bio

Rori Gallagher is an independent radio reporter and producer based in the Boston area. Her work has aired on National Public Radio, The California Report, KQED, and KALW.

She was previously a producer/director at KQED Public Radio in San Francisco, where she directed KQED's daily statewide news program The California Report and produced KQED's morning newscasts in addition to contributing stories to KQED's local and statewide programs. Prior to joining KQED, she was also a reporter and announcer for KLIV Radio in San Jose. Rori's passion for public radio started in college at WAER, the NPR affiliate in Syracuse, NY. At WAER, Rori was a reporter and weekend host of local newscasts.

Rori's work has been honored by the Journalism Center on Children and Families, the Syracuse Press Club, and the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. She has a B.A. in broadcast journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

selected recent stories

• 'Rent' Gets A High School Makeover (aired December 4, 2008 on NPR's All Things Considered)

  More than 50 student groups across the country are performing Jonathan Larson's edgy rock opera Rent this school year. Like the Broadway show, Rent School Edition is centered on a group of friends in the 1990s dealing with AIDS, gender identity, homosexuality, drug addiction and poverty.

• What's For Lunch In Silicon Valley (aired March 28, 2010 on NPR's Weekend Edition)

  The dot-com bubble has long since burst, but one Silicon Valley perk is alive and well: free lunch. Rori Gallagher takes us behind the scenes of one well-known company's kitchen.

• Creativity Explored (aired April 22, 2010 on KQED's Health Dialogues)

  Take a trip to an art studio in San Francisco's Mission District, where all the artists are people with developmental disabilities.

• Veterans and Chronic Pain (aired May 30, 2010 on Sound Medicine)

  Veterans often struggle with chronic pain as a result of injuries, sometimes multiple injuries--physical and psychological. Rori Gallagher has this profile of one man not only coping with his own pain, but training to turn around and help others like him succeed in the fight.

• Carbon Offset Kiosks Help Air Travelers Ditch Guilt (aired September 29, 2009 on NPR's Morning Edition)

  If you're an environmentally conscious traveler, you may be feeling a little bit guilty about flying these days. Airplanes spew harmful greenhouse gases into the air. Well, San Francisco International is the first airport in the country that may be able to ease some of that guilt. It's installed carbon offset kiosks in several terminals. Rori Gallagher explains.

• Mass Transit Housing Plan (aired February 16, 2009 on KQED's QUEST)

  A single-family home with a yard and two-car garage may be the American dream. But with real estate at a premium and traffic congestion getting worse, there is a new urban way of living that is becoming increasingly popular in California. Rori Gallagher reports on the rise of the transit village and just why the trend has taken so long.

• The Vaccination Debate (aired August 27, 2009 on KALW's Crosscurrents)

  Summer is just about over for many Bay Area kids and before kids head back to school, they've got to get vaccinated, unless their family opts out. More and more Bay Area parents are deciding to send their kids back with a personal exemption in place of their shots. Rori Gallagher reports.

• Truckers Prepare for New Air Quality Rules (aired April 22, 2009 on KALW's Crosscurrents)

  Diesel soot -- the kind that most trucks spew into the air -- is linked to asthma, cancer, and other health problems. That's why in December, the California Air Resources Board passed the toughest regulations on diesel and bus emissions in the country. The deadlines vary by the model year and type of vehicle. In general, older trucks are required to add filters to reduce particulate matter starting in 2011. And starting in 2013, some older vehicles will need to be replaced. Rori Gallagher reports on how the trucking industry is getting ready for the new rules.

new podcast: investigative traveler



The world is a smaller place these days. And even in the tough economy, new innovations are making it easier for both business and leisure travelers to explore new places or revisit their favorites. Investigative Traveler is a broadcast-quality show in the public radio style that will keep you hooked week after week as we explore the latest news, trends, and innovations in the travel industry. Other podcasts provide you with a guide of where to go or what sights to see, but Investigative Traveler goes beyond the travel guide as a current affairs podcast geared at travelers.

• Your Own Personal Genomics (aired March 3, 2009 on KALW's Crosscurrents)

  Imagine being able to trace your heritage back generations to determine your exact ancestry. Imagine being able to screen your DNA to determine what diseases you could or could not get. Now, imagine you can do it tomorrow, because you can. Silicon Valley is the center of a new industry rapidly emerging: direct to consumer genetic testing. Several of the fastest growing "personal genomics" companies are located here in the Bay Area. And while it's too soon to tell if this industry will be profitable, Rori Gallagher reports the science may just change the way we see ourselves.

• The Internet Archive (aired February 17, 2009 on KALW's Crosscurrents)

  As California schools endure their cuts, other places of learning are growing. One of the world's largest library collections is located right here in the Bay Area. But you won't find any books or magazines there. In fact you don't even have to leave your computer to view the materials. The librarians at the Internet Archive have been working for more than a decade to preserve our digital culture. Rori Gallagher gives us a virtual tour.

• Stalkers (aired December 8, 2008 on KALW's Crosscurrents)

  More than a million women and hundreds of thousands of men are stalked annually in the United States. But when someone becomes a stalking victim, it can be difficult to know what to do. A Bay Area college student recently had her own frightening experience with a stalker, and found herself with limited options. Here is her story. The piece is produced by Rori Gallagher.