Meet the Twin Cities Live Staff
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I tell stories of the people and businesses that make the Twin Cities and the state of Minnesota so WONDERFUL!
When did you start? July 2011.
My favorite TCL moment is… When Reba McEntire called me LIVE on the show. Total mind blowing, out of body moment.
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? I would love to own a bookstore or a flower shop.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? ummm Ben Leber?! Elizabeth Ries?! They count, right?!
What’s your favorite holiday? I love Christmas. My parents live in Indiana and my sister lives in Tennessee. We’re only able to all be together twice a year and I look forward to this family time!
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Pan Asian Citrus Salad by Salad Girl!
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Hazelwood. They opened a location in Woodbury and I’ve been there 3 times in a month!
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I’m TCL’s go-to reporter highlighting new and fun experiences in Minnesota. I love the challenge of finding most of my own stories. I set them up, write, produce and create the visual graphics you see on screen. If the event calls for a costume, you KNOW I’m dressing up! I feel fortunate to be a storyteller in my home state.
When did you start? September 2020.
My favorite TCL moment: One of my most memorable stories was with the Twin Cities River Rats water ski show team. Initially, I thought they were teaching me basic water skiing. I was astonished to find myself climbing to the top of a human pyramid, while skiing behind a big boat along the Mississippi River!
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? I believe I would still be working in broadcast news. I spent 14 years as an investigative news reporter in various markets throughout the country. I loved being the watchdog of the community and holding the powerful accountable. I was honored to win an Emmy for my reporting in Denver in 2019.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts selection of your phone? Minnesota Twins Legend Kent Hrbek.
What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas! I love having my family together. My mother and I prepare the main meal, and we all go to church together. My home is filled with Christmas music, laughter and fun. It’s especially exciting now watching the wonder of the season in our daughter’s eyes.
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Not to brag… but I won the TCL Staff Summer Salad challenge! It was my Mediterranean Pasta Salad that I often make for my family.
My favorite Twin Cities Restaurant is? Murray’s Steakhouse.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? Create TV magic – crafting opportunities for memorable TV. Find fun, interesting people in the metro and across the State who are making waves, spreading joy and overall cool! Then gather video, create graphics and write compelling scripts. I’m also the voice in the hosts’ ears most days – laughing at their jokes, filling them in on changes and telling them when to wrap up.
When did you start? July 2021. I joined KSTP as a news TV producer in September 2018.
My favorite TCL moment is… Anytime Peg Rasmussen is on air. She is a baking queen and once lived next door to my grandparents. I can feel Grammy and Papa cheering her on from heaven – and that means the world.
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? Oh I love this question! I’d like to produce a network TV show or work on a movie someday. So I’d likely be working on that. Think HGTV or Smithsonian Channel. I love telling stories through film – I have since I was little!
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Justin Sutherland, Kent Hrbek or Vivian Aronson.
What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas. Time with family, cozy nights by the fire, cold morning walks and memories with loved ones who are here and who’ve passed away. Oh and so many fun decorations that only come out once a year! My favorite is my parents’ Christmas Village with hand-painted shops – Grammy labeled one “Sweets by Caroline.”
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Sykora Queso Recipe. My best friend in Texas got me hooked on it and it’s delicious any time of year.
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Red Cow (Minneapolis, North Loop location) is my go-to.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I work with our guests to turn ideas into reality in our studio! My day is full of different activities, everything from writing scripts, decorating tables, shooting b-roll, meeting our TCL’ers at TCL in Your Town and more! I love that I never know what a new day will bring. I love working with people to create fun experiences on television. I also recap the “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette”, and love to come on and chat about makeup as a part of “Betsy’s Beauty Basics!”
When did you start? November 2021.
My favorite TCL moment is… Early on in my time here I played a guessing game with Steve Patterson and Elizabeth featuring all the new Bachelor contestants. It’s always fun meeting the new group of men for a season! I also loved making my Nana’s corn salad for our Summer Staff Salad Challenge. I loved sharing her recipe with our viewers, and it didn’t hurt I also won the face off!
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? I love what I do here on Twin Cities Live! I think no matter what I would be creating content in some way. I love to travel and have a huge interest in beauty, so it would be something in that realm.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? I have Dave Ryan in my contacts list. As a lifelong Minnesotan I was star struck to meet him! He was very nice, and extremely hilarious.
What’s your favorite holiday? I love Christmas! It’s been my favorite holiday my whole life, I love all the hope and kindness in the air. Something about Christmas decorations always make me happy, too. I feel very lucky we get to spend so much time making holiday memories on the show.
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Shameless self-promotion here, but I honestly love the Slow Cooker Blueberry French Toast that I made on the show! It’s a perfect breakfast for feeding a large group, and super easy to make. Highly recommend for your next brunch!
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Me and my boyfriend live nearby Sooki and Mimi and have a lot of wonderful memories there. We love to eat out on their patio when the weather is nice.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I am one in a team that helps showcase what makes Minnesota and the Twin Cities so special. Day to day, I help find people to be on TV and make sure the show stays on the rails as far as timing is concerned.
When did you start? August 2024.
My favorite TCL moment is… I love all the games during host chat. Watching Ben and Elizabeth compete cracks me up and is just as fun at home as in the studio/booth.
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? Probably a news producer, I came to Twin Cities Live after two years of working in news. I love producing live TV and am excited by the lifestyle format!
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Mike Tirico.
What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas! I love spending time with my family and giving gifts. Plus, it’s nice to be able to share quality time together.
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Made the Strawberry Layer Cake over Memorial Day Weekend and it was a huge hit.
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Josefina. It’s an Italian spot in Wayzata.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? Point cameras & press buttons.
When did you start? March 2008.
My favorite TCL moment is… John Hanson & Elizabeth Ries interviewing an emotional Hulk Hogan while dressed as a puppy dog and kitty cat.
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? President, probably.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Tara Reid.
What’s your favorite holiday? Christmas, because its got a lot of sap.
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Anything with Willows Coffee.
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… The one with tacos.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I produce some segments for the show, manage the office and maintain the studio. I am down in the studio each day helping to facilitate the show for smooth transitions between each segment, making sure guests and hosts have all they need.
When did you start? February 2008.
My favorite TCL moment is… Being able to go with TCL viewers on a river cruise down the Danube River, exploring towns in Germany, Austria, and Hungary! Trip of a lifetime!
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? I would probably retire.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Without a doubt it’s Elizabeth Ries and Ben Leber!
What’s your favorite holiday? Fourth of July. It’s such a laid back holiday usually spent with my family on a lake. Doesn’t get any better than that!
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Kevin Doran’s pot roast recipe!
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… This is tough for me because I don’t frequent a lot of restaurants in the cities but give me a good Italian restaurant and I’m happy. Absolutely love Cosetta’s or DiGidio’s.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I take the show the producers have assembled and put it on the air. Like the conductor of an orchestra, I drive the live performance from beginning to end. I communicate to our crew the “who, what, when, where and how”. I run the graphics, call for video, camera shots, cue for audio and make split second decisions to keep the show on track and the viewers at home engaged.
When did you start? I started at KSTP in 2004 running cameras in the studio. I worked my way up to technical director of TCL and director of the 10:00 P.M. newscasts. I became director of Twin Cities Live after my friend and mentor Dave Hammergren left in 2017.
My favorite TCL moment is… The week of shows we did at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel.
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? My job would be working in a brewery at night and snowboarding during the day.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Sheletta Brundidge.
What’s your favorite holiday? Oktoberfest.
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? I have been making Patti Labelle’s Mac and Cheese that Liz featured for the last few Christmas gatherings and everyone loves it.
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Shamrocks in St. Paul is my family’s default. We all love a good burger and fries.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? I steer the ship for Minnesota Live and Twin Cities Live. I oversee content, theme weeks, and staff.
When did you start? I first started with Twin Cities Live in May 2011. I took a quick sabbatical in 2020, but I couldn’t stay away! I returned to KSTP in July 2021 to start Minnesota Live and have been the Executive Producer for both Minnesota Live and Twin Cities Live since November 2022.
My favorite TCL moment is… Turning the Twin Cities Live studio into a wedding chapel for our Cupid’s Couple ceremony on Valentine’s Day!
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? A fifth grade teacher.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? James Denton.
What’s your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving. My family plays bingo and I’m the caller!
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? Uncle Kevin Doran’s Buffalo Chicken Dip!
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Bar La Grassa.
In your own words, what do you do for the show? Big picture planning, budgeting & talent management.
When did you start? June 2007 (I was hired to start Twin Cities Live, so employee #1)
My favorite TCL moment is… There are too many to count!! I’ve loved all our big anniversary shows and on the road broadcasts!
What job would you have if you weren’t working at TCL? Author or host my own cooking show.
Who is the most famous person saved in the contacts section of your phone? Kent Hrbek, being a child of the 90’s in Minnesota, I’ll always be a huge fan!
What’s your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving, it’s all about the family, food and football (and gratitude, but that doesn’t start with “f”).
What recipe featured on TCL do you love to make? My Chicken Tortilla Soup.
My favorite Twin Cities restaurant is… Three way tie. Lat 14 in Golden Valley, Mancini’s in St. Paul & Serum’s in Anoka (the best wings in town). All very different but great food, service and atmosphere.
