10 Questions with ... Natalie

NAME:Natalie POSITION:Afternoon Gal and Promotions Director (for KSXY and KNOB) STATION:KSXY (HOT 98.7) MARKET:Santa Rosa, CA BORN:Santa Rosa, CA RAISED:Santa Rosa, CA

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

1999-present: KSXY Hot 98.7-I've done a billion jobs here. Started as an intern, did Nights for a few years, currently the Afternoon Gal and Promotions Director (for KSXY and KNOB). I've also worked on other stations in our cluster in addition. 2003-present: KZAP Club 96.7 (Chico, CA)-Super Voice Tracking Middayer. 2000: KGO-Ground Crew

1. What was your last non-Industry job?

I filed in some school office while I was an intern at a radio station. One day I decided to quit so I could focus more on radio which was sort of a lie (but not totally) because I really just hated my job. That night they offered me the night show position which was so weirdly coincidental. I'm pretty sure it was fate.

2. What got you interested in Radio?

I always knew I should be talking in front of people. I found out that I hated the faces I made on TV, so radio made sense.

3. You're a Bay Area native. What other market or area appeals to you?

If I go somewhere other than CALIFORNIA, I'd say maybe somewhere in FLORIDA. I like that DISNEYWORLD is there.

4. What's the highlight of your radio career to date?

I helped organize a local fundraiser for the victims of Hurricane Katrina and we raised over $130,000. It was a huge fundraiser for this area. As far as on air stuff...just being on the air everyday is the highlight of my life. Ahhhh, I'm so sappy. I really do like it when people recognize me too and tell me they listen. It means I've made some sort of impact on their life.

5. Do you have interest in becoming a PD?

I'd love to be a PD as long as MD stripes didn't come along with it. I have no problem bossing people around, but I do have a problem saying "no" and you have to say "no" a lot when you are dealing with the music side of things.

6. Who do you consider to be your mentor(s)?

I'm gonna be a mushy girl and say my husband (who also works in radio). Before he was my husband, he was my friend and co-worker here. He taught me a lot of stuff about the biz when I was just beginning my career. And I love the fact that he's also honest with me about what I do on my show. If it sucks, he tells me.

And even though I don't know them personally really, I also look at guys like DAN O'DAY and PAIGE NEINABER and hope to be as well rounded and creative as them someday.

7. If you could be on any TV reality show, which would you chose?

I would love to be on a reality show that was about a radio station. Why don't they do that? They can have reality shows for pirates...but not radio? Damn, we radio people are fascinating and pretty much awesome. I'm sure we'd have a story to tell.

8. What area of your "game" do you want to improve?

Time management. Being the Promotions Director for two stations and doing Afternoons makes me busy and scattered. I wish I could figure out how to balance it all so I wasn't always running around like a chicken with my head cut off. This way I could prep more for my show too.

9. If you were to leave Radio today and you could choose any other occupation, what would it be?

I don't really ever want to leave radio, but if I do I'd like to do some voice work and also do something with event planning (I'd say weddings, but I'd be crying at every ceremony and I don't think I could handle that) ...or possibly be Tinkerbell at Disneyland and fly every night. That would be the coolest thing EVER.

10. It's Saturday night at 11:55 in Santa Rosa. Where is Natalie?

I wish I had some glorious evening to tell you about, but mostly I'm just hanging out at home watching TV with my husband or out at friend's houses or something. We're pretty low-key these days. I did the drunken nights of debauchery and I'm over that.

Bonus. Which could you give up for 60 days ...IM and/or myspace, your cell phone/Blackberry or sex?

Well, anyone who knows me knows that I couldn't live without my cell. How would I call my mom 10 times a day?!?! I could live without IM...but not myspace. I'm so addicted to myspace that it's depressing. And who could give up sex for 60 days? That would just be weird. So, final answer...IM.