nazret.com

For Immediate Release
Today's Date: April 11, 2006
Media Contact: Bob Baldock
(510) 848.5006 / bobbaldock@kpfa.org

KPFA Radio introduces new Interim Manager Lemlem Rijio.

She is a 35 year-old U.C. Berkeley graduate, born in Ethiopia, who has served the past two years as KPFA's Development Director.

Celebrating a 57th anniversary this month, KPFA 94.1 FM, the first listener-sponsored radio station in the U.S., airing throughout Northern and Central California--the flagship station of the national Pacifica Radio Network--has chosen as Interim General Manager Lemlem Rijio, a 35 year-old U.C. Berkeley graduate born and raised in Ethiopia. She succeeds Roy Campanella, Jr.

Brief Bio: After studying sociology, political science and history in Ethiopia, Rijio came to the U.S. for a college education in philosophy. Shortly after enrolling at U. C. Berkeley, drawn unexpectedly to the urgent issues of global natural resources, she entered the College of Environmental Science, Policy and Management. Following graduation, Rijio undertook through the Interfaith Council of Greater Richmond a job managing a capital campaign to build residences for homeless families. In 2004 she noticed on Craig's List the job as KPFA's Development Director. She applied, was rapidly hired, and served for two years until being selected to succeed recently resigned GM Roy Campanella. Jr.

Her views: "KPFA has gotten a lot of negative publicity about the contentiousness of various factions here," Rijio says, "and some of that is justified. But what really should be publicized is the quality and the enduring reliability of KPFA's broadcasting. I mean--24 hours a day for 365 days a year for 57 years! - and all of it done by a small staff of paid people and a much larger number of volunteers. As manager I hope simply to institute a culture of mutual respect and cooperation. This job does not require a visionary or an idealist. It simply needs an improvement in workplace communication, that and a strengthening of critical thinking skills. This will reinvigorate in all of us the founder's original mission, which is a beautiful and practical vision for this radio to be an international diversity of voices, for us to defend democratic ideals, and to maintain independence from corporate influences."