Our Community Broadcasting Network

Dennis Stretar, Producer

Welcome to the Our Community Broadcasting Network (OCBN). Having been involved in public affairs broadcasting on radio and public television with Sue, my wife and broadcasting partner (About Us), I became aware of the issues impacting the families that make up the many diverse communities we live in. As the Vice Chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Council at the Aurora Chamber of Commerce from 2018 to 2022, I decided to use my broadcasting experience to create OCBN as a community resource. In 2019, I started producing podcasts that highlighted the diversity programs of the organizations that presented to the D&I Council. Also in 2019, Sue was diagnosed with dementia (likely Alzheimer's disease) which changed our lives dramatically. In an effort to learn everything I could about this condition, I had the privilege of interviewing , Dr Samantha Holden a nationally recognized dementia expert, a research scientist, and professor of neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. She is also a clinician, with Sue as one of her patients, and serves as the Medical Director for the Memories Disorders Clinic at the University of Colorado Alzheimer's and Cognition Center. With my experience navigating the healthcare system in dealing with a major illness, I decided to focus on the healthcare delivery and support systems as well as federal and state health policies and programs. My mission is to get information to the public featuring best practices that help mitigate mental and physical health disorders and improve health outcomes throughout our communities. To accomplish this goal, in January of 2025, I created the Health & Wellness Best Practices Podcast. These programs cover issues of health and wellness and how they are connected and must be addressed as such. Health is multidimensional that includes physical, mental, and social health, while wellness is a process that promotes environmental, occupational, and emotional wellness. Though health and wellness are distinctly different, improving one has a positive impact on the other. Podcast contributors include health and wellness advocacy groups, healthcare providers, educational institutions, government agencies, and elected officials. I have an open invitation for health professionals and advocates to be guests on the Health & Wellness Best Practices Podcast to contribute content sharing their expertise on health issues they are involved with.

To acces the Health & Wellness Best Practices Podcasts go to the H&W Best Practices Podcast page.

I hope you find these programs informative and educational and will share them with your network. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on any of the current podcasts as well as suggestions about topics and/or guests for future Health & Wellness Best Practices Podcasts. Please feel free to email me at dennis@ocbn.online with your comments and ideas. Best regards,