Little Rock Public Radio Staffers Sweep Staff Achievement Awards

Three outstanding members of Little Rock Public Radio (LRPR) have been honored with the 2025 UA Little Rock Staff Achievement Awards for their exceptional contributions in service to the university, community service, and personal growth.

Little Rock Public Radio, home to KUAR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5, is housed within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education and serves as a public service unit of UA Little Rock.

The Staff Senate Awards Committee praised this year’s winners for their outstanding impact on UA Little Rock and the broader community. Each winner will receive a $3,000 award distributed through payroll.

“These award winners embody the best of UA Little Rock,” said Staff Senate President-elect Don O’Donnell. “Through their dedication, innovation, and leadership, Josie, Grace, and Sarah have each made a lasting difference in their fields and for the university as a whole. We are proud to recognize their achievements.”

Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award: Josie Lenora

Josie Lenora, the award-winning politics and government reporter at Little Rock Public Radio, received the Ben Fry Service to UA Little Rock Award. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate exceptional service through committee work, event organization, innovative ideas, and support for others.

“Josie is perhaps the most dedicated, hard-working person I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Daniel Breen, news director. “As her supervisor at Little Rock Public Radio, I am constantly in awe of her drive and willingness to help out wherever she is most needed. Josie routinely goes above and beyond to ensure we are providing as comprehensive coverage as possible of both local and national news.”

Lenora is also committed to professional development and mentoring, often sharing resources with new hires and interns. She serves as a liaison between LRPR and NPR and sits on the board of the Arkansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2024, she was selected for the National Press Foundation’s Elections Journalism Fellowship.

“Josie’s unwavering dedication to UA Little Rock’s mission, her passion for journalism, and her commitment to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment make her an outstanding candidate for this award,” said Breen.

In accepting the award, Lenora was overcome with positive emotion. 

“To know that my amazing colleagues recommended me for this award brings tears to my eyes,” she said. “Every morning, I try to ask myself how I can improve my work performance, how I can be a better reporter? This ambition is fuelled by the joy and kindness of the people on my team. I am so grateful to my wonderful bosses Daniel and Jonathan, along with my colleagues Nathan and Maggie. Congratulations also to Sarah and Grace for their unparalleled work ethic.”

Lenora is also proud to receive an award named after the former general manager of LRPR.

“It puts a fire in my heart to know the award is named after Ben Fry,” she said. “I did not know him personally, but having listened to the station since I was a child, I know he was a well respected employee who cared deeply about the station.”

Community Service Award: Grace Zafasi

Grace Zafasi, director of development at LRPR, received the Staff Achievement Award in Community Service. Zafasi oversees fundraising, underwriting, and membership services and is credited with significantly increasing financial support for the station.

“When I hear the word excellence, I picture Grace,” Lenora said. “She is the Mary Poppins of fundraising, a polymath, a social chameleon, a problem solver. I have never seen someone with so much hustle and versatility. If she was a contestant on ‘Shark Tank,’ she would get all five offers. She’s just that good, hard working, and smart.”

Zafasi shared that she is deeply honored to receive this award, but believes the honor truly belongs to LRPR’s listeners and supporters in central Arkansas. 

“I’m really proud to work here and to help grow a public radio service that is built by and for our community,” Zafasi said. “In a time where much is uncertain, our staff maintains unwavering confidence, and these awards showcase the hard work and dedication our team is committed to in serving our community. Thank you all for your support.”

Zafasi has played a leading role in organizing key community events, including biannual fund drives, the station’s 50th anniversary celebration, and Arkansas’s Tiny Desk Competition. She also serves on the Soup Sunday committee for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, helping raise funds to support child advocacy in Arkansas.

“Her dedication and success have given Little Rock Public Radio the financial security and loyal connections it needs to continue serving the central Arkansas community valuable independent journalism and arts and culture for years to come,” said Sarah Buford, operations coordinator. “Without the securing of local funding, which makes up approximately 85-90% of our funding, we wouldn’t have Little Rock Public Radio. And we know how valuable it is to keep Arkansans in-touch-on-the-ground, and aware of what’s happening in our state and nationally for free.”

Personal Growth Award: Sarah Buford

Sarah Buford, operations coordinator at LRPR, was honored with the Staff Achievement Award in Personal Growth. Buford, who joined the station in 2023, has consistently sought to improve both herself and the station’s operations.

“Sarah is intimately involved with the nuts and bolts that make Little Rock Public Radio run,” said Breen. “Without her, we wouldn’t be able to broadcast to all of central Arkansas for free every single day.” Sarah makes sure all programming is effectively communicated from technology inside the studio onto the airwaves.

Buford has earned two key radio operation certifications this past year through the Society of Broadcast Engineers and National Public Radio (NPR) Distribution – strengthening the station’s compliance with federal regulations, ensuring on-the-ground skills to navigate technical issues in the studio or at the transmitter site, and saving the university potential costs and liabilities. She is currently working towards a new certification, broadcast networking technologist. 

In addition, Buford produces “Major and Minor Masterpieces,” a twice-weekly classical music program for KLRE 90.5, collaborating with Arkansas Democrat-Gazette arts and entertainment reporter Eric Harrison.

Each season, Buford schedules recording sessions, edits scripts, records hosted segments, edits audio, and packages all show parts together for airing. She also writes and uploads show notes to increase accessibility for audiences. She will begin recording for “Major and Minor Masterpieces” season four this summer. 

“This show is not only a testament to her creativity and leadership, but also a significant enhancement to our station’s programming, deepening our engagement with the community,” Zafasi said. “She researched best practices for structuring classical music programs, ensuring the content would be both educational and engaging for a broad audience.”

Upon receipt of her award, Buford thanked UA Little Rock and Little Rock Public Radio “for the opportunity to not only work for a cause I believe in, but to work on skills and projects that would enhance that mission of free and reliable access to the arts, news, and information.”

“This office is a powerhouse of talent, passion, and support,” Buford said. “And Josie and Grace are the backbone of that powerhouse. At the end of the day, their work gives me hope. Thank y’all and congratulations for all you do.”