The Conference Call with Damian O'Doherty

On this episode of The Conference Call, Damian brings on a few of Columbia’s most involved residents to talk about everything their community has to offer.  We are joined by Phillip Dodge of the Downtown Columbia Partnership, Ian Kennedy of the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission, and Alyse Carter of the Columbia Town Center Community Association as they encourage greater community connectivity, discuss ways to improve Columbia’s civic engagement and promote the downtown’s vibrant amenities.  Tune in for a glimpse into a better Columbia for all its residents.

As we reach the end of the Center Maryland #DaysBetween, Damian sits down with Jim Anderson, a former Enterprise real estate executive with first-hand experience with James Rouse and the Columbia project, as well as many other notable developments nationwide. The two share their experiences with the Rouse ideology and tease apart what made him as influential and ahead of his time as he was.We hope to see you soon in the Lobby

In this special The Lobby cross-over episode of The Conference Call, Damian is joined by CNN political analyst and author John Avlon to talk about the lasting and unseen legacy of the politicking of Abraham Lincoln, and the keys to his success. Later, Damian and John discuss the importance of local journalism in the wake of the launch of the Baltimore Banner, and the effect of dwindling local news around the country.

On episode 14  of The Conference Call, the final of a three-part conversation with Marc Weller and  Marc Broady of Weller Development, and Cherry Hill's own Mike Middleton, the group gets at the root value of partnership, and what that means for community health, impact, and legacy. Join us for a conversation about Weller's vision for instilling lasting change in Baltimore and creating spaces that draw people to the city. Music by Dillion O'Brian

On episode 13 of The Conference Call, Damian continues his conversation with Marc Weller and  Marc Broady of Weller Development, and Cherry Hill's own Mike Middleton to get at the root value of partnership, and what that means for community health, impact, and legacy. Join us for a conversation about Marc Weller's vision for creating lasting change in Baltimore and creating spaces that draw people to the city. Then we'll hear what  Mike Middleton sees as positive changes spreading outward from Port Covington. Tune in next week for part three of this illuminating discussion.Music by Dillion O'Brian

On episode 12 of The Conference Call, Damian joins Marc Weller and  Marc Broady of Weller development, and Cherry Hill's own Mike Middleton to get at the root value of partnership, and what that means for community health, impact, and legacy. Join us for a conversation about Weller's roots in Buffalo and D.C., and his vision for creating lasting change in Baltimore. Then we'll hear what Broady took from his time with the late Rep. Elijah Cummings, and what Mike Middleton sees in their partnership to steward Port Covington's renaissance.Tune in next week for part two of this illuminating discussion.Music by Dillion O'Brian

On episode 11 of The Conference Call, Damian is joined by a long-time friend and ally, Colm O'Comartun, Principal at 50-State and former Executive Director of the Democratic Governors Association. Join us for a conversation about Colm's Irish roots, the road to American politics, and the Maryland Gubernatorial roadmap. Afterward, the guys discuss the goals of state politics, where they intersect with national interests, and the value of localizing national conversations.The Maryland State of Reform conference is coming up on May 13th. Details and registration can be found here: https://stateofreform.com/all-conferences/Music by Dillion O'Brian

On episode 10 of The Conference Call, Damian is joined by Maryland Senator Chris Van Hollen. Join us for a wide-reaching conversation about the American Rescue Plan, politics locally and nationally, and Maryland's remarkable representatives in the House and senate.Music by Dillion O'Brian

On episode 9 of The Conference Call, Damian is joined by Delaware royalty Rob Buccini of The Buccini/Pollin Group. Join us for a conversation about navigating the family business, economic development in Wilmington, and the value of sports.Music by Dillion O'Brian

Partner at KO Public Affairs, Beth Levine has a unique resume with 16 years leading communications efforts for U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley and the Senate Judiciary Committee. Levine's career with the Senate Judiciary was capped off with her at the helm of communications surrounding the Gorsuch nomination. Beth has an extraordinary wealth of knowledge and insight that is incredibly relevant today and we're excited to have the opportunity to bring her on today.Join us for a retelling of the Merrick Garland and Justice Gorsuch nomination processes from the perspective of Senate Republicans, and what's to come in the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. We will be periodically checking in with Beth over the course of the  nomination process. Podcast Music by Dillon O'Brian

The chasms between rural and urban districts have widened. How are state legislators bridging the divide to find common ground and keep the train on the rails?Join us for a discussion with Senator Cory McCray (MD-45) and Delegate Marc Korman (MD-16) about their new legislator reading list and how they're bridging the gap between the state's rural, suburban, and urban districts to bring everyone to the table with a common language.Podcast Music by Dillon O'Brian

Join us for a discussion with the Vice President of Economic Development for Johns Hopkins University and Medical system and stalwart community advocate, Alicia Wilson.  We talked to Wilson about her meteoric rise, the incomparable mentors she’s learned from, and the community-first values she brings to her role with both the nation’s most respected university and medical center. Podcast Music by Dillon O'Brien

In episode five, Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and Benton Senior Fellow, Gigi Sohn explains the digital access divide as framed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our first four conversations with medical professionals, we talked about the current crisis and the tool kits being utilized by caregivers to meet the current need. Telehealth, often requiring stable access to broadband, has been critical in flattening the curve and isn't easily attainable in communities without widespread access to broadband. That's where Sohn comes in.Join us for our fifth episode.  Gigi Sohn is a Distinguished Fellow at the Georgetown Law Institute for Technology Law & Policy and a Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate. She sits on the Board of Directors of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and on the Advisory Board of the Open Markets Institute. Gigi is one of the nation’s leading public advocates for open, affordable and democratic communications networks. For thirty years, Gigi has worked across the country to defend and preserve the fundamental competition and innovation policies that have made broadband Internet access more ubiquitous, competitive, affordable, open and protective of user privacy. Sohn's podcast G&T: Tech on the Rocks is available on iTunes and Spotify.Music provided by Dillon O'Brian

In episode four,  we get the inside view of the COVID-19 crisis from Dr. Garibaldi, Medical Director of the Johns Hopkins Biocontainment unit.  Dr. Garibaldi  tells us what it was like to see the crisis fall on his hometown of New York City and helping prepare Maryland for the pandemic while waiting for the state's first case.  Garibaldi also explains the challenges of combating a new disease, and the race to learn as much as possible. Join us for our fourth episode. Dr. Brian Thomas Garibaldi is an associate professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and the medical director of The Johns Hopkins Biocontainment Unit (BCU), a federally funded special pathogens treatment center.

In episode three, world renowned virologist and scientist credited with co-discovering HIV, Dr. Robert Gallo joins host Damian O'Doherty to talk about his journey co-founding both the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the Global Virus Network. Doctor Gallo also makes the case for Baltimore's powerful international medical and biotechnology reputation, and discusses his recent observations in USA Today. Join us for our third episode.

In episode two, Dr. Josh Sharfstein joins host Damian O'Doherty to discuss closing out April in the COVID-19 crisis, how to utilize closed sectors of the economy during recovery, and what reopening looks like. Join us for our second episode. Dr. Sharfstein oversees the Office of Public Health Practice and Training and is director of the Bloomberg American Health Initiative. Previously, he served as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Principal Deputy Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as Commissioner of Health for Baltimore City, and as health policy advisor for Congressman Henry A. Waxman.Music provided by Dillon O'Brian

In episode one,  America's Emergency Physician, Dr. Leana Wen, joins host Damian O'Doherty to discuss the realities of the COVID-19 crisis. Join us for the first episode of a continuing series. Damian asks a public health expert:What are the conversations we should be having?Should private citizens purchase their own tests?Where does she get all that energy?Dr. Leana Wen  is an emergency physician, public health leader, and a passionate advocate for patient-centered healthcare reform. The author of the critically-acclaimed book, When Doctors Don’t Listen, her TED talk on transparency in medicine has been viewed over 2 million times. In 2019, Dr. Wen was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Currently a Visiting Professor of Health Policy and Management at the George Washington University Milken School of Public Health, Dr. Wen is also the Distinguished Fellow at the Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity. Previously, Dr. Wen served as the Health Commissioner for the City of Baltimore, where she led the nation’s oldest continuously operating health department in the U.S., founded in 1793, with 1,000 employees committed to improving well-being and combatting disparities