The Lisa Wexler Show

Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award winner, Karen Ziemba joins Lisa Wexler to talk about her Broadway career and her most recent appearance at The Westport Country Playhouse in Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd.

Joshua Eaton, investigative reporter for Hearst Connecticut Media Group, joins Lisa Wexler to discuss his reporting centered on a 5-year-old girl who was separated from her mother for 118 days and held in a residential facility and foster care in Connecticut. He explains how and why children can be placed into these programs, the role of nonprofit providers, and the broader legal and ethical questions surrounding family separation, oversight, and child welfare.

Susan Bysiewicz joins Lisa Wexler to discuss a new Connecticut law expanding health coverage mandates including provisions for scalp cooling systems for patients undergoing chemotherapy, prosthetic devices designed for athletic use, and expanded IVF coverage. The conversation also turns to immigration, as Lisa makes a personal appeal to the Lt. Governor to examine cases involving immigrant children being held without a parent or guardian in programs run by Connecticut nonprofits, raising broader questions about oversight and child welfare.

NewWayWriter founder Gigi New joins Lisa Wexler to discuss her lifelong passion for writing, starting her career on Everybody Loves Raymond, and how she ultimately launched NewWayWriter, her writing consulting business. She shares insights from her time in television and explains how she now helps aspiring and experienced writers develop their ideas, strengthen their storytelling, and achieve their writing goals.

Director of Harbor Watch, Nikki Spiller, joins Lisa Wexler to discuss how the nonprofit is making a real impact on Connecticut’s waterways. In partnership with Westport’s Earthplace, Harbor Watch has launched the state’s first river-spanning litter boom—an innovative project designed to trap trash before it pollutes local waters. Spiller explains how the system works, shares early results, and outlines what’s next, including plans to expand into higher-density areas where pollution challenges are even greater. A conversation about local action, environmental stewardship, and scalable solutions to a growing problem.

Northwell Health CEO Dr. John D'Angelo joins Lisa Wexler to discuss his decades-long career in healthcare, his leadership philosophy, and Northwell Health's vision for the future of healthcare in Connecticut. He shares what's ahead following the integration of Norwalk and Danbury hospitals into the Northwell Health system, the opportunities this partnership creates for patients and providers, and how Northwell plans to strengthen access to high-quality, innovative care across the region.

Lisa answers audience questions on if landlords in Connecticut can choose not to renew a lease without risking a lawsuit, and contract statutes and legal timelines. She also breaks down the probate proces, including how long it should take when someone dies with a will, what a status hearing is, why an original will is required (and why it should never be unstapled), and what a “streamlined” will means.

Senator Richard Blumenthal joins Lisa Wexler to reflect on the unexpected and sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. He shares personal insights, memories from their time in the Senate, and discusses Graham’s impact on national politics, bipartisan relationships, and his legacy in public service.