There’s a new sheriff in town, and her name is Chris “Straightshooter” McBride. She’s actually not that new. KCBX Public Radio, the Central Coast’s NPR member station, hired her in 2023 as the development director to oversee fundraising and outreach activities, including the biannual pledge drives. Now that the radio station’s former President Frank Lanzone has semi-retired, McBride was named KCBX president and general manager.
“I’m excited to step into this role. It’s inspiring to see how deeply our staff, volunteers, and the Central Coast community care for and value KCBX,” McBride said in an announcement. “The station truly is a community treasure.”
Lanzone will now serve as executive director of the annual Live Oak Music Festival.
“I believe Chris to be an outstanding choice to meet the expected and unexpected challenges ahead of us. Her expertise in planning, fundraising, collaborating, and troubleshooting will serve KCBX well,” Lanzone added. “Chris has also been a long-standing member of the community with deep roots in SLO County, just like KCBX, making her a great match for this position.”
Now that the Trump administration has ended federal funding for public broadcasting, the biannual pledge drives and the annual Live Oak fundraiser have become increasingly important to KCBX’s viability. Donate at kcbx.org. Purchase Live Oak Fest tickets at liveoakfest.org. Δ
This article appears in March 26 – April 2, 2026.