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Kurt began his radio career at 16 as weekend disc jockey at KOLS-AM/KKMA-FM (now KMYZ) in Pryor, Okla. He gradually began doing news work at his home town radio station. Kurt studied journalism at Oklahoma State University, serving two terms as managing editor of "The Daily O'Collegian." He returned to his radio roots while at Oklahoma State, working first as a part-time news producer, then as Morning Edition host at KOSU. Kurt left the station in 1990 returning to Pryor to be a part of a new business, ViaGrafix, that developed computer training videos. He eventually sold his business to attend seminary at The Iliff School of Theology in Denver and Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Okla. He served as minister of communications for St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City for five years before starting his own media business, Discuss Communications LLC.

Irina Zhorov is a reporter for Wyoming Public Radio. She earned her BA from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA from the University of Wyoming. In between, she worked as a photographer and writer for Philadelphia-area and national publications. Her professional interests revolve around environmental and energy reporting and she's reported on mining issues from Wyoming, Mexico, and Bolivia. She's been supported by the Dick and Lynn Cheney Grant for International Study, the Eleanor K. Kambouris Grant, and the Social Justice Research Center Research Grant for her work on Bolivian mining and Uzbek alpinism. Her work has appeared on Voice of America, National Native News, and in Indian Country Today, among other publications.

Laura Smitherman is Deputy National Editor for NPR News. She oversees breaking news and enterprise reporting from the eastern half of the United States, and she is the lead editor on immigration coverage. The National Desk covers the biggest issues facing the nation in collaboration with member stations around the country. Our reporters cover a range of beats, including national security, climate, race and identity, gender, criminal justice, state government and addiction.

Brett is the health reporter and a producer at WXXI News. He has a master’s degree from the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism and before landing at WXXI, he was an intern at WNYC and with Ian Urbina of the New York Times. He also produced freelance reporting work focused on health and science in New York City. Brett grew up in Bremerton, Washington, and holds a bachelor’s degree from Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.

Olivia Reingold is an associate producer for “Two Way Street” and “Political Rewind.” She grew up in Washington D.C. and recently graduated from Oglethorpe University, where she was a Presidential Scholar and graduated cum laude.

Krys Boyd is the host and managing editor of Think from KERA in Dallas – a position she’s held since 2006. She has earned a reputation as one of the most thoughtful and skilled radio interviewers in the country, and is recognized by both listeners and guests for her extensive research and inimitable questions

Roberto Avant-Mier (PhD, University of Utah) is an Associate Professor and Research Fellow in the Department of Communication at The University of Texas at El Paso, and he is also affiliated faculty in Chicano Studies at UTEP.