Our Leadership

Dave Isay

Founder & President

Dave Isay is the founder of StoryCorps and the recipient of numerous broadcasting honors, including six Peabody Awards and a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship. He is the author/editor of numerous books that grew out of his public radio documentary work, including theNew York Times best sellers: Listening Is an Act of Love (2007), Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorps, All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps(2012), and Ties That Bind: Stories of Love and Gratitude From the First Ten Years of StoryCorps (2013).

In 2015, Dave was recognized with the TED Prize, awarded annually to one exceptional individual with a creative, bold vision to spark global change. In April 2016, the fifth StoryCorps book, Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work, was released.

For speaking engagement inquiries, Dave is represented by The Tuesday Agency.

Robin Sparkman

Chief Executive Officer

Robin Sparkman joined StoryCorps as its first CEO in January 2014. She is a veteran journalist. Most recently, she was the editor in chief of ALM Media’s The American Lawyer, where she oversaw several of ALM’s print and digital national publications and wrote a monthly column on legal business issues. Under her leadership, The American Lawyer won six Jesse Neal awards for journalism. Before joining ALM, she spent five years as an editor for the business and opinion sections of MSNBC.com. Robin was one of the founding members of the site. She is also a former reporter for Newsweek, covering terrorism, the United Nations, and politics.

Robin is a magna cum laude graduate of Wellesley College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. She sits on the board of the Union Settlement Association of East Harlem (finance and development committees) and serves on the Wellesley Business Leadership Council. She lives in New York City with her family.

Sharyanne McSwain

Chief Financial & Administrative Officer

Sharyanne McSwain has more than 20 years of financial services and business operations experience, working in financial engineering, financial services marketing, municipal finance, and equity research in the for-profit sector. Her love for the stories of everyday people and her desire to support the mission of StoryCorps inspired her move from Wall Street to the nonprofit sector in 2008.

Sharyanne received an M.B.A. from INSEAD, the business school in France, and currently serves on the school’s Board of Trustees. As a Trustee, she is responsible for alumni fundraising efforts in the United States. She also received a B.A. in Urban Studies from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.

Lisa V. Gale

Chief Program Officer

Lisa V. Gale came to StoryCorps in 2017. She has more than 25 years of experience in the administration and management of nonprofit organizations in the fields of adult education and community development. Prior to joining StoryCorps, she served as Deputy Commissioner, Employment Services, for the Human Resources Administration of the City of New York, a $200 million employment services division, offering city programs such as Back2Work, Business Link, Training Assistance Group, and more.

Before her position with the City, Lisa managed a portfolio of workforce development programs funded by the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone Development Corporation; she worked as the Deputy Executive Director for the Literacy Assistance Center; and held various senior leadership positions at nonprofits focused on adult literacy and community and economic development. Lisa holds a PhD in Social Welfare from The CUNY Graduate Center and an MSW from the Hunter College School of Social Work.

Kathrina Proscia

Director, Executive Office

Kathrina Proscia began working at StoryCorps in 2006. With 20 years experience in supporting C-level executives, she has held positions in the industries of advertising, import/export, and airline catering services. Kathrina is a graduate of Empire State College with a major in historical studies. A native New Yorker, born in Brooklyn, she resides in Queens, New York, with her husband, daughter, and the cutest chihuahua ever.