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.
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 Nick Marsan, who will be taking over as the Westport fire chief on July 1. Nick has been a member of the Westport Fire Department since 2007, currently serving as deputy chief, and as the town’s emergency management director. He has extensive experience in emergency operations, fire safety, and public administration. He began his career as a professional firefighter assigned to Platoon...
3 after graduating from the Connecticut Fire Academy Class #41. He served as a firefighter for nine years before being promoted to fire inspector and then to engine company lieutenant, stationed primarily at Station 4 in Saugatuck.
A state-certified Fire Marshal and EMT, Nick also holds several national fire service certifications, including Fire Service Instructor III and Fire Officer III. His commitment to public safety has been noted on numerous occasions. He is the recipient of two Westport Rotary Public Protection & Safety Awards, and several department awards including three-unit citations, the John H. Gallagher Award for outstanding service, and the Turker Aksoy Award for outstanding patient care. Additionally, he has served the communities of Norwalk and Darien as a fire inspector and is a state fire instructor for the New York Office of Fire Prevention and Control. He was the elected president of the Westport Uniformed Firefighters Association, Local 1081 for 10 years.
Nick is a veteran of the U.S. Army and the Connecticut Army National Guard and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for Valor for his actions during operations.
Nick holds two master’s degrees — one in history from Western Connecticut State University and another in public administration and emergency management from Sacred Heart University. He is a graduate of Fairfield College Preparatory School. Nick recently completed the National Fire Service Staff and Command Course in Annapolis, Maryland.
“I am excited to lead the men and women of the Westport Fire Department,” Nick said of his promotion to fire chief. “I am honored by the trust placed in me and I look forward to continuing our department’s dedication to outstanding service to the residents and guests of the Town of Westport.”
First Selectwoman Tooker stated, “Nick has the proven ability and expertise to seamlessly and effectively take over the role as chief. He has a breadth of knowledge, skill, experience, and understanding that will ensure that the current high standards of safety and efficiency will be maintained in the Westport Fire Department. I have every confidence that he will flourish and excel in this leadership role.”
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 Barbara Kellerman, the founding executive director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Kennedy’s School’s James MacGregor Burns Lecturer in Leadership, and a member of the Harvard faculty for more than 20 years. She is currently a fellow at the Center.
Kellerman has held professorships at Fordham, Tufts, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Washington, Uppsala,...
and Christopher Newport universities, as well as at Dartmouth and the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. She also served as director of graduate studies at Fairleigh Dickinson, and director of the Center for the Advanced Study of Leadership at the University of Maryland.
Kellerman received her BA from Sarah Lawrence College, and her MA and PhD (in Political Science) from Yale University. She was awarded a Danforth Fellowship and three Fulbright fellowships. At Uppsala (1996-97), she held the Fulbright Chair in American Studies, and she currently serves on the board of the CT Fulbright Alumni Chapter.
Kellerman was cofounder of the International Leadership Association (ILA) and is author and editor of many books, including The Political Presidency; Bad Leadership; Followership; Leadership: Essential Selections; The End of Leadership; Hard Times: Leadership in America, Professionalizing Leadership, and The Enablers. Kellerman has appeared on media outlets such as CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, NPR, MSNBC, Reuters, and BBC, and has contributed articles and reviews to the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and the Harvard Business Review.
She has spoken to audiences all over the world including in Berlin, Moscow, Melbourne, Sao Paolo, Jerusalem, Mumbai, Toronto, Kyoto, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Sydney, and Seoul. She received the Wilbur M. McFeeley Award from the National Management Association for her pioneering work on leadership and followership, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association. From 2015 to 2024, she has been ranked by Global Gurus as among the “World’s Top 30 Management Professionals.” Most recently (2024), she was #9 on the list.
Her next book, Leadership from Bad to Worse: What Happens When Bad Festers, has just been published by Oxford University Press. Kellerman regularly posts blogs at https://barbarakellerman.com/articles/
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!
David Lloyd is one of ESPN’s longest tenured anchors, who currently hosts the 7 a.m. ET edition of SportsCenter.
Lloyd joined ESPN as an ESPNEWS anchor in October 1997.
Before joining ESPNEWS, Lloyd was a weekend sports anchor at KGTV in San Diego, Calif. (1996-97). He served as weekend sports anchor at KTXL in Sacramento (1990-96) and WCIV in Charleston,...
S.C. (1987-90). Lloyd began his television career as an intern in Macon, Ga., with WMAZ-TV in 1986 after a brief advertising career in New York City.
A native of Westport, Conn., Lloyd graduated in 1983 from Colgate University with a bachelor of arts degree in international relations.
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!
In this episode, Dan Woog speaks with Westport Staples High Athletic Director VJ Sarullo.
Sarullo took over as AD at Staples in 2023 after previously serving in the same post at Notre Dame of Fairfield High School (2006-09), Sheehan High School (2009-14), and Jonathan Law High School (2014-23). He is also currently the president of the Connecticut Association of Athletic Directors.
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!
Jack Mitchell is chairman of the Mitchell Stores (Mitchells/Richards/Wilkes/Marios), a three-generation family business that operates men’s and women’s specialty stores in Connecticut, New York, California, Washington, and Oregon that are nationally renowned for their personal service touches and strong relationships. Jack himself has been recognized as one of the top 10 retail visionaries of his time by the Women’s Wear Daily.
In 2003, Jack...
Mitchell launched a “second career” as a speaker and author. His first book, "Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results," was a Wall Street Journal best-seller and received rave reviews in The New York Times. In addition, it was endorsed by Warren Buffet on the cover with the following quote: “It’s a gem. I wish everyone at Berkshire would follow his advice – we would own the world.” In April, 2015, a revised and updated version of "Hug Your Customers" was released.
In 2008, Jack published his second book, "Hug Your People: The Proven Way to Hire, Inspire, and Recognize Your Employees to Achieve Remarkable Results," where he illustrates a business blueprint to personalize relationships to drive success and achieve greater satisfaction at work. In 2018, Jack published his third book, "Selling the Hug Your Customers Way: The Proven Process for Becoming a Passionate and Successful Salesperson for Life," which illustrates how to apply the proven principles of Hug Your Customers to refine selling techniques, boost sales, and keep customers coming back for more.
Jack has become known as a passionate enthusiastic public speaker, keynoting at more than 200 events for corporations including Merrill Lynch, Pitney Bowes, Nike, Starbucks, and Harvard University, addressing audiences of all sizes and reaching more than 50,000 people globally. Jack has been quoted in national magazines as a customer service and management leadership expert. Jack also offers hugging workshops for 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!
Samantha is the editor-in-chief of Westport, Weston & Wilton Magazine; founder of the content, marketing, and branding firm, Samantha Yanks Creative; and co-founder of The Connecticut Edit, a digital platform for Fairfield and Litchfield County’s buzziest restaurants, newest openings, upcoming events, noteworthy creators, favorite shops, and the platform’s philanthropic partnerships.
Formerly the longtime editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury’s Hamptons and Gotham magazines, Yanks honed...
her skills in fashion as senior accessories editor at O, The Oprah Magazine, and accessories editor at Vogue.
Samantha is also an on-air personality on numerous television segments discussing luxury lifestyle, fashion, and beauty. She has appeared on NBC, CBS, Fox, Bloomberg, News 12 Connecticut, and the Martha Stewart and Howard Stern show on SiriusXMSatelliteRadio.
Today, Samantha focuses on mentoring talent in the media space, sitting on the advisory boards of content startups and giving back to the community. With a focus on nonprofits in Connecticut, Yanks is working with Connecticut Children’s, Filling in the Blanks, BCRF, 1st Serve Bridgeport, Connecticut Foodshare, and Clothes to Kids of Fairfield County.
A graduate of Tulane University, Samantha lives in Westport with her husband, daughter, and yellow lab, Wonton.
Lisa Wexler is a versatile and talented woman. Lisa hosts a daily talk radio show right here on WICC, every weekday from 10 am to 12 pm. She is also the probate judge of the Westport/Weston District, having been elected four times, both as a Republican and as a Democrat.
In 2006, Lisa created her own radio show, The Lisa Wexler Show, which quickly gained an audience. In 2022, Lisa won five Connecticut Press Awards, as well as receiving First Place from the National Women’s Press Association for the Best Radio Interview. Lisa also won the Gracie Award,...
the highest honor for women in television and radio, for her interview with Gloria Steinem. She is the recipient of many CT Press Awards, Best of Gold Coast, and Best of Westchester Awards and “Reader’s Choice” Awards from Westport Life & Style magazine. The show has been on the air continuously since September 30, 2006, on various stations throughout Connecticut and Metro New York. Since 2019, the show is exclusively broadcast on WICC. The slogan is “If You’re Thinking About It, Lisa’s Talking About It”.
Lisa has practiced law for over 40 years, having graduated Johns Hopkins University with honors and the New York University School of Law, where she won the prestigious American Jurisprudence Award for Excellence in Constitutional Law. She practiced law on Wall Street and then hung out a shingle in Westport. Active in Westport, Lisa served on both the Westport Zoning Board of Appeals and its Planning and Zoning Commission. Lisa is also a mediator, serving pro bono to resolve disputes in Probate Courts in Connecticut other than her own.
In 2013, Lisa created the Acorda Scientific Excellence Award radio program, which conducted weekly interviews with Westchester and Fairfield County high school students engaged in independent scientific research in STEM areas. The show aired until 2019 and is archived on lisawexler.com.
Lisa is also the author of Secrets of Jewish Mother, with her mother, Gloria Kamen and her sister, RHONY Jill Zarin. Published in English by Penguin/Dutton, the award-winning book was later translated into Chinese, Russian and Japanese. During the book tour, Lisa appeared on Today, Morning Show, Fox and Friends, CBS Early Show, Imus, and many others.
Lisa is a frequent commentator on the news. She appeared on FOXTv in Hartford in a segment entitled “WEXing Poetic” for over a year, and has written op-ed pieces for the Hartford Courant, the Connecticut Post, as well as regular columns for other publications. Lisa is a frequent contributor to News12 Connecticut.
Lisa’s passion is to speak for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Lisa is on the advisory board for Jane Doe No More, a Connecticut nonprofit whose mission is to erase the stigma of sexual assault. She serves on the board of the Jeffrey Modell Foundation, and successfully lobbied in CT for newborn screening for primary immunodeficiency disease. Lisa co-founded Women in Power CT, which held seminars for women looking to change their careers.
Lisa was appointed by the Connecticut legislature to the Juvenile Justice Oversight Commission, tasked with overhauling the juvenile justice system. In 2019, Lisa was named a News12 “Hometown Hero” for her devotion to WASA, the Westport Animal Shelter.
Lisa has been married to Bill Wexler for 41 years and is a resident of Westport. They have three children, Jonathan, Joanna, and Yotam, who is married to Joanna. Lisa and Bill share their home with their beloved bichons, Shaina and Yofi.
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!
Alisyn Camerota is a journalist, author, anchor, and correspondent for CNN. In her three decades in journalism, Camerota has covered stories nationally and internationally, earning two Emmy Awards and the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award. Her debut novel, "Amanda Wakes Up," was selected by National Public Radio as one of the best books of 2017, and by Oprah Magazine as “a must read.”
CNN...
anchor Alisyn Camerota’s memoir Combat Love is her story of growing up longing for stability and attachment as the foundation of her family crumbled. Set on the Jersey Shore in the free-range 1980s, Camerota finds the belonging she craves courtesy of a local punk rock band named Shrapnel and their diehard fans. Combat Love chronicles her near-misses and misadventures at clubs like CBGB and Max’s Kansas City, coupled with the sex, drugs, and punk rock of 1980s New Jersey. By the time she leaves home at 16, it feels like home had left her long ago.
Combat Love is also the story of two women, mother and daughter, trying to forge their own paths and independence, and find their own happiness, success, and wholeness. Camerota’s story searches for the line between shelter and risk, nurture and neglect, parenting and personal freedom. What are we willing to sacrifice for self-actualization and happiness? What if the answer is your mother, or your daughter?
The two-time Emmy Award-winning Camerota retraces her steps down an often gritty path toward her dream of becoming a journalist. At times heartbreaking and pulse-pounding, Combat Love is an inspiration for anyone who’s ever searched for that elusive place called home.
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!
Markus Marty has spent his career in hospitality and creative production in film. In 2008, he moved to New York after studying international hospitality management at L’Ecole Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne. As part of the original launch team at the Standard Hotel in New York’s meatpacking district, Markus held numerous marketing roles, incorporating content creation and filmmaking, which became one of the brand’s signatures. In 2015, Markus...
launched his filmmaking and production company make it nice, developing short films, videos, and other creative content for clients across hospitality, sports, beauty, and fashion. (www.makeitnice.com)
An athlete who continues to seek new challenges, Markus spends much of his free time participating in sporting events and physical activities, including the NYC marathon and 150-mile bike rides from Manhattan to Montauk. In addition, Markus has participated in numerous open water competitions across the globe including the 28.5-mile “Manhattan Island Marathon Swim.”
In 2018, Markus and his wife, Stacey had their first child while living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Markus and his family escaped to Westport during COVID in September 2020 and fell in love with the community and its beaches and decided to stay to raise their family (Miles, 5, Ellis, 3 and Selma, 4 months).
Markus met the Compo Beach open water swim group when he first moved to Westport and to this day, can be found swimming in the Long Island Sound, even on these cold winter days.
Bike Westport:
Growing up in Europe and then NYC, Markus’ primary mode of transportation has always been cycling. In fact, he never owned a car before moving to Westport. In 2023, Markus founded Bike Westport, which advocates for residents and cyclists of all ages and levels to bike (or walk) around town safely.
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!
In 2022, Ceci Maher was elected to represent the 26th state Senate district which covers parts of Weston, Wilton, Westport, Ridgefield, Redding, Darien, New Canaan and Stamford. This will be the senator's first term in the state Senate.
Ceci enjoyed a successful career in the retail space, running a multi-million-dollar department. While taking time off to raise her children she volunteered for organizations in...
the community. Based on lessons learned while volunteering, she pursued a master's degree in social work, graduating from Columbia University.
As a licensed master social worker, Ceci worked with children and youth in a psychiatric hospital, and then moved to leading local nonprofits. Ceci led the growth of educational opportunity programs at the Horizons National Student Enrichment Program for five years, and while executive director of Person-to-Person, she grew the agency from serving 15,000 people to serving 25,000 people per year and ultimately providing food for more than 2 million meals per year to people in need in 7 of the towns of lower Fairfield County.
Ceci led Sandy Hook Promise as interim executive director, supporting gun violence prevention programs including the important "Know the Signs" program helping to create safer communities for students and families.
Currently, Ceci resides in Wilton, where her children attended public schools. She grew up in Stamford, started her family in Norwalk, has worked in New Canaan and Darien, and volunteered in 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!
Dave Briggs is a longtime national broadcaster at CNN, NBC Sports, Fox News and Turner Sports. He’s still doing media work and also is vice president for business development at Cann Social Tonic. He’s been a Westport resident since 2008, and very involved in town activities -- for example as a Westport Library board member and Fashionably Westport MC. So is his wife Brandi, an attorney who...
is on the RTM. They have three children: Emerson, Will, and Logan.
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!
Phil Delgado retired from U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant Commander, working on various ships and shore duty assignments. During his second career he contributed significantly to the multinational NATO Seasparrow Missile System Program Office in Washington, D.C., and the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) F-35 Program Office, which is renowned as one of the world's most advanced stealth aircraft systems.
His dedication to service...
continues through his roles as the Quartermaster at Westport Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 399 and the Adjutant at American Legion Post 63, where he contributes to supporting and honoring fellow veterans within the community.
Phil proudly graduated from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
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!
Andrea Moore is Westport’s 2nd selectwoman. A native of Westport and a Staples graduate, she previously served as vice chair of the Board of Finance and on the RTM. Andrea spent more than 20 years in the financial services industry, with UBS, Deutsche Bank, and Salomon Brothers.
Andrea is a trustee of the Westport Weston Family Y. She is a former president of...
Staples Tuition Grants, the Saugatuck Elementary School PTA, and A Child’s Place pre-school.
