HWS News
2 April 2026 • Alums A Public Radio Career Comes Full Circle
After getting her start at WEOS in Geneva, Sara Henegan ’09 steps into a leading on-air role at WWNO New Orleans Public Radio.
The first time Sara Henegan ’09 sat behind a public radio microphone, it was as a first-year student host at WEOS 89.5 FM in Geneva, N.Y. Nearly two decades later, that early experience has come full circle.
Henegan was promoted last month to become the new local host of “All Things Considered,” an NPR flagship news program on WWNO New Orleans Public Radio.
The promotion places Henegan in one of the station’s most prominent on-air roles, guiding listeners through the afternoon news hours while contributing to WWNO’s growing slate of local reporting.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” Henegan said in a statement announcing the change. “I am grateful both to be staying at the station where I have dedicated over eight years professionally, and also to serving this community in a position that has been a long-time personal aspiration.”
Henegan’s career in radio began at HWS, while she was pursuing a double major in Media and Society and Africana Studies. At HWS’ NPR affiliate station WEOS, she worked holding parabolic microphones on the field during football games, operating the board during live sporting events and writing promotional and community announcements – in addition to producing and serving as afternoon host for “All Things Considered,” broadcasting to the Finger Lakes region.
Henegan was awarded the President’s Civic Leadership Award during her time at HWS. She graduated with honors from HWS and a double minor in Peer Education in Human Relations and Sociology, the latter of which she pursued in graduate school at the University of New Orleans, where she graduated in 2013 with a master’s degree.
At WWNO, Henegan has held several roles since joining the station, including classical network coordinator, development assistant and underwriting announcer. She has been a frequent interim and substitute host for the last year on 89.9 FM and will continue to program the Classical Network, which includes 104.9 FM, KTLN 90.5 FM in Thibodaux-Houma, and WCWD 89.5 FM in Mandeville-Covington.
For people outside New Orleans looking to tune in, Henegan says they can through the station's website at wwno.org or by asking their smart speaker to play "WWNO."
WWNO General Manager Paul Maassen said the station’s decision to promote internally reflects Henegan’s growth as an on-air talent and the strength of the newsroom’s existing staff.
“Sara has shown herself to be an emerging on-air talent who has dedicated herself in the last year to learning the intricacies of the position,” Maassen said.
Henegan’s appointment continues a career rooted in public radio and shaped by early mentorship at HWS. Reflecting on the milestone, she notes the influence of WEOS station manager Greg Cotterill, who passed away last year.
“The training, mentorship and opportunities I received at HWS helped prepare me for the work I am doing today,” she explains.
For Henegan, the new role represents both a professional achievement and a continuation of the path she first discovered in a small studio overlooking Seneca Lake.
