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Breaking Through

by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Breaking Through is a monthly narrative podcast produced by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Tomorrow's Leaders group. Breaking Through is meant to help Tomorrow's Leaders members develop professionally, foster community, and learn from others through rich storytelling, while also recruiting and engaging new members.

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Episodes

  1. Rob Ronnenberg: Shaved Legs and New Lungs

    For our final episode of Breaking Through, we caught up with Rob Ronnenberg from the small town of Byron, Minnesota. We chatted about his wife Jennifer, her double lung transplant, their Brady Brunch-style family, being a CF spouse, and their viral video that led to a dream wedding on reality TV....

  2. Somer Love: A Message Of Love We Can All Use Right Now

    With the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic changing our way of life this month, Breaking Through opted to feature one of our most popular episodes in our show's history, our interview with Somer Love. Somer is an adult living with CF, and was the 2019 VLC Alex Award winner. She's also an…

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  3. Jaci Strube: Pulling It All Off

    Jaci and her husband Drew are traveling from Iowa to Washington, DC this week attending their fifth March on the Hill, advocating for their son Major, who has cystic fibrosis. But Jaci’s story is so much more than just her advocacy work. She has received numerous awards professionally, and just a...

  4. MaryBeth Hyland: Pulling Wisdom From A Wound

    MaryBeth Hyland believes that we all share the desire to know and return to our authentic selves, at work, home and within. She has built a sterling reputation as a builder of corporate cultures and a so-called "Millennial Specialist". Following her successful and high-profile tenure at a global...

  5. Jon Norberg: Finding Your Passion

    When he was 2-years-old, his parents had the good sense to put a tennis racket in Jon Norberg's hand. Jon would go on to spend his youth traveling around the world as a top-ranked tennis player, first as an amateur and then as a pro. On the court, he was in control and knew exactly what he…

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  6. Julie Riedy: You Don’t Choose Who You Love

    Julie Riedy first learned about cystic fibrosis in college when she met the man who she would one day marry, Chad. On this month’s episode, Julie explains that you don’t choose who you love, but that you get to love who you love. We talked to Julie about her involvement with the CF community, how...

  7. Tré LaRosa: All Our Stories are Important

    Tré LaRosa and his sister Alyssa, were both born with cystic fibrosis, but experienced the disease differently. Alyssa struggled much of her life and lost her battle in March 2018. Tré graduated college, lives on his own, and is now on the frontlines of the fight in the lab at Cincinnati…

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  8. Tyler Gill: Humble and Hungry

    Philanthropy is a way of life in Northwest Arkansas. But even among a sea of professionals who make a habit out of giving back, Tyler Gill stands out for his unique ability to fundraise. In his professional life, the Oklahoma native has led teams overseeing product categories valued at over $1...

  9. Kate & Joe O'Donnell: Honoring the Past, Building a Future

    Kate O'Donnell never met her brother Joey--he died of cystic fibrosis a few months before she was born. Soon after Joey died in 1986, Kate’s parents, Joe and Kathy, celebrated his memory by starting the Joey Fund and dedicated their lives to the search for a cure. As Kate grew up, the memory of…

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  10. Corie King: From Nanny to Noodles

    Corie King always knew she wanted a job that would help people but didn't know exactly what that would look like. That uncertainty extended into her early career, when she took a detour as a nanny for Kennedy, a child with CF. During her time as Kennedy's caretaker, Corie learned more about CF,...

  11. Drew Strube: Action Gets Action

    When his son Major was diagnosed with CF, Iowa native Drew Strube's world began to grow. From local fundraising events to March on the Hill, Drew and his wife Jaci jumped in with both feet to help find a cure for their son, and for all people with CF. Drew has come to find a passion for mentoring...

  12. Jack Goodwin: Live Happy

    Three years ago, Jack Goodwin met someone who changed his life. He began a whirlwind romance with a woman named Mallory Smith, a writer with CF, and that romance lasted the rest of her life. But when she died, Jack was at a crossroads of what to do with the rest of his life. He and the Smith…

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  13. Somer Love: Spreading Love in the World

    For this month's episode, we interview an adult living with CF, the 2019 VLC Alex Award winner and the all-around amazing Somer Love! As a force of positivity in the world of cystic fibrosis, Somer has dedicated her life to giving back to the CF community and helping others pursue their dreams.…

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  14. Getting Ready for the Volunteer Leadership Conference, CF on the Silver Screen, and March On The Hill

    In this month's jam-packed episode, Tomorrow's Leaders take center stage from San Diego to Hollywood to Washington, DC. As this hits your feed, there's a good chance you're on your way to the annual VLC conference in San Diego -- and Breaking Through will be there! To start, we hear from last...

  15. Emily Bridges: What I Learned From My Best Friend's Fight, And How it Shaped Me

    This month, we meet up with Emily Bridges, Marketing Director for Choate Construction in Atlanta, who has helped build a culture of giving in her workplace centered around cystic fibrosis. That urge to help find a cure came from her best friend, Leann. She brought us into that friendship, and...

  16. Tomorrow's Leaders: 1-2-3 Join Me!

    In our first show of 2019, we hear from Tomorrow's Leaders all over the country as we celebrate the inaugural Tomorrow's Leaders 1-2-3 Join Me Day, which took place on January 23. In Community Picks, we take a look at viral videos and follow up with engagements, transplants, and life-changing...

  17. Ted Baker: Flying Your Flag High

    This month, we visit with QALO co-founder and CEO Ted Baker, whose active lifestyle brand started as a niche product -- silicon wedding bands -- and is now growing by leaps and bounds. QALO -- which stands for "Quality, Athletics, Love, Outdoors" -- centers commitment at the core of its brand. A...

  18. A Different Kind of Bicoastal

    Kristen Brockman caught up with episode 3 star Reef McIntosh to ask him some follow-up questions about how he splits time between Southern California and Hawaii, how he created a brand for himself, and how he coaches up-and-coming surfers (and their parents) to success. Reef also talked in more...

  19. Reef McIntosh: Waves of Consequence

    Some people say you can boil life down to a handful of moments that define our direction. Reef McIntosh attributes his big break as a pro-surfer for Quicksilver to one wave that catapulted him into superstardom. Taming it was one part luck, one part skill, and a dash of just knowing where to be…

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  20. The Tables Are Turned

    In this month's half-episode, our own Kristen Brockman is in the hot seat as she gets interviewed by Episode 2 guest Richelle Meiss. Kristen shares her own CF story, about her sister Kelsi, who was the inspiration for Kristen's "UnBucket List" project, aimed at raising money for the Cystic…

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  21. Richelle Meiss: Go All In

    This month, Breaking Through catches up with Los Angeles-based comedic, writer and actor Richelle Meiss. Four years ago, Richelle ditched the idea of law school, threw all her earthly possessions into her Honda Civic and headed out for LA to follow her dreams. She talks with Kristen Brockman…

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  22. Our First Half Episode! (What's a 'Half Episode'?)

    On this month's installment of Breaking Through, we bring you our first half episode, where we share some news and answer your questions. We talk to the Tomorrow's Leaders national chair Jessica Coniglio about why we're doing this podcast, and what the future holds for Breaking Through. And Ray...

  23. Ray Poole: It's That Moment

    In the first episode of Breaking Through, we talk to Ray Poole, who arrived at his breakthrough moment after being there for his wife through her double lung transplant. Breaking Through is a monthly narrative podcast produced by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Tomorrow's Leaders group. Breaking...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

Breaking Through is a monthly narrative podcast produced by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Tomorrow's Leaders group. Breaking Through is meant to help Tomorrow's Leaders members develop professionally, foster community, and learn from others through rich storytelling, while also recruiting and engaging new members.

HOSTED BY

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Breaking Through have?

Breaking Through currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Breaking Through about?

Breaking Through is a monthly narrative podcast produced by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation's Tomorrow's Leaders group. Breaking Through is meant to help Tomorrow's Leaders members develop professionally, foster community, and learn from others through rich storytelling, while also recruiting and...

How often does Breaking Through release new episodes?

Breaking Through has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Breaking Through?

You can listen to Breaking Through on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Breaking Through?

Breaking Through is created and hosted by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
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