Notable Alumni

 

 

Karen Borta

Morning Anchor, KTXT

Karen Borta graduated in 1987 from The University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor’s of Communication with a focus on Broadcasting. While attending UTA, Karen found a mentor in Professor Cox which solidified her decision to become a journalist. Karen is a member of the UTA Alumni Association, as well as the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. After being a news anchor and reporter in Tampa, Sacramento, and Waco, she moved back to Dallas to join CBS 11 News in 1995. In 2003, Karen received UTA’s “Distinguished Alumni Service Award.” Karen has received numerous awards for her work, including Emmy’s, Texas Associated Press Broadcasters, Press Club of Dallas Katie Awards and the Association of Women Journalists’ Vivian J. Castleberry Award.

 

 

 

Jennifer Lanter

Public Relations Professional

Jennifer Lanter, a 1998 graduate of UTA’s Department of Communication, is a well-known public relations professional. Ms. Lanter has been involved with adoptions for over 15 years and is currently the Vice President of Communications for the Gladney Center for Adoption as well as a Lead Master Trainer for the National Council for Adoption in Washington, DC. Through advocating for adoption, Jennifer has had the opportunity to work with multiple media outlets including People magazine, Oprah Winfrey Network, and New York Times. Additionally, she was a cohost of the Not So Perfect Radio Show on 103.7 Lite FM. In 2012, Jennifer returned to UTA to share her experiences and advice as the keynote speaker at Communication Day 4.0.

 

 

 

Martin Lisius

Broadcaster

Martin Lisius is a producer, director, cinematographer and veteran storm chaser with 27 years experience tracking and photographing dramatic weather including tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, storm clouds, and lightning. Through his film production company, Prairie Pictures, he has produced and directed documentaries, promotional videos and music videos.

In 1993, Lisius founded StormStock, the world's largest storm footage library - a collection of extreme weather on Super 35mm, 4K and HD, and one of the oldest stock footage brands in the world. StormStock imagery is licensed by TV and film projects that require the highest quality weather imagery. His footage can be seen in the Oscar-winning "An Inconvenient Truth" (2006), "The Avengers" (2012), "Into the Storm" (2014), "Lucy" (2014), "Tomorrowland" (2015), and Disney's "Cinderella" (2015), TV programs for ABC, Discovery and National geographic, as well as in numerous TV commercials.

Lisius produced, directed and wrote several award-winning television programs relating to severe weather including "The Chasers of Tornado Alley" which first aired on public television in 1996. The same year, he worked as a technical advisor for the Warner Bros. box office hit "Twister." He is responsible for photographing the first-ever violent class tornado on 35mm motion picture film (1998), the only 35mm footage of Hurricane Katrina making landfall (2005), and the first tornado in 3D (2011).

In 2000, Lisius founded Tempest Tours, Inc., a successful and widely publicized adventure travel company that provides storm chasing expeditions to guests from around the world. The company emphasizes safety and education. In 2014, Lisius wrote and published "The Ultimate Severe Weather Safety Guide" to help others to better understand the hazards of dangerous weather.

He graduated from the UTA Department of Communication (TV/Film) in 1986. While at UTA, he was a UTA Ambassador, served on student congress as Chairman of Student Affairs, and was an officer for Kappa Alpha Order.

 

 

 

Danny Woodward

Speechwriter

Danny Woodward graduated from UTA with his Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a focus on Journalism in 2003. While earning his undergraduate degree, Danny worked as a staff writer for the Arlington Morning News, The Dallas Morning News, and did freelance work for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a number of magazines.

From 2004 until 2012, he served as Special Assistant to the President at UTA, assisting with special events and speech writing. In 2005, Danny completed his Masters of Arts in Communication.

In 2012, Danny moved to Richmond, Virginia, to become the Director of Executive Communications at Virginia Commonwealth University. Besides university presidents, he has written speeches for corporate CEOs, a U.S. First Lady, the physician who saved Rep. Gabby Giffords, and others. His speeches have been delivered in China, India, Qatar, Italy, and Colombia; all over the U.S.; and before audiences ranging from students to congressmen to queens.

He’s won a Cicero Award, Ragan’s ACE Award in speechwriting, numerous CASE and PRSA awards, and has been published three times in Vital Speeches of the Day. He’s a member of the Washington Speechwriters Roundtable and the Professional Speechwriters Association.