WNYC’s Alison Stewart and Sarah Qari Win 2025 Gracie Awards
(New York, NY – March 25, 2025) — Today, WNYC’s Alison Stewart and Sarah Qari were honored with 2025 Gracie Awards for their work.
Alison Stewart, host of WNYC’s daily arts and culture show All Of It, was awarded the Gracie Award for Interview Feature (Radio – Non-Commercial Local) for her interview with her neurosurgeon, Dr. Randy D’Amico. Together, they recount the sudden loss of speech that Stewart experienced in February 2024 that precipitated the need for emergency brain surgery – a procedure that required her to remain wide awake. In the conversation, they discuss the groundbreaking technology used for brain surgeries like Alison’s, what her recovery process entailed, and a surprising connection: Dr. D’Amico, a music obsessive who plays rock music while he operates on patients, remembered Stewart from her early career role as a correspondent for MTV News. This episode marked her return to the airwaves following a four month recovery period.
Sarah Qari has won two Gracie Awards for her work on Radiolab. Qari was recognized for her overall work in the category of Reporter/Correspondent (Radio – Nationally Syndicated Non-Commercial), and for her work on “How Stockholm Stuck” in the Documentary (Radio – Nationally Syndicated Non-Commercial) category. The episode looks at the 1973 hostage situation in Stockholm, Sweden that gave “Stockholm Syndrome” its name, and asks whether the phenomenon is purely a trope of pop psychology or something that could truly aid in the understanding of inexplicable trauma.
“We’re so proud to have Alison and Sarah recognized by the Gracie Awards,” said LaFontaine E. Oliver, President and CEO of New York Public Radio, which includes WNYC. “From Alison’s extraordinarily personal conversation with her doctor to Sarah’s re-examination of a decades-old theory, these stories are revelatory, deeply reported, and leave room for the listener’s own thoughts. Their work represents the best of public radio: storytelling and journalism that embrace complexity, expand our ideas, and bring people together around the human experience.”
Since 2009, WNYC has received 14 Gracie Awards across categories for hosts, reporters, radio and podcast series, news broadcasts and syndicated specials.
The Gracie Awards, presented by the Alliance for Women in Media, recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational contributions to the industry. Named after the late Gracie Allen, the Gracie Awards acknowledge outstanding team leadership and individual achievement. The Gracies focus on women who are making positive change and who further the discussion of what a fulfilling career in media looks like. 2025 marks the Gracie Awards’ 50th Anniversary.
ABOUT WNYC
With an urban vibrancy and a global perspective, WNYC is New York’s public radio station, broadcasting and streaming award-winning journalism, groundbreaking audio programming and essential talk radio to the city and beyond. WNYC is a leading member station of NPR and broadcasts programs from the BBC World Service, along with a roster of WNYC-produced local programs that champion the stories and spirit of New York City and the surrounding region. From its state-of-the-art studios, WNYC is reshaping audio for a new generation of listeners, producing some of the most beloved nationally-syndicated public radio programs including Radiolab, On the Media, The New Yorker Radio Hour, and the local radio show and podcast The Brian Lehrer Show. WNYC broadcasts on 93.9 FM and AM 820 to listeners in New York and the tri-state area, and is available to audiences everywhere at WNYC.org, the WNYC app and through major digital radio services, all made possible through the generous support of our members, donors and sponsors.