Carla Eckels
Director of Organizational Culture and Soulsations HostCarla Eckels is Director of Organizational Culture at KMUW. She has been an award-winning announcer and news producer for KMUW since 1996. Eckels also produces and hosts the R&B and gospel show Soulsations that airs Sundays at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m and in markets across the U.S. and in Canada. She brings stories of race and culture to The Range with the monthly segment In the Mix. Prior to coming to KMUW, Carla was the local host for NPR’s Morning Edition at WYSO in Yellow Springs, Ohio, hosted a gospel show on WCSU in Wilberforce, OH, and co-hosted a nationally syndicated gospel radio show in Cincinnati. Carla was also program director for KIBN, the Inspirational Black Network in Wichita, hosted the Joyful Sounds gospel show on Q92-FM and produced the number one gospel radio show on KSJM 107.9 JAMZ.
Carla's collection of honors and awards is extensive and well-deserved. Most recently she received the 2024 1st Place KAB award Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, "Relative and friend of Emmett Till reflects on why his story is important nowmore than ever," a 2023 1st Place KAB award, “A Conversation with Con Funk Shun’s Michael Cooper” and a 2023 Shine Award from StoryTime Village. In 2022 Carla was named a Diversity & Inclusion Awards honoree by the Wichita Business Journal. She was inducted into The Kansas African American Museum's Trailblazers Hall of Fame in November 2020 for her work in broadcast/journalism. She is a member of the Kansas Association of Black Journalists and recipient of the Wichita Branch NAACP’s Janett Jackson Community Service Award. In 2018 Carla was honored with the Sonny Slater Award for Service to Station and Community from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters, and the Drum Major Award at Wichita State University's Office of Diversity and Inclusion. She received the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award in 2017 for her work on Then And Now: The Summer Of Justice and a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Newman Basketball Coach And Wife Recount His Struggle With Depression—And His Return To ‘Normal’. In April 2016, Wichita State University presented Carla with the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award. The Carlisle Award is presented to a WSU professional who models the standard of extraordinary service exhibited by the late Wayne Carlisle.
Carla enjoys getting lots of exercise with her dog, Milo.
Carla can be reached by email at eckels@kmuw.org.
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The Tallgrass Film Festival will celebrate Hattie McDaniel's legacy later this month and her great-grandnephew, Kevin Goff, will be there to take part — as well as to visit the late actress' hometown. -
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KC and the Sunshine Band will perform in Dodge City on Thursday at the United Wireless Arena and in Salina at the Stiefel Theatre on Friday night. -
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Alexis Smith was crowned Miss Kansas this summer and she's getting a lot of attention from in and out of the state, particularly for speaking out against domestic violence. For Smith, it's a community service initiative that's all too personal. -
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