Jack Allen, President & CEO

Jack got his start in classical music radio, a second career, in 1992 at WMRA in his hometown Harrisonburg, Virginia. His first career was as an owner of an art gallery in upstate N.Y. The broadcasting ethers have carried him through stints at Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul and KMFA in Austin. With 4 years under his belt as the head honcho of All Classical, he has grown to love the Pacific Northwest, his incredible staff, and savor the unparalleled support this rare classical music station enjoys. When not ‘making radio’ Jack can be found contributing to the national radio blog Scanning the Dial, playing chess, seeing films, or tromping around the Mt. Tabor neighborhood with his 7 year-old boxer, Maximus. Jack is a veteran traveler, having lead groups of All Classical donors to South Africa, Poland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Ireland & Scotland. This fall he leads a group to New Zealand and Australia.

Kelly Palin, CFO

Kelly graduated from Portland State University with a BS in Business, with emphasis in Accounting. She is a CPA with experience in public accounting, focusing mostly on audits and financial statements, and in private accounting as a Controller for various
businesses, both for-profit and not-for-profit. Kelly is the mother of two daughters and lives in Beaverton with her youngest, along with a dog and a cat.

Katherine Lefever, Assistant Director of Member Services

After brief stints at Friends of Chamber Music, the Portland International Piano Festival and the Work for Art Program at the Regional Arts & Cultural Council, Katherine joined the All Classical team in the fall of 2008. Katherine has a BA from Reed College with a focus on music history and vocal performance. She is a soprano in the Portland Symphonic Choir, along with serving on their Board of Directors. When not working or practicing, she enjoys gardening, baking and hearing live music around town. She lives in SE Portland with a singular cat named Squid.

Andrea Rennie, Executive Assistant

Now in her second role at All Classical, Andrea is excited to continue her rewarding work as an employee, advocate, and musician in Portland. Andrea’s duties at All Classical include managing the All Classical Intern program, attending all board meetings and managing corporate records, and assisting the CEO with a wide variety of projects. A native of Olympia, WA,  Andrea graduated from Washington State University with an undergraduate degree in Music Business and plans to continue her career in Arts Administration. When she's not at the station, Andrea spends her time playing viola with the Portland Columbia Symphony and pursuing her Master’s in Business Administration in Nonprofit Management at the University of Portland.

Deborah Rochford, Director of Member Services

Deborah has over six years experience in the non profit arena. She specializes in managing Raisers Edge database systems and is trained in many aspects of non profit fundraising. Originally from Oklahoma, Deborah has been in Portland for almost ten years. Her grandfather was a composer and professor of music and is the main reason she has taken up the call to help preserve classical music for her community. Deborah feels everyone should have the opportunity to experience the wonder and beauty of music that her grandfather and family gave her. She feels him close every time she turns on the radio. When not working to keep the music alive, Deborah can be found hiking up a mountain, gardening, and using her creativity in many artistic projects. Being an avid photographer and nature lover keeps her exploring the wonders of the great Pacific Northwest.

Jenn Woodward, HR & Office Coordinator

Growing up in Texas, Jennifer discovered the many joys of classical music via the world of dance. As an adult, she enjoys listening to classical music while in her art studio. A graduate of the combined degree program of Tufts University/The School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Jennifer obtained her MFA with a focus on drawing, video and installation art. She received her undergraduate degree from Sarah Lawrence College and enjoyed living on the East Coast for many years. A relative newbie to Portland, Jennifer loves Oregon's natural beauty and Portland's unique and evolving arts culture. She enjoys working with non-profits and helping them get organized and think outside the box. Jenn is excited to provide support for the All Classical team and to work with others who care passionately about the arts. When not at the station, she can be found making & exhibiting art, hanging out with her husband and their beautiful cats and chickens, watching movies, learning to cook with Oregon's amazing local produce, camping and reading.

John Burk, Program Director

I listened to radio a lot when I was a kid. I used to announce my parent’s 78s and 45s and I would read news magazines out loud, trying to sound like John Cameron Swayze. Then my Great Aunt Inez moved to Ireland and gave me her classical LPs. When I was a student at Northern Michigan University, the kid who did the evening classical show on the college station graduated, and I got drafted to replace him because everyone had heard that opera stuff coming out of my dorm room. Years later, when my son was grown, I realized I had the freedom to move anywhere in the world I wanted. I came to Portland right away. I feel that All Classical FM is where I’m supposed to be.

Ed Goldberg

Ed Goldberg was born in the Bronx and grew up in New York City and Long Island. He lived in Washington, D.C. for 18 years before moving to Portland with his wife in 1991. Music has always been a big part of his life. He started collecting records a year before he had a record player.  Ed has published four detective novels, the first of which won the Shamus Award, and is editing his next book. He will bring his movie reviews and author interviews to All Classical in the autumn. Ed teaches occasionally and has taught courses in jazz history and the Marx Brothers’ movies.

Ed is a regular from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sundays, and also hosts Saturday Matinee from 10 to 2 p.m. while the Metropolitan Opera is in hiatus.

Robert McBride, Senior Announcer

Robert is on the air weekday afternoons from 1 to 6 and Saturday nights from 8 to 10. The Saturday program is Club Mod, which explores 21^st-century music as well as older music that was modern for its time. Robert  joins conductor Carlos Kalmar for the Oregon Symphony’s preconcert conversations and enjoys other public speaking appearances in the Portland area. A former percussionist, Robert grew up in Moscow, Idaho, and graduated from the University of Idaho with a music composition degree. He still writes music occasionally, and will unveil of new piece in honor of John Cage in March of 2012. Robert’s career has given him the opportunity to live and work in four states and the District of Columbia. He joined Portland’s All Classical team in 2000.

Andrea Murray

Andrea has been producing and hosting public radio programs for more than 15 years. Prior to joining the All Classical staff, she spent 6 years as the arts reporter for WETA in Washington, where she produced and hosted a cultural magazine called The Program and also substituted for regular classical music hosts. She’s also done freelance work for several NPR magazine programs, including Morning Edition, All Things Considered and Studio 360.

Andrea produces Northwest Previews, which airs Thursdays at 6 p.m. Listen to Andrea on weekdays from midnight to 5 a.m. and on weekends from midnight to 7 a.m.

Brandi Parisi

Prior to coming to All Classical in 2008, Brandi Parisi was afternoon drive host at K-Mozart in Los Angeles. A New Orleans native, she’s been a reporter, producer and host at stations in Atlanta and Orlando and, for 6 years, was a nationally-syndicated host on Minnesota Public Radio’s Classical 24. Brandi has also produced and hosted programs for Public Radio International, and for several years was producer and host of the Minnesota Opera broadcasts for Minnesota Public Radio. Though she started as a flute performance major, out of respect for real musicians, she switched paths after sophomore year in college. Brandi has degrees in communications and philosophy from Ohio University and Purdue University. She teaches philosophy at Portland Community College and yoga at several spots around Portland.  After living in twelve states, she feels home.

Brandi serves as morning host from 5 to 9 a.m. weekdays.

John Pitman, Music Director

A Portland native and graduate of Benson Polytechnic, John is responsible, as Music Director, for making sure that the enormous body of work the station presents is heard with the right balance of all the styles, musical periods and moods that classical music offers. When not at work, John enjoys attending concerts, traveling, reading, bicycling around town with his wife and growing vegetables in summer.

Though serving principally as music director at All Classical, John also fills in as on-air host during the week as needed.

Edmund Stone

Edmund grew up on an English farm and toured in Romeo & Juliet before moving to Scotland, where he reviewed films for BBC Radio and Thompson Publications. Moving to Los Angeles in 1980, he covered the Academy Awards and narrated more than 1,000 educational audio cassettes. Edmund continues his voice work in commercials, and also serves frequently as emcee for various events. A vegetarian, he is an avid gardener. When not indulging that passion or a corresponding ardor for classical music, he expresses his love for all animals. In 1997 he co-founded In Defense of Animals-Africa which operates a chimpanzee rescue center in Cameroon, West Africa.

Edmund writes and hosts The Score, a nationally syndicated film music program, which you can hear every Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Christa Wessel

I love exploring Oregon’s nooks and crannies. Since arriving here in 2007, I’ve fallen particularly hard for the Owyhee desert in the far reaches of Southeast Oregon, the rolling high hills surrounding the Deschutes River, and the magically blue waters of Crater Lake.  I love camping and hiking but haven’t yet become the toughened sort of Portlander who trudges out in the rainy season… so instead I spend the winter months sheltered inside our area’s concert halls soaking up local culture.

Another of my favorite hobbies is Divaville (http://divaville.org), a radio show I host on KMHD 89.1.  As much as I love celebrating those old jazz vocalists, though, classical music will always be my first love.  I had once hoped to be a professional French horn player – I attended Northwestern University with that aspiration, but after I realized how much practicing would be involved I ended up graduating with a degree in Arts Administration instead!  I still tootle, though… I play 4^th horn for the Sunnyside Symphony Orchestra (http://sunnysidesymphony.org).

You can hear Christa weekdays from 9am-1pm, Saturdays from 5am-10am, and as the host of Played in Oregon on Sundays at 1pm.

Mary Evjen, Director of Communications

What began as a part-time job to have more time with her young daughter turned into a radio career at All Classical for Mary. Although her official job title is Director of Communications, she also wears the hats of web coordinator and writer, arts partner liaison and volunteer coordinator, just to name a few. She's even taken staff photos. Making friends with the wonderfully diverse family of volunteers is closest to her heart. Instilled in love for music at an early age by her parents, they would be delighted to know her piano gets dusted off from time to time, and she still has fond memories of singing (and playing) the benediction at school assemblies. Being a part of All Classical has enriched Mary's life, not only as an employee, but also as a supporter and listener. Oh, by the way, that daughter is now 29!

Eric Behny, Director of Underwriting

Eric grew up in a small farm town in Illinois listening to classical music. He remembers hearing Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado played so often he thinks he may have it memorized. Eric graduated from California State University at Northridge with a degree in Business Administration/Marketing. After college, he worked as an advertising consultant at the NBC television affiliates in Bend, Oregon, Salinas, California, and for FOX-12 KPTV in Portland. Eric lives in Northeast Portland with his wife, 3 children, dog and cat. He enjoys exercise, music, reading, travel and low-budget horror movies.

Larry Holtz, Vice President of Technology

Larry, now in his 9th year with All Classical, strives to fine tune and improve our equipment to deliver classical music with the best quality possible. Larry is involved with our advanced signal expansion and digitization projects, most recently upgrading All Classical to HD digital radio with improved reach. With 35 years as engineering director for commercial groups in the Northwest, he consolidated Entercom's seven radio stations into one studio building in Portland. During the 90s he built Portland’s West Hills multi-station KGON super tower and orchestrated new studios and transmission facilities around the country.

Jordan Lewis, Operations Administrator

An Oregon native and graduate of Grant High School, Jordan Lewis studied computer engineering at OIT and radio broadcasting at MHCC, bringing multiple job skills to the Operations Administrator position. In charge of preparing all satellite feeds for re-broadcast, scheduling the on-air host's shifts, scheduling/reconciling the traffic logs, and serving as a member of The Score production team, Jordan keeps busy by wearing many hats. From weekly show production to the in-house IT duties to assisting the VP of Technology in repairs and installing upgrades, the job is a great blend of radio and computers. Jordan previously worked for KEX and KFXX in Portland, followed by a stint as a remote engineer for KATU-TV News. Five years running his own business as a computer repairman gave him the kind of skills necessary to keep the many computers that run a modern radio station working smoothly.  For recreation Jordan is an avid disc golfer, traveling the Northwest to compete in amateur competitions. Most weekends he can be found on one or another of the area's great disc golf courses. When not throwing plastic through the air, he is a collector of comic books, a reader of sci fi/fantasy and a rabid NFL football fan. Go Redskins!

Alexander Bighill, Director of New Media

Alexander, a lifelong Oregonian, has spent 1/2 of his life as a saxophonist and electric bassist for many musical groups (Jazz, Classical, Rock, etc.). Though still an occasional musician, he now focuses on web development, computer networking/security, and Linux server administration. Alexander earned IT and networking degrees from Heald College, and enjoyed 5 years at SpireTech (local ISP) where he wore many hats related to networking and software development. As Director of New Media at All Classical FM, he works to improve the technology that helps connect us to our listeners, a position that offers a perfect marriage of Alexander's skills and interests. His tertiary interests are numerous, but generally include a fascination with the human pursuit to learn, adapt and communicate through art, technology, and science.