All episodes

Find all available episodes of the Always Lifting Podcast here.

Stay Off His Table
Episode 19

Stay Off His Table

Dr. Philip Ovadia has performed over 3,000 heart surgeries — and he’s spent the last decade trying to make fewer of them necessary. In this episode of Always Lifting, Dr. Ovadia shares how he went from a morbidly obese, pre-diabetic heart surgeon realizing he was headed for his own operating table, to losing 100 pounds, reversing his pre-diabetes, and building a second career around metabolic health. He explains why heart disease has been America’s #1 killer for a century without ever getting a crisis-level response, why 93% of American adults are metabolically unhealthy, and why he believes red meat may be the most misunderstood tool for prevention we have.

54 min

Miss America, Nuclear Engineer
Episode 18 | Grace Vanderhei

Miss America, Nuclear Engineer

Grace Vanderhei is a nuclear fuels engineer at Constellation Energy and Miss America 2023 — two titles you'd never expect to find in the same sentence. She earned her nuclear engineering degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison while serving as Miss America, logging nearly 300,000 miles across 26 states and eight countries in a single year. The Wall Street Journal named her the "New Face of Nuclear Energy," and Forbes included her on its 30 Under 30 list. In this conversation, Grace shares how a little teenage defiance — her dad told her nuclear had no future — accidentally launched her nuclear engineering career, what it's actually like to design nuclear fuel, and why she believes one connection can start a chain reaction that changes everything.

50 min

Stop Trying To Stay Calm
Episode 17 | Stephanie Meadow

Stop Trying To Stay Calm

Stephanie Meadow is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland competing on the LPGA Tour since 2015. She finished 3rd at the U.S. Women's Open in her very first professional start, represented Ireland at three consecutive Olympic Games, and is a four-time All-American from the University of Alabama. In this conversation, Stephanie shares what it took to uproot her life at 14, how she keeps competing at the highest level a decade later, and why turning up the intensity — not calming down — changed her game.

49 min

Stop Chasing Success
Episode 16 | Brad Stevenson

Stop Chasing Success

Today's guest is a friend and fellow CEO whose story of overcoming setbacks is inspiring. He's built a thriving business and a culture people love being a part of. Brad Stevenson is the co-owner and CEO of Newcastle Lawn and Landscape, a 30-year-old landscaping company in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania. He's built his leadership philosophy around growing the person, not just the bottom line.

48 min

The Culture Mistakes That Drive Talent Away
Episode 15 | Lisa Ryan

The Culture Mistakes That Drive Talent Away

Today's guest is Lisa Ryan, founder of Grategy, certified speaking professional, and author of Gear Up for Greatness and the upcoming The Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation & People. Lisa has spent 15 years helping manufacturing and industrial leaders build cultures where people actually want to stay.

45 min

The Most Valuable Resource You're Giving Away
Episode 14 | Maura Thomas

The Most Valuable Resource You're Giving Away

Today's guest is Maura Thomas: attention management expert, TEDx speaker, and author of multiple books on personal productivity. Maura's work has been a genuine gamechanger for Karen personally and this conversation will show you why. Maura makes the case that time management is the wrong goal. The real question is: where is your attention going?

48 min

Leading Innovation From Inside One of the Industry's Oldest Institutions
Episode 13 | Rachel Zepernick

Leading Innovation From Inside One of the Industry's Oldest Institutions

In this episode, host Karen Norheim sits down with Rachel Zepernick, General Manager at Thomas (ThomasNet.com), the 128-year-old trusted platform for connecting North American manufacturing suppliers and buyers. From that front-row seat, Rachel sees the trends shaping manufacturing before most people even feel them.

50 min

It's Time to CEO Your Health
Episode 12 | Krishna Hanks

It's Time to CEO Your Health

Today’s guest is Krisna Hanks: Director of Employee Wellness at Ovadia Heart Health, co-owner of Square One Wellness, author, international executive coach, and metabolic health expert. We talk about what it means to “CEO your health” and why leaders must make wellness the priority.

41 min

The Future of Education
Episode 10 | Dr. Adelle Shade

The Future of Education

Today’s guest is Dr. Adelle Shade, Chief Innovation Officer at Alvernia University and founder of Total Experience Learning (TExpL), a framework helping educators create innovative, student-centered learning environments.

52 min

Martin Guitar's Artist CEO
Episode 09 | Thomas Ripsam

Martin Guitar's Artist CEO

Today’s guest is Thomas Ripsam, CEO of C.F. Martin & Company, the legendary guitar maker founded in 1833 and revered by musicians worldwide. As Martin’s first non-family CEO, Thomas shares what it takes to honor nearly 200 years of history while still pushing the brand forward.

53 min

Trust The Pineapple!
Episode 08 | Erica Deuschle

Trust The Pineapple!

Today's guest is Lisa Ryan, founder of Grategy, certified speaking professional, and author of Gear Up for Greatness and the upcoming The Smart Plant: Aligning AI, Automation & People. Lisa has spent 15 years helping manufacturing and industrial leaders build cultures where people actually want to stay.

35 min

The Virtual Reality Doctor
Episode 06 | Dr. Kryn McClain

The Virtual Reality Doctor

Karen sits down with Dr. Kryn McClain—licensed professional counselor, trauma therapist and founder of Paragon Behavioral Health and Catapollo VR—to explore how mental health, leadership and immersive virtual reality can work together to lift people higher. Kryn shares her journey building a people-first therapy practice to creating VR training modules that improve real-world outcomes. She also shares practical insights on regulating yourself as a leader, building healthy culture and expanding access to care.

42 min

When Leaders Care About Their People
Episode 05 | Beth Hahn

When Leaders Care About Their People

Karen sits down with friend and fellow second-generation leader Beth Hahn, President of Berkshire Systems Group and SAH, for a conversation on building culture that lasts. Beth shares how she grew from a small startup into leading a multi-location company—and why caring for your people, serving the community and leading with integrity are the real drivers of success.

45 min

The "Kingfish" of Goodwill
Episode 04 | Ed “Kingfish” Lada

The "Kingfish" of Goodwill

Karen sits down with Ed “Kingfish” Lada, President & CEO of Goodwill Keystone Area, to explore how a $102M social enterprise is using workforce development, sustainability, and AI literacy to lift communities across 22 Pennsylvania counties. From re-entry success stories to “AI @ Home” and ethical tech conversations, Ed shares why the future of work must include everyone.

53 min

Your Guide to AI
Episode 03 | Chad Harvey

Your Guide to AI

Always Lifting dives deep into the intersection of technology, leadership, and humanity with strategist, coach, and “tech whisperer” Chad Harvey. Chad has a unique gift: he can walk into a room, talk about AI, and leave you feeling both smarter and more aware of just how much is changing around us. He recently led an AI training for our team at American Crane, sparking lightbulb moments that are still glowing.

49 min

The Big Cheese Storyteller
Episode 02 | Freddy Vasquez

The Big Cheese Storyteller

Host Karen Norheim sits down with entrepreneur, storyteller, and award-winning business owner Freddy Vasquez, founder and “Big Cheese” of FXV Digital Design. Fresh off his company’s recognition at the 2025 Greater Reading Chamber Business Excellence Awards—right alongside American Crane—Freddy shares his inspiring journey from designing MySpace pages to building a thriving digital design agency.

42 min

The CEO Whisperer
Episode 01 | Joni Naugle 

The CEO Whisperer

Karen sits down with Joni Naugle — “The CEO Whisperer” — to explore the power of coaching, leadership, and peer learning. As a Vistage Chair and executive coach, Joni has guided countless CEOs and leaders through chaos, uncertainty, and pivotal career moments.

34 min