Jennifer Schmidt is a senior producer for Hidden Brain. She is responsible for crafting the complex stories that are told on the show. She researches, writes, gathers field tape, and develops story structures. Some highlights of her work on Hidden Brain include episodes about the causes of the #MeToo movement, how diversity drives creativity, and the complex psychology of addiction.
Tara Boyle is the supervising producer of NPR's Hidden Brain. In this role, Boyle oversees the production of both the Hidden Brain radio show and podcast, providing editorial guidance and support to host Shankar Vedantam and the shows' producers. Boyle also coordinates Shankar's Hidden Brain segments on Morning Edition and other NPR shows, and oversees collaborations with partners both internal and external to NPR. Previously, Boyle spent a decade at WAMU, the NPR station in Washington, D.C. She has reported for The Boston Globe, and began her career in public radio at WBUR in Boston.
Chris Benderev is a founding producer of and also reports stories for NPR's documentary-style podcast, Embedded. He's driven into coal mines, watched as a town had to shutter its only public school after 100 years in operation, and, recently, he's followed the survivors of a mass shooting for two years to understand what happens after they fade from the news. He's also investigated the pseudoscience behind a national chain of autism treatment facilities. As a producer, he's made stories about ISIS, voting rights and Donald Trump's business history. Earlier in his career, he was a producer at NPR's Weekend Edition, Morning Edition, Hidden Brain and the TED Radio Hour.
Many sports have their heroes, but basketball has an uncanny ability to turn stars into legends and build fuel for both the history of the game and the heroes that have mastered the hardwood.
After years of hiatus, Jennifer Rena Bennett, owner of Matlacha's Island Flair, has partnered with the Matlacha Civic Association to resurrect Matlacha's Art Walk. Its resurgence returned to the small island on June 13, 2025. Since then, the event has gained increased attention with an intrinsic goal of rejuvenating and reinvigorating the quaint business community, home to the historic fishing village, during the times of stability prior to the cavalcade of hurricanes Ian, Helene and Milton—all of which impacted the low-lying island in different ways.
Sarasota Cuban Ballet presents “The Nutcracker” at the Sarasota Opera House on Friday. That performance will obviously feature classic choreography and the beauty of Tchaikovsky’s score. But as Administrative Director Barbara Worth explains, there’s more to this production.
Arts Center Theatre on Marco Island is doing something different this holiday season. Instead of staging a full-scale production of a Christmas show, they’re reading selections from David Sedaris’ “Holidays on Ice.”
A report released Wednesday by Amnesty International alleges cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment at two immigration detention centers in Florida: The Everglades Detention Facility (“Alligator Alcatraz”) in eastern Collier County and the Krome North Service Processing Center ("Krome") in Miami.