Holly Kernan is President and CEO of Nashville Public Radio, serving Middle Tennessee through WPLN News, WNXP Nashville’s Music Experience, Nashville Classical, and a growing portfolio of podcasts, newsletters, and live events. She leads the organization’s mission to connect people through trusted local journalism, eclectic music discovery, and storytelling that reflects the creativity and complexity of one of America’s fastest-changing cities.

A nationally recognized public media leader, Holly previously served as Chief Content Officer at KQED in San Francisco, where she helped guide one of the country’s largest public media organizations through its transformation into a digital-first newsroom. 

Throughout her career, Holly has been committed to mentorship and the future of the field. She has launched journalism training programs at Mills College and taught at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism, Santa Rosa Junior College, and San Francisco State University, helping hundreds of students find their voices in audio and civic storytelling.

Holly speaks frequently about the role of local media in democracy, the intersection of music and journalism, digital transformation, and the responsibility of public institutions to serve diverse communities with curiosity, compassion, and joy. She believes that strong local media is not simply a source of information, but a place where neighbors learn to recognize one another and imagine a shared future.