Union
University
Bachelor of Arts, May 1997
Major:
Communications (emphasis in Broadcasting)
Minors: History and Political Science
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March 2,'98-present, Technical Director/Director,
CNN and CNN Headline News
The first seven years I worked exclusively for Headline News, first as a VJ (floor director, prompter, scripts), audio, Master Control, and for awhile now I've been a technical director and director. Recently the CNN and Headline News operations merged, so I've able to get my hands on the switcher for shows on the mothership network.
Explaining what I do is a little difficult, but essentially I'm the one who puts what you see on air, on air (except commercials). I punch up the anchors, video, graphics and effects on the switcher, called by the director behind me.
This is my dream job, the place I plan to remain for a long time. (The way I see it, I can be president of Headlines at age 35, president of CNN at 45 and retire by age 50--you have to have goals!) Why? Because CNN is the reason I wanted to get into the television business. It began while watching the Gulf War in 1991 during my sophomore year in high school, which fascinated me and set in motion my emergence into political beliefs and forming my personality. I recorded CNN every night during the short war, and kept every USA Today from the first day of bombing through the Iraqi's supposed surrender.
Of course, the best benefit of working for Turner are free Braves, Thrashers and Hawks tickets.
Produced and directed football and basketball telecasts of the University of Tennessee at
Martin for WLJT Channel 11, a PBS affiliate in the tiny
hamlet of Martin, Tenn. Also produced, directed and edited
the football coach's show, as well as a public relations
program.
- Production Assistant, WMC-5
Operated studio cameras and coordinated show scripts for
the Memphis NBC affiliate, consistently rated the number
one station in the market. Also operated camera for
Saturday morning wrestling show, coordinated lighting and
perfored various odd jobs as
needed.
- Sports Writer, The
Jackson Sun
Wrote one or two stories per
week as a part-timer while in college for the Jackson,
Tenn . newspaper, which had a circulation of
approximately 60,000. Also worked nights answering phones
and writing briefs of local high school and college
sporting events.
- Sports Editor,
The Cardinal and Cream
As a senior
at Union I held this position, filling two pages with
stories, articles, a column and reports of one of the top
athletic departments in the National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Our Lady Bulldog
basketball team was a perennial top five contender, and
finished second my senior year in the national tournament
held at Jackson's Oman Arena. The men's basketball,
baseball, golf and softball squads were also ranked in the
top 25, which made covering such an accomplished athletic
department a dream. My assistant editor was also my closest
friend, Steven Russell. His stories and columns helped make
our section the best in the paper (in my humble opinion). I
really enjoyed working for the campus paper. I already had
the experience. In high school, I was the Editor-in-Chief
of the Raleigh-Egypt High School
newspaper.
My senior year I
directed the full season of Union men's and women's
basketball telecasts, which aired on WLJT and TRTV in
Jackson. I was responsible for making sure my crew was in
the best shape possible, which included overseeing the
setup before the game and breaking down the equipment
afterwards. My junior year I was the video operator, in
charge of replays and the quality of our airplay. My
sophomore and freshman years were spent behind the camera
keeping up with the action. Also while in school I
produced "Jackson Tonight!", the project of
Advanced TV Production. Other jobs for the show included
videography, audio and editing of packages.
- Board Operator, WZDQ, 102.3
FM
Operated the board for Union basketball on
the radio during my sophomore year, inserting commercials
and control of the on-air quality. On Sunday mornings and
evenings, I ran a Christian music program and monitored the
live feed from West Jackson Baptist Church.
- Raleigh-Egypt H.S., Memphis, Tenn.
Editor, The Quill and Scroll newspaper One of six to represent school on Knowledge Bowl, a competition between schools around the Memphis area. We finished in the final eight, losing by five points to the eventual champions, White Station (who won their last two matches by 40 and 60 points, respectively). Member of the REHS soccer and golf teams. In golf, won the city championship, district and regional titles, qualifying for state tournament my junior and senior seasons.
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