Henry Nelson

Henry repositioned his life in 2020, moving from Memphis to Asheville in hopes of enjoying the expansive choices for outdoor activity as well as the arts and culture of Appalachia. Upon hearing that Asheville was one of the few cities conducting authentic conversations around reparations for African Americans, he knew he was making the right move. He values building communities and is guided by the principles of equity, understanding, forgiveness and gratitude.

Henry’s four decades long radio career included being a start-up person for many successful radio stations in Memphis, New Orleans, Orlando and Virginia Beach. He studied mass communications at The University of Memphis, The University of New Orleans and the Institute of Broadcasting. His passion as a programming content director has allowed him to create collaborations and construct bridges between the nonprofit and for-profit worlds. Henry believes that public radio is the drumbeat of every community.

In addition to spending time developing his writing skills, Henry enjoys researching family history, reading, painting, hiking and sorting through years of personal radio archives.

Henry and his partner have been delighted by the farm to table food community in WNC through visiting area farmers markets and dining out frequently! They are also appreciative of the warm and welcoming embrace of their new community.

Email: hnelson@bpr.org