LaFontaine E. Oliver, the general manager and president of local NPR station WYPR, has been elected chairman of the board of National Public Radio.
Oliver has been president and general manager of WYPR for just a year and a half but came to the job last year with 20 years of broadcast experience. His resume includes six years running the WMFE in Orlando, Florida, and six years at WEAA, which is licensed to Morgan State University, from 2007 to 2013. Oliver has been a member of the NPR board since 2016.
“I am honored to accept this new role as Chair of the Board,” said Oliver in a statement. “It has been my privilege to advocate for public radio and for the millions of listeners who depend on it as a source for trusted news and intelligent discussion. I look forward to working with my board colleagues to advance the reach and impact of NPR and its Member stations, especially in the value they bring to local communities.”
Since he arrived at WYPR in July of 2019, Oliver has expanded coverage, initiating a new health reporting desk and the weekday podcast, The Daily Dose, which serves as a source for the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic and the state’s response.
NPR’s 23-member board of directors is comprised of twelve member directors who are managers of NPR member stations and are elected to the board by their fellow member stations, nine public directors who are prominent members of the public selected by the board and confirmed by NPR member stations, the NPR Foundation Chair, and the NPR president & CEO.
The Board sets the policies and overall direction for NPR management, monitors the performance of NPR and provides financial oversight.
