My love of radio and music began as a child, singing wrong lyrics to Pet Shop Boys, Madonna, and Prince songs. One of my earliest favorite Christmas presents was a giant cassette deck stereo from my parents that I kept tuned to stations in Memphis, and I was four when I recorded my first ever “interview.” (It was with my two-year-old brother, who answered all my questions with a massive wad of bubblegum in his mouth) When a local radio station surprised us one morning at my library job to record a station ID, my boss immediately went looking for me to do it, and for one thrilling morning, it was my voice that told listeners to “Rise and shine, Northwest Mississippi!” on a local morning show. When it came time to graduate and pick a course of study at my local community college, I chose the Broadcasting program because all I knew was that I wanted to work at a radio station in a big city some day. In the summer of 1999, I first laid eyes on the Seattle skyline, and I knew instantly that I had found my true home. I left Mississippi a year later to make a new life here in Washington.
My life here at KEXP started as a volunteer in 2015. I answered phones during a fund drive, landed a spot as the Monday morning reception volunteer at our old Dexter home, tabled at shows and festivals, interned for six months as a Morning Show producer assistant, and started DJ assisting on Thursdays for The Morning Show, which I willingly woke up for at an ungodly hour for years. My first staff position was as the weekend receptionist for our brand new Gathering Space, and I was eventually promoted to Guest Services Manager. In addition to my work here at KEXP, I co-produced a local music video series from 2011-2012, and I first started DJing in various Seattle bars with a “To The Front” night in 2018.
Music is a lifelong love for me, and KEXP listener stories and interactions have ALWAYS been my favorite part of working here, so I’m thrilled and honored to be able to talk to and “see” you all in this new role!
Reach Lisa at lisa@kexp.org
