Benztown Bolsters Its Bench
• Busy day at Benztown, which welcomes two new staff additions and promotes another across its all-star talent bench of media and audio pros — new to the team: Hannah Schoettmer, who joins as Accounting/Office Coordinator, and Megan Vazquez, who is aboard as Long Form Programming Coordinator and Producer.
Schoettmer’s intro to radio was with RadioActive Youth Media at Seattle’s largest NPR member station, KUOW-FM. She also studied film sound at USC, where she graduated with a B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies. Schoettmer’s written work has appeared in numerous media outlets, and she has received awards and fellowship support for both writing and film from Brooklyn Poets, Alabama Rivers Alliance, and the Seattle Opera, and is the author of Body Panopticon (Bottlecap Press), released in 2022.
Vazquez’s audio journey began at Oregon State University (OSU), where she studied Digital Communication Arts and Music Production. She held several positions at OSU’s radio station, 88.7 KBVR/Corvallis, including Station Manager, Asst. Station Manager, and Podcast Director. She also hosted a weekly music talk show,Megzmania, and hosted and produced the podcast Hair, There, and Back.
Benztown has also elevated Estefania Padilla to Affiliate Relations & Music Licensing Representative for the company’s portfolio of programming services, content offerings, and libraries. Padilla, who has been Executive Assistant for Benztown since 2022, holds a degree in Communication & Media Studies from Cal State Northridge, where she also minored in Psychology. She is also a bilingual singer/songwriter and has written music for television and film.
Benztown President Dave “Chachi” Denes, said, “Benztown continues to grow, as we focus on attracting up-and-coming talent and the industry’s most creative and skilled audio professionals. Hannah and Megan are strong additions to our world-class team, and we welcome them and look forward to their contributions. Likewise, Estefania brings a unique and valued skillset to affiliate relations and music licensing, and we congratulate her on this promotion. It’s a thrill to reinforce our amazing team with the very best people who share our dedication to serving Benztown customers with true innovation and excellence.” Pictured, (l-r): Hannah Schoettmer, Megan Vazquez, and Estefania Padilla.
