Ben Trefny
Executive ProducerMy current job title is Executive Producer of KALW. That means lots of things.
I've worked here since 2003. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, I helped our news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. I've also helped create numerous training programs — for teenagers, incarcerated people, and early-career journalists — and have taught hundreds of audio producers. I served as interim Executive Director for nearly two years.
My work is currently focused on creating original live events, programming, and building partnerships with like-minded organizations. I oversee KALW's community space at 220 Montgomery Street in downtown San Francisco where I organize town hall conversations, film screenings, literature readings, concerts, and fundraisers. I also curate the 111 Minna Street stage for Downtown First Thursdays and partner with organizations including the Cal Academy of Sciences, Live Free USA, Manny's, and others in developing programming.
I currently serve on the Journalism and Media Ethics Council at Santa Clara University's Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. I'm a board member with the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and served that organization as president for four years. And I'm a Maynard 200 Fellow.
I live with my wife near San Francisco's Ocean Beach and spend as much time as I can outside.
You can reach me at ben.trefny@kalw.org.
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A live town hall conversation about proposed changes to San Francisco's zoning plans. -
CrosscurrentsKALW and the Society of Professional Journalists of Northern California recently hosted a night centering the lived experiences of the Afghan refugee community. It was at our live event space in Downtown San Francisco, as part of our series ‘The Bay Agenda.’ -
Artificial Intelligence proponents say it makes lives easier. Opponents say it eliminates jobs. In this conversation we explore the divisive issue of AI in the workplace. -
A live broadcast town hall conversation about the local and national implications of a devastating federal funding cut to public broadcasting. -
A conversation with longtime San Francisco Mime Troupe writer, actor, and director Michael Gene Sullivan about "Disruption: A Musical Farce" -
CrosscurrentsPublic transportation in the Bay is a bit of a jumbled web of buses, streetcars, ferries, and trains. But for fans of transit there’s a clear unified love. -
This period in KALW’s history has been transformative. But the new opportunity we have at The Warfield Commons will be exponentially greater. -
CrosscurrentsToday, we bring you an excerpt of a live event put on by KALW. It's a conversation between former CEO of Gap Inc., Bob Fisher and Peer Talk, a youth leadership and civic engagement program created by 7th grade students at Willie Brown Middle School. -
A town hall conversation with SFUSD Superintendent Maria Su. As SFUSD navigates critical issues, she shared a presentation and answered moderator and audience questions. -
CrosscurrentsTo understand the challenges and the treasures historical preservation provides, KALW recently hosted a live panel as part of our Bay Agenda series. The night was also a special live recording of the Western Neighborhoods Project podcast, “Outside Lands San Francisco.”
