Central Florida Public Media has hired Kayla Kissel as its education reporter, covering K-12 schools, colleges and universities across the region. In her new role, Kissel will report on funding decisions, policy changes and student success as Central Florida schools navigate enrollment shifts, teacher recruitment and preparing students for the workforce. Education is one of the biggest issues facing the region. Consequently, having consistent and dedicated coverage of these issues and how they impact Central Floridians is paramount.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Central Florida Public Media. I’ve always connected with public media’s mission of serving the community with transparency, accuracy, independence and inclusion,” said Kayla Kissel, education reporter at Central Florida Public Media. “There are almost 2.8 million students enrolled in Florida public schools, and I’m looking forward to helping our audience understand the policy changes that affect them.”
Kissel produced her first story that aired on Central Florida Public Media in 2023 through Sounds of Central Florida—a partnership between Central Florida Public Media and the UCF Nicholson School of Communication. In May of 2024, Kissel joined the Central Florida Public Media newsroom as an intern for one semester. That internship was followed by Kissel’s return in Aug. 2025 as a producer for One Small Step, an initiative created by StoryCorps that pairs strangers with different political beliefs together for a conversation. During college, Kissel also interned for WKMG-6 and WUSF. Additionally, Kissel participated in NPR Next Generation Radio, a weeklong reporting boot camp where students are paired with a journalism mentor to produce a long-form audio, video and digital story.
“Kayla already knows this community and this newsroom, which allows her to hit the ground running,” said LaToya Dennis, news director and managing editor at Central Florida Public Media. “Her reporting will help students, families and educators better understand the decisions and developments shaping education across Central Florida.”
Media Contact:
Lilly Carrion
407-680-1320
Lilly.carrion@andbarr.co
