WABE Announces New Advisory Council
Ann Cramer to lead expanded council, representative of WABE’s diverse audience
ATLANTA (June 2022)—To support its ongoing efforts to connect Atlantans to Atlanta, WABE, Atlanta’s choice for NPR and PBS and original Atlanta stories, is pleased to announce the expansion and refocus of its WABE Advisory Council. This expanded council, led by longtime Atlanta civic and cultural leader and Atlanta Educational Telecommunications Collaborative, Board Member Ann Cramer, will provide feedback and guidance to WABE’s CEO/President Jennifer Dorian and leadership team on how the station’s radio (90.1FM), online (wabe.org) and television (WABE TV) content can better inform, inspire, reflect and empower Atlanta.
Seventeen new members from across the greater Atlanta area, including student representatives from Atlanta Public Schools, Decatur Public Schools and other local institutions, join an existing group, formerly chaired by former Atlanta Public School Superintendent and University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll Davis. Davis worked closely with new chair Cramer and Dorian to reshape the council to better reflect the diversity of cultures and communities that make up Atlanta.
“Erroll Davis was instrumental in pushing WABE to make our Advisory Council even more representative of our community by expanding its size and outreach,” said WABE CEO/President Jennifer Dorian. “His leadership led us to a place where we can now welcome new voices to the table as WABE works to advance equity through our reporting and storytelling. Our new chair, Ann Cramer, is respected across Atlanta as someone who brings people together around solutions and progress. WABE’s role as a trusted Atlanta public resource will only be strengthened by the connections she and the WABE Advisory Council help us build.”
Members of the WABE Advisory Council include:
| Ann Cramer, Chair | Karstin Bodell, Retired, IBM |
| Andrew Feiler, AETC Board | Kay Pippin, Retired President, Henry Co. Chamber |
| Aaron Shackelford, Dir, Georgia Tech Arts | Kenny Blank, Exec Dir, Atlanta Jewish Film Festival |
| Alina Lee, Founding Board Chair, We Love Buford Highway | Kim Anderson, Principal, Chrysalis Lab |
| Allegra Lawrence-Hardy, Partner, Lawrence & Bundy LLC | Larry Stewart, Sr. Principal, Slalom Consulting |
| Anthony Rodriguez, Executive Director, HUB404 Conservancy | Leroy Lamar, Exec Dir, Comprehensive Community Care |
| Asmirah Davis, Founder, Majority Agency | Loretta Parham, CEO/Director, ATL Univ Ctr Woodruff Library |
| Ayden Leibert, Student, Jackson High School | Louis Gump, SVP/GM, Cox Media |
| Chris Perlera, Principal, Critical Point Consulting | Madelyn Adams, Sr Dir, Community Health, Kaiser Permanente |
| Claudia Patton, Chief Talent Advisor, Edelman | Marcus Cook, Student, Jackson High School |
| Ebony Blanding, Filmmaker, House of June | Michael Walbert, VP, Experience, Rock the Bells |
| Ed Chang, Exec Dir, redefinED | Nour Khalifa, Student, GA Tech (Fall ’22) |
| Eleanor A. Jones, Student, Drew Charter | Raveena Alli, Student, Atlanta Girls School |
| Erroll Davis, Ex-Officio, WABE Advisory Council | Rohit Malhotra, Exec Dir., Center for Civic Innovation |
| Eshe’ Collins, Chair, Atlanta Board of Education | Shirley Anne Smith, Exec Dir, Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation |
| Fatima Safdar, Student, Emory (Fall ’22) | Samantha Ramirez-Herrera CEO/Founder OffThaRecord Storytelling Studio |
| Gale Fox Barnett, Principal, Reynard Investments | Sultan Ziyad, Student, GA Tech (Fall ’22) |
| Jason Bernstein, Partner, Barnes & Thornburg | Tarsha Calloway, VP, Philanthropy, Tessitura Network |
| John Brewer, Chairman/CEO, Vantage Private Capital | Tim Hynes, Retired, President Emeritus Clayton State Board of Regents |
| Jose Funes, Student, Rockdale Co | Dr. Tommy Thomas, Asst Prof of Neurology/Neurosurgery, Emory |
“WABE’s almost 75-year history is a story of continuous evolution to ensure the station and its stories remain reflective of all of Atlanta,” said new WABE Advisory Council Chair Ann Cramer. “I’m honored to be a part of this incredible group of leaders and committed citizens who are ready to lend time and talent to helping WABE further community and civic participation.”
Visit wabe.org to access award-winning local journalism, national NPR and PBS content, community calendars, and more.
ABOUT WABE
WABE, formerly Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA), operates public media stations WABE (90.1FM) and WABE TV (Channel 30), Atlanta’s original, independent, non-profit sources for news and local stories and choice for NPR and PBS. Our stations deliver fact-based journalism and inclusive, engaging, cultural content that informs, inspires, reflects, and empowers the millions who call the Greater Atlanta area home. WABE’s programs, podcasts, and events make Atlanta’s stories and storytellers accessible and relevant across a variety of platforms for our diverse audience of listeners, viewers, visitors, and members. Go to www.wabe.org for additional information.
