The Pursuit Podcast

Join host Anthony Landahl along with the NATAS Chicago/Midwest Chapter President John Owens as they discuss John’s presidential duties and how he found his way through his career to such a position. An early multimedia producer, John talks about a portfolio of work spanning print, radio and television, from his early day starting at the Chicago Tribune to working with WLS-TV in Chicago.

Join video editor Carmen Vincent as she asks accomplished Marketing CEO Wade Breitzke about his incredible career journey. Wade is not only the CEO and Founder of WeCreate Media in Valparaiso, Indiana, but he’s also an active member of his community and an amazing role model for people interested in creative marketing. Let's learn from his pursuit!

NATAS Chicago/Midwest President John Owens announces The Pursuit Season One has come to an end, and folks can look forward to the Season Two premiere coming this September.

Join Anthony Landahl as he chats with lifestyle host Jane Clauss! From childhood aspirations to be the next Jane Pauley to 90s radio DJing to now being the host for WGN-TV’s “Living Healthy Chicago,” Jane touches on the magic of working with a good producer, how to connect with your audience, and the attitude it takes to have a fulfilling career in media–no matter what route you take!

Nihar Gagneja chats with Stephan Moore, a Chicago-based sound artist and composer about his roundabout journey to get to where he is today.

Geoffrey Baer has been hosting programs for over a quarter-century at WTTW. Host Anthony Landahl and Geoffrey talk about how these shows got started, from the Chicago boat tours to tours of Chicago in the air. The conversation also includes how Geoffrey got interested in television from a young age, why he went back to school for his love of theater, and the significance of public media.

Aliyah Muhammad has a discussion with Pat McGann, a Chicago-based comedian who started his comedy career at the age of 31 and has performed as the house emcee at Zanies Chicago, on The Late Show with David Letterman, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Together they discuss McGann’s career so far, the craft of comedy, and the state of comedy in the modern age.

Sam Brief goes deep with Ryan Baker, a morning news anchor at CBS 2 Chicago. Baker details the winding road to his current post at his hometown TV station, philosophizes on the need for stories and offers his advice to the next generation of storytellers.

Broadcaster Larry Larson chats with former newspaper columnist, ESPN analyst and current director of Sports Journalism at Medill, JA Adande. Adande details his career journeys covering superstars such as Kobe Bryant, what makes ESPN’s Around the Horn special, and the state of journalism and sports storytelling today.

Walk with student director/ producer, Tiyen Simmons, as he converses with former professor, writer, and producer, Yevette Brown. Yevette talks to us about her experiences in the media industry as one of the first African- American female producers in Chicago.  Let’s take a closer look at her pursuit!

A co-founder of Bitter Jester Studios, Nic DeGrazia is the creative director of the Emmy-winning studio. Producer Anthony Landahl talks with Nic about working on the company in his off-hours when it first started to now organizing the annual Bitter Jester Music Festival in Highland Park. The conversation touches on the impact of art, music and the concept of “just going for it.”

Join documentary filmmaker Carmen Vincent as she interviews filmmakers Matt Lauterbach and Reveca Torres about their career journeys and disability advocacy efforts. Matt Lauterbach is the founder of All Senses Go, and he is also a filmmaker, educator, and co-director of ReelAbilities Film Festival Chicago. Reveca Torres is the founder of BACKBONES, and she is also a filmmaker, artist, and co-director of ReelAbilities Film Festival Chicago. Let's learn from their pursuits!

In this episode, Melyssa and Pablo Alfaro had the pleasure of discussing what it means to be a Latino/a in the media space, his journey as an immigrant, and how he got to be a Creative Services Manager for Telemundo. Pablo is an alum of Columbia College Chicago where he received his Bachelor's in TV Production and Music and later received his IMC Integrated Marketing Communications Degree Master’s degree from Roosevelt University. 

A Chicagoland native and lifelong sports nut, Mike Berman has finally returned home to report on sports in his hometown. After covering sports in cities like Austin and Indianapolis, the generous and thoughtful Berman reports on all of Chicago’s major athletics happenings and has covered events like the Super Bowl and World Series. Berman chats with producer Sam Brief about his journey to his dream job and what lessons he’s gleaned along the road.

Already an established actress in the Chicago film and theatre scene, Kelly O’Sullivan took the indie film world in 2019 by storm with the feature film Saint Frances, which she wrote and starred in. Join sound designer and fellow Northwestern University alum Nihar Gagneja as he asks Kelly about her transition from actress to writer-director.

Pablo Iglesias is a sports and news MMJ at WKOW in Madison, Wisconsin. A Bradley University graduate and Chicago native, Pablo worked for two years at WEEK in Peoria, Illinois before moving on to Madison. Sports Broadcaster Larry Larson chats with Pablo about the trials and tribulations of job searching, what makes a good story, networking, as well as the Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate movements.

A Chicago media legend, Joel Weisman is the former Week in Review host who worked with WTTW for 40 years before retiring in 2018. He is continuing to work as a media agent in Chicago. Producer Anthony Landahl talks with Joel about his early years as a newspaper journalist in the 60s, what drives him to excel and what the keys are to a half-century career in journalism.

Tiyen Simmons, student producer/director, takes a deeper look into Chicago’s vast media industry with one of the city’s most notable on-air personalities, co-hosts, and NATAS board members, Melissa Forman. Let's take a walk through her pursuit!

Join documentary filmmaker Carmen Vincent as she asks Emmy award-winning producer Thea Flaum about her incredible career journey. Thea is one of the most accomplished producers in Chicago, and in the TV industry at large, not to mention a former NATAS board member, a Silver Circle Honoree, and the founder and president of Facing Disability. Let's learn from her pursuit!

Get ready for The Pursuit Podcast! Coming October 2021.