Profile Type: Hall of Fame

Sara Sidner is CNN’s New Delhi-based international correspondent and is responsible for the network’s coverage of India and South Asia. She has reported on business, terrorism and India’s drive to become a world power. Most recently, she covered the earthquakes in Chile and Haiti, Sri Lanka’s volatile Presidential elections, a special on victims of Sri […]

Marilyn Tubb, MAMC 1972, served Santa Fe College as associate vice president for college relations from 2009 until 2012, responsible for marketing, communications and relationship development for the college. Currently she co-chairs The Democracy Commitment @ SF, part of a national initiative to foster civic engagement and participation in democracy among community college students. Prior […]

Katherine Green, TEL 1983, is senior vice president, managing editor for HLN based in Atlanta. In this position, she oversees the network’s overall on-air presentation, editorial content and digital platforms. Additionally, she coordinates the development of new programming, furthering the growth of HLN’s distinctive news content. Prior to this appointment, Green was senior vice president […]

Aminda (Mindy) Marques Gonzalez, JM 1986, is executive editor and vice president of The Miami Herald. She has oversight and responsibility for the Herald’s print and online news operation, which reaches 1.2 million readers a week. She began her journalism career 25 years ago as a summer intern at the Herald’s Neighbors community news publication. […]

Rob Cherof, ADV 1982, is an accomplished marketing professional with 25+ years experience at some of the nation’s most accomplished advertising and marketing agencies. He currently serves as CMO of BBDO Atlanta and is responsible for all new business and marketing activity for the office. He’s run many accounts including one of the largest (AT&T), […]

Samantha Avivi, ADV 1995, is the global marketing director for Kimberly-Clark’s $4.2 billion bath tissue businesses. Her responsibilities include developing consumer-relevant, profitable brands such as Scott, Cottonelle, Neve and Andrex with strong brand vision, marketing strategy, foundational tools and robust product innovation plans against global growth targets. She leads a global cross-functional team and a […]

John Antonio, TEL 1989, is currently deputy director of programming for CNN/U.S. based in Atlanta. In his role, he helped oversee coverage of the Arab Spring, the Japanese tsunami, and the death of Osama bin Laden. Prior to his work at CNN, Antonio served as managing editor at WABC-TV in New York City responsible for […]

A native New Yorker, Lou Young, TEL 1974, joined CBS 2 in June 1994. He has served as a broadcast journalist in the New York market since 1981. An eight-time Emmy Award winner, Young was most recently nominated for national Emmy for coverage of the Dec, 2012 Newtown CT school massacre. He has also been […]

Susan Spencer-Wendel, MAMC 1991, is a former reporter for the Palm Beach Post and author of the New York Times bestseller, Until I Say Good-Bye, a memoir focused on the year after she was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Susan wrote the book on her iPhone using only her right thumb, as ALS had […]

Richard W. Schneider, TEL 1984, is president & CEO of Maine Public, the statewide network for NPR and PBS. He previously served as CEO of WPBT2 in Miami and Channel 5 Public Broadcasting (KNPB) in Reno, Nevada. Following graduation, Rick moved to WPTV in West Palm Beach as a reporter and anchor, then to New […]

Debra Leithauser, JM 1992, began her professional career at the Orlando Sentinel, where she worked as a copy editor, designer, reporter and editor. She directed the paper’s weekly teen section for three years before becoming assistant editor for its Sunday magazine. From there, she went to the McClatchy-Tribune (MCT) wire service in Washington, D.C., as […]

Cindy S. Kane, ADV 1979, is the director of corporate relations for Harris Corporation. She is responsible for community relations, university relations, K-12 outreach, the Harris Foundation, and state and local government relations for the corporation. She is also responsible for Harris’ Phillip W. Farmer Customer Briefing Center (CBC) and Customer Support Services. Cindy’s work […]

Paul Castronovo, TEL 1984, the longtime host of the syndicated “Paul & Young Ron Show,” has been entertaining audiences for more than 30 years, starting as a DJ on ROCK 104. Following graduation, he moved up and down the FM dial with stops at the original WSHE in South Florida, Orlando’s WHTQ, WZZR in Birmingham […]

Mike Bianchi, JM 1985, reports, talks, tweets and blogs sports. Starting with a part-time job at the Gainesville Sun, Mike’s journey to the Orlando Sentinel included full-time jobs at the Sun, Florida Today in Melbourne and the Florida Times-Union. Now in his 13th year at the Sentinel, Mike’s popular column provides daily insights in to […]

Christine Ahearn, TEL 1981, has served as vice president of corporate communications for Lowe’s Companies Inc. since 2010 after serving as vice president of public relations since 2006. She is responsible for the company’s media relations, internal communications and business television network, as well as community philanthropic and volunteer efforts. She joined Lowe’s in 2000 […]

Jonathan Adams, ADV 1991, brings over 20 years of digital and traditional experience to his role as Senior Vice President and Lead of North American Media at iCrossing. During his career, Jonathan has managed clients such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Motorola, American Express, Sears, IBM, Kimberly-Clark, Procter & Gamble, Marriott Hotels and Unilever. Prior to joining […]

Allyson L. Park, PR 1996, is the Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Mars Petcare. She joined the company in January and is a member of the management team with responsibility over all communications in the United States. Previously, she served as Vice President of Corporate External Affairs for The Coca-Cola Company, the world’s largest beverage company […]

Richard J. Hirsch, JOU 1980, is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who worked 42 years as a reporter and editor at the Miami Herald, the last 12 as its managing editor. After retiring from that role at the end of 2021, Hirsch became senior editor for talent development with the McClatchy Company, overseeing recruiting for […]

Kirsten Prebianca Flanik, ADV 1989, is President of BBDO New York. In addition to her agency responsibilities, she oversees the Mars business (which includes the company’s major chocolate, pet and food brands), the FedEx business and the agency’s public service efforts in support of Autism Speaks. Since joining BBDO in 2006, Kirsten has been named among […]

Marcie F. Ersoff, JOU 1958, had an illustrious career in journalism, serving as Managing Editor of USA Weekend, Deputy Managing Editor of USA Today, and Managing Editor with the Cincinnati Enquirer. She was a founding member of “New Direction for News,” a journalism think tank established at the University of Missouri in 1987. She also […]

Joe Zubizarreta, ADV 1982, Chief Operating Officer of Zubi Advertising, joined the company in 1990 after eight years with Beber Silverstein and Partners, where he started as an entry-level Media Buyer fresh from the University of Florida. On the fast track, Zubizarreta became the youngest Account Supervisor at Beber in less than five years. Founded […]

Ann M. Smith, PR 1982, MAJC 1985, is a strategic public relations leader whose experience has spanned the healthcare, consumer products and sports marketing industries. Smith currently serves as Senior Director of Corporate Communications at Express Scripts, responsible for creating and executing innovative communication strategies that help the company’s more than 30,000 employees understand their […]

Fabiola Santiago, JM 1983, is a Metro columnist at The Miami Herald, where she has been a reporter and editor for 35 years. Her widely read columns reflect on the issues and the people who shape Miami’s unique multicultural community. Santiago is also the author of children’s fiction, poetry, essays and the novel Reclaiming Paris, […]

Cynthia Barnett, JM 1989, MA 2003, is an environmental journalist who has covered water and climate stories worldwide, from the decline in Florida’s signature springs, to epic drought in California and Australia, to the rainiest place on Earth in Cherrapunji, India. She is the author of three books. Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of […]