Houston Public Media has selected CKP Account Manager Whitney Radley to be a member of its Young Leaders Council, a group of engaged Houstonians that understand the complexities the local, regional and national media markets and Houston Public Media’s place in them.

“Public media has been an integral part of my media consumption since I was a kid, from listening to staticky KPFT broadcasts in the car with my dad, to catching live music at the KUT studios in college, to watching Sesame Street reruns on TV8 with my toddlers,” Whitney says. “I'm personally and professionally invested in Houston Public Media, and feel honored to serve on the Council with others to ensure its continued growth and success.”

In addition to serving as an ambassador for Houston Public Media, Whitney will be responsible for providing feedback to news directors and producers on topics covered and platforms used to help them shape their strategy to reach new and younger audiences. The appointment is a two-year commitment.

“We are excited that young leaders in our region are invested in preserving public media for future generations to come,” said Victoria Cordova, manager of communications at Houston Public Media and co-founder of the young professionals group.

This new cohort of young professionals represents a cross section of the local community. As part of the group’s responsibilities, Whitney will participate in board meetings and strategic planning sessions with staff and other key station stakeholders, and attend intimate gatherings with local, regional and national public media personalities, hosts and journalists.

“It’s powerful to have Houstonians tell fellow Houstonians why this asset is important to them, and why the organization is so important for the future of our city,” Victoria added.

Houston Public Media is a service of the University of Houston and supported with financial gifts from the community. Houston Public Media combines broadcast and digital assets to serve residents of Southeast Texas with trusted local news and entertainment, as well as national programming from NPR and PBS. With a combined weekly audience of more than 1.5 million, Houston Public Media is committed to delivering content that expands minds and possibilities with trusted information.

About Whitney Radley:

Whitney Radley is an award-winning communications professional who brings a fresh perspective to big-picture strategic thinking, always striving to find creative ways to tell meaningful stories. In addition to her expertise in media relations, branding, research, planning, integrated strategies and content creation, Whitney is a seasoned team leader with exceptional organizational abilities that guide even the most complex projects forward. She began her communications career in journalism as a reporter and editor for hyper-local digital publication CultureMap.com, where she published hundreds of articles and covered topics ranging from lifestyle to cultural trends to local politics, supporting the platform’s grassroots publication's exponential growth with innovative, original content.

Whitney shifted to public relations when she joined the communications team at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Working with numerous internal museum clients, she developed and executed plans for the promotion of exhibitions as well as programs, special events and overall museum initiatives, including the launch of a campus redevelopment and master plan. During her time there, she secured extensive coverage in local and regional publications as well as notable national outlets including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest and The Art Newspaper. Her work on the teams of 1113 Architects and Prevailing Trends, Inc. included project management, data analysis, public policy planning and relationship management.

Whitney is fascinated by people and their stories. At CKP, Whitney applies that curiosity in a practical way—whether it’s conducting research to help a brand hone in on its core messages, or securing feature placements that gets a client in front of a larger audience. She brings her knack for storytelling and strategy to industries including arts and creativity, corporate and business-to-business, healthcare, nonprofits and civic organizations. Her work in marketing, planning and public relations strategy and execution has been recognized by the Houston chapter of the American Marketing Association, garnering coveted Crystal Awards in 2017, 2018 and 2019 in various categories, and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), earning several Excalibur Awards in 2018 and 2019, including the Grand Excalibur best-in-show award for Integrated Marketing.

Whitney is a Southeast Texas native with a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of North Texas. She’ s a member of PRSA Houston and Houston Public Media Young Leaders Council. She’s passionate about literacy, sustainability, and empowering women in the workplace.