Comings and goings: NPR names ‘Weekend Edition’ EP, NYPR hires COO/CFO …

Evie Stone was named EP of NPR’s Weekend Edition and Up First Saturday.

Stone started working for NPR in 2002 as an elections intern covering the midterms. She’s also been senior supervising editor and supervising editor of Weekend Edition and a producer for the National Desk, the Washington Desk and All Things Considered. “I am honored to lead this remarkable team of journalists,” Stone said in a news release. “Weekend Edition’s audience counts on us to provide essential context in a news cycle that can feel overwhelming, alongside human stories and pops of joy and delight. I am thrilled to continue that work alongside Scott, Ayesha, and the terrific Weekend Edition staff.”

Stone succeeds Sarah Lucy Oliver, who is retiring. Weekend Edition host Scott Simon shared an appreciation of Oliver on the show March 29. “While we will miss her every day, it is a tribute to her that you may not notice a difference here on our shows,” Simon said. “SLO, as she’s come to be known, has trained and inspired legions of great producers and editors, who have learned from her intelligence, humor, and discerning journalism.”

Thomas J. Reno was hired as COO and CFO of New York Public Radio.

The COO position was vacant, and the CFO role was previously held by Armando Gutierrez, who left the organization last month, according to his LinkedIn page.

Reno most recently worked as partner, COO and CFO for Precision Strategies, a Washington, D.C.–based strategic communications agency. He’s also been COO of BCW Global, COO and CFO of 42West and CEO of Solesbury Strategic Communications.

“Tom possesses an incredibly diverse blend of financial acumen, talent management, operations, and human resources experience,” said NYPR CEO LaFontaine E. Oliver in a news release. “He has a strong track record of driving business goals and a people-centric leadership approach that inspires high-performing teams to operational excellence. At this critical moment for public media and journalism, Tom is the ideal candidate to help us align strategy, goals and resources to deliver on our mission of providing audiences with trusted local news, award-winning national programming, classical music, and community conversations.”

New public media development professionals were elected to serve on NPR’s Collaborative Philanthropy Advisory Council.

The new council members include:

• Amy Warnock, membership director for New Hampshire Public Radio;
• Andrea Hansen, development director for Iowa Public Radio;
• Emma Sands Neal, senior manager of membership for Minnesota Public Radio;
• Izzi Bavis, multiplatform engagement specialist and WTMD host for Baltimore Public Media;
• Jay Burseth, director of development for Radio Milwaukee;
• Lauren Little, managing director of membership and development for KUT in Austin, Texas;
• Lorie McCroskey, development director for WFDD in Winston-Salem, N.C.; and
• Peter Host, director of development for Alaska Public Media.

Elyse Poinsett, executive director of digital philanthropy for NPR, said on LinkedIn that the group will be overseen by Carolyn Jewell, collaborative philanthropy senior manager, and Sachi Christine Kobayashi, director of collaborative philanthropy. Existing council members voted to select the new members, according to Kobayashi, who noted that the council has three areas of focus: “Case and messaging,” “Mid, major and planned gifts,” and “New, younger, more diverse audiences and donors.”

Development

Samantha Eigenman was hired as community partnership director of PBS Reno in Nevada. Her role will include securing funding from businesses to support programs like Wild Nevada and Arteffects. Eigenman previously worked as sales manager for the Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority. She’s also worked in sales for Nugget Casino Resort, Eldorado Resort Casino and Peppermill Resort Spa Casino. “I am excited to join PBS Reno and to have the opportunity to work alongside such a mission driven and talented team,” said Eigenman in a news release. “I am looking forward to increasing support and awareness for PBS Reno’s classroom outreach, signature and community events, and family engagement.”

Content

Nathaniel Minor announced that he’s leaving his position as a growth and transportation reporter for Colorado Public Radio to join the Minnesota Star Tribune’s politics team covering the state capitol. “Denver, Colorado and CPR have all been wonderful to me since I arrived more than a decade ago. I’ll miss this place dearly,” Minor said on X, formerly known as Twitter. Minor joined the station in 2014 as a digital reporter and producer and started his most recent role in 2019. He’s also worked for Minnesota Public Radio, first as an intern in 2010 and later as a producer.

Send news of “comings and goings” to people@current.org

Corrections: A previous version of this column incorrectly said that NPR had selected inaugural members of its Collaborative Philanthropy Advisory Council. The council launched in 2023; its new members were selected by votes of existing members, not by NPR. The earlier version also described major-gift fundraising as a focus for the council. It has been updated to report the council’s work in additional areas.