Kara Kearns

Kara Kearns serves as the Chief Operating Officer at WAMU 88.5, overseeing various departments including Finance, Business Administration, Sponsorship Sales, Technology, Product, and Human Resources for DC's NPR. Kearns is also a Founding Member of Sidebar, a leadership program aimed at career development. Previously, Kara held significant roles at The Meteor, where responsibilities included building a media organization from inception as Chief Operating Officer, and at Emerson Collective, managing operations for media investments. Additional experience includes leading operations at POLITICO, and editorial roles at NBC News, msnbc.com, The Associated Press, and MSNBC-TV. Kearns holds both a Master's and Bachelor's degree in Journalism from Northwestern University, where active involvement as an Alumni Admission Council member further highlights a commitment to education and mentorship.