Beth Donovan

Beth Donovan works jointly with NPR's News and Programming teams. She oversees the news and daily habit podcast portfolio and is the managing editor of the Arts and Culture Hub. Donovan was the co-creator and senior editor of Consider This, Coronavirus Daily, The NPR Politics Podcast as well as It's All Politics, NPR's first podcast to exclusively feature original content.

Prior to becoming senior director in the summer of 2019, Donovan was NPR's Chief Washington Editor, leading an award-winning team of journalists covering the White House, Congress, the Supreme Court and American politics. She led the transformation of the Washington Desk from a radio-only shop to a multi-platform team that operated seamlessly on radio, digital, social and podcasting. Prior to that role, she was the Deputy Washington Editor and White House editor.

For the 2008, 2004 and 2000 presidential elections, as well as many midterms in between, Donovan was NPR's lead elections editor. In this role, she guided NPR's political coverage on Morning Edition and All Things Considered as well as special coverage of primaries, conventions and election nights.

During the off years, Donovan was a freelance writer and occasional NPR editor. After the 2004 campaign, she worked part-time in NPR's Digital Media group, where she developed popular summer and holiday books features and created the weekly Kitchen Window cooking column.

Donovan began her journalism career in the CBS News Election Survey Unit and later covered politics, campaign finance, congressional leadership and the 1994 healthcare debate for Congressional Quarterly.

Donovan graduated magna cum lade from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science.

A runner, reader and cook, Donovan lives in D.C. with her husband. Her four children have flown from the nest, but still inspire her every day.