Meet the Discover Oklahoma Staff

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Jenifer Reynolds
Host

Jenifer is a native Oklahoman, born in Miami. She is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, where she was awarded the DuPont-Columbia Award, the broadcast equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize. She’s the only college student ever to receive the honor. Her 14 years at Oklahoma City, CBS affiliate NEWS 9, were spent reporting on various issues including government and children’s issues, but she’s also known for her work on special programs about country music, rodeo and the natural beauty of places like the Glover River in southeast Oklahoma.

A lover of the outdoors and proud mother of three children, Jenifer has traveled with her family extensively around the state for fun, and now says she hopes to share some of her experiences with “Discover Oklahoma” viewers.

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Shel Wagner
Executive Producer

A native of Yukon, Oklahoma, Shel Wagner is thrilled to be “back home” after an 18-year career stint in Los Angeles, where she worked as a scriptwriter, director, and producer of more than forty independent films and television dramas, as well as dozens of commercials, and educational videos.

 Shel has spent her share of time around universities. She holds a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Film and Television Production from UCLA, as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Radio TV Film from Oklahoma State University. She also taught beginning cinematography, and 3-camera television production classes at UCLA.

Shel received the coveted Jack Nicholson Distinguished Director Award, a Cine Golden Eagle, a Cindy Award, a Telly Award, a Motion Picture Association of America Award, and a bucket-full of prizes and recognitions from film, television and screenplay festivals worldwide.

When she’s not scheduling or writing segments for Discover Oklahoma, Shel relieves stress by sanding and painting the hundred-year-old house she’s renovating with her husband Kurt Kaya, in the heart of Kingfisher’s Main Street. Kurt and Shel have two little girls, Cricket and Prairie Kei …both girls named in honor of Shel’s Oklahoma heritage and love for the state.

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Dino Lalli
Producer

Born and raised in McAlester, Oklahoma, Dino Lalli is a producer for Discover Oklahoma.  Prior to joining the crew, Dino worked in the Oklahoma Film and Music Office for almost nine years. He held the position of Field Representative.  In that capacity, some of his duties included location scouting and photographs, production logistics, eliminating red tape for various types of productions, research, acting as a liaison between a production entity and the community and/or state, and point of contact for various production companies.  Prior to his service with the state, Lalli was the Creative Services Director in the television division of a worldwide, non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City…a position he held for two years.

Over a 20-year period, Dino served as the entertainment editor and film critic for three television stations; the ABC and NBC affiliates in Oklahoma City as well as KNBC in Burbank, California.  While at Channel 5 in Oklahoma City, he hosted and produced an award winning nationally syndicated program on movies. He is one of just a handful of entertainment reporters in the country ever to be nominated for an Emmy Award.  Several of the Academy Awards specials Dino produced and hosted were nominated for regional Emmy Awards while at Channel 5.

Much of Dino’s work has aired nationally on various ABC affiliates, The Today Show, CNN Showbiz Tonight, ESPN, and Entertainment Tonight.

Dino received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism Radio/TV Broadcasting from the University of Oklahoma in 1978.  His freshman year at OU, he was a McMahon Journalism Scholar.

He and his wife Laryssa have three children.

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Tommy Evans
Videographer/Editor

Duncan Oklahoma native Tommy Evans came to Integris Discover Oklahoma after working for KWTV in Oklahoma City for 22 years. While at KWTV, he gained valuable experience working on commercials for local businesses such as Mathis Bros. and Evans Furniture and in 1996, Tommy became NEWS 9’s marketing videographer and non-linear editor.

Tommy's work in on-air promotion has been honored by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, and the Oklahoma City Advertising Club. He has also garnered Emmy nominations for both short form (:30 promo) and long form (documentary) pieces. He has received the coveted CBS Eye on Excellence award as well.

Tommy’s television career is an outgrowth of his interest in still photography. He is a founding member of the Metro Camera Club, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2007. His still photography has been used in Oklahoma Today magazine, in a calendar, a postcard, and the Oklahoma City brochure produced by the Chamber of Commerce.

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Walt Cox
Videographer/Editor

Walt Cox is a Lawton, OK. native who brings more than 15 years experience in the television industry to Discover Oklahoma. His career began while he was a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, where he worked at the student operated television station and moonlighted, literally, as an overnight videotape editor at Oklahoma City’s KFOR-TV. Upon graduation from UCO, Walt accepted a photojournalist position at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

After two cold winters in Michigan, Walt jumped at the opportunity to return to Oklahoma and KFOR, where his work was honored by the Heartland Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the National Press Photographers Association, the Associated Press, American Women in Radio and Television, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.

For two years, Walt was Director of Photography for the program "Your New House" on the Discovery channel.  He also worked as a freelance photojournalist traveling the country to produce television for domestic clients such as ABC, NBC, CBS, PBS, TLC, MTV and others, as well as international clients that included RTL Germany and the BBC.

In addition to his duties with Discover Oklahoma, Walt teaches non-linear film and video editing at Oklahoma City University and grows vegetables on a modest acreage in Northeast Oklahoma County with wife Angie and daughter Kennedy.

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Claire Fretwell
Administrative Assistant

Claire Fretwell was born a Yankee in Massachusetts, but was transformed into an “Okie” in 1966, as soon as her feet touched Oklahoma’s red clay soil.    A history and geography buff, she was thrilled to take a position with the Tourism Department in 2006.  After two years as receptionist for the Travel Promotion Division, she accepted the position of Production Assistant for Discover Oklahoma in 2008.  Along with her administrative duties, Claire also writes scripts for the show. 

On weekends you will usually find her cooking, tending her garden and enjoying the company of her husband, Ed, and their two dogs, Zoë and Spike.

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You may reach the staff by sending e-mails to DiscoverOklahoma@TravelOK.com