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WORLD Radio Team

Maria Baer

Correspondent

Maria Baer is a WORLD Radio correspondent based in Columbus, Ohio. She is a 2014 World Journalism Institute graduate. She also contributes to iHeart Media and hosts a bi-weekly podcast called “I Was There When.” You can find Maria on Twitter @maria4ya and at mariaebaer.com

Caleb Bailey

Correspondent

Caleb is a WORLD Radio Correspondent and World Watch Feature Reporter based in Asheville, N.C. He graduated from both California State University Channel Islands and the World Journalism Institute in 2021.

Joel Belz

Founder

Joel (1941–2024) served as the editor of The Presbyterian Journal before founding WORLD Magazine in 1986. He has served as editor, publisher, and CEO over the years and wrote the lead WORLD column for more than 20 years. His occasional classic commentaries still provide fresh insights for a new generation of listeners. Visit WORLD’s memorial tribute page.

Ryan Bomberger

Commentator

Ryan is an author, speaker, and Emmy Award-winning creative professional who provides occasional commentary for WORLD Radio. He holds degrees from both Messiah College and Regent University and founded The Radiance Foundation with his wife Bethany. They live in Virginia with their four children. Follow Ryan on Twitter @ryanbomberger.

Myrna Brown

Host and Correspondent

Myrna is based in Spanish Fort, Ala., and has worked as a TV news reporter, public affairs show host, and producer. She’s a graduate of the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course. Follow Myrna on Twitter @MyrnaCBrown.

Paul Butler

Executive Producer

Paul is the executive producer for WORLD Radio. He is a graduate of the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course, a Moody Radio alum, a pastor, and a former college professor. Paul resides with his family in Arlington, Ill.

Janie B. Cheaney

Commentator

Janie published her very first column in WORLD in 1991, in the middle of homeschooling her two children. Since then she has written children’s novels, writing workbooks, blogs, and book reviews in addition to her regular WORLD columns. She contributes commentary for WORLD Radio twice a month and lives with her husband in the Ozarks of Missouri. Follow Janie on Twitter @jbcheaney.

Kent Covington

News Editor

Kent is a news anchor, co-host, and political correspondent for WORLD Radio. He spent almost two decades in Christian radio before joining WORLD in 2014. Follow Kent on Twitter @KentCovington.

Lauren Dunn

Reporter

Lauren covers education and other topics for WORLD’s digital, print, and podcast platforms. She is a graduate of Thomas Edison State University and World Journalism Institute. She lives with her family in Wichita, Kan.

Nick Eicher

Co-host | Chief Content Officer

Nick is chief content officer of WORLD and co-host of The World and Everything in It. He has served WORLD magazine as a writer and reporter, managing editor, editor, and publisher. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickEicher.

Kristen Flavin

Producer

Kristen is senior producer for WORLD Radio. She was part of the World Journalism Institute class of 2014 and has been working behind the scenes with the WORLD Radio team since 2011. Follow Kristen on Twitter @kristenflavin.

Johnny Franklin

Technical Producer

Johnny serves as a technical producer for WORLD Radio. He’s spent the past 35 years in media production with various ministries before joining WORLD in 2012.

George Grant

Commentator

George is the pastor of Parish Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Franklin, TN, the founder of Franklin Classical School, the Chalmers Fund, and the King’s Meadow Study Center, and the author of more than 70 books. Follow George on Twitter @gileskirk.

Kim Henderson

Senior Correspondent / Commentator

Kim is a graduate of the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course. A homeschooling mom, she spent more than 20 years freelancing for local outlets and writing curriculum for LifeWay Christian Resources. Kim now contributes to WORLD as a Mississippi-based correspondent.

Anna Johansen Brown

Reporter

Anna Johansen Brown is features editor for WORLD Radio based in Chicago. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute in 2018. She is a speech and debate coach, teaches English, history, and drama to high schoolers, and is finishing up a degree in English.

Jill Nelson

Correspondent

Jill is a WORLD Radio reporter based in Orange County, California, and host of the seasonal podcast The Olasky Interview. She worked for two years as a TV news reporter and anchor in South Dakota before completing her M.A. in Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas. Follow Jill on Twitter @WorldNels.

Onize Ohikere

Reporter

Onize is a WORLD Digital reporter based in Abuja, Nigeria. She became WORLD’s Africa correspondent in 2016 after graduating from the World Journalism Institute. She earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University-Moorhead and is a frequent contributor to WORLD Radio. Follow Onize on Twitter @onize_ohiks.

Carl Peetz

Technical Producer

Carl began his radio journey as a board operator, broadcasting Los Angeles Dodgers games in a small Southern California desert town in 1984. Since then he’s worked for numerous Christian radio stations and ministries. Carl joined WORLD in 2014 and stays up late to assemble The World and Everything in It. He is thankful to shine the light of the gospel through Biblical worldview journalism.

Bonnie Pritchett

Correspondent

Bonnie earned a journalism degree from the University of Texas, where she edited reel-to-reel tapes and used newfangled personal computers. While technology transformed the news industry, Bonnie raised two boys. She took up freelance reporting about 20 years ago, graduated from the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course, and now lives and works in League City, Texas, with her husband of 30 years.

Mary Reichard

Co-host | Legal Affairs Correspondent

Mary is a WORLD Radio co-host and covers the judicial branch weekly on Legal Docket. She earned her J.D. from St. Louis University and practiced law before becoming a journalist. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute in 2011. Follow Mary on Twitter @ReichardWorld.

Jenny Rough

Correspondent

Jenny is a lawyer-turned-writer based in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a graduate of the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course and contributes feature stories for The World and Everything in It. She is also the letters editor for AARP, freelances for The Washington Post, and writes a quarterly letter, Rough Draft. Find her at jennyrough.com. Follow her on Twitter @JennyRough.

Jenny Lind Schmitt

Correspondent

Jenny is a WORLD Radio and WORLD Magazine correspondent. She is also a graduate of the World Journalism Institute’s mid-career course, an educator, and author of the novel Mountains of Manhattan. Follow Jenny on Twitter @jlindschmitt.

Josh Schumacher

Reporter

Josh is a reporter for WORLD Radio. He's a graduate of the 2021 WORLD Journalism Institute.

Les Sillars

Correspondent / Commentator

WORLD Radio commentator Les Sillars has been WORLD Magazine’s mailbag editor since 1999. He teaches journalism at Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Va. His work has also appeared in Touchstone, The American Conservative, First Things, The Federalist, and other publications.

Cal Thomas

Commentator

Cal is one of the most widely syndicated political columnists in America, provoking discussion and debate for more than 30 years. He takes on all topics, from the American family’s decline to terrorism’s looming threat. Follow Cal on Twitter @CalThomas.

Steve West

Legal Correspondent and Commentator

Steve is a legal correspondent for WORLD. He is a graduate of World Journalism Institute, Wake Forest University School of Law, and N.C. State University. He worked for 34 years as a federal prosecutor and is now an attorney in private practice. Steve resides with his wife in Raleigh, N.C.

Emily Whitten

Book Reviewer

Emily is a book critic and correspondent for WORLD Radio and WORLD Magazine. She earned an English literature degree from the University of Mississippi, worked at Peachtree Publishers in Atlanta, and gained a mother’s heart for good stories over a decade of homeschooling. Emily lives near Nashville with her husband, two daughters, and their menagerie (i.e. a dog, a cat, and a lop-eared bunny). Follow her on Twitter @emilyawhitten.

Whitney Williams

Commentator

Whitney earned a journalism degree from Baylor University and resides in Texas with her husband and three sons. She is an occasional contributor to The World and Everything in It.