Heather Riddle Named Senior Vice President & Chief Development Officer of American Public Media Group

ST. PAUL, Minn., July 13, 2021 – American Public Media Group (APMG), including Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) and American Public Media (APM), is pleased to announce that Heather Riddle is the organization’s new senior vice president and chief development officer (CDO). Riddle succeeds Randi Yoder, who retired this summer after 10 years at APMG, during which time these public media organizations attracted historic levels of support from generous donors, annually and in the recently completed five-year Inspired by You capital campaign.

As CDO, Riddle will be responsible for leading the vision and developing the strategy for APMG’s philanthropic support. She will direct the fundraising teams, cultivate lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with donors, oversee major campaigns, and implement innovative plans to inspire and secure essential contributions. As a member of the executive team reporting to APMG’s CEO, Riddle will help to accelerate APMG’s Audiences First 2025 strategic plan, prioritizing the changing needs of the people and communities APMG serves while elevating the role of philanthropy in the organization’s future growth.

Her first day at APMG will be July 22.

Riddle joins APMG from Augsburg University, where she’s served as Vice President of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations since 2012. Riddle’s career with Augsburg included robust efforts to implement Augsburg’s strategic plan with a special focus on diversity, culture and new ways to support its mission. She also led the successful $55 million capital campaign to construct an academic center.

“During an extensive national search, Heather clearly emerged as the strongest candidate from a large, diverse pool of talented and accomplished leaders,” said Jon McTaggart, president and CEO of APMG.  “Heather has a big heart for donors and for our mission. Her rich experience, alignment with our values, demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity and access, plus her approach to innovation, proven success building both regional and national donor programs, and her talents leading high-performing teams are all a terrific match for this vital leadership role.”

Prior to joining Augsburg, Riddle was Director of Development at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Her development leadership has also helped to build other respected Minnesota institutions including Concordia University in St. Paul, where she served as Vice President for University Advancement, and Macalester College, where she led major and planned gifts and annual giving.

“I'm thrilled to join the APMG community of exceptional staff, loyal listeners, and members who believe in the mission of public media,” said Heather Riddle. “Like so many Minnesotans, I rely on accessible, high-quality news and music services. It is an exciting opportunity to work with others to build on the success of the Inspired by You campaign and expand support for all the organization offers.”

Riddle graduated from Concordia College in Moorhead with a bachelor's in art and art history. She previously served on the board of Minnesota Urban Debate League, is currently a board member of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches and is a founder and former board member of 826 Twin Cities, an arts education nonprofit supporting young adults in underserved communities.

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About American Public Media Group
American Public Media Group (APMG) is the largest station-based public radio organization in the U.S., combining multi-regional station operations, national programming creation and distribution and innovative digital, social and mobile services in one organization. APMG’s operations include Minnesota Public Radio® (MPR®), a 46-station network serving nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states, and Southern California Public Radio, a five-station network serving Los Angeles, Orange County, Ventura County, Coachella Valley, Santa Barbara, and the Inland Empire. Programs produced by MPR’s national programming division, American Public Media® (APM), reach nearly 17 million listeners via approximately 1,000 public radio stations and nearly 400 commercial stations nationwide each week. APM is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio that includes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical music programming in the nation. APM also offers a diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, business and investigative journalism. For more information on APMG, visit americanpublicmediagroup.org.

Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio, Nationwide DMA data, Persons 12+, Fall ’20.