Alumni

WLTL Radio: Empowering Students Since 1968

Emma Mac '07 with Nathaniel Ratliff at 93 XRT (WXRT-FM Chicago)

Here is the cool thing about being involved in WLTL. Whether or not you go into radio or media isn't the most important part of being involved in WLTL. The most important thing all of our students take away from their time here is the ability to be better communicators, business leaders and yes, even sometimes better leaders in the media field.

No matter what field you end up in, once you are a WLTL'er you are one for life! If you ever were involved in WLTL and you are not in our Alumni Database, get us your info now! Send your name, graduating year and email address to Chris Thomas at cthomas@wltl.net.

We will then add you to our email list where you can find out about opportunities to continue to support WLTL, come back and host Alumni Shows and more!

WLTL Alumni in Media and Entertainment

While we are proud of all of our alumni, we always like to highlight those who have gone on to work in the media/entertainment field in some way, shape or form. If this is you and your name isn't below let us know! Contact Chris Thomas at cthomas@wltl.net with your current position, name, graduation year and any cool photos you have and we will get you up on the site ASAP!

Emma McElherne '07

Emma Mac as she is known on the radio is the weekday overnight host on 93 XRT. Previously, she worked as a producer for WGN Radio and in promotions at 93 XRT.

Sean Leidigh '97

Sean Ledigh is a Supervising Producer for WGN Television in their News Department. You'll rarely see him on camera, but if you watch the 9pm newscast he is there making it happen.

Chris Werner '84

Chris Werner is the Senior Vice President for Ticket Sales/Business Development for the Chicago Blackhawks Hockey Club. He is also, to the best of our knowledge, the only WLTL Alumni with not one, not two, but three Stanley Cup rings!

Allan Loudell '73

Allan Loudell was the host of the WDEL News at Noon and the WDEL Afternoon News on 101.7FM WDEL-Wilmington, Delaware before he passed away in April 2020. Allan interviewed three US Presidents among other national and international political figures.

Ryan Arnold '97

Ryan's journey to the airwaves of 93 XRT is a long and interesting one that took him through Missouri, Wisconsin and eventually to the evening shift on one of America's finest rock stations, WXRT-Chicago.

Karen Chapin '84

If you like listening to Kiss-FM, WGCI, Lite FM or V103 here in Chicago, thank Karen. You'll never hear her on the air but she is working hard behind the scenes in Engineering for iHeartRadio Chicago.

Tyler Moody '91

Tyler Moody is the creator and Vice President of Warner Media's Podcast Network based in Atlanta, Georgia. He oversees podcasts for CNN, TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network and more. Previously, Tyler worked as a radio host in California and a news anchor in Denver and at CNN Radio.

Camille Suknovich '13

After interning at both WGN Radio and Antenna TV, Camille was hired at WGN Radio 720 as a Weekend Producer. Currently she is an award winning video producer for the PR firm Time Zone One in Chicago.

John Spataro '09

John was previously the Operations Manager of AM1530 WCKG and currently is the Affiliate Relations Director for the Illinois News Network.

Bill Murdoch '83

Bill Murdoch is a engineer at 720 WGN Radio. Previously before returing to Chicago, Bill was Vice-President of Engineering for Spanish Broadcasting Systems based in Miami, FL.

Doug Schneider '79

Even though he works north of the cheddar curtain...and in Green Bay no less...we will still mention him here. Doug is the Metro Reporter and an Investigative Reporter for the Green Bay Press-Gazette and Gannett Wisconsin Media. His areas of specialty are local and county government and transportation issues.

Josie Dunne '15

Josie Dunne music is on Atlantic Records. She filmed the music video for its first single, "Old School," right here at Lyons Township!

Steve Buda '00

Steve is the co-host of the Jack, Steve and Tracy morning show on Sunny 101.5 in South Bend, Indiana. Prior to joining the crew there, he was the morning host at WCHX-FM in Burnham, PA. Steve also spent more than 10 years as an evening supervisor here at WLTL.

David Gulik '05

David is a Studio Technican at Jingle Punks Music in Los Angeles where they provide music publishing and licensing services for TV, film, advertisements and video games.

Elif Geris '10

Elif is the producer for The John Williams Show heard weekdays 1 to 3pm on 720 WGN Chicago. Previously she was a part-time producer at WGN where she worked with Rick Kogan and other weekend hosts.

Kraig Kann '84

As one of the original hosts of The Golf Channel, Kraig anchored coverage from all of the PGAs major championships until transitioning to the Chief Communication Officer role at the LPGA in 2011. Currently he runs his own media consulting firm and is a host on SiriusXM's PGA Channel.

Jacob Alderman '12

Jacob is a member of the support team at The Telos Alliance in Cleveland, Ohio. Telos is a leading provider of broadcast technology to stations worldwide. Prior to joining them he worked in engineering at WGN Chicago.

Jake Walcyzk '15

Jake is a Hot Dogger at Oscar Mayer and is spending the year driving the WeinerMobile across the country! He recently graduated from Wisconsin where he worked at WSUM 91.7

Matt Dahl '03

Matt was the Director of Digital Video for the Chicago White Sox. He is also a host on the Steve Dahl Podcasting Network with fellow WLTL alumus Brendan Greeley.

Katie Burns '10

Katie is the principal cellist at the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. Previously, she combined her love of radio and classical music as an intern at WFMT-Chicago.

Collin Thomas '13

Collin is a System Engineer at Public Media Engineering and is based in San Diego, where he provides engineering and technical support services to stations all across the country, including us at WLTL!

Stuart Prentice '10

Stuart is a member of the sales and marketing team for NBCUniversal Television Group (including networks such as NBC, Telemundo, E! and Bravo) He is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Mike Murphy '69

One of the original hosts in sports radio here in Chicago, Mike has spent most of his on-air career at 670 The Score here in Chicago hosting middays. Currently he can be heard talking sports Saturday mornings from 9am to Noon on ESPN Radio 1000 WMVP-Chicago.

Ted Slowik '78

Ted is a columnist for the Daily Southtown/Chicago Tribune. Additionally, he is also a blues musician who can be heard performing all around Chicago.

Lise Graham '12

Lise is a producer at 720 AM WGN Chicago where she works with Rick Kogan Sundays from 9pm to 11pm. She is also the host of her own podcast Lise.fm.

Tom Baker '15

Tom is a producer/editor for Benztown Branding in Glendale, California. You can hear his work on radio stations across the United States!

Dan Sweeney '76

Dan is the host of Dan Sweeney's One Hit Wonders which airs on 27 stations across the United States, Canada, England and New Zealand!

Phil LeBeau '84

Phil LeBeau is the Automotive and Airline Industry reporter for CNBC News. As a member of the NBC News team, Phil can also be seen on Today and Rock Center with Brian Williams. He even interviewed President Obama one-on-one in 2010.

Andrea Dres '03

After spending eight years as an Associate Producer at Oprah Winfrey's Harpo Studios, Andrea is now an Emmy Award winning Producer for the daily talk show Windy City Live on WLS-TV / ABC 7 Chicago.

Jen Christensen '90

Jen is a producer/editor for CNN's Medical, Health and Wellness Unit. She has also produced several documentaries for CNN as well, one of which won her a Pulitzer Prize. You can see and read her work at http://www.cnn.com/profiles/jen-christensen

Victor Lentini '80

Victor Lentini has been working in the music industry for more than 30 years and is currently a Promotion Execitive at Hollywood Records, working with such bands at Plain White T's and Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Brendan Dzwiersynski '13

Brendan gets to talk sports each and every day in Topeka, KS on AM 580 WIBW as a co-host of SportsTalk from 2pm-6pm. (He's in the blue shirt!)

Dave Juday '90

Dave Juday is a faculty member at 88.7 The Pulse in Phoenix, AZ at East Valley Institute of Technology. Previously he was a sports anchor at ESPN Radio Chicago and was the play-by-play voice for UIC Flames Men's Basketball.

Ryan Perri '05

Ryan Perri is a Promotions Producer for NBC 5 Chicago. Previously he worked in Milwaukee at WDJT-TV and Oklahoma City at KFOR-TV.

Alex Holder '11

Alex is a Streaming Marketing Manager for Legacy Recordings at Sony Music Entertainment in New York City where she curates and maintains multi-artist playlists and builds advertising and marketing campaigns.

Mike Dorris '09

Mike has been working in radio engineering since his freshman year at WLTL. Previously, Mike worked for Dr. Jim White at Chicago Radio Engineers, at Public Media Engineering and WLEY-FM 107.9 Chicago. Currently he is a contract engineer for Beasley Broadcasting.

Jessica Weber '96

Jessica loves radio and now she spends her time workings with hundreds of stations as the owner of Co-Sign Collective, a NYC based music promotion company who services college and high school radio stations nationwide.

Evan Boyd '13

A self-proclaimed sports, stats and media nerd, Evan started his career at ESPN in Bristol, CT working a combination of both of all his passions in the Stats and Information Department. Currently he is doing the same thing for Stats, Inc. in Chicago.

Amanda Vinicky '99

A corespondent and segment host for Chicago Tonight on WTTW 11, Amanda frequently reports on Illinois politics from Springfield. Previously, she worked in radio for NPR Illinois.

Dr. Jim White '74

Dr. Jim White was the Chief Engineer of WFMT-Chicago and the owner/operator of Chicago Radio Engineers. His firm worked as contract radio engineers for several stations here in Chicago (including, thankfully for us, here at WLTL). Dr. White passed away in 2015.

Rick Blum '86

Rick is the Assignment Editor for WISC-TV in Madison, the CBS affiliate for Wisconsin's state capitol. Previously, he worked as a reporter in Topeka, Kansas and Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Mike Baker '79

Also a supervisor at WLTL, Mike Baker is host of The Forgotten 45s, a radio program that focuses on the hits from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Although semi-retired, his shows still airs here on WLTL. Prior to that, it aired every Saturday on WJJG-AM. Mike also worked at WTAQ-AM, WCCQ-FM and WFYR-FM 103.5 Chicago.

JoAnn Prihoda-Reece '74

Since July 1979, JoAnn has been working behind the scenes at Chicago's Very Own WGN Channel 9. She has worked on such productions at their nightly newscasts, Blackhawks games and even Bozo's Circus. She is currently in the Engineering Department for WGN-TV.

Nicholas Reczynski '05

Nicholas is an editor for animations and animatics at Warner Brothers Entertainment in California. Previously, he worked as an editor at FOX Animation and TAO Studios.

Brendan Greeley '96

Brendan was a producer/host on The Steve Dahl Show at 89 WLS Chicago. He is also a podcast host with Matt Dahl on the Steve Dahl Podcasting Network.

Phil Hejtmanek '71

Phil worked in Technical Operations at radio and TV stations in Detroit and Carbondale before landing at CBS 2 Chicago where he stayed for more than 20 years. Now semi-retired, Phil hosts a classical music program on WXPR in Northern Wisconsin.

Andrew Roddewig '04

As an employee at The Onion, Andrew every now and then ends up as the photo subject for one of their hilarious stories. When he's not modeling, he is a Producer and Studio Manager at The Onion Studios.

Steve Darnell '82

Even as a student at WLTL, Steve loved classic old radio shows. He took that love of old-time radio and ran with it! He is currently the host of Those Were the Days on 90.9 WDCB and the editor of Nostalgia Digest.

Tom Meyer '71

An inductee of the Ohio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Tom Meyer was a 46-year news vet who worked as an investigative reporter for NBC 3 WKYC-Cleveland until his retirement.

Mike Kamper '92

As Director of Audio at Telltale Games, Mike oversees audio development for video games such as Minecraft and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Previously, he edited sound for television and film working on such releases as Legally Blonde, The Last Samurai and Monster's Ball.

Anderson Alcock '79

Previously on-air as a reporter and anchor in Louisville, KY and Tallahassee, FL, Anderson is now an investigative reporter at NBC 41 Kansas City.

Chris Thomas '97

In addition to being WLTL's General Manager and Faculty Advisor, Chris also works part-time at WTTW Channel 11 in Chicago on the On-Air Fundraising team. Previously, Chris worked at ESPN Radio Chicago and 93.7 KRQ Tucson, AZ.

Tim Rozner '77

Tim has traveled the world managing tours for some of Rock N' Roll's biggest acts, including Buddy Guy, REO Speedwagon, KISS, Sheryl Crow, Aerosmith, Heart and more.

Jack Patel '15

Jack is a Production Assistant for ESPN FC, which airs on the ESPN 3 app. Previously, Jack was an intern for NBC Sports at the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea.