Incoming president and CEO of Chicago Public Media McDaniel withdraws job acceptance

The incoming president and CEO of Chicago Public Media Andi McDaniel has withdrawn her acceptance of the position.

CPM board chairman Bryan Traubert wrote in a staff memo:

“Chicago Public Media and Andi made the decision together, with deep commitment to serving the best interests of the staff and WBEZ’s current and future audiences.”

Interim CEO Steve Edwards and interim chief operations officer Kassie Stephenson will continue to steer the helm while the board reviews its search process.

Previously, McDaniel was chief content officer/senior director of content and news at WAMU 88.5. She was also director of content strategy and innovation at TPT – Twin Cities PBS. McDaniel has also worked as a radio producer at MN90: Minnesota History in 90 seconds and as a web journalist at CBS 5, KPIX-TV.

She was also a multimedia assistant at Knight Digital Media Center and held the posts of reporter/host and production assistant at KCAW Raven Radio and PBS FRONTLINE/World, respectively. She has also worked at Round Earth Productions as a field producer/photographer and was a managing editor at Reach magazine.

Additionally, she has also served as program associate and editorial intern at Renewing the Countryside and Utne Reader, respectively.

McDaniel holds a Bachelor’s degree in English/Spanish from Trinity University and a Master’s degree in journalism, print and radio from School of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley.