Meet the WGME News Team
Charlie Lopresti - Chief Meteorologist
Charlie makes up the "Weather Part" of WGME News 13s evening edition. A native New Englander, he grew up enjoying the area's exciting and sometimes wild weather. At and early age, he knew his love for big storms and weather extremes would some day lead him to a career in meteorology. Charlie received his meteorology degree from Plymouth State University in New Hampshire. After graduation, Charlie went to work high atop New England's tallest peak, at the Mount Washington Observatory. As staff meteorologist, he had the unique opportunity to observe, forecast, and conduct important research in "The World's Worst Weather."
Charlie's broadcasting career began up in Bangor at WVII ABC-7. His passion for forecasting New England weather then brought him to WLNE ABC-6 in Providence, RI. After a few years in southern New England, the Maine lifestyle came calling once again, and for most of the past decade, he has called Portland home. Charlie can be seen forecasting Monday through Friday on Live at 5:00, Live at 5:30, News 13 at 6:00, News 13 on Fox at 10:00, and News 13 at 11:00. He has been awarded the American Meteorological Society's seal of approval for quality television weather broadcasts. He has also been designated Certified Broadcast Meteorologist by the AMS. His forecast was awarded Best Weathercast for the past four years by the Maine Association of Broadcasters. In addition, his Weathercast also won first place by the Maine Associated Press Broadcasters Association.
Enjoy every nice day outdoors, That sums up Charlies lifestyle outside of work. When not in the News 13 weather office, you can usually find him, his wife Morningstar, their daughters Catherine and Maris, and dog Barley doing something fun outside. They enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, and cooking during the winter months. When the snow melts, you can usually find them working in the garden, hiking in the White Mountains, or fishing for stripers along the Maine coast..
Kim Block - Anchor
Kim Block has been at the News 13 6pm anchor desk for 31 years. In addition, she anchors the Noon News, and co-anchors "Live at Five."
Kim went to Indiana University, where she received a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism and Spanish.
Kim specializes in medical/health reporting, and is the proud recipient of two New England Emmy awards for her series "The China Journey," and "Miracle in Maine."
Kim has also received an Edward R. Murrow award and numerous Associated Press and Maine Association of Broadcaster awards.
Kim was the first woman inducted into the Maine Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2002, and is the recipient of the University of New England Deborah Morton Award and the YWCA's "Women of Achievement" award. She was also recognized as the Cromwell Center's "Person of the Year" in 2012 for her years of community service in Maine.
Along the way, Kim has told the stories of Maine - a place that captured her heart instantly, when she moved here from her original home, the Washington, D.C. area. "I can't think of a better place to have begun a career - and to continue with one," says Kim. "Maine has been both professionally challenging and personally rewarding - it is a gem of a state with many significant news stories and a lifestyle that can't be beat."
Kim is dedicated to community service, having worked with numerous organizations over the years, including the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Cancer Community Center, Maine Cancer Foundation, and Girl Scouts of Maine.
Kim also served as honorary chair of the American Heart Association's "Go Red for Women" campaign in Maine.
In her spare time, you'll find her on a yoga mat, playing music, reading, sailing, boating and writing.
Her greatest joy comes from her family - her husband, Bob, and children, Miles, 17 and Molly, 13.
Gregg Lagerquist - Anchor
"Somewhere in Maine today, there's a great story happening...and we need to know it, find it and tell it first!"
That thought sums up Gregg's motivation and his outlook on what it means to be in the news business. "It's about finding the stories that matter to people and telling those stories in a compelling way," says Gregg. "Pretty simple really. But it means so much. I see it as a trust issue. People who have a story to tell have to know they can count on you to get it right. And that goes for the people watching at home, too!"
Gregg has been someone you can count on at News 13 for more than a decade. He grew up in Minnesota and came to News 13 in 1996 from Vermont. He is an award-winning journalist, earning state and national awards, including one of the first ever "Walter Cronkite Awards for Excellence in Political Coverage" presented by Mr. Cronkite, himself. "Highlight of my professional life so far," says Gregg. "Covering George Mitchell in Northern Ireland immediately after the Peace Accords was incredible as well"but a distant second." If you visit Gregg in his office, you can see an autographed copy of the Good Friday Agreement and a picture of a smiling "Walter and Gregg" proudly hanging on the wall. Gregg also works with a number of non-profit groups and charities in Maine"singling out "hear ME now!" as especially close to his heart"a group helping deaf and hard-of-hearing kids in Maine get a great start in life.
When Gregg looks for the best things in his own life, he heads home. His wife, Leslie, co-owns a small business in Maine. "She's amazing! Although, don't tell her I said that. She'll get a big head," jokes Gregg. He and Leslie have three children"two sons, Reece and Max, and a daughter, Tess. ("See... I told you Leslie's amazing!") Gregg enjoys hitting the beach with his family, basketball, bike riding, ultimate frisbee, road trips, and reading biographies. He's a graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota and has a Masters degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Illinois.
If you have a story to tell, Gregg is counting on you to give him a call.
Adrienne Stein - Anchor
Emmy Award winning anchor and reporter Adrienne Stein comes to Maine from the Sunshine State.
Prior to settling into Portland, Adrienne worked as Executive Producer and anchor at a 24-hour cable station in Sarasota. Her career has taken her all over the country. Before working in Florida, Adrienne hit the streets as a reporter and fill-in anchor at the NBC affiliate in Kansas City. She also woke-up before the crack of dawn for three years as a morning anchor and reporter in Jackson, Mississippi. While in Jackson, Adrienne and her co-workers earned an Emmy for their coverage of Hurricane Katrina, and the days following the storm. The St. Louis native attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia. Upon graduation, Adrienne anchored the morning news for the University-owned NBC station in Columbia.
Adrienne and her family feel right at home in Portland. You're likely to find Adrienne, her husband and their daughter exploring the hiking and biking trails in the summer and hitting the slopes in the winter.
You'll see Adrienne anchoring weeknights at 5:30, 10 and 11. She is always looking for unique stories to tell.
Jeff Peterson - Anchor
Jeff Peterson has worked at News 13 for about 10 years.
He works a crazy schedule anchoring the 5:00am, 5:00pm and 5:30pm news on WGME-TV.
Besides anchoring the news, Jeff also writes 2 blogs for the stations website. They are the Daybreak blog and I Cant Believe Im Vegan. He also write a column in the Portland Press Herald called, That Vegan Thing. Jeff has been a vegan since February of 2012 and continues to share his experiences and recipes on the air and in print.
Jeff is very involved in the community as well helping many organizations including Special Olympics. Since 2003, Jeff has helped raise money for Special Olympics by hosting the Lobster Dip on New Years Day. He jumps in the Atlantic Ocean with hundreds of other crazy people.
It is Jeff's second stint at News 13. From 1992-1995, he was Sports Director.
Jeff brings nearly 27 years of television news experience to WGME.
After graduating from San Francisco State University (receiving a B.A. in Broadcasting), Jeff started his career in Redding, California as a reporter back in 1987 at KCPM-TV. He then moved to Chico, California and forecasted the weather for a year and a half before becoming the sports director.
In 1990, he left California for WMUR-TV in Manchester, New Hampshire. There he anchored the sports and provided color commentary for U.N.H. football, basketball and hockey. He also hosted and produced the Wildcat Coach's Show. He then moved to Portland, where he anchored the sports at WGME. One of his best memories was being on the ice when the Portland Pirates won their Calder Cup back in 1994 and then covering the championship parade.
In 1995, Jeff left Portland for New Orleans. While in the Crescent City, he anchored the sports for WGNO-TV for 4 years and hosted a call-in cable television show as well. Jeff covered the New Orleans Saints and L.S.U. Tigers at home and on the road and had the chance to the cover the Super Bowl back in 1997 in New Orleans when the Packers beat the Patriots.
In 1999, Jeff left New Orleans and the sports desk. He moved to Denver, Colorado to host a 3-hour morning news program on KWGN-TV. After 2 years there, in 2002, he returned to Portland. For 4 1/2 years he worked as a news anchor and reporter for another Portland television station. Then, in October of 2006, Jeff came back to WGME.
During his career, Jeff has won numerous awards. They include 3 Emmy Awards, a Murrow Award and several A.P. awards for news reporting, sports reporting and sports anchoring.
Jeff is married with 5 children and lives in Portland. He is a big fan of the arts. Jeff sings and plays trombone. He has sang the national anthem at many sporting events over the years including NBA, MLS and Major League Baseball games. He also enjoys softball, skiing, running and bike riding. Jeff enjoys running so much, you can see him most weekends in the Spring, Summer and Fall running in races around the area. Whether its participating or watching on television, sports has always meant a lot to Jeff. He is a huge fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers college football team. Dont be surprised if you see him watching red around town.
Craig Miller - Meteorologist
Growing up in New England was an exciting place for Craig to be as a kid with the ever changing weather. Snow storms and thunderstorms were the highlight and the trigger for Craig s interest in meteorology. As a young kid Craig would use his VHS camera to record himself doing weather reporting in the backyard and today he says he's just a big kid when its comes to weather, enjoying forecasting and watching the weather unfold, and still loving those snow storms!
As Craig puts it, he enjoys mornings as you get to see the sun come up and witness the start of each new day. Helping people plan their day by providing information they need to know as they head out the door gets me going every day. You can join Craig every weekday morning from 5 to 7 on Daybreak and 7 to 9 on Good Day Maine.
You can also catch Craig at noon Monday through Thursday.
Craig has been designated a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society AMS. Outside of work Craig enjoys the outdoors and you'll often find him skiing, hiking, at the beach, or hanging out with his 2 pugs, Maxine and Linda.
Jennifer Lynch - Reporter
Jennifer Lynch became a reporter to tell people's stories and she is excited to report on what matters to you.
Jennifer joined WGME in September of 2011, several months after getting married on a chilly summer afternoon by Sebago Lake.
Most recently Jennifer was an an anchor and reporter at WSHM in Springfield, MA. There she covered stories ranging from the summer tornadoes that tore through Western Mass to the special election for Sen. Edward Kennedy's seat in Boston. Her first job in the news business had her heading to northern Wisconsin. She reported and anchored at WJFW in Rhinelander, WI. She often reported in several feet of snow and below zero temperatures.
Jennifer graduated with a master's in journalism from Columbia University and a degree in psychology from Cornell University.
In her free time, she loves heading to Sebago Lake to swim and kayak at her family camp.
Jana Barnello - Anchor/Reporter
Jana Barnello joined the News 13 team in July 2012.
Jana comes to Portland from WTVC-TV NewsChannel 9 in Chattanooga,Tennessee, where she spent two years in the Tennessee Valley's #1 newsroom. While in Chattanooga, Jana covered everything from a deadly tornado outbreak on April 27, 2011 to eventual American Idol runner-up Lauren Alaina's journey on the hit FOX singing competition. She also made her mark on the social media scene. In 2011, Jana received a Chattanooga Social Media Award for outstanding use of social media by an individual.
Before Chattanooga, Jana worked at WFXL FOX 31 where she spent two years reporting in Albany, Georgia.Originally from Solvay, New York, Jana graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.During college, she also worked as a reporter at NewsRadio 570 in Syracuse, New York, and an associate producer at WTKR in Norfolk, Virginia.
Jana is a TV junkie, loves to travel, and is a huge Syracuse Orange fan. She's excited to return to the northeast and meet all the wonderful people in Maine!Feel free to send Jana an email (or a tweet) with news tips, story ideas, or just to say hello!
Jon Chrisos - Anchor/Reporter
Award-winning journalist Jon Chrisos is thrilled to be back home in the great state of Maine and part of the News 13 team. He co-anchors mornings from 7-9 with Jennifer Lynch and Meteorologist Craig Miller. His special reports can also be seen on News 13's evening newscasts.
A Maine native who grew up near Bangor, Chrisos got his first shot on-air at WABI where he covered everything from fairs and festivals to crime and politics. Most recently, he was a reporter and anchor at WAVE in Louisville, KY. Before that he spent several years anchoring at WEHT in Evansville, IN. A graduate of Wheaton College, he worked in Chicago as a writer for WGNs nationally syndicated evening news after an internship at WLS. He says the tour of the Midwest was fun and full of great experiences, but there's nothing like living closer to family.
Whether it's in the studio or out in the field, Jon is passionate about writing and telling a great story. He's anchored from Churchill Downs and reported live for CNN and Good Morning America.
In his free time, Jon enjoys running, skiing, working out and eating out. Restaurant suggestions (and story ideas) are always appreciated.
Steve Roldan - Reporter
Exciting, demanding and rewarding! That's how Steve describes his job as a Reporter with WGME-TV. Steve is an Emmy Award winning Reporter who joined the News 13 team in November of 2010. He has worked in television newsrooms across the country, and is proud to call Maine his new home.
Steve is a Southern California native, who graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the California State University, Northridge. Steve also earned both a Bachelor's Degree in Meteorology, and a Master's Degree in Geosciences from Mississippi State University. Steve has worked both as a Reporter and Meteorologist.
Steve's career in television began as an Anchor/Reporter at KSTF-TV in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. From Nebraska, he was off to KVLY-TV in Fargo, North Dakota. While in Fargo, he covered blizzards at sub-zero temperatures. North Dakota wasn't cold enough for Steve so he headed North to the city of Anchorage, Alaska where he worked as a Reporter at KTVA-TV. Steve's favorite assignments in Alaska took him to the Arctic Circle and the International Dateline in the Last Frontier. From Alaska, Steve headed south to Texas. He spent 2 years in El Paso at KFOX-TV as a Reporter/ Weathercaster. Before joining the News 13 news team, Steve spent 7 years as a Reporter/ Meteorologist at KSAT-TV in San Antonio.
Steve is a member of the RTNDA's German/ American Exchange Program, which allowed him to travel to Germany and Belgium to study government, media and politics in that country.
On his free time, Steve loves exploring his new home in Maine. He's an avid outdoorsman who loves skiing, biking, fishing and hiking.
Dave Eid - Sports Director
WGME-13's Dave Eid grew up nearby in Auburn, Massachusetts. From the moment he could walk Dave was either swinging a baseball bat or hockey stick! He went to Fenway Park for the first time when he was three years old with his late dad! And believe it or not even now after being in the business for over 20 years and having covered many games at Fenway, Dave still gets goose bumps when he sees that big green monster out in left field. Dave has been with WGME 13 since January of 1996 and has been working in Maine for the past twenty years.
Dave earned a bachelor's degree in Communications from Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts before going on to earn his Master's degree in Broadcast Communications from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In his spare time, Dave enjoys working out and taking care of his lawn! Dave also enjoys spending quality time with his family. Dave's two favorite professional moments were covering the Patriots Super Bowl victory over Philadelphia and the Red Sox World Series clinching win at St. Louis. Dave and his wife Lisa live in Gorham with their two children Drew (12) and Danielle (8). Drew currently plays travel hockey for the Seacoast Spartans '99 AAA Elite team. Drew's favorite NHL player is Ryan Kesler of the Vancouver Canucks, however his favorite team is the Boston Bruins! Danielle has been busy learning how to skate, play softball & basketball. Danielle, who's nickname is "Breezy" is also an avid dancer and a fantastic artist!
Evans Boston - Sports Reporter
When Evans Boston arrived at WGME News 13, he officially returned home. A native of York, Evans is thrilled to cover the sports and events he grew up with, especially his alma mater, the York Wildcats!
Evans is no stranger to the Pine Tree State. Before WGME, he was the sports director at WVII in Bangor. While at "the circle seven," Evans was known for his high school coverage, especially football!
Prior to arriving in Bangor, Evans was weekend sports anchor/reporter at WHIZ in Zanesville, Ohio.
Evans is a graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The biggest thrill of his career thus far came at Syracuse, where he called the Orangemen's national championship run in men's basketball live on WAER, the student-run radio station. Evans thanks Carmelo Anthony every day for that opportunity!
Evans lives in Scarborough with his wife, Maureen. And yes, Evans Boston is his real name.
Brad Rogers - News Reporter
Brad Rogers brings to the WGME 13 News Team an extensive background in news reporting. After earning his BA in Broadcast Journalism at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Brad began his reporting career in Texas. He was also a news reporter in Tulsa and Minneapolis-St. Paul. Brad says "It's great to be here at WGME, a place that cares about quality stories and the people of Maine."Brad is a veteran reporter who has covered everything you could imagine in his career. Most notably, Brad covered the Oklahoma City bombing and trials of the two men convicted of the crime. He was also part of a news team that won a National Emmy Award for coverage of a U.S. Senator's fatal plane crash. Brad has also received several Associated Press first place awards for general and spot news reporting.
Brad grew up in Illinois, where his dad was his grade school principal and his mom, a teacher. But Maine has always been his second home. Brad spent the summers of his youth in Ocean Park on Old Orchard Beach. And he has never stopped coming back to Maine every summer. "I love Maine. The ocean, lakes, tall pines, great people, and 'lobstah', what's not to love?!"
Brad is a single father raising three children. Tyler is a freshman who excels at basketball and track. Emily cheers and plays field hockey in middle school. And Jack is in elementary school and loves sacking the quarterback and playing basketball. Like Dad, Brad's three children have also spent every summer of their lives in Maine. And now, winters, too.
Beth Jones - News Reporter
Beth Jones is very excited to join the WGME News 13 team after pounding the pavement in the Mohawk Valley Region of Central New York as one-man-band reporter for Time Warner Cable News. She has reported on everything from iconic events in Cooperstown's Baseball Hall of Fame like the Double-Day Father's Day Classic and Hall of Fame Induction, to the line-of-duty death of an Oneida County Sheriff's Deputy. Before hitting the streets of the Mohawk Valley, Jones completed a Master of Science Degree in Broadcast and Digital journalism from Syracuse University. She also holds Bachelor's Degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Dance from Hofstra Univeristy. Having called New York City home for most of her life, Jones has worked as a news writer for ABC News Radio in NYC, and was also Associate Producer of the Osgood Files for CBS Radio. When she isn't out in the field or looking for her next story, Jones enjoys several sports including rowing and boxing, and has danced since the age of 5. She is a former national champion rower, and looks forward to exploring her new home of Portland and the all that the great state of Maine has to offer!
Katherine Underwood - News Reporter
Katherine Underwood is thrilled to be back home in New England with her family. After battling Yankees, Jets, and Giants fans while reporting in New York, she is excited about openly routing for the Patriots, Red Sox, and Celtics without criticism!
The award-winning journalist joined the News 13 team in October 2012. Katherine comes to Maine from FOX23 News in Albany, New York where she was a general assignment reporter. While at FOX23 Katherine felt privileged to be able to tell the stories of those Upstate New York residents who suffered great loss when Tropical Storm Irene ravaged the Capital Region and floods wiped out entire neighborhoods. She and her photographer became stranded while at a press conference as the eye of the storm came right over Schoharie County on that fateful Sunday afternoon. Katherine's coverage of the storm and of the recovery efforts in the months following became national interest and was recognized by the NYS Associated Press.
Before Albany, Katherine worked at WENY-TV in Elmira, New York as an anchor and reporter. Katherine graduated magna cum laude from the University of Connecticut with a double major in journalism and Latin American studies. She grew up in southern New Hampshire where her family still resides. She is looking forward to enjoying the running trails through Portland and along the water with her dog, Louie. An avid snowboarder and water skier, Katherine is excited to be back in New England where the winters are long and the summers are beautiful!
Marissa Bodnar - News Reporter
Marissa Bodnar joined News 13 in October 2012.Marissa comes to Portland from KIFI Local News 8 in Idaho Falls, ID, where she spent two years as a general assignment reporter. During her time in the West, Marissa covered everything from the 2010 blizzard and sweeping education reform laws to allegations against a local hospital that led to a criminal investigation by police and the Idaho Attorney General's Office. One of her favorite interviews was with a local man who was at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan during the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
Prior to Idaho Falls, Marissa made her way from intern to working on the assignment desk at New England Cable News in Boston. She graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism and minor in Cinema Studies. Marissa also played three years of college soccer and spent a semester in Los Angeles interning on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.Outside the newsroom, Marissa enjoys traveling, playing tennis and spending time with family and friends.
Marissa is thrilled to be back in New England and can't wait to share your stories. E-mail her anytime with ideas or just to say "hi!"
Jennifer Long - News Reporter
Jennifer joined the WGME news team in June 2013. She loves telling stories and is excited to get to know the southern Maine community. Jennifer is no stranger to this area. She grew up in New Hampshire and her family vacations on Sebago Lake every summer.
Jennifer is excited to be back in New England and comes to Portland from the NBC affiliate KOMU in Columbia, Missouri. Jennifer worked as a reporter and anchor at KOMU covering everything from state fairs to extreme weather. Her passion is telling the stories of everyday people and the issues that matter to them.
Jennifer received her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Stony Brook University in 2011. While she was at Stony Brook, she interned at Dateline in New York and WMUR in New Hampshire. After graduation Jennifer moved to the Midwest to pursue her Masters degree at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. She received her degree in 2013 after finishing her master's project on narrative journalism in broadcast news.
When Jennifer isn't out reporting she loves spending time hiking and exploring the great outdoors with her dog Abbey. Shes practically addicted to coffee and loves trying new cafes and restaurants. If you see Jennifer around town please say hi and share your story ideas!
Brooke Buford - Reporter
Brooke Buford joined the news team in December 2012 as a multimedia journalist, splitting her time as a one-(wo)man-band in Lewiston-Auburn and Portland.
She comes to Maine after spending two years as a weekend anchor and general assignment reporter at KALB-TV (NBC/CBS) in Alexandria, LA. During her time in the South, Brooke frequently reported on state and local politics, as well as local law enforcement. Some of her most memorable stories include covering Hurricane Isaac, state prison sale rallies in Baton Rouge, and the race for the GOP presidential nomination as candidates rallied in the state. She won an AP Award for a story she did about a house fire where the local fire department saved a burning puppy.
While shes not a New Englander, Brooke was a born and raised on the East Coast in Baltimore, Md. She graduated from Towson University in Towson, MD with a bachelors degree in Mass Communication. While in school, she gained hands-on experience as an intern for ABC News in Washington, DC at Good Morning America and in New York City at World News with Diane Sawyer.
Brooke is excited to be closer to home and to make Maine her new home-away-from-home.
Lexie O'Connor - News Reporter
Lexie O'Connor is thrilled to be joining CBS 13's team as a Multimedia Journalist. As a Massachusetts native she's happy to be back in New England and ready to explore Portland and all of Maine.
Prior to CBS 13, Lexie worked as a General Assignment Reporter and fill in anchor and producer at WKTV in Utica, N.Y. There she covered the fatal shooting spree that killed four and ended in a standoff in Herkimer, New York, followed the merging of two school districts, and the outbreak of Central New York's bath salts epidemic. She's also credited for giving the first reports for Central New York live from Boston following the Marathon Bombings.
Lexie graduated Magna Cum Laude from Boston University with a degree in Broadcast Journalism. While at BU, Lexie reported, anchored and produced BUTV's news magazine show "Inside Boston" and reported for Boston's cable television program, Neighborhood Network News. She also spent a semester in London as part of ABC News International's web team.
When Lexie's not covering a story she enjoys running, group exercise classes and spending as much time as possible at the beach.
Make sure to reach out to her to say hi and with any story ideas or news tips!
