Brayden Mahoney

“Currently dreaming to make a difference.” Brayden fell in love with SLO at 16 when he moved here from Vacaville, California. Graduating from SLO High he continued on in this community studying Environmental Engineering at Cal Poly. Brayden has a passion for gorgeous places and a knack for solving problems, he has held many jobs in San Luis Obispo and have slowly worked himself up the ranks.  You may have seen him before, hes cooked at Splash Cafe, sold stretchy pants at luluLemon, managed Cal Poly's Hazardous Waste, worked as an Civil Engineer in Training at Cannon Engineering, and is currently becoming a Nuclear Operator for Diablo Canyons Nuclear Power Plant. He has seen this community from truly unique angles.

Along the way, Brayden has encountered profound people. People who have moved him, mentored him, and challenged him. Brayden wants this podcast to be a tribute to them. A community that stands together has nowhere to go but up. “I am striving to connect San Luis Obispo in a new way. Bring the people who run this town into the spotlight, tell their story, share their wisdom, and bring to the table all challenges this community is facing. Cal Poly is a bottomless well of innovation and this town is full of people who are doing incredible things.” Brayden hopes beyond all to help make a difference in SLO.

Emerson Trout

Born in San Luis Obispo, Emerson grew up with his parents Hillary and Robert Trout in Downtown SLO. He graduated from San Luis Obispo High School and took a gap year to better decide what he wanted to pursue in his life. Emerson has always had a passion for adventure, at 10, and then again at 11, years old he completed the Alcatraz Challenge, at the time he was the second youngest to ever complete the swim. Emerson has always been keen on exploring everything the world has to offer, he loves surfing, hiking, and pretty much any sport you can imagine.

During his gap year Emerson took a three month long solo road trip around the United States visiting states from Washington, to Florida, and everything in between. After returning home he left to New York to do a solo backpacking trip through the Catskills mountains. Adventure runs deep in the Trout family, his parents Hillary and Robert are also avid backpackers and outdoors explorers. After his gap year, Emerson worked as a Tax Season Admin for Glenn Burdette Accounting Firm, where he affirmed his passion for the business world, soon after he enrolled at Cuesta College as an Accounting major. He played water polo over his two years and graduated in 2018 with an AS emphasized in Accounting. Emerson then accepted an offer to play water polo at San Jose State University where he is currently completing a major in Corporate Accounting & Finance.

 While school is incredibly important to him Emerson hopes to gain experience and perspective in everything life has to offer. He is currently becoming a certified Scuba diver and is partnering with Brayden in an attempt to get their sky diving licenses. Ultimately, Emerson hopes to be as well rounded as possible and leave no stone un-turned in his journey through life, he hopes to bring perspective and leave a positive impact where ever he goes.