Host/Moderator
REUBEN STERN is an editor in the Futures Lab of the Reynolds Journalism Institute. He also teaches courses at MU in the convergence journalism area. Reuben formerly served as managing editor of the Columbia Missourian. He attended the Missouri School of Journalism as an undergrad in the early 1990s and then went off to work for newspapers in Atlanta, Budapest and his hometown of Los Angeles before resettling in Columbia in 2002.
Producer
JANET SAIDI is an assistant professor of radio-television journalism and news director at KBIA, one of the most successful NPR affiliates in the country. After working for 10 years as a writer and producer, she came to KBIA in 2006 from California, where she was the associate producer for the four-hour series “Remaking American Medicine,” broadcast nationally on PBS in October 2006. Saidi also co-produced and co-hosted a nightly culture magazine on San Diego’s NPR-affiliate station for three years. She has written for the Christian Science Monitor and the Los Angeles Times and wrote a regular column, “Magazine Scene,” about the magazine industry for the Books section of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Saidi spent nearly a decade living in England, where she earned a master’s degree in literature from University College, London.
Video Producer
TRAVIS McMILLEN is the video technician for the Futures Lab. He is a Columbia native who started working at KOMU-TV, the University of Missouri’s NBC affiliate, as a camera operator when he was 16-years-old. When he turned 18 McMillen was given the job of audio operator for Pepper and Friends, KOMU’s community variety and talk show. Most recently, McMillen directed KOMU’s two-hour morning newscast. As video technician, McMillen directs and produces regular and occasional programming from RJI’s television and radio studio, including Views of the News, a weekly media criticism show for local NPR affiliate KBIA-FM, and the Smart Decision 08 Election Night Webcast and Citizen Watch Party.
Audience Development
ASHLEY CRIMALDI is a senior dual major in Convergence Journalism and Women’s and Gender Studies at the University planning to graduate in May 2010. Throughout her time at Mizzou, Ashley has enjoyed working for a number of media outlets including KBIA, The Columbia Missourian and Newsy.com. In the past, Ashley has interned at WERV 95.9 The River, and In These Times magazine. Originally from Chicago, Ashley hopes to move back to the area upon graduation and peruse jobs in promotions, PR, communications and online marketing. In her free time, Ashley enjoys cooking, watching documentary films and reading.
