ARLINGTON, VA; September 25, 2019— PBS welcomed newly elected and returning board members following its first board meeting of fiscal year 2020. Catherine Robb, media attorney and counsel in the Business Litigation Practice Group of Haynes and Boone (Austin, TX), and Geoff Sands, an independent consultant and Emeritus Director of McKinsey & Company, joined as general directors. Joining the board for the first time as professional directors were Rob Dunlop, President & CEO of Cascade Public Media; Susi Elkins, Director of Broadcasting & General Manager for WKAR Public Media; and Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO of Arkansas Educational Television Network.
Gary Stokes, President & General Manager of KSPS-TV, Spokane, was re-elected by the system as a professional director. The board also re-elected three general directors, including The Honorable Chuck Hagel, former Secretary of Defense and Nebraska Senator; Erroll B. Davis, Jr., Senior Advisor at TalentQuest; and Ramon Rodriguez, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Republic Services, Inc. and Former Managing Partner & CEO of Madsen Sapp Mena Rodriguez & Co.
Professional directors are station leaders from the public television system, while general directors serve as lay members of the board, meaning they are not executives within the public media system.
“As PBS navigates a complex media environment, it is critical that we have the guidance and counsel of leaders from across the nation who have expertise in a broad range of fields,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. “We are fortunate to have such an experienced and talented group of board members who are committed to advancing the essential mission of public television.”
The 27-person PBS board, which includes the PBS president, is responsible for governing and setting policy for PBS. General and professional directors of the PBS board serve without pay.
Except in the case of filling vacancies created by resignations, PBS member stations elect the professional directors. The full board elects general directors, the PBS president and professional directors filling vacancies on the board.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV— including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.