Amy Guth, Yak Channel co-founder

Amy Guth hosts talk radio on WGN Radio, the “#SheRules” series on WCIU-TV, “The Feed” technology report on Rivet Radio, is president of Association for Women Journalists Chicago, and serves as a mentor-editor and senior facilitator at The Op-Ed Project‘s Public Voices Fellowship. Guth is on the Inland Press Association’s digital advisory panel, and is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Chicago. She is also author of the 2006 novel “Three Fallen Women.”

In 2013, Guth was named Chicago’s funniest Media Personality by Laugh Factory Chicago. Guth has contributed work to WGN-TV, CLTV, WBEZ, WCIU-TV, Medium, The Believer, Jewcy, Monkeybicycle, Bookslut, Chicago Tribune, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, Sun-Sentinel, and Rivet Radio, among others.

Previously, Guth was general manager/publisher and oversaw operations of RedEye and Metromix at Tribune Publishing Company, managed social media and search engine optimization at Chicago Tribune, where she co-wrote a social media column and co-hosted the ”30 Second Social” instructional series. During this time, she also served as a founding advisory panel member of Social Media Week Chicago.

James VanOsdol, Yak Channel co-founder

James VanOsdol is an award-winning journalist and celebrated media figure in Chicago. He launched his first podcast in 2006, just as podcasting was gathering steam.

More recently, he hosted an award-nominated music interview podcast for The Steve Dahl Network (2012-2014), and currently hosts a interview podcast in his car (“Car Con Carne”).

As Vice President for the Audio Lab division of Rivet Radio, his daily work focused on how to make podcasts more listenable, engaging and shareable.

He currently serves as Content Specialist/night host at WLUP (The Loop)and hosting 101 WKQX’s local music show (DEMO 312).

He’s worked behind-the-mic and behind-the-scenes at other notable Chicago radio stations, including Q101, WGN, WXRT and WZZN.