KEDM People

Program Hosts

Deborah Chandler
Vocal Vibes
Deborah is Director of Choral Activities at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, is conductor and musical director of the Monroe Symphony Chorus, and is Minister of Music at Northminster Church in Monroe. At Florida State University, Dr. Chandler studied with Dr. Andre Thomas, Rodney Eichenburger, Dr. Judy Bowers, and Dr. Kevin Fenton. She serves as chairperson for the Louisiana American Choral Directors Repertoire and Standards Committee for Colleges and Universities. For over eighteen years, she served as a Director of Music in the Presbyterian Church (USA) denomination. She is also conductor emeritus of the Tallahassee Civic Chorale and a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Music Educators National Conference.

Richard Harrison
Mostly Big Bands
Richard has a record and CD collection that rivals most radio station libraries. His hobby is collecting recorded music, sports, news, comedy recordings ... in LP, 45's and 78 formats. With the depth of his collection, he can feature one artist or one band, presenting music seldom heard on radio. Not content to merely spin records, he likes to present a theme or topical show such as: Music of the war years, historical events, seasonal topics and Mardi Gras music during the Carnival season. Richard is adamant about presenting his show live, from recordings. Richard and wife Jean moved to Monroe in 1961, and he has been involved in a number of businesses in his time here. Most unique is the mail order business he developed and continues to maintain, which has resulted in Richard's other name -- The Boomerang Man. While traveling, Richard discovered public radio, and he subsequently become one of the early proponents of bringing public radio to northeastern Louisiana in the form of KEDM. You can email Richard at richardharrison70 [at] comcast.net.

Mark Henderson
Best of Broadway, Encore
Mark is a native of St. Louis, Missouri, where he frequented the Muny, a large outdoor theater specializing in musicals. He is a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, and moved to Monroe upon graduation in 1978 to begin work at The News-Star, where he is now a local content editor. He and his wife, Elaine, have been married since 1981. They have a daughter, Melissa, and lost a son, Greg, to complications with spina bifida in 1997.

Josh Madden
The Set List
An accomplished musician in his own right, when Josh is not playing a live local gig or giving music lessons you'll frequently find him at the KEDM studios, including producing our Saturday night program that mixes a variety of musical genres into an entertaining creation all its own.

Kelby Ouchley
Bayou Diversity
Kelby was a biologist and manager of National Wildlife Refuges for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for more than 30 years. He has worked with alligators in gulf coast marshes and Canada geese on Hudson Bay tundra. His most recent project was the establishment of Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge and its development as a premier environmental education site. Kelby has an undergraduate degree in Wildlife Biology and a graduate degree in Wildlife and Fisheries Science from Texas A&M University. He published Flora and Fauna of the Civil War: an Environmental Reference Guide in 2010, as well as many scientific and popular articles. Among other honors Kelby recently received the National Wildlife Federation Governor's Conservationist of the Year Award. He and his wife Amy live in the woods near Rocky Branch, Louisiana, in a cypress house surrounded by white oaks and black hickories. Kelby's website is bayou-diversity.com.

Jarrod Richey
Midday Classical
Jarrod is the Assistant Director of Choral Activities at ULM and teaches both private voice and music appreciation classes for the university. He earned Masters in Choral Conducting from ULM and holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music from Louisiana Tech. He is a member of the American Choral Directors Association, Organization of American Kodály Educators, and the Piano Technicians Guild. He is also the Assistant Chorusmaster for the Monroe Symphony Chorus. Jarrod serves as the choirmaster at Geneva Academy in Monroe and Media & Communications Director at Auburn Avenue Presbyterian Church. He is a native of Alexandria and currently lives in Monroe with his wife Sarah and three sons.

Jason Rinehart
Midday Classical
Bandscape
Dr. Jason Rinehart is the Director of Orchestras and the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Louisiana at Monroe where he directs the Sound of Today, the Technical Fowls, the Symphonic Band and the Orchestra. He previously taught at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, Benedictine College, and St. Louis Community College. Dr. Rinehart has degrees from Texas Tech University, Southern Methodist University, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City. His conducting experience includes the Atchison (Kansas) Symphony, Kansas City Ballet, Fountain City (Missouri) and St. Louis Brass Bands, numerous collegiate orchestras and wind ensembles, and more than thirty main stage operas and musicals. Dr. Rinehart has been involved with the drum and bugle corps activity as a marching member of the Sky Ryders and Phantom Regiment and has taught with Pioneer, Capital Regiment, the Boston Crusaders and is currently on staff with the Glassmen. Jason has previously been a host of Classical music at KOHM in Lubbock, Texas.

 Staff

Jay Curtis
Program Director
Jay calls himself a "media producer" in a world of diversification. Jay earned a Bachelor of Arts in Radio/TV/Film Production from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and worked in video production for more than 10 years before joining KEDM full time. He started at KEDM in 1993 as a student board operator, and has worked since then in production and promotion on a part-time basis while working full time in video. In May of 2009, Jay became KEDM's Program Director. Jay still regularly freelances in sports television production for ESPN, Cox Sports, and others. Jay and his family live in West Monroe.

Lila Strode
Development Director
Lila previously worked as the Director of Institutional Advancement for Grace Episcopal School in Monroe, as the Executive Director of Keep Mississippi Beautiful, and in membership development for the Hattiesburg (Miss.) Area Chamber of Commerce. Her community service includes work with the Junior League of Monroe, Twin City Ballet Guild, and Quota International of West Monroe. Lila, her husband Chip, and two daughters reside in West Monroe.

Bob Lenox
News and Public Affairs Director
After working in Baton Rouge radio for six years, Bob returned to Monroe in 1996. He served as program director for a local commercial radio station immediately prior to joining KEDM in October, 2009, as News and Public Affairs Director. A graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe, he holds a degree in Radio/TV/Film Management. During a broadcast career of more than 20 years Bob has contributed to a range of community activities, including serving as an emcee for various events and banquets. One of the local organizations Bob supports is Dixie Diehards, a local baseball league for persons with special needs. Bob, his wife Kelly, and family reside in West Monroe.

Kenneth Sanders
Director of Technical Operations
Kenneth grew up in Mansfield, Louisiana. A 1992 Business Technology graduate of Louisiana Tech University, he began his broadcasting experience at student-operated radio station KLPI. Having an extensive background in professional sound and recording equipment, he quickly advanced to production manager of KLPI. In 1996, he started working for Gemini Concert Sound, operating a 50,000 watt concert sound system for many national acts, including Ricky Van Shelton, Brooks and Dunn, Run DMC, Tracy Lawrence, and many others. In 1998, he began working in installation of custom home theater, home automation, security and sound systems for Home Cinema and Hi-fi. In January of 2007, Kenneth became KEDM's Director of Technical Operations.