Founded in 1947, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and the Emmy® Award stand for the best in the television industry. The National Academy is the only non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing outstanding achievement, raising industry standards, and improving the quality of television. Its dedication to excellence is pursued every day by members of its 19 chapters across the country.
The Michigan Chapter was charted by the National Academy in 1978 as the Detroit chapter and Peter Kiezer was the first President. In 1989 the chapter was expanded to include the entire state of Michigan.
Each year the membership of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Michigan Chapter elects new professionals on a rotating Board of Governors to represent the Michigan community. While best known for The Emmy® Awards and Silver Circle, which recognize outstanding achievements in our industry, NATAS Michigan represents an array of other exciting events available to our membership.
The Michigan Chapter is in search of people who are as passionate about media as they are about giving back to the professional community. The Board of Governors is a working board, which simply put, means we work together collaboratively to ensure we are providing for the best interests of the membership.
1. Must be a NATAS Michigan Member for a minimum of one year prior to election.
2. Active committee participation prior to nomination is recommended.
3. Attend a minimum of one board meeting per month.
4. Board term lasts for two years.
5. Lead and/or judge at least one Emmy® Award category twice yearly.
President
Vice President
Vice President
Treasurer
Anchor/Reporter
Producer
News Director
Owner
Producer
News Director
Chief Photographer
Investigative Reporter
News Anchor
Executive Director
Robin Tracey
President
Robin is an Emmy® award-winning Producer & Director, bringing over 20 years of experience in mastering the art of true collaboration in broadcast and commercial television. She currently works at Jack Morton Worldwide as an Executive Producer, bringing an unparalleled level of expertise to every project.
Things happen fast in the production world, and from an early start, Robin has brought confidence and genuine, responsive energy to every challenge. From Assistant Director on live weekly national talk shows to Producer/Director for the Programming Department of a significant market CBS Network Affiliate and then to Executive Producer of all programming.
As Executive Producer for Producers Color Service, Grace & Wild Studios, and Cutters Studios, she provided live broadcast network news, sports, and entertainment production for clients including ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, BloombergTV, Fox News, HBO, CNBC, ESPN, etc.
Neille Giffune
Vice President
She has been at WEYI/WSMH for eight years and brings over 18 years of experience as a broadcast journalist. She has experience as a sports anchor, manager, and jack of all trades in the newsroom. Neille has guided her team through one of the most important stories in a generation, the Flint Water Crisis.
Kit Kuhne
Vice President
Kit Kuhne is an award-winning journalist with a love of breaking news, politics, and storytelling. In 2016, she started her career at ABC 12 in Flint, MI, as a News Producer. In 2021, she moved across the state to join FOX 17 in Grand Rapids as an Executive Producer. Kit is also a proud Michigan State University alumna — Go Green!
Treasurer
Brian Efrusy, Chief Financial Officer, is a highly respected executive with over 30 years of experience in finance and administration. Brian has been responsible for Cutters Studios Detroit’s financial and human resource matters since 2008. Brian’s planning helped the Company to strategically navigate its way through the Covid pandemic and continue to be one of the top media studios in greater Detroit. Brian manages all aspects of financial reporting and budgeting as well as human resource matters. He is also responsible for the banking relationships and tax compliance matters.
Carlota Almanza-Lumpkin
CEO
Carlota is a Silver Circle® MI-NATAS Member, Past Chapter President, V.P.s, Board Secretary, and Alt. National Trustee. She's a 36-year broadcast (public) media veteran. Her positions include Production Manager/Producer and Part-Time Video production instructor. Scholarship Chairman; Internship Supervisor and Detroit Public Schools Advisory. Tuskegee Airmen/Detroit Chapter, and member of Friends of Detroit City Airport.
Courtney Bennett
Anchor/Reporter
Courtney Bennett is an anchor and reporter for Mid-Michigan NOW. She joined NBC 25 and Fox 66 as a Multimedia Journalist and Digital Content Producer in March 2020. Prior to joining the team in Flint, she was the news director and anchor for Shelby TV, in Shelby Township. Courtney began her career at CW 50 Detroit as a Street Team member, covering events across the metro-Detroit area. Proud to call Michigan home, Courtney grew-up in Garden City and is a graduate of Western Michigan University.
Shayna Fields-Clark
Producer
Shayna Fields-Clark is a multimedia television producer and host. Previously, Ms. Fields-Clark worked in New York City as a segment producer for Viacom creating content for BET, VH1, and MTV for linear and non-linear platforms. She earned a BA in broadcast journalism at Wayne State University. In 2019, Ms Fields-Clark started her own media broadcast company "Fields & Clark, LLC," which produces and outsources projects. Her clients include BET, Essence Magazine, Rosetta Stone, Lexia Learning, Metro Plus Healthcare, Red Door Project and many more.
Dan Firnback
News Director
For the past three years I have been the News Director at 9&10 News, leading a group of great journalists through the ever changing TV News landscape. Over the last couple of years we have dominated coverage on a deadly tornado in Gaylord, a wildfire that destroyed thousands of acres, the trial in the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer, and local news that has impacted the 30+ counties we cover.
Byron Goggin
Owner/GM
Byron has spent 30+ years as a Director of Photography, Sr. Editor, and Producer. He has won multiple achievement awards including 15 Emmys® scattered throughout each of those categories. His career has led me to National Geographic, Discovery Channel, History Channel, NBC and FOX Sports Net where I have held leadership positions at all.
News Director
Jayne has been working in Michigan television news for more than 30 years. She is currently the News Director for WNEM TV5 in the Flint/Saginaw/Bay City market. Jaynes career has taken her all over Michigan. She started as a producer/reporter at TV 7&4 in Traverse City. From there she moved to WLNS, and then in to Detroit where she produced at WKND before moving to WXYZ. Jayne has been in the Saginaw/Flint market for 20 years, previously as News Director for ABC12. Jayne is a Detroit native. She graduated from Central Michigan University and currently sits on the BCA Alumni Advisory Board. Jayne is the recipient of three Michigan Emmy® awards and several Regional Edward R Murrow awards. She lives in Flushing, MI with her husband Mike and their two sons.
Chief Photographer
Mike Woolfolk
Anchor
Mike is an award-winning broadcast journalist with more than 30 years of experience, is a news anchor and managing editor for Mid-Michigan NOW at WEYI-TV (NBC 25), WSMH-TV (FOX 66) and WBSF (The CW 46) in Flint, Michigan. Prior to joining Mid-Michigan NOW, Mike worked at WXYZ-TV in Detroit as a general assignment and breaking news reporter for 7 Action News. He has also anchored and reported for stations in Louisiana, Nevada, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Stacia Mottley
Executive Director
-----------
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences was founded in 1955. It is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy® Award for News, Sports, Daytime, Public Service and Technology.
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy® Award for News & Documentary, Sports, Daytime Entertainment, Daytime Creative Arts & Entertainment, Public & Community Service, Technology & Engineering, and Business & Financial Reporting. Regional Emmy® Awards are given in 19 regions across the United States. NATAS also presents the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Global Media Awards™ which recognizes excellence in the world-wide intersection of digital entertainment and technology. Emmy® Awards given out for primetime programming are presented by our sister organization, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). Beyond awards, NATAS has extensive educational programs including Regional Student Television Awards for outstanding journalistic work by high school students, as well as scholarships, publications, and major activities for both industry professionals and the viewing public.
The Emmy® name and the Emmy® statuette are the trademarked property of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“NATAS”) and The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“ATAS”). Additionally, the Emmy® name, logo and statuette are licensed to the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (“International Academy”) for International Emmys®.
The Academies have adopted the following rules concerning use of clips from their respective Emmy® awards presentations:
Although the Academies will permit certain uses of the Emmy® name and statuette in other contexts, the unrestricted use of the same violates both the value and stature of the Emmy® and may serve to dilute the marks. Therefore the following uses, although permitted under some circumstances, always require prior express written authorization from the chief operating officer of the Academy from which authorization is sought:
These provisions apply to NATAS; readers should contact each of the other Academies to determine their applicable rules as to sponsor identification and Emmy® show activities