Board of Directors

Board Chairperson

Joe Barr

Joe Barr has dedicated his career to journalism, communications, and community engagement. His first job was at Venango Video, the public access TV station in his hometown in Pennsylvania. He is currently director of communications for the California Hospital Association, supporting over 400 hospitals and health systems statewide. Prior to this, Barr had a three-decade career as an award-winning journalist and media leader in both commercial and public broadcasting. At Capital Public Radio in Sacramento, Barr tripled the news department’s size, developed the CapRadio statewide network serving public radio stations across California, and launched the community engagement documentary series “The View From Here.” Under his leadership, CapRadio earned numerous awards, including national Edward R. Murrow, Gabriel, and Sigma Delta Chi awards. Previously, Barr was a Senior Producer at the Westwood One radio network, overseeing news coverage for more than a thousand commercial radio stations, and an anchor and reporter at NPR member station KJZZ in Phoenix, AZ. Barr is a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum and has been named to Capitol Weekly’s annual Top 100 List of influencers in Sacramento.

Board Secretary

Hester Wagner

Hester Wagner is the director/producer for Futures Films Production Company. She runs the Futures Explored Practical Film and Media Studios, a vocational film making program for adults with developmental disabilities.  Hester earned her BA in Theatre Arts from The University of the South in Sewanee, TN and her MA in Educational Theatre from NYU. She worked in New York as a teaching artist and educator in schools and prisons before moving to California in 2007.

Treasurer

Trevor Doyle