Producer, Digital Studios
WHYY, Philadelphia
Age: 29
In three words: “Curious, meticulous, energetic”
What colleagues say: Whether she’s handed an assignment or pitching something of her own, Sarah is always pushing the quality of our video work further. She is the queen of the pivot, producing a documentary on the state of the restaurant industry when COVID shut down production of our regular restaurant review show. She learned to animate to help produce the station’s first digital series, Delishtory, then helped transition that series to PBS Digital Studios, another first for WHYY. Her documentary on a female-owned tattoo studio was nominated for a 2024 Webby (Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Video) alongside national productions from CNN, ABC and Vox. She oversaw production of an animated civics series for teens and helped secure a grant to produce episodes of a historical web series. Sarah’s intelligence comes through in everything she touches but it’s her heart, which is so steeped in the core values of public media, that truly makes her work shine.
What Sarah says
Decision to work in public media: My parents fostered in me a sense of curiosity about the world, and public media has always been a central part of my media diet. As I began realizing my affinity for storytelling, I knew I wanted to work somewhere that was mission-driven and produced trustworthy content that uplifted voices from diverse communities. Public media was a natural fit.
My first internship after college was at WHYY, my hometown PBS and NPR station. I worked closely with TV producers who would go on to become my colleagues, and I learned so much about how to tell local stories that represent and engage your community. After the internship ended, I pretty much refused to leave! In my six years at WHYY, I’ve gone from being an intern, to associate producer, TV producer and now producer in our Digital Studios.
Key accomplishments: During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, my colleague Caitlin Corkery and I began brainstorming new initiatives and produced WHYY’s first-ever digital-first video series, Delishtory. This show, which is all about the history of food, was picked up for distribution by PBS Digital Studios and is now in its second season. I also produced the digital-first animated explainer series Your Democracy, which focuses on civics education and is used in classrooms across the United States. Since joining WHYY’s Digital Studios team, I’ve helped produce short-form documentaries and vertical videos for social media. Now I am the supervising producer for In the Margins, an anthology history series for PBS Digital Studios. I have also been fortunate to have my work recognized by the Webby Awards, the Mid-Atlantic Emmys and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Awards.
Inspired by: I find that the best way to be inspired is to keep yourself open to new experiences and ideas as much as possible. Sometimes I am inspired by my colleagues and their work. Other times, I am inspired by a book, a podcast or a really good bite of food.
Advice for young public media professionals: Community is everything. Build a strong community of people both within and outside of the industry who energize, challenge and support you. Make things that you want your community to be proud of. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Just because something hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. Don’t forget to have fun!
Advice for public media leaders: Encourage experimentation! Emerging technologies and platforms mean the media landscape is constantly evolving. Trust employees to be responsibly creative and try new approaches to storytelling and audience engagement.
Funniest thing that’s happened on the job: Someone started an Instagram account for all of the weird free food left out around the office. Highlights included 13 olives, fried rice on a napkin, and a massive bag of celery.
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