From the White House and Wall Street to World Whistling Champion | Chris Ullman

<p>Host Jane Khodos Beyer welcomes Chris Ullman to The People You Meet In Old Town Podcast. Chris shares his communications career spanning Capitol Hill, the SEC, the White House, and 18 years building Carlyle Group’s communications function, including working closely with Glenn Youngkin and philanthropist David Rubenstein. He discusses Rubenstein’s “patriotic philanthropy,” including the new museum space under the Lincoln Memorial funded by an $18.5 million gift. Chris also reveals his other life as a four-time international whistling champion—whistling for presidents and vice presidents, performing with orchestras, and whistling “Happy Birthday” daily (about 700 times a year!). He highlights lessons from his books “Find Your Whistle” and “Four Billionaires and a Parking Attendant” and whistles on show. To learn more about Chris and to purchase his books, visit: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://chrisullman.com/" target="_blank">https://chrisullman.com/</a>. </p><p></p><p>00:00 Meet Chris Ullman</p><p>01:24 Old Town Connection</p><p>01:48 Career in Communications</p><p>03:10 Building Carlyle Comms</p><p>04:35 Advising After Carlyle</p><p>05:41 Working With Youngkin</p><p>06:49 Rubenstein Philanthropy</p><p>08:23 Lincoln Memorial Museum</p><p>09:55 Champion Whistling Origin</p><p>11:42 Whistle Meets Day Job</p><p>13:25 Find Your Whistle Message</p><p>16:27 Oval Office Whistling</p><p>19:02 700 Birthday Whistles</p><p>21:09 Success Lessons Book</p><p>23:16 Purpose And Bridges</p><p>25:25 Raise Your Hand</p><p>27:08 Go Into Office</p><p>28:07 Whistling Warmups</p><p>30:35 Happy Birthday Bit</p><p>32:01 Anthem And Jazz</p><p>33:24 Old Town Lightning Round</p><p>35:50 Symphony Season Update</p><p>37:01 Wrap Up And Support</p><p></p><p><b>Around Old Town and Beyond:</b></p><p></p><ul><li>Misha’s Coffee: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://mishascoffee.com" target="_blank">mishascoffee.com</a> | IG: @mishascoffee</li><li>Landini Brothers: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://landinibrothers.com" target="_blank">landinibrothers.com</a> | IG: @landinibrothersinc</li><li>Alexandria Symphony Orchestra: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://alexsym.org" target="_blank">alexsym.org</a> | IG: @alex_symphony</li><li>George Washington Masonic National Memorial: 101 Callahan Dr. | <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://gwmemorial.org" target="_blank">gwmemorial.org</a> | IG: @gwmemorial</li><li>Rachel M. Schlesinger Concert Hall: 4915 E. Campus Dr. | <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://nvcc.edu/schlesinger" target="_blank">nvcc.edu/schlesinger</a> | IG: @schlesinger_center</li><li>Call Your Mother Deli: <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://callyourmotherdeli.com" target="_blank">callyourmotherdeli.com</a> | IG: @callyourmotherdeli</li></ul><p></p><p><b>Stay Connected</b></p><p></p><p>Email us at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:podcast@peopleyoumeetinoldtown.com" target="_blank">podcast@peopleyoumeetinoldtown.com</a></p><p>To stay up to date with The People You Meet In Old Town, and get all the behind-the-scenes content, follow us on Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe/ follow, leave a rating and a review.</p><p>Instagram: @peopleyoumeet.oldtownalx</p><p> </p><p>The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria</p><p></p><p>The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria is a podcast that explores the people, places, and ideas that shape the historic district. Hosted by Jane Khodos Beyer, the show features wide-ranging discussions with local leaders and experts who bring practical ideas on how to preserve our heritage and build a vibrant community.</p><p></p><p>© 2026 The People You Meet in Old Town Alexandria. All rights reserved.</p><p><br /></p>