Catherine Shen named new host of Connecticut Public's Where We Live

Weekday morning talk show is the place to hear in-depth conversations and local stories, airing at 9 a.m. on Connecticut Public Radio.

Connecticut Public is excited to announce that Catherine Shen is the new host of Where We Live.

When Lucy Nalpathanchil stepped from behind the Where We Live microphone to become Connecticut Public's new Vice President of Community Engagement, the organization did not have to look far to tap journalist Catherine Shen as the new host of the weekday morning talk show– she was already there.

Shen, who joined Connecticut Public in 2021 as an education reporter, will take over as Where We Live's full-time host starting Monday, February 6.

As education reporter, Catherine explored the impact of the pandemic–including student mental health, teacher shortages and challenges in early childhood education. She also moderated the 2nd Congressional District debate hosted by Connecticut Public leading up to the 2022 midterm elections, and has been a regular guest host on Where We Live.

"Where We Live is a cornerstone for listeners who want to understand what's happening in our state and how national and international issues impact us here in Connecticut," said Shen. "I'm excited to join the amazing team and to learn and grow with our dedicated listeners.”

A Los Angeles native, Shen came to Connecticut Public after a decade of reporting across the country, including work at the New Britain Herald where she won several Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists awards for her coverage on the COVID-19 pandemic, social justice movements and police accountability.

"As a reporter you have a limited amount of time to tell the story, so I'm looking forward to diving into more in-depth conversations," said Shen. "I'm interested in highlighting different cultures and Where We Live is a great avenue to let people tell their own stories. It's my privilege to be able to create opportunities for the diverse voices across our state. "

“Catherine is an exceptional journalist that, in her short time at Connecticut Public, has excelled with every new challenge we have given her,” said Chief Content Officer, Tim Rasmussen. ”We are thrilled to have her lead our flagship talk show, expanding on the work done by Lucy Nalpathanchil and joining our talented producing team.”

Catherine received an undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. While an undergraduate student, she was a reporter for the university newspaper and its student-run television station, Cable 8 News. She’s also a proud member of the Asian American Journalism Society.

Where We Live airs weekdays at 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and is available anytime at ctpublic.org/where-we-live or wherever you get your podcasts.

Keep up with the show on social media: Facebook, Twitter, and the Connecticut Public Instagram.