Ever since I was in first grade attending a two room country school near Madison, Wisconsin, and we learned science, social studies, music and art from the radio, I’ve regarded radio as a source of imagination and information. Later, as a student at the University of Wisconsin, I worked at WHA and learned about radio and throughout my professional life, I’ve believed in the power of radio to change lives and improve society, from outreach to the African American community in Buffalo, New York in the 1970s while manager of WBFO, creating with the staff, All Things Considered, as the first director of programming at NPR. Later, as manager of WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, I helped develop Fresh Air with Terry Gross, from a local to a national program.

In 1993, at age 59, I began ten years of work with the Open Society Institute, helping develop independent media in new democracies that took me to many countries in Eastern Europe, Africa and Mongolia. By 2004, these experiences inspired me to found, at 70 years of age, Developing Radio Partners, (DRP), an organization that builds vibrant, participatory communities through the development of community radio. Radio is a critical medium in rural areas with high illiteracy, and is effective in promoting health, good governance, peace-building and the empowerment of women and youth. However, community stations are vulnerable, operating with volunteers, limited resources and in politically charged fragile states. Since existing media assistance focused on short-term journalism training or support for national and commercial broadcasters, community radio stations – ideal partners for building just societies in the developing world – were ignored. We are advocates for local media, with a focus on radio. When possible, we take a comprehensive approach by building the capacity of local stations, forming associations to represent the sector and increase income for the stations and finally, create a network for program exchange.

My belief that radio is a powerful, personal, imaginative medium that is easily learned and can change lives are the themes throughout my professional life.

Because of the power of radio in development, I believe there are few other social investments that can have broader reach or affect more people’s lives than an effective local radio station.

In 1970, as a founding member of the NPR Board of Directors, I wrote in the original mission statement that NPR "will serve the individual: it will promote personal growth rather than corporate gains; it will regard individual differences with respect and joy rather than derision and hate; … it will encourage a sense of active constructive participation, rather than apathetic helplessness…..and result in a service to listeners which makes them more responsive, informed human beings and intelligent responsible citizens of their communities and the world."

That was regarded as idealistic at the time and yet, today you can hear these goals on public radio.

I’ve turned my attention now from serving the well educated through public radio in the United States, to bringing information to those who need it most, people living often in rural areas in emerging democracies where radio is the most important medium. I believe this may be my most important work of my career.