Lauren Ober is an award-winning journalist, podcast consultant and host of American Public Media's new podcast "Spectacular Failures" and previously host of NPR’s “The Big Listen.” She’s currently gearing up to host a new show for American Public Media (APM) expected to launch in May 2019. Before becoming a kick-ass podcaster and journalist, Lauren studied Justice and Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C. It wasn’t until after graduating or, more specifically, until after not doing so hot on the LSAT exanm, that Lauren realized instead of her initial hopes of studying law, what she really wanted to pursue was journalism. To get her foot in the door and quickly beef up her reporting chops, she attended the journalism Master’s program at Syracuse University. Lauren worked as a newspaper reporter until 2012, when she attended a storytelling workshop hosted by Transom, an innovative radio training group, that changed the course of her career.