Jennifer Millerd grew up in a Wisconsin town with fewer than 500 people: “The kind of place where your imagination has to be bigger than the town,” she laughs. Her love for radio started early, long before she ever dreamed of sitting behind a mic.
“Watching the Grammys and the AMAs felt like national holidays in my house,” she says. “I didn’t choose radio at first. I was a quiet kid. But I loved music, and I loved hearing people talk about it.”
The turning point came from an unexpected source: a local radio salesperson who stopped into the bar where her mom worked and told Jennifer she had the voice for radio. “He was a really good salesman,” she jokes. “But he convinced me to try it.” She switched her major, took an internship the next summer, and immediately fell in love with the work.
Her career began with that internship in 1997 at her hometown station, where she did everything from writing copy to sitting at fair booths and, memorably, attempting to ride a donkey. “I was hooked from that moment forward,” she says. A second internship with Midwest Communications soon turned into part-time board op work, which eventually grew into a full-time position. Even though she briefly stepped away from radio in 2002, she kept voice tracking and stayed connected. “I couldn’t let it go,” she says. “I wasn’t ready.”
That persistence paid off in 2016 when she was recruited to return to live radio at 101 WIXX. “I ran straight to my pop-up studio, recorded an aircheck, and said, ‘Let’s see what happens.’ I ended up working every day part, even overnights. It was such a gift.”
When her family moved to the Chicago suburbs in 2021, Jennifer thought she might finally hang it up. “I didn’t think I had a shot in Market #3,” she admits. “But then I missed radio so much it hurt.” She rebuilt her home studio, took on internet radio gigs, sharpened her skills, and found new momentum. “It helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect,” she says.
In 2023, she joined Giant FM as a voice talent while hosting multiple shows remotely from her home studio. But the moment that still feels surreal came in October, when she joined the weekend team at Hubbard Radio’s 101.9 The Mix in Chicago. “Being back in a live studio, in Chicago of all places, it still gives me chills,” she says. “Every time the mic turns on, I think, ‘Wow… I’m really here.’”
Jennifer’s journey hasn’t been without challenges. Returning to live radio after time away wasn’t easy. “My voice shook. I’d lose my train of thought. Imposter syndrome hit me hard,” she says. “I kept asking myself, ‘Can I really do this?’” But she pushed through with preparation and discipline, timing out her delivery and rehearsing her breaks. “I remind myself every day: I was given these opportunities for a reason. My job is to show up prepared and do work I’m proud of.”
Her accomplishments reflect both grit and heart, becoming a first-generation college graduate, raising two kids, running the Chicago Marathon three times, and maintaining nearly 28 years of connection to broadcasting. But the win that means the most? “Working in Chicago. It’s a dream I didn’t think I’d get to have.”
When she thinks about the future of radio, Jennifer wishes for something simple: more local voices. “Stations lose a little magic when there’s no one live in the studio,” she says. “Nothing replaces a real, local connection. Someone reacting to your weather, your events, your stories.” She understands the economic realities but hopes creativity can bring some of that connection back. “Maybe through partnerships, maybe through local sponsorships… but I hope someday we get there.”
Her advice to young women entering the business is grounded and honest: “Stay persistent. Opportunities might not happen on your timeline, but that doesn’t mean they won’t happen. Apply even if you’re unsure. Ask questions. Aircheck yourself. And don’t let a ‘no’ stop you. It usually takes a few of them before you get a ‘yes.’”
Jennifer is many things – runner, creator, mom, educator – but at her core, she’s someone who simply loves radio. “I’ve been in radio longer than I haven’t,” she says. “That says everything.”
Socials
Instagram: @OnAirJen
Threads: @onairjen
X: @Radioraven_says
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-millerd-161823391
