The Duck Stops Here: University of Oregon

As a student in the University of Oregon Lundquist College of Business (‘02) Matt Thomas never dreamed that a simple prompt in class senior year would turn into a $50+ million business.
As the founder and CEO of Brew Dr. Kombucha, Matt is a massively successful beverage entrepreneur who leads with a growth mindset.

Assigned a straightforward student project -- develop a business plan for an underserved market – Matt landed on tea drinkers. His vision? A teahouse, with all things tea under one roof. 

Hear Matt chart the course of this success story, from his early days scraping by on capital loaned by family and friends, to the founding of seven teahouses and ultimately a product now sold nationally, including at Starbucks. Learn about the turning point in 2008, when Matt dared to dream bigger for his company and produce a beverage – kombucha, a fermented tea prized for its healing properties since ancient times but still little known in the US at the time –that his customers kept asking for. From initial seed money coming exclusively from family and friends, to the hustle years, to why Matt’s kids help him come up with the funny phrases under each Brew Dr. Kombucha bottle cap, learn about the many other challenges Matt met along the way, including those that ultimately inspired him to found the world’s first and only tea distillery.

Matt Thomas is being interviewed on the podcast by Lisa Calevi, Associate Director for Engagement.

Today we're joined by Soledad Hurst '88. If her voice sounds familiar it’s probably because she spent years on-air, covering the New York Stock Exchange for Bloomberg Television. She’s also spent time as an attorney and an investment banker, but these days she’s best known for her transformative philanthropic work. As the board member of several charitable nonprofits, she works to help provide opportunities to people who wouldn’t otherwise have them.

She knows first hand how hard it can be to beat the odds and carve out opportunity. Growing up in Springfield, her father was self employed as a driver and mechanic, ultimately owning his own trucking business. Her incredibly strong work ethic allowed her to pay her own way not only through the University of Oregon, but also through Yale Law School. 

In this very special episode, Soledad offers inspiration to all who aspire to create a positive impact and to dream big. Her story is one of perseverance, and dedication to making a difference.

Links:

Jaidyn’s music links on Spotify (she’s on Apple and all the other platforms)

 Today’s show features the Lerner twins: Andrew, a divorce lawyer and Mike, a marriage therapist. And they work across the hall from each other!

Throughout the episode, the brothers discuss the symbiotic nature of their professions, despite the initial humorous contrast. They emphasize their shared goal of helping people through tough times and highlight the advantages of their collaborative approach when working together on cases. They also touch upon the challenges and emotional aspects of their work, acknowledging the importance of having someone who truly understands the weight of their roles.

Andrew shares his experience as a family law attorney, having graduated from the University of Oregon and California Western School of Law. After practicing law for some time, he decided to explore alternative ways of helping the community, leading him to pursue a master's degree in dispute resolution from Pepperdine. He now runs Lerner Conflict Resolution Center, mediating cases and practicing family law.

Mike, on the other hand, pursued a different path. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology and went on to obtain a master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Cal Lutheran University. Currently, he is pursuing a doctoral degree in psychology with the California School for Professional Psychology. As a licensed marriage and family therapist, Mike runs his own practice.

They emphasize the positive and inclusive environment at the University of Oregon, where egos are set aside, and connections are formed easily.

Tune in to this thought-provoking podcast episode as Andrew and Mike delve deeper into their roles as conflict resolution professionals and provide valuable insights into their respective fields.

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Today’s guest is Gurdeep Singh Pall (’89, MS Computer and Information Science), Corporate Vice President for Business AI at Microsoft. He is an "intrepreneur," a product strategist, and an enthusiastic technologist.

Having spent more than three decades at Microsoft, Gurdeep is now focusing on creating scalable and ethical Autonomous Systems. His tenure at Microsoft began during the advent of the internet, and he played a key role in developing critical technologies such as TCP/IP, VPN, and cloud-based communications that underpin today's digital economy.

When he arrived in Eugene in the late 1980s, Gurdeep secured a teaching assistantship to support his graduate studies at the University of Oregon. It's been rumored that he spent long hours in the computer lab, even sleeping there with a sleeping bag to finish his thesis. He joined Microsoft in January 1990.

He’s being interviewed by Dr. Ramón Alvarado, a Philosophy faculty member at UO and a key contributor to the Presidential Initiative in Data Science, which led to the creation of the UO School of Computer and Data Sciences. His areas of expertise include Data Ethics, AI Ethics, Epistemology of Computer Simulations, and Philosophy of Computation. Dr. Alvarado designed and teaches the first Philosophy course required by another major on campus, demonstrating the importance of philosophical thinking in a rapidly changing technological society. In 2023, he was awarded the Tykeson Teaching Award.

Mark Twain once said, “Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” Today’s guest knows a little something about whiskey. Alex Chasko is the Master Distiller and Blender and was employee number one at Teeling Whiskey, which was built in 2012 and was the first new distillery in Dublin for over 125 years. However, Alex didn't start there. His passion for brewing can be seen as early as sophomore year when he started making beer with at-home brew kits and spent his summers at Bridgeport Brewing Company. Through working at Bridgeport, Alex learned how biology and chemistry were applied to the elements of brewing. After graduating from the University of Oregon, Alex worked at Pyramid Brewing Company in Seattle until he realized he wanted to get into whiskey and distilling. When it comes to whiskey, Edinburgh, Scotland, is the only place to go. So, Alex saved up his pennies, sold his truck, and enrolled in Heriot-Watt University in their Masters of Brewing and Distilling program, where he felt like he belonged. After a brief stint in Singapore to open a brew pub and rediscover where he was born, Alex moved back to Ireland in 2008 to bring new ideas to whiskey.

For 20 years, Teeling had struggled to compete against large distilleries such as Jameson but thanks to Alex's dedication to bringing new and innovative flavors to whiskey, Teeling is now the World's Most Awarded Irish Whiskey. Teeling continues to raise the bar and boasts over 200 International Whiskey Awards.

Alex Chasko is being interviewed by Mike Aronson, Associate Professor of Cinema Studies

Describing himself as a “serial entrepreneur and investor” Eugene local Chad Barczak got his start in business at the age of 14 and never looked back, that is, until he decided it was time to take an “adult gap year” in his early 50s. Along the way he founded a massively successful snowboard company, earned a BS (’98) and MBA (’99) from the UO Lundquist School of Business as a non-traditional student, and founded IDX – a leading national provider of real estate search applications. Chad served as CEO of this Eugene-based company for 18 years, managing over $1 trillion worth of active listings data from over 600 individual Multiple Listing Services (MLS) before a successful exit during the pandemic. Though upfront about some detours along the way – millions of dollars in pre-paid orders lost because of a legal mistake, flunking out of the UO (before going all in with his studies and earning straight As), and a questionable use of financial aid – to hear Chad tell it, his greatest failures have actually been his greatest successes.

When he’s not snowboarding down a Chilean mountain or on the hunt for new entrepreneurs to mentor, Chad has a soft spot for the nostalgic video games of his youth: you might also know him as the co-founder and lead investor of Eugene’s immensely popular Level Up Arcade.

Chad Barczak is being interviewed on the podcast by Lisa Calevi, Associate Director for Engagement.

This is a University of Oregon Women In Flight takeover for their Go Do Anything campaign celebrating Title IX’s 50th anniversary.

Sports Illustrated voted Jackie Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of All-Time. Her lengthy athletic accomplishments are remarkable, but it’s her work in philanthropy, children's education, racial equality, and women’s rights that she’s most proud of today.

Jackie is joined by fellow Track & Field star and UO Chief Civil Rights Officer and Title IX Coordinator, Nicole Commissiong, BA ‘97 (History, Magazine), JD ‘01. Their conversation is facilitated by Women In Flight intern Makenzie Fancher, MBA ‘23 (Sports Business). They discuss Jackie’s journey from growing up in Illinois to now having the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation there, the impact that Title IX has had in the world, and what she still has in store building her legacy.

Tiffany Kimmel BA ‘09 (Electronic Media Production) took the story of a family trauma and turned it into an award winning stop-motion short film. She grew up in a tight-knit Christian homeschool community in rural Oregon before making her way to the UO. Today, she’s the owner of Nihil Delcarandum, a Los Angeles creative company and has done writing for brands such as Apple, YouTube, and FX. 

Tiffany is currently working on several interesting projects. One is an incomplete documentary that explores the battle between religious exemptions and civil liberties in a class-action lawsuit with over 40 plaintiffs against the U.S. Department of Education. Another project is Tiffany’s first self-directed stop-motion short film about her mother’s emergency appendectomy in 1963 at the age of 4, titled Everybody Goes to the Hospital. It is currently debuting at festivals across the world and winning awards.

Links:

Official website for the short. Note: all upcoming screenings and events will be announced on the website: everybodygoestothehospital.com

Tiffany’s website: www.tiffanykimmel.com

Instagram: @nihildeclarandum

Right now, millions of people across the country are currently awaiting The United States Supreme Court decision on the future of DACA. It took a senior year college application for Briselda Molina (BA Journalism ‘11) to learn that she was a Dreamer. Here at the UO, a “Dreamer” refers to Undocumented, DACA-mented, Tuition Equity, and students of mixed status families. Briselda shares how her undocumented status has shaped her life, including how she got to UO, graduated, then went to grad school as a DACA recipient and became a DACA professional. Today she serves as a career and academic advisor at the School of Journalism and Communication.

She is joined by Lynn Stephen, Philip H. Knight Chair and Distinguished Professor of Anthropology and a member of the UO Dreamers Working Group. She shares her insight on the ways UO is promoting the safety, well-being and success of undocumented and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students, and how others can help.

What's it like to coordinate thousands of journalists at one of the world's largest sporting events? Today's guest, Jeff Oliver BS '02 (public relations, political science) is about to find out! Jeff is the media experience manager for the July 2022 World Athletics Championships Oregon22, a biennial global sporting event bringing together the world’s most elite track and field athletes. This summer’s event, held on the University of Oregon campus, will be the first time the Championships are held in the United States. Over 2,000 athletes from nearly every country in the world will participate and a global viewing audience of one billion people is projected.

With decades of experience working with sports journalists, Jeff shares his behind-the-scenes perspective in the run up to the World Athletics Championships, highlights recent changes in the way media cover sport, and offers advice for new graduates hoping to break into the field.

Jeff gained early experience with Track & Field at the country’s oldest and most prestigious meet – the NIKE Prefontaine Classic – where he has served as press chief since 2002. He also maintains close ties to his alma mater, collaborating regularly with the UO School of Journalism and Communication Track Bureau, where student journalists cover some of the world’s most prestigious Track & Field competitions at Hayward Field for professional media outlets across the country.

Jeff is being interviewed by Lisa Calevi, Associate Director of Engagement at the University of Oregon. 

The Washington post called Ashton Eaton '10 one of the greatest track and field athletes the United States has ever produced. Today he’s here to talk to us about his journey to the Olympics, life after being a professional athlete and what his favorite junk food is now that he’s no longer competing.

Ashton is being interviewed by May Wu '15, a Duck with an amazing podcast called TBD (To Be Discussed) on topics we don't discuss but want to. We’ll play an excerpt from her show at the end of today’s episode.

Today we are joined by Stephen Greene CBE, co-founder, and CEO of RockCorps. RockCorps produces concerts, but you can’t buy tickets. Only community volunteers can earn them. RockCorps has worked with over 250 artists to put on concerts for over 180,000 youth volunteers in 10 different countries. Concert headliners have included global superstars such as Rihanna, Maroon 5, and Lady Gaga. Stephen Greene earned a B.S. in Psychology at the UO in 1988. Since then, he has worked on a broad range of youth development and support initiatives around the world in both the non-profit and for-profit sectors. In 2011, then – UK prime minister David Cameron presented RockCorps with the Big Society Award. Prime minister Cameron then recruited Stephen Greene to help successfully launch the national citizen service, a government-supported, voluntary, personal, and social development program for 16–17-year-olds in England and Northern Ireland. In 2019, Stephen Greene was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his contributions to services for young people. He’s being interviewed by Katie Jo Walter, International Alumni Digital Engagement Manager at the University of Oregon.

Links:

Today we are joined by Dr. Sarah Brady, PhD ‘13 (Chemistry) who holds the position of Deputy Director at the California Council on Science and Technology (CCST). CCST’s core mission is to ensure that California policy is strengthened and informed by scientific knowledge, research, and innovation.

She’s being interviewed by SOJC Professor Mark Blaine, MS ‘00 (Literary Nonfiction). Mark’s work focuses on Science Storytelling for both the Center for Science Communication Research, and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact at the UO.

With their combined 35+ years of experience working in the intersection between communication, science, and technology – this is one talk you won’t want to miss. We will hear how Sarah ended up in her role, her relationship with policy makers, and major issues in science and politics that are at the forefront of the news today.

Today we’re joined by California-based alumna, Dr. Parneet Pal. Parneet attended medical school in India at the age of 17 and has followed her passion for learning and teaching throughout her time at the University of Oregon and beyond. Parneet is Chief Science Officer of Wisdom Labs, a Bay Area based company focused on lessening stress, burnout, and loneliness in the workplace. She says research shows that compassion actually makes us healthier, and companies do better when their employees are compassionate. Parneet continues to foster interdisciplinary health innovation as a TEDMED Scholar, and she recently lead a workshop at the TEDx Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, where she gave a talk about the environment and sustainability.

Caitlin Elwood will be conducting today’s interview. She’s the Associate Director of Regional Engagement at the University of Oregon. Their conversation ranges from the science of wellbeing, the necessity of compassion, benefits of a planet-based diet, and much more.

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Today’s guest has had a hand in shaping some of the funniest shows on television. Kent Alterman got his start in the world of political comedy working with Michael Moore on a show called TV Nation. He worked his way up to become the President of Comedy Central, and has recently launched a brand new production company called Good Walk Entertainment. He was our featured commencement speaker in 2016, and gave an emotional speech about embracing change and taking risks, which is exactly what he’s doing right now as he embarks on the next phase of his career.

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Today we are joined by Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, who has spent nearly 30 years studying elephant conservation and is a worldwide expert on the topic. He earned both his Master's and PhD degrees at the UO where he was also a postdoctoral researcher.

We are also joined by current UO PhD candidate Herve Memiaghe. His dissertation focuses on farming and elephant conservation in Gabon.

Katie Jo Walter will be conducting the interviews. She the International Alumni Digital Engagement Manager at the University of Oregon.

Today we will talk about how our guests became interested in elephant conservation and what they have learned about both elephants and life while working with the world's largest mammals, the human forces that threaten them, and the governments and organizations that make, implement, and enforce policies affecting them.

Detailed Bios:

Dr. Prithiviraj Fernando, Chairman and Scientist at Sri Lanka's Centre for Conservation and Research, Research Associate at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and senior member of  the Asian Elephant Specialist Group at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Dr. Fernando has spent nearly 30 years studying elephant conservation and is a worldwide expert on the topic. He earned both his Master's and PhD degrees at the UO and was also a postdoctoral researcher. Following  this, Dr. Fernando spent nearly a decade at Columbia University as a research scientist and adjunct Assistant Professor. In 2004, he returned to Sri Lanka and established the Centre for Conservation and Research, which produces research and advocates for policies to protect the endangered Asian elephant.

Mr. Memiaghe has worked on biodiversity surveys in Gabon for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), Shell Gabon and the Government of Gabon. He worked with Institute for Research in Tropical Ecology in Gabon prior to joining UO's Landscape Architecture PhD program. His dissertation focuses on farming and elephant conservation in Gabon.

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Everybody knows that owning a small business isn’t easy. But try owning a brand new small business in downtown Portland during a pandemic, in the middle of looting and lawlessness, when most other business on the block have shut down for good.

Today's guest is Jordan Carter (BS, Business Administration, 2014), one of the co-owners of Produce Portland. It’s a Collective of Portland natives, running a retail hybrid store that sells vintage clothing and local brands, and more. It’s a carefully curated collection and the store itself houses a barber shop and a lounge where people can work and hang out.

He’s being interviewed by Ayasha Benninghoven, Associate Director of Development and the University of Oregon. And, full disclosure, she’s a close personal friend of Jordan's.

About Produce Portland:

Today we welcome two alumni who both work at Pixar Animation Studios. Greg Snyder graduated from the Telecommunications program back in 1992, right when the entertainment industry was about to have an animation boom. Today he’s a film editor and has worked on films like Coco, Monsters Inc., and Toy Story 3 and 4 (to name just a few).

We will also be talking to Maura Turner, who graduated from the Cinema Studies program in 2014 and is currently a Feature Relations Project Manager at Pixar.

Today’s guest host is Professor Michael Aronson from the UO’s Cinema Studies department. They will talk about the world of Pixar, what it’s been like working from home, and the influence the UO has had on their careers.

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Today on World Teachers’ Day we are joined by Sri Lanka’s Head of Parliament and Minister of Education, Dinesh Gunawardena. The Honorable Minister earned a Bachelor’s of Business Administration at the UO in 1972. We are extremely lucky to have him here to talk to us about his nearly five-decade career in politics and public service and how his time in the U.S. contributed to his journey.

Joining in the conversation is Professor Randy Kamphaus, the Dean of the University of Oregon's College of Education. U.S. News and World report ranks UO’s college of Education as 15th in the country, with its special education program ranked at number 3.

Today’s conversation will be facilitated by Katie Jo Walter, the International Alumni Digital Engagement Manager at UO.

Links:

Today’s guests are both former student athletes who went on to make names for themselves as entrepreneurs. George Wrighster ‘02 is a former Oregon tight end who later played in the NFL. If his voice sounds familiar, it’s because he hosts Night Cap on Mad Dog Sports Radio and he’s a co-host on Fox Sports Radio. He’s also the creator and host of a sports podcast called the Unafraid Show. As a professional speaker, so you might not have guessed that as a child he was bullied for being a stutterer.

George will be speaking with Blake Stanton ‘14, a former wide receiver for the Ducks who is now co-founder and CEO Quiktract, Inc., a tech company that helps freelancers and underserved populations to be legally protected for the work that they do. He says that the company’s mission was inspired by his experience watching his mother work odd jobs while he was growing up.

Links

It took a high school history class for Rob Aigner (BS Journalism ’86) to learn an important lesson about his own family—his father had survived World War II’s most notorious concentration camps, and his mother narrowly escaped a Nazi firing squad. Hear how his parents went from never talking about their experiences, to outspoken advocates who helped build a Holocaust memorial and Jewish museum in Portland. Rob also tells us about his career path, from Rolling Stone Magazine to selling some of the world’s most expensive real estate in Beverly Hills.

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Theater studies alum Mocean Melvin reveals the secrets to a successful voice acting career and talks about how technology has transformed the industry. We'll also hear how he took advantage of voice classes at UO, faked his way into an internship, and broke into the Hollywood scene. You might recognize Mocean's voice from the many national commercials, documentaries, and promos for TV and film. And if you're an LA local, you've probably heard him on 97.1 AMP radio.    

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Today’s guest is the legendary filmmaker, James Ivory. He’s been nominated for four Academy awards, three times for best director, and in 2017 he won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for the movie Call Me By Your Name. Ismael Merchant was his partner in filmmaking and in life, and together they founded Merchant Ivory Productions which created 44 films. Merchant Ivory isn’t just the name of their production company, it’s shorthand for an entire genre of film. James Ivory is about to release his memoir, Solid Ivory, on November 2, 2021. He’s being interviewed by Philip Scher, Divisional Dean for Social Sciences at UO. He’s faculty in anthropology and folklore. And, as it turns out, he’s Ivory’s godson. 

Today’s guest had a front-row seat to the rise of UO Athletics. He’s dedicated his career to helping former student athletes with the often difficult transition from the playing field to the workforce. During his 18 years working with the Athletics Department, Jeff Eberhart (BA Public Relations ’91) rose up through the ranks to the role of Asst. Dir. of Football Recruiting under Head Coach Mike Bellotti.  Today, he is the Executive Director of Oregon Athlete Foundation and a Career Coach at Athletes to Careers in Los Angeles. 

He’s being interviewed by Eric Hjelm, a Program Manager at the UO Alumni Association. He’s a Duck grad of the class of 2011 and a current MBA candidate on his way to becoming a Double Duck. 

About the Podcast:
The Duck Stops Here is brought to you by the  Regional Engagement Team within University Development. Michelle Joyce-Fyffe, Director of Regional Engagement, is the show's host and executive producer.

We are joined by Daniel Wu, BArch '97, whose work as an actor, director, and producer spans over 20 years and two continents. With over a quarter of a million Twitter followers and 9 million followers on the Chinese social media app Weibo, Daniel Wu is one of Asia's most recognizable actors. He has acted in over 40 films as well as in the AMC television series, "Into the Badlands". In mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, he has earned film awards for his acting and directing. Daniel currently lives in Oakland, California with his wife Lisa and daughter Raven. 

We talk about Daniel Wu's professional and personal journey from Eugene and the United States to Hong Kong and back again. We will discuss film, fun, multiculturalism, and martial arts as well as what Daniel has been doing to stay busy during the pandemic and his recent activism against acts of violence targeting Asian Americans. 

Sally Bergesen ‘92, set out to build a different kind of company – one that believes in activism and encourages audacity. And that’s exactly what she’s done with Oiselle. She makes premium women's athletic apparel, sponsors pro runners, and cheers on athletes of all paces. Sally believes in the transformative power of running and has a passion for finding ways to make the sport more inclusive and more athlete friendly. She's being interviewed by Michelle Joyce-Fyffe, Director of Regional Engagement at UO.

About the Podcast:  
The Duck Stops Here is brought to you by the  Regional Engagement Team within University Development. Michelle Joyce-Fyffe, Director of Regional Engagement, is the host and executive producer.

Steven E. Belhumeur, BS political science '96, is a longtime labor and political strategist and the Executive Director of a large labor union in Los Angeles. Belhumeur has been working and organizing in labor for over twenty years, including as an Elected Union Officer, Organizer, Business Agent, and as a Delegate to the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. Before joining EAA, Belhumeur worked as a political strategist for numerous campaigns, including Raise the (minimum) Wage, Reform LA Jails, and the African American Voter Education Registration and Participation Project. He also spent several years in City Hall as an Area Planning Commissioner, District Director, and as the Community Affairs Advocate for the Department of Public Works, Bureau of Sanitation.

Steve is being interviewed by Ayasha Benninghoven, BA advertising '16, a proud Duck and Associate Director of Development at University of Oregon.

Super Bowl champ, Spencer Paysinger ‘10 has a hit show that’s based on his life story. “All American” held the #1 spot on Netflix earlier this year, beating out every other movie and TV show on the streaming service. It’s been renewed for a third season, which will debut on January 18, 2021, on CW Streaming. Former Oregon Ducks defensive back Isaac Walker ’00 is the guest host for today’s podcast.

Jeff Whitty ‘93 won a Tony Award for writing the controversial, hit musical Avenue Q. Most recently, he wrote the screenplay for the movie Can You Ever Forgive Me?, which earned him an Academy Award nomination in 2019. Jeff is here to speak with us about his journey from Eugene to Broadway, and from Broadway to Hollywood. He’ll also reveal a few rules of storytelling and give us a glimpse at what he’s working on now.

There’s a whole generation that doesn’t know a world without “The Bachelor,” according to our guest Stephanie Noonan Drachkovitch (BS Journalism ’79). She should know. It’s a world she helped create, as a top development executive at Warner Bros. and Disney. She’s her own boss now, at the Los Angeles-based production company “44 Blue” that she started with her husband. Together, they’ve produced some of reality TV’s longest-running shows and Netflix’s most popular unscripted programming.

Keep in touch!