Bea Bonner has been named the University of Illinois Springfield Employee of the Month for September 2022. She is the Community Voices Editor/Co-Host at NPR Illinois.

She began working at UIS in 2016. According to her nominator, Bonner represents the university well as she interviews campus and community members on Community Voices.

“She has improved NPR Illinois’ networking with diverse voices and has worked overload to cover other open staff positions,” adds her nominator. “She has helped develop new employees and has had great success in creating the team. Bea is a UIS star.”

Randy Eccles, her supervisor says, “She goes beyond her standard job duties. Besides hosting public-facing interview programming, she represents UIS with heart.”

Bonner has managed a major engagement project, “This I Believe,” which brings UIS in contact with high school teachers and students from NPR Illinois’ broadcast region throughout central Illinois.

“Bea is a positive force. Her energy is contagious and needed fuel. She is one of our social imitators that keeps staff culture positive. Individual staff find her someone they can meet with for reflection or whatever might be needed,” says Eccles.

Outside of NPR Illinois, Bonner is a sister in a sorority, does voice-over work and her interests include theatre and singing.