Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunication Operations and Management from the University of Florida. Over ten years, including: WRUF-AM - Gainesville, FL - News/Talk - a college station where I started my radio career helping our listeners advertise their goats and chickens, and direct people to their yard sales. (Gotta love Tradio). WUFT-FM - Gainesville, FL - Classical/Jazz - another college station - where I learned how to enunciate and talk v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. WKTK-FM - Gainesville, FL - AC - Interned in production for two semesters with Ron Rothberg - one of the funniest radio guys I’ve ever met! WYKS-FM - Gainesville, FL - CHR - I worked nights for more than three years. Jeri Banta was kind enough to give me my first “real” radio job before I even graduated college. WDRM-FM - Huntsville, AL - Country - Mornings/News & Public Service Director. WBBE-FM - Baton Rouge, LA - AC - Middays/Public Service Director. And here I am at WQCK-FM - Baton Rouge, LA - Mornings/PD/MD

1.How did you wind up at WQCK?

I have WCQR PD Jason Sharpe to thank for bringing me to the Bridge. Shortly after Jason moved to Baton Rouge, he called on me to see about becoming his morning co-host. I didn’t come on board at that time, but did keep in touch with GM Darren Ryder. Several months later God told me it was time to come.

2. What is the most fulfilling aspect to you personally about Christian radio?

Working in Christian radio affords me the opportunity to do what I LOVE to do and glorify God. And it’s really nice to play music and work in an atmosphere where I’m constantly being uplifted. It’s so much different in the world of secular radio. Many times you go home wondering why you ever got into radio to begin with because of all the negativity that surrounds you. And it’s really nice to be able to work for a radio station I can let my kids listen to all the time without having to monitor it.

3.How has God used you in your role at WQCK?

I think God has some big plans for me here. I started out as a part-time midday announcer. As I said in question #1,  I had been interviewing here for quite a while before actually coming on board. I’ve been in radio a long time, and I’ve been a Christian for even longer, but I had never thought of putting the two together. Shortly after I started working here, I was promoted to MD. It wasn’t long after that I accepted the APD/morning host role. I wasn’t APD very long before I assumed the role of PD. I think God is using me in mighty ways at WQCK, and I’m excited to watch His plan as it is unveiled. I feel like there is a lot of harmony and a new direction that was needed here for quite some time.

4. What is the criteria that determines if a song receives airplay on your station?

Heads it gets spins, tails it doesn’t. I’M KIDDING!!! We want to make sure that we don’t play music by any artist whose life isn’t reflective of Christ’s life. Our listeners depend on us to bring them good examples for their children, and we don’t want to break that trust.

And there are other factors as well - the lyrics, the number of uptempo/slow songs we already have spinning, etc.

Once we have a few songs picked out that we think would fit our station, we take them to the listeners for feedback. We’ve invested in some music research that lets us test music before we put it on the air. We also take advantage of the fact that our listeners enjoy giving their input. For the past month, we’ve invited listeners to the station to listen to music in different panels to let us know what they think.

5. What kind of promotions work best for your station?

Anything that gets our listeners involved. It’s not much fun for listeners to “stop by and register” to win anything. But invite them to play a game with you or to put on their thinking caps, and they enjoy it much more.

6. How do you think Christian Record labels can better serve Christian radio?

I feel like I’m getting excellent service from the labels. If I were to ask for anything more, it would probably be more interviews (phone or in-studio) and custom artist drops/intros. I really appreciate Al Kim and his free show prep service! It’s nice to know what’s going on in Sara Groves’ life without having to ask.

7. In your opinion, what are the biggest obstacles facing Christian radio today?

I think there is a big misconception out there about Christian music. Many people beyond the core think Christian music means “church music” or “gospel music.” Getting those people to test us can be a difficult task.

8. What do you believe is the primary role of the Christian radio air personality today?

I think it’s the same no matter what format you work. You need to connect with your listeners on a personal level. You need to remember you are talking to ONE person, and make that one person feel something, whether it’s joy, anticipation, sadness, fear, or any other emotion. If you can make that connection, you’ve done something. I tell my staff it’s important to make friends. If we are given the opportunity to talk with or meet any one of our listeners, we need to remember that person will be a listener for life if we make them our friend.

9. What (if any) other Christian radio stations do you consider as innovators today?

I’m really impressed that KLTY can get such great ratings in a big market with the intense competition. I also love KSBJ, KXOJ, and Way-FM.

10. Where do you see Christian radio in 5 years?

I think Christian radio is getting better. We’re getting recognition in the trades and on sites that never used to acknowledge our existence. I think there is incredible talent in Christian radio, both behind the microphone and in the production rooms. I’d like to see more Christian stations with the same kinds of ratings KLTY is raking in.