Judy Woodruff will lead a national public media reporting project after she steps down as anchor of PBS NewsHour later this year.
Woodruff will lead Judy Woodruff Presents: America at a Crossroads in 2023 and 2024 in order to “understand better how the American people see their country and whether today’s deep political divisions can be healed,” according to a news release. As a senior correspondent, her work will appear on NewsHour broadcasts and potentially in prime-time specials for PBS.
Woodruff announced in May that she’s leaving her anchor role. Her last day is Dec. 30. A successor will be appointed later this year.
“… I want to listen to the American people themselves, in cities, small towns and rural areas, from one end of the country to the other, to ask them about their hopes and fears, how they see their role as citizens, and to have long conversations with people who’ve given these questions careful thought,” Woodruff said in the news release.
Woodruff became sole anchor of NewsHour in 2018. She and the late Gwen Ifill co-anchored the weeknight broadcasts from 2013 to 2016, the year that Ifill died. Woodruff began anchoring in 2011, when the NewsHour’s six senior correspondents shared rotations into the role.
Earlier in her career, Woodruff reported on Washington for The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour from 1983–93 and anchored Frontline from 1984–90. She spent 12 years as an anchor and correspondent for CNN and worked at NBC News. She returned to the NewsHour in 2007 as a senior correspondent.
Outgoing NPR executive Nancy Barnes was named editor of the Boston Globe and will start the job in February.
Barnes, NPR’s SVP of news and editorial director, announced in September that she would leave the organization to “pursue other journalistic endeavors.” At the time, she said she would stay at the network until at least November to “ease the transition and finish important work that is underway.” Edith Chapin will be interim SVP of news when Barnes leaves, according to a staff memo.
Barnes joined NPR in 2018. She previously worked as executive editor for the Houston Chronicle and the Star Tribune in Minneapolis.
Dawnita Wilson joined WETA in Washington, D.C., as chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer.
Wilson previously worked as VP of diversity and inclusion for JBG Smith, a real estate firm. She was also director of global diversity and inclusion for Sodexo, director of diversity and inclusion for Highmark and program director for inclusion initiatives at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“Dawnita’s nearly two decades of experience working in a DEI capacity and her expertise in working with complex organizations will be a powerful addition to our leadership team,” said WETA EVP and COO Jason Daisey in a news release.
Iris Drayton-Spann previously worked as chief diversity officer for WETA before leaving earlier this year.
PRX’s The World announced editorial changes.
Tinku Ray became managing editor. Ray previously worked as assistant managing editor and senior editor for Here & Now, a national program produced by WBUR in Boston. She has also held editor positions with the BBC, NPR and American Public Media.
Martha Ann Overland was named senior futures editor. Before working as interim managing editor for The World, Overland was an editor with NPR, Asia correspondent for the Chronicle of Higher Education and a correspondent for Time.
The Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations, an association of 18 community radio stations also known as Ampers, announced leadership changes.
Hlee Lee-Kron became VP of programming. Lee-Kron previously led an organization called the other media group, founded in 2018. She was managing editor of The UpTake, a nonprofit journalism group, and was a producer for TPT in St. Paul, Minn. She also worked as a contract producer for Ampers, working on Counter Stories, Veterans’ Voices: The Secret War and segments for Racial Reckoning: The Arc of Justice.
Justus Sanchez was promoted to PD. Sanchez most recently worked as production coordinator. Sanchez joined Ampers as a full-time employee in 2019 after working as a freelance contractor for the organization.
Content
NPR promoted Acacia Squires to senior editor for its States Team, which oversees coverage of state governments. Squires joined NPR in 2012 as an intern and later worked as a production assistant, an associate producer for Here & Now and an editor for NPR Ed. She joined the States Team in 2018 as an editor.
Julia Simon joined NPR’s Climate Desk as a climate solutions reporter. Simon previously worked as a contributing reporter for NPR. Before that she was an energy reporter for Reuters and covered the fossil fuel industry as a Fulbright Fellow. “The purpose of this new beat is to give our audiences an understanding of the scientific, behavioral and policy solutions people are adopting to address the catastrophic consequences of climate change,” said Chief Climate Editor Andrea Kissack and Deputy Climate Editor Neela Banerjee in a staff memo. “This reporter will also work with our team to hold corporations, and others, accountable for green washing.”
Luis Hernandez joined The Public’s Radio in Providence, R.I., as host of Morning Edition. He takes over for Chuck Hinman, who retired from the station. Hernandez previously worked for WLRN in Miami as host of Sundial, a public affairs program, and All Things Considered. He was also a host for Nevada Public Radio and WGCU Public Media in Fort Myers, Fla.
Jeffrey Pierre left his position as a producer and editor on NPR’s Education Desk to host The 7, a podcast produced by the Washington Post that aims to give listeners “an essential digest of the stories they need to know to start their day in under seven minutes,” according to a news release. Pierre joined NPR in 2016 as a producer for Morning Edition and Up First.
Jeff Tiberii is stepping down from his role as capitol bureau chief and host of a politics podcast for WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C., to start a different role at the station later this year. Tiberii said on Twitter that he’d share details about his next position at a later date. He joined WUNC in 2011 as Greensboro bureau chief.
Jacob Martin announced on Twitter that he was hired as a reporter for WKU Public Radio in Bowling Green, Ky. He will cover immigrant and refugee communities in Bowling Green and southwest Kentucky. Martin most recently worked as a news intern for KCUR in Kansas City, Mo.
Justin Ebrahemi announced on Twitter that he was laid off from his position as digital engagement manager for KQED in San Francisco. Ebrahemi joined the station last year.
Governance
Phil Hoffman, GM for Ball State Public Media in Muncie, Ind., was elected to serve a three-year term on the board of Vision Maker Media. Hoffman joined the university licensee, which operates Ball State PBS and Indiana Public Radio, in 2022 and is also assistant dean of media for Ball State University. He previously worked as executive director and assistant VP for WUCF in Orlando, Fla.
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