NPR announced changes to its executive leadership in the news division.
Edith Chapin was named VP and executive editor at large, a new role that enables her to focus on fundraising strategies for NPR’s news programs and work with Chief Development Officer Leora Hanser. Chapin most recently worked as VP and executive editor. She joined NPR in 2012 as chief international editor.
Terence Samuel, who stepped up to acting VP and executive editor earlier this year, permanently takes over Chapin’s previous job. Samuel joined NPR in 2017 as deputy managing editor and was promoted to managing editor in 2019. He was also interim EP of Morning Edition last year.
PBS announced changes to executive leadership in its digital and marketing department and its legal office.
Mike Norton was promoted to VP of cloud services and operations. He moves up from his previous role as senior director of cloud architecture. He continues to report to Scott Nourse, SVP of product and innovation.
Talia Rosen steps up to VP of standards and practices and associate general counsel. Rosen previously worked as assistant general counsel and senior director of standards and practices. PBS also hired Walter Stillwell as VP and associate general counsel. Stillwell most recently worked as assistant general counsel, distribution relations, for NPR. Rosen and Stillwell report to PBS Chief Legal Officer Katherine Lauderdale.
Julie Brown was hired as SVP of human resources for WETA in Washington, D.C.
Brown, who will join the station June 6, most recently worked as VP of human resources for PBS Distribution. She joined PBS in 2018.
Brown previously worked as a consultant and in HR roles for Reuters, Freddie Mac, AOL and Time Warner Cable.
Development
Stacey A. Wiggins was hired as director of donor relations and stewardship for WABE in Atlanta. Wiggins previously worked as a contract development consultant for the station. She has also held development positions for Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Communications
Eleanor Hawkins left her position as senior director of external communications and media relations for PBS to join Axios as communications strategist and newsletter writer. Hawkins, who joined PBS in 2019, previously worked as director of communications at Defense Priorities, national press secretary for Rand Paul’s 2016 presidential campaign and a press secretary for the U.S. Senate.
Content
Madi Bolaños was hired as co-host of The California Report, a daily news program produced by KQED in San Francisco. She starts the job in July with co-host Saul Gonzalez. Bolaños previously worked as an immigration and underserved communities reporter for KVPR in Fresno, Calif. While working for the station she filed stories for The California Report, including a report about her grandfather, an immigrant farmworker who died from COVID-19. Bolaños joined KVPR in 2020 after working as an intern for Politico.
Sarah Fenske will leave her position next month as host of St. Louis on the Air, a talk show produced by St. Louis Public Radio, to become executive editor for the Euclid Media Group, which oversees the Riverfront Times, the Detroit Metro Times, the Cleveland Scene, the Cincinnati City Beat and the Louisville Eccentric Observer. Fenske joined the radio station in 2019 and previously worked as editor-in-chief for the Riverfront Times. “This job has been such a joy. But I have always been passionate about print journalism, and I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to help mold the next generation of writers and editors,” Fenske said in a news release. St. Louis on the Air will continue with encore segments, guest hosts and will sometimes have Fenske fill-in as host. The program will also be on “a brief summer hiatus while show content development continues,” according to the release.
Aja Drain was hired as a general assignment reporter for WAMU in Washington, D.C. Drain most recently worked as a news assistant for NPR’s It’s Been a Minute. She has also been an intern for Code Switch.
Chris Nolte is leaving his position as a Morning Edition host for Lakeshore Public Radio in Merrillville, Ind. Nolte joined the station in 2009 and was also host of Regionally Speaking, a local news and public affairs program. Before working in public media, Nolte was a host for WKBV in Richmond, Ind., and served in the United States Navy.
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