About Voices of the Mat-su

Voices of the Mat-Su shares the stories of those who live in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, especially those whose stories are not often heard. This is a two-year audio project created by Big Cabbage Radio, produced by Emily Forstner, and funded by a grant from the Mat-Su Health Foundation.

Once a month, we release a new story about a person or place in the Mat-Su Valley, sharing how that person or place fits into the story of the Valley and introducing listeners to an aspect of life they may not have encountered before.

New episodes air on the fourth Friday of the month at 5pm and again the following Saturday at noon.

About the Producer

Emily Forstner is a long-time public educator turned part-time podcast geek with a passion for coffee, the outdoors, friends and family and, not least, her dog Radar. She has lived in the Mat-Su since 1983 when she arrived with a suitcase, a one-way ticket and a deer-in-the-headlights stare. No one was more surprised than she was when she found her true love both in the classroom and in life and stayed to make the Mat-Su home. 

Join her on the Voices of the Mat-Su show for laughter and thought-provoking conversations with members of the Mat-Su. 

Emily loves connecting with listeners and is always open to feedback and suggestions. She believes that every listener has a unique story to share and works to create a welcoming space for everyone.

She can be reached at forstner@bigcabbageradio.org or voices@bigcabbageradio.org

Special Thanks to:

• Cary Bolling
• David Cheezem
• Ellen Nufer
• Emma Keechle 
• Jane Darnell 
• Jenny Barnes
• Katie Forstner
• Lee Henrikson
• Lena Ware
• Mike Chmielewski
• Peter Forstner
• Reese Mikklesen
• Tess Forstner

And all those who share their stories.