Photo by Threshold founder & executive producer Amy Martin.
Amy Martin
FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Amy (she/her) created Threshold in 2016. Under her leadership, Threshold has received a Peabody Award, a national Edward R. Murrow Award as well as awards from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Overseas Press Club, and the Montana Broadcasters Association. In addition creating Threshold, Amy has produced stories for NPR’s All Things Considered, PRI’s The World, Reveal, Here & Now, and other national outlets. In 2016, she was selected for the Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Amy has been invited to give presentations about her work at the Environmental Film Festival in The Nation's Capital, the International Wildlife Film Festival, the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, Norway, and on the TEDx stage.
Amy holds a BA in philosophy from Augustana College. She was raised on an Iowa farm.
Amy is available for presentations and speaking engagements. Please contact outreach@thresholdpodcast.org for inquiries.
Happy Place: Above treeline
Go-to Karaoke Song: "Flashdance... What a Feeling" - Irene Cara
Erika Janik
MANAGING EDITOR
Erika (she/her) has her hand in every aspect of production, from training and managing the production team and developing new projects to helping edit and elevate our stories. She’s passionate about working with individuals and teams to create empathetic, ambitious, and surprising stories.
She previously worked as the Director of On-Demand at New Hampshire Public Radio where she oversaw the award-winning podcasts Civics 101, Outside/In, and Patient Zero, among others, and co-founded and oversaw Wisconsin Life, a multimedia storytelling project at Wisconsin Public Radio.
Erika began her adult life thinking she wanted to be a history professor and while she found academics weren’t for her, she’s continued to pursue her love of history and storytelling through freelance writing and authoring books, including Pistols and Petticoats: 175 Years of Lady Detectives in Fact and Fiction and Marketplace of the Marvelous: The Strange Origins of Modern Medicine.
She holds a BA in history from Linfield College, an MA in journalism and an MA in American history, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
When she’s not telling stories, Erika can be found hiking with her husband and beloved dogs, sewing, cooking, reading, and making things of all kinds. Erika is based in Minneapolis.
Happy Place: Hugging her dogs
Go-to Karaoke Song: “As Long As You Love Me”
Jaha Nailah Avery
Producer
Jay (she/her) is a writer, non-practicing lawyer, and creative storyteller. She brings to Threshold a commitment to truth telling, a passion for history, and an aim to uplift BIPOC communities and voices.
Holding a BA in Political Science and Communications from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and a Juris Doctor from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law, Jaha chose constitutional and civil rights law as a specialization in school. She worked in startups for a few years following law school, before launching her professional writing career in early 2021.
Since then, Jaha has regularly contributed to The New York Times, Architectural Digest, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and We Need Diverse Books. Her first book, Those Who Saw The Sun, a collection of African American oral histories from the Jim Crow South, was released on July 11, 2023.
Fun facts: Jaha started playing the harp during pandemic lockdowns, and recently purchased a concert grand pedal harp. An avid traveler, she is currently training to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. She is a proud Afro-Southerner, hailing from North Carolina, and loves hiking, watching makeup tutorials on YouTube, and spending time in nature with her rescued chihuahua, Fievel.
Happy Place: Surrounded by loved ones
Go-to karaoke song: "I Say a Little Prayer for You" - Aretha Franklin
Deneen Wiske
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Deneen Wiske (she/her) is Executive Director at Auricle Productions, the nonprofit organization that produces Threshold. In this role, Deneen ensures our nonprofit operations serve as a foundation for a thriving and sustainable organization. She guides our work in administrative operations, financial management, philanthropic fundraising, and governance.
Deneen has been involved in all areas of nonprofit operations and leadership, with more than 20 years experience as a nonprofit board member, professional fundraiser, communications director, and consultant for a wide variety of organizations. She holds a BS in biology from Old Dominion University and completed graduate study at the College of William & Mary, where she was a research biologist prior to stepping out of the lab and into the nonprofit sector.
In addition to her work at Threshold, Deneen is a certified firefighter and has served as a volunteer firefighter since 2012. She is based in Door County, Wisconsin, and spends most of her time appreciating the shores of Lake Michigan, trail running, hiking, SUPing, and pretty much anything outdoors with her husband and their two children.
Happy place: Sitting on the sand, watching the sun rise over big water
Karaoke song: “Every Day is a Winding Road” - Sheryl Crow
Eleanor Cleverly
Marketing and Communications Director
Eleanor (she/her) leads audience outreach and engagement for Threshold, serving as the show’s promoter-in-chief.
Eleanor has experience across diverse industries, including tech, media, and academia. Most recently, she worked in marketing, product management, and business development roles at Meta and Amazon. In 2021, she earned a podcast production certificate from Berkley’s Advanced Media Institute and began promoting and producing audio for the purpose-driven production company Hueman Group Media. Prior to that, she served as General Manager of Boston.com, The Boston Globe’s free digital news site. Eleanor has also led communications and conducted research for grant-funded projects at Harvard Kennedy School and the non-profit media organization Harmony Labs.
Eleanor holds a B.A. in behavioral science from Utah Valley University and an M.A. in media studies from The New School in New York City. She lives in Seattle, Washington. You can find her and her family traipsing around the Olympic Peninsula when not in the city.
Happy place: At yoga
Karaoke song: “Sweet Caroline” - Neil Diamond
Caysi Simpson
Outreach & Engagement Specialist
Caysi (she/her) works closely with the marketing and development teams to cultivate meaningful audience and donor connections. She believes in the power of communication to grow and deepen these relationships.
Caysi brings a background in strategic communications and community outreach to helping plan and execute a comprehensive communications and outreach strategy for Threshold. She is deeply committed to bringing a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens to Threshold’s communications and audience growth strategies.
Caysi has a BA in journalism and international relations, as well as a certificate in environmental studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Caysi spends her free time hiking, bouldering, taking photos, reading, learning the ukulele, and giving endless amounts of cuddles to her pet Holland Lop, Giogi (Italian for “sweet little man”). She is an avid traveler, often in a plane or a car, ready for the next adventure. Born and raised in Minnesota, Caysi currently resides in Saint Paul.
Happy Place: Sitting by a campfire, under a star-scattered sky
Go-to Karaoke Song: "Don’t You Want Me" - Human League
Sam Moore
Associate producer and SOCIAL MEDIA STORYTELLER
Sam (he/him) brings Threshold to the small screen as a social media storyteller. He connects with Threshold listeners wherever they are and tries to build bridges from the auditory to the visual.
Sam previously worked on communications and outreach for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and also spent several years as an itinerant wildlife biologist. Working with plovers, loons, and tortoises, he’s developed an appreciation for the fragility of ecosystems and the constant stewardship required to keep them whole.
Sam holds a BA in Photography and Environmental Studies from Tulane University, as well as a MS in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon.
When he’s not battling an algorithm, Sam can be found biking, rowing, birdwatching, taking photos, and reading about environmental history. Raised in New England, Sam currently lives in Western Massachusetts.
Happy Place: In a small boat in late summer, drifting on a dead calm bay
Go-to Karaoke Song: “Never Gonna Give You Up” - Rick Astley