
Little Rock Public Radio announced Monday the promotion of fundraiser Grace Zafasi to director of development.
Formerly membership director for KUAR-FM, 89.1 and KLRE-FM Classical 90.5, Zafasi has worked at Little Rock Public Radio since 2022.
In a news release, she celebrated “the incredible sense of community” at Little Rock Public Radio. “Being able to listen to and interact with so many of our listeners is such a rewarding experience,” she said. “Hearing their stories about how impactful the station has been in their lives truly inspires me.”
The community’s commitment to supporting public radio through fundraising also “deeply moved” her, Zafasi said.
“It’s a privilege to step into this new role as development director and help strengthen the connections between our listeners and the station they value so much.”
New Job Duties
Zafasi will lead fundraising in the new post, overseeing underwriting for KUAR and KLRE. She will also be in charge of membership services, including managing the new membership coordinator.
“Grace has done a fantastic job as our membership director, and we are excited to see what she can accomplish as our new development director,” said Jonathan Seaborn, executive manager of Little Rock Public Radio. “Fundraising is one of the most critical aspects of public radio. As a publicly funded institution, we rely on member donations for more than 50% of our general operating budget. This position is an important part of our success.”
As membership director, Zafasi showcased the value of public radio to Little Rock Public Radio’s 80,000 listeners per week. She organized annual fund drives and other events, and was liaison to Friends of KLRE/KUAR.
Background
Previously, Zafasi worked in mental health advocacy and policy for Mental Health America of Ohio in Columbus. There, she coordinated the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition with veterans, medical providers, law officers, and school administrators.
Zafasi has a bachelor’s and master’s in social work from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. She served as UA’s coordinator for residence education in housing. In that job, she managed crises, operations, events and community engagement for students.
Little Rock Public Radio operates in the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Students gain professional experience by working as interns and part-time staff members at KUAR and KLRE. The program gives the students access to all aspects of the station. But it offers a specific focus on news reporting and broadcast production.
Little Rock Public Radio is accepting applications for Zafasi’s former job. The deadline is Feb. 16.