Celebrate Happiness Roadshow with Sandra M

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with  founder of the La Mariposa Montessori School in Santa Fe, NM, Katrina Holder. Katrina was originally inspired to pursue her degree in education by the children from Montessori schools whom she taught in the 80's at the Santa Fe Ski Basin.  She observed that these children possessed a sophisticated sense of independence, self-direction and responsibility that stood out amongst all other children.  This initial introduction to Montessori children led her through an in-depth study of schools throughout the country where she was continually impressed and inspired by Dr. Montessori's unique child centered form of education.
Katrina created La Mariposa Montessori school with the vision of providing children with an outstanding education in a beautiful and well-prepared environment which includes a unique animal husbandry program.  Her vision has always included a landscaped campus to be incorporated into our botany study along with a photovoltaic system to study energy and generate over 100% of La Mariposa Montessori's electricity.  Now that these mile markers were achieved, she is looking forward to a celebratory 31st anniversary year!
In her spare time, Katrina continues to enjoy the mountains, hiking, skiing and riding horses. She is also a playful and energetic dancer who regularly enjoys tearing up the dance floor.  
Join us for this insightful episode in which Katrina shares her insights and personal experience on the Montessori philosophy of stewardship, teaching children to have kindness and respect for all living beings, the importance of curiosity and lifelong learning, and how happiness for her is a state of being.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with  Rich Malloy who is a drummer working across multiple styles and whose career has been built through consistently working in clubs, listening rooms, studios, and festivals.
Rich has performed jazz, country, and songwriter music across New York, New Jersey, Dallas, Nashville, Fort Worth; including performances with Carmen Bradford of the Count Basie Orchestra, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Brenda Lee, Country Music Hall of Fame member Lorrie Morgan, and Freedy Johnston, named Rolling Stone Songwriter of the Year.
Rich has appeared at the New Mexico Jazz Festival in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and has toured internationally throughout Ireland, Great Britain, and Italy. His performances range from small listening rooms such as the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and The Listening Room in New York City to national stages including the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, and Late Show with David Letterman. Malloy also performs in Counterparts, a improvisedduo with pianist, John Funkhouser. In addition, he builds practical music tools including "Form & Time", a metronome designed to keep tempo, time signature, and musical form aligned.
Join us for this insightful episode in which Rich shares how music became an outlet, a companion, and a place of safety for him at a young age, as well as his insights into the brevity of life and making the most of it, and how the deepest happiness comes from feeling comfortable in your own skin.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Madi Sato, singer and mentor of Japanese Ainu and Irish roots. From a young age, she was immersed in indigenous ceremony and began creating songs in communication with nature.
Madi has been a performing artist for three decades and recorded the albums: Soul in Love, Madi Sato, and Return to the River. She is also a lifelong actress and dancer.
Madi guides women to awaken and empower their voices through her Song Carrier programs. In addition to the cultural songs she learns and shares, Madi's original chants are carried by women worldwide.
Madi and her husband, Timothy McLaughlin, poet & storyteller, founded Praising Earth, located in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Praising Earth works to enliven humanity's relationship with nature through the creative arts and land stewardship. In this age of ecological and societal turmoil along with physical and emotional affliction, a deliberate turn toward the integrity of nature and power of the creative arts can facilitate healing and guide the way forward. To learn more visit www.praisingearth.org.
Listen now to this inspirational and moving episode in which Madi discusses her lifelong connection to nature, particularly how the natural world held her and her family through immense grief, as well as powerful stories from her music career and process of reconnecting to her Japanese roots, along with her current work with Praising Earth. Overall, Madi highlights the importance of in-person community and connecting with our bodies, the earth, and each other.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Debra Denker, Santa Fe-based writer, photographer, and filmmaker who has been creating media about international environmental, social justice, and peace issues since the late 70s.
Starting in 1986, Debra worked and taught in the healing arts, including energy healing, spiritual counseling, and animal communication with companion animals and wild-living ones. She is an ordained graduate of the Healing Light Center Church, where she studied with Rev. Rosalyn Bruyere and served on the faculty for five years.
As a certified Healing Touch Practitioner in 2002 and as an instructor in 2006, Debra currently sees clients in private practice in both Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Alaska. Debra has also taught Healing Touch courses in Tibet and South Africa, and is planning to establish a healing center in Vancouver, British Columbia, called Rasa Catalyst Healing
In addition, Debra is the author of the cli-fi time travel novel Weather Menders and a novel set in Afghanistan during the 1980 war, Love and War in the Land of Cain, which won first place in the 2022 National Federation of Press Women contest. She has written for diverse publications, including National Geographic, the Los Angeles Times, and the Guardian. She is a longtime member and current board member of the Society of Women Geographers.
Debra is also the founder and director of the Global Diversity Film Project (GDFP), an initiative of Perception International, which makes films in association with her production company, Catalyst Artistic Productions. Her films on Afghanistan and Tibet have been exhibited in many film festivals, and her short films are accessible on YouTube and Vimeo, including Community Garden: New Mexico/South Africa, which screened at the New Mexico Filmmakers Showcase, and a trailer for a film on ancient Hawaiian spirituality, One Breath: One Life.
Join us for this moving episode in which Debra shares her insights into our deep interconnectedness with all beings, the power of energy work, finding fulfillment through acts of service, and more.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Sara Diaz, a seasoned vocalist, producer, and creative professional. Trained in voice and performance from an early age, she grew up immersed in Broadway, Big Band, and jazz traditions. Though music was her earliest path, her career took her into fashion and television production, where she produced projects for international organizations, major brands, and cultural institutions.
After many years focused on media production and family life, Sara returned to performing, rediscovering the stage through the vibrant music community of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Today, she performs regularly in cabaret and jazz settings, collaborating with David Geist and appearing with ensembles including the Santa Fe Great Big Jazz Band and DuoDiaz. Her performances draw from the Great American Songbook, Broadway classics, and jazz standards, delivered with a soulful, blues-tinged interpretation shaped by a lifetime of storytelling and creative expression.
Tune in for this powerful discussion about practicing gratitude, collaboration over competition, being "in the flow," and the light that illuminates the dark.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Bobbi Heller, who was born and raised in Sydney, Australia, and came to the US to study at the California Institute of the Arts, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in music. She next worked in the entertainment industry and she founded her own film distribution company.
Bobbi and her husband moved to Santa Fe New Mexico in 2000. With her love for cats, she founded Felines & Friends New Mexico in 2002, and is the Executive Director.
Bobbi also co-hosts the weekly radio show and podcast Pet Chat with Murad & Bobbi, which will reach its 200th episode milestone in spring 2026. Throughout the show, Bobbi, along with Murad Kirdar, Director of Community Engagement at Española Humane, provide ongoing information on all things pet-related to the broader community and beyond.
 
Check out this uplifting episode in which Bobbi discusses her love of music and animals, cats' particular relationship with sound and vibration, the concept of "working to live" rather than "living to work", and the importance of community in one's life.

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with the Director of Community Engagement at Española Humane, Murad Kirdar. After a 20-year career in media and marketing within the television industry, primarily with NBCUniversal, Murad Kirdar relocated to Santa Fe to pursue a long-held passion for animal welfare. This transition marked the beginning of his second career as an animal welfare advocate, during which he has held leadership roles at Northern New Mexico's two largest animal shelters, including Public and Business Relations Officer and, currently, Director of Community Engagement at Española Humane.
 
In his role as Director of Community Engagement, Murad plays a key role in strengthening Española Humane's visibility, reputation, and community impact. He also co-hosts and produces the weekly radio show and podcast Pet Chat with Murad & Bobbi, which will reach its 200th episode milestone in spring 2026. Through the show, Murad, along with Bobbi Heller, executive director of Felines & Friends, helps provide ongoing information on all things pet-related with the broader community and beyond. Murad is also "dog-dad" for his three rescue pups, who he proudly refers to as the Golden Girls.
Join us for this heartwarming episode, in which Murad discusses how profoundly animal companionship impacts our lives and the lessons our animals teach us about being present, forgiveness, and love. 

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Brett Trusko, a dynamic thought leader whose career spans academia, consulting, finance, technology, writing, and innovation, and whose insights challenge conventional wisdom, proving that structured processes can drive breakthrough success without sacrificing efficiency. Whether in the corporate world or the classroom, his expertise and forward-thinking approach make him a compelling voice in business and technology.
Brett began his career at the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, where he earned his CPA before working as the CFO at a major Seattle hospital. His leadership skills and strategic mindset propelled him into 25 years of global consulting, where he became the Managing Director of the "Quality and Excellence Practice" at BearingPoint.
After which Brett transitioned into academia, focusing on medical informatics, technology management, and innovation, Currently an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico he has also held faculty positions at Symbiosis Institute for Business Management in India; The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine; Houston Baptist University; Texas A&M University; New York University; and Mount Sinai College of Medicine.
Dr. Trusko is the President and CEO of Propertyhero.ai, a cutting-edge technology company and a renowned author, who has written many books on quality and innovation, including the award-winning Global Innovation Science Handbook.  While finishing his first novel Brett is currently the Editor of Santa Fe New Mexico's TREND Magazine, Art-Design-Culture. Brett is a force to be reckoned with in the world of business innovation.
Join us for this fascinating episode in which Brett discusses the role lifelong learning, creativity, and embracing change have played in his varied and exceptional career. We also explore the significance of pursuing what you love and not allowing failure to stop you, as well as appreciating the things that "make us human," such as art, music, and simply being present. 

In the latest episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow podcast, we are talking with Michael Burt Jr., a dynamic American multi-instrumentalist, teaching artist, and composer living and working in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Born in Petersburg, Virginia, Michael is from a long line of teachers; both his mother and grandmother answered the call.
For over 20 years, Michael has mentored young people in both public and private schools and currently teaches in the music departments at Nelson Mandela Charter School and Santa Fe High.
In addition, his 2023-2024 Master Artist Workshop series introduced students to 'the body as keeper and origin of song' by way of an immersion into the rich traditions of blues music and original songwriting.
You can hear Michael performing regularly at the historic La Fonda Hotel, Sky Railway Santa Fe, Meow Wolf, SITE Santa Fe, among other venues.
Join us for this powerful episode in which Michael discusses how happiness is the backbone of being able to function in a difficult world, how blues music holds both the reality of hard times and the hope for better times, the ways in which music teaches us about the human experience, the importance of giving back, and so much more!

To celebrate the Holidays, composer Todd Lowry and I have collaborated to bring you a special musical episode of The Celebrate Happiness Roadshow Podcast. In this delightful episode, Todd performs three of his original songs, First our theme song “Everybody Smiles in the Same Language,” followed by  “Friends,” closing out with “Let’s Create a New World” (That Works for All). In addition to sharing some personal background on each song Todd has prepared a mp3 Karaoke track and the Lyrics of “Everybody Smiles in the Same Language”. Click BELOW to download.
To Book the Live Celebrate Happiness Roadshow email: Sandra@sandramcknight.com
Everybody Smiles in the Same Language- With Lead vocalsEverybody Smiles in the Same Language - Without Lead vocalsEverybodySmiles in the Same Language - Lyrics
The music provided herein is for your personal use only. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution is a violation of copyright law. It's also bad karma!
Happy Holidays! Peace to all!  -Todd Lowry