10/26/2026
My Senior To Seniors guest is someone whose story reminds us that retirement doesn't necessarily mean stepping away—it can mean stepping into an entirely new purpose. Dr. Denise "Neesey" Nussbaum has done just thta....and she decided to rewite her story! And what a story it is!
Dr. Denise “Neesey” Nussbaum spent more than two decades as a professor of sociology in Southern California, studying issues including identity, inequality, trauma, and discrimination. When she retired to Maui, however, those subjects moved from the classroom into real life. Seeing the struggles of vulnerable and unhoused families in West Maui, Neesey and a small group of residents founded Aloha Ranch in 2019.
Then came the devastating Lahaina wildfires of 2023. Suddenly, thousands of people were confronting something many of us can barely imagine—the loss not simply of houses and possessions, but of neighborhoods, security, community, and the lives they once knew. Neesey and Aloha Ranch became part of the effort to help survivors rebuild, including assisting families as they transitioned from hotels into temporary homes at Ka La‘i Ola.
Neesey is also an author. Her debut thriller, The Ashes Know Her Name, explores many of the same human questions she has encountered throughout her life and work: trauma, identity, loss, resilience, family, love, and what it takes to begin again.
You can find "Neesey" at: https://www.denisenussbaum.com and on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/neeseynussbaum. Her fabulous book 'The Ashes Know Her Name,' a sweeping thriller of survival, love, and the scars terror leaves behind, is available on Amazon. Watch and listen to our podcast now at: https://youtu.be/4fB9rosKuis