Halverson, Roxanne
Roxanne Halverson attended Radio and Television Arts at Confederation College from 1973 – 75
My four decades since college have taken me down a lot of roads making for a diverse journey. After graduation I was off to CFB Baden-Solingen, Germany where I lived with my sister and brother-in-law for close to a year. I got my first on-air radio experience volunteering at the base radio station, while exploring as much of Europe as I could. Upon returning to Thunder Bay (my home town) I began my career at CJSD-FM (CKPR’s FM Station), as an announcer, but soon moved into reporting and then onto TV as a news anchor (first female in Thunder Bay). I worked with many RTA alumni at CKPR, including Chuck Brown, Gary Sewell, Rick Wile, John Doyle, Deanna Kappel, Wally Webb and Don Kerr.
In 1978 I joined the morning show at CKRC, Winnipeg doing on-air traffic reports, back-up news and reporting, the highlight of which was covering a hostage stand-off in Oak Lake, MB, between RCMP and a married couple who shot and killed one officer, injured two others and then took a doctor and his wife hostage in their home. It was a media circus with reporters from across Canada camped out the lone Oak Lake Inn for four days and I was there from the beginning. See link for more.
I left CKRC in 1979 and returned to CKPR TV as a feature reporter, as I preferred TV. As a feature reporter I had many memorable experiences, such as touring the Alexander Henry Icebreaker (arriving on it via helicopter), co-piloting a glider, visiting an underground iron mine and a lumber camp, and interviewing the first male stripper to perform in Thunder Bay to name a few. In 1981, I was offered the opportunity to become a Court Reporter for the Thunder Bay District Court, which I took as it gave me more time and flexibility to pursue my other interests such as creative writing, calligraphy, skiing, running and travel.
Still, my media background became an asset when I returned to Winnipeg in the mid-eighties and joined the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) as a Public Affairs Officer. I spent the summer of “85 at CFB Petawawa doing my basic training, after which I served as a Public Affairs Officer at CFB Winnipeg at the rank of 2nd Lieutenant.
My work there saw me flying in Sea King and Kiowa helicopters and planes like the DC-3 Dakotaand Hercules Transport, sailing on the Naval destroyer the HMCS Saguenay during its Great Lakes tour and training with the US military in Fort Benjamin Harrison (IN) and Fort Devens (MA).
Getting my Captain’s rank Insigna
I ended my full-time tour with the CAF as a Captain in 1989, when I joined Manitoba Telephone System as their Media Relations Manager, but still served as a reserve officer until 1995. In 1993 I was seconded to the Stentor Telecom Alliance in Ottawa, as a Communications Director.
When the alliance was dissolved in 1999, I launched my own communications business and did mostly government contracts. This included a major one with the RCMP that led where I am now a Civilian Member Senior Planning Analyst in Emergency Management. Here I work closely with RCMP officers in developing plans to respond to a wide range of emergencies. I have been with 11 years, but hope to retire soon.
I met my husband Gil, also a military officer, (now retired) shortly I joined the CAF. We’ve been together 30 years and have a daughter Teighan, who graduated high school last June and will enter college this fall.
We live in the Ottawa suburb of Blackburn Hamlet with Heidi, our Bernese Mountain Dog and Hannah, our cat. I no longer downhill ski or run, because I blew my knees out running, but I cross-country ski, swim and walk miles with our dog—rain, snow or shine. I keep in regular touch with a few RTA grads, Charlie (Chuck) Brown and Deanna, but it is great to catch up with everyone else after all these years. When I look at all those old pictures, it’s hard to believe we were all that young once!
