Ashley Brandon is a Broadcast News senior. She has interned at Fox 13, WUSF's 89.7 News, and is currently interning for NBC's "Daytime" show.
She served as a reporter/photojournalist for “Overexposed: Skin Cancer Revealed”, a thirty-minute documentary which aired on WUSF-TV in January 2009. Ashley also served as a web producer for "Against All Odds". Amongst other things, she volunteers as a video correspondent for USF's award-winning student newspaper, "The Oracle".
Ashley is a 2009 Tampa Bay Association of Black Journalists scholarship winner.
Ileana Michelle De Jesus was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She is a senior at the University of South Florida and is double majoring in Biomedical Sciences and Mass Communications with a concentration in Broadcast News. She interned at WEDU during the summer of 2009 and assisted the production crew for “Florida this Week,” working the camera and setting up for the show.
Katy Conrad is a Senior at the University of South Florida and is studying Mass Communications with a focus in Broadcast News. During the summer 2009 semester she completed an internship with WEDU. During her time at WEDU, she assisted with producing, researched panelists and story ideas, and wrote the script for and appeared on a 30 minute show titled "Florida this Week: College Edition." This semester Katy plans to intern with Fox 13 and gain experience by shadowing reporters in the field and assisting the producers with writing the day’s news stories.
Nick Dietz is a Senior at the University of South Florida, majoring in Broadcast News. He is currently performing an internship with WTVT Fox 13 where he gets the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best reporters and anchors in the country.
Lead Producer, Reporter, Photojournalist & Web Producer
Carmel Delshad is joining the Florida Focus team as a lead producer, web producer and backup reporter. She is currently a senior at the University of South Florida where she is studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism, with a concentration in magazine and telecommunications studies. She is of Palestinian and Egyptian descent and wishes to marry her love of the Middle Eastern culture with her communication background. She hopes to continue her studies in graduate school where she aims to earn dual master's degrees in Journalism and Middle Eastern affairs.
Dylan Tozier is a senior majoring in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Television Production at the University of South Florida. During the Spring 2009 semester, he was a cinematographer and editor for a half-hour documentary called “For the Love of Music” for WUSF-TV/CH 16 which aired in July 2009. Dylan Tozier is a member of the Florida Focus production crew working as a director, technical director, audio, studio camera, tape operator and graphics designer.
After graduation Dylan plans on working on films as a cinematographer or producer.
Jessica Stone is a native of Tampa, Florida. She is currently a senior at the University of South Florida and is majoring in Mass Communications with a focus in production. During the Spring 2009 semester, she worked as a segment producer of “For the Love of Music,” a 30 minute documentary about the local music scene in Tampa Bay. The program aired on WUSF-TV in June of 2009.
Jessie Luczynski is a native of Tampa, Florida. She is currently a senior at the University of South Florida and is majoring in Mass Communications with a focus on production. During the Fall 2008 semester, she worked as a segment producer and helped edit “Overexposed: Skin Cancer Revealed,” a 30‐minute documentary which aired on WUSF‐TV in January 2009. In the Spring 2008 semester, she completed an internship with the Home Shopping Network, working mostly with the Sets and Lighting department.
Lance Cashwell is a native of Tampa, Fla., and is currently a Senior at the University of South Florida. At USF, he is majoring in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Broadcast News.
Cashwell completed a news reporting internship at WFTS-TV/Ch. 28/ABC Action News in the Summer of 2008. During the Fall 2008 semester, Lance served as chief editor and graphics designer for “Overexposed: Skin Cancer Revealed,” a 30-minute documentary about the dangers of skin cancer which aired on WUSF-TV in January 2009.
Marissa Ellis volunteered at a Tampa Bay radio station and produced with an internationally syndicated radio program, the GodSquad, located in Orlando, FL. She completed a production internship with the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, FL.
Sam Higgins is a senior majoring in Telecommunications with a focus in production at the University of South Florida. He interned at Reliant International Media and WUSF-TV where he focused on editing and stage managing. In the spring of 2009, his Electronic Field Production class’s spectrum titled "For the Love of Music" aired on WUSF-TV. Higgins produced a segment on Tampa’s local music venues for the documentary. Higgins has an interest in editing and videography and aspires to work for the Discovery Channel or National Geographic.
Stace Walker is a senior at the University of South Florida majoring in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Television Production. He has completed various internships dating back to early 2005, beginning with Brighthouse Networks, PG-TV in Bartow, Florida, and Home Shopping Network. Stace has been driven by television and film production since the age of four. He quickly surrounded himself with the basics of writing short stories and filming his creations. Stace currently works as a freelance videographer and editor in Lakeland, Florida, under Bernard Focus Productions.
Technical Director, Photojournalist & Web Producer
Michelle Gutierrez is a Senior Mass Communications student at the University of South Florida with a focus in Broadcast News. As a student, she’s gained skills with the web, editing, shooting and has had the opportunity to intern at the Tampa Education Channel.
Web Producer, Technical Director & Photojournalist
Zachary Turner is a Senior at the University of South Florida majoring in Mass Communication with an emphasis in Television Programming and Production and a minor in Political Science. He previously interned for WFLA-TV's syndicated morning talk show "Daytime" in Tampa.
During the Spring 2009 semester he served as a segment producer for “Tempo of Tampa Bay,” a 30-minute documentary which aired on WUSF-TV in July 2009.
Upon graduation, Zachary plans on attending graduate school with aspirations of one day becoming a meteorologist.
Florida Focus is a 2:30 "newsbreak" reported, written and produced on deadline by School of Mass Communications’ students at the University of South Florida.
