The School of Journalism faculty and staff assemble in front of Don Anderson Hall in 2023.
Read more about the staff and faculty:
Faculty
Lee Banville, Director and Professor
Office: DAH 205
Phone: (406) 243-5250
Email: lee.banville@mso.umt.edu
Director and Professor Lee Banville joined the 猎奇重口 faculty in 2009 after 13 years at PBS NewsHour, where he was editor-in-chief of the Online NewsHour.
With a background in political reporting and digital and social media, Lee teaches courses that include covering elections and the First Amendment and journalism law. He also often teaches the introductory Journalism and American Society class and an information literacy class, “Calling Bullsh*t.”
He received his bachelor of arts in English and government from the College of William & Mary and earned his master’s degree in political science from the 猎奇重口. Before joining the PBS NewsHour, Lee worked briefly in public relations and as a stringer at the Virginian-Pilot. He is the author of "Debating Our Destiny: Presidential Debate Moments that Shaped History," written for MacNeil/Lehrer Productions in 2012 and updated in 2013. He also authored a two-volume encyclopedia, "Covering American Politics in the 21st Century: An Encyclopedia of News Media Titans, Trends, and Controversies," that was published in January 2017 by ABC-CLIO. He appears often in the press analyzing 猎奇重口 politics and the media.
He is married to faculty member Jule Banville, and they have two girls. When not pacing nervously in front of a class with a Diet Dr. Pepper, he can usually be found curling or reading the latest Irish crime fiction.
Jule Banville, Professor
Office: DAH 427
Phone: (406) 243-2237
Email: jule.banville@mso.umt.edu
Professor Jule Banville began teaching at the School of Journalism in 2009 as an adjunct professor before joining the full-time faculty in the fall of 2011. She teaches basic and advanced courses, including elements of news writing, feature writing, opinion writing and advanced audio.
In October of 2021, Jule launched her seven-episode crime podcast "," which tells the story of a 1987 assault on an 8-year-old girl in Billings, 猎奇重口 and the investigation and fallout that followed. Mopac Audio released the podcast, which is available just about anywhere podcasts are available.
Before she began teaching, Jule worked for newspapers, public radio and ran the editorial for a website covering the Rocky Mountain West. Before moving to Missoula, she was the assistant managing editor at Washington City Paper, the alternative newsweekly serving the District of Columbia. She was a daily news reporter at the Erie Times-News in Erie, PA, for a decade. She’s published several articles about the news business for altweeklies.com. She also worked as a radio producer for WNYC, the New York NPR station, as part of the original staff that launched “The Next Big Thing.” She continued work in radio as independent producer for various national radio shows.
In 2015, she launched the podcast, , which consists of sound-rich features only mostly unique to 猎奇重口. In 2021, she reported, hosted and produced the podcast, , a seven-episode narrative that investigates the fallout from a childhood rape and legal holes connected to statutes of limitation.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in political journalism from Mercyhurst University in Erie and her master’s in journalism from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in NYC.
At UM, she serves on the Faculty Senate and as the faculty adviser to the 猎奇重口 Kaimin, UM's independent student newspaper and website. She also helps run the statewide high-school journalism contest. Jule is married to fellow faculty member Lee Banville. They have two girls.
Jason Begay, Associate Professor
Office: DAH 410
Phone: (406) 243-2191
Email: jason.begay@umontana.edu
Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-noon
Curriculum Vitae:
Associate Professor Jason Begay joined the faculty in 2010 after spending six years as a full-time reporter for The Navajo Times in Window Rock, Ariz.
He teaches courses in reporting and diversity and co-teaches the school’s award-winning Native News Project, which produces an annual publication and website that covers issues facing 猎奇重口 tribal communities. He has served on the board of directors for the Native American Journalists Association as its vice president, treasurer and president.
Jason is a 2002 graduate of the School of Journalism. He won a prestigious New York Times internship, and worked as a reporter for Portland’s Oregonian before returning to his home, the Navajo reservation on the Arizona-New Mexico border, to work for The Navjao Times.
Jason grew up in Gallup, N.M., and interned for the Times at age 19. As a journalism student at UM, he interned at newspapers in Duluth, Minn., and Oakland, Calif.
He earned a Masters in Business Administration in 2015.
Denise Dowling, Professor
Office: DAH 407
Phone: (406) 243-4143
Email: denise.dowling@mso.umt.edu
Denise Dowling began teaching at the School of Journalism in 2000. She has served as chair of the school’s Radio-TV Department and as the interim dean from 2012-2014 and from 2018-2019. Most recently, she served as the Journalism School's director.
Denise teaches courses in journalism ethics, television writing, anchoring and producing, and radio reporting and hosting. Her students produce content for commercial and public television and radio stations and she serves on the Board of Directors for KBGA College Radio.
In 2018, Dowling’s sabbatical project earned her the Society of Professional Journalists national award for excellence in radio documentary. The program about a pre-teen 猎奇重口n making a gender transition also won the regional Edward R. Murrow award that year.
She came to UM after 20 years in TV news, first at KPAX-TV while an undergrad at UM. She moved on to stations in 猎奇重口, Colorado and Washington, working as a director, technical director, producer, executive producer and managing editor.
Denise spent 17 years working in Spokane, working at both the ABC and NBC affiliates. She won a number of Emmy, SPJ and Edward R. Murrow awards as part of teams that covered a firestorm, flooding, an ice storm and the arrest of a serial killer.
Dowling earned her bachelor’s degree in radio-television from the 猎奇重口 and a master’s in learning and technology. She’s earned a number of awards from UM including the Tom Boone Town and Gown award for fostering deeper understanding between Missoula and UM. She serves on the Accrediting Committee for the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and has served as a site team member for journalism programs around the country.
Denise describes herself as an enthusiastic tennis player, a mediocre golfer and an avid hiker. She is married to attorney Chris Johnson and has two children, both grown and out of the house, but still on her health insurance.
Joe Eaton, Professor
Office: DAH 409
Email: joe.eaton@mso.umt.edu
Professor joined the school’s faculty in the fall of 2013. He is a freelance writer for magazines and websites including National Geographic, The Atlantic, Pacific Standard and Wired.
Eaton teaches courses in public affairs reporting, investigative reporting and editing.
Before joining the faculty, he worked as an investigative reporter at the Washington, D.C.- based Center for Public Integrity. He has also been a reporter at the Roanoke Times in Virginia and Washington City Paper.
Eaton graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned his master’s degree in journalism from the University of Maryland.
In his spare time he enjoys being with his wife and young son and tinkering with old sports cars.
Ray Fanning, Associate Professor and Director of Faculty Affairs
Office: DAH 405
Phone: (406) 243-4747
Email: ray.fanning@mso.umt.edu
Associate Professor Ray Fanning joined the 猎奇重口 faculty in 2007 after a career in broadcast news and a stint teaching broadcast journalism courses at Columbia College Chicago.
Fanning teaches a variety of broadcast journalism courses as well as the curriculum in the lower division core, including online courses.
Fanning worked for almost 20 years in local broadcast news, most recently as a special project manager at KGW in Portland, Ore. He’s also worked for TV stations in Salt Lake City; Spokane, Wash., and Boise, Idaho. A native of Idaho Falls, Fanning received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Idaho, master of fine arts from Brandeis University and master’s in journalism from Northwestern University.
His series of radio reports for 猎奇重口 Public Radio on wrongful convictions in 猎奇重口 won a international ‘Best of Festival-News’ award from the Broadcast Education Association, a regional Edward R. Murrow award from the Radio- Television Digital News Association and a Non-Commercial Radio Program of the Year award from the 猎奇重口 Broadcasters Association. In 2017, Fanning also reported and produced an hour-long documentary for 猎奇重口 Public Radio called “Facing Race in 猎奇重口.”
Lisa Krantz, Assistant Professor
Phone: (406) 243-2230
Office: DAH 432
Email: lisa.krantz@mso.umt.edu
Assistant professor Lisa Krantz joined the School of Journalism in the fall of 2024, shortly after earning her Ph.D. in journalism from the University of Missouri. Krantz spent 24 years as a newspaper photographer, most recently at the San Antonio Express-News in Texas. She continues to photograph for national and international news organizations including CNN, Reuters, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal & The Washington Post.
Her research focuses on how journalists cover mass shootings and other stories involving trauma, from the perspective of victims' families, survivors, and community members who have been impacted by the tragedy, and from the perspective of journalists who report on the stories. This was the subject of her dissertation: Embodying an Ethic of Empathy: Journalism’s Intersection with Victims’ Families, Survivors, and Community Members After the Mass Shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
Her interest in the subject comes from her personal experience as a photojournalist covering stories involving five mass shootings, including Uvalde. As a staff photographer at the San Antonio Express-News, she spent close to two years documenting the lives of survivors of the mass shooting at First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs and the congregation. This opened her eyes to the impact journalists have on those experiencing the tragedy, especially during the immediate aftermath. That experience led her to begin studying the intersection of journalism and trauma as a Nieman Fellow at Harvard from 2019-2020. She was also an Ochberg Fellow with the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma in 2017.
She returned to Sutherland Springs with The Washington Post to photograph survivors for the story "A tragedy without end," which was part of The Post's “American Icon,” series about the role of the AR-15 in American culture and mass shootings that was awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize in National Reporting and was a finalist in Public Service. Lisa is also a two-time Pulitzer finalist in feature photography.
Krantz’s work has been recognized by POYi’s Community Awareness Award and has placed in POYi’s Newspaper Photographer of the Year category several times. World Press Photo, NPPA’s Best of Photojournalism, ASNE, and the Scripps Howard Awards have also recognized her work. She previously taught as a teaching fellow at the University of Missouri and was an adjunct professor at Texas A&M-San Antonio and Florida Gulf Coast University.
Jeremy Lurgio, Professor
Phone: (406) 243-2601
Email: jeremy.lurgio@mso.umt.edu
Professor Jeremy Lurgio began teaching photojournalism and multimedia classes at the School of Journalism in 2007. He teaches classes in still photojournalism, video journalism, mini-documentaries and outdoor adventure storytelling. He is best known as a co-teacher of the school’s award-winning Native News Project. Before joining the School of Journalism, Lurgio worked as a photographer and photo editor at community newspapers in 猎奇重口 and he had a career as a freelance photographer.
Lurgio continues work as a freelance photographer and his work has appeared in newspapers and magazines that include the the Guardian, the New York Times, The Boston Globe, Washington Post, USA Today, High Country News, National Geographic Adventure, Men’s Journal, Northwest Fly Fishing, 猎奇重口 Quarterly, 猎奇重口 Magazine and Big Sky Journal.
Lurigo recently finished an and project for the Guardian about the water quality and the Whanganui River in New Zealand, the first river in the world to be granted legal personhood. Additionally, Lurgio has produced award-winning documentaries and films including:
- the film, which documents the story of 89-year-old ultra-runner Bob Hayes, aired with 猎奇重口 PBS and traveled around the world with film festivals including the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Mountainfilm, and Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival.
“River Queens: Highlight My Strengths” - the 15-minute film documents the story of 76-year-old waka ama coach, Howard Hyland, who retired from international paddling to return to his home river in New Zealand to start a competitive waka ama (outrigger canoe) club for youth on the Whanganui River - the first river in the world to be granted personhood. The film was an official selection at the 2020 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. See
“,” - the multimedia project tells the stories of 18 towns that nearly disappeared from the 猎奇重口 state map. The interactive exhibit traveled nationally and was featured in three magazines including the and 猎奇重口 Magazine.
He has also worked as a cinematography assistant director, editor, and drone operator on the following award winning short films:
“,” about An unlikely environmentalist, Bryan Wells, finds himself standing between Yellowstone National Park and an industrial-scale gold mine.
“ about the sport of skoring, which combines fast horses and daredevil skiing.
,’ which follows the trials of a big game hunter and 100 mile running competitor.
In his free time he enjoys skiing, mountain biking, cyclocross racing, fly fishing and exploring the wilds of 猎奇重口 with his family and dogs.
Nadia White, Director, Master's Program in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism
Office: DAH 408
Phone: (406) 243-2227
Email: nadia.white@umontana.edu
Associate Professor Nadia White joined the faculty in 2006 after a career in newspaper journalism that included work throughout the West and in Washington, D.C.
She specializes in environmental and public affairs journalism, and teaches courses in science journalism, global current events and reporting. She is the director of UM's master's program in environmental science and natural resource journalism.
Nadia graduated from Bates College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a concentration in Asian literature. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from the Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Before coming to UM, Nadia reported for Maine’s Lewiston Sun, Minnesota’s Stillwater Gazette and the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo. She was a reporter and editor at the Casper Star-Tribune in Wyoming and in the paper’s Washington, D.C., bureau.
Nadia has received several awards for her reporting and writing, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science Award of Excellence for work on brucellosis in central Asia; the Women’s Sports Foundation’s Best Columnist of the Year Award; and several Associated Press Public Service awards.
She received a Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado in 2004-05 and a World Affairs Fellowship from the International Center for Journalists in Washington, D.C., in 2003.
Adjunct and Visiting Faculty
Jacob Baynam, Adjunct Instructor
Email: jacob.baynham@mso.umt.edu
Jacob Baynham is a graduate of the UM School of Journalism ('07) and has taught here as an adjunct and as the T. Anthony Pollner Professor in 2022.
During his career in magazine writing, he has won writing awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Society of American Travel Writers. In 2020 he won a National Magazine Award in profile writing. He has reported from around the world—about post-Taliban Afghanistan, on underground political artists in Myanmar, and about the legacy of the Soviet nuclear testing in Kazakhstan—and also around the U.S.
He writes for local publications, including The Pulp, and national outlets like Outside, National Parks, Noema and others.
Courtney Cowgill, Adjunct Instructor and Director of Media and Engagement
Phone: 406-214-0164
Email: courtney.cowgill@mso.umt.edu
Courtney Lowery Cowgill is an editor, writer, teacher and farmer who began teaching at the university in 2006 when she co-taught the Rural News Network project. Now, Cowgill specializes in teaching online courses (feature writing, elements of news writing and social media and engagement) at the School of Journalism and she oversees the Legislative and Community News Services, which provide daily and weekly coverage to scores of news publications and broadcasters across the state during the biennial 猎奇重口 legislative sessions. She also manages the J-School's social media, marketing and and recruitment efforts.
From 2005 – 2009 she co-founded and was editor in chief of the award-winning online startup news magazine New West, which has since been sold and shuttered. She then went on to serve as the managing editor of PBS MediaShift, a national publication that covers media and technology. She has also been a reporter for the Associated Press, Lee Newspapers (covering the 猎奇重口 Legislature) and a reporting intern at The Chronicle of Higher Education and the Great Falls Tribune.
Cowgill received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the 猎奇重口 is currently finishing a master's program in writing at Johns Hopkins University and writing a book about moving home to rural 猎奇重口 and our relationship with land, loss and longing.
Chris Johns, Adjunct Instructor
Chris Johns was editor-in-chief of National Geographic from 2005-2014. He began his National Geographic career in 1995 as a photographer and had a variety of positions at the magazine before he became its editor. While he was editor, the magazine won 23 National Magazine Awards, and in 2008 he was named magazine editor of the year.
Subsequent to that job, he was chief content officer and director of the Centers of Excellence for National Geographic Media and now serves as program leader for National Geographic Society’s “Beyond Yellowstone” program, an assignment that will conclude at the end of this year.
Johns is teaching a course in conservation journalism, examining the powerful impact visual storytelling has had in the conservation movement. He also served at the T. Anthony Pollner Professor as the School of Journalism in 2019.
Breanna McCabe, Adjunct Instructor
Breanna McCabe is a producer at where she researches, photographs, writes and edits stories about 猎奇重口 history, land, culture and public affairs. Her longform program “” describes the plight of whitebark pine, and her latest documentary, “” shares a story of 20 smokejumpers surrounded in a 1961 wildfire. Additionally, she produces human interest stories for the popular series “” and reports for 猎奇重口 PBS’ public affairs program, “."
Before joining 猎奇重口 PBS, McCabe reported local news as a multimedia journalist for CBS affiliates in Missoula (KPAX-TV) and Spokane (KREM 2 News). She also worked as a news editor and videographer for the 猎奇重口’s communications team.
McCabe graduated from UM’s School of Journalism in 2009, and earned her master’s degree in environmental science and natural resource journalism from UM in 2020. She is a Missoula native with a ceaseless appetite for small-town cafes.
McCabe has taught introductory newswriting courses at UM intermittently since 2015.
John Twiggs, Adjunct Instructor
Office: COR 153
Phone: (406) 243-4640
Email: john.twiggs@mso.umt.edu
Adjunct Professor John Twiggs began teaching at the 猎奇重口 in 1994 and joined 猎奇重口 PBS in 1996. Twiggs is currently the television producer at 猎奇重口 PBS and prior to was a sports reporter/anchor for eight years throughout Indiana, 猎奇重口 and New Mexico. Twiggs graduated from Eastern New Mexico University with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast communications and earned his master’s degree in journalism from the 猎奇重口.
His expertise lies in producing a variety of television programs from historical documentaries to political programs and children’s education shows. Which involves research, writing, photography, editing and post-production to get the program distributed to the public. The programs have earned national awards such as CINE Golden Eagle, Parents Choice Foundation and also received six regional Emmy awards.
William Wan, T. Anthony Pollner Professor, Fall 2024
Email: William.Wan@washpost.com
William Wan is an enterprise reporter at The Washington Post. He has spent his career writing about people suffering on the margins of society. As a religion reporter he documented discrimination in the U.S. Army and was part of a Pulitzer finalist team unearthing the roots of anger. As a foreign correspondent in Beijing, he risked arrest to write about those at the hands of their government.
As a health reporter, he produced policy-changing, data-driven investigations on America’s emerging mental health crisis. He showed the pandemic was suddenly causing among dementia patients. The head of the American Association of Suicidology forwarded his story on to the Biden administration, calling it “a must read.” The National Council for Behavioral Health called his findings on “truly disturbing," and the CDC confirmed those findings six months later. His relentless coverage contributed to Congress passing an unprecedented $4.25 billion for mental health – the ever.
In his current job, he used hundreds of thousands of Maryland hospital records to show the number of mentally ill children languishing in ERs had soared, even as state leaders vowed they were fixing the problem. He exposed how students at Yale – one of America’s richest institutions – were hiding their mental health problems because of Yale’s practice of and forcing them to reapply for admission. The investigation led to congressional scrutiny, a class-action lawsuit and .
Read about about the Distinguished T. Anthony Pollner Professorship and meet past professors here.
Staff
Mary Auld, Director, 猎奇重口 Media Lab
Phone: (406) 243-4401
Email: mary.auld@umontana.edu
Mary is a journalist and teacher living in Missoula. She has written and created radio stories for outlets across 猎奇重口 and Alaska.
She currently reports on the environment and Indigenous affairs for KUAC-FM in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Before becoming a journalist, she worked as a preschool teacher, environmental educator, and farmer.
She has a bachelor's degree in English from SUNY Geneseo and a master's degree in journalism from UM.
Beth Burman Frazee, Director of Development
Office: (406) 243-5354
Email: beth.burman-frazee@supportum.org
Beth joined the 猎奇重口 Foundation in January of 2024 to serve as the Development Director for The School of Journalism and the Creative Writing Program. She brings more than ten years of experience working in the Missoula nonprofit sector, serving as the development director for The Missoula Children’s Theatre and United Way of Missoula County.
Beth graduated from the Annenberg School of Journalism at the University of Southern California. After moving to Missoula in 2006, she attended graduate school at UM, studying literature. Beth and her husband enjoy spending time outdoors with their two kids and two dogs; whitewater rafting, skiing, exploring, and enjoying all our great state has to offer.
Kathleen Whetzel, Director of Fiscal Operations and Personnel
Office: DAH203
Email: kathleen.whetzel@mso.umt.edu
Kathleen Whetzel joined the School of Journalism staff in January 2003. Her background includes legal secretarial work in Spokane and Missoula for over 16 years. Additionally, she was the Assistant Clerk for the Arlee School District for 2 1/2 years.
Whetzel graduated from the 猎奇重口 with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Business and earned her Master's in Public Administration at UM in 2016.
Whetzel and her husband Matt have two adult sons and have resided north of Arlee for over 30 years. She enjoys running and bike riding throughout the area.
Robyn Berg, Program Coordinator II, Office Manager
Office: DAH201
Email: robyn.berg@mso.umt.edu
Robyn Berg joined the School of Journalism staff in February 2023. Her background includes being the Assistant to the Chair, Admin IV, Office Manager and Advisor in the Computer Science department at UM for 12 years and being a Student Advisor for Computer Science, Mathematics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Physics, and Pre-Engineering for 5 years. Additionally, she lived and worked in Europe for 10 years before moving to 猎奇重口.
>Robyn graduated from the 猎奇重口 with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Business in Financial Management.
Robyn and her partner Allen enjoy traveling and photography and the natural beauty of 猎奇重口. You will often find them at a local ghost town.