Sean Crawford
Managing Editor, NPR Illinois/ CAB Ex-OfficioSean has led the NPR Illinois news operations since the fall of 2009. He replaced the only other person to do so in the station's history, Rich Bradley.
Prior to taking over the News Department, Sean worked as Statehouse Bureau Chief for NPR Illinois and other Illinois Public Radio stations. He spent more than a dozen years in the statehouse press room, winning numerous awards for his reporting, including a national Capitolbeat honor for coverage of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich's impeachment and removal from office.
Overall, Sean has logged 40 years in journalism. He began his broadcasting career at his hometown station WJPF in Herrin, Illinois while still in high school. It was there he learned to cover local government, courts and anything else that made the news.
He spent time in the Joliet area as News Director and Operations Manager for radio station WKBM and worked for a chain of weekly newspapers for two years. Along with news coverage, he reported heavily on sports and did on-air play by play.
Sean hosts weekly shows Statewide and State Week, which air across Illinois Public Radio stations. He holds a Master's Degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield.
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On this episode, we listen to a series that examines how schools across the country, including in Illinois, hand out suspensions to Black students at a higher rate than for white students. -
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First Listen for June 24, 2026
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Peter Cadigan was originally charged with murder, but later pleaded guilty to manslaughter. -
First Listen for June 23, 2026.
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A new law puts rules on what had been an unregulated product. -
Even safety advocates are in disagreement on how old is too old to drive. -
An EF-1 tornado hit the city's north end late Wednesday, June 10. But sirens did not sound. -
The event is Wednesday on the UIS campus. -
The storms left damage, including at the Animal Protective League and Springfield airport.
