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/


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.


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
Ryan McNaughton '96 - from small town Ohio to SU Alum Grand Poobah [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:42
Today we are joined by our first elected official - Ryan McNaughton from the Class of 1996 has been both President of the Syracuse University Alumni Association, as well as a councilman at large in his current home of Ni…
Kat Brady, Class of 2018, On Continuing the Teaching Legacy of WJPZ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:45
Today's guest is Kat Brady, one of many in a long line of great station leaders in the 2010's. This Long Island native wanted no part of going to school in her home state - she wanted to go elsewhere. But at every turn,…
Brent Axe - From 89.1 The Pulse To Jim Boeheim Getting Him Fired [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:20
Today's podcast is in two parts. In the first half hour, you'll hear Brent Axe's journey from 89.1 The Pulse summer staffer to the premiere voice in Syracuse sports coverage. After we recorded that chat, Brent was fired…
USA Today's Ralphie Aversa, Class of 2007 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:31
Ralphie Aversa has done a little bit of everything in this business. His voice has been on radio stations in Syracuse, Scranton, Providence, and New York. He's warmed up the crowd at the Billboard Music Awards, and you'l…
Beth (Russell) Gorab, Class of 1993 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:52
Beth (Russell) Gorab from the Class of 1993 was a key part of the leadership team that helped Z89 make huge waves in the Syracuse market during the "flamethrower era." She joins us today to talk about her time at WJPZ an…
A Friday Night Party Reunion 20 Years in the Making [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:05
The Friday Night Party was a long time staple of WJPZ, allowing mixers to come in and strut their stuff. Today we revisit the 1999-2001 version of the show with three guests who've gone on to very successful careers in t…
From WJPZ to Rihanna, Fall Out Boy and Lizzo - Adam Eisenberg '95 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:16
We've had podcast guests in the radio, news, and sports arenas, but today's episode features an alumnus who has spent most of his career working with artists in the record label world. Adam Eisenberg always knew he had a…
Beth (Berlin) Cohen and Jana Fiorello, Class of 2002 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:04
Today's episode reunites three members of the WJPZ Class of 2002, as Jag is joined by Jana Fiorello and Beth (Berlin) Cohen. You'll hear themes of lifelong friendship here that are likely reflected in your own class.Beth…
NPR National Correspondent Jennifer Ludden, Class of 1988 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
Jennifer Ludden, Class of 1988, has had an incredible radio reporting career. And it all started at WJPZ. This Tennessee native was recruited by "dorm mom" Sue Mandel (now Weingarten) to come "get a tour" of the radio st…