Behind the Scenes

John Tatum Grice began working for WFAA in November 2018. He began his career in philanthropy as a student foundation member at Kansas State University, serving within the K-State Proud Student Campaign. Following graduation, he joined the KSU Foundation’s annual giving department, focused on direct mail, phonathon, student philanthropy, and student-life fundraising.

WFAA employees have lots of opportunities to do good and have fun at the same time. Whether it’s babysitting plastic flamingoes for Fill the Hill or staffing the Alumni Park silent disco after the Homecoming Parade, it’s all about showing Badger spirit while supporting the university.

Dexter Patterson ’14 is WFAA’s social media and digital specialist. A Madison native, he earned his bachelor’s degree at UW–Madison in life-sciences communication and recently received his master’s in communication from Purdue University. He and his family live in Sun Prairie. On his WFAA website staff profile, Dexter lists his favorite quote: “If you can dream it, then you can achieve it. You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” — Zig Ziglar

Dan Fallon worked for WFAA as a director of development from 2011 to 2014. He left to run the major and planned giving team at Wisconsin Public Radio and then had a short stint in corporate sales with Madison’s new professional soccer team, Forward Madison FC. He returned to WFAA in February and is serving as its first fulltime director of development for the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

Kari Stokosa is WFAA’s Managing Director of Research & Prospect Management. A native of Greenfield, Wisconsin, Kari earned her degree in atmospheric and oceanic sciences from UW–Madison in 1999. Although she never intended to be an on-air meteorologist, she says, “I’m very thankful for the wide breadth of skills I obtained in the process of working on this Letters & Science degree.”

A native of Columbus, Wisconsin, Brad Green ’05 began working for WFAA as a Badger Call student caller, starting in September 2001. Upon receiving his bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts in 2005, he began to work full time for WFAA and is now serving as a senior director of development for the College of Engineering.

Scott McKinney joined the UW Foundation in 1998 and is now WFAA’s chief operating officer. A Madison native, he attended Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota and then worked briefly in undergraduate admissions. He returned to Madison to attend law school and earned his JD in 1998.