Meet the staff
Posted Wednesday, January 3, 2007
We are the employees of West End Word and Virginia Publishing, and we believe that it's more fun to do business with people you know. Here's a chance to get to know us a little. Feel free to call us at (314) 367-6612.
Jeff Fister - So, where did Jeff go to high school? That’s all you really need to know about a native St. Louisan, right? Jeff grew up in St. Louis county and graduated from Chaminade High School in 1977. He got a degree in political science from St. Louis University in 1981 and spent eight years working first as an editor for the Suburban Journals and then in corporate public relations for McDonnell Douglas and Martin Marietta aerospace companies.
In 1989, Jeff bought the West End Word and moved back to St. Louis from Colorado. The newspaper originally was part of a family business called Virginia Broadcasting. The company is named for Jeff’s mother, Virginia Fister. Jeff’s business expanded in 1992 when he started publishing books on local history. One recent book, not surprisingly, is: So, Where’d You Go To High School? Jeff’s company also publishes special event programs for historic city house tours and performances at the Fox Theatre and the Sheldon Theatre.
Jeff loves living in his old Central West End home, which was built in 1897. His family includes his wife Laura, eight children…. and four pet chickens, which you can read about in Jeff’s West End Word column. Jeff is active in the Central West End Association and is a board member of the St. Louis Cathedral Basilica Friends organization and the St. Louis Press Club. In 2007, he was presented a “Quest Award” from the National Federation of Press Women for communications.
Julie Kasen, Sales Representative (ext. 25)
Joining Virginia Publishing in September of 2006, Julie worked as a book intern for Kimberly Marlowe. After graduating from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with a bachelor’s degree in English (a minor in Sociology, and a writing certificate), Julie joined the West End Word as a full time sales representative. When she’s not selling for the paper, she composes press releases for the company’s latest new reads in the book department! Julie’s dedication goes far beyond the office. In January of 2008 she starts her M.A. in Communications Management at Webster University. When she’s not working or studying, she enjoys relaxing with friends!
Sarah Zeveski, Sales Representative (ext. 26)
Sarah grew up in St. Louis, living everywhere from Ballwin to the Central West End. After getting a taste of the gypsy life, she decided to attend Arizona State University where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Relations. After a few years of traveling, she decided to return to her roots and moved back to St. Louis. Sarah joined Virginia Publishing in September 2007 as a Sales Representative. In her free time she loves to camp, cook, and play with her husband, Adam, and their two Boston Terrors, umm, Terriers.
Jake Sackman, Sales Representative (ext. 23)
Ben, a graduate from Washington University in 2000, is an avid freelance illustrator/graphic designer and exhibiting artist. He's been with Virginia Publishing since 2001. When time allows he enjoys teaching his sister's dog bad habits, and then subsequently trying to correct them. His last attempt at teaching said dog to climb a tree was ultimately unsuccessful. Hope, however, springs eternal.
Kate Huffman joined the Virginia Publishing team in March of 2006. Kate’s creativity has led her to love of photography and the color yellow. She is adventurous, and can often be found running or mountain biking. Although injuries from her intensity sometime keep her off the trails for a couple of weeks at a time (read-clumsiness), she refuses to give up her love affair with these outdoor hobbies. Keeping with this quest for adventure, Kate enjoys traveling and has a passion for sushi. Although she has love for many things, the biggest loves of her life include Bruce Lee and her beautiful dog Bella.
After graduating from Webster University in May of 2006, Rebekah came to Virginia Publishing in December 2006 as a part-time production designer. When she’s not hard at work in the office, she enjoys traveling, being with family and friends, supporting the local arts, and playing with the love of her life, her cat! Her future plans include starting a small clothing and silkscreen business.
Tim took over the editorship of the West End Word in September 2004, having been a staff writer for two years before that. Originally from Great Britain, Tim trained as a print journalist at the Scottish Center for Journalism Studies in Glasgow. Previously he has edited Movement, the magazine of the Student Christian Movement, and worked as a reporter for the Waltham Forest Guardian, a weekly paper in northeast London. In 2001 Tim married Katy, a St. Louis native, and moved overseas and had the good fortune to fall in with the West End Word. In 2004 they bought a house in the Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood. In his spare time Tim can be found riding his bike or getting dirty in the garden.
Kara has been with the Word since early 2004, when she started as an editorial intern. After graduating from Webster University with a bachelor's degree in journalism that spring, she joined the paper full time as a staff writer in September 2004. She took charge of the Word's arts pages in January 2007. Having grown up in Montana, Kara is still relatively new to St. Louis and lives in Maplewood with her husband, Karl. She spends her free time exploring the metro area, reading everything she can get her hands on and pining for the ski slopes of Montana.
Laura McCarthy, Editor, Lafayette Square Marquis (ext. 34)
A graduate of Quincy University in Quincy, Ill., with a bachelor’s degree in English, Laura moved to St. Louis in the fall of 2004, where she then pursued a writing certificate from UM-St. Louis. Laura joined Virginia Publishing as an editorial intern in January 2006 and joined the company full time in July 2006 as an advertising rep. Since then she has become editor of the Marquis newspaper, copyeditor of the Soulard Renaissance and a staff writer. Laura loves St. Louis and enjoys playing and coaching volleyball, rock climbing and camping.
Fresh on the West End Word press, Rebecca began covering news and features stories for the paper in September 2007. She moved to St. Louis in 2005 after traveling in the Peruvian Andes with a year-long Fulbright grant to study maternal health care among rural women. Aside from writing with the Word, she produces documentaries with Inner Mission Productions, a company started among her long-time friends. She graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia, where edited and wrote for Adelante, a bilingual newspaper covering Mid-Missouri. Rebecca loves any kind of dancing, fish tacos, sweet potatoes, and drinking tea with friends, and storytelling, ciao!
Kimberly Marlowe is our Director of Book Operations. She began with Virginia Publishing Co. in February of 2003 as our bookkeeper, but soon discovered her interest in working with the owner on his book publishing efforts. In January of 2006 she shifted positions and is now in charge of “everything book”! When she is not doing “book work” she is spending time with her husband and three kids or working on her MBA.
Pat Acquisto, Office Manager (ext. 32)
Pat Acquisto is Virginia Publishing’s office manager. She joined the company in spring 2006. She has a degree in business administration and more than 20 years of experience in accounting. Born and raised in the Compton Heights area of St. Louis, she now lives in nearby Lindenwood in south city and is an active board member of the Lindenwood Neighborhood Association. She and her husband Tom have three sons, Nick, Joe and Ben, and Pat spends her free time attending her kids’ ball games, organizing neighborhood events and volunteering as a scout leader.
Tammy Brownfield, Director, Program Advertising (314-644-2501)
Tammy sells display ads for our Special Programs Division, which includes neighborhood directories, neighborhood house tour programs, theater playbills and local events such as Circus Flora and the Great Forest Park Balloon Race. Fifteen plus years with the company makes her one of Virginia Publishing's "oldest" (thesaurus please) current employees. She was born and raised in the City, and now resides in Dogtown with her husband Mike and two sons, William & Jacob. During the summer they travel in their RV in search of fish and fun.
