Mission
Mission
Other Links
© Copyright By KNOM. All Rights Reserved.
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
Home | About | Programming | Photos | Audio | Employment | Contribute | Volunteer | Staff | Mission | Inspirational Spots | Contact
KNOM is staffed by a combination of volunteers and permanent employees, both part-time and full-time.
Everyone at KNOM has a passion to contribute to this important radio ministry. They 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. Ric met his future wife, Lynette, while they were both KNOM volunteers. At the time, Lynette was KNOM’s volunteer News Director; today, she’s on staff as Business Manager. (See below.)
In 1986, Ric and Lynette moved to Portland, Oregon, where Ric became the general manager of Metro Catholic Broadcasting and founded and operated the Catholic radio station KBVM-FM. After seven years in the Pacific Northwest, Ric returned to Nome and KNOM. He became KNOM’s program director in 1995 and was promoted to general manager in 2005.
Ric and his wife Lynette have six children, ages 13 to 21 years, and the family greatly enjoys the challenge and excitement of life in bush Alaska.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rev. Vince Beuzer, SJ and Rev. Armand Nigro, SJ: Spiritual Advisors
Father Vince Beuzer (left) and Father Armand Nigro (right) are the spiritual advisors for the KNOM Radio Mission.
As of June 2009, Father Vince is in his 62nd year of priesthood; Father Armand is in his 64th year.
The two direct retreats: not only at the Holy Spirit Retreat House in Anchorage, but also throughout the most rural areas of the state. Frequently, you’ll find them in small villages, many of which KNOM serves, leading retreats for Catholics who cannot afford travel.
We thank God for the kind help of these two wonderful, spiritual, kind, energetic men.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lynette Schmidt: Business Manager
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 at the station for almost three years: first as educational spot director and then as news director, where she won several awards. She covered the Iditarod Sled Dog race and many statewide, regional and local events.
Lynette met KNOM’s future general manager, Ric, when they were both volunteers at the radio station. They married in 1985 and moved to Portland, Oregon in 1986. Lynette worked in the alcohol/drug education field through community involvement programs. In 1990, she began a home crafts business in order to stay home with a growing family. Ric and Lynette returned to KNOM in 1995. She is a Technician Class amateur radio operator (call sign KL0WC). At St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Nome, Lynette serves as a lector, Eucharistic minister and lay presider; she is a past president of St. Joseph’s Parish Council.
Lynette and her husband Ric have six children, ages 13 to 21 years. Lynette cherishes her vocation as a mother and home educator and thoroughly enjoys her work at KNOM.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tom Busch: Financial Officer
Tom Busch moved to Nome in 1970 as volunteer chief engineer to design and build the radio 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 in Boston, WLDB in Atlantic City, and KIAK in Fairbanks.
Tom served as KNOM’s general manager from 1975 to 2005; since then, he has focused on fundraising for the mission. Tom has kept close ties to the station’s regular operations; he regularly lends his expertise to engineering repairs and preventive maintenance at KNOM’s facilities.
Kelly loves to travel and enjoys "creative ideas and witty, hilarious people." In her spare time she participates in community sports, practices yoga, paints, writes, sings and enjoys exploring the Last Frontier with her friends and family.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kelly Brabec: Program Director
Originally from Fremont, Nebraska, Kelly graduated in 1998 from St. Thomas University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She 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.
Kelly enjoys volunteering for a variety of events and organizations in Nome. "Volunteering is one of the major key components in my life. For me serving others is 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
David Dodman: Outreach Director
David was born in New York City and grew up in Rahway, New Jersey; he graduated from Harvard University in 2005 with a Bachelor’s Degree in music. He joined the KNOM team as a volunteer in 2006; he worked for two years as KNOM's volunteer inspiration director (producing inspirational spots) and then served a third year as a joint music-and-production director.
In August 2009, Dave joined KNOM’s permanent staff in a role that’s new for the station. As Outreach Director, he coordinates volunteer recruiting and oversees KNOM’s public outreach, especially through new media and social networking outlets on the internet; he administrates KNOM’s Facebook and Twitter feeds. He also hosts weekly classical and jazz shows on Wednesday and Friday nights.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Danielle Sylvester: Volunteer Inspiration Director
Hailing from Akron, New York, Danielle brings a bundle of energy to her challenging volunteer position at KNOM. She is a proud alumna of Nazareth College in Rochester, New York; she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a dual Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and Communications & Rhetoric. At KNOM, she writes and produces new inspirational spots, and she’s built a devoted following as the spirited host of the Morning Show.
Danielle loves to travel; she cherishes the joys of going to undiscovered places, especially meeting new people and exploring their cultures. She has good friends all over the world, and everyone she meets holds a special place in her heart.
Danielle is where she is today because of the love and support of her family and friends. The generosity and kindness of others fuel her passion to make a difference in the community and the world at large. She is happiest when the joy of others shines through in a smile or a hearty laugh.
Outside of KNOM, Danielle is often found exploring the outdoors, having a blast in the gym, or in action as an Emergency Medical Technician.
Linda Maack: Volunteer Production Director
Linda’s volunteer role at KNOM has given her a new outlet for her passion for broadcasting. In 2009, Linda graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University in North Carolina with a Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Communications and Marketing. Just a few weeks later, she stepped off the plane in Nome and hit the ground running at KNOM, writing and producing educational spots.
Coincidentally, Linda discovered the volunteer program through her friend and fellow Lenoir-Rhyne alumna Kristina Proctor, who served in Linda’s own volunteer position during her service year at KNOM (2007-2008).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Francis: Volunteer News Reporter
After graduating from Pottsville High School in Arkansas in 2002, John sought to continue his education, but not via the normal college route. He managed a game store for three years and then moved to Florida, where he began a program in computer arts at Full Sail University in Winter Park. After 2 years of relentless 50-60 hour school weeks, he graduated in 2007 with an Associate’s Degree.
Early in 2008, John opened a freelance web design company in Russellville, Arkansas and developed a clientele primarily of small businesses and private groups. After finding an article featuring KNOM, he applied for a volunteer position and was soon on a plane to Alaska.
Laureli Veronica Kinneen: News Director
Laureli hails from Unalakleet (YOU-nuh-luh-kleet); it’s a village not too far from Nome, nestled on the Eastern coast of Alaska’s Norton Sound. Laureli grew up listening to KNOM while camping and fishing; in 2001, she moved to Nome with her husband and cherished nine years hanging out at home with their two children, Joe and Sidney. Laureli joined the KNOM team in October 2008 as Public Affairs Director; she became News Director in December 2009. She has relatives throughout Western Alaska: from St. Mary’s all the way up to Kotzebue. She now dedicates herself to airing what’s important to radio listeners throughout her home region.
Laureli enjoys crocheting fuzzy hats and sewing cozy quilts. She loves working on house projects or relaxing at home with her family. She says, “Nothing’s better than eating homemade bread and drinking Ayuu tea with friends and family by the woodstove.”
John is the deputy news director at KNOM; he writes and reads broadcast stories and makes weather announcements. He is an avid traveler and enjoys games, music, books, and movies.
Since arriving in Nome, John has enjoyed the friendliness of the people and the active community life of the region.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys contemporary classical music, photography, reading, computers, and creative writing, such as poetry and fiction.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As the child of a military family, Linda is no stranger to living in new places. She has roots in Baltimore, Maryland, but she has also lived in Germany, Hawaii, and Illinois, among other locales. She’s excited to include Nome and KNOM on the list of places she’s called home. These days, Linda is often found volunteering at the Nome Children’s Home, biking, hiking, searching Nome’s beaches for sea glass, or simply enjoying a good book.
Leah Radde: Volunteer Music Director
Leah’s desk is frequently stacked with dozens of CDs, and even a vinyl record or two. As the volunteer music director, it’s her job to filter through the new music that arrives at KNOM and to decide what will make it to the airwaves. It’s a tough but fun position, and Leah certainly has the background for it. Originally from Cologne, Minnesota, she graduated from Dordt College in Sioux City, Iowa in 2009, with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and a minor in Music Performance.
Similar to Linda Maack (above), Leah heard about KNOM through an amazing coincidence. Leah was a student of Judi Zink, who happens to be the aunt of KNOM alumnus Jesse Zink (2005-2007). Stories of Jesse’s adventures in and around Nome inspired Leah’s own interest in KNOM.
Leah’s interests are broad and include theatre, music, and athletics. She enjoys singing and listening to music; snowboarding, swimming, ice skating, and running; and even the occasional practical joke. She loves learning new things and cherishes time spent with friends and family.