Sarah Bignall

Since stepping into the role of CEO/General Manager in early 2022, Sarah Bignall has led Northern Community Radio through a period of significant growth and recognition. Under her leadership, KAXE's newsroom launched and has become award-winning, earning the station the title of 'Ampers 2025 Station of the Year.' Sarah has also overseen a remarkable growth in the station’s digital presence, with KAXE.org reaching record-breaking levels of audience engagement.

In response to the recent CPB funding cuts, Sarah has become a prominent voice advocating for local public media, speaking to its vital role in rural communities. She has been featured in over a dozen interviews, including with KARE11, the Minnesota Star Tribune, MinnPost, Northern News Now, and national outlets like Politico, helping highlight the real impact of these cuts on local journalism and community service.

Sarah first joined KAXE in 2015 and was promoted to Director of Operations in 2016, where she played a pivotal role in shaping on-air programming, managing station operations, and coordinating many of the station's hallmark events. Her diverse professional background, spanning nonprofit management, marketing, grant writing, public relations, and event coordination, continues to inform her innovative approach to leadership and community connection.

A Grand Rapids resident, Sarah enjoys exploring Northern Minnesota’s trails through hiking and biking, indulging her growing love of books and planning travel adventures. She shares her home with her husband and their two lovable yellow labs.