We welcome the awesome Tim Kilduff to the show! Tim is the president and founder of the 26.2 Foundation, whose signature project is the building of the International Marathon Center. As race director of the Boston Marathon from 1983-1984 he organized and led a small team that saved the Marathon during a period of operational crisis, ensuring the success it enjoys today. His contributions to the race have continued for more than 30 years in creative ways such as broadcasting, fundraising and non-profit development, with each effort enhancing the Marathon.

His experience includes corporate affairs, organizational management, internal and external communications, corporate philanthropy and community relations, working with technology companies, small businesses and community organizations. His background includes a focus on crisis communications, public relations, media, philanthropy, government relations and marketing programs to effectively and strategically position clients with internal and external audiences. His work has been recognized by the Reagan administration, Vice President Gore, and Massachusetts Governors Weld and Dukakis, as well as Massachusetts Lt. Governor Healy during the Romney/Healy administration. He was presented with the Philhellene Award in 2018 by the Alpha Omega Council of Boston and in 2021 was awarded the College of Education Centennial Alumni Award from his alma mater, Kent State University. Join us as we chat with Tim!

Learn more at the 26.2 Foundation website: 26-2.org

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We welcome the wonderful Jay Samons to the podcast! Jay is Professor of Classical Studies at Boston University and Chief Academic Advisor and Executive Director of the Institute for Hellenic Culture and the Liberal Arts at The American College of Greece in Athens.

Born in Arkansas and educated at Baylor University and Brown University, Samons has taught ancient history and classical languages at Boston University for 31 years, winning many teaching awards including the university’s highest honor, the Metcalf Award for Excellence. He has published numerous works on classical Greece, focusing in particular on the relationship between Athenian democracy and imperialism, the issue of national character, the relevance of ancient history for the modern world. His books include Empire of the Owl: Athenian Imperial Finance (2000), What’s Wrong with Democracy? From Athenian Practice to American Worship (2004), and Pericles and the Conquest of History (2016), as well as the edited volumes The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Pericles (2007) and Athenian Democracy and Imperialism (1997).

Professor Samons has lectured at many institutions including Oxford University, The University of Edinburgh, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown University, Duke University, Pomona College, and the Getty Villa. Among other named lectures, Samons delivered the annual Bancroft Memorial Lecture at the U.S. Naval Academy in 2020. In 2018 Professor Samons was a Visiting Scholar at St John’s College, Oxford, where he continued work on a book-length study on the rise of classical Athens.

Professor Samons’ outreach efforts have included lectures at many elementary and secondary schools, often in support of the Marathon Education Committee, as well as talks and seminars for teachers (including The Examined Life) and collaborations with the Greek Consulate in Boston, especially in conjunction with the Boston University Philhellenes.

In various roles at The American College of Greece, Professor Samons has helped to implement the college’s strategic plan by creating new institutes and centers of excellence designed to foster research, international collaboration, and economic growth. Most recently he has focused on expanding undergraduate and graduate programming, especially in ways that emphasize Greece’s important historical and contemporary role as an intellectual and cultural leader.

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We welcome Chris Damianakos to the show! Chris has been a creating fun experiences as long as he can remember. Chris was born an only child, and a slew of imagination came along with him. As long as he can remember he kept creating experiences for friends - be it a game or some sort of theatrics just to see what the reaction would be.

This all led to the creation of Cashunt, a top ranked urban competition in Boston, now in its 25th season. Cashunt hosts 200+ games in Boston alone and brings all types of people together, making them laugh, compete and have an amazing experience during this 2-hour urban adventure.

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