Episode 108: NYU Alums Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jackie Danziger, Lemonada Media
In this episode, NYU alums Stephanie Wittels Wachs (above, left) and Jackie Danziger speak about their podcast network Lemonada Media. Stephanie is a voice actress, activist, and author, and the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of the podcast network Lemonada Media. Jackie Danziger is the Vice President of Content and Production at Lemonada Media, a writer and voice over artist. Stephanie and Jackie are here to talk about Lemonada Media, “an award winning, women-run podcast network that shares the unfiltered version of the human experience” that is normalizing difficult conversations, including the conversation that was the catalyst for Lemonada’s creation: addiction.
Stephanie Wittels Wachs is co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Lemonada Media. She co-created and hosts Last Day, Lemonada's award-winning flagship show. The series confronts massive epidemics with humor, compassion, and a quest for progress. Its first season confronted the opioid crisis, which took the life of her brother, writer-producer-comedian Harris Wittels (Parks & Recreation, Master of None). Wittels Wachs is the author of the best-selling book Everything Is Horrible and Wonderful: A Tragicomic Memoir of Genius, Heroin, Love, and Loss, which Kirkus anointed “a powerful debut,” upon its release. A reputable theater director and well-known voice actor appearing in countless anime series and movies, she founded Rec Room Arts, a performance space and national artist-residency program in Houston, TX. She founded Lemonada Media with Jessica Cordova Kramer, who also lost her brother to an overdose, because, Wittels Wachs says, “Community is a life jacket.”
Jackie Danziger is a podcast producer, writer & voice over artist based in Brooklyn, NY. Jackie produces longform narrative audio stories that are warm, authentic and informative with a focus on social impact. Jackie's work has covered a broad range of rich topics including: reproductive justice, LGBTQ rights, drug policy, feminism, tech, science, public health, and education. I have produced shows for The Clinton Foundation, Lemonada Media, and NARAL Pro-Choice America.