WBUR in Boston hired Carline Watson as EP of Here & Now.
Her first day with the program will be Dec. 7, according to a spokesperson.
Watson replaces Kathleen McKenna, who “suddenly left” the station in July, according to a WBUR news story. Former co-host Jeremy Hobson announced he was stepping down last month.
Watson is leaving her job as talent development manager for NPR. She has also worked as an EP for All Things Considered, the Identity and Culture Unit and Tell Me More. Watson joined NPR in 1996 as an editorial assistant on Weekend Edition Sunday. She also worked on News and Notes, was the first producer and on-air director of The Tavis Smiley Show and was supervising senior producer for Talk of the Nation.
Also, Bob Oakes, the host of WBUR’s Morning Edition, is taking on a new role of senior correspondent. Oakes has been the program’s anchor since 1992. He also worked as a reporter, producer and editor when he joined the station in the early 1990s. Oakes, who is 65, said in a WBUR news story that he is eyeing retirement. He added that Margaret Low, WBUR’s CEO, presented him with the idea to change positions, “and I jumped at the chance.”
Additionally, Hafsa Quraishi will join WBUR in January as the inaugural newsroom fellow. Quraishi is seeking a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York. She recently worked on ProPublica’s Electionland tip desk and was the inaugural Korva Coleman Diversity Intern at KMUW in Wichita, Kan.
Jon Hart, chief legal officer and general counsel for NPR, left the organization Oct. 31, according to a spokesperson.
In a memo to staff obtained by Current, CEO John Lansing said, “I’ve made the difficult decision that as we look to the future I’d like to hire a general counsel of my own choosing. Jon understands it’s a CEO’s prerogative to build his own leadership team. He has asked that I be transparent about the reason for his departure, because he wouldn’t want his colleagues at NPR to think he would voluntarily leave in the midst of the challenging times we currently face.”
Lansing also said Michelle Shanahan will serve as interim general counsel while the organization conducts a national search for a successor. “My hope is to have a new General Counsel in position early in the new year,” he said.
Hart joined NPR in 2014 after working as a partner for Cooley LLC. He has also worked as outside general counsel to commercial ventures including Cox Interactive Media and Worth magazine and to nonprofit organizations such as the Center for Public Integrity, the Online News Association, Public Media Platform Inc. and the Online Publishers Association.
Erin Moran was named CEO of Public Media Co.
Moran was named president in October 2019. She joined PMC in 2002 as principal advisor on financial matters and has also worked as CFO.
Moran has also worked as CFO of VuHaus, Radio Ambulante, KDFC-FM in San Francisco, KRCL-FM in Salt Lake City and WMVY-FM on Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. In 2007 she co-led the creation of the Public Radio Fund.
Kevin Good was also hired as senior manager of accounting. Good previously worked as financial reporting manager and as a global financial associate for Velocity Global, LLC. He has also been a community economic development volunteer for the U.S. Peace Corps and as an assurance associate and assurance in-charge for Anton Collins Mitchell LLP.
In addition, Teresa Bazemore, outgoing board chair and former president of Radian Guaranty Inc., will be succeeded by Fred Marienthal, a partner at the law firm Kutak Rock, LLP. John Crigler, FCC attorney of counsel to Foster Garvey, was appointed treasurer/secretary.
Governance
Tina Pamintuan, GM of KALW in San Francisco, was elected to NPR’s board of directors in a closed session Tuesday, according to an NPR spokesperson. Pamintuan will take over the unexpired term of Tim Eby, former GM of St. Louis Public Radio, who left the organization in September. The term for the board seat expires next year. Pamintuan previously worked as director of audio journalism for the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York. She was also a founder of XYZ Media and worked as an assistant producer, assistant editor and editorial assistant for NPR.
The board of directors for the Public Radio Program Directors Association elected Nikki Swarn and Jordan Lee to three-year terms on the board. Swarn is PD for KUVO’s The Drop, a hip-hop and R&B station operated by Rocky Mountain Public Media. Lee is PD for 88Nine Radio Milwaukee.
Communications
Shana Teehan is leaving her position as VP of communications for CPB to become chief of staff for Rep.-elect Barry Moore (R-Ala.), according to the Politico Playbook newsletter. Teehan joined CPB last year. She previously worked as a senior adviser and communications director for Rep. Kevin Brady and as a communications director for Rep. Will Hurd and former Sen. Luther Strange.
Content
Sasha-Ann Simons was hired by WBEZ in Chicago to host the midday talk show Reset. Her first day on air will be Dec. 14. Simons will leave her position as a substitute host and national correspondent for 1A, produced by WAMU in Washington, D.C. She joined WAMU in 2017 as a fill-in host and multimedia reporter. 1A host Jenn White, who joined WAMU in July, previously hosted Reset. In recent months, Justin Kaufmann has served as Reset’s main interim host. “Sasha-Ann is a tremendously talented host with a knack for getting to the heart of the story in her interviews, and we’re thrilled she’s joining the team,” said Reset EP Dan Tucker in a news release.
Jane Arraf is leaving her position as an international correspondent for NPR, based in Cairo, to become Baghdad bureau chief for the New York Times, according to a news release. Arraf joined NPR in 2017. She previously worked as a correspondent for the Christian Science Monitor, Al Jazeera English, Reuters and PBS NewsHour. She has also been an Istanbul bureau chief and Baghdad bureau chief for CNN.
Rebecca Carroll announced on Twitter that she left WNYC in New York City this month to pursue “exciting new projects.” Carroll, formerly a host and managing editor for the Come Through podcast, joined the station in 2015 and was promoted in September. The podcast will not have a second season, according to Carroll. Carroll also said on Twitter that she is working on a new podcast and was named editor-at-large for The Meteor, a publication launching in 2021 that will focus on gender diversity, equity and inclusion. She will also be an EP for a limited-series adaptation of her upcoming Simon & Schuster memoir Surviving the White Gaze, according to Deadline.
Bruce Trujillo was promoted to assistant PD of Indie 102.3, a music station owned by Colorado Public Radio. Trujillo, who joined the station in 2016, has been an on-air host and a promotions coordinator. She previously worked as music director for community radio station KGNU in Boulder, Colo. Trujillo has also been a music, production and website director for KAFM in Grand Junction, Colo.
Gavin Dahl was promoted to news director for KVNF in Paonia, Colo. Dahl will continue to host Morning Edition for the station. Dahl previously worked as station manager for community radio station KDNK in Glenwood Springs, Colo. KVNF also recently hired Karley O’Connor as membership manager.
Current’s Tyler Falk contributed reporting to this column.
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