Kate Wheeler, News Director and Anchor
kate.wheeler@corusent.com
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Kate Wheeler is an international award winning television reporter and news anchor now based at Studio 12 News in beautiful downtown Oshawa, where she is News Director and Anchor.
One of Canada's most respected television journalists, Wheeler began her career at CFTO in Toronto, as a reporter where she would become an anchor the following year. In 1992 Wheeler was promoted to co-anchor of CFTO's News at 6. She then went National serving as daytime news anchor for CTV News Channel from 2001 to 2008 where she sustained up to 8 hours live breaking news coverage.
Wheeler has been a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 2005. She is married with two teenage daughters.
Heather St. Amand, Assignment Editor and Reporter
heather.stamand@corusent.com
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Heather is a graduate of both Loyalist and Algonquin College where she studied Broadcast Journalism as well as Television Production. Heather’s first job after graduation was working for AM 1220 in Cornwall, Ontario. But never forgetting her passion for the camera, she decided to take a leap of faith and moved all the way to Lloydminster, Alberta. There she spent a few months behind the scenes before moving her way up to the late night news and weather anchor. Wanting to get a little bit closer to home she made her way to Thunder Bay, Ontario where she wore many hats during her three year north adventure. Heather is now happy to call CHANNEL 12 her home and is looking forward to the 4 hour drive to Ottawa to see her family instead of the 16 hour drive it took from Thunder Bay.
In her spare time, she loves to hang out with friends and spend summer holidays at her cottage. And if you ever have the chance to sit down and talk with Heather there is no doubt she will mention her adorable nieces Paige and Abby.
Rita Nave, Reporter
rita.nave@corusent.com
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Rita Nave wears many hats at CHANNEL 12. She is a reporter for Studio 12 news, she hosts Discover Durham, our community events bulletin board and she can be found on weekends covering events in the community. Prior to joining Studio 12 news, Rita spent three years co-producing and hosting Lifestyles with Rita Nave, a daily evening show focusing on entertainment and lifestyle news. Rita has also been host for the Weekend Report and Durham Today.
She also spent 3 years as the community events reporter for KX 96 FM. While working in radio she juggled television duties. In 2001 she co-created, co-produced, wrote and hosted Zoom, a weekly youth magazine show on Channel 12. Rita also worked on First Take with Dan Carter, reporting, producing and writing weekly entertainment segments for the show. She also worked for CFMT in the sports department reporting on soccer stories and was the host of Daytime in Durham Region for 3 years.
Rita is a graduate of Seneca College's Broadcast Journalism Program.
Chuck Magee, News Production
chuck.magee@corusent.com
905-434-2421
Chuck Magee has extensive experience as a television director and producer, with an emphasis on live sports, entertainment programming and field production.
He has provided technical support to dozens of productions including The Colbert Report, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.
Chuck began his career with the National Film Board of Canada in 1987 and has since worked with premiere international talent in a multitude of capacities in film and television production.
A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Chuck is a graduate of the Confederation College Film Production Program
Donal Beattie, Videographer
donal.beattie@corusent.com
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Donal Beattie is a graduate of the Broadcast Journalism program at Loyalist College. Since then, he has been a part of the broadcast media network in Durham Region for more than a dozen years.
Donal first started out at Channel 12 as a sports and news videographer for Newswatch Durham. After 4 years at Channel 12, Donal moved to Rogers Television as a videographer and sports producer. Donal has been committed to reporting in Durham Region, his home community and we are very happy to have his experience and expertise as a videographer for Studio 12 News.
Donal has lived in Durham Region nearly his entire life, is married with a young family and looks forward to the day he can throw it all away in return for a fling with Anne Hathaway.
Dan Carter, Television Host and Executive Producer
dan.carter@corusent.com
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Host and Executive Producer, Dan Carter brings over 20 years of broadcast experience to CHANNEL 12. He has been producing programming for Corus Entertainment for 10 years and is best known for First Take Live, a live talk program that aired successfully for 10 seasons. Dan is extremely well respected and trusted in the community. His team’s new show, Studio 12 News, is fast becoming Durham Region’s “go to” for the news that matters.
September 2010 was a milestone for Dan, as he opened the Carter Centre for Media and Cultural Studies in downtown Oshawa. Here you will find state of the art office space that houses the CHANNEL 12 broadcast studio. A completely glassed studio allows passers by to peak into this hub of activity.
Dan is also a well respected community leader who founded The Hope Centre of Learning, the Day of Hope and Leadership Professional Development Day and the Isobel Carter Youth Fund. He is the current Chair of the Board for the Ontario Shores Foundation.
Maddie-Jo Tilley, Sports Reporter
maddie-jo.tilley@corusent.com
905-434-2421
When Maddie-Jo Tilley was born her loving parents Joe and Penny-Claire couldn’t come up with a name until she was 10 days old. During that period she was referred to as “Baby Girl Tilley”.
Before her first birthday, the Tilley’s made the move east to Oshawa, where Maddie-Jo enjoyed her childhood. She attended elementary at school Dr. SJ Phillips. She went to O’Neill Collegiate for her high school years, during which time she competed with the Oshawa Hawks Cheerleading club.
Maddie-Jo would often spend many nights going into work with her father. She would admire, and watch him write his script and anchor his CTV sports cast. Maddie-Jo always had dreams of being on television herself. She graduated with Honours in Humber College’s three year Journalism program. Maddie-Jo has worked at Woodbine Racetrack in Customer Service, and Television for the past four years, has reported on “The Full Quarter” horse racing show on CTV, and for live Rogers sporting events.
In her off time, she’s a social butterfly spending time at her art-studio, attending charity and sporting events, and visiting with friends.
Alex Simpson, News Intern
alex.simpson@corusent.com
905-434-2421
Alex Simpson arrived at Studio 12 News in July 2011 as an intern. On day one it was trial by fire and he was on the air with his first story. Since then Alex has carved out a niche covering local entertainment news including concerts by Elton John, Alice Cooper and Selena Gomez. He also shoots, edits, writes and researches for the news department which values his passion for learning the business.
Alex is best known for appearing in various music videos, television programs, acting in and producing stage shows and interviewing recognizable industry names. In his spare time, he is usually in a studio writing and recording music, attending local events and giving back to his community.