Every month you'll get to know the people who work tirelessly to make WYPR the best radio station in Baltimore!
Allow us to introduce you to Heidi Sheppard, Chief of Staff and Director of Board Relations.
Where did you grow up?
Clovis, California in Fresno County, located in the beautiful San Joaquin Valley where all the fruit and veggies grow.
How long have you been with WYPR?
Since the summer of 2017 when I started in the membership department as the audience and community engagement associate.
What drew you to work in public radio?
Oh, that’s easy. I love the mission, and I believe in the value it brings to local communities.
Tell us a little about your role at the station.
I wear many hats at the station, but primarily, I keep everyone organized and on track. The devil is in the details, people. Most of my job is focused on the admin side including station events and some fundraising, but my favorite part is helping manage WYPR’s Board of Directors and our Community Advisory Board. I’m also a member of WYPR’s Courageous Conversations Committee, which is WYPR’s diversity, equity and inclusion council.
Favorite WYPR event(s.)
It’s too hard to choose my favorite event. I value the annual media partnership we have with the Friends of Patterson Park for their summer concert series as well as the opportunity to table at fairs and festivals throughout the summer, like Hampdenfest and Charles Village Fest.
Our live broadcasts on location with the show Midday have been tremendously successful and gives me the opportunity to work closely with WYPR’s engineering wiz team, who never cease to impress me.
The event I take most pride in was when WYPR hosted Mary Louise Kelly at Baltimore Center Stage back in May of 2018. Kelly took over for Robert Siegel in January 2018, having previously served as the national security correspondent for NPR News and a senior editor of All Things Considered, and WYPR was the first station to host Mary Louise in her new role. She’s such an NPR rockstar!
Lastly, the WYPR member appreciation nights at the National Aquarium are always a blast as well as our takeover of Mt. Vernon Marketplace for our annual night of guest bartending. See?!! How can I choose just one favorite?!
What are you most looking forward to when the full staff returns to the building?
The WYPR staff hasn’t missed a beat since we left the building in March 2020. I’m proud of everyone’s ingenuity over the past year and half, from building sound studios in closets with pillows and shams to daily live broadcasts from kitchen tables. We’ve learned that we can continue our award-winning journalism and local programming from anywhere for the community of listeners who depend on us as a source for trusted news and intelligent discussion.
On a more personal note, I am looking forward to the ability to build even deeper connections with coworkers again. Let’s be real, there’s something lost in video conference calls, and I miss eye contact and spontaneous jokes and laughter from in-person meetings. Finally, I can’t wait for impromptu coffees at Sophomore Coffee, located around the corner from the station, as well as vanilla buttercream sheet cake for staff celebrations.
I'm looking forward to when Ralphie and Olive can return to the building! Tell us about them.
Ralphie (Corgi) and Olive (Australian Shepherd) are my amazing dogs. If you follow @wypr881fm on WYPR’s social media, they are frequently featured on our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you don’t follow WYPR’s social channels, uh, where have you been?! Follow us right away for amazing local news and pet content!!
