Comings and goings: New York Public Radio adds leaders, Jerry Liwanag returns to pubmedia …
New York Public Radio announced three leadership appointments.
Ru Sharma was hired as chief people officer. Sharma most recently worked as chief people officer for Achievement First. She was also chief people officer for Universal Standard and held HR positions with Amazon Web Services, GroupM, Bloomberg, Standard Chartered Bank and Coca-Cola.
Emily Christner became chief growth and engagement officer. Christner previously worked for 3C Ventures as executive advisor of strategy and business transformation. She has also been a VP for Lionsgate and CBS Interactive.
Patti Cohen was named SVP of analytics, insights and research. Cohen most recently worked as president of Sunshine Media Insights, her own firm. Before that, she was SVP of data strategy and research insights for Paramount and held research positions at commercial TV stations in New York and Florida.
“Ru, Emily, and Patti will be essential partners to the New York Public Radio team as we work together to expand our position as an iconic center of excellence, operating in public service to our city, with global impact,” said NYPR CEO Christy Tanner in a news release.
Jerry Liwanag was hired as VP of membership and mid-level giving for South Florida PBS.
Liwanag previously worked as VP of fundraising strategy and programming for PBS. He was laid off last fall.
“After being away for a bit, one thing became pretty clear … I couldn’t stay away for long,” he said on LinkedIn. “I’m grateful for the support and trust from so many friends and colleagues, and from the South Florida team. I’m excited to step back in. Public media is in a different moment, and so are the communities we serve. The opportunity now is to connect in ways that truly matter. More connection, more impact, less noise. Good to be back. Let’s go.”
From 1997–2014, Liwanag worked for WTTW in Chicago, where his roles included VP of fundraising programming and marketing. He was also SVP of membership and marketing for SFPBS until he joined PBS in 2018.
Jim Sommers, EVP of content for ITVS, will leave the organization Friday.
“It has been the honor of my career to serve this extraordinary organization and to work alongside the dedicated staff and passionate filmmakers who uplift the diverse voices of our country and world,” Sommers said in a news release. “With an unwavering mission as our North Star, we navigated a ground shift in federal funding, emerging more relevant and necessary than ever.”
Sommers joined ITVS in 2001 as its inaugural national outreach and education director. He has also been VP of broadcast and communications, SVP of content management and SVP of content. He greenlit several marquee films during his time at ITVS, including The Invisible War, I Am Not Your Negro, Abacus: Small Enough to Jail and Minding the Gap.
“Through 20 years of inclusive leadership, Jim ensured that our mission wasn’t just reflected in our films, but in everything we do as an organization,” said ITVS CEO Carrie Lozano in the release. ”Jim possesses the rare ability to balance operational and editorial excellence with strategic foresight, which ensured that every move uplifted the field of independent filmmakers. We are grateful for his exemplary commitment and stewardship.”
Joy Lin, former VP of journalism for CPB, was hired as director of strategic partnerships for the Allbritton Journalism Institute.
Lin joined CPB in 2018 and left after the corporation announced plans to wind down operations.
Lin, a current board member for Media Impact Funders, was a producer for This Week With George Stephanopoulos at ABC News. She also held several production and editorial roles with Fox News and CBS News.
In a news release, AJI Executive Director Kevin Grant said Lin joins the organization “at a critical time for accountability journalism, and their presence is a testament to the real-world value of our work.”
Bill Lueth, president of Classical California San Francisco, will retire at the end of June.
“I’ve accepted a new position: Mayor of Leisuretown,” he wrote in a LinkedIn post. “I am extremely grateful for my radio life.”
Lueth has led KDFC since 2011, following the station’s acquisition by the University of Southern California. KDFC and USC’s KUSC classical station eventually merged brands to become Classical California.
Lueth, who was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame in 2021, has worked in radio for 38 years.
“Bill’s commitment to making classical music accessible to everyone has shaped Classical California in lasting ways,” said James Muhammad, president of Classical California, in a press release. “He helped grow our audience, deepen our community impact, and position Classical California for continued success.”
He got his start in radio in 1986 at KUCV-FM in Lincoln, Neb., while studying opera in graduate school. He went on to join classical station KKHI in San Francisco in 1989 as morning host and PD. He joined KDFC in 1997.
Management
Eileen Delahunty was promoted to head of WQXR, a classical music station overseen by New York Public Radio.Delahunty succeeds Edward Yim, former SVP and CCO, who left the station last year to become a consultant. Delahunty first joined NYPR in 1990 as a producer. She became a senior producer for WQXR in 2009 and was named an EP in 2022. Last year. she was appointed interim GM. “In addition to leading the team, I’m continuing to produce live events and create radio specials,” she said on LinkedIn. “Excited to see where this next chapter takes us.”
Technology
David Oliver, director of engineering for WGVU Public Media in Grand Rapids, Mich., is retiring. Oliver has worked for the station since 1992, first as maintenance engineer and later as engineering supervisor. He became director in 2018. Before joining WGVU, he was a satellite network engineer for Hughes, a telecommunications company, and served in the U.S. Navy for six years, where he earned the rank of electronics technician petty officer first class.
Public Media Management hired Andy Grosser as network infrastructure manager. Grosser will work on PMM’s broadcast and streaming operations. He previously worked for Harvard University as associate director of infrastructure services. He has also been senior manager of network engineering for Fresenius Medical Care North America, manager of network engineering for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and network engineering team lead for New Balance. “Andy brings exceptional operational discipline and real-world infrastructure experience operating in high‑availability environments,” said PMM CEO Marc Hand in a news release. “His background managing complex enterprise networks and mission‑critical systems makes him a strong addition to our engineering and operations team as we continue to scale services for public television stations.”
Content
Twyla Olson, director of content and assistant GM for South Dakota Public Broadcasting, is retiring. Olson joined the network in 2022 after working as VP of membership for Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting. Before that, she was director of business development for Car Talk’s vehicle donation service. Olson has also been a station relations representative for American Public Media. “I will miss my colleagues across the country,” Olson said in a news release. “It’s been a terrific career, and I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had with multiple organizations.”
Sam Dingman joined WAMC in Albany, N.Y., as Hudson/Catskill bureau chief. “Thrilled to start a new radio adventure today!” he said on LinkedIn. “Looking forward to reporting great stories from around the Hudson Valley on 90.3 FM.” Dingman most recently worked as a reporter and host for KJZZ in Phoenix. He has also been a producer for WNYC in New York and a showrunner for Paramount Pictures.
Jessi Whitten was named PD of Indie 102.3, a music station owned by Colorado Public Radio. Whitten first joined CPR in 2011 as music director and host. She added assistant PD to her title in 2013 before leaving the organization in 2020. She has recently worked in director roles for Levitt Pavilion Denver, a performing arts center. “I am thrilled to rejoin this incredibly talented team on a dedicated basis to help bring the future of Indie 102.3 into focus,” Whitten said.
Jeremy Scott is shifting from hosting All Things Considered to Morning Edition host at WESA in Pittsburgh. Before joining WESA, Scott worked for commercial stations in West Virginia, Alaska, Ohio and Illinois. “We are excited to bring Jeremy’s energy and enthusiasm to help start the day for WESA’s listeners,” said Mike Sauter, VP of broadcasting for Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corporation, which oversees WESA. “From the beginning, Jeremy has demonstrated his versatility and dedication both on the air and behind the scenes.”
Research
Lori Slingluff was named managing director at the Radio Research Consortium. Slingluff joined the company in 1994 and was previously senior project manager. “Lori has been central to RRC’s evolution,” the company said on its LinkedIn account. “From early station support and tech consulting to shaping ListenerPC and MarketPC, her influence is woven into nearly every part of our business.” The post said that following the death of RRC President Joanne Church in 2024, Slingluff “stepped into a broader leadership role across production and operations, continuing to collaborate across teams and with Nielsen to move RRC forward.” “It has been such a privilege to work with and learn from so many incredible people,” Slingluff said. “I still have so much to learn, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
Governance
The National Educational Telecommunications Association announced changes to its board of directors effective July 1.
- Joanna Kail, CEO of Wyoming PBS, will be board chair, succeeding Adrienne Fairwell, CEO of South Carolina ETV.
- Darren LaShelle, CEO of Northern California Public Media in Rohnert Park, will succeed Adrian Velarde, GM of KRWG Public Media in Las Cruces, N.M., as vice chair.
- Avery Hutchins, CEO of WCTE in Cookeville, Tenn., will take over the secretary role from Carla McCabe, CEO of WVIA Public Media in Pittston, Pa.
- The incoming treasurer is Anthony Hayes, CEO of WMHT in Troy, N.Y., who succeeds Marta Bechtol, executive director of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
Velarde and McCabe will leave the board, as will Jaime Jiménez, GM of KLCS in Los Angeles, and Jeff Tucker, GM of Idaho Public Television.
Send news of “comings and goings” to people@current.org
