Byron Green was hired as senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion for PRX.
Green previously worked as associate director of housing and residence education for the University of South Florida St. Petersburg. He was also community director for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and resident director for Georgia Southern University and North Carolina State University.
“I’m thrilled to join PRX and their efforts to continue to work towards DEI at such a pivotal moment,” said Green in a news release. “PRX’s mission and stance inspire me and open the door to ensure not only are we moving towards our goals, but doing so transparently.”
“During the latter part of 2020, PRX was faced with the reality that we were not creating the space for the staff of color that we thought we were,” PRX said in a letter that noted Green’s hire. “We heard from some stakeholders, including staff, that our written public statements weren’t quite right. More action and transparency were essential, but more importantly, we needed more intention.”
PRX said that it formed a hiring committee of 10 volunteers led by Director of Human Resources Edwin Ochoa. The organization also created a survey to gather staffers’ thoughts on the position and included others in the process. “We were also very upfront about salary to avoid wasting candidates’ time and ward off the power struggle at the end of a more traditional hiring process,” PRX said.
Shirley Sneve joined Indian Country Today as VP of broadcasting.
Sneve, a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, previously worked as CEO of the Tiwahe Foundation and as executive director for Vision Maker Media. She has also been executive director for the Arts Extension Service at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was a producer for South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
“We’re fortunate to have Shirley overseeing our broadcast division,” said Karen Michel, CEO of IndiJ Public Media, which owns Indian Country Today. “She brings expertise from broadcasting, documentary filmmaking and fund raising that will help us raise the quality of our newscast.”
New England Public Media in Springfield, Mass., hired a development specialist and announced a new program.
Heather Gawron was named senior director of development. Gawron previously worked as executive director of institutional advancement for the American International College. She joined the college in 2014 as an alumni and events officer and has also been director of alumni and community engagement.
“I am very excited to have Heather join our team. She arrives at a very important time for NEPM as we work to expand our journalism, education, music, engagement and multicultural programming, and create new content that will serve a more diverse and a younger audience,” said NEPM President Martin Miller in a news release.
In addition, Dara Kennedy and Maya Shwayder were named co-hosts and producers for And Another Thing, a weeknight radio show that debuts Monday. The 30-minute program will focus on topics submitted by listeners.
Kennedy previously worked as an anchor for NESN in Boston and hosted several episodes of NEPM’s Connecting Point last fall, including the television special “Generation Vote.” Shwayder previously worked as a host and presenter for WCRB in Boston, a tech reporter for Digital Trends and a correspondent and anchor for Deutsche Welle.
“Dara Kennedy and Maya Shwayder represent the future of media presenters. They are digital-native, global in perspective and operate with the best of journalistic principles,” said CCO Maxie C. Jackson III in the release. “We are thrilled about their new show.”
Cindy Rodriguez and Queena Kim were named senior radio editors for Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting.
Rodriguez most recently worked as an investigative reporter for New York Public Radio. She joined NYPR in 2001 and has covered immigration, housing and other topics for the metro desk. Her first day with Reveal will be Monday.
“To my @WNYC colleagues, both current and past, it’s an honor to have been part of this group for so long-from 1 Centre to 160 Varick. Your generous tweets are generating laughter and tears,” Rodriguez wrote on Twitter. “To the WNYC followers out there, thanks for taking the time to listen! And most importantly, to anyone who ever agreed to be interviewed, it’s been a real privilege to bring stories to the air. There is more to come.”
Kim, whose first day with Reveal was Monday, most recently worked as a senior editor of the weekend desk for KQED in San Francisco and has been head of the audio journalism program at the University of California at Berkeley’s graduate school.
Rodriguez and Kim succeed Laura Starecheski and Jen Chien, according to a Reveal spokesperson. Starecheski joined This American Life this year, and Chien became executive editor for Lantigua Williams & Co. in February.
Content
Saeed Ahmed was hired as director of digital news for NPR, a new position, according to a staff memo from Managing Editor Terence Samuel and Senior Director of Digital News and Strategy Justin Bank. Ahmed, who will join NPR Monday, has held several positions with CNN since 2007. He most recently worked as assistant managing editor for CNN’s digital national team. He has also been a reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Saeed will have oversight for the bulk of the daily operations of NPR’s digital presence across the web — the homepage, social feeds, digital listening through NPR One and various smart speakers and the content that feeds them,” said Samuel and Bank.
Sarah Glover was named managing editor for Minnesota Public Radio. Glover most recently worked as a manager of social media strategy for NBC Owned Television Stations. She has also been a photographer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News. Glover served two terms as president of the National Association of Black Journalists from 2015–19. “Sarah is an incredibly accomplished journalist and, as an advocate for meaningful change in the media industry, she brings a strong leadership and strategic skillset,” said MPR President Duchesne Drew in a news release. “We’re extremely fortunate to welcome her level of talent to our newsroom. Thorough and inclusive journalism is necessary, especially in a divisive time like the one our state faces now. Sarah will take our newsroom to the next level in serving all of Minnesota’s communities.”
Jamala Henderson was appointed director of new programming initiatives for KING FM, a noncommercial classical station in Seattle. Henderson, who starts the job in June, has been a newscaster and reporter for KUOW in Seattle and a communications specialist for the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. “Jamala is an extraordinary audio storyteller, an amazing writer, and a trained classical musician with extensive experience in training young people to tell stories on the radio. We are incredibly fortunate to have found the perfect person to lead our new program designed to diversify our programming staff and bring new voices and perspectives to our work,” said CEO Brenda Barnes in a news release.
Richard Cunningham announced that he will join Marketplace as an associate producer. Cunningham previously worked as an associate producer and intern for The Kojo Nnamdi Show, which was produced by WAMU in Washington, D.C.
Angela Vang announced on Twitter that she left her position as a production assistant for NPR’s All Things Considered. “So thankful to everyone who’s made me a better producer and journalist (there’s a lot of you) — more on what’s next soon,” she wrote. Vang previously worked as an intern for Code Switch.
Governance
Jim Hale was named chair of the advisory board for WGCU Public Media in Fort Myers, Fla. Hale, who was most recently vice chair, succeeds Judy Bricker. Hale previously worked for the Minneapolis law firm of Faegre & Benson, General Mills and Target, where he was EVP, general counsel and corporate secretary until his retirement in 2004. Hale joined WGCU’s board in 2013.
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