NPR promoted three staffers to executive positions.
Chris Nelson was named SVP of technology operations. Nelson previously worked as VP of technology operations. He joined NPR in 2000 as an audio engineer and technical director. He has also been an innovation architect and managing director of technology strategy and audio engineering.
Laura Soto-Barra became VP of research, archives and data strategy. Soto-Barra previously worked as chief of research, archives and data strategy. She joined NPR in 2005 as senior librarian and has also been chief librarian. In 2013, she helped create the Sourcing Report, a diversity, equity and inclusion project to identify and verify the experts interviewed or quoted by NPR during broadcast.
And Keith Jenkins was appointed VP of visuals and music strategy. Jenkins previously worked as senior director of music and visuals. He first joined NPR in 2008 as supervising senior producer of multimedia and rejoined the organization in 2017 as director of visual journalism. He previously held multimedia positions for National Geographic, the Washington Post, AOL and the Boston Globe.
Amy Turck became a VP and chief individual giving officer for Nine PBS in St. Louis.
Turck previously worked as a well-being collaborative executive director for the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati and also worked for Gateway Region YMCA in St. Louis and YMCA of Southwest Illinois.
She was also corporate sponsorship and marketing coordinator for the St. Louis Cardinals professional baseball team and was a sergeant in the Army National Guard.
Bob Brennan left his position as VP of national sponsorship for Market Enginuity.
“I could not be more proud of my time at Market Enginuity, and am thankful for the work we did supporting #publicmedia and WAMU 88.5,” Brennan said on LinkedIn. “As for me, my next chapter will start in a few weeks… news to come soon!”
Brennan joined the company in 2020 and previously worked as director of strategic accounts and partnerships for WAMU in Washington, D.C. He has also held sales positions for McClatchy, the New Republic and the National Journal.
Content
Anjuli Sastry Krbechek announced that she was hired as a senior producer for KPCC/LAist Studios in Pasadena, Calif., where she will oversee the podcasts Wild and Snooze and also help create new podcasts. Sastry Krbechek most recently worked as senior producer for NPR’s It’s Been a Minute with Sam Sanders. Host Sam Sanders announced in March that he was leaving NPR for Vox Media. Sastry Krbechek first joined NPR as a National Desk intern in 2015. She returned in 2016 and was also a production assistant for All Things Considered.
The Current in St. Paul, Minn., announced that Mary Lucia left her position as an afternoon host this month. Lucia, who joined the station in 2005, said in a news release that she plans to continue voice work for Voices.com. A Minnesota Public Radio spokesperson also told Current that PD Jim McGuinn left the station Thursday. His departure was first reported by the Star Tribune.
Daniel Lewis left his positions as a reporter, producer and host of the podcast Consider This for WNYC in New York City. Lewis joined the station in 2014 as an intern for the Health Desk and was also an intern for Radiolab. He also worked as an assistant and associate producer for All Things Considered. “I’m Brooklyn born-and-raised and grew up with WNYC playing on multiple radios scattered around our apartment. It’s wild to be wrapping things up here … while I’m excited about this next chapter of my career (more TK), I know I’m leaving a community of people who are deeply, deeply dedicated to making our neighborhoods, our city, our homes better and fairer. I truly feel lucky to have seen that dedication first-hand,” Lewis said on Twitter.
Sally Hixson, host of All Things Considered for KPBS in San Diego, retired from the station. Hixson joined KPBS in 2012. She previously worked as president of a marketing company she co-founded and was also a reporter and anchor for a commercial station in San Diego.
Jen Rice announced that she left her position as a city hall reporter for Houston Public Media to cover Harris County for the Houston Chronicle. Rice, who joined the station in 2019, starts her new job next month.
Finance
Michael Robertson joined Nashville Public Radio as director of finance. Robertson previously worked as business finance manager for Metro Nashville Public Schools. He has also been comptroller for the Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center and was a financial analyst for Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company.
Communications
Don Wilcox became director of marketing and communications for Cascade Public Media in Seattle. Wilcox succeeds Kelsey Tomascheski, who left the station last year. Wilcox most recently worked as a consultant. He has also been VP of marketing and multiplatform content for PBS, VP and GM of branded entertainment for Fox and held additional management roles with Sony Pictures Interactive, Walt Disney Television, NBCUniversal and Microsoft.
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