Iowa Public Radio has announced Peter Clowney as the organization's next chief executive officer.
Clowney is the chief operating officer at Nebraska Public Media and will join IPR on Sept. 28, according to a press release.
“Peter brings a rare combination of editorial excellence, operational discipline and genuine passion for public service,” said Libby Jacobs, IPR's Board of Directors chair, in a statement. “He understands that our mission goes well beyond broadcasting; it’s about creating real connection across every corner of Iowa. We are confident he is the right leader to carry IPR into its next chapter.”
Clowney will oversee IPR's $10 million annual budget and around 70 employees who work across the state. His career in public media goes back 30 years with experience as an editor and executive in public media and in podcasting.
He has held positions at American Public Media, Gimlet Media and SiriusXM, and most recently served as the COO of Nebraska Public Media since 2023, where he led daily operations for $26 million organization, which has a staff of more than 170.
“Peter’s experience and demonstrated commitment to inclusive, values-driven leadership make him exceptionally well-suited to lead IPR through its next phase of growth,” said Ken Brown, IPR Board of Directors vice chair, in a statement. “We look forward to welcoming him to Iowa.”
Clowney will take over for Myrna Johnson, who retired in July after heading the public media nonprofit, which operates 27 stations across the state, for 12 years.
Johnson led the station through significant state and federal budget cuts and helped transition the statewide news and music station to an independent, community-licensed organization from an organization governed by the Iowa Board of Regents, which created the statewide nonprofit in 2004.
Johnson told IPR's Meghan McKinney in July that she feels IPR is in "great shape."
“I feel really good about where the staff and the board have taken this organization,” Johnson said.
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This story was reported by IPR Reporter Natalie Krebs and edited by Digital News Producer Nicole Baxter. No member of IPR's senior management team reviewed this story before publishing.
