About KUED

Elizabeth Searles

Producer/Director

KUED Development Producer Elizabeth Searles goes beyond text book history to produce historical documentaries spotlighting everyday people.

One of Searles’ most recent productions is the four part, six and a half-hour series Utah WWII Stories . Each episode of the series, The Struggle, Europe, The Pacific and The Home Front has received a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award for best historical documentary.

Since 2001, she and Ted Capener have produced five programs in the nostalgic Utah in the `50 series profiling Salt Lake City, Cedar City/ St. George, Provo, Ogden and Moab.

On the Road with J. Golden Kimball and Remembering Uncle Golden play folksy, humorous tributes to a colorful Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints figure. Remembering Uncle Golden received a Silver honor for entertainment program from the Utah Broadcasters' Association.

Searles' 1995 video scrapbook of Salt Lake City in the 1940s, Salt Lake City - Once Upon A Time, has broadcast on KUED numerous times as the result of its popularity with audiences. Her skillfully woven documentary, Gathered in Time, offers viewers colorful look at quilts in Utah and their makers. Searles has also received the prestigious CINE 1994 Golden Eagle Award, a Rocky Mountain Emmy Award, and a Bronze Award at the WorldFest Charleston festival for Tom Paine, a one-man show starring radio personality Hans Petersen as the American Revolutionary figure.

A Utah Celebration with Lex de Azavedo, a concert featuring the pianist and composer, received Rocky Mountain Emmys for Best Entertainment Program and Best Producing. Between 1995 and 2000, she produced Volunteer for Utah's Kids, a prime time broadcast event encouraging viewers to volunteer their time with children.

In 1989, Searles became KUED Development producer and is responsible for three annual membership drives. She also produced Barberi's Whine Celler, a 13-part feature series in 1987.

Searles is a native Minnesotan who came to Utah in 1975 to attend the University of Utah. She received a B.A. in history in 1979 and a B.S. in communication in 1981.