Duologue with Leslie Heaney

I’m so excited to be back after my six-week break that was filled with parents’ weekends, school plays, crew races—and our daughter’s high school graduation! And I promise, this next episode was worth the wait. This week on The Interview, I sit down with Betsy Wills—co-founder of  YouScience  and author of  Your Hidden Genius .  Whether you’re reentering the workforce, feeling professionally unful...

May is  Neurofibromatosis  (NF) Awareness Month. In honor of that, we are re-releasing a deeply moving episode that focuses on a truly incredible foundation—and the powerful story behind it. Leslie sits down with Kate Doerge, founder of  Penny’s Flight Foundation.  Kate shares the powerful story of her daughter, Penny, who passed away in November 2022 from NF—the most common genetic disorder in ch...

In anticipation of Memorial Day, we’re bringing back a powerful and timely conversation with two remarkable storytellers, James Patterson and Tim Malloy. You know Patterson as one of the bestselling authors of all time, with over 425 million books sold and collaborations with names like Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton. You may know Malloy as a veteran investigative reporter and seven-time Emmy winne...

In honor of Mother’s Day this upcoming Sunday, we’re revisiting a conversation that celebrates the beautiful bond between parent and child. In this episode, Leslie sits down with the inspiring  Jenna Bush Hager—author, journalist, and host of  Today with Jenna & Friends. A force in publishing and media, Jenna is the creator of the  Read with Jenna Book Club , founder of the Thousand Voices imp...

Tomorrow, May 1st, marks the beginning on Mental Health Awareness Month. In honor of that, we are bringing back one of our most impactful episodes: Mental Health Matters - feat. Corinne Catarozoli, Ph. D. Dr. Corinne Catarozoli is a leader in pediatric integrated care at Weill Cornell Medicine. She specializes in evidence-based treatment for children, adolescents, and young adults dealing with anx...

In Honor of Financial Literacy Month: A Special Re-Release This week, we’re re-releasing one of our most popular episodes of  The Interview with Leslie  — and it couldn’t be more timely. In “Girls Just Want To Have FUNDS”, Leslie sits down with Lacy Garcia, Founder and CEO of  Willow ,  an award-winning platform that helps connect women and multigenerational consumers with financial advisors who t...

In this episode, I had the distinct honor and pleasure to interview Jean Becker on her new book  Character Matters: And Other Life Lessons from George H.W. Bush. I wanted to interview Jean as soon as I heard about  Character Matters. I am writing this on election day knowing this episode will be released tomorrow, November 6, 2024.  No matter the outcome of the election, half of our country will b...

This is one of my favorite podcast episodes to date! In this conversation, I dive into the "behind the music"—both literally and figuratively—of one of country music's rising stars and the world of professional sailing. Through it all, you’ll get to know two extraordinary individuals: Caroline Jones and Nick Dana. Caroline Jones is a talented singer-songwriter and the only female member of the Gra...

You may remember my next guest,  Tamir Goodman . Dubbed the  “Jewish Jordan” by Sports Illustrated,  Tamir made history as the first Orthodox Jewish player to play Division I and professional basketball without compromising his faith. Tamir’s story is extraordinary. He refused to play on Shabbat — from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday — a decision that made headlines and set him apart in the spo...

In today's episode, I am thrilled to welcome Jenna Bush Hager, American news personality, author, and journalist. Jenna is the host of  Today with Jenna & Friends , the fourth hour of NBC's morning news program. Jenna is the creator of the Read with Jenna Book Club ; she has also launched a publishing imprint, Thousand Voices , a joint venture with Random House Publishing House supporting emer...

In today's episode, I am so thrilled to share my conversation with author, activist, and storyteller, Susan Lieu. Susan is a multi-hyphenated artist whose work has captivated audiences nationwide. Her award-winning solo show, 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother , evolved into her debut memoir, The Manicurist’s Daughter. This emotionally raw memoir was Apple’s Book of the Month and has been featur...

Following the devastating fires in California, I kept hearing story after story of Pacific Palisades residents having been dropped by their insurance company just a few months before the deadly fire. The same thing happened this past fall in Florida – Floridians couldn’t afford their increased premiums, so when Hurricane Milton hit – they had no coverage. In fact, Florida insurance rates have gott...

Today in the US, close to 70% of all students are below proficiency in math and reading, and close to 90% of low-income students are below proficiency.  With an overwhelming majority of our students graduating below proficiency in all academic subjects, the United States is in the middle of an educational crisis.   Thankfully my next guest Dr. Kimberly Nix Berens is working to address this crisis....

It is an honor and a privilege to introduce my next two guests, James Patterson and Tim Malloy. James Patterson is one of the most successful authors of all time, having sold over 425 million books. He is perhaps best known for his Alex Cross series, which has been adapted into films such as Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider. In addition to his fiction, Patterson has collaborated on New York...

In honor of President’s Day this past Monday, we are re-releasing this incredible episode about the women who made Teddy Roosevelt. In this episode, Leslie sits down with Ed O’Keefe — an award-winning TV producer, reporter, and author. While as a Harvard Kennedy School Fellow, O’Keefe stumbled upon some unpublished letters between Theodore Roosevelt and two of the most important women in his life:...

It turns out that many celebrities, politicians, and CEOs look to astrology before making any plans – they consult their astrologer before a political race, before accepting a role in a movie, or before they decide on an acquisition. Before a financial advisor, spouse, or therapist – they call their astrologer – and not just any astrologer - but they call my next guest - astrologer to the stars, R...

Today, it is estimated that approximately 3 percent of incarcerated people in the United States are innocent. Thankfully, there are Innocence Projects across the country who are dedicated to investigating and litigating claims of innocence. Without them, these innocent people would have no path to exoneration. In this episode, I sit down with Jason Gichner, the Executive Director of the Tennessee...

Eleni Giannopoulos is the woman behind the great Eleni’s cookies.  Driven by a desire to start her own company along with a love of baking and an old family recipe, Eleni launched Eleni’s back in the mid-90s.  Since then, she has gone on to create a storied, nationally recognized cookie brand.  CBS News couldn’t have put it any better, “Eleni’s is an international favorite sought after by celebrit...

It’s hard to believe that it was 50 years ago this year that Saturday Night Live made its debut on television. A four-part docuseries is coming out this week on Peacock, SNL 50: Beyond Saturday Night, which will give fans a look inside the show's making. Who knew that The Interview was so timely? I am doing the same in this week's episode. It was such a delight to sit down with 7-time Emmy Winner,...

Colorectal cancer , the disease that claimed the life of "Black Panther" actor Chadwick Boseman at age 43, was once considered an “old person’s” illness. It no longer is. The National Cancer Institute says early-onset colorectal cancer is now the  No. 1 cause of cancer death in people 20 to 49 years old. It gets worse. Studies show that cancer that develops in younger people tends to be more aggre...

An African safari trip is on every person’s bucket list. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Because of the cost, difficulties of travel, and the variety of places to visit,  a trip to Africa is one that we all want to make sure that we get right.   So many of us know we want to see incredible animals and breathtaking landscapes – but we have no idea where to start! Thankfully, that is where  &Thr...

In this episode, I sit down with Nicholas Fox Weber, art historian and Executive Director of the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation . He is also the author of fifteen books, among them iBauhaus, Le Corbusier, Balthus: A Biography, and Patron Saints . Weber is a gradu­ate of Colum­bia Col­lege (B.A., major in Art History), Yale Uni­ver­sity (M.A., Art History; Fellowship in American Art), and the Uni...

Today, Leslie sits down with journalist, lawyer, political commentator, and writer Gordon G. Chang about his latest book, “Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America”. Described by The New Yorker as a “longtime uber hawk on China”, Chang’s latest thesis outlines what he believes is an existential threat from China towards the U.S. and the current world order. Leslie talks with Gordon about his c...

Today Leslie sits down with Preston Konrad and Lisa Manice - Co-creators of Preston Lane – a new luxury home care company.  Preston Konrad is a lifestyle expert, creative director and television personality based out of New York City. He spent his early career as a creative director and marketing genius working for storied brands like Ralph Lauren, Belstaff and American Eagle Outfitters. Preston s...

In the aftermath of the horrific attack by Hamas on the people of Israel on October 7th, I and many others were shocked to witness not a clear and staunch condemnation of terrorism, but an explosion of ugly antisemitic sentiment and protests.  These attacks extended to Jewish thought leaders and authors, many of whom had speaking engagements and book deals cancelled. Jewish owned bookstores and pu...