Leaders in Focus: Liz Alesse, ABC Audio

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With hours left to nominate the 2025 Top 20 Leaders in Radio, Radio Ink finishes our series of catching up with some of last year’s honorees. Today, we talk to ABC Audio Vice President Liz Alesse about the role of news radio and the road to leadership.

Radio Ink: 2025 has already been an eventful year for news. What challenges and opportunities do you foresee for ABC News Radio as the year unfolds?

Liz Alesse: If the news cycle in the first month of 2025 is any indication, it’s going to be a very busy year for our team at ABC News Radio. We have the best anchors, correspondents, producers, and writers in the business powering our newsroom, and they are absolutely up to the challenge.

We’re also preparing to mark a major milestone in the history of our radio network. We’re moving into a brand new, state-of-the-art building with cutting-edge audio technology, and for the first time, we’ll be working right alongside our colleagues from across the news division. Not only will this increase our ability to collaborate, it will also give us an edge in how quickly we can respond to news as it happens.

Radio Ink: With news radio proving to be a critical source of reliable information, how do you see its role in fighting misinformation and maintaining public trust?

Liz Alesse: We apply the same rigorous standards of journalism to every story we report, and that commitment to accuracy and accountability has established ABC News as America’s most trusted source for news.

Radio Ink: What personal habits or strategies have been most essential in shaping your leadership approach?

Liz Alesse: Staying curious has been key. It’s important to understand how things work to identify the best solution. I also believe that effective leadership is a mix of instinct, empathy, and effort. I actively seek out leadership development opportunities and resources to gain new tools to help achieve management goals.

Radio Ink: Looking back, what advice would you give yourself as a new leader?

Liz Alesse: Focus less on trying to have all the answers and more on listening and asking the right questions. Your job as a leader is not to know everything. It’s much more about articulating a clear goal or vision and creating an atmosphere for collaboration where your team can thrive and succeed together.

The call for entries for Radio Ink‘s 2025 Top 20 Leaders in Radio list is open. Make your nominations here through tonight, Feb. 5, at 8p ET/5p PT.

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