Bringing The World Home To You

© 2025 WUNC North Carolina Public Radio
120 Friday Center Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27517
919.445.9150 | 800.962.9862
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Already a Sustainer? Click here to increase now →

Kaia Findlay

Lead Producer, "Embodied"

Kaia Findlay is the lead producer for Embodied, WUNC's radio show and podcast on sex, relationships and health.

Her first exploration of radio came in elementary school, when she usually fell asleep listening to recordings of 1950s radio comedy programs. After a semester of writing for her high school newspaper, she decided she hated journalism. While pursuing her bachelor’s in environmental studies at UNC-Chapel Hill, she got talked back into it. Kaia received a master’s degree from the UNC Hussman School of Journalism, where she focused on reporting and science communication. She has published stories with Our State Magazine, Indy Week, and HuffPost. She previously worked as the manager for a podcast on environmental sustainability and higher education.

When not working at WUNC, Kaia goes rock climbing, takes long bike rides, and reads lots of books.

 

  • An illustration of four people walking along a tree-lined path under a blue sky. In the foreground, a man and woman walk arm-in-arm, wearing face masks and looking at each other affectionately. Behind them, two other women walk side by side, engaged in conversation. Large, bold text at the top reads “Embodied.”
    When Long Covid Rewrites Your Love Story
    Kaia Findlay
    Eighteen million Americans have been diagnosed with long COVID. One couple shares their experience navigating the condition’s many symptoms and its emotional toll — together.
  • An illustration of a woman wearing headphones and holding a microphone and audio recorder in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other. She is leaning forward like a detective, inspecting the word “FEAR” on the ground, which is surrounded by other bold words: “ANGER,” “JOY” and “SADNESS.” The background is a soft purple gradient with a textured border, and the word “Embodied” appears in large, dark red letters at the top.
    A Journalist’s Solution to Emotional Conundrums
    Kaia Findlay
    A journalist talks about using reporting skills to manage difficult emotions and help others get unstuck.
  • An illustration featuring the word "Embodied" in purple at the top, with silhouettes of the side profiles of several faces underneath, in the lower third of the illustration. You can see six faces or pieces of faces, with a mix of hair styles and lengths. Each silhouette is a different shade of pink or purple, and the silhouettes are facing different directions.
    Bisexuality Beyond The Binary
    Kaia Findlay
    Bisexual folks make up the highest portion of people who identify as LGBTQ+. What are the challenges of having a sexuality that falls between distinct, prescribed categories?
  • Illustrated family scene at a playground with 'Embodied' logo at top. Shows a family of four: a white woman with glasses and curly hair in a yellow sweater holding a baby, a young Black girl in a pink heart t-shirt hanging from monkey bars with arms raised joyfully, and a white man in a green shirt and cap standing nearby. The background features trees with purple and green foliage.
    Parenting Wisdom From An Interabled Couple
    Kaia Findlay
    There are 4.4 million parents in the U.S. who have a disability and are navigating parenthood in a culture that prizes able-bodiedness. An interabled couple share the creativity and adaptability involved in raising their two kids.
  • An illustration featuring a Black masc-of-center person talking with their hands in motion, looking into their laptop. The person is wearing a teal long-sleeved shirt, has dark brown skin, short dark hair, a dark beard and is wearing glasses in thick, dark frames. Their laptop is white and open in front of them on a desk. There's a yellow notebook, a pen and a phone also on the desk. On the wall behind them is a shelf featuring books, including "Self-Care for Black Men" and "But What Will People Say?" There is also a plant on that shelf and another shelf above it, featuring books. The wall behind them also features a hanging work of art. The word "Embodied" is at the top of the illustration.
    Why We Need More Therapists Of Color
    Kaia Findlay
    The majority of mental health professionals in the U.S. are white. Therapists of color are working to expand the diversity of their field and increase access to meet a rising demand for their services.
  • Illustration of 16 different erotic symbols in purples and pinks arranged in a grid on top of a purple and white textured background. The symbols are: a biting lip, a corset, furry handcuffs, a stiletto, a computer, a candle, a mask, a journal, a microphone, a bed with a heart over it, a pair of underwear, a pencil writing a heart, a bottle of lube, a v*brator, a whip, a block of cheese.
    The Making Of Great Erotica
    Kaia Findlay
    It’s easy to recognize great erotica when you come across it — the reactions are physical and palpable. Embodied goes behind the scenes to learn how the steamiest of sex scenes get made.
  • Illustration of a flight attendant standing in the aisle of an airplane, gently placing a hand on a smiling passenger’s shoulder. The flight attendant is wearing a navy blazer and skirt with a purple blouse, light brown skin and has dark hair pulled into a bun. The passenger has a beard, light brown skin and curly hair and is seated among other travelers in a row of colorful seats. Above the scene, the word “Embodied” appears in bold, dark red letters.
    The Hidden Labor Of Flight Attendants
    Kaia Findlay
    A flight attendant and a travel reporter highlight the unseen lives and labor of flight attendants, from jam-packed safety trainings to the emotional care of passengers in a high stakes atmosphere.
  • Illustrated promotional image for "Embodied" podcast showing a peaceful rural scene. A person in a yellow sweater sits on a wooden porch with a large white dog lying beside them, overlooking rolling green hills and trees. The "Embodied" logo appears in large brown letters at the top.
    Building A Queer Life In The Country
    Kaia Findlay
    Up to 20% of the LGBTQ+ population in the U.S. lives in rural America. That’s millions of people defying the narrative that the only place queer folks want to live is in a city or on the coast. One rural queer person set out to interrogate that false narrative by documenting the stories of other queer folks in the country.
  • An illustration of two young men standing close together against a dreamy background of soft purple sky and fluffy white clouds. The man on the left wears a captain’s hat, sunglasses, a black T-shirt with a blue mountain graphic and blue shorts; he has a mustache and his arm around the other man's shoulder. The man on the right has long hair, wears a backward black cap and a light blue tank top and has his arm around the first man's waist. Above them, in bold dark blue letters, is the word “Embodied.”
    Two Brothers, One Uncertain Future
    Audrey Smith
    Two brothers diagnosed with a genetic mutation that almost certainly causes dementia share how they’re building their lives while preparing for symptoms of the disease, which are likely to start in their late 30s or early 40s.
  • An illustration looking into a room from the perspective of the doorway. In the room, there’s an older interracial couple cuddling affectionately in bed, both smiling and content. The room is softly decorated with pastel tones and wall art. In the foreground, a “PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB” door hanger is prominently displayed on the door handle. The hanger includes the logo for “Golden Acres Assisted Living.” The word “Embodied” appears at the top.
    Why We Need To Talk About Sex In Nursing Homes
    Kaia Findlay
    Research shows that older adults want and need sexual intimacy well into their later years. But when they move out of their homes and into long-term care communities, they have a lot less privacy and autonomy to seek it out.