The QCTV staff members are creative, curious, and collaborative team members producing award-winning programs for the member cities of Andover, Anoka, Champlin, and Ramsey.
QCTV is proud of the Alliance for Community Media NATIONAL HOMETOWN award for Overall Excellence 2023.
Billy Austin – Producer
Billy Austin graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Video Production with a minor in Creative Writing. Since childhood, he has always been drawn to the process of filmmaking and television. He taught himself how to edit as a young middle-schooler using Windows Movie Maker software and always opted to make videos for school projects whenever allowed. After college, he worked as both a freelance videographer and independent filmmaker producing a variety of promotional videos and short films.
In 2019 he joined QCTV as an Associate Producer working with the mobile production team which allowed him to combine his love for sports with his love for video production. When he’s not working on videos or sports, Billy is most likely watching videos or sports. Billy also enjoys spending his free time writing, gaming, and walking his dog.
Seamus Burke – Social Media/Communications Coordinator
Seamus Burke graduated from the University of St. Thomas with a degree in English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing and a minor in Film Studies. Seamus plans and coordinates content for QCTV’s social media platforms. He loves that social media allows him to interact directly with the QCTV community in real time! In his free time, Seamus enjoys watching movies, playing the guitar, learning about his Irish heritage, and producing short films with his friends.
Patrick Cook – Technology Coordinator
Pat has over 40 years of experience working at public access/community television organizations. He started working as a volunteer in high school at the newly opened public access center in his hometown of Cloquet, MN. After graduation high school in 1984 he was hired as a Master Control Operator by Group W Cable in Roseville, MN as Group W was ramping up their Public Access operations. He attended Northeast Metro Tech while working as MCO. In 1991 the cable company transferred the public access operation to a non-profit created by the cable commission. From 1991 to 2023 Pat worked for the North Suburban Cable Commission and North Suburban Access Corporation, also know as CTV North Suburbs, filling a variety of roles including, Mobile Van Coordinator, Programing Coordinator, I-Net/MIS Coordinator and Engineering Technician. For over 20 years he served as the Technical Manager at CTV.
His interests include listening to music of all kinds and fast cars. He has volunteering at local performance and road rally events. He has a fondness for live truck shoots and is looking forward to working with the crew at QCTV on future shoots.
Karen George – Executive Director
Karen George is a communications professional with thirty years’ experience in California and Minnesota ranging from television reporter, communications director for city government, communications and marketing professional for a school district, and currently as an executive director. In Karen’s current leadership role at Quad Cities Cable Communications Commission and QCTV, she is responsible for representing the cities of Andover, Anoka, Champlin, and Ramsey in telecommunications policy and regulation, overseeing the programming of seven local cable channels, and managing a video production facility.
She holds a B.A. degree in communications from Concordia College, Moorhead, a Masters of Business Communications graduate certificate from the University of St. Thomas, and a Minnesota Community Education Director license. Karen has held various leadership positions with professional associations and her work has been recognized with numerous state and national awards including the prestigious Paul B. Clark Award for leadership from CAPIO and both Bronze Quill and Silver Quill awards from IABC. She is a past president of the Minnesota School Public Relations Association (MinnSPRA), and the California Association of Public Information Officials (CAPIO), and has been active in state and regional activities of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC).
Karen serves in leadership roles on various non-profit organizations and enjoys community volunteering; reading and listening to books; live music, especially blues, and folk; staying active with downhill skiing in the winter and biking in the summer; traveling to interesting places or just relaxing at the family cabin; creating keepsakes with needlepoint and sewing; trying new recipes and restaurants, and of course experiencing many new adventures with friends.
Winter Kucharski – Producer
Winter Kucharski is a graduate of the University of Minnesota with a double major in Communication Studies and Theatre Arts. She has been at QCTV as a production assistant since October 2014 and has worked on many mobile production shoots. She has also provided on-camera talent for PSAs and hosted several live productions for QCTV. In her spare time, Winter enjoys sewing dresses for herself and hammocks for her pet rats. When not wandering amongst the trees of a forest, Winter can be found exploring the fantastical worlds of the latest video game; she hosts Live Trivia games in the community.
Cory Laing – Producer
Cory Laing holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in digital video from Hennepin Technical College. Cory has produced government and community-based content for the cities of Andover, Anoka, Champlin, and Ramsey. He has worked with city staff to produce information and promotional videos for many events. Cory brings to QCTV a knowledge of operations, encompassing studio and field production and city meeting coverage. In his spare time, Cory enjoys all things pop culture, television production, being a dog owner, and summer grilling.
CJ Luck – Master Control Operator
CJ Luck holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcasting and Electronic Media from the University of Northwestern St. Paul. He has worked for 10+ years in the Public, Educational, and Government Television field. He has worked for CTV North Suburbs in Roseville as a Truck Engineer and City Meetings Operator/Producer. He has also contracted with NDC4 in Inver Grove Heights covering city meetings. He has helped make numerous community shows over the years. In CJ’s spare time, he enjoys playing video games, researching technology, and hanging out with family and friends.
Ryan Musch – Production Coordinator
Ryan Musch grew up in Winona, Minnesota playing hockey, hiking the bluffs, and fishing the river and lakes. He moved to the Twin Cities after graduating from Winona Senior High in 2002, finding work as a photographer. Ryan graduated from Minneapolis Community and Technical College in 2012 with an Associates in Liberal Arts. After a few more years in the photography industry, he decided to give TV production a try. You can now find Ryan working at numerous sporting events in the Twin Cities and beyond, including St. Paul Saints baseball and Champ Off-Road racing Production Teams. Ryan loves to talk about sports, music, cars, video games, movies, and whatever interests you may have.
Leslie Sauer-Smith – Producer
Leslie Sauer holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, she majored in communications with an emphasis in digital film and television and also minored in art. She did her internship at WCCO-TV where she worked on various documentaries as well as for KSTP-TV for a little over three years. Leslie has also freelanced on the side working on TLC’s Randy to the Rescue. In her spare time, she enjoys movies, music, photography, drawing, and painting. Leslie also enjoys going camping and traveling. You can see her work on QCTV’s productions including the District Court Show, and League of Women Voters shows.
