Joshua Adams, former executive director of operations for Houston Public Media, has been promoted to station manager.
“Joshua is a respected leader in the public media system,” said Lisa Trapani Shumate, associate VP and GM of HPM and executive director of the station’s foundation, in a news release. “His collaborative spirit, deep knowledge of broadcast technology, involvement in emergency communication services and commitment to our public service mission made it an easy decision for Houston Public Media to elevate him to station manager.”
Adams joined the station in 2012 and has also served as EP and director of technology and operations. He helped launch the Texas Newsroom, the first collaborative newsroom formed by public radio stations and NPR. He has also held positions at KHOU, the CBS affiliate in Houston, and WNCN, the CBS affiliate in Goldsboro, N.C.
“I’m excited to be a part of our future, furthering our service to the region through a powerful presence on-air, online, on-demand and in the community,” Adams said.
KVIE in Sacramento, Calif., added two leaders to its philanthropy and development teams.
Kathleen Richards was appointed director of development and marketing in December. Prior to joining the station, Richards was the director of advancement at Fairytale Town, a nonprofit amusement park focused on children. She has also held positions at the Crocker Art Museum and the Smithsonian Institution.
Colleen Schulman was named chief philanthropy officer in January. Most recently, she was the director of development at the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art. She previously worked at the Manetti Shrem Museum at the University of California at Davis College of Letters and Science, the Concord Museum and the New England Aquarium.
Management
Naomi Starobin left her job as GM of WHYY’s radio station in Philadelphia Friday. “As for my next steps, a few things in the works, but I’m not at liberty to say more right now,” she told Current. Starobin joined WHYY in 2014 and was also managing editor of Keystone Crossroads, a CPB-funded project focused on Pennsylvania. She has also worked as a reporter, host and news director at WSHU Public Radio in Westport, Conn. John Mussoni, assistant VP of news operations, was named interim radio GM at WHYY, according to a spokesperson.
Development
Tiffany Unrein joined Smoky Hills PBS in Bunker Hill, Kan., as director of membership engagement. Unrein was previously an account manager with AdFarm, an advertising agency in Kansas City, Mo. She has also been an account executive with McCormick Company, a marketing company in Indianapolis. “I am thrilled to be a part of the Smoky Hills PBS team and to begin building lasting relationships with our members,” Unrein said in a news release. “Member donations will help ensure a solid future for the station, allowing us to continue to provide high-quality local programming for central and western Kansas.”
Lois O’Meara has retired from her role as software services manager at Allegiance Software, a vendor of fundraising and donor management software. She was with the company for more than 24 years in several positions, including senior lead trainer. O’Meara previously worked at Prairie Public Broadcasting for 22 years, serving as membership coordinator and membership manager. O’Meara plans to enjoy retirement at her home in northern Minnesota, spending time with her spouse of 45 years and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Marketing
Lisa Baird left her position as chief marketing officer at WNYC in New York City last month to become commissioner of the National Women’s Soccer League, based in Chicago. Baird joined WNYC in 2018. In sports, she previously served as CMO for the United States Olympic Committee and SVP of marketing and consumer products for the National Football League. She also held brand and marketing positions for General Motors, Procter & Gamble and the Warner-Lambert Company, now Pfizer.
Content
Lee Hill was named EP of The Takeaway, the news program produced by PRX, WGBH in Boston and WNYC Studios. Hill was previously a senior digital editor at WNYC. Before that, he was founding editor of Inside Energy, a Colorado-based journalism collaboration among NPR and PBS stations. He also worked for Colorado Public Radio and the Milwaukee Courier and was a founding producer for NPR’s Tell Me More.
Monika Evstatieva left her position at the New York Times to rejoin NPR as a senior producer on the politics team. Evstatieva had left NPR in August to become a senior editor for the Times’ audio team. She was previously a producer for Weekend Edition, Tell Me More and All Things Considered.
Antonia Cereijido is leaving her producer position at Latino USA to become a senior producer for Futuro Media, based in Harlem, N.Y. Futuro produces Latino USA and other programs focused on Spanish speakers and Latinos. Cereijido joined Latino USA in 2014 and has also held internships at Endgame Entertainment and MiTu Networks.
Jill Riley will be solo host of the morning broadcast of The Current Morning Show on Minnesota Public Radio’s The Current in St. Paul. Riley previously co-hosted the show with Brian Oake, who was fired in August, according to the Star Tribune. Riley joined the station when it launched in 2005 after working for her college radio station at Saint Cloud State University.
Carl Pogue was hired as music director of KNKX in Tacoma, Wash. He previously served as traffic coordinator and operations manager for KPBS in San Diego and program manager for KVCR in San Bernardino, Calif. In Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, he was GM of KRNM and program director of KRSI.
Serial Productions hired Neil Drumming as managing editor. Drumming was previously a producer for This American Life. “Neil’s heart is in finding new ways to tell stories, and new talent to work with, that will expand the possibilities in narrative podcasting,” said Serial Productions CEO Julie Snyder in an interview with Deadline.
John Henry Smith III joined Connecticut Public as All Things Considered host. Smith was previously a freelance broadcaster for Yale University’s sports teams. He was also a sports director for NBC Connecticut and a reporter and anchor for Al Jazeera Media Network, NBC Sports and WPLG, an ABC affiliate in Miami. Ray Hardman, who has hosted the program since 2002, will continue reporting for the public radio station. He is currently developing a new series for TV, digital and radio scheduled to premiere in June.
Letese’ Clark, a news producer and editor at WAMU in Washington, D.C., left her position Feb. 25 to join Manifest, a marketing agency.
Lydia Calitri was hired last month as a part-time associate producer for NPR. Calitri is a senior at American University in Washington, D.C., and serves as editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper.
Send news of “comings and goings” to [email protected]