Ben Kieffer
River to River HostExpertise: Interviewing, news and politics, scientific research, history and literature, all in order to help IPR listeners and readers better understand, appreciate and explore their state
Education: Bachelors degree from the University of Iowa
Favorite Iowa Destination: Anywhere where there's swimming, hiking or biking!
Experience:
- Has served as a talk show and podcast host for IPR and WSUI/KSUI
- Has been the host of River to River since 2007
- Hosted IPR's weekly live music/talk show Java Blend from 2000 to 2017
- Is a multi-award-winning host and reporter
- Has created and hosted many regular segments and series, including "Leaving Afghanistan," a series of interviews with US veterans of the Afghanistan War, "Politics Wednesday," "Big Brain," a talk show that tackled life's little questions, "News Buzz" and "Groove into the Weekend"
- Has interviewed major political candidates and elected leaders, including former US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad, former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, former U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin, Sen. Chuck Grassley, Sen. Joni Ernst, former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris, among others
- Worked in Europe for more than a decade as a journalist, translator and consultant
- Reported firsthand in 1989 on the fall of the Berlin Wall and from Prague on the Velvet Revolution
- Hosted a weekly radio magazine about European politics, science and culture, carried by public radio stations across North America from 1990 - 1993
- Serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Iowa, teaching courses on interviewing techniques, radio journalism, politics and storytelling
- First started in public radio in the mid-1980s as a student announcer on WSUI
Contact Ben at bkieffer@iowapublicradio.org.
My Latest Stories
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The performances, presented by the Iowa Labor History Society, aim to highlight Darrow's fights for workers' rights, classroom freedom and justice — issues that remain at the heart of today's political debates. -
The Meskwaki Annual Powwow is Aug. 7-10 in Tama County. The public is invited to witness traditional dances, listen to live music, taste food from vendors and learn about Indigenous history in Iowa. -
A massive military parade is scheduled for Saturday in Washington, D.C. "No Kings" protests are being planned across the country for the same day. Here's what to know about your right to protest.
My Latest Podcasts
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A recent Iowa Climate Statement warns that extreme weather is already pushing insurance costs higher for homeowners and farmers. We break down what the data means for the state’s future. (This episode was originally produced in November 2025.) -
Analysis from political scientists Sara Mitchell of the University of Iowa and Peter Hanson of Grinnell College on statewide races, the latest fallout from the war with Iran and why some Republican Senators are quietly hoping for a Supreme Court retirement before the midterms.
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On this episode we hear from three Iowans who were involved in the historic Artemis II mission that was completed on April 11. Madison Tuttle of West Des Moines, Jack Sieleman of Waukee, and Alex Brewer of Council Bluffs are all relatively early in their careers, but they've spent all that time working at either the Kennedy or Johnson space centers. They each share about their love of space exploration — whether lifelong or found on the job — and what their roles were in the preparation and execution of Artemis II.
