Special Fathers' Network Podcast

Our guest this week is Wil Derouen of Seattle, WA who is a Peer Support Counselor at Dads M.O.V.E. and father of five boys including one with ADHD. Wil and his wife, Hazel, have been together for eight years and married for one year. He is the proud father of five boys from three women: Zion (18), Cameron (21), Treveon (23), Sheraud (24) and Kahlil (26) who has ADHD. Wil's story is rather remarkable including some serious ups and downs. Wil is like a phoenix that has risen from the ashes. He served three years of a five year sentence from 2008 to 2011 in state prison on a felony conviction of conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. He was released two years early for good behavior, which included working with other inmates to create resumes and develop job-rediness skills.In his role as a Peer Support Counselor at Dads M.O.V.E. (Mentoring Others through Voices of Experience), Wil is uniquely qualified to work with a wide range of dads, including incarcerated dads and others who have felony convictions.T

Our guest this week is Dan Feshbach of Sausalito, CA, a serial entrepreneur and CEO of Multiple, a non-profit (501c3) innovation platform for the autism community, whose mission is 'to transform the lives of people with autism at scale.'Dan and his x-wife, were married for 35 years and are the proud parents of 30 year old twins: Emma and Reed, who is Autistic. We’ll learn about Dan’s many innovations and the leadership roles he played at: LoanPerformance, the Oak Hill School of California, BlueUmbrella, TeachTown, MeasureOne, Multiple and the Autism Impact Fund. That's all on this episode of SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Links:Email – [email protected] – https://www.multiplehub.org/Website - https://niadart.org/Website - https://autismimpact.fund/Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are raising kids with special needs, have said: "I wish there was something like this when we first receiv

Our guest this week is Brad Serot, of Winnetka, IL who is Vice Chairman of CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate.Brad and his x-wife, Lexis, were married for eight years and are the proud parents of four children: Billie (6), Jonas (8), and 10 year old twins Stella and Ava, who has Cerebral Palsy. Brad talks very authentically about his early denial about Ava's condition, the dissolution of his marriage, going through counseling as well as finding purpose in cycling and fundraising for charity. He also discusses the positive role Easterseals and the Epilepsy Foundation of Great Chicago have played in Ava's development. That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show LinksEmail – [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-serot-18ba271/Phone - (773) 837-7101Website - https://www.cbre.com/Website - https://epilepsychicago.org/Website - https://hpa.vc/about/Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs.

Our guest this week is Jeff Wickersham of Royersford, PA, who is a high performance coach, founder of the Warrior Dad Experience and father of two.Jeff and his wife, Heather, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Jackson (15) and Carter (13), who has Crohn's Disease. Occupationally, Jeff is a sought-after mental toughness and peak performance coach who specializes in helping clients intentionally step into the best version of themselves personally and professionally, guiding his clients to install habits and systems that set them up for success. Vocationally, Jeff has been called to create the Warrior Dad Experience. Inspired by the likes of David Goggins, Jeff strives to help dads be the best version of themselves.Jeff is also the author of Rise, Fight, Love Repeat.Jeff's enthusiasm, passion for life and serving others is contageous. That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show LinksEmail – [email protected] – (610) 564-2107Website - https://www.th

Our guest this week is Sarah Glofcheskie of Toronto, Canada, who is the single mother of a daughter with Autism, a serial entrepreneur, and founder of BeMe, an Autism innovation company. Sarah and her x-husband, who remains a very involved father, were married for six years and are the proud parents of Flynn (12) who is Autistic.Informed by her experience as the mother of a child with Autism, Sarah founded BeMe.ai a company whose mission is to empower Autistic individuals, their families and care team with the tools they need to thrive. BeMe combines medical, behavioral and environmental factors in an insight generating app designed specifically to support Autistic children.We’ll hear the BeMe story and how Sarah has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of autistic people around the world. That’s all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Links:Email – [email protected] - https://www.beme.ai/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeMe.aiIncLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-glofcheskie

Our guest this week is Tim Coughlin a U.S. x-Pat in London, England who works at Morgan Stanley as head of the Commodity and Infrastructure Finance Group for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Tim and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for eight years and are the proud parents of two young girls: Alice (4) and Edith (2), who was diagnosed with BBSOAS or Bosch-Boonstra-Schaff Optic Atrophy Syndrome, a very rare neurological disorder caused by a disruption in the NR2F1 gene.Tim was born and raised in Basking Ridge, NJ. Jennifer is from England and worked in the U.S. at UBS for 15 years, before taking a leave of absence a year ago. We learn about how the couple has navigated their new world of disability and some of the organizations that have played an important role, including: the NR2F1 Foundation, Combined Brain and UK-based Small Steps, in SW London.It's a heartwarming story about a young couple, their commitment to family and serving the community at-large. Show Links: Email – [email protected]

Our guest this week is Adam Birchmeier of Muskegon, MI who is a Business Sales Representative with Access Health and the father of daughter with Angelman Syndrome, who very sadly passed away in August, after a brief illness.Adam and his wife, Nicole, have been married for 4 years and are the proud parents of Maddie who was born in June 2020, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome at 18 months and who, very sadly, passed away in August, shortly after her third birthday. We also learn about Maddie's Joy, the blog and podcast Adam created to reflect on the family's Angelman Syndrome journey. Most touchingly, on the September 15, 2023 podcast, Adam read the eulogy he gave Maddie at her funeral. While Maddie's passing is very sad, Adam and Nicole find some solace in knowing that Maddie had (and continues to have) a positive impact in the lives of others, through Gift-Of-Life organ donation, and despite her short presence on this earth. We’ll hear all about Maddie, her smile and how her infectious spirit lives on. Th

Our guest this week is Gus Aguilera of Oak Harbor, WA who is a cinematic special effects, IT specialist and a father of three children including a son who has Down Syndrome.Gus and his x-wife Bobbie Jo, became teen parents and were married for 36 years, before divorcing earlier this year. They are the proud parents of three children: Cassandra (35), Jordan (27) and Gabriel (14), who has Down Syndrome. Gus has full-time custody of Gabe who is non-verbal and not toilet trained. Gus speaks very authentically about the challenges of being a single parent, living in a remote area of Washington, with limited local resources as well as the limited type of work he is able to pursue from a professional perspective. That’s all on this special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Links - Email – [email protected] Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. https://choc.childrensmiraclenetworkhospitals.orgDown Syndrome Association of Orange County https://www.dsaoc.orgWashington State Fathers Network https://fathe

Our guest this week is Paul Carroll, of Situate, RI who is senior HR director at CVS Health, founder of Autism Dadvocate and father of an Autistic son. Paul and his wife, Jennifer, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of Vaughan(16) who is Autistic. Professionally, Paul is an Executive Director of Talent Manager at CVS Health. Informed by being a father to a neurodiverse child and guided by his faith, Paul has been called to create AutismDadvocate.org, a non-profit an online support forum for dads with children with autism and about the commonalities we all face as fathers. They host a blog, a podcast and workshops. That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Show Links:Email – [email protected] – https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-carroll-autismdadvocate/Website - https://www.autismdadvocate.org/Podcast - https://www.autismdadvocate.org/podcastSpecial Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many

Our guest this week is Nate Boltz of Anchorage, AK who is executive director at Challenge Alaska and father of two, including one with Spina Bifida.Nate and his wife, Leah, have been married for 20 years and are the proud parents of two: Adeline (5) and Anna (16) who has Spina Bifida.Born in Bozeman, MT and raised in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Nate has always enjoyed the outdoors and athletics, including: skiing, hiking and endurance sports. Challenge Alaska is a non-profit dedicated to adaptive athletics and therapeutic recreation. Leah is also co-founder of Parks for All, a non-profit that designs and builds playgrounds that emphasize accessibility and inclusion, which has spread across the state of Alaska. We also learn about a range of other organizations, including: Equate Assist Therapy Alaska, Move United Association Therapeutics, Stay Focused and the National Ability Center. It's an uplifting story about strong family values, a love of athletics, merged with inclusion, acceptance and service to the comm

Our guest this week is Brady Murray of Salt Lake City, who is father to 11 children, a managing director at Capstone Partners a Mass Mutual General Agent, founder of RODS Heroes as well as the Special Abilities Network. Brady and his wife, Andrea, have been married for 21 years and are the proud parents of 11 children. By age they are: Brinley (17), Nash (16), Ridge (13), Copper (11), Mason (8), Willow (6) and Olivia (5) and as this episode gets published the couple is in Columbia adopting four siblings: John (16), Jarrow (14), Sandra (15) and Roccio (10). Both Nash and Cooper have Down Syndrome.RODS Heroes is a non-profit organization with the mission to inspire families to adopt children with special needs or other unique circumstances. Over the last decade, RODS Heroes has inspired the adoption of 102 children (83 of whom have Down syndrome), providing them with loving forever homes. Through their advocacy and dedication, RODS Heroes aims to raise awareness and promote a positive perception of adoption of

Our guest this week is Rob Billerbeck of Lakewood, CO who works for the National Park Service in Colorado.Rob and his wife, Sarah, have been married for 27 years and are the proud parents of three children; a daughter, a son who has Down Syndrome and a third who is non-binary.Rob reflects on being the 9th of nine children and the impact that losing a sister in a car accident and a brother to suicide. Rob also reflects on the challenges they have encountered as parents, the organizations that played an influential role and very humbly, how his children have been his greatest teacher. That's all on this episode of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Links - Email – [email protected] Down Syndrome Foundation - https://www.globaldownsyndrome.org/Mile High Down Syndrome Association - http://www.mhdsa.org/The ARC of Colorado – https://thearcofco.org/about/Special Fathers Network - SFN is a dad to dad mentoring program for fathers raising children with special needs. Many of the 500+ SFN Mentor Fathers, who are

Our guest this week is Father Medard Laz of Ft. Lauderdale, FL a retired Catholic priest for the Archdioscese of Chicago, founding pastor of Holy Family Church in Inverness Illinois, the author of nine books and a serial social entrepreneur. His achievements are many; so many in fact, that we’re presenting his conversation with David Hirsch in two parts. This week in part 2, we’ll hear about Father Laz’s not for profit ventures, his many books and more. Father Med is the founder of many non-profits, including:Rainbows For All ChildrenJoyful AgainTreats For The SoulHearts For HumanityAngels in Action -He is also the author of nine books including:Love Adds A Little Chocolate (1998)Life After Divorce (1998)Coping When Your Spouse Dies (1998)The Gathering: Jesus And Abortion A Story For Our Time (2020)Spiritual Guidance for Separated & DivorcedSix Levels Of A Happy MarriageLift Up My Spirit LordAfter Your Loved One DiesThat’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast.Show Notes - Email – medardl

Our guest this week is Father Medard Laz of Ft. Lauderdale, FL a retired Catholic priest for the Archdioscese of Chicago, founding pastor of Holy Family Church in Inverness Illinois, the author of nine books and a serial social entrepreneur. His achievements are many; so many in fact, that we’re presenting his conversation with David Hirsch in two parts. In this first installment we’ll hear about his home life growing up and the beginnings of a spiritual journey to help those in need.Father Med is the founder of many non-profits, including:Rainbows For All ChildrenJoyful AgainTreats For The SoulHearts For HumanityAngels in Action -He is also the author of nine books including: Love Adds A Little Chocolate (1998)Life After Divorce (1998)Coping When Your Spouse Dies (1998)The Gathering: Jesus And Abortion A Story For Our Time (2020)Spiritual Guidance for Separated & DivorcedSix Levels Of A Happy MarriageLift Up My Spirit LordAfter Your Loved One DiesThat’s all on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podc

Our guest this week is Eric Swithin of Florence, AL a retired U.S. Marine, a former youth pastor, now founder and executive director of Outdoor Adventures as well as The Alliance For Ending The Fatherless Epidemic. Eric and his wife, Kameron, have been married for 14 years and are the proud parents of two children: Mason (6) and McKinzie (4).After some formative years in the U.S. Marines and serving as a youth pastor, Eric has found his calling: to end the fatherless epidemic through mentorship. Eric is the founder and executive director of Outdoor Adventures and creator of the film “Fatherless Epidemic.” Eric works with youth, many who are fatherless, and through Biblical based teaching and experiences, empowers them to chart a new path for themselves and serve as leaders in their families and the community at-large.We’ll hear Eric’s story on this episode of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad podcast.Show Links - Email – [email protected] http://www.fatherlessepidemic.org/Website – http

Our guest this week is Eric Jorgensen of Frederick, MD a retired Navy veteran, widower, founder of True North Disability Planning, cancer survivor and father of two, including a son with Autism.Eric and his wife, Christine, were married for 12 years before, very sadly, she passed away in April 2012, after a short battle with HLH (Hemophagocytic Lympho Histiocystosis), a rare autoimmune disease. They are the proud parents of two; including William (23), who has Autism, is non-verbal with learning & intellectual disabilities, and mental health challenges. Eric reflects on his 20+ years in the Navy and work aboard submarines as well as his more recent battle with cancer. He also talks about his frustration navigating the world of disability resources that lead to creating Spectrum Needs Navigator, which starting in 2020 lead to creating True North Disability Planning, a company whose mission is: to make Disability Planning accessible to all.Eric also publishes a weekly newsletter entitled: Waypoints and is t

Our guest this week is Tony Brescia of West Dundee, IL who owns a Hallmark store, is the father of two including a son with Tuberous Sclerosis, and more recently is raising funds to create Project ALEX Communities, a unique residential community for adults with intellectual disabilities. Tony and his wife, Joelle, have been married for 34 years and are the proud parents of two boys: Jason (28) and Alex (32) who was born with Tuberous Sclerosis, a rare genetic disease that causes non-cancerous (benign) tumors to grow in the brain and several areas of the body, including the spinal cord, nerves, eyes, lung, heart, kidneys, and skin. Tony owns the Joelle's Hallmark Shop in Clarendon Hills. Joelle and Tony also have a vision for building Project ALEX Communities. ALEX stands for Adult, Living EXperience and the mission is "establishing a safe (residential) living environment and create a community atmosphere for adults with intellectual / developmental disabilities and individuals without disabilities."We also le

Our guest this week is Jeff Zaugg of Minneapolis, MN, a former pastor of family ministries, a fatherhood advocate and host of the DadAwesome Podcast. Jeff and his wife, Michelle, have been married for 17 years and are the proud parents of four daughters: Kiva (9), Ruthie (6), Raya (4) and Zara (2).Jeff has been an outspoken advocate for fathers and is founder of Fathers for the Fatherless, a non-profit dedicated to: activate dads to lead with wonder—building intentional connection with their kids while experiencing God’s awesomeness together.Jeff is also the host of the DadAwesome Podcast now with nearly 300 episodes. In fact he interviewed David Hirsch, 21CD founder and host of the SFN Dad To Dad Podcast. Here is a link to that interview episdoe #274: https://www.dadawesome.org/blog/274-2We also learn about the Zaugg family RV travels (yes all six of them) all over the U.S. the past two years. It's a touching and uplifting story all on this episode of the SFN Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Links:Email – jeff@dadawe

Our guest this week is Dan Redfield of Anchorage, AK who is an Emmy nominated filmmaker and the father of three children.Dan and his wife, Kristen, have been married for two years and are proud parents of three children; Henry (8 mo.), Reagan (3) and Ava, who very sadly passed away in November 2021 at age six, after suffering from Infantile Tay-Sachs, a rare inherited genetic disease. We’ll hear how Dan developed a passion for film making and how that led to the creation of the PBS documentary film 'Granted,' which led to creating short documentary films for other families touched by disabiltiy, in the name of Adventures for Ava, a non-profit dedicated to helping families with special needs capture memories. That’s all on this episode of the Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast.Show Notes - Email – [email protected] – https://www.danredfield.com/Website – https://www.avasstory.orgLinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danredfield/Cure Tay-Sachs Foundation - https://www.curetay-sachs.org/Nationa

Our guest this week is Krista Mason, of Holland, Michigan, a Christian, wife and mother. Krista and her husband, David have been married for 32 years and are the proud parent of two boys: James (29) and Benjamin (27), who has Autism and developmental delays. Krista is also the co-founder of Benjamin’s Hope, a live, learn, play, worship farmstead community where people of all abilities are transformed by the love Christ. The Ben's Hope Way: Committed to loving God and others,we fiercely respect the dignity intelligence and value of all humans. We are creative, courageous and committed to excellence. Through the love of Christ we live the abundant life togetherWe’ll hear the story of Benjamin’s Hope and more on this Special Fathers Network Dad to Dad Podcast. It’s a fascinating conversation, one which you are sure to enjoy.Show Notes -Email – [email protected] - https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-mason-90a804b/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/benjaminshopeWebsite – https://www.benjaminshope.n