Top Podcast Episodes of 2025 - Snohomish County Placemakers

The Snohomish County Tourism podcast, Snohomish County Placemakers, shares its most-streamed episodes of 2025.

As the year comes to a close, we are wrapping up with our third season of the Snohomish County Placemakers podcast.

In 2025, we got the opportunity to have some in-depth conversations with some of the region's top experts in their respective fields. From discussing the importance of staying on hiking trails and not disrupting the natural ecosystems to discovering ways to make spaces inclusive for all visitors — and even learning the ins and outs what it's like to be a park ranger — this season's episodes provided invaluable insight into some of the most important topics facing our communities, the region, and our society.

Our hosts, Richard Porter and Nick Shekeryk, recorded and produced 22 episodes, and our listeners have responded by listening to our pod for a whopping 216 hours. That's equivalent to 9 straight days of listening to our show. Thank you!

We have some exciting episodes and discussions planned for 2026, but for now, we are pleased to bring you the top streamed episodes of 2025.

Top Podcast Episodes of 2025

1. Hiking 101 w/ WA State Hiking Podcast

Have you ever loved something a little too much? Maybe a pair of jeans that was worn threadbare and beyond repair. Or a pair of sneakers that finally fell apart from too many miles.

Nature can be kind of like that. Too much love and human visitation can wear down that which centuries of natural processes have worked to build.

In this episode, we chat with Jennie Thwing Flaming and Craig Romano from The Washington State Hiking Podcast. Their podcast name says it all – these are the experts on local trails. Craig is an award-winning author who has written more than two dozen trail guidebooks, most with Mountaineers Books. Jennie is a Washington native who has enjoyed local hikes her entire life.

Together they provide practical and timely seasonal hiking advice for hikers, trail runners, and potential hikers of all skill and ability levels. That means you!

Check out the episode here.

Richard and Nick also joined the Washington State Hiking podcast to discussion some of the great hikes in Snohomish County. Check out the episode here.

2. Traveling While Black in the PNW

Travel is a great way to get out of your element and discover the world around you. It offers opportunities to learn about other cultures and to go on adventures that you never knew were possible. In other words, traveling can take you out of your comfort zone.

However, this sentiment can be a huge point of contention for many travelers, including people of color. When traveling to new places, minorities tend to be more aware of their surroundings out of necessity for their own safety.

Personal safety remains a top concern for travelers of marginalized communities. In this episode, we discussed the importance of inclusive travel with Marlie and Anthony Love of Traveling While Black, who explore the region, the nation, and the world while evaluating each of their experiences in hopes of inspiring change and advocating for safe and welcoming travel environments.

The Loves cohost the popular series, “Traveling While Black with Anthony and Marlie,” which showcases their passion for travel. The show also serves as a guide for others who are interested in exploring and enjoying places where they might not see many people who look like them. The show streams on FOX Soul every Saturday evening at 5 pm pacific time.

We enjoyed spending time with Marlie and Marlie to learn more about their series, their adventures, and their bucket list destinations for traveling while Black in Snohomish County.

Check out the episode here.

3. Grant Harrington Runs Snohomish. Literally.

Grant Harrington is the founder of the Snohomish Running Company. His organization puts on beloved races like the Milltown Marathon (also a half marathon and 10K), the Evergreen Half Marathon on the Centennial Trail, the Snohomish River Run, and more. These events are branded in a fun way, and they have swag, and they’re just a blast.

We spoke with Grant about why you (yes you!) should run in the Pacific Northwest. We discussed how to get started, what sort of gear you need, when to sign up for forthcoming races, and more. Take a listen as we lace up our vintage Nike waffle shoes and take a dash into the world of PNW racing... with Grant Harrington.

Check out the episode here.

Year in Review: 2025 Podcast Episodes

4. Park Ranger Life w/ Rachel White & Taylor Mason

Meet the unsung heroes behind some of the most beautiful places that Snohomish County has to offer. Snohomish County Park rangers do it all — everything from trail building, to crabbing enforcement, to picking up trash, and curating a welcoming environment. 🦀🏕️🚲 If you've ever shown up to a pristine park, don't take it for granted!

🦅 We spoke with Rachel White and Taylor Mason about how they chose the park ranger life... and how the park ranger life chose them.

Check out the episode here.

5. Secret Everett Gems w/ Nick Shekeryk

Nick is the newest member of our tourism team — and cohost of this podcast!

As a local, he knows all of the places you *should* be visiting when you come to Everett, WA.

From food trucks and festivals to aviation and one-of-a-kind pop culture experiences, there is always something to discover in Everett, WA. The waterfront is a can’t-miss, boasting the largest public marina on the West Coast. Enjoy a great meal, hop the ferry or take a paddle to Jetty Island, beachcomb, or explore the miles of waterfront trails.

On this pod episode... all things Everett.

Check out the episode here.

These are just a few of the many great episodes we've aired this year. We've had some exciting adventures and conversations with some amazing people, so give our pod a listen. You can stream our entire content library on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. We look forward to bringing you some more exciting content and guests in the new year. Thanks for listening!

Richard Porter & Nick Shekeryk

Richard Porter & Nick Shekeryk