Southern California Public Radio has a new president and CEO: Alejandra Santamaria.

The executive, who recently served as interim president, general manager and VP, director of sales for Univision Los Angeles, succeeds Herb Scannell in the role. He announced plans to retire last fall. Santamarias appointment was approved by SCPRs board of trustees. SCPR operates the Los Angeles multi-platform, local journalism outlet LAist, which includes flagship station LAist 89.3, LAist.com and the podcast and production arm, LAist Studios. The networks five stations include LAist 89.3, LAist 89.1 KUOR-FM, LAist 90.3 KVLA-FM, LAist 89.5 KJAI-FM and LAist 89.9 Santa Barbara. SCPR board chair Drew Murphy offered, Alex is the leader LAist needs today and for the future. Public radio remains a vital, important part of the Los Angeles media ecosystem and we are confident that her experience and talent is ideal to shepherd us forward, helping us to deliver on our mission, while remaining financially sound, in order to continue our role as an essential resource for our community.

Santamaria, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, said shes thrilled to lead one of the premier mission-driven organizations serving the community.

My career has been aligned with a media organization that has meant a lot to me because of their mission to empower, educate and inform Latinos like my own family, she added. I am ready to bring those skills and passion to LAist. The reporting LAist is doing is some of the best in the world. Now its our job to shine a brighter light on great reporting and continue to be a resource for Angelenos.

In her role at Univision, Santamaria ran sales and operations for Univisions flagship local television station KMEX, UniMas KFTR, KLVE-FM, KSCA-FM, KRCD/V-FM and KTNQ-AM radio stations and a suite of digital properties in the L.A. market. She has also served as the president and general manager of Univision Arizona where she led station operations, sales initiatives and digital marketing solutions. Santamaria is a founding member of Univisions Womens Leadership Council (WLC), an employee resource group. She most recently served the boards of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the L.A. County Economic Development Corporation.