Bend Don't Break
Podcasts powered by The Source, a weekly newspaper in beautiful Bend, Oregon.
Episodes
401 episodes
Bend Don't Break: Bree Beal, Executive Director of BEAT Children's Theatre
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Bree Beal, Executive Director of BEAT Children's Theatre. Bree shares her journey from a childhood immersed in theater to studying history, working in the title industry, and ultimately returnin...
Bend Don't Break: Fiona Noonan, Wildlands and Water Program Manager
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Fiona Noonan, Wildlands and Water Program Manager. Fiona works with Central Oregon LandWatch to protect forests, wildlife habitat, and water resources across Central Oregon. A landscape ecologis...
Bend Don't Break: Alisa Dunlap, Pacific Power's Regional Business Manager for Central Oregon
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Alisa Dunlap, Pacific Power's Regional Business Manager for Central Oregon. With a background in political science, government affairs, public policy, and utility planning, Dunlap shares how her...
Bend Don’t Break: Jeff Curtis, Executive Director of the Deschutes County Fair
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Jeff Curtis, Executive Director of the Deschutes County Fair. Curtis recently stepped into the role after leading the Alaska State Fair and spending nearly two decades as CEO of the Portland Ros...
Bend Don't Break: Beau Eastes, Marketing Director at Old Mill District & Hayden Homes Amphitheater
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Beau Eastes, Marketing Director at Old Mill District and Hayden Homes Amphitheater. Beau shares his journey from journalism in Kansas, Oregon, and Utah to marketing leadership in Central Oregon....
Bend Don't Break: Dr Travis Allen, Executive Director of the Central Oregon Symphony Association
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Dr Travis Allen, Executive Director of the Central Oregon Symphony Association. A Bend native, cellist, educator, and arts leader, Dr Allen shares his journey from studying cello performance and...
Bend Don't Break: Scott Rowles, Founder and Lead Educational Therapist of Potentia Academics
In this episode host Aaron Switzer sits down with Scott Rowles, Founder and Lead Educational Therapist of Potentia Academics. Scott is a licensed teacher and certified professional educational therapist who has worked in local public schools an...
Bend Don’t Break: Phil Chang, Deschutes County Commissioner
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Phil Chang, Deschutes County Commissioner, to explore a pivotal moment for local leadership as the county prepares to welcome a new wave of commissioners. Phil reflects on his ro...
Kirk Schueler, President and CEO of Brooks Resources Corporation
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Kirk Schueler, President and CEO of Brooks Resources Corporation, to explore the evolution of Bend through the lens of one of its most influential developers. Kirk shares his jou...
Bend Don’t Break: Emerson Levy, Oregon State Representative, House District 53
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Oregon State Representative Emerson Levy, an attorney, educator, and public servant representing House District 53. Emerson shares how her work is grounded in community input—fro...
Bend Don’t Break: Shanan Kelley, Writer, Emcee, Auctioneer, and Comedian
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Shanan Kelley, writer, emcee, auctioneer, and comedian whose heart‑centered humor has made her a cornerstone of Central Oregon’s nonprofit and creative communities. Shanan shares...
Bend Don’t Break: Peter Franc, Executive Director of Ballet Bend
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Peter Franc, executive director of Ballet Bend, to talk about his journey from a young dancer in Atlanta to performing and leading at the highest levels of professional ballet. P...
Bend Don’t Break: Keith Witcosky, Redmond City Manager
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Keith Witcosky, City Manager of Redmond, to talk about what it really means to guide a fast growing Central Oregon city through change. From overseeing a 150 million dollar budge...
Bend Don't Break: Meagan Iverson, Sunriver Music Festival Executive Director
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Meagan Iverson, Executive Director of the Sunriver Music Festival, to talk about music as a vehicle for community, connection, and care in Central Oregon. Meagan shares her path ...
Bend Don’t Break: David Bermudez, Executive Director of Bend Science Station
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with David Bermudez, executive director and founder of Bend Science Station, to talk about curiosity, critical thinking, and what it really means to learn science. David shares his jo...
Bend Don’t Break: Jason Stein, Executive Director of Opera Bend
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Jason Stein, Executive Director of Opera Bend, to talk about building and sustaining an opera company in Central Oregon. Jason shares his journey from studying acting in New York...
Bend Don't Break: Clayton Franke, Reporter for LIOF
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Clayton Franke, reporter for the Lay It Out Foundation and The Source, to talk about local journalism, community accountability, and what it means to report from the inside of a ...
Bend Don’t Break: Casey Andrews, Executive Director for COTA (Central Oregon Trail Alliance)
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Casey Andrews, Executive Director of Central Oregon Trail Alliance, to talk about stewardship, public lands, and the people who make Central Oregon’s trail system possible. Casey...
Bend Don’t Break: Selin Sevinç, Managing Director at Bend Film Festival
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Selin Sevinç, Managing Director of Programming and Artistic Vision at Bend Film Festival, to explore her journey from Istanbul to Bend and her lifelong devotion to storytelling. ...
PREVIEW: Bend Into Balance
In this special preview on the Bend Don’t Break feed, host Aaron Switzer sits down with Adriana Mariño to introduce Bend Into Balance, a new podcast exploring fitness, wellness, and the stories that shape a healthier Bend. In this short convers...
Casey Munck, Regional Director for NAMI Central Oregon
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Casey Munck, Regional Director of NAMI Central Oregon, to explore the evolving landscape of mental health support in our region. Casey shares her journey from a fast‑paced tech c...
Grand Craft Bend: Ryan Atagi, Head Brewer at Crux Fermentation Project
In this episode, we meet Crux Fermentation Project's head brewer, Ryan Atagi. While Japanese lagers (or rice lagers) are gaining steam, Atagi's Japanese heritage brings something extra to Crux's Bochi Bochi lager and an array of other beers inc...
Bend Don't Break: Holly McCown Harris, Health Services Director for Deschutes County
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Holly McCown Harris, Health Services Director for Deschutes County, to explore the realities of providing public and behavioral health care in a rapidly growing region. Holly sha...
Peter Madsen, Investigative and Features Reporter for the Lay It Out Foundation
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer sits down with Peter Madsen, an investigative and features reporter supported by the Lay It Out Foundation. Peter shares his journey from writing for Vice and Thrasher in New York City to becom...
Bend Don't Break: Melissa Steele, Deputy Fire Marshal of Wildfire Preparedness for Bend Fire & Rescue
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, host Aaron Switzer sits down with Melissa Steele, Deputy Fire Marshal for Wildfire Preparedness at Bend Fire and Rescue. Melissa brings more than two decades of experience in firefighting and prevention, inc...
