WUSF names Leslie Laney GM

Leslie Laney will take over as GM of WUSF in Tampa, Fla., beginning next year, the station announced Friday. 

In October, longtime GM JoAnn Urofsky announced her plans to retire in January. Laney will begin Jan. 2. 

“I am thrilled and excited for WUSF,” Laney said in a press release. “WUSF has a special duty and privilege as a public broadcaster with a singular mission to serve the residents of Florida with clear, unbiased news, public safety information and enriching entertainment. We have the strategic opportunity to reinforce and expand WUSF’s role, and I am profoundly grateful to JoAnn for positioning WUSF to adapt, innovate and thrive.”  

Laney is currently station manager at WUSF and joined the station nearly eight years ago as marketing and strategic initiatives manager. 

In her time at WUSF, she has led the teams that launched the station’s new brand identity and Arts Axis Florida, a digital outlet to promote local artists, cultural organizations and art nonprofits.

“Leslie truly represents the next generation of innovators in public broadcasting, and she has already led so many teams and projects within our WUSF family that she is the natural choice to lead this station into the years ahead,” Urofsky said in the release. “I am thrilled that WUSF is so fortunate to have such a skilled leader within our own ranks.”