Photo credit: Radio Milwaukee
With a wide variety of stations and offerings, the Midwest public media mainstay has grown thanks to a well-coordinated team that draws on its camaraderie and hometown relationships.
Jordan Lee’s day doesn’t start at the Radio Milwaukee studio but in the heart of his family home. As the Senior Director of Programming at Radio Milwaukee, Lee balances his professional responsibilities with his role as a devoted family man. “I have a whole bunch of kids in my house, and it’s the best part of my life,” he says. This grounding routine of walking his children to school and tending to the family dog sets the tone for a day.
Lee’s journey to this pivotal role wasn’t always as idyllic. Originally dropping out of college to pursue music full-time, he immersed himself in Milwaukee’s vibrant music scene. “All I wanted to do was be like De La Soul. That was my goal,” Lee recalls. He became a DJ and producer, participating in rap groups and organizing events that brought people together through music. His grassroots involvement gave him an intimate understanding of the city’s cultural pulse—a perspective that now informs his philosophy in staying close to the people making up this culture.
After the morning family rituals, Lee heads to the Milwaukee Turners gym for a workout. “It’s the first socialist organization in Milwaukee,” he explains. For Lee, it’s more than just physical exercise; it’s an opportunity to engage with local figures. “I’m around other leaders in the community, and we talk about what’s going on in the city through culture while we’re also exercising,” he adds.
By mid-morning, Lee arrives at the station, diving into a series of meetings that shape Radio Milwaukee’s diverse programming. His first meeting is a one-on-one with Morning Show Host Dori Zori. “As goes the morning, goes the rest of the day,” Lee says of the regular meeting. “Dori Zori is a living radio legend, and I try to make sure that she’s got the support she needs for her good ideas. She doesn’t really need my help anymore; she needs my resources and my time.”
Similar mentorships and community relationships have paved Lee’s journey in radio, starting when his fellow DJ friends helped him land a show at WMSE, Milwaukee’s long standing community radio station, as well as a chance encounter at the coffee shop Lee worked at with Milwaukee radio legend Steve Palec leading to him asking Lee to come join for an episode of his show on WKLH, and moving into opportunities outside of the station, such as at Paragon, the well-established radio and media consulting and research firm.
Next on his schedule is a meeting with Kenny Perez, the Assistant Program Director, to discuss logistics for the upcoming fall membership drive. Lee describes his team structure as a triangle for balance. The team dynamic is crucial for Lee, who values the unique contributions each member brings. “It’s me at the top as the program director. I have Kenny Perez next to me as the assistant program director, and then next to him is Erin Wolf as the music director,” he explains. This structure ensures diverse perspectives. “We’re all neurodivergent in the way that we process things and think about things. It’s nice to have that balance,” Lee says.
He checks in with Perez on staff scheduling and needs, while Wolf focuses on music. “I kind of keep those domains separate on purpose because Erin’s worrying about the MP3s and Kenny’s worrying about the people,” he notes. This division of responsibility allows for efficient operations. “No bad idea could ever go outvoted,” Lee says of why he likes this system. “You’re never going to have a tie.”
At this point, it’s still only 10:00 AM, time for the weekly content meeting bringing together the digital and on-air teams. “That’s really tricky in our org because Radio Milwaukee did a brand expansion,” Lee admits. Under the Radio Milwaukee umbrella, there’s a menu of offerings: 88Nine, their flagship station; HYFIN, their new urban alternative station; 414Music.FM, an all-Milwaukee station; a stories and podcast division; and education programs like Grace Weber’s Music Lab and Amplifier. “Ideally, I would want a representative from all of those branches of the tree,” he says.
The meeting is led by their web editor, Brett Krzykowski, who acts as a “traffic cop” to strategize content placement. “The goal for him is to say what’s going to go on the front page, what’s going to be side strategically about what’s the juiciest content for the week,” Lee explains. Social media strategies are also hashed out.
For Lee, these meetings are a humbling reminder of the collective effort required to make Radio Milwaukee successful. “My expertise is only one cog in the wheel of success here,” he acknowledges. “I’m good at programming FM radio; I’m good at programming music. I am not a good journalist. I am not a good newsroom editor. I am not a good writer. I am not a good social media guy.” He aims to defer to his teams’ and departments’ talents. “Their expertise sometimes informs decisions I do or don’t make,” he says.
Lunch often involves engaging with the broader public radio community. On Mondays, Lee participates in a Public Media Content Collective (PMCC) meeting. “I’m on […] what was the PRPD [Public Radio Program Directors] board of directors. Now I’m on the PMCC board,” he says. These meetings keep him connected with peers in noncommercial radio. “Professionally, it keeps you sharp and knowing what best practices are,” he notes. “But personally, it’s sometimes nice to hear that other senior-level managers are having the same headaches I’m having.”
Afternoons are reserved for cross-departmental collaboration. Lee meets with the membership department to plan their fall fundraiser, the Fall Ball. “It’s a hybrid social traditional event,” he describes. The event features a rooftop cocktail reception, a DJ party, and a live karaoke battle. “We get leaders in the community to do karaoke with a live band,” Lee says. “They compete for not only funding to fundraise but votes to win awards for best dressed and best renditions.”
Later, Lee finds time to delve into the future of radio, this time with a meeting with Super Hi-Fi. “They’re an AI-based software company that I’ve been talking to about solutions,” he says. Acknowledging the rapid technological advancements in music consumption, Lee is keen on integrating human curation with new technologies. “Human curation is going to be the thing that music public radio can leverage as its value proposition,” he asserts.
Having been a somewhat lonely voice of optimism around AI and radio at the recent NON-COMMvention, he reflects on the challenges posed by it and personalized algorithms. “If Will.i.am’s value proposition is ‘I have a robot that’s your personal robot and she will DJ for you whatever songs you do,’ I have to value the other side of the coin,” Lee says. “I have a cool woman who lives here in your city; she doesn’t know anything about your personal tastes, but she’s going to tell you what she feels is important. Some of it you’re going to hate, and some of it you’re going to love. And that’s the value.”
As the day winds down, Lee practices what he preaches. “I have a healthy work-life balance,” he states firmly. “I do not work past 4:30 any day if I can handle it.” He encourages his team to do the same, emphasizing the importance of personal well-being. “If we burn ourselves out, we don’t get paid any more money,” he reminds them.
Even as the day in the office ends, Lee’s commitment to community and authenticity is evident not just in what he’s doing in the office each day but in his overarching philosophy. “What we do here is for this community—its needs, its regional culture, its local music culture, its food culture,” he says. This commitment extends to nurturing local talent and ensuring that Radio Milwaukee reflects the diverse voices of the city. “Those people are not on the air on accident,” Lee says of his team. “They’re Milwaukee legends. They’re not radio legends.”
As Public Radio Music Day approaches, celebrating its fifth year with the theme “Bringing People Together: From Coast to Coast,” Lee’s work exemplifies this mission. Through his daily efforts, he not only helps shape the sound of Radio Milwaukee but also fosters a sense of connection between the station team and community. “The reason we’re here is because of people,” he says. “We have to be healthy and happy so that we can make something that is making our community healthier, our community happier, our community better.”