The Starry-Eyed Podcast®

This week, we're joined by Brian Whelan, a man who, despite being in his 50s, only discovered he has Williams syndrome last year. He lives on his own, is in his 28th year working for Best Buy, and now he has a whole new chapter in his life opening up in front of him - especially after attending his first WSA Convention with his brother, John!
This episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

Summer is winding down and Jen is still in Italy, so Brendan and Producer Joel are taking a trip up north to Ottawa, Canada, to visit our new friend Keon Eberhardt. Keon is a man of many talents including surfing...that's right...a Canadian who surfs! Enjoy our conversation about testing yourself and being free to roll with the waves because you can only control what you can control, dude.
This episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

The boys are jealous since Jen is still away with family in Italy, so this week they're talking to Shannon Bohmann of @shannons.great.adventures. As a travel consultant, Shannon is used to the rigors of going on vacation with kids - including kids with WS, but now she and her family are taking it up a notch by renting a house in Orlando and spending August as "locals."
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

Even if you were at the Convention, you might have missed the big news from Day 1: Camp WSA is changing dates to a better week! Better for who? Well, better for kids who are most likely going to be out of school nationwide! Better for parents/caregivers who now can work camp into their summer plans for the next 3 years! And better for the WSA because we can hopefully welcome more kids, teens, and parents to a fantastic experience in Georgia!
Find out more about camp at http://williams-syndrome.org/wsacamp or email summercamp@williams-syndrome.org!
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

Jen is still on vacay, so Brendan and Joel welcome Charlie Ferguson from Florida! Charlie talks about his years of working at Publix, his love of playing music, and what keeps him coming back to this community!
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

Jen is off with her family, so Brendan and Joel spend a little time recapping the events of the last week. The 2026 WSA Convention in Buffalo was a huge success - emphasis on "huge" considering there were 1800+ people! Enjoy the gentle ramblings of two very tired guys.
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

On Wednesday, July 8th, it was Exhibitor Night at the 2026 WSA International Convention. Jen, Brendan, and Producer Joel took to the floor with tiny microphone in hand to interview some of the attendees...and one dog.
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and a percentage of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code WSA15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

Twas the night before convention and all through the Buff
Not a person was sleeping - they've waited enough!
Registration was set in the lobby with care
Knowing soon Eighteen hundred fine folks would be there.
And so Joel proclaimed as some sleep he did seek:
Happy Convention to all and to all a great week!
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

We are one week out from the WSA Convention and there's no better time to meet one of the newest staff members: Megan Lenihan! She joins Jen and Brendan to discuss her role as Family Resource Liaison and her passion for breaking down barriers for families to get the information and resources they need. She's been on the job for only a couple months, but she is already having a huge impact!
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!

This week we channel our inner "theater kid energy" as we are joined by Rachel Flamm. She shares about how her love school led to her getting a degree in Early Childhood Education and Sociology. Then Producer Joel so they can nerd out over their love of acting and singing. Rachel wonderfully describes how her Williams syndrome gives her a leg up on understanding her characters!
Big shout out to Omar Rudberg from Rachel - his #1 Fan!
Joel shared info about the different apps he uses when working in theater. The first is Rehearsal Pro (https://rehearsal.pro/) which allows you to go paperless while working on your script. Second is Linelearner (https://alldayapps.wordpress.com/home/linelearner/) which allows you to record all the lines in a scene and then blank out yours to help with memorization of your lines and cues. Finally there's Sheet Music Scanner (https://sheetmusicscanner.com/) which allows you to snap a photo or upload a .pdf of a song and it will play the accompaniment digitally.
As always, this episode is sponsored by Innersense Organic Beauty.
Click on THIS LINK and complete your purchase and 25% of your purchase will go back to the WSA!
Also use promo code MORGAN15 to get 15% off your first purchase!