• Support Access Tucson
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Board of Directors
• Staff
• Public Documents
• Holidays

Access Tucson Staff

The staff of Access Tucson is a diverse group of media professionals. Each one brings unique talents and perspective to better serve the mission of community access television.

Sam Behrend - 520.624.9833 x103

Sam Behrend has been a recognized leader in the community media field for over 25 years. He has served on cable television and telecommunications advisory boards in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Tucson, Arizona. He was a founding staff member of Access Tucson in 1984 and has served as its Executive Director since 1987. He is a consultant with The Buske Group providing assistance to Cities and PEG groups nationally. Mr. Behrend has been a faculty member of the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Arizona and Pima Community College. He has served in a variety of leadership positions with the Alliance for Community Media and the Alliance for Communications Democracy.

La Monte Ward - 520.624.9833 x107

La Monte Ward was one of four founding staff members of Access Tucson in 1984. Prior to his Access Tucson career, La Monte was employed by the City of Tucson's Office of Cable Administration where he assisted with installation oversight and compliance monitoring issues relating to construction of the City of Tucson's cable television system. He was a long time member of the Alliance for Community Media National Board of Directors and for many of those member years served as chair of that Board's Equal Opportunity Committee.

Carol Romano - 520.624.9833 x104

Carol came to Access Tucson from Cox Communications in 1986. She has served as Administrative Assistant and has been Director of Administration since 1998, responsible for accounting and business management. Carol received her A.A. in accounting from Pima Community College in 2004.

Vikki Dempsey - 520.624.9833 x126

Jim Thomas - 520.624.9833 x120

Since high school, Jim Thomas has worked in television production at both local network and independent broadcast stations. In 1973 while working as a Media Producer at the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Education in the Department of Educational Communications and Technology, Jim got involved with public access. Jim has worked at Access Tucson since its inception 20 years ago. He is currently the Production Manager. His duties include supervising facility utilization and producing/directing in-house studio, field and remote productions. He also teaches and assists in the design of production classes. In addition to his work at Access Tucson, Jim freelances for Tucson 12, city information channel, as the director and camera person for live City Council meetings. He has served as the pool feed director for President Clinton's visit to Tucson as well as a camera and video tape operator for a PBS Antiques Road Show taping in Tucson. Jim also serves as a board member for the Alliance for Community Media Western States Region.

Lisa Horner - 520.624.9833 x109

Lisa Horner is the Training Director for Access Tucson and a member of the Western States Alliance for Community Media regional board. She has worked extensively with youth in many programs including projects in Ecuador and Brazil as well as long term projects at Access Tucson. Her passion is in assisting individuals to tell their own stories in their own words. She enjoys breathing underwater and hates clowns.

Daniela Ontiveros - 520.624.9833 x111

Jeff Edson - 520.624.9833 x110

Larry Foster - 520.624.9833 x212

Larry Foster is a filmmaker who graduated from UCLA film school. Larry worked in Hollywood for eight years (including Paramount Studios and the television series, TAXI). Then he spent another eight years teaching film and video production at the University of Arizona's Department of Media Arts. Larry has also directed the newscasts at KUAT, KOLD and KGUN. Larry recently finished a feature length all-digital film. He uses all of these experiences to teach Studio Production and Final Cut Pro at Access Tucson.

Tim O'Grady - 520.624.9833 x114

Tim O'Grady has been teaching at Access Tucson for the past seven years. He has recently completed a documentary film that was shown in Tucson and New York city to rave reviews. As a freelance videographer he has worked with national, international and local clients, and specializes in shooting, editing and motion graphics. Tim has also worked as a videographer and editor for KUAT-TV, the University of Arizona Athletics Department, Tucson 12, the city information channel, & KOLD Channel 13.

Vicki Evans - 520.624.9833 x113

Vicki Evans has been a member at Access Tucson for 10 years and an employee for three. She is a production assistant and volunteer coordinator. Vicki has a degree in journalism and started as a television reporter for the NBC affiliate in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She originally came to Tucson to be reporter for Channel 4, and took the Field Production Class at Access Tucson with a friend. She went on to produce a 1/2 hour program about rock climbing on Mount Lemmon. The program later won an Oasis Award for best sports program. Vicki also volunteered for the Tucson Vision series and some of the early remotes. "I can not even begin to estimate the value of the training and help I've received from Access Tucson," states Vicki. Born in Montana, Vicki has lived all over the USA and Japan, Israel and New Zealand.

Eric Peery - 520.624.9833 x201

Rob Shoults - 520.624.9833 x205

Rob Shoults has been a member of Access Tucson since 1988, and an employee since 1991. He studied media arts at Pima Community College. Rob has participated in over 20 award winning projects including: director of the award winning senior citizen slice of life show, Young at Heart; two time finalist in the Hometown National Video Festival; winner of three Oasis awards; and winner of the Alliance for Community Media Community Impact Award. He has served as the technical director and media consultant for the non-profit organization World Care, as well as, the production manager and board member of Reel Kids Productions.

Kevin Sloan - 520.624.9833 x210

Dawn Petry - 520.624.9833 x232

Dawn Petry has been a member of Access Tucson since June of 1989, volunteering on shows such as La Familia Moreno, Wisdom for Women, the Pastor's Study, Code Six Four and International Memorandum. She has worked at Access Tucson since December 1999, and enjoys drawing and spending time with her cats.

Ivy Roberts - 520.624.9833 x202

Ivy Roberts has been a member of Access Tucson since 1999. During 1999 she helped film and star in a program called, The Blowing Smoke Project, which won several awards. Blowing Smoke is a smoking prevention program used in schools throughout Arizona. Ivy graduated from ArtWorks Academy where she studied many art mediums including tile making and furniture rebuilding. She has worked at Access Tucson since August of 2007. She enjoys Hip-Hop music, her kitties, graffiti art and fashion.