NPR’s announced results of recent board elections.
Stephen George, recently named head of emerging markets for the American Journalism Project, was elected as a public director Feb. 7. Before joining AJP, George had worked as CEO of Louisville Public Media since 2016. He previously served as a member director on NPR’s board.
Paul Hunton, GM of WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C., will fill a vacancy left by Elise Pepple, the outgoing executive director of Marfa Public Radio in Texas. Hunton has led WUNC since 2022 and also worked as GM of Texas Tech Public Media in Lubbock.
CPB promoted Deborah Carr to SVP of operations and strategy.
Carr most recently worked as VP of operations and strategy. She works with Michael Levy, CPB’s EVP and COO.
Her tenure with the corporation began in 1996 as an employee in the HR department. She later worked as director of radio Community Service Grant policy and administration. She’s also been VP of media strategy operations and director of business and administration.
Leah Freeman joined Nine PBS in St. Louis as VP and chief communications officer.
Freeman most recently worked for LaunchCode, a technology training company. She joined the organization in 2017 as public relations manager and has also been director of PR, senior director and VP of marketing and external relations.
Freeman also worked in communications for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for five years.
“We are thrilled to have Leah joining our executive team,” said Nine PBS CEO Amy Shaw in a news release. “She’s a champion for our region, which is essential to our work at Nine PBS. Her collaborative nature will be a great asset to our team, and her experience in digital strategy will move us forward in innovative ways.”
Rashad Brown was promoted to VP of membership and digital subscription for Chicago Public Media.
Brown joined the organization in 2023 as senior director of membership and has worked for several public media stations. In 2009, he joined Classical KING in Seattle as an intern and later became membership director. From 2016–18 he was sustaining membership manager for KQED in San Francisco. He returned to Classical KING as director of strategic fundraising and from 2016–23 he worked in membership for KUOW in Seattle.
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Rebecca Myles was appointed news director for WBAI in New York. Myles first joined the station in 2003 as a reporter and anchor. She left in 2013 to become a reporter for the Latin Post and has also been a U.S. correspondent for Radio France Internationale. “Like many media institutions, WBAI’s future is threatened by competition and market trends. Its independence, however, is a strength in a media world that is siloed and run by large corporations and oligarchs who can censor and obfuscate,” Myles said in a news release. “WBAI is in a unique position to create a return to debate and the free exchange of ideas, for listening and reflection, and to encompass all views as part of a dynamic, rich human family.”
Chris Jones was hired as a producer for Charlotte Talks at WFAE in Charlotte, N.C. Jones joined the station as a weekend host in 2021 and started working as an interim host for Charlotte Talks last year. He previously did game-day presentation and production work for the Charlotte Hornets NBA team.
Alex Parker was hired as an afternoon host and programming assistant for WERS in Boston. Parker most recently worked for WERS’ license holder, Emerson College, as a social media content specialist. She graduated from the institution in 2013 and worked at WERS during college. “It’s actually surreal to be fulfilling a goal of mine to make it on-air full-time in the city that I adore, at the station that inspired my passion for radio and embraced my love of music,” she said in a news release. “I’m wicked excited to be afforded the opportunity to hang out with the one-of-a-kind WERS listenership on the Boston airwaves.”
Current Reporter Tyler Falk contributed reporting to this column.
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