Maddie Bender
Executive Producer, The ConversationMaddie Bender is a science, health, and technology journalist. She has contributed print, digital, and audio stories to outlets including The New York Times, The Daily Beast, Scientific American, Smithsonian and VICE.
She provided production assistance on This Is Our Hawaiʻi, HPR's first narrative podcast, and joined The Conversation in 2024.
She holds a master's degree in epidemiology from the Yale School of Public Health. When not editing out "uhs" and "ums" in interviews, you can find her baking sourdough and teaching group fitness classes.
Contact her at mbender@hawaiipublicradio.org.
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On the eve of the 2026 primary election, The Conversation highlights past stories about engaging in the democratic process. -
Honolulu Director at Department of Planning & Permitting Dawn Takeuchi Apuna explains why CivCheck, an AI tool, will be required for residential permit applicants -
Clinical psychologist Dr. Amithea Love explains a new pilot program to ease the state's mental health physician shortage on Kauaiʻi and Hawaiʻi Island. -
Jasmine Milam and Kawai Lopez are the co-owners of the food truck Hele Rolls. They spoke with HPR's Maddie Bender about their business, which is one of eight teams competing on season 19 of Food Network’s "Great Food Truck Race." -
Clinical psychologist Dr. Amithea Love explains a new pilot program to ease the state’s mental health physician shortage; HPR speaks with Hele Rolls food truck owners and America's Got Talent duo Nyjah Rhythm and Zyah Rhythm. -
University of Hawai’i medical student researchers Heather Zimmerman and Krystal Xie share a new study around Hawaiʻi’s above average melanoma rates. -
Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Nathan Tan explains the recent national cyclosporiasis outbreak and the confirmed cases in Hawaiʻi. -
International military officials share their thoughts as RIMPAC 2026 concludes; Deputy State Epidemiologist Dr. Nathan Tan explains the recent national outbreak Cyclosporiasis -
Local game designers, in collaboration with the Maui Nui Seabird Recovery Project, unveil “E Lele!,” a crowdfunded card game that raises awareness of Hawaiʻi’s seabirds. -
Sen. Karl Rhoads, longtime chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reflects on his career in the State Legislature; Vicky Durand and Indrajit Gunasekara, of the Koali Niu Coconut Gene Bank, share how the nonprofit preserves and protects the native coconuts of Hāna Maui.
