Some Panthers are great communicators…you can hear or see them reporting the news or commenting on sports on every kind of airwave ー TV, radio or streaming. We asked our broadcasting alumni to tell us how they got there and what they’re up to these days, and each filed their own professional stories:
Dawn Bartlett Hall ‘91 is a well-known broadcaster in the motor-sports community. She has hosted her own racing show, TrackSmack, for 17 years on several radio networks and has been asked to participate on national shows, both online and on radio networks across the country.
Born and raised in San Antonio, after graduating from TMI, Dawn attended Emmanuel College in Boston, where she played both volleyball and basketball for the Lady Saints. She started her career in radio in 2004, working at San Antonio news-talk station 550 KTSA, starting as a call screener. In three months, Dawn became a producer for the afternoon drive show hosted by Chris Duel, and soon she was producing for every show on the station, including the morning drive show hosted by Trey Ware. After six months at KTSA, Dawn was named executive producer for the station and also took on the role of public affairs director. In February 2004, she became host of her own show, TrackSmack.
Three years later, Dawn moved over to ESPN 1250 The Zone, where she was executive producer and part of the on-air staff for the afternoon drive show. She also provided the local daily Sportscenter updates at the top and bottom of the hour.
Dawn later moved TrackSmack to IHeart Radio’s The Ticket 760, where she served as both producer and on-air contributor for the Mike Taylor afternoon show during the week, as well as fill-in talk show host when needed. She also was executive producer and contributor for a local Web show called Talk Now SA.
In 2011, Dawn took TrackSmack to the Internet as an independent show, one of the first to go to a weekly podcast format. Not only does she host her own show, she produces, directs and does her own bookings. You can follow her online at www.tracksmackradio.com and on Twitter @tracksmackdawn
Robert Price ‘02 says he “always had an interest in journalism growing up. As a kid, I would religiously read the newspaper and watch the local news. But it was my time at TMI that really set me on the path of pursuing journalism as a career. It was here that I became editor-in-chief of our school newspaper (the Panther Picayune) as well as coeditor of the yearbook.
After TMI, I headed west to the University of Southern California, where I double-majored and earned degrees in both Broadcast Journalism and Spanish. About two months after graduating from USC in 2006, I got my first job in TV news, serving as a reporter and weekend anchor for the NBC affiliate in central Nebraska.
Two years after that, I moved one state over to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where I worked for the CBS and FOX affiliates as a reporter and weekend anchor. I even did a two-month stint as a sports anchor!
In early 2011, I got the opportunity to move back to Texas and report the news on TV in San Antonio, and that’s where I’ve been ever since. What a thrill. I now work for both News 4 WOAI and KABB FOX 29, where over the past 10 years I’ve served as a reporter, weekend anchor, Live Desk anchor, and fill-in weekday anchor. You can see me anchor our weekend newscasts on News 4 at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. and on FOX at 9 p.m. I also file reports for our late newscasts during the week.
Oh, and you can always follow my news adventures on Twitter: @RobertPriceTV “
Michael Spencer ‘06 is currently a sports anchor at KCNC-TV, the CBS station in Denver, Colorado covering the Denver Broncos, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rockies and Colorado Avalanche.After graduating from TMI, Michael earned his bachelor’s degree from the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.
His first job took him back to Texas where he worked as a sports reporter and anchor in Midland, covering the Friday Night Lights of Texas high school football. After 15 months in Midland, Michael moved north to Amarillo where he worked at the NBC station for two and a half years.
After his time in Amarillo, Michael moved to Knoxville, Tennessee where he covered SEC football and the Tennessee Volunteers before moving to Denver in June of 2016.
Michael developed a love of sports at a young age and played varsity basketball and football at TMI. His father Walter (a former TMI teacher and administrator) coached the varsity team for three years, and Michael credits his dad for his love of sports and as a big reason why he ended up covering sports for a living.
His daily job entails going to practice, interviewing players and coaches, and then anchoring the sportscast at the 5, 6, and 10 o’clock news.
You can follow Michael on social media through his Twitter page at @MichaelCBS4.
Cayle Thompson ‘00 is an award-winning television news producer, reporter and anchor based in Washington, D.C. In 2021, Cayle was tapped by Sinclair Broadcasting to help launch The National Desk, serving as Live Desk anchor for their new national morning newscast.
Cayle’s work has taken him to cities across the country for roles at CBS and ABC affiliates in Texas, Michigan, Kansas, Florida, Washington state and now the nation’s capital. He delivered live reports from Houston the night Hurricane Rita roared ashore, spent days on the ground after a massive EF5 tornado leveled Greensburg, Kansas, flew with the USAF Thunderbirds, and successfully reunited hundreds of precious photos with a Marine and his wife years after their wedding album was lost.
In 2015, Cayle launched the Live Desk for KOMO-TV in Seattle, streamlining and simplifying the station’s ability to source and report breaking news from around the world in real-time. Its success led many stations across the country to incorporate their own Live Desk, modeled on Cayle’s example.
Cayle is originally from Atascosa County and lived on campus during his four years at TMI. He especially enjoyed his literature classes and writing assignments and he was an enthusiastic member of the school’s speech and debate team, choir, jazz band and theater. Cayle credits his classes at TMI with honing his critical thinking and writing abilities, and his extracurriculars with improving his presentation skills and public confidence.
He holds a MA in Strategic Communication from Washington State University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, a BA in Journalism from Ithaca College, and a certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University.
You can follow Cayle on Facebook (@CayleThompsonReports) and Twitter (@CayleThompson).
Tom Turbiville ‘66 says his path to a broadcasting career was improbable from the start. “Yes, I’d say from the very start,” says the Class of 1966 class agent and former TMI band drum major. “I was born with bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate. That’s typically not a path to making a living with your voice.”
Broadcasting wasn’t his first career but actually his fourth. “I was 42 when I did my first live radio sportscast in Bryan-College Station,” Tom says. “I’d been a sportswriter in Irving and then a Media Relations Director for the Southwest Conference and for Texas A&M Athletics and then in private business before I was hired to co-host a morning radio show and serve as sports director.”
In all, that fourth career spanned 22 years, the last 19 with WTAW Radio in Aggieland. He retired from the station in 2012 but has never retired the headsets.
“My wife and I moved to Nebraska for three years, where I did play-by-play for high-school basketball and eight-man football,” he says. Since moving back to College Station in 2015, Tom picked up some of his old gigs of broadcasting A&M women’s basketball and has started his own online broadcasting site (Bcsball.com), doing local high school football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, baseball and softball.
In more than two decades as a fulltime radio guy, Tom has broadcast high-school football and basketball as well as A&M football, basketball and baseball. He also produced and hosted an interview TV show for the local PBS affiliate. “I’m probably most proud of that. I interviewed more than 125 local military veterans, letting them tell their own story of service.”
“I worked a lot of jobs I didn’t particularly like and wasn’t very good at,” he says. “Then I got lucky and found what I love and I must do it OK. I’m 72, and they still give me a mic.”
Alumni Spotlight
Antonio Benitez ‘82
Educator Antonio Benitez ‘82 speaks to parents at a conference in Saltillo, Mexico, a city about 50 miles from his home in Monterrey. His work with the International Baccalaureate program has taken him all over the world.
What brought you to TMI from your home in Monterrey, Mexico?I just came for my junior and senior year. I was in a rock band, and my parents thought I was getting too serious about it and not serious enough about school. As a boarder at TMI, I had to take school seriously.
Was it hard at first to adjust?I’d already studied English at the American School in Monterrey, so I had no problem reading it and writing it, but for the first month, when everybody around me was talking and laughing at the same time, it could be scary. I really had to pay attention, and that helped me learn fast.
Antonio graduated with the rank of lieutenant. ‘As a cadet,’ he said, ‘I learned a lot of leadership skills ー how to give orders, how to obey orders, the importance of being a good example for others, teamwork and how to care for your people.’
What were your activities at TMI?I was in the Corps, and I played American football and baseball, after only watching baseball games on TV. And I played drums in the school band, which was fun because in my rock band, I played the guitar.
What career path have you chosen?I went back to Monterrey and started working as a substitute teacher at the American School in Monterrey, just to help my parents pay my (university) tuition, because I was sure I did not want to be a teacher. I was studying business administration. When I graduated, (the school) offered me a full-time job, and that scared me, so I quit. With two partners, I set up a business, but we ended up having to sell it to pay our debts, just to break even. (After another solo business disappointment), I saw a newspaper ad for English teachers at the Liceo de Monterrey, a K-12 school for about 1,300 boys. After two years, they promoted me to coordinate the department, after four years to assistant principal and after eight years, principal. I started a new job at the beginning of this school year as vice principal of another school, Ciudad de los Niños.
As an educator, did you need to further your own education?Yes, I have a master’s in education and family counseling from the Instituto Villanueva in Madrid, Spain; and a master’s in education management from the Instituto Iberoamericano in Santiago, Chile. I’ve also taken a lot of continuing education courses – in high-level administration, bilingual education, school management – at universities in Mexico and the U.S., including Harvard. I’ve also earned a certificate to become an International Baccalaureate (IB) program coordinator (for the two-year program that provides an internationally accepted qualification for higher education) and was the first president of the Mexican Association of schools authorized by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva. It’s been a lot of travel and a lot of fun.
Antonio still performs with a rock band, here supporting their 2019 album release.
Did you ever miss playing in a band?I still do! Our band is called Crazy and Lazy; last year, we released our first album since 1985.
Antonio and his wife Maria have three children; from left,Fernanda, Mariana and Marcela.
Please tell us about your family:I have been married to the same lady for 32 years. Maria and I have three daughters, Fernanda, Marcela and Mariana. Fernanda works for H-E-B in Mexico, and the other two are still at university.
Antonio and friends from TMI get together once a year ー here, in 2019 at Rodolfo Chavarria’s ranch in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. Alumni, from left, are: Jorge Barbosa, Fernando Mena. Antonio, Carlos Gomez, Rodolfo Chavarria, Oscar Villalobos, Abid Name and Francisco Elosua.
What’s your strongest memory of your TMI years?What I most like to remember about those two years were the friends I made. They were not only friends, they became more like family. We have a What’s App group,and once a year, we get together.
What did you get out of your experience of being a boarder?I became more mature, took more responsibility for myself. Cleaning my own room, that was scary for me!
Are there TMI teachers who set an example for you?Several! Mario Rivela was an excellent teacher; he and Mr. Espino (science) and Mr. O’Brien (math) didn’t just stand up in front of the class, they were more like a counselor or a mentor. They didn’t just teach, they showed concern about you.
What did you learn at TMI that you have taken with you?I learned to be more open to other cultures, and that has helped me relate to students and colleagues from different parts of the world – the UK, Kenya, France. And in the Corps, I learned about leadership, giving and inspiring respect.
Brian Gant ‘93
Brian Gant ‘93, right, meets up with Sebastien Ron Caillet ‘90 in Paris. Before Brian’s family trip to Europe in 2019, the two TMI alums planned to get together in Paris, Sebastien’s hometown.
What brought you to TMI?My roots were on the East Side of San Antonio, and I had gone to Jeff Davis Middle School. My parents felt that the local high school lacked resources, and we made a deal – that I would have to go to TMI for at least one year (as a freshman). Then I fell in love with the school.
What were some of your favorite activities at TMI?I played football and basketball and learned some lifelong lessons. We had a diverse team and played against different schools – in a little town called Poteet, Cistercian in Dallas and the Texas School for the Deaf. We thought (the deaf students) would be easy to beat, but they were incredible. We learned how to treat other people different from you with respect, that the differences were superficial. And to work hard and support your teammates.I was also a cadet; that was my choice; I gave it a try and ended up as a company commander as a senior. That was a historic year, when we had our first female battalion commander (Elizabeth Wiatrowski ‘93).
Who are the TMI teachers who most impressed you?Mary Ann Coons for math – algebra, precal and calculus. She loved math and she loved her students. Mrs. Coons brimmed with enthusiasm and energy, and it was infectious. For history, there was J.R. Fleming, who came from upstate New York in my sophomore year. I played football for Coach Goertz, and we learned tactics, but the game was almost a vehicle from which to learn more important lessons about life, now that I look back.
Where did you continue your education after TMI?I went to Princeton. Camille Rodriguez Brigant ’92 was there, and she came back and actively recruited. TMI was a great school; I was extremely well-prepared and graduated with honors. For graduate school, I went to Northwestern University and earned an MBA.
What are some highlights of what you’ve done since graduation from TMI?I’m Head of Dispositions in Mesirow Financial’s Institutional Real Estate, Direct Group (in Chicago). I work in the investment space (and) feel very blessed. I come from an economic background that was not too privileged and have been extremely financially successful.
Brian and his wife Abril Gant celebrate her birthday last month with their children Nicole, Jacob and Isaac.
Please tell us about your family: My wife Abril and I have three wonderful kids – Nicole is 14; Jacob, 9, and Isaac, 7.
What are your interests outside of work?We all love to travel and like to take family vacations. My wife’s from Mexico, we’ve been all through there, and to London and Paris and to the Virgin Islands. And we’ve come back to San Antonio; my wife has been to TMI, where we’ve driven around the campus, and seen the neighborhood. I’ve (also) gotten interested in genealogy. My mother was her family’s de facto historian; since she’s passed, I’ve taken up the mantle and hired a professional genealogist. I’ve learned that I’m descended from an Alamo defender, Isaac Millsap from Tennessee, who served in the War of 1812.
Do you have time to do any community service? Yes, I serve on the board of an affordable housing organization.
What are your strongest memories of your TMI years?Football and friendships – the ups and downs with the team, being exposed to different things. There was an international component (in the Residential Life program). We met people from different countries –Korea, North Africa, Germany and Mexico – and there were some life lessons there.
Do you have a most memorable TMI moment?At first, I was out of my comfort zone. I’d never been to that part of San Antonio, and it made me feel isolated, extremely uncomfortable. Being at TMI forced me to try to have an open mind. Luther Baker was my first friend. He was from the East Side, too, same middle school, and his uncle drove us in a carpool. Then I got to know Andy Cubriel, Greg Striker and Phil Taylor from football, class and ROTC. When you’re 13 years old and taken out of the only thing you’re used to…economics were the starkest of the cultural differences. There were other people of African ancestry at TMI, but they had a lot of money. I learned that you can’t expect other people to have an open mind if you don’t have one.
What is the most important lesson you learned at TMI?Above all, judge people by who they are, not who you think they’re going to be. Oftentimes, you have no idea. You have to take some of those first steps yourself. Otherwise, you’re asking them to do all the work.
What advice would you give current TMI students?Try to get to know as many of your classmates and teachers as possible. If you keep an open mind, you can learn from them all in so many different ways.
Anything else you’d like to share about your experience?I received a world-class education at TMI – not just in academics but beyond. Learning to have an open mind at a young age was extremely beneficial.
Alumni Day ー Friday, April 30
Army Maj. Azizi Van Delden Wesmiller ‘01, will serve as Reviewing Officer at Final Pass in Review, April 30, during TMI Alumni Day.
For our first in-person alumni event since the COVID crisis, we’replanning to make a day of it ー Alumni Day, Friday, April 30! (Please note; this is an update since the announcement in the November 2020 newsletter.)
The day’s events are scheduled as follows: Final Pass in Review ー 2:40-3:30 p.m.TMI Campus Tours with Our Leadership Team ー 3:45-4:45 p.m.
Meet our Dean of Innovation and tour Walker Innovation Center
Meet our Director of Athletics and tour Frost Athletic Center
Meet our Commandant and tour Petty Rifle Range
Alumni Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony ー 5-6 p.m. in All Saints Chapel, honoring the 2020-2021 inductees Alumni Wine and Cheese Reception ー 6-7 p.m. on the Chapel Portico
To RSVP for these events, click here. All events are subject to health and safety recommendations of the CDC and local authorities.
Stars Over TMI 2021
Stars Over TMI: A Celebration of the Best and the Brightest gala and auction will take place on Saturday, April 10, at La Cantera Resort and Spa, 16641 La Cantera Parkway.
This unforgettable night ー TMI’s premier annual fundraiser ー will feature cocktails, cuisine and a live auction. We encourage you to show your pride for TMI by attending, and to consider marketing your business or place of employment by becoming an underwriter.
All proceeds go to benefit TMI Episcopal. Please visit the Stars Over TMI webpage for underwriting details and tickets to the event. Go Panthers!
For more information, please contact Belinda Benavidez, Associate Director of Development: (210) 564-6245 or b.benavidez@tmi-sa.org
Camp is Coming Back!
Plans are underway to launch a return of our full Summer At TMI program on campus this year! With hopes that the pandemic will be under control by June, we are preparing to host a full lineup of athletic, academic, art, robotics, computer and adventure camps, in compliance with all CDC, state and local requirements.
A full catalog of Summer 2021 camp offerings will be available in February, with registration opening on March 1. For details about the program, click here.
For questions, please contact summer@tmi-sa.org. We look forward to having your family join us this summer!
Annual Report 2019-2020 Online
The digital version of TMI Annual Report (mailed in December 2020) is available here!
Besides our Donor Honor Roll, there are reports on the new Walker Innovation Center, student achievements, faculty milestones and most important, our heartfelt gratitude for the generosity of the TMI community that makes it possible for our school to remain on the leading edge of innovation and excellence.
TMI Gear on Sale!
This month, enjoy 20 percent off on your TMISideline Store purchase of $85 or more! This promotion is good for the entire month of January, and many items of name-brand apparel are customizable for alumni! Start your online shopping here...and send us your photos wearing your Panther purchases!
TMI Connections ー New Feature!
Want to make sure your classmates see what you post on TMI Connections?
Now you can tag them…and they’ll receive an email with your message! Come see what’s new on the social platform just for TMI alumni…or register if you’re new to the site! Create a group for your class year, team, activity or any other group of TMI friends…now you can tag your groups, too, when you have something to say or photos to share!Click here to explore this new alumni communications resource; if you have questions, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations, p.allen@tmi-sa.org or (210) 564-6155.
Alumni Archives
Paul Leroy Dublin ‘29, TMI yearbook
The TMI Archives now has a complete set of graduation documents for Paul LeRoy Dublin ‘29, thanks to his daughter D’Ann Dublin Riemer, who made a gift of them to the TMI Archives.
From his diploma, awarded May 24, 1929, we learn that the school’s motto at that time was “Ministrare,” Latin for “to serve.” An ornate certificate for his promotion to corporal in 1928 establishes that the school colors of black and orange were in use, and a graduation invitation shows that the ceremony was held in Turner Hall (now the Bonham Exchange, a popular downtown bar), bears what we now know as the “classic crest” and provides a detailed line drawing of the “Old Main” building at the Alamo Heights campus (1910-1989).
TMI’s 1929 graduation was held on Friday, May 24, at ‘eight-fifteen o’clock’ off campus, according to this invitation.
According to his 1982 obituary, after graduation from TMI, Paul attended Southern Methodist University and became a partner in his family’s Dublin Grocery Co. in Jacksonville, Texas. The company shipped tomatoes out of Jacksonville when it was known as the “tomato capital of the world.” He served in the Navy during World War II and returned to the family business, where his wife Edna worked with him. The couple had one daughter, D’Ann.
Every item we receive from alumni or their families tells part of the TMI story and will be treasured in the school archives, part of the Helen and Everett Jones Library. To donate TMI artifacts and documents, please send them to Paula Allen, TMI Episcopal, 20955 W. Tejas Trail, San Antonio TX 78257. If you have questions, please send a message to p.allen@tmi-sa.org or call (210) 564-6155.
Class Notes
1967
Bob Braubach ‘67, right, accompanies the Czech Ambassador to the U.S., Hynek Kmonicek, on a Nov. 17, 2020, visit to the Alamo.
Attorney Robert “Bob” Braubach has a long-standing relationship with the Czech Republic and helped set up the first visit of Czech Ambassador Hynek Kmonicek to San Antonio in November 2020 to promote trade and investment opportunities.
“He sees excellent opportunities for Czech companies to do business here,” Bob said of the ambassador. “He is also impressed by the Bexar County Czech Heritage Society and the Czech presence in San Antonio, and the history of the Riverwalk and the Alamo. Prague has the river Vltava through the center of the city.“ The Ambassador also “compares the Alamo battle to the Czechs’ 30 Years War from 1618 to 1648 when the Catholics fought the Protestants. Each side fought to the end.” Kmonicek plans to return in July 2021, Bob said, “to continue the discussion for Czech companies to do business in San Antonio.”
1994
Patrick Davis married Kathleen Underwood on Nov. 7, 2020. He teaches English, and she teaches math at TMI, where Pat’s daughter Rainey is a freshman.
In November 2020, Evan Walter completed the requirements and exam to become a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. Evan currently trains at CrossFit 405 in Oklahoma City, where he has been a member since 2013.
2018
Northeastern engineering students Brooke, left, and Ally Kotopoulos enjoy time at the beach with parents Marian and Alec, who have also moved to Massachusetts.
Ally and BrookeKotopoulos are both juniors at Northeastern University in Boston, where Ally is doing a co-op (internship) with Moderna, on the vaccine manufacturer’s Analytical Research and Development team, and Brooke is with Insulet as a manufacturing engineer, focusing on automation line robotics.
In Memoriam
TMI remembers those members of our alumni community who have recently passed away. If you know of an alumnus/a who has passed, please email advancement@tmi-sa.org with the name, class year and a link to the obituary or call us at (210) 564-6155.
Robert H. Matthews ‘57
Sam Dibrell ‘59
George Ricks ‘65
Charles Jerome “Jerry” Kerr ‘66
Keep in Touch!
To stay current with all things TMI, follow TMI Alumni Facebook, join TMI Alumni Connections and share your news by using this form. Or reach out to Alumni Relations at p.allen@tmi-sa.org or (210) 564-6155.
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