Comings and goings: Louisville Public Media appoints COO, news director leaves KUNC …

Ellen Oost was promoted to COO of Louisville Public Media.

Oost joined the station in 2018 as director of development and later worked as VP of development and marketing, co-interim CEO and VP of revenue. In her new role, she will oversee community partnerships, marketing and communications, audience engagement, live events and corporate sponsorship, according to a news release.

“Ellen has been instrumental in building LPM’s relationships with this community,” said CEO Kenya Young in the release. “As we move into an exciting new chapter focused on impact, engagement and innovation, I’m thrilled to have her as a partner in bringing our strategic vision to life. Her ability to build bridges, across teams, across our audiences, and across our three stations, makes her the right leader for this role.”

Young also announced two additional changes at the organization. Ryan Van Velzer, managing editor of the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom, joined the LPM leadership team. LPM is the lead station on both the regional AMSN collaborative and the statewide Kentucky Public Radio network, both of which Van Velzer manages. “The move ensures the content collaborations central to LPM’s strategic plan receive the coordination and attention they require,” said the news release. Van Velzer joined LPM in 2018 as an energy and environment reporter and started his managing editor jobs in 2024.

Laura Ellis, director of on-demand and digital strategy, will take responsibility for aligning standards and practices across the organization. Ellis joined LPM in 2004 as director of podcasts and special projects and has also been senior producer and podcast editor. She was promoted to the director role last year.

Sean Corcoran is leaving his position as executive news director for KUNC in Greeley, Colo.

Corcoran is leaving to become executive director of Westwood Media Center, a community television outlet in Boston. “I will keep a hand in public radio, editing some investigative series for several outlets, including WCAI and KUNC,” he told Current in an email.

Corcoran joined KUNC in 2022. Before that, he was senior managing editor of news for GBH in Boston. He has also been news director for CAI, the Woods Hole, Mass., station owned by GBH.

“Sean has been transformative for KUNC,” said CEO Tammy Terwelp in a news release. “He helped elevate our journalism, deepen our mission, and strengthen a culture of excellence in the newsroom. I am deeply grateful to have worked with him and for the leadership, integrity, and vision he brought to KUNC.”

“For four years, I’ve had the privilege of leading the small but mighty team of journalists at KUNC News,” Corcoran said in the release. “While I am off to tackle new professional challenges, this team remains committed to its mission to provide fact-based news and information to our audiences in Colorado. Working with the KUNC news team has been the highlight of my career. The journalists here stand among the hardest-working and most committed professionals I’ve ever encountered. I am so incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together.”

Management

Isabella Kulkarni was hired as program manager for SoundPath, a training platform for independent audio creators developed by the Association of Independents in Radio. Kulkarni previously worked as supervising producer for Lemonada Media. She has also been a development executive and producer for Amazon’s Audible and a producer for Gimlet Media. “SoundPath is entering its next phase of growth,” said a newsletter announcing the hire. “We’re expanding how creators, educators, and organizations access training, and how partners plug into the platform. Isabella will lead this evolution, focusing on stronger programming, clearer pathways, and broader reach across the industry.”

Content

Kathy O’Connell, a host for Kids Corner produced by WXPN in Philadelphia, announced plans to retire. She started hosting the program in 1988. Her final episode of the program will air in June. In a WXPN news story, GM Roger LaMay said, “We have kids who grew up listening to Kids Corner, who now have kids of their own who listen to Kids Corner.” LaMay added, “If you’ve ever listened to Kathy O’Connell interview kids for an hour about what costume they’re wearing for Halloween and why, it sounds simple, but she makes it magical. She has this unique thing of being able to talk to eight-year-olds on their own level and gets the sort of wide lens that’s part of being a kid.”

Steve Mullis was hired as senior editor of acquisitions for Marketplace. He will work closely with a pool of freelancers in the role. “I am very excited to be a part of this smart squad of journalists in their ongoing mission to raise everyone’s economic IQ and tell the stories of how people are navigating these times. And there are a lot of stories to tell,” he said on LinkedIn. “This is an incredible opportunity, and I am thrilled to get started. Onward!” Mullis first joined Marketplace in 2025 as a contract on-call editor. He has also been a contract senior editor for Yahoo and a producer and editor for Minnesota Public Radio. He held several editorial and producer roles at NPR from 2011–22.

Sara Henegan was hired as All Things Considered host for WWNO in New Orleans. Henegan joined the station in 2018 as development assistant and classical network coordinator. She has also been a part-time host since last year. “From my first job of holding parabolic mics on the football field at HWS, to live election night coverage during President Obama’s historic first election, to 8 years working in membership services at WWNO … I’ve always remained committed to my dream job and an on-air career in public radio,” she wrote on LinkedIn. “It’s truly an honor seeing my dreams become reality, particularly at a time when news media and freedom of speech must remain protected. Stepping into this new role is truly an honor of a lifetime and I hope you’ll join me, weekday afternoons.”

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