Instructors

Our instructors are industry experts from across the country and right here in Montana. They are award-winning podcasters and filmmakers, professors and educators, media innovators and journalism veterans. They specialize in everything from social media strategy to data visualization. And they’re here for you.

Anne Bailey

Anne Bailey is a freelance journalist and founding director of the Montana Media Lab at the University of Montana School of Journalism. She has taught video storytelling at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies, the Rocky Mountain School of Photography, the Freedom Forum Institute and the University of Montana School of Journalism.

Jule Banville

Jule Banville is a journalism professor at the University of Montana where she teaches elements of news writing, feature writing, opinion writing and advanced audio. Prior to teaching, Jule was an editor at the Washington City Paper, a producer at WNYC and a freelance writer.

Eric Gulliver

Eric Gulliver is a producer and editor for the flagship PBS series American Experience where he creates digital-first content across multiple platforms. Eric previously worked as a producer at FRONTLINE and is co-founder of The Non-Fiction Cartel, a New England documentary collaborative.

Val Hoeppner

Val Hoeppner is a digital journalist, trainer and media strategist with more than 15 years of experience. She leads mobile, social, video and multi-platform storytelling trainings for newsrooms, universities and media conferences across the country.

Michael May

Michael May is the senior producer of the NPR Story Lab in Washington, D.C. Previously, he taught radio at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and is the winner of three National Headliners Awards, two Edward R. Murrow awards and a Third Coast Audio Festival Gold Award for his radio work.

Lacy Roberts

Lacy Roberts is an audio producer, documentary filmmaker and managing producer at the Brooklyn-based podcast production company Transmitter Media, where she edits the New York Times Opinion podcast The Argument among other projects.

Nora Saks

Nora Saks is an award-winning radio reporter and producer based in Butte, Mont. She is the host and producer of Richest Hill about one of America’s most notorious Superfund sites. Her work has been featured on NPR, Montana Public Radio, Yellowstone Public Radio, Alaska Public Media and the Washington Post, among others.

Courtney Lowery Cowgill

Courtney Lowery Cowgill is an editor, writer, teacher and entrepreneur. She teaches feature writing, reporting and elements of news writing at the University of Montana School of Journalism and she edits and runs the Legislative News Service, which provides daily and weekly coverage to nearly 200 news publications and broadcasters across the state during the Montana legislative session. 

Peter Lang-Stanton

Peter Lang-Stanton is a radio producer and composer in Portland, Maine. His work has been featured on Radiolab, BBC, NPR’s Rough Translation, APM, Audible Germany, and Love+Radio. He is the lead audio instructor at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.

Caitlin Hofmeister

Caitlin Hofmeister is a senior producer at Complexly, a leader in educational YouTube videos. She produces the award winning YouTube channel SciShow, as well as its spinoffs, SciShow Space (which she co-hosts), SciShow Psych, and SciShow Kids.

Chris Johns

Chris Johns began his National Geographic career in 1995 as a photographer and went on to become editor-in-chief of National Geographic magazine from 2005-14. While he was editor, the magazine won 23 National Magazine Awards, and in 2008 he was named magazine editor of the year.

Jeremy Lurgio

Jeremy Lurgio is an associate professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism. He teaches classes in smartphone video storytelling, photojournalism, video journalism, mini-documentary and outdoor adventure storytelling. He has also worked as a director, cinematographer, editor and drone operator on numerous films.

Dennis Swibold

Dennis Swibold is a professor at the University of Montana School of Journalism where he teaches reporting, news writing and ethics, all of which rely on the essential discipline of journalism: verification. An author and former reporter and editor, he also speaks on behalf of Humanities Montana to communities across Montana about the challenges facing the state’s news media.

Arielle Nissenblatt

Arielle Nissenblatt is the founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective. She is the Community Manager at SquadCast.fm. She’s been working in podcasting since 2017 and has held roles as a studio manager, an in-app curator, and a producer. She is a graduate of the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies.

Ric Sanchez

Ric Sanchez is a social media manager for The Athletic. He was formerly a social media editor for the Washington Post. He graduated from the University of Montana School of Journalism in 2015.