Bare Wires

In this episode, we sit down with Irene Robles, Co-Founder of Wonder Girls—a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering middle school, high school, and college girls starting around age 12.
 
Irene shares the inspiring mission behind the program, which helps young women build confidence, uncover their strengths, navigate healthy relationships, and develop the real-world business and leadership skills needed to thrive on any career path. ​
 
We dive deep into how Wonder Girls creates a safe space for young women to address today’s emotional and mental health challenges while fostering a strong sense of social responsibility through hands-on community service projects.
 
As a real estate professional, former educator, and mother of three daughters, Irene shares her personal journey and the power of mentorship. Even as she navigates her own health issues, Irene continues to run the organization with unwavering dedication—showing firsthand what it truly means to be a Wonder Girl.
 
 
 
Connect With Wonder Girls:
 
🌐 Wonder Girls: https://www.wondergirlsusa.org/
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/wondergirlsusaorg
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1FpPgNzFsh/
 
 
 
 
Connect With Bare Wires:
https://linktr.ee/Barewirespodcast⁠

In this episode, we sit down with Rockland County businessman, entrepreneur, musician, and community advocate Tom Ossa to discuss his journey and his perspective on the future of Rockland County.
 
Tom developed his business acumen growing up around his family’s bike shop. In 2007, he launched his first business, Rockland Web Design, and later purchased the domain name RocklandNews.com for $4,300, creating a platform focused on covering local stories without bias or personal opinion. Today, RocklandNews.com is adapting to the rapidly changing media landscape and exploring how artificial intelligence can shape the future of local news.
 
Tom’s life has also been shaped by personal tragedy. At age 12, he lost his father, who was killed by a drunk driver while changing a tire. As a shy child, Tom found an outlet in music, eventually becoming active in the local music scene and organizing events and festivals that raise money for local charities.
 
Deeply involved in Rockland County’s nonprofit and community organizations, Tom offers a unique perspective on the challenges facing the county.
 
We discuss Rockland County’s biggest issues, the future of local journalism, the role of nonprofits and businesses, artificial intelligence, and where Rockland County is headed in the years ahead.
 
 
https://rocklandnews.com/
 
 
https://rocklandweb.com/
 
 
https://www.facebook.com/share/1JS6FFsskX/
 
 
https://www.facebook.com/share/1BpNiHZAKP/
 
 
https://www.instagram.com/rocklandweb/
⁠
 
 

At nine years old, a brain cancer diagnosis and life-saving surgery left Nicky Van Vooren with a permanent, invisible disability—erasing her dream of becoming a doctor. 
 
After years of facing isolation and bullying, she found belonging through the Special Olympics, sparking a lifelong passion for advocacy.
 
​Now President of the Welfare League in Rockland County, NY, Nicky dedicates her life to empowering individuals with physical and mental disabilities. 
 
In this episode, she opens up about the daily realities of severe memory loss, raising four children, and transforming personal adversity into a powerful community mission. Tune in for a candid conversation on resilience and redefining purpose.
 
THE WELFARE LEAGUE
Building Community. Celebrating Everyone.
🌴 SUMMER NIGHT DANCE 🌴
HELP MAKE THIS NIGHT POSSIBLE!
Become a Platinum Sponsor
$300
 
📅 Friday, August 21, 2026
🕔 5:00 PM–9:00 PM
📍 9 Wilbur Road, Building 5
Thiells, New York
 
💚 Hudson Valley DDSO
A special event for people with disabilities
Sponsorship Commitment Due by August 18
📞 To sponsor, contact Nicky:
(845) 554-2779
https://www.facebook.com/share/1D3kcjHwbx/
 
https://welfareleague.net/
 
https://www.supportnow.org/welfare-leauge
 
Thewelfareleague@gmail.com
 

The hospitality industry is built on serving others—but who takes care of the people behind the scenes?
 
In this episode, we’re joined by Chris Follari, a lifelong hospitality professional whose journey spans every role in the restaurant world, from dishwasher and busboy to Executive Chef and Global Director of Culinary.
 
After navigating the intense pressures and burnout so common in the industry, Chris turned his personal experience into a powerful mission. Now an ambassador for Transformation Kitchen, he’s using his story to champion mental wellness, recovery, and healthy living while helping break the stigma around asking for help.
 
​Join us for an inspiring conversation on resilience, leadership, and why redefining success—inside and outside the kitchen—starts with knowing it’s okay to not be okay.
 
 
Connect with Chris Follari🌐 Website: https://chrisfollari.com🔥 The Burnt Chef Project: https://www.theburntchefproject.com/usa-ambassadors📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hudsonvalleykitchen📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GkCDxrknG/
 
Connect with Bare Wires Podcast🎙️ https://www.barewirespodcast.com
 
Resource mentioned in this episode:Ben’s Friends — A sober support community for food and beverage professionals seeking recovery and support.  https://www.bensfriendshope.com/
 
Transformation Kitchen — A culinary training program providing skills, mentorship, and support for individuals seeking new opportunities.https://hr-4u.org/

Claim OnSite Energy offer here: https://tr.ee/MHLpWnIB95
 
Welcome to Bare Wires.
 
Today, we're joined by Frank Voce—a police officer, founder of Reps For Responders, and someone who's turned his own recovery into a mission to save lives.
 
After facing anxiety, depression, and addiction himself, Frank discovered that asking for help isn't weakness—it's strength.
 
Now, he's helping first responders across the country build resilience physically, mentally, and spiritually. This is a conversation about service, recovery, and what it really means to have each other's backs.
 
 
Connect With Frank Voce :
https://linktr.ee/repsforresponders
 
https://www.instagram.com/reps_for_responders?igsh=MWFhZDhhNWUwcm9ndg==
 
https://www.facebook.com/share/1PS8eViyUT/
 
https://www.repsforresponders.org/
 
 
Connect With Bare Wires: 
https://linktr.ee/Barewirespodcast
 
 

Claim OnSite Energy offer here: https://tr.ee/MHLpWnIB95
 
Today’s conversation is with Simon Saadon, whose life traces a remarkable path across continents, cultures, and the search for identity.​Born into a Jewish Moroccan family and raised in Israel during a period of intense instability, Simon left for America as a young man with little more than determination and the drive to build something lasting.
 
Starting from the ground up, he carved out a life through high-end craftsmanship, establishing a career framing fine artwork and photographs.​
 
Over time, that initial foothold grew into a profound American success story. Simon’s journey explores displacement, belonging, and what it means to feel like a "man without a country" before finally striking deep roots.
 
It is a story of grit, identity, and a lasting family legacy—culminating in raising three children who went on to become a neurosurgeon, an attorney, and a quant trader.
 
Connect with Bare Wires:
https://linktr.ee/Barewirespodcast
 

Today, we're joined by an extraordinary leader, survivor, and advocate. Maria Trusa's journey began as an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and evolved into a powerful mission of healing, empowerment, and transformation. As CEO of Formé Medical Center, she's working to reimagine what healthcare should look like in America. As the founder of Yo Digo No Más, she's helping survivors of child sexual abuse find their voice and break the cycle of silence. In this conversation, we'll explore Maria's remarkable story of resilience, her vision for fixing our broken healthcare system, and her lifelong commitment to helping others heal, thrive, and lead with purpose.
 
 
https://yodigonomas.com/
 
https://mariatrusa.org/
 
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Say-No-More-Ra...
 
Rainn website: https://rainn.org/
 
https://www.instagram.com/maria_trusa?igsh=bXphZWFoY3Z2Zjdk
 
https://www.facebook.com/share/1C2J1SM7Xx/
 
National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 (tel:1-800-656-4673) National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (tel:1-800-799-7233) for child abuse, the Childhelp National Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (tel:1-800-422-4453) All of them are available 24/7 and offer confidential help.
 

What was it like to grow up during American segregation — and then spend a lifetime fighting to dismantle injustice? Today’s guest is more than a witness to history — she helped shape it. Dr. Frances Pratt lived through the Jim Crow South, broke barriers in healthcare as Nyack Hospital’s first African American Emergency Room head nurse, and spent decades leading the fight for justice and equality as president of the Nyack NAACP. Her story is one of courage, service, faith, and transformational leadership.
 
 
Connect with Bare Wires: http://barewirespodcast.com

Before Homicide Detective​ Sean O’Leary​'s career ever truly began, ​he ​almost lost everything to alcohol. Faced with the possibility of throwing away his dream job, he made a life-changing decision that would shape the man—and detective—he would become.
 
Sean opens up about his path from “troublemaker” to building a distinguished legacy in homicide investigations. We talk about the turning point that led to his sobriety​ and how his own troubled past gave him a rare ability to connect with people from every walk of life—especially victims of crime.
 
Known for his unforgettable​, larger-than-life stories, Sean brings humor, wisdom, and humanity to every conversation. This episode is a reminder that no one should be defined by a single mistake, and that sometimes the people with the roughest beginnings become the ones who make the greatest impact.
 
 
http://barewirespodcast.com
 
Claim OnSite Energy offer here: https://tr.ee/MHLpWnIB95

Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx, Carlos Martinez grew up in an environment where the odds were stacked heavily against him. 
 
In a high school class of 250, he was one of only 50 students to walk across the stage at graduation—a stark reality that shaped his perspective on survival and success long before he arrived in Rockland County to attend Nyack College.
 
​In this episode, we sit down with the Executive Director of Bridges to explore his journey from the front lines of social work in jails and foster homes to the helm of a major organization. 
 
Carlos discusses the challenges of stepping into a leadership role in his early thirties and the skepticism he faced while introducing a radical new approach: running a non-profit with the efficiency and data-driven mindset of a for-profit business.
 
Connect With Bridges & Carlos Martinez
 
Bridges Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/1DhKZsoFKR/⁠
 
Bridges Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/bridges_rc?igsh=MTRhazJ2M2I2OW1pbQ==⁠
 
Bridges Website: ⁠https://www.bridgesrc.org/⁠
 
Carlos Martinez Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/14aRBqRxBCJ/⁠
 
 
 
Connect With Bare Wires:
 
Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/barewirespodcast?igsh=MXV2NHRleGFlNmJ6dA==⁠ 
 
Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/share/1H5ExPWo9y/⁠
 
Linktree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/Barewirespodcast?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=a75e6bcf-4dc0-43fd-b0ea-70c80c7f4bd5⁠
 
Youtube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@barewirespodcast⁠
 
Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bare-wires/id1850198906⁠