Michael Garofalo was hired as the first CCO for StoryCorps.
Garofalo most recently worked as a story editor for Religion of Sports and was also an editorial audio fellow for Kickstarter.
Before that, he held several positions for StoryCorps from 2004–18, including EP, editor-at-large and podcast host. “Returning to StoryCorps feels like coming home — but a home that’s been renovated and is better than ever,” Garofalo said in a news release. “I’m excited to help shape StoryCorps’ next 20 years and the future of our content, and to find ways to get our stories in front of new audiences.”
Miranda Kennedy is leaving her position at NPR to become EP of Today, Explained, the Vox radio program and podcast.
Kennedy most recently worked as supervising senior editor for Morning Edition and Up First. She first joined NPR as an Asia correspondent in 2002 and was also senior editor of Weekend Edition and editor of the podcast Rough Translation.
Kennedy will work with former public media hosts Sean Rameswaram and Noel King on Today, Explained, which is distributed to public radio stations by WNYC Studios.
Marie Nelson, a former public media executive, was named president of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Nelson most recently worked as SVP for ABC News and was an executive behind the 2023 docuseries The 1619 Project on Hulu. She was also VP of news and independent film for PBS from 2014–19, when the network brought films like Minding the Gap and Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution to public TV. Before that she was EP of national programs for GBH in Boston and an EP for NPR.
“Feels like Christmas morning, my birthday and the first day of school wrapped in one!” Nelson said on LinkedIn. “Thanks to the incredible Hot Docs team for the warm welcome despite the freezing temps in Toronto this week. We will do great things together. Let’s go!”
The VuHaus Group, a nonprofit public radio music station network, announced staff changes.
Michelle Conrad was hired as marketing director and will continue as digital media consultant for Paragon Media Strategies. Conrad began her career in social media analytics with Oracle and has also been a consultant for Disney, ABC, Nickelodeon, Outside Magazine and GoPro.
Michele Tharp became partnership marketing consultant. Tharp helped launch VuHaus Group in 2015 and most recently worked as marketing and communications director. Before that she was marketing and digital consultant for Paragon Media Strategies and also held marketing positions for Capitol-EMI Records, Jones Radio Network and Showtime Networks.
Zac Altheimer joined as sponsorship and partnerships coordinator. Altheimer has been venue manager for Sixthman, a producer for AmericanaFest and a radio compound manager for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
Education
Tammy Brocker joined PBS Reno in Nevada as education manager. Brocker previously worked as a special education teacher for the Washoe County School District. “Tammy has been an enthusiastic facilitator with our Curiosity Classroom STEM workshop program for the 2022-23 school year, and her teaching experience in Washoe County School District is exceptional,” said Nancy Maldonado, VP of education, in a news release. “She is a perfect fit for the Education department at PBS Reno and we are grateful for her support!”
Development
Mary Dunaway announced on LinkedIn that she is leaving her position as executive director of development and marketing for KNKX in Tacoma, Wash., to become CDO for Cinereach, a nonprofit film funding organization based in New York. Dunaway said on LinkedIn that she will continue to live in the Pacific Northwest. She first joined KPLU, a precursor to KNKX, in 2005 as a fund drive coordinator. She later worked as manager of listener relations, major and planned giving manager, and director of individual giving.
Audience
Matt Adams announced on Twitter that he is leaving his position as acting supervisor of audience engagement for NPR to join the Texas Tribune as director of audience engagement. Adams joined NPR in 2020 as audience strategist. Before that he held several positions with National Geographic, including senior producer, assistant photo editor and associate photo editor.
Content
Larry Vojtko, radio program manager and afternoon classical music host for WVIA in Pittston, Pa., will retire June 2. Vojtko joined WVIA in 1982 as a morning host. He will continue to serve as moderator for WVIA’s television program Keystone Edition Reports. “I am so grateful to our listeners for welcoming me into their lives for over 41 years,” Vojtko said in a news release. “My years here have been full of more amazing experiences and memories than I can list and I thank you for tuning in with us each day.” Vojtko’s career was commemorated in a 2022 WVIA short film.
Brandon Tabor was appointed news director for KASU in Jonesboro, Ark. He succeeds Johnathan Reaves, who left the position earlier this year to become an academic advisor in the School of Media and Journalism at Arkansas State University, KASU’s licensee. Tabor joined the station in 2015 as a digital content producer and as host of Morning Edition. He will continue to host the program until a successor is named.
Heather Chin was named deputy editor for Billy Penn, a news website owned by WHYY in Philadelphia. Chin most recently worked as a digital producer for the Philadelphia Inquirer and was also a breaking news editor for Flipboard. Chin is co-director of the Asian American Journalists Association’s freelance group.
Dan Klefstad, a Morning Edition host and reporter for WNIJ in DeKalb, Ill., retired from the station. Klefstad told the Daily Chronicle that he plans to spend his retirement working on his fiction writing. He joined the station as a part-time jazz host in 1990 and became a full-time employee in 1993.
Mallory Cheng left her role as a producer for Lake Effect, produced by WUWM in Milwaukee, to become a midday host and news producer for Wisconsin Public Radio. Cheng joined WUWM in 2021.
Nisa Khan is leaving her position as data reporter for Michigan Radio in Ann Arbor to become audience engagement reporter for KQED in San Francisco. Khan joined the Michigan station in 2021. She said on Twitter that her last day with the organization is June.
Kyra Miles is leaving her position as an education reporter for WBHM in Birmingham, Ala., to cover the same subject for Minnesota Public Radio. Miles said on Twitter that she starts the new job in June. Miles joined WBHM last year as a Report for America corps reporter.
Fellowships
Ariel Zych, director of audience for Science Friday, a program that has a partnership with WNYC Studios in New York, was selected as a 2023 fellow for the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri. During an eight-month fellowship, Zych will build “a sensitivity toolkit that guides newsrooms in finding and employing editors with expertise in preventing the marginalization of specific communities and identities,” according to a news release. Randy Picht, executive director of the institute, said in the release that the fellows “are designing easily usable, community-minded resources that will help journalists engage with and accurately represent the people they serve.” Fellows each receive $25,000 for participating.
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