DAWN KAMBER

Dawn Kamber reports Orange County news weekday mornings 6 am-9 am, with a roundup at noon. Hear our weekly public affairs program, Collage, Monday nights at 7:00 or on demand.

Wander into Dawn Kamber’s KSBR studio and you’ll be greeted with an enthusiastic conversation about the latest news from “my cities.” For nearly 30 years, Dawn has been at the forefront of KSBR’s commitment to serving the people of Orange County with news and information that is relevant to our home towns.

Through her on-air newscasts, web updates and the public affairs program Collage, Dawn stays in touch with the people, places and issues that define Orange County, treating each with a local’s genuine concern. Outside the studio, Dawn can be found attending community events all over South County. Annually, she proudly announces the Swallows Day Parade in San Juan Capistrano and the Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade.

Dawn’s career began in high school as a reporter for Los Angeles KLCS TV's "Student News" program. She then moved on to Cal State Northridge's KCSN radio, earning a Golden Mike. Later stops in radio, took her to Las Vegas and Reno before returning home to KSBR.

“When you report the news, every day is different and exciting” Dawn tells us. Her ability to make Orange County’s cities her own is one the unique hallmarks of KSBR’s local service.

Garrison West

Garrison West gets up suuuuper early to host KSBR's morning show on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 6 am-9 am. He’s also heard middays on our sister station 88.5 FM.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What brought you to Orange County?

I originally came to Southern California on a surfing trip that lasted for six months back in 1978! I returned in 1986 and ended up staying 30 years now. I guess you could say now I’m ¾ native Californian! (My dad was born in Oakland).

Q: Although we hear you a lot on the radio these days, you’ve had other careers as well. Describe those.

Well, honestly when I was younger, I tried many different jobs. I did everything from waiting tables and bartending to working on a Tug Boat on the Intracoastal Canal and the rivers of Louisiana. Mostly I was a restaurant manager for many years, most recently at the Monterrey Bay Canners in Laguna Hills, which is no longer there.

Q: What are your highlights from your most recent past career?

Meeting Gene Hackman, Matt Dillon, Director David Brown and Lili Fini Zanuck while working as manager at a seafood restaurant back in Corpus Christi. I was flattered that they came back the next night too. Gene Hackman is really just a down to earth, regular guy. One of my favorites.

Q: What brought you to KSBR?

For several years, I had friends and family tell me I should be on the air because they liked my voice. I was skeptical and didn’t act on it until a former co-worker said something to me that triggered me to call KSBR and I got Donna Thornton on the phone. She encouraged me to enroll and I did. My instructors back then were Terry Wedel, Tina Anderson and John Coleman. All great teachers and I am deeply grateful to them. Dawn Kamber was an awesome mentor too. (Now I’m married to her!)

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not on the radio?

I’ve been surfing for 40 years, so there’s that. I also enjoy movies, select television programming and attending live music performances such as the ones at the Festival of the Arts that feature many of our KSBR artists. I do emcee the 4th of July for San Juan Capistrano every year, as well as announce the Swallow’s Day Parade and Laguna Niguel Holiday Parade alongside my best friend and soul mate, Dawn. Helping to raise her son, Neil has been an ongoing highlight too.

Bob goodman

Bob Goodman hosts Whole 'Nuther Thing, Saturdays 3 pm-7 pm on 88.5 FM HD2 and Sundays 3 pm-5 pm on HD1

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What brought you to Orange County?

When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher told my Mother, "Robert must have been vaccinated with a Phonograph needle because he never shuts up". I always had an insatiable thirst for music, sleeping with an earphone or having a transistor radio under my pillow when I was a child. I'm a native New Yorker, I grew up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan during a fertile period of Music and Art that shaped our culture. NYC has always been a "melting pot" and this more than anything is responsible for my rather diverse taste in music. This diversity is the key ingredient of my "Whole 'Nuther Thing" show each week. I've also lived in various parts of the country including Florida, New Jersey, Kansas City, Northern California, Los Angeles and now the OC. I was brought to Orange County in 1989 by my employer at the time, loudspeaker manufacturer, JBL. I'm the proud Father of 2 wonderful children, My Son Neil is a video editor for a high profile Ad Agency and my Daughter Lauren can be found taking photographs at corporate events and weddings all over the globe. I've been married to my best friend, Es, for 42 years and fittingly we met standing at a Juke Box.

Q: Although we hear you a lot on the radio these days, you’ve had other career(s) as well. Describe those.

After college, where I was General Manager of the campus Radio Station, my professional life began in Riverhead, NY on the East end of Long Island. I was the Music Director and did a daily Mid Day Air Shift on WRCN AM & FM. Subsequent stops in Lakeport California, Los Angeles (KSRF) then back to the East Coast and WLIX AM, Islip NY and finally weekends at WYSP FM in Philadelphia. I left Radio because the formats were becoming more restrictive and affecting the personality of individual stations. Stations lost their creative edge, became repetitious and started to sound alike. Upon leaving Radio, I began a successful career in sales of Consumer Electronics holding senior management positions with many Home and Car Audio manufacturers, this career continues today.

Q: What are your highlights from your most recent past career?

Being elected to the Mobile Electronics Division Board of The Consumer Electronics Association (now CTA). Seeing my ideas crystallize while launching many new products and concepts in Home & Car Audio and now in the Vehicle Safety and Driver Awareness category.

Q: What brought you to KSBR?

I was a semi regular listener to KSBR and thought it could be a good stepping stone back to my first love, Radio. In 2000, I enrolled in all the courses specific to Radio including an internet course. I successfully completed these courses and submitted an audition tape. Upon review, I was given a weekly shift Friday evenings from 6 - 9 PM including a feature called "The Whole Thing" which spotlighted an entire CD. I subsequently moved to Thursday evenings for a few years where I started "Whole 'Nuther Thing, a variation that featured an artist not a CD. Lo and Behold, one fateful day, I was offered Saturday Afternoons from 3 - 6 PM. I jumped at the opportunity and "Whole 'Nuther Thing "in its present form was born Saturday May 29 ,2004. It is a true "Free Form" Radio Show where I have complete freedom to play anything I choose and is unlike anything else on the air. I thank former KSBR manager Terry Wedel for giving me the initial space and present Director of Broadcast Operations, Jim Rondeau for allowing me to continue what has become for many listeners "Appointment Radio" on Saturday Afternoon and Evenings for the past 12 years.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you’re not on the radio?

Preparing the music for each show. Being a designated ball boy for my Golden Retriever, Murphy Brown. Listening to recorded music, attending concerts, hanging out with friends and family, I'm also a collector of vintage Radios especially the transistor variety from my youth and let's not forget records, tapes and CD's. I also enjoy watching Baseball & Football and going to Movies and watching Television. Did I mention listening to music?

Ken Warren

Ken accompanies us on our afternoon commute Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3 pm-6 pm.

Q: Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from? What brought you to Orange County?

A: I am a retired High School Assistant Principal and have lived in South Orange County for 27 years. I grew up in Rochester, New York, and moved to California in 1975 after serving in the Navy. While in the Navy, I was stationed aboard submarines. My home bases during my enlistment were first, New London, Connecticut and, second, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. My time in the Navy was very important to me, and has had a very profound effect on my life. I truly loved being stationed aboard submarines even though, when we went to sea we were submerged for 90 days at a time After leaving the Navy, I used the G.I. Bill to help pay for college.

After the Navy, I moved to California because of the weather and higher education possibilities. Even though my wife also grew up in New York, we met in California. This is the second marriage for both of us. We each have a daughter. My daughter Megan is an attorney and my stepdaughter Rachel is a body builder.

I played football, basketball and was a high jumper on the track team in high school. Very soon after graduation, I finished fourth in the state and sixth in the nation in high jump competition. As a result of my placement in the nationals, I was selected to jump at the Canadian Olympic Trials.

Q: Although we hear you on the radio a lot these days, you've had a number of careers. You’ve worked in physical therapy as well as education, right?

A: After college I worked in physical therapy and was able to work on people like Fred Astair and Gene Hackman, as well as major athletes from around the world. A great deal of my time in physical therapy was spent working with the L.A. Lakers during their "show time" era. I also got to play in an exhibition basketball game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Inglewood Police Department. I played with Rams that night and we lost. During half-time, the Rams went to one end of the gym to sign autographs. People still came to me and asked me to sign things. The next day, there were at least 60 people asking themselves, "who is Ken Warren?" Also that evening, on the TV news, a portion of the game was replayed and I was featured on the clip. Whoever chose to show me, "thank you!" After my undergrad graduation, I became a science teacher and coached football, basketball and track.

Q: Being an educator is a tough job. Any highlights?

A: My time as an Assistant Principal was highlighted by working with students and their parents to ensure that every student is given the tools to excel in today's world. This was especially evident when I worked with students who, as Freshmen, would make poor choices and then become fine young men and women by the time they graduated.

Q: What brought you to KSBR?

A: While I was an educator, people would comment on my voice and ask me if I was on the radio. After retirement, I enrolled in classes at Saddleback College and then auditioned at KSBR. I enjoy being on the radio and meeting the musical artists, themselves, each year at the KSBR Birthday Bash.

Q: What do you enjoy doing when you're not on the radio?

A: My hobbies center mainly on sports and I am still active in tennis, basketball and bicycling. Both my wife and daughter have competed in half marathons.