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After celebrating my 29th Anniversary on 'the Back Porch' on Father's Day 2015 it struck me.. I've been there for almost half my lifetime....returning home for 2 weeks at a stretch to raise my family and work as a heavy equipment operator the rest of the time. Living in the country near the Middlebury area keeps me grounded in the simplistic style I try to convey with the music I share. I've thoroughly enjoyed the many years of bringing the music to our listeners and meeting many of them in the most unexpected places and times. The continued arrival of fresh new music from many artists brings me joy especially when I can share it with you. Over the years my musical tastes have changed somewhat but I try to remain true to the acoustic sounds one might expect to hear from friends sitting around on a back porch with plenty of instruments nearby.

Al Kniola has co-hosted The Back Porch since 1995. A native of Michigan City, IN, he has been active in music since his high school days, playing in everything from rock bands to folk groups. He also spent eight years hosting a popular open stage in South Bend and has become an integral part of the region's acoustic music scene. Al travels several times per year to major music conferences around the nation and brings back new "discovery" material to help enrich the overall programming of The Back Porch. Al's "real job" for most of his career was as a professional manager in health care and then a private business owner. He retired early back in 2009 and now describes himself as a happy "bum" who travels, cycles, kayaks, hikes and plays live music.

Host of J:Cubed Jazz to the 3rd Power: Cool, Smooth and Hot®

John Stephens joined WVPE in April of 2023 in the role of Underwriting Account Executive.

Harvey Stauffer, known affectionately as Ole Harv, embarked on a profound journey into the world of blues music that shaped his life. His encounter with B.B. King's "Live at Cook County Jail" in 1970 after wandering into Rex’s Record Rack in Elkhart, Indiana served as a pivotal moment, resonating deeply with his roots starting where he was born in Chicago's Cook County hospital. This album ignited his passion for blues, setting him on a lifelong path in music.

Vanessa Scott is a new staff member of WVPE as of March 2014, but a faithful volunteer since 2007. Vanessa is responsible for managing the office, assisting the station manager in personnel, administrative, and financial, matters. In addition, she maintains FCC required records and EEO compliance for WVPE while preparing documentation for annual audit of the station’s financial status.

Tom Sibal joined 88.1 WVPE as the membership manager in July 2015. Tom is responsible for meeting with supporters of WVPE and managing the membership database, individual giving through direct mail, telemarketing, and major donors. He also recruits volunteers for the fall and spring pledge drives. Tom comes to WVPE after almost 15 years as associate director of institutional advancement at Ancilla College in Donaldson, Indiana. Prior to that, Tom served as a news producer for WSBT-TV.

Christopher Joyce is a correspondent on the science desk at NPR. His stories can be heard on all of NPR's news programs, including NPR's Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition.

Victoria Whitley-Berry is a director and producer for Morning Edition. They also briefly helped to produce NPR's history podcast Throughline. They joined NPR in 2016 as an intern for All Things Considered on the weekend. Born and raised in Tallahassee, Fla., Whitley-Berry has a bachelor of arts degree in journalism from Texas Christian University.

Mike Murrell joined the WVPE family in August of 2024. Mike is enjoying his second career in journalism and broadcasting, since retiring from the Army after 20 years of service. Mike is originally from Dayton, Ohio, but calls Elkhart his home.