One of Houston’s most familiar personalities is heading back to the iHeartMedia family.
Tessa Barrera has been named the new afternoon host on Sunny 99.1 (KODA), marking her return to iHeartMedia after becoming a recognizable voice and face across both Houston radio and television.
Barrera is no stranger to Houston listeners. She spent several years as a key member of The Rod Ryan Show on 94.5 The Buzz, helping build one of the market’s most successful morning programs before departing at the end of 2024. More recently, she expanded her profile on television as a co-host of Houston Life on KPRC-TV.
Her broadcasting career stretches well beyond Houston, with earlier stops in Corpus Christi as a reporter and sports anchor before moving to Los Angeles, where she worked in news for KFI.
The addition of Barrera is the latest programming adjustment at Sunny 99.1 following last month’s company-wide restructuring. The station’s weekday lineup now features Dana Tyson extending her morning show from 6:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by Leigh Ann Adam from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., before Barrera takes over afternoons.
For iHeartMedia Houston, the move brings back a proven local personality with deep ties to the market and a loyal following that spans both radio and television. As stations continue placing greater emphasis on hometown talent and community connection, Barrera’s return could prove to be one of Houston radio’s biggest talent acquisitions of the year.
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.
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