Ellen Oost appointed as Louisville Public Media’s COO

Ellen Oost (Photo credit: J. Tyler Franklin)

Ellen Oost has been named chief operating officer of Louisville Public Media, a newly created senior leadership role focused on strategic execution and community engagement.

The appointment comes as LPM's board of directors recently approved a three-year strategic plan focused on content excellence, audience development, community engagement, digital transformation, financial resilience and operational excellence. As COO, Oost will serve as a strategic partner to President & CEO Kenya Young, facilitating cross-functional collaboration and building alignment across LPM's teams as the organization executes on these priorities.

“Ellen has been instrumental in building LPM's relationships with this community,” said Kenya Young, president and CEO of Louisville Public Media. “As we move into an exciting new chapter focused on impact, engagement and innovation, I'm thrilled to have her as a partner in bringing our strategic vision to life. Her ability to build bridges, across teams, across our audiences, and across our three stations, makes her the right leader for this role.”

In her new role, Oost will oversee community partnerships, marketing and communications, audience engagement, live events and corporate sponsorship — working to strengthen LPM's connections with the Louisville community and beyond.

Since joining LPM in 2018, Oost has overseen multiple arms of revenue, growing the organization's membership, grants, legacy giving and major gifts programs and most recently its corporate sponsorship and underwriting team. She has led multimillion-dollar campaigns to support growth in the LPM newsroom and business teams, as well as in support of annual operations. She has also led marketing strategy and signature events including Waterfront Wednesday and the 75th Anniversary Luncheon and New Year's Eve celebrations. She served as co-interim CEO from late December 2024 through late May 2025, helping guide the organization through a critical leadership transition.

Oost was the 2022 recipient of the Public Radio Association of Development Officers (PRADO) Development Professional of the Year award and currently serves on NPR's Collaborative Philanthropy Advisory Council.

“Eight years at LPM has only deepened my belief in what this organization means to Louisville — and in the extraordinary generosity of this community,” said Oost. “In this new role, I'm focused on making sure LPM is showing up for this community the way it deserves — deepening our service, strengthening our partnerships, and building the kind of organization that remains relevant and trusted for generations to come. That's what drives our new strategic plan, and it's what I'll be thinking about every day in this role. I'm grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our talented team and to help lead that work.”

Before joining LPM, Oost served as director of development and marketing at 21st Century Parks, where she launched their annual fund membership campaign, major gifts and grants programs, and fundraising events. She also led communications and external affairs for the organization. Prior to that, she worked in a variety of marketing and advertising positions, most recently at Louisville-based advertising agency Doe-Anderson.

LPM is currently hiring for a vice president of development to step in and oversee philanthropy for the organization, working closely with the CEO and COO to align donor and funder interests with the ambitions of the organization.

As part of the strategic plan rollout, Young also announced two additional leadership moves.

Ryan Van Velzer, managing editor of the Appalachia + Mid-South Newsroom (“AMSN”), joins the LPM leadership team. LPM serves as the lead station on both the regional AMSN collaborative and the statewide Kentucky Public Radio network, both of which Van Velzer manages. The move ensures the content collaborations central to LPM's strategic plan receive the coordination and attention they require.

Laura Ellis, director of on-demand and digital strategy, takes on responsibility for aligning standards and practices across the organization — including the three broadcast stations, web and LPM App presence, and digital on-demand spaces. Ellis will work across teams to ensure consistency, alignment, and excellence in how LPM presents itself to audiences across all platforms. The work supports the strategic plan's commitment to organizational excellence and delivering a cohesive audience experience.