Tara Bicknell plans to leave her post as news and public affairs director for KHNS by early April.
“I don’t have anything specific lined up, and it’s not that I want to leave the job or KHNS, because I really like it,” Bicknell said. “Overall, there are just projects that I want to work on that I’ve put aside while I’ve had this job, but I’m not leaving to take another job.”
Bicknell, 31, said she wants to stay in Haines. She moved here from New York City to work for Chilkat Guides, and then joined KHNS in 2008.
“It really is such an invigorating thing to cover news in communities where people are so involved and they all have history here and are committed to living here, and there is quite a long list of characters,” she said.
A job description for the full-time opening is available at http://www.khns.org.
“We’re definitely looking for people with experience and a love of radio, because it’s a different way of delivering the news,” said KHNS manager Kay Clements. “It’s going to be hard to replace her, but I think the right person will show up for us.”
She said one of Bicknell’s strengths is “a great, open personality.”
“She’s curious and fun, and has a lot of energy and is very creative,” Clements said. “She’s interested in everybody, so she has appeal across a broad range of people in the community.”
The next news and public affairs director will join a team that includes Adam Richard in Haines and Misty Wiley in Skagway, who each work about 12 hours a week. The staff expanded following a record-breaking fundraiser last summer.
“It’s made a big difference in allowing (Bicknell) to pursue some of the stronger stories or the stories that need a bit more experience,” Clements said. “It’s a hard job, and there are deadlines constantly, so there are more people to carry the weight, and I think it’s great to have more voices on-air, too.”