BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Executive Committee
Board Members 2023 - 2024
Board Members 2024 - 20245
Ex Officio
office
Executive Committee
Doug Mummert
Chapter President
Rocky Mountain Emmy® Foundation President
NATAS National Foundation Chair
Doug Mummert is a “baby-boomer” born in Hollywood, California. He attended Phoenix College, Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University. Following serving in the U.S. military, he joined the Phoenix (AZ) Fire Department, where he retired as a Chief, in 2015. He was a founding member of the department’s All Hazards Incident Management Team, an original member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) Team for Arizona. Mummert also served on the FEMA USAR National Incident Support Team as a Public Information Officer (PIO) and has also served as a PIO for his department. He was the long-time host and producer of Phoenix Fire’s weekly radio program, Valley Watch, which airs on several Arizona radio stations in cooperation with Bonneville Broadcasting, on KTAR AM & FM, as well as KPKX FM. He is a Public Safety & Media/PR advocate & consultant.
Mummert’s odyssey into production took off in the early 90’s when he appeared in episodes of On Scene Emergency Response, in the film, No Code of Conduct and in a documentary on the 100th Running of The Indianapolis 500 produced by ServusTV. He also served as a technical advisor on the program America’s Most Wanted and as a public safety coordinator on film sets. Around this same time, he started a production communications business in his “spare time.” Some of his clients included General Motors, The US Army, Kraft Foods, Nike and many other well-known TV and film production companies. In 1994, he moved into the realm of producing, writing, directing, shooting, and editing. This all began with creating safety and training videos for the Phoenix Fire Department. In 1997, he took over the job as managing director of the Phoenix Fire Television Network and has since produced, written, shot, and edited many training and public service productions. With the help of many, he created the program, Phoenix FireWorks in 1998, which would ultimately fill a void in educating and informing the public about topical Fire Department related issues. Thanks to an excellent collaborating production team, the program has garnered critical acclaim and has received or been nominated for many awards, including the WorldFest Film Festival, NATOA Government Programming Awards, Telly Awards and Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards. Doug has contributed to, or been featured on many radio programs & podcasts, as well as many magazine/newspaper articles and columns and serves as an analyst & contributor for LiveNOW from FOX.
In 2001 he was proud to be elected to the Board of Governors for the Rocky Mountain/Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS). He currently serves as the Chapter President and Alternate Trustee. Doug is also honored to be the Chairman of the non-profit, NATAS Foundation and the President & Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Emmy Foundation.
He is a past or present member of the Arizona Production Association, International Television Association (ITVA), National Information Officers Association (NIOA), Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
Doug is the President & Chairman of the Phoenix Fire Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Phoenix Fire Department and serves on the board of directors for Arizona Search Dogs.
When he is not working, you can find him spending time with family & friends, traveling and supporting many other charitable/community causes.
Carol Lynde
First Vice President & Awards Chair
Carol Lynde began her 50+ year career in TV as a news photographer at KTVK in Phoenix. After four years, this Arizona girl let her videography and editing skills take her across the country. She spent seven years at WAGA in Atlanta as a news photographer and editor, then moved to WGNX, also in Atlanta, where she was chief photographer for six years.
Then she did something odd. At the height of her television career, she packed up and moved to Great Falls, Montana to work for KRTV in their video production department. “Not everyone considers it a good career move to go from the 10th market to the 183rd, but it was the best thing I have ever done for myself personally. Montana was wonderful. I consider my time there a three-year working vacation.” But the vacation eventually ended when she moved to Denver and KWGN, where she was assignment manager for the news department. “My first and, I hope, last desk job. I can honestly
say I tried it, and it confirmed what I already knew-I want to be in the field shooting video.”
The search for a new and challenging video position brought her back to Arizona and the PBS station KAET. Then in 2004, when a video producer position opened at the Arizona Game and Fish Department, she jumped at it. As part of a three person video department she produced Arizona Wildlife Views, a 13-week half hour series that aired on Arizona PBS and community stations across the state. “Throughout my career, I have always been drawn to stories that involve nature and the outdoors and this job took me all over Arizona, telling the stories of the fabulous array of wildlife who live
here.”
She has earned 22 Regional Emmy® Awards and dozens of other broadcasting and film festival awards during her career. She has served on the NATAS Board of Governors for three chapters; Southeast, Heartland and Rocky Mountain Southwest and was recently inducted into the RMSW Gold Circle.
In 2016 Carol retired as Video Production Manager from Game and Fish, but continues to run her own production company, Tall Paul Productions, specializing in wildlife and outdoor videos.
Windsor Smith
Second Vice President, Events Chair
Windsor Smith is currently the Programs and Events Specialist at NASCLA, where she focuses on marketing, public relations, and event planning. Before joining NASCLA, she worked as the 5 p.m. News Producer at ABC15 Arizona, where she earned four regional Emmy® awards: Best Evening Newscast (2022 and 2024), Live News Producer (2023), and Breaking News Coverage (2024). She also received a Rocky Mountain Student Production Award (Best College Newscast, 2016), an Edward R. Murrow Award, and a Broadcast Education Award.
During her time at ABC15, Windsor mentored students at the Walter Cronkite School and contributed to community initiatives such as "The Second Chance Bike Drive" and the "ABC15 Water Drive."
Born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona, Windsor attended the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, earning an undergraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism, a master’s degree in Communication, and a certificate in Special Events Management.
Jennifer Doan
Secretary / Foundation Secretary
Jennifer Doan is one of the Producers for FOX 10 Arizona Morning. The show airs weekdays from 4:30 – 10 a.m. Jennifer is responsible for the 8-10 a.m. hours. She has been at FOX 10 since December 1997. Doan was inducted into the Rocky Mountain NATAS Silver Circle in 2020.
Doan grew up in Duncan, Oklahoma and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Oklahoma. Following graduation, Doan was awarded a paid internship through RTNDF to work at KPHO Channel 5 in Phoenix. The internship focused on News Management. Following the internship, Jennifer was hired at FOX 10.
She took a year off from July 1998 to June 1999 to travel and perform with Up With People. In the organization, she traveled with 148 cast members from 23 different countries. They visited several regions of the US, two provinces of Canada, as well as Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria and France. The cast lived in host families in approximately 70 cities, did community service in each city and performed a 2 hour Broadway-style musical. After Up With People, Doan returned to Phoenix and returned to her prior station where she’s been since.
Doan lives in Phoenix with her husband Jared and two Boxers (Angel & Gabby).
She enjoys photography and traveling. In addition to serving on the Board of Governors for NATAS: Rocky Mountain Southwest, Jennifer also serves on the Board for VNSA, a non-profit that collects books and sells them to raise money for Arizona charities.
Jennifer Jones
Treasurer / Foundation Treasurer
Jennifer Jones is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She started her career at ABC 15 News (KNXV) in Phoenix and began working at CBS 5 News (KPHO) in 2003. During her time there, she served as the Managing Editor for the Local News Share, a video share between the local CBS (KPHO), FOX (KSAZ), and ABC (KNXV) affiliates. She is currently a Senior Content Coordinator for Arizona's Family (CBS 5 KPHO and 3TV KTVK) and divides her time between special projects and segment producing for The News @ 3p.
Jones began her NATAS career as a college student, holding posts as Vice-President and President. In a professional capacity, she has served on the Board of Governors for the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter since 2001. She was treasurer from 2002 to 2006, from 2012 to 2018, and again from 2022 to 2024. She is also the treasurer for the Rocky Mountain Emmy® Foundation. From 2006 to 2012, she held the office of President and is honored to serve once again. Jones has completed the Phoenix Citizens Police Academy, the FBI Citizens Academy, and is a certified Fire Journalist with the Phoenix Fire Department.
Board Members 2023-2024
Chad Brummett
Social Media / PR Chair / New Mexico
Chad Brummett is a writer, producer, editor, videographer and host based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He found his way to broadcast through a career on the stage and screen. Chad holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from the University of New Mexico (magna cum laude, 2001) and has appeared on big and small screens in more than 50 projects. His credits include 3:10 to Yuma, Beer for my Horses, In Plain Sight, Breaking Bad, Crazy Heart, Sweetwater, Longmire, Undocumented and The Lone Ranger.
He made the transition to broadcast in 2013 with KRQE and Fox New Mexico on "New Mexico Living", the state's only live broadcast lifestyle show. Bringing his craftsmanship from film and television to broadcast, he has expanded the production value of the show and created the award-winning docuseries "Legendary New Mexico", which is now in its fifth season, appearing on the New Mexico CBS/FOX/CW affiliates.
He is a three-time Regional Emmy® winner for both shows, as well as a two-time recipient of the "Excellence In Broadcasting" award from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association (NMBA). He hopes to bring a different perspective to the Board, much in the same way he did with KRQE. His unique professional experience both in front of, and behind the cameras, blends the tenets of documentary journalism with the story structure and narrative style of cinema.
Donna Rossi
Awards Vice Chair
Donna Rossi is a reporter’s reporter. After spending four years as a Phoenix police officer, she decided to change careers and become a journalist in 1987. After attending ASU and working as an intern at KOOL-TV in Phoenix, she moved to Flagstaff in 1989 where she became the assignment editor, reporter and news anchor for KNAZ-TV NBC 2. While working full-time at KNAZ, Rossi also graduated cum laude from Northern Arizona University with a degree in broadcast journalism. In 1992, Rossi moved to Tucson, where she worked as the weekend anchor and weekday reporter for KOLD-TV CBS 13, for two years.
Rossi joined KPHO-TV CBS 5 in 1994, and covered many of the highest profile stories in the state. She covered the 1999 sleepwalking murder trial of Scott Falater, the 2004 trial of Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas O’Brien for a fatal hit and run accident and the two Jodi Arias murder trials. She also spent two straight weeks in northeastern Arizona during the summer of 2011 covering the Wallow Fire, the largest wildfire in Arizona history. She was also instrumental in bringing to the forefront the issue of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in law enforcement with a series of first-hand accounts from officers who trusted her to tell their stories. That series was helpful in getting a new state law on the books to better protect law officers with PTSD.
A past president of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter, Rossi is a member of IFP/Phoenix, a non-profit organization of local film and documentary makers. She has won more than a dozen Arizona Associated Press awards and earned five Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards. In 2015, Rossi was inducted into the Silver Circle.
After 29-years in broadcast journalism she retired in February 2018. Later that year, she was inducted into the Arizona Broadcaster’s Association Hall of Fame. Rossi currently works as Director of Communications for Phoenix Police Department. She is also an adjunct faculty member of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.
Before becoming a police officer, Rossi was an employee of Eastern Onion singing telegram service. One evening in January 1980, a customer asked that a “Gorilla-gram” be sent to someone attending a Phoenix Suns game at the Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum. She was not working that night, so her co-worker, Henry Rojas, went instead. Rojas’ appearance at the game, especially when he danced to music during a timeout, caused quite a sensation. Rojas was invited back to subsequent Suns’ games and eventually became “The Gorilla.” We will never know what would have happened had Donna Rossi been working at Eastern Onion that night in January 1980, but her broadcast colleagues and TV news viewers throughout Arizona are grateful for her career path.
Juan Juarez
Juan Juarez has worked as a news reporter since 2015. He has worked at CNN, NBC News, Univision, and Telemundo. Most recently, Juan worked as a news reporter with Telemundo Arizona/ NBCUniversal. Juan is a three-time regional Emmy® recipient. He has always loved being involved in media and television.
Juan's love for the communication field started when he was a young high school student at South Mountain High School in Phoenix and was part of the Radio and Television Magnet Program, reporting for Jaguar News, the student-run weekly newscast. He has been fortunate to have had the experience of meeting and working with amazing professionals throughout his career. He interned at CNN in Washington DC, then jumped over to the Big Apple in New York City working for the NBC NEWS national news desk as an NBC/ NAHJ fellow in 2014. His experiences also took him to work in Las Vegas, Nevada, reporting for Univision, covering important events such as the tragic October 1 shooting at the Mandalay Bay in 2017.
Juan is excited to be part of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Board of Governors. As a bilingual and Spanish native speaker, Juan believes he will bring a lot of positive things to the board and help with important aspects of the organization's role and involvement within the community.
Kelton Wells
Social Media / PR Vice Chair / Utah
Kelton Wells is an experienced television journalist, having worked as a producer and executive producer in Salt Lake City for more than a decade.
He currently oversees production of all public affairs programming at PBS Utah including Utah Insight, The Hinckley Report, and The Governor’s Monthly News Conference. In 2022, Wells helped launch the new talk-show, Roots, Race & Culture, focused on the perspectives and shared experiences of Utah’s Black and POC communities.
Previously, Wells spent the better part of a decade at KSTU Fox 13 in Salt Lake City, most recently as executive producer. In addition to overseeing the station's flagship News at Nine and coverage of the 2018 midterm and 2020 general elections, he received regional Emmy® nominations for the special reports "Targeting Faith" and "COVID-19: The Turning Point".
Wells recently completed a fellowship with the Public Media Diversity Leaders Initiative through the Riley Institute at Furman University. Fellows were selected from public media organizations around the country. Participants engaged in curriculum and experiential learning tools that support public media leaders in their efforts to apply diversity, equity, and inclusion principles within their organizations.
As a life-long Utahn, Wells draws upon his experiences growing up in coal country and the high desert of eastern Utah to influence his belief that everyone has a story worth sharing. He believes in the power that comes through listening to others and learning from those with vastly different backgrounds than your own. It was that natural curiosity that led him to pursue a career in news and broadcasting.Wells graduated Summa Cum Laude from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism. As a student, he received two awards from the Society of Professional Journalists for his reporting on Aggie TV News.
When not coordinating productions, conducting interviews, researching, or editing video, Wells enjoys a night at the theater, exploring new restaurants, cooking, baking, traveling, and spending time with friends and loved ones. He is also a musician, singing with the Utah Chamber Artists and the Utah Symphony Chorus in his spare time.
Micah Johnson
In 1987, Micah Johnson became the youngest male anchor at CNN Headline News. He was the “voice” for much of the network, including LARRY KING LIVE. Moving to Washington, DC, he anchored for NBC, winning a gold medal at the Radio/TV Festival of New York for his anchoring of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Micah has been news director in several markets, vice president of news for a major broadcasting group, and president of an international Washington DC news service. He’s worked with the late Robin Leach producing red-carpet specials at the Billboard Music Awards, Country Music Awards, and several TV pilots.
He’s the founder of MediaStars, a television talent and editorial representation firm. The Agency prides itself on signing only a select group of clients to maintain personal attention. The firm is also a pioneer in social media and digital representation.
Micah previously served on the Board of Governors for the Rocky Mountain Chapter of NATAS and is a member of ATAS. He’s previously been a member of the White House Correspondents’ Association and is listed in Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
Ricky Vazquez
Tucson
Ricky has worked in the television industry for nearly 20 years, most recently he was the managing editor for KVOA-TV in Tucson where his team received three Edward R. Murrow Awards for Best News Series, Best Newscast and Overall News Excellence, respectively. His team was also awarded Best Continuing Coverage by the Associated Press.
Ricky is currently an internal communications specialist for IGT, a global gaming (lottery and slot machines) company. From a video standpoint, Ricky produces and directs internal virtual events for employees in 54 countries.
Prior to his time with KVOA, Ricky was a television producer for the Boston Red Sox, a professional wrestling ring announcer, and worked on several Hollywood films with stars such as Kevin James and Mel Gibson. Ricky is working on launching his own business as a consultant teaching young TV journalists efficient shooting, editing and story development techniques.
Ricky owns and lives on a ranch in Tucson, Arizona with his wife Jessica. They have rescued numerous thoroughbred racehorses, and dogs with severe behavioral needs. They also have several cows, goats, ducks, donkeys, cats, and chickens.
William Pitts
William Pitts has been a journalist for 25 years, beginning at age 15 in rural Arizona. He is a multiple Rocky Mountain Southwest Emmy®, Associated Press, Headliner and Gracie-award-winning reporter and multi-skilled journalist for 12News. He previously reported at KEPR, the CBS affiliate in Pasco, WA and KREM, the CBS station in Spokane, WA.
He got his start in journalism at age 15 when he was hired as a teen reporter for the Apache County Observer. Within a few months, he was promoted to Senior Staff Reporter and supervised a staff of 15. He graduated from Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he was recognized with the Hearst National Journalism Championship for Radio Reporting in 2005.
He recently celebrated 12 years at 12News. He is also an FAA licensed drone pilot and Chief Drone Pilot for 12News. After entering the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the last 12 years, Will is excited for the opportunity to bring new ideas to the board.
Theresa Johnson
National Board of Directors - Treasurer
Theresa Johnson is the Managing Partner, Director of Operations for Hire Story. She has spent much of her career developing employment and job seeker-related content for media outlets across the country. Mrs. Johnson currently oversees the production and delivery of dynamic recruitment video content designed to help organizations across the country strengthen their employment brand and more effectively attract the right candidates. She is focused on all aspects of employment marketing execution, from brand strategy and recruitment video to copywriting and design.
She sits on the Executive and Finance Committee as Treasurer of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In addition to serving NATAS in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter and Nationally, Johnson sits on the Board of the AZDroneFest.
Mrs. Johnson is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communications at Arizona State University. She earned her MBA from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
BOARD MEMBERS 2024-2025
Bob Adlhoch
National Awards Chair
Bob has been part of the sports television community in the Valley since 1990. After graduating with honors from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications at Arizona State University with a BA in broadcast journalism, he worked for 5 years as a freelance graphics operator and producer. After 6 years at Cox Communications, the Phoenix Suns hired Bob in 2001 as their TV producer / director. He was later promoted to Executive Producer, overseeing content for, producing and directing Suns game broadcasts on Fox Sports Arizona, Bally Sports Arizona and now, Arizona’s Family Sports. He’s also taken a selfie at center court of every NBA arena.
On the home front – Bob married the first girl he ever kissed (5th grade game of spin the bottle), although he took the scenic route. Kellie (ASU ’94) works in global merchant services at American Express and is always the life of the party. Daughter MacKinley (ASU Cronkite class of 2020) lives in New York City. Son Jackson is a sophomore at ASU Cronkite, majoring in Sports Journalism.
Bob serves as the National Awards Chair of NATAS, as well as a volunteer advisor to both his high school alma mater, Seton Catholic Prep, and St. Vincent de Paul of Phoenix. He is the recipient of multiple Emmy Awards for producing, directing and writing and was selected to the 2009 class of the Phoenix Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 and the 2017 class of the NATAS Silver Circle Society.
Gina Santiago
Gina Santiago, Regional Commercial Production Manager for Tegna, joined the KPNX 12News team in December 2019. She started as a Marketing Producer and quickly moved into the Commercial Production Manager role, eventually advancing to the Tegna Corporation. Prior to joining Tegna and KPNX 12News, Gina worked for three decades with KTVW Univision Arizona. Her most recent role there was managing commercial and promotion production. Throughout the years at KTVW, she wore several hats, including directing and technical directing live and live-to-tape shows, producing/coordinating promos, news and commercial spots, reporting for Nat sound news packages, and editing and producing news and special station programs. During this time, Gina also worked as an evening freelance ‘graphics stat producer-operator’ for local live sports, including the Phoenix Suns, Mercury, Arizona Rattlers, and Phoenix Coyotes, for nearly 10 years.
Santiago got her career jumpstart in broadcasting while working as a teacher’s assistant and internship coordinator in the television program at South Mountain High School. She not only assisted with the TV classroom production but also coordinated students for their Univision internships while floor directing alongside them on a live two-hour show, which turned into a full-time producer position.
Santiago is originally from the Peach State, Atlanta, Georgia. Gina started her career in the television industry right out of high school. Since then, she has raised her five children and graduated from the University of Phoenix with a BS degree in Business Management. Some of her career highlights include producing a live and live-on-tape Spanish morning show for 20 years, winning a Telly Award for producing a Spanish morning show, receiving several regional Emmy® nominations for news stories she’s covered, and earning seven regional Emmy® Awards in her career. In 2019, she was inducted into the prestigious Silver Circle Society in the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter.
Santiago has been serving on the NATAS Board of Governors since 2014. Gina is passionate about the planet and animal welfare. She loves Latin music and dancing, yoga, volunteering, and traveling anywhere, anytime. A fun fact about Gina: she enjoys doing ghost tours in each city or town she visits for the “colorful” historical background they provide. She has yet to see a ghost.
Heidi Goitia
Heidi is currently the co-host of ABC15's lifestyle show, Sonoran Living. Prior to this role, she spent ten years at KTVK/KPHO anchoring the morning news for CBS5 and Good Morning Arizona, where she earned two RMSW Emmy® Awards for her work as an anchor and reporter.
After graduating from Northern Arizona University with a dual degree in Broadcast Journalism and Public Relations, Heidi began her on-air career as the evening anchor of KNAZ, a small station in her hometown of Flagstaff, AZ. After taking time off to spend time with her three young children, she returned to television, this time in Phoenix as an associate producer for Good Morning Arizona. She quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a booking producer, then a feature reporter for GMAZ. From there, she moved into the role of traffic anchor for CBS 5 This Morning and shortly thereafter became the show's co-anchor.
Heidi is passionate about supporting journalists and the important work they do in the community. She serves as a mentor to young reporters and storytellers, helping them hone their craft and achieve their career goals.
An Arizona native, Heidi feels lucky to be enjoying a successful career in her home state and is honored to have the opportunity to continue serving members of the Rocky Mountain NATAS chapter.
Krystle Long
Education Chair
Krystle Long is an 11-time regional Emmy® Award-winning meteorologist and multimedia journalist for 12News. Krystle was born and raised in the Valley, making it even more special when she joined the 12News team in September 2013.
Krystle's career began in Medford, Oregon, where she worked at KTVL News 10, the CBS affiliate, for four years as the weekend news and weather anchor and weekday multimedia journalist, covering southern Oregon and northern California. While at KTVL, Long received an Associated Press Award for Best Weathercast and another for Best Continuing Coverage.
A graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Long earned a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism. At ASU, she also minored in Business at the W.P. Carey School. She was admitted into the National Honor Society of Journalists. She graduated Summa Cum Laude. Long fell in love with weather while finishing up her degree at ASU. She did weathercasts for Cronkite Newswatch and wanted to learn more about the science behind it, so she continued her education at Mississippi State University, earning a Bachelor of Science and Certificate in Broadcast Meteorology.
Krystle has served on the NATAS Rocky Mountain Board of Governors since 2018 and its Foundation since its creation in 2019. She currently serves as the Education Chair. She was motivated to join the board after hosting the Student Production Awards in 2017. She has hosted every year since and is dedicated and passionate about supporting the next generation of journalists and meteorologists.
Liliana Salgado
Liliana Salgado is a passionate and innovative visual storyteller. She currently works as a Video Journalist for Reuters News Agency based in Phoenix, Arizona. Having studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Liliana learned the ins and outs of being a one-woman-band in today’s journalism world. After finishing her studies, Salgado left for Reno, Nevada for her first job in broadcast news as a multimedia journalist. She was then hired at Univision Arizona where she won 19 regional Emmy awards in the span of 5 years.
Now at Reuters she is producing news stories of national and international interest and has since covered the Uvalde school shooting, the destructive Lahaina wildfires in Hawaii and the historic coronation of King Charles lll in London.
Sue Breding
Sue Breding leads the creative team that won the top honor of 2024, ‘Communications Team of the Year,’ from the Public Relations Society of America’s Phoenix Chapter. She worked as a regional Emmy® award-winning reporter and anchor in two of the nation’s top markets, Phoenix (KTVK-3TV) and Los Angeles (KCAL-9). She is the communications director for the city of Glendale, AZ. In 2023, she was not only selected by the Phoenix Business Journal as an Outstanding Woman in Business honoree, but she was also selected for the national award of “Communicator of the Year” by 3CMA, which represents all city and county government communications/marketing professionals across the U.S. In 2024, she won two Telly awards for videos she helped produce and a national SAVVY award for outstanding event planning/media relations. She provided visionary leadership for 2023’s Super Bowl LVII played at State Farm Stadium, overseeing public affairs for the city of Glendale and serving the entire state on the AZ Super Bowl Host Committee’s communications team. That Super Bowl broadcast became the most-watched telecast ever.
Her dedication to community service as a journalist earned her the Arizona Governor’s Council Award for outstanding service to the community and a spot as an inductee in the prestigious Silver Circle of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter. She is a longtime member of the Board of Governors for the Rocky Mountain Emmy® Chapter and serves as the co-host and co-producer for the annual Gold & Silver Circle induction ceremony dinner event. She is also on the board for the Arizona Women Leading Government organization and serves as co-chair of the annual statewide conference. She is a member of Charter 100, an elite group of female leaders from across the state.
Todd Martin
Todd is a graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and has worked at KTVK in Phoenix for over 30 years. He was hired right out of college as a videotape editor for KTVK in 1993. He then went on to staff the station's Flagstaff Bureau as a photographer from 1994 to 1998. In 1998 he returned to Phoenix as a general assignment photographer/editor and regularly flew in the station’s helicopter.
In the early 2000’s, he transitioned into the Special Projects unit, and now mainly focuses on the “On Your Side” unit. “On Your Side” has recovered over $1 million for viewers during the time Todd has been involved.
Over the years Todd has covered stories such as the Investigation into the Oklahoma City bombing, Rodeo-Chediski fire, Hurricane Katrina, World Series and multiple Super Bowls. He also worked on a cooking and lifestyle show called “Everyday Entertaining”.
Todd has expanded his skills to include being a Certified Fire Journalist from the Phoenix Fire Department, and received his Type-2 Wildland Firefighting certificate through the Prescott Fire Department. He is an FAA certified drone pilot for KTVK/KPHO and also engineers and edits podcasts. He has continued to acquire new skills throughout his career.
His main passion is inspiring and mentoring upcoming journalists. He guest lectures at schools throughout the Valley and at ASU.
Todd has over a dozen regional Emmy® nominations and 6 regional Emmy® wins. In 2023 he was inducted into the Rocky Mountain Southwest Silver Circle Society.
In his free time he loves to hike and has completed over 20 triathlons. He is married to his wife Michelle, who is a middle school principal.
Warren Trent
Warren Trent is an award-winning journalist with more than four decades of television broadcasting experience. He recently transitioned from broadcast journalism to assume the role of Public Information Manager for the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
In addition to his role as manager, Warren also hosts an internal broadcast program with AZDPS Director Jeffery Glover, where he and the Colonel discuss timely issues of importance to both the sworn and professional staff. Warren also produces the AZDPS ‘Seven Points Podcast.’
Philadelphia, PA, is where Warren was born and raised. His journalism career began at 6ABC, consistently one of the most dominant and successful local television stations in the country. His duties at "Action News" included special projects production, magazine show production, bureau chief, assignment editor, sports producer, video editor, and other important roles.
In addition, Warren is a former Assistant News Director at WJTV, the Nexstar-owned station in Jackson, Mississippi. Warren is no stranger to the Phoenix television market, having previously worked at Arizona's Family as a consumer/investigative producer, where the unit helped recover well over $1,000,000 for consumers. Warren also previously reported for the Varsity Zone Sports show and was an assignment editor.
Throughout the years, Warren has received numerous journalism awards. In 2022, he was part of Arizona's Family Investigative Unit, which captured a 2022 Edward R. Murrow Regional Award. Warren has earned multiple regional Emmy® nominations and, in 2022, received a Rocky Mountain Regional Emmy®.
In 2023, Warren and his WJTV news team captured a first-place award from the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters. That same year, Warren received a first-place Salute to Excellence award from the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for a Black History Month broadcast special. Warren is also a 2023 graduate of NABJ Leadership Academy.
Warren enjoys mentoring and being connected to the community. He is excited to volunteer his time as a Board of Governor member for the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of NATAS. He is also a past president of the Arizona Association of Black Journalists.
In addition to his NATAS and NABJ memberships, he is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the Fraternal Order of Police (FOPA) Lodge 32, and a long-time member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
In his downtime, sometimes just for fun, Warren occasionally juggles.
Ex Officio
John Craft
Gold & Silver Circle / Historical Preservation Chair
Dr. John Craft is Professor Emeritus at Arizona State University, having taught mass
communications and broadcasting at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass
Communication for nearly 50 years, including a 12-year stint as Director of Graduate Studies,
and was the senior faculty member of the School.
Prior to arriving in Arizona, Craft was a video quality engineer, camera operator, producer, and
the Director of Staging and Lighting at station WOUB-TV in Athens, Ohio, the Director of
Educational Television and Audio Visual Services for the Hancock County Schools in West
Virginia, and the Director of Instructional Television at Ohio University.
While at Arizona State University, he served as a media consultant for many corporations and
school districts, including employment as Director of Video Services for Samaritan Health
Services, corporate video consultant for Allied Signal and for Leisure World among others, and
was a cable consultant for Tower Communications and for Times-Mirror Cable. He also has served as an educational media consultant for school districts in Arizona, Maryland, Ohio, and West Virginia.
In addition, he has produced EMMY® nominated television documentaries that have been
shown on public television stations across the country, and has had his television programs
distributed internationally, as well as having been broadcast on “The History Channel.” He is
also the author of several media studies and broadcast textbooks as well as having articles
published in Broadcasting and Billboard magazines. He has often been called on by many
national and international broadcast and print media publications for his views on mass
communication issues and has been a public speaker for the Arizona Humanities Council as
well as for many other civic organizations.
Craft is a past trustee of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, has served as
president of the regional chapter, and a current ex-officio member of the board, and the Gold
and Silver Circle chair of the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of
Television Arts & Sciences. He has served as president of the Phoenix Chapter of the
International Television Association, treasurer of the Phoenix Cable Television Forum, and is a
member of the board of the House of Broadcasting.
In 2008 he was awarded the “Excellence in Broadcast Education Award” from the Arizona
Broadcasters Association. In 2022 he was awarded the “Governor’s Award” for his exemplary service to the Academy and to the broadcast community — the prestigious EMMY® award given each year by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Craft is a member of the NATAS Silver Circle and was inducted into the
Gold Circle in 2012.
John is married to Adela (Lelis) Craft, who is a university professor of management and the
Director of Education for the Phoenix based DAS Foundation. He is the father of Dr. Lauren
Craft of Fallbrook, California and Jennifer Hurst-Craft of Chandler, Arizona as well as step-
daughters Ana Lucia Monet of Montreux, Switzerland and Alejandra Fernandez of Madrid,
Spain. His granddaughters include Abigail Hurst and Carlotta Fernandez.
Dan J.P. Ciernia M. Ed.
Foundation Vice President
Earning creative, technical, and production credits on programs for CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN, TNT, TSN, PBS, Paramount Pictures, NASA, HBO, Showtime, DirecTV, Sony, USA, MTV, VH-1, ABC Australia, among others in sports, entertainment, news, & documentaries, Dan recently retired with 10 regional EMMY® nominations, winning 3 regional EMMY® Awards, 8 Telly® Awards accompanied by over 50 additional industry-related awards for excellence in technical and creative accomplishment.
With eight years of contributing to the academic advancement of our next generation of digital media professionals, Dan also retired from his collaborating academic career as an Adjunct Professor and student mentor in 2022. He continues to serve on the board of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Board of Governors, (NATAS). Elected to serve as Vice President of the nonprofit, 501c3 Rocky Mountain Emmy® Foundation, he has been lead on establishing new scholarships and expanding established scholarships with Universities within the Rocky Mountain Southwest Region (ASU, NAU, USU, U of NM, U of A, AWC). Dan and his NATAS colleagues developed “Lunch & Learn” professional workshops for high school and college digital media, journalism, and communications students. These workshops are presented with industry-leading media companies, studios, and production facilities and are staples of Dan’s work as a NATAS Board member.
He continues to serve as a program entry judge for the National Daytime Emmy® Awards, Children’s & Family Emmy® Awards, and U.S. Regional Emmy® Awards and International Telly® Awards.
Dan attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Radio / TV / Film, from the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh. He earned credits in a Master of Business Administration degree from Regis University in Denver, Colorado receiving a Masters of Education in Educational Technology with Distinction from Northern Arizona University.
Dan and his wife Felice call the Southwest home and have blended their lives with the culture and lifestyle of the Rocky Mountain Southwest. The Ciernia family is active in supporting the Missionaries of Charity Gift of Mary Shelters in Phoenix, Arizona, Gallup, New Mexico, and Tijuana, Mexico with additional support to MyCYP450.org, American Porphyria Foundation, American Red Cross, Good Will, World Apostolate of Fatima, Northern New Mexico Fire & Flood Relief, St, Maria Goretti Church, New Turning Point Women’s Center, Arizona Department of Public Safety, The 100 Club, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, Alice Cooper’s “Solid Rock Foundation”, Styx’ “Rock to the Rescue Foundation” and Celebrity Fight Night.
Chuck Emmert
For more than 40 years, Chuck Emmert has been on the leading edge of the digital video journalist revolution. Passionate about videography, Emmert led a talented group of video journalists in Phoenix that prided itself on fair and accurate storytelling with a flair for the creative elements, garnering more than 100 Emmy® Awards in the process. A natural born storyteller, Emmert has been the principle videographer on overseas documentary projects including segments in hostile areas like North Korea. He is credited with pioneering helicopter news coverage in one of the country’s first live airborne camera platforms with legendary pilot Jerry Foster of SKY-12 at KPNX in Phoenix. Then, in partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, he directed another great team of video story teller’s that produced a yearly thirteen-episode television series. ‘Arizona Wildlife Views’ that aired on PBS. The series chronicled the diverse native animal life in the desert southwest.
Emmert continued to implement this storytelling-driven programming philosophy at know99 Television in Phoenix, a youth and education orientated cable channel. This opportunity offered the chance to create a video journalist mentoring program, crafting an advanced videography training curriculum for gifted high school and college student video journalists. Chuck is in the classroom as well, serving as adjunct professor in videography with the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication.
Now, Emmert is back to shooting and editing video content in a new era of storytelling, serving as a videographer for the nation’s fifth-largest city, Phoenix. He is the principal content creator for the city’s Instagram account, attracting more than 62,000 followers in the process.
He has been involved with the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, having served as a Trustee for the organization as well as a member of the National Awards Committee.
Personally, he has been married to Patty for more than 35 years, raising three children. A competitive tennis player, Chuck also enjoys bicycling, board games, food and music.
Jay Hancock
Utah
Jay Hancock is the Video Operations Manager of KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is a multiple award-winning photojournalist, having received 20 Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards and 34 total nominations. He has also won both Top and General awards from the National Press Photographers Association. Jay has years of experience in all aspects of storytelling, from breaking news and arts and entertainment to sensitive personal stories told from the heart.
Jay has covered a multitude of events while working as a photojournalist. Some of his most memorable assignments include Hurricane Irma, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, the Dakota Pipeline protests, as well as the 2021 police protests in Salt Lake City, for which he received the NATAS National Crystal Pillar Award® for his coverage.
In addition to his career in television, Jay is a military veteran who served eight years in the Utah National Guard. Born in Utah, Jay spent a fair amount of his childhood moving through various states before finally making it back home to Salt Lake City. He met his wife, Meghan Thackrey, while working in television, and they have two sons. Meghan is also a photojournalist for the KSL team, and storytelling is a big part of their adventure together. When they're not working, they spend their time traveling through Utah and exploring its stunning national parks.
Chris Kline
Finance Vice Chair
Chris Kline is the President and CEO of the Arizona Media Association and the Arizona Local News Foundation. He leads all shared services and advocacy for a coalition of 350 local radio, TV, print, and digital brands, focusing on future-proofing local media and its critical role in community connection. Chris previously led the Arizona Broadcasters Association and spent 15 years working in Arizona local media at radio, TV, and print operations, as well as at CNN in Washington, DC. Chris serves on additional boards at Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, the University of Arizona’s Journalism School, Arizona’s emergency communications committee, the Desert Botanical Gardens, the East Valley Institute of Technology, and Arizona Talks.
Joseph Ortiz
Education Vice Chair
Joseph Ortiz has a Bachelors degree in Broadcasting with an emphasis in Video Production and a minor in English from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. Ortiz has served on the Board of Governors for the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences continuously for nearly 25 consecutive years as both a voting member and an Ex Oficio member. He serves as a media spokesperson for the Tolleson Union High School District handling media relations, social media, crisis communication, public relations and marketing. He interacts with television media in the Phoenix Metropolitan area on a weekly basis, writing press releases, pitching news stories, and responding to media requests. He has served as the Public Information Officer for the Phoenix Union High School District, the City of Tempe, the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and currently as the Director of Public Relations and Marketing for the Tolleson Union High School District.
Ortiz has previously served on the Educational Access Governing Board for the City of Phoenix Education Channel, now known as Know 99. While at the City of Tempe, Ortiz oversaw the public information office, the graphic arts department and Channel 11, the city’s public affairs channel. He has also served as a panel leader and judge for Emmy® nominations, in both English and Spanish, throughout his entire time on the NATAS Board.
For many years, he coordinated the NATAS Scholarships for ASU broadcasting students. He currently serves on the board’s Student Awards Committee. Ortiz has been a presenter at the Rocky Mountain Emmy® Awards Gala and is on the 12 Who Care Committee for KPNX. Nationally, Ortiz has served on the Board of Directors of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) in Rockville, MD. and is an alum of the Phoenix Business Journal’s 40 under 40.
Ortiz has been a mentor to countless numbers of broadcasting students and he has experience as a producer, videographer, scriptwriter, and editor.
Juan Villa
Juan Villa is currently the News Director of Univision Arizona in Phoenix and Univision 32 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Villa has more than 25 years of experience in Spanish media including; television, radio and newspaper.
He began his career in 1995 as a news announcer in the Spanish Radio station KPHX-1480 “La Super X” later in Radio Unica 740am. In 2000 he became one of the founding reporters of La Voz Newspaper where he became Chief of information. Later, he worked eight years as a News Producer and Managing Editor for Telemundo Arizona.
In 2011, he became News director for KTVW Univision Arizona.
Villa is a recipient of multiple Regional Emmy® Awards, The Arizona Press Club and National Association of Hispanic Publications. Villa earned his bachelor’s degree in Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University. Villa also has a Master’s Degree in Spanish Literature from Arizona State University (ASU) and a Doctoral studies. Juan Villa is originally from Mexicali, Baja California. He is the author of the book: Coyotes en el cine fronterizo (2011).
Malachy Wienges
National Chair Emeritus / Finance Chair
Malachy Wienges is currently the Chairman Emeritus of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Wienges served NATAS as its Chairman from 2011-2014 and as National Vice Chairman from 2008-2011 (two terms), and as its National Treasurer from 1990 to 1994 and from 2006 to 2008. In addition, he was the National Trustee of the New York Chapter from 1988 to 1993, and was an Alternate Trustee of the New York Chapter from 1985 to 1988. He also served as the National Trustee of the Rocky Mountain Chapter from 2002 to 2006. In addition, Wienges was a member of the National Awards Committee from 1992 to 2006.
Wienges spent an illustrious 31 years at the CBS Television Network. He began as a management trainee and rose to the position of Vice President, Sales/Marketing and Technical Systems. From 1975 to 1985, he was Producer of The CBS Thanksgiving Day Parades for which he was nominated for two Emmys. Mal also received three National Emmys, including one for technical achievement for the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, a second National Emmy® in 1992 for the NFL on CBS, and in 2021 a Daytime Emmy for” Girls Voices Now” as Executive Producer. In 2015 he received a Sabre Award for his 2014 production of the 2014 Daytime Emmy Awards telecast. In 2020 Mal received a OTT.X Impact Award for his production of “Not Quite Here, Not Quite There.”
Wienges is credited with originating the concept of remote production for daytime dramas (soap operas) when he took The Guiding Light to the Bahamas in 1976. Since then, Mal has participated in more than 152 location productions. Wienges was also nominated for three Daytime Emmys.
Wienges is an honors graduate from C.W. Post College with a B.S. in atomic and nuclear physics. He obtained a Masters of Science degree in engineering management from Long Island University. In addition, he is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP). Wienges has received national recognition including being listed in Outstanding Young Men of America, Who’s Who in Management and in the 2001 millennium edition of Who’s Who in Entertainment.
Wienges has served as a Director on the Arizona Film Commission and was Chairman of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce from 2008-2011.
Wienges is currently President of Sedona Broadcasting and resides with his wife, Noreen, in Sedona, Arizona.
Mike Harris
Mike Harris is a five-time regional Emmy® Award winning photojournalist and member of the Silver Circle.
After graduating from Northern Arizona University, he began his career with an internship at Conus in the Washington D.C. bureau in 1993. Once the internship ended, he stayed in DC and worked the Assignment Desk at WTTG. During that time, Mike also ran studio camera for McLaughlin and Equal Time, both on CNBC.
Mike left the D.C. area to do video production work in Sedona, AZ and then in Flagstaff.
Mike began shooting video full time in 1995 when he went to work at KGET in Bakersfield and then moved up the road to Fresno.
In 1997, Mike returned home to Arizona when he joined the photography staff at KTVK in Phoenix. Eight years later, Mike went across the street to KPHO where he spent another eight years.
Mike left the news business to spend more time with his young son in 2013. He worked for the ADOT Video team before moving to the City of Glendale where he has been a MMJ since late 2017.
In his free time, Mike enjoys hiking and spending time with his friends and family.
Dan Barr
Dan Barr is the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Arizona. Before joining the Attorney General’s Office in January 2023, he was a partner with Perkins Coie LLP in Phoenix. For 38 years, he represented broadcasters and other news media organizations in Arizona and throughout the country in wide variety of matters. He has taught media law at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
He is the author of the "Arizona Reporter’s Handbook on Media Law" (6th edition), and is a contributing author to "News Now: Visual Storytelling in the Digital Age." In 2010, he was the first lawyer to participate in the Pulitzer Prize Winners’ Workshop at Hong Kong Baptist University in Hong Kong, China. In 2014, Barr traveled to Belgrade and Nis, Serbia to conduct two three-day workshops sponsored by the U.S. State Department for Serbian journalists about the U.S. legal system, media law and media coverage of the courts. For the past four years, he has participated in the U.S. State Department’s Studies of U.S. Institutes program, which invites 16-20 journalism professors from around the world to participate in a six-week program in the United States concerning journalism and structure of the U.S. government.
Barr was inducted into the Silver Circle of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of NATAS in 2014.
Brett Hansen
Brett Hansen is Bally Sports Arizona’s Sr. Director of Communications & Marketing and has been with the
regional sports television network (formerly FOX Sports Arizona) since July 2000. He was originally hired
as its Director of Public Relations and was elevated to Director of Communications & Marketing in 2006.
In addition to 22 years with the network, he has also worked for three collegiate athletic departments and
two professional sports teams.
In his current role with Bally Sports Arizona, Hansen directs the network’s external and internal
communications strategies, as well as its marketing and on-air promotion and works on social media
efforts that help build its brand and image. Bally Sports Arizona is seen in Arizona & New Mexico and is
the local television home to the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Arizona Coyotes, Phoenix
Mercury and Phoenix Rising.
During his time with Bally Sports Arizona, Hansen has landed the network consistent local and national
media coverage, while also overseeing successful marketing and advertising campaigns. He was
responsible for the Bally Sports Arizona rebrand from FOX Sports Arizona, helped create Baseball Day
Arizona and oversaw other viewer interaction initiatives like D-backs & Coyotes Kidkaster, Fan Express,
FOX Sports University, Great Moments Happen Here, We Bring the Game Home, Eric Byrnes Look-A-
Like Contest, Be A Fan, Arizona Diamondbacks “Own the City”, This One’s For You & Salute To The
Troops and Campus Correspondent auditions at the University of Arizona and Arizona State University.
Hansen established the network’s footprint in the social media world by starting its presence on Twitter,
Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. In the process, he made FOX Sports Arizona the first FOX regional
sports network region to join Twitter and Facebook. Hansen was also in charge of the publicity and
marketing for the Best Damn Sports Show Period when the show came to Arizona for live productions,
including the 2008 Super Bowl Road Show at the TPC Scottsdale, an Arizona State/Iowa football game in
Tempe and the University of Arizona men’s basketball Midnight Madness.
Prior to arriving in his current role, Hansen spent six years working in the University of Arizona’s athletic
department where he was the Associate Sports Information Director. He was the Sports Information
Director for the Wildcat men’s basketball team from 1995-2000 and directed its media relations and
publicity efforts during a time when it was one of the country’s most successful programs. He was
responsible for its media relations during the 1996-97 NCAA Championship season and in all, was part of
five NCAA Tournament teams that went a combined 131-34 during his time with the Wildcats.
Hansen oversaw public relations for the program and developed campaigns for Hall of Fame coach Lute
Olson, a National Player of the Year (Jason Terry), three First Team All-Americans (Mike Bibby, Miles
Simon, Terry), two National Freshman of the Year (Bibby, Jason Gardner) and two Pac-10 Conference
Players of the Year (Bibby, Terry). In addition, he helped promote 11 NBA Draft picks, including Richard
Jefferson, Luke Walton, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Dickerson, Bibby and Terry.
In addition to his basketball responsibilities, he was the assistant SID for the football program, the SID for
the men’s and women’s golf teams and helped promote each of UA’s 19 NCAA Division I sports for a
department that placed among the Top-10 in the Sears Director’s Cup standings each year from 1996-
2000.
A
Wyoming native, Hansen is a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation’s Executive Council, sits
on the Board of Directors for the Arizona chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance and is a member of
the University of Wyoming’s Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. A Life Member with the Fiesta Bowl
Committee, he has also served on the media operations staffs for NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournaments
that are held in Phoenix.
Hansen makes his home in Scottsdale along with his wife and two sons.
office
Jessica O'Toole
Executive Director
Jessica O'Toole came on board in Spring of 2022. She is the point person for all committees, the event, membership and awards questions.
Jessica brings with her 15 years of experience in the news industry.
She graduated with a BA in Film, Video & Television from Western Michigan University in 2007. Getting her first job out of College in her hometown of Kalamazoo, MI as an Editor at WWMT Newschannel 3. She worked her way up to Weekend Assignment Desk Editor then Producer before moving to Phoenix.
In Phoenix, she worked as a Content Creator at FOX 10 Phoenix in charge of booking guests, writing, editing & overall putting on a three hour show every Saturday and a two hour show every Sunday. In 2017, Jessica joined KPNX 12 News in Phoenix as a Producer for Today in AZ but quickly shifted into a Planning Producer role. As a Planning Producer she worked on short & long-term projects and was in charge of turning 'ideas' into reality.
She has a first-hand understanding of what many NATAS members do at work every day and just what it takes to create award winning content.
Jessica is also a mom of two boys, life long yogi and enjoys traveling & outdoor activities.
NATAS members can reach her at jotoole@emmyonline.tv or 602-345-1532.
Betsy Hauge
Administrator
Betsy joined the team in February of 2024 as an administrator. Betsy is the best point of contact regarding the annual Student Production Awards.
Betsy spent over 15 years in the insurance industry handling auto and property claims with a major carrier including complex and high value claims. After having twins, Betsy shifted gears to become a stay at home mom for her three awesome kids. During that time, she also ran a website and newsletter reaching several thousand subscribers. The site focused on local activities, destinations, and information for families with children. Additionally, Betsy regularly volunteers at a local youth theater as well as her childrens’ schools.
Betsy is very excited to be joining the team! She can be reached by email at rmswadmin@emmyonline.tv.