Greeting from the President

The Michigan Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is proud to honor our nominees and winners of the 2026 Student Production Awards. Our students and educators work in tandem to bring stories to life and ensure top-notch production value for all their work. As usual, our students have proven that there is a bright future for them in representing Michigan in any media field. Congratulations to all our nominees and winners! We're all excited to see what the future holds for you!

Nielle Giffune

President, NATAS - Michigan

A message from the Student Production Awards Chair

The Michigan Chapter of NATAS and our Board of Directors are proud to welcome you to the 2026 Student Production Awards at Michigan State University.

We’re excited to begin today’s program with our “Meet the Pros” panels. These sessions are designed just for you—offering real conversations with award-winning media professionals who have built successful careers in television news, cinematography, content creation, and more.

Whether you’re exploring how to break into the industry or looking to sharpen your skills, this Q&A experience will provide valuable insight, practical advice, and a few inspiring stories along the way.

This year, we received a record 247 entries from talented high school and college students across Michigan. Today, we gather to celebrate your creativity, dedication, and passion reflected in the very best of those projects.

We also want to recognize the teachers and professors who guide, support, and inspire the next generation of storytellers. Your impact is truly appreciated—congratulations to you as well.

Thank you for being part of this special day. We hope you enjoy the program and take pride in all that you’ve accomplished.

Jim Kiertzner

Celebrating You and Team Work

Have you ever been nominated for or received a Student Production Award?

It’s never too late to commemorate your achievement with a beautiful plaque or crystal pillar award.

Our crystal pillars feature the Emmy^® logo and are personalized with an inscription celebrating your accomplishment.

All prices include personalization. Shipping is not included.

College Crystal Pillar - 8”
High School Crystal Pillar - 6"

Your personalized pillar, featuring your entry etched in gold with the Emmy^® logo: $125

Special Thanks To:

MSU’s College of Communication Arts & Sciences for hosting the next generation of media and journalism leaders.

Meet the Pros

Meet Emmy^® Award-winning broadcast journalism and production professionals who work in news, sports, and documentary production in a series of question-and-answer breakout sessions. Learn all about their professions, education and training, and how they got started in the industry.

Presenters

Ashlee Baracy

Meteorologist
WDIV

Ashlee Baracy is a 4x Emmy award-winning meteorologist who was born and raised in Metro Detroit. You can catch her 4Warn Weather forecasts on WDIV weekday mornings and streaming on Local4+. She has been recognized by both the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Ohio Associated Press Media Editors for “Best Weathercast.” Ashlee's greatest pride and joy are her two children. During her first pregnancy, she inspired a conversation about body positivity through her experiences with body shaming. Her message went viral making headlines in the New York Post, People Magazine and on the Today Show. Ashlee holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, a Broadcast Meteorology Certification from Mississippi State University and has a Master of Science degree from Eastern Michigan University.

Colton Cichoracki

Meteorologist
WXMI FOX 17

Colton Cichoracki is an award-winning meteorologist who currently works at WXMI FOX 17 in Grand Rapids. Colton earned his meteorology degree from Central Michigan University and also holds an associate's degree from St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron. Colton has been recognized by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters for best meteorologist and best weathercast the past two years. Colton's passion for weather began when he was just four years old and always knew he wanted to be a meteorologist. He loves snow and winter but also enjoys forecasting severe and tropical weather. Colton's career began in St. Joseph, Missouri and he later worked in Flint and Lansing before moving to Grand Rapids. Colton has also interned at 9&10 News in northern Michigan and at WJBK FOX 2 in Detroit.

Larry Wallace

Senior Investigative Reporter
FOX 47 News Lansing

Larry Wallace is a Detroit Native, born and raised on the west side of the city. He attended Wayne State University (GO WARRIORS!) for his Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast Journalism and Master’s Degree in Organizational Communication and Public Relations. Larry’s journalism career started in 2015, when he worked as a general assignment reporter for the public access channel TV Warren. From there, he went on to work for CBC Windsor as a reporter, then FOX 2 Detroit as an assignment editor then, NBC 24 as a reporter - before making his way to Lansing as a senior investigative reporter and anchor at FOX 47 News. During his 11 year career he’s racked up awards, including best breaking news and best newscast with the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

Mark Pearson

Sports Director
WNEM TV 5

Mark Pearson joined WNEM as Sports Director in May 2023. A Grand Rapids native, he previously worked at WAND (central Illinois) and WDAZ (North Dakota), where he rose to Sports Director after serving as a weekend anchor/reporter. A graduate of Butler University, Mark was the school’s first Sports Media major, also minoring in business and mathematics. He gained early experience through internships with ESPN 96.1, the Indiana Pacers, WOOD TV, and WTHR, and has covered major events including the ReliaQuest Bowl and NCAA March Madness.

David C. Jones

Chief Photographer
WILX

A seven-time Emmy award-winning television photojournalist and a recipient of a 2023 Regional Edward R Murrow award, Jones has worked as a television news photographer and editor for thirty years. In 2016, he moved into documentary filmmaking where his cinematography work includes, NOTOWN (2019) for Defining Entertainment; FLINT (2020) for Montrose Pictures Ltd.; and FRONTLINE: Plot to Overturn the Election (2022) for PBS/GBH. He is currently the cinematographer on FINDING XIAO (currently in production) for Rice Pictures as well as Fretail, a short observational film surrounding homelessness. Jones sits on the board of directors for the regional NATAS chapter and is a member of the International Documentary Association. He won the 2025 Emmy for both News Photographer and News Editor.

Meghan Griesbeck

Workforce Productivity Specialist
Netflix

Meghan has over eight years of experience in television and film, specializing in post-production and production strategy. She is currently a Workforce Productivity Specialist at Netflix, overseeing internal production planning applications. She began her career as a DI Producer at Light Iron NY, working on projects including A Family Affair (Netflix), Tires Season 2 (Netflix), and Law & Order (NBC). As an indie producer, her latest film, Lady Parts, won six festival awards, including the Comedy Vanguard Jury Award at Austin Film Festival and Audience Awards at Florida and St. Louis Film Festivals. A Broadcast & Cinema Arts graduate of Madonna University, Meghan recently returned to Michigan after eight years in New York City. Outside of work, she loves to travel and is always picking up a new hobby — currently crocheting.