Stephanie Colombini

Stephanie Colombini joined WUSF Public Media in December 2016 as Producer of Florida Matters, WUSF’s public affairs show. She’s also a reporter for WUSF’s Health News Florida project.

Stephanie was born and raised just outside New York City. She graduated from Fordham University in the Bronx, where she got her start in radio at NPR member station WFUV in 2012. In addition to reporting and anchoring, Stephanie helped launch the news department’s first podcast series, Issues Tank.

Prior to joining WUSF, Stephanie spent a year reporting for CBS Radio’s flagship station WCBS Newsradio 880 in Manhattan. Her assignments included breaking news stories such as the 2016 bombings in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood and Seaside Park, N.J. and political campaigns.

Her work in feature reporting and podcast production has earned her awards from the Public Radio News Directors, Inc. and the Alliance for Women in Media.

While off the clock, you might catch Stephanie at a rock concert, on a fishing boat or anywhere that serves delicious food.

A Holiday Harmonica Concert Is Part Of The Therapy For Veterans With Lung Disease

By Stephanie Colombini • Dec 21, 2019

Stephanie Colombini / American Homefront

Some Florida veterans are putting on a holiday performance at their local VA, but not just to spread cheer. It’s part of a program that uses harmonicas to help treat COPD.

On a recent afternoon, a dozen or so veterans sat around a table at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital in Tampa preparing for a musical performance.

Rates of Many STIs Are Growing In The Military. Dating Apps Might Be Part Of The Reason

By Stephanie Colombini • Nov 12, 2019

Krystle Burns / Fort Bragg Department of Public Health

Military health officials say troops are engaging in more high-risk sexual behavior, and part of the reason might be the popularity of smartphone dating apps.

Dating apps are becoming more popular, and while plenty of people use them to find love, others opt for one-night stands.

Apps like Tinder allow users who "match" with one another to skip the small talk and potentially hook up immediately. And if they're over it, they can block the person and never see or hear from them again.

For Some Veterans, Underwater Adventures Bring Solitude And Therapeutic Benefits

By Stephanie Colombini • Sep 30, 2019

A growing number of programs try to treat PTSD by getting veterans into nature, even deep under the sea. But there's little scientific evidence that treatments like "scuba therapy" work.

Instead of Medals, The Pentagon Is Offering Certificates To Vets Who Were Exposed To Radiation

By Stephanie Colombini • Aug 6, 2019

The new certificate recognizes as many as 550,000 veterans who were exposed to nuclear weapons tests between 1945 and 1992. But the certificates leave a lot of atomic veterans underwhelmed.