WLRH Staff

Elaine Oakes joined the team at WLRH 89.3 FM/HD public radio in December 2020 as the Corporate Underwriting and Support Manager. After building her own business in leadership with Mary Kay Cosmetics since 1997, she entered the non-profit sector in a volunteer capacity in 2016. She enjoyed learning how to benefit organizations which she cared about through fundraising, grant-writing, volunteer management, public relations, etc. With her skills and background in marketing, business management and relationship-building, Elaine is excited to help businesses and non-profit organizations in our community share their messages in supporting WLRH public radio through underwriting opportunities.

Elaine has a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree from James Madison University, but has honed her skills through working in corporate America, Mary Kay Cosmetics, and in mostly veteran-related non-profits including one she co-founded in 2020 called Honoring Veteran Legacies. Her grandfather is 101 year-old WWII veteran Sherwin Callander (pictured w. Elaine) -- a Pearl Harbor and D-Day survivor! She lives in Madison with her husband Lynn and has 3 active boys, with her oldest attending Auburn University and her middle son just entering UAH. She is a passionate band mom as well, with her youngest playing tuba for Bob Jones High School.