NPR Chief Diversity Officer Keith Woods to retire
NPR Chief Diversity Officer Keith Woods will retire May 2, according to a Wednesday staff memo.
Woods has worked for NPR since 2010. CEO Katherine Maher announced his retirement in the memo, which was obtained by Current.
“After more than four decades in journalism, I’m happy to finally be able to say the words, ‘I’m retiring,’” Woods said in the memo, “though the attacks on the work of diversity, equity and inclusion have taken some of the joy out of this moment. I have spent some of the most meaningful days of my career at NPR. I’m proud of what we’ve done together, and I leave behind a team, colleagues and friends I know will keep this work at the center of their mission.”
Whitney Maddox, VP Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Project Manager Jasmine Richmond will join the COO’s office, Maher’s memo said. Maher said their work will “inform how we uphold these commitments by connecting our strategic goals with organizational culture.”
Woods was previously dean of faculty at the Poynter Institute before joining NPR.
“Among his accomplishments, Keith led the creation of the NPR mentorship program, helped secure funding for (and briefly edited) Code Switch, and founded NPR’s efforts to add a greater diversity of sources to our storytelling,” Maher’s memo said.
In February, PBS closed its DEI office and dismissed two employees in charge of DEI work after President Donald Trump released executive orders regarding diversity. Some public media stations have been removing or changing online diversity statements amid challenges to DEI programs at the state and federal levels.
Current Reporter Tyler Falk contributed to this report.
