Lisa Button

Customer service was created to solve problems, not be a source for them. But too often today, customers view the departments established to help them as the place where their problems are destined to die. They are angry even before they reach out, whether by phone, text or on social media. Their attitudes show it. This often isn’t fair—not to the brave and beleaguered customer service representatives on the front lines and not to the companies that put them there.

40 min As the director of maternal-fetal medicine at a public hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., obstetrician Rebecca Shiffman sees it all. She says women should be evaluated for chronic conditions before they get pregnant to assure healthier outcomes for themselves and their babies. Maternal and infant mortality rates are way too high in the U.S. Shiffman describes bias and other challenges patients face and prescribes cures for an ailing U.S. health system.

38 min Enchanting singer-songwriter Lau Noah transports listeners to medieval times and beyond with her distinctive, bard-like music. In this interview-concert, Lau performs three songs in Spanish and Hebrew, shares a children’s story, and describes how she teaches her students to draw on their innate creativity. Special thanks to José Alfaro, recording guru at Acast, and Connor Button, theme music creator.