OPB’s “All Things Considered” is making some changes: you’ll soon be hearing a new host on our airwaves. Tiffany Camhi is a multimedia journalist who’s worked in newsrooms both big and small and even had a short stint at "Saturday Night Live."
While you may have already heard or read some of her work on OPB, “All Things Considered” producer, Crystal Ligori, sat down with her to get a few more tidbits about the newest OPB host.
Tiffany Camhi
You’re new to Oregon, what do you think so far?
Tiffany: It's very beautiful, very lush, very green. And that is because of all the rain. So that is my one complaint right now. It rains a lot. If you meet me in person, just know that this will be the first thing I’ll say.
We need to know more about your time at "Saturday Night Live." Spill.
Tiffany: Yes, it's true. I was an intern at "Saturday Night Live" 11 years ago. It was an opportunity that came to me when I was still in college and you can't say no to that. I worked in the music department and I basically helped book bands and gave them whatever they needed. If they needed some fries from McDonald's I would go and get that. The first host that I remember was Steve Martin. That was great. For the season finale, Will Ferrell was the host and Green Day was the band. Now I'm just name dropping.
How did you get started in radio?
Tiffany: I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and my high school had a radio station, which is pretty unique. So that's when I got into it. I've done a lot of internships at radio stations. I've worked at a lot of community, online-only radio stations, radio stations with big newsrooms, like WNYC and then I spent the past six years working at KQED in the San Francisco Bay area as a host, producer and a reporter.
What’s up with you and salmon?
Tiffany: I love salmon, specifically coho salmon. That grew out of a daily assignment story. An editor gave me a story to do about coho salmon. So I did that reporting, but I learned a lot about them from that one story. And I just became fascinated. If you Google me, you'll see that I've done a ton of salmon stories.
Besides salmon, I love learning more about the environment and any story that allows me to go be outside.
Tell me more about this series you’re working on that looks at Oregon oddities.
Tiffany: When I was moving here, one of the things that really caught me off-guard was the gas attendants. Most people wouldn't think twice about it, but it was just weird when I went to get gas and then someone was right there next to my window. So I'm asking questions like, Why does Oregon have gas attendants? I'm also looking at that time Oregon officials blew up a whale on the coast. I heard from my neighbor when I was moving in that Portland has no fluoride in the water, why is there no fluoride in the water?
It's a great way for me to learn about Oregon. And I'm hoping that listeners, if you have any questions about Oregon or Portland, you can let me know. And I will find out.
Hear the entire interview, including the “lightning round questions” with Tiffany Camhi in the audio player above.