After 12 years of leading Iowa Public Radio, Myrna Johnson retired from her CEO position July 15.
Johnson was at the helm as the organization navigated difficult challenges, including becoming its own independent nonprofit separate from the state universities in 2022 and the loss of federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 2025.
When Johnson came to IPR in 2014, the station was coming out of a difficult period, having recently been sued over public open meeting rules.
“When I started the interview process, I understood all these things were happening,” Johnson said. “But it just became clear through the interview process that there was a role I could play. There was a role I could play in really lifting the organization back up and I really wanted to do that.”
She brought her governmental relations experience and public media chops back to Iowa, where she was raised. Early in her career she worked as an appropriations lobbyist for National Public Radio, and she helped raise funds to save a community radio station in Colorado.
Johnson said her proudest moment during her tenure was IPR’s transition to become independent from the Regent Universities and own its FCC licenses. She said that work helped put IPR in a better financial position to operate without federal funding.
“We were already in this mind space of being in charge of our own destiny, and I think that really helped us,” Johnson said.
Johnson said as she moves into retirement, she is confident in the health of Iowa Public Radio.
“I feel really good about where the staff and the board have taken this organization,” Johnson said. “I think we're in really great shape. So I'm proud ... but I'm also really excited. I'm excited to start a new chapter and enjoy traveling and gardening.”
Her first adventure of retirement is a road trip out west to visit several national parks. Kelly Edmister, the former director of finance and operations for IPR, has been appointed as interim CEO. She will serve in the role as IPR transitions to a new CEO.
