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South Florida News Service
SOUTH FLORIDA NEWS SERVICE (SPRING ’10)
News Director -
Award-winning Brazilian journalist Chris Delboni has been a foreign correspondent in the United States since 1993. She started her career as a magazine writer before becoming the Washington correspondent for Bandeirantes Radio Network. She was later hired by CBN Radio, a division of Globo Network giant, where she worked most of her tenure in Washington, D.C., both as a general assignment reporter and as a financial correspondent for Globo News TV, Globo Network’s 24-hour news channel.
Delboni graduated in print journalism from American University’s School of Communication in 1992 and received a master’s in online journalism from the same institution in 2003. She produced, reported and edited stories daily for a variety of Brazilian mainstream media outlets - from newswire services and magazines to online news sites, radio and television before moving to South Florida, where she began teaching journalism and new media reporting in 2007 at the University of Miami School of Communication and worked with the Knight Center for International Media. In September 2009, she became the first news director for the South Florida News Service at Florida International University, serving The Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel and Palm Beach Post.
Jenine Abdeljaber is a senior at Florida International University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, majoring in journalism with a minor in business. She has interned with Cox Radio and WSVN-Channel 7. Besides working for the South Florida News Service, she is also a reporter for Liberty Link, an online newspaper that covers Liberty City, Fla. Abdeljaber speaks English, Arabic and intermediate Spanish. Being born in New Jersey, raised in South Florida and of Palestinian descent, Abdeljaber has a deep appreciation for South Florida's multiculturalism. After obtaining her bachelor's, she may pursue a law degree to help further achieve her goals of becoming a chief correspondent on the Middle East as a broadcast journalist.
Ana C. Alvarez is a broadcast journalism student from Florida International University. She will be graduating April 2010 and plans to continue working in the media thereafter. As a reporter, Alvarez has interviewed a series of public figures, such as Gov. Charlie Crist, Pamela Anderson, political candidate Joe Garcia, “Heatherette” designer, Richie Rich, Scotty Pippin, notable philanthropists and celebrities throughout South Florida. She is actively involved in the South Florida community and supports several charitable causes, such as the “Make-A-Wish Foundation” and “Baypoint Schools.”
Roberto Bolona, 22, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and lived in Guayaquil, Ecuador, for seven years, having a chance to experience two completely different cultures bonded only by language. Bolona is currently studying journalism at Florida International University. He is a passionate storyteller and newsreader. His goal as a journalist is to speak on behalf of those who are not heard. Bolona plans to broaden his education with a master’s degree in finance.
Gustavo Bolanos is a senior student of journalism at Florida International University with a minor in English. When he was 4, his family fled Cuba and brought him to the United States. Growing up as a double minority - a Hispanic gay man - Bolanos developed a sensitivity toward giving a voice to the voiceless through his writing. He currently works as a writer for SAVE Dade, a local gay-rights non-profit organization, and hopes to continue covering issues having to do with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Latoya Burgess, 24, was born and raised in Miami. She is currently working on a bachelor’s degree in journalism at FIU. She has always been interested in writing. She worked for her high school paper, Booker T. Washington’s, The Washingtonians, and two months after graduating high school, she started writing for various local publications, such as Rolling-Out Newspaper, O-zone magazine and a Christian newspaper, the Gospel Truth. Burgess received an associates’ degree in mass communication in 2007 from Miami-Dade College. At FIU since spring 2008, Burgess soon became a staff writer for the Beacon, the school’s newspaper, and is currently a beat reporter for the Student Government Council. She has also recently become an intern at The Miami Herald newspaper and works for the South Florida News Service. Her ultimate goal is to start her own entertainment magazine in South Florida for women between the ages of 17-30.
Joanna Chau is a broadcast journalism major at Florida International University. She has produced several video news projects and published print news stories for The Beacon and The Homeless Voice. In the summer of 2009, she was chosen by the Academy of Arts and Sciences Foundation as the entertainment news intern and placed at E! News in Los Angeles. Chau is currently interning at CBS4 News in Miami. She would eventually like to pursue a master’s degree in journalism.
Milvionne Chery, born and raised in Miami, Fla, is the oldest of four children. She is currently in her last semester of journalism at Florida International University. At FIU, she wrote for the school’s newspaper, The Beacon, and also worked for the school’s radio station. Last semester, she was an intern for NBC6. Chery is passionate about journalism and loves to produce a wide variety of stories, from hard news to features and profiles. This 21-year-old plans to go into broadcast for her career. She desires to do everything from shooting and editing to writing and producing and hopes to learn as much as she can, so she can fulfill her dream of becoming a news producer.
Charlene Collazo was born and raised in Miami, Fla. She graduated from Florida International University with a double major in political science and journalism in 2009. Collazo started writing news stories when she was 13 at her small middle school publication. In high school, she wrote, published and designed for the yearbook. While at FIU, she was accepted to the Washington Semester Program in Washington, D.C. During this time, she was able to intern at the Hispanic Link News Service and served as a reporter, covering many Hispanic issues at Capitol Hill and around the nation. She has also interned for The Miami Herald. Collazo loves to write about individuals and issues in the community along with fashion and entertainment.
Danny Cueto got his start in journalism as the sports editor of his high school newspaper, The Royal Courier, before attending the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at FIU. Born and raised in Miami, Cueto grew up playing tennis and competed in USTA events for several years. He is Cuban-American and fluent in both written and spoken English and Spanish. A broadcast major, he has interned in news and sports at CBS4 in Miami since fall 2009. He graduates in the spring of 2010.
Zaimarie De Guzman, 21, is a senior at Florida International University, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in journalism with concentration in Spanish. Born in Puerto Rico, she has enjoyed journalism since childhood. De Guzman was in the morning newscast in elementary school, wrote news stories for the school paper in middle school and editorials for her high school newspaper. She enjoys reading, traveling, music and the outdoors. Her goals for 2010 include starting her master’s degree in creative writing and traveling.
Lorena Estrada is finishing up her last semester at Florida International University with a double major in broadcast journalism and global and socio-cultural studies and a minor in Spanish language and culture. The Miami-native, born to a Greek mother and a Nicaraguan father, is fluent in Greek and Spanish, and cherishes all three of her cultures. Throughout her college years, Estrada has been a staff writer for The Beacon and has interned at Mega Films, NBC6 and CBS4. She has also worked as a production assistant for NBC's Today Show and joined the CBS The Early Show for Super Bowl week. In April 2009, Estrada was one of two students from FIU’s School of Journalism to be nominated for the Scripps Howard Internship and Scholarship Program. She was awarded a paid, full-time internship at WFTS-TV in Tampa, Fla.
Catherine Fernandez is a student at Florida International University, majoring in journalism with a minor in photography. For the past 10 years, she had been working as an international flight attendant for a commercial airline. She would like to use her traveling experiences to guide others on their vacation plans.
Jenise Fernandez was born and raised in Miami, Fla. She is currently a senior at Florida International University, majoring in broadcast journalism with a minor in psychology. During the spring 2009 semester, Fernandez interned at WPLG - Channel 10 - and in the summer, she interned under investigative reporter Jeff Burnside at NBC 6. Fernandez also appeared on the Travel Channel on “Bridget’s Beaches” as a co-host/tourguide for the Miami edition episode. She will be graduating this April and hopes to work as a reporter and anchor for a major television network.
Stephanie Fernandez, 25, is a senior in broadcast journalism at Florida International University. She has also been an employee at the university for the last eight years. She is married and has a baby boy. Fernandez enjoys covering entertainment news and local events. When not working and going to school, she spends time with her family and likes to go to the movies. Fernandez loves to plan parties and hopes to open her own event planning business in the future.
Lauren Fischer is a senior student at Florida International University. She will be graduating this summer with a major in journalism and a minor in Spanish. Aside from English, Fischer is also fluent in Spanish, Italian and Brazilian Portuguese. She currently writes for Liberty City Link, a page on the South Florida Times newspaper. While interning at online magazine Haute Glam, Fischer covered several Miami fashion events as a correspondent. She hopes to work for a Conde Nast publication in the future.
Luis Garcia lived in Miami all his life. He is senior at FIU, majoring in journalism with a minor in English. Garcia has done opinion articles and video game reviews for The Beacon, the school newspaper, and hopes to start his own magazine or website to cover video gaming on a broader scale after graduation.
Jessica Gómez, born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, has lived in South Florida for the last 10 years. She is in her last semester at Florida International University for broadcast journalism and mass communication. Gómez has completed internships in the reporting department of WSVN Channel 7 and the production department of WTVJ Channel 6.
Issel Guigou, born in Cuba, moved to South Florida nine years ago with her parents. The 19-year-old is in her last semester of journalism at Florida International University, where she has been working for the South Florida News Service. Guigou is adept at blogging and SoundSlides and familiar with basic video and sound editing software. She is also fluent in Spanish. Guigou likes to write about entertainment and charity events happening in South Florida.
Victor Hernandez was born in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, and relocated to South Florida in 1999. Currently a senior at Florida International University, he is working on a double major in journalism and international relations. Hernandez interned for News Talk Caracol Radio 1260 WSUA in Coral Gables, where he helped book guests and picked daily topics to develop into stories. During his internship, he was part of the panelists that covered the presidential debates and worked as a reporter during Election Day. Hernandez was also a spokesperson for “Students for Democracy,” a group that was developed to bring international awareness to Venezuela’s political situation. He would like to cover national and international affairs stories as well as those that highlight local community leaders and their work.
Leilani Laureano is a senior studying broadcast journalism at Florida International University. Her passion lies with covering sports and her goal is to one day work at ESPN.
Adriana Larios is a Miami native of Brazilian, Nicaraguan and Cuban descent. Since she was young, she has had a passion for animals and writing. Larios dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but as she matured, her passion for writing manifested into an interest in journalism. When she became a university student, she decided her life's goal was to acquire a career in television. She is currently in her final semester at Florida International University, where she will graduate with a bachelor's in broadcast journalism. Larios has worked for the university's radio station, Radiate FM, where she covered campus-wide, local, national, world and sports news, as well as the weather. She is currently interning at CBS4 where she shadows reporters and writes, edits and compiles her own stories. She is interested in news pieces and enjoys all forms of story-telling.
Yamari Lesca was born and raised in Miami, Fla. She is part Cuban and part Puerto Rican. As a child, Lesca was very curious, and she grew up to be a person who is always searching for the truth. It was almost natural for her to follow a career in journalism. She is currently in her last semester at FIU obtaining a bachelor’s in mass communication. Lesca has worked for Venue Magazine, a Spanish publication that highlights luxury living in Miami, distributed in Florida, New York, California, Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. Last semester she interned at NBC and helped produce the daily morning show "South Florida Today." She is interested in producing human interest stories and investigative pieces.
Francisco Maradiaga is a senior print journalism major at Florida International University. He has worked as a beat writer for his university's newspaper The Beacon, covering the microcosm of student government. Maradiaga likes to work on his news blog but knows it is not the place people go for their news. Maradiaga's byline has appeared in the Miami Herald.
Sara Marzougui, born in Tunisia, moved to the United States after high school. A senior at Florida International University in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, she is currently assisting a journalism professor in an Honors College News Literacy project in Sweetwater. Marzougui hopes to travel as a foreign correspondent covering developing countries - and to retire as a food critic. She is currently an intern for the Biscayne Times, covering community events.
Julio Menache is currently a junior political science major and journalism minor at Florida International University. He has been working for the university's school newspaper, the Beacon, since his sophomore year, serving as assistant news director. Menache also served as the paper's Faculty Senate/Board of Trustees beat reporter. He was named by the paper's editors and advisors as the "Best Newswriter of 2009" for his coverage of the university's search for a new president. Menache is also a member of the FIU Honors College. He hopes to someday write for a major publication, covering politics in Washington.
Roberto Moreno is a senior at Florida International University, majoring in print journalism with extensive experience in information technology. He likes to use his writing to raise awareness about issues that most people choose to ignore or forget. Moreno has worked for various South Florida news organizations as well as online magazines, covering stories that range from healthcare to technology.
Sergio Montealegre has worked at Florida International University's newspaper, The Beacon, as a writer, photographer and photo editor. He speaks English and Spanish fluently and has some knowledge of French and Japanese. Montealegre is majoring in journalism, with a minor in art. He is specializing in photography. Montealegre hopes to cover consumer technology and the video game scene for a major website or publication.
Francisco “Frank” Quijada, born in Caracas, Venezuela, moved to Miami, Fla., eight years ago. He is pursuing a bachelor's degree in television production at Florida International University, where he recently joined the South Florida News Service. Over the past 10 years, Quijada has worked at several media companies, including MTV Latin America, MTV Networks (U.S.A.), Univision Network, Union Radio FM (Caracas, Venezuela) and Telemundo Network. He is currently an associate producer for Telemundo Network’s sports department.
Isadora Rangel is a broadcast journalism student at Florida International University. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, she came to the United States four years ago to study and join FIU’s volleyball team. Rangel has worked with media relations at FIU and written for the student newspaper at her previous college, the University of Kansas. She loves writing and hopes the experience with the South Florida News Service will make her a better writer and reporter. This semester, Rangel is also starting an internship at The Miami Herald.
Cassandra Stevens has always had a deep passion for writing and communication. Born and raised in Nigeria, she and her family moved to the United States when she was 9. Ever since graduating high school, Stevens has had the desire to pursue journalism. She is currently a national exchange student at Florida International University. Stevens plans on pursuing a master's degree in international relations after graduating with a bachelor’s in broadcast journalism. In the future, she hopes to avidly do the one thing she loves most: write.
Catherine Marie Thomas, a South Florida native, was born in Miami in April 1988. She graduated from New World School of the Arts in 2006 with a concentration in Dance. She later realized her passion for writing and news was stronger. Thomas will graduate this spring from Florida International University with a bachelor’s in mass communication and plans to pursue a career in broadcasting.
Tiffany Urriola, born in Panama City, Panama, moved to Miami when she was 10 years old. She will graduate from Florida International University with a major in journalism and a minor in international relations. She interned in the news department at Telemetro Panama in Panama City during the summer and is currently interning at NBC/ Telemundo in the Mun2 department, the network cable music channel targeted toward young Hispanics living in the United States. Urriola began her career in journalism at the Miami Dade College newspaper, The Catalyst, where she worked from 2005-2007 and won several awards, including "Journalism Student of The Year Award" in 2007.
Jorge Valens is a political science major and journalism minor at Florida International University. He began writing professionally in early 2007, developing a political blog geared toward op-ed coverage of the 2008 presidential elections. Valens is currently the news director for FIU's college newspaper, The Beacon, and is an active staff writer for the opinion and life sections. He also hosts the campus radio news show, Panthewire, on Radiate FM. Valens' areas of interest include politics, consumer technology and the Internet.
Melissa Vargas is a senior in journalism at FIU. She will graduate with certificates in entrepreneurship, Portuguese and Latin American and Caribbean studies. Vargas has been writing for different publications since the age of 18. She was the staff writer for a local Spanish independent music and arts website FabrikaLink.com, writes for FIU's newspaper The Beacon and recently ended her internship at Telemundo's music channel, Mun2. She is involved in school organizations like Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity, and other Greek organizations where she has gained many leadership skills that will help her enter and grow in the Hispanic market where she hopes to work. Vargas would like to ultimately start a media company that caters to the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking South Florida residents. She feels fortunate to enter the media industry in a time when the news is presented in various multimedia platforms simultaneously. Save
Penelope Victoria Ramos, born in Havana, Cuba, is in her last semester at Florida International University, majoring in journalism. She has interned at NBC/Telemundo51 and created a small entertainment magazine as a student project together with students from the Miami International School of Art and Design. Maverik Mag, as they named it, was published in January and March of '09. Coming from a family of successful musicians, and being a musician herself, she hopes to cover the music beat in South Florida.
Megan O.Wright hails from the Island of Jamaica and is the youngest of three children. Though she is Jamaican by birth, she made the decision to become an American 10 years ago. A full-time worker, on call 24/7, she enjoys history, politics, photography, traveling and working with the elderly and disabled. However, her passion is writing. Wright served as current affairs intern at WEDR 99 JAMZ, general assignment reporter for the Neighbors section of The Miami Herald, reporter for NLGJA student project and student government reporter for The Beacon. She is well aware of south Florida’s diverse population and hopes to use her writing as a medium to highlight how this diversity affects policy making in the region.
Josefina Wytrykusz, Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1984 to Maria Alejandra Ceccato and Fernando Wytrykusz, Josefina Wytrykusz moved to Miami, Fla., when she was just 1 year old. She has two sisters, Agostina and Maria, and a brother, Fernando. Ever since first grade, when she first got the chance to "report" for her school, she has been determined to become a news reporter. Wytrykusz did the morning announcements in elementary school, as well as throughout middle (Glades Middle School) and high school (Miami Killian Sr. High School), which she graduated from in 2003. After receiving her associate's degree from Miami-Dade College, Wytrykusz enrolled at Florida International University's School of Journalism and Mass Communication. She is currently interning at CBS 4, as well as working at DASH Boutique. This is Wytrykusz's final semester. She will be graduating with her bachelor's this April.
