THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

With negativity and dire news surrounding us, it is important to remember the good people who take action to make our world better. THNX is a feelgood podcast that gives people a chance to recognize someone who -- even through a very small interaction -- had a positive and profound impact on their lives.

Episode 261: Woody Witt 09/16/2025

Episode 261: Woody Witt Woody Witt is an active performer, composer and educator based in Houston, Texas. Witt has 13 CDs to his credit as a leader or coleader and most of his CD's feature original music. He plays saxophone and has had the opportunity to perform with some of the most well known jazz musicians of our time. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/38240775

Episode 260: Melissa Rippy 09/09/2025

Episode 260: Melissa Rippy Melissa Rippy has been a Director of Libraries & Instructional Materials in Texas since 2019. She earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Baylor University, a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology from Baylor Unviersity, and a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Houston. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Teacher and Librarian, Library Manager, and Libraries & Instructional Materials Specialist. Melissa makes her home in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/38149455

Episode 259: Keith Stroup 09/02/2025

Episode 259: Keith Stroup Keith Stroup graduated from the University of Illinois in 1965 then Georgetown University Law Center in 1968 before founding the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) in 1970. After leaving his post at NORML in 1979, he worked as a lobbyist and was hired as the Executive Director of the National Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers from 1989 through 1994 before returning to NORML as Executive Director for another decade. He now serves as legal counsel for NORML and recently published a book on its history. Keith makes his home in Washington, DC. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/38061825

Episode 258: Oliver Penn 08/26/2025

Episode 258: Oliver Penn Oliver Penn is a musician who was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. He moved to Houston, Texas before high school then returned to Providence for college. A self-taught guitar player, drummer, and songwriter, he has shared the stage with many prominent performers. Oliver now makes his home in Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37965060

Episode 257: Yalila "Lee" Guerrero 08/19/2025

Episode 257: Yalila "Lee" Guerrero Lee Guerrero has been an immigration and criminal defense attorney for 34 years. Originally from Nicaragua, she attended the University of Texas for her undergraduate degree and earned her JD from South Texas College of Law in 1993. Lee and her husband have two adult sons and make their home in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37879015

Episode 256: Brandi Doming 08/12/2025

Episode 256: Brandi Doming Brandi Doming created the popular blog The Vegan 8 in 2013 and later authored The Vegan 8 Cookbook. Also a contributor to Forks over Knives magazine, she just released her second cookbook, Vegan Wholesome, which debuted as the #1 Best Selling Vegan Cookbook. Brandi and her daughter live in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37776790

Episode 255: Chris Rodell 08/05/2025

Episode 255: Chris Rodell Chris Rodell is an author, speaker, and storyteller. After graduating from Ohio University, he wrote for the Nashville Banner, National Enquirer, and many other large publications from 1992-2012 in addition to being a college professor. He won the 2018 TINARA Award for best satire for his debut novel and has since released 10 more books. Chris, his wife, and their two daughters live in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37688605

Episode 254: Brad Hart 07/29/2025

Episode 254: Brad Hart Justice Brad Hart earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University in 1993 and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1997. After law school, he was a trial prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's office for 16 years, even being honored as "Prosecutor of the Year" by the Texas Narcotics Officers' Association in 2011. He was appointed Judge of the 230th District Court in 2013 and was recognized as "Judge of the Year" by the Texas Gang Investigators' Association in 2018. Following, he served as the Chief of the General Felony Trial Division at the Fort Bend County District Attorney's office before being elected to the 14th Court of Appeals in 2024. Brad makes his home in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37598720

Episode 253: Jeannine Barr 07/22/2025

Episode 253: Jeannine Barr Jeannine Barr was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisianana and graduated from Louisiana State University Law School. She was an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County in Houston, Texas for nine years before running and being elected as a Criminal District Court Judge for 24 years. After stepping down from the bench, she embarked on a new journey as a singer and songwriter. Jeannine and her husband live in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37506605

Episode 252: Ilea Newcomb 07/15/2025

Episode 252: Ilea Newcomb Ilea Newcomb, a third generation Texan, graduated with a degree in Children's Literature from the University of Findlay in Ohio. After working for the Parks & Recreation department for 10 years, she began teaching art, first at YES Prep then at Conroe High School. She is also a children's book illustrator, voice actor, and marathoner. Ilea, her husband, and their 5 kids live in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37417100

Episode 251: Lance Cowan 06/24/2025

Episode 251: Lance Cowan Lance Cowan, a musician, publicist, and manager, was born and raised in Kentucky and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a songwriting career in 1984. He met and was encouraged by the great John Prine and has now been a respected member of the entertainment community for over three decades. Although heavily entrenched in the Roots & Americana fields, he has worked with artists in almost every genre in addition to companies that specialize in education and public speaking. So Far So Good, his acclaimed debut album, was released in 2024, followed by his sophomore album Against the Grain in March 2025. Lance and his wife have two sons and live in Nashville. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37134865

Episode 250: Gloria Rubac 06/17/2025

Episode 250: Gloria Rubac /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/37044380

Episode 249: Peter Cho 06/10/2025

Episode 249: Peter Cho Peter Cho is a Designer and Co-Founder of Jack Mason Brand watches. After moving from coast to coast in his youth, he earned his BFA in Product Design from Parsons School of Design in New York, New York and went on to work as a Designer at Movado Group in 2006. He moved to Dallas, Texas in 2010 to work as a Designer at Fossil and founded Jack Mason in 2015 to bring the world premium watches for enthusiasts of all levels. Peter now calls Dallas home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36942870

Episode 248: Hyman Penn 06/03/2025

Episode 248: Hyman Penn Hyman Penn is a retired pediatrician; he graduated from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio in 1982 and went on to practice for over 40 years. The son of Holocaust survivors, he is a longtime docent and board member at the Holocaust Museum Houston. In his free time, he practices magic, enjoys bike riding, and travels. Hyman lives in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36834225

Episode 247: Kate Germond 05/20/2025

Episode 247: Kate Germond Kate Germond is the Executive Director of Centurion Ministries: Seeking Freedom for The Innocent in Prison, a nonprofit organization that works to exonerate people serving life sentences or death penalty sentences for crimes they did not commit. After moving to New York, New York from Mendocino, California in 1986, she joined the 501c3 and dedicated her life to the exonerees in 1987. Kate and her husband call New York home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36644205

Episode 246: Mark Metzger 05/13/2025

Episode 246: Mark Metzger Mark Metzger III is a criminal defense attorney born and raised in Missouri City, Texas. After graduating from the Marine Military Academy in 1999, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2000, where he trained as a cryptologic linguist and earned honors as the Honor Graduate of his class. He went on to earn his law degree from South Texas College of Law in 2012 and has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyers "Rising Star" from 2021 to 2023, an honor given to fewer than 2.5% of Texas attorneys. He has also organized events such as the Silkies Hike, a nationwide initiative supporting veterans' mental health. Mark makes his home in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36555115

Episode 245: Jonathan Fombonne 05/06/2025

Episode 245: Jonathan Fombonne Jonathan Fombonne is the Deputy County Attorney and First Assistant County Attorney in Harris County, Texas. After graduating from Swarthmore College and the University of Michigan Law School, he started his career with a clerkship for Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Judge Solomon Oliver, Jr. Prior to his current appointment, he practiced law at law firms in Texas and New York, maintained a significant pro bono practice, and was a partner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Jonathan, his wife Lauren, and their children live in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36439690

Episode 244: Cesar Espinosa 04/29/2025

Episode 244: Cesar Espinosa Cesar Espinosa is a prominent immigrant rights advocate and community organizer based in Houston, Texas. Born in Mexico, he immigrated to the United States at the age of six and went on to earn a degree in Political Science from the University of Houston. In 2007, he co-founded Familias Inmigrantes y Estudiantes en la Lucha (FIEL), the largest immigrant-led civil rights organization in Texas. Espinosa has received recognition locally and nationally for his activism, having been honored with an activism award by the City of Houston, presented with his own day by the mayor in 2008, and invited to the 2018 State of the Union address as a guest of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee. Cesar, his wife, and their children make their home in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36363775

Episode 243: Terry Lord 04/22/2025

Episode 243: Terry Lord Terry Lord is a retired U.S. Attorney and seasoned criminal justice reform advocate. A Vietnam War veteran, he earned his undergraduate degree in History from Southern Methodist University and his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law. As a commissioned Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he served three years in the Infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He served as the Resident Legal Advisor in Romania, was the Chief of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and served as a federal prosecutor in Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada. Terry lives in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36252175

Episode 242: Mike Greenhaus 04/08/2025

Episode 242: Mike Greenhaus Mike Greenhaus, a writer, blogger, and self-described "live music geek", is the Editor-in-Chief of Relix Magazine and Co-Founder of Relix Media Group. He also hosts the bi-monthly Friday Night Jam, a speaking series that takes place at New York's LPR and Rockwood Music Hall. A former college radio DJ, he has spoken on panels at the South by Southwest and CMJ music conferences, written for outlets including Spin and American Songwriter, and serves on the Young Patrons Board for City Parks Foundation. A native New Yorker and Skidmore College graduate, Mike makes his home in New York City with his wife and their two sons. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/36043160

Episode 241: Theresa Jackson 03/31/2025

Episode 241: Theresa Jackson Theresa Jackson, originally from Fort Worth, Texas, moved to Houston, Texas in 1974. After working at Jesse Jackson & Associates, she went on to earn a college degree. She is a trailblazing educator and the first African American woman to open two charter schools in Houston, Texas. The schools, through her leadership, are committed to providing a high quality education and promoting community empowerment for underserved students. Theresa calls Houston, Texas home to this day. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35944520

Episode 240: Jamil "Boulevards" Rashad 03/25/2025

Episode 240: Jamil "Boulevards" Rashad Jamil Rashad, also known as Boulevards, is from Raleigh, North Carolina. He earned a scholarship to the University of North Carolina Charlotte for his performance in track & field, took a step back after graduation to explore his musical calling, and went on to launch his first clothing brand, Above Cruelty, during his time at Grambling State University. One of his numerous albums, Electric Cowboy, marks a significant milestone as his first project created entirely sober, and he now owns and operates Westdale Vintage in Fayatteville, North Carolina in addition to being an avid runner and active artist. Jamil calls Raleigh, North Carolina home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35855140

Episode 239: Rhonda Radford 03/18/2025

Episode 239: Rhonda Radford /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35732115

Episode 238: Kelli Johnson 03/11/2025

Episode 238: Kelli Johnson /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35382775

Episode 237: Karen Kirsten 03/04/2025

Episode 237: Karen Kirsten /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35382745

Episode 236: Johnny Hernandez 02/25/2025

Episode 236: Johnny Hernandez /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35382740

Episode 235: Hyphen Thazhath 02/18/2025

Episode 235: Hyphen Thazhath Hyphen Thazhath is originally from India and moved to the United States in 2013. He is a One-Man Band extraordinaire and Multi-Instrumentalist who covers a range of genres including Rock & Roll, R&B, Pop, Jazz, Country, and Indian to name a few. Since 2014, Hyphen has called Houston, Texas home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35335505

Episode 234: Andrew Dansby 02/11/2025

Episode 234: Andrew Dansby Andrew Dansby is a writer who has worked at Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, Texas Music, and Playboy to name a few. He began writing for the Houston Chronicle in 2004 and was the Entertainment Editor until his retirement in January 2025 (This career move left legions of heartbroken readers including one podcast host!). Following his departure, he released a brilliant six part series on the life of Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison. Andrew presently lives in Houston, Texas. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35243670

Episode 233: Jason "Flash Gordon Parks" Woods 02/04/2025

Episode 233: Jason "Flash Gordon Parks" Woods Jason "Flash Gordon Parks" Woods, originally from South Houston, Texas, is an ethnomusicologist who was trained in photography during high school by artist and educator Ray Carrington. He went on to earn his Bachelor's Degree in Photography at Sam Houston State University in 2001. He published The Beautiful Side of Ugly in conjunction with Eric Blaylock, released the documentary This Thing We Do, directed an homage to Archie Bell, curates vinyl shop Mo' Better Brews, and performs as a DJ. Jason still calls Houston, Texas home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35153775

Episode 232: Paige Lewis 01/28/2025

Episode 232: Paige Lewis Paige Lewis is a singer/songwriter and copywriter from Katy, Texas. She has worked with numerous music labels, performed all over the United States both solo and with other noteworthy artists, was awarded an ASCAP, and even has two songs featured on the soundtrack for the film Matchstick Men. After living in Nashville, Tennessee; Los Angeles, California; and Austin, Texas, Paige now calls Houston, Texas home. /episode/index/show/thnxpodcast/id/35031595

THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

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