Comings and goings: ‘Fresh Air’ co-EP Danny Miller to retire, Houston Public Media appoints station manager …

Danny Miller, co-EP of Fresh Air, is retiring.

Miller joined the program, produced by WHYY in Philadelphia, as an intern in 1978. He also worked as senior producer.

“Danny’s contributions to Fresh Air and to public media cannot be overstated,” said Fresh Air co-host Terry Gross in a news release. “There wouldn’t be a Fresh Air without Danny Miller. Working with Danny has been one of the great partnerships of my life.”

Before joining the program, Miller was a film student at Temple University and taught music therapy at a senior citizens center, according to Gross’s book All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians, and Artists.

Rep. Brendan Doyle (D-Pa.) praised Miller in a post on X. “Today I joined WHYY to celebrate Danny Miller’s retirement,” he wrote. “From starting as an intern on Fresh Air to winning two Peabody awards, I’m thankful for Danny’s decades of contributions to outstanding public broadcasting.”

In January, Sam Briger, Fresh Air’s current managing producer and book interview producer, will take over as co-EP with Gross and co-host Tonya Mosley. “There’s no better person to become Co-Executive Producer than Sam Briger,” Gross said. 

“Sam has been here for more than 20 years, and he will lead with clarity, with insight, with kindness and a great sense of humor,” Miller said.

Laurie Johnson-Ramirez was promoted to station manager for Houston Public Media.

Johnson-Ramirez joined the organization in 2002 as a reporter. She has also been EP of news, news director, interim station manager and executive director of content operations. She succeeds Joshua Adams, who left the station manager role when he was promoted to associate VP and GM this year.

During her tenure, Johnson-Ramirez has led the development of Hello Houston, the station’s daily talk show; launched the organization’s first daily YouTube unit; and overseen “the creation of AI-driven, video-focused, multi-platform broadcast studios, modernizing the production infrastructure,” according to a news release.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role at such an exciting time for Houston Public Media,” Johnson-Ramirez said in the release. “Our teams are doing exceptional work across radio, television and digital, and I’m eager to help accelerate our progress. Together, we will continue to grow our services, invest in emerging technologies and deepen our connection with Houstonians as we work to inspire and enrich this community.”

Taylor Shore was hired as CCO of Milwaukee PBS.

Shore most recently worked for Iowa PBS, which she joined in 2015 as digital content manager. She also worked as digital strategy manager and director of emerging media for the state network.

Shore has served on the PBS Digital Advisory Council and was a mentor for the PBS Digital Immersion Program. She has also contributed to the PBS IMPack team focused on impact measurement and analytics.

“Taylor brings a rare combination of editorial excellence, digital innovation, and community-centered vision,” said Milwaukee PBS GM Debbie Hamlett in a news release. “Her experience will help Milwaukee PBS reach new audiences, elevate local voices. We’re excited to welcome her to Milwaukee and to our executive team.”

Arkansas PBS, which is being renamed Arkansas TV and dropping PBS programming next year, announced leadership changes.

James Downs was hired as CFO, succeeding Jason Kunau. Downs previously worked for the state government of Arkansas as controller and was also assistant controller for the state. He has also been VP of informatics at the Arkansas Science & Technology Authority and held accounting roles with FIS, Alltel and Ellis, Tucker & Aldridge LLP.

Angela Cook was promoted to controller. Cook joined the organization in 2016 as an accountant. She most recently worked as fiscal manager.

KUVO, a jazz station in Denver owned by Rocky Mountain Public Media, announced several staff and program changes.

Carlos Lando, EP and co-host of The Morning Set, will retire Jan. 2. Lando joined the station in 1987 and was PD until 2012, when he was named president and GM of the station. He started his current role in 2022.

“I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with a group of people who are music lovers and passionate about working in radio,” Lando said in a news release. “It has been my privilege to serve our diverse community of KUVO listeners. For me, it has always been about them, not us. Finally, my advice to everyone is to listen more and check out ‘Delta Man’ by Gil Scott-Heron. This is a song about change and the changing aspects of our lives. That’s where I’m coming from.”

Arturo Gómez, host of Lunchtime! and Salsa Con Jazz for the station, will also retire Jan. 2. Gómez was music director for the station from 2003–24 and was named cultural ambassador this year. He has also been a music consultant for special projects, birthdays, obituaries and Jazz Appreciation Month in April.

“My years at KUVO JAZZ and in Denver have been the best of my life, both personally and professionally,” Gómez said in the release. “My goal for many years has been to relocate to Spain’s Basque Country, my father’s ancestral home. While sad to retire, I’m proud of my legacy here. It’s especially meaningful that I leave alongside my mentor, Carlos Lando, who has guided me since 1992 and brought me to KUVO. I’ll always remain a listener — it’s all about the music!”

As part of the changes, The Morning Set will be hosted by Steve Chavis and Abi Clark. The weekday afternoon program Lunchtime! will end, though listeners can still hear Gómez on Salsa Con Jazz Sundays at 2 p.m.

Separately, Rodney Franks, who first joined KUVO in 1995, rejoined the station as a cultural ambassador. He will also host Breakfast Jazz Café at 7 a.m. Saturdays and The Monday Night Beat at 8 p.m. Mondays. He will also work as a fill-in host.

WGLT in Normal, Ill., announced staff and programming changes.

Jon Norton, PD and local host of Morning Edition and All Things Considered for WGLT and sister station WCBU in Peoria, will retire at the end of January.

The station announced separately that it will leave two full-time journalism positions vacant “until we can better forecast our annual expenses and stabilize revenue streams without federal funding.”

Due to the vacancies and Norton’s retirement, WGLT announced other staff changes. Ryan Denham, digital content director, was named interim content director. He joined the station in 2017. Digital Producer Emily Bollinger takes over as digital content director. Bollinger joined the station in 2020 as a photography intern. Also, Lauren Warnecke, a reporter who joined the station in 2020, became deputy news director.

The Leadoff, WGLT’s morning news podcast, will end in December. The 21st Show, produced by Illinois Public Media, will no longer air on the station’s weekday schedule.

Engagement

Robert Salyer was promoted to director of outreach and impact for American Documentary, the company behind POV, POV Shorts and America ReFramed. Salyer joined AmDoc in 2020 as an outreach and impact specialist and has also been manager of outreach and impact. Before joining AmDoc, he was a filmmaker for Appalshop in Whitesburg, Ky., and was co-producer of Portraits and Dreams, a documentary that aired nationally on POV in 2020. “I am honored and grateful for the opportunity to continue the vital work of AmDoc. This year has been, by any measure, challenging, and the defunding of public media has made this a moment of real uncertainty,” Salyer said in a news release. “But it has also sharpened our focus, and I am committed to furthering our work to bring our films into communities around the country. I feel privileged to serve this mission alongside my colleagues, and I am excited for what’s next.” 

Content

Peter van de Graaff will be the next host of Exploring Music, a daily classical music program produced by WFMT in Chicago. He starts the position at the end of March and will take over for founding host Bill McGlaughlin. Exploring Music focuses on a different theme each week and for the new host’s first week will feature music that reflects “Passover, Holy Week, and the arrival of spring in cultures around the world,” according to a news release. Van de Graaff started his radio career in 1984 as a student at Brigham Young University and graduated with a degree in vocal performance. He joined WFMT in 1988 and has worked as a staff announcer and host for nationally distributed broadcasts. “I want to thank the lovely folks at WFMT, also the wonderful listeners, who became partners in the enterprise,” McGlaughlin wrote in a statement. “I intend to go on happily Exploring Music to the end of my days on this beautiful planet of ours. And I hope you do, too.”

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