Aaron Baskerville - Anchor

It's great to be here in West Michigan. I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and attended Indiana University before heading to ESPN to work as a production assistant. I then went to Northwestern University where I received my masters in journalism. I have worked at several places before I landed here at WWMT. I started at WILX-TV in Lansing. From there I went to work at WKBW-TV in Buffalo for a few years. Before coming here, I was at CLTV, a 24-hours news station in Chicago, for two years.

I love sports and spending time with my wife and dog. I look forward to becoming part of the community here.

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Alex Jokich - Reporter

Alex Jokich joined NewsChannel 3 in September 2012.  She is the morning show feature reporter and is very excited to help wake up West Michigan!

Before coming to West Michigan, Alex worked up north at WWTV/WFQX in the Cadillac/Traverse City area. She started out as a general assignment reporter and eventually moved into the live morning reporting position on "Michigan This Morning."  She received numerous awards for her work at 9&10 News/FOX32, including Best Feature Story and Best Spot News from the Associated Press.

Alex graduated magna cum laude from Pepperdine University with a major in Broadcast News and a minor in Sociology.  She was also honored as Pepperdine's "Most Outstanding Broadcast News Graduate" in 2009.  

While in college, Alex reported at Garden Grove Channel 3 in Orange County, CA.  She also interned for the Investigative Unit at KNBC in Los Angeles and for the Health Unit at WMAQ in Chicago.

Alex grew up in the suburbs of Chicago (go Cubs!) and is thrilled to continue her career in the Midwest.  In her free time, Alex loves to run so make sure to give her a wave if you see her out on the local jogging trails!

If you have an idea you think would make for a great human interest story, make sure to get in touch with Alex at AJokich@WWMT.com

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Andy Dominianni - Anchor

Andy Dominianni anchors Newschannel 3 weeknights at 5, 6 and 11pm as well as Newschannel 3 Live at 10 on the CW7. He is very familiar with the anchor chair at Newschannel 3 having served as WWMT-TV's morning anchor from 1997 to 1999 and is a graduate of Kalamazoo College.

Andy has been honored with many journalistic awards and has vast anchor experience all over the country. He returns to Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo from WSYX-TV (ABC) in Columbus Ohio, where he and his wife Erin co-authored "Columbus Italians" for Arcadia Publishing, which details the immigrant experience in Central Ohio. Andy has also held anchor positions at WCCB-TV (FOX) in Charlotte and WCCO-TV (CBS) in Minneapolis.
 
Andy is a board member at the Community Healing Center in Kalamazoo, a member of the Discover Kalamazoo Advisory Council, active with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and a founding member of the Kalamazoo Italian American Club. He enjoys tennis, biking, bocce, Italian cooking, and being at the beach. Andy and his wife Erin live in Kalamazoo along with their two children Riley and Will.

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Andy Pepper - Sports Anchor/Reporter

Andy Pepper joined NEWSCHANNEL 3 in March, 2007, as a sports reporter and weekend sports anchor based in the Kalamazoo newsroom.

Before coming to NEWSCHANNEL 3, Andy worked as a videographer and news reporter at WBOC in Salisbury, MD before moving into sports reporting there as weekend anchor. Andy then honed his sports journalism at WBRZ in Baton Rouge, LA as a reporter/anchor.

Andy Pepper has covered major professional and college sports events including the Sugar Bowl, NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Nextel Cup and College Baseball World Series in addition to weekly reporting on the NFLs New Orleans Saints. His interest, he says, is not just in the game. I like to tell stories that go beyond regular sports, he says, compelling human interest pieces that happen to have a sports backdrop.

Andys efforts have already been honored with three Edward R. Murrow awards and four from the Associated Press for Best Sports Feature.

Andys interests include baseball, which he played while attending Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, golf, movies, and perfecting his Orange Whip recipe. I am definitely enjoying the change in weather after spending three years in the heat and humidity of Louisiana, he says.

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Cyndi Kahlbaum - Meteorologist

Meteorologist Cyndi Kahlbaum was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her love of weather came at an early age thanks to her father who is also a Meteorologist. When she was just five years old, she could accurately draw a weather map with the real symbols!

Cyndi received her degree in Meteorology from Valparaiso University. She is an avid stormchaser and has seen some of the most amazing and jaw-dropping storms.

Cyndi comes to Kalamazoo from Rockford, IL and before that Denison, Texas, where she was the morning Meteorologist for WREX-TV and KTEN-TV.

In her spare time she still loves to take pictures of the storms as well as hockey, cooking and baking, and Ballroom Dancing. Cyndi is in charge of weekend shifts and weather related stories during the week.

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David Bailey - Reporter

David Bailey does a little of everything at Newschannel 3. He's Chief Investigative Reporter of Newschannel 3's I-Team, the station's Political Reporter, and our fill-in main anchor.

David was honored by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2011 with an Emmy Award for "Best Reporter" in the state of Michigan. He's been nominated for six Emmy awards in his time at WWMT-TV for long-form feature stories and investigative reports.  David's also won several Associated Press awards for breaking news reports and in-depth features. In 2004, he helped his station win the prestigious Tribune Award for Excellence in Journalism for an investigative report that helped change a police policy.

He joined our team in July of 2007 and has been working in the news business since he turned 17 years of age. David's worked in television markets all across the eastern United States including Clarksburg, West Virginia, Macon, Georgia, and Orlando, Florida.
David obtained his journalism degree from Ohio University with honors. He also taught journalism at Grand Valley State University.

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Ed Kengerski - Sports Director

NEWSCHANNEL 3 Sports Director Ed Kengerski is a Michigan native with an inquisitive nature. That desire to meet people and have new experiences has taken him to the Great Plains and back home again to the Great Lakes.

Ed was born in Detroit and grew up listening to Ernie Harwells radio play-by-play of Detroit Tiger games. He may not have known it at the time, but Eds future was being shaped by the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster.

Ed is a graduate of Central Michigan University and earned his degree in Broadcast and Cinematic Arts with a minor in Journalism and Political Science. That wide-ranging education is an advantage for his broadcasting career.

He is able to approach stories from a variety of different angles and put sports into context for viewers. Hes also a quick study and that helps him as he calls the play-by-play action for live hockey and basketball on NEWSCHANNEL 3.

Before joining NEWSCHANNEL 3 Ed was sports director at WBKB-TV in Alpena, Michigan. He was also sports director in KFRY-TV and KYYY-FM in Bismarck, North Dakota.

When hes not working, look for Ed to be on the local jogging trails or rolling up the miles on his bicycle. He also likes to relax with a good book.

It should come as no surprise that Ed picks two sportscasters as his greatest influences in broadcasting. He selects former Detroit Tiger Ernie Harwell and current ABC sportscaster Brent Musberger as his two favorites.

Ed lives in the Kalamazoo area.

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Jared Werksma - Reporter

Jared is a graduate of Colorado State University with a Degree in Journalism and technical Communications with a focus in Broadcast News and a minor in Political Science.

His first job was for ABC in Eastern Washington. Later he moved across country to Syracuse, NY for his second job at WSTM-NBC3.

 After eight years away from home News Channel 3 has brought Jared back to his native West Michigan (Grand Haven).

Jared loves all outdoor sports, specifically rock climbing, mountain biking, skiing and back packing.

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Jeff Porter - Meteorologist

Jeff Porter joined NEWSCHANNEL 3 in October 2009. He comes to West Michigan after spending nearly 4 years at WHIO in Dayton, OH, mainly as the morning/noon meteorologist.   Jeff also worked mornings at WBOC in Salisbury, MD and briefly at WKTV in Utica, NY as the weekend meteorologist.   An avid fan of all things weather since childhood, Jeff completed his meteorology degree from Penn State in 2003.  He also spent a summer working at The Weather Channel. Jeff has both the AMS and CBM seals from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association Broadcaster's Seal of Approval.  He enjoys listening to music when not following the weather.

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Jessica Wheeler - Reporter

Jessica Wheeler joined Newschannel 3 in October of 2009.
She came here from our sister station in Lansing, WLAJ, where she spent a year and a half as the weeknight news anchor.

Jessica currently volunteers coaching and judging speech tournaments around west Michigan for the Michigan Interscholastic Forensic Association. Forensics inspired her news career and she enjoys giving back.

Prior to moving to Michigan, Jessica was a weekend news anchor, weather forecaster and reporter in Peoria, Illinois. While in Central Illinois Jessica helped bring awareness to a high number of teen driving deaths in the area by producing a series of public service announcements with the help of those who lost loves ones. The campaign earned Jessica an Illinois Broadcasters Association award for community service along with other public service awards.

Jessica also spent 2 years in Idaho Falls, Idaho as a morning and noon anchor and weather forecaster. And a year working behind the scenes at WGN-TV in Chicago.

Jessica grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago and is happy to be just around the lake from her family and friends.

She and her husband welcomed their first child, a daughter, in January of 2012.

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Jessica Harthorn - Reporter

Jessica Harthorn joined NEWSCHANNEL 3 in August 2011 as a general assignment reporter.
 
Before moving to West Michigan she spent a year as an anchor/reporter for WEYI-TV in Clio, Michigan. There, Jessica won the 2010 Best Individual Reporter award from the Michigan Associated Press.  Jessica also won the 2011 State Bar of Michigan Wade McCree Award in the broadcast category for her series on a father fighting to change Michigans Paternity Act.

Prior to WEYI-TV, Jessica spent two years at WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York as their 6 pm anchor. In 2009, The New York Associated Press awarded Jessica first place for Best News Series on her coverage of struggling dairy farmers. The same series won The New York State Agricultural Society Cap Creal Journalism Award. She also covered the mass shooting at the American Civic Association in Binghamton during the spring of 2009.

Jessicas broadcast career started in 2006 at KTWO-TV in Casper, Wyoming. During her two years there, she anchored and produced the 5, 6, and 10 p.m. newscasts. She was also the Assistant News Director. In 2008, the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters honored Jessica with an award for Best News Anchor. Jessica also covered the Casper Mountain Fire during the summer of 2006.

Jessica grew up in Dansville, Michigan, and graduated from Calvin College in Grand Rapids with a Mass Communications/Journalism degree.

Jessica lives with her husband Steve and their daughter Lilly near Eagle Lake, and enjoys traveling, camping, reading, and spending time with family.

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Josh Roe - Anchor

Josh Roe joined NEWSCHANNEL 3 in October 2008 as a general assignment reporter.

 Josh comes to West Michigan from Dallas, Texas where he spent 2 years hosting a sports talk show for KFWD-TV, and reporting as well as other hosting duties for WFAA-TV. Josh worked the previous nine years at WBIR-TV in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Prior to his work in front of the camera Josh won several awards as a tv news/sports photographer. Before working in television he spent eight years in the U.S. Marine Corps, and he graduated from The University of Tennessee in 1997.

Josh lives in Kalamazoo. When he's not working he likes to read and run. He's completed one full marathon and one half-marathon. He's currently training for his second half-marathon.

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Julia Fello - Reporter

Julia Fello is the Battle Creek Bureau Reporter for Newschannel 3. She joined WWMT in September 2012.

She is a graduate of Elmhurst College in Illinois with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies. She also attended DePaul University's Journalism Master's program in Chicago.

Before working in West Michigan, Julia reported in Wisconsin for more than four years. She began in 2008 at WSAW-TV in Wausau.  There she was a reporter and anchored the Sunday morning show.  Two years later, she moved down to the state capital in Madison to work for WKOW-TV.  She was a reporter and weekend morning anchor.  During that time, she covered the controversial Budget Repair Bill. She reported on the union protests at the Capitol, and multiple recalls, including state senators and Governor Scott Walker.

Her first break into news was working for CNN as a runner at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City. The experience inspired her to have a career in broadcast journalism.

Julia kept busy throughout college, interning in Chicago for NBC 5 WMAQ-TV and Fox Chicago News WFLD-TV. She worked for both stations after the internships. First, she worked for WMAQ as a production assistant. Julia then worked for WFLD as a production assistant, field producer and live web talent for the Fox-owned website LiveNewsCameras.com.

She is proud to now call West Michigan her home, and works hard to report stories affecting our community.

If you have a story you would like to share, drop Julia a line at jfello@wwmt.com. In addition, you can follow Julia on Twitter and Facebook.

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Kate Tillotson - Anchor

Award-winning journalist Kate Tillotson anchors Newschannel 3 weeknights at 5, 6 and 11 p.m.

Before joining the station in 2007 Kate worked at WRDW-TV (CBS) in Augusta, Georgia and KCFW-TV (NBC) in Kalispell, Montana. While in Augusta, Kate received two Georgia Associated Press awards for Best Feature Reporting and Best Investigative Reporting.

During her time at WWMT-TV Kate has lent her voice to several community organizations, helping to raise money and awareness for the Borgess Foundation, Susan G. Komen, Kids Food Basket, Women At Risk, International and the American Heart Association.

In March 2012, Kate was honored as one of West Michigan's "Most Influential Women" by Inforum, a Professional Women's Alliance with more than 1,800 members throughout the state of Michigan representing women in business.

Kate began her broadcasting career as a college intern in Boston where she assisted reporters and assignment desk editors inside WBZ-TV (CBS) and New England Cable News. She graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Broadcast Journalism from Emerson College in Boston.

In her spare time Kate enjoys strength training, tennis, healthy cooking, fashion, live music and road trips to Northern Michigan.

A Northfield, Massachusetts native Kate currently resides in the Greater Grand Rapids area.

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Keith Thompson - Chief Meteorologist

There are a lot of similarities between life on the Atlantic Coast of Florida and living in West Michigan. Just ask NEWSCHANNEL 3 chief meteorologist Keith Thompson. He'll tell you the biggest similarity is the influence a big body of water plays on the weather. He should know because Keith is a native of Jacksonville, Florida and grew up with an eye on the skies.

Keith saw a lot of severe weather move across the northern part of Florida and that experience is important when he forecasts your WEATHER FIRST on NEWSCHANNEL 3 at 5, 5:30, 6 and 11. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Harding University in Arkansas. Keith has also completed his post-graduate studies in Meteorology at Mississippi State University.

Keith began his broadcast career in his home state. His first job gave him a lot of "hands on" experience as a news reporter, anchor and weather anchor at WCJB-TV in Gainesville, Florida. In 1989 he joined the NEWS 3 team and became the chief meteorologist in 1996.

Keith would tell you that one of the benefits of his job is that he often speaks to school groups and answers all the questions students have for the "weather guy." When hes not busy with those visits hes active as co-chair of the Southwest Michigan Campaign of the United Negro College fund. Hes also a member of the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association.

Keith is known at NEWSCHANNEL 3 for his sense of humor. Hes always ready with a joke or an encouraging word and insists he doesnt take himself too seriously. Thats a good outlook for someone who has to try to forecast Michigan weather. Keith's a sports fan and especially enjoys ice hockey and auto racing. In his quiet times he enjoys reading.

Keith lives in the Kalamazoo area.

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Lourin Sprenger - Reporter

Joining Newschannel 3 is a home coming for Lourin! The meto-Detroit native spent four years in West Michigan while attending Kalamazoo College.

Keep an eye out for Lourin on the coast line she's living in Holland working as the station's Lakeshore reporter and can't get enough of the beach!

Lourin joins WWMT after working as the evening anchor at KQTV in St. Joseph, Missouri. While in St. Joe, Lourin was humbled when she spent two weeks on the ground following the deadly tornado in Joplin, and taking helicopter tours with the governor following record flooding in northwest Missouri. She also enjoyed daredevil stunts, repelling off a 200 story building and tumbling in an aerobatic plane for the city's air show.

Lourin also earned a Missouri Broadcaster Award for telling the story of a 70-year-old man paralyzed from his flu shot that learned to use his body again. 

Before starting her on-air career in St. Joseph, Lourin took a bite out of the Big Apple. She worked in New York City as an NBC Page (she believes Kenneth's character on 30 Rock is modeled after her), working for shows such as Conan O'Brien, The Today Show and SNL. She then moved on to recruiting talent for NBC. 

Lourin was a theatre major in college, but she was introduced to the media industry during an internship at Saturday Night Live. However, it wasn't until she accidentally walked in front of a rolling camera in front of Anne Curry and Al Roker that Lourin got a taste of life on the screen, and developed a knack for news. She has been chasing the dream ever since.

When not tracking down stories, Lourin is an active Special Olympics and Red Cross volunteer. She is training for her third half marathon, loves skiing, is on a mission to make the perfect pizza dough and is a trained fire eater.

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Marcie Kobriger - Anchor

Marcie Kobriger is thrilled to be waking up early to bring you the news you need to start your day. She joined WWMT's morning news crew after years of reporting and anchoring in neighboring Wisconsin, and Indiana. She's excited to continue building her career while getting to know another part of the Midwest.

Marcie made the move to Michigan from Green Bay, Wisconsin where she was an anchor and reporter. She covered Wisconsin's historic protests over collective bargaining at the state capitol, and followed the Packers all the way to Dallas, Texas to cover the team's Super Bowl XLV victory. Marcie has also worked in South Bend, Indiana and Bozeman, Montana. Her work has been recognized by the Indiana Associated Press, and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association.

Marcie was born and raised in Chilton, Wisconsin; in a county where cows allegedly outnumber people. While leaving Green Bay, where her parents could watch her shows every weekend was a difficult move, Marcie is finding the people of West Michigan more than hospitable. She's also enjoying the move to a (very) slightly warmer climate.

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Ryan Duffy - Reporter

Ryan Duffy joined the Newschannel 3 team in 2010. He reports live for all the nightly newscasts during the week. Before coming to West Michigan Ryan was a reporter in Florida. But growing up in Chicagoland he still remembers how to drive in snow.


Ryan is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors and most enjoys working on stories that dig deeper, get answers for our viewers and hold decision makers accountable.


Ryan is an award winning journalist who has also reported in Georgia and Kansas. He was a co-winner of an Edward R. Murrow award for team coverage of breaking news and has won awards from the Georgia Associated Press, the Georgia Association of Broadcasters, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Kansas Association of Broadcasters and the Hearst Foundation.


A graduate of the University of Missouri, Ryan enjoys watching Tigers sports and all the Chicago teams except the Cubs. He also spends time watching Curb Your Enthusiasm and golfing all over Michigan.


He has a dog named Buck Duffy.

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Sherene Tagharobi - Reporter

Sherene joined Newschannel 3 in April 2012 as its Grand Rapids reporter. Before that, she was a reporter and fill-in anchor for WILX in Michigan's capital city. There, she covered the legislature and interviewed newsmakers like Governor Rick Snyder, Ron Paul, and Ann Romney.

She graduated cum laude from the University of Southern Californias Annenberg School of Journalism, earning bachelors degrees in Broadcast Journalism and International Relations and a Spanish minor. She spent part of her undergraduate career studying in Madrid, Spain and is fluent in Spanish and Farsi.

While at USC, Sherene reported, produced, and anchored news and weather for USCs award-winning Annenberg TV News. There, she covered everything from Conrad Murrays arraignment to California State University budget cuts to President Obamas visit to Los Angeles.

Sherene has interned at Good Morning America, Dateline NBC, KTLA, and KEYT in Santa Barbara. She also wrote for the Daily Trojan and the Malibu Times.

She discovered her passion for journalism as a high school sophomore, writing for and eventually becoming the editor of her school newspaper The Current. She loves meeting new people and telling their stories every day.

While not on the job, Sherene enjoys visiting friends and family in California, being outdoors, and exploring all West Michigan has to offer.

Sherene is a member of the Asian American Journalist Association.

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Stacia Mullaney - Reporter

Originally from upstate New York, Stacia is a 2008 Graduate of Le Moyne College where she doubled majored in Communications and Literature.

Before joining Newschannel 3, Stacia was a reporter and fill-in anchor for our sister station WLAJ in Lansing.

After that she spent time reporting and fill-in anchoring at WLNS in Lansing where she won an Emmy for a series of reports exposing sex crimes happening in the city.

She was named "Best Reporter" in 2011 by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and has also been honored by the Associated Press for her breaking news reports.

Have a story idea? Send Stacia an email!

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