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About

Dive into "Conversations with Rich Bennett," where extraordinary tales unfold. Join Rich as he engages with diverse guests, from trailblazers to survivors, sharing stories that inspire and challenge. Each episode is a journey into the heart of human experience, offering insights, laughter, and moments of profound connection. Whether it's exploring the depths of personal triumph or the intricacies of societal issues, this podcast promises to enlighten and entertain. 

About the Hosts

Rich BennettProfile Photo

Rich Bennett

Host / Producer / Editor

Rich Bennett is a Marine Corps Veteran, Professional DJ, Entrepreneur and Professional Podcaster.

Rich started the podcast “Harford County Living” in 2015, 3 years after launching the positive news website harfordcountyliving.com. A few years later Rich started getting requests from people outside of Maryland to come on the show as guests and the podcast became “Harford County Living with Rich Bennett”. Needless to say, more requests came in and a few people suggested to Rich that he needed to expand the podcast and change the name again and “Conversations with Rich Bennett” was born.

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Jennifer Hathaway

Cohost

Owner

Jenn is a Photographer at Sincerely Sawyer Photography & Account Executive at PROFILES. Capturing memories for families, creating content and marketing strategies for brands. Mom of three balancing home and work life with a passion for bringing big concepts to life.

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Wendy Beck

Cohost

Founder / Executive Director

Wendy Beck is the Founder and Executive Director of Rage Against Addiction, located in Harford County, Maryland. The organization was founded based on the understanding that no family is immune to addiction and that it can affect the whole family as well. Recovery may start with an addicted loved one, but the healing of the entire family is equally as important. The Rage programs include recovery housing for women, funding initiatives, counselor-led kids discussions, and care packages for new mothers in recovery. “I wanted us to follow the entire family on the road to recovery,” says Wendy.

Her experience with addiction started out of necessity as she tried to understand and help with the struggles that some of her closest family members were going through. She devotes her time and energy by promoting addiction education to the families in and around Maryland and through Rage’s multiple social media platforms. She also works closely with other addiction advocacy groups to combine strengths in advancing awareness for drug addiction and helping erase the stigma surrounding it.

Wendy was celebrated at the 2016 Harford County’s Most Beautiful People Awards, hosted by County Executive Barry Glassman and the Harford County Department of Human Services. She received a Shining Light Award which recognizes individuals who shine a light of awareness on serious issues within the county. She was also a nominee for the county’s Most Beautiful People Award.

She lives in Harford County, Maryland, and is the author of Christm… Read More

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Joe Ayler

Cohost

President – CEO

Tar Heel Construction Group LLC

Joe Ayler was born in Indianapolis, IN and moved to Maryland in 1985 residing in Reisterstown before settling in Harford County in 1992. He is a 1997 graduate of C. Milton Wright High School and a 2002 graduate of Salisbury University (B.S. Biology). Out of college Joe briefly worked for the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health participating in stem cell lab research. He finally found himself working in the home improvement industry where he mastered his trade. After working as a sub-contractor for ten years, Tar Heel Construction Group LLC was formed in 2014. THCG focuses on residential/commercial roofing and exteriors and services Harford and Baltimore Counties. Joe is acting President and remains very active in the day-to-day operations of the company. THCG is continuously placing an emphasis on community involvement. Some of their favorite organizations are HFH, Boys and Girls Clubs of Harford and Cecil, Upper Chesapeake Healthcare Foundation, MD Center for the Arts, and Ripken Stadium. Joe currently sits on the board of directors for the Greater Maryland BBB, Greater Bel Air Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Harford County, and Harford Family House. Joe is happily married to his best friend, Julie Culp-Ayler. Together they have two children, Blake and Isabelle. With the support of his family Joe is certain THCG will continue to do great things.

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Julia Chang

Cohost

Julia Chang is a mindset coach, 4th degree Taekwondo black belt and Mrs. Maryland America 2021.
She hosts online and in-person workshops on various topics, such as limiting beliefs, finding your why and goal setting.

She uses her unique combination of mindset coaching, Taekwondo and pageant experiences to connect with podcast guests and clients.

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Dani Pettrey

Cohost

Publishers Weekly and #1 Amazon bestselling author, Dani Pettrey has sold nearly 800,000 copies of her novels to readers eagerly awaiting the next release. Dani combines the page-turning adrenaline of a thriller with the chemistry and happy-ever-after of a romance.
Her novels stand out for their “wicked pace, snappy dialogue, and likable characters” (Publishers Weekly), “gripping storyline[s],” (RT Book Reviews), and “sizzling undercurrent of romance” (USA Today).

She researches murder and mayhem from her home in Maryland.

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Kelly Backert

Kelly and her husband, Matt, own a fitness business called Kore Bootcamps. She finds it rewarding to assist others in learning how to improve their health and happiness. She believes it is her mission in life to teach others how to have a healthy perspective on body image, nutrition, and physical activity. She thinks that one's value cannot be gauged by their weight alone. There is no such thing as a flawless or disciplined life. It's about making headway and giving one's all to the causes one cares about.

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Ronya Nassar

Ronya Nassar is the Director of Population Health for the Harford County Health Department in Bel Air, Maryland. In her role, she oversees several programs which include, epidemiology, health policy, quality improvement/performance management, communications, local health improvement coalition, tobacco and diabetes prevention, and minority health. As an Arab-American woman, her passion lies in health equity and creating public health programs that work on reducing health disparities. Ronya received her undergraduate degree in psychobiology and communications from Albright College and her Master of Public Health from East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Jeffrey PollardProfile Photo

Jeffrey Pollard

Jeff Pollard is a mental health activist who has lived experiences and loved ones with mental health conditions. He holds a master's degree in Human Services Administration and is passionate about working with vulnerable populations. Jeff plans to write and share his experiences to help others know they are not alone in their struggles. While he works with the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Maryland, his takes on this podcast are solely his own and do not represent the organization.