Moxietalk With Kirt Jacobs

The president, CEO, and founder of Answers in Genesis-US, and the highly acclaimed Creation Museum, and the world-renowned Ark Encounter, Ken Ham is one of the most in-demand Christian speakers in North America. Born a native Australian in 1951, Ken moved to America in 1987 to engage in speaking tours with another young-Earth creationist organization, the Inst. for Creation Research (ICR).  In 1994, Ham left ICR & founded Creation Science Ministries- changing its name to what is today known as Answers in Genesis or AiG-with the purpose of upholding the authority of the Bible from the very 1st verse. In May 2007, AiG opened Ham’s brainchild, a 75,000-sq-ft high-tech state-of-the-art facility-better known as the Creation Museum & education ctr., on 70 scenic acres in Petersburg, KY. It contains dozens of world-class exhibits-including impressive animatronic dinosaur models, a $1 million allosaur fossil, & planetarium. In its  1st 10 years, wait for it, the museum attracted 3 million guests!  On Feb.

Author, innovator, futurist, teacher, commentator and founder of Thrivals at IdeaFestival, Nat Irvin, II, is the Woodrow M. Strickler Executive in Residence, Professor of Management Practice, College of Business, the University of Louisville where he has taught change management, leadership, future studies, and team dynamics since 2007. From 1996-2007, Irvin led Future Focus 2020, a think tank dedicated to providing leadership in bringing futurist thinking to urban communities. In 2000, Future Focus 2020 became a center of the Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where Dr. Irvin served as Executive Professor of Future Studies and as Assistant Dean for MBA Student Development.

Wendy Whelan spent 30 years with New York City Ballet, 23 of those years as a principal dancer. She has danced virtually every major Balanchine role, and worked closely with Jerome Robbins on many of his ballets. She originated leading roles in works by such notable choreographers as William Forsythe, Twyla Tharp, Alexei Ratmansky, and Christopher Wheeldon. Wendy has been a guest artist with The Royal Ballet and the Kirov Ballet and has performed on nearly every major stage across the globe. She received the Dance Magazine Award in 2007, and in 2009 was given a Doctorate of Arts, honoris causa, from Bellarmine University. In 2011, she received both The Jerome Robbins Award and a Bessie Award for her Sustained Achievement in Performance. Since 2013, Wendy has been developing her own independent projects including, Restless Creature and Some Of A Thousand Words both co-produced by The Joyce Theater Productions, Whelan/Watson Other Stories co-produced by London’s Royal Opera House and Hagoromo, self-produced for

Fueled by new ideas, Kris Kimel began IdeaFestival and KSTC. Kimel is the founder of the international IdeaFestival, which originated in Lexington, Ky. in 2000 and moved to Louisville in 2006. The festival is designed to stimulate ideas and innovations across a multitude of categories – from filmmaking to healthcare, sustainable farming and more. The core of the festival is the belief that individuals don’t have to be geographically or economically privileged to have breakthrough ideas and create positive change. Kimel is also a leader and founder behind the development and successful implementation of Kentucky Space, Space Tango, and the Exomedicine Institute. In 1987, he founded the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC). KSTC is an independent non-profit company with an international reputation for designing and implementing innovative initiatives in science, technology, entrepreneurship and disruptive innovation. He currently serves as the organization’s president. Kimel holds bachelor’s and m

Acting is a calling for Ryan Burch. At 26, Burch is one of only two Americans, and one of just 27 from over 5,000 applicants, recently accepted into the prestigious London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art. One of the most elite acting schools in the world, the acting program has produced a roster of legendary actors including John Lithgow, Benedict Cumberbatch, Donald Sutherland, and Jim Broadbent. Burch has performed across the country in various regional summer stock productions such as “Evita,” “Les Miserables,” “The Fantasticks,” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” His latest project was a role on NBC’s “Chicago P.D.” Burch earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater at one of the top musical theater programs in the United States, Elon University in North Carolina. He began acting at Saint Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky. his freshman year, then attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in music theater his junior year of high school. Burch is a Louisville native.

Fred Noe carries on the 200-year family legacy of Jim Beam® master distillers. Noe is a 7th generation master distiller at the Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Ky. In his additional role as bourbon ambassador for the Jim Beam Distillery, he shares the whiskey making craft and his family’s rich legacy in the world of Kentucky bourbon. Noe is the son of the late Frederick “Booker” Noe Jr., master distiller emeritus of Jim Beam Brands Company and great-grandson of founder Jim Beam, who began the legacy when he set up a frontier still in 1795. He joined the family business after graduation from Bellarmine College in Louisville, Ky. Although he “grew up” in the business, he began his career on the bottling line of the distillery. Gradually, his father tutored him in all aspects of the bourbon-making process, including grain selection, fermentation, and distillation. Noe played an important role in the development and promotion of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection® — Basil Hayden’s®, Knob Creek®, Baker’s®, and Boo

Cole Gallagher is a NSCAA Scholar All American soccer player. Gallagher is a recent graduate of Kentucky Country Day School and is currently preparing for his freshman year as an Emory University student-athlete. As a student at KCD, Gallagher was named a Malone scholar, National Merit scholar, and Dabney Family scholar, and was a recipient of a University of Michigan Book Award. He also received the James Pitman Sams Jr. Award for his academic achievements, sportsmanship, citizenship, and outstanding qualities. Through his achievements and awards Gallagher’s proudest role at KCD has been serving the school as the president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. As a 4–year varsity player, he holds all goalkeeping records for the school, served three years as team captain, and was named the 2016 Kentucky Goalkeeper of the Year. Gallagher was recently named a 2017 NSCAA Scholar All American. This is considered the top honor and hardest to achieve by high school student-athletes in this country. To be nominat

Chef David Danielson applies classic French training with fresh and local flavor. As executive chef of the historic Churchill Downs Racetrack (home to the Kentucky Derby), Danielson celebrates authentic southern flavors with the richness of fresh and local ingredients. He brings over 20 years of hands-on experience in the hospitality industry with classic training to multiple restaurant formats offered at the track. In 2011, Danielson joined the Levy Restaurants team at Churchill Downs as executive sous chef, and was named executive chef in 2013. Prior to joining Churchill Downs, Danielson held executive chef positions at Rockefeller Center (New York), United Nations Plaza Hotel, and The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago. Danielson’ s expertise extends into the world of catering and special events, through managing and organizing world-class events throughout the world. He has recently overseen Kentucky Derbies 2011–2016, the 2011 Super Bowl, US Open Tennis Championship, 2016 Rio Olympics, 2014 Sochi Winter Olym

For Mary Haynes, meeting the needs of long-term memory impaired people is a calling. Haynes leads the Nazareth Home long-term care facility for the elder community in Louisville, Ky. Nazareth Home is an award-winning non-profit ministry guided by a Catholic tradition. Haynes’ career choice came from her experience of a family member with Alzheimer’s disease, and the effect it had on the family. Haynes was named CEO in 2001. Under her leadership, the home has grown in services and capacity and has won high rankings and awards. Among these are 2016 5-star rating in U.S. News and World Report, 2014 National Care Association’s Silver Quality award, 2012 Top Places to Work (Courier-Journal), and 2011 Facility of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Health Care Facilities. Prior to leading Nazareth Home, Haynes held various positions as a psychiatric nurse and administrator, including a stint at Our Lady of Peace. As a nurse in the facility, she specialized in mental health and often dealt with Alzheimer’s patie

Michael Dale “Mike” Huckabee is an American politician, Christian minister, author, musician, and commentator. He served as the 44th governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007 and was a candidate in the United States Republican presidential primaries in 2008 and 2016. Huckabee hosted a Fox News Channel show named HUCKABEE for seven years, ending the show when he left to run for president in 2008. He also hosted a radio show on Cumulus Media Networks in 2012 and 2013. Prior to serving as governor of Arkansas, Huckabee served as lieutenant governor from 1993-1996, winning a special election race for that post. In 1995, while lieutenant governor, he announced his plans to run for the U.S. Senate. He ultimately dropped out of that race to fill the governor’s spot when then governor Tucker was convicted of arranging fraudulent loans as part of the Whitewater case. Huckabee was elected to full terms in 1998 and 2002. He received widespread praise for his response to Hurricane Katrina, and was named by Time magazine as

Wes Henderson co-created Angel’s Envy craft bourbon. Henderson co-founded Louisville Distilling Company with his father Lincoln. He, his father, and his son Kyle, developed Angel’s Envy, the craft bourbon that spends its final six months of aging in used port wine barrels. In 2012, their bourbon earned the highest ever rating for bourbon from Wine Enthusiast magazine. (Side note: His father helped develop Woodford Reserve® for Brown-Forman.) Prior to Louisville Distilling, Henderson served as CEO for Master Distiller Select LLC, and was responsible for distilled spirits consulting services. Before that, he was the president and CEO of Conecuh Ridge Distillery – a brand that enjoyed favorable mainstream recognition. Henderson received his education from the College of Aeronautics at the Florida Institute of Technology. He resides in Louisville, Ky. with his wife Julie, and has six sons. Two of his sons work with Wes at Angel’s Envy, setting the stage for the third Henderson generation to carry on the Angel’s E

A passion for wellness fuels Carlos Rivas. Rivas is a highly regarded health and wellness expert by the medical community for his creation of disease prevention programs. He is a highly sought after presenter and health and wellness consultant, and is recognized as one of the top health and wellness coaches in the country. He has helped many corporations, teams, and individuals reach their optimal level of health and well-being through outcome based programs. He is the fitness and well-being expert for WDRB Fox 41 and TOPS magazine. Rivas is developing an app called Head Coach, designed to help you become a better version of yourself. Rivas holds a (1995) B.S. in Exercise Science and Sports Medicine, (1996) Health Promotion and Counseling from the University of Louisville, and an M.S. in Exercise Physiology (1999) also from the University of Louisville. Carlos holds numerous certifications including: American College of Sports Medicine: Certified Personal Trainer since 1995, National Strength and Conditioning

Dr. Brad Calobrace is a leader in the field of cosmetic breast surgery. Considered an authority in the field of cosmetic breast surgery, Calobrace has a thriving cosmetic surgery practice in Louisville, Ky. He performs over 400 breast surgeries per year. He has participated in multiple FDA clinical breast studies and has been a consultant and speaker for contoured cohesive gel implant manufacturers, Allergan, Mentor, and Sientra. He performs approximately 1,000 major cosmetic procedures each year – including facial surgery, body contouring, breast surgery, hair transplantation and post-bariatric rejuvenation. Calobrace lectures extensively in the U.S. and internationally. He is an American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) visiting professor and has performed live surgeries at several Atlanta Breast Symposiums. He has also published extensively on the subject of aesthetic breast surgery. Calobrace has dual clinical faculty appointments with the Department of Plastic Surgery, at the University of L

Robbie Bartlett’s signature voice spans R&B, soul, and jazz. Bartlett and her band have opened shows for Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, Sheryl Crow, The Righteous Brothers, and many others. David Crosby and Graham Nash specifically asked for her to perform before and after their concert. The legendary B. B. King once sent word back through his daughter, Shirley King, “Who is that? I like her voice,” after hearing Robbie sing with her band. She is an accomplished vocalist, bandleader, composer, and performer. Bartlett recently finished her first movie score “The Gift of Your Love” with Travis Myles who wrote the movie and lyrics to the title song. Bartlett wrote the score for the title song, recorded, played piano, and sang. Bartlett started singing at age four, and developed a strong foundation in R&B and jazz. Her warm smoky alto voice is heard regularly at popular Louisville area nightclubs, where she has performed since 1982. Styles include “Respect” by Aretha Franklin, “Good Morning Heartache” by Billi

For 20 years, Mike Berry has been at the helm of the Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF), one of the nation’s largest and most notable civic celebrations. The festival spans the two weeks leading up to the Kentucky Derby. Berry oversees the planning and production of nearly 70 events on the official schedule. The festival attracts an estimated 1.5 million people to the area each year. Berry built his career at the festival and is now the longest-serving president and CEO in the history of the organization. He began his KDF career in 1986 as an event coordinator. He rose to director of marketing and communications and vice president/managing director prior to his current position as president and CEO His first involvement with the festival came as administrative assistant to then Kentucky governor, Martha Layne Collins. Berry served as the governor’s appointment to the Derby Festival board from 1984-86. During his Frankfort tenure, Berry coordinated special projects including the Kentucky Derby Breakfast, Governor’s

Technology entrepreneur Stacy Griggs is a high energy executive with strong leadership skills. Griggs leads the day-to-day operations at El Toro, one of the fastest growing AdTech companies in the U.S. The company focuses on hyper-accurate targeting of digital advertising via IP addresses. He is one of the creators of El Toro’s patent for IP Targeting, along with five other pending patents. He has a roster of previous successes in technology. Inc. magazine recognized three previous firms led by Griggs on the Inc. 500 list as the fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S. He held executive spots in Cbeyond, a publicly traded cloud communications company (Nasdaq: CBEY) and AlignCloud and held a series of positions at Hosting.com, including chief sales officer, chief service officer and general manager for their flagship Delaware Data Center. Griggs and his business partner David Stadler were selected as the 2016 Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneurs of the Year for the Ohio Valley. Also in 2016, El

Creativity, curiosity and discipline define Delanor Manson’s accomplishments across many fields. Jewelry designer, businesswoman, nurse and Navy captain all describe successful careers mastered by Manson. With degrees in nursing and healthcare management, she has been at the forefront of innovative medical initiatives in both patient care and complex administrative issues. Achieving the rank of U.S. Navy captain, Manson applied her nursing education to positions in the U.S, Japan, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Puerto Rico. As the associate vice president of research and design for Hosparus Inc., she was involved in the complex interplay of strategic planning, project design, and management. In 2008, Manson founded the Koi Gallery at the Galt House Hotel to exhibit and sell jewelry she designed. The gallery currently showcases paintings, sculptures and other pieces created by local, regional and national artisans. About one fifth of the artists showcased in the gallery are emerging artists. This has garner

Peng Looi followed his heart and became a world-class chef. Owner of two successful restaurants, guest chef at the prestigious James Beard House, and recipient of countless awards, Looi traded engineering for cooking and has never looked back. In 1987, Looi opened his first award-winning restaurant, August Moon Chinese Bistro, which features contemporary Chinese cuisine with South East Asian influences that reflect his Malaysian home. In 1994 came the upscale casual Asiatique, serving Looi’s own unique and artful interpretation of East-West Pacific Rim cuisine. Local and regional food critics have quoted his creations as “works of edible art.” Looi hails from Ipoh, Malaysia, where he learned his first lessons in cooking and became familiar with the foods of many different cultures. At age 17, he left for Manchester, England to continue his schooling. In 1981, Looi came to the United States and earned his degree in civil engineering. However, he realized his heart was with cooking, not engineering, during his

The desire to serve her community and have a greater impact on more people fuels Theresa Reno-Weber to excel. Recently named president and CEO of Metro United Way, which serves counties across Kentucky and southern Indiana, Reno-Weber has a wealth of experience in private and public sectors. She most recently served Louisville Metro Government where she oversaw the Office of Performance Improvement and Innovation (OPI2), the Department of Information Technology, and the Department of Human Resources. At Louisville Metro Government, Reno-Weber led the launch of Louisville’s internationally recognized LouieStat program, which provides data to track, analyze and manage city government transparently and effectively. In 2015, Government Technology magazine named her one of the Top 25 Doers, Dreamers & Drivers. In 2016, she received the Best of Kentucky Visionary award. In the private sector, Reno-Weber worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company. She has spoken both internationally and nationally on s

A passion for life drives Kinsey Morrison to make a difference. Morrison had survived three different life-threatening illnesses by the age of 15. Today, she is a senior at Stanford University in California, studying international relations and Spanish, and dreaming of being a Supreme Court Justice. She is also training for a half marathon and spending 10 weeks in South Africa through a study abroad program. In 2015, Morrison spoke at the United States Supreme Court, advocating for marriage equality for her two moms in Kentucky. Not surprisingly, she is writing an honors thesis on public policy and immigration She says the most important thing to her is helping unite people across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the nation, as well as teaching people how to truly be alive while they’re living, since none of us ever know how much time we have. Morrison has spoken to more than 25,000 people, raising over $600,000 for the health charities that saved her life. After the 2016 presidential election, Morrison found