NPR adds training role for head of diversity Keith Woods

NPR will expand the role of diversity VP Keith Woods to include leadership of the network’s editorial training team.

Doby Photography/NPR

Woods (Photo: Doby Photography/NPR)

The network created an executive role for its training division to demonstrate that its “commitment to training is absolutely essential to the future success of NPR and our desire to build a more effective journalism network with Member stations,” said Michael Oreskes, SVP of news and editorial director, and Chris Turpin, VP of news programming and operations, in a memo Thursday.

As VP for newsroom training and diversity, Woods will report to Oreskes. He was previously VP for diversity in news and operations.

“Our large goal here is to put Keith squarely in the newsroom, here at NPR and all across public media,” Oreskes and Turpin said in the memo.

Woods’ first priorities will include hiring a newsroom trainer to replace Eric Athas, who left the position in December to become a senior editor at the New York Times, and “crafting a vision for leadership training to strengthen our editorial managers.”

“We are also looking to Keith to bring a new level of coordination to the various training initiatives within NPR, not only those led by the Editorial Training team, but also the extensive and mission critical work done by the Operations Desk, bureau chiefs and many others at NPR as well,” the memo added.  

Woods begins the new role Monday.