Lu OlkowskiAffiliations: Association of Independents in Radio, Salt Institute for Documentary Studies 
Joined PRX: May 25, 2005
Lu first thought of producing radio when she was working a stressful and boring job at a huge cable television channel. Often, she listened to the radio and thought, that sounds like a lot more fun, so she jumped ship. Lu produced her first radio story for Studio 360. It was about an artist who sent the sound of vaginal contractions into deep space to communicate with aliens. Since then, she's become a regular contributor to Studio 360. Her work has also appeared on All Things Considered, Day to Day, Radio Lab, This American Life and Weekend America. Among her most memorable pieces is I'm Not a Doctor, but I Play One at the Holiday Inn, about a former heroin addict who realizes that he wants to help other addicts kick their habits. The problem is, he wants to do this using a hallucinogenic drug - Ibogaine - that is completely illegal, and which requires medical expertise he doesn't have. The piece, produced with Trey Kay, won a Gold Medal at the 2007 New York Festivals Awards. Her profile of documentary director Zana Briski won a Gracie Award in 2006.
