{"id":23670,"date":"2022-12-13T20:49:03","date_gmt":"2022-12-14T01:49:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom2\/2022\/12\/14\/from-necc-student-to-kiss-108-co-host-an-alumnus-reflects-on-his-career-journey\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T10:47:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:47:21","slug":"from-necc-student-to-kiss-108-co-host-an-alumnus-reflects-on-his-career-journey","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2022\/12\/13\/from-necc-student-to-kiss-108-co-host-an-alumnus-reflects-on-his-career-journey\/","title":{"rendered":"From NECC Student to Kiss 108 Co-host: An Alumnus Reflects on His Career Journey"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Justin<\/a>

Justin Aguirre ’09<\/p><\/div>\n

For many people living in Massachusetts and beyond, Justin Aguirre is a voice that eases them into the workday each morning. The co-host of the popular \u201cBilly and Lisa in the Morning Show\u201d (previously the \u201cMatty in the Morning Show\u201d) on Kiss 108 Boston<\/a> has long kept people laughing and entertained through their daily commutes.<\/p>\n

What many don\u2019t know is that, long before his success on air, he was a journalism\/communications<\/a> student at Northern Essex Community College.<\/p>\n

The Salem, NH resident, originally from Malden, says he began attending NECC in 2006, at a time when he found himself in need of a critical change of pace.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was just getting my life together after several years of issues with addiction,\u201d he explains. \u201cA mentor of mine suggested I look into Northern Essex because I had an interest in media and he knew they had a strong media program.\u201d<\/p>\n

At his mentor\u2019s urging, Aguirre successfully enrolled in NECC\u2019s journalism\/communication program, but admits that it took him some time \u2013 and some strong encouragement \u2013 to gain the confidence he needed to succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I got to NECC, I had a few months in recovery and a criminal record that I was convinced would prevent me from reaching any goal of mine. It was the push of my professors that gave me the confidence to go after my goals.\u201d<\/p>\n

By 2009, equipped with a fresh set of professional skills from NECC, he successfully obtained an associate degree and transferred to Salem State University, where he landed a coveted internship on the Ramiro and Pebbles Morning Show on JAM\u2019N 94.5 \u2013 another important turning point in his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up listening to KISS 108 and JAM\u2019N 94.5 and always dreamed of working at one of those radio stations in the morning,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Aguirre was eventually hired by JAM\u2019N 94.5 as a part-time producer and, from there, moved on to Kiss 108, working first as a producer for Ryan Seacrest and, later, for Matt Siegel of \u201cMatty in the Morning.\u201d<\/p>\n

The day that Siegel first asked him to be part of the show, he adds, is one that particularly stands out to him. He had just gotten through with interviewing Bono and The Edge of U2 \u2013 two of the biggest stars he\u2019d had the honor of meeting at that point in his career \u2013 when Siegel pulled him aside and extended him the offer to join as a producer. Aguirre\u2019s feelings on the offer were initially mixed, with him confessing to Siegel that his rocky past might not go over well with their listeners. But Siegel waved off such concerns right away.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said two things to me,\u201d Aguirre says. \u201cOne: \u2018you don\u2019t have to worry about anything; I have your back.\u2019 And two: \u2018That\u2019s the coolest story I\u2019ve ever heard \u2013 now nobody will mess with me!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Few can argue the successful rise that Aguirre has had since. Following the announcement of Siegel\u2019s retirement in May, Aguirre was promoted to his current role as co-host and executive producer of the \u201cBilly and Lisa in the Morning Show,\u201d a position that has him waking up at 3 a.m., hosting live shows from 5 to 10 a.m., and a podcast, \u201cThe After Show,\u201d until noon. It\u2019s a job, he says, that while often non-stop, continues to reap incredible rewards.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone has problems in their lives, but providing a show [people] can routinely listen to and making them smile and laugh is really special to me,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

His advice to NECC students looking to pursue a similar path? \u201cFigure out what it is you want to do with your life and go after it no matter what! Learn as much as you can, but, most importantly, never stop learning. Always keep an open mind and open ears!\u201d<\/p>\n

To learn more about NECC\u2019s journalism\/communications program, please visit the website<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In 2009, Justin Aguirre was a student at NECC. Now he is a co-host and executive producer at Kiss 108.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":33410,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[55,197,585],"class_list":["post-23670","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","tag-alumni","tag-degree-programs","tag-students"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFrom NECC Student to Kiss 108 Co-host: An Alumnus Reflects on His Career Journey - NECC News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/necc.edu\/newsroom\/2022\/12\/13\/from-necc-student-to-kiss-108-co-host-an-alumnus-reflects-on-his-career-journey\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"From NECC Student to Kiss 108 Co-host: An Alumnus Reflects on His Career Journey - NECC News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In 2009, Justin Aguirre was a student at NECC. 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