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On-Air Hosts and Reporters
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Rolf Charlston
Classical Host, Saturday Classics
Architecture, history, literature, and music constitute the guiding forces of Renaissance Rolf's life. In addition to his work at WRTI, he's an architecture and history guide, and a music lecturer.
Rolf's radio career began as a high school sports announcer in Portland, Oregon and continued at St. Olaf College where he received his undergraduate degree in history. Then he collected a bevy of graduate degrees in theology and English literature at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois. He received his Ph.D. in English specializing in Joseph Conrad, served as a Lutheran chaplain and as an English professor in Chicago, and as an academic dean at St. Joseph's University.
Music is in his genes: Rolf has sung bass with Philadelphia's Choral Arts Society and his two children are Juilliard graduates and professional musicians in New York City.
Rolf can be heard on Saturdays from 6:30 to 11:00 am.
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Dave Conant
Classical Host, The Morning Show
Dave has been on the air in Philadelphia for over four decades, and for many of those years his voice has been synonymous with classical music in the morning.
After a long gig as host of the morning broadcast at former classical radio station WFLN (where he also worked as program director and operations manager), Dave moved on in 1997 to become executive director of WRTI and host of the station's Morning Show.
A native of Passaic, N.J., he has undergraduate and graduate degrees in English literature from the University of Pennsylvania. Before pursuing a career in broadcasting, Dave taught high school English in Philadelphia and Camden, N.J.
Dave is delighted to work in a field that he loves, in the academic surroundings of an urban university with its seemingly endless diversity of people, music, and the arts.
Dave can be heard on weekdays from 6 to 10 am.
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Jack Moore
Classical Host, The Midday Show
Co-host, Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection
Jack has been in the broadcasting biz for over 30 years, and his career has covered every aspect of the radio industry from on-air hosting to programming, and from sales to management. His many years of experience include stints at radio stations in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and upstate New York, including six years at WFLN. Jack joined WRTI in 1997 as a classical host and has been program director since 2002.
At Glassboro State College (now Rowan University), Jack majored in music. He still maintains an active professional career as a violist and conductor and has been music director of the Ambler Symphony since 1996; principal conductor of the Orchestra Society of Philadelphia since 1997; and music director of the Olney Symphony since 2002.
Jack is a frequent guest conductor of orchestras throughout the region, including the Ocean City Pops, the Bucks County Symphony, and the Old York Road Symphony. He has also worked with educational and school orchestras in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland and has appeared with symphonies in Europe and Russia.
Jack can be heard on weekdays from 10 am to 2 pm, and on the first Saturday of each month from 5 to 6 pm.
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Jill Pasternak
Classical Host, The Afternoon Drive Show
Host, Crossover
Jill joined WRTI in 1997 after working at the former WFLN for ten years. Her background is impressive: she's a professional harpist, a graduate of The Juilliard School of Music, and a former Fulbright Scholar.
As staff harpist at Radio City Music Hall, and with the City Center Ballet in New York, Jill performed with numerous symphonic and chamber ensembles in recordings, on radio, and on Broadway. She also worked for the Rockefeller Foundation developing the New World Records label, and was an assistant editor for Stereo Review magazine and Nonesuch Records. Her work as a writer and producer of training videos led Jill to earn a graduate degree in public media and also to start hosting at classical radio stations including WMHT-FM in Schenectady, N.Y., and WQXR in New York City.
Along with varied speaking engagements, Jill continues to "harp” on all things musical in the Delaware Valley. She is the proud mother of a son, an international businessman, and a daughter, a professional chef.
Jill can be heard weekdays from 2 to 6 pm, and on Crossover on Saturdays from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
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Joe Patti
Classical Host
It’s his parents’ fault. For Joe's sixth birthday, they gave him a transistor radio. All of a sudden, their dreams of having a doctor or lawyer (or even a fry cook) in the family went down the tubes.
For more than two decades, Joe has been defiantly disappointing his parents, to the benefit of radio listeners across the tri-state area. From Trenton to the Jersey shore, and from Philly to Wilmington, he's been programming, producing, and performing in almost every radio format, even winning an award or two along the way.
After having worked with such Philadelphia starts as Hy Lit, Sally Starr, and Johnny “Green Grocer” Lerro during his career, and having made some major noise as the operations and programming head for a South Jersey AM/FM combo, Joe thought it was time for a new challenge. Almost simultaneously, the opportunity to work as production manager at WRTI arrived. “Divine intervention,” he says.
Joe is WRTI's production manager as well as a substitute classical music host.
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Mark Pinto
Classical Host, New Releases
A Philly native, Mark grew up in Roxborough and has followed in the footsteps of his father who once hosted a jazz program on WRTI in the '50s.
As an undergraduate at La Salle University, Mark hosted the radio station's only classical music program. He went on to become the weekend overnight host at WFLN-FM during the last seven years of the station's existence. Currently, Mark plays piano and sings with his church choir. He also appears as a tenor soloist in churches around the Delaware Valley.
In addition to a degree in communications from La Salle, Mark also holds a graduate degree in library science and has been the director of reference and adult services at Phoenixville Public Library for over a decade. He brings his library skills to WRTI, where he assists Jack Moore with cataloging new classical CDs.
Mark can be heard on Saturdays from 5 to 6 pm.
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Kile Smith
Co-host, Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection
Composer Kile Smith's frequently performed music has won increasing popular and critical praise. He is curator of the Fleisher Collection of Orchestral Music, co-host of Discoveries from the Fleisher Collection, president of the Musical Fund Society, and was the 1999/2000 Resident Composer for the late Jens Nygaard's acclaimed Jupiter Symphony in New York. The Philadelphia Inquirer has praised Smith's "rich-voiced sonorities," calling his music "boldly lighted and brilliant," "emotion-laden," and "particularly American."
His many commissions include The Voice of One Who Spoke by Musica 2000; and Poems of Stephen Berg for soprano, clarinet, and piano by Network for New Music. He has been commissioned for two works on poems of Sonia Sanchez, and his work has has been performed by many orchestras in the U.S. and beyond, including the Delaware Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, and the Sofia Philharmonic in Bulgaria. He continues to add to his many liturgical works.
Kile can be heard on the first Saturday of each month from 5 to 6 pm.
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Gregg Whiteside
Classical Host
For over 20 years, Gregg has been one of New York City's most popular radio hosts.
He is also known as the long-time national voice of live broadcasts from the New York Philharmonic, and is the commercial voice of esteemed cultural institutions such as the Chevron-Texaco Metropolitan Opera Network, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, and the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
WRTI listeners can hear Gregg's live intermission interviews from the Met Opera on Saturdays.
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Jazz Hosts
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Bob Craig
Jazz Host
Bob joined WRTI's on-air staff in 2005. His well-rounded radio career began in 1963 as a studio engineer at WBZ in Boston. Throughout the '70s, he was an announcer and programmer at Hartford's WDRC and Boston's WHDH.
He made radio headlines in 1976 when he helped format one of the first soft rock stations in the U.S., at WWYZ in Hartford. A huge success, he was then recruited to Philly to revamp WMGK into an adult contemporary format, which also turned out to be a winning decision. Additionally, Bob introduced the market to "Smooth Jazz," hosting a popular Sunday morning show on WMGK. In the '90s, Bob put his headphones back on to host the popular Solid Hour of Sinatra on Philadelphia's WPEN and also served as music director for the adult standards station.
Recently, Bob has been producing the syndicated American Standards By-The-Sea radio program, and teaching at Connecticut School of Broadcasting. At WRTI, he's delighted to present, in his well-informed and engaging way, one of his true loves: jazz.
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Jeff Duperon
Jazz Host, Straight Ahead
Jeff's eclectic taste in music ranges across jazz, R&B, zydeco, gospel, classical, and funk. Born and raised in New Orleans where he began his radio career at WWOZ-FM as a morning drive-time announcer, Jeff graduated from Tulane University in 1996 and then moved to Philadelphia. He immediately became involved with the WRTI jazz scene. Jeff has volunteered at community and public radio stations for over 15 years.
In addition to his radio show, Jeff has developed a jazz studies program that is used to teach fourth and fifth graders at Bluford Elementary School in West Philadelphia about the history of jazz.
Jeff can be heard on Fridays from 6 to 10 pm, and on Saturdays from 6 to 9 pm.
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J. Michael Harrison
Jazz Host, The Bridge
Mike first ventured into radio as a result of being frustrated with the lack of progressive, diverse, and adventurous music on the airwaves. His first program, Is That Jazz?, debuted on West Philly based WPEB in 1993 and ran for more than three years. Mike joined WRTI in 1994 and The Bridge, which is a local forum for progressive music and poetry, began in1996.
Music is Michael's sanctuary, and a kind of therapy for him. "Music is a passion," he explains, " a reason to live, and a bright moment."
Philadelphia Magazine awarded The Bridge its 2002 Best of Philly prize for "Best Radio Program."
Mike can be heard on Fridays from 10 pm to 2 am.
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Maureen Malloy
Jazz Host, Jazz Hot 11 Countdown
Jazz Host, All-Request Show
Maureen began her radio career at WRTI in 1999 while studying broadcasting at Temple University. Determined to make it in the entertainment industry, she took advantage of all the creative opportunities presented to her at WRTI: she hosted the overnight jazz broadcasts through her entire college career; she was an arts and culture reporter, and soaked up the jazz biz from her many WRTI mentors.
After graduation, Maureen held many positions in the broadcasting and entertainment industries. She worked in casting and as a booking agent for local talent. She taught speech and acting classes for children, and had a stint in commercial radio working in production. Along with being an independent music promoter in her spare time, Maureen still managed to host jazz at WRTI. And soon it was clear to her that jazz was her true calling.
Maureen finally found her home in an office full of amazing music, and with a sign on the door that reads “Jazz Music Director.”
Maureen can be heard on Mondays from 9 pm to midnight, and on Wednesdays from 9 pm to 3 am.
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Bob Perkins
Jazz Host
Also known as "BP with the GM" (translation: "Bob Perkins with the Good Music"), BP has been in the broadcasting industry for more than three decades as an on-air host and is now commonly referred to as a Philly legend.
BP broke into radio in 1964 when he landed an on-air job in Detroit. In 1969, his hometown of Philadelphia beckoned him back with a gig at rhythm and blues station WDAS, where he worked for the next 19 years. He joined WRTI in 1997.
In addition to his job as jazz host, BP writes numerous columns and commentaries on jazz for local publications in Philadelphia. He also hosts concerts at jazz clubs and at regional festivals, including the Cape May Jazz Festival.
BP was awarded the 2002 Mellon Jazz Community Award. And in 2007, he was honored with a proclamation for his outstanding contribution to Philadelphia's jazz community by Mayor John Street, Philadelphia City Council, and the House of Representatives in Harrisburg.
BP can be heard on Mondays through Thursdays from 6 to 9 pm, and on
Sundays from 11am to 2 pm.
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Harrison Ridley, Jr.
Jazz Host, The Historical Approach to the Positive Music
Describing himself as a musicologist, historian, collector, and communicator, Harrison is a 23-year veteran of WRTI. In addition, he's been an instructor at Temple University for more than two decades. and has given lectures and workshops at over 30 universities. Harrison has taught classes about the histories of jazz, African-American music, and big bop, as well as courses focusing on jazz figures such as Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, John Coltrane, and Miles Davis.
Harrison is known by many as a walking encyclopedia of jazz. He has made guest appearances on many radio and television shows, and has also worked as a consultant for the Library of Congress. He is an archivist for the Philadelphia Clef Club of Jazz and the Performing Arts.
Harrison can be heard on Sundays from 8 pm to 12 midnight.
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I. Robin Booker
Host, Ovations
Bobbi is a Philadelphia-based journalist, radio personality and blogger. Recently, she completed a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship at the Arts Journalism Institute in Classical Music and Opera at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
Under the name Bobbi Booker, her work has appeared in publications and websites, including Smooth magazine, Philadelphia Weekly, Philadelphia Magazine, BlackAmericaWeb.com, UBO.net, The Philadelphia Tribune and The Book Report. In addition, Bobbi has covered events such as Live 8, the Gospel Music Awards, and the Grammy Awards. She's interviewed stars such as Oprah Winfrey, Quincy Jones, Stevie Wonder, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
In 1981, she launched her professional broadcast career with WRTI as a news reporter; in 1999 she was named co-host of "Ovations."
Bobbi can be heard on Sundays from 6 to 9 am.
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Warren Cooper
Host, Ovations
Warren is the founding host and producer of WRTI's gospel music program, Ovations. A Philadelphia native, he's been a musician since he was nine years old and grew up "in church" and "in jazz" - often sneaking off as a child to participate in jazz jam sessions on Saturday nights, and then singing hymns and gospel songs in the choir on Sunday mornings.
After studying at Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Warren emerged as a trend-setting pioneer within the genres of jazz worship and sacred jazz. As an arranger, composer, director, performer, and producer, he has been called “...an innovator who has taken significant strides in the fusion of gospel music and jazz…making all things new, and raising the bar in vocal jazz and praise performance…” by the Philadelphia Tribune.
Warren serves as minister of music for Broad Street Ministry (an arts outreach ministry in Philadelphia), and consults for a variety of ministry initiatives nationally. He's an elder, music minister, choir master and young adult leader at Oxford Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, and conducts choral workshops and worship development seminars that explore the integration of jazz and contemporary aspects of worship.
Warren can be heard on Sundays from 6 to 9 am.
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Jim Cotter
Arts and Culture Editor
Host, Creatively Speaking!
Jim was born and raised in Ireland. He began his radio career in Dublin before moving to the U.K. where he worked for BBC Radio Wales and the BBC World Service. He lived on the island of Crete in Greece for 10 years before moving to the United States.
Since 2002, Jim has been the station's arts and culture reporter and then editor. And since 2003, he's been the host and producer of Creatively Speaking!, WRTI's much-acclaimed Saturday morning arts and culture program.
Creatively Speaking! has been the recipient of several awards and commendations including two Philadelphia A.I.R (Achievement In Radio) awards and an Excellence in Broadcasting award from the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.
Jim travelled to Europe in 2004, and to Asia in 2005 to report on Philadelphia Orchestra tours for WRTI. He is married to Claire and they have a daughter, Norah, born in 2006.
Jim can be heard on Saturdays from 11 to 11:30 am for Creatively Speaking! , and throughout the week for arts and culture reports.
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Meridee Duddleston
News Reporter
Meridee began reporting in the newsroom at WRTI in 2003 while working towards a master's degree in journalism at Temple University. Her duties have expanded to include WRTI's weekly news feature Temple View and noon news anchor.
As a graduate student, Meridee won first and second place regional awards for her Temple View features in a student competition sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists.
A graduate of Hamline University School of Law, Meridee grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and practiced law before making a major leap into the world of journalism. She also holds a graduate degree from New York University School of Law and received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
The New Jersey Excellence in Journalism Awards program of the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists awarded Meridee with two awards for Temple View.
Meridee can be heard throughout the week.
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Jim Hilgen
News Reporter
After three decades on hiatus, Jim returned to the world of broadcasting in 2004 when he landed a volunteer reporting gig at WRTI. More than 30 years ago he worked side-by-side with WRTI's Jack Moore at a South Jersey radio station. Prior work experiences include many years in the insurance industry, and some modest success as an actor (appearing in stage productions, television commercials, and a few independent films.)
Since his arrival at WRTI in 2004, Jim's duties have grown to include reporting news of local and national importance, serving as a news anchor, and hosting and producing WRTI's weekly news feature, Temple View. Jim has also filed reports that have aired on NPR.
Jim received a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Temple University in 2006.
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Windsor Johnston
News Anchor
As news director, Windsor oversees WRTI's daily news operation and is also the morning news anchor. She first came to WRTI in 1995 as a student intern; a year later she became the afternoon news anchor, and held that postion until joining Dave Conant in the morning in 1999.
A native of Cape May, NJ, Windsor had the radio bug from an early age and was intent on launching her on-air career the moment she set foot on Temple University's campus in 1995.
In addition to her work at WRTI, Windsor has worked at WHYY in Philadelphia as a news anchor/reporter, and currently teaches a broadcasting course at Temple University.
Windsor can be heard weekday mornings on the hour and half-hour from 6 to 9:30 am.
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Susan Lewis
Arts and Culture Reporter
Susan is an arts and culture reporter for
WRTI. She contributes weekly
features to Creatively Speaking! with Jim Cotter, produces arts news,
and works as a news anchor.
She is also a freelance essayist, journalist, and speechwriter who has
written about Philadelphia for Insight Guides and Greater Philadelphia
Tourism Marketing Corporation's Culture Files. A former columnist
for Philadelphia Magazine, she is the author of Reinventing Ourselves after Motherhood and a forthcoming book of essays. Her work has
appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Child Magazine, Parents
Magazine, Reader's Digest and Ladies' Home Journal (Parents Digest).
Born and raised in Philadelphia, Susan is also a lawyer, with a B.A.
in Philosophy from Trinity College, Connecticut, and a J.D. from New
York University School of Law. She has practiced law in New York City
and taught entertainment law at Rutgers Law School in Camden.
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Jean Moore
Host, University Forum
Jean is creator, host, and executive producer of University Forum, WRTI's award-winning public affairs program.
Once a percussion student at New York's High School of Music and Art, Dr. Moore is a graduate of Hunter College and holds a master's degree in social service from Bryn Mawr College and a doctorate in education from Temple University.
Her background includes experience as a psychiatric social worker and as vice-president for institutional advancement at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She is associate professor emerita in the School of Social Administration at Temple University where she developed the New Career Ladders in Social Welfare program.
Jean can be heard on Saturdays from 6 to 6:30 am.
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David Ortiz
Host, El Viaje
For over 30 years, David has been connecting thousands of loyal WRTI listners to the sounds of salsa, mambo, and Latin jazz via his popular radio program, El Viaje.
David's introduction to Latin music was at age 17 when his younger sister persuaded him to listen to Cachao y Su Descarga's "Cuban Jam Sessions in Miniature." The rest is history...
A Philly native, David currently lives in South Jersey, but is always in town for DJ gigs at Philadelphia Latin music clubs.
Philadelphia Magazine presented David with their "Best of Philly" award for best radio program in the Philadelphia region in 1997. He has also been bestowed with numerous honors, including awards from the City of Philadelphia and Latin Beat Magazine.
David can be heard on Saturdays from 9 pm to 12 am.
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Jason Peifer
Arts and Culture Reporter
Jason is a Lancaster County native and a graduate of Temple University's School of Communications and Theater. His career in radio began as an intern associate producer for the radio productions of Philadelphia Eagles games. His next gig was an internship with WHYY's Radio Times.
In 2004, Jason landed an on-air position at WRTI and now serves as an arts and culture reporter for Creatively Speaking! and WRTI News.
Jason received a 2007 fellowship from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
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Lesley Valdes
Critic-at-Large
Lesley is best known regionally for her reviews of classical music and dance for The Philadelphia Inquirer (from 1987 to 1999). She has also covered business and the arts for Women's Wear Daily and W in New York, and wrote for the Miami News. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
After receiving her bachelor's degree in music from the Peabody Conservatory of Music of Johns Hopkins University, Lesley pursued graduate studies in music at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and did a graduate fellowship in music and comparative literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Lesley's arts commentaries can be heard during news broadcasts throughout the week.
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