The journalism bug bit Sarah Lehr in college.
As the editor of The Kenyon Collegian at Kenyon College in Ohio, Sarah realized she could be creative while also holding public institutions to account.
Sarah joined Wisconsin Public Radio as a state government reporter in 2022. She focuses on covering state agencies and the city of Madison.
Sarah says she loves public radio because of the relationship WPR has with our listeners.
“We’re the people’s radio, so we’re really accountable to our listeners,” Sarah said. “We aren’t thinking about what do advertisers want?
And Sarah loves the relationship WPR listeners have with her.
“Almost every assignment I’m on, there’s someone who will say, ‘Oh I love WPR,’” Sarah said. “I feel like it’s a more intimate relationship because they’re listening to our voices. And we have a strong reputation and there is a lot of trust.”
Before coming to WPR, Sarah worked at daily newspapers in Ohio and Michigan. She said making the switch to radio was a learning curve, but she enjoys telling people’s stories through sound.
When Sarah isn’t working, she enjoys running, hiking, reading and traveling. She recently returned from a trip to the Dominican Republic. She’s also working on polishing up her Spanish language skills for future international trips.
But in the meantime, Sarah wants to see more of Wisconsin.
Growing up in Illinois, Sarah’s family visited the Wisconsin Dells and Lake Geneva. But now that she’s a Wisconsin resident, she says her goal is to explore the state, especially the northwoods.
– Corrinne Hess, education reporter
