Alumni Accolades – Fall 2024
Sophia Beach filming for FOX 13 Seattle. // Photo courtesy of Sophia Beach
From awards to promotions these journalism grads are reaching new heights in their field
Story by Jenna Millikan
The years students spend in Western’s journalism department are full of chasing stories, late nights writing articles, meeting deadlines and everything else they need to understand the ins and outs of journalism.
Bylines from Western students can be seen in papers and stations throughout the country. These three Western grads are no exception, making a name for themselves with their achievements.
Jesse Nichols
Jesse Nichols (‘17) received gold in the Kavli Science Journalism Awards for two stories, “This enzyme is responsible for life on Earth. It’s a hot mess” and “The Gulf Coast is home to one of the last healthy coral reefs. It’s surrounded by oil.” Winners of the gold award receive a $5,000 prize for their exceptional journalistic work.
“I’m always hunting for things that sort of make my ears perk up,” Nichols said. “The curiosity focus is a big part of what I look for in stories. Stories that make people want to learn more, want to engage.”
Nichols works as a video producer at Grist, a nonprofit media organization dedicated to environmental justice. He was always interested in environmental journalism. While at Western, he served as an editor at The Planet. This made Grist, which has been ahead of the curve in environmental journalism since it opened in 1999, the perfect choice.
“I’m interested in reporting on the environment, and I love the Pacific Northwest,” Nichols said. “It’s sort of the perfect combination of those two things.”
Nichol’s biggest takeaway from his time at Western is to “really just give the full reporting process as much as you can to every story.”
Sophia Beach
Sophia Beach (‘22) was promoted to marketing producer at FOX 13 Seattle after only two years at the company.
“There’s a lot of variety, which I really enjoy,” Beach said. “I can either brainstorm and conceptualize an entire like brand campaign or make a commercial spot or go out and shoot a car commercial and just do fancy luxury car shots.”
While she mainly works on commercials nowadays, she’s worked on projects ranging from documentaries about fishermen to highlighting different artists. Her favorite project was a commercial for “Back2Besa,” a show about uplifting Black voices in the Pacific Northwest.
“I got a lot of compliments on that one,” Beach said. “I feel like I did them a good service.”
Beach always knew she wanted to be a reporter. She started at Western in the news and editorial track before realizing her passion for storytelling lay elsewhere.
“In the pandemic, I had a photojournalism class, and I really enjoyed that,” Beach said. “I felt like I could tell stories in other ways and not struggle so much with the wording.”
While her time at Western taught her valuable skills in storytelling, she continues to learn throughout her career as she continues in the broadcast industry.
Currently, Beach is busy preparing FOX 13’s Superbowl campaign, a project that connects her to her Seattle roots.
“I feel like we’re doing a more like community-based aspect, which is something I’ve really pushed for because I think that’s something that Seattle responds to well,” Beach said. “I feel like we’re going to bring in our audience more with this campaign idea, which is exciting.”
Paulo Bicchieri
Paolo Bicchieri (‘16) became a Fulbright fellow this past Winter and is preparing to move to Indonesia in May 2025.
“It’s not fully in media. It’s in political economy,” Bicchieri said. “But as it pertains to narration and sort of narrative power, which ended up being something I just got really interested in after graduating.”
Once there, Bicchieri will be interviewing around 100 coffee workers about their experience farming, producing and roasting coffee.
“The general question is, effectively, does your voice and people’s ability to hear your story change your income level?” Bicchieri said. “The question here is, is that happening for commodity producers of coffee?”
Bicchieri is no stranger to writing about the coffee industry. He wrote “I Can’t Seem to Give Up My Diner Coffee (Even Though I Know I Should)” for Eater in 2023. He credits his time in the Pacific Northwest for getting him into coffee.
“When I was reporting at the Western Front, you’re trying sports journalism, and you’re trying news, I enjoyed news a lot, but I was kind of like, what do I really find I’m sinking my teeth into?” Bicchieri said. “I found that there was a real place in traditional news and digital news to do small business profiles, and so I did a lot of stuff about cafes because I like cafes, and I was working in restaurants.”
Bicchieri has written for many publications, from Standart to the Seattle Times. However, he is especially appreciative of his experience on the volunteer recruitment team at 826 Valencia.
“It really changed my perspective on publishing in general, where I was like, dang how many more white guy voices do we need out there?” Bicchieri said. “Maybe it would be cool to get some of the students who are not even native English speakers who live in San Francisco their first publishing, and it was really cool.”
From his six years in San Francisco to his upcoming experience as a Fulbright fellow, Bicchieri carries the lessons he learned at Western with him.
“I learned at Western just how to put your head down and work,” Bicchieri said. “You either sit down and do it, or you’re not gonna do it, and you’re a bad person for not doing it, but it’s certainly not gonna happen.”
More Alumni Updates
Compiled by Joe Gosen, Jennifer Keller and Peggy Watt
News-Editorial
Jesse Hamilton (’97) Deputy Managing Editor, CoinDesk
“Jesse Hamilton recently left his longtime role writing for Bloomberg and Businessweek magazine to follow the strange and twisted saga of the cryptocurrency movement, taking a job as deputy managing editor at CoinDesk, a news site covering crypto from the trenches. He’s still in Washington, DC, writing about how the government is struggling to get a handle on the innovative but often reckless sector. He never would have guessed he’d spend much of his working life focused on financial news after a career at newspapers immersed in a range of beats, from cops coverage to political writing to war reporting in Iraq. But he feels fortunate to still be practicing journalism well into a third decade. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and two kids, writing (unpublished) novels in his spare time.”
Alex Halverson (’18) Business Reporter, Seattle Times
Aspen King – previously Ashley Lambe – (‘16) Script Writer, CatFace, Austin, Texas
Becky Tachihara (’12) Learning & Development Specialist at Northern Nevada HOPES, a nonprofit community health center in downtown Reno.
Dr. T.M. Sell (‘82) – Professor of political economy at Highline College in Des Moines, Wash. Dr. Sell published “Washington State Politics and Government“ in November 2023.
Gabrielle Nomura Gainor (’10) Director of Communications, Plymouth Housing
John Jensen (’00) Principal, Vista Middle School
Izzie Lund (’22) – Digital Content Manager, KDRV-TV, Medford, Oregon
Jeff Twining (‘10) – MSSP Product Marketing Leader, Amazon
Kaleigh Carroll (’22) – Multiplatform Copy Editor, The Seattle Times
Keegan Prosser (’11) Account Manager, Team Soapbox, Seattle
Lauren Gallup (’21) – Reporter, Northwest Public Broadcasting, Tacoma
Luisa Loi (’22) Reporter, Whidbey News-Times
Megan Lum ‘06, HR Generalist, Washington Health Benefit Exchange
Nolan Baker (’21) Reporter, Northern Light Newspaper (Point Roberts Press, Inc.), Blaine
Sydney Jackson (’23) Reporter, Everett Herald
Taras McCurdie (’23) Marketing and Communications Coordinator, Lighthouse Mission Ministries
Valerie Bauman (‘03) Investigative Reporter/Podcaster, Newsweek – Her book “Inconceivable” was released in April 2024.
Zach Hale (’09) Reporter, S&P Global Commodity Insights, Washington, D.C.
Public Relations
Marya (Purrington) Lou (’12) Marketing Manager, Delta Dental of Washington
In January 2024, Marya Lou became the marketing manager at Delta Dental after after a position she held as a communications program manager at Davis Wright Tremaine, where she worked “to communicate the great work of their cybercrime enforcement litigation team.” Prior to that Lou served as the communications lead at Kaiser’s Center for Accelerating Care Transformation, which bridges the gap between research and primary care with a strong focus on health equity.
On a personal note, she married Jeffrey Lou on September 9, 2023, on Vashon Island. Her bridesmaids included many Western alums, including Lindsey (Otta) Zachary (public relations, 2011), Fiona (Gleason) Lazare (anthropology, 2012) and Carlee (Donnelly) Mise (community health, 2011). Even the photographer at her wedding was a Western alum, Janette Casolary (sociology 2010).
Alfred Fuentes (‘20) Associate Producer, FOX 13 Seattle
Allison Wilson (‘10) Senior Manager, B2B Marketing, Expedia Group, Seattle
Ben Bagley (‘22) Public Relations Coordinator, Detroit Pistons
Caitlyn Daniels (‘21) Social Media Manager, Western Washington University
Charmaine Riley (‘14) Director of Communications, American Beverage (DC-Baltimore Area)
Chauncey Gummere (‘23) Marketing Specialist, Central Skagit Library District
Colleen Toomey (‘10) Senior Communications Manager, Cumming Group, New York
Colton Rasanen (‘20) Staff Writer, Pacific Northwest Inlander, Spokane
Emily (Jackson) Martens (‘20) Communications Coordinator, Opportunity Council
Emy Lyle (‘14) Marketing and Client Services, Connelly Law Offices
Suzanna Leung (‘19) Marketing Manager, Seattle Theatre Group
Femi Abebefe (‘12) Sports Betting Host/Analyst, VSiN, The Sports Betting Network (Las Vegas)
Heidi DeHart (’16) Account Supervisor, Porter Novelli, Austin
Jane Footh (’18) Corporate Communications & PR Manager, Guild
Jessica Evans Fark (’06) General Manager, Kris Kringl, Levenworth
Jordan Stone (‘21) Coordinator, Baseball Information, Seattle Mariners
Joshua Galassi (‘14) Senior Account Supervisor, XBox Gaming for Everyone and Hardware/Assemblies Assembly Media
Katherine Misel (‘17) Senior Public Relations Associate/Account Manager, Raffetto Herman Strategic Communications
Kamiah Koch (‘19) Social Media and Digital Journalist, Smoke Signals
Kristina Rivera (‘19) Marketing Coordinator and Copywriter, CollinsWoerman
Lindsey Otta (’11) Social Media Manager, MultiCare Health System
Lorin (Lindell) O’Grady (’19) Digital Marketing Manager and Public Relations Specialist, Mount Baker Theatre
Lynsey Amundson (‘17) Communications Manager – Boise Fire, City of Boise
Maddie Federici (‘23) Account Executive, FleishmanHillard, St. Louis
Mandi (Brady) LeCompte (‘10) Communications Manager, Highline Public Schools
Mason Luvera (‘14) Communications Manager, City of Mercer Island
Samantha O’Brochta (‘13) Social Media Manager, Apartment Therapy Media
Sarah Climaco (‘16) Communications Manager, Truveta (Seattle)
Stephanie Kirk McShane (‘15) Associate VP, B2B/Enterprise Tech, Carve Communications
Stephanie (Castillo) Twining (‘10) VP, Social Media + Influencer+ PR, Amp, Seattle
Suzanna Leung (’19) Marketing Manager, Seattle Theatre Group
Sydney Clanton (‘20) Public Relations Specialist, Nerdwallet
Visual Journalism
Andriy Semenyuk (’10) – Los Angeles-based cinematographer specializing in commercials, narrative and documentary films. His film “Wounded Land” won the Grand Prix award of the Most Wine International Film Festival on Nov. 12, 2023. His documentary “California Cowboys” is distributed through ShortsTV and can be found on Amazon Prime.
Check out his demo reel below to get a glimpse of the kind of work he produces.
Alexandra Bartick (‘16) Digital Content Producer, University of Washington News
Alissa Vanlandingham (‘19) Social Media Specialist, Food Integrity Collective, Portland, Oregon
Caleb Galbreath (‘18) Career & Technical Educator, Curtis Senior High School
Cierra Coppock (‘22) Editorial Assistant, Freehub Media
Daniel Thomas (‘18) Photo/Video Sales Specialist, Glazer’s Camera
Eva Bryner (‘20) RP Production Coordinator, LAIKA Studios, Portland
Finn Wendt (‘23) Visual Journalist, Cascadia Daily News
Hailey Hoffman (‘19) Visual Journalist, Cascadia Daily News
Hannah Amundson (‘16) Graphic Designer, Oregon Lottery
Jacqueline Allison (‘16) Communications Specialist, Association of Washington Business, Olympia
Jake Tull (‘16) Digital Marketing Producer, Windstar Cruises
Jaya Flannery (‘20) Digital Editor/Designer, Cascadia Daily News
Joshua Solorzano (‘23) Crime and Courts Reporter, Sound Publishing, Federal Way
Kyra Taubel-Bruce (‘17) Firefighter, Seattle Fire Department
Lexi Ortiz (’16) Digital Partnerships Manager, Big Picture Learning
Morgan Stilp (‘17) Photographer/Videographer, DigiPen Institute of Technology
Nick Gonzales (’14) Senior Videographer, University of Santa Cruz
Sam Kristofferson (‘23) Editor-in-Chief, MyBellinghamNow, Cascadia Radio Group
Sophie Miller (‘18) Manager, Creative Operations at Starbucks
Environmental Journalism
Anna Crosetti (Shaffer) ’99, Senior Communications Specialist – Editor, OCHIN
“I recently got married and moved back to beautiful Bellingham after spending the years since college in the Seattle area and on the East Coast. I currently work as a senior editor for OCHIN, a rapidly growing national nonprofit health IT organization with two decades of experience transforming health care delivery to drive health equity.”
Olivia Hicks (’22) freelance motorsports and environmental journalist based in Brooklyn, NY