Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Steve Zimmerman, Coordinator of Music and Visual Arts for the Westport Public Schools. Zimmerman came into his position in 2020, following 25 years of band direction at McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA and Northwestern High School in New Hartford, CT. Under his leadership, his bands were recognized five times as showcase ensembles at the Connecticut All-State Music Educators Convention. Named Connecticut Music Educator of the Year and one of 50 Yale Distinguished Music Educators in 2015, Zimmerman has conducted notable performances including West Side Story at the Warner Theatre, and sang at Carnegie Hall with the Rutter Festival Chorus. Zimmeran is also an accomplished trombonist, having performed with the Hershey Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Torrington Symphony Orchestra, Capital Winds, and Litchfield Brass Quintet. He currently serves on the Executive Board of the CT Arts Administrators Association, leading professional development, advocacy, and policy initiatives at the state level.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Jonathan Sollinger, MD of Willows Pediatric Group. Dr. Sollinger has a common sense approach to health and wellness, grounded in the latest scientific advances, but with a strong belief in age-old paradigms of disease prevention. He strives to know kids and their families through an open, honest relationship, a lot of education, and a good sense of humor. Truly passionate about his work, Dr. Sollinger is always learning from patients, parents, and his own family about how we can all stay healthy and enjoy life. Dr. Sollinger attended Dartmouth College and graduated from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was selected as one of the Top Doctors in Connecticut by Castle Connolly Medical Ltd from 2013 to 2023 and by Connecticut Magazine in 2015 and 2016.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! This week he welcomes back Jen Tooker, First Selectwoman of Westport, who previously spoke with Westport Chief of Police Foti Koskinas on “Where Westport Meets the World” in June 2023. In this week’s conversation, she reflects upon her time as First Selectwoman and the changes Westport has seen during her tenure. First Selectwoman of Westport, Jennifer Tooker, has long been a public servant in Westport’s community. Prior to becoming First Selectwoman, Jennifer was Second Selectwoman, a position she has held since her election in 2017. She has served as a member of the Westport Board of Finance, the Westport Board of Education and the Westport Conservation Commission. As Second Selectwoman, Jennifer worked on a number of important initiatives. Focused on the social and emotional health and well-being of our community, Jennifer launched Westport Together. The mission of Westport Together is to promote the positive development of our children. This alliance between the Town and Westport Public Schools revitalized and rebranded its longstanding partnership to engage more of our community partners, strengthen programming and enhance coordination among other non-profit community agencies.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Lee Goldstein, official chairperson for Westport’s Board of Education. Westport is considered one of the best school districts in Connecticut, which Goldstein attributes to the support of the town itself. Lee has been active in education in both her professional and personal life as an educator and an advocate. A graduate of Yale University, Lee is a former high school English teacher and professional writer/editor who has served as a member of the Board of Education in Bedford, New York. Since moving to Westport six years ago, Lee’s been active in the PTA at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, serving for the past two years as PTA Co-President of Coleytown Middle School, including the most recent year during which the school was closed and its students displaced.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Mark Shanahan, an accomplished writer, actor, and the artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse. The Playhouse is a non-profit that produces theater from playwrights, actors, directors, and designers of all backgrounds, while entertaining audiences and exploring human and societal issues along the way. Shanahan assumed the position of artistic director in February 2024. Since 2018, Shanahan has been the curator of the Playhouse’s popular Script In Hand series, a special experience which brings together actors, audience, and the director to create a unique, collaborative production that, in Shanahan’s words, “gives us a chance to unearth and re-examine plays and to investigate what theater means to us.” For more information on Shanahan’s work as a writer, director, and actor, visit mark-shanahan.net.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guests this week are David Roth and Kerry Long, co-directors of the Staples Players, Staples High School’s own theatrical troupe. Graduates of Staples High School themselves, Roth and Long have spearheaded the Staples Players for more than 20 years, with 60 productions under their direction. The Staples Players was founded in 1959, in part by Emmy-award-winning actor Christopher Lloyd of ‘Back to the Future’ fame. Since its inception, the troupe’s core belief in students’ ability to deliver professional stage productions has facilitated numerous critically acclaimed and award-winning performances, including original productions like ‘Soldier, Soldier’ and ‘War & Pieces,’ two student-written, anti-war dramas — the latter of which was featured in a United Nations traveling exhibit. Roth and Long attribute the Staples Players’ high-quality showmanship to the ongoing support of Westport’s community and their wholehearted involvement in the arts. From honing the art of acting, to developing leadership skills, to fostering teamwork and collaboration, the Staples Players has been a cornerstone of Westport education for 65 years.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Kitt Shapiro, local Westport business owner of clothing boutique WEST and author of “Eartha & Kitt: A Daughter's Love Story in Black and White,” a memoir detailing her travels and early life growing up with her mother, the late international star Eartha Kitt. Having been involved with the fashion and entertainment industries her entire life, Kitt Shapiro has had an unconventional journey, continually evolving as an entrepreneur, wife, and mother of young adults. A Westport resident for 23 years, Shapiro and her husband, Allan Rothschild, raised their four children here, all of whom attended Westport schools. As president of Eartha Kitt Productions for more than 30 years, Shapiro has organized and produced many international Eartha Kitt shows and projects, including her Grammy nominated work as executive producer for Eartha’s final studio album, “Back in Business.” When her mother was diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in 2006, Shapiro became her caregiver and advocate. Since then, Shapiro has taken it upon herself to share her mother’s story and bring awareness to the importance of early detection and colonoscopy screening, serving as a member of the board of directors of the Colon Cancer Alliance and one of the tri-chairs for the American Cancer Society’s Women Leading The Way To Wellness fundraising program in Fairfield County.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guests this week are Cliff Sirlin and Peter Propp, the founders of StartUp Westport, a unique, public-private partnership ecosystem of entrepreneurs, investors and innovators designed to engage, foster and grow Westport’s innovation ecosystem. In just two years, StartUp Westport has hosted a number of events and mentorship programs designed to facilitate growth for entrepreneurs and investors in the Westport region. In 2023, StartUp Westport launched its partnership with The Westport Library. From discussions of Connecticut’s innovation economy, female founders, and diverse entrepreneurs to their upcoming forum on impact-driven leadership, StartUp Westport has found immense success in fostering a local ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation in information technology, biotech, and related fields. Learn more about StartUp Westport’s next forum at The Westport Library: westportlibrary.org/event/forum-sustainable-success-start-up-and-investor-perspectives-on-b-corps-and-public-benefit-corporations/
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guests this week are Megan Brownstein and Melissa Post of Westport Moms, a website and multi-platform resource for Westport moms (and dads!) looking for a one-stop-source for all kinds of parental information. Brownstein and Post started Westport Moms in the fall of 2016 after becoming involved in Westport’s community following their relocation from New York City. Seeking to go beyond word of mouth, they spearheaded Westport Moms with a mission to offer an up-to-date, informational, and exciting reference for local families who want to stay in the know about everything within the community. From schools, to restaurants, to sporting events, camps, music and dance classes, museums, to new store openings and interesting products, and more—the Westport Moms blog covers a wide range of topics and experiences having to do with everything Westport (and beyond), and the joyous confusion that comes along with being a parent.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Richard Failla, who has spent the majority of his adult life serving Westport in multiple ways: as a former Westport policeman for 30 years, as a current Town Hall security guard, and as a yoga instructor who co-founded and formerly taught at Westport Hot Yoga. With a diligent and industrious mindset, Failla has a long history of applying his aptitudes in various ways. After graduating from Shelton High School in 1979, he served part-time for the Shelton Police Department. Westport’s picturesque allure, as well as its robust police program and modern resources, ultimately drew him into full-time service for the Westport Police Department in 1985. From his law enforcement career to his passion for the communal mind-body connection of hot yoga that led to his rewarding business venture, the baseline of Failla’s diverse work history remains his commitment to serving his community.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Tom Scarice, the superintendent of the Westport Public Schools. Scarice has been the superintendent in Westport since July 1, 2020. Prior to arriving in Westport, he was the superintendent of the Madison Public Schools from 2012 to 2020. In that tole, Scarice led a “re-visioning” process that served as the blueprint for all continuous improvement efforts in the Madison Public Schools. The focus of this work has been to prepare all learners for the challenges of work and citizenship in the 21st century. Throughout his career, Scarice has worked to scan the horizon so that schools work tirelessly to prepare all learners for the challenges of the world they will live in as adults. In that work, he has reached across communities to foster not only the academic development of students, but also the social and emotional capacities of each and every child. He has partnered with youth and family services, as well as local faith-based communities, to develop programs and broad messages to serve the wider school community. Prior to his tenure in Madison, Scarice served as the assistant superintendent of the Weston Public Schools, and as the principal of the interdistrict Two Rivers Magnet Middle School. Scarice received his master’s degree in educational counseling, and certificate in educational leadership, from Southern Connecticut State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Connecticut.
Westport’s own Dan Woog brings his popular blog “06880: Where Westport Meets the World” to life, via the Verso Studios at The Westport Library – recorded LIVE in the Trefz Forum! His guest this week is Dominique Johnson, who represents Westport and Norwalk in the Connecticut House of Representatives. Johnson was elected to the state legislature in 2022. They currently serve as Deputy Majority Caucus Chair and Assistant Majority Leader. Additionally, they are in the Education, Higher Education & Employment Advancement and Judiciary Committees. Before joining the legislature, Johnson served two-terms as an at-large elected member of Norwalk's Common Council and Chair of the Community Services Committee where she worked to improve the quality of life for all of Norwalk’s residents in collaboration with the City and its community partners. She has also worked as a nonprofit consultant, a college professor, and is a published researcher. Johnson earned their PhD in Urban Education Policy from Temple University, an MA in Communication from Stanford University, and a BA in Communication Studies from Bryn Mawr College. She proudly lives in Norwalk with her partner Billie, their dog Rey, and their cat Scooter.
