162. Liam T.A. Ford, From Journalist to Non-profit Startup Leader
Release Date: 03/02/2026
163. Elisabeth (Weinberg) Tavarez, From Finance to Higher Ed to Politics
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Elisabeth Tavares (Weinberg) describes her journey post-graduation, dividing it into three main chapters: private sector, higher education, and government sector. Travelling to Egypt, Israel, and Spain Elisabeth shares her initial post-graduation plans, including travel to Egypt and Israel, and her work with American teenagers abroad in Ireland and Spain. She discusses her passion for international travel and her decision to learn Spanish at Harvard, which later led to teaching Spanish. Elisabeth explains her motivation for learning Spanish, including her background in European...
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162. Liam T.A. Ford, From Journalist to Non-profit Startup Leader
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Liam T.A. Ford, also known as LTAF, shares his initial career plans after graduation. After writing for the Crimson at Harvard, he initially considered a career in academia, but pivoted to journalism. He discusses his first job at the Montgomery Advertiser, where he covered crime and interviewed notable figures including the man who headed the pulpit committee that hired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his pastorship in Montgomery. Liam recounts his transition to Chicago, where he became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, covering notable events like Barack Obama's election to the...
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161. Elijah Siegler, Religious Studies Outside the Classroom
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Elijah Siegler recalls the day of graduation on June 5, 1992, and the prominent promotion of the movie Patriot Games, which seemed at the time an ominous omen, as graduates began to navigate their post-grad journey. Elijah shares his advice to his kids and students: "You don't need to have your whole life post-college figured out. You just need one cool thing lined up, and that'll lead to another cool thing." Elijah describes his first post-graduation job as the editor of the Greece and Turkey book for Let's Go travel guides, which he found out about due to a last-minute...
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160. Tobey (Weintraub) Collins, Energy Transaction Expert and International Enthusiast
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Tobey Weintraub Collins pursued a master's degree in international relations at Georgetown, where she met her husband who joined the US Foreign Service. Tobey worked in project finance in Brazil and Venezuela, focusing on energy projects, and later worked for AES Corp in the US and Chile. She eventually moved back to the US and has been at Astris for the past 13 years, specializing in energy and infrastructure investment banking. Life in Venezuela Tobey describes Venezuela in 2000-2001 as relatively normal, with the US still influential, and her work focused on Central America and...
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159. Josh Morgerman, World’s Top Hurricane Chaser
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Josh Morgerman describes his initial move to LA to work in the movie industry, which didn't work out. He then started a web design company called Symblaze in the late 90s, which survived the dot-com crash by expanding to Eastern Europe and working with Russia and Eastern Bloc countries while living in Prague. Josh shares his dual passion for weather and advertising, leading to a career as a hurricane chaser while still running Symblaze. A Pivotal Moment in the Philippines Josh explains his obsession with violent weather and how he started hunting hurricanes more...
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158. Allain Roy, A Career in Hockey: Player, Agent, Advisor, Entrepreneur
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Allain Roy shares that he left Harvard to become a professional hockey player, signing his first NHL contract out of college. He recalls winning the national championship in 1989 and the team's tradition of reuniting every 10 years. Al mentions attending Coach Clear's 90th birthday celebration and running into former teammates, Tim Burke, Kevin Sneddon, Rich DeFreitas, Brian McCormack and Greg Hess, along with Chuck Hughes at Harvard games. Participating in the 1994 Olympics Al discusses turning down an offer to play in Moscow before graduation and signing with the Winnipeg Jets....
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157. Noah Feldman, American Legal Scholar, Academic, and Author
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Noah Feldman, Harvard Law professor, author, and ethical advisor talks about his career in constitutional law and his experiences in Iraq and Tunisia, sharing stories from his time guiding, and in some cases, establishing, the law of countries in turmoil or collapse. He also talks about the themes explored in his books and current pursuits. Real World Projects in Constitutional Law Noah describes his academic journey, starting from his early love for school and his decision to pursue academia full-time, with brief interruptions for real-world projects. He shares his...
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156. Ted Caplow, Life at the Intersection of Society and Technology
The 92 Report
Show Notes Ted Caplow graduated with a degree in social science and has had a career in engineering and entrepreneurship. He describes his initial interest in science and his experience with physics at Harvard, which he found challenging. Ted shares his interest in humanities, particularly theater, and his involvement in various theater activities at Harvard. He discusses his consideration of theater conservatory programs and urban planning after graduation. Joining the Peace Corps and Sailing across the Atlantic Ted recounts his application to the Peace Corps and the unexpected...
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155. Lloyd Lee, A Blessed Life and Real Estate Private Equity
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Lloyd opens the conversation by talking about the infinite opportunities at Harvard and encourages incoming freshmen to make the most of their time there. Lloyd shares his initial plan to study pre-med but also pursued fine arts, specifically architecture, and theater work. He mentions meeting Professor James Stilgoe at the Graduate School of Design, which opened his eyes to opportunities beyond STEM. From Cornell to New York City Lloyd discusses his decision to attend Cornell and his subsequent move to New York City. He had two job offers: working at Disney or a consulting firm,...
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154. Trisha Pérez Kennealy, Culinary Arts & Community Building
The 92 Report
Show Notes: Trisha Pérez Kennealy describes her initial stint in New York in commercial banking, followed by investment banking and studying to become a chef at Le Cordon Bleu in London, where she lived for three years. She moved back to the United States, settling in Lexington. She has three children and while they were little, she was active in town meetings, became a town official, and advocated for public education. In 2010, Trisha bought a property near the Battle Green in Lexington and converted it into a luxury hotel with 22 guest rooms and a restaurant. It opened in 2014...
info_outlineShow Notes:
Liam T.A. Ford, also known as LTAF, shares his initial career plans after graduation. After writing for the Crimson at Harvard, he initially considered a career in academia, but pivoted to journalism. He discusses his first job at the Montgomery Advertiser, where he covered crime and interviewed notable figures including the man who headed the pulpit committee that hired Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his pastorship in Montgomery. Liam recounts his transition to Chicago, where he became a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, covering notable events like Barack Obama's election to the U.S. Senate.
Working for a Non-profit Organization
Liam talks about his work at the Chicago Tribune, including helping to start the paper’s breaking news desk and maintaining a database of shootings and homicides. He mentions taking a buyout from the Tribune in 2021 and, while he continued his work in journalism, covering public/private partnerships, he also worked on a non-profit project called the Ignatian Mission Center, which he now does full-time. The non-profit aims to maintain the former food pantry that had been run by a local parish and eventually provide other social services, including a shelter for Spanish-speaking women who have left domestic violence situations. He still writes and edits on a freelance basis.
Crime and the Criminal Justice System
Liam reflects on his time as a crime reporter at the Montgomery Advertiser and the lessons he learned about crime and the criminal justice system. He emphasizes the importance of humanizing crime victims and making readers understand the impact of each death. Liam recounts a significant experience where he had to inform a victim's family about the details of their loved one's death, highlighting the challenges in the criminal justice system. He discusses the role of crime reporters in centering victims and the importance of transparency in reporting.
Covering the 2004 Senate Race
Liam shares his experiences as a political reporter, including covering the 2004 Senate race in Illinois where Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination. He recounts the story of Jack Ryan's divorce records being unsealed, which led to his withdrawal from the race. Liam discusses his interactions with Barack Obama during his coverage and other significant political stories he covered. He reflects on the importance of transparency in political reporting and the impact of his work on local government and community issues.
The Importance of Local Government and News Reporting
Liam talks about his early career at the Tribune covering local government bodies like the Chicago Housing Authority and the Chicago Park District. He shares a story about investigating teen programming in Chicago parks, which revealed disparities in resources between affluent and less affluent neighborhoods. Liam discusses the impact of his reporting on improving teen programming and the creation of programs like After School Matters. He reflects on the importance of local government reporting in bringing wrongdoing to light and improving community services.
The Creation of the Ignatian Mission Center
Liam explains the process of creating the Ignatian Mission Center and the challenges of maintaining the food pantry after the parish closed. He discusses the support from Loyola University and other organizations in providing social services and resources for the community. Liam shares the progress of the non-profit, including securing a planning grant and architectural plans for the former parish property. He reflects on the personal and professional challenges of working full-time on the non-profit project and the impact it has had on the community.
Harvard Reflections
Liam credits the course Government 1061 with Michael Sandel and Harvey Mansfield for teaching him the importance of examining biases and assumptions. He discusses how these lessons have influenced his approach to journalism and his commitment to finding and speaking the truth. Liam reflects on the impact of his Harvard education on his career and personal life, including his journey to sobriety. He shares how the skills and values he learned at Harvard continue to resonate with him in his current work.
Timestamps:
04:19: Transition to the Chicago Tribune and Sobriety Journey
05:47: Impact of Sobriety and Community Involvement
16:04: Crime Reporting and Lessons Learned
24:58: Political Reporting and Significant Stories
30:08: Challenges and Successes in Local Government Reporting
36:12: Formation of the Ignatian Mission Center
43:05: Personal Reflections and Future Plans
Links:
Website: www.ignatianmission.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liam.ford/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liamtaford/
Featured Non-profit:
The featured non-profit of this week’s is brought to you by Kristen Hunter who reports:
Hi. I'm Kristen Hunter, Class of 1992. The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 report is Ivory Innovations. Ivory Innovations catalyzes innovative solutions in housing affordability through the Ivory prize Applied Research and Policy Leadership, advancing ideas that expand access to affordable and attainable housing. The organization also partners with the Harvard master in real estate program through our summer practicum, which gives students the opportunity to complete a two month placement with a cooperating for profit, not for profit or public organization in the United States or overseas, participating in real estate projects and initiatives that advance cutting edge practices, including those promoting social and environmental best practices. I'm delighted to champion Ivory Innovations, especially as one of our recent Harvard Master in Real Estate graduates, Amy Love Tommaso serves as their director of policy innovation. You can learn more and support their mission at ivory innovations.org That's ivory i, V, O, R, Y, innovations.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode.
To find out more about their work, visit: ivoryinnovations.org
This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/podcast/episode-162-liam-t-a-ford-from-journalist-to-non-profit-startup-leader/
*AI generated show notes and transcript