SHORT BIO
I speak my native tongue into a microphone.
What was your first job?
Lifeguard. (Well, that and mowing lawns.)
What do you think is the hardest part of your job that no one knows?
Staying calm.
What advice do you wish someone had given you before you started this career?
Don't think — just talk.
In your next life, what would your career be?
Helicopter pilot.
Episodes Hosted by Kai (4,677)

Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly | Episode 382
Don't overthink it: Get the COVID-19 vaccine
Mar 4, 2021
Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly | Episode 381

Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly | Episode 379
How much do we really "need" sports?
Mar 1, 2021Latest Stories (5,273)
U.S. productivity plummeted in Q4, and reopening the economy might be why
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sean McHenry
Mar 4, 2021
The measure fell at the steepest rate in 40 years, but that might not be as ominous as it sounds — if the trend is short term.
Why this unemployed bartender feels “betrayed” by the nation's safety net
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Maria Hollenhorst
Mar 4, 2021
Neil Cairns of Portland, Oregon, is finding that returning to work is a tough job.
Helping students of color thrive via entrepreneurship and self-care
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Daisy Palacios
Mar 4, 2021
Monika Mathews started QueenCare to provide mentorship and economic opportunity to young people in her Seattle community.
Why are people spending so much money on NFTs?
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Andie Corban
Mar 3, 2021
Jamie Wilde from Morning Brew explains how nonfungible tokens work.
Why is Bitcoin better? Let her count the ways.
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Andie Corban
Mar 2, 2021
Laura Shin, one of the first reporters to cover crypto-assets full time, says Bitcoin's "the most fascinating thing" she's watched.
Denver beauty bar was shut by pandemic before it even opened
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Daisy Palacios
Mar 1, 2021
"I could have never predicted that it would be this bad," says Ashlie Ordonez, owner of The Bare Bar.
Running a mall is "still a struggle" nearly a year into the pandemic
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Andie Corban
Feb 26, 2021
When a customer refuses to wear a mask inside the Butte Plaza Mall, manager Alana Ferko gets called in to help.
Agriculture is counting on pent-up demand for its recovery
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sean McHenry
Feb 25, 2021
COVID-19 killed demand for many farm products. But with vaccine rollouts and consumers venturing out again, will that turn around?
In Regina King's "One Night in Miami," Black icons wrestle with how to use their power
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Sean McHenry
Feb 24, 2021
The Emmy- and Academy Award-winning actress discusses her directorial debut and what she hopes audiences take away from the film.
What does inflation look like?
by
Kai Ryssdal
and Maria Hollenhorst
Feb 23, 2021
Inflation’s been hard to find in this economy for years, but what if that changes?