KCRW Champions are advocates, promoters, and protectors of all things KCRW—with the firm belief that accessible, fact-based journalism and cultural content is a necessary right and a path to civic engagement. Champion support encourages KCRW’s expansive reach to new audiences, braiding the corners of the 24 million person Southland into a sonic community. To reinforce this partnership with our most loyal supporters, KCRW Champions get insider access to 50+ exclusive KCRW gatherings, live music, and programming events throughout the year.
Increase your engagement with KCRW
Champions Access
Amplifier
$1,200 - $4,999 ANNUALLY / STARTING AT $100 MONTHLY (100% TAX DEDUCTIBLE)
- Access to Live From KCRW recordings: Morning Becomes Eclectic, evening performances at HQ, and Apogee Studio sessions.* Several times a month, KCRW brings top artists and up-and-coming musicians into the studio to record performances for our audiences. Sometimes, we hold a drawing and invite one or two members to attend. Champions, however, are invited to ALL of them.
- Invitations to exclusive Champion gatherings that highlight the work you so generously support. This includes the VIP Champion lounge at PieFest where you taste the winning pies, receptions at select Summer Nights, and local outings with KCRW talent.
- Invitations to partner events: LA Art Show and Frieze LA, film screenings and talent Q&As, The Moth Mainstage, museum tours, and more.*
- Invitation to the best party of the year—the KCRW Champion Holiday party!
- Concierge service, including a Champions-only text line and personal updates on the impact of your support.
*As space allows. Please note that capacity is limited for these experiences and Champions at the Producer level and above receive priority access.
Event Highlights
KCRW Champions participate in dozens of events that connect them to the content they generously support and to one another! You can expect invites to Live From KCRW shows (including MBE and Apogee sessions), VIP tastings at PieFest, food-focused gatherings with Evan Kleiman, film screenings, happy hours, gallery tours, and KCRW-led travel.
Champion Highlights
“I’ve been a KCRW member for over a decade, and last year made the move to be a Champion. I’ve long felt I was a part of the KCRW community, but now I’m actually there: taking my daughter to PieFest, or in the audience during MBE. Trust me on this one: become a Champion. It’s almost embarrassing how many events and experiences you’ll be invited to. My only regret is not doing it sooner.”
Charlie Maas, Champion Producer
“I’m not a big LA person, but KCRW has made me one. It’s seeing where we live through expansive eyeballs. Seeing who is out there and who is doing what. The Champions also restored my sociability. I think like a lot of people during the pandemic, we were so isolated. Going to the station to be with other people and Champion trips—they restored my desire to connect. I’m left with a feeling of making good connections with people I look forward to seeing again, I think that’s a huge deal.”
Marilyn Mandel, Champion Amplifier
Mike: “I continue to stay a part of the Champions because of the surprises—KCRW is good at not repeating itself, and yet it still can. I don’t know what to expect sometimes, which is good.”
Margaret: “Echoing what Mike said about surprises…KCRW is always providing opportunities for growth. And I think that’s what drew me into KCRW way, way, way back as a small level donor. It made me stop and think about things differently. Whether it was something I knew nothing about or something I thought I had some knowledge about.”
Mike and Margaret Chevedden, Champion Producers
“Listening to KCRW is like being at home, no matter where in the world I am.”
Randy Greif, Champion Host
"Listening to KCRW is getting the biggest booster shot of joy; taking the most beneficial multivitamin: you nourish my brain, my soul and my stomach and build my immunity to boredom”
Stuart Bloomberg, Champion Producer
Meet the Team
Joel MARSHALL, DIRECTOR OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING
Joel is a lifelong fan of KCRW, having grown up in SoCal. He remembers listening to This American Life in the backseat and hearing artists like Toro y Moi, Vampire Weekend, and Alabama Shakes for the first time on MBE. His love of public media took him to jobs at Marketplace and KMXT–a tiny station in Kodiak, Alaska–where he has connected with like-minded supporters to expand the reach of this essential work. He couldn’t be more excited to continue that at KCRW. When he’s not greeting you at the front door of a Live From or dropping an email into your inbox, you can find Joel working on his (terrible) backhand, baking a (delicious) treat, traveling, or spending time outside climbing, hiking, or camping.
Email: joel.marshall@kcrw.org
Emma RothenberG, Senior Individual Giving Associate
Emma is delighted to be a part of the KCRW Development team as the Sr. Individual Giving Associate, which joins her passion for communication, penchant for making people feel at home, and love of cultural exploration and arts programming. Emma graduated from Stanford with a degree in History, concentrating in Latin America. She spent all four years of undergrad fundraising and leading backpacking trips with Camp Kesem, a student-run non-profit for kids with families affected by cancer. While her previous roles have been in education and HR, people and relationships are at the heart of everything she does — she loves to cultivate donor-driven support for the station. Outside of work, she is bound to be practicing yoga, reading, hiking, or dancing to live music.
Email: emma.rothenberg@kcrw.org
Devon Rosen, Individual Giving Associate
Devon was born and raised in Los Angeles and is so excited to be a part of the Development team here at KCRW as the Individual Giving Associate. She has always had a passion for working with people, and can't wait to continue her career in the nonprofit sector. Prior to KCRW, she worked as a Program Coordinator at The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. Devon graduated from Tulane University in 2020 with a degree in Psychology. There she spent her time leading recruitment for Panhellenic Council and working in alumni relations. In her free time she enjoys trying new restaurants, shopping at flea markets, hiking, or playing tennis.
Email: devon.rosen@kcrw.org