Connections from Ohio University and WOUB helped throughout Lisa Martin’s production career

Lisa (Bowman) Martin calls herself a “late bloomer” when it comes to WOUB but says once she discovered the opportunities available at the radio and television station during her junior year at Ohio University, she was hooked.

“I don’t know why I waited so long to get involved at WOUB, but I had people telling me I needed to start working at WOUB,” said Martin. “So, I finally did, and I never looked back.”

Originally from Dayton, Ohio, Martin chose Ohio University primarily because her best friend from high school wanted to go to school in Athens. But she also knew it was a good choice for her because of the school’s reputation and opportunities in the communications field.

“When we came on a college visit, I found out about Ohio University’s journalism school and also found out about the opportunities the university had for students to gain hands-on experience at places like WOUB," she added.

When she started at WOUB, the radio and television major found her place behind the scenes working in production.

“I ended up running camera and floor directing,” said Martin. “I also got a work study job at WOUB in continuity, and it was great that I got to be in that atmosphere learning every day.”

After Martin graduated in 1982, she and her then-boyfriend, now-husband Joe Martin, who was also a WOUB student, moved to south Florida where a group of Ohio University/WOUB students got jobs at a startup television station.

“Joe was working at the new station, WDZL, and I was offered a job by another former WOUB student, Bruce Dunn, in master control at WKID,” said Martin. “The networking and people I met at WOUB really were what jumpstarted my career. We used to remark that south Florida was WOUB south.”

The Martins eventually moved back to Ohio, and Lisa discovered the opportunities in freelance work thanks to another WOUB connection who worked at a production company in Columbus.

“I enjoyed freelance work, but several years ago, I moved to another part of the production business at Markey’s Rental and Staging,” said Martin. “It’s a live event company, and I’m an account manager.”

Martin says when she thinks back on her career, she knows she owes a great deal to WOUB.

“I can’t think of what I would have done without that opportunity at WOUB,” said Martin. “Those people gave me a shot and the networking and connections continued to give me a shot throughout my career.”