Johanna Zorn
Encyclopedia
Johanna Zorn is the founder and executive director of the Third Coast International Audio Festival
, a Chicago Public Radio
program supports artists creating audio documentary and feature work of all styles and brings their work to audiences throughout the world. From 1991 to 2001, she was the executive producer of Chicago Matters, an annual public affairs series exploring topics of vital interest to the greater Chicago community.
Zorn began working at Chicago Public Radio as an intern in 1980 and soon became began assistant producer for the children's program Audio Jam. She also created a newsmagazine for teenagers called "Airplay." In 1990, she produced a general interest talk show called "Studio A."
Zorn has also directed many live national music broadcasts of jazz and blues festivals including the Jazz Fests
and the Blues Fests
. In 1996, she produced and directed live coverage of the Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Zorn has received several journalism awards for children's programming from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
and the National Education Association
. For her work on Chicago Matters, she received the Herman Kogan Award from the Chicago Bar Association
and a Lisagor Journalism Award.
Zorn has a B.S. in Natural Resources and Communications from the University of Michigan
and studied Video Production at Columbia College. Originally from Pittsburgh, Zorn resides on the Northwest side of Chicago with her husband Eric Zorn, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune
. They have a son, Alex, and twins Annie and Ben.
Zorn is the daughter of late Carnegie Mellon University biophysicist Jerome Wolken
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9342812, and Tobey Wolken, a fiber artist. Her siblings are artist Ann Alexandra Wolken http://www.lamurals.org/MuralistPages/Wolken.html, furniture designer Erik Wolkenhttp://www.erikwolken.com/ and Pilobolus http://www.pilobolus.com/ dance company co-founder Jonathan Wolken
.
Zorn is a member of her neighborhood's vision committee, which making plans to enhance the community's commercial streets.
Third Coast International Audio Festival
The Third Coast International Audio Festival is a festival based in Chicago showcasing feature and documentary audio work...
, a Chicago Public Radio
Chicago Public Radio
WBEZ is a noncommercial, public radio station broadcasting from Chicago, Illinois. Financed primarily by listener contributions, the station is affiliated with both National Public Radio and Public Radio International; they also broadcast content from American Public Media...
program supports artists creating audio documentary and feature work of all styles and brings their work to audiences throughout the world. From 1991 to 2001, she was the executive producer of Chicago Matters, an annual public affairs series exploring topics of vital interest to the greater Chicago community.
Zorn began working at Chicago Public Radio as an intern in 1980 and soon became began assistant producer for the children's program Audio Jam. She also created a newsmagazine for teenagers called "Airplay." In 1990, she produced a general interest talk show called "Studio A."
Zorn has also directed many live national music broadcasts of jazz and blues festivals including the Jazz Fests
Chicago Jazz Festival
The Chicago Jazz Festival is a popular and well-known four day free celebration of jazz at Petrillo Music Shell in Grant Park in downtown Chicago. It is run by the Jazz Institute of Chicago during Labor Day weekend, integrating both world-famous and local artists...
and the Blues Fests
Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, and always occurs in early June...
. In 1996, she produced and directed live coverage of the Democratic Convention in Chicago.
Zorn has received several journalism awards for children's programming from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a non-profit corporation created by an act of the United States Congress, funded by the United States’ federal government to promote public broadcasting...
and the National Education Association
National Education Association
The National Education Association is the largest professional organization and largest labor union in the United States, representing public school teachers and other support personnel, faculty and staffers at colleges and universities, retired educators, and college students preparing to become...
. For her work on Chicago Matters, she received the Herman Kogan Award from the Chicago Bar Association
Chicago Bar Association
Founded in 1874, the Chicago Bar Association is a voluntary bar association with over 20,000 members. Like other bar associations, it concerns itself with professional ethics, networking among members, and continuing legal education. It is located adjacent to the John Marshall Law School in the...
and a Lisagor Journalism Award.
Zorn has a B.S. in Natural Resources and Communications from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and studied Video Production at Columbia College. Originally from Pittsburgh, Zorn resides on the Northwest side of Chicago with her husband Eric Zorn, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
. They have a son, Alex, and twins Annie and Ben.
Zorn is the daughter of late Carnegie Mellon University biophysicist Jerome Wolken
Jerome Wolken
Jerome Jay Wolken was an American biophysicist who used his research in vision in deep sea creatures to develop a kind of eyeglasses that used specially designed lenses to gather more light, which provided vision to some people who were legally blind.Jerome Jay Wolken was born in Pittsburgh on...
http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9342812, and Tobey Wolken, a fiber artist. Her siblings are artist Ann Alexandra Wolken http://www.lamurals.org/MuralistPages/Wolken.html, furniture designer Erik Wolkenhttp://www.erikwolken.com/ and Pilobolus http://www.pilobolus.com/ dance company co-founder Jonathan Wolken
Jonathan Wolken
Abraham Jonathan Wolken was one of the original dancers and a co-founder of Pilobolus dance company in 1971, which The New York Times in his obituary calls "one of the most popular modern-dance companies in the world"...
.
Zorn is a member of her neighborhood's vision committee, which making plans to enhance the community's commercial streets.