Jennifer Acker, author, founder and editor-in-chief of The Common and director of the Amherst College LitFest, joins Dr. Lisa Belisle on Radio Maine to explore how place, storytelling, and personal transformation shape both literature and life. Raised in rural Maine, Acker reflects on how her early experiences—family reading traditions, small-town culture, and global travel—deeply informed her commitment to place-based writing. She shares the origin story of The Common, a literary magazine dedicated to capturing the nuances of place across the world, and discusses her upcoming novel Surrender, inspired in part by her family farm and the emotional complexities of midlife change.

From goats and farming to identity, aging, and unexpected love, Acker offers a thoughtful perspective on how stories help us understand ourselves and others.

Join our conversation with Jennifer Acker today on Radio Maine—and be sure to subscribe to the channel.

Tobias Parkhurst, Head of Business Development for Cushnoc Brewing Company and a longtime Maine entrepreneur, joins Dr. Lisa Belisle on Radio Maine to share an unconventional journey from professional skateboarding to revitalizing community life in central Maine. Growing up in rural Maine, Parkhurst found identity and resilience through skateboarding, eventually traveling widely before returning home to help run his family’s glass business. After years in construction, he shifted toward ventures that reflected his passions—helping launch Cushnoc Brewing Company in Augusta and contributing to other local businesses like State Lunch, Sand Hill Bagel, and Cushnoc Cantina.

In this thoughtful conversation, Parkhurst reflects on lessons learned from skateboarding, entrepreneurship, and travel—especially the importance of persistence, community connection, and bringing new ideas back to Maine. From building breweries and skate parks to fostering spaces where people gather over beer, pizza, and conversation, his work highlights how small businesses can shape the identity of a place.

Join our conversation with Tobias Parkhurst today on Radio Maine—and be sure to subscribe to the channel.

John Kuehnle, CEO of Partners for World Health, brings a global public health perspective to Maine through his leadership of an organization that transforms surplus medical supplies into lifesaving resources for communities locally and around the world. In this episode of Radio Maine, Kuehnle joins Dr. Lisa Belisle to reflect on a career shaped by service—from four years in the Peace Corps in Nicaragua to more than a decade working with USAID across Africa. Now based in Maine, he leads an effort that collects unused medical supplies from hospitals across New England, redistributing them to healthcare systems in need while reducing environmental waste.

Kuehnle shares how thoughtful partnerships, cultural understanding, and sustainable planning help ensure that donated equipment truly benefits the communities receiving it. He also discusses the organization’s lesser-known work supporting Maine residents with refurbished medical equipment. Along the way, he reflects on art, photography, and the value of global perspective in solving complex challenges.

Join our conversation with John Kuehnle today on Radio Maine—and be sure to subscribe to the channel.