(TAMPA, Fla. October 28, 2025) – After 33 years of tremendous service to WUSF, General Manager JoAnn Urofsky announced that she will soon retire from the public media organization at The University of South Florida, capping a career of 45 years in radio and public media.
Over the last three decades at WUSF, Urofsky steered the organization through some of its most consequential technology and public service advancements, including the acquisition and launch of WSMR, the state’s only 24-7 classical music station; digital media platforms including websites, podcasts and newsletters, the expansion of local news teams and the development of the WUSF Advisory Board.
“My time at WUSF has been incredibly rewarding,” Urofsky said, “I am proud that our commitment to public service – building community through trusted journalism, classical music, jazz, and culture – has remained steadfast. As I step away, I’m confident this mission is in excellent hands with a new generation of talented leaders and innovators dedicated to serving the community through public media.”
Urofsky began her broadcasting career as a deejay at a country music station and after stints at a few stations found her passion for public broadcasting. She worked as Jazz Director at WV Public Radio, as Program Director at WAER in Syracuse, New York, as Station Manager at WSFP in Fort Myers, and as General Manager at WUSF in Tampa. She also served on the Board of Directors of NPR and also on the Board of Directors of PBS, and in leadership roles in numerous public media professional organizations devoted to management, programming and finance.
Licensed to the University of South Florida, WUSF began operating in Tampa in September 1963, and every day since then has served the residents of Florida with trusted information and great music on WSMR and WUSF. WUSF 89.7 broadcasts local and national news programming such as “Morning Edition,” “Marketplace,” “Wait Wait, Don’t Tell Me,” and “All Things Considered,” as well as local programming such as “Florida Matters Live & Local.” WSMR 89.1 and 103.9 is Florida’s only 24-7 classical music station, with studios at USF Tampa and USF Sarasota-Manatee.
“I have known and worked alongside JoAnn for many years and have always appreciated her deeply felt commitment to serving the people of Florida,” USF President Rhea Law said. “The radio station provides an important service to our communities and JoAnn has always focused on ensuring it remains connected to the people of Florida. I also am a regular listener of WUSF and I am grateful for JoAnn’s many contributions and her leadership.”
During Urofsky’s tenure, WUSF has won countless awards for journalistic excellence, including most recently the prestigious national Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in the large market radio division. Urofsky will continue to serve in her current post through early January. USF will identify a transition plan before Urofsky’s final day at USF.