Meet the Journalism Advancement Council

Steven Bass

Steven Bass has served as president and CEO of OPB since 2006. OPB operates a network of 15 radio stations providing news and information and five television stations that provide broadcast service to 85 percent of Oregon’s population. Under his leadership, OPB has been awarded two of the most prestigious awards for journalism, including the duPont-Columbia (2009) for the television documentary, The Silent Invasion, and the Peabody (2010) for its radio series, Hard Times.

Serving previously as founding president and CEO of Nashville Public Television, he oversaw that station’s transition from government ownership to an independent, nonprofit station. Prior to joining NPT, Bass served as vice president and manager of television stations for WGBH/Boston and spent nine years with PBS in Washington, D.C.

Scott Bedbury ’80

Scott Bedbury established himself by helping direct two of the world’s iconic brands, Nike and Starbucks, to global leadership positions when they were at key growth inflection points. Since leaving the corporate world, he established his consultancy Brandstream; has advised dozens of Fortune 500 brands and start-ups; published A New Brand World, and spoken in more than 20 countries on brand repositioning, creativity, leadership, corporate culture, consumer insights, business strategy, human resource development, and experiential marketing.

Bedbury joined Nike in 1987 as its worldwide advertising director. While there he helped reposition Nike beyond an elite, aspirational sports brand for young American male athletes to a more inclusive, inspirational sports and fitness brand for men, women, and children everywhere. As part of that repositioning, Bedbury directed Nike’s agency in the creation of the “Just Do It” campaign, one of the world’s most recognized global advertising efforts.

Scott Chambers ’82

Scott Chambers is chairman of Chambers Communications. He began his media career in 1982 with Tele-Communications, Inc. (TCI) as area manager in Olympia, Washington. He joined the Family Media holdings in 1983 shortly after the Liberty sale to TCI. Today Chambers oversees four ABC affiliate TV stations in Eugene, Medford, Bend, and Klamath Falls; the Chambers Cable system in Sunriver, Oregon; Chambers Productions; and studios at the Chambers Media Center in Eugene.

Chambers has extensive banking experience with major acquisitions, dispositions, and credit facilities on deals with the Times Mirror Company, Cooke Cablevision, and AT&T, to name a few. Bank agents in these deals include First Interstate, Union Bank of California, First National Bank of Chicago, Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York, City National Bank, and Travelers Insurance.

Tim Clevenger ’86

An alumnus of the University of Oregon with 25 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and management, Clevenger is the Associate Vice President and Executive Director of the UO Alumni Association (UOAA).
Most recently, Clevenger was vice president of marketing and brand management for Eugene-based The Papé Group, Inc. While at The Papé Group for 11 years, he led strategic planning, new business development, customer outreach, and unification of Papé brands under a central umbrella following a period of acquisition and expansion.

John Costa

John A. Costa is editor of The Bulletin of Bend, Oregon, and editor-in-chief of Western Communications, the privately held company that owns The Bulletin and seven other newspapers in Oregon and California. A Vietnam veteran, he was the deputy managing editor of The St. Petersburg Times and was the executive editor of the Idaho Statesman for four years before moving to Bend in 1997. He is a member of the American Society of Newspaper Editors and a member of the board of directors of the Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellows at the University of Michigan. He is also a former trustee of the Oregon Council for the Humanities, and was a Pulitzer Prize juror. He and his wife Denise have been married for 37 years and have three children: Anthony, 28, a post-doctoral research fellow in chemistry at Northwestern University; Timothy, 26, a Duck, and a doctoral student in mathematics at Oregon State University; and Claire, 23, a first-year law student at the University of Indiana.

Julie Dixon

Julie Strasser Dixon’s background is in marketing for sports and packaged goods companies. She was Nike, Inc.’s first advertising manager and cofounded Sports Incorporated, which eventually became Adidas America. Dixon holds a BA in English from UCLA and a MS in journalism from USC. She is a best-selling author and has written and sold screenplays. A past board member of Portland State University and Northwest Academy, Dixon currently serves on the boards of Oregon Public Broadcasting, Community of Writers, Oregon Sports Authority, and Wordstock. She is also a founding member of the Circle of Giving for the OHSU Center for Womens Health.

Ken Doctor ’79

Ken Doctor is the author of Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get. He contributes to his own Newsonomics.com website, writes a weekly column for the Nieman Journalism Lab, and works as an affiliate analyst for Outsell. As an analyst, consultant, and speaker, he works with media globally, advising on new sustainable business models of contemporary journalism.

Corey duBrowa ’88

Corey duBrowa is responsible for Global Communications and International Public Affairs for Starbucks, leading development and execution of communications strategies to enhance and protect brand/corporate image. He leads efforts to extend integrated brand marketing campaigns, support new product launches, enhance and maintain the company’s reputation, and manage executive participation in industry events.

Prior to Starbucks, duBrowa spent a decade as president of North America/new business development at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, and he served in a client-side communications capacity for Nike prior to that, leading employee communication efforts and urban marketing strategy.

He holds his BA in Journalism (advertising) from the University of Oregon and is about as rabid a Duck as you can be, having served as the president of the UO Alumni Association for two years and on its board of directors for seven. He also spent more than 13 years as a rock journalist, publishing nearly 1,000 stories in publications such as Rolling Stone, Village Voice, No Depression, Magnet, Paste, and The Oregonian.

Brian Gard

Brian Gard graduated from Willamette University and received a master’s in Literature from University of the Pacific. In 1979 he started Gard Communications, a corporate advertising, public relations, and public affairs firm. In addition to serving on the Journalism Advancement Council, he serves on the board of trustees of Willamette University.

Carlos Lamadrid ’86

As senior vice president and chief brand officer of the Woman’s Day Brand Group, Carlos Lamadrid oversees one of the best-recognized media brands and most-read magazines in America. In this capacity, Lamadrid is responsible for the advertising, business development, and editorial aspects of the 2-million-reader magazine, along with 22 issues of Woman’s Day special-interest publications and the brand’s website, which sees 2.6 million monthly visitors, mobile programs, apps, social media, TV specials, licensing, and books and vooks.

Coming from the top ranks of global media company Condé Nast, where he served as vice president and publisher of Jane, Lamadrid has honed himself as one of the leading marketing experts in the media world. Creating the “Live Well Every Day” brand identity for Woman’s Day, Lamadrid has been able to launch the magazine into the multimedia world as executive director of Woman’s Day TV show and integration into the Hot in Cleveland show on TV Land. He has also used this platform to leverage the brand into a variety of media branches from digital, mobile, and radio to events, books, online gaming, and social media.

Steve O’Leary ’69

Steve O’Leary is the chairman of O’Leary and Partners, an advertising agency in Orange County, California. In his 35-plus years in advertising, he has worked for more than 20 different chains or franchise groups including Century 21, In-n-Out Burger, and Fantastic Sams Hair Salons. His client experience also includes major brands such as Minute Maid, Miller Brewing Company (now MillerCoors), Subway, Scott Paper, Planters, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He is also a principal in Grabbing Green, a website devoted to helping small business owners with marketing and advertising issues they face in running their businesses. He is a highly regarded speaker at various industry events and client conventions and has been a guest lecturer at numerous universities. O’Leary is a proud University of Oregon Duck. He is an inductee to the Hall of Achievement for the School of Journalism and Communication and a current member of the Journalism Advancement Council.

Gayle Timmerman ’69

Gayle Timmerman’s diverse background with publications and education inspires her enthusiasm for the School of Journalism and Communication at Oregon. Prior to a career in newspapers, she taught high school English and journalism. She has worked at a community newspaper, an alternative weekly, a business publication, for the Oregon Newspaper Publisher’s Association, and at The Oregonian. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Newspaper Association of America in 2005 for her contributions to the industry. She retired from The Oregonian as classified advertising manager after 18 years with the paper.

Timmerman joined the Journalism Advancement Council in 2009 and relishes being immersed in the SOJC’s work to educate future leaders in journalism, advertising, and public relations. She graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in English literature. She is married to Ron Timmerman, also a Duck. Most of their large family of four sons and eight grown grandchildren live in Oregon, so their home is the setting for big family gatherings. Timmerman enjoys sailing and is active in the Portland Yacht Club. She also loves travel, skiing, and reading. A native of Astoria, Oregon, she serves on the board of the Friends of Astoria Column.

Nicole Vogel

Nicole Vogel is the founder, president, and publisher of SagaCity Media Inc., parent company of Seattle Met, Portland Monthly, Aspen Sojourner, Park City Magazine, Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine, Portland Bride & Groom, Seattle Met Bride & Groom, and 18 other custom and editorial publications. Seattle Met and Portland Monthly are both currently among the top 10 biggest-selling city magazines in the nation and are the number-one-selling magazines in their respective markets, over all national and regional titles. Previously, Vogel was vice president of national sales and business development for Cendant’s (now Realogy’s) online real estate company (move.com). Prior to that, from 1994 to 1999, she served in various capacities at Time Warner, specifically Turner Broadcasting System. She held the roles of vice president, Corporate Strategic Planning, for the $1.9 billion cable ad sales organization, and of vice president, Interactive Business Development, helping to create Turner/Time Warner’s interactive strategies, from development of sites to strategic acquisitions. Vogel sits on the boards of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon and Southwest Washington, Seattle Symphony, and Virginia Mason’s Board of Governors.

Dana Wade ’83

Dana Wade is a member of Spencer Stuart’s global Digital & Direct Marketing, Consumer Goods & Services, and Marketing Officer practices. Professionally, Wade has conducted search assignments for presidents/chief executive officers/general managers, digital/online/e-commerce leaders, chief marketing officers, and board directors. She specializes in chief marketing officer, general management, digital, and senior-level communications leadership searches across the consumer packaged goods, professional services, retail, and consumer durables industries.

Tracy Wong ’81

As one of the most honored creatives in the industry, Wong is considered by many to be an advertising legend. Winner of more than 300 national and international creative awards with work that spans three decades, his groundbreaking TV campaign for Chevys restaurants was inducted into the CLIO Hall of Fame in 2006. Adweek named him to its Creative 2000 list, which cited advertising’s “creative leaders of tomorrow.”

This year, the American Advertising Federation honored Wong and agency cofounder Pat Doody with the AAF Silver Medal for lifetime achievement.Among other honors, Wong has been named finalist for Ernst & Young’s 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year award and Marketer of the Year for the American Marketing Association/NW. Wong is a multiple Gold winner of the American Marketing Association’s Effies Awards, which rewards both sales results and creativity.

His experience prior to WongDoody includes formative stints at iconic Ogilvy/New York and creative powerhouse Goodby, Silverstein & Partners/San Francisco, where he established himself as one of the top art directors in the world.