NPR CEO John Lansing appointed Marta McLellan Ross VP for government and external affairs.
McLellan Ross joins the network in April. Mike Risken, who previously held the role, left last month.
“She will leverage her public service expertise to explain the impact of our work to Members of Congress, particularly the vital work of public radio stations across the country in service to local communities,” Lansing said in a news release.
McLellan Ross most recently worked as director of legislative affairs for the Defense Logistics Agency. She has also been acting director of congressional affairs and senior congressional liaison for the U.S. Agency for Global Media.
“NPR’s role is even more important now in fostering national dialogue and understanding,” said McLellan Ross in the release. “As a member of the NPR team, it will be a privilege to support public radio’s policy priorities and Member stations in explaining their service to and impact in local communities across the United States.”
Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates will join GBH in Boston as chief inclusion and equity officer.
The role is a new position for the station. Oloruntola-Coates will join GBH in May.
Oloruntola-Coates previously worked as chief diversity and inclusion officer for Baystate Health. She has also been diversity director for Lee Health. Before working for healthcare systems, Oloruntola-Coates was a teacher and cultural ambassador in Japan and was a Fulbright Fellow in West Africa.
“GBH is committed to being a workplace that provides opportunity and inspiration for a diverse staff, and a public media organization that represents the wide diversity of our community,” said CEO Jon Abbott in a news release. “Yemisi is a recognized leader in the DEI field and we look forward to the many ways she will strengthen our efforts on behalf of our employees and our audiences.”
Marvin Irby was elected to PBS’ board of directors.
Irby is CFO and chief people officer for the National Restaurant Association, an organization he joined in 2010. He previously worked as EVP and CFO for Shawmut Design & Construction and VP of finance for Walt Disney World. He held other finance positions for PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and Procter & Gamble.
Irby will replace Ramon Rodriguez, whose term ended. Rodriguez is board chair for Republic Services and is also a former managing partner and CEO of Madsen Sapp Mena Rodriguez & Co.
Sherri Daye Scott was appointed SVP of marketing and communications for Public Broadcasting Atlanta.
Daye Scott most recently worked as founder and creative director for Big Facts, Small Acts, a COVID-19 awareness campaign in Atlanta. “I could not be more excited to join the team at PBA, whose work I have admired and supported as an audience member and donor for many years,” Daye Scott said in a release.
Content
Radio Diaries announced three hires. Stephanie Rodriguez was appointed marketing and operations manager. She previously worked as a production manager and researcher for Search On, a documentary series for Google, and was a producer for the production company Lantigua Williams & Co. Alissa Escarce was hired as a producer. She previously worked as a producer for Latino USA. And Mycah Hazel joins the program for a fellowship sponsored by This American Life. She previously worked as an intern for All Of It, produced by WNYC in New York City.
Felicia Curry was hired as a host for WETA in Washington, D.C. She will conduct interviews for WETA Arts. Curry is an actor who has appeared in several plays, most recently Queens Girl: Black in the Green Mountains.
Stephfond Brunson will be a host for WPBS in Watertown, N.Y. Brunson will host WPBS Weekly: Inside the Stories, a new half-hour talk show that premieres April 13. Brunson has been an associate for the Redhouse Arts Center in Syracuse for more than nine years. He has also been a manager for the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. “Our desire to create and distribute more digital journalistic content was actually the original impetus for this series,” said GM Mark Prasuhn in a news release. “We looked at the weekly public affairs programs with associated short digital content on other PBS stations, and decided to create our own.”
Maryland Public Television hired Jim Hunter as an on-air talent. Hunter will host local pledge productions, provide voice-overs and represent the network at screenings and community events. Hunter previously worked as a sports play-by-play announcer for the Baltimore Orioles, a position he held since 1997 before his contract ended this year. He has also worked as a sportscaster for CBS Radio and other sports events for the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network.
Administration
Mountain Lake PBS in Plattsburgh, N.Y., announced that Pam Jozwiak is retiring from the station. Jozwiak has worked as a bookkeeper for the station since 2006. “Many of us working at the station today remember spending our very first day with Pam, handling the essential onboarding needs of any new employee. Pam was always warm and attentive,” said a news release.
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