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Alisa Barba

Senior Editor

Alisa Joyce Barba is an award-winning journalist, producer, writer and editor with 25 years experience in both network and public broadcasting. For 12 years, she served as the Western Bureau Chief for National Public Radio. She was responsible for the editorial content and production of member station reporter and staff pieces for air on NPR's All Things Considered and Morning Edition. While monitoring news in the western US, she specialized in covering border and immigration issues and won numerous awards for editing series and stories on a issues ranging from the failed "war on drugs," western water policies, and border corruption. Independent of NPR, she won the coveted Dupont Award for her work as Executive Producer of the 2001-2002 Documentary "Culture of Hate: Who Are We?". In 1997 she won the Jerry Schumacher Award for Best Program about Health Care Issues: Under the Knife: San Diego Medicine Confronts the Bottom Line. Prior to her work with NPR, Alisa was a Producer for ABC News in Beijing, covering, among other stories, the Tiananmen Square uprising. From 1989-1995 Alisa was a Producer/Reporter for MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour in New York and Washington DC. Based in San Diego, her journalism work has focused heavily on immigration, military and health care concerns. She holds a Masters Degree in Chinese History from UCSD and a BA from Middlebury College.

MORE STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR
  • Alec y Josefina son una pareja la cual el giro de sus vidas es cruzar fronteras; internacionales, financieras y culinarias. Juntos abrieron Berlin 89, un bar y salchicheria en el centro de Tijuana que también opera como una embajada de criptomonedas. Acontecimientos recientes han hecho de su establecimiento un faro de esperanza para aquellos que huyen a raíz del conflicto entre Rusia y Ucrania y que buscan restablecerse en estas tierras fronterizas. No se lo pierda!*********Port of Entry está de regreso ¡Ahora con contenido en español!Después de una larga pausa, estamos muy emocionados de compartir con ustedes historias nuevas sobre nuevos migrantes que han hecho de Tijuana y la Baja su nuevo hogar y el impacto que han tenido en el paisaje culinario.Acompaña a nuestros anfitriones Natali y Alan en sus entrevistas con estos increíbles personajes que comparten sus fascinantes historias y las de sus familias.Si te gusto el episodio, comparte con quien tú quieras, ¡déjanos un like y tú comentario en nuestras redes!@portofentrypod***********De KPBS, PRX y California Humanities, esto es “Port of Entry” , donde contamos historias que cruzan fronteras.Encuentranos en Facebook y en Instagramwww.facebook.com/portofentrypodcastwww.instagram.com/portofentrypodPuedes apoyar nuestro podcast en www.kpbs.org/donate, escribe en la sección de regalos (gift section) “Port of Entry” y como agradecimiento te mandaremos un regalito de parte del programa.Si tu empresa u organización sin fines de lucro desea patrocinar nuestro podcast, envía un correo a corporatesupport@kpbs.orgNos encantaría recibir tu retroalimentación, envíanos un mensaje al 619-500-3197 o un correo a podcasts@kpbs.org con tus comentarios y/o preguntas sobre nuestro show.‘’Port of Entry’’ es escrito, producido y dirigido por Julio C. Ortiz FrancoLuca Vega es el Productor Técnico y Diseñador SonoroAlisa Barba es nuestra editora.Los episodios son traducidos y adaptados por Julio C. Ortiz Franco y Natalie González.Elma González Lima Brandão y M.G. Perez son nuestros editores en EspañolLisa Morissette-Zapp es la Directora de Programación de Audio y Operaciones.John Decker es el Director de Desarrollo de Contenido.This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
  • Berlin 89: A Crypto Embassy for the People!Alec and Josefina are a couple whose whole spin on life is to breach borders; international, financial and culinary. Together they opened up Berlin 89, a sausage deli bar in downtown Tijuana that doubles as a cryptocurrency embassy. Recent world events have turned their shop into a beacon of hope for those looking for a way to bring a sense of normalcy back into their lives. Tune in!@portofentrypod**************Port of Entry is back after a long hiatus and is excited to share a whole new set of stories with you, this time centered around food and migration.This season we share several stories about how food has changed cities in the borderlands, including episodes on folks who have made Valle de Guadalupe, the famous wine region of northern Baja, their home.Follow hosts Natali Gonzalez and Alan Lilienthal as they sit down with these fascinating people who share their personal and family stories. Listen in and join us!If you like this episode, show us some love @portofentrypod**************From KPBS, PRX and California Humanities, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.orgFind us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcastFind us on Instagramor at www.instagram.com/portofentrypodSupport our show at www.kpbs.org/donate. Search “Port of Entry” in the gifts section to get our sling bag as a thank-you gift.If your business or nonprofit wants to sponsor our show, email corporatesupport@kpbs.org.Feedback is a gift. Text or call the "Port of Entry" team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show. Email us at podcasts@kpbs.org.“Port of Entry'' is written, produced and directed by Julio C. Ortiz Franco. Luca Vega is our Technical Producer and Sound Designer.Alisa Barba is our editor.Episodes are translated by Julio C. Ortiz Franco and Natali Gonzales.Elma Gonzalez and M.G. Perez are our Spanish Editors.Lisa Morrisette-Zapp is Director of Audio Programming and Operations and John Decker is the Director of Content Development.This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
  • In January 12, 2010 a devastating earthquake hit Haiti that caused a massive exodus of Haitian nationals to look for a better future in other parts of the world. Elena and Petiane are two Haitian refugees who left their home country for South America to find work. They eventually made it to Tijuana as they set their sights on getting to the US, but after a turn of events they decided to make Tijuana their new home.@portofentrypod**************Port of Entry is back after a long hiatus and is excited to share a whole new set of stories with you, this time centered around food and migration.This season we share several stories about how food has changed cities in the borderlands, including episodes on folks who have made Valle de Guadalupe, the famous wine region of northern Baja, their home.Follow hosts Natali Gonzalez and Alan Lilienthal as they sit down with these fascinating people and share their personal and family stories. Listen in and join us!If you like this episode, show us some love @portofentrypod**************From KPBS, PRX, and California Humanities, “Port of Entry” tells cross-border stories that connect us. More stories at www.portofentrypod.orgFind us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/portofentrypodcastFind us on Instagramor at www.instagram.com/portofentrypodSupport our show at www.kpbs.org/donate. Search “Port of Entry” in the gifts section to get our sling bag as a thank-you gift.If your business or nonprofit wants to sponsor our show, email corporatesupport@kpbs.org.Feedback is a gift. Text or call the "Port of Entry" team at 619-500-3197 anytime with questions or comments about the show. Email us at podcasts@kpbs.org.“Port of Entry'' is written, produced and directed by Julio C. Ortiz Franco. Luca Vega is our Technical Producer and Sound Designer.Alisa Barba is our editor.Episodes are translated by Julio C. Ortiz Franco and Natali Gonzales.Elma Gonzalez and M.G. Perez are our Spanish Editors.Lisa Morrisette-Zapp is Director of Audio Programming and Operations and John Decker is the Director of Content Development.This program is made possible, in part, by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.
  • In this episode we profile a bilingual theater experience called The Frontera Project. It is a company of Mexican and US artists that use theater, music, movement and play to actively engage the audience in conversation about life along the US/Mexico Border. Their mission is to encourage audiences to recognize each other across differences and to spark a dialogue about what divides us and what we share. Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.
  • Thousands of people cross the U.S.-Mexico border every year to take a psychedelic known as ibogaine. But this isn’t for pleasure, this drug spins most people into a terrifying psychotic trip…but it’s a trip that may help some kick opiate addiction. We follow one man with an addiction issue as he takes this trip, and meet others that are trying to overcome their own drug habits.Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.
  • Cannabis advocates in Tijuana work with the legalized scene in California and get themselves ready for a future where adult-use cannabis is finally legal in Mexico. Not only are they working to get the laws changed in Mexico, they also have to find ways to change the perception of cannabis at the border, which has long been associated with Mexican drug cartels.Port of Entry is back, this time with a series of stories on how the border can change minds.