AIR Announces 2026 Board Election Results and Welcomes New Leadership

NEW YORK, NY (January 28, 2026)—The Association of Independents in Radio (AIR) today announced the results of its 2026 Board of Directors elections, welcoming a mix of returning and new leaders who will support the organization’s continued growth and long-term sustainability.

This year’s election drew the second-largest nomination pool in AIR’s history, underscoring continued interest from members in shaping the organization’s leadership and future direction.

Incumbent Keisha TK Dutes has been re-elected to a third term as an individual board member. Julie Shapiro has been elected as a new individual board member.

AIR also welcomed two organizational representatives to the Board, Matriarch Digital Media, represented by Twila Dang, and The Podglomerate, represented by Joni Deutsch, with the Board filling a long-standing vacant seat during the same cycle.

“Our Board plays a critical role in ensuring AIR remains strong, stable, and responsive to the independent audio community,” said Keisha Salmon, Executive Director of AIR. “This year’s election reflects both continuity and alignment with where the organization is now and where it is headed.”

AIR’s Board of Directors works in partnership with staff to guide the organization’s strategic direction, financial stewardship, and long-term sustainability. Board members support AIR’s mission to train, mentor, and advocate for independent audio professionals through programs including SoundPath, New Voices, and StoryFund.

The newly elected board members will begin their terms in March 2026.

Keisha "TK" Dutes (she/her), Executive Producer/Host/Audio Educator
Individual Director - Incumbent

Keisha “TK” Dutes is a multidisciplinary creative, audio veteran, and community builder. She is the founder of Philo’s Future Media, where she helps producers bring stories to life with intention and authenticity, and serves as co-President of the board of the Association of Independents in Radio (AIR). A passionate educator and advocate for creative expression, TK’s work centers on healing, truth-telling, and expanding the possibilities of what audio can be. Beyond the mic, she’s an extreme hobbyist and visual artist—immersed in playful, ever-evolving creative pursuits that keep her rooted in joy.

Julie Shapiro (she/her), Executive Producer and Co-founder at Audio Flux
Individual Director

Julie is a career listener and longtime audio champion, community-builder and cultivator of sound and story. She co-founded Audio Flux in 2023, is currently developing a narrative podcast about pancreatic cancer, and in the past decade has worked in an Executive Producer capacity with Canadaland, PRX, and Radiotopia, including for the Ear Hustle and Radiotopia Presents podcasts. From 2014–2015, Julie helped found and manage the ABC’s Creative Audio Unit. In 2000, she co-founded the Third Coast International Audio Festival, where as Artistic Director she nurtured a robust international listening culture. Shapiro has taught radio to university students, presented at conferences and festivals the world over, and produced stories for the airwaves and podcasts in the US and beyond.

Twila Dang (she/her), Founder and CEO at Matriarch Digital Media
Organizational Director

Twila Dang is passionate about creating media content and opportunities that respects, encourages, understands and uplifts women. She is the Founder/CEO of Matriarch Digital Media - the home of The Matriarch Network, Matriarch Studios and Matriarch Artist and Repertoire.

Twila is also passionate about helping women advance in media. She has created several initiatives including: Women in Podcasting (education) and Our Greatness (micro grants).

Her passion for strong, women-focused content was developed over a decade long career where she has spent time as an on-air talent, talk radio producer, executive producer and start up founder. 

In 2024 Twila was named a Podcast Legend by the Black Podcasting Awards and in 2025 Twila was inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame.

Joni Deutsch (she/her), Senior Vice President of Marketing and Audience Development at The Podglomerate
Organizational Director

Joni Deutsch is an award-winning audio professional and NPR veteran with 15+ years of outstanding experience as a producer/host, content manager, and marketer/audience growth specialist.

Deutsch is currently SVP of Marketing and Audience Development at The Podglomerate, the award-winning podcast services firm recently named the “Best Podcast Marketing & Production Agency” by PR Daily and specialized in production, marketing, and monetization of outstanding audio. In this role, she leads audience growth strategy for high-profile podcast clients including Netflix, PBS, NPR, The Boston Globe, Harvard, Stanford, NPR stations (NHPR, WHYY, KUOW, WUNC, LAist, etc.) and many more.

Deutsch spent the first decade of her career in public radio. At WVPB, she became the youngest (and first female) to host NPR Music’s Mountain Stage, and her local music podcast/programming work was heralded by Poynter as exemplary public media alongside Terry Gross and Mr. Rogers. As podcast manager at WFAE, she led the Queen City PodQuest and the first Charlotte Podcast Festival (named a “best podcast conference” by Buzzsprout), in addition to hosting the award-winning music podcast Amplifier.

She's spoken at national conferences (SXSW, RESONATE, Podcast Movement, WNYC’s Werk It, PRPD, PMDMC) and been featured by NPR, Bloomberg, The Verge’s Hot Pod, and Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab. Her work has been recognized by the Murrow Awards, Gracie Awards, and Webby Awards, in addition to ONA's Women's Leadership Accelerator, Axios' "30 under 30,” and Duke University TiP’s Early Achievement Award. And she has been a juror for various competitions including The Ambies, NYF Radio Awards, and Signal Awards.