This week on Reflections on Interpretation, Bill Gwaltney and Tim Merriman interview a musical performer and instructor who consistently receives rave reviews. Scott brings a wealth of musical and historical experience with him to the stage and the classroom.

Coming of age during the Civil Rights era and the protests against the Vietnam War, Scott has a deep reverence for cross-cultural exchange and a strong commitment to social justice.

He is the author of Robert Johnson/At The Crossroads and video teacher on the instructional DVD, Robert Johnson: Signature Licks. In 2010, Acoustic Guitar featured Scott’s lesson on Robert Johnson’s music in its November issue. The article with TAB, transcription of Johnson’s Crossroads Blues, and sixteen minutes of video instruction is archived on their website at: http://acousticguitar.com.

With six solo recordings to his credit, Scott’s award-winning The Last Shot Got Him has garnered strong reviews here and in Europe.

Join Tim Merriman and Bill Gwaltney as they talk story with Greg Gnesios about his diverse career in NPS, BLM and Orbridge Travel. For 27 years Greg was a ranger/naturalist with the National Park Service in places such as Pinnacles National Park and Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California; and Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico. In the late 1970s he was a ranger in Canyonlands National Park. He moved to Grand Junction, Colorado in 2001 as the first manager of the McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area.

He has since served as Chairman of the Board for the Colorado National Monument Association and Byway Coordinator for the Dinosaur Diamond National Scenic Byway. During the summer season, he leads tours throughout the west for various travel organizations. His award-winning photography has appeared in numerous journals, magazines, museum exhibits, calendars and books.

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Alan Alex Marti is more than a safari guide, he is a cultural bridge and storyteller shaped by the landscapes and traditions of northern Tanzania. Of Maasai and Iraqwi heritage, Alan represents just two of the country’s 127 tribes, diverse communities united by a shared national language, Swahili, while each maintains its own rich linguistic and cultural identity.

Fluent in Swahili, English, and Maa, Alan moves easily between worlds, welcoming guests from across the globe while remaining deeply rooted in his own. As a freelance guide working with multiple safari companies, he navigates not only vast distances, across a country larger than Texas, but also the expectations, curiosities, and emotions of every traveler he hosts.

Behind the wheel of his Toyota Land Cruiser, Alan carries more than six guests at a time, he carries responsibility. He is a driver on rugged terrain, a mechanic when challenges arise, a naturalist interpreting wildlife behavior, a historian giving voice to the land, and a host creating a sense of belonging in unfamiliar places.

What truly sets Alan apart, however, is his presence. His warm, congenial nature invites connection, transforming a safari from a sightseeing trip into a shared human experience. Through his guidance, guests don’t just see Tanzania, they begin to understand it, feel it, and carry a piece of it with them long after the journey ends.

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With more than 32 years of experience in interpretation with the National Park Service, Susan brings a depth of wisdom shaped by service, leadership, and a passion for meaningful connection. Her career began as an intern and quickly progressed to a seasonal interpreter, permanent park guide, and ultimately Park Ranger Interpreter. Along the way, she supervised and mentored interpretive staff, championed audience-centered interpretation, and trained teams in the most current, effective interpretive techniques.

A certified interpreter instructor through both the National Park Service’s Mather Training Center and the National Association for Interpretation, she has led large volunteer programs and equipped volunteers with skills in customer service and informal interpretation, ensuring that every visitor encounter has the potential to inspire.

Among her most meaningful accomplishments was partnering with two Native American tribes to reconnect youth and elders with their traditional homeland at Rocky Mountain National Park. Together, they created opportunities for intergenerational storytelling that strengthened cultural identity and ultimately enriched park staff and visitors alike.

She draws on decades of lived experience to explore the art and heart of interpretation, sharing stories, practical tools, and thoughtful conversations that inspire listeners to create deeper emotional and intellectual connections between people and place.

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Dominic Cardea (Dom) recently retired after a 34 year National Park Service career spent turning big ideas—geology, history, culture, and community—into invitations to be curious. He helped shape and facilitate national interpretation and leadership programs, coached frontline interpreters, and trained hundreds in digital interpretation. A curious philosopher at heart, Dom loves the “why” behind a place and its objects—what they reveal, how they connect, and the questions they spark. He champions audience-centered, resource-focused interpretation that’s collaborative and co-creative, not a TED Talk in the woods. He’s happiest when the guests, places and objects becomes the co-facilitators of experiences—and everyone leaves wanting to explore more- including him .

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Join us for a powerful conversation with Karen Cucurullo, a seasoned leader with nearly 35 years in the National Park Service. From Manassas to Death Valley, Karen has served in diverse roles, from interpretation and education to resource management and law enforcement. Before retiring she supervised in the Southeast Regional Office, supporting parks and communities across 9 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Discover how her holistic perspective shapes stewardship of 3.8 million acres of national treasures, thousands of cultural sites, and endangered species protection—connecting people, places, and purpose through the heart of public lands.

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Heather Holm is the Chief of the Interpretation and Education Division of California State Parks and is the guest of Tim Merriman and Bill Gwaltney on Reflections on Interpretation: Talking Story with Guides and Interpreters podcast. Heather has 22 years of experience in interpretation, having worked in various positions in California State Parks. Her work experience includes interpretive program development and facilitation, distance learning program development, project management, policy development, interpretive planning, intellectual property rights administration, and interpretive training development and facilitation. She has also worked in various non-profit museums and archives doing collection work, research, and record processing.

Heather is passionate about supporting front-line interpretive staff and volunteers in their work, and coaching and mentoring interpreters. She has a Master of Arts degree in Public History from California State University, Sacramento.

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Tim Merriman and Bill Gwaltney talk story with Daniel Martinez on Reflections on Interpretation. For historian Daniel Martinez, history isn’t just something to study—it’s something you feel. After 44 years with the National Park Service, most recently as historian at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, Martinez reflects on a career dedicated to keeping the past vividly alive.

From his own family’s memories of December 7, 1941 to his years connecting with survivors, leaders, and visitors, Martinez has helped countless people see the human side of history—and feel its lasting presence.

He shares the stories, moments, and relationships that shaped his life’s work from his start at Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument to Pearl Harbor and why the lessons of war, peace, and resilience still matter today.

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