Davey Mo (a/k/a Dave Moresi) was born in Chicago and can't remember a time when he did not play musical instruments. The son of a professional musician, and himself a former professional jobbing musician in rock, blues and jazz genres, Dave's jazz radio show is heavily influenced by the blues, and by jazz/rock fusion, with all aspects of the jazz spectrum represented.
For Dave Overby, music has been a lifelong pleasure. He has sung in numerous choirs, early music groups, barbershop quartets and union singfests. Jazz, however, is closest to his heart. Dave notes jazz is the ONLY totally American art form, it's greatest creation. The Jazz Clubb attempts to honor and remember traditional, swing and modern performers. Dave is a retired program specialist with The Illinois Department of Human Services and a newer homeowner in Mt. Pleasant.
Dave's 45-plus career in radio included stints at WLIP, WRJN and the old WLTQ in Milwaukee. Long-time WGTD listeners appreciate Dave's conversational style and professionalism. Dave has been with the station since 1998, serving as local host of NPR’s Morning Edition.
Dobie Maxwell is a nationally touring standup comedian, veteran morning radio personality and first time author with his new book, “Monkey in the Middle”. Dobie was diagnosed with Type Diabetes on Father’s Day 2011. He’s been trying to make an insurance claim on his pancreas ever since.
Felicia owns Quality Plus Consulting, a firm that specializes in security, disaster avoidance and recovery servers; workstations and domain infrastructure.
Blog:
https://qpcsecurity.com
Greg has been with WGTD in various capacities since 1986.
In addition to his duties at WGTD, Berg is a member of the Carthage College music faculty, teaching private voice lessons, directing the school’s opera program and serving as the principal accompanist for the Carthage Choir.
Greg also fills the role of Music Director at the Racine Theatre Guild and is the Minister of Music at Holy Communion Church in Racine.
He performs frequently with area music groups.
"Education Matters" co-host Guida Brown serves as the Community Relations Consultant for US Drug Testing Laboratories in Des Plaines, Illinois, and as an adjunct member of the faculty at Concordia University, UW-Parkside, and Gateway Technical College. She has also taught at Carthage College.
Having earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Marquette University and a master’s degree in Management from Cardinal Stritch University, Brown made the nonprofit sector in Kenosha County her career. She was the Executive Director of the Hope Council on Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse, Inc., for over 13 years, resigning that position in June 2022. Prior to her tenure at the Hope Council, she worked as the Director of Human Resources and Training at AM Community Credit Union and Executive Director at Women and Children’s Horizons.
Brown is certified by the State of Wisconsin as a Substance Abuse Counselor, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder trainer, and Intoxicated Driver Program Assessor.
Jayne has been a strong advocate for community involvement since moving to Kenosha in 1980 to join the WGTD news staff. After serving as news director for 6 years there, she became the director of the newly established Kenosha Convention and Visitors Bureau. While staying an active volunteer in a variety of Kenosha and Racine not-for-profit organizations, she filled various marketing and communications roles in the natural gas industry, then at Gateway Technical College.
Jeff served in Racine Unified for 38 years--16 of them as a teacher of English/drama/speech and 22 years as an elementary and middle school principal. Jeff currently is president of the Racine Area Retired Educators Association. He's also the part-time Music & Worship Director at St. Mary by the Lake Parish.
Jennie Tunkieicz served Kenosha County for 14 years as Chief of Staff for Kenosha County Executive Jim Kreuser until both retired in April 2022. Prior to working for Kenosha County, she was a newspaper reporter and editor for 21 years – 11 years for the Kenosha News, where she served as City Editor, and 10 years for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Tunkieicz was born and raised in Kenosha County and her parents were farmers. She attended local schools and graduated from UW-Parkside with a B.A. in Communication. She is a member of Tempo Kenosha, Kenosha Women’s Network, AAUW-Kenosha, 100+ Women Who Care—Kenosha Empowerment Committee, and the Susan B. Anthony—Women of Influence Awards Planning Committee. In April 2022, Tunkieicz was honored with the Susan B. Anthony-Women of Influence Award for Government/Non-profit.
Joe Mooney, a retired Racine Police sergeant, was first introduced to the jazz by volunteering at a Sergio Mendez concert at Historic Horlick Field in 1966. He spent his third shift police career learning about jazz by listening to Ron Cuzner on WFMR radio. Joe helped manage Harbor Fest Music Festival, he started and runs Jean’s Jazz Series at the Racine Theatre Guild and Joe also chairs the committee that operates Animal Crackers Jazz Series at Racine Zoo.
Joe’s goal for Jazz Ala Carte is to expand the listener’s jazz perspective.
John Nickelsen is a retired educator, having worked the Racine Unified School District as teacher and educator. John began his volunteer work at WGTD in 2003. He produced various programs for the Gateway Reading Service. John now designs and broadcasts "At the Water's Edge", a jazz program which airs over WGTD each Saturday night at 10:00 p.m. In addition to his volunteer work for WGTD, John's other interests are travel, photography, spending quality time with his family, and writing. As a matter of personal accomplishment, John has written a novel -- just to see if he could do it.
John Zehren has been the coordinator of Gateway's Fab Lab at iMET in Sturtevant since 2016. He's also the creator and primary host of Fab Lab 10 a.m.
“Education Matters” co-host Dr. Jonathan Shailor (Ph.D., University of Massachusetts at Amherst) is a Full Professor of Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, where he directs the Certificate Program in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. His teaching, research, creative activity, and community service focus on the creation of better social worlds through better communication. Jonathan is a leader in prison education, and the founder/director of Wisconsin’s widely acclaimed Shakespeare Prison Project. He is author of Empowerment in Dispute Mediation: A Critical Analysis of Communication, and editor of Performing New Lives: Prison Theatre.
Joseph Mangi is a stallworth in our local educational landscape. Mangi started his career teaching elementary and middle school students. Mangi then served as a high school, middle school, and elementary school principal for over thirty years with the Kenosha Unified School District. Mangi moved on to serve as the Superintendent of the Kenosha Unified School District three times; 1995-1996, 2007-2010, and 2013. Mangi is now the President of “Peace Learning Circles;” a conflict resolution organization specializing in teaching elementary school students peaceful ways to engage with their communities. Mangi is also currently a professor with National Louis University helping train educators in the Chicago area to become principals and educational administrators.
“Education Matters” co-host Dr. Karin Sconzert has lived and taught in five states (IN, NJ, IL, PA, and WI) at every level from pre-K through graduate school and is currently Professor of Education at Carthage College in Kenosha. She has also served as an adult literacy tutor, an educational researcher, a theatrical costume designer, and a library trustee. Dr. Sconzert is a member of the New Books Podcast Network, where she interviews authors of new academic books in education. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and the History of Education from the University of Chicago, and a B.A. in History from Lawrence University in Appleton. She is a proud graduate of Green Bay Area Public Schools.
Community interests and concerns have been at the heart of Laura’s professional endeavors, as evidenced in her previous work as a journalist at the Racine Journal Times and The Milwaukee Journal, her commitment to human rights issues while working with the Racine Dominican sisters, and her support for equity in education as executive director of the former SOAR of Racine Inc. and currently as an adjunct instructor for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. Laura, a mother and grandmother, lives with her husband, Steve, in Racine.
Len, a Kenosha native, is trained as a journalist at Northwestern University in Evanston (BSJ) and Columbia University in the City of New York (MSJ). He is active in local, regional and national organizations serving children and families.
Lily Miceli has been in the entertainment industry as an actress, producer, writer and radio show host for decades. Miceli was also a talent agent for 16 years In Hollywood representing actors and writers. As a daytime job she is a Leasing Specialist with New Land Enterprises in Milwaukee and when not working enjoys traveling.
Mark Filwett was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1987. Up to that point, Mark lived the 1980’s & 1990’s On-Air Radio Dream, being terminated from some of the BEST Radio Stations in the country. His Radio trail ended in 2002 when a co-worker almost killed him — by accident, of course. Mark has been married to his beautiful and talented wife Jackie for 25 years. They have one son, Paul, who works for Apple.
After thirty years, Mike traded the courtroom for a middle school classroom where he’s had teaching assistant positions. He's had a connection to radio and to jazz since he was a child listening to the Voice of America Jazz Hour and interning at the local radio station in Marinette. He was a half-time staffer at WUWM on the day of the first NPR broadcast 50 years ago.
After thirty years, Mike traded the courtroom for a middle school classroom where he’s had teaching assistant positions. He's had a connection to radio and to jazz since he was a child listening to the Voice of America Jazz Hour and interning at the local radio station in Marinette. He was a half-time staffer at WUWM where he did public affairs and jazz programming. He's been hosting Saturday Night Bandstand since taking over for his friend Sam Chell in 2016.
Mike Falkofske served on the Kenosha Board of Education for 3 years. He currently volunteers for the Boy Scouts of America Program He has a B.A. in Geography from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point.
Sam Chell’s style is just as smooth as the music he plays. Sam is a retired Carthage College English professor and an accomplished performing pianist. Hear some interesting anecdotes while being entertained by the best in jazz.
Sammy Rangel is a national thought leader. He currently leads and co-founded Life After Hate, Inc., a Unique non-profit organization founded and operated by former violent extremists. He is the author of FOURBEARS: The Myths of Forgiveness, an autobiography, chronicling physical and sexual Abuse he endured as a child which eventually led him down a path of self-destruction (including more than 15 years in prison) and his path of change and recovery. Rangel’s “Ted Talk” has been watched over a quarter million times. Rangel recently testified as an expert before the U.S. House of Representatives during a hearing on terrorism prevention. As an international speaker, podcaster, coach and radio personality his messages of healing and transformation are highly sought after and captivating.
Scott Nelson is an award-winning audio video producer and director. Employed in Community and Government Relations for more than 20 years in Racine and Kenosha, he’s worked with countless elected officials, including mayors, governors and aldermen in Wisconsin as well as presidents of the United States.
“Education Matters” co-host Dr. Steve Brown received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in Educational Leadership. His academic areas of specialization include educational law and ethics, social justice, and educational research and statistics. Other academic degrees include: B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from The University of Florida and an M.A. in Instructional Media and Library Science from The University of South Florida.
Steve has also been a high school teacher, principal, and district-level administrator. He was a tenured full professor at Northeastern Illinois University from 1989-2012. He also served as program coordinator of the Educational Leadership program for 8 years and 2 years as Department Chair. In addition, Steve also served as Special Assistant to the University President for 2 years His teaching areas include graduate educational leadership courses in the M.A. programs
Steve was also an Associate Professor for 4 years at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Since 2016, Steve is an elected member of the Salem School Board.
He is also the co-founder, of the 30-time award winning WGTD Public Radio Theater, now in its 18th season.
“Education Matters” co-host Stephanie Sklba is Vice-President of Community and Government Relations at Gateway Technical College. Stephanie is a life-long Racinian who graduated from UW-Parkside.
All of Tim's programs that currently air on WGTD FM and 24/7 Jazz WGTD HD2 are being drawn from the archive. After a long and illustrious music teaching and performing career, Tim passed away unexpectedly Oct. 18th, 2017. Tim's last concert took place the night before his death.
Zander is a relatively new resident of Kenosha and a librarian at Kenosha Public Library. He works locally on technology and digital skills, but is interested in a variety of topics including esports, local and national news, and new developments in the area.