Not Your Average Neighbor

Not Your Average Neighbor is a podcast that celebrates inspiring individuals and the incredible work they do in our communities. Hosted by Ann Roushar, each episode shines a light on stories of resilience, connection, and good news. Join us every Wednesday as we build a neighborhood that uplifts and inspires—one story at a time!

Not Your Average Neighbor is a society podcast hosted by Ann Roushar, with 24 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Ann Roushar hosts Not Your Average Neighbor, a society show with 24 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Not Your Average Neighbor

  She Made Iowa History—Now She Wants More Voices at the Table with Angel Ramirez

  Aug 17, 202646 min

  What does it mean to make history—and then use your seat at the table to help others be heard? In Season 4, Episode 8 of Not Your Average Neighbor, Ann sits down with Angel Ramirez, Iowa State Representative for House District 78 in Cedar Rapids and the first Latina ever elected to the Iowa State Legislature. Born in California and raised in Arizona, Angel came to Cedar Rapids as a first-generation college student at Coe College. What she didn't expect was to fall in love with Iowa and discover a community that would ultimately become home. Angel shares how her experiences in advocacy, community organizing, and working with young people inspired her to enter public service. She also talks about her work with Kids First Law Center, where she helps bring restorative justice and conflict-resolution practices into local schools. The conversation dives into Angel's journey from community advocate to elected representative, the significance of becoming Iowa's first Latina state legislator, and what she learned during her first term. Angel and Ann also discuss why representation matters, the importance of working-class voices in government, political fatigue among younger generations, and why voting is only the beginning of civic participation. One of Angel's biggest messages? Young people aren't just our future—they're our now. Whether you're deeply involved in politics or simply wondering if your voice can make a difference, this episode is a reminder that meaningful change starts when ordinary people choose to show up for their communities. In This Episode - How Angel found her home in Cedar Rapids - Her journey as a first-generation college student - Advocacy, community organizing, and public service - Restorative justice and conflict resolution in local schools - Why Agel decided to run for office - Becoming Iowa's first Latina state legislator - What she learned during her first term - Why working-class representation matters - Political fatigue versus political apathy - Why young voices belong at the table - The importance of voting and local elections - How people can become more involved in their communities About Angel Ramirez Angel Ramirez represents House District 78 in the Iowa House of Representatives and made history as the first Latina elected to the Iowa State Legislature. Her roots are in advocacy, relationship-building, and community organizing. She is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Our Future, a nonprofit fellowship program supporting emerging young public service leaders in Iowa. She also serves on the board of Advocates for Social Justice and works at Kids First Law Center as a Youth Peace Project Facilitator. Angel advocates for issues including civil rights protections, immigrant rights, public education, environmental justice, criminal justice reform, and affordability. Listen & Watch Watch on YouTube or Spotify Listen on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Spotify If this conversation resonates with you, help our neighborhood grow by liking, following, sharing, and leaving a comment. And if you know a neighbor who's making a difference, we'd love to hear their story. #notyouraverageneighbor #nyanpodcast #angelramirez #cedarrapids #iowa #communityleadership #publicservice #representationmatters #youngvoters #civicengagement #communityorganizing #restorativejustice #womeninleadership #latinaleadership #goodneighbors

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  Not Your Average Neighbor

  From Hawaii to Iowa: Food, Travel & Finding Community with Char Cahill

  Aug 10, 202641 min

  From Hawaii to Iowa: Food, Travel & Finding Community with Char Cahill What happens when you trade island life in Hawaii for life in Iowa—and decide to embrace everything your new community has to offer? In Season 4, Episode 7 of Not Your Average Neighbor, Ann sits down with her new friend Char Cahill, a tech professional, traveler, foodie, lifelong learner, and recent Iowa transplant whose curiosity has quickly taken her from coffee meetups to supper clubs, road trips, food festivals, and new friendships. And fittingly enough, Ann and Char's friendship started on TikTok. After Char posted looking for people in Iowa who wanted to meet, eat, and build community, the algorithm brought the two together. What started with a simple coffee meetup became a conversation about something much bigger: how food, travel, curiosity, and the willingness to say “yes” can bring people together. Char shares what it has been like moving from Hawaii to Iowa after her husband’s career brought them to the area. Despite how different the two places may seem, she discovered an unexpected similarity: a strong sense of family and community. They also dive into Char’s adventures as a self-proclaimed foodie—from road trips to Chicago and Minneapolis to discovering Cedar Rapids restaurants, joining the Cedar Rapids Supper Club, attending Iowa food festivals, and preparing for her first Iowa State Fair. But Char isn't only exploring Iowa. She talks about traveling to Cozumel for scuba diving and preparing for an upcoming trip to Croatia with a group of women she initially didn't know. By choosing to travel with a roommate and meet people who share her love of adventure, Char is intentionally stepping outside her comfort zone and creating new connections along the way. Ann and Char also talk about lifelong learning. Char works in tech and continues earning AWS certifications while diving deeper into DevOps and automation. Her philosophy is simple: sometimes you don't know how much there is to learn until you start learning. From travel and technology to sourdough, food, fitness, and making friends as an adult, this episode is a reminder that life gets a lot more interesting when we're willing to stay curious. In This Episode Ann and Char talk about: - Moving from Hawaii to Iowa and adjusting to landlocked life - The surprising similarities between Hawaiian and Iowa communities - How TikTok helped Char find new friends in Cedar Rapids - Why food can be such a powerful tool for human connection - Exploring Cedar Rapids through local restaurants and community events - Char’s experience with the Cedar Rapids Supper Club - Road-tripping to Chicago and Minneapolis for food and adventure - Scuba diving and exploring Cozumel - Saying yes to a group trip to Croatia without already knowing everyone - Getting outside your comfort zone and meeting new people as an adult - Char’s work in tech, AWS certifications, DevOps, and lifelong learning - Her growing interest in flour, grains, sourdough, and cooking from scratch - Discovering Iowa through food festivals - Experiencing the Iowa State Fair for the first time - Why community can sometimes begin with something as simple as sharing a meal A Reminder From This Episode You don't always have to wait for community to find you. Sometimes it starts by making the post, accepting the invitation, sitting down at the table, taking the trip, or simply saying yes to something that's a little outside your comfort zone. You never know who might become your next friend—or your next not-so-average neighbor. Connect with Char Follow Char on TikTok: @real.talk.wchar @nerdiichar About Not Your Average Neighbor Not Your Average Neighbor shares stories of resilience, inspiration, good news, community, and the people who remind us just how much good exists around us.

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  Not Your Average Neighbor

  From Viral TikTok Creator to Real Estate Leader with Karina Jacobson

  Aug 3, 202631 min

  ️ How an orange hat, a wooden spoon, and TikTok completely changed one woman's life. What started as funny videos during the early days of TikTok turned into a global community, over 152,000 followers, lifelong friendships, and eventually... meeting the man who would become her husband. In this episode of Not Your Average Neighbor, Ann Roushar sits down with Karina Jacobson, better known online as Orange Hat Girl, to share the incredible story behind her unexpected internet fame. Karina opens up about: ✨ Becoming one of TikTok's early viral creators ✨ The hilarious origin of the "Spoon Army" ✨ Building an international online community during uncertain times ✨ Finding love through social media and moving to Iowa ✨ Growing from Keller Williams front desk receptionist to Director of Growth ✨ Why saying "yes" changed the trajectory of her career ✨ Her newest adventure becoming a licensed REALTOR® ✨ How she's helping new real estate agents succeed through mentorship Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, REALTOR®, or simply someone looking for inspiration to take your next leap, Karina's story proves that saying yes to unexpected opportunities can completely change your life. Connect with Karina Jacobson Facebook: http://facebook.com/orangehatgirlofficial TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orange_hat_girl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orange_hat_girl Listen to Not Your Average Neighbor Spotify Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Subscribe for new episodes every Monday featuring inspiring people making a difference in their communities. About Not Your Average Neighbor Hosted by Ann Roushar, Not Your Average Neighbor celebrates ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Every episode shares stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, community, and the neighbors making the world a better place—one story at a time.

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  Not Your Average Neighbor

  Finding the Spark: Rest, Reset, and Reignite with Stefanie Munsterman

  Jul 27, 202639 min

  Everyone experiences seasons of stress, but what happens when overwhelm becomes your normal? In this episode of Not Your Average Neighbor, Ann Roushar sits down with Stefanie Munsterman, founder of The Spark Movement, to explore burnout, boundaries, ADHD, executive function challenges, and why so many people feel responsible for carrying everyone else's burdens. With more than 15 years of experience in civil and human rights, higher education, conflict resolution, organizational leadership, and community advocacy, Stefanie has dedicated her career to helping people navigate life's toughest challenges while rediscovering their own worth. Together, Ann and Stefanie discuss what it means to live beyond achievement, why self-compassion is essential, and practical ways to create healthier boundaries without guilt. Whether you're feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or simply looking for ways to reconnect with yourself, this conversation offers encouragement, practical insights, and hope. In This Episode - Why burnout has become so common - The warning signs you're carrying too much - Healthy boundaries without feeling guilty - ADHD and executive-function challenges - The importance of self-worth beyond productivity - Mindfulness practices that reduce overwhelm - Learning to give yourself compassion - Why your value isn't defined by what you accomplish - Creating lasting personal transformation - Finding your spark again About Stefanie Munsterman Stefanie Munsterman is a civil and human rights leader, educator, facilitator, and founder of The Spark Movement. She brings more than 15 years of experience in civil and human rights, higher education, conflict resolution, organizational change, and community advocacy. Stefanie holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Strategic Leadership, teaches in graduate business and leadership programs, and has received numerous awards recognizing her humanitarian service, advocacy, and leadership. Through The Spark Movement, she helps individuals overcome burnout, overwhelm, ADHD and executive-function challenges, people-pleasing, and difficulty setting boundaries through coaching, workshops, keynote speaking, and mindfulness-based practices. Connect with Stefanie Munsterman https://spark-movement.com Instagram: @sparkfortransformation Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparkfortransformation LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spark-movement Listen & Subscribe to Not Your Average Neighbor Listen on your favourite podcast platform: • Apple Podcasts • Spotify • Amazon Music Subscribe for more inspiring conversations with neighbours making an impact in their communities and beyond.

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  Not Your Average Neighbor

  From Teacher to Stand-Up Comic: Unexpected Second Career with Mindy Kruckenberg

  Jul 20, 202645 min

  What happens when a high school Spanish teacher retires after 33 years... and discovers a passion for stand-up comedy? In this episode of Not Your Average Neighbor, Ann sits down with Cedar Rapids comedian Mindy Kruckenberg to talk about her journey from the classroom to the comedy stage. Mindy shares how teaching teenagers unexpectedly became the perfect training ground for comedy, why she fell in love with performing, and what it's like building a career in Iowa's growing comedy community. The conversation dives into: - Why Mindy started stand-up comedy after retirement - Funny (and true!) stories from 33 years as a teacher - What it's really like performing at open mics - Iowa's local comedy scene - Why laughter truly is the best medicine - Finding purpose in a second career - The importance of community, creativity, and taking chances Whether you're thinking about reinventing yourself, love stand-up comedy, or simply enjoy hearing inspiring stories from extraordinary neighbors, this episode will leave you laughing—and maybe even encourage you to chase something new yourself. Neighbor Shoutout This week's Neighbor Shoutout goes to Chris Taylor, a longtime supporter of the podcast and someone who has been a tremendous champion for Ann both personally and professionally. Watch Chris's featured episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7Xem15Yyvg&t=4s Thank you, Chris, for continuing to support the mission of celebrating incredible neighbors. Connect with Mindy Instagram: @ms.kruckenberg Subscribe for new episodes every Monday featuring incredible neighbors making an impact in their communities. #NotYourAverageNeighbor #Podcast #StandUpComedy #MindyKruckenberg #ComedyPodcast #TeacherLife #WomenInComedy #IowaComedy #CedarRapids #CommunityStories #SecondCareer #DontTellComedy #AnnRoushar #ComedyInterview #FunnyStories

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