Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Co-Host of Longhorn Live Radio Show, 2011

After several years as "Guest" Co-Host, I'm glad my Guardian Angel, Mr. Eugene Williams, insisted and got me to join his tribe (alongside Attorneys, Robert Rios and Rosie Alvarado) at "Longhorn Live," a show, primarily focusing on, yes, you guessed it, The LongHorns & Sports, in general.   Thankfully,  "Longhorn Gene" as Eugene is affectionately known by his friends and colleagues, and I share a love of God. As such, we have been working together for the past 4 years, as servants of our Lord. Eugene has asked me to help bring awareness to Blood Drives, Emcee events for "Boys Town," etc. etc. Here we are Co-Hosting the Silent Auction:)  Why am I doing ALL the talkin'?  As we got on stage, Eugene confessed that he forgot to bring his reading glasses! LOL.


As the show evolved, Eugene and I come as a package with God so, too, He became a part of our show and we're so blessed to have joined forces with "Women With A Cause," to form a second hour segment called "Girl Talk."  That's where I come in:)  Weekly, on Thursdays, from 7-8pm on 93.7fm, we highlight heroes in our community and help to promote community events. I do have my Sports moments, however, as I recently go to interview already football great, Steele High School State Champ and soon to be Longhorn!  Malcolm Brown (on the left w/Coach Johnston and Malcolm). Thank you to my boyfriend, Christopher Soto, for making this interview possible, thanks to his friendship with State Championship Coach Michael Jinks-they went to Judson High School). Click here: http://www.box.net/shared/e35t502fh9lmn2jbv0pm to listen to the broadcast of the show with this interview.                                                    

 On the right you are some Radio Spots I've done for "Longhorn Live" Radio.
(group photo courtesy of Scott Smith, Alamo City Photography:www.alamocityphotography.com)
A picture is worth a thousand words! So blessed to be doing what love:) Thank you, Eugene, Robert and Rosie, for the opportunity. ( photo, courtesy of Diana Benavidez)

Interviewing my brother, Nick Verreos,the MOST Talented Designer and Fashion Critic in the world

At an event just recently, the HOst of Longhorn Live "Longhorn Gene" was kind to relay the 
compliments that  I received from many about my Malcolm Brown interview. Thank you all so much! I also was very fortunate to interview State Champion Coach Michael Jinks on last week's show. I will upload that broadcast soon.  We also received AMAZING news, that we've been nominated to receive an award as outstanding Radio show for our community segments, which we do during the part of the show we call "Girl Talk,"  I co-host those alongside Rosie Alvarado & Kimberly Font Jones.

Commending SURVIVOR on the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas Healthy Media Images Panel

  • April Ancira, Vice President, Ancira I-10 Auto Complex 
  • Lisa Dollinger, Chief Communications Officer, Clear Channel Communications
  • Veronica Esparza, President & CEO, Absolutely Delicious Catering 
  • Fernando A. Guerra, M.D., M.P..H., Public Health Consultant Limited Space
  • Marie Ferdinand-Harris, WNBA All-star, Phoenix Mercury
  • Mileka Lincoln, Anchor/Reporter, KABB-TV  
  • Susan Mengden, Ph.D., Director, Eating Disorder Center
    at San Antonio 
  • The Honorable Laura Parker, Judge, 386th District Court
  • Ursula Pari, Anchor, KSAT 12 
  • Elsa Ramon, Co-anchor, WOAI  
  • Rita Verreos, Survivor: Fiji contestant, TV spokesperson  
  • Claudia Zapata, Registered Dietitian and Columnist,
    San Antonio Express-News
  • with Special Guest Nelson W. Wolff, Bexar County Judge
 I was so honored to have gotten invited, by my friend, Brad Mayhar and also by a mutual friend of my children's peditarician, Dr. Melanie Mitchell, to be one of the Panelists on this Discussion. A topic that I have lived 1st hand, since participating in the Miss Venezuela pageant in 1988. The Miss Venezuela pageant is INFAMOUS for the arduous training and expectations they place on us contestants.  I lived it..if you'll pardon the pun, I "Survived" it.  It was so tough being so young, 18 years old., and being forced to diet..even though I didn't need to (I was a professional ballerina for 10 years so I was in shape) but that's just how the Miss Venezuela pageant operates.  That ended up screwing up my metabolism and started messing with my body image:(  For years I then went on to continue to put those unrealistic pressures on myself , starving myself of essential fats by following non-fat diets, exaggerated exercise routines, all the while truly believing I was doing what was right because that's what the Media showed and highlighted.  I now, thank God, that I put my body through that non sense when I was so young. We're so much more resilient when we're young. It took my getting pregnant to bring me back to the original healthy body image that my parents had instilled in me.  So, a whole 10years of that mess!!  April Ancira shared a similar story on her panel that morning, bravely sharing that she fell prey to anorexia and bulimia..I wasn't far behind.  This is why now I'm ADAMANTLY against "thinness"  being highlighted as something good. This is why I now Coach the girls for the Miss California USA pageant, among others, to share my story and help them have HEALTHY body images. This is why I was THRILLED to speak on this panel. I commend the Girl Scouts for putting something like this together and felt so honored to be included among such distinguished women that morning. I was asked to specifically talk about what tv can do to help give Healthy Images for Girls.  Here's what I had to say:



Getting inducted into the "Girl Scouts" (never 2 late!)Receiving my medal from the CEO of the Girl Scouts of  Southwest Texas, Mrs. Ana Maria Chavez (currently featured in a wonderful cover article in San Antonio Magazine)

with my fellow Panel-to my right, Claudia Zapata-Elliot

With Brad Mayhar, one of the organizers of this event and Mileka Lincoln, weekend news anchor on Fox
An impromptu video that the Chair asked me to do at the completion of the event.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Grid Iron Heroes goes Hollywood...or is it Hollywood goes San Antonio?

Friday Night Lights joined forces with the Spinal Chord Injury foundation, "Grid Iron Heroes," I've been so fortunate to receive an invite to attend the Hit TV show, Friday Night Lights Season Premieres.  Thanks, in large part to the blessing of having Chris Canales, the reason behind his father, Hero, Eddie Canales' (above) founding this amazing organization to help football athletes who received spinal chord injuries doing what they love to do most, play football.  Chris, I'm so blessed to have had as a supporter of my participation on SURVIVOR..a title better suited for him! I'm so grateful to him and his family for always making me a part of this exciting event. This year, doubly exciting for me because my son was my date! (below, arriving in style thanks to A-Awesome Limos for sending me this special ride..if you look behind me you'll get a rare peek at my son)


with Kyle Chandler

With Eddie Canales, Founder/Owner of GRID IROIN HEROES & 2011 CNN Hero of the Year Nominee
With Connie Britton
with Jesse Plemmons (my son recognized him as the Bully from the
 "Like Mike" movie:(



 About to be whisked away by A-Awesome Limosines!.
The second part was a sad exciting. Being the last season of "Friday Night Lights" brought out pretty much the WHOLE cast as well some local familiar faces like my friend, Y100 morning show co-host, Jesse James (below) who told me he was HUGE fan of this show and, was fortunate to become friends with Brad..in fact, some spotted them playing a round of golf the morning after this event at the JW Marriott Resort! To the right, on the Red Carpet with Tanya Sammis, President of Sammis & Ochoa PR, the firm that put together this event.