Juana Summers

Juana Summers
Summers in 2018
Born1988 or 1989 (age 35–36)
Kansas City, Missouri
Alma materUniversity of Missouri
OccupationRadio journalist
Years active2010–present
EmployerNPR

Juana Summers (born 1988 or 1989)[1] is an American radio journalist. In June 2022, she became one of four co-hosts for NPR's afternoon drive-time news program All Things Considered.[2] She was previously a political reporter for NPR and the Associated Press.[3]

Early life and education

Summers, who is of African American heritage, is from Kansas City, Missouri.[4] She attended St. Teresa's Academy, where she wrote for The Dart student newspaper.[5] As a teenager, she earned her first journalism byline reporting for The Kansas City Star's teen section.[6]

She attended the Missouri School of Journalism, graduating in 2009 with a bachelor's degree in media convergence and a minor in history.[7] While a student at Mizzou, she covered the running-mate announcements for presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.[8]

Career

Summers started in public radio at KBIA, the NPR member station in Columbia, Missouri, as a University of Missouri student.[4] After graduating, she interned at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch before returning to the Kansas City Star to cover politics.[5]

She covered the 2012 presidential race for Politico, then reported on education and politics for NPR. In 2015, she became politics editor at Mashable. She reported and edited at CNN before joining the Associated Press in September 2018, then returning to NPR.[4][9]

As a political reporter and correspondent for NPR, Summers covered Congress, presidential elections, race and the justice system.[10]

In fall 2016, Summers was a fellow at Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service.[7]

Summers filled in as host on All Things Considered a few times in March 2022 before her permanent selection was announced.[8] She replaced Audie Cornish, who departed for CNN, as co-host.[2]

Personal life

Summers is married and a step-parent.[1] She moved to Baltimore in 2015, where she plays competitive pinball.[6] She is a certified weightlifting coach.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b Gerson, Jennifer (April 26, 2023). "The voices of NPR: How four women of color see their roles as hosts". The 19th. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Mullin, Benjamin (June 8, 2022). "NPR Names Juana Summers as Co-Host of 'All Things Considered'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "Juana Summers Named Host of All Things Considered and Consider This". NPR. June 8, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c "Juana Summers". NPR. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  5. ^ a b McCarthy, Ella (June 9, 2022). "Kansas City native and Star alum named new host of NPR's 'All Things Considered'". Kansas City Star. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Erlichman Diamond, Janelle (July 27, 2022). "Juana Summers Brings Curiosity and Enthusiasm as New Host of NPR's 'All Things Considered'". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Juana Summers". Institute of Politics and Public Service. Georgetown University. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Austin (June 8, 2022). "School of Journalism alum Juana Summers named new host of NPR's 'All Things Considered'". Missouri School of Journalism. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  9. ^ "AP Definitive Source | Juana Summers named political reporter". Associated Press. November 15, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  10. ^ "Juana Summers, of NPR's 'All Things Considered,' set to speak at Dole Institute". The Lawrence Times. February 17, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  11. ^ Blinder, Mike (June 27, 2022). "Meet Juana Summers, NPR's new cohost of 'All Things Considered'". Editor and Publisher. Retrieved September 27, 2023.