StarSpace46 Chats: KOSU Executive Director Rachel Hubbard

Rachel Hubbard is a 20-year news veteran and serves as KOSU's executive director. On June 29th, Rachel chatted with StarSpace46 Board Secretary Jeff Yenzer about journalism in Oklahoma, the changing business model for news around the world, and how user-supported channels such as KOSU radio play a much needed role.

While still in high school, Rachel began her radio career, reading obituary and hospital reports as a part-time announcer and board operator at KTJS in Hobart, Oklahoma. Hubbard maintained her radio career in 1999, joining KOSU as a student reporter. Following graduation from Oklahoma State in 2003, Hubbard served as the station’s state capitol reporter and news director. She was promoted to associate director in 2007, overseeing the day-to-day programming and news operations of KOSU radio.

She spearheaded KOSU’s collaboration with The Spy in 2012, furnishing a platform for local music otherwise not represented on the local radio dial. She brought the NPR series StoryCorps to Oklahoma City in 2018, enabling Oklahomans to share, record, and preserve their stories.

Rachel serves on the board of directors for the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) and mentors young journalists through NPR’s Next Generation Radio Project.