Student Faculty Industry Conference 2002
The Ethical Roles and Responsibilities of the Media

April 5 -7, 2002
Callaway Gardens Pine Mountain, Georgia


Paul M. Kurtz
moderator
Paul M. Kurtz has been a member of the University of Georgia School of Law since 1975, specializing in criminal law, family law, and constitutional law. He has served as the law school's associate dean since 1991, and in 1994, was named to a prestigious chaired position as J. Alton Hosch Professor of Law. Kurtz was appointed by Governor Roy E. Barnes as a commissioner to represent Georgia on the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) in 2001. Kurtz earned his bachelor's degree from Vanderbilt University, a law degree from Vanderbilt Law School and a master of laws degree from Harvard Law School.

Lin Wood
In his 21 years specializing in civil trial work for plaintiffs, Mr. Wood has achieved a number of million plus and multi-million dollar recoveries for various clients. Mr. Wood is the lead civil attorney for former Olympic security guard Richard Jewell in his pending libel action against The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mr. Wood is the attorney for John and Patsy Ramsey and their son, Burke Ramsey, in pending libel litigation against Court TV, St. Martin's Press, and The New York Post, having successfully resolved claims on their behalf against Time, Inc., American Media, Inc., Star magazine and Globe magazine. Mr. Wood has made numerous national television and radio appearances, including appearances on NBC's The Today Show, CBS' "60 Minutes", "Larry King Live", The Oprah Winfrey Show, ABC's Good Morning America, CNN's "Burden of Proof", CNBC's "Rivera Live", "Hardball", and "Business Insiders", and NPR's "On The Media."

David Arnold
Graduating in 1978 from the University of Georgia as a Speech Communications major. David Arnold entered graduate school and UGA and served as a graduate teaching assistant in the Speech Communications department where he taught Speech for one year.
After a stint of teaching public speaking and communication to corporate members, he spent six years covering 13 southeastern states for the Alliance of American Insurers and the Insurance Information Institute, two industry trade associations. During that time David worked on such high profile issues as safety belt use legislation and civil justice reform. Eventually safety belt legislation passed in every state and civil justice reforms continue to this day. In 1992 David became Director of Media Relations at the Georgia Institute of Technology. While in that role David coordinated major communications campaigns in support of such events as the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, the 1992 Vice Presidential Debate, 8 Annual Reports of the Former Secretaries of Defense and has overseen the production of numerous video, print and internet communications initiatives. In, 1996 was named Director, Client Communication in Institute Communications and Public Affairs. In that role, David oversees a team of communications professionals that includes, writers, editors, graphic designers, web authors, photographers, videographers and media relations specialists. He is responsible of coordinating all communications activities on behalf of the Ivan Allen College(of Liberal Arts), College of Computing, DuPree College of Management and Auxilliary Services.

Marianna Spicer-Brooks
Marianna Spicer-Brooks was named as Director of CNN's News Standards and Practices office in January, 1999, serving as deputy to Executive Vice President Rick Davis. The office develops and oversees news standards for all CNN news operations, cable, radio and internet. Spicer-Brooks joined CNN in 1994, first as Weekend Supervisor in the Washington, DC bureau. She was promoted to Senior Producer at the Washington bureau in 1995, supervising story development, editing scripts and working with correspondents, producers and tape editors on daily and long-term stories. Prior to joining CNN, Spicer-Brooks was Executive Producer for the CBS News Sunday morning broadcast, "Face the Nation" from 1990-1994. She was recruited by CBS from ABC News, where she was producer of "This Week With David Brinkley," and had also served as a producer for ABC's "The Health Show." Her first network position was with CBS News as an associate producer for "CBS Reports" and "60 Minutes" from 1983-1987. She also produced and directed an Emmy-award winning news special on US Chief Justice Warren Burger for CBS News, working with the much-honored veteran journalist Bill Moyers.

Senator Joe Burton
Joe Burton of DeKalb County represents the Fifth District, which includes portions of DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties, in the Georgia State Senate. He was first elected to the Senate in 1982 after serving 10 years in the state House of Representatives. Senator Burton, a Republican, is vice chairman of the Special Judiciary Committee and serves on the powerful Appropriations, Ethics, Natural Resources, and Rules Committees. Senator Burton initiated a Senate Study on the education of preschool children with special needs which became part of the national survey which led to federal legislation requiring states to address the problem. Senator Burton is active in legislation to help the physically and mentally disabled. He successfully passed legislation in the House and the Senate to require barrier free access to public buildings, including designated handicapped parking and curb cuts. Senator Burton initiated legislation to reduce arrest warrant process time thereby freeing police officers to do their job of fighting crime on the streets rather than on paperwork. He plans to introduce legislation to broaden applications of high technology in specific crime fighting areas including uninsured motorists and insurance fraud. Senator Burton has been honored by the Association of Handicapped Student Service Programs in Post-Secondary Education, the Easter Seal Society, and Birthright International for his legislative efforts and community service.