Erin O'Toole
Host & Senior Producer, In the NOCOEmail: erin.otoole@kunc.org
As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NOCO, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and fast-growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation spots. It’s a privilege to find and share the stories and voices that reflect why NoCo is such an extraordinary place to live.
One of the things I love most about public radio is that it embodies and encourages many of the values I hold dear: integrity, civility and curiosity. I’ve been with KUNC since 2009, minus a brief break where I focused exclusively on a Denver-based podcast. I’ve served in a number of roles here: Morning Edition Host, Assistant News Director, and as host and senior producer for Colorado Edition. My work has been recognized by the Associated Press, the Colorado Broadcasters Association, PRNDI, RTNDA, and the Society for Professional Journalists.
I began my career at a country radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio, where I was a traffic reporter, newscaster, sidekick, and finally a morning show host (yes, it’s true that my name was Coyote Kim!). I later relocated to southern California where I served as Morning Edition host and reporter for KVCR in San Bernardino. I was selected as a USC/Annenberg Health Journalism fellow in 2008.
When I'm not at work, you can usually find me hiking with my two dogs, noodling around on my bass, cooking, or enjoying the sunshine and a cold brew on a patio somewhere.
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In today’s episode we listen back to some of our favorite segments - including conversations with a Fort Collins veterinarian who traveled to the Ukrainian border to help refugees fleeing with their pets, and with two Colorado women who created an online, modern-day version of the Green Book to help people find businesses that are inclusive and welcoming for members of marginalized communities. -
Despite the financial constraints from the pandemic, some new businesses are flourishing in Yuma County. And, we talk with AARP Colorado’s state director about how to cast a ballot in the June 28 primaries.
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The historic Rialto Theater in downtown Loveland is marking its centennial with a week of tours, silent film screenings and live music. Colorado Edition went behind the scenes to learn why this theater is such a landmark of the Northern Colorado arts scene.
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Among many things the COVID-19 pandemic revealed was just how undervalued many essential workers are. In today’s Colorado Edition, we talk with Denver-based author and blogger Adam Kaat who chronicled his experience as a grocery store cashier in his novel Life on the Grocery Line: A Frontline Experience in a Global Pandemic. And we hear what climate experts are saying about how much water will be available this summer in the Colorado River.
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If you ask people what the biggest concern facing democracy is today, many would answer a rise in misinformation. Social media has even been referred to as a "dumpster fire" of venom, misinformation, and conspiracy theories – about the 2020 election, COVID-19 vaccines, and other hot-button topics. In this episode of Colorado Edition, a talk with a professor who studies the intersection of politics and media to learn more about what misinformation is and what we can do to combat it.
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In this Colorado Edition interview, reporter Nick Bowlin discusses his reporting on a Denver Starbucks attempting to unionize. Employees learn if their vote was successful on Tuesday. But the employees also say their efforts have resulted in backlash from the company.
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On today’s Colorado Edition, we talk with education advocate Pius Kamau about how colleges and universities can and should do more to increase access to higher education for low-income students and students of color. And we explore new legislation that aims to help more Coloradans get the behavioral healthcare they need.
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Hundreds of alpacas and alpaca enthusiasts are expected to turn out for the Great Western Alpaca show in Denver this weekend. Fans can watch halter and performance competitions, costume contests, and hop into the alpaca selfie booth.
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We talk with Fort Collins-based veterinarian Dr. Jon Geller, who recently traveled to the Ukrainian border to help refugees fleeing with their pets.
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Today on Colorado Edition: We revisit a conversation with the co-founders of Text Me When You’re Home, a collective aimed at making Northern Colorado’s arts and music scene safer and more uplifting. And we listen back to the voices of people who recently gathered at Denver’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, who shared concerns over the future of their country and loved ones back home.
