I’m Liana Lopez. I found out about KFPT a little over six years ago and have been a volunteer ever since.

I started out as a board operator for Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say on the Air. I am now proud to say I’ve been producing the show for the last three years.

I’ve learned a lot from the folks I’ve met at KPFT and have a great respect for the commitment to the Pacifica mission I’ve seen by both the programmers and the staff in Houston. Now we need to work on a bigger audience.

For the past two years I was a member of the Program Council and helped to make the changes you’ll soon be hearing on July 22nd. I was also able to voice concerns from a programmer’s point of view to help communications between KPFT staff and programmers.

New technology has given KPFT a unique opportunity to reach more listeners and foster more community support.

I feel there would be a great benefit in building stronger communication efforts with our four sister stations to help gain audience-listenership and help fund raising on a national level.

I’ve also had the opportunity to visit the Pacifica studios in three of our sister stations (L.A., Berkley and NYC) and would work to bring KPFT equipment and studio facilities up to the standards I saw in those cities.

I have decided to run for the Local Station Board because I want to help shape what KPFT and Pacifica will be in the future.

KPFT has made a difference in my life and I hope to keep that tradition going in Houston through community relationships, local programming and a non-commercial approach to fundraising.



KPFT Candidate Questionnaire

1. I have decided to run for the Local Station Board because I want to help shape what KPFT and Pacifica will be in the future

2. I feel there would be a great benefit in building stronger communication efforts with our four sister stations to help gain audience-listenership and help fund raising on a national level.

3. New technology has given KPFT a unique opportunity to reach more listeners and give them an opportunity to air more programs that they would like to hear.

4. I would focus on building more communications with programmers to get them more involved with fundraising efforts in their own communities. I would advocate for more diverse speakers/activists to come into Houston (i.e. Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower type events.)

5. More diverse speakers/activists to speak in Houston (i.e. Amy Goodman, Jim Hightower type events.) Auctions, art exhibitions and community-building workshops.

6. I’ve been a volunteer at KPFT for the past 6 years and the producer of Nuestra Palabra: Latino Writers Having Their Say for 3 years. I was on the Program Council for the past 2 years. I also just officially earned a B.S. in Communications – Journalism from UH. In my last corporate world position, I was the California Program Coordinator for a group that developed an internet staffing solution for Comerica Bank. I worked with over 200 managers and thousands of applicants for over 6 years, helping them with technological and recruiting issues. I’ve been one of the main organizers of the Edward James Olmos Latino Book and Family Festival for 6 years working on organizing talent/ workshops/ program schedule, event promotion and fundraising.

7. I’d be interested in any of the following: Management and Planning, Finance, Outreach, Governance and the Management Selection Review committees.