Wade Goodwyn

Goodwyn is the son of Lawrence Goodwyn, a journalist, liberal activist, and history professor at Duke University.[1] Wade Goodwyn attended the University of Texas, graduating with a degree in history. His first career was as a political campaign staffer for Lloyd Doggett and Ralph Nader.[2] He spent time in New York as a political organizer, and his time listening to WNYC inspired him to pursue a career in radio in general, and with NPR in particular.[3]

In 1991, Goodwyn met with All Things Considered host Robert Siegel, who connected him with the NPR hiring office. Without prior experience in radio or journalism, Goodwyn began as a freelancer, learning radio techniques from his first editor, Judith Doherty.[3] To make his career transition financially possible, he moved back to Texas.[2]

In 1993 he went to Waco, Texas to add to National Desk Correspondent John Burnett's coverage of the 1993 Branch Davidian siege. It became a major national story, and Goodwyn managed the first interview of a former Branch Davidian and other scoops which led to his being hired by NPR as a staff correspondent.[2][3][4]

Goodwyn's stories are frequently included in NPR programs like All Things Considered and Morning Edition, covering Texas, the surrounding states, and other stories of national interest.[5] Some of the noteworthy stories covered major hurricanes, the Oklahoma City bombing, the first case of ebola in the United States.[3]

Goodwyn is known for his baritone voice, which he says deepened with age.[3]

Goodwyn is married with two children and works out of a home studio in Dallas, Texas.[5]