Rochester Speaks

Peter Soufleris, founder of IngenID and University of Rochester alum, pulls back the curtain on one of the most quietly important technologies being developed right here in Rochester, voice biometrics and deep fake detection that protects millions of people from identity fraud every day.Discover what voice biometrics actually is, how companies like Spectrum use the sound characteristics of your voice to verify your identity during a call, and why the rise of deep fake audio technology has made that process both more urgent and more complex. Learn why Peter believes the battle between AI fraud and AI defense looks a lot like the early days of computer viruses and antivirus software, a constant cycle of measures and countermeasures that requires real time updates and relentless vigilance.Peter shares the story of a Wall Street career path that took an unexpected turn when he discovered voice biometrics as an investor 20 years ago and never looked back, and explains why he deliberately chose Rochester over Silicon Valley to build his company, hiring only locally and leaning on the deep tech talent ecosystem surrounding the University of Rochester and RIT.Peter also offers practical advice on what individuals and companies can do right now to protect themselves from deep fake voice scams, including what call center agents should be listening for and why multifactor authentication is your best defense.To learn more or start a conversation about protecting your organization visit ingenid.com.

Albert Nocciolino, producer and presenter for the Rochester Broadway Theater League, joins the show fresh off the big reveal of the 2026 to 2027 M&T Bank Broadway Season at West Herr Auditorium Theater, and the crowd reaction said everything.Discover the full lineup for next season, including four Rochester premieres. Boop the Musical, the brand new Betty Boop stage production directed by Jerry Mitchell, launches its entire national tour right here in Rochester, with over 100 cast and crew members spending four weeks in the city, generating thousands of hotel nights and meals and significant economic impact before the show hits the road. Hells Kitchen, Alicia Keys' acclaimed Broadway musical based loosely on her own life and powered by her greatest hits, brings an entirely different kind of energy to the stage. The Outsiders rounds out the new arrivals alongside a beloved classic returning after years away, The Sound of Music, which drew one of the loudest reactions of the entire announcement night.The Lion King returns for three weeks, with over 60,000 people expected through the doors, and Albert reminds Rochester that the show was choreographed by none other than Rochester's own Garth Fagan. Jersey Boys also returns to the delight of the crowd.Albert also makes the case for Broadway as an economic engine, sharing that more people see Broadway shows each year than attend all of New York's major sports franchises combined, and that unlike a stadium, theater audiences spend their dollars on Rochester's streets, in its restaurants and in its hotels.Season tickets, individual show dates and more are available at rbtl.org.

Diabetic eye disease is the leading cause of blindness in working age Americans, and most people do not notice vision problems until something significant has already happened. Dr. Connolly and Margaret Whelehan from Retina Associates of Western New York join the show to talk about why early screening changes everything, and how Rochester is getting its very own free diabetic eye screening event on Saturday April 25th.Discover how diabetes affects the blood vessels that supply the retina, what diabetic retinopathy actually looks like and why catching it early can mean the difference between a simple treatment and a serious surgery. Dr. Connolly also explains what warning signs to watch for, including crooked lines, floaters and sudden vision changes, and why an abrupt change in vision should always be treated as urgent.The Rochester Community Diabetic Eye Screening Program runs Saturday April 25th from 8am to 3pm at 160 Sawgrass Drive Suite 200 in Brighton. The screening takes between 30 and 60 minutes and includes a health history review, visual acuity check, eye pressure check, wide field retinal imaging and an OCT scan. Every participant gets a face to face conversation with a retina specialist. Also on site are healthcare navigators from CCSI to help with insurance enrollment, diabetes educators from RADE with free educational resources and a nurse offering free blood sugar checks.Appointments are required due to high demand. Schedule now at retinaassociatesofwny.com.

In the 1940s a woman named Sylvia Lawry placed a two line classified ad in the New York Times because her brother had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and she had no idea what to do next. That ad became the National MS Society, and Rochester was one of its founding chapters. Andy Yates, Executive Director of the Upstate New York chapter, tells that story and brings it forward 80 years to what the society is doing for the roughly one million Americans living with MS today.Discover what MS actually is, how damage to the myelin sheath disrupts signals between the brain and the rest of the body, and why the disease presents so differently from person to person that many people struggle to get the right diagnosis. Andy explains why early diagnosis is so critical, how disease modifying therapies have transformed outcomes over the past several decades and why artificial intelligence may hold the key to the next major breakthrough.Walk MS Rochester is Sunday May 3rd at Genesee Valley Park, starting at the Roundhouse Shelter with the site opening at 8:30am and the walk kicking off at 10. There is no cost to participate, the route is one mile or three miles, and the event is dog friendly. Every walker receives a colored circle, orange for those living with MS, green for those who love or care for someone with the disease and yellow for supporters, and the moment when everyone holds up their circles together is one of the most powerful things the event produces year after year.Fundraising tools are built into the registration process and can be linked directly to social media, and donations can also be made at any time at nationalmssociety.org. Anyone living with MS can also reach a trained MS Navigator by visiting that site for one on one help with everything from finding the right neurologist to navigating workplace accommodations.Register for Walk MS Rochester and track local fundraising progress at walkms.org.

Dr. Junior Dillion, President and CEO of Volunteers of America Upstate New York, brings a personal and urgent perspective to the challenges facing Rochester's most vulnerable residents, and explains why the work of VOA has never mattered more than it does right now.Discover how VOA connects housing, health and human services into a unified continuum of care serving over 10,000 people across Monroe, Broome and Tompkins Counties. Programs range from one of Monroe County's largest family shelters and permanent supportive housing to a children's center, reentry services for people coming out of the criminal justice system, universal pre-K and a hydroponic farm growing fresh produce for people who would otherwise go without.Dr. Dillion makes a compelling case for permanent supportive housing, a model showing 80 to 90% housing retention after one year, reductions in emergency room visits, hospitalizations and incarceration, and real economic returns as formerly homeless individuals gain employment and become contributing members of the community. He also shares why that model is currently under threat at the federal level and what VOA is doing to protect and grow it locally.Growing up in England in a low income family with coin operated electricity, Dr. Dillion knows firsthand what it means to struggle, and that experience shapes every decision he makes as the leader of this 130 year old organization.The VOA Upstate New York Gala is April 16th at the Har East Ballroom, with Indiana Barry from News 10 NBC as MC, live music, food and a chance to learn more about the programs your support makes possible.Visit voaupny.org to donate, volunteer or learn about upcoming initiatives including Strikeout Poverty with Citizens Bank and the Red Wings and the I Remember Mama senior outreach program.

Nearly 6,500 businesses in Monroe County alone are owned by someone over the age of 55. If even a third of those close without a succession plan, Rochester loses 2,000 businesses, 25,000 jobs and over a billion dollars in payroll. Chloe Handelman and Bruce Peters, co-founders of Beyond Ownership, are doing something about it.Discover what Beyond Ownership actually does for second and third stage businesses, the ones that have survived the startup phase but have not yet figured out what comes next, including leadership development, operations consulting, succession planning and CEO peer groups designed to help business owners make decisions they would not make alone. Learn why Bruce believes Rochester has been filling a leaky bucket for years by celebrating startups while quietly watching mature businesses close, and why fixing that back end is just as important as funding the front.Bruce shares the story of selling five businesses in 11 months after one peer group member said something that completely changed his thinking, and how that experience led him to spend years training peer group leaders across the country before coming back to build something lasting in Rochester. Chloe shares her own journey from Accenture in Minneapolis to a six year stint traveling Asia and building an operations consultancy, and why coming home to Rochester felt like the right place to make a real difference.The conversation also covers Optimax, a Rochester company that sold to a perpetual purpose trust so it can never leave, a company that made 100 employees millionaires overnight and a 300 person business unit that ended up teaching its parent company how to do succession planning rather than the other way around.Beyond Ownership's Facilitative Leadership Program runs monthly and CEO peer groups are actively forming now for business owners thinking five to ten years ahead.Visit beyond-ownership.com or connect with Bruce and Chloe on LinkedIn to start the conversation.

Most people hear the name Holy Childhood and think school or church. In reality it is an 80 year old Rochester organization serving over 400 individuals with developmental disabilities, from kindergarten all the way through retirement age, and it is one of the most quietly powerful nonprofits in our community.Nate Zelesnikar, Director of Programs and Services, and Jillian Nalivyko, Public Relations Manager, share what Holy Childhood actually does, including a K through 12 school, adult habilitative and vocational programs, clinical services, respite care and supported employment partnerships with local businesses. Every individual has a personalized plan, every staff member asks whether what they are doing would be good enough for their own family, and the result is an organization that feels less like a nonprofit and more like a family.Funded through a combination of Medicaid, state and federal support and a generous donor community, Holy Childhood is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year with two major events. Party at Center Ice returns for its 13th year on April 17th at the Tim Hortons Ice Plex, with wine, spirits, beer and local food vendors, drawing 600 to 700 people annually. The 80th Anniversary Gala follows on May 16th at Oak Hill Country Club's brand new ballroom, one of the very first public events to be held there.Visit holychild.org/events to learn more, get tickets or find out how to volunteer, donate or schedule a tour.

When true economic independence for women was still a radical idea, a group of Rochester women showed up through a blizzard in 1978 to change that. Nearly 50 years later Rochester Women's Network has over 200 members and is still growing, and Kristi Mitchell, board member and Marketing Committee co-chair, is one of the people making sure it stays that way.Discover what makes RWN different from every other networking group in the city, including a deep lineup of Special Interest Groups spanning everything from wine and hiking to book club, motherhood and the Geek Squad, designed to help members build real relationships around shared interests rather than awkward small talk at oversized events. Kristi joined within six months of launching her own business and shares what she found there that she could not find anywhere else.Members range from young professionals to retired women who stay involved because the community gives them purpose, men are welcome as allies and participants, and RWN's recent community partnerships include the Breast Cancer Coalition walk, a Habitat for Humanity women build team and holiday donations to Margaret's House. For women working in male dominated industries, solo business owners craving a peer network or anyone simply looking to show up for other women in Rochester, RWN has a place for you.Visit rwn.org to explore upcoming events, many of which are free and open to the public, and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Barry Howard, President and CEO of the Webster Chamber of Commerce and RocEnroll, joins the show with an urgent reminder that Medicare Advantage enrollees have until March 31st to make a one time plan change for 2026, and what you do not know could cost you.Discover why thousands of Monroe County residents needed to switch plans this year after major carriers including UnitedHealthcare discontinued their local offerings, and how changes to formularies, hospital network coverage and benefits can quietly make the plan you selected in November the wrong plan by January. Learn how to spot the difference between an official Medicare communication and a solicitation designed to look like one, and why the fine print at the bottom of that mailer matters more than the headline at the top.Hear why missing Medicare enrollment deadlines can result in financial penalties that follow you for the rest of your life, and how having a trusted local enrollment partner in your corner makes sure that never happens to you. Barry also explains how RocEnroll serves anyone in New York State at any age, from Medicaid and the Essential Plan to marketplace coverage and Medicare, with zero cost to the client, ever.Time is running out. If your doctors, drugs or hospital system are not fully covered, or if you simply want to make sure you are in the best available plan, call RocEnroll before March 31st.Visit rocenroll.com or call 585.265.3851.

Ann Marie Stephan, Executive Director, and Mike Hoskins, Director of Development and Marketing at Rochester Child First Network, pull back the curtain on one of Rochester's most quietly impactful organizations, one that has been serving children and families since 1857 and is approaching its 170th year.Discover how RCN provides a full continuum of care for children ages six weeks through 12, including childcare, Universal Pre-K, preschool special education services and a full kitchen serving fresh meals and snacks daily. Learn why RCN is one of only four community based organizations in Monroe County offering integrated preschool special education, and how children who receive those services often grow out of the need for them entirely before they reach kindergarten.Hear why 90% of brain development occurs before age five and what that means for the case behind Universal Preschool, an initiative RCN is actively advocating for alongside state elected officials. Mike also breaks down the summer program enrolling now for children ages five through 12, eight weeks of themed learning, field trips, yoga, zoo visits and planetarium adventures designed to prevent the summer slide.Ann Marie shares the deep roots of inclusivity at RCN stretching back to the organization's founding, and how that same commitment to meeting every child where they are continues to define everything they do today.To learn about enrollment, volunteer or board opportunities or to support the mission visit rcn4kids.org or call 585.473.2858.

Dr. Cait Loury, Chief Education Officer at Renaissance Academy Charter School of the Arts in Greece, pulls back the curtain on one of Rochester's most distinctive public schools, where arts integration isn't an elective, it's the engine of academic achievement.Discover how teaching artists co-teach alongside classroom teachers every single day, weaving music, dance, drama, and visual arts into core subjects like math, helping students understand fractions through musical scores and composition. Learn why research shows arts activities regulate the nervous system and unlock higher-order thinking, especially for students who've experienced trauma, and how Renaissance Academy's New York State test scores back it up.Hear how the school serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade, drawing 80% of its enrollment from the city of Rochester, and why families across the region enter the lottery to secure a spot. Cait also shares the school's whole child approach, three on staff mental health professionals, an on site food pantry, and deep family support services that make it far more than just a school.The lottery deadline is April 1st. Learn more and apply at renacad.org.

Dr. Ryan Kimmet, Head of School at the Harley School in Rochester, makes a compelling case that academic rigor and student wellbeing are not opposites and that the century old progressive education model pioneered by John Dewey might be exactly what kids need right now.Discover what progressive education actually means at Harley, where students from age three through 12th grade learn by doing, collaborate on hands on projects, take creative risks and are assessed in ways that go far beyond memorizing for a test. Learn why small class sizes of around 12 students create the kind of trust between teachers and students that Dr. Kimmet believes is the real engine of academic achievement, and how a restorative approach to conflict keeps community at the center of everything.Hear Dr. Kimmet share his own experience as a Harley graduate from the mid nineties, what became of his classmates and why the goal was never to get kids into the most prestigious colleges but to help them become happy, healthy and contributing adults who found their passions along the way. He also opens up about the burnout epidemic hitting school aged children today and offers one honest recommendation for parents who want to bring more balance back into their kids' lives.Harley serves students across the greater Rochester area and is currently in active enrollment season for ages three through 12th grade.Reach out to schedule a visit and see it for yourself at harleyschool.org.