My Story Vault with Dr. Dennis Rebelo
My Story Vault with Dr. Dennis Rebelo
Podcast Description
My Story Vault with Dr. Dennis Rebelo offers a distinctive and captivating approach to storytelling, combining personal introspection with professional wisdom. Broadcasting from a vault-turned-podcast studio at BIC Works on the campus of MASS MoCA, the show's unique setting reflects its innovative exploration of identity and purpose.
Dr. D's thought-provoking conversations shed light on the interconnectedness of life and career choices, emphasizing the transformative power of self-discovery. Through discussions on motivation, competency development, and the moments that define us, the podcast inspires listeners to reimagine their own storypaths.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast delves into themes of identity, purpose, and the interconnectedness of career and personal choices, with episodes highlighting topics like self-discovery, competency development, and transformational life experiences. For instance, episodes featuring guests such as Liseth Velez discuss military insights in organizational architecture, while Chris Ryan emphasizes purpose-driven design in community spaces.
My Story Vault with Dr. Dennis Rebelo offers a distinctive and captivating approach to storytelling, combining personal introspection with professional wisdom. Broadcasting from a vault-turned-podcast studio at BIC Works on the campus of MASS MoCA, the show’s unique setting reflects its innovative exploration of identity and purpose.
Dr. D’s thought-provoking conversations shed light on the interconnectedness of life and career choices, emphasizing the transformative power of self-discovery. Through discussions on motivation, competency development, and the moments that define us, the podcast inspires listeners to reimagine their own storypaths.
In this rich and personal episode of My Story Vault, Jenny Wright—Executive Director of the North Adams Partnership—joins Dr. Dennis Rebelo to reflect on the unexpected journey that brought her to community leadership in the Northern Berkshires. Raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Jenny describes a childhood marked by solitude, a love of books, and disciplined engagement with classical music and representational drawing. After facing a period of personal struggle in her late teens, Jenny found her way back to herself through structure, daily routines, and a deep reconnection with the public library—a place she credits with rediscovering an engaged life worth living. The library saved her life.
Jenny recounts how a single phrase from her piano teacher—“You’re better than this”—helped shift her trajectory and ultimately led to a design education at the Corcoran School in Washington, DC. Her career path, shaped by early roles in brand systems and design architecture, emphasized thoughtful listening and user-centered design. These skills now serve her in her current role, where she helps reconnect and align the city’s anchor institutions—MASS MoCA, MCLA, and the City of North Adam’s downtown community—through programs like the Reconnecting Communities initiative.
Throughout the conversation, Jenny reflects on her strengths as a “glue” figure—someone who helps others perform at their best by observing, listening, and arranging people and ideas into meaningful configurations. Whether drawing photorealistic birds, performing Rachmaninoff, or helping North Adams envision its future, Jenny’s story reveals the power of incremental discipline, grounded optimism, and genuine curiosity.
Links:
North Adams Partnership:
https://northadamspartnership.org/
Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program:
https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program
Narrative Research Group:
https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/
For more information or to share a question or insight, please email Shannon [at] narrativeresearchgroup [dot] org
Produced by Nate Christy, BIC Studios.
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