Ben Merens

I wrote "People Are Dying To Be Heard" after a 21-year talk show host career at Wisconsin Public Radio. I took tens of thousands of calls from people who would wait 20 minutes in order to be heard for less than two. Currently, I am the director of Podcast Network International and the media director for Milwaukee-based, Vistelar, a conflict management training firm.

I speak about how to be present for your life and the lives of others. I also talk about “Verbal Defense and Influence,” whose mantra is “treat others with dignity in order to earn their respect.”

I've worked in the media for 32 years. In that time, I've been a newspaper reporter, an overnight traffic reporter, a college adjunct instructor, a radio host and election night analyst and a television election night analyst.

I've dabbled in stand-up comedy and am a professional improv musician. I hear stories and can write songs about them on the spot using my voice and an old Gibson guitar.

I'm constantly in search of the next great story.