YOUNGHEE LEE (MSA90) IS A CREATIVE FORCE AT SAMSUNG \ A COMEDY WRITER FINDS SUCCESS AND STRIKES OUT ON HIS OWN \ MEDILL REMEMBERS (BSJ56)

FALL 2016 \ ISSUE 94 \ ALUMNI MAGAZINE CONTENTS \

10 THE CREATIVE 16 THE MAN SEOUL BEHIND WHO BROUGHT SAMSUNG’S THE MARKETING NEWS Samsung executive Byron Harris (MSJ72) is 22 NEW SCULPTURE Younghee Lee (MSA90) on enjoying retirement after cultivating a strong bond 40 years as Dallas MIXES MEDIA’S between the technology investigative reporter. PAST AND behemoth and its global consumers. PRESENT 18 VIEW FROM Medill is host to a piece by THE STANDS artist and journalist Lloyd 14 TALES FROM Schermer. Medill congratulates For the editor of the fan magazine, alumna, Medill Professor A book about blogging sports journalism is the field 26 MEDILL after of his dreams. reveals changes in the REMEMBERS of Practice and Northwestern medium and its impact GARRY on journalism. 20 HALF FULL MARSHALL University Trustee Christine Comedy writer Matt Bellassai (BSJ12) made a career out of (BSJ56) Brennan (BSJ80, MSJ81), recipient wine, whine and revise. of the 2016 Ann Miller Service Award from the Association of 5 MEDILL NEWS / 24 CLASS NOTES / 26 OBITUARIES / 30 KEEP READING ... Women in Sports Media Cover photo: Younghee Lee (MSA90) is pictured in the McCormick Foundation Center at Medill in Evanston on May 12, 2016 (photo by Jenna Braunstein).

ISSUE 93 – CORRECTIONS

Page 40: Royal Stewart, Jr. received his BSJ in 1956 and his MSJ in 1966. Medill faculty member Ernest Duplessis is a Medill and Kellogg graduate, 1996 and 2008,

respectively. Worcester was misspelled on page 11 in Lisa’s Eckelbecker’s title. WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 3 \ LETTER FROM THE DEAN MEDILL NEWS \

s we start a new school year, it’s an ideal time to look EDITORIAL STAFF 1. Address critical space issues for Medill on the Evanston A back on the expansion and growth in 2015-16 that will campus with a potential Fisk Hall renovation and an expan- make Medill much stronger and the global leader in our field. DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI sion or additional third building for creative classrooms, RELATIONS AND ENGAGEMENT I want to share with you highlights of a remarkable year in student meeting spaces, and especially audio and video stu- Medill’s history. Belinda Lichty Clarke (MSJ94) dios and edit suites.

MANAGING EDITOR A new San Francisco expansion 2. Identify and design a potential new location for our Lindsey Kratochwill (BSJ12) We became the first in our field to open in San Francisco in Washington program as we near the end of a 10-year lease. July with a focus on innovation and technology combined with DESIGN We may seek a model similar to San Francisco with year-round journalism and IMC. The McCormick School of Engineering has Amanda Good opportunities for Medill students and alumni. joined us, and is branded as Northwestern San Francisco. BRADLEY J. HAMM CONTRIBUTING EDITOR The site is open to all our programs — BSJ, MSJ and IMC. This 3. Target additional top faculty for leadership in specific DEAN fall will include MSJ innovation and IMC fifth quarter students. Kaitlyn Thompson (BSJ11) areas in Journalism and IMC. NU has hired world-recognized The winter will feature 12 Medill BSJ students partnered with 12 McCormick students. professors in Medicine, Law and Engineering in the past two FACULTY ADVISER years, and Medill is part of the university initiative to target Charles Whitaker (BSJ80, MSJ81) A new Chicago site specific leaders in our field to join the faculty. LA Alumni Dine Out We opened in April a stunning academic site at 303 E. Wacker as the new home for our jour- PHOTOGRAPHERS nalism master’s and part-time IMC programs. In addition to classwork and Chicago reporting, Jenna Braunstein 4. Meet the $60 million campaign goal and set new goals MEDILL CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: we will hold alumni events and special programs there, including professional training and for Medill’s centennial celebration in 2021. MEDILLIANS DINE OUT WITH MIKE TRUDELL (BSJ04), CONTRIBUTORS workshops. LAKERS SIDELINE REPORTER AND ESPN RADIO HOST, Beth Moellers ON JUNE 26, 2016. 5. Strengthen our efforts in equity and diversity, especially in Margaret Littman (MSJ94) All-time high in applications making Medill a need-blind school for student experiences ABOVE: From left: Todd Simon (IMC93), Don Zminda (BSJ70), Victor Chi Matt Paolelli (BSJ05, MSJ06) More than 3,000 students applied for admission to Medill in the past year for about 425 seats such as internships, Journalism Residency and IMC Immersion (BSJ91), Brandon Duran (IMC15), Jonathan Lababit (IMC12), Mike Trudell Erin Golden (MSJ07) (BSJ04), Ross Lipschultz (BSJ11), Jessie Geoffray (BSJ15), Brady Mitchell Quarter, and study abroad. NU is need-blind in admissions; we in our undergraduate and graduate programs. Our BSJ program is the most selective in the Natalie K. Gould (MSJ12) (BSJ99) and Marty Schwartzman (BSJ66, MSJ67). nation, and student academic credentials are unmatched. Our MSJ program saw a 50 percent Angela Kwan (MSJ09) want to ensure the student experience is similar. increase in applications based on specializations in science, business, sports, innovation, Ellen Blum Barish (COMM81, politics and national security, and investigative/social justice journalism. Our IMC program MSJ84) 6. Provide leadership for crucial issues in our field in Jane Flis (IMC15) continues to see substantial demand especially globally. professional work and research. This year we plan to focus on

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS improving journalism and communications education by iden-

Record fundraising Mariana Alfaro (BSJ18) tifying clear measures and goals common in other fields with We exceeded $13 million in gifts for the third consecutive year. Prior to 2013, there was national rankings and strong program review. National com- only one other $10-million-plus year in Medill’s history). From 2013-16, we raised more than RESEARCH ASSISTANT parative data is lacking in our field, and the current evaluation Dan Murphy (MSJ11) $40 million for scholarships, fellowships, special journalism projects, research, international system takes an enormous effort with little benefit for Medill travel and other student experiences. We reached $55 million overall toward our goal of $60 and its ambitious plans. We aim to design a new model. million — with three years remaining in the NU We Will campaign. Universities and schools always have challenges to meet the Alumni outreach expectations of many distinct constituents and address import- We’ve focused on connecting with alumni around the world. This year, we had a capacity ant societal issues. We have challenges in Medill. crowd for our Washington program’s 50th anniversary; more than 300 alumni at our home- PLEASE SEND STORY PITCHES AND LETTERS TO: coming tailgate; more than 1,200 students, faculty and alumni at events with George R.R. But I believe that as we continue to accomplish these goals Martin (BSJ70, MSJ71); a special 25th anniversary celebration by the Southern California 1845 Sheridan Rd. over the next few years, Medill will be stronger than at any point Evanston, IL 60208 Medill alumni chapter; celebrated our redesigned Hall of Achievement awards at the Chicago [email protected] in its storied 95-year history through the quality and breadth of History Museum; and held alumni events in more than a dozen cities in the U.S. and globally. its academic spaces; annual funding and endowments; student LECTURER CECI ROGERS HOSTED SIX ALUMS FOR quality and demand; faculty quality and leadership; important PRINTED BY: DINNER IN HONG KONG JULY 9 Our 2016-17 plans and courageous journalism projects; the ambitious new Medill Active LEFT: From left: Xuan Lei (MSJ15), Yimian Wu (MSJ16), Kate To continue the momentum, we want to: 5500 W. 31st St. IMC Spiegel Research Center; global partnerships; the San Cicero, IL 60804 Springer (MSJ12), Alan Yu (MSJ13), Thomas Yau (MSJ15) and Yasufumi uniqueactive.com Francisco expansion; equity and diversity; and unique programs Saito (MSJ15). and specializations where we can be the best in the world.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE COPYRIGHT 2016 MEDILL

4 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 5 \ MEDILL NEWS MEDILL NEWS \

IMC 2016 Immersion Quarter Students Create Fresh Solutions for Real Marketing Challenges MEDILL ALUMS AND STUDENTS ATTENDED THE 2016 NABJ/NAHJ BY JANE FLIS (IMC15) AND MARIANA ALFARO (BSJ18) ALUMNI RECEPTION IN DC ON AUG. 4

his summer, 24 teams of IMC graduate students worked at FROM LEFT BACK: Hannah Gebresilassie Tcompanies across the country on marketing consulting proj- (MSJ16), Natasha Alford (MSJ14), Taryn Galbreath (MSJ14), Nikitta Foston (MSJ14), ects as part of the Immersion Quarter. The Immersion Quarter, Marissa Mitchell (MSJ10), Arionne Nettles a core course for full-time IMC graduate students, places student (BSJ16), Kristen Reid Salomon, Jasmine teams at companies to help find innovative new ways to solve Minor (MSJ17). FROM LEFT FRONT: Renita D. Young (MSJ09), Hilary Powell (BSJ07, real-time marketing challenges. The 10-week quarter is designed MSJ08), Jasmine Cannon (MSJ16). to help students apply what they learn in the classroom and gain new skills. All Immersion Quarter projects are supported by faculty advis- Medill Students Report ers who work with the students, provide strategic guidance and on the Threat of Global evaluate the work. Students earn three academic credits upon The IMC16 Immersion Quarter team that worked at HP pictured here in former office of co-founder Bill Hewlett, now a museum at Infectious Disease successful completion of their project work. According to one the company’s headquarters in Palo Alto, California. From left: IMC sponsor of a recent project, “sponsoring companies have nothing students Yudi Gao, June Kang’ata, Rubén Bravo Castaño and Hao Yan. The Medill National Security Reporting Project collaborated to lose and everything to gain.” They can get a big return on a with VICE News to publish a special report on June 30. The reasonable investment. Many Medill alumni have over the years sponsored Immersion report found that while a perfect storm of conditions created As part of the project, students: analyzed data, created an Quarter projects at their own companies. One such alumnus is the potential for a catastrophic global pandemic over the past decade, the U.S. government allowed gaping holes in an early IMC plan and developed an implementation strategy for a new MANUEL ALTOMONTE (IMC15). During Immersion Quarter warning system designed to respond to infectious disease in 2015, he worked on a data-focused project for Zoro, an e-com- mobile marketing program for a client of The Marketing Store outbreaks before they could kill tens of thousands of people. Worldwide; performed a customer analysis and product feature merce B2B company located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Now assessment and developed feature enhancement recommenda- a brand manager at Zoro, he helped supervise the Immersion The project, titled “The Perfect Storm,” was published by VICE tions and a go-to-market plan for a Salesforce service; created Quarter team there in 2016. News, a U.S.-based media organization with a global reach across all digital platforms. It was also published on a website new engagement programs and integrated feedback processes for “Having done the project a year ago in this same company, I saw created by the Medill reporting team, complete with more the team going through the same challenges as we did last summer. transactional and win-loss initiatives for Optum; developed new videos and multimedia/interactive components. The findings ideas to improve the customer experience and the effectiveness I also saw how the IMC formation came through when I listened are based on interviews with dozens of experts, health and and efficiency of digital marketing efforts for USAA; and devel- to the kinds of questions the team asked, the way they thought government officials and a Medill analysis of dozens of reports oped a systematic approach to developing and optimizing target about problem solving and how they used an integrated marketing and studies. segments for digital media for Colgate-Palmolive. approach as they outlined their final deliverable,” Altomonte says. A team of seven Medill students spent three months reporting Students also participated in a three-day leadership devel- “The team was a great exhibit of what an IMCer can bring to the on global infectious disease, traveling to Washington, D.C. table and they all made me proud as an IMC alum.” opment workshop on the Evanston campus at the beginning of and the CDC Headquarters in . They also reported on the quarter. During this workshop, students learned about and Companies in Chicago and around the country sponsored the re-emergence of polio from the urban sprawl of Karachi, practiced skills such as team decision making, communication, Immersion Quarter projects this year—including New York City, Pakistan, and on researchers that are analyzing the bats of storytelling and consulting with clients. They also worked on San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Minneapolis and San Antonio. Tao Pun, Thailand, for clues as to where the next zoonotic virus will jump from animals to humans and spread around team charters and project plans to prepare them for the work they Some of the companies this year included Calkins Media, 4C the world. would do during Immersion Quarter. Insights, FuelX, AutoZone, Chrisad, Leo Burnett, 4A’s, Brand New “The Immersion Quarter program began in the summer and Media, WBEZ - Chicago Public Radio and Starcom. Visit the Perfect Storm website: http://tinyurl.com/hluqyaa. fall of 2012 when we decided to reinvent IMC’s long-standing residency program. In collaboration with faculty, students If you are interested in sponsoring an Immersion Quarter project MEDILL HOSTED THE 2016 AAJA ALUMNI RECEP- and sponsors, we shifted the program to focus on team-based, for 2017, please contact Chiaro at [email protected]. TION AT VISTA COCKTAIL LOUNGE IN CAESARS LAS challenging and strategic consulting projects,” says Gerry VEGAS ON WEDNESDAY, AUG. 10. JANE FLIS IS THE ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING FOR Chiaro (MSA84), lecturer and director of the Immersion Quarter MEDILL. MARIANA ALFARO (BSJ18) IS AN EDITORIAL INTERN IN THE MEDILL TOP: From left: Yunita Ong (BSJ16), Benjamin Din (BSJ18), Celena program. MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT. Chong (BSJ17), Courtney Kang (BSJ18) and Michelle Baik (BSJ19).

6 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 7 \ MEDILL NEWS MEDILL NEWS \

AISHWARYA KUMAR LAKSHMINARAYANAPURAM (MSJ16) REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTIONS Medill Students Cover the was one of a handful of students who covered both conventions. She worked for AP TV at the Democratic Convention, but pulled double TOP: Aishwarya Kumar Lakshminarayanapuram Political Conventions (MSJ16) reports from outside the Republican duty at the RNC. There, she was assigned to cover the Kansas dele- National Convention. BY ERIN GOLDEN (MSJ07) gation for the Wichita Eagle, a McClatchy newspaper, and she filed stories for an Indian media outlet called The Hindu. BOTTOM: Steven Porter (MSJ16) in the ERIN GOLDEN IS A REPORTER AT balcony press box at the Democratic National THE STAR TRIBUNE IN MINNEAPOLIS. Lakshminarayanapuram said the experience she’d had earlier at Convention, just after gave her Medill in working alongside other students, sharing bylines, credit acceptance speech. (photo by Jenny Lee) or four days in Cleveland—and four more in Philadelphia—a and the heavy-lifting of putting together a story on the fly was essen- small army of students from Medill’s Washington Program tial for convention reporting. F reported from this year’s historic Republican and Democratic “Everything’s happening so fast—you’re calling sources and feed- National Conventions. Each student was assigned to work with a major ing quotes to the editor and the editor puts together the story, so you media outlet, and all were prepared to work in chaotic conditions. can’t sit there and say: ‘I have to have my byline, I have to have my They spent long hours on the convention floor, angled for the perfect story,’” she says. “It’s all about contributing to the story, and Medill shots and interviews alongside journalism heavyweights, and tracked prepares you a lot for that.” the fast-evolving plans of protesters gathering on the street. STEVEN PORTER (MSJ16) was also assigned to a McClatchy But before they left D.C., the Medill convention team—20 who newspaper: Columbia, South Carolina’s The State. Porter trailed would go to the RNC and 18 to the DNC, including a few who attended South Carolina’s delegation at the DNC, attending their morning both—received training in reporting in hostile environments and were breakfasts to hunt down a story and filing it from a hotel hallway equipped with flak vests and special protective headgear. before hustling over to the convention site. In the end, the protective equipment was largely unnecessary. But Porter said he saw the convention experience as another challenge Washington Program Director Ellen Shearer says it was important for he was able to take on because of Medill. He had already taken an the students to be ready to handle anything and everything. Covering unfamiliar course in business reporting and traveled to Pakistan with the conventions was optional, but Shearer said students who chose to Medill. participate got a front-row seat to how both political parties and media “[Covering the convention] was a good way to stretch me in that companies operate. direction to learn by experiencing something that resulted in a com- “They see the big-time politics up close and can look at the role of petency I didn’t have beforehand,” he says. delegations, and see rising stars,” Shearer says. The reporting experience also extended beyond the convention CAROLINE KENNY (MSJ16), who was assigned to work with the hall walls. RAQUEL ZALDIVAR (MSJ16), reporting for USA Associated Press’ television crew at the RNC in Cleveland, got a closer Today, was tapped to join a team covering protests outside the DNC. look than most. Her task each day: angling in to set up near some of the She said one of the most surprising things about the convention was most-watched people at the convention so she’d be sure to capture all the sheer number of journalists on hand to cover both the politics the important moments. and the protests, all of them looking for something new and compel- After camping out in a single spot for hours, Kenny says she ended ling to spotlight. up being one of just three journalists—the others were big names from “It was interesting to try and weed through everything that was CNN and MSNBC—to snag interviews with members of the New York going on to try and find something interesting,” Zaldivar says. delegation after they formally awarded enough votes to JASMINE ELLIS (MSJ16) was assigned to USA Today’s protest get the party’s nomination. team as well, but she pitched editors some stories of her own—and “[The other reporters] didn’t know who I was, and were surprised I ended up getting her stories published in print and online. Ellis focused got up there,” Kenny says. “It was pretty cool to be among them.” on three of the most high-powered black women at the convention, and got interview time with Donna Brazile, who was appointed interim DNC chairwoman during the convention. REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC “Going through Medill, they always tell you to go for what you want NATIONAL CONVENTION in a story,” she says. “You have to be aggressive and assertive.” TOP: Caroline Kenny (MSJ16) interviews To HANNAH RANK (MSJ16), who covered the Washington state Congressman Peter King of New York for Associated delegation for McClatchy’s Tacoma News Tribune, covering the conven- Press TV at the Republican National Convention. tion was an opportunity to put all she’d learned at Medill to the test. RIGHT: Raquel Zaldivar (MSJ16) with Thomas Vogel “They gave you the shot to feel like a real daily reporter,” she said, (MSJ16) covering protests in Philadelphia during the Democratic National Convention for USA Today. “because that’s essentially what you were doing.”

8 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 9 \ COVER STORY COVER STORY \

THE YOUNGHEE LEE (MSA90), executive vice president of global marketing CREATIVE for mobile communications business at Samsung, accepted the “Creative Marketer of the Year” award on SEOUL behalf of the company at the 2016 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Considered the Oscars BEHIND of the advertising world, this accolade is one of many for Lee. SAMSUNG’S Since she joined the company in 2007, Samsung has risen to seventh place MARKETING from 21st on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands list. In 2013, Forbes named EXECUTIVE YOUNGHEE LEE ON her the second most influential chief CULTIVATING A STRONG BOND marketing officer. BETWEEN THE TECHNOLOGY BEHEMOTH AND ITS GLOBAL CONSUMERS

10 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 11 \ COVER STORY

MEDILL: WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO MEDILL: WHAT LESSONS LEARNED AT MEDILL: WHICH MEDILL PROFESSORS ATTEND NORTHWESTERN? MEDILL DO YOU STILL USE? MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION ON YOU? LEE: It had, and still has, the world’s best LEE: There are many. But most importantly, think LEE: I still remember every professor who taught advertising and journalism programs with out of the box and honor diversity. Marketing me throughout the program, as each of them influ- the best curriculum. And, I truly loved the communication lectures were excellent and very enced me in different way and made me do my beautiful campus. My husband actually useful, but what I’ve found the most useful is the job successfully. However, I specifically remember recommended that I go to Medill. He went process that I went through with every classmate Professor Don Schultz and his lectures. to Northwestern with me. He earned his and professor during the coursework and real- PhD from the engineering school and is a life enterprise projects like case studies, which MEDILL: WHAT DOES THIS MEDILL HALL professor in Korea. required heavy team engagement. I remember OF ACHIEVEMENT AWARD MEAN TO YOU? a small local business case about a Chicago LEE: I am deeply honored and humbled. I am MEDILL: HOW DID YOUR TIME AT brewery. In order to work with teammates who very thankful for my family but most of all for the MEDILL INFLUENCE YOU? came from different cultures, observing and marketing managers at Samsung from all over LEE: Coming to Medill was a turning listening to their different views and respecting the world who share the same vision as me. It has point in my life. I was just out of college. them was a must to get things done effectively never been about my own work. It was the great LEFT: Younghee Lee (MSA90). The lectures and interactive discussions and harmoniously. result of teamwork. I think they will be very proud impacted me a lot. In particular, the inter- of this. BELOW: Samsung at the Baz Luhrmann Luncheon personal communication skills made me This helped me become a good leader. In the in New York, Tuesday, April more flexible, adaptable to new cultures midst of a rapidly changing world where con- Answers have been edited for length and clarity. 20, 2013. and able to engage with different people sumers are getting more segregated, respecting Despite all the honors, Lee doesn’t mention awards when asked from different backgrounds. diversity and being open-minded are key to being about her professional accomplishments. Instead, she ascribes her a global leader, and I thank Medill for this. success to blazing her own trail and reshaping the image of a stodgy MEDILL: WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST ACHIEVEMENTS? electronics company into a modern brand that consumers love. LEE: When I joined Samsung, it was very “One of the proudest achievements in my career was being bold, difficult. The image of the Asian mobile never being afraid to say no and taking my own unique way to handset manufacturing company was old, change people’s perceptions,” she says. boring and too serious. Samsung was far away from the everyday consumer. But I thought it could be something exciting and It has never been Lee injected new energy into Samsung’s marketing, introducing dynamic and relevant to everyday life. about my own work. a clear product segmentation strategy and spearheading a new It was the great result consumer-oriented strategy. Her influence helped the company The first step was standing up for what I leverage cultural momentum through iconic events such as the believed in among engineering-minded of teamwork. executives. I took brave steps and Olympic Games, fashion weeks, the Oscars and more. Younghee Lee started to change the way the company engages with consumers, adopting new This spring, she traveled from her native Korea to Chicago to accept marketing strategies to build a strong the Medill Hall of Achievement Award. Here, she looks back on some bond between the brand and consumers. This also meant completely taking a new highlights of her graduate education and career. approach to media, investors, internal stakeholders and analysts.

12 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 13 \ ALUMNI ALUMNI \

TALES FROM NEW ORLEANS A BOOK ABOUT BLOGGING AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA REVEALS CHANGES IN THE MEDIUM AND ITS IMPACT ON JOURNALISM.

BY MARGARET ”TEN YEARS IS HALF THE LIFE OF THE Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But the example she My students laugh. They have never heard of the term LITTMAN (MSJ94) internet,” says CYNTHIA JOYCE (MSJ94), looked for was on a site that was no longer live. assistant professor of journalism at the University That experience lead to “Please Forward: ‘surfing the web.’ That’s a way we used to think about the MARGARET LITTMAN IS A of Mississippi. In this era when news headlines How Blogging Reconnected New Orleans web, as a vast ocean. That’s not their experience of it. It FREELANCE WRITER AND come through Facebook or as often as After Katrina.” The book was published by the EDITOR IN NASHVILLE. not, it can be hard to remember what web- and University of New Orleans Press in 2015, in time now comes in through social media. If it doesn’t come up citizen-journalism was like just a decade ago. for the 10th anniversary of the devastating storm. on the first page of Google, you don’t care. Joyce, who was early into what was then called “I never meant for it to be an anniversary book,” Cynthia Joyce new media, was reminded of this when looking Joyce says of the more than 300-page volume she for a specific example of how New Orleanians edited. “I wanted it to have staying power.” The connected through bloggers and the internet after book is more than a diary of what happened in

the Crescent City after the disaster, but a way to preserve those Those experiences included some of Joyce’s own. She dead links and abandoned blogs, before they are lost to history. remembers what she calls “minor” inconveniences in the scope The anthology is also a look at how the use of blogs kept people of rebuilding: living with a hole in the kitchen roof patched by a informed and connected, and changed journalism. garage bag for eight months. Her daily run went by a tent city in a “It was one of the tipping points of blogging. We didn’t used Walmart parking lot where people cooked over an open fire. to call blogging social journalism,” says Joyce, who through her Calling for submissions and editing “Please Forward” gave career has worked at Salon.com, MSNBC.com and as a producer Joyce perspective. at Nola.com, after Katrina. “It was interesting to go back to this time,” says Joyce, who Joyce was a web producer for NBC Nightly News in December adds that re-reading and editing the accounts was an emotional 2010 when the Arab Spring demonstrations that took place across process. But academically and intellectually, it was fascinating to the Middle East began. She saw similarities between the Arab look at old blogs and posts in the era before people were willing Spring protesters and New Orleans residents sharing information to reveal personal details about themselves online. Some of those and rallying together. After Katrina, bloggers were telling the story bloggers have now made their blogs private or ceased publishing. of what happened for the city’s residents, she says, but they were “I miss the early days of the web when links were not monetized also helping each other with the mundane tasks of recovering, and you found things through serendipity. You just ran into stuff,” such as hooking FEMA trailers up to sewage lines. she says. “My students laugh. They have never heard of the term Initially, Joyce was concerned about how people would respond ‘surfing the web.’ That’s a way we used to think about the web, to the book, which features the work of 75 bloggers—about one as a vast ocean. That’s not their experience of it. It now comes half of whom still live in the area. “I don’t live in New Orleans in through social media. If it doesn’t come up on the first page of anymore,” she says, now in Oxford, Mississippi, home to the Google, you don’t care.” w University of Mississippi campus. “New Orleans folks are sick of media swooping in and telling this story. I wasn’t part of this community anymore and I was asking people to go back and relive the worst moments of their lives.” But the volume was well-received and the book signings and special events, “felt like family reunions. People never want to relive those experiences, but they never want to forget,” she says.

14 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 15 \ ALUMNI ALUMNI \

THE MAN WHO BROUGHT DALLAS THE NEWS BYRON HARRIS ENJOYS RETIREMENT AFTER 40 YEARS AS AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER. Well, they’re really not my stories. They’re stories BY NATALIE K. GOULD (MSJ12) that were able to be told because people trusted NATALIE K. GOULD IS THE VP ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN DALLAS But Harris’ journalism career didn’t come OF CONTENT MANAGEMENT me. And because they AT ADVICE INTERACTIVE longer than 10 minutes is likely familiar with overnight. After serving in the Army, he attended GROUP, A DIGITAL MARKET- BYRON HARRIS (MSJ72), a longtime investiga- graduate school at Medill with his GI Bill benefits. took chances. ING AGENCY IN DALLAS, tive journalist for WFAA-TV. He’s won numerous “I had no journalism experience,” he says. “We . ON HER OFF HOURS, Byron Harris SHE’S A FREELANCE WRITER awards and recognitions for his storytelling and were idealistic. We wanted to do good things for AND BOURBON ENTHUSIAST. investigations—and was even beaten up by the society and democracy.” Once in Evanston, he Teamsters once. But in his Dallas, Texas, home, took science writing with Ben Baldwin, the pro- he’s just like anyone else trying to enjoy a good fessor for whom the Medill scholarship is named, cup of coffee on a rainy Sunday morning. and then signed up for the Washington Program. “Here, I’ll give you a First Amendment cup,” “That shaped me a lot,” Harris says. His neigh- hostage crisis, Haag sent Harris and his team down to Mexico Harris says to me as he pours us two steaming bors in a D.C. dormitory that summer included to find the Shah of Iran, who had fled the country. He traveled to cups of coffee. I’m trying to play it cool, leaning Arnold Díaz, longtime CBS News reporter, and Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Kuwait, Russia, Sweden and even East up against his kitchen counter, like I don’t care Pulitzer-prize winning author Hank Klibanoff. Germany, often in the face of life-threatening danger. But that that one of Dallas’ most important investigative During his time in the Washington Program, never deterred him. “The news business doesn’t allow you a lot journalists is handing me a cup of coffee in he benefitted from the hands-on experience: He of time to think about danger. You really want to get the story. the world’s most perfect mug. This is the same was invited to join other reporters in the Senate That’s the deal,” Harris says. “When you have a good story you Harris who took on NBC’s “To Catch a Predator” Majority office each Saturday to discuss the pre- called the station manager and said they wanted to see the story feel great. But that’s tempered by the fact that you’ve got the when his team got a tip that the show and the vious and coming weeks’ news items with Mike before it went live. The management granted the request, con- next story to do, and you don’t know what that is, and you don’t Murphy, Texas, police were breaking the law. Mansfield, the country’s longest-serving Senate cerned about losing important advertising money. Harris and his know if it’s going to be any good, and you don’t know if the stars He’s also the same Harris who was arrested for Majority Leader. news director walked out that day. Eventually, three of them, are going to align. There’s lots to be fearful of besides your life refusing to surrender his camera at Area 51. In Following stints in , Wisconsin, and including Harris, landed at WFAA in Marty Haag’s newsroom. in the news business.” a cozy living space off the kitchen, awards and Amarillo, Texas, Harris landed a job at Oklahoma Haag went on to win a Peabody award in 1988. In October 2015, Harris hung up his daily news hat after more mementos adorn every wall, making it impos- City’s KWTV. It was here that he uncovered a “We became known as the Oklahoma Mafia,” Harris says. than 40 years. But that doesn’t mean his reporting days are over. sible to ignore that Harris has had the career story about car dealers overcharging consumers. “We were kind of the nucleus of this newsroom.” Haag encour- He’s pitching some documentaries and continues to work on journalists dream of. Before the story aired, the subjects of the story aged reporters to chase the important stories, whether locally or freelance projects. Additionally, he’s spending his newfound free around the world. “There was nothing that we couldn’t do…He time traveling and volunteering, and he hasn’t stopped learning. never said, ‘You can’t do that,’” Harris says. “I keep trying to get smarter,” he says. Harris and the rest of the Haag newsroom team continually After decades of hard-hitting reporting, winning some of the felt overlooked by the print outlets, which made them even more industry’s most coveted awards and building a legacy, Harris The news business doesn’t allow you a lot of determined to earn their place at the table. “They thought we never lost sight of what the news is really about: telling stories. time to think about danger. You really want were all pretty and not substantive,” Harris says. “So I always “For an important story to be told, people have to trust you… tried to write to just prove that I could do what they did.” In We all look back on our careers and say, ‘These are my sto- to get the story. That’s the deal. 1982, Harris wrote a cover story for Texas Monthly about the ries.’ Well, they’re really not my stories. They’re stories that disintegration of Braniff Airlines. “This one put me on the map,” were able to be told because people trusted me. And because Byron Harris he says. “I just tried to keep asserting, ‘Pay attention to us. You they took chances.” w may think television is stupid, but we’re trying hard here.’” Harris’ career took him around the world. During the Iran

16 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 17 \ ALUMNI ALUMNI \

VIEW FROM THE STANDS FOR THE EDITOR OF THE CHICAGO CUBS FAN MAGAZINE, SPORTS JOURNALISM IS THE FIELD OF HIS DREAMS.

BY MATT PAOLELLI CHICAGO CUBS FANS HAVE BEEN WAITING was just a way to pay the bills. (BSJ05, MSJ06) more than 100 years for a World Series victory, “I had always known how to write and was and 2016 might turn out to be “The Year.” pretty good at it, so I conned my way into various A historic moment would be especially sweet magazine jobs,” he says. “By the time I decided to MATT PAOLELLI IS THE for GARY COHEN (MSJ08), editor in chief of go to Medill, I had been doing writing as an avo- MANAGER OF DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS FOR Vine Line, a Cubs fan magazine. During his time cation and acting as a vocation for a long time and CATHOLIC EXTENSION, A as editor, Cohen has had a front row seat for the figured it was time to try something different.” NON-PROFIT FUNDRAISING ORGANIZATION BASED IN team’s transformation from a “lovable losers” After a brief sports writing stint in Los Angeles, CHICAGO. HE IS ALSO AN punchline in 2011 to today’s all-star starting Cohen returned to Chicago and enrolled at Medill ADJUNCT LECTURER AT MEDILL. lineup that is cruising toward its second straight to refine his skills and learn “the nuts and bolts of postseason appearance. putting together a magazine.” He served as pub- “It’s really rewarding to have gone from the lisher for his cohort’s capstone publishing project depths of the rebuild to where it is now,” Cohen that ultimately produced Better (later renamed says. “There were times where we would go, Make it Better), a lifestyle magazine for Chicago’s ‘What’s our cover story going to be?’ Now it’s a North Shore suburbs that still exists today. totally different scenario. We’ve got cover stories “The Medill experience helped me gain a lot of angry letters saying, ‘You go tell Theo…’” enjoying the ride. There’s a lot of happy people at ABOVE: Gary Cohen at on July 15, for days.” knowledge that I probably should have had to The magazine’s content tended to focus on Wrigley Field these days.” 2016. (photo by Stephen A lifelong baseball fan who grew up rooting be working in the business,” he says. “I learned the bright future of the Cubs’ minor league stars, So is this “The Year?” Cohen is cautiously Green Photography) for the Atlanta Braves and keeping an eye on a ton about the production and business side of several of whom are now among the most sought optimistic. the Cubs thanks to their regular appearances magazines.” after players in baseball. Through thick and thin, “If I were a betting man, I would put my money on WGN, Cohen nevertheless took a circuitous Cohen also credits Medill with helping him find Cohen says that the commitment and knowledge on the Cubs, but there’s so much randomness in a magazine job in Chicago as editor in chief at of Cubs fans makes managing Vine Line a power- the playoffs,” he says. “Your goal is to get into Community Magazine Group, which gave him a ful responsibility. the tournament and then you see what happens crash course in the tools he would need to run Vine “We’re not going out to 200,000 people, but from there.” Line. He came on board in November 2011 just as the people the magazine is going out to are really If the Cubs do soon break their 108-year streak There were times where we would go, the Cubs were embarking on a multi-year roster passionate about the Cubs,” he says. “I’ve always of futility, Cohen will be covering it from his perch rebuilding effort led by new President of Baseball equated it to soap opera fans. If you’re in that in the Wrigley Field press box, enjoying the view ‘What’s our cover story going to be?’ Operations Theo Epstein. The rebuilding effort bubble, the passion of the fans is pretty extreme.” and a job that perfectly combines his strengths Now it’s a totally different scenario. required a few tough seasons in order to pave That passion was rarely more evident than last and interests. We’ve got cover stories for days. the way for the team’s current success, which led season, when Epstein’s rebuilding plans bore fruit “I’ve got the baseball knowledge, but I also to some challenging decisions for Cohen and his a bit early: The long-suffering fans were treated to know how to build a magazine, and sadly there Gary Cohen staff, who had to factor team personnel changes a postseason series victory over the rival St. Louis aren’t that many people wandering around into their monthly editorial plans. Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Cohen rates it as one who still like print and see the value in it,” he “The major league team was relatively thin, and of the best experiences of his career. says. “That all came out of Medill and my time on top of that, we couldn’t cover the people who “Last year was a surprise to everybody,” he there, so I wouldn’t be doing this if it weren’t were not thin because they were all on the trade says. “This year the team had huge expectations for Medill.” w route to sports writing. After graduating from block,” Cohen says. “A lot of people aren’t willing and has thus far lived up to those expectations. the University of Texas at Austin, he came to to look at the minor leagues and see the plan in If we’re sitting here two years from now and Chicago to take improv classes and pursue a motion, they’re just looking at the major league there still isn’t a World Series trophy, the fans are career in theater and television. At first, writing team that is losing 100 games, so we would get a going to get restless, but for now everyone is just

18 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 19 \ ALUMNI ALUMNI \ HALF FULL

COMEDY WRITER MATT aware of Northwestern until high school. Early on in the college- “To Be Honest.” BELLASSAI MADE A seeking process, Medill appealed to him. “I thought I wanted to be Bellassai may not be doing traditional journalism, but he still CAREER OUT OF WINE, Sanjay Gupta and be a doctor/journalist. But that only happens uses his knowledge gained at Medill. “Gathering your information, WHINE AND REVISE. when you are Sanjay,” he says. understanding your subject, taking note of what is happening in Instead, he became interested in politics as was society, that’s all journalism training that I use for comedy,” he elected in 2008. “I liked to tell stories and politics seemed like a says. “I’m a comedy writer first and a performer second.” place to tell crazy stories,” Bellassai says. Bellassai confessed to being “intimidated” by the standup During a series of internships and other jobs, Bellassai created comedy scene before the tour began. “With the internet, you can a free community account on the media site BuzzFeed and started immediately see what resonates. There’s so much data. You can posting. At the time, BuzzFeed was looking to boost both its 2012 see what videos do better than others.” But the first two shows he election coverage and its put up for sale (in Chicago LGBT channels. After and Indianapolis) sold out noticing Bellassai’s posts, within 20 minutes and they invited him to be part reception from college of its first class of fellows campus audiences kept him in New York, a five-month Gathering your information, motivated to expand the process where Bellassai understanding your subject, tour. “learned to write in the taking note of what is happening In both “Whine About It” language of the internet.” and his new show, “To Be After that, BuzzFeed in society, that’s all journalism Honest,” Bellassai shudders hired Bellassai as a training that I use for comedy. as he drinks the necessary full-time comedy writer. volume of wine to riff on ”[I was] doing comedy Matt Bellassai the topic of the week. The essays where I put myself comedian says he thinks BY MARGARET ASK MATT BELLASSAI (BSJ12) WHAT HE Artists Agency. In 2016, he also won a People’s in the stories more often,” alcohol is part of writing at LITTMAN (MSJ94) learned at Medill that has helped him in his short, Choice Award for “Favorite Social Media Star.” he says, citing a pump- most media outlets, albeit but storied career so far and he’ll quip: Bellassai grew up in Chicago’s south suburbs, kin spice cleanse and a not out in the open, as was “I was getting drunk at Medill but didn’t think it but as a first-generation college student, he wasn’t doughnut crawl (like a pub crawl, but with doughnuts). the case at his desk at BuzzFeed. “I think in media everyone is MARGARET LITTMAN IS A would translate to a job.” FREELANCE WRITER AND This process allowed him to let go of one of his old Medill pretty much drunk all the time, except everyone keeps it on the That’s classic Bellassai. Once a journalism EDITOR IN NASHVILLE. habits. “I used to be so afraid to post or publish unless it was down low,” he says. and political science double major, Bellassai is perfect, and that [perfection] almost never happened,” he says. While he used to enjoy a glass of wine when he got home now best known for “Whine About It,” which he I thought I wanted “So, those [stories] would be without an audience. The internet from work, in real life, he confesses, “Now I only drink describes as “a weekly video series where I get really helped me get rid of that mindset, and now I publish and wine to film a video. I like writing fully sober and paying drunk at my desk and complain about stuff.” Yep. to be Sanjay Gupta post as much as I can.” attention to my thoughts, although some great ideas do For eight months, literally millions of people—he and be a doctor/ For more than three-and-a-half years, Bellassai did so at come from nights out…” w has 1.5 million fans on Facebook alone—tuned in BuzzFeed. He likens BuzzFeed’s relationships with its former to see Bellassai do just that. journalist. But that writers to that of TV juggernaut “Saturday Night Live.” “They are As evidence that Bellassai has achieved celeb- only happens when a platform that grows people and gets them ready to fly the coop,” rity status for these comedic rants, entertainment you are Sanjay. he says. trade magazine Variety covered his decision to And Bellassai has found his fellow alumni of the BuzzFeed leave BuzzFeed and “Whine About It” in January Matt Bellassai universe to be supportive of his decision to launch Matt Bellassai 2016 to launch a solo career with a book, web Live: The Drunk & Alone standup comedy tour, to work on a series, comedy tour and a contract with Creative book, scripted TV show and to start a new web video series called

20 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 21 \ NEWS ALUMNI QUOTE \

LAST FALL, A TEAM OF PEOPLE spent more than 40 years in the newspa- NEW hung a sculpture made of rescued antique per business, first setting type at a paper type and engravings just outside the door in Davenport, Iowa. Schermer eventually SCULPTURE of Dean Bradley Hamm’s office. The became publisher of the Missoulian in artwork, which was created by Lloyd Missoula, Montana, and then in the 1980s MIXES Schermer, was not only a gift to Medill, he served as a member of the Medill advi- but also serves as a visual touchstone sory board. MEDIA’S connecting the school’s past to its future. Back when his newspaper was convert- I’m proud to say that many of As a newspaperman-turned-artist, ing from letterpress to offset printing, he my closest friends from college PAST AND Schermer sees it as his mission to preserve held on to the glass plates, gold tinted PRESENT and present the pieces of newspaper’s past negatives, contact sheets as well as what- are my Medill classmates. to current and future generations. ever wood and metal letterpress pieces he They are some of the most “The gift was Lloyd’s idea,” Marty Kohr, could find. When he retired, he continued BY ELLEN BLUM BARISH IMC lecturer and director of the part-time to collect tons of type and engravings hardworking, exciting and (COMM81, MSJ94) IMC Program, says. “He had a great sense from across the United States, including loyal people I have ever met. of urgency when he began this project.” Printer’s Row in Chicago. And then, at age The urgency was driven by two dimin- 64, he took his first drawing class. Medill is such a tight-knit ishing resources: “Antique wood type and “There were really good artists in that ELLEN BLUM BARISH, FORMER EDITOR community, and I know the OF THE MEDILL MAGAZINE, IS AN ESSAYIST me,” Schermer says. class as well as yo-yos like me,” he says. WHOSE WORK HAS APPEARED IN NUMER- Schermer’s wall sculptures, monotypes, “But my teacher seemed to think I had relationships I built there as a OUS PUBLICATIONS, ON WBEZ AND IN HER BOOK, “VIEWS FROM THE HOME OFFICE bronzes and prints are displayed at the talent because she wanted me to sign and WINDOW.” SHE IS THE EDITOR OF Smithsonian American Art Museum, frame my drawings.” student will last me a lifetime. THREAD, A LITERARY PUBLICATION. ELLEN HAS TAUGHT WRITING AT McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum, Director of the Dean’s Office Robyn SEVERAL UNIVERSITIES, INCLUDING the Newseum, The Knight Foundation and Schuster gathered the thoughts of long- NORTHWESTERN, AND WORKS WITH on the CEO of ’s door. time faculty and provided these as input PEOPLE IN HER WORKSHOPS AND PRIVATE COACHING WHO ARE WRITING STORIES Before his art career took off, Schermer to Schermer. On top of each of the letters FROM THEIR LIFE. of Medill, Schermer inserted a metal plate of 0s and 1s, a nod to the binary code depicting the electronic age of journalism. ORKO MANNA (BSJ16) “He injected his own unique genius into IS AN ON-AIR REPORTER the work,” Schuster says, “capturing the FOR THE ABC STATION essence of what we were hoping for in a IN DES MOINES, IOWA. beautiful and innovative way.” At four feet high, eight feet wide and 250 pounds, the piece now hanging in Fisk Hall, titled “News Seeds,” took two days to install. Just as setting type was a slow, labori- ous process of pouring molten metal into molds that could be set into a frame, inked and then pressed onto paper, so is the process of preparing and arranging the materials into a piece of art. Once these pieces from the past find their way into a Schermer sculpture, what may easily have been lost is made into something long remembered. w

22 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 23 \ CLASS NOTES CLASS NOTES \

1970s PRERNA MONA The award, named in honor of Benjamin 2010s KHANNA Franklin’s service as a public servant SIDMEL ESTES (BSJ76, ROY J. HARRIS, JR. (BSJ68, MSJ71) (BSJ87) and U.S. diplomat, recognizes the SCOTT KITUN received the 2016 Lifetime Achievement received the achievements of individuals in a (BSJ13) founded MSJ77) RECEIVES IDA B. Award from the American Society of 2016 Ellis variety of areas of importance to the and hosts Business Publication Editors. Author of Island Medal of State Department, including superior “Tomorrow’s “Pulitzer’s Gold,” Harris is considered Honor from the performance, innovation, teamwork, Business Today,” WELLS AWARD “the master historian of the Pulitzer National Ethnic crisis management and negotiation. a podcast Prize.” He was previously a reporter at Coalition of that serves the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Organizations. EVAN BENN as a rapidly ormer Medill Board of (BSJ04) Street Journal, and a senior editor at growing forum Advisers Member, Medill Hall CFO Magazine. He has held several DAN FIETSAM (MSA88) joined was recently for Chicago’s technology and startup of Achievement member, and leadership roles at ASBPE, starting with advertising agency Laughlin Constable promoted to communities on WGN Plus. The show F Boston chapter president, then national as chief creative officer, leading across editor in chief of has merged with Technori, one of former National Association of Black president and now president of the all of the company’s offices in Chicago, Indulge, a Miami the world’s most influential startup Journalists President Sidmel Estes ASBPE Foundation. Milwaukee, New York and New Jersey. luxury magazine showcases with outposts in five U.S. (BSJ76, MSJ77) was posthumously Most recently, Fietsam led his own published seven cities. honored with the 2016 Ida B. Wells WILLIAM HARMS (MSJ72) and his wife creative consultancy, The Fietsam times a year award in August. moved to the San Francisco Bay area Group. He has led creative teams at by the Miami Herald Media Co. Benn DAWNTHEA PRICE (BSJ14) is now a to be near family. Harms worked for the several agencies and produced award- was previously food editor of the Miami copy editor at Slate.com. Each year, NABJ and Medill jointly University of Chicago News Office for winning campaigns for a number of Herald. give the award to an individual who nearly 30 years before retiring in 2013. iconic brands. He is also an IMC lecturer CHRISTINE SMITH (MSJ15) is an has provided distinguished leadership at Medill. ALEXIS GRANT (MSJ05) is executive associate editor for the U.S. News and in increasing access and opportunities editor of Taylor Media, running MICHELE WELDON (BSJ78, MSJ80) World Report travel team. to people of color in journalism, and in authored her fifth book, which appeared the editorial side of fast-growing 2000s improving the coverage of communities on the American Library Association’s ThePennyHoarder.com. She is eager to Booklist Editors’ Choice list of best hire Medill alumni to work out of the Submit to: of color in American media. MIKE DUFFIN books of 2015. “Escape Points” (Chicago office in St. Petersburg, Florida. [email protected] The Ida B. Wells award’s namesake was a distinguished journalist, fearless (MSJ01) Review Press, 2015) is her memoir about reporter and wife of one of America’s earliest black publishers. Wells was editor received the raising three sons alone while facing CHRISTOPHER KRIVA (BSJ06, MSJ06) Franklin Award and proprietor of the Memphis Free Speech and Headlight. Estes was recognized cancer and maintaining professional is a senior adviser in the Office of U.S. from the U.S. for her years as a top executive producer, television news manager and for her ambition. The book was a finalist in Department of Health and Human Department the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Service. His role focuses on coordinating historic role as the first woman to serve as president of NABJ. of State for Awards for 2015. She is assistant and implementing the Obama “It is an honor to recognize Sidmel Estes as one of the most intelligent, his work in professor emerita at Medill. Administration’s health care regulatory hard-working, dedicated, trailblazing journalists of our time,” Ava Thompson the field of agenda. countering violent extremism. He is a Greenwell, Charles Whitaker and Loren Ghiglione, co-curators of the award and professors at Medill said in a statement. 1980s policy adviser in the State Department’s ERIN STOCK (BSJ06) and Federico LETTER TO THE EDITOR Bureau of Counterterrorism and Barillas Schwank were married Estes began her career at WAGA-TV/Fox 5 in Atlanta. She was the co-creator Countering Violent Extremism. Duffin CHRISTINA MACKENZIE (MSJ86) September 23, 2016. ove the new obituaries! You’re finally and executive producer of “Good Day Atlanta,” which became the number one was presented the award by Assistant became editor in chief of Forces reporting at least in some cases show in its market and won seven Emmy awards under her direction. In 2006, Secretary of State Victoria Nuland JESSE GREENBERG (IMC08) is public L Operations, a bilingual website that Estes left WAGA-TV to start BreakThrough Inc., a media consulting firm with for his “innovation and leadership in CAUSE OF DEATH. Even if most of them reports on anything of interest to affairs manager at Kinder Morgan, Inc. coordinating the Strong Cities Network were ancient, celebrities, or tragedies. clients including the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation, the McCormick French, and more broadly, European International Visitor Leadership Tribune Fellows Foundation, the Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation and the ground forces. Her objective is to AMANDA PERLYN JACKSON (IMC08) At 68, if I die from my diabetes type one Program, and advancing U.S. foreign turn the French/English site into the accepted a new role at Peninsula Hotels or my 30+ years’ HIV infection, I want it Atlanta Center for Creative Inquiry. She also taught as an adjunct professor at policy in countering violent extremism. Economist of the defense world. She as regional director of marketing. She and Atlanta University. He worked across the Department to count toward funding, research, social spent 18 years reporting on defense and previously worked as global senior During Estes’ tenure as NABJ president, the association increased its mem- with outside agencies, and with the justice. It’s the least you and I can do. Feel security issues, influenced by her time brand manager at Hyatt. local community to enable visitors free to publish this letter. bership to more than 2,000 journalists and was included in Ebony magazine’s at Medill covering the police and fire from Europe, the Middle East/North Top 100 Black Organizations. In 1994, she led and co-created of the first UNITY: beat in Waukegan. Africa and Canada to engage with their Ira Sitomer (MSJ69) Journalists of Color conference. She was instrumental in the release of UNITY’s American counterparts and share best report, “Kerner Plus 25: A Call For Action,” which outlined steps the media indus- practices.” try should take to improve racial diversity. Estes died suddenly last year. The Estes family was presented with her award during NABJ’s Annual Convention and Career Fair in Washington, D.C., Aug. 3-7, 2016.

24 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 25 \ OBITUARIES OBITUARIES \

ELLEN SOETEBER (BSJ72), 66, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, died June 21 after a brief illness. As a member of Medill’s Board of Advisers and the Medill Hall of Achievement, Soeteber was an active participant and valued contributor MEDILL to the school after her retirement. In 2014, she agreed to join the judging panel for the REMEMBERS: James Foley Medill Medal for Courage in GARRY Journalism. Soeteber grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. MARSHALL Her professional career began at two now-defunct afternoon newspapers, the Chicago Daily News and Chicago Today. In 1974, she joined the , amed producer, director and writer Achievement Award in 1990, the Writers Guild ABOVE: Marshall poses where she spent 20 years in various roles GARRY K. MARSHALL (BSJ56) died of America’s Valentine Davies Award in 1995, with his Northwestern gnome, a gift from Medill including reporter, copy editor, weekend FJuly 19 from complications of pneu- and the American Cinema Editors’ Golden Eddie for his 80th birthday. editor, night city editor, associate metro monia following a stroke. He was 81. Marshall, Filmmaker of the Year Award in 2004. In 2012, Garry’s gift for storytelling brought joy, editor and TV and media editor. From RIGHT: Marshall and his a member of Medill’s Hall of Achievement, was he was inducted into the National Association of son, Scott, at a Rose Bowl laughter and an enormous, beating 2001 to 2005, she was editor of the St. the creator and producer of numerous televi- Broadcasters’ Hall of Fame. Marshall earned five Parade event. Louis Post-Dispatch, overseeing all news sion shows including “Happy Days,” “Laverne Emmy nominations over the course of his career: heart to every screen, large and small. and editorial operations. and Shirley,” “The Odd Couple” and “Mork four for “The Odd Couple” and one for “Mork & Paris Barclay and Mindy.” He directed 18 films in his career, Mindy” and has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of At the time of her death, Soeteber was including “Overboard,” “Beaches,” “Pretty Fame. chair of the advisory board for the Alfred Woman,” “Valentine’s Day,” “New Year’s Day,” Marshall’s memoir “Wake Me When It’s Friendly Press Fellowships and a member and “Mother’s Day.” Funny,” co-written with his daughter LORI of the selection committee for the Marshall was also an actor, making cameos MARSHALL (BSJ86, MSJ88) and published in “The loss today of Garry Marshall is deeply sad—for our industry, and for Knight-Wallace Fellows at . She in his own films. He had a recurring role on 1995, recounted his first 35 years in Hollywood. our Guild,” Directors Guild of America President Paris Barclay said in a July 19 herself participated in the Knight-Wallace “Murphy Brown” as the head of the network and He wrote another memoir, “My Happy Days in statement. “Garry’s gift for storytelling brought joy, laughter and an enormous, Fellowship at , guested on shows such as “Monk” and “The Sarah Hollywood,” in 2012. beating heart to every screen, large and small. When describing the type of then called the Michigan Journalism Silverman Show.” He played a part in his sister A life trustee of Northwestern University, stories he chose to tell, Garry once said: ‘I try to find scripts of stories that kinda Fellowship, from 1986 to 1987. She ’s “A League of Their Own” as a Marshall had a hand in the creation and sup- celebrate the human condition…let’s talk about the tough world out there and also participated in the Kellogg School baseball team owner. He also appeared in his son port of several buildings on campus, including the human spirit overcoming adversity.’ And that indefatigable optimism came of Management Advanced Executive Scott Marshall’s 2006 comedy “Keeping Up With the Barbara and Garry Marshall Studio Wing through in everything he touched.” Program at the Media Management the Steins.” in John J. Louis Hall and the Marjorie Ward Marshall was born in the Bronx, New York. He is survived by his wife of 53 Center at Northwestern. In 1997, Marshall was inducted into the Marshall Dance Center, which was named after years, Barbara; two sisters, Ronny and Penny; three children Lori, Kathleen and Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences’ his mother. He also was a major contributor to Scott (all Northwestern graduates); and six grandchildren. w She loved baseball and enjoyed spending Hall of Fame. Additional career accolades the recently constructed Ryan Center for the time with her nephews and taking them include the ’ Creative Musical Arts. to Cubs games. She is survived by her husband, Richard Martins, with whom she loved to travel; they recently took a cruise in South America. 26 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 27 \ OBITUARIES OBITUARIES \

ALEXANDER MAGEE (BSJ48, MSJ49) After Northwestern, he served in the She was the widow of George Espy JACK FULLER (BSJ68), 69, died June 21 at home in Chicago. He was diagnosed with cancer a few months before. Fuller was born died at home on April 11. He was a resi- Korean War, and then left to enter civilian McKenzie, Jr. whom she married in 1960. in Chicago, and at the age of 16, he followed his father, a financial reporter for the Chicago Tribune, into the newsroom to work as a dent and real estate broker in Oak Park, services as a writer with Union Carbide She is survived by son and daughter-in- copyboy. During his 40-year journalism career, he held many esteemed roles, including editor, president, CEO and publisher. He won a Illinois, who also served in World War II. Corporation in Chicago. He eventually law, George Espy McKenzie III and Mary; Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for editorials focusing on constitutional law. He is survived by his companion, Joyce moved to New York, where he married a daughter, Kedrin McKenzie; daughter and Fuller got his law degree from Yale in 1973, and then returned to Chicago. He spent two years as a general assignment reporter at the Stockholm; his five daughters, Mary colleague and continued to work. He was son-in-law, Meghan and Stephen Vosloo; Tribune before leaving to join the U.S. Department of Justice as special assistant to then-Attorney General Edward Levi. He returned to Pellegrini, Jean Magee, Joan Slanina, Kate buried in Bedford, New York. four grandchildren; and three sisters. the Tribune as a Washington correspondent in 1977. Linne and Maggie Hayes; eight grandchil- McKenzie was preceded in death by a With Fuller’s support, the Tribune was one of the first papers to enter the digital age, bringing internet access to the newsroom and dren; and four great-grandchildren. He ROBERT “BOB” SORENSEN (MSJ56), daughter, Natalie McEnery. launching one of the first online editions. During his retirement, he focused on writing books. His eighth novel, “One From Without,” was preceded in death by his wife, Mary 87, of McKinney, Texas, died April 4. came out this past June. Frances Deegan Magee. He was born in Logan, Utah, and had GARY BRAASCH (BSJ66, MSJ67), Fuller served on the board of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and was a trustee of the University of Chicago. He seven siblings. Sorensen earned his 72, of Portland, Oregon, died March 7 is survived by his wife, Debra Moskovits and two children from a previous marriage, Timothy and Katherine Ryan. MARSHALL ACKERMAN (MSJ50), bachelor’s degree in journalism at Utah while snorkeling and photographing coral 91, died Feb. 7 in Goleta, California, in an State University. During his tour in bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef. He assisted living facility where he had been the Air Force, Sorensen flew the B-29 was a talented photographer dedicated He will be forever missed by his loving NATALIE GENE MOSKOWITZ working in public relations and marketing residing for the past few months. Prior to Bomber over North Korea and after his to documenting climate change; his work wife and best friend, Pamela Zekman Soll, ORNISH (MSJ45), 90, died May 16. communications for advertising agencies that, he spent 25 years in Santa Barbara, transfer to Barksdale Air Force Base in appeared in publications including The and devoted brother, Michael Soll. His She had successful careers as a trail- and corporations. She returned to Rome in California, in a home he built with his Shreveport, Louisiana, he flew the B-47 New York Times Magazine and National friends and family will always remember blazing Texas historian, composer and 2004 when she began working at late wife Carol. Ackerman was chairman Stratojet. After his discharge from the Geographic. Braasch covered receding his warmth, sense of humor and his deep playwright for children, book publisher, Highlands College as director of college of the American Institute of Wine & Air Force, he worked in Wichita, Kansas, glaciers, oil spills and Mount St. Helens’ concern for others. documentary filmmaker and real estate relations. She retired in 2014 when she Food, vice chairman of the University of at Boeing Aircraft and then moved back eruption, earning recognition as a nature investor. A third-generation Texan, Ornish became ill. She sat on the board of direc- California Santa Barbara Communications to Shreveport, where he worked in the photographer and environmental activist. MARY ELLEN SULLIVAN (MSJ82), was born in Galveston, where her father tors of the Rome Symphony Orchestra, Department Advisory Board and a fre- oil and gas industry and advertising. He He got his start in photography while 56, of Chicago, died March 13 of ovarian had survived the famous storm of 1900. served as a mentor for dropout prevention quent consultant to the regional health later moved to Dallas where he spent the serving in the Air Force and worked as a cancer. By age 19, Sullivan had relocated She graduated from Ball High School at organization Communities in Schools and food and health media industries. Before rest of his career in advertising and public full-time photographer after the military. to 10 places around the country and age 14 and obtained a bachelor’s degree participated in charitable activities spon- moving to California, Ackerman served as relations before retiring in McKinney. Surprisingly, he took only one photogra- world because of her father’s job. She in English from Sam Houston State sored by Georgia Highlands. While living vice chairman of Rodale Press in Lehigh Sorensen is survived by his wife, Noel phy course. Braasch was born in Omaha, graduated with an English degree from University at 17. At 18, she became the in Philadelphia, she became a Quaker and Valley, Pennsylvania. During his 35 years Sorensen; sons Scott, Jeff and Mark; four Nebraska, met his future wife in Portland Boston College in 1981, minoring in phi- youngest person at the time to earn a in 2007 started a Quaker worship group in Lehigh Valley, he served as president grandchildren; two great grandchildren; and raised his son, Cedar, in Oregon. He losophy and art history. After graduate master’s degree from Medill. Following in Rome, which still meets weekly. She is of the Pennsylvania Stage Company, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. and his wife eventually divorced. His school at Medill, she worked as a maga- graduation, she worked for the Associated survived by her daughter Meredith, two trustee of Cedar Crest College, president girlfriend, Joan Rothlein, was with him in zine editor at General Learning Corp., a Press in Omaha, Nebraska, later returning granddaughters, a brother, a cousin and of the Lions Club and more. Ackerman NATALIE “TALIE” MCKENZIE (BSJ58, Australia at the time of his death. small educational publishing house in to Galveston, where she worked in public two nephews. was an avid collector, most notably of MSJ59) of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Highland Park, Illinois. A few years later, relations for several organizations and William McKinley memorabilia. He often died June 16. After graduation, she RICK SOLL (MSJ70), 69, of Chicago, she moved to Advocate Health Care, in nightclubs during the island’s heyday. CAROL J. “SIS” STEINHART (BSJ47), remarked that he began collecting his worked as news editor of the Palatine died April 22, after a long battle with Oak Brook, Illinois, where she ran the She married Dallas dentist, Dr. Edwin P. 89, of Fort Worth, Texas, died May 23. McKinley trove “because no one else Enterprise, precursor of the Palatine lung cancer. Soll was a reporter for the publications department for five years. Ornish, in 1949 and later founded Dallas She was a freelance writer and mother would.” He served bravely in the Vosges Herald of Paddock Publications. That Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. She then decided to quit her job and see Records and Natwin Creative Productions. of six. Born and raised in Buffalo, New Mountains of France during World War II position segued into her 55-year, part- The human interest stories he wrote there the world; her travels took her to Asia, She is survived by her four children, Laurel, York, Steinhart graduated from Bennett and was decorated with the Purple Heart time job as secretary of the Palatine Plan were known for depth and sensitivity. New Zealand, Australia and Europe. She Dean, Steven and Kathy, as well as four High School and attended Northwestern and Bronze Star. He studied American Commission. After raising her children, He covered wars, trials, local and world launched a freelance writing career that grandchildren. Dr. and Mrs. Ornish also University. Steinhart wrote articles for literature at Harvard University and she returned to work as executive secre- conflicts, as well as critical events in the led to bylines in , helped raise three foster children, Mitzi The Buffalo News, Ski Magazine and earned his master’s degree at Medill the tary to the Director of the National Pasta lives of celebrities, politicians and every- women’s magazines, travel guides and Krockover, and twins Mark and Lisa Stein. other periodicals. She enjoyed downhill following year. Ackerman is survived by Association. McKenzie sang solo soprano day people struggling to get by. He was liner notes for a jazz record label. In 2012, skiing, cross-country skiing, tennis and three sons, Stark, Scott and Marc; a sister, in the choir at Southminster Presbyterian a co-editor and writer for Chicagoland she started a blog titled On the Wings DANA DAVIS ZIEMAN (MSJ73), 65, swimming. Her husband, Dr. Jacob M. Irene Maher; and two grandchildren. Church, of which she was a charter Monthly and the Chicago Times, and he of a Hummingbird. Sullivan’s partner of died April 25 at her home in Rome, Georgia, Steinhart, founder of Amherst Pediatric member in 1996. She enjoyed sports— received numerous journalism awards for 18 years, Michael Schmitt, died in 2014. following a long illness. She graduated in Associates, died in 2014. She is survived EDWIN S. ALDRICH (BSJ52, MSJ52) both as a participant and an enthusiastic his writing. Soll received his bachelor’s She is survived by her parents, Donal and 1968 from Thornwood School and then by daughter Carrie; five sons, Corklin died in January in upstate New York fan—gardening, cooking, music, bridge degree in 1968 from Colgate University. He Martha Sullivan; two brothers, Bill and attended Florida State University, where “Corky,” Craig, Curt, Conrad “Cubby” after a long illness. He completed his and needlepoint. McKenzie also cherished was a voracious reader, passionate golfer, John; and a sister, Sheila Zimmerman. she studied communication. Zieman lived and Justin “Casey”; and a sister, Harlene bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Medill. her Gamma Phi Beta sorority friendships. gifted drummer and a devoted pet dad. for 30 years in the Philadelphia area, “Buty” Meyers.

28 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 29 \ KEEP READING KEEP READING \

“THE RICHEST MAN WHO “SECRET SERVICE DOGS: “FAITH ED: TEACHING “100 DAYS OF CAKE” “YOUR HOLISTICALLY “VOTES OF CONFIDENCE: A EVER LIVED: THE LIFE AND THE HEROES WHO PROTECT ABOUT RELIGION IN AN AGE SHARI GOLDHAGEN (BSJ98) HOT TRANSFORMATION: YOUNG PERSON’S GUIDE TO TIMES OF JACOB FUGGER” THE PRESIDENT OF THE OF INTOLERANCE” Published by Atheneum Books for EMBRACE A HEALTHY AMERICAN ELECTIONS” GREG STEINMETZ (MSJ86) UNITED STATES” LINDA K. WERTHEIMER LIFESTYLE FREE OF DIETING, JEFF FLEISCHER (MSJ03) Young Readers (May 2016) Published by Simon & Schuster MARIA GOODAVAGE (BSJ84) (BSJ86, MSJ86) CONFUSION AND Published by Zest Books (May 2016) SELF-JUDGMENT” (August 2016) Published by Dutton Publishing Published by Beacon Press Shari Goldhagen’s (BSJ98) MARISSA VICARIO (October 2016) (August 2015, hardcover; Fall 2016, new young adult fiction book MCFARLAND (BSJ01) Every four years, coverage of In the days when Christopher paperback) the presidential election turns “100 Days of Cake” follows Published by Marissa’s Well-being Columbus sailed the ocean “Secret Service Dogs” delves into a horse-race story about high school senior Molly and Health (May 2016) into the heart of the unique A suburban Boston school and Leonardo da Vinci Bryne, who just wants to who’s leading the polls and world of the United States unwittingly started a painted the “Mona Lisa,” spend the rest of the summer “Your Holistically Hot who said what when. Young Secret Service canine teams controversy over a sixth- a German banker named (maybe the rest of her life) Transformation” follows Americans, who remember that protect first families, grade field trip. The class was Jacob Fugger became the watching “Golden Girls” reruns Marissa Vicario McFarland’s only one or two other elections, popes and even presidential visiting a mosque to learn richest man in history. Greg and hanging out with her cute (BSJ01) journey from aren’t provided with much candidates. The book also about world religions when a Steinmetz (MSJ86) tells the coworker. Molly struggles with unfulfilled corporate information about how the explores the selection of dogs handful of boys joined the line story of Fugger’s life, starting depression, crushes on her professional to women’s election process actually and handlers, their year-round of worshippers and acted out in Germany at the turn of therapist and has to deal with lifestyle aficionado. works, why it matters or how training, their missions around motions of the Muslim call to the 16th century. Though he her mother, who is convinced McFarland’s goal is to make they can become involved. In the world and the dog teams’ prayer. Parents later charged started out the grandson of a that baking the perfect cake being healthy, fit and balanced a time when civics education special bonds. that the school exposed peasant, by the time Fugger will cure her. When Molly finds less intimidating, more is becoming less common in the children to Muslim died, his fortune was equal to out the restaurant where she approachable and attainable schools, “Votes of Confidence” indoctrination. School officials nearly two percent of Europe’s works is turning into a country to women regardless of where offers young readers a primer defended the course, but also GDP. It was an era when kings diner, she finds herself losing they are on their own path to to help understand the past, acknowledged the delicate had unlimited power, but control, and is faced with a healthy lifestyle. Readers will present and future of American dance teachers must perform Fugger dared to stare down deciding what—if anything—is find advice for making healthy elections. when dealing with religion in heads of state and ask them worth fighting for. living a habit, tips for stocking the classroom. In “Faith Ed,” to pay back their loans—with a healthy kitchen, ideas for veteran journalist Linda K. interest. It was this coolness self-care and a sprinkling of Wertheimer (BSJ86, MSJ86) and self-assurance, along with easy recipes and motivational spent months with that his inexhaustible ambition, mantras. that made him not only the sixth-grade class, reported richest man ever, but a force on controversies nationally of history as well. and found a school system that has taught about religion without protest.

30 \ FALL 2016 WWW.MEDILL.NORTHWESTERN.EDU \ 31 Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage ISSUE PAID

Nonprofit Organization 93

U.S.Northwestern Postage University / 1845 Sheridan Road P A I D MEDILL 1845Evanston, Sheridan IL 60208-2101 Road Northwestern University

Evanston,www.medill.northwestern.edu IL 60208-2101 MAGAZINE www.medill.northwestern.edu / SUMMER 2016

NAJA-Medill 2016 Milestone Achievement Award The recipient of the 2016 NAJA-Medill Milestone Achievement Award is Patty Talahongva, who was nominated by the selection committee for her lifetime of service to journalism and many years of dedication to the Native American Journalists Association. She is a lifetime NAJA member and past president.

Talahongva started her journalism career in 1978 as a correspondent from her high school for the city newspaper, “The Teen Gazette.” DESIGNING A NEW YOUR GIFT MAKES MEDILL CHICAGO The $5,000 cash award for the prize is provided in partnership with Medill. Talahongva received her A DIFFERENCE! \ award at the 2016 Excellence in Journalism conference Second-yearin New Orleans teens DESTYNIEduring the TUCKER Native, left,Media and Whether you donate to the Medill Annual KIM BARKER’S Awards Banquet on Sept. 20. BRANDON BARFIELD celebrate the final Saturday before FOREIGN Fund, IMC Support, scholarships or the graduation with their Medill mentor, AMAL AHMED. program that means the most to you, every The Medill Media Teens program, in its sixth year and CORRESPONDENT dollar counts toward making Medill the directed by Medill lecturer Sarahmaria Gomez, brings EXPERIENCE together Medill undergrads and Chicago high school best school of its kind in the world. students. Each Saturday during the school year, GETS BIG-SCREEN Make a gift to Medill in June, July or August for mentors help the teens learn more about journalism TREATMENT by experimenting with audio, video and print. a chance to win one of five signed hardcover \ copies of “A Game of Thrones,” authored by WITH NEW STARTUP, Medill alumnus George R.R. Martin. TAKING SELFIES PAYS OFF wewill.northwestern.edu/supportmedill 32 \ FALL 2016 SUMMER 2016 \ ISSUE 93 \ ALUMNI MAGAZINE

87222_Cover_a1.indd 1 6/3/16 3:30 PM