Comings and goings: WSHU GM joins NPR board, network names music leader …

NPR announced the results of a recent board election. Brad Dancer, GM of WSHU Public Radio in Fairfield, Conn., was elected to his first three-year term as a member director, according to a news release. Dancer has led the station since last year. He starts his term in November, filling the seat now held by Mike Savage, GM of WEKU in Lexington, Ky., according to an NPR spokesperson.

Tina Pamintuan, who became CEO of KUOW in Seattle this year, was elected by the board as a member director to fill an unexpired term vacancy ending in November 2027.

The incumbent member directors who were reelected to the board are Paul Hunton, president of WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C.; Margaret Low, CEO of WBUR in Boston; and R.C. McBride, executive director of WGLT in Normal, Ill.

The incumbent public directors who were reelected to the board are Milena Alberti-Perez, former CFO of Getty Images; Scott Donaton, global SVP of brand and community for Crunchyroll; and John McGinn, chair of the NPR Foundation board of trustees.

On a separate ballot, Public Radio Satellite System representatives ratified the board’s election of Colin Andrews, senior director of government affairs for the Telecommunications Industry Association, and Brian Wadsworth, COO of Native Public Media, as non-board Distribution/Interconnection Committee members.

Sonali Mehta was named executive director of NPR Music.

Mehta most recently worked as chief of staff at the Alternative Distribution Alliance, a company owned by the Warner Music Group. She has also been director of digital marketing for Arista Records and worked for YouTube supporting music releases on the platform. She will be based in New York for her NPR role.

“As a fan of platforms like Tiny Desk, I am so excited to be in the room where it happens,” Mehta said in a news release. “As a person working in the music industry, I feel lucky to have the opportunity to support the programs that have catapulted the careers of so many deserving artists. And as a new hire at NPR, I am eager to learn from such a dedicated, innovative, and passionate team. I very much look forward to supporting the growth of these beloved, culture-defining franchises.”

Stephanie Ecklin was hired as director of philanthropy for Central Florida Public Media in Orlando, which operates NPR stations WMFE and WMFV.

Ecklin most recently worked as director of development for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia/Flagler Counties in DeLand, Fla. Her position was made possible in part by a two-year, $76,890 grant from Dr. Phillips Charities.

“We believe thriving communities are built on access to trusted information and meaningful dialogue,” said Ken Robinson, CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities, in a news release.

“With the recent elimination of federal and state funding, we can’t fulfill our promise to the community without the trust and generosity of local partners like Dr. Phillips Charities,” said Central Florida Public Media GM Judith Smelser.

Technology

Rob Bertrand was named CEO of Inrush Broadcast Services, an engineering-focused consultancy that works with commercial and public radio stations. Bertrand joined the organization as a partner earlier this year after working as CTO of WAMU in Washington, D.C. Before WAMU, he was chief engineer for CBS Radio in New York and helped launch the CBS Sports Radio Network. “From afar, I admired the reputation that Inrush forged over the past five years and, now on the inside, I continue to be amazed at the accomplishments of our group every day,” Bertrand said in a news release. “Inrush has been quietly establishing itself as a leader in the radio industry, powered by some of the nicest and most committed human beings you’ll ever meet.”

Development

Geary Yonker was hired as sponsorship director for the VuHaus Group, a nonprofit public radio music station network. Yonker will lead national sales efforts for station affiliates and public radio music stations nationwide as well as VuHaus Group’s NPR Music Live Sessions platform. Yonker previously worked for Chicago Public Media in several positions, including national sales manager for programs such as This American Life and Serial. He also helped launch the Vocalo music station and held sales roles with The Onion and the Chicago Reader.

Marketing

Clara Shelton, former senior specialist of marketing and communications for Colorado Public Radio, was hired as executive director of Voices Rock in Denver. Shelton joined CPR in 2020 as a marketing coordinator and copywriter and was promoted in 2022.

Content

KC Counts was named content director of KRWG Public Media in Las Cruces, N.M. Counts joined the station in 2019 and most recently worked as interim director of content and operations manager for the radio station. She will continue to work as host of All Things Considered and Fronteras: A Changing America. “What excites me the most is finding new ways to tell important stories in our community and serving audiences who rely on television and radio as well as those who prefer to connect with us online,” Counts said in a news release. She previously worked as a host for KVLC, a commercial radio station in Las Cruces.

Jeremy Moore was hired as content director for Wyoming PBS. He most recently worked as senior production manager for Rocky Mountain PBS in Colorado and was also the station’s director of journalism. “My goal is to ensure our content is not only educational and engaging but also genuinely representative, resonating with and serving all the unique communities across the state,” Moore said in a news release.

Sean McPherson is leaving his position as music director and Afternoon Cruise host for Jazz88, a station owned by Minneapolis Public Schools, to become host of City Cast Twin Cities, which is part of a nationwide network of local podcasts and newsletters. “Why am I leaving one of the world’s perfect jobs? To take another job that I hope will be perfect and will also let me have dinner with my family most weeknights!” McPherson wrote in a note to listeners. Before joining Jazz88 in 2022, he was a host for The Current in St. Paul, Minn. McPherson said in his note that he will become a volunteer host for Jazz88.

Michael Adkison was hired as a reporter for Houston Public Media. He previously worked as a general assignment reporter for CBS Austin. He has also been a reporter and multimedia specialist for KRCG, a CBS affiliate in Jefferson City, Mo.

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

Correction: A previous version of this column incorrectly said that WMFV in Orlando, Fla., is a classical music station. It is an NPR news station.