Knight-Wallace Staff
Charles R. Eisendrath ’75 has been the director of the Knight-Wallace Fellows at Michigan since 1985. After reporting briefly for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, he joined the Baltimore Evening Sun, and then Time Magazine, which posted him in Washington, London, Paris and Buenos Aires, where he was bureau chief. In 1974 Charles Eisendrath came to the University as a journalism Fellow and after his Fellowship stayed to run the Journalism Master’s Program. His articles and comments on media topics have appeared frequently in publications such as the New York Times, Newsday, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, International Herald Tribune and European Wall Street Journal as well as NPR’s “All Things Considered,” ABC’s “Good Morning America” and Michigan Public Radio. His academic writing and television work include The World Press Encyclopedia, Columbia Journalism Review, Journal of Contemporary French Civilization and two five-part educational television series: “City Desk” and “Foreign Assignment: USA.” Charles is the founding director of the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists, the largest all-media, general reporting award in the country. He chaired the American Board of the International Press Institute, IPI, from 2006 to 2009.
Birgit Rieck has been with the Knight-Wallace Fellows program since May 2004 and, as assistant director, manages the daily activities, seminars and news tours. Until 2004 she administered the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists. Birgit received a Master’s Degree in Cultural Anthropology and Education from Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, after finishing fieldwork in Uganda and Rome. She also completed a two-year management training with InterContinental Hotels Group in London. Before coming to the United States she was a reporter and program host for “Stadtradio Karlsruhe,” one of the first privately owned radio stations in Germany.
Candice Liepa administers The Livingston Awards for Young Journalists and plans conferences and special events for the Knight-Wallace Fellows. Before moving to Michigan, she worked as a television news reporter, producer, and news director in California, Iowa, Idaho and Texas. While in Texas, she also taught broadcast journalism at the University of North Texas. She planned ceremonial events at U-M’s office of University and Development Events before coming to Wallace House in November 2005.
Mary Ellen Doty has managed the finances at Wallace House since August 2003 and assisted Charles in his position as the chairman of the International Press Institute North American Committee. Before coming to Wallace House, Mary Ellen was the office manager for The Housing Bureau for Seniors in Ann Arbor. She did accounting for the Daniel L. Bowers Co. in Rochester Hills, MI. Mary Ellen has a BA in Social Work from the University of Michigan and took Masters Classes in Accountancy at Walsh College.
Patricia Meyers-Wilkens has been the office manager for Wallace House and executive secretary to Charles Eisendrath since October 2007. Before coming to the University of Michigan, she worked as a reporter, columnist and editor for a weekly newspaper. During her ten years there, the Michigan Press Association named her best local columnist. Originally from New York and a graduate of Rutgers University, a job transfer brought her and her family to Michigan in 1987. She currently resides in a little log cabin on the lake in the Irish Hills area.
Melissa Riley joined Wallace House in May 2010. She coordinates special projects and manages the KWF website. Melissa began her career in marketing and advertising for Trans World Airlines. She worked as a production coordinator on commercial films and television advertisements and was a producer at Saturday Night Live. In 1997, she founded the television production department for the BBDO advertising agency office in Moscow, Russia, and managed it. A native of California, Melissa graduated from the School of Journalism and Mass Communications at San Jose State University. After living overseas, in Russia, Israel and Malaysia, Melissa is happy to call Ann Arbor her home.