Tracey Turner ('00), Lisa Phillips ('03), and Sarah Fox ('02)

Tracey Turner ('00), Lisa Phillips ('03), and Sarah Fox ('02)

Author: WJPZ January 29, 2024 Duration: 48:29

Today's guests are three ladies, three years apart, who have formed an enduring frienship via WJPZ that has lasted over 20 years.

Tracey (Chilandese) Turner got to the station when Harry and Dena were running a skeleton crew, having just shepherded the station through it's second format change (back to Z89) in just a few years.   Trace joined the station as a sophomore, just as Matt DelSignore was taking over for Harry as GM and PD.  Harry provided guidance for promotions, and let his dynamic duo take over.

Sarah (Dumont) Fox had no desire to be on the air, but this Plattsburgh native soon found a love for Public Relations.  When Dena left, Sarah volunteered to take on that role, coordinating everything from alumni relationships to Banquets.

As these two ascended to station leadership, Lisa entered as a freshman.  This die-hard sports fan started doing on-air work and made fast friends off-air with Tracey and Sarah.  It was a friendship that transcended the walls of the station.

Today's guests credit their WJPZ lessons as great prepration for their careers.  Tracey has worked in music since graduation.  Sarah's been in healthcare PR, and Lisa went from NBC page to talent booker to Derek Jeter's outlet, The Players' Tribune.

In this episode, you'll hear about "Shake Your Bon Bon For Ricky Martin," a treacherous trip with a car full of balloons, and some heated moments in the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.  (Poor Lisa had to share a wall with Jag one year).

But you'll also hear about enduring friendships, including Matt DelSignore joining Sarah for moral support on a week-long job interview trip to New York City before graduation.  Where did they sleep?  Tracey's couch and loveseat.

Throughout today's podcast, you'll hear about the inclusive culture of Z89 (as opposed to some more traditional classrooms).  The knowledge passed down over these 3 years are right in line with the last 50.

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.

Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50

Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag:  jag@jagindetroit.com.

Want to stay in the loop with WJPZ Alumni events?  Subscribe to our newsletter on the right hand side of the page at http://wjpzalumni.org/

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


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For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Mike Lacett '05, A Sportscasting Career with WJPZ Roots [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
We look back on Mike Lacett’s path through WJPZ and Syracuse, and the conversation quickly shows how deeply those years shaped him. Mike explains that he first heard about Z89 from a Radio Disney DJ (you probably know wh…
Lizzie Gottlieb and Bella Galan, Current WJPZ PD and GM [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:31
In this episode of WJPZ at 50, we sit down with Bella Galan and Lizzie Gottlieb, the current GM and PD of WJPZ, to talk about how they found Syracuse, how they found the station, and how they are helping shape its cultur…
Savannah Bananas' Chris Sacchi, WJPZ Class of 2021 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:22
Today we explore Chris Sacchi’s journey from a sports-obsessed kid in Connecticut to becoming a “video legend” with the Savannah Bananas. We start by tracing how early exposure to Syracuse athletics (the 2000's were a go…
Inside Sports Rights With Dan Girard, Class of 2012 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:33
Note: The WJPZ at 50 Podcast has returned! If you or someone you know would like to be a guest, email JAG: jag@jagpodcastproductions.com Our first guest back is Dan Girard, Class of 20120. on how WJPZ helps us find our f…
Replay: 2026 HOF Inductee Stephen "Tex" Kurtz, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
There are a number of people, on the technical side, that have worked tirelessly to keep our radio station going for half a century. Over the last 20 years though, Stephen "Tex" Kurtz is at the top of that list. Born in…
Replay: 2026 HOF Inductee Howard Deneroff, Class of 1989 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:55
Note: This episode originally published on February 15, 2023. In the time since, Howard Deneroff has gone on to be found Stand By Media, as well as becoming the Director of the Hall of Excellence at the Fountainebleau La…
Replay: 2026 HOF Inducteee Ben Green, Class of 1985 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:33
Today's guest is the always passionate Ben Green, aka Ben G, aka Mr. R&B, from the Class of 1985. He takes us from humble beginnings at Syracuse (including changing majors when he couldn't afford to rent equipment and bu…
Replay: 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Deaf Geoff Herbert, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:37
Editor's Note: This week we are re-releasing the episodes of our 2025 Hall of Fame Class. Here, you'll catch our interview with the inspiring Geoff "Deaf Geoff" Herbert, Class of 2005.Geoff "Deaf Geoff" Herbert is a mach…
Replay: 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Jon "JAG" Gay, Class of 2002 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:35
Editor's Note: This week we are re-releasing the episodes with our 2025 Hall of Fame Inductees. Here, our host became the guest, as Jag's 2002 classmate and fellow Hall of Famer Matt DelSignore sat him down to hear his s…