PRESS RELEASE: Rialto Spotlight Series Kicks Off 2026 With Emmy-Winning Journalist Mike Emanuel
January 15 conversation explores journalism as a creative craft and the Westfield roots that shaped one of America’s leading broadcast reporters
WESTFIELD, NJ – December 2025 – The Rialto Center for Creativity is proud to continue the Spotlight Series in 2026 with award-winning broadcast journalist Mike Emanuel, chief Washington correspondent and anchor for FOX News Channel, who will join us on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at 7:00 pm. Known for his sharp reporting, deep political insight, and ability to illuminate the story behind the headlines, Emanuel will join our moderator, Garett Vogel, for a conversation on the creativity inherent in journalism and how his early years in Westfield helped shape his path.
For Emanuel, journalism has always been an “unsung hero of creativity,” a field driven by curiosity, imaginative questioning, and on-the-spot problem solving. Over nearly three decades in national and local newsrooms, he has covered historic moments in American politics and global affairs, developing a reporting style defined by clarity, rigor, and compelling narrative.
Emanuel joined FOX News Channel in 1997 and currently serves as the network’s Chief Washington Correspondent and anchor of FOX News Live. Viewers also know him as a frequent fill-in anchor on Special Report, Fox News @ Night, America’s Newsroom, America Reports, Fox Report, and Fox News Sunday. His journalism journey began in Westfield, where he was active in student media at Westfield High School, before announcing sports on Rutgers University’s radio station during his undergraduate years. Prior to his national career, he reported for local stations across the country, from Texas to California.
“Mike’s career highlights the creative engine at the heart of great journalism,” said Bill Crandall, president of the Rialto Board of Trustees. “His story is proof that curiosity, critical thinking, and determination, skills first nurtured right here in Westfield, can lead to a remarkable impact on the national stage. We’re excited to bring that message home.”
Spotlight Series: A Space for Creative Connection
The Rialto’s Spotlight Series invites notable artists, thinkers, and innovators to explore creativity from diverse perspectives while building momentum for the Rialto Reimagined campaign. Past guests have included screenwriters Aaron and Will Eisenberg, as well as scholars Tanya Birl-Torres and Monica L. Miller, who examined Westfield’s Harlem Renaissance legacy. Most recently, the Series closed out 2025 with a high-energy evening featuring Lucy Ritter, a professional drummer whose remarkable career has taken her from local stages in Westfield to sold-out tours around the world.
Event Details
• Date: Thursday, January 15, 2026
• Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Rialto Center for Creativity, 250 East Broad Street, Westfield, NJ
• Tickets: Available beginning December 19, 2025, at
rialtowestfield.org/events/spotlight-ritter
• Recording: A digital recording will be available after the event.
Seating is limited, and community members are encouraged to purchase tickets early. Audience questions may be submitted in advance via Instagram and Facebook for consideration during the conversation.
About the Rialto Center for Creativity
The Rialto Center for Creativity is transforming Westfield’s historic Rialto Theater into a vibrant hub for cultural conversation, live performance, and hands-on learning. Guided by values of creativity, inclusion, and community, the Center will host performances, film screenings, exhibitions, workshops, and classes in a welcoming, flexible space designed to inspire. The project is supported by the Rialto Reimagined campaign, with construction and operations funded through government support, private donations, and future earned revenue streams.
Visitwww.rialtowestfield.org for more information.
