About Brains On! Universe

Molly Bloom is the co-creator and host of Brains On! and Smash Boom Best, and helps produce all the other APM Studios podcasts for kids and families. Molly loves finding out about the way things work — whether it’s a glass factory or our brains or molecular bonds. She likes playing piano, sings in a choir and wishes that people would break into song and dance like they do in the musicals that she loves. She was always the shortest one in her class and has worn glasses since the third grade.

Rachel Brees is a Post Production Associate Producer for the APM Kids team. She’s really excited that she gets to make fun sound effects and learn new things all day! When she’s not working in audio, she enjoys reading, riding her bike, and looking for four leaf clovers.

Joy Dolo is the Host of Forever Ago! She is an Actor, Teacher, Writer, and really good at word search puzzles. Joy loves when education and comedy are mashed together because learning shouldn’t be boring! Joy’s curiosity and imagination makes her a big kid at heart. Joy loves a lot of things, but here are the tops; swimming, cooking, driving and singing really loud in the car, eating cookies, traveling, hanging out with friends, hiking, and smothering her dog DD with kisses and doggy treats.

Rosie is a kids podcast producer for APM Studios. She helms production for Brains On and contributes to Smash Boom Best, Forever Ago, and Moment of Um. When she’s not writing and producing, Rosie loves wiggling at the disco, voicing wacky characters, and flying around New York City on her bicycle, which is covered in gold stars. If you spot her around town, she hopes you’ll say hey!

Shahla Farzan is a podcast editor with APM Studios, where she helps produce shows for curious kids, like Brains On! and Forever Ago. Shahla loves to bake and has never met a cookie she didn’t like. She’s also an ecologist who appreciates creatures big and small and is always on the lookout for interesting insects. She lives in St. Louis with her very old dog, Lucy and hopes to have many more dogs in the future.

Anna Goldfield is the Science Fellow for Brains On! She loves nerding out about the lives of people in the past, and learning all about how the world works. Anna is an archaeologist who has traveled all over the world to dig a series of very careful holes. Anna also hosts The Dirt, a weekly podcast all about archaeology and human stories! When she’s not noodling on the guitar or sitting with her nose in a book, Anna loves hiking, drawing, and making elaborate, delicious meals (and giant kitchen messes).

Ruby Guthrie is the Associate Producer of Brains On! And Smash Boom Best. Prior to working at APM, Ruby studied journalism at the University of Minnesota and started as a Brains On intern. She likes learning about different cultures, music, and the environment–especially how we can take better care of it. When she's not writing or finding factoids, she enjoys biking, disco, and ratatouille (the film and the dish).

Lauren Humpert is the senior production manager at APM Studios where she handles all sorts of behind the scenes fun for the Brains On! Universe. Lauren lives in Louisville, Kentucky but she moved around a lot - she even went to third grade in three different states! She can wiggle her ears and her favorite snack is apple slices with cheddar cheese.  Lauren loves hearing from curious kids and their awesome adults, but when she's not at Brains On HQ she likes to read books, play volleyball with her pals, and spend time outside with her family, including her dog named Moose!

Beth Pearlman is the Executive Producer of APM Studios, and a former TV Producer who is having so much fun working with the Kids & Family team.  Even though she’s a "grownup," Beth still loves playing with puppets and ventriloquist dolls, so watch out if you start hearing strange voices when she’s in the room.  Beth is as curious as the kids who ask questions on the podcasts and learns something new every time she listens to Brains On, Smash Boom Best, Forever Ago and Moment of Um! 

Marc Sanchez is the senior post production manager for kids podcasts at APM Studios. He gets a kick out of music, technology, and writing. If he’s not playing drums or concocting noises for Brains On!, you might see him in ridiculous, Day-Glo clothing, running around the lakes and rivers of Minnesota or scouring the city in search of the world’s best burrito. You have his permission to sneak up behind him and scream, “Brains On!” if you ever see him in a taqueria.

Sanden Totten is the senior editor for kids podcasts at APM Studios. His favorite subjects are obviously dinosaurs and space, but he really enjoys studying the brain and the environment too. He has a rad collection of comic books, he can jump a curb on a skateboard and his favorite food is sushi. If you see him around, say hi and ask for a high five.

Anna Weggel was brought on to helm production of the brand new daily podcast Moment of Um. She ultimately got to transform her position as “defeated debater” to “principal producer” on her favorite podcast of all time, Smash Boom Best. When she’s not grinding through the rigorous production schedule of SBB, Anna loves lending voices to the other shows in the Brains On Universe, sitting side by side with her husband who animates content for the Brains On Universe, and chasing around her toddler and infant, who both have very large heads. 

Nico is a producer on the APM Kids team. In the past, they’ve worked as a goat herder, a lifeguard, a dog trainer, and a middle school teacher, so their love for unpredictability and adventure is probably obvious!  A short list of their favorite things would include planning road trips, finding swimming holes, receiving postcards, and the world’s best summer treat: Philadelphia water ice. They have always wanted a pony.

Aron Woldeslassie is an associate producer for Smash Boom Best and Smarty Pass. Prior to working on the APM Kids Team, Aron produced and directed the news at Minnesota Public Radio. When Aron's not at his computer he can be found performing stand-up, reading, and biking.

Charlotte Traver is the Audience Engagement Manager for Brains On Universe. They produce all the extra digital goodies associated with the show, like our animated episodes, newsletters, and social media posts! As a child, they longed to be a Disney Channel starlet or professional HorseGirl. They are still working on those achievements, so circle back here in 2-3 months.

Menaka Wilhelm was a Brains On producer from 2019-2022. She's super into exploring the biology and technology that shape our world. Some of her favorite things are wacky jokes, fun socks, and ice cream cones with rainbow sprinkles. When she's not reading or writing, she's cooking, hiking, or working on a crafty project. She’s now communicating science at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and is a forever friend of the show.

Kristina was the Audience Engagement Editor for Brains On, Julie’s Library, Smash Boom Best, and more until September 2021. In 2017, she was an AIR New Voices scholar and in 2019, Kristina participated in Poynter's Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media. And yes, she’s still as mischievous as she looks in this photo.