Best Public Spend Forum Podcasts (2025)

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Hubert Bolduc, President of Investissement Québec 40:25

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2d ago40:25

40:25

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore sits down with Hubert Bolduc, President of Investissement Québec, to discuss how the organization is driving economic growth across the province in close collaboration with the Minister of Economy. They also explore how Investissement Québec supports employee mental health, the importance of trade diversifica…

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What employees and safety data say about NHRMC's issues. Plus, understanding FERPA and book challenges 50:00

4d ago50:00

50:00

WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman and reporter Kelly Kenoyer unpack some of our recent reporting about Novant NHRMC: staff interviews and watchdog data show some concerning trends at the hospital, but the newest leadership team says things are improving. And, Rachel Keith helps explain FERPA, the federal law protecting student privacy, and how it m…

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Fady Dagher, Chief of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) 39:14

9d ago39:14

39:14

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore speaks with Fady Dagher, Chief of the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM). Fady shares his early journey into law enforcement, what inspired him to serve, and the growing focus on mental health support for officersBy iHeartRadio

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Shooting the Messenger: NPR's Leila Fadel on the First Amendment and a free press 1:24:30

18d ago1:24:30

1:24:30

Leila Fadel, host of NPR's Morning Edition and the Up First podcast, came to Wilmington last month for WHQR's luncheon. On this episode of The Newsroom, we've got her keynote speech, a Q-and-A session with the audience, and a one-on-one interview with WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman.

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Dax Dasilva, CEO of Lightspeed 45:46

23d ago45:46

45:46

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore sits down with Dax Dasilva, CEO of Lightspeed, a global leader in point-of-sale software headquartered in Montreal. Dax reflects on the company's early days, the turning points that fueled its global rise, and the entrepreneurial spirit behind its founding 20 years ago.…

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Anthony Broccolini, CEO of Broccolini 38:51

30d ago38:51

38:51

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore speaks with Anthony Broccolini, CEO of Broccolini, a leading family-owned construction firm based in Montreal. Anthony shares how technology is reshaping the construction industry, navigating uncertainty in today’s VUCA world, and how demographic shifts are transforming the sector.…

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Unpacking NC Project LEAD's policy forum, and legislative efforts to fund free school meals 50:54

1M ago50:54

50:54

On this episode: Rachel Keith recently hosted a panel for N.C. Project LEAD, asking elected officials and community leaders some tough policy questions. We’ll hear what they said about universal basic income, collective bargaining, and more. Plus, Nikolai Mather unpacks legislative efforts to fund school meals for all.…

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Caroline Codsi, CEO of Women in Governance 42:07

1M ago42:07

42:07

Caroline Codsi, CEO of Women in GovernanceBy iHeartRadio

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Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University 41:02

1M ago41:02

41:02

This week on The CEO Series, Professor Karl Moore sits down with Graham Carr, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia University. Tune in to hear about his path from teaching to senior administration, how Concordia stands out among local universities, and how it’s tackling tuition hikes and other emerging challenges in higher education.…

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The third time's the charm for Ted Davis' PFAS bill; NHCS Turnaround Task Force moves on 50:00

2M ago50:00

50:00

On this episode, Rachel Keith takes stock of what the New Hanover County Schools’ turnaround task force has accomplished in two years, and what’s next for them – and Nikolai Mather sits down with Representative Ted Davis to talk about his PFAS legislationBy Rachel Keith, Nikolai Mather, Benjamin Schachtman

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A conversation Curt Farrison, president of Wilmington's Vietnam Veterans of America chapter 49:59

2M ago49:59

49:59

On the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, WHQR's Ben Schachtman sat down with Curt Farrison, president of Chapter 885 of the Vietnam Veterans of America, to talk about coming home from war, understanding and managing PTSD, and what the country could do better for men and women who have worn a uniform.…

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Helen Antoniou, Chair of the Board of Governors at Concordia University 42:51

2M ago42:51

42:51

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore speaks with Helen Antoniou, Chair of the Board of Governors at Concordia University. They discuss the role of philanthropy in Canada, decision-making in family businesses, and why multi-generational leadership can give family-run businesses a lasting edge.By iHeartRadio

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Healthy Opportunities Pilot shows cost savings for Medicaid: “It’s a hand up” 50:00

2M ago50:00

50:00

On today’s show, host Rachel Keith talks about the groundbreaking Healthy Opportunities Pilot—one of the first in the country—where some Medicaid recipients get assistance for food, rent and utilities, and counseling for interpersonal violence or toxic stress needs. Service providers helping these people get reimbursements from the HOP program.…

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Edward Greenspon, Former CEO of the Public Policy Forum 44:25

3M ago44:25

44:25

This week on The CEO Series, Karl Moore sits down with Edward Greenspon, former CEO of the Public Policy Forum and past Editor-in-Chief of The Globe and Mail. Tune in as they discuss the impact of Canada’s most influential prime ministers, the future of the media industry, and how organizations can navigate today’s increasingly complex policy lands…

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Celebrating Sunshine Week and Blerd culture 50:00

3M ago50:00

50:00

On today’s show, Rachel Keith celebrates Sunshine Week, an annual event focused on open government and transparency. In honor of this year’s sunshine week, we’re taking a look at government speech policies — we’ll dig into how much public employees, including college professors, can say when they talk to journalists or speak out on political issues…

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A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner LeAnn Pierce about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities 47:30

3M ago47:30

47:30

On today’s show, I’m sitting down with Republican New Hanover County Commissioner LeAnn Pierce about her thoughts and goals as the county’s budget negotiations move forward. We asked Pierce, vice-chair of the Board of Commissioners, about her thoughts on where the tax rate should go — and ways to make the county more efficient, including calls to e…

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A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities 54:10

3M ago54:10

54:10

On today’s show, I’m sitting down with Democratic New Hanover County Commissioner Rob Zapple to talk about his priorities and perspectives on the county’s ongoing budget process. We asked Zapple about what he thinks about efforts to make the county more financially efficient — as well as calls to do away with the county’s DEI office, and have the E…

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A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner Stephanie Walker about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities 35:27

3M ago35:27

35:27

On today’s show, I’m sitting down with Democratic New Hanover County Commissioner Stephanie Walker to talk about her perspective on the county’s budget negotiations — which are going on right now. Walker, who was recently elected to her first term as a commissioner in November after serving for four years on the county’s school board, campaigned as…

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Planning the Future of Development in the Cape Fear Region 50:00

4M ago50:00

50:00

The entire Cape Fear Region is growing at a blistering pace: and residents worry about the impact on traffic, trees, and stormwater. But growth here is moulded by planners who want to make sure residents don’t get left behind. We’ll hear from a panel of those experts on this week's episode of the Newsroom.…

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A conversation with New Hanover County school member David Perry about gender in schools 27:39

4M ago27:39

27:39

The New Hanover County Board of Education recently voted to reshape the district's strategic plan, policies, and procedures to comply with President Trump's recent executive orders on both DEI and gender issues. Board member David Perry recently accused the media of a "blackout" of the latter, so we asked him to come into the studio to unpack his v…

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A conversation with New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise about taxes, budget cuts, and spending priorities 42:20

4M ago42:20

42:20

On today’s show, a conversation with Republican New Hanover County Commissioner Dane Scalise about taxes and government spending. Scalise recently penned an opinion piece in the Wilmington Business Journal, which we’ll have links to on the page, where he laid out a fairly simple argument: if property values are going up, taxes should go down. So we…

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A conversation about community safety with LINC's Frankie Roberts 57:00

4M ago57:00

57:00

On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman sits down for a conversation with Frankie Roberts, executive director of LINC, about community safety.For a quarter century, Roberts has run LINC, a non-profit dedicated to helping people rejoin the community after being incarcerated. We’ll talk about how that work has expanded over the years — and how Roberts…

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The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry 43:03

4M ago43:03

43:03

This week on The CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry. Tune in as they discuss Canada’s evolving relationship with the U.S., strategies to safeguard Canada’s infrastructure amidst potential tariffs, and on the importance of listening as a politi…

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Michael Duheme, 25th Comissioner of Royal Canadian Mounted Police 40:05

5M ago40:05

40:05

This week on The CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Michael Duheme, the 25th Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Tune in as they discuss the importance of mental health in law enforcement, the Mounties’ role in securing Canada’s borders, and efforts to rebuild public trust.By iHeartRadio

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SYNC, ACEs, and getting to the root of children's wellbeing 50:04

5M ago50:04

50:04

On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sat down with reporter Rachel Keith to talk about the work of SYNC — Strengthening Systems for NC Children. Keith joined about 20 other members who, starting last August, worked to develop a better, broader understanding of how adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, impact the quality of life for …

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A conversation with Sokoto House's Abdul Hafeedh Bin Abdullah about community safety 50:04

5M ago50:04

50:04

On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman sat down with Abdul Hafeedh Bin Abdullah, co-founder of Sokoto House and the Quality Life Blueprint, to talk about how he sees the issue of community safety through a public-safety lens, and where some other efforts — like Tru Colors and Port City United — may have fallen short.…

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Valérie Pisano, President and CEO of Mila – Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute 42:45

5M ago42:45

42:45

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore speaks with Valerie Pisano, President and CEO of Mila—a non-profit AI hub in Montreal. Join us to hear Valerie shares some insights on the challenges Canadian startups face when seeking investment, how AI is shaping the workforce, and on the Mobius Bias Project, a new initiative tackling biases in AI.…

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A conversation with District Attorney Jason Smith about youth violence 50:00

6M ago50:00

50:00

On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sits down with recently elected District Attorney Jason Smith to talk about one of the region's most pressing issues: youth violence, especially gun violence.By Benjamin Schachtman

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The WHQR news team reflects on 2024, and looks ahead to next year 55:10

6M ago55:10

55:10

On this year-end episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman looks back over a wild year's worth of reporting with journalists Rachel Keith, Aaleah McConnell, Kelly Kenoyer, and Nikolai Mather.By Benjamin Schachtman

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Claude Marchand, CEO LCI Education 39:45

6M ago39:45

39:45

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Claude Marchand, CEO of LCI Education and LaSalle College Montreal, to discuss the future of education. Tune in as we explore what’s new in teaching, the profound impact of technology on the educational landscape, and how the creative economy shapes the next generation of innovators.…

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A Wilmington start-up roundtable: Jessica Kovar, Rob Cooley, Christian Pardue, and Morris Nguyen 1:00:50

6M ago1:00:50

1:00:50

On this episode of The Newsroom, we sit down with four Wilmingtonians working in the tech start-up space: from diagnostic wearables to solving workforce issues to managing federal contract applications, they're bringing the entrepreneurial spirit to some tricky issues. We asked them about tech culture, saving your sanity while you start your compan…

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A conversation with former New Hanover County school board member Hugh McManus 50:03

6M ago50:03

50:03

On this episode, WHQR's Rachel Keith takes over hosting duties for a conversation with Hugh McManus, who just wrapped up his term as a New Hanover County school board member. McManus has dedicated four decades to education, and in this interview, he talks about his journey as a teacher, principal, school director, and board member.…

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A conversation with former Wilmington Police Department Captain Mike Fanta 1:17:50

6M ago1:17:50

1:17:50

At the beginning of this year, Captain Mike Fanta put his name to a formal complaint against Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams. That led to a $75,000 third-party investigation in Williams' leadership, and pushback from the Black community who defended the city's first Black police chief against Fanta, some of his fellow officers, and others wh…

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Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify 39:37

7M ago39:37

39:37

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Harley Finkelstein, President of Shopify, to explore the evolving landscape of global retail and entrepreneurship. Join us as we discuss Montreal’s role as a global retail hub, Shopify’s commitment to Canada’s bilingual culture, and their innovative new AI product ShopifyMagic.…

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Election 2024: Understanding campaign finance and the absentee ballots snafu 53:45

7M ago53:45

53:45

On this episode of The Newsroom, we take a deep dive into what caused this year's consternation over absentee ballots and what might have prevented it (hint: better communication and more resources). Plus, a closer look at some of the campaign funding in local races — and some tips for how to check on candidate fundraising yourself.…

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Steven Singer, CEO of Fody Foods 39:46

7M ago39:46

39:46

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Steven Singer, CEO of Fody Foods, to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and passion for health-conscious food innovation. Join us as we dive into his experiences working with a board of directors, securing investments, and navigating the challenges of the food industry, including rising c…

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Catherine Tait, President of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) 43:31

8M ago43:31

43:31

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Catherine Tait, President of CBC. Join us to hear her insights on creative leadership, managing public broadcasting in a digital era, and the future of Canadian storytelling.By iHeartRadio

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Cape Fear election results: Purple districts, ballot-splitting voters, and uncertain outcomes 51:02

8M ago51:02

51:02

On this episode, we unpack the evolving electorate and their unpredictable down-ballot choices. Plus, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over New Hanover County races with a growing number of uncounted absentee ballots that count easily swing the race for school board and commissioner seats.By Benjamin Schachtman

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Omar Sachedina, Journalist and Chief Anchor for CTV National News 45:21

8M ago45:21

45:21

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Omar Sachedina, Canadian journalist and Chief News Anchor at CTV News. Join us to hear his thoughts on journalism, storytelling in the digital age, and the evolving demands of Gen Z in the media landscape.By iHeartRadio

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Unpacking the state House and Senate candidates' forum 50:00

8M ago50:00

50:00

On today’s show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Nikolai Mather are unpacking the forum we put on earlier this month with WECT and Port City Daily, featuring candidates running for the North Carolina House and Senate. We'll dig into what the candidates had to say, with context, analysis, and some fact-checking.…

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Marlando Pridgen, Democratic candidate for North Carolina's 7th Congressional District 1:03:20

8M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

On this episode, WHQR News Director Ben Schachtman sat down for a long-form interview with Marlando Pridge, Democratic challenger for North Carolina's 7th Congressional District. Topics included domestic policy issues like healthcare, affordable housing, crime and drugs and foreign policy topics like Ukraine and the Middle East.…

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Charles Bierbrier, business consultant and professor at McGill 38:18

8M ago38:18

38:18

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Charles Bierbrier, Business Consultant, Previous Founder and CEO of a brewing company, and Professor at McGill University. Join us to hear his thoughts on entrepreneurship, the challenges of selling novel products, and the evolving demands of Gen Z in the business world.…

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Unpacking the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners candidates' forum 50:00

8M ago50:00

50:00

On today’s show, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Kelly Kenoyer are unpacking the forum we put on earlier this month with WECT and Port City Daily, featuring candidates running for the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners. We'll dig into what the candidates had to say, with context, analysis, and some fact-checking.…

1
Unpacking the New Hanover County school board candidates' forum 50:00

9M ago50:00

50:00

On this episode, WHQR's Ben Schachtman and Rachel Keith and Port City Daily's Brenna Flanagan break down what New Hanover County school board candidates had to say during our recent town hall forum, with context, analysis, and fact checking.By WHQR Staff

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Adam Waterous, Managing Partner and CEO at Waterous Energy Fund 42:05

9M ago42:05

42:05

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Moore sits down with Adam Waterous, Managing Partner & CEO of Waterous Energy Fund. Join us to hear his thoughts on energy poverty, the contrasting perspectives between Ottawa and Alberta energy policies, and the evolving role of the energy sector in addressing climate change and economic challenges today.…

1
Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Chief Curator at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts 43:47

9M ago43:47

43:47

This week on the CEO Series, Professor Karl Moore sits down with Mary-Dailey Desmarais, Chief Curator at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Join us to hear her thoughts on the museum’s commitment to uplifting Indigenous art in North America, how her refined curation process shapes the museum’s exhibitions, and the evolving role of art museums in fos…

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"You have to fully empathize with what you did”: Restorative justice comes to North Carolina 50:00

9M ago50:00

50:00

Reconciliation and restoration are key to relationships: but they rarely come up in the criminal justice system. That may soon change, as North Carolina makes Restorative Justice an integrated part of the Department of Public Safety.By Kelly Kenoyer, Aaleah McConnell

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Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, and David Shribman, American Journalist and Author 41:29

9M ago41:29

41:29

Tune in for a special episode covering the U.S Elections this week on the CEO series as Karl sits down with the Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy and David Shribman, an American Journalist, Author, and Pulitzer Prize Winner. Join us to hear how New Jersey plans to handle climate change, the Governor’s stance on the electoral college system, and D…

1
Lance Mortlock, Managing Partner at EY 32:48

10M ago32:48

32:48

Tune in this week on the CEO series as Karl sits down with Lance Mortlock, a managing partner at EY. Join us to hear about Lance’s upcoming book ‘Outside in Inside Out’, scenario planning at EY, and his thoughts on which countries are currently leading the energy industry.By iHeartRadio

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Election 2024: New Hanover and Pender DA candidates Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson and Jason Smith 50:00

10M ago50:00

50:00

On this episode, we sit down with Republican candidate Jason Smith and Democratic Candidate Rebecca Zimmer Donaldson, who are both running to replace recently retired District Attorney Ben David, who represented Pender and New Hanover counties for 20 years.By Benjamin Schachtman