Marta McLellan Ross

Marta McLellan Ross is Chief of Staff at NPR. Since 2021, she has led NPR’s Policy and Representation team, promoting public funding for public radio and advocating for legislation safeguarding journalists and freedom of the press. She leveraged her public policy expertise to explain NPR’s impact to Congress, state and local lawmakers, emphasizing the vital role of public radio stations in local communities.

McLellan Ross brings a distinguished history of public service and over a decade of legislative experience, including roles as Director of Legislative Affairs at the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) and Acting Director of Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). She also served as a senior policy advisor to two U.S. Senators and has an extensive background in East Asian security policy, including a Council on Foreign Relations Hitachi Fellowship. A 2001 Harry S. Truman Scholar, she is committed to public service and believes in NPR’s role in fostering national dialogue and bipartisan support for public radio.