Frank Lenzi

KIRO News Director

Frank Lenzi

News Director KIRO Radio

About

Frank Lenzi runs the newsroom at KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. He has spent nearly two decades covering the people, politics, and problems of the Puget Sound region. He came to Seattle from Portland, Oregon in 2008 and never left. Frank’s reporting is shaped by a belief that local journalism should be useful — that a story should tell you something you didn’t know, about a place you care about, from someone willing to dig. That belief was forged in part by personal loss: his brother, Maj. Gregory L. Stone, was killed serving with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division during the Iraq War. Telling Gregg’s story — and the stories of others like him — remains the work Frank is most proud of. He is also unreasonably passionate about Depeche Mode, AC/DC, and the career of Roger Federer.

Expertise

  • Journalism
  • Radio and Web Reporting
  • Radio News Anchoring

Experience

News Director, KIRO Newsradio (December 2024 – Present)

  • Leads the KIRO Newsradio team with a focus on excellence in journalism and storytelling

Program Director/News Director, KOMO Radio (now KNWN)

  • Held roles including Morning Editor, Managing Editor, News Director, and Program Director

Managing Editor/Reporter/Anchor, AM 860 KPAM

  • Progressed from Morning Editor to Managing Editor at Portland’s news talk station

Newsroom Staff, 1190 KEX Portland

  • First commercial radio job in Portland’s heritage station newsroom

High School Radio (1991)

  • Began radio career at age 15 on a high school station

Education

Bachelor of Arts, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, 1997

Certifications

Achievements & Awards

  • Led teams at KPAM and KOMO Radio that won multiple awards for breaking news, best newscast, and overall excellence

Social Media Profiles

3 shot near Bremerton High School after fight escalates to gunfire

A fight just two blocks from Bremerton High School escalated to gunfire Friday night, leaving three people wounded.
18 hours ago

VIDEO: Snohomish County deputies battle ‘really strong’ escaped goat

An escaped goat gave one Snohomish County neighborhood quite a scare — and two deputies a story they'll be telling for years.
20 hours ago

Kent man wanted for rape, kidnapping arrested in drug bust

A Kent man wanted for rape and kidnapping in King County was arrested Sept. 2.
5 days ago

Firefighters disassemble car dashboard to rescue trapped kitten in Thurston County

Cat owners know their feline friends often hide, but one kitten's hiding place recently required a fire crew to take part of a car apart.
5 days ago

‘The dude is actually a cop’: Man charged after pointing gun at undercover detective on Highway 509

A man has been charged with second-degree assault and unlawful firearm possession after he allegedly pointed a gun at an undercover detective.
5 days ago

More than 100 cats seized from Tacoma home in ‘rough condition’ after welfare check

At least 85 cats were seized from a Tacoma home this week after officers responding to a routine welfare check discovered the animals.
7 days ago

Bite of Seattle shooting: Judge orders 15-year-old suspect to remain in custody

A judge ruled Tuesday that the 15-year-old boy arrested in connection with July's deadly Bite of Seattle shooting will not be released from custody.
7 days ago

After Bite of Seattle shooting, SPD must now update media within 1 hour of any major incident

Seattle is updating its public safety communication rules in the wake of July’s Bite of Seattle shooting that left three people dead and four others wounded. Mayor Katie Wilson announced Tuesday that she and Interim Police Chief Andre Sayles will be in direct contact during any significant incident. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is expected […]
8 days ago

Redmond’s Kristina Liutova, 16, wins first set but falls in tears to Olympic gold medalist at US Open

Kristina Liutova of Redmond, 16, won the first set against 2024 Olympic gold medalist Zheng Qinwen but couldn't hold off the veteran.
9 days ago

King County buys Cedar River property for $14M, ending decade-long asphalt plant fight

King County has purchased the Cedar River property at the center of a nearly decade-long fight over a proposed asphalt plant, paying $14 million — $2.7 million below its appraised value — for land that could become a crown jewel of the county's park system.
10 days ago

Rising star vs. comeback queen: Redmond’s Kristina Liutova, 16, takes on Olympic Gold Medalist Zheng Qinwen at the US Open

Redmond's Kristina Liutova, 16, continues her long journey to the top of women's tennis Monday when she plays her first main draw match at a Grand Slam tournament at the 2026 US Open.
10 days ago

As SPD drops hiring bonuses, Bellevue PD is still waving $30K at officers looking to leave

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) will no longer offer hiring bonuses as of September 1, citing budget concerns.
12 days ago

US Open: Redmond’s Kristina Liutova becomes first player born in 2010s to qualify for Grand Slam tournament

Kristina Liutova won her third match in the US Open qualifying rounds Friday, beating Poland's Martyna Kubka to earn a spot.
12 days ago

Sound Transit approves fare gates at 14 light rail stations, eyes up to $83M in new revenue

Sound Transit plans to bring fare gates to up to 14 of its light rail stations — a move that could generate nearly $83 million a year in net revenue.
13 days ago

Redmond’s Kristina Liutova, 16, one win away from 2026 U.S. Open main draw

Redmond's Kristina Liutova is one win away from the main draw at the 2026 U.S. Open — and the 16-year-old got there by fighting through a dramatic finish Wednesday night.
13 days ago

Person found dead along I-5 near Seneca in Seattle

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is investigating after a person was found dead in a grassy area along I-5.
15 days ago

Redmond’s Kristina Liutova, 16, wins first-round US Open qualifying match

Redmond teenager and youngest active WTA champion Kristina Liutova is one step closer to qualifying for the main draw at the US Open.
15 days ago

Train sparks quarter-mile brush fire along Port of Tacoma Road, damages utility poles

A passing train sparked a brush fire in Tacoma Monday, keeping fire crews busy during an already dangerously dry stretch across the region.
16 days ago

She came to Redmond at 10 to chase a tennis dream. Now she’s headed to the U.S. Open

On a tennis court in Redmond, Washington, a 16-year-old from Moscow, Russia, is making history one swing at a time.
19 days ago

NTSB: Kenmore Air floatplane was diverting for bad weather when it crashed near Sucia Island

A preliminary report NTSB said the Kenmore Air floatplane that crashed near Sucia Island on July 23 was trying to divert when it went down.
21 days ago

Deputies find 20 cats in stolen truck after AirTag tracks down vehicle in Tacoma

An AirTag led Pierce County Sheriff's Deputies to a stolen truck — and 20 cats — in Tacoma this week.
27 days ago

Alaska earthquake could send 20-foot tsunami waves to Washington coast in just 3.5 hours, new study warns

A new study from the Washington Geological Survey finds tsunami activity could last 24 hours or more, and the first wave might not be the biggest.
27 days ago

KIRO Newsradio wins 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for Breaking News Coverage

KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM has won a 2026 National Edward R. Murrow Award for breaking news coverage of its reporting on the Seattle ICE protests that turned violent.
27 days ago

Rabid bat gets caught in woman’s hair at Olympic National Park

A rabid bat swooped down and got caught in a woman's hair at Olympic National Park near Staircase Bridge on Sunday afternoon around 2 p.m.
28 days ago