Lauren Onkey Named Senior Director of NPR Music

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, October 30, 2017

Lauren Onkey

NPR hires Lauren Onkey as Senior Director of NPR Music, a role in which she'll lead NPR Music's team of journalists, critics, video and podcast makers. Onkey joins NPR Music from the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, where she currently serves as dean and chair. She began her tenure at the college at the time of the Center's dedication in September, 2015.

"Lauren comes to us at a time when we're celebrating our first decade," said VP/Programming and Audience Development Anya Grundmann. "As we look forward to the next ten years, and beyond, I'm thrilled to welcome Lauren, who has such great experience in creating transformational moments that bring musicians and audiences together. She will also be a great partner to our network of passionate public radio music stations as we grow our collective voice in support of artists and the essential place music has in our lives."

"I am honored to join the innovative team at NPR Music," added Onkey. "As a passionate music fan and public radio listener, I've come to rely on NPR's unique, multi-genre platform to keep me open to how music shapes our lives. Every week, millions of people experience NPR Music through live performances, music recommendations, industry news, and insightful stories, commentary and interviews. I look forward to helping this talented team reach new audiences and expand its footprint."

Prior to her time at Tri-C, Onkey served as Vice President of Education and Public Programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland for seven years, where she developed and managed the museum's education and community programs, reaching more than 50,000 individuals annually. In addition, she served as executive producer of the museum's Annual Music Masters series and oversaw the Rock Hall's Library and Archives.

Onkey will start with NPR Music remotely in November and join the team at its Washington, DC, headquarters in January, 2018.