As we transition into autumn, we’re transitioning, too, into the service terms of our 2015-2016 volunteer class. Last month, we introduced to you the news reporters of the class of ’16; this month, it’s our two new volunteer producers, Mitch and Maddie.

Maddie Winchester hails from Portland, Oregon. She’s a 2015 grad of Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, where she earned her bachelor’s with a double major in Spanish and sociology with a minor in communications. At KNOM, she’ll be creating new episodes of our storytelling program Story49, writing and producing some of KNOM’s inspirational and educational radio spots, and deejaying in the late afternoons (including our popular afternoon music request show).

With a keen interest in outdoors activities, Maddie (short for Madison) says she’s eager to explore the many corners of Western Alaska, whether for material for Story49 or in her free time. This year will be her first experience living in a small town.

Mitch Borden originally called Hastings, Michigan home; he studied art and design, with a focus in photography and a minor in political science, at Northern Michigan University (in Marquette). He says he was attracted to the KNOM program, in part, because of how radio is “the opposite of photography” in some respects — a medium of only sound, rather than one of only visuals — and he’s putting that interest to good use.

Mitch (short for Mitchell) hosts the Morning Show, in which he’s already taken the deejay nickname “Mitch in the Morning,” and in his off-air hours, he’s working on radio spots, like Maddie, as well as on a brand-new series of “audio postcards”: short radio pieces exploring slices of life in our region. They’re like “creating a photograph with sound,” he says.

We know both Mitch and Maddie will be doing great service work for Western Alaska throughout the coming year. Thanks so much for making it possible!