The Board of Directors of CKUA Radio Foundation is pleased to announce that Adam Mitchell has been selected as Chief Executive Officer of CKUA.
Adam Mitchell has been with CKUA since February 2023. Since Summer 2025, he has been CKUA’s Acting CEO, and he is delighted to be stepping into the role officially, with a strong mandate and welcome from the Board of Directors.
Board Chair Kathy Milani says, “Adam has demonstrated that he is fully capable of doing this work. He’s the right person to lead CKUA in its next chapter. He has proven that he has the skill set, and he’s also great with people. The Board of Directors is looking forward to what’s next, with great optimism.”
Mitchell says, “The opportunity to join CKUA three years ago was one of the most exciting and personally meaningful moments of my career. To come to an organization that aligns so closely with my own love of music, arts, and culture, and to bring the experiences from my career in those fields into a place like CKUA is incredibly special. It is not lost on me how fortunate I am to be here.”
In the roles he held before arriving at CKUA, including Executive Director of Edmonton Fringe Theatre, Mitchell has proven himself to be a collaborative and visionary leader. An arts manager with strong community connections and a background in technical theatre, Mitchell says, “My life has been dedicated to helping artists thrive and connecting audiences with their work. At CKUA, I get to do that every day.”
It’s a time to look back and a time to look forward, says Mitchell. “Like any organization that has lasted nearly a century, CKUA has faced adversity along the way. Each time it has done what creative communities do best. It has adapted, innovated, and found new ways to thrive. The past few years have brought their own challenges, but they have also revealed the strength of this community.”
He adds, “None of this work happens without the extraordinary people who make up the CKUA team. I want to thank the staff who welcomed me three years ago and believed in the work we were beginning together. I also want to thank the many people who have joined CKUA since then and have embraced the rapid pace of change and growth that has come with it. The people who work here are passionate, thoughtful, creative, and deeply committed to one another and to the station we all love. It is an honour to work alongside them every day.”
Mitchell mentions investments in people and technology as priorities for CKUA’s leadership, adding that caring for CKUA’s two studio locations—the Alberta Hotel and the Calgary Foundation Studio at the National Music Centre—will also be a focus.
He also recognizes the loyal and generous community that makes CKUA what it is. “For CKUA to become the first public broadcaster in Canada to reach its centenary is remarkable. Over nearly a century, CKUA has seen this country grow and has been part of the lives of millions of Albertans. The reason it continues to exist today is because generations of listeners have believed in it and supported it.”
On behalf of the entire CKUA community, congratulations, Adam!
