Beenish Ahmed | Detroit Reporter

Beenish Ahmed is one of Michigan Radio’s Detroit-based reporters. Since 2016, she has been a reporter for WNYC Public Radio in New York and also a freelance journalist. Her stories have appeared on NPR, as well as in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Atlantic, VICE and The Daily Beast. Additionally, Beenish spent two years in Islamabad, Pakistan, working with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, covering the country’s first democratic transition of power as well as Pakistan’s education system. Continue reading “Beenish Ahmed | Detroit Reporter”

John Auchter | Contributor, Auchter’s Art

Since 1995 John has created Michigan-based editorial cartoons for the Grand Rapids Business Journal, the Grand Rapids Press, and MLive Newspapers. His cartoons are currently featured at MichiganRadio.org and are syndicated to newspapers through the Michigan Press Association. John is an active member of the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. You can view an archive of his editorial work and other cartoons at Auchtoon.com. Continue reading “John Auchter | Contributor, Auchter’s Art”

John U. Bacon | Essay / Analysis, Sports Commentator

John U. Bacon has worked nearly three decades as a writer, a public speaker, and a college instructor, winning awards for all three.

Bacon earned an honors degree in history (“pre-unemployment”) from the University of Michigan in 1986, and a Master’s in Education in 1994. In 2005-06, the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship named him the first recipient of the Benny Friedman Fellowship for Sports Journalism. Continue reading “John U. Bacon | Essay / Analysis, Sports Commentator”

April Baer | Host, Stateside

April Baer is the new host of Michigan Radio’s Stateside talk show.

Prior to her arrival in Michigan, April was the host of the weekly show State of Wonder on Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) for the past six years. Before that, she was the Morning Edition host and a reporter at OPB, covering beats including government and legal affairs, changing demographics and the arts. Continue reading “April Baer | Host, Stateside”

Suzanne Belanger | Marketing Associate

Suzanne Belanger is a Marketing Associate at Michigan Radio, coordinating community and media partnerships, public relations, special events, and more. She started working in radio when she was 14 years old at her hometown station in Delphos, Ohio. Throughout her radio career, she’s worked at a number of stations in Ohio, Florida and Michigan. She was most recently with CBS/Entercom as Marketing Director of WOMC and WYCD in Detroit. Continue reading “Suzanne Belanger | Marketing Associate”

Mark Brush | In Memoriam

Mark Brush was Michigan Radio’s Digital Media Director. He began working at Michigan Radio in 1998 as a part-time production assistant. He went on to become co-manager of the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, an environmental news service for public radio stations. After GLRC changed its name to The Environment Report, he helped expand it to a daily news service that at its peak aired on 125 stations. He became the station’s first Digital Media Director in 2016 and in that role helped oversee the station’s digital strategy and moved the station toward publishing more online-first stories. Continue reading “Mark Brush | In Memoriam”

Lynette Budnik | Receptionist

Lynette is Michigan Radio’s receptionist and has been with the station since 2015. She assists with the data entry of gifts, and is listeners first point of contact when they call or visit Michigan Radio. She loves working at the station since it’s like a home away from home. She looks forward to talking with you.
Continue reading “Lynette Budnik | Receptionist”