Yolanda Sangweni promoted to VP of programming and new content development at NPR

NPR's Senior Vice President for Programming and Audience Development Anya Grundmann announced today that Yolanda Sangweni has been promoted to vice president of programming and new content development.

"Yolanda is a caring, dynamic content leader who has already moved NPR forward in so many ways. She has overseen award-winning work, built high-functioning teams, and crafted initiatives that will be transformational in our efforts to make NPR relevant to new audiences traditionally under-served by public media. I'm thrilled that she will be positioned to have even greater impact in her new role," said Grundmann.

Since she joined NPR in 2020, Sangweni has overseen the launch of "The Limits with Jay Williams," the evolution of "It's Been a Minute," the creation of a new radio show for NPR's history podcast "Throughline," which just won a Peabody Award, She sponsored the organization-wide NPR Oye initiative, which is systematically advancing NPR's service to Hispanic audiences and engagement with Latinx creators, and the re-imagining of our content development and pitch processes.

As vice president she will continue to lead and build out a growing portfolio of culture-focused programming and podcasts. She will also oversee NPR's content development process to surface great ideas and innovative programming that supports NPR's mission.

"I am so excited to take on this new role," said Sangweni. "It's such an incredible opportunity to bring more stories and voices to NPR. I hope to expand NPR's programming in a way that is rich in nuance, culturally-resonant, with a high standard of excellence. And I get to do it with the best of the best—the content development team and journalists behind shows like "Throughline," "Code Switch" and "It's Been a Minute," who are truly world-class."

Sangweni came to NPR in 2020 from Luminary, where she was responsible for enhancing podcast discovery to users through a variety of methods as the director of programming and editorial. She also spent nine years working for Essence, where she began as an entertainment editor and eventually became digital content director leading the company's multi-platform digital content strategy. She is also the founder of African Women Create, a collective for African women in the creative arts.

About NPR:

NPR's rigorous reporting and unsurpassed storytelling connect with millions of Americans every day — on the air, online and in person. NPR strives to create a more informed public — one challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of events, ideas and cultures. With a nationwide network of award-winning journalists and 17 international bureaus, NPR and its Member Stations are never far from where a story is unfolding. Listeners can find NPR by tuning in to their local Member stations (npr.org/stations), and now it's easy to listen to our stories on smart speaker devices. Ask your smart speaker to, "Play NPR," and you'll be tuned into your local Member station's live stream. Your speaker can also access NPR podcasts, NPR One, NPR News Now and the Visual Newscast is available for screened speakers. Get more information at npr.org/about and by following NPR Extra on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.