On October 3, 2025, Kashon Powell, the Vice President of Programming for iHeart Media, will be honored at the Living Legends Foundation Annual Gala, where she will receive the prestigious Jerry Boulding Radio Personality Award for her outstanding contributions to broadcasting and culture. The recognition comes at a pivotal moment in her career, as she continues to innovate and set new standards for excellence in media leadership.
The Marshall, Texas native has spent more than three decades breaking barriers, shaping culture, and redefining the sound of urban radio. Today, she stands as one of the industry’s most respected executives. Her innovative leadership has influenced markets in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Richmond, VA, leaving an indelible mark on the media landscape.
Powell’s journey began in 1992, while working as a research assistant at KBXX-FM in Houston while pursuing her studies at the University of Houston. Powell briefly worked at Radio & Records in Los Angeles as an Urban Editor in the early 2000s before transitioning to Philadelphia to work as an Assistant Program/Music Director for WUSL-FM. By 2008, she was promoted to Program Director for Philly’s WUSL-FM and WDAS-FM.
Over the years, she has advanced with other leadership roles for iHeartMedia in Virginia, Norfolk University’s WNSB-FM, as well as overseeing several flagship stations in Washington, DC through Radio One, a brand under the Maryland-based multi-media company, Urban One, Inc. By 2019, she had reached a new milestone as Vice President of Programming for Radio One, the first woman to hold the position, a role that expanded her influence over multiple major markets. Powell also served as the creator and executive producer of Urban One Honors, from August 2018 to June 2025, the annual televised awards program that airs on TV One, celebrating cultural Black media & entertainment icons.
On August 18, 2025, Powell accepted a role for iHeart Media in Chicago, the country’s third-largest media market for 2024-2025, according to Nielsen, to continue her media landscape mission as a overseer for WGCI-FM, WVAZ-FM, WGRB-AM, and WMFN-AM.
As the creative force behind many top-rated stations, Powell has prioritized elevating many talent in the media & broadcasting business, while diversified airways.
The 2025 Living Legends Gala will celebrate not only her past accomplishments but also the future she continues to create—one that amplifies voices, builds community, and redefines what’s possible in broadcasting.
