Duchesne Drew
Duchesne Drew is President of Minnesota Public Radio, a subsidiary of American Public Media Group and one of the nation’s premier public radio outlets producing programming for radio, digital and live audiences and operating a 46-station radio network serving nearly all of Minnesota and parts of surrounding states. As president, Drew leads MPR’s strategy, programming and daily operations serving growing audiences through MPR News, YourClassical MPR, The Current and MPR’s rapidly expanding digital, social and mobile services.
Drew came to MPR from the Bush Foundation, a private foundation based in St. Paul, Minn., that was started by a longtime 3M leader, Archibald Bush, and his wife, Edyth. While at Bush, Drew led the foundation’s leadership programs, community innovation and communication teams and built networks across the region as its Community Network vice president. Prior to his role at the Bush Foundation, Drew was managing editor of operations at Star Tribune, where he began as a summer intern and rose to one of the most senior roles in the newsroom, leading more than 50 staff members and, among other duties, managing the newsroom’s recruitment and training programs and community outreach efforts. In 2019, Drew was honored with the Widening the Circle Award by ThreeSixty Journalism, recognizing individuals who have contributed to the next generation of journalists, particularly while promoting inclusion and diversity. He is a member of Omicron Boulé of the Sigma Pi Phi fraternity.
In addition to his Star Tribune reporting and leadership roles, Duchesne Drew’s journalism career has included reporting at The Dallas Morning News and the Orange County Register. He is a lifetime member of the National Association of Black Journalists and is a former president of the Minnesota NABJ chapter. He is also a former president of Minnesota’s Society of Professional Journalists chapter.
Drew’s passion for community building and service extends to his participation on boards that strengthen the future of leadership – regionally and nationally – and the journalism ecosystem. In addition to Columbia University, Drew’s board service includes the Twin Cities-based African American Leadership Forum, the Monitors Club and the Leadership Learning Community. Drew serves as board chair of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce, and he is a member of Make It. MSP.’s Leadership Council, which is focused on attracting and retaining talent within the Twin Cities region. He is also involved in the Itasca Project, a working group focused on creating new and better ways to address regional issues that impact economic competitiveness and quality of life in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region. His previous University service include the Columbia Daily Spectator board.
Born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, Drew graduated from Columbia College with a BA in History. While an undergraduate student, Drew worked as a staff writer at Spectator, eventually serving as the paper’s news editor. After Columbia, Drew received an MS in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He was a McCormick Fellow at Northwestern’s Media Management Center and participated in the Council of Foundations’ Career Pathways philanthropic leadership program. Drew will be inducted into the Medill School’s Hall of Achievement in November.
Drew and his wife, Angela Davis Drew, live in St. Paul and have two children.