Holly Kernan

Holly Kernan is KQED's Chief Content Officer. Holly's multimedia and multi-platform content portfolio include public service journalism, arts, science, podcasting, digital video, television and radio programming, and education. At the heart of Kernan's role is ensuring that KQED provides the highest quality and most trusted original production, programming and coverage to audiences on radio, television, digital, mobile and social platforms.

Holly returned to KQED as Executive Editor, News in 2014 after more than a decade as KALW's news and public affairs director. During that time she was the architect of the award-winning Public Interest Reporting Project. She built the KALW newsroom from scratch into a thriving and nimble team of 20 professional editors, producers and reporters as well as dozens of community reporters and trainees. Holly has had a long career as an award-winning journalist, television and radio host, an executive producer and an editor. She previously worked as a producer for KQED's Forum and as a director and producer for The California Report. She has received numerous accolades for her work, including the 2009 "Journalist of the Year" award from the Northern California Society of Professional Journalists.

Holly also launched a journalism-training program at Mills College, where she taught public interest reporting classes. Additionally, she taught advanced watchdog and documentary reporting at the University of California at Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She has also held teaching positions at Santa Rosa Junior College, Youth Radio and at San Francisco State University's Lifelong Learning Institute.