UA’s C&IS Honors Outstanding Alumni

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s College of Communication and Information Sciences will honor a group of professionals in communication fields as its 2013 Outstanding Alumni.

Advertising
Michael Cannova is the 2013 Outstanding Alumnus in Advertising. He received his B.A. in 2004 before attending Miami Ad School in Minneapolis, Minn. He moved to New York City, where he became an intern art director in 2006 and worked his way up to his current role of creative director. His work in recent years with Verizon and Android have led to some of mcgarrybowen’s biggest business.

Communication Studies
Wanda Coppola Sitzer (M.A., 1986) is owner of Look. Listen. Be., a consulting company that provides no-nonsense training solutions and customized coaching. Prior to leading Look. Listen. Be., she was co-founder of Initiatives Three Inc., a consulting firm dedicated to increasing the performance of nationally known client contact centers such as Banner Health, Best Buy, Borders, Compaq, J Jill, LL Bean and McGraw-Hill.

Journalism
The journalism department is honoring a team of alumni who were part of The Tuscaloosa News’ Pulitzer Prize-winning staff in 2012. Lydia Seabol Avant (B.A., ‘03; M.A., ‘04) has been a staff writer at The News for eight years, covering local government and health and writing a weekly column about parenting. She has served as a journalism adjunct instructor at UA since 2008. Andrew Carroll (B.A., ‘78) joined The News in March 1981 as a reporter, covering mainly education and health before moving into the sports department in January 1982. His primary beat now is high school athletics. Michelle Carter  (B.A., ‘06, visual journalism) worked as a staff photographer and chief photographer at the Times-Georgian in Carrollton, Ga.  before joining The News as a staff photographer in 2009. Dustin Compton (B.A., ‘07, visual journalism) is a photographer for The News. Corey A. Craft  (B.A., ‘10), of Birmingham, is a copy editor, page designer and writer for The News. Tommy Deas (B.A., ‘86) has worked in The News’ sports department since 1993 and is executive sports editor. Chase Goodbread (B.A., ‘93) has covered Alabama football for The News and Tidesports.com since 2009. He has 19 years experience in the newspaper/web publishing industry. Keli Goodson (B.A., ‘09), from Dothan, began work at The News as a copy editor/designer in 2008 and is currently design editor for the newspaper. Wayne Grayson (B.A., ‘09), from Dothan, worked at The News for three and a half years before  becoming online managing editor for Randall-Reilly’s construction industry magazines in June 2012. Cecil Hurt (B.A., ‘83, English) is sports editor for The News. Jason Morton (B.A., ‘99) worked at the LaGrange (Ga.) Daily News and, in 2003, was awarded Story of the Year for his division from the Georgia Associated Press Association before joining The News in 2004 to cover the public safety beat. He now focuses his efforts on monitoring Tuscaloosa’s City Hall. Brian Reynolds (B.A., 2008), from Georgetown, Texas., began work as web content editor at The News after graduating. He now is senior web producer for news for the Houston Chronicle. Ken Roberts (B.A., 1985, broadcast and film), from Montgomery, worked as an editor at the Montgomery Advertiser/Alabama Journal and at the St. Petersburg Times before becoming city editor at The News.  Amy Robinson of Sulligent (B.A., ‘95; M.A., ‘01) is news editor at The Tuscaloosa News, where she has worked since 1995. Edwin Stanton (B.A., ‘96), after 10 years of sports writing at The Dothan Eagle, began work at The News in 2006 as the lead page designer in the sports department, which has received numerous awards, including top-10 sports section, top-10 Sunday section and top-10 special section from the Associated Press Sports Editors. He has also received awards from the Alabama Press Association, Alabama Sports Writer’s Association and Associated Press Managing Editors. Janet Sudnik (M.A., 2008), of Huntsville, worked at The News from 2003-12 as editor of Tuscaloosa magazine, a copy editor and a page designer. She currently works as a media specialist for NASA in Huntsville. Aaron Suttles (B.A., ‘09) is a sports writer at The News, reporting mainly on UA athletics. He has earned three Associated Press Sports Editors awards and numerous Alabama Sports Writers Association awards while covering a wide range of sports, including three BCS National Championship Games, NASCAR and professional boxing. Robert Sutton (B.A., ‘95), from Weaver, began working with The News upon graduating. He is now the director of photography and editor of Tuscaloosa magazine. Stephanie Taylor (B.A., ‘99), from Vestavia Hills, has covered the public safety beat for The News during most of her 13 years there. John Wallace (B.A., ‘95) worked as a reporter at The Andalusia Star-News, where he was later named sports editor, before serving as managing editor of The Brewton Standard. He joined The News in 2005 as a copy editor/page designer, also serving as features coordinator, and he designed the front page of The News’ April 28, 2011, post-tornado edition.

Public Relations
Mark Harris is vice president of communications for IBM Global Business Services, the $20 billion unit that provides industry and business consulting and applications management services to IBM’s clients around the world. Previously, he was a senior communications advisor to former IBM Chairman and CEO Lou Gerstner and his chief speechwriter. He holds a B.A. and M.A. degree in journalism from The University of Alabama.

Telecommunication and Film
Donna Burns (B.A., ’78) has been COO of Alan Burns and Associates, a media consulting company started by her and her husband in 1986, since its inception. The company provides consulting and training to domestic and international media clients in areas such as marketing, business development, programming, operations, personnel, public relations, press management and digital platforms for clients such as Clear Channel, ABC, CBS, Hubbard/Bonnevile, NBC-TV, Sony Records, Columbia Records and RCA, as well as international broadcast entities.