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KNOM is staffed by a combination of full-time employees & volunteers and part-time employees & volunteers. All paid staff began as volunteers at KNOM.
Everyone at KNOM has a passion to contribute to this important radio ministry. They often go 'above and beyond' in very difficult conditions to serve the people of western Alaska...24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Ric Schmidt - General Manager
KNOM general manager Ric Schmidt grew up in the Willamette Valley community of Albany, Oregon, where he attended grade school at St. Mary’s and graduated from Albany Union High School. While attending the University of Oregon he directed and co-produced award winning TV and Radio Commercials, and in 1979 he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Speech Telecommunications.
Ric first arrived in Nome as a radio volunteer in the summer of 1984, where he met his future wife Lynette, who was KNOM’s volunteer News Director that year.
In 1986 Ric and Lynette moved to Portland, Oregon where Ric accepted the general manager position at Metro Catholic Broadcasting, Inc, founding and operating Catholic radio station KBVM-FM Portland, Oregon. After seven years in the Pacific Northwest, Ric returned to Nome and became program director for KNOM in 1995.
In April 2005, Ric was promoted to general manager.
Ric and his wife Lynette have six children, ages 12 through 20 years old, and the family greaty enjoys the challenge and excitement of life in bush Alaska.
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Rev. Vince Beuzer, SJ and Rev. Armand Nigro, SJ, Spiritual Advisors
In 2007, Fr. Vince Beuzer, SJ (left) and Fr. Armand Nigro, SJ, agreed to serve as spiritual advisors for the KNOM mission.
June 14, 2007, Father Vince began his 60th year of priesthood. Two days later, Father Armand entered his 62nd.
The two direct retreats, not only at the Holy Spirit Retreat House in Anchorage, but also throughout the most rural and wilderness areas of the state.
Frequently, you’ll find them in small villages, many of which KNOM serves, leading retreats for remote Catholics who cannot afford travel.
We thank God for the kind help of these two wonderful, spiritual, kind, energetic men.
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Paul Korchin - News Director
As a Jesuit volunteer fresh out of Georgetown University, Paul Korchin served as KNOM's education director, and then news director, between 1987 and 1989. Paul returned to school and earned a Masters degree at Yale.
He's a Technician Class amateur radio operator (call sign KL0WS).
Paul, who rejoined KNOM as news director in December 1997, earned a PhD from Harvard University in ancient Middle Eastern languages in 2001.
He devotes leisure time to writing scholarly articles, exercising, playing fiddle, hunting and hiking in the Alaskan outdoors.
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Lynette Schmidt - KNOM Business Manager
Married to KNOM general manager Ric Schmidt. Lynette grew up in Rhode Island and moved to the Seattle, Washington area while she was in high school. She graduated from the University of Washington in 1982 and immediately committed to a volunteer ‘stint’ at KNOM.
She volunteered for over 2 1/2 years at KNOM. Her first job was as educational spot director, but she eventually worked her way into the news director position where she won several awards. She covered the Iditarod Sled Dog race and many statewide, regional and local events.
In 1986 Lynette and Ric moved to Portland, Oregon where she worked in the drug education field combining grade school drug education and community involvement programs. In 1988, she created a sewing and crafts home business. Since then she has added flower arranging, ribbon design and even carpentry to her list of talents. She is a Technician Class amateur radio operator (call sign KL0WC). She is a past president of St. Joseph's Parish Council, and is a lector, Eucharistic minister and lay presider.
Lynette and her husband Ric have six children, ages 12 to 20 years. Lynette cherishes her vocation of mother and teacher and enjoys her work at KNOM.
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Tom Busch - Financial Officer
Tom Busch moved to Nome in 1970 as volunteer chief engineer to design and build the station. Born in Philadelphia, he is a graduate of Boston College.
In addition to KNOM, Tom has worked as announcer and engineer for commercial stations WRYT Boston, WLDB Atlantic City and KIAK Fairbanks.
General manager of KNOM from 1975-2005, Tom stepped down to focus on fundraising for the mission.
Kelly loves to travel, and enjoys "creative ideas and witty, hilarious people." In her spare time she participates in community sports, paints, writes, sings and enjoys the outdoors.
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Kelly Brabec - Program Director
Originally from Fremont Nebraska, Kelly Brabec served as volunteer music director at KNOM from 1998-2000. In 2002, she returned to KNOM and is now the station's program director, overseeing all non-news programming. You'll also hear her over the air on weekday afternoons.
Kelly enjoys volunteering for a varitey of events and organizations in Nome. "Volunteering is one of the major key components in my life. For me serving others is the rent I pay for living in this world. It's inspiring, humbling, and fulfilling," she says.
Tom and wife Florence, who was business manager for KNOM from 1989-2005, have two children, both grown.
Tom is an Extra Class amateur radio operator (call sign NL7H). He enjoys computer science, astronomy, reading and wilderness backpacking and is in the process of writing his fourth novel.
In 2004, Boston College honored Tom with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
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Amy Flaherty - Public Affairs Director
Amy Flaherty joined KNOM as a volunteer in June 2002. After two years, she became a permanent staff member, and serves as Public Affairs Director. You'll also hear her deejaying the mid-day program.
Raised in Cottage Grove, MN, Amy graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 2002 with degrees in Communication and English.
In addition to working at the KNOM mission, Amy is a part-time juvenile justice officer at Nome's youth detention facility and a board member on the Nome Arts Council. You'll find her snowshoeing around town in the winter or picking tundra blueberries during the summer. Amy says, "KNOM has shaped me tremendously and instilled in me the desire to be a strong, dedicated and uplifting adult." Traveling to nearby villages for cultural celebrations and recording the lives of elders is some of her favorite work at KNOM.
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Dave Dodman, Volunteer Inspiration Director
Dave Dodman is KNOM's volunteer inspiration director. From Rahway, New Jersey, Dave is a graduate of Harvard University with a degree in music. In addition to creating and managing KNOM's inspirational spots and other religious programming, Dave announces during the late afternoon and early evening.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys photography and creative writing, such as poetry and fiction.
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Kristina Proctor, Volunteer Production Director
Kristina Proctor hails from San Antonio, Texas A 2007 graduate of Lenoir-Rhyne College , Kristina graduated with a degree in electronic and corporate communications. While in school, she spent most spare hours at the college radio station.
She arrived in July 2007. Kristina says “I never thought I’d be in love with a job. This is more than a job, more than I ever expected.”
With the title of production director, Kristina will organize and record KNOM’s educational spots, and have announcing duties, too.
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Laura Davis, Volunteer Music Director
From Newport News, Virginia, Laura recently graduated from Virginia Intermont College with a degree in photography and digital imaging.
What about KNOM appealed to her? “It sounded like an interesting project,” Laura says.
Once in Nome, she noted a “strong feeling of community, both here at the station and the town.”
In her spare time, Laura enjoys reading, playing the guitar, hiking and other outdoor activities.
Jacob Buckenmeyer
Jacob Buckenmeyer is from Mount Vernon, Washington. He graduated from Western Washington University with a degree in journalism.
This past summer, he worked as an intern with Catholic News Service.
Jacob looks forward to experiencing western Alaska, and enjoys the trust and faith showed him and all radio volunteers at KNOM.
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"You have to be ready for anything here, especially working at KNOM."
In his spare time, Jacob likes to read, write, target shoot, hunt and he’ll “try to get back to wood carving.”