Journalism Alumni Association

Membership in the Journalism Alumni Association Chapter is open to all individuals and membership is free! The chapter offers networking, professional development opportunities, mentoring and student scholarships.

We invite you to join the chapter and check out our upcoming events.

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Meet the JAA Leadership

Steve Wyard 75 - President & Treasurer, and former Entertainment Editor of the Sundial, is in the twilight of a mediocre career as a sales rep for All Valley Washer Service, which provides equipment and service for apartment laundries. He served as a Director and President of the JAA in its first incarnation during the '80s, and now, in his second tour of duty, enjoys helping current J-students hone their skills as part of the Board's Coaching Program, He and wife Kim (Class of '75, former Co-Editor of the Sundial and CEO of the Northeast Valley Health Corporation) live within walking distance of the campus, and while neither has a job "in the field" they're grateful for the communication and writing skills they learned in the J-Department, which have served them well in their careers.  

Craig Leener 77 - Vice President, recently retired as president of Burbank-based post-production house My Eye Media, where his duties included directing the company’s human resources efforts. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Administration at Technicolor Creative Services. He began his career in film operations at Warner Bros. and technical video services at Disney. In 2017, Craig published his debut novel, “This Was Never About Basketball,” a young-adult thriller with a theme of redemption. He works as a freelance sportswriter for The Signal Newspaper in Santa Clarita. Craig graduated from CSUN with a Radio/TV/Film Degree in 1977.

Where are they now?

Tom Sanger, Class of ‘66 

After stints in the newsrooms of KABC radio and the Associated Press in L.A., and researching and writing documentary film scripts for the Australian Broadcasting Corp. in Sydney, I joined Southern California Gas Company. A 33-year career in corporate communications eventually landed me in San Diego as the corporate secretary for Sempra Energy.

I retired in 2005 and a year later began a four-year project to ghostwrite the autobiography of an Australian orthopedic surgeon. In 2012, I sat down to research and write my first novel. Five years later I produced Without Warning, a historical novel inspired by my grandmother’s experiences as an Athenia survivor. Athenia was a British passenger ship torpedoed by a German U-boat on the first day of World War II, Sept. 3, 1939. Based on actual people and events, my novel follows eight individuals to tell the human side of this tragedy, an event that has faded from the world’s collective memory.

Since the book’s publication in the summer of 2017, my wife, Kay, and I have been traveling the country promoting the book. You can catch up with my wanderings and read my blogs at my website, thomascsanger.com. My current efforts involve producing a documentary for TV about Athenia, and I have started a screenplay based on the book.

Kay and I have a son and a daughter, as well as two granddaughters who are busy growing up entirely too fast. Life has been very good to us.

David Brady, Senior Public Relations Manager at LEGOLAND Florida Resort

From obituaries to newspapers to the dot-com bubble to LEGOLAND, California State University of Northridge alumnus, David Brady, has seen it all.

Brady attended CSUN from 1986 to 1992 and graduated with a double major in journalism and radio-television-film. During his time at CSUN he joined the staff of the Daily Sundial. He credits the Sundial for pushing him towards journalism as a career, “I had been at CSUN for a few years by that point but the energy and excitement I felt at the paper cemented my decision to make it a career.”

Brady currently works at LEGOLAND Florida Resort as their senior public relations manager where he leads their strategies and tactics. Before his current role he worked at the Walt Disney World Resort where he had a variety roles including public relations and internal communications.

Brady first got involved with the CSUN Journalism Alumni Association in early 2000 when he and some other alumni were challenged to revive the association. He and the other members began holding events and fundraising for scholarships.

Brady stresses how important it is to connect with other people in the industry to help your future. “I believe that relationships are very important in everyone's career, so the networking opportunities available from organizations like JAA are very valuable.”

The connections Brady has been able to cultivate have lasted throughout his career and even were helpful for his most recent move to LEGOLAND.

The most important thing Brady believes students should know is, “Don’t burn any bridges! You never know who you'll be working with — or for — in the years ahead, so make sure you're always cultivating and developing relationships.”

Dr. Lori Baker-Schena

Whether it’s an individual, a large corporation, or many things in between, Dr. Lori Baker-Schena, MBA, EdD, California State University of Northridge alumna, can consult and help get her clients on track.

Dr. Baker-Schena brings her clients 35 years of public relations and marketing experience as well as 25 years as a tenured professor of public relations and journalism. She is currently in the process of writing a book.

Through her work she looks to help clients by bringing, “clarity to clients — especially those who feel stuck…helping identify passions, and then sharing the steps necessary to make those passions a reality.”

She knew journalism was her career path early on in life when she worked on her high school newspaper. Her big start in journalism started shortly after graduating CSUN when she served as the copy editor for the Daily News.

Dr. Baker-Schena has been a member of the CSUN Journalism Alumni Association since the 1980s and believes that it can be helpful to students with their careers and futures.

As for how she believes students can be most successful? &lsdquo;Work hard and do a lot of internships before you graduate.”

Todd Bigelow '89

Name a major publication and CSUN alumnus Todd Bigelow has likely worked for it. Bigelow has traveled around the country doing freelance photojournalism for various outlets as well as founding a freelance workshop that is offered around the country.

Bigelow graduated from CSUN in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with an emphasis in photojournalism. He credits taking his first journalism class, an elective, to what made him realize that this was the career choice for him.

“I remember after completing my first photography class that I was going to switch my major to journalism. I was raised in a fairly socially active and conscious family and discovered that photojournalism was the perfect manner in which to earn a living while being engaged in society,” said Bigelow.

Bigelow has done freelance work for major media outlets such as TIME, Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, People, US News, and World Report. He credits the internship he did while at CSUN for helping him get his foot in the door in journalism.

In the world of journalism, especially in freelance, it is significant to be able to network with others. Bigelow suggests that attending events can only help solidify your contacts. “Networking can be something simple like attending a photo gathering or a CSUN Dodger Night. You never know who you might meet and who might need a photographer,” said Bigelow.

Maintaining this strong network is just as important as starting it. Continuously engaging with his contacts has helped him to not only become successful, but to stay successful. This is where he feels that the alumni association can help with graduates. “It’s vital that students create and maintain a strong network in order to develop clients,” he said.  “Like all alumni associations, the members look to help one another so it only makes sense for students to be involved.”

Bigelow continues to do freelance workshops around the country as well as teaching at both CSUN and UCLA.

George Robertson '66

Many journalists get their start in smaller newspapers. There is a very beautiful grind that reporters go through throughout their career. For George Robertson that journey was no different, but he stayed in that world.

Robertson graduated from CSUN in 1966 and, just like many other reporters, made his way through smaller newspapers while getting promoted to news editor and then managing editor. Before he graduated he spent his time at CSUN working for the Sundial as a reporter and an editor.

The Sundial was where his passion for journalism was realized. “I knew journalism was my career after writing my first few stories at the college newspaper,” said Robertson.

It was that passion which helped Robertson become a Pulitzer Prize nominee after writing a series of articles on corruption in local government for the Sheridan Sun in Washington, which he went on to buy and operate until his retirement a few years ago. His articles led to a grand jury investigation into local city officials.

Robertson still likes to support journalism. He has been a part of the CSUN Journalism Alumni Association for many years and supports the schools’ journalism program.

Networking helped Robertson advance his career, but he also believes that having a strong reputation impacted his career just as much. “Networking in my career was important but even more important was my reputation as a serious reporter who kept asking the hard questions and not letting my biases show through,” he said.

Continuously learning is a strong message sent by Robertson to beginners as well his.  Its passion for journalists telling important stories.

“Never forget that what you are doing is very important – keeping people informed about their local communities and the world,” said Robertson.

John Rogers '73

It started at a very early age for CSUN alumni John Rogers. It was at the Pow Wow, a weekly newspaper at Pacoima Junior High School, where his love of journalism first began as a reporter and editor.

“Since elementary school I had loved to write, but the idea of journalism, with its deadlines, breaking news and the chance to meet an endless stream of fascinating people with interesting stories to tell was what probably won me over to this form of writing,” said Rogers.

Like other writers, Rogers began his journey at a small community paper, the Simi Valley Enterprise, which eventually was purchased by the Ventura Star. This proved to be valuable experience as he was able to see various aspects of the newspaper business. “It was a great place to start, giving me a chance to learn all aspects of print media,” said Rogers.

Throughout his career, Rogers has worked across the country, from the west coast, east coast and in the Midwest. It was in 1987 though where he received a big opportunity working for the Associated Press where he has been ever since. Most recently he covers pop culture in Southern California.

Rogers has been a part of the CSUN Journalism Alumni Association for some time now and sees how it can benefit graduates. The journalism business is everchanging and that is part of where he sees the JAA’s benefits, he said.  “In meeting people like that (alums) it also provides the opportunity to learn how the business is changing and how students might better prepare themselves to meet those changes when they leave school.”

It is this everchanging landscape where Rogers offers his best advice to young journalists. He suggests to continuously adapt so you can make yourself more marketable for companies.

“You can’t have too many skills these days,” said Rogers.  “Also, match that with unending curiosity. Learn a little bit about everything. Never stop reading and learning.”

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