Karen Feagins
Producer, First Coast Connect / News Director
Karen Feagins joined WJCT in 2005, and has worked in many different roles at the station in both radio and television. Her love of journalism and storytelling began in the 4th grade when she was named editor of the newspaper at her elementary school in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Karen attended the University of Missouri to study Broadcast Journalism, and spent several years as a commercial television news reporter before finding her home in public broadcasting. She now hosts Morning Edition on 89.9 WJCT, assists with the production of First Coast Connect, and serves as Executive Producer for WJCT television programming.
Kevin Meerschaert
Senior Staff Reporter
Senior Staff Reporter Kevin Meerschaert joined WJCT in February 2001. He previously worked at public radio stations in Salisbury, Maryland; Evansville, Indiana; and Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Kevin is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a degree in Political Science and Communications. He has hosted 89.9’s newsmagazine In Context since it went on the air in October 2005. Kevin has received several Florida Associated Press awards for his reporting at 89.9, and was similarly honored at his previous stations. If you don’t catch him at a City Council meeting or covering a story around town, you can sometimes spot him walking on the beach or enjoying an old movie or TV Show.
Melissa Ross
First Coast Connect Producer/Host
Melissa has more than 20 years of experience in broadcasting. She began her career in her hometown of Dayton, Ohio at WHIO-TV, working as an intern and part-time reporter with stops at WKYT-TV in Lexington, Kentucky, WLWT-TV in Cincinnati, CLTV in Chicago, WOFL-TV in Orlando, and First Coast News in Jacksonville. During her career as a television news anchor and reporter, Melissa received four regional Emmys for news and feature reporting.
As executive producer of “The 904: Shadow on the Sunshine State,” Melissa and WJCT received an Emmy in the “Documentary” category for the 2011 Suncoast Emmys. In June 2011, WJCT’s First Coast Connect received a national award from Public Radio News Directors Inc. (PRNDI). The program captured First Place in the “Call-In Program” category . First Coast Connect was recognized this year As Best Local Radio Show by Folio Weekly’s “Best Of Jax” Readers Poll and for the second consecutive year Melissa Ross has been recognized as Folio Weekly’s Best Local Radio Personality. She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism/Communications.
Sean Birch
Associate Producer, First Coast Connect
Sean Birch joined the First Coast Connect team in late 2011 after volunteering with 89.9 for nearly a year. The Brevard County native moved to Jacksonville in 2010 after graduating from the University of Central Florida with a degree in TV/Radio Production. Sean is responsible for the sound of First Coast Connect – he runs the mixing board, chooses the music heard on the show, and does his best to make sure Melissa Ross sounds amazing. As associate producer, he also has a hand in researching and booking segments, and generally doing whatever needs to be done. Sean also produces “First Coast Connect Rewind,” a weekly show featuring the best moments from “First Coast Connect,” which airs every Saturday at 3:00 PM.
David Luckin
Electro Lounge Producer/Host
David Luckin joined WJCT as development producer in 2000, bringing 19 years’ experience as a Jacksonville news photographer and a lifelong passion for music. The New York native hosted his first local music program at Gainesville’s NPR affiliate while earning his degree at the University of Florida.
Shortly after joining WJCT, his drive to deejay resurfaced, and he conceived and developed NightFlight, a weekly, one-hour program that showcased the laid-back sounds of “downtempo” and “chillout.” Luckin’s program immediately developed an audience of loyal listeners. Within three years, he was on the air two hours a night, five nights a week with Electro Lounge, a popular program of “music without walls” that attracts listeners round the world. Married with two children, Luckin also enjoys films, vintage cars, and the beach.
Bob Bednar
This is Jazz Producer/Host
Bob Bednar has been loving and listening to jazz his entire life, both as performer and as radio host. Bednar hosted his first jazz program at Philadelphia’s WRTI while a journalism and broadcast major at Temple University, and served as a first call drummer in Philadelphia during the late 1950s and early ’60s. He joined Du Pont in 1963, producing and directing more than 80 industrial shows and films worldwide as special events coordinator for the company’s Textile Division, but his passion for jazz never waned.
Bednar began hosting This Is Jazz in 1993, after he and his wife retired to Florida. During his career, Bednar has had the opportunity to play with jazz greats Zoot Sims, Charlie Ventura, Stephane Grappelli, and more. Today, Bednar educates and entertains a new generation of jazz lovers on his popular radio program, and continues to pursue his other passion, tennis.
Michelle Corum
Host, Morning Edition
Michelle Corum has more than 10 years of experience as an announcer and reporter for public radio stations in Lawrence, Kansas and Interlochen, Michigan. Some of her spot news and features have aired on National Public Radio (NPR) and the Great Lakes Radio Consortium and she has won numerous broadcasting awards in Michigan for her reporting.
Michelle earned a Master of Science in Administration (MSA) degree from Central Michigan University in 2000 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Troy State University in Alabama. She is also on the faculty for American Public University where she teaches communication courses online.
Erin Lee
Indie Endeavor Producer/Host
Erin Lee hosts Indie Endeavor, WJCT’s radio music program for independent thinkers.
Andrew Wiechman
Blues Horizon Producer/Host
A WJCT staff member since 1996, Andrew Wiechman is part of the station’s corporate communications team. A native to Jacksonville, Andrew is active in the local arts scene. A professional musician and experienced actor and photographer Andrew’s passion for music, inspired him to create a show that was artist focused. “I knew this was my opportunity to present radio the way I remember it.” “Full of color and dynamics, with lots of light and shade.” “Blues Horizon” showcases the best in blues and blues based rock while blending artist interviews and a window into the local scene.
John Maycumber
String Theory/ Host
Host, John Maycumber is a twenty year veteran and historian of Jacksonville radio, having grown up here. He worked previously at several local AM stations, coming to WJCT in 2007 to help launch String Theory as the first locally-produced program on WJCT’s HD channel. He’s also a published author, journalist, CD collector and self-described music nut.