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Wow on Wheels
Podcasts & Activities
for Curious Kids & Their Grown-Ups

The Tinkercast Story

Tinkercast was founded by three media veterans, storytellers and parents who believe that well-told stories can inspire families to put down their screens and look up at the world together.  We tell stories about incredibly cool things happening in the world right now. Stories that inspire families to use their imagination and follow their curiosity. Stories that invite families to lean in and say “Wow!”

Meet the Tinkercast Team

Meredith Halpern-Ranzer

Meredith Halpern-Ranzer

Chief Executive Tinkerer

Meredith Halpern-Ranzer is Tinkercast’s Chief Executive Tinkerer, leading the vision and execution of business, partnerships, brand and marketing strategies and overseeing day-to-day operations. Meredith is an Emmy-nominated children’s media executive and has been a thought-leader in the children’s media industry for over 20 years, building beloved brands, shows and characters most notably at PBS Kids Sprout and Sesame Workshop. She is a founding member and on the board of advisors of Children’s Media Association. She lives in Montclair, NJ where she is a constant seeker of WOW in her world with her husband, son and a dog named Shuggie.

Guy Raz

Guy Raz

Chief Strategic Tinkerer

Guy Raz is Tinkercast’s Chief Strategic Tinkerer and Co-Creator of Wow in the World. When Guy is not tinkering, he is the host and creator of NPR’s How I Built This podcast and Wisdom from the Top on Luminary. Previously, Guy co-created and hosted NPR’s TED Radio Hour and The Rewind on Spotify. He’s been called “one of the most popular podcasters in history” by the New York Times and has been on the radio for more than two decades, serving as a foreign and war correspondent and as a host of All Things Considered. Guy is the father of two boys and lives in the Bay Area where he can often be seen riding his bike in red pants.

Mindy Thomas

Mindy Thomas

Chief Creative Tinkerer

Mindy Thomas is Tinkercast’s Chief Creative Tinkerer and Co-Creator of Wow in the World. Mindy has been living out her childhood radio dreams for almost two decades by creating radio and audio programs for kids. She’s the co-creator, co-host, and head writer of the award-winning Wow in the World and Two Whats?! And a Wow! podcasts. She is also the Gracie award-winning host of the Absolutely Mindy show. Mindy believes that childhood thrives at the intersection of imagination and curiosity and finds that her best work does too. She lives in northern Virginia with her husband and two kids, and has no plans of ever growing up.

Jodi Nussbaum

Jodi Nussbaum

Chief Operational Tinkerer

Jodi Nussbaum is Tinkercast’s Chief Operational Tinkerer leading the day-to-day operations on all Tinkercast productions across all platforms while growing and scaling the organization. For over two decades Jodi was a senior executive at Sesame Workshop where she balanced educational programmatic excellence with the realities of the financial and operational rigor necessary to achieve project goals. Jodi’s passion for leading teams that create meaningful stories and characters that not only entertain but address critical issues for families around the globe has been her NorthStar for the last three decades. She and her husband live in New Jersey and will travel anywhere at the drop of a hat.

Ali Paksima

Ali Paksima

Chief Financial Tinkerer

Ali Paksima is Tinkercast’s Chief Financial Tinkerer, leading the planning and managing of Tinkercast’s finance activities while driving sustainable growth. With over 20 years of experience in financial management and planning across various industries, Ali has helped organizations manage change and scale up profitably. Children’s education is near and dear to Ali’s heart and he also serves as advisor and GM of Magrid Learning Solutions. Ali earned his MBA from UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School and is a State of NC registered CPA. He lives in Durham, NC with his wife, son, and daughter where you can usually find him playing pickleball with his kids in their driveway.

Jed Anderson

Jed Anderson

Supervising Production Tinkerer

Rebecca Caban

Rebecca Caban

Educational Content Tinkerer

Natascha Crandall, PH.D

Natascha Crandall, PH.D

Senior Research Tinkerer

Kenny Curtis

Kenny Curtis

Head Writing Tinkerer

Beverly Davis

Beverly Davis

Legal Advisor

Kristen M. Giang

Kristen M. Giang

Senior Digital Tinkerer

Tom van Kalken

Tom van Kalken

Writing & Production Tinkerer

Henry Moskal

Henry Moskal

Association Production Tinkerer

Steph Sosa

Steph Sosa

Senior Production Manager

Anna Zagorski

Anna Zagorski

Marketing & Communications Tinkerer

Join Us In Denver


Saturday, May 21st
11am - 12pm

 

Second Star to the Right Children's Books
1455 S Pearl St,
Denver, CO 80210

 

Directions

 


 

Sunday, May 22nd
10am - 12pm

 

Paramount Theatre
1621 Glenarm Palace
Denver, CO 80202

 

Directions

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Join Us In Dallas / Fort Worth


Saturday, May 28th
10am - 2pm

Texas Children’s Museum
201 TX-174
Rio Vista, TX 76093

Directions


 

Sunday, May 29th
12pm - 5pm

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
1600 Gendy St.
Forth Worth, TX 76107

Directions


 

Monday, May 30th
10am - 2pm

Dallas Arboretum
8525 Garland Rd.
Dallas, TX 75218

Directions

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Join Us In Atlanta*


Friday, June 3rd
11am - 3pm

Fernbank Science Center
156 Heaton Park Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30307

Directions


 

Saturday, June 4th
11am - 3pm

East Lake Park
2617 Memorial Drive Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30317

Directions


 

Sunday, June 5th
11am - 3pm

Coan Park
1530 Woodbine Avenue Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30317

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance

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Join Us In Indiana*


Saturday, June 11th
11am - 3pm

 

Terre Haute Children’s Museum
727 Wabash Ave.
Terre Haute, IN 47807

 

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance


 

Event Cancelled Due To Weather

Sunday, June 12th
12pm - 4pm

 

Indianapolis Public Library

Central Library and American Legion Mall
40 E St Clair St
Indianapolis, IN 46204

 

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Join Us In Detroit


Saturday, June 18
12pm - 4pm

 

Chandler Park Conservancy
12831 Frankfort St
Detroit MI 48213

 

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance


 

Sunday, June 19th
11am - 3pm

 

Michigan Science Center
5020 John R Street
Detroit, MI 48202

 

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance

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Join Us In Chicago


Thursday, July 7th
11am - 3pm

 

Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
5700 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr
Chicago, IL 60637

 

Directions

 

Weather Permitting: Please check Wow in the World social channels for any weather updates

 

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance

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Join Us In Minnesota


Saturday, July 2nd
11am - 3pm

 

Bakken Museum
3537 Zenith Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55416

 

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance


 

Sunday, July 3rd
11am - 3pm

 

Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W Kellogg Blvd
St Paul, MN 55102

 

Directions

*Mindy and Guy will not be in attendance

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WE ARE ASKING WOWZERS AT EACH TOUR STOP...

LISTEN TO WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY!

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