Laurie McGraw is speaking with the Inspiring Women pioneers of public radio Breeze Richardson and Marty Durlin. These special interviews were aired on KGNU’s It’s the Economy and highlight the importance of public radio. Both Marty and Breeze provide their reasons for coming into public radio – the true town square, the opportunity for storytelling and creative expression and the ability for anyone and any walk of life to tell their stories that are relevant and speak to the concerns and triumphs of people in the community.

The world of social media, podcasting, and digital media has long changed the game of where and how people get their information. And yet, people still listen and tune into community radio. Marty and Breeze know why and share how providing authentic and relevant voices and great story telling stands the test of time.

About Marty:

A pioneer in community radio, Marty Durlin came to KZYX after serving as manager of KZMU in Moab UT. Her longest tenure was at KGNU in Boulder CO, where she helmed the station for more than 20 years, cofounded the Grassroots Radio Conference and served as chair of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters, the Pacifica National Board, and the Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition. Also a print and radio journalist and a musical playwright, Durlin has spent her career in community media and community theatre.

About Breeze:

Breeze joined the Aspen Public Radio team in June 2021. Highly-respected in public media for her strategic planning and communications background, she has a passion for telling stories and producing community-focused programming. Since arriving in the Roaring Fork Valley, Breeze has been on stage exploring disability and inclusion with 1A’s Jenn White, discussing the importance of local journalism for Aspen Institute’s Society of Fellows, and in conversation with Tockukwu Okafor , Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, and 2023 Aspen Words Literary Prize winner Jamil Jan Kochai for Aspen Words. In February 2023, she took the stage at the Wheeler Opera House with NPR's Ailsa Chang to lead a conversation about making big career changes, representation in media, and the impact of investigative journalism.

Breeze currently serves as President of the Rocky Mountain Community Radio coalition, and is an elected member of the Western States Public Radio Board of Directors. In 2024, she completed the Public Media Diversity Leaders Initiative (PMDLI) hosted by the Riley Institute at Furman University, and is a proud alumni of the Aspen Institute Hurst Leaders Forum.

Before returning to public radio, Breeze worked as director of marketing and communications at Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri, and from 2013-2017 she worked for the Kansas Board of Regents, gaining extensive experience in state government communications and higher education while serving as the agency’s public information officer.