The T.R.O.N. Podcast

Amy Meislin Pollack is an American children's author and retired educator best known for creating the Jelly Bean middle-grade fiction series. Her debut series, published by Austin Macauley Publishers, includes The Adventures of Jelly Bean, The Further Adventures of Jelly Bean, and The Still Further Adventures of Jelly Bean. [

Literary Career
The inspiration for Pollack’s coming-of-age series dates back to her fourth-grade classroom in the 1960s, where her teacher frequently called her to the front of the room to share impromptu stories about a character named "Jelly Bean". Though she began drafting the stories later in life, she formally completed and published the series during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Geared toward readers aged 7 to 13, her books follow the nostalgic, real-world complexities of adolescence in the 1960s. Her writing has earned critical recognition from outlets such as Kirkus Reviews and The US Review of Books for tackling sensitive, relatable youth themes, including bullying, mixed-race identity, poverty, and family dynamics. [1,

Professional Background
Before launching her publishing career, Pollack spent more than 40 years in education. She taught a diverse range of subjects and grade levels, working as a high school English teacher, reading specialist, and special education teacher. Additionally, she served for six years as a writing professor and tutor center advisor at Montclair State University. In the early 1970s, prior to entering education, she worked briefly in the New York City advertising industry

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Dr. Sieglinde Othmer is an author, style and wellness advocate, and octogenarian powerhouse on a mission to redefine how we view the aging process. Born in Germany, Dr. Othmer survived a daring childhood escape from behind the Iron Curtain before immigrating to the United States, where she established herself as a social scientist, researcher, and academic.
Following the loss of her husband, she channeled her personal resilience into creating Joyous Longevity, an educational movement and field guide exploring mindfulness, socialization, and cognitive activity. Her empowering message that "joy is a conscious decision" has made her a highly sought-after guest on programs like Kansas Public Radio and various wellness podcasts. When she isn't writing or speaking, Dr. Othmer is an avid gardener, global traveler who has visited over 40 countries, and the proud mother of three children.

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Brian Beck helps mid-sized organizations move beyond the hype around AI and cybersecurity and turn emerging technology into practical business results.
While much of the conversation around AI focuses on what the technology can do, Brian focuses on a more important question: Why are so many companies struggling to actually implement it?
His work centers on helping leadership teams identify where AI can create meaningful impact within their existing operations, align teams around execution, and implement solutions that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and support better decision-making.
Brian brings a practical perspective shaped by real-world experience—including seeing initiatives stall, budgets get wasted, and expectations fall short of reality. Rather than focusing on the latest tools or buzzwords, he breaks down what actually works, where organizations commonly go wrong, and what leaders should consider before making their next technology investment.
On the podcast, Brian offers a straightforward, no-hype perspective on AI, cybersecurity, leadership, and implementation—giving business leaders actionable insights they can take back to their organizations and put to work immediately.

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What if Type 2 Diabetes isn’t really a blood sugar problem—but a cellular and metabolic problem hiding underneath it?
Dr. Jason Shumard is a Functional Medicine practitioner with more than 20 years of experience helping people understand and overcome Type 2 Diabetes, insulin resistance, and metabolic dysfunction. He goes beyond simply managing numbers and symptoms, using detailed lab-based assessments to uncover what’s actually driving the problem.
But this mission is personal. After watching his own mother struggle with diabetes, Dr. Shumard became passionate about helping others understand the condition from a completely different perspective.
Known for breaking down complex metabolic science into conversations anyone can understand, he challenges conventional thinking and asks an important question: Why do so many people keep hitting the same walls with diabetes—and what can we do differently?
On the podcast, Dr. Shumard brings science, personal experience, and a fresh perspective to a topic affecting millions of people. Expect an eye-opening conversation about diabetes, insulin resistance, metabolism, and the hidden factors that may be keeping people stuck.

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Our next guest is a serial entrepreneur, growth specialist, and a true powerhouse in the world of customer experience. Over his incredible career, he has built, scaled, and successfully sold six different companies by following a simple mantra: the customer is at the center of the universe.
He is widely known for leading the massive U.S. market expansion of the Australian software giant Panviva, and today, he advises Fortune 500 companies on how to transform their corporate culture and turn casual buyers into lifelong brand ambassadors. He is also a sought-after speaker, an author, and the host of his own hit show, The Science of CX.

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