On September 9, 2024, Rachel Smolkin started her tenure as president and CEO of OPB. She was selected by the OPB Board of Directors in June after a national search.
Smolkin comes to OPB from CNN, where she most recently served as senior vice president of global news for CNN Digital. There, she oversaw breaking news, politics and Washington, U.S. and international teams across the network’s digital platforms worldwide. Prior to CNN, she served in leadership and editing roles at Politico, USA Today and American Journalism Review magazine.
Of her arrival, Smolkin says, “I am honored to lead OPB in its next chapter serving Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Our country urgently needs strong local and regional news reporting, and I look forward to building on OPB’s leadership in this space, which is sustained by our deep commitment to public service and the generosity and dedication of our members.”
Smolkin succeeds Steve Bass, who served as OPB’s president and CEO from 2006 to 2024. Bass announced last year he would retire from the organization in 2024. During his 19-year tenure, he led OPB through a period of significant media industry change and oversaw a record expansion of individual contributions from the communities it serves to further OPB’s work.
Learn more about OPB’s transition to a new CEO here.