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L to R: Carol Pierson, President & CEO, NFCB; Loris Ann Taylor, Executive Director, CNAPR; Kai Aiyetoro, Director of Financial Affairs, CNAPR; Peggy Berryhill, Director, Services and Planning, CNAPR. Photo Credit: (c) Jung/CNAPR, 2004 |
The Center for Native American Public Radio (CNAPR) began operations this
year with funds from the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting (CPB) after years of careful assessment and planning.
The center’s organization and operation
will be overseen by the National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB)
and guided by an advisory council of
Native American station and community leaders.
The Center will help coordinate the work of the Native Public Radio System,
comprised of thirty-two native-owned public
radio stations located across twelve states, the American Indian Radio on
Satellite (AIROS) in Lincoln, NE, and Koahnic
Broadcasting located in Anchorage, AK.
Loris Ann Taylor (Hopi/Acoma), KUYI General Manager is the new Executive
Director for CNAPR. Taylor has been
a leader on Native American issues, including at the grassroots level with
the Hopi people, as well as representing
nineteen of the twenty-one tribes in Arizona before both the state legislature
and Congress.
Peggy Berryhill (Muscogee), Executive Director of the Native Media Resource Center, is Director of Services and Planning. Berryhill brings more than 30 years of broadcast experience to CNAPR, including award-winning work with National Public Radio (NPR) and AIROS.
“I am looking forward to working closely with station managers and producers to draw on current best practices and establish a foundation that will strengthen the stations and system,” said Berryhill. “CNAPR is working for the future of Native radio, a future with strong, vital stations that reach all tribal communities and programs that inform and educate as well as preserve and enhance language and culture.”
“We are building an organization to answer the call to action we have been hearing from the stations, producers and others in the Native Radio System,” said Taylor. “By developing new sources of funding, providing leadership and advocacy on behalf of native radio, and enhancing and expanding services, we will assure that native public radio remains a vital resource to tribes, reaching more Native Americans, both urban and rural, and bringing the voice of our people to others in this nation so that we can all enjoy the richness of the Native American culture.”
Carol Pierson, NFCB President and CEO, will provide administrative support and staff capacity, including administrative and strategic counsel. Kai Aiyetoro will serve as Director of Financial Affairs for CNAPR and NFCB. Timothy Rodrigues and Mike Jung provide communications support for CNAPR.
For more information and contact information: www.cnapr.org or www.nfcb.org.
