How do you turn political fear into sustained action? Jess Craven has been answering that question for her massive Substack community every weekday since November 2016.

In this episode of The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show, Dr. Lyerly welcomes the face of “Chop Wood, Carry Water”, Jess Craven: political activist, content creator, and widely-followed organizer.

The daughter of legendary horror director Wes Craven (A Nightmare on Elm Street, Scream), Jess has unironically applied lessons about confronting fear to building one of the most engaged grassroots organizing communities in America…and she’s just hitting her stride! (Image copyright Wireimage)

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Whether you're a longtime activist or someone who's never made a political phone call, this conversation offers practical tools, inspiring stories, and a roadmap for turning anxiety into impact.

What happens when telling patients the truth gets you fired? This week, Dr. Kristin Lyerly sits down with Nikki Sapiro Vinckier, PA-C—an OB/GYN physician assistant who spent over a decade in clinical practice before being pushed out for refusing to stay silent. 

Nikki's new book We Deserve More: Why Reproductive Healthcare is Broken—And What You Can Do About It exposes the gap between what clinicians know, what lawmakers think they know when they write abortion bans, and the flood of misinformation patients face online.

In this conversation, Kristin and Nikki dig into:

This is medicine, unfiltered. 

While the Trump-Vance administration has attempted to freeze funding, strip healthcare coverage from millions, and attack reproductive rights, one organization has been fighting back in court - and winning.

Democracy Forward didn't wait for Inauguration Day to prepare. Anticipating the threats of Project 2025, they built a strategic network of over 650 diverse partner organizations, positioning legal expertise exactly where it would be most effective: in the courts. The result? The moment Trump took office, they were ready, and they've been winning ever since.

This week, Dr. Lyerly sits down with Skye Perryman, President and CEO of Democracy Forward and one of “TIME100’s Most Influential People in the World” to discuss the hundreds of legal victories they've secured since January 20th. From protecting immigrant communities to shielding medication abortion from legal attacks, Democracy Forward is serving as a critical check on executive overreach.

If you're tired of feeling helpless, this conversation will remind you that resistance isn't futile - it's winning.

Last week, everything changed in an instant. A serious car accident turned this doctor into a patient, and the strangers who became heroes - the volunteers and healthcare workers who rushed to help - reminded me exactly why we do this show. Community isn't just a buzzword. It’s how we take care of each other. It's our foundation. It's what builds our democracy.

And what a year of community building it has been! In 2025, I sat down with some of the most interesting and engaging voices in Wisconsin and beyond - people who step up and speak out in the places where they are needed the most. These aren't just interviews, these are the conversations that shaped the year.

From the fight for healthcare to the future of Wisconsin, from tariffs to protecting our voting rights, we've covered it all. Join us as we relive the moments that hit hardest, celebrate the wins, and get fired up for what's coming next…because we’re just getting started!

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Wisconsin's 2026 gubernatorial race is wide open - and the stakes couldn't be higher. With no incumbent for the first time since 2010, a large and diverse field of Democrats are vying for the nomination in what will be one of the most watched races in the country.

In this episode, Dr. Kristin Lyerly sits down with Missy Hughes, the former CEO of Wisconsin's Economic Development Corporation and longtime Organic Valley executive who's running on a platform of economic opportunity for all 72 counties.

Hughes isn't your typical candidate. She lives in western Wisconsin on a farm outside of Viroqua with 70 sheep, two donkeys, and a passion for growing dahlias. She's run eight marathons. She's a lawyer who spent 17 years in the dairy industry before leading the state agency that brought Microsoft, Eli Lilly, Milwaukee Tool, and Kikkoman to Wisconsin - securing over $10 billion in investment and 45,000 jobs.

Her pitch?

I'm not a politician, and that's the point.

We talk about her unlikely path from growing up in New York to rural Wisconsin, what a "Main Street Economy" actually means in practice, how she plans to bridge urban and rural divides, and what sets her apart.

This week on The Dr. Kristin Lyerly Show, Dr. Lyerly sits down with Kate Duffy, founder of Motherhood for Good, a movement mobilizing moms across Wisconsin and beyond into a powerful political force.

From the origin story of turning social media frustration into grassroots action, to her new venture with Kristin Brey, Kate shares how mothers are reclaiming the political narrative and building real power.

In this candid, entertaining conversation, Kate and Dr. Lyerly discuss what makes moms unique, which issues are driving mothers to the polls, and why politicians should be paying attention. They explore the intersection of motherhood and activism, the future of mother-led organizing, and what it takes to sustain a movement while still packing school lunches.

If you've ever wondered whether mom rage can be a political strategy - or if you're ready to channel yours - this episode is for you.

Gerrymandering isn't just a political buzzword—it's the practice of manipulating voting district boundaries to predetermine election outcomes, and it's happening in states across America right now to stack the deck in favor of the people in power.

In this episode, Dr. Kristin Lyerly sits down with Mark Gaber, Senior Director of Redistricting at the Campaign Legal Center, to break down the current battles over fair maps.

From landmark cases in Texas and California to emerging fights in Indiana and Illinois, Mark walks us through how partisan gerrymandering undermines democracy, what's being done to stop it, and where fair maps have won in the past (hint: Michigan and Wisconsin, at least for now).

You'll learn:

Whether you're new to redistricting or following these cases closely, this conversation offers critical insight into one of the most consequential—and least understood—threats to American democracy.

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Producer: Abraham Lyerly

Music: Nic Tierman & Abraham Lyerly

Every week, Dr. Kristin Lyerly shows up on Pat Kreitlow's morning radio show to talk politics and healthcare. She answers his questions, follows his format, plays by his rules. But today? The tables have turned.

In this special episode, Kristin interviews her friend Pat Kreitlow—former Wisconsin State Senator, veteran broadcaster, and one of the last voices keeping local journalism alive in Wisconsin. They dive into his unlikely journey from anchorman to the Senate floor to the radio studio, what's really happening in Wisconsin politics that no one's paying attention to, and whether local media can actually survive in the age of TikTok and cable news rage-bait.

But this isn't your typical serious policy interview. Kristin also grills Pat on the important questions: Does he practice his radio voice in the mirror? Is he actually that cheerful at 6 AM? And what's the most ridiculous thing that's happened while he was broadcasting live?

If you've ever wondered what happens when two Wisconsin media personalities who actually like each other sit down for a real conversation—part serious, part silly, all honest—this is it!

Lieutenant Governor Sara Rodriguez joins Dr. Lyerly to discuss her campaign to become Wisconsin's first female governor.

Photo credit: Nick Garcia

From their shared experience as healthcare professionals entering politics during the pandemic to the fight for Medicaid expansion and reproductive rights, this conversation explores what it takes to lead boldly in uncertain times. Sara shares her vision for Wisconsin's future and why healthcare expertise matters in the governor's office.

Fellow radio host and Wisconsin mom Kristin Brey joins the show for a conversation that covers everything from bridging divides to government shutdowns and doesn’t shy away from the big questions: Has the Democratic Party lost touch with the people? Did liberal feminism actually ruin the workplace? Kristin brings honesty, humor, and the perspective of someone living it all in real time. This one is equal parts fun and real talk—don't miss it.