Mina “SayWhat” Llona is an award-winning, multi-hyphenated Media Personality with over 15 years of broadcast experience ranging from television and radio to digital media. She has developed to wear many hats including: Radio & TV Personality, Content Creator, Reporter, Podcaster, Voice-Over Talent, Live Event Host, Brand Ambassador and Public Speaker.
Mina SayWhat is currently on-air nationwide on SIRIUSXM The Heat (channel 46). Her show, “Mina’s House,” airs Monday through Friday 6p-12a ET. Her podcast, Mina’s House Podcast, can be found on www.MinaSayWhat.com and all podcast platforms. Mina has 12 years of on-air experience in Philadelphia. Her previous radio affiliations include WUSL-FM Power 99 Philly, WRNB-FM 100.3 Philly and WPHI – Boom 103.9 Philly. She has also worked for WQHT-FM Hot 97 New York, WNBM-FM Radio 103.9 New York and WWHT-FM Hot 107.9 Syracuse, NY.
In addition to her role as a Radio Personality, Mina is also an Entertainment and Lifestyle Reporter for The Philadelphia Tribune. Mostly recently, Mina has been guest commentating nationwide on the Law And Crime Network reporting on the celebrity criminal trials of Young Thug, YNW Melly and more. Mina has contributed weekly on WTXF-TV FOX 29 Philadelphia and digitally on WPVI-TV 6ABC Philadelphia. Mina has also appeared nationwide on The Rachael Ray Show, Inside Edition, Cardi B’s E! True Hollywood Story, Oxygen’s Sisterhood Of Hip Hop, BET’s Hustle In BK and most recently, VH1’s Nick Cannon Presents: Future Superstars.
Mina is bilingual and is stage host of the Philadelphia Puerto Rican Day Parade, a role she’s had since 2014. The parade airs yearly on 6ABC in Philadelphia. As a voice-over talent, Mina has been heard at the Philadelphia Zoo as the voice of Sam the Paleontologist, WMIB-FM 103.5 The Beat Miami as the voice of the weather, as well as various brand commercials for VH1, MTV, TNT, Hulu, Disney, Boost Mobile, Yahoo, Budweiser, Hyundai and Nissan – just to name a few.
This year has been one of achievements for Mina SayWhat. She was added to the very selective 2024 “Marquis Who’s Who” list. A previous Gracie Award Winner, Mina received a Gracie Award “Honorable Mention” in the category of Non-Morning Drive, Major Market Personality. A graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School Of Public Communications, Mina was inducted in Syracuse’s WJPZ Radio Hall of Fame in March of 2024. Mina is also on the Advocacy Committee for the Recording Academy’s (Grammy) Philadelphia Chapter.
When Mina is not working on her broadcast career, she is busy with her most important job, being #MamaMina to a very adventurous toddler. Follow Mina’s journey as a working mom and broadcaster on social media @MinaSayWhat
Full Bio
Mina’s career in broadcast began when she was 18-years-old. As a freshman at Syracuse University, she received her first on-air shift at her college radio station, WJPZ-FM 89.1, where she also eventually became the Vice President of Programming and had a daily afternoon shift. While in college she interned at two radio stations: WQHT-FM Hot 97 New York as a Programming Intern under Ebro Darden and WWHT-FM Hot 107.9 Syracuse as a Promotions & On-Air Intern. Mina graduated Cum Laude from Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School Of Public Communications with a dual major in Television, Radio, and Film/Political Science and a minor in Music Business.
One week after graduation, Mina started at SIRIUSXM as a Music Programmer working on the 80s on 8 and 70s on 7 channels. She was shortly elevated to Program Director for SIRIUSXM Love, the Christmas channel, Holly and other various pop up channels on the platform. Mina was also on-air nationwide on SIRIUSXM’s Hip Hop and R&B channel, The Heat, and was the Music Director on the channel as well.
Mina’s drive and talent eventually landed her a Morning Show Host position when she was 25 years old at WUSL-FM Power 99 Philly, where she woke the city of Philadelphia up for 6 years. She also oversaw the station’s digital platforms as the Digital Manager. She helped change the scenery of Power 99 and the Philly radio landscape as the first Latin morning show host ever. At the time she was the youngest on-air personality on staff. The show reached #1 Persons 18-34 while she was there.
Ready to showcase her solo abilities, Mina accepted an on-air position with Radio One Philadelphia on WPHI-FM 1o3.9. Eventually she was elevated to Mid-Day Host on 100.3 WRNB- FM Philly. Mina’s show “Mina In Your Mid-days” aired Monday through Saturday 10a-3p and Mina was able to increase ratings significantly becoming #5 Women 25-54. After almost 6 years, Mina decided to move on from Radio One Philadelphia.
In 2018, Philadelphia Weekly titled Mina “one of the most prominent voices in the hip hop game.” Mina was the voice of the weather at WMIB-FM 103.5 The Beat Miami for 4 years and worked at WNBM-FM Radio 103.9 New York producing digital content for the station that was also syndicated to Cumulus Urban station websites across the country.
Mina’s need for growth eventually propelled her on-camera. As Mina Llona, she has contributed on WPVI-TV 6ABC Philadelphia and contributed weekly on WTXF-TV FOX 29 Philadelphia. Mina has also appeared nationwide on The Rachael Ray Show and featured on Inside Edition, Cardi B’s E! True Hollywood Story, Oxygen’s Sisterhood Of Hip Hop, VH1’s Nick Cannon Presents: Future Superstars and BET’s Hustle In BK. In 2021, Mina started writing and reporting on lifestyle and entertainment news for The Philadelphia Tribune, the oldest continuously published African American newspaper in the United States.
During her extensive radio career, Mina has had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in music, entertainment, sports and politics. Mina is very versatile and can easily speak to entertainers, athletes and politicians. She has interviewed Joe Biden, Kanye West, Cardi B, Mariah Carey, Kamala Harris, Nas, Kobe Bryant, Usher, J. Cole, Mark Wahlberg, Megan Thee Stallion, Cory Booker, Danny Garcia, Nick Cannon, Ice Cube, Kendrick Lamar, Jason Derulo, Hilary Clinton, Allen Iverson, Kevin Hart, LL Cool J, Dameson Idris, Lil Nas X, Bernard Hopkins, Rev Run from Run DMC, Jamie Foxx, 50 Cent, Michael B. Jordan – just to name a few!
As a brand ambassador and social influencer, Mina has represented companies such as Pepsi, Aquafina, Kicks USA/Snipes, Gift Of Life Organ Donation, McDonald’s, Ideal Image Laser Hair Removal, Mattress Firm and Citizen Bank. She is also an event host and public speaker operating her own business, Mina Llona Imperium LLC. She has hosted events for Footlocker, The Jordan Brand, National Kidney Foundation, The Philadelphia 76ers, Live Nation, etc. Mina has also spoken at her alma mater Syracuse University, Temple University, Delaware State University, Villanova University and University Of Pennsylvania to name a few. Mina has moderated countless panels including a Girl Scouts Of Eastern Pennsylvania’s Girl Convention panel, a panel on music’s role in politics for the Hilary Clinton campaign and a Roots Picnic Con panel on the evolution of music.
Mina has always had a passion for music, sports, and dance. Mina’s father passed away when she was young, which left her mother to raise her as a single mom in Union City, New Jersey. She didn’t have a lot of material things, but she did have a home filled with love, music, good food and basketball. She believes her purpose is to inspire kids growing up in similar environments. She was an ambassador for the Philadelphia 76ers sponsored “La Liga Del Barrio” kids basketball league for 5 years and also founded, managed and coached an all female dance team, “Mina’s Dance Squad,” for 6 years.
In addition to all her roles, Mina is also a proud member of Syracuse University’s WJPZ Alumni Association and was inducted into their Radio Hall Of Fame in 2024. She served on the Association Board for 1 year as a Youth Ambassador and continues to visit the campus yearly to host events, participate in panels and speak to students with interest in media and music.
Keep up with everything happening in #MinasHouse Follow @MinaSayWhat on Instagram, X, Tik Tok, Facebook! Visit MinaLlona.com for more of her professional TV work.
