Ellen McDonnell oversees the editorial and management of all NPR news programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, Weekend Edition Saturday and Sunday, Weekend All Things Considered, Talk of the Nation, and Tell Me More.

Reporting directly to the senior vice president of news, McDonnell supervises the hiring and development of the hosts and managers of all news programs and is the point person for stations and listeners regarding content on the news program.

McDonnell has worked at NPR for 33 years, starting out as a writer for a new show called Morning Edition. Over the next 25 plus years she did everything on the show-- short of hosting, working as an editor, line producer, senior producer and for about 10 years executive producer.  Under her stewardship Morning Edition grew to become the leading news show at NPR and the top radio news program in the country.

In 2008 McDonnell assumed management of all morning news shows in addition to a radio web start-up called Bryant Park Project.  The following year, she assumed direction over all news programs at NPR.

McDonnell describes herself as “the person the company turns to when they need something done. I have a gift for "fixing" problems ---re-inventing shows and re-energizing staff.”

McDonnell says she love challenges and is not afraid of failure, citing a radio drama she commissioned 10 years ago on Morning Edition “that bombed beyond anyone's expectations. Once you have done that there is nothing to fear in making an error!