Comings and goings: Michigan Public names associate GM, KERA appoints Texas Newsroom managing editor …

Zoe Clark was named associate GM of Michigan Public in Ann Arbor.

Clark, who joined the station in 2006, will keep her position as political director. She previously worked as PD, a producer for Morning Edition and a co-host of It’s Just Politics, and she was co-founder and EP of the daily public affairs program Stateside.

“Zoe is uniquely positioned for this role,” said GM Wendy Turner in a news release. “In addition to serving as Interim General Manager and her work over nearly two decades at Michigan Public, she has demonstrated a keen ability and willingness to connect the dots between departments and initiatives, helping us move forward with clarity and cohesion. As we continue to grow, Zoe’s leadership and strategic insight are essential.”

Rachel Osier Lindley was promoted to managing editor of The Texas Newsroom at KERA in Dallas.

Lindley succeeds Corrie MacLaggan, who was promoted to executive editor for KUT News and The Texas Newsroom. Lindley took over the day-to-day operations of the statewide collaboration.

Lindley joined KERA in 2016 as statewide coordinating editor and has also been senior editor. Before working at KERA, she was news director for WBHM in Birmingham, Ala., and held several roles at Marfa Public Radio in Texas.

Lindley “was key to the creation of The Texas Newsroom and has been the glue that holds stations together,” said MacLaggan in a staff memo. “Honestly, I’m not sure what The Texas Newsroom would be without Rachel, who has done everything from overseeing our collaborative legislative coverage to editing the Sugar Land podcast to reporting in the Texas Panhandle. Her combination of sharp editing skills and empathetic mentoring led the Public Media Journalists Association to select her as its 2024 Editor of the Year.”

Management

Peggy Watson, operations director for Michigan Public in Ann Arbor, will retire in January. Watson joined the station in 1983 as a production assistant after graduating from Western Michigan University. “Throughout her time at Michigan Public, she’s been so much more than a colleague,” said PD Matt Shafer Powell in an email to Current. “Her intelligence, her outrageous sense of humor, her infectious laugh, her decades of experience and her unwavering commitment to our listeners have left an indelible mark on station culture. Working alongside Peg Watson is an absolute joy and her colleagues are having a hard time imagining Michigan Public without her.”

Content

Robert Barba joined WNYC/Gothamist in New York as editor of the accountability team. His role will focus on state-level policy and the upcoming gubernatorial election. Barba most recently worked for the Wall Street Journal as a news editor and joined the publication in 2018. He previously covered banking and financial technology for Bankrate and American Banker.

Todd Wallack left his position as an investigative and data reporter for WBUR in Boston to join The Washington Post as an accountability reporter on the national education team. Wallack joined WBUR in 2021 as deputy managing editor. He has also been an investigative and data reporter on the Spotlight team at the Boston Globe and reported for the San Francisco Chronicle, the Boston Business Journal and the Boston Herald.

Geri Mitchell, a midday host for WAMU in Washington, D.C., is leaving the station to move closer to family in St. Louis. Mitchell joined the station in 2017 after working as a Morning Edition host for St. Louis Public Radio. While working for WAMU, she also led the station’s Lift Every Voice, an annual Black History Month series that highlighted artists, athletes and leaders. She expanded the series to include local students through a partnership with The Creative School in Washington, D.C.

Governance

Karla Hanlon, COO of Rocky Mountain Public Media in Denver, was elected to the board of directors for the Contributor Development Partnership. Hanlon joined the board through an expansion that brings it to 12 members, according to CDP CEO Michal Heiplik. “I’m honored to join CDP’s Board of Directors,” said Hanlon in a news release. She joined RMPM in 2019. “Rocky Mountain Public Media is a member of, and an advocate for, CDP’s Member Services Bureau, so I’ve seen first-hand the crucial role CDP plays in helping public media organizations navigate fundraising-related financial and operational challenges with data-driven insight and collaboration,” Hanlon said. “I’m excited to contribute to an organization that shares my belief that strong, sustainable operations and bold innovation are essential to serving our communities.”

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