Silver Circle

The Silver Circle honors media professionals who began their careers in television at least 25 years ago, either in a performing, creative, technical, or administrative role within the industry, or in a related field such as television journalism education, advertising, promotion, or public relations, with service connected to the San Francisco / Northern California Chapter.

Over the course of their 25-year career, honorees must also have made a significant contribution to the chapter.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Scott Arthur

Photographer, ABC7 KGO-TV, San Francisco

Longtime Bay Area Photographer Scott Arthur, who works for station KGO ABC7, is being honored for dedication to his craft and community. He primarily operates out of the South Bay Bureau in San Jose and has since 1996. Previously, he was a photographer for several years at KNTV in San Jose. His colleagues can attest to his formidable talent, creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit under daily deadline pressure. After 43-years in the business, Arthur reportedly is the field photographer every reporter wants to work with and the one – other field crews respect.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Larry Beil

Anchor, Sports Anchor, ABC7 KGO-TV, San Francisco

A familiar face on KGO-TV, Larry Beil co-anchors the station’s weekday 4 p.m. newscast. He also covers sports for the 6 and 11 PM newscasts. Beil joined the station in 2001 after six years hosting “SportsCenter” on ESPN. Previously, he was a sports reporter and anchor at KTVU in Oakland from 1990 to 1995. Beil began his journalism career at the University of Hawaii, working on the student newspaper and campus radio station. He left national television to return to local television for the lifestyle. And he loves living in the Bay Area! Beil said that when he’s not working, he’s watching sports – or working out.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Randy Forsman

Director, KCRA 3, Sacramento

Randy Forsman is a dedicated volunteer to the television industry, having served as president, trustee, and secretary of NATAS SF/NorCal and as a member of the board since 2015. As the senior newscast director at KCRA 3, he calls daily live newscasts along with a variety of special programs including several political debates seen in markets across California. From his early beginnings as a high school intern at KCOY in 1997, he has been working in the business for nearly 30 years and considers it a privilege to create impactful, meaningful broadcasts. Forsman continually challenges himself and seeks to inspire excellence among the director community and give back to the industry that has shaped his life.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Jodi Hernandez

Reporter, NBC Bay Area, KNTV, San Jose

She’s a reporter who knows her craft! Jodi Hernandez joined KNTV as a general assignment reporter in 2002, working primarily on the station’s 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weekday newscasts. No question, she’s a veteran. Jodi started her career in 1992 at KCPM in Chico, then moved east to Wichita, Kansas to work at KAKE-TV. Two years later, she was back in northern California at KOVR TV. Then, it was on to NBC Bay Area. She has received numerous awards including a regional Emmy®, an RTNDA award, the NLGJA Seigenthaler Video Media Award and the duPont/Columbia award. She was inducted into the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Hall of Fame in 2017.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Justin Kanno

News Photographer, KHON 2, Hawaii

Justin Kanno is considered an exceptional news photographer who goes the distance. He’s been in the field more than three decades. A NATAS SF/NorCal Shelly Fay scholarship helped launch his career as he studied videography at California State University, East Bay. At the same time, Kanno was also freelancing at KRON-TV. After graduation, he landed a job at KOLO-TV in Reno, eventually getting promoted to Chief Photographer. He later joined KHON-TV in Hawaii where he’s worked for almost 20 years. Now, he’s coming full circle from scholarship award recipient, to Silver Circle inductee. Scholarships make a difference.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Kurtis Ming

Anchor, KCRA 3, Former CBS 13, Sacramento

Nearly 30-years in the business, Kurtis Ming remains committed to broadcast journalism and knows it can make a big difference in his community. He now anchors weekdays at KCRA 3. Prior to landing at KCRA, Ming received 11 Emmy Awards for his dedication to the community, resolving consumer issues. Before Channel 3, he worked as an investigative reporter at CBS 13. His KOVR franchise, “Call Kurtis,” oversaw a team of dedicated volunteers helping consumers, researching multitudes of unfair practices and ultimately returning millions of dollars to consumers.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Terri Russell

Lead Reporter, KOLO 8, Reno

A native of Reno, Nevada, Terri Russell is an Emmy® Award winning reporter. Good for her career and excellent for viewers, Russell has an advantage reporting breaking news in her market. She knows her region well. She’s called Reno “home” all of her life. She not only very familiar with the landscape, politics and social issues but also loves living there. Russell began her television adventure as an associate director. She rose through the ranks to producer. From there, she launched a long and successful reporting career. Russell has also served as a NATAS SF/NorCal Governor for years.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Tracey Watkowski Silva

Vice President of News, ABC7, San Francisco

Tracey Watkowski Silva is Vice President of News at KGO TV in San Francisco and she’s been in the job since 2012. She’s a TV news professional with 25+ years of management experience with a strong background in newscast production. She also served as the station’s assistant news director from 1999 to 2006. She then became news director at KFSN in Fresno from 2006 to 2012. And then it was back to the city by the bay and KGO. She maintains that San Francisco is an amazing place to live with countless stories to tell. Tracey loves when her news team breaks a big story and excels with coverage of a major event.

2025 Silver Circle Honoree

Dale Yurong

Anchor/Reporter, ABC30 Fresno

Dale Yurong is a storyteller committed to educating viewers about agriculture, the number one industry in the Central Valley. He’s been on-air for more than four-decades. The Stockton native has been recognized with two regional Emmy® Awards. He also received the honor of being named “Reporter of the Year” by Associated Press. Yurong enthusiastically covers stories making a difference to his community, the country, and the world. His focus – agriculture in a state where harvesting food plays a key role in helping to promote California as one of the largest economies in the world. . Dale’s “Dine and Dish” food series is also a half-hour program seen coast to coast.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

John Breedlove

Photojournalist, KCRA 3

Photojournalist John Breedlove has been making television for 43 years. He works for Hearst Television at KCRA Channel 3 in Sacramento. Starting at the station in 1998, he’s qualified to operate SNG/ENG trucks. He also holds a private pilot certificate with an instrument rating for single-engine aircraft and is an FAA-licensed drone operator. Before KCRA, Breedlove worked as a photojournalist for CBS 13. He started as a news photographer at KMPH in 1980 and hasn’t stopped since. Breedlove is known as an all-around nice guy. He’s the first to reach out and help someone in need and support or mentor other photographers at KCRA. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from San Diego State University.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Kristine Hanson

KCRA, CBS13, KTXL, KGO, KTVU, KRON

Decades. That’s how long Kristine Hanson has been working in TV in our region. She started her career at Sacramento station KCRA Channel 3 doing weather. She eventually attained a meteorology degree from San Francisco State University. She also holds degrees from Sacramento State University in Communication Studies and Theatre Arts. After presenting weather at the NBC Affiliate in Sacramento for many years, Hanson became a sportscaster at the station. She left KCRA in the late 1980s and went on to deliver weather at various other stations, including KTVU, KGO, and KRON. She is a master gardener and hosted the series “The Dirt on Gardening” for the DIY Network.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

James Huntington

ABC7, KGP

The heart and pulse of the newsroom is the assignment desk. And that’s where James Huntington hangs his hat daily at San Francisco station KGO ABC 7, where he’s been since 2003. Huntington works as Assignment Manager, overseeing breaking news, daily assignments, and dispatching crews. Prior to the 20 years he’s been at KGO, in 2002, Huntington was a news producer in Los Angeles at KCAL-TV/KCBS-TV. Before that, he served as managing editor at KNBC-TV. Huntington also produced newscasts at KABC. His TV background has breadth and depth. He’s been working in the industry since 1977, starting at KBFW Radio in Bellingham, Washington, where he was a reporter, anchor, and news director. Huntington uses his knowledge to help others, often mentoring individuals to help them move onward and upward. Co-workers consider him a very special individual as he directs crews and oversees the newsroom assignments.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Mike Krukow

NBC Sports Bay Area / San Francisco Giants

Mike Krukow enters his 30th season in the television booth, analyzing and providing colorful stories and content as a sportscaster for NBC Bay Area Sports. Nicknamed “Kruk,” he was a professional baseball player before beginning his broadcasting career. As a starting pitcher, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and San Francisco Giants, and was hailed as an All-Star in 1986. In 1990, Krukow became a television and radio broadcaster for the Giants. He’s the other half of the popular “Kruk and Kuip” duo, with his dear friend and former teammate, Duane Kuiper.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Duane Kuiper

NBC Sports Bay Area / San Francisco Giants

The other half of the dynamic duo “Kruk and Kuip,” Duane Kuiper bonded with Mike Krukow while teammates playing for the San Francisco Giants back in the early 1980s. They’ve been sitting side-by-side in the booth calling baseball together for decades now. As a former professional baseball player, Kuiper got the nickname “Kuip,” which has stuck. He began television and radio broadcasting for the Giants in 1986 while still a player, hosting his own radio show on KNBR. Kuiper is known for using a deep voice when a player swings and misses, when a dramatic play is made, and when he calls home runs. It is distinctive. When the game is over, Kuiper says, “And that’s the ball game!”

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Mike Lowry

J Com Inc. / CBS13 KOV3

He strives for perfection, and it shows. Mike Lowry is a 10-time Emmy® Award recipient who worked for CBS 13 in Sacramento for more than 30 years. He left KOVR13 in 2019 and began working for J Com Inc. as a photographer. Lowry is comfortable in the field and has covered U.S. Presidents, Super Bowls, celebrities, gang members, and everyday people. He loves news but thoroughly enjoys his new job photographing and editing long-form programming. Around the newsroom at Channel 13, Lowry possessed a fine sense of humor and was always willing to jump in and help another photographer or staff member when needed. His editing skills are top-notch. While he’s always a team member, he’s also an excellent solo storyteller. He tackles the interview or story in front of him with gusto. As he quotes on his LinkedIn page, “Replace the Fear of the Unknown with Curiosity.” That’s who Lowry is.

2024 Silver Circle Honoree

Lisa White

CBS Bay Area KPIX / KRON 4

Lisa White prides herself on managing a newsroom where people love to work. She was named Vice President of News at CBS Bay Area KPIX in 2022, having been assistant news director for more than two decades. Prior to joining KPIX in 2000, White spent 10 years with KRON San Francisco, where she was a news producer, then promoted to managing editor and ultimately news director. She also spent six years as a producer at KING TV in Seattle. White is a graduate of Vassar College. As news director, she hopes to build on the station’s legacy in news and community service.

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Michael (Domi) Domalaog

KCRA 3

Michael Domalaog – also known as “Domi” – is a long-time photographer at KCRA Channel 3. He’s traveled the world covering several Olympics with Reporter Deirdre Fitzpatrick. He’s humble and experienced, the kind of photographer every reporter wants.

He started in television as chief photographer at KSBW TV in 1980 where he stayed five years. Then, he was hired by Channel 3, and he’s been at the station nearly 40 years. He’s witnessed many of the technological changes impacting the world of television. And he prevails. Domi is an Emmy® award recipient, covering daily news and sports.

Domi says that he’s always focused on the task at hand but enjoys the sights along the way. He believes in stopping to smell the roses and taking in everything this world has to offer. Domi does a great job at negotiating with difficult people in the field who want to know where his camera is pointing. His motto is, “Try to stay cool when you can and think on your feet.”

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Juliette Goodrich

CBS Bay Area KPIX

A familiar face in Bay Area homes, Juliette Goodrich joined KPIX in 1997, anchoring and reporting during her years at the station. Now, a weekday anchor, Goodrich remains a surprise, having authored several children’s books. Proceeds benefit local reading and writing programs. Covering news, Goodrich received several Emmy® awards as well as recognition from Nor Cal RTNDA for her work. When not working as a journalist, Goodrich raises her three children, and volunteers for community organizations including the Northern California Special Olympics and the American Red Cross. She’s also competed in several triathlons for the See Jane Run Breast Cancer Fund. Before moving home to the Bay Area, Goodrich reported in Sacramento at CBS 13.

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Governor’s Service Medallion in 2014

Richard Harmelink

ABC30 KFSN

Breaking news in the Central Valley and KFSN Photographer Richard Harmelink is there. Like the good ones, he’s a photographer who braves the unknown to get the shot while always watching out for those around him.

Harmelink is an adventure-seeking, distinguished photographer who shoots, and edits his own stories. He studied at Cal State University, Fresno and is a multi-Emmy® award recipient. He has worked diligently on behalf of his market to represent Fresno with NATAS, serving as Vice President of Fresno.

For years, he’s worked as a Governor while also serving as Chair of the Governor and Officer Nominating Committees and member of the Awards Committee. For his dedication, Harmelink was presented with the Governor’s Service Medallion in 2014.

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Vicki Liviakis

KRON 4

Breaking news, feature reporting, and Vicki Liviakis all go hand-in-hand. A trained Journalist from the University of California at Berkeley where she also studied politics, Liviakis is always on the move. She’s traveled the globe, hosting on-location from Hollywood to Hong Kong. The recipient of Emmys®, RNTDA awards among many others, she currently anchors the evening news at KRON4 and shoots, writes, and produces news profiles as well as the Dine & Dish local food scene feature.

A survivor of the massive East Bay Firestorm in 1991, Vicki has hosted fire safety programs and recently traveled to Maui and interviewed people affected by the devastating wildfire. Those of us who go back a while are aware of San Francisco’s popular radio station KFRC. Liviakis was an anchor and news director in radio before heading into TV. After KFRC, Liviakis went on to host and report for a variety of local and national television programs including The West, produced at Sacramento station KCRA. She was a national correspondent and news magazine host for Fox, CBS and NBC. She anchored the Travel Update program syndicated on more than 100 TV stations in the U.S. and several other countries.

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Paula Marcheschi

ABC7 KGO

No stranger to hard work, Paula Marcheschi tackles the tough projects as Creative Director at ABC 7. She rolls up her sleeves, editing and polishing both news stories, long format programs and branding for the station. She started as an intern in 1991, became a production assistant, writer, producer, and editor while also working in promotions. A Bay Area native, she grew up watching the station she’s now working for but certainly never thought she’d end up spending 30 years at KGO. But that was her destiny and Marcheschi says she’s never been bored. Television doesn’t allow for that. It’s in a constant state of evolution and Marcheschi says as the business changes, so does she. Paula is completing her second term as Governor and has been appointed as a Vice-Chair to the Awards Committee of the Board of Governors of our chapter.

2023 Silver Circle Honoree

Rick Quan

KITV 4

While the Bay Area is beautiful and Rick Quan enjoyed his many years spent both at KPIX-TV and KGO 7, few places are truly as beautiful as the Hawaiian Islands. That’s one of the reasons he chose to return to KITV in 2021 where he had previously worked for 7 years as a sports anchor and reporter before moving to San Francisco. Quan said that Honolulu has changed since his last job there last but that the spirit of Aloha is strong. He now anchors the 5, 6 & 10PM Island News for KITV. Quan has been honored with numerous awards including two regional Emmy® awards and recognition from RTNDA and Associated Press. Perhaps best known for his work as anchor and sportscaster, he’s also an award-winning documentary producer who has profiled a number of Asian American pioneers including the late Ed Lee, the first Asian American Mayor of San Francisco. Quan continues to be active in the Asian American community, helping non-profits including the Chinese Historical Society of America.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Leslie Brinkley

ABC 7, KGO

With 35 years of experience in storytelling and researching, Leslie Brinkley is a veteran broadcast journalist. She’s been reporting in San Francisco at KGO ABC7 for decades and is a highly organized communications specialist. In addition to covering news and feature stories, Brinkley has an expertise in public speaking and media development. She lives by deadlines and is hard-working and driven. Brinkley is passionate about her work and is a graduate of University of Notre Dame with a degree in Communications/American Studies. She’s worked her way up through the ranks at KGO as a writer and editor. Brinkley spent three years in Houston at KTRK before heading to KGO in the 1980s. She is passion-driven and committed to making a difference in her community.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Deirdre Fitzpatrick

KCRA 3

Deirdre Fitzpatrick joined the KCRA news team 25 years ago on New Year’s Eve 1997. She anchors the weekday morning news and created and hosts Hearst Television’s first podcast, Dying to Ask. She’s responsible for creating an hour of digital and television content each week based on podcast interviews. Before arriving at Channel 3, Fitzpatrick was at KCCI-TV in Des Moines, Iowa. She’s a four-time Emmy® Award recipient in writing, reporting and anchoring and has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Deirdre reported live around the world on the Hearst Television Olympic Team for 10 straight Olympics and led KCRA’s coverage of the 2020/2022 Olympics stateside. She serves on the board of the Sacramento Running Association and is an accomplished endurance athlete having completed 25 marathons, 10 ultra runs and multiple Ironman Triathlons. She’s also a wife and mother of two teenage sons which she says is far more tiring than getting up at oh dark thirty to anchor the news or compete as an amateur athlete.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Bill Green

KGO ABC 7

News producing is not easy work and yet Bill Green did it for decades. He oversaw the top-rated 6PM News at KGO ABC7. He has been dedicated to community journalism, trying to cover the issues of importance to the Bay Area while maintaining the standards and ethics of overall good journalism and newswriting. In his early career as a reporter, Green uncovered discrepancies in a job displacement program; covered a major North Coast Indian fishing rights’ controversy; undercover marijuana raids; and coverage of a teachers’ strike. Born and raised in Humboldt County, Green started at KVIQ in Eureka in 1978 as a general assignment reporter the Monday after he graduated from college. Two years later, he moved on to KFSN in Fresno as a newscast and elections producer and feature reporter. Then, in 1993, he was hired as a producer at KGO. Green has generously mentored people in the newsroom and has received Emmy® and RTNDA Awards.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Bob Horn

KPIX 5 CBS Bay Area

Starting at KPIX in San Francisco in 1990, Photographer Bob Horn is described as fearless in the field. The Emmy® Award-winning video journalist is legendary because of his beard and bigger than life personality. Prior to working at KPIX, Horn spent five years at KNTV honing his skills. KPIX Anchor/Reporter Juliette Goodrich describes Horn as the type of photographer who always has your back. “He looks like a Hells Angel, so I always feel safe,” said Goodrich. “But deep down, he is a teddy bear.” Goodrich describes Horn as driven to get the shot, which always puts him in the thick of the story. Yet, there’s a lighter side to Horn, too. “One time I showcased him in my missing Santa Claus story.” Horn is a photographer with passion, determination – and sense of humor.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Dave Ramos

KCRA 3

Since 1974, Engineer Dave Ramos has been on the scene of breaking news, sometimes camping out, often traveling across country to get the story – and always using integrity to get it right. Ramos started out operating an ENG truck for Sacramento KCRA Channel 3 and then moving into Satellite News Gathering (SNG). For nearly 50 years, Ramos has been producing remotes, covering just about every major sport or news event in the country. KCRA is an aggressive station that invests in getting the story and Ramos is a perfect match. He knows the equipment, news, does TV news reporting in a pinch and is a highly personable guy. He’s successful in the field and with colleagues because he’s a straight shooter. In 2017, Ramos traveled to Haiti to help dig and build freshwater wells. He signed up for the task after learning that annually, 360,000 children under the age of five die from unsafe drinking water.

2022 Silver Circle Honoree

Rob Roth

KTVU FOX 2

After nearly 40 years with Oakland Fox station KTVU, veteran reporter Rob Roth retired in 2022. Having covered thousands of stories during his career, the broadcast journalist’s last day at KTVU was in March. Roth is known for covering news with care and compassion and has been on the frontlines of countless breaking stories, including the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the 1991 Oakland firestorm and COVID-19 pandemic. His beat included San Francisco City Hall, where he covered several mayors, including when U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein was mayor. Still, for Roth, it was amazing that San Francisco Mayor London Breed honored his retirement with a surprise ceremony. The mayor told Roth that the city greatly appreciated his dedicated and thorough reporting throughout the years and wished him well in retirement. As for Roth, he’s adjusting to a quieter life these days but still listens to and watches the news. “That’s what got me here in the first place,” he said.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Laura Anthony

Reporter, KGO ABC 7

Laura Anthony has been pounding the pavement for ABC7News for more than two decades, covering some of the biggest local and national stories. That includes everything from the San Francisco Dog Mauling and Occupy Oakland, to the Warriors NBA Championship runs, National Conventions, Sandy Hook, Hurricane Harvey, Black Lives Matter protests, devastating wildfires in Napa and Paradise, and a worldwide pandemic. Prior to joining ABC7 in 2001, Anthony reported for KRON, KCRA and Salt Lake City’s flagship station KSL. She also worked as a network affiliate correspondent covering the OJ Simpson, Tim McVeigh and Unambomber trials in California and beyond. Anthony is a multiple Emmy nominee, and multiple winner for her coverage of a sniper standoff in San Francisco, the Milo riot at U.C. Berkeley and the catastrophic Camp Fire. Anthony has a B.A. in Political Science and Master’s in Journalism, both from U.C. Berkeley.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Stephanie Adrouny

KNTV, NBC Bay Area

From Santa Barbara to San Francisco – and from assignment editor to Vice President of News for NBC Bay Area, Stephanie Adrouny knows television. Now with KNTV, she is part of the NBC Universal Owned Television Stations Group and oversees the local news operation for the San Francisco Bay Area. While in college earning a degree in Political Science at UC Santa Barbara, Adrouny started her broadcasting career working for KCSB radio. She then broke into television, getting hired at ABC affiliate KEYT in Santa Barbara as an assignment editor. She moved to producer and then executive producer before returning home to the Bay Area in the late 90s. She went to KNTV when it was an ABC affiliate for the greater San Jose area. Then it was on to KGO ABC7, working through the ranks from 11PM producer to Assistant News Director. In 2014, Adrouny left KGO for an Assistant News Director job at KNTV. She’s since been named Vice President of News. She has earned a national Edward R. Murrow Award in addition to several Emmy® Awards.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Michael Finney

Consumer Reporter, KGO ABC 7

Michael Finney celebrates 30-years with ABC7 in 2021 – and even gets a day named after him by San Francisco’s Mayor and the State of California. April 29th was proclaimed Michael Finney Day as he was lauded for his decades of consumer reporting and advocacy. The proclamation declares Finney one of the most prominent consumer reporters in the U.S. Finney joined the station in 1991 and his reporting has received numerous prestigious awards. Not only did the California State Legislature acknowledge Finney but so did Congress in Washington D.C. Finney has published several books and credits his career to a journalism teacher in Junior High School in Palo Alto. His name is Bill Goggin. “He is responsible for all of this,” said Finney. “He taught me, ‘The job of the journalist is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.’ That’s pretty much what I’ve been up to ever since.”

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Stanton Tang

News Director, KOLO 8

Stanton Tang brings a wealth of experience to KOLO-TV as news director. Under his leadership during COVID-19, Tang provided guidance to his station, focusing on serving all viewers and proactively tackling issues of equality surrounding the pandemic. Tang grew up in Phoenix, Arizona where he landed his first job in broadcasting as a producer at KPNX before even graduating from Arizona State University in 1988. After completing his degree, he was hired by Sacramento NBC Affiliate KCRA. There, Tang produced newscasts and the station’s Asian American Public Affairs program entitled “Perceptions.” After nine-years with KCRA, Tang moved into management at KLAS in Las Vegas. Then, it was on to Grand Rapids, Michigan at WZZM. There, he received an Emmy® Award for a News Special. With his guidance, the station also received an Edward R. Murrow Award for four consecutive years. In 2014, Tang moved to Reno as News Director at KOLO TV. He’s committed to creating opportunities for excellence in reporting and diversifying his newsroom.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Eric Thomas

Retired Anchor/Reporter, KGO ABC 7, Anchor CBS Radio

Nearly three decades working in one shop is a long time. But Eric Thomas did just that, sitting on the anchor desk and reporting at KGO ABC7 more than 26 years. A St. Louis native, he joined the station in 1994. Throughout the years, he moved from the field to the anchor desk – and then back into the field again. Whether on the anchor desk or reporting, he focused on keeping viewers informed and educated. Thomas has a big passion about airplanes and military history. That interest and expertise paired well with his job. He flew with the Blue Angels and traveled to the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. His expertise was invaluable when explaining details about an Asiana Flight that slammed into the runway at San Francisco International Airport. Thomas retired in 2020 after covering thousands of stories – some about famous people – and many about people next door.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Adrian Woodfork

Photographer/Reporter/Host, KCRA 3

A mentor, a rebel, a ground-breaking force, Adrian Woodfork diversified television in Sacramento during the early 1970s. Hired at Sacramento’s KCRA, he opened the door as the first African American person to appear on the station’s airwaves. After graduating from Sacramento State University, Woodfork took an entry level job at Channel 3, soon becoming a film editor, photographer and the first African American reporter at the station. During his 20 years at KCRA, Woodfork interviewed numerous celebrities and personalities for a public affairs program he created called “To Be Somebody.” That show aired during prime time for two decades. Woodfork produced and hosted it, profiling stories about the African American experience. He traveled the world for KCRA, reporting from several places including Uganda and Jamaica. Woodfork left KCRA to become a freelancer then joined PBS KVIE working for America’s Heartland. He also was an editor at CBS13 before landing a job as a TV Specialist at the California Department of Food and Ag. He recently retired but continues to independently produce videos for special causes. He’s a community activist and lets the world know. Woodfork also is one of few African American professional Dog Show Judges in the country. He’s a dog breeder and has contributed to several champion lines of Doberman Pinschers.

2021 Silver Circle Honoree

Frank Zamacona

Producer/Director/Owner, Zamacona Productions

From teaching television and film – to making it, Frank Zamacona is a producer and director who created and owns the business – Zamacona Productions. Since leaving the field of education in 1983, he has produced, directed, and consulted on more than 100 entertainment specials and series distributed by PBS, The Discovery Channel, ABC, HGTV, and Link TV. In addition, Zamacona has directed nearly 50 operas for simulcast theatrical distribution, television at the San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera and Opera Company of Philadelphia. Other projects have included the Grateful Dead Movie, Link TV’s Fifty Annual Anniversary Special featuring Harry Belafonte and Dave Matthews as well as numerous specials and documentaries for KGO. Zamacona has received several Emmy® Awards and served on the Board of Governors of the San Francisco/Northern California Chapter of NATAS from 1989 until 1994.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Scott Budman

KNTV NBC Bay Area

Emmy® Award recipient and reporter Scott Budman covers the business and technology beat for NBC Bay Area. An Oakland native, Budman joined KNTV in 1995 after working at KEYT in Santa Barbara as a reporter/weekend anchor. He began his broadcasting career in radio as a business reporter for KMNY in Anaheim. Budman anchored various NBC Bay Area newscasts while also doing general assignment reporting. Co-Creator/Host/Writer of Tech Now, Budman is one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable business and technology journalists. He can be heard on NPR, Alice Radio and is regularly blogs for Forbes and other online publications. Budman volunteers with community organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Clara and Home of Hope, an agency that helps children in India and here in the U.S. transition out of poverty and into employment.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Sal Castaneda

KTVU Fox 2

Sal Castaneda started at KTVU in 1991 and is known for features about local heroes. He began his career volunteering at the UC Berkeley campus radio station while attending college there. He went on to work in radio before being hired at KTVU. While traffic and feature stories are his primary focus, Castaneda also has covered breaking news including some stories like the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 1991 Oakland Hills fire storm. He readily mentors journalism students and volunteers with the Salvation Army and Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Castaneda received an Emmy® Award in 2014 for coverage of the Napa earthquake.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Ken Day

Ken Day Productions

As a high school sophomore in 1970, Ken Day knew what he wanted to do with his life. He bought a camera and set out to learn photography. From sunrise to sunset, he would explore his world, photographing everything from nature to sports to the homeless. After graduation from Sacramento State University in the late 1970s, Day landed a job at Sacramento PBS station KVIE. Two years later, he was hired by an NBC affiliate in Boise, Idaho. Then, it was back to Sacramento and CBS station KOVR where he stayed 15-years working daily news. Day covered everything from earthquakes to Presidential visits and special assignments in Israel and Mexico. Day has several Emmy® Awards for his photography. He left KOVR in 1997 and started his own business. He’s since covered the O.J. Simpson trial, Unabomber trial along with many features for ABC Network News. He also works on numerous documentary projects and always goes the extra mile to do an excellent job. Day is first in line to offer help to nonprofits and community activists.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Vern Glenn

KPIX 5

Vern Glenn joined KPIX/KBCWTV 44 Cable 12 in June of 2012 as a weekend sports anchor/weekday sports reporter and MMJ. Glenn is a three-time Emmy® Award recipient who before KPIX had worked at KRON 4 News since 1990. While at KRON, he was tagged with the nickname “Mr. Involvement” for literally throwing himself into the middle of his feature stories. Memorable moments include bungee jumping, sky diving, bull riding, boxing, pro football and a dirt bike crash. “Mr. Involvement” has created a niche in the television market. Glenn brings that same type of energy to KPIX. Among his memorable personal assignments was reporting from the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Glenn was part of the KNBR Radio Morning Show in 1998 and drops in now and then as a guest on 95.7 The Game. Before coming to the Bay Area, Glen worked at WBAL-TV in Baltimore Maryland as weekend sports anchor.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Molly McCrea

KPIX 5

For nearly 35 years, Molly McCrea has dedicated her life to KPIX News. She began as an intern on the assignment desk and then worked her way through the station as a production assistant, weather producer, field producer, feature producer, special projects producer, political producer, medical/health producer and now as an MMJ. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her news segments and documentaries from a variety of organizations. They include APTRA, National UPI, Peninsula Press Club, and Society of professional Journalists. She’s also earned several Emmy® Awards. McCrea previously worked at CNN and Associated Press and produced for the CBS nationally syndicated program Day & Date. McCrea graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA Degree and completed work for her Master’s Degree at SF State in Broadcast Communication Arts.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Jennifer Olney

KGO ABC 7

Jennifer Olney is an award-winning journalist and storyteller at ABC 7. She started at the station in 1982 as a writer and newscast producer. Later, she moved into onair reporting and became a special projects producer. Olney has written and produced numerous long-format specials for television and digital on a variety of topics from scientific exploration to criminal investigations. Her goal is to develop relevant content to help viewers better understand the dynamics of critical issues. Olney extensively reports on the environment and conducted multi-year investigations into California’s green waste dumping practices. Her body of work includes hundreds of stories featuring people trying to make the world a better place. For the past ten years, Olney has photographed, edited, written, and produced her own segments. She is the recipient of nine Emmy® Awards and was part of the KGO team that won a Peabody Award for coverage of the Loma Prieta earthquake. Before heading to the Bay Area, Olney worked at KTLA TV and KFWB Radio in southern California. She’s a longtime Girl Scout volunteer and has a degree in American Studies and Communications from Stanford University.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Joanne Jung Wohlers

KGO ABC 7

Without Joanne Jung Wohlers, the station could have gone dark. She’s been considered the behind the scenes force running ABC 7 for 40-years now. Wohlers is Satellite Coordinator at KGO 7 – and so much more. She’s called by employees an amazing combination of historian, archive clerk, digital technician and detective. The mantra at KGO only grows stronger as young and old alike search for file footage or institutional knowledge. The answer often is the same, “I can’t find it. Go ask Joanne.” She’s humble, self- effacing and considered the social glue that holds the Channel 7 newsroom together. The Emmy® Award recipient is able to juggle tight deadlines and somehow miraculously makes them work. And she does so with a rare wit and sense of good humor.

2020 Silver Circle Honoree

Lonnie Wong

KTLX Fox 40

Sacramento FOX 40 Anchor/Reporter Lonnie Wong reports from the trenches, having covered news for nearly four decades now. He started at Channel 40 before there was a FOX TV Network, when the primary programming at his station was old movies and MASH reruns. Wong witnessed the evolution of a single daily newscast into a sophisticated TV news operation. He helped found the Sacramento Chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and has served on the chapter board continuously since 1985. Wong was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National AAJA organization. He’s also been recognize by the California State Assembly and State Senate for journalistic achievement and support of Asian Pacific Islander communities. Wong started his career in radio at KPFA covering state politics and began working with TV news film crews. He has covered the administrations of seven governors beginning with Ronald Reagan.