, and he's plays every instrument for his solo project, The New Regime.By The San Diego Union-Tribune

Paola Ávila on joining Todd Gloria in the mayor's office, her career working for the San Diego Chamber of Commerce and her "guiding light."By The San Diego Union-Tribune