Introducing Our Judges

We're pleased to announce more celebrity judges for Taste of Mississippi on Monday!

• Lindsey Slater from the Fox STORMTRACK Weather Team. A Milwaukee native, Lindsey joined Fox 40 in February 2009.
• Judge James Graves Jr., United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. A Clinton native, Judge Graves previously served as Presiding Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court and is the third African American ever appointed to the 5th Circuit and the first from Mississippi.
• Kingfish from Jackson Jambalaya, one of the city's most popular and provocative blogs about politics, culture and life in Jackson.
• Madalan Lennep, PMP, President and Owner of Pharos Consulting Services, a technology consulting company. She is a lifetime member of the Junior Auxiliary of Madison-Ridgeland and has served on the Madison-Ridgeland Academy Board of Trustees for five years.
• Megan West of 16 WAPT News. She comes to Jackson from Washington, D.C., where she worked as an associate producer at the Hearst-Argyle Television News Bureau.
• Howard Ballou of WLBT. A 2007 inductee into the Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame, Howard has been with WLBT since 1984 and is a very active volunteer with Stewpot Community Services.
• An anonymous representative from the EatJackson blog. Writers of the blog say they are not professional food critics, they just like good food, good service and a good dining experience. They give very honest reviews and welcome customer comments for every review.
• Coleen O'Brien of The Rug Place. Coleen is an experienced Taste of Mississippi judge and always donates a great rug for the auction. She's a great Stewpot supporter.
• Jill Barnes-Buckley, Associate Pastor for Community Ministry at Northminster Baptist Church. She has served at various capacities for Stewpot, including special projects coordinator and executive director.
• Julie Spencer, community volunteer and paralegal at Wright Law Firm in Ridgeland. A Madison native, Julie is a member of the Board of Directors for Raise Your Pints and a Logistics Committee Member for Wild Pursuit for the Cure (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Mississippi), as well as an avid Stewpot supporter.