Assistant news director
KUER, Salt Lake City
Age: 33
In three words: “Ethical, dedicated, compassionate”
What others say: In the nearly five years I have worked with Caroline, she has been ambitious and dedicated — not for the sake of self-aggrandizement but to elevate her peers and, more importantly, to serve the public.
Caroline joined our team as local host for All Things Considered, quickly demonstrating her desire to provide content that would inform, educate and delight Utah audiences. She has always brought journalistic integrity, a deep sense of newsworthiness and genuine curiosity and vibrancy to her work.
Caroline was also a generous host, eager to showcase the work of reporters from KUER or other outlets. She helped them sound the best they could — even if the format was unfamiliar. When the position as assistant news director opened in the newsroom, I immediately asked her to apply. It was a competitive process, but Caroline’s dedication to journalism and public radio shined through in conversation with her.
Most recently, she completed Poynter Institute’s Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative. I watched in real time how she deftly applied the lessons to our newsroom, and I was impressed by her focus on creating tools for reporters. She passionately supports her team, both as professionals and as people. But this doesn’t mean she’s a light touch. I’ve seen her have difficult conversations about performance.
Caroline is the person you want leading a team in any journalistic endeavor. I feel confident that her skills will nurture the next generation of public media.
What Caroline says
Decision to work in public media: When I first got into journalism, I imagined I would be a long-form writer for magazines like the New Yorker and the Atlantic. But at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, I found magazine writing to be solitary and isolating. On the other hand, my audio classes were full of energy. I loved the teamwork of creating a show. As a musician, the idea of putting sound together (rhythm, pacing, breath, silence) just made sense to me. Ten years ago, Wyoming Public Radio News Director Bob Beck gave me my first break as a Morning Edition host. Since then, I have wanted to try everything — from reporting to podcasting, producing and editing.
Key accomplishments: I helped revive the politics podcast State Street as a flagship show at KUER, something that was a group effort to build and maintain. The show explores topics like transgender care bans, child abuse protections and the influence of religion in Utah politics. Last year, NPR One featured one of our episodes and our listenership shot up. We’ve been able to hold onto some of those gains. This June, I moderated Utah’s gubernatorial primary debate. It was stressful, but I was proud to try TV, and the discussion ended up being policy-based and Utah-focused. I was also selected as a 2023-2024 fellow for Poynter’s Editorial Integrity and Leadership Initiative. The cohort was filled with some of the smartest, most compassionate people I know.
Inspired by: I am obsessed with good storytelling and get a lot of ideas for radio in how fiction writers and screenwriters experiment. In particular, the three-act structure informs a lot of my more narrative long-form work. As for creating content, being genuinely curious about the world is the first step. If I can ask a question, then another question, and then find a few people to answer those questions, I’ve got the bones of a story. Paying attention to my community is the second step. Getting into what people are talking about in real life is key, whether that’s on reddit or NextDoor or at the farmer’s market. When it comes to leadership and ethics, the training I’ve gotten from Poynter was transformative.
Advice for young public media professionals: Be a “yes” person! Saying “yes” to assignments, going outside your comfort zone or doing the new thing others are hesitant about. I’m not saying you should say “yes” to everything. Work-life boundaries are good — you should have those! Showing passion, drive and an all-around “yes” attitude at work will take you far.
Advice for public media leaders: Public media needs to be flexible and adapt to stay relevant. We can’t be afraid to try something new. We should be embracing and soliciting ideas from every part of our organizations. Also, emotional intelligence is an undervalued skill. Foster it in yourself and others; it will go a long way in earning trust.
Profile photo: Jim Hill