PHOENIX- The Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is excited to induct seven accomplished television leaders into the prestigious Gold and Silver Circle Society. Gold inductees have made contributions to the industry, with the majority in the Rocky Mountain Southwest region, for 50 or more years, silver inductees for 25 or more years.

These inductees are the best and brightest in the business and have extensive public service, mentoring, leadership and professional accolades.

“The unique perspective that each of these inductees have shared with the arts has helped to evolve our industry,” said Doug Mummert, president of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter. “We are proud to honor our inductees’ work and the advances they have made that will continue to inspire future generations.”

The 2023 Gold and Silver Circle Inductees are:
· Phil Alvidrez (Gold), Phoenix: A journalist at heart, Alvidrez ran the newsroom at KTVK in Phoenix from 1986 through 2003. The station grew to become the market leader and one of ABC’s top affiliates. When ABC moved its affiliation from KTVK in 1994, Phil was a leader in the group that built the most successful independent station in America.

· Matthew Barcellos (Silver), Glendale: From 1995 to 2010, Barcellos was the Video Director at the Sundome Center for the Performing Arts, the largest single-level theatre in the United States. He directed hundreds of live concerts and other events. Barcellos also worked for the ASU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics and the Arizona Cardinals as handheld camera operator, technical director and video engineer. When the Arizona Coyotes moved to Glendale in 2003, he was on the crew at the Glendale Arena as director, technical director and replay operator during home games and other events.

· Vanessa Lichvar (Silver), Phoenix: After graduation, Lichvar accepted her first job at KTVK, 3TV in Phoenix, which was an ABC affiliate at the time. She was working as a video editor the day the iconic Good Morning Arizona newscast debuted in 1994. In 2003, she went to KPHO-CBS 5 as a video editor and eventually transitioned to capture, but she never stopped editing. In 2014, the Meredith Corporation brought Lichvar full circle with the purchase of KTVK-TV, bringing her back home to Arizona’s Family.

· Todd Martin (Silver), Phoenix: Martin was hired as an editor at KTVK, Channel 3 in 1993. Soon after the station gave him an opportunity to work as a photographer at the station’s bureau in Flagstaff, Arizona. There he was able to hone his craft, covering stories like the investigation of the Oklahoma City bombing, which was planned in Kingman, Arizona, while he continued covering news on the ground and up in the station’s helicopter.

· Sean Mooney (Silver), Tucson: During a career that has spanned more than 40 years, Mooney has traveled a path that included working as a producer and talent for Major League Baseball Productions, an announcer for World Wrestling Entertainment, an anchor and reporter for WWOR in New York and WBZ in Boston, a correspondent and producer for Fox Sports Arizona, and a reporter and anchor for KVOA, NBC in Tucson. He also started his own production company, Moonrise Productions, which produces television shows for Fox Sports.

· Kris Pickel (Silver), Phoenix: The honor of representing newsrooms as an anchor and her belief in the importance of trusted journalism motivated Pickel to do reports and investigations on her own time. She valued daily stories as much as in-depth investigations, knowing she often shared the best or worst days of someone’s life. Her investigations have led to policy changes on local and national levels, including increased warnings on breast implants.

· Van Tate (Silver), Albuquerque: Tate has been covering New Mexico sports for the last 20 years. He studied Journalism at UNM which gave him the chance to cover the Indy 500, NFL games, Bowl games, NCAA tournaments, as well as a long list of other exciting events. He also has an online sports discussion called The Sports Office.

***Headshots of the Gold & Silver Circle Society inductees can be accessed here***

This year, the Gold & Silver Circle Society ceremony will take place in Tempe on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. For more information about the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter, visit RockyMountainEmmy.org.