From helping patients navigate cancer treatments to helping families tackle head lice, Megan Stoller has found herself in two very different worlds of healthcare. Recently recognized as one of Springfield Business Journal’s Forty Under 40, Megan joins The Mosaic Project to talk about motherhood, entrepreneurship and the unexpected ways we find purpose. Her story is […]
Tony Stang
Tony Stang is pastor of Central Baptist Church in downtown Springfield and the founder/host of The Mosaic Project, a podcast created as a means of archiving moments of humanity.
Posted inArts & Culture
Adam Gurski interview
What happens when we stop talking about AI as a technology and start talking about what it means for our humanity? The Mosaic Project sits down with Springfield AI educator and consultant Adam Gurski to talk about where artificial intelligence is taking us, what it can actually do, and the questions we should be asking […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Haley Williams interview
Haley Williams, co-founder of The Culture Experience, talks about why she started the project and what she hopes it will become. At the heart of this work is a desire to bridge racial and cultural division by creating spaces where people can come together, share stories and get to know one another. Haley talks honestly […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Kate McKenzie interview
Tony Stang sits down with Kate McKenzie, CEO of Local Journalism Matters, to talk about the behind-the-scenes world of journalism, the stories reporters carry with them, and what the future of local news might look like at Illinois Times. It is a conversation about journalism, community and why telling the stories of a place still matters.
Posted inArts & Culture
Julio Barrenzuela interview
Julio Barrenzuela joins The Mosaic Project to explore how Latin music and dance can become powerful tools for connection, healing and self-discovery. Drawing from his experiences as a Navy veteran, educator and motivational speaker, he shares how culture has the power to build stronger communities. It’s a conversation about identity, belonging and the rhythms that bring people […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jack Hart interview
Jack Hart, founder of ILSportsWire and one of this year’s Springfield Business Journal Forty Under 40 honorees, shares with The Mosaic Project how he’s changing local sports coverage by giving overlooked schools, communities, and student athletes a platform. The conversation explores entrepreneurship, purpose driven leadership, and the power of telling stories that often go unheard. […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Jessica Covey interview
Forty Under 40 honoree Jessica K. Covey serves as a regional hospice care coordinator, supporting families through some of life’s most sacred and difficult moments. On this episode of The Mosaic Project, she reflects on leadership, compassion and what working so closely with the end of life has taught her about how to live. It’s a […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Taylor Noel interview
“Death has a way of teaching us about life.” This week on The Mosaic Project, Tony Stang sits down with Taylor Noël, a young funeral director navigating one of the most tradition-bound, male-centered professions. They talk about what working around death has revealed about grief, how younger generations are mourning differently, why funerals are changing, and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Stephanie Mamaga Avi and Josephine Kamwela interview
Leaving home to study in a new country is about more than academics. It is about navigating loneliness, building community, and finding your place between cultures. Stephanie Mamaga Avi and Josephine Kamwela, international studies students at UIS, share their experiences adjusting to life in Springfield, the challenges of being far from family, and the cultural […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Michael Thomas interview
Michael Thomas was incarcerated five different times but sobriety and faith have changed his life. His story is one of brokenness, consequences, grace and the kind of hope that refuses to give up. But this episode is more than a testimony. He discusses the complex family dynamics that often fuel substance abuse, how faith evolves […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Leah Wilson interview
As executive director of the Kidzeum, Leah Wilson recently helped secure a National Science Foundation grant to create a new community-designed STEAM Center, an investment not just in science education, but in imagination itself. This conversation explores curiosity, leadership, play and why children’s dreams might be one of the most important resources a city possesses.
Posted inArts & Culture
Caitlin Becker and Brittney Ballenger interview
This week on The Mosaic Project, Tony Stang sat down with Bloom Wine Bar & Florals founders Caitlin Becker and Brittney Ballenger, two young entrepreneurs who are investing their creativity, energy and future in downtown Springfield. Through Bloom, they are creating more than a business; they are cultivating beauty, connection, and a sense of belonging. […]
