Sara Nilsson was introduced to public radio while living among the Redwoods in California. It was Click and Clack from Car Talk that really locked her in to NPR programming. Since then, she has become a devout public radio nerd. She recently sat down with WYSO Weekend Host Jerry Kenney to talk about the passion she has for her work with the station, and how she's keeping her husband busy.
Jerry Kenney: Sara, welcome to the program.
Sara Nilsson: Hi, thanks for having me.
Kenney: Sure, so I was about to call you a business support specialist, but I noticed the signature on your email says business and community partnerships. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Nilsson: Yeah, so think of it as like community outreach. My job is really being out among the community leaders, being among business leaders, and really just developing relationships with them, having conversations about WYSO's mission in our community and what that means and what looks like. And then if the business is interested in promoting their brand with WYSO, then I help them with underwriting campaigns, or if they're interested in sponsoring an event, I help with them with sponsorships.
Kenney: That's right, so there are a number of ways that local businesses can become involved in supporting WYSO, and hopefully that leads to greater support for them from our listeners.
Nilsson: Yeah, absolutely. It gives them really great exposure to our listeners. We have a real dedicated audience and listeners. And so it's an opportunity for any business or organization to really gain that exposure with our dedicated and loyal audience.
Kenney: Support for WYSO is something that we absolutely do not take for granted, but clearly there is a lot of support for WYSO given our move to the Union Schoolhouse and the number of sponsors stepping up to support and get behind WYSO events. What are you finding as you have conversations with our local partners?
Nilsson: I find in having these conversations with business leaders that they really understand and value what we're doing for the community and the services that we provide. I think that there's a real special value for the storytelling that we bring to the Miami Valley and it really connects people and it connects the local businesses. You know, most of our business partners that we collaborate with, they're up against a lot of challenges and economy and big corporate entities. So to have a platform like WYSO for these small business owners, I think that brings a real strong value.
Kenney: A lot of your job revolves around community. Let's talk about the community you grew up in. Are you a Dayton native, Ohio native?
Nilsson: I am an Ohio native. I did not grow up in Dayton. I actually moved to the area when I decided to go to college at Wright State University. And so I would visit Yellow Springs regularly and loved the area. And then I moved out of state, moved to a couple of different states like California and Florida and then found my way back to Ohio.
Kenney: A lot of people come back to Ohio.
Nilsson: Yeah, it's one of those things where it's like lesson learned, never say never, but I love it. I love Yellow Springs. I love this area. I mean, I always looked at Dayton as the underdog city compared to the other three Cs. So it has a real special place in my heart.
Kenney: Let's talk a little bit about family, if you don't mind.
Nilsson: Yeah, sure. I have a 16-year-old son who... knows everything, and a supportive husband. And we live here in Yellow Springs. We've lived in the village for over a decade. And it's been wonderful, and we feel very blessed to live here.
Kenney: You and I tend to huddle over in corners at WYSO events and like to share a few laughs. So not only WYSO Events, but are you big into the music scene here in Dayton?
Nilsson: Jerry, this is like, I have such a dream job, right? I get to go to all the community events. I get hang out with super cool, fun, and funny people like you. And music is one of the things that I've just always loved. So any chance I get pull up, I'm going to try to be there at the event.
Kenney: Yeah, the music scene is part of why people come back to Dayton. There's a lot going on culturally.
Nilsson Yeah, there really is, like the stuff that the Levitt Pavilion is doing, I mean it's just incredible the musicians that come through, the performers that come through. It's such a beautiful moment to be able to be sitting out on the grass with your blanket spread out and your cooler full of whatever beverage you prefer and to just sit out under the sky and listen to performers and hang out with locals and people that you know. There's something real special about that.
Kenney: Anything else you want to tell our listeners about home life, hobbies, anything else you're interested in?
Nilsson: Yeah, I have interest in home projects. We're doing a lot of home renovations. So I have a real strong interest in putting my husband on certain home projects.
Kenney: And how's he responding?
Nilsson: Oh, it's a work in progress.
Kenney: That's great. Sara Nilsson. It's been a lot of fun to talk to you, as always. Thanks for sharing some time with us during WYSO Weekend.
Nilsson: Thank you so much, Jerry. It's a pleasure.
