Katherine Perkins
Executive Producer of Talk Shows & Program Director News & TalkExpertise: Management and team building, audio editing, copy editing, interviewing, hosting, journalism ethics and building relationships in underserved communities, all in order to help IPR listeners and readers better understand, appreciate and explore their state
Education: Masters degree from Sangamon State University; Bachelors degree from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
Favorite Iowa Destination: Discovery Garden at the Iowa State Fairgrounds
Experience:
Has served as the Executive Producer for Talk Shows since 2013 and the Program Director News/Talk for IPR since 2014
- Served as a producer and the host of Talk of Iowa and Midday on WOI Radio and, later, Iowa Public Radio
- Served as Morning Edition host and program director for KTPR in Ft. Dodge
- Has hosted a talk show live on C-Span
- Led planning and coordination of five community listening sessions across Iowa in 2023
Served as executive producer for live caucus night coverage in 2020, which was carried by multiple stations across the country
- Has led presidential and midterm election night coverage since 2010
- Is a multi-award-winning host and reporter
- Has reported and produced features for Morning Edition
- Led efforts to establish IPR's participation in NPR’s Next Generation Radio in Iowa
- Has taught classes on reporting and journalism at Iowa Central Community College
My Favorite Conversations
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On this special edition of Talk of Iowa, a taste of the storytelling event, Stories to Tell My Daughter -
The history of the Civil Rights Movement can feel far away.
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In her memoir, Lucinda Williams explains how she spent her career making music on her own terms.
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At 42-million strong, many political pundits are watching how Gen-Z, those between the ages of 18 and 27, will vote in this election. This hour, we explore their thoughts going into the election.
My Latest Stories
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How women and men perceive their safety is often very different, as is how we socially condition girls and boys to think about their safety. Experts say reframing the conversation around gender-based violence is key to prevention. -
Men from a variety of different backgrounds with connections to Iowa reflect on what it means to be a man in 2025. -
IPR held events at Drake and Iowa State University to discuss politics with Gen Z voters.
My Latest Podcasts
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NASA’s Artemis II mission is nearing launch, and an Iowa State University professor and retired astronaut knows exactly what that moment feels like. Also on this Newsbuzz edition, we break down a busy first week at the Iowa Statehouse as Republican lawmakers roll out an ambitious — and contentious — legislative agenda. We’ll also take a closer look at why Iowa’s controversial school library book ban is back in federal court and what a new wave of billion-dollar natural disasters means for insurance coverage and risk management in Iowa and beyond. And we groove into the weekend with Studio One.
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New developments at the federal level have raised more questions than they've answered when it comes to cannabis and its use for treating various medical conditions. We talk with a reporter covering the cannabis industry as well as two medical researchers about what we do and don't know about the future of cannabis for medical use.
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Iowa has some of the highest radon levels in the nation. By July of 2027, every public school building in Iowa must have tested for naturally occurring, cancer-causing radon gas. They're also required to post the results of that testing on their websites. With two years to go, fewer than half of school districts have met that requirement. We look at why many schools aren’t testing for radon — and how the Iowa Department of Education has responded to an investigation by 'The Midwest Newsroom.' (This episode was originally produced Oct. 14, 2025.)