Author: Allison Dodson

Lisa Gardner

LISA GARDNER

Faculty Advisor

Lisa Kick Gardner spent almost 20 years in broadcast journalism, most of that in television news. As a morning and evening TV news anchor, reporter and a radio morning show host, she has been asked to speak to numerous charity and community groups, businesses and school kids of all ages. (She’s even entertained on a cruise ship!) Lisa and her husband Steve have been a part of the Charlotte Country Day community since 2010 as Young Life leaders and Lisa started teaching in 2015. She’s currently the Podcast/Journalism and Public Speaking instructor. She and Steve have two children, Grace a junior at Appalachian State and Grant is a senior who plans to attend Davidson College in the fall of 2025.

Fiona John

FIONA JOHN

Junior Faculty Advisor

Fiona John is a rising Sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth pursuing a major in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in International Social Justice and a minor in Media Studies. She participated in the WJMC during the summer of ‘22 and had the best time of her life! Fiona loved Washington D.C. and the George Mason campus, and she can’t wait to go back and see everyone there!

Johnathan Burch

JOHNATHAN BURCH

Junior Faculty Advisor

Johnathan Burch is from Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a rising sophomore at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, pursing a major in Politics & Law and minors in Health Equity and Philosophy. He is interested in pursuing a career in medical law, focusing on healthcare policy. Attending WJMC in 2021 was an unforgettable experience that Johnathan will cherish forever. He learned about the various forms that journalism can take on, met professionals in the field, and built new relationships with other National Youth Correspondents from across the nation. The relationships he made just a few years ago have blossomed into a vast network of individuals with similar interests. Although the students in his cohort may have chosen different career paths, they share an interest in breaking down barriers to improve society for the better. Returning as an alum to make this a memorable experience for other students is what makes WJMC even more special for him.

John Gossett

JOHN GOSSETT

John is the Broadcast Journalism Teacher and Director of Sports Broadcasting at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Located just steps away from the University of Arkansas, John has built FHS TV into a nationally recognized program with students winning multiple Emmy’s along with numerous state awards. John is also a board member for the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association where his program serves as the Media Officer School. Originally from Dallas, Texas, John earned his B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and Masters in Education both from the University of Arkansas.

Keira Klein

KEIRA KLEIN

Keira Klein is a junior, attending high school in Northern California. She competes in FFA Floral competitions, plays tennis and basketball, and writes in her spare time. She LOVED her WJMC experience because of all of the different careers it exposed her to, and can’t wait to contribute to this year’s Youth Advisory Board.

Joleth Herrera

JOLETH HERRERA

Joleth Herrera is a senior at Ben Davis High in Indianapolis, Indiana. She is editor-in-chief of her school’s newspaper and is also part of the yearbook. She attended session two of 2023 WJMC, where she left with lifelong lessons and friendships. In her free time she is an athletic trainer for the football team. Her plans after graduation are majoring in journalism with a minor in photography.

Wandi Hadebe

WANDI HADEBE

Wandi Hadebe is a senior at Harrison High School and is in her third year of the journalism program. She serves as the writing editor of the Legacy Yearbook Staff as well as Vice President and Writing Center Coordinator of the James Joyce chapter of the National English Honors Society. She was also county finalist of the 2022 Cobb County Writing Fair and named English Student of the Year her sophomore and junior years. Wandi aspires to be a novelist and bookstore owner, and is currently working towards that goal through a literary agency internship.

Benjamin Maya

BENJAMIN MAYA

Ben Maya is a senior at Bellarmine College Preparatory in San José, California. He’s an alumni of WJMC 2023 and besides journalism has an interest in foreign service, sports, spending time in the outdoors, and radio and broadcasting. His favorite classes his Senior year are Literature of the Counter Culture and Spanish AP. Ben strives to be a source of fun and positivity for those around him.

Vegas Dodds

VEGAS DODDS

Vegas Dodds is a senior at Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute in Jamestown, TN. They plan to pursue an English or Communications major at a university in Pennsylvania. They joined their school journalism program, the Dragon J.Staff, in their sophomore year, and they accepted the position of General News Editor for the school newspaper – The Pine Needles – in their junior year. Currently, they are the Copy Editor for all school publications. Outside of academics, Dodds enjoys the performing arts and playing with their cats. They are thrilled to be a member of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB), as the 2023 Washington Journalism and Media Conference (WJMC) was a truly monumental experience for them.

Thomas Hughes

THOMAS HUGHES

Thomas is a senior at Trinity School at Meadow View in Falls Church, VA. Thomas is part of his school’s debate club, yearbook club, and founded the school’s journalism program. He aspires to major in journalism, and to specifically focus on sports journalism. Outside of school, Thomas actively participates in Ninja Warrior, having made it to nationals this past year, and owns his own small business, which sells T-shirts for ninja competitors.