 Justin Catanoso of Greensboro is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated business journalist, a university lecturer, and the author of the new book My Cousin the Saint: A Search for Faith, Family, and Miracles (William Morrow). The story is part biography, part memoir and the title is quite literal: Padre Gaetano Catanoso, a contemporary of the author's grandfather, was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in October 2005. Since 1998, Catanoso has served as executive editor of The Business Journal, a weekly based in the Triad. In 1992, his pioneering investigative reporting for the Greensboro News & Record into fraud in the tobacco industry earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination and a Science-in-Society Award from the National Association of Science Writers.He has been a visiting lecturer in journalism at Wake Forest University since 1993, where he teaches reporting and editing. Catanoso's work has also appeared in the New York Times, Catholic Digest, Washington Monthly, Denver Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, and on National Public Radio and WUNC's The State of Things. He is married to singer and songwriter Laurelyn Dossett, co-founder of the roots music band Polecat Creek and composer and musical director of three plays at Triad Stage in Greensboro, including the recent hit Bloody Blackbeard. They have three daughters: Emilia, Rosalie and Sophia. For information about My Cousin the Saint, please visit: www.justincatanoso.com |
 Susan Davis joined the staff of WUNC Radio's "The State of Things" as the Senior Producer in April 2004, having moved with her husband and two children to Chapel Hill from Washington D.C. Susan was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan (south of 8 Mile!) She's a graduate of Reed College in Portland, Oregon and has an MFA in poetry from the Writing Programs at The University of Houston in Texas. Her radio career began in the early 1990s as a production assistant at Marketplace. She went on to produce and manage the documentary series Soundprint and to produce and edit for All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation and the National Desk at National Public Radio. She's the author of a collection of poetry "Gathering Sound" (Fairweather Books/2006) and is the co-editor, with Gina Hyams of the anthology "Searching For Mary Poppins: Women Write about the Intense Relationship Between Mothers and Nannies" (Hudson Street Press/2006). She writes a semi-regular column about books for women called "Hear Me Roar" for the News & Observer, and her essays have been include din several books. So far, her favorite things about North Carolina are: banana pudding, Eno River State Park, the phrase, "get with," Oak Island, the independent bookstores and red velvet cupcakes. |
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 Zeke Smith is a 2005 UNC graduate who joined the staff of Chapel Hill Magazine as associate editor in the summer of 2007, after having worked for other various media organizations around town, including WCHL and the Chapel Hill News. He is a freelance sports and editorial photographer whose work has been featured in such publications as SportsIllustrated.com, Carolina Blue and Rivals.com. He is also the youngest of four children in an Army family who have called places such as Colorado, Kentucky and Belgium home. His wide-ranging interests include college sports, theology and hip-hop. He currently lives in Chapel Hill with his wife, Wendy. www.zekesmithphoto.com |
 During the day, Joe Newberry is the Public Information Officer for the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. He helps tell the story of North Carolina's arts, culture, and history through writing, editing, and special projects. Over the years, he has also spent time as a newspaper editor, a non profit arts administrator, stay-at-home dad, and a full-time musician…sometimes simultaneously. In his musical life he does solo and studio work, and teaches and performs at festivals at home and abroad. His powerful and innovative banjo playing has won contests around the country, including first-place at the Appalachian String Band Music Festival. A prizewinning guitarist, fiddler, and singer as well, Joe is a founder of the old-time and early bluegrass group Big Medicine. He also plays banjo and sings with Bill Hicks, Mike Craver, and Jim Watson – original members of the Red Clay Ramblers. www.myspace.com/joenewberry |
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 Diane Bryson
began telling stories at age four when she told a lie about who set the mattress on fire. (It was an accident.) Since then, she has continued to tell stories – mostly true. The highlights of her life have been: learning at St. John’s college in Santa Fe, teaching in Peace Corps Morocco, raising two boys and being married to Don, who daily provides her with more stories than she can keep up with. She is currently teaching graduate students at Duke University in the English for International Student program. |
 Michelle Maclay
recently moved back to the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area where, as a child, she frolicked on South Greensboro Street. After a stint in Annapolis MD teaching young impressionable minds and serving drinks to sailors, she jetted off to the Big Apple to pursue a career in making money, wearing adult girl business clothes on a daily basis. Once that dream was fulfilled, she put on worn jeans and moved on to stand-up comedy. Michelle created, hosted, and produced a successful underground comedy show called the Comedy Social for over three years where it was performed all over the city. Again, one more task done, Michelle decided to take a sabbatical on the eastern shore of Virginia. After a year or so, her life back in some sort of order, two one-woman shows under belt, Michelle was again ready for a new chapter. Now, by day, she is a Communications Officer at UNC School of Medicine and by night a writer, performer and a successful nap taker. Often when Michelle is asked, "what do you do?" she tends to say, "about what?" http://www.maclayontheshore.blogspot.com/ |
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