Welcome Christine!
As we begin a new year, I’m pleased to announce our new editor for wgbhalumni.org: Christine Lear!
Christine Lear (right) with Eileen Hughes
Christine worked for WGBH in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. She first came to WGBH as a telemarketer in Membership Outreach and then moved on to Audience and Member Services where she became manager of the department for several years.
As part of the Development Department, Christine engaged in all aspects of the television and radio pledge drives, producing and serving as pledge talent for years after she left the foundation. She also worked for This Old House Productions in Concord, MA as Post Production Coordinator.
Christine helped to plan the most recent WGBH Alumni Reunion and has been editing recent website posts and comments. She said she is very happy to take on the role of website editor. She hopes you will contact her soon at to let us all know what you are up to!
P.S. We’re still looking for a reunion coordinator and digital developer/designer. Details are here.
That’s so true Dan! I loved working on Jean Shephard projects.
How are you? I’m still here in Miami/Coconut Grove. My twin Carol will be coming down for a visit on Feb 14. Orlando isn’t the closest to Miami, but maybe we can have a chat session while she’s here.
Best wishes.
Jo
Sal Raciti was a major help in many of the earlier NOVA productions.
Don,
Your spirit and talents are in such esteem by your fellow Alums that you can have a free ride.
Perfectly said, Michael. As Jean Shepherd once wrote: “Little did he know it at the time, but this was to be the highpoint of his life.” A slight overstatement but pretty close.
We are on Vamo, a neighborhood in south Sarasota. Where are you?
Welcome Christine. Great news for all of us. The best is yet to come!
Hi Michael,
Your comments are spot on…as usual. I met an alum yesterday, of all places over lunch in Savoy. He writes and prints the Savoy Crow newsletter, and after finally getting together, the first words from him were abnout his early years at GBH, and you. Salvatore Raciti (Salvy) worked in design and with you on NOVA’s original graphics. Hope I can connect you two. And hope you are in good health. Stay safe, Lo
Apologetic addendum: My attempted welcome to Christine illustrates just how far and quickly one can slip out of one’s own loop. Addressing the message to Christin’a’ is only the first of my transgressives. Christine is Christin’e’. (Christin’a’ is my daughter’s name).
The second ‘blew-it’ (a serious one to me), is omitting Dan Beach’s role in keeping the Alumni site alive in the interim between my service and Jay’s captaincy. The project could possibly have died out then, but digital doctor Beach kept it breathing beautifully through those tenuous times.
Worse though, is that Dan is one of the very best, most valued and longest-time friends I’ve been blessed with in my entire life. Making up for that faux pas is going to require some serious prostrations. And neither of us is Catholic!
Heartfelt apologies and encouragement all around …. I’ll stand you both to a round of drinks.
Thank you Jay for really building up the site that keeps us all together. We owe you big time!
Thank you in advance and welcome Christine.
I was the 35th staff member hired in 1956.
I have seen WGBH grow from that tiny radio and TV station in one half a defunct skate rolling rink at 84 Mass. Ave. to become the best local broadcasting organization in the United States.
The web site is important to us all because the mission was important and the talented women and men who challenged the medium and themselves feel a bond built over these past sixty seven years.
Spot on, Michael. Would like to connect with you. We are both in FL.
TALLY HO CHRISTINE! Absolutely thrilled for you and for the Alumni. You’re one of the Mother Ship’s treasures. And we’re so fortunate. When’s tea?
Hi Christina,
Back in 2000, I concocted – as an adjunct to the first WGBH Alumni reunion – the alumni web site. It was then, I think it fair to say, fairly serviceable in terms of content, though when it came to formatting and appearance, exuberantly amateurish. Years later, when I needed to regroup, Fred Barzyk arranged with Jay Collier to take over. Jay fixed the shortfalls, and brought a professional look and feel to the site, as well as an admirable aura of intelligence befitting the very bright folks the site was created to serve – both our slowly dwindling inventory of human WGBH ‘antiques,’ as well as the burgeoning crops of impressively creative individuals who’ve made, and continue to make, GBH the cultural phenomenon it is.
I couldn’t have envisioned then what the site – and now the network – would become. But that evolution, I firmly believe, is emblematic of the group spirit, collective intelligence and dedication to vision which continues to inform and vitalize the Alumni Network and, by extension, virtually every aspect of that which is GBH.
Welcome aboard this good ship. You’re clearly bringing with you a lot of valuable cargo. Thank you for being willing. Aloha.
Don,
Your writing skills, (along with all the other skills you have delivered over so many years) brings joy to my life. Seems like we live in a world where the written word, properly selected and packaged professionally is seldom seen or heard. Thank you.
Jack
Thanks again Don for your creation of the web. Before Jay took over we had the brilliant work of Dan Beach who kept the site alive until we had Jay on. board. Again, welcome Christine
Don, you have our never-ending gratitude for working with Fred and Dan on the first iteration of the website. All of your work from that era is embedded in the website to this day: https://www.wgbhalumni.org/collection/hallock/
Three cheers, Christine!
Thank you Christine for coming forth on such an important mission. Jay thank
you for all those years you kept us together, it is very much appreciated.
Thank you and welcome. I will try and send you alumni material as I hear from my compatriots from the 60’s and 70′.
We’re counting on you, Fred. The early GBH “historians” are becoming fewer in number. It really is important for those who emerge as members and leaders of GBH to know its roots….and to keep track of just what is the “business” of GBH. In the days of Gunn, staying a step ahead of everyone with emerging media technology was key. And identifying staff who could put it to use was a part of his genius.
Will do. I still remember fondly our early days at the Springfield station. You were so welcoming for all our crazy idea. Bless you. Fred
Great news!
And thanks!!!
Wonderful news, Christine! And thank you, Jay, for keeping us updated and connected, especially for reunions. We appreciate all of your efforts!
Congrats Christine and thank you for hiring me many years ago into the Audience Services group!
Welcome Christine looking forward to meeting you
Welcome, Christine. What Jay has done here is truly a treasure for the history of GBH. So glad you are taking the reins.
Thank you to Christine for stepping up, and so many thanks to Jay for the years of keeping us connected!
Hurray, Christine!!! Thanks for taking the baton from Jay- and thanks to Jay for his good work. The site is in good hands.
Couldn’t have found a better person.
Wahoo!
Thank you, Christine for picking up the baton. …..and the best goes on.
Welcome, Christine! Thanks for taking the baton hand-off. And thanks also to Jay for his many years of keeping us all connected.
Welcome Christine. So kind of you to take on this role. And many thanks to Jay for your years of keeping us all in touch.