Equalizers: Women Behind The Boards At WNYC

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It – "Equalizers: Women Behind The Boards At WNYC"

Host: Alison Stewart
Release Date: March 31, 2025
Duration: 6:49 minutes

---

Introduction: Celebrating Women in Audio Engineering

In the finale of their "Equalizers: Women in Music Production" series, WNYC's All Of It delves into the pivotal roles women play behind the scenes in radio production. Host Alison Stewart sets the stage by highlighting the underrepresentation of women in audio engineering and record production. She emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the women who ensure that WNYC's broadcasts run smoothly and sound impeccable.

"We've talked to history makers, Grammy winners, big names like Wendy and Lisa and Patrice Rushen... but today, we're turning the spotlight to the women engineers who make WNYC radio." [00:39]

Juliana Fonda: Mastering the Audio Landscape

Juliana Fonda, a senior broadcast engineer, shares her journey and passion for audio engineering. Having worked at WQXR Radio under the New York Times and later transitioning to WNYC, Juliana discusses the challenges of being one of the few women in her field.

"I love being able to make something work... that perfect moment of audio that just. Wow, that worked." [01:36]

Juliana's dedication is evident in her ability to seamlessly integrate music beds and sound elements, ensuring that every broadcast meets the highest quality standards.

Irene Trudell: Bringing Live Music to the Airwaves

As the technical director for Soundcheck, Irene Trudell recounts her memorable experiences recording legendary artists like Jeff Buckley and Chick Corea. She reflects on the early days in engineering, where women were scarce in her field.

"It took a while for them to recognize that women could do this too." [02:35]

Irene's narrative underscores the gradual shift in perceptions, highlighting her role in live remotes and major concerts that have shaped WNYC's rich musical tapestry.

Jennifer Munson: Crafting Conversations

Jennifer Munson, the technical director for On The Media, discusses her unique role in editing and sound mixing. With a background in vocal performance and audio technology, Jennifer finds magic in transforming lengthy dialogues into engaging, seamless conversations.

"I have just received the most incredible support from other women in the industry, looking out for each other and promoting each other." [03:35]

Her emphasis on community and mentorship showcases the collaborative spirit that propels WNYC's productions forward.

Leora Noam Kravitz: From Military to Media Engineering

Leora Noam Kravitz brings a unique perspective as a senior broadcast engineer in the newsroom. Her background includes mandatory military service, where she honed her engineering skills in a radio station environment.

"I always preferred the women. I don't know, it's just like, I feel like women's brains are good. They can do a lot of things at the same time." [04:24]

Leora's leadership in training new engineers reflects her belief in the multifaceted capabilities women bring to the engineering domain.

Amber D. Bruce: Storytelling Through Sound

Amber D. Bruce, a broadcast engineer, highlights her lifelong connection to radio and storytelling. Growing up listening to WNYC, Amber resonates deeply with the station's commitment to community narratives.

"As a woman, I feel like you have to hustle a little harder. You always have to be learning new things." [05:03]

Her dedication to continuous learning and adaptability underscores the resilience required to excel in a male-dominated field.

Shana Senstock: Engineering Excellence

Shana Senstock, responsible for running the soundboard and maintenance, speaks candidly about the challenges of engineering as a woman.

"I'm just a good engineer. You need to put female and tack that onto my work and what I do." [05:50]

Shana's insistence on being recognized for her expertise rather than her gender highlights the ongoing struggle for equality and respect in technical roles.

Conclusion: Acknowledging Unsung Heroes

Alison Stewart wraps up the episode by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the featured women engineers—Juliana, Shana, Irene, Jennifer, Amber, and Leora—for their indispensable contributions to WNYC. She also acknowledges producer Wayne Schulmeister for his role in bringing these stories to life.

"Thanks to WNYC engineers... and also thanks to Wayne Schulmeister who produced." [06:30]

The episode serves as a powerful testament to the talent, perseverance, and essential roles women play in shaping the cultural and auditory landscape of New York City through their work at WNYC.

---

Listen to More:
Explore the entire "Equalizers" series and other episodes of All Of It by visiting wnyc.org or subscribing to the podcast on your favorite platform.

Transcript

[Progressive Insurance]

All of it is supported by Progressive Insurance. You chose to hit play on this podcast today. Smart Choice. Make another smart choice with Auto Quote Explorer to compare rates for multiple car insurance companies all at once. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates not available in all states or situations. Prices vary based on how you buy.

[WNYC Studios]

Listener supported WNYC Studios.

[Alison Stewart]

This is all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. Today is the last day of Women's History Month. All throughout March, you've heard interviews in our series, Women Music Production. We've been talking to women who work as audio engineers and record producers, fields in which women are seriously underrepresented. We've talked to history makers, Grammy winners, big names like Wendy and Lisa and Patrice Rushen to wrap up the series. We wanted you to learn, wanted you to learn a little about some of the women engineers here at wnyc. They're always here making sure everything works and gets on the air and sounds great. But since they're behind the board, you never get to hear from them. So we asked them to step up to the mic and talk a little about their experiences, what brought them into engineering and what it's been like. For our final installment of Equalizers, Women in music Production. Here are the women engineers who make WNYC radio.

[Juliana Fonda]

My name is Juliana Fonda. I am a senior broadcast engineer for New York Public Radio. I am the broadcast engineer mostly for the two talk shows, which are the Brian Lehrer show and all of it with Alison Stewart. I worked for WQXR Radio when we were owned by the New York Times. One of the few women engineers there. I worked in the podcasting business at the Times. I was the only woman there. I love being able to make something work. I love being able to be like, oh, I know I have that music bed. And they're talking about it right in this second. Let's see if we can pull it in and fill it. It's just, it's that, that click, that something. I wish there was a word for sound like umami. Just that perfect moment of audio that it just. Wow, that worked. I can genuinely say I love coming to work every day.

[Irene Trudell]

Irene Trudell. I'm technical director for Soundcheck. I just love the immediacy of live music. Some of my most memorable early experiences with live music, I recorded Jeff Buckley and Gary Lucas, their first ever radio appearance. Jumping ahead to wnyc, I was part of the concert crew, so we'd go out and do live remotes a lot you know, Laurie Anderson, Margaret Langtan. She used to play on toy pianos. Chick Corea, Randy Newman, Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. When I was starting out, there were no women engineers that I knew of. I mean, I didn't have a lot of women role models. Like, early days working here. The band would come in and they'd say, you know, well, tell the engineer that. And I'd say, hi, I'm the engineer. It took a while for them to recognize that women could do this too.

[Jennifer Munson]

My name is Jennifer Munson. I am the technical director for on the Media. I'm taking a long conversation that's been edited down to the best parts, and I'm fixing sometimes thousands of edits to make that sound like an actual conversation. I got my degree in vocal performance and audio technology, and the first time I walked into the studio, it was magical. Oh, I have just received the most incredible support from other women in the industry, looking out for each other and promoting each other and mentoring each other.

[Leora Noam Kravitz]

I'm Leora Noam Kravitz, and I'm senior broadcast engineer, and I work in the newsroom. I mix features and podcasts. I grew up in a place where there's a mandatory military service. At the end of basic training, you get, like, what's your job in the Army? And I got engineer because that was, like, the best, right? Like, it was like army, but not really army, because really, you were, like, in a radio station with all the stars and whatever. It was fun. When I used to train new engineers here, I always preferred the women. I don't know, it's just like, I feel like women's brains are good. They can do a lot of things at the same time.

[Amber D. Bruce]

My name is Amber D. Bruce. I am broadcast engineer, mixing all the different elements of the show together so it goes on air smoothly. My whole life, we would listen to the radio. We listened to WNYC. Growing up, I would listen to Z100 every morning before getting ready for school. One thing I love about working here is that we tell so many stories about people in the community or things going on in the community. It just really highlights life. As a woman, I feel like you have to hustle a little harder. You have to know a lot more. You always have to be learning new things. And I feel like, as a woman, we are afraid of not knowing something. So it's been extra important to just always be on top of things. Always be learning.

[Shana Senstock]

I am Shana Senstock, and I am a broadcast engineer here at New York Public Radio I run the soundboard. I also work in maintenance, engineering. I take apart things, I fix things, I make sure that things are pretty. I think engineering has kind of always, again, quote unquote, been a man's club a little bit. It's one of those things where you want to be taken seriously and you want to be recognized for your work, not because, like, oh, wow, you're a good female engineer. No, I'm just a good engineer. You need to put female and tack that onto my work and what I do. I'm just good at what I do.

[Alison Stewart]

Thanks to WNYC engineers Juliana, Shaina, Irene, Jen, Amber and Lior for all their work. And also thanks to Wayne Schulmeister who produced. You can listen to all our Equalizer interviews by checking out our podcast feed or going to wnyc.org this is Ira.

[Ira Flato]

Flato, host of Science Friday. For over 30 years, the science Friday team has been reporting high quality science and technology news, making science fun for curious people by covering everything from the outer reaches of space, to the rapidly changing world of AI and to the tiniest microbes in our bodies. Audiences trust our show because they know we're driven by a mission to inform and serve listeners first and foremost with important news they won't get anywhere else. And our sponsors benefit from that halo effect. For more information on becoming a sponsor, visit sponsorship.wnyc.org.