Behind the Voices
7 Minutes, 6 stories, 5 days a week
KidNuz is a fun, fresh, first-of-its-kind kids’ podcast that delivers top-of-mind news every weekday morning. It's age appropriate, nonpartisan, and produced by Emmy-winning broadcast journalists who believe in the importance of engaging kids in current events, encouraging critical thinking, and sparking meaningful conversations.Together with parents and teachers, KidNuz introduces kids to issues that are relevant to them. Or soon will be.
.jpg)
Tori Campbell, Founder/Anchor,
Board President
Tori is an award-winning broadcast journalist with 27 years of experience. She first worked as a radio reporter in the New York metropolitan area and then in the San Francisco Bay Area. For 19 years, she was co-anchor of the region’s #1 morning newscast, KTVU-TV’s “Mornings on 2″. Tori has done a variety of volunteer work, including producing and recording a weekly one-hour program reading news articles for the blind. When she’s not working, Tori spends her days cooking, exercising, and reading. She has two grown sons and lives with her husband in Singapore.
Ro Thomas Schwarz, Founder/Editor,
Board Vice-President
Ro is the 4-time Emmy award winning Creator and Executive producer of KTVU’s “Mornings on 2”. After more than a decade at the helm, she traded the control room for consulting to help television stations across the country improve formats, talent, writing and ratings. Through it all, Ro proudly raised her 4 children on a steady diet of current events and is thrilled to bring her passion for unbiased and age-appropriate news to a new generation. She lives in Northern California with her husband, kids and golden retriever, Poppy.
Kimberly Hunter,
Founder/Anchor
Kim is an Emmy Award winning television reporter, actor, Ironman Triathlete and former collegiate swimmer. Kim’s journalism experience includes more than a decade in television news, most recently as a correspondent for CNN and reporter for KTVU-TV in the San Francisco Bay Area. She periodically acts in commercials and television including spots for Xfinity, IBM, Vail Ski Resorts and the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why.” Kim lives in Northern California with her husband, four children and labrador retriever,
Stephanie Kelmar, Founder/Parent Council Chair
Stephanie is a 2-time Emmy award winning producer of KTVU-TV’s “Mornings On 2” newscast in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her professional broadcast career producing radio talk shows while still a student at UC Berkeley. Since leaving the full-time working world to raise a family, Stephanie has written programs for an internet television channel, produced a monthly newsmagazine and produced Facebook Live broadcasts for a website geared towards millennials. Stephanie lives in Palo Alto with her husband, two children and their dog.
Jennifer Anderson, Creative Director/Board Member
Jennifer is the creative eye for KidNuz. Before joining the team, she spent 15 years crafting digital, social, and traditional experiences for companies large and small. She brings insight, enthusiasm, and an entrepreneurial edge to KidNuz, along with a deep passion for positive change. Jennifer complements her professional career with nonstop dedication to multiple nonprofits, for which she has held various board positions. She always leads with kindness, optimism, and authenticity.
Tracey Bracco, Treasurer/Board Member
Tracey brings over 16 years of non-profit accounting experience to KidNuz. She earned her MBA from Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley while working at BofA, was a nationally ranked amateur triathlete and developed a passion for nonprofit accounting at the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). She is currently the CFO of a small real estate corporation and volunteers on several youth-oriented nonprofit boards. She lives near SF with her husband and two children.
_edited.png)
Tara Singer
Finance/Development/Board Member
Tara is a financial accountant with more than 27 years experience. She graduated from St. Mary's College in Moraga, California with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. After working for KPMG in San Francisco, she earned her CPA. Tara lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and enjoys running, skiing and biking. She and her husband have two teenage sons.
Lori McDevitt
Education Director/Board Secretary
Lori has her Master’s in Education and has taught both elementary and middle school for the last 15 years. Her prior career was in mental health services working with adults and teens and has volunteered for Girls Scouts USA for 8 years. Today, Lori enjoys playing and coaching high school tennis and mentoring foster youth as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in her free time.
Max Woolf
Business/Board Member
Max is a Managing Director with Tyton Partners, where he delivers strategic guidance and support for companies in the education and media space. He leverages years of experience as an operator, researcher and analyst to help drive the future of the education ecosystem.
He also previously served as the General Manager of The Daily Jolt, a network of 200 college community and news websites across the country. Max has authored dozens of reports and articles, and regularly speaks at industry events, on webinars, and with leading media outlets on topics related to the online education market.
Ema Jitsukawa
Education/Board Member
Ema is a literacy professional and advocate for students in the San Francisco Bay Area. She holds a master’s degree in Japanese Literature from the University of Michigan, where her non-linear career began as a researcher and then as a producer for all the major Japanese networks. Her calling, however, is literacy and she set out on a mission to improve reading rates among the kids who need it most. Ema now teaches third graders as an early literacy tutor, supporting a science-based reading intervention program at an Oakland public school.
Dr. Mark Curtis, Ed.D.
Editorial/Board Member
Mark is a veteran of radio and television news and currently serves as the Chief Political Reporter for the Nexstar Broadcasting Group. In 2008, he traveled the country with all the presidential candidates as a reporter and political analyst for numerous media outlets. His book, “Age of Obama: A Reporter’s Journey with Clinton, McCain and Obama in the Making of the President 2008” was released in the Inaugural week of 2009. In all, Mark has covered ten presidential campaigns, been nominated four times for Emmy Awards and is a 2-time regional Edward R. Morrow winner and a national finalist.
Kim Yonenaka
Editorial/Development/
Board Member
Kim Yonenaka is a multi-Emmy Award-winning broadcaster in television news and sports. Recognized with her most recent Emmy in 2023 with the San Francisco Giants, she has over 20 years of experience writing, producing and reporting. Her professional career also includes HGTV and various corporate and nonprofit projects. She’s excited to join the Kidnuz team and reunite with former colleagues to help bring current events to today's kids.
Kevin Merritt, Designated Hitter- Hosting!
Every now and then, KidNuz needs a fill-in anchor and we are so very lucky to have One Foot Productions co-founder Kevin on our team. Kevin’s background is nothing if not eclectic. His creative wanderlust has led him through all kinds of professional and artistic endeavors—from studying music and directing cartoons to writing musicals and producing participatory art projects for Burning Man. With One Foot, Kevin has been working to create his dream company; a place where awesome artists generate great stories that provide service and make people happy... all while having as much fun as possible. He's certainly doing all of that and more with KidNuz!
John Grabowski, Designated Hitter - Writing!
The KidNuz team does A LOT of writing and is fortunate to be able to lean on John. He’s worked in broadcast news, PR and advertising, and is currently a freelance business writer with an emphasis in health & wellness and real estate, particularly real estate tech. He is also the author of two novels and a short story collection. A third novel is set to be published the second quarter of 2024. He is married and lives in the East Bay. When he’s not writing something, which is rare, he can be found enjoying gourmet coffees, reading, listening to classical music, pondering the future, and wondering what half the buttons on his TV remote do.
Advisors
Albert Tong
Albert is a partner at Burke Williams & Sorensen where he practices commercial litigation. He received his J.D. from George Washington University Law School and his A.B. from the University of California at Berkeley. Originally from Los Angeles, he now lives in the Bay Area with his wife and two daughters where he enjoys snowboarding and playing the ukulele
(and is equally terrible at both).
Lisa Parker
Lisa is a principal at Regalia & Associates, CPAs. After more than twenty years in public accounting working with hedge funds and similar organizations in the financial services industry, she now enjoys working exclusively with non-profit organizations, providing audit, tax, and consulting services. Originally from the Midwest, she now lives in Boston. She and her husband have two daughters.
Tom Blaney
Tom is a partner at PKF O'Connor Davies LLP. He has spent 30 years specializing in the accounting and tax aspects of exempt organizations. Tom is a frequent speaker and author on private foundations and not-for-profit topics. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Barron's and other leading business publications.
Marissa McGee
Marissa has spent her career in communities that have been historically underserved due to systemic inequities. She taught kindergarten, first, and second grade in Washington, D.C. for nearly a decade. She now serves as an instructional coach in Oakland, CA and she works with Stanford graduate students who are entering the teaching profession.
Joe Siedel
Joe is COO at e123, an investor-backed insurtech platform operating in the healthcare space. Joe is an experienced executive, operator and entrepreneur working primarily for small and mid-market investor-backed companies for over 15 years. Previously he was a consultant for Bain & Company and worked in Business Development at National Geographic. Joe grew up around education in Ann Arbor, Michigan with parents who taught at the University of Michigan and in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. He currently lives in Oakland, California with his wife and 3 children.
Mike McAllen
Mike discovered the power of podcasting early. Since 2007, he has produced hundreds of episodes and live events for his clients, currently produces virtual and live podcasts for associations and membership-based companies, and enjoys helping newcomers to this awesome audio medium get started. He is also the Executive Director of the California Podcast Association. Mike lives in Oakland, California, with his wife and 5-year-old daughter, two dogs, and two cats.
Noah Teitelbaum
Noah started his work in education as a fifth grade teacher 20 years ago. He's taught, been an instructional coach, curriculum designer, and nonprofit director. He now consults on learning and development and business management for nonprofits and companies. His two kids and he listen to KidNuz on the way to school.
Laura Bergman
Laura has served the non-profit sector for almost 30 years. After getting her Masters in Public Policy, she created the first-ever Parliamentary internships in Eastern Europe and an arts foundation in Prague. Back in the U.S., Laura worked at the Exploratorium Museum before becoming the executive director of Z Space Theater, where she still serves on the board. She also serves on two other boards, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce’s Job Forum and Clothes for Kids. She currently works part-time consulting, and teaching nonprofit management.
Renee Pyle, PhD
Renee has worked in clinic, hospital, school and private practice settings for almost 20 years. She is also an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor in the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences where she supervises and teaches child and adolescent psychiatry fellows. She lives in the SF Bay Area with her husband and their two sons.
Our Fabulous Interns
Mia Bracco, Journalism Intern
Mia is currently a student at The Athenian School. This past summer, she studied creative writing at the Interlochen School of the Arts, where she began work on her first novel. She is an avid learner, and is taking several classes relating to modern politics and humanities. In her free time, she enjoys playing guitar, writing poetry, and competing in tennis.
Madison Farrell, Journalism Intern
Madison is currently a senior at St. Ignatius College Preparatory where she is an editor for her schools newspaper "InsideSI" and enjoys playing water polo as well. This past summer, she spent two weeks at Loyola Marymount University studying journalism. In her free time she likes hanging out with her friends, going to the beach, and traveling to new places!
Teacher Advisor Panel
Please meet our 2023-2024 panel of teacher advisors, all dedicated to making KidNuz the best classroom experience possible!
Alyssa Cabrera
Alyssa teaches upper elementary for the Iowa City Online Learning Program. She has been an elementary teacher for over 20 years and has her Master's in Reading instruction. One of Alyssa’s top goals is to help guide students to be active, responsible citizens. Kidnuz has been a part of her daily schedule for the past two years. Students get invested in the shout-outs and enjoy lively discussions around the news highlights. Alyssa uses the four questions on the daily quiz to assess her students’ listening comprehension skills.
Andrea Machart
I teach 2nd grade at River Islands Technology Academy in Lathrop, California. This year marks 23 years in the classroom. I have taught kindergarten, 2nd, 3rd, 4th grade and reading intervention. Student relationships and success in learning are my passions. I am overjoyed to work with the future leaders of tomorrow who greatly look forward to their daily dose of the news each morning. Thank you KidNuz!
Angie Willams
My name is Angie Williams. I have been a teacher in the Northeastern Local School district for 27 years. I currently teach 7th grade science, but have taught 4th grade, 5th grade, and 8th grade English. I have 4 children and am currently hosting a German Exchange Student. I enjoy camping and watching my children in their sporting events. I love using KidNuz and look forward to helping share it with others!
Carie Hayworth
My educational journey began in a Language and Social Skills classroom 26 years ago. I am currently a 4th grade teacher in North Carolina, but have taught both 2nd and 3rd grades, served as a curriculum coach, and designed an intervention track-out program at a year-round school. I am a Girls on the Run coach and serve on the board of directors for GOTR of the Greater Piedmont. My husband and I have been married for 20 years. We have four children, one grandbaby, and love to watch our youngest play ball.
Cheri Cwietniak
I am a 3rd grade teacher in rural Illinois. This is my fifth year teaching. My husband and I have been married for four years. I have one son and another child on the way. I discovered Kid Nuz in my first year teaching. Kid Nuz is one of my students' favorite parts of the day now.
Christine Heilmann
Christine Heilmann is a Marin County native who can’t sit still. She found her passion in sports and teaching, studying Physical Education at UC Berkeley, competing in Ironman competitions around the world, and inspiring kids every day to achieve their best. She has been a classroom teacher for 32 years and enjoys being a part of the evolution of education. She’s concluded that if you’re doing what you love, the worst-case scenario is that you’ll enjoy the journey.
Ivy Davis-Palmer
I am a third grade elementary school teacher who loves her job. This is my eighth-year teaching. My hopes and plans are to inspire my students to be the best they can be, ignite their imagination to be anything in this world while giving them an understanding that anything they put their minds to they can and will accomplish.
Jennifer Maier
I have been a special education teacher for 26 ½ years. The last 25 years have been at the same school, my second family. It is amazing to see how times have changed over the years. From chalkboards to overhead projectors, and now to promethean boards; how technology has evolved. The most rewarding part of teaching for me has been the tiniest improvements my students make. For them it is truly an amazing feat. I have been using KidNuz for a long time, and it is a staple in my morning news slides. My students always listen carefully, so they can answer the comprehension questions. Thank you for allowing us to utilize this program in our classrooms.
Liisa Balzar
This is my 17th year teaching elementary school in a Washington DC suburb. I have taught 1st, 5th and now, 4th grade. I had been in the workforce for 20 years when I realized I wanted to be in the classroom for the next 20. In previous lives I worked for Alaska Public Broadcasting, NIKE and Habitat for Humanity. I started using KidNuz every day in my classroom last year and my students love it. My husband and I enjoy reading and exploring museums. Our 23 year old daughter lives and works in Washington DC. I am passionate about knitting and teach 4th and 5th graders to knit in an afterschool club.
Megan Thorington
Megan Thorington is entering her eighth year as a 4th grade teacher in Michigan. Her favorite subjects are Reading and Social Studies. She received her Master's degree in Educational Technology in the summer of 2023. Megan is always looking for ways for her students to take part in innovative, meaningful, and hands-on learning. KidNuz has been a perfect addition to her classroom, allowing her students to relate to what they are hearing about and inspiring them to create their own podcasts! Outside of the classroom, Megan enjoys spending time with her husband, toddler, and dog. She loves being outdoors, antiquing and thrifting, and relaxing by watching movies or reading a good book. Megan is excited for a brand new school year and KidNuz episodes to enjoy every morning!
Molly Woods
I currently teach 5th grade at OLPH Catholic School in Scottsdale, Arizona. I have a Master’s degree in Educational Administration and have taught 19 years in both public and private schools in varying grades from Kindergarten up to 7th grade. I also teach swim lessons in my free time. When not working, I enjoy swimming, hiking, reading, and watching movies. I currently live in Phoenix, Arizona with my husband and four dogs. My three grown sons are off making their mark in the world and I couldn’t be prouder.
Nicole Campbell
I teach 5th grade at St. Stephen School in Kingsville, Maryland. This is the same school I attended as a child. I knew I wanted to return as a teacher and share in the same traditions I experienced. I have been teaching for 19 years. I love spending time at the beach with my husband and two children. I enjoy reading a good book, and I like to paint in my spare time. My students and I look forward to listening to KidNuz each day. Creativity in the classroom brings me joy.
Nikki McCurtain
Nikki McCurtain is teaching 5th grade in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. This is her 12th year of teaching. Most of the years have been teaching 4th - 5th graders. Nikki recently finished her master's in administration. When she isn't teaching you can find her at her children's sport's events or camping with her family. Her and her husband have 3 beautiful children who all come to school with her this year!
Ryan Scott
Ryan has been teaching upper elementary grades in the Lake Washington School District outside of Seattle for 16 years. He has a Masters degree in Theological Studies as well as a Masters in Education Leadership, but his true passion is encouraging young people to be good citizens in their school community and to be critical thinkers in the classroom. His wife teaches 3rd grade, and their 9-year old son currently wants to be a teacher when he grows up. Or a chef. Or a YouTuber. Time will tell.
Stephanie Stinchecum
I am a 4th grade teacher in Fountain, Colorado. I am entering my 10th year of teaching. I love teaching history and math. I have enjoyed incorporating KidNuz into my daily agenda.
Susan Salava
I am a Minnesota Teacher who has taught for over 25 years. I am currently teaching 4th graders in Oakdale, Minnesota at Eagle Point Elementary School. My husband is also a teacher; he teaches high school history and criminology. I have two kids in college - my daughter is a Minnesota Gopher majoring in Marketing, and my son is an Iowa State Cyclone majoring in Biology. I love to travel (most recently to Barcelona, Spain) and read (especially historical fiction)!
Tiffany Fuller
Tiffany is the STEM teacher at West End Elementary in Rome, GA. She has been teaching elementary school for over 20 years. At school, Tiffany loves to share her passion for the world with all the kids she teaches whether it be what's going on in the world, great books, or the simple fact that she's a beekeeper. At home, Tiffany is the mom to three young boys. When Tiffany is not sharing KidNuz with her students at school or teaching them to code robots, fly drones, or solve local community problems, you can find her playing the piano, taking notes, riding bikes with her boys, or advocating for individuals with Down syndrome.