Town Talks Live!

Town Talks Live!
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Joan VonDras is a retired educator with 30 years of experience in public education and a former Democratic candidate for Congress in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District. In the 2026 Democratic primary, she received nearly 37,000 votes and finished just 1,211 votes short of the nomination. Throughout her career in education, Joan secured and implemented more than $250,000 in grants, led professional development in two local school districts, and taught at the university level, including courses in children’s literature, language arts curriculum, and qualitative and quantitative research. Her professional work has long centered on how people learn, communicate, and participate in their communities. She has led workshops on democracy in education, democratic classrooms, student-led discussion, philosophy, and literature-based curriculum. Her experience in the classroom, higher education, and on the campaign trail now comes together in Town Talks Live. With a particular interest in the founding of the United States, the Constitution, and American democracy, Joan brings together people and ideas for thoughtful conversations about the issues shaping our communities and our country. Through conversations about people, policy, and publications, Town Talks Live creates a place to listen, learn, ask questions, and engage with the ideas shaping the conversation. RSSVERIFY

Episodes

  1. 16h ago

    John Kiehne: Community, Compassion & the Power of Showing Up

    In this episode of Town Talks Live, Joan sits down with John Kiehne for a conversation about community, public service, and the importance of showing up for others. Joan first met John when she began running for office and he was serving on the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee. What stood out wasn’t simply his involvement in politics. It was his humanity. John was someone who consistently reached out, checked in, and genuinely wanted to know how she was doing. That same compassion and commitment to community have shaped John’s approach to public service and his work throughout the St. Louis region. Joan and John talk about what it means to be engaged in your community, why personal connections still matter in politics and public life, and the values that motivate people to step forward and serve. It’s a conversation about politics, but even more, it’s about people. Town Talks Live: People, Policy & Publications Shaping the Conversation.

  2. 2d ago

    Joan VonDras & JB Anderson: Missouri Politics, Policy and the November Ballot

    Joan VonDras sits down with JB Anderson, St. Louis podcaster and host of Tell Me You’re Joking, for a candid conversation about Missouri politics and the issues voters will face on the November ballot. Tell Me You’re Joking leans into the political, cultural, and sometimes taboo subjects people are often told not to discuss. Based in St. Louis, JB brings together guests who have something to say, give a damn, and aren’t afraid to speak their minds. In this episode, Joan and JB turn their attention to Missouri. They discuss the political environment in the state, the amendments on the November ballot, what those proposals could mean for Missourians, and why voters should understand what they’re being asked to decide before heading to the polls. It’s a lively conversation about politics, policy, and the decisions facing Missouri voters this November. Town Talks Live — People, Policy & Publications Shaping the Conversation

    Joan VonDras & JB Anderson: Missouri Politics, Policy and the November Ballot

  3. 4d ago

    Reaching the Next Generation: Karis Chapman on Youth Engagement

    Joan VonDras sits down with Karis Chapman, a Youth Leader with Indivisible St. Louis, for a conversation about bringing a new generation into civic life and the political process. Karis shares her perspective on what motivates young people, the barriers that can keep them from getting involved, and innovative ways organizations and campaigns can reach younger audiences where they are. Joan and Karis also discuss why creating space for young voices matters and how meaningful engagement can go beyond simply asking young people to vote. It’s a conversation about participation, fresh ideas, and building the next generation of civic leaders. Subscribe to Town Talks Live for more conversations about people, policy, and the issues shaping our communities.

    Reaching the Next Generation: Karis Chapman on Youth Engagement

  4. Sep 24

    Making Government Work: Joan VonDras Talks with Quentin Wilson

    Joan VonDras sits down with Quentin Wilson, candidate for Missouri State Auditor, for a conversation about accountability, effective government, and what the Auditor’s Office can do differently for Missourians. Wilson draws on his experience in Missouri government to discuss the importance of listening to communities, measuring results, identifying waste, and making government work better for the people it serves. He also shares his vision for restructuring the Auditor’s Office to take a more proactive approach, pointing to the U.S. Government Accountability Office as a model for stronger oversight and greater value for taxpayers. It’s a conversation about good government, public accountability, and what it takes to make Missouri government work better.

    Making Government Work: Joan VonDras Talks with Quentin Wilson

  5. Sep 22

    Missouri Amendment 6: Benjamin Singer on Ballot Initiatives & Democracy

    What happens when Missouri voters approve an issue at the ballot box, and what power should the legislature have afterward? Joan VonDras sits down with Benjamin Singer, co-founder of Respect Missouri Voters, for a timely conversation about Missouri’s Amendment 6, the citizen initiative process, and the role ballot initiatives play in Missouri’s democracy. They discuss how Missouri’s initiative petition process works, the debate over legislative changes to voter-approved measures, ballot language, and what Amendment 6 would change if approved by voters this November. Amendment 6 would make the initiative and referendum process a fundamental right under the Missouri Constitution, establish new restrictions on legislative changes to voter-approved measures, and require ballot summaries to meet standards for clarity, fairness and accuracy. Learn more about Amendment 6 and Respect Missouri Voters at RespectMOvoters.org.

    Missouri Amendment 6: Benjamin Singer on Ballot Initiatives & Democracy

  6. Sep 17

    Jennifer Trickey on Her Campaign for House District 88 and Protecting the Citizen Initiative

    Joan sits down with Jennifer Trickey, candidate for Missouri House District 88, which includes parts of Fenton, Ellisville, and Eureka. Jennifer shares what motivated her to run for office, including her concerns about efforts to restrict Missouri’s citizen initiative process and what those changes could mean for voters’ ability to have a direct voice in state government. She also discusses her background, her decision to become a candidate, and the issues she is hearing about from people across the district. It’s a conversation about representation, citizen participation, and why Jennifer believes this is the right time to step forward and serve.

    Jennifer Trickey on Her Campaign for House District 88 and Protecting the Citizen Initiative

  7. Sep 15

    Socialism, Capitalism & the Democratic Party: A Conversation with Blake Ashby

    Joan VonDras sits down with author Blake Ashby to discuss his new book, Socialism and the Democratic Party: The Case for a Return to Moderated Capitalism. They explore the Democratic Party’s relationship with capitalism, the rise of democratic socialism, and Ashby’s argument for a more balanced economic approach that promotes opportunity while addressing inequality. It’s a timely conversation about economics, political identity, and the direction of the Democratic Party.

    Socialism, Capitalism & the Democratic Party: A Conversation with Blake Ashby

  8. Sep 10

    Meet Meredith Sumenek Candidate for State Representative in District 95

    Today, I’m talking with someone who has taken her concerns about her community and turned them into action. Meredith Sumenek is a small-business owner, longtime community advocate, and president of the Tesson Ferry Democratic Organization. She spent more than 20 years working in finance, and she credits her family, particularly her grandfather, a Pennsylvania coal miner, with teaching her early on about standing up for working people and speaking out when something isn’t right. Now, Meredith is taking that experience to the campaign trail as the Democratic candidate for Missouri’s 95th House District in South St. Louis County. We’re going to talk about what brought her into politics, why she decided to run, the issues she’s hearing about from voters, and what she believes needs to change in Jefferson City. Meredith, welcome to Town Talks Live.

    Meet Meredith Sumenek Candidate for State Representative in District 95
  • 8 Episodes

About

Joan VonDras is a retired educator with 30 years of experience in public education and a former Democratic candidate for Congress in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District. In the 2026 Democratic primary, she received nearly 37,000 votes and finished just 1,211 votes short of the nomination. Throughout her career in education, Joan secured and implemented more than $250,000 in grants, led professional development in two local school districts, and taught at the university level, including courses in children’s literature, language arts curriculum, and qualitative and quantitative research. Her professional work has long centered on how people learn, communicate, and participate in their communities. She has led workshops on democracy in education, democratic classrooms, student-led discussion, philosophy, and literature-based curriculum. Her experience in the classroom, higher education, and on the campaign trail now comes together in Town Talks Live. With a particular interest in the founding of the United States, the Constitution, and American democracy, Joan brings together people and ideas for thoughtful conversations about the issues shaping our communities and our country. Through conversations about people, policy, and publications, Town Talks Live creates a place to listen, learn, ask questions, and engage with the ideas shaping the conversation. RSSVERIFY

Information

  • Creator
    Town Talks Live!
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    8
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Town Talks Live!
  • Show Website
    Town Talks Live!