HOST

Rich Meagher

Richard J. Meagher [pronounced MARR] is Professor of Political Science, Director of Social Entrepreneurship at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia, and your guide as we take you deeper into the issues in the city and surrounding counties.

He is an expert observer of local and state politics in the capital city of Richmond, Virginia, and has been featured everywhere from print to television to radio. He is a political analyst for WRIC 8 News, and his commentary and opinion have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and his own RVAPolitics site. He is a Faculty Fellow for Brandeis University’s Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation (ENACT), a national program engaging undergraduates in state-level legislative change. His 2020 book, Local Politics Matters, argues for the importance of participation in city and county politics. In 2023 he launched the Virginia Amendments Project, a resource for scholars and citizens about amendments to the Constitution of Virginia. 

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Meg Luther Lindholm

Meg is an award-winning multimedia innovator, producer and manager with experience in broadcast and digital media. She got her professional start waking at 3 am to produce a 3-hour morning drive AM radio show in NYC. Deciding that drinking gallons of coffee to make it through the day was not for her – she jumped ship to become Brian Lehrer’s producer at WNYC. Thus began a love affair with public radio that has stayed constant through the years and through moves to different parts of the country.

In 2002 the Prairie winds blew her to Fargo, ND. There, she developed public media projects on bullying, high risk drinking and incarceration. Her work was recognized with several journalism awards including an Edward R. Murrow award for best audio documentary. In 2021 She moved to Richmond, Virginia where she now works as VPM’s Director of Podcast Production. She is happy to continue doing what she loves most – developing ideas for new podcasts and ongoing ones. She lives with her husband, her two mostly wonderful teens and her two devious cats.

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER

Amber Coles

Amber is a fiercely proud native and lifelong resident of Richmond who draws inspiration from the neighborhoods, connections, and serendipitous encounters she’s experienced over the last three decades of her life, from her news background with WTVR CBS 6 to a bevy of varied experiences within the state and beyond. Her love for investigation and storytelling brought her to VPM with words from her professor guiding her through the process–if you know a little bit about a lot of things, it will make you a more well-rounded journalist.

Amber received her B.S. in Mass Communication with a minor in business from Virginia Commonwealth University and a M.A. in Strategic Communications from Liberty University. When she’s not working as a communications guru or penning her next novel or screenplay, she can be found flexing her athleticism during her aerial Lyra classes or hanging with friends.