On this episode of the VinnyRoc Podcast, I sit down with actor, writer, and advocate Lisa Regina—founder of A Write To Heal and creator of the veteran-driven TV project Heroic Episodes (EP: Joe Mantegna). Lisa opens up about surviving domestic violence, healing through writing, and how working with veterans reshaped her mission to employ vets on set, mentor at-risk youth, and tell authentic stories about trauma, resilience, and community.

We get into:

• Lisa's assault in 2005 and the road back through therapy, faith, and the page
• How a blind Army captain and amputee crushed an acting workshop and sparked A Write To Heal
• Why Heroic Episodes will hire veterans, bring teens in as apprentices, and spotlight VFWs/Legions and veteran-owned brands
• Funding realities, distribution hurdles, and a simple ask: "five bucks" from the community to move the series forward
• Practical pathways for veterans: Part 107 drone training, set work, writing rooms, and authentic consulting

If you've lived through trauma, support veterans and first responders, or care about rebuilding community with real mentorship, this conversation is for you.

Support & Learn More
A Write To Heal (nonprofit): https://awritetoheal.com/
Heroic Episodes (series + donate): heroicepisodes.org/donate

About Lisa Regina

• NYU-trained actor/screenwriter; former faculty at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts
• Founder of A Write to Heal (writing as a pathway to recovery)
• Creator of Heroic Episodes, an ensemble drama that employs veterans and mentors at-risk teens

About the Host
VinnyRoc Podcast—real conversations with veterans, creators, first responders, and leaders building things that matter.

Timestamps

00:00 — Opening: Lisa's story and speaking publicly about domestic violence
01:18 — How we likely first met (Range 15 era) and the Hollywood dominoes
04:59 — Lisa's path to film: NYU, coaching, and early breaks
07:02 — The veteran connection begins: Capt. Leslie Nicole Smith enters the class
09:50 — Set life with veterans: camaraderie, competence, and healing
12:31 — The assault: April 2, 2005—what happened and what followed
15:47 — Aftermath, shock, the stranger who stayed, and the long week missing
21:28 — PTSD common ground: civilian survivor meets combat vets
24:42 — A Write to Heal: why writing works when nothing else does
30:05 — "Heroic Episodes": premise, Joe Mantegna, and employing veterans
42:17 — The five-dollar campaign, VFWs/Legions, and sustaining the mission