Peter Payette

About Peter

Peter joined Interlochen Public Radio in 2000, directed IPR News beginning in 2001, and became the station's executive director in 2016. His job is to make sure IPR remains a vibrant source of music, news, and stories for people in northern Michigan and beyond, exploring life in the upper Great Lakes and sharing the wealth of artistry at Interlochen with our neighbors. 

In his former role, he reported on a wide range of issues critical to the culture and economy of northern Michigan. His work has been featured on NPR, Michigan Radio, and Bridge magazine, and has won awards from PRNDI, the Associated Press, and New York Festivals. He has taught journalism and audio storytelling to students and adults at Interlochen Center for the Arts. 

Peter has vacationed in Benzie County his entire life and became acquainted with IPR through radios that were always on in family cottages on the south shore of Crystal Lake. His wife Sarah is his biggest fan and a former educator who now works with teen parents. They have four children: Isabelle, Amelia, Emmet, and Juan. The Payettes live happily in Traverse City's Kids Creek neighborhood.