Where Ya At? SDSU's Journalism and Media Studies podcast

Omar Ruiz (1999-02) is a Host and Reporter for the NFL Network, a position he's held since 2012 following stops at three local TV stations and the NHL Network. Ruiz can be seen regularly on "The Insiders" and "NFL GameDay Morning." On the eve of the Super Bowl, Omar shares how he was hired at the NFL Network, the advantage of only covering one sport, the balancing act work...

The "Where Ya At?" podcast returns from the holiday hiatus and the leadoff guest this semester is Dr. Nathian Rodriguez, an Associate Professor and the Associate Director for the School of Journalism and Media Studies. Dr. Nate gives updates on changes to the name of degrees, new JMS classes this semester, the trends for what careers JMS students want to pursue, an overview of his class...

Jeff Siembieda (1983-88) is the executive director of the Isleta New Mexico Bowl, the co-host of the "Opening Drive" sports talk radio show on KNML The Sports Animal, and a former television anchor and reporter. He's been honored as the New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year three times. In a vast decorated career, Siembieda explains why he's most proud of the creation and longevi...

Brook Bentley (2007-11) is an Account Director at KPS3, a marketing agency where she specializes in identifying digital marketing opportunities, leading client relationships, and driving strategic initiatives to deliver seamless collaboration and impactful marketing solutions. In this week's podcast, Brook reflects on arriving at SDSU as an Undeclared Major, why she chose Journalism and Media...

Rebecca Waer (1998-01) is an Emmy-nominated producer and storyteller who has worked on numerous TV series involving history, true crime and ancestry that have aired on A&E, Discovery, NBC, Travel Channel, HGTV & many more. In this week's episode, we discuss the ethics involved in producing true crime series, how she learned the story of Billie Allen, the documentary she helped created...

Howard Stutz (1979-82) is a Senior Reporter who covers gaming, tourism, cannabis and sports business for The Nevada Independent, a revolutionary news site, a 501c3 nonprofit committed to transparent journalism. In this week's episode, Stutz provides the back story of how he and his colleagues at The Las Vegas Review-Journal discovered the paper's new owner was Sheldon Adelson's fami...

Nina Garin ('97) is a former Arts and Entertainment reporter/editor at The San Diego Union-Tribune and KPBS who is now the Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for The Old Globe theatre. She got her start at The Daily Aztec and shared stories in this week's podcast about press junkets to New York and interviewing Madonna as a student journalist. Then how she got hired at th...

Eric Winter (1990-94) is the President and Chief Operating Officer of TrillerTV, the latest stop in a decorated career where he's become one of the most successful sports business executives in the country. In this week's podcast, we trace Eric's unique journey that started as an Africana Studies major and Daily Aztec sportswriter. Then how the connection he made as a student with f...

Patrick Green (1993-97) is a multi-faceted writer/director/producer who tells inspiring and thought-provoking stories from the inside-out. His films have played at over 100+ film festivals across the globe and are now streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, and Roku.  In this week's podcast, Patrick tells the story of how stories begin. In particular, the story of how driving through LA in the early...

Kelly Hillock (2012-16) is the content marketing manager for National Funding, where she writes and edits a variety of communications, including articles for small business owners. A second generation Aztec, Kelly shares the story of how SDSU chose her, how long she wanted to be a writer, choosing Public Relations as a major, still spending her entire collegiate years working for the student newsp...

Tim Grenda (1992-94) is a former newspaper reporter who went to law school on the recommendation of courtroom lawyers, and is now a Content Strategist, Search Engine Optimization Manager for SDSU's Global Campus. Grenda reflects on how he landed interviews with so many big name entertainers while a college student, including the time he was interviewing Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats and lear...

Gasia Mikaelian (1995-97) has worked for KTVU in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2005 and is currently an anchor for Mornings on 2 from 7-10 am and the Fox 2 News at Noon.  Her TV reporting career started as an intern at KFMB in San Diego, then went from Yuma, AZ to Huntsville, AL, back to San Diego, then Houston, before she landed her dream job back in her home region.  In this week's episo...

Kayla Jimenez (2015-17) is an award-winning national correspondent for USA TODAY. She specializes in reporting on the American education system, including recent stories about the decline of school buses and if cell phones should be banned in schools. She formerly covered education for The Mercury News, East Bay Times and Voice of San Diego.  In this week's "Where Ya At?" episode, K...

Gina Jacobs ('01 & '10) serves as Associate Vice President for the SDSU Mission Valley Development at San Diego State University. She has a leading role in shaping and executing the university’s strategy to develop the Mission Valley site. Gina shares her story of coming to SDSU to study Drama and Journalism, working at the campus newspaper and radio station, and initially working at...

Simon Samano (2000-05) is the managing editor for MMAjunkie.com, a website affiliated with the USA Today Sports Media Group. The first person from his family to attend college, Simon initially wanted to become a political reporter and began writing opinion columns at The Daily Aztec, before transitioning to become a sports writer. After working for three newspapers, Simon details the lengths he we...

Jesse Marx, the new Student Media Manager for The Daily Aztec and KCR Radio, is the first guest as the "Where Ya At?" podcast returns from a summer hiatus. We welcome Jesse to San Diego State University, learn about his background as a journalist, the impact that Covid-19 had on student media, why this new position was created, and his ambitious plans for the student newspaper and studen...

Darin Wong (2000-04) went almost immediately from being a San Diego State University student to working in the media relations office for the Aztecs athletic department, where he remained for 14 years, before moving to Boston to become the Director of Athletic Communications at Harvard University. Wong tells the story of the flyer he saw in the PSFA building that sent him to the media relations of...

Lauren Cella (2010-13) is a world history and Journalism advisor at McFarland High School in Central California, although she's more known for her "Gen Z History Lessons" that have been seen by millions on TikTok and Instagram, and the success of those videos landed her a spot on the NBC game show "Password" as teammates with Jimmy Fallon. The videos were originally create...

David Brickley (2007-09) is the owner and CEO of STN Digital, a Social First Marketing Agency. He's also the host of the "Business of Social" and "Entrepreneur Wrap" podcasts. Brickley tells the story of how the company's DNA traces back to creating a website hoping the Lakers would get NBA superstar Kevin Garnett, which became Lakers Nation, which led to creating con...

Will Fritz (2015-19) is a New York-based reporter who primarily covers extremism and LGBTQ+  stories for The American Independent. Consuming the news was a regular part of his childhood and he quickly found a home in Journalism and The Daily Aztec student newspaper. A former Editor In Chief, Will shares the background on some of his memorable stories as a student reporter, including California Pub...

Lorena Nava Ruggero ('04, '11) is currently the Director of Communication for San Diego Foundation and the ultimate Aztec: a third-generation alumnus who earned her Bachelor's and Master's Degrees from SDSU, then returned to campus to become a Lecturer, work in the university's Media Relations department, and as the Editor of New Media. Lorena shares the story of how a the...

Jon Gold (2002-07) is an award-winning features writer and columnist with two decades of full-time beat, features and columnist experience. He's hosted radio and TV shows, podcasts and YouTube videos. He's currently the Brand Editorial Manager for Collectors, and the Senior Editor for PSA Magazine & PSA Pop Culture. A staunch advocate for student journalism, Gold shares the impact of...

Brooke Martell (2011-15) is a meteorologist and reporter for NBC 7 in San Diego, the same station where she interned as a student and where she worked her first broadcasting job after SDSU. In between, she was a reporter and weather forecaster in her hometown of San Luis Obispo, Calif. where she covered wildfires, weather events, and community issues. Brooke shares how those stories impacted her d...

Andrew Dyer (2016-18)  was enlisted in the Navy for over 10 years and served on two aircraft carriers before returning to school and pursuing a career in Journalism. Dyer explains why he wanted to become a writer, how covering the craft beer industry for San Diego City Beat developed his reporting skills, and finding a home on student newspapers. A former Editor In Chief for The Daily Aztec, Dyer...

Kayla Asencio (Class of 2018) is a 4x Emmy-nominated freelance associate producer who got her start on the KUSI Prep Pigskin Report, has worked on two Olympics for the NBC Sports Group, and is currently contributing to the NFL's Emmy award-winning program, NFL 360. We trace Kayla's journey from El Paso to San Diego, the junior high broadcasting class where she first discovered her desire...