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 Owen Daniel, a Connecticut-based singer-songwriter whose music combines folk/pop-influenced melodies with reflective, emotionally grounded lyrics about growth, connection, and change. Working with producer Ethan Isaac at Factory Underground Studios, Owen has been developing a sound that balances honest storytelling with modern production. In addition to his own artistry, Owen is actively involved in producing live music events, driven by his belief that strong music communities are built through intentional collaboration and opportunity. He has helped organize performances ranging from intimate showcases to larger creative events in his hometown and surrounding areas, creating spaces for artists to connect and grow. Owen is currently a senior at Weston High School and will continue his musical studies this fall at Berklee College of Music. He’s also a valued member of the Library’s own Crew Call video production team!
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 Alex Giannini, The Westport Library's own director of programs and events! If you've ever been to one of the Library's many programs, you can thank Alex and his awesome programming team. Having been with the Library for 12 years, he's seen it transform over the years and has worn many hats — from pioneering the Library's MakerSpace to launching StoryFest in 2016. Alex and his team facilitate hundreds of events each year, making our library the lively community centerpiece it is today. Outside his work at the Library, Alex Giannini is the author of the children's book 'Sarah Faire and the House at the End of the World'. He has written non-fiction titles for Bearport Publishing, and was previously a writer/producer at WWE.com. He lives in Connecticut with his wife and three dogs.
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 Christina Scherwin, chief operations officer for the Westport Weston Family YMCA. Scherwin has been actively involved with the Westport Weston Family YMCA (WWFY) and the local community since moving to Westport in 2014. She served for four years on the YMCA’s board of directors and continues to leverage her extensive background in competitive sports, coaching, and consulting to enhance WWFY’s program offerings and make a meaningful impact in the community. A two-time Olympian in the javelin for her native Denmark, Scherwin competed in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Games and was a finalist at the 2005 World Championships. In 2022, she was inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame as a collegiate athlete. She has also served on the Danish Olympic Athlete Commission and the World Athletics Athlete Commission. During her tenure at the University of Oregon, she coached an NCAA champion, a US Olympic Trials champion, and had participants in the World Championships, as well as the London and Rio Olympics. Scherwin enjoys playing tennis and working out at the Y. Her daughter Emilia is a member of the YMCA competitive gymnastics team, and her son Luka competes for the Water Rats swim team.
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 Marina Drasnin, a well-traveled photographer and painter from Los Angeles — and now a new resident of Westport! Drasnin has work in collections worldwide. She studied at the Sorbonne University in Paris and received a B.A. at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University in Boston. The daughter of two architects, Drasnin learned early on that a creative lens on the world is a gift to be shared, and the magic of the everyday moment a gift to be celebrated. Her recent body of work captures this magic as it lives and breathes through modern urban existence, from Los Angeles to Paris — and now Westport!
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 Allyson Stollenwerck, a seven-year veteran of Westport’s Board of Finance. Stollenwerck is dedicated to preserving best-in-class community resources while remaining focused on fiscal discipline, smart spending, and stable property tax rates. She has spent two decades as an executive at international nonprofits, including managing multi-million dollar budgets and building strategic plans that both support the world’s most vulnerable people and ensure efficient use of donor investment. She began her career as a corporate securities lawyer and served as counsel to the Deputy Attorney General of the United States. She is a graduate of Stanford and Yale Law School and has lived in Westport for 23 years with her husband, Jeff, and their two teenage sons.
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 Erik Barbieri, director of Parks and Recreation in Westport, where he oversees the town’s parks, beaches, recreational facilities, and community programs while working to enhance public spaces, expand recreational opportunities, and continue the tradition of excellence in parks and recreation services. Barbieri came to Westport in February of 2025, bringing more than 25 years of experience in parks and recreation management to the town, having led major municipal recreation initiatives and facility development projects throughout Connecticut. Prior to his move to Westport, Barbieri served as director of Parks, Recreation, and Community Services in New Britain since 2015. In that role, he managed seven divisions, including parks, recreation, a golf course, cemeteries, senior and veteran services, and disability programs. Under his leadership, New Britain successfully completed multi-million-dollar capital improvement projects, including the $10.5 million reconstruction of Osgood Park and the $5.4 million rehabilitation of AW Stanley Park. His expertise extends to overseeing major city-wide events, developing innovative recreation programs. Barbieri is a graduate of the University of Connecticut with a Bachelor of Science in Parks and Recreation Management. His technical skills include expertise in municipal recreation software and budgeting systems, ensuring efficient operations and fiscal responsibility.
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 Robin Moyer Chung, the culture correspondent for 06880.com, a board member of Positive Directions Center for Preventions and Counseling, and the founding (former) editor of Westport Lifestyle Magazine.
Her essay, “Rules for Sex, and the Consequences (or Etro Shawl),” was published in the 2025 Connecticut Literary Anthology.
A resident of Westport, she raised three kids and two dogs in Old Hill, is the host of “Why the Hell Did I Write This” podcast (recorded in Verso Studios), is a published librettist/lyricist, and community volunteer.
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 Mike Hayes, managing director of Insight Partners, a global software investment firm with $90B+ in regulatory assets under management and more than 800 portfolio companies across every stage of growth. Prior to Insight, Hayes was chief operating officer at VMware, as well as senior vice president and head of strategic operations for Cognizant Technologies. He also spent four years at Bridgewater Associates, an investment management firm, where he served as chief of staff. Prior to Bridgewater, Hayes spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy SEALs, where his career began as one of 19 graduates from a class of 120. He served throughout South America, Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia, including the conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His last job in the Navy was the Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO, which included 10 months as the commander of a 2,000-person Special Operations Task Force in southeastern Afghanistan. Prior to this, he was selected as a White House Fellow (2008-09) and served two years as director of defense policy and strategy at the National Security Council.
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 Dave Grossman, rowing director and boys’ head coach at Saugatuck Rowing Club. Grossman’s long history with Saugatuck Rowing Club began in the fall of 2005. He was a member of the Lightweight 8 that placed fifth at Youth Nationals in the spring of 2006. That summer, he started coaching the Learn to Row summer camps, which continued under his leadership for five years. He was also a four-year varsity member of the Hobart College rowing team, competing numerous times at the Head of the Charles Regatta, IRA National Championships, and the Henley Royal Regatta. Grossman has been on the coaching staff at the Saugatuck Rowing Club since the summer of 2011 and currently coaches both the Juniors and Masters. He holds a degree in History and American Studies from Hobart College. Prior to Saugatuck, Grossman worked as an event coordinator and research analyst for Irvin Levin, a Healthcare and M&A research firm. Dave is an avid New York Rangers fan.
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 Bill Harmer, executive director of The Westport Library himself! Hailing from Michigan, Harmer stands out as a dynamic advocate for public libraries, asserting their crucial role in today’s society. With more than 20 years in the field, he has redefined library management, fundraising, strategic planning, programming, and community development. Beginning his journey as the executive director at the Chelsea District Library in Michigan, Harmer then made a significant impact at The Westport Library, elevating it to national recognition for innovation and community engagement. A visionary in incorporating cutting-edge technology and digital resources, Harmer transformed the library into a tech and cultural hub. He introduced the state-of-the-art Trefz Forum, a flexible space that can fit up to 650 attendees — and serves as the filming location for “Where Westport Meets the World”; as well as Verso Studios, the media arm of the The Westport Library, making Westport the first public library with a professional media facility. Harmer's visionary approach and unwavering commitment have significantly transformed libraries into dynamic, essential centers for learning, culture, and community engagement in the 21st century.
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 Anne Keefe, a cornerstone of the Westport Country Playhouse since 1973. Keefe has served many roles at the Playhouse, including artistic director (with Joanne Woodward) and associate artistic director. She co-directed ‘David Copperfield,’ created the beloved Script in Hand series, and directed more than 70 staged readings.
Before her work at the Playhouse, Keefe spent nearly three decades stage managing at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven and McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, with Broadway credits including ‘Death and the Maiden’ (with Glenn Close), ‘Hamlet’ (with Ralph Fiennes), and ‘American Buffalo’ (with Al Pacino).
She has been involved with the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp Gala for 35 years, taught at the Yale School of Drama, and served on arts boards across Fairfield County. Her numerous honors include being named one of the 10 Women of Distinction by the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame, and receiving the Del Hughes Award for Lifetime Achievement, as well as the Westport Arts Award for Theatre.
