Kernan Named President & CEO of Nashville Public Radio

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 3:53pm CT

Holly Kernan

Nashville Public Radio appoints Holly Kernan as its next President and CEO. A veteran leader in public media, Kernan will oversee 90.3 WPLN News, WNXP 91.1, and the organization's classical music streaming service. She succeeds Steve Swenson, who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Kernan most recently served as chief content officer for KQED in San Francisco, where she led the station's local news, radio, TV, podcasts, digital video, and programming efforts. Prior to KQED, she spent over a decade as news and public affairs director at KALW, where she founded the award-winning Public Interest Reporting Project.

"It is a reflection on the strength and growth of WPLN that we can attract someone with Kernan's impressive media background from KQED, one of the most respected organizations within the public media industry," said Neil Thorne, board chairman for Nashville Public Radio. "She brings a wealth of experience in leading teams."

Kernan expressed enthusiasm about her new role, saying, "I'm thrilled to help shepherd this next phase of community service and to embrace my new home in Nashville."

Kernan has also made her mark in education, launching a journalism training program at Mills College and teaching at UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Santa Rosa Junior College, and San Francisco State University. She is fluent in English and Spanish.

She and her husband, Mike Woitalla, executive editor of Soccer America, will relocate to Nashville in August.