Meet the Listening to America Team
Clay Jenkinson — Editor-in-Chief and Ringleader
Clay is a public humanities scholar, writer, master interviewer and moderator, documentary filmmaker, and historical impersonator (a Chautauquan). He is the author of 13 books spanning topics from Thomas Jefferson, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Theodore Roosevelt, and his beloved North Dakota. He is frequently featured as an expert commentator on historical documentaries, collaborating with Ken Burns, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and others. Clay has received humanities scholar of the year awards in Kansas, Nevada, and North Dakota, as well as the coveted National Humanities Medal, formerly known as the Charles Frankel Prize.
Clay has climbed Mount Whitney and hiked the entire course of the Little Missouri River (Devils Tower to west-central North Dakota) twice. He is happiest making loopy auto trips through the American West, hiking, camping, visiting small towns, and exploring not just the Blue Highways but the gravel roads that lead off into the middle of nowhere. He lives in Bismarck, North Dakota because he loves the stark Great Plains with its badlands, buttes, spectacular plains rivers, and silhouetted ridgelines.
Dennis McKenna — President and Editor
Dennis is a successful publisher, editor, and entrepreneur. He was the co-founder and CEO of a national media, research, and event firm focused on the intersection of technology and government. In addition to investing in and leading tech and media startups, Dennis has advised and spoken to groups throughout the U.S. and internationally on technology and public policy.
Dennis now makes his home in the heart of Colorado Plateau country and enjoys exploring the past, present, and future of the American Southwest. He recently teamed up with long-time friend and colleague Clay Jenkinson to launch Listening to America.
Raina Hall — Managing Editor
Born in New York City to working artists, a writer/publisher grandmother and an accomplished painter and antiquities dealer grandfather, Raina grew up in dynamic, eclectic, and aesthetic environments. Raina has nearly two decades experience with nonprofits helping to organize training programs and manage day-to-day operations dedicated to community improvement. These experiences have shaped a deep understanding of organizational needs, people-centered solutions, and effective project management. Until joining Listening to America, most recently Raina worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles for actors and writer/producers in executive capacities and project management and coordination.
Nolan Johnson — Videographer and Audio Editor
With nearly 20 years of capturing the world through a lens, Nolan Johnson is a filmmaker and media producer who thrives on telling stories that feel as real as they are cinematic. From his early days working as an interpreter on the Lewis and Clark Trail to his current passion for documentary and narrative filmmaking, he’s always been drawn to stories that connect people to history, culture, and emotion. Whether behind a camera or in the editing room with the Listening to America Podcast, Nolan blends technical know-how with a creative spark to bring LTA visions to life. When he’s not chasing history with Clay, you can find him at home with his two daughters and wife, where family moments are just as important as the ones on film.
Frank Lister — Chief Scout
Frank has spent much of his life on the Colorado Plateau. His life experiences are as varied as they come. Frank has been a park ranger, archaeologist, park planner, developer of a Native American tribal park, Peace Corps volunteer, seismographic surveyor, map publisher, farmer, and cafe owner. These experiences have given Lister a unique view of the Southwest its cultures, and landscapes. He has spent many years on various nonprofit boards working to promote and protect public lands in the Four Corners area of the Southwest. Frank’s broad background and experiences bring unique insight to Listening to America as a researcher, writer, trip planner, and organizer.
Liz Eagle — Learning Coordinator
Liz retired from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte following an award-winning, 20-year career as a math instructor. Today she organizes, manages, and hosts Clay’s humanities retreats. While on the trail with Clay over the past decade, she has completed the infamous Wendover hike nine times and canoed and rafted more than 700 miles on the Missouri and Salmon Rivers. Liz is a dog lover whose interests include Sherlock Holmes, traveling, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, cooking, and hanging out with her five grandchildren.
Francisco Molina — Webmaster
Fran is passionate about creating digital solutions that bring ideas to life. As a seasoned website designer and computer resource specialist, he has more than 21 years of experience in IT and web design. His business is based in Davis, California, and offers effective computer-oriented solutions to clients of all sizes in industries nationwide.
Board of Directors
Russ Eagle — Treasurer
Russ is a board member of LTA and is its senior editor. He is a scholar of the life and achievements of the novelist John Steinbeck. He is currently working on a study of Steinbeck’s 1945 novella Cannery Row. Russ is a retired public school assistant superintendent and director of finance in Salisbury, North Carolina. He has summited Mount Whitney twice and is currently the record holder for the fastest ascent of the infamous Wendover hike in the Bitterroot Mountains along the Lewis and Clark Trail. His interests include reading, writing, hiking, travel, St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and music. He has one daughter, Tina, and three grandchildren.
Bob Graves — Board Member
Bob co-founded a media company in the 1980s, where he served as chief administrative officer and president, ensuring that the company’s growth kept pace with new research and online publishing. His interest in clean and sustainable communities led him to co-found a nonprofit in 2006, where he helped produce three international “Governors Global Climate Summits” with the team from the California governor’s office. Bob holds a master’s degree in nutrition/physiology from UC Davis. He lives with his wife, Judy, in Monterey, California, and enjoys outdoor life, music, travel, and photography.
Joe Lovell — Board Member
Joe is a trial lawyer from Amarillo, Texas, where he has practiced since 1987. He was born and raised in the Texas Panhandle, and twice educated at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas. He is married to his high school sweetheart, has two fine sons, and two wonderful granddaughters. He loves to try cases and help folks. He also loves to wander the Plains, explore the West, and read Books, which led him to know the Editor-in-Chief and Ringleader of this operation. He summitted Mt. Whitney, too!
Sara Vollmer — Board Member
Sara is a cattle rancher on the Great Plains near Wing, North Dakota. Sara, her husband, and three daughters run a 600-head purebred Angus cattle operation. Their family spends their summers on horseback at the ranch and competing at rodeos. Sara has been an EMT for 25 years, volunteering for a rural ambulance service. She holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from North Dakota State University and a master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of South Dakota. Sara has received national certification as a Certified Program Planner and a Certified Contract Trainer. In her role at Bismarck State College, she oversees the workforce division of the college, including TrainND Southwest, conference management, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, non-credit career pathways, and the Occupational Safety and Health Consultation program. Sara finds joy in family, friends, travel, and great conversation.