Forged in Flames Producers

Emily Donahue is KUT’s News Director. Emily managed the entire KUT Wildfire Oral History Project; she produced the hour-long documentary, “Forged in Flames” and oversaw all elements of the project – from community outreach to assigning, collecting and archiving interviews, photos and supplemental material from September 2011 to the present.

News Editor Matt Largey was an advising producer and host of “Forged in Flames”. During the wildfires Matt was in Bastrop gathering stories from affected community members. He has continued to collect their stories. He says, “I have been surprised to see how the people and their surrounding areas have bounced back.”

Ann Leifeste produced the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project. Ann managed outreach, collected dozens of interviews and other materials from Spicewood, Steiner Ranch, and Bastrop; assembled personal stories and other content into a database, and helped identify compelling interviews.

Reshma Kirpalani was an assistant producer for the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project. Rehsma collected 911 calls, transcribed reporters’ original audio interviews from 2011, and reached out to residents from Spicewood and Steiner Ranch to tell their stories.

Andy Uhler was a reporter for KUT News. He kept in touch with wildfire survivors since 2011, making several trips back to affected communities to see how they have progressed since the wildfires. He also reported on the wildfire recovery process in Bastrop, Steiner Ranch and Spicewood.

As News Blogger during the wildfires, Nathan Bernier focused on aggregating and filtering information to provide a resource on what was happening in a timely manner. Nathan has since followed up with community members, firefighters and other essential personnel in Bastrop, Spicewood and Steiner Ranch. He entered the timeline for the online project.

Mose Buchele is KUT’s reporter with StateImpact Texas. He was dispatched full time in Bastrop covering the fires and the recovery effort in 2011. He calls it, “one of the most emotionally effecting assignments I’ve ever been on with talking to people who lost a lot.” Mose collected interviews for this project.

Ben Philpott is KUT’s Chief Political reporter. Although he was covering Governor Perry’s run for president when the wildfires broke out, Ben has interviewed communications and first responders about their work during the wildfire outbreak.

Wells Dunbar is KUT’s news blogger. He helped with social media and blogging for this project.

Laura Rice is KUT’s Morning Edition producer. She helped collect release forms.

Terrence Henry is KUT’s blogger with StateImpact Texas. He helped condense KUT’s original wildfire coverage from 2001 to the Oral History Project on kut.org and edit interviews.

Jennifer Stayton is KUT’s Morning Edition host. For this project, Jennifer has helped reporters tie up any loose ends.

Erika Aguilar reported on Steiner Ranch during the wildfires and collected interviews from Steiner Ranch and Spicewood residents for this project.

Lizzie Chen was a KUT intern when the wildfires broke out. Her photographs appear in several stories on kut.org.

Robb Jacobson graduated from Indiana University and was a KUT intern in summer 2012. He was helped construct the wildfire timeline, online content management and transcribing interviews for the “Forged in Flames” online.

Filipa Rodrigues is a graduate student at Porto University FLUP and was a KUT intern in 2012. She managed all photography and videos for the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project.

Mary Mattia is a graduate of Wellesley College and was a KUT volunteer in summer 2012. An evacuee from the Pedernales fire, she also helped with audio transcription and management for the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project.

Mario Jacinto is a Masters student at the Porto University FEUP and was a KUT intern in summer 2012. He helped with interviews for the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project.

Kelly Connelly graduated from Hendrix College in Arkansas. She posted profiles online, edited transcripts, collected photos and helped with logistics for the profiles in the KUT Wildfire Oral History Project.