Staff Bios
Below you'll find bios for OPB MANAGEMENT and on-air talent for OREGON ART BEAT, OREGON FIELD GUIDE, OREGON EXPERIENCE, and OPB RADIO.
OPB Management
Steven M. Bass, President and CEO
OPB Management
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 3.3 MB
Dimensions: 2592 x 3888
Login to download media:
need an account?Steven M. Bass - President and CEO
Steven Bass was named president and chief executive officer of Oregon Public Broadcasting on January 1, 2006. OPB operates a community-licensed network of 11 radio stations, five television stations and dozens of translators that serve Oregon and southwest Washington. In addition to its role as a local broadcaster, OPB has a large news staff that covers issues within the region for radio, the Internet and television, operates a 24 hour-per-day HD and online indie music service, produces several of the most-respected and most-watched local public television series and is one of the largest producers of national programming for PBS.
Serving previously as founding president & CEO of Nashville Public Television for seven years, he oversaw that station's transition from government ownership to become an independent, non-profit public television station. While at NPT, he served as executive producer of four programs for PBS, including Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues, which was broadcast on PBS in June 2004 as part of the American Masters series and in December 2004 on the BBC Arena series, and release on home video by Universal. Other executive producer credits include Bill Monroe: The Legend Lives On (2003); Christmas at Belmont (2003); and The Carter Family (American Experience, 2005).
Bass served as vice president & manager of television stations for WGBH/Boston and vice president & general manager of WGBY/Springfield, MA for seven years prior to joining NPT. In his tenure at WGBH, he revitalized the station's services to its local community through new local programs and expanded broadcast services.
Prior to his service with WGBH, Bass spent nine years with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in Washington, DC.
He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of National Public Radio. From 2002 to 2004, Bass served as chairman of the Association of Public Television stations, the Washington-based trade association that represents public television stations to the Congress, the FCC and other government entities. Other board service includes the World Affairs Council of Oregon. He also is an active chamber musician and serves as principal clarinetist with the Oregon East Symphony in Pendleton, Oregon.
He holds a bachelor's degree from Bucknell University, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, with majors in economics and music. He also holds a Master of Arts in business from the University of Wisconsin's Graduate School of Business, where he concentrated in arts administration.
Along with his wife, Sara, a former administrator with the Office of National Drug Control Policy at the White House, he resides in Lake Oswego with their two daughters Catie (18) and Caroline (15).
Dan Metziga, Senior Vice President, Development and Marketing
OPB Management
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.3 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3336
Login to download media:
need an account?Dan Metziga - Senior Vice President, Development and Marketing
Dan Metziga has been with OPB 13 years, originally serving as vice president of Development, and later promoted to senior vice president of Development and Marketing. The department as a whole raises over $16 million annually for support of the annual operation of the station. In addition, OPB's development efforts have been recognized nationally by PBS on many occasions for having the best development operation among all public broadcasting stations. In addition to annual member giving programs, Dan has the overall responsibility for Planned Giving, Corporate Support, Capital Campaign, Leadership Giving and Foundation and Grants support. The Marketing function is responsible for brand, strategy, promotion and communications.
Dan has spent his entire career working and raising funds for non-profits, including several United Ways and a Symphonic Pops orchestra. Dan enjoys photography and music. He and his wife Senka live in Southwest Portland with their cat Luna.Lynne Clendenin, Vice President, Radio Programming, KMHD Station Manager
OPB Management
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 3.7 MB
Dimensions: 2592 x 3888
Login to download media:
need an account?Lynne Clendenin - Vice President, Radio Programming, KMHD Station Manager
As vice president of Radio Programming for OPB, Lynne Clendenin continually strives to support OPB's community of listeners with the strongest news, information and entertainment service available. OPB Radio stands firmly by its mission of giving voice to the community, connecting Oregon and its neighbors and illuminating a wider world, and has for several years served as Portland's number one radio service Monday through Sunday (Arbitron/RRC Mon-Sun 6a-Mid, Persons 12+).
Through highly produced newsmagazines, OPB continually exposes listeners to thoughtful, intelligent, stimulating and engaging material and provides avenues for listeners to lend their voice locally (Think Out Loud), nationally (Talk of the Nation) and globally (World Have Your Say). OPB serves as both a connection to the world and a showcase for some of the nation's greatest talent.
In August 2009 Lynne also was appointed station manager for Jazz Radio KMHD, the only 24/7 jazz radio service in the Pacific Northwest.
For a number of years Lynne has served on numerous advisory groups assisting national producers with program and host development, and is currently a member of the Public Radio Program Director's Board.
Over the 20 years Lynne has worked at OPB she has served as an announcer, host for Weekend Edition, producer (The Noon Report, Oregon Newsmakers, Oregon Lectures, Perspectives, The City Club of Portland, to name a few) as well as coordinator for radio operations and programming. Her college degree is in broadcast media, with emphasis on public radio.
Prior to working in broadcast media, Lynne served as an animal handler, clinic technician, educator and spokesperson for a wildlife park. She worked closely with native wildlife, as well as cheetahs, monkeys, non-native reptiles and birds. She is also an accomplished violinist.
Morgan Holm, Vice President, News and Public Affairs
OPB Management
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.9 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3504
Login to download media:
need an account?Morgan Holm - Vice President, News and Public Affairs
Morgan Holm is vice president of News and Public Affairs at Oregon Public Broadcasting in Portland. He oversees OPB's local news operation, including the radio newsroom, OPBnews.org and local television public affairs specials.
Morgan joined OPB in 1990 as the station's first traffic reporter, and has since served as a reporter, assignment editor, producer and host. For many years, Morgan hosted the daily Oregon Considered program on OPB Radio. He was also the executive producer of OPB TV's public affairs program, Seven Days, for nine of its 10 years on the air.
A native Oregonian, Morgan graduated summa cum laude from Southern Oregon University in Ashland with a BA in Communication. He started his journalism career in high school with a summer internship at KOTI-TV in his hometown, Klamath Falls. He joined Jefferson Public Radio in Ashland in 1986 as the station began producing news, and was the first reporter from that station to file for National Public Radio. In 1987, he began working for KOBI-TV as a weekend news producer.
Morgan was a finalist for the Livingston Young Journalists award in 1991 and has won numerous citations from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists and Radio-Television News Directors Association. As a RIAS-Berlin Fellow in 2001, he was a member of a delegation of American journalists that traveled to Germany days after the 9/11 attacks. In 2007, Morgan traveled to North and South Korea as a fellow with the International Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins University.
Jeff Douglas, Vice President, Local TV Production
OPB Management
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.3 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3504
Login to download media:
need an account?Jeff Douglas - Vice President, Local TV Production
As Vice President of Local Production, Jeff Douglas heads up OPB's commitment to keeping the "Oregon" in Oregon Public Broadcasting. He spent nine years as a reporter on the popular Oregon Field Guide series before becoming host and executive producer of Oregon Art Beat, a weekly Emmy award-winning television program about the arts in Oregon and southwest Washington.
He conceived the idea and served as executive producer of The Silent Invasion: An Oregon Field Guide Special highlighting the environmental and economic threat posed by invasive species. The Silent Invasion won a national duPont-Columbia award for outstanding journalism.
Douglas came to OPB from KGW-TV news where he spent 12 years as executive producer, assignment editor and producer. In 1968, Douglas founded KINK radio where he served as program director for four years and then general manager until 1979.
At OPB, in addition to Oregon Field Guide and Oregon Art Beat, Douglas has produced several award-winning documentaries, including Hanford: Environmental Fallout and Oregon's Memorable Century. A half-hour special on non-point source pollution that aired on Oregon Field Guide won an NETA (National Educational Television Association) award. Along with an OPB-produced teacher guide, that program has been used by nearly 4 million school children to learn what they can do to help keep the nation's rivers clean.
David Davis, Vice President, National Production
David Davis is vice president of National Television Production at Oregon Public Broadcasting, one of the top-producing stations in the Public Broadcasting System. With more than 30 years of experience in film and television, Davis is a long-time producer and executive producer of documentary series and specials for public television including the popular History Detectives series for PBS.
He has three times won a National Emmy for documentary television production. He is also the recipient of the George Foster Peabody Award, The Robert F. Kennedy Award, the Cine Golden Eagle and the Ohio State Award.
Oregon Art Beat
Jeff Douglas, Co-Host
Oregon Art Beat
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.3 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3504
Login to download media:
need an account?Jeff Douglas - Co-Host
You may know his voice as narrator of many of the television productions at OPB, or from his nine years as a reporter on the popular Oregon Field Guide series. Oregon Art Beat co-host Jeff Douglas originated the idea for a local program on Oregon arts and culture and served as Art Beat's first executive producer.
Douglas came to OPB from KGW-TV news where he spent 12 years. As one of the founders of KINK radio in 1968, Douglas served as program director for three years before taking over as general manager.
As vice president of Local Production at OPB, Jeff Douglas has a strong commitment to keeping the "Oregon" in Oregon Public Broadcasting. On the few days he has any free time, Douglas plays golf badly or takes one of his three canoes and explores Oregon's diverse waterways.
KC Cowan, Co-Host/Producer
Oregon Art Beat
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.3 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3336
Login to download media:
need an account?KC Cowan - Co-Host/Producer
Co-host and segment producer KC Cowan has been a part of Oregon Art Beat since it began in 2000. However, she is well known to many Oregonians from her years as a news reporter at KGW-TV and KXL radio. She also hosted many member drive events for OPB through the years.
Since coming to OPB full time, KC has added an Emmy award to her shelf and many pieces of art to her walls! She says that's the only bad thing about her job — she wants to buy something from every artist she features!
Oregon Field Guide
Steve Amen, Executive Producer/Host
Oregon Field Guide
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.7 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3204
Login to download media:
need an account?Steve Amen - Executive Producer/Host
Steve Amen has been with Oregon Public Broadcasting for more than 20 years. Prior to coming to OPB, he spent seven years in commercial news as a producer, reporter, executive producer and news director. Since joining OPB, Amen has headed up numerous documentary projects including the Oregon Story series and HBO's Teen Killers: A Second Chance. His projects have received national and regional Emmys, as well as awards from CINE, The New York Film Festival and The American Film/Video Festival.
Oregon Experience
Nadine Jelsing, Executive Producer
Nadine Jelsing joined OPB in 2006 as the executive producer of Oregon Experience. She brought with her more than 20 years experience in television including working as a correspondent for a nationally syndicated health show. Her work has been honored with many awards including three regional Emmys and a national Gracie for an Oregon Experience episode. Nadine first worked at OPB in 2002 when she helped produce an educational media project and has assisted in other local and national OPB productions. She got her start in television at KING-TV in Seattle.
OPB Radio
Lynne Clendenin, Vice President, Radio Programming
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 3.7 MB
Dimensions: 2592 x 3888
Login to download media:
need an account?Lynne Clendenin - Vice President, Radio Programming
Lynne Clendenin's career path took a U-turn from the study of classical music and violin when she moved to Hawaii in the '70s. After enjoying the life of sandals, sailboats, recitals and ocean breezes, she moved back to the mainland and served as an educator/animal handler and spokesperson for a wildlife reserve before returning to school to study broadcast media.
Lynne has pursued her passion of working for public radio since the mid-'80s. She remembers clearly the days of editing with a razor blade and slicing block, and wishing listeners a good night at midnight when the stations turned silent until dawn. Lynne has held many different positions at OPB, including announcer, producer, radio operations manager, program manager and program director. She also serves on a number of national advisory committees, helping producers polish new and existing programs.
Morgan Holm, Vice President of News and Public Affairs
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.9 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3504
Login to download media:
need an account?Morgan Holm - Vice President of News and Public Affairs
Morgan Holm oversees OPB's local news operation. He has been an assignment editor, producer and reporter since joining OPB in 1990.
A native Oregonian, Morgan graduated from Southern Oregon University in Ashland with a bachelor's degree in communication ('89). He started his journalism career at Jefferson Public Radio in 1986. In 1987, he began working for KOBI-TV as a weekend news producer. He was a finalist for the Livingston Young Journalists award in 1991 and has won citations from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, RTNDA and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for his work. He has traveled to Germany as a RIAS/RTNDF Fellow, and to the Korean peninsula as a participant in the International Reporting Project's Gatekeeper program.
Matt Fleeger, Assistant Program Director, KMHD
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.1 MB
Dimensions: 3872 x 2592
Login to download media:
need an account?Matt Fleeger - Assistant Program Director, KMHD
Matt Fleeger is responsible for the all-volunteer on-air staff and sound of KMHD – Portland's Jazz Radio. He came to Portland in 2009 from San Antonio's jazz station, KRTU. Before joining OPB and KMHD, Matt held various positions in both news and music formats in Pittsburgh and San Antonio. His love for jazz includes "the whole spectrum" of the genre.
In his free time, Matt participates in way too many hobbies, including skateboarding, bicycling, painting and hiking all over the Pacific Northwest. He and his wife live in Portland.
Emily Harris, On-Air Host, Think Out loud
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.0 MB
Dimensions: 2336 x 3258
Login to download media:
need an account?Emily Harris - On-Air Host, Think Out loud
Emily Harris grew up in Oregon and her initial foray outside the U.S. was a Lincoln High School trip to the Soviet Union in 1984. She found herself cursing her high school Russian teacher years later, on a camping trip in Siberia, when she started running out of food. But she caught the international bug early and it stuck.
After getting a degree in Russian from Yale University, Harris spent three years in Portland helping Russian immigrants and learning radio rudiments at KBOO. She moved to Moscow with grand plans but no job in 1994. She eventually found reporting work there for a number of U.S. and international broadcast outlets, including Marketplace and Fox News. The next stop was Los Angeles, which she expected to hate but loved. There she produced the public affairs show Which Way, LA?.
A move to Washington, D.C. led to a reporting job at NPR. Harris covered welfare, the FCC, the Department of Agriculture and whatever else might have fallen through the cracks otherwise. She then joined NOW with Bill Moyers as a national correspondent in its initial year. In 2002, she moved to Berlin, Germany as an NPR correspondent, covering central and eastern Europe and elsewhere as needed. She reported regularly from Iraq and shared in NPR's 2004 Peabody award for Iraq coverage. After that, she spent a year at Stanford University on the Knight journalism fellowship.
In nearly 15 years away from the Northwest she has been to some amazing places, but her favorite remains ORASWWA* and she is happy to be home.
*Oregon and southwest Washington
David Miller, Online Host, Think Out Loud
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 4.2 MB
Dimensions: 3504 x 2336
Login to download media:
need an account?David Miller - Online Host, Think Out Loud
David Miller spent three years producing radio documentaries under the large, brilliant ears of Dave Isay at Sound Portraits Productions before striking off on his own as an independent producer. His work has aired on various National Public Radio news magazines, including All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Weekend Edition Saturday and Fresh Air. Most recently, he was the senior producer of Open Source, which pioneered the intersection of Internet and radio.
Geoff Norcross, Morning Edition Host
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 5.3 MB
Dimensions: 3888 x 2592
Login to download media:
need an account?Geoff Norcross - Morning Edition Host
Geoff Norcross began his radio career at 16, doing hay reports and funeral notices at a little AM station in the hills of West Virginia. Since then, he has worked in a variety of formats in several markets. He had a national audience for his late-night classical music program on New York's SW Networks. Geoff also won Tampa Bay A.I.R. and Associated Press awards as best newscaster. He has also won Edward R. Murrow and AP awards for his reporting. As program director at KNAU, Geoff shaped the network-quality sound of their local productions. Until they began their journey to Portland, Geoff and his beautiful (and patient) wife Kristy lived in Flagstaff. In his spare time, he spends every possible moment outdoors, going on foot.
Jeremy Petersen, Music Host/Producer, opbmusic
OPB Radio
Specifications
Format: image (.jpg)
Size: 2.1 MB
Dimensions: 3648 x 2736
Login to download media:
need an account?Jeremy Petersen - Music Host/Producer, opbmusic
Jeremy Petersen hails from the southeastern corner of Idaho, where he spent eight years at KISU in Pocatello serving in various capacities, including program director and producer/host of a daily music program. Prior to coming to OPB, career highlights included interviews with Wanda Jackson, Jill Sobule, Kelly Joe Phelps and Mike Doughty. (Laura Veirs and the Avett Brothers, among others, have since been added to the list.) He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, for what that's worth, which he insists is not a lot, although he acknowledges it's more than an English degree (which is where his heart really was). Aside from music, he's into baseball, beat literature and beauty ('cause it equals truth). He plays the bass, with others when possible, and is married to Rachel. They're cat people.
