Lisa Ann Poggi is an actress, producer, and advocate using storytelling to shine a light on one of the most urgent issues facing families today — addiction and recovery.

With a career spanning film and television, Lisa has worked both in front of and behind the camera, but in recent years her focus has shifted toward purpose-driven projects that center healing, hope, and real-world impact. Through her work with the Choosing Hope Project, she supports families navigating substance use disorder, helping break stigma and offering resources, connection, and practical guidance for recovery.

Blending creativity with advocacy, Lisa believes stories can change lives — and systems.

On this episode of The Kingfisher Project, she shares her journey, the personal experiences that shaped her mission, and how film and media can be powerful tools for awareness, compassion, and change.

On The Kingfisher Project, we dive into a powerful conversation about addiction, enforcement, and education.

I’m joined by Bridget Brennan, the Special Narcotics Prosecutor for the City of New York. Senior Trial Counsel Chris Edel and Chief of Investigations Bernice Ordonez also join the discussion. Chris and Bernice lead the office’s Educational Outreach Committee, and together they break down the wide scope of their work and how it connects directly to communities in our region.

Tonight, we speak with Dr. Melody Glenn, an emergency and addiction medicine physician, associate professor at the University of Arizona, and author of the new book Mother of Methadone from Beacon Press — a hybrid memoir weaving her own story with that of Dr. Marie Nyswander, the radical pioneer of methadone treatment.

In this episode, Dr. Glenn shares how stigma and misunderstanding around addiction remain deeply entrenched — even within medicine — and why she believes compassion and evidence must go hand in hand if we’re to truly heal. We talk about the history of addiction treatment, her writing journey, and the women who paved the way for a more humane approach to care.

As Dr. Glenn reminds us, addiction medicine is about meeting people where they are — not where we wish they were — and ensuring the treatment is easier to access than the poison.

My guest is Prof. Thomas Van Nortwick, an emeritus professor of Classics at Oberlin and someone I’ve known since the fall of 1960. Together, we’ll reflect on what it was like to grow up in a home shaped by substance use and how those early experiences stay with us. 

We’ll also explore Rebecca Pisall’s story, viewing it through Tom’s Classicist perspective—bringing ancient insights to a very modern struggle. 

Dr. Arthur Robin Williams, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University and Research Scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. 

Dr. Williams, a leading voice in the field of substance use disorders, will discuss his work and research with a special focus on Ophelia—a platform that expands access to evidence-based telehealth treatment for opioid use disorder.

We’ll explore how telehealth is transforming the treatment landscape, especially in rural and underserved communities like ours, where access to care can be limited. Dr. Williams will also share insights on the future of addiction care, the challenges patients face, and the role technology can play in reducing stigma and improving outcomes.

 In this episode, my guests are Jody D’Agostini (Founder and Board Chair, right) and Andi Williams (Executive Director, left) of Community in Crisis. Based in the Somerset Hills of New Jersey, Community in Crisis works to reduce substance use and its impacts by uniting communities through education, prevention, and holistic recovery support—free from stigma. 

Dr. Stephen Loyd is a nationally recognized expert in Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine, currently serving as Director of West Virginia’s Office of Drug Control Policy and Chief Medical Officer at Cedar Recovery in Tennessee. Formerly Tennessee’s Assistant Commissioner for Substance Abuse Services, Dr. Loyd has been a pivotal voice in shaping statewide pain treatment guidelines—especially for opioid-dependent pregnant women.

With experience as an expert witness in high-profile prescription drug cases and recognition as an "Advocate for Action" by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, Dr. Loyd’s impact spans drug courts, anti-drug coalitions, and law enforcement efforts across the country.

His personal journey is just as powerful—Dr. Loyd has been in recovery from opioid and benzodiazepine addiction since July 8, 2004. His lived experience fuels his relentless commitment to reform and recovery advocacy. He even inspired the character Dr. Finnix, portrayed by Michael Keaton in Hulu’s award-winning series Dopesick.

Dr. Loyd is more than a physician—he’s a leader, a changemaker, and a source of hope.

On this week’s episode of The Kingfisher Project, we are honored to welcome Alexander Y. Walley, M.D., M.Sc., a nationally recognized expert in addiction medicine and overdose prevention. Dr. Walley is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine and the Director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Boston Medical Center.

With deep expertise in the intersection of substance use and public health, Dr. Walley has dedicated his career to advancing care for individuals affected by addiction. He is an active clinician, providing both primary care and addiction treatment to patients with HIV, and also works in methadone maintenance treatment at Health Care Resource Centers.

In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Walley leads research focused on overdose prevention and the medical complications of substance use, particularly HIV. He also serves as the Medical Director for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Pilot Program, playing a critical role in the state’s response to the overdose crisis.

His work integrates medical care, harm reduction, and education, and his insights offer valuable lessons for anyone interested in understanding and addressing substance use in our communities.

This is a conversation filled with knowledge, compassion, and actionable insight. We promise—there is so much to learn from listening to Dr. Walley.

Kevin Hyer is a management-side labor and employment attorney in long-term recovery from Methamphetamine Use Disorder. He is the CEO of The Hyer Calling Foundation (THCF), a Philadelphia-based nonprofit with a satellite office near Richmond, VA.  

THCF helps individuals in recovery secure second-chance careers through free, personalized support services not covered by insurance. It also educates employers on the benefits of a Recovery-Friendly Workplace.  

Kevin holds degrees from Penn State's School of Labor and Employment Relations and the University of Baltimore Law. He serves as Board Counsel for Faces & Voices of Recovery and sits on the Board of the FL Recovery-Friendly Workplace Coalition. Before founding THCF, he spent a decade practicing law at SEIU Healthcare PA, Compass Group USA, and Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP.