Rob Sivak
Contributing producer, MiddayRob Sivak is a contributing producer for Midday, with host Tom Hall. Recently retired after a seven-year stint as Midday's senior producer, Rob joined WYPR in 2015 as senior producer of Hall's previous show, Maryland Morning (which aired its final broadcast on September 16th, 2016). Before coming to the station, Rob enjoyed a 36-year career at the congressionally funded global broadcaster, Voice of America. At VOA, he honed his skills as a news and feature reporter, producer, editor and program host.
After reporting assignments at VOA's New York City, United Nations and Los Angeles bureaus, Rob spent two decades covering international food, farming and nutrition issues for VOA's 180-million worldwide listeners, and created and hosted several popular VOA science magazines. At Midday, he continued to pursue his passion for radio and his abiding interests in science, health, technology and politics.
Rob grew up as an ex-pat "oil brat" on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, and studied and traveled widely in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. He attended Hofstra University in New York and Boston University's School of Public Communications. Rob and his wife Caroline Barnes, a writer, live in Silver Spring, Maryland, where they've raised three daughters.
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In another of our monthly interviews with the mayor, we focus on his decision to ink the conduit deal with BGE, despite opposition from other top city officials. -
Businessman and global finance expert Eric Hontz weighs Ukraine's mounting economic and human losses, one year after Russia's full-scale invasion. -
Tom Hall reports on mass protests in Israel against a right-wing plan to weaken Israeli courts. Haaretz reporter Samuel Sokol joins us from Tel Aviv with analysis of that controversy, and the recent violence between Israelis and Palestinians. -
The head of the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement describes how the city's Group Violence Reduction Strategy is reducing rates of murder and gun violence in Baltimore. -
We assess the extraordinary contributions of former US President Jimmy Carter before, during and after his White House years, with Middle East policy expert Dr. James Zogby. -
The internationally acclaimed young conductor joins us to discuss his new role as maestro with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and his ambitious plans for the 2023-24 season. -
Mr. Olszewski joins us to discuss key issues in his second term as Baltimore County Executive, from crime, ethics and environmental concerns to teacher pay and the search for a new schools superintendent. -
Theater critic J. Wynn Rousuck spotlights playwright Regina Taylor's joyful musical tribute to traditional Black churches, in an Artscentric production at Baltimore Center Stage. -
Two members of the community action group join us with details of their strategy for fixing one of Baltimore's most intractable problems. -
Guest host Jayne Miller explores the pros and cons of enhanced regional governance between Baltimore City and County with local journalist Ron Cassie and Brookings Metro scholar Jennifer Vey.
