Kate Concannon is an award winning journalist who’s worked in public radio for more than twenty years.  Most recently for the last twelve years she worked as Western Bureau Chief for National Public Radio.   In her role as NPR’s Western Bureau Chief she was responsible for the editorial content and production of member station reporters for NPR’s All Things Considered, Morning Edition and weekend programming.  

Working closely with other editors on NPR's National Desk, Concannon coordinated news coverage in the west, and also helped edit and manage NPR reporters in the region.

Concannon particularly enjoyed her role as the editor and mentor of up and coming journalists in the public radio system.  As Bureau Chief, one of her prime roles was to cultivate and train reporters from NPR Member stations in the Western United States, and identify and recruit journalists who could play a closer role with NPR.   As an editor of new talent Concannon encouraged reporters to develop their own distinctive voice and to be creative and memorable.

As Western Bureau Chief, Concannon covered a wide variety of issues from immigration to the environment to the economy.  She also has an interest and expertise in health and science journalism.  She’s worked closely with NPR’s science desk on a wide variety of stories from an examination of the Canadian Healthcare system to funding for stem cell research to whether Japanese Kinoki foot pads actually work.

Prior to NPR, Concannon worked as a reporter, producer and researcher with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and as a reporter, show producer and editor with the local public radio station in San Diego KPBS-FM.  Concannon got her degree in Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. She has won numerous journalism awards including a Gracie from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television.

In a former life, Concannon trained and worked as a Registered Nurse and Midwife in the United Kingdom.

Concannon now lives with her husband and three sons in Seattle, Washington. She enjoys skiing with her boys, cooking elaborate dishes and hanging out at rock concerts.