» Dale Hoffman
» Tom Konvicka
» Kari Hall
» Sarah Black
» Mark Hamblen
» Sharief Ishaq
» Alan Quartemont
» Leigh Culbert
» Mike Magnoli
» Joel Massey
» Bryant Ferguson
» Ashleigh Galliano
» Breanna Biehl
» Tamara Carter
» Chris Blalock
» Sherman Desselle
Kari Hall
Meteorologist.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Kari Hall joined Storm Team 5 in September 2009. Although she was born in Louisville, Kentucky, Kari is no stranger to Louisiana weather. For four years she worked as weekend meteorologist for KATC – TV3 in Lafayette before heading up I-49 to work Jambalaya and the Midday shows.
Kari has a B.S. in Geosciences with an emphasis in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University and is a member of the National Weather Association and the American Meteorological Society. She moved to the Gulf coast just in time to forecast Hurricanes Katrina and Rita during the 2005 hurricane season.
When Kari is not tracking the weather she enjoys spending time with her husband, Kinnane, and her Yorkie, NaNa. She loves traveling, being outdoors, and bike riding.
Sherman Desselle
Videographer/Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sherman Desselle is no stranger to the Alexandria area. He is a graduate of Peabody Magnet High School and later of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches in Vocal Music Performance. “I never thought that I would be a reporter…and in my home town!” Sherman says.
He was offered a position as a part-time videographer in June of 2008, and by the end of the year, Sherman enjoyed the experience of being on both sides of the camera. By July of 2009, he was made our “One Man Band” reporter, covering the weekend news and NSU sports. He loves the idea of always learning new things and generating the story from start to finish. He would like to thank Michelle Godard and his past and present colleagues for his first on-air experience and the helpful advice.
When Sherman is away from the station, he performs with his band mates in the Cenla area, and has been seen on stage with the City Park Players. He also enjoys going to concerts, traveling, and attending NSU, LSU, and New Orleans Saints games.
Chris Blalock
Photographer.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Mark Hamblen
Director - Sports.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
A Tennessee native, Mark Hamblen was raised in Memphis. After graduating from Memphis State University in 1980, Mark joined the KALB-TV News staff as a News/Sports reporter in 1981. He became Newschannel 5’s Sports Director in 1984, and has since won a number of Associated Press awards for his work.
His job responsibilities include over-seeing the operation of the Sports Department on a daily basis, and anchoring the 6 & 10 o’clock sportscasts.
The father of three daughters, Mark enjoys spending time with his family. His hobbies include playing basketball, softball, and watching movies.
Ashleigh Galliano
Producer - Jambalaya.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Ashleigh was born and raised in Denham Springs, LA. She joined the News Channel Five Team as the morning show producer for Jambalaya in June 2007 after graduating from Louisiana College in May 2007 with a degree in Media Communications.
She says she knew she wanted to pursue a profession in the news business back in the eighth grade during a career awareness lesson.
She loves all the excitement that the business has to offer.
When she is not getting up early in the morning to come to work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends and planning her upcoming wedding to her fiance, James.
Dale Hoffman
News - Anchor/Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Dale was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Aerospace Studies from Oklahoma State University.
He also earned an Officer Commission in the Air Force. After flight training and duty at Mather Air Force Base in California, he started his broadcast career as a news photograher in Ohio.
He has more than 25 years of experience in all aspects of broadcast news and has anchored and produced newscasts at stations from coast to coast.
Dale anchors the NewsChannel 5, 6 and 10 newscast plus the CBS 5:30pm newscast as well.
He joined News Channel 5 in the summer of 2001 after many years on the air in Shreveport.
Dale is a pilot, he enjoys aviation-related hobbies and non-fiction literature. He especially anticipates his yearly ski vacation in Idaho.
Summer and fall find him enjoying visits to the quaint nautical town of Vermilion, Ohio.
Tom Konvicka
Weather - Chief Meteorologist.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tom began work at News Channel 5 in November, 1984. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and geosciences in 1981 from Texas Tech University in Lubbock. One year of graduate study in atmospheric sciences followed in 1981-82.
His specializations include weather forecasting, severe local storms, and tropical cyclones and he holds professional membership in the American Meteorological Society.
Tom is also a well-published author who has written materials for the American Meteorological Society, the American Geophysical Union, Yankee Publishing, the Greenwood Group, and several others.
He has held full member status in the Author’s Guild since 2002. He also serves an an adjunct instructor at Louisiana College in Pineville. He is a member of the Pineville Kiwanis Club and is an ordained Southern Baptist deacon.
Tom lives in Pineville with his wife Tronda. They have a son (Zane) who is in the LSU system and a daughter (Sharisse) who attends McNeese State in Lake Charles.
Alan Quartemont
News - Anchor/Reporter - Jambalaya.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Al has lived in Central Louisiana since moving here in September of 2000. His wife, Michele, was raised in Bentley, and having seven children, the two decided this would be a great place to raise them.
Prior to that, Al lived his entire life in Wisconsin. He was raised near Milwaukee, where his love for the Brewers got him interested in being a sports broadcaster.
Al attended Marquette University, graduating with a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism. He then worked for WTMJ Radio as a sports producer, and then later as a sports talk show host. During that time, Al got to know many professional athletes who played for the Brewers, Bucks and Green Bay Packers.
Al became a part of the KALB staff in the summer of 2001 as a part-time videographer. Since then Al’s role has expanded to anchor of Jambalaya and general assignments reporting.
When he’s not working, Al enjoys spending time with his seven (yes, seven) kids, 4 boys and 3 girls, and of course, his wife. Al’s family is actively involved in Grace Church in Bentley.
Sharief Ishaq
Sports - Weekend Anchor/Sports Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sharief was born in Baton Rouge, LA in 1982 and he lived in New Orleans, LA until graduating from high school (Archbishop Shaw) in 2000… Sharief left New Orleans for Baton Rouge in 2000… He graduated from LSU in 2005 with a Bachelors degree in Broadcast Journalism..
He had a hard time finding an on air sports job after graduating so he took a part time photographer job with WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge.. While he was there he worked on his resume tape all the time, but Sharief didnt do it alone he had help from Jacques Doucet, Steve Schneider, and James Verrett, the sports guys.. they taught him everything that he didn’t learn at his internship or through experience..
Finally Jacques Doucet helped Sharief find a job at KALB-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana in July 2007 and he’s been here since then… The job is awesome and Sharief enjoys working with everyone..
Sharief would like to thank Mark Hamblen, Michele Godard, and Les Golmon for giving him his first on air opportunity.. He would also like to thank everyone who got him to this point of his life but it’s not over… because from here Sharief would love to make his next stop in Tallahassee, Florida to cover the Florida State Seminoles, then Austin, Texas because of the Texas Longhorns (Hook em) and then of course ESPN.. “Most sportscasters want to be there and if they say they don’t then they’re kidding themselves… because ESPN is the Mecca of sports” says Sharief.
Things Sharief likes to do.. Well… watch sports all day. How could Sharief not??? He’s been doing it since he was 10 years old that’s why he’s in the business…
Teams Sharief likes to follow… ummmmm, in college its no secret… LSU Tigers, Texas Longhorns, and Florida State Seminoles.. NFL he likes the Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans but not so much the team its more of Vince Young.. MLB Sharief’s a huge Boston Red Sox fan and he likes the Oakland A’s and Chicago Cubs.. NBA he grew up watching MJ and the Chicago Bulls and Sharief loves the Cleveland Cavaliers because of his all time favorite athlete LeBron James, the single most dominant athlete today.
Other than sports he likes to workout and just go out with my friends. That’s pretty much it.
Joel Massey
News - Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Joel Massey joined the News Channel 5 team January of 2007. He grew up in Central Louisiana in the little town of Pollock.
After graduating from Grace Christian School in Alexandria, Joel attended Louisiana College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in media communications.
He taught elementary special education in Rapides and Ascension Parishes after being alternately certified.
In August 2006 he earned a graduate degree in mass communication from LSU. While in school at LSU, Joel worked at WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge as a production assistant.
When he is not reporting Joel loves spending time with his family, his wife Sarah and his daughter Chloe, born March 5, 2007.
Mike Magnoli
News - Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Mike joined News Channel 5 in August of 2007. He is a general assignment reporter covering a wide range of topics from crime to human interest, but he especially likes to investigate, dig deep, and break the big news in the Cenla area. Though he prefers the rush of being in the field and working on deadline, Mike can also be seen a few days a week anchoring Midday. Mike has been recognized by the Louisiana Associated Press as a top ranked Breaking News reporter and his 2008 special series on Cold Case Murders received an AP award in the category for Best Investigative Journalism.
Bryant Ferguson
Photojournalist.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Bryant came to KALB in August of 2005 just before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. This wasn’t his first experience with hurricanes though. Before moving to Central Louisiana, he spent 8 years in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. During his stay he covered at least 6 storms and their aftermath.
Bryant grew up in the Sandhills of North Carolina and attended The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. During his career he has covered countless news stories and been fortunate enough to meet some wonderful people along the way.
One story that he will always remember is when the tour busses carrying people away from flood ravaged New Orleans pulled into a local rest stop, their first stop since leaving the city. As they got off the busses he saw men, women, and children who didn’t have any shoes on and had been in the same clothes for days. They quickly rushed to tables that were filled with clothes and toys that local people had dropped off for them. At that point the magnitude of what had happened on the Gulf Coast really hit home.
Breanna Biehl
Producer.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Breanna graduated from Appalachian State in North Carolina with degrees in Broadcasting and Political Science. She began her career with KALB in October 2007 as a Producer. She thoroughly enjoys the fast paced newsroom environment.
Breanna says that she knew the newsroom was where she wanted to be since the second grade, when she would put the television on mute and imagine being a news anchor, reiterating the captions.
When she is not at work, she enjoys rooting on her favorite football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Her hobbies include skydiving, being outdoors with her puppy, and traveling.
Tamara Carter
Producer.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Tamara is an Alexandria native. She attended Alexandria Senior High School, and upon graduation pursued a degree in broadcast journalism at Northwestern State University. Tamara has been with KALB as a producer since October of 2006.
Leigh Culbert
Weekend Anchor/Reporter.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Leigh Culbert is a military brat, but certainly no stranger to the Central Louisiana area. Leigh joined the Channel 5 news team in June 2007. She’s a graduate of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in English.
Leigh is a weekend anchor and general news assignment reporter for KALB. She is also responsible for special projects/areas such as education, the city of Natchitoches, and the “Jena Six”.
With a passion for the journalism industry, Leigh says the best part of her job is intermingling with the community and bringing the heart of the story to others. She says each day presents an opportunity to learn something new.
When Leigh isn’t reporting, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and dancing to a good beat.
Sarah Black
Meteorologist.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sarah joined the weather team at KALB as the weekend meteorologist in June 2007. She came from WIAT in Birmingham, Alabama where she worked as the weekend meteorologist and 5:00 producer. I
In addition, Sarah spent several years working at WVUA in Tuscaloosa, Alabama as a meteorologist.
The Mississippi native graduated with a degree in journalism from Samford University in Birmingham and followed that up with a graduate degree in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University.
While not forecasting the weather for Cenla, Sarah enjoys travelling, shopping and spending time with her family.
She’s also a big sports fan, citing the Atlanta Braves as her favorite team.
Michele Godard
General Manager.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Michele has been a resident of Central Louisiana since 1987. Born in San Francisco, she spent much of her early years growing up in Brentwood, Los Angeles and attended college in Boston, Massachusetts.
During her time in Central Louisiana, she has worked in radio and now in television. In 1993 Michele began her broadcast journalism career as a Morning Weather Anchor for KALB-TV News Channel 5’s popular “Jambalaya”. Since then she has worked as an Education Reporter, Evening News Anchor, and Executive Producer and from 2002 until 2009, Michele was News Director.
September of 2009 Michele was named General Manager of KALB-TV, which operates the NBC and CBS affiliates in the central Louisiana area.
Under Michele’s leadership, the KALB-TV News Channel 5 newsroom has won several state awards. This includes recently being recognized with four first place news coverage Associated Press awards.
She lives in Alexandria with her husband Doug and three children, Lauren, and twins Tyler and Caroline.
Her interests include training for marathons and triathlons by running, biking and swimming as much as time will allow.
