Jen Picard
Senior Producer, Insight
Jen Picard's love affair with radio began while she was a student
at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA. Her weekly show on the
student-run station, KRFH, led to an internship in 1999 at KUBA in
Yuba City. There she served as the weekend and afternoon news
anchor. After graduating in 2000 with a degree in Journalism and
Mass Communications, Picard was hired as a features copy editor at
the Appeal-Democrat newspaper in Marysville, CA.
In 2001, Picard was promoted to Entertainment Editor, a position
she held for five years. During her time in print, she wrote a
weekly pop culture column and spent an inordinate amount of time
covering local concerts and plays. "It was a rough job, but someone
had to do it," she said.
Picard left the paper in March 2006 to pursue a freelance writing
career, but found herself called back to radio in July 2006.
"Working from home gave me an opportunity to listen to
Insight daily and I really enjoyed the in-depth analysis
of local topics, not to mention the variety," she said. "I wanted
to work here and I got lucky. It's great to be a part of something
that's unlike anything else in the area."
Picard lives in Sacramento with her photojournalist husband
Max Whittaker and her neurotic cat Smokey. An admitted
television addict, she spends an excessive amount of time
discussing the merits of "American Idol" and "Glee" with anyone who
will listen. When in need of fresh air, she can be found riding her
bike on the American River Parkway.