Podcast Hosts
Michael Orban
Michael Orban served as an infantry soldier in Vietnam. He experienced many punishing physical, psychological, spiritual and cultural reactions when returning home. With a focus on the veteran and military family he is dedicated to improving transition from military to civilian life through education while working to disarm stigmas that might endanger that transition. Read more about Mike on Who We Are.
Bob Bach
Bob was born and raised in Milwaukee and enlisted in the Marines after graduating from high school in 1968. He was honorably discharged after a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1969-’70 when he was 19.
Vietnam service was exhausting, terrifying and often demoralizing. However, Bob learned unforgettable lessons from his comrades in combat including this truth attributed to an anonymous Marine 2nd Lieutenant who said, “Courage is endurance, for one moment more.”
After attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the early 1970s, Bob graduated from a radio-tv training school in 1975 and began a career as a broadcast news and sports reporter. He covered countless news events and also announced Marquette University men’s basketball on radio and Wisconsin Badger basketball on television. He was a reporter and on-air host at WUWM-FM in Milwaukee, an NPR, for almost 25 years. Bob retired in 2014, and later was elected to the Milwaukee Press Club Media Hall of Fame.
Bob is married to Joan and has three children and three grandchildren. He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Bob is honored to participate in the “Stigma Free Vet Zone” podcast and partner with veterans who have courageously chosen to share their stories, thoughts, and feelings. There is so much for all of us to learn.
Kari Wheaton
Kari Wheaton is the producer and sound engineer for the Stigma Free Podcast. Kari graduated from Ripon College in 2004 with a BA in Art and English and also has a Masters in English from Northwestern.
Kari has worked for many non-profits throughout her career, but working with veterans and their stories are very dear to her heart as she comes from a military family with two Uncles serving in Vietnam and another in Desert Storm plus a Grandfather who was a Carlson Raider in WWII.
Technology and media have always been a passion of hers, but most importantly she is a devoted mom to her young daughter.