Chad Barrett leading ETSU’s WETS-FM

JOHNSON CITY – For Chad Barrett, a WETS-FM internship in 2011 sparked a professional passion. 

“That is when I fell in love with public radio,” said Barrett. “What public radio stands for, what it provides to the community it serves and how it impacts listeners on a daily basis,” he said. 

Flash-forward more than a decade, and Barrett now leads the same station as manager, an appointment made earlier this fall.   

“Public radio helps generate a more informed public, a critically important role in our society,” said Jessica Vodden, chief marketing and communications officer at ETSU. “Chad brings not only a wealth of knowledge and experience, but incredible passion, vision and energy that I believe will help him expand WETS’s impact in our community.”    

Barrett has climbed the ranks at WETS, a public radio station housed on ETSU’s main campus. 

Following his internship, he shifted to a part-time announcing role, then to executive aide and eventually program director. Supervising announcers and working on a variety of projects, he held that post for more than seven years. He graduated from ETSU in 2011 with degrees in mass communications and chemistry.   

He replaces Wayne Winkler, who worked at WETS-FM since 1978 and served as station director beginning in 1993.  

“Wayne leaves big shoes to fill, but my team and I will work hard to bring exceptional content to our listeners,” said Barrett. “I am very grateful for the opportunity to help inform the people of the Appalachian Highlands.” 

To learn more about the radio station or to consider contributing to it, visit wets.org.