WTMJ Conversations

A heart/lung transplant is an extremely rare & high risk procedure.  In fact, the UW Heart Transplant Center has only performed 17 such transplants since 1989. Today on WTMJ Conversations, WTMJ's Libby Collins sits down with Kortney Zblewski, a Wisconsin mother who documented her journey as a heart/lung transplant recipient on TIkTok. Kortney talks about her wait for a heart and lung, the challeng...

Sara Larson is the Founder and Executive Director of Awake, a Milwaukee-based organization representing survivors of clergy abuse throughout the United States. Today on WTMJ Conversations, she sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss why she founded the organization, the mission of Awake, infiltrating the Vatican to get her message to Pope Leo, and much more. It's all ahead on this edition o...

This week, Mayor Cavalier Johnson appointed Adam Procell as the new Director of Milwaukee's Office of Wellness and Community Safety.  A few days before the announcement, WTMJ's Libby Collins talked with Adam about decisions he made as a teenager eventually leading him to become an advocate for violence prevention. He discussed his time in a prominent Milwaukee gang, his life in prison, and what ma...

Megan Woodward Johnson creates her paintings by talking to them. Today on WTMJ Conversations, the Artist in Residence at Saint Kate the Arts Hotel sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins. She talks about the way that she puts together her pieces from scraps and paint, the way that audiences react to her art, and much more. It's all ahead on this perspective-shifting edition of WTMJ Conversations!

The Wauwatosa Historical Society is presenting an exhibit of artifacts dating back to 1875, the year Charles Hawks, Sr. founded his business. Today on WTMJ Conversations, Joe Kresl, the current president of The Hawks Nursery Company, sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins. He talks about the history of the company, the importance of nature in urban spaces, his favorite gardens in Milwaukee, and so mu...

Maestro Alexander Platt hears music in his head at all times. As the conductor of three different orchestras, Alexander Platt works with a wide variety of different musicians. Today on WTMJ Conversations, he shares his story of how he got where he is today and his encounters with celebrities, royalty, and so much more. It's all ahead on this musical edition of WTMJ Conversations!

Local author and motivational coach Susan K. Wehrley has written 12 books. Her latest, titled Shift has been turned into a docu-reality show that will air in September on multiple streaming services. Today on WTMJ Conversations, she sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss the importance of using your intuition, how trusting her gut saved her daughter's life and revealed a family secret, the...

Billboard called The Buckinghams "the most listened-to band in America" in 1967. Today on WTMJ Conversations, guitarist Carl Giammarese tells Libby Collins everything about the Chicago pop outfit, including having the number one song in the country while being a senior in high school, playing on the Ed Sullivan Show, singing some of the most memorable jingles of all time, and so much more. It's al...

WTMJ's Sandy Maxx sits down with Milwaukee World Festival Inc President & CEO Sarah Panchieri and VP of Sales and Development Kevin Canady to discuss the hottest performers coming to Summerfest this year, the delicious food, and the newest mind-blowing experiences!

5th District Alderman Lamont Westmoreland is known for being outspoken. He's only been a member of Milwaukee's Common Council for a few years, yet has made an impact because he is not afraid to tell it like it is. Today on Conversations, he sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss what he believes are the greatest problems threatening Milwaukee and what we can do to fix them. He also reveals...

Hat making is a lost art with only 15 master hat makers left in the United States, but three of them are right here in Milwaukee. Today on WTMJ Conversations, Kate McLaughlin from the McLaughlin & Hayes Hat Company talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about the lost art of hat making, creating headpieces for stage and screen, being immortalized in the Kentucky Derby Museum, and so much more. It's all a...

When she was 18 years old, Sierra Andrews was in a car accident that left her without the use of her legs. Yesterday, she graduated from MSOE. Today, she joins WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss the trials and tribulations of attending college in a wheelchair and her recently published children's book, Not Everyone Walks the Stage. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations!

When a police officer is involved in a critical incident, many people are affected, but we seldom hear about the toll it takes on the first responder involved in the incident. Today on WTMJ Conversations, Hartford Township Police Captain Adam Meyers sits down with WTMJ’s Libby Collins to share his story and his newest initiative, Stop the Threat – Stop the Stigma. It’s all ahead on this edition of...

In 1854, a runaway slave named Joshua Glover made his way to the free state of Wisconsin.  He was pursued by slave hunters and abducted in the middle of the night in Racine, leading to a group of over 5,000 people from Milwaukee and Racine coming together free Joshua from his imprisonment. Today on WTMJ Conversations, filmmaker Michael Jahr tells WTMJ's Libby Collins the breathtaking story of Josh...

Growing up in Milwaukee, Luciano Rogers was inspired by movies like Indiana Jones, which gave him a desire to travel the world. Fast-forward to today, and he has achieved that dream and much more. He sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss how he began his journey, his favorite moments at these awe-inspiring locations, and some insider advice for fellow world travelers.

Imagine growing up in the Alaskan wilderness as a member of the Tlingit tribe. Today on WTMJ Conversations, Dr. Paul Trebian, President & CEO of the International Institute of Wisconsin talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about experiences that shaped the person he is today. Hear Paul talk about his experience running into a bear in the wild, a fishing story he'll never forget, the best advice his gra...

You might know him from The Morning Blend, but he's worked on the Jerry Springer Show, Bravo's reality programs, and is one of the foremost film critics in the country.  Today on WTMJ Conversations, Ryan Jay shares behind the scenes stories from the world of entertainment with WTMJ's Libby Collins. He discusses creating a new radio show from the ground up, becoming a world-renowned Oz historian, b...

Larry Lynne has been in a countless number of bands. He has shared the stage with many musical icons. He's even had national radio hits. Today on WTMJ Conversations, the Godfather of Milwaukee Rock n Roll sits down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to talk about starting his band, the Skunks, sharing the stage with legends like Little Richard and Chuck Berry, recording hit songs like "Elvira" and "I Recom...

Today, you know him as the host of Wisconsin's Midday News. But how did Greg Matzek get to where he is today? Greg joins WTMJ's Libby Collins to talk about his start in radio, becoming a medical case study, the difference in Wisconsin sports teams' locker rooms, and so much more. It's all ahead on this edition of WTMJ Conversations!

The Nun Study began in 1986, with the aim of answering the question of what causes Dementia and Alzheimer's. But this study has a connection to Milwaukee that you may not have known about! Today on WTMJ Conversations, Sister Charlene Zeisset talks with WTMJ's Libby Collins about the origins and practice of the Nun Study, the legacy left by those involved, and what we can learn from it. It's all ah...

You know them for their commercials and quality furniture, but how does a legacy business like Biltrite begin? Today on WTMJ Conversations, Marty and Randi from Biltrite Furniture sit down with WTMJ's Libby Collins to discuss how the business began, growing up in a furniture store, predicting style trends, the furniture and funeral home connection, and much more. It's all ahead on this edition of...