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Instructor Bios

"Banana" Joe Montione
Growing up in the shadows of Philadelphia and New York City, about 90 miles from each, Joe heard some of the greatest radio in the country. It soon became his passion to replace "King" George Michael from WFIL in Philadelphia when he moved on. At age 19, "Banana" Joe did just that when George moved on to WABC in New York!

Since then Joe has entertained millions across the USA on Jones Radio Networks; worldwide on AIR1, the Christian Hit Music Channel; and in cities like Toronto, Miami, Denver, Orlando, Dallas and Los Angeles. At KIIS-FM in Los Angeles in the early '90s, he created the first "retro" hit radio show to feature '70s and '80s music; it was The Banana Joe Flashback Show!

In addition to his work as one of America's top on-air personalities, Joe has been Program Director/Consultant to some of the best Top 40, A/C, Oldies and Rock stations around the country, also consulting many of the largest group owners in radio. On the network level, Montione was National Programming & Marketing Director at Premiere Radio Networks in Los Angeles and SFX Radio Networks in New York, and Western Regional Director at Westwood One Radio Networks.

Married to wife Kris, Joe has 2 Lhasa Apsos, Rusty & Eddie; a Red-Top Amazon Parrot, Lenny; and 3 Cockatiels, Ricky, Dallas and Baby!

Joe comes to you direct from Hollywood and also owns and operates a 24/7 web radio station, www.flashback40.com, that features the music of the Flashback Show, '70s, '80s and more! He also has a home studio for radio station voice-over production. Joe has been a Radio Instructor at CSB since the Schools opened in Los Angeles, and said, "I love giving back some of the great experiences I have had in radio, and over the years, I have hired former students from CSB, so when the opportunity came up to become an instructor, it was a no-brainer."

Contact Joe at: jmontione@sbcglobal.net
Visit his site: www.bananajoeradio.com
Listen to his station: www.flashback40.com

Elaine Meyers
Elaine Meyers is an instructor at CSB School of Broadcasting teaching classes such as interviewing and on-camera performance.

Elaine holds a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Michigan University with a major in Communications. While in college, she was a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi professional business fraternity and was on the Dean's list for several semesters. Since graduation in 1991, she has worked in the business world and in television/film and radio.

Elaine is currently the host of a weekly cable program. She is also an actress and can be seen on several television programs on the History Channel along with several movies for Fox Films and Sony Pictures. She does educational engagements from California to New York with crowds of up 4,000 in attendance. She has been doing her own weekly Internet radio show as well.

Elaine enjoys traveling abroad, movies and making people laugh. She owns 2 dogs, an English bulldog and a Brussels griffon.

Jake Stevens
Jake Stevens, 38, is the host and producer of There It Is!, a daily sports talk show from 7-8 am on KGEO AM 1230 in Bakersfield, CA. He has worked in sports for the past 15 years, beginning at ESPN, where he progressed from Temporary Production Assistant to Associate Producer. Jake left ESPN to pursue on-air opportunities, becoming the Director of Broadcasting and the play-by-play voice of minor league baseball and hockey teams. He was behind the mic for the Massachusetts Mad Dogs Baseball Club for their inaugural season in the NABL in 1996, and the Bend Bandits Baseball Team in 1997 and 1998 in the WBL. His work in hockey includes stints with the Corpus Christi IceRays of the WPHL in 1998-99, and most recently with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL in 2006-2007.

A native of Nanuet, NY, Jake graduated from the University of Michigan in 1991 and earned his Master's degree from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1992. He resides in Tarzana, CA, with his wife Lara.

At CSB, Jake specializes in sports broadcasting, teaching classes for both radio and television. He's responsible for showing students how to perform top-of-the-hour sportscasts on radio, as well as sports segments on television, including on-camera reporting and highlight voiceovers.

Jenn Slater
Jenn Slater is a 10-year radio veteran, a native New Yorker with experience in both the Big Apple and Los Angeles. She's been heard on such stations as WHUD News, WLNA News, WERA Jock, Cable Television Traffic and Tell Me Internet Traffic in NY. Jenn has done news in L.A. on KABC and has been heard through Metro Networks on up to 30 stations in the greater Los Angeles area. Jenn has worked both during 9/11 in NY and covered the California wildfires. Currently you can hear Jenn on KNOX and the highway stations.

At the risk of reminding you of a Hair Club for Men® commercial, Jenn's not only a CSB School of Broadcasting teacher, but she was also a student and a graduate. Jenn wants you to know that it is an honor and privilege to be able to give back by teaching.

Jenn also wants you to know that while she is known for her generally sunny disposition, she hates writing bios about herself in the third person.

Kimberly Stone
Kimberly has worked as a Program Director, Music Director, On-Air Talent and in every facet of the media in fine cities around the country which include stops in Minneapolis, Kansas City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Palm Springs, Riverside and Los Angeles. Kimberly has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Minnesota in Journalism. She is currently heard on 96.7 KCAL.

Kimberly is a radio instructor at CSB School of Broadcasting and enjoys teaching and molding young minds. She also writes screenplays, comedy and does freelance work as an Art Director. Kimberly is a PETA member and animal activist.

Richard W. Thomas
Richard has spent the last eight years working as an editor at KVBC, the local NBC affiliate. The last five years he was the Chief Editor. Before living in Las Vegas, he was a Commercial Producer for KBIM in Roswell, NM. Richard's strongest asset is editing, but he also has logged many hours writing, shooting and even acting in local TV commercials.

As a college student, he worked two years as a Reporter and one year as an Anchor in Las Cruces, NM. That experience was fantastic for him to learn how to interview different people and tell their stories in concise, interesting ways.

As an instructor at CSB School of Broadcasting, he hopes he can take all the experience he has garnered in television news and production and, using the intensive hands-on experience, pass it on to the students so they can enjoy the success and enjoyment in TV that he has.

Desiree Covarrubias
Desiree brings to the table a vibrant background in radio programming and audio engineering. She has worked with some of the most influential broadcast groups in the country, such as Clear Channel and SIRIUS Satellite Radio. In addition to on-air positions, Desiree does station imaging, voice-over and sound mixing for music and sports television.

Sharing her professional experience with up-and-coming radio professionals, Desiree exposes CSB School of Broadcasting students to the industry with coaching in on-air programming, traffic reporting, station promotions and audio production techniques. Desiree also teaches students firsthand how to utilize Pro Tools for station imaging, voice-over and music applications.

When not in the studio, Desiree tours the country for concerts and documents the gigs she attends with rock-n-roll photography.

"If you're ever stuck in LA gridlock and there's a spunky brunette rockin' out in the jalopy next to you . it might be me. I am so that girl - the psycho that's belting out vocals and rockin' the air drums in traffic."

Jennifer Freel
Jennifer is originally from the Detroit area. After graduating in 1994, she landed her first real on-air gig at WIQB/Ann Arbor doing overnights and eventually 7:00 to midnight. She worked at several stations while in Motown, including WJR, WWJ, WJOI and WPLT (WDVD). Jennifer moved into marketing and promotion while at WPLT/WDVD and relocated to Los Angeles in January of 2000 to further advance her career in the music industry.

After a year working at an indie record label doing college radio promotion, she moved on to the Disney Music Group (Hilary Duff, Rascal Flatts) where she remained for five years doing radio promotion, marketing and production. Jennifer has been at Universal Music Group since 2006 in eCommerce Operations (digital distribution). UMG eCommerce has designed a series of advanced digital systems to help develop, distribute, sell and track products in the evolving e-commerce marketplace. Jennifer's focus is music video, film and TV with partners such as iTunes, AOL, Napster, Yahoo!, MTV, YouTube and many others.

Jennifer teaches night classes in Copy Writing, Reading and Basic Studio Operations at CSB School of Broadcasting - Los Angeles Metro (Pomona). In her spare time she likes to hike, bike and knit hats - but, as she says, they are not always guaranteed to fit.

Ric Santos
Ric, a 1978 CSB School of Broadcasting grad, joined Dial-Global Digital 24/7 Formats in 1994. He serves as Program Director and Air Talent for the Kool Gold format.

His 30 years of experience include stops in Sacramento where he spent six years as Ops Manager/Music Director of Oldies-formatted KHYL. Ric also served as Program Director of HOT 94 KQLH in San Bernardino, CA. Other stints have included CHRs KSDO-FM/San Diego and KGGI/Riverside and Oldies WDRC in Hartford, CT.

Favorite Movie: The Blues Brothers
"That chase scene through the shopping mall never gets old."

Favorite Actors: Gene Hackman, George Clooney, Diane Keaton and Sarah Jessica Parker

Favorite TV Shows: House, NUMB3RS, American Idol

Ric enjoys working with his son's soccer team. His big passions are the New York Yankees and politics.

Lynda Halligan
Lynda currently writes and produces stories for the FOX 11 Morning News and Good Day L.A., but she got her start in broadcasting back in 1998. Her first position was at KESQ, the ABC affiliate in Palm Springs, CA. She worked as an Associate Producer/Producer on the morning show. After a few months, she got her first on-air position at KTVF, the NBC affiliate in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Lynda packed up her Jeep and drove from the hottest place in the country that week to the coldest. There, she anchored the 11 p.m. news weekdays and the 6 p.m. news on Saturdays. She did just about everything - reported, produced, shot her own video, edited, even directed a couple of shows. After learning a lot, Lynda hopped back in her Jeep and moved to Sioux City, IA, where she spent two years as the morning Anchor/Reporter. She also worked part-time as a DJ.

QVC, the national shopping channel, came calling, so she headed to Minneapolis to work as a Host and Producer. Moving around was a great experience for her, but it came time to move closer to her hometown of Los Angeles, so she took a position at KBAK/KBFX in Bakersfield, just an hour and a half outside L.A. She anchored and reported there for nearly four years. Lynda started out as the noon Anchor and Live Reporter on the morning show, but quickly got promoted to anchor the 6 and 11 p.m. news on KBAK (CBS) and the hour-long 10 p.m. show on KBFX (FOX). She also filled in as a Weather Anchor and Producer when necessary. Before getting into broadcasting, Lynda spent many years in the entertainment industry as a Casting Associate/Director for film and television and talent agent.

Lynda is thrilled to be teaching at CSB School of Broadcasting. She loves sharing her knowledge with incredible students, who are eager to learn all there is to know about the business. The classes she teaches include anchoring, packages, reporting, breaking news scenario and morning meetings.

When Lynda isn't working, you can catch her seeing movies, going on road trips, spending time with friends and family, and laughing!

Bob Montague
Bob is currently the News Anchor for Time Warner Television and is seen throughout Southern California on their SoCal News Segments. He is also on the radio coast-to-coast on more than 150 stations hosting his own weekly radio show for the Dial-Global Network. Bob recalls that the most momentous time of his career was hosting his own show in Mexico preceding the legendary Wolfman Jack.

Bob has enjoyed most of his career in Nevada and California where he has won numerous awards. However, nothing has been able to top having two beautiful daughters and being married to his high school sweetheart for more than 30 years.

Chris King
Chris took a well-established and lucrative marketing career and tossed it out the window to pursue a career in radio. As a broadcasting school graduate, Chris began his radio career as a Board Operator and Promotions Assistant for KCAL-FM/KOLA-FM in San Bernardino/Riverside. With great enthusiasm, he quickly moved into a part-time air staff position, working any and every daypart he could. Because of his tenacious work ethic and production skills learned in school, it wasn't long before he was producing the KOLA morning show. In addition, he was also able to work as a part-time Board Operator and Producer for KTWV-FM in Los Angeles.

Chris continued as a part-time Air Talent and Producer until he was offered a position at KLRS in Chico, CA, as the Morning Show Co-Host. Again, through hard work and an unwillingness to quit, it was only a year later he was brought back to Southern California as Assistant Program Director and Afternoon Air Talent for KKZQ-FM in the Los Angeles DMA. Only a few months later, Chris was moved to the Morning Drive.

Still with KKZQ-FM, Chris also returned to San Bernardino/Riverside part-time at KTIE-AM as a Producer/Air Staff. Chris also owns Praudicy Artist Management, helping musicians and bands achieve their goals and manage their careers.

Chris joined CSB School of Broadcasting in 2007 as an instructor in all aspects in radio, from on-air and programming, to producing and editing, and much more!

Chris' philosophy as in instructor is to not just teach his students what to think, but how to think.

"In this world, it's all about getting the job done," Chris says. "I don't know everything, so it is impossible for me to teach a student all they need to know. But if I can teach them how to figure it out, they will be able to accomplish any task given them."

Scott Greene
Scott comes to us in his 34th year behind the mic, the last 20 of which have been in Los Angeles.

"I started in 1973 on radio station WDGC-FM just outside of the Chicago market in a small town called Downers Grove. I did everything, went everywhere and LEARNED as much as I could. I also LOVED every moment of it."

Over the years, Scott has done Adult Contemporary, Oldies, News, Money News and just about every other format except the two Cs - Classical and Country.

"Just never had the opportunity . or desire," he says with a smile.

Scott is rather the new kid on the block here at CSB School of Broadcasting but sees his role as . unique.

"As someone who has been around a while, I can teach some dependable survival skills designed and tested to keep you WORKING."

To help relieve stress, Scott has taken up a new hobby . breeding goldfish.

"I think they're truly beautiful, and besides, they're cheaper that alpacas."

Scott lives and works in Hollywood.

Steve Itzkowitz
Steve has been working in TV production in Los Angeles for the last 12+ years. Just like anyone else in the business, he started on the bottom and worked his way up and is still on the climb. Starting as a set Production Assistant in 1995 with Showtime's Sherman Oaks, then to Disney's Buddies with Dave Chappelle, then to ABC's Hudson Street, Steve came back to Sherman Oaks as a Location Manager for their second season in 1996. After paying his dues in various productions ranging from hotel training videos to a kids' series on Disney, Steve started working with the International Pool Tour as a Producer on their highly rated series on the Versus network. Steve has also co-produced several popular late night infomercials, as well as performed the role of Floor/Stage Manager on the set. Steve is currently the Stage Manager on Inside MMA for HDNet.

At CSB School of Broadcasting, Steve is a jack-of-all-trades type of instructor. The ultimate utility role, if you will. With experience both on and off the set and in the control room, Steve will be using his knowledge and years on the set to better acclimate the students at CSB School of Broadcasting.

Steve graduated in 1993 with a B.A in Broadcast Journalism from Northeastern University in Boston, MA. Steve is also a Commercial Actor and Voice-Over Artist currently represented by the Independent Artists Agency in Beverly Hills. Steve is also the Director of Alumni for Camp Young Judaea in Amherst, NH. Plus, he is a freelancer for jambase.com, a music site, where he reviews CDs as well as live shows in the jam band genre. Steve estimates he's seen between 600-700 live performances over the last 21 years.

Lee Chambers
Lee is a veteran major market radio personality having held on-air positions at numerous prominent stations around the country over the last 30 years, including WNBC 66 in New York, Star 98.7, KLAC, Westwood One and Premiere Radio Networks in Los Angeles, as well as at the Voice of America, WPGC, WMZQ, Q107, KIX 106 in Washington, D.C. and B104 in Baltimore. Presently, he also hosts Sunday afternoons at KOLA in San Bernardino and did similar shows at KEZY and KWIZ in Orange County.

His off-air positions have run the gamut at those stations and others as Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Music & Research Director, Promotions & Marketing Director, Production & Imaging Director, and most recently, Internet & New Media Director for ABC Radio in LA at KABC/KLOS/KSPN/KDIS.

Lee was one of the original radio instructors at the Los Angeles Metro campuses upon their launches and has taught virtually every radio-related class offered by the School. In a previous life, he actually won the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes with a whopping prize of five whole dollars - you, too, could be a winner!

Bill O'Brien
Bill grew up near Philadelphia and worked there for a good part of his broadcasting career. Radio stops included the legendary WCAU-FM, WOGL, WIOQ/Q102 and more. He also hosted/produced a live, daily music/entertainment show for four years on WPHL-TV where he had the opportunity to interview A-listers like Madonna, Bon Jovi and Stevie Wonder, along with local celebs. Bill did voice-overs, commercials, industrial films and worked as a movie extra, and he's done many live hosting/speaking appearances from client events to fundraising telethons. His radio career also includes positions at Z100 New York, WJMN/WROR/WKLB in Boston, PRO-FM/WSNE/Hot 106 in Providence, and he's held positions in operations, programming, music, production and more. In Los Angeles, he's worked as Editor for HITMAKERS magazine and web site. Currently, Bill is an On-Air Personality for the Dial-Global 24/7 national satellite formats for Hot AC, Hot Country & Adult Rhythm based in studios in Santa Clarita.

Bill began teaching at the CSB School of Broadcasting - Boston location while he was working on the East Coast. He's currently teaching courses in both Radio & TV at CSB School of Broadcasting in Los Angeles.

Bill is married and lives in Santa Clarita. His interests include music and movies, football, swimming, and observing and commenting on politics. He loves doing home repairs, and he's totally fascinated with Los Angeles traffic.

J. Baker
With a degree in Film & Television, J. Baker comes from a technical and production side to broadcasting. From in-studio newsrooms to remote location productions, J. has worked on weekly newscasts, documentaries and public service announcements which have garnered her recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists. She has also had the privilege of working with, and learning from, other professionals in the business, in particular at KABC and A&E.

Her notable talents are in editing and videography. With this, J. teaches CSB School of Broadcasting students proper camera framing and lighting techniques for in-studio and field location shoots. In this digital age, J. exposes the students to the fundamentals of non-linear editing using Final Cut Pro. This gives the students the basic knowledge and understanding of filters, color correction, motion key framing and compositing that will enable them to build on their demos.

On the rare days that J. is not in an editing room, you may find her at the local movie theater watching the latest production releases or just lounging about reading the most recent trade magazine.