WRFI Board of Directors
WRFI is community owned and operated. Get to know the Ithaca Community Radio Board of Directors.
See minutes from recent board meetings.
Joseph Haefeli (he/him)
President, Board Member
Joseph Haefeli was formerly the Director of Technology (including radio) for the College of Performing and Visual Arts of the University of Northern Colorado. Since his arrival as a volunteer in 2014, he has been a dynamo around the station. He has played a key role in the design and renovation of WRFI’s Studio B, the overhaul and reorganization of our signal chain, the installation of a new IP telephone system, as well as numerous other improvements.
John Young (he/him)
Treasurer, Board Member
John caught the radio bug as a student, when he became a regular DJ and served as Assistant Engineer and board member at KRLX-Northfield (Minnesota), the voice of Carleton College.
As a professional musician, he has performed or been featured on national programs such as NPR’s Weekend Edition and World Café, as well as on many local stations across America. As a writer and researcher on the global environment and related issues, he has made hundreds of appearances on radio networks around the world, including NPR, Voice of America, Deutsche Welle, and the BBC. When he’s not on the radio, he’s probably listening to it.
Alexandra Ackert-Smith (she/her)
Recorder, Board Member
Alex got her start working in public media at Capital Public Radio, a California-based NPR member station. She moved to Ithaca to pursue a Master of Public Health at Cornell University, where she is a Global Game Changer Scholarship recipient and rides on the dressage team. Alex is currently the lead producer and host for the Tompkins Food Future podcast.
Chantal Thomas (she/her)
Board Member
Chantal’s experience in radio began in Montreal, Quebec, at the Canadian station CKUT, a nonprofit, campus-community radio station affiliated with McGill University where Chantal studied political science as an undergraduate.
Upon moving to Ithaca, Chantal returned to radio broadcasting as WRFI volunteer and co-host of WRFI’s “Human Rights and Social Justice” program. In 2022 Chantal launched a new program at WRFI, "The Scene" featuring long-form interviews with scholars, authors, and experts in a variety of fields.
She has made media appearances with other local and national outlets, such as WVBR, NY1 News, C-SPAN, and PBS Newshour. Her daytime gig involves teaching at Cornell Law School, where she is Professor of Law and also directs the Clarke Initiate for Law and Development in the Middle East and North Africa. Previously, Chantal chaired the Law Department of the American University in Cairo, and has consulted internationally for USAID and the US State Department’s Advisory Committee on International Law.
Joe Romano (he/him)
Board Member
Joe Romano was the Marketing Manager at GreenStar Natural Foods Market for over a decade. Before his tenure at GreenStar, Joe played out in five bands in NYC and worked in film and television in NYC for 20 years. Before that, he taught English Literature and Creative Writing at the City University of New York. He has a wife, a daughter and two cats, (in that order), and currently resides in Ithaca, NY.
Bryan Roberts (he/him)
Board Member
Bryan M. Roberts is the associate dean in the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Ithaca College. Trained as a media researcher, Bryan studies the impact of sexual and violent media on a wide array of age groups. Bryan is also very active with the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research where he is committed to advocacy, philanthropy and clinical trial participation.
Bryan grew up in Eastern Long Island and holds his undergraduate and graduate degrees in Communication Science from the University of Connecticut. Prior to his position at Ithaca, he worked at Purchase College, SUNY for several years in both teaching and administrative capacities. His first job ever in media was as an intern for a local Long Island radio station.
In his free time, he enjoys watching the Mets and UConn Huskies, reading books on political history and hitting baseballs. Bryan resides in Ithaca with his daughter, Avery, and two terribly behaved cats.
Carlos Gutierrez (he/him)
Board Member
Carlos was born in Chile. He received a BA in Sociology from Colorado State University and MPS from Alfred University, NY. After working for NYS – Office of Children and Family Services. He worked for the Tompkins County Workers’ Center as an Occupational Safety and Health Trainer and Immigrant Advocate. Carlos has participated in several community organizations’ boards such as Cornell Cooperative Extension, The Leadership Team at the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, The Latino Civic Association and the Mid-State Council for Occupational Safety and Health. Carlos has developed strong roots in the Ithaca community. For the last five years Carlos has hosted Alcance Latino a radio program in Spanish at WRFI.
Robin Elliot (she/they)
Board Member
Peter Bakija (he/him)
Board Member
Fred Balfour (he/him)
Board Member
Recent Board Meeting Minutes
WRFI – Meeting Minutes – June 2022
WRFI Board Meeting June 14, 2022: 6-8pm Present: Felix Teitelbaum John Young Bryan Roberts Godfrey Simmons (first half) Joe Romano (joined at 6:13pm) Robin Elliott Carlos Gutierrez Not Present: Chantal Thomas Alex Ackert Smith Joseph Haefeli 6:00pm 6:10 Introduction of Peter Bakija and Fred Balfour as new potential board members 6:10 Motion…
WRFI – Meeting Minutes – May 2022
WRFI Board Meeting May 10, 2022: 6-8pm Present: Felix Teitelbaum Alexandra Ackert-Smith Carlos Gutierrez John Young Chantal Thomas Bryan Roberts Joe Romano (joined at 6:13pm) Not Present: Godfrey Simmons Robin Elliott Joseph Haefeli 6:00pm 6:07pm: Quorum achieved 6:10pm: Arrival/welcome/special welcome of Bryan as new board member 6:10-12 pm Committee report outs (governance,…
April 2022 BOD Meeting Minutes
ICR Board of Directors Meeting Minutes Apr 12, 2022 6-8:10pm Attendees: Felix Teitelbaum (staff) Joseph Haefeli John Young Robin Elliott Carlos Gutierez (joined at 6:30) Joe Romano (joined at 6:45) Corinne Shanahan (staff) Absent: Godfrey Simmons Chantal Thomas Alex Ackert-Smith Notes by: Corinne Shanahan Quorum Achieved (6:45pm) Due-Outs: Corinne to send out black out…
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