Director
Wendy Thompson
Wendy Thompson ‘s extensive career in broadcast radio, television and newspapers spans across 20 years. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in history at the University of Maryland, College Park and interning in Congress in the House of Representatives and at Frederick Douglass House in Washington, DC, she became the broadcast technician in master control at WXXV FOX 25 on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi. After six months at the television station, she was promoted to host of Mississippi’s Journal, a local talk show.
After moving to Maryland, she began working at WDCW Channel 50 in Washington, DC. In 1999, as the assistant producer, she helped launch and produce WAMU 88.5’s Kojo Nnamdi Show for NPR. She also worked in news as the assistant producer on shows at WNET/America’s Voice, and she produced the Evans and Novak reunion show for 2000 for the late Robert Novak. In 2000, she became the radio news producer for Dean Lane’s Nightside show at CBS’s WTOP News, and in 2006, she hosted and produced her own radio show, Mother-to-Mother at WMET. Currently, Wendy is the editor-in-chief and publisher of the DC Spotlight Newspaper.
A long time supporter of Mattie’s message of Heartsongs, hope and peace, Wendy interviewed Mattie’s mom, Jeni Stepanek, during September 2011, who had been named DC Spotlight’s #1 Most Interesting Person. During the interview, she learned more about the work of Mattie’s Foundation, and expressed a desire to work with the Foundation. She was elected to the 2012 Board of Directors during Fall, 2011. Her hope and aim “is to help take Mattie’s vision of hope and peace to another level and help revolutionize his message for kids in 2012. Kids today will become his legacy for peace to take his message to a new generation.” She brings many valuable attributes and resources to the Foundation, including connections to high-profile contacts who may speak on behalf of Mattie’s vision, the ability to organize events and fundraisers, skills in producing press releases and other outreach materials to further Mattie’s message. “As a public speaker, I hope to serve as a spokesperson to articulate and relay the goals and vision of the foundation to the public, in schools, before Congress and to organizations.”
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