Sylvia Strobel will return to Twin Cities PBS to become its sixth president and CEO.
Strobel replaces James Pagliarini, who announced his retirement in May 2018. Dean Orton, who stepped in for Pagliarini in February 2019, will remain as SVP and COO, according to a spokeswoman.
“TPT did approach Dean Orton about transitioning into the CEO role, but ultimately Orton’s passions were more aligned with his current role of Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, focused on the initiatives and transformational change he has been driving in that capacity,” the spokeswoman told Current.
Strobel will start in the role next month.
Strobel was most recently COO of ideastream in Cleveland. She started her public media career as a business affairs specialist with CPB in 1992. In 1994 she became deputy counsel for Twin Cities PBS.
She left public media in 1996 to become a partner and co-founder of Lehmann Strobel PLC, a law firm. She returned to the sector in 2005 as president and GM of the Pennsylvania Public Television Network. She was also SVP and general counsel for American Public Media Group, where she oversaw business affairs and government relations.
“She has a stellar background of experience and we are excited about the direction and ideas that she will bring to TPT,” said Scott Dillion, chair of the Twin Cities PBS board of trustees, in a news release.
“I am so excited to come back to my Minnesota roots to direct the vision of TPT as we move through this next decade,” Strobel said. “TPT has grown from its foundation as a television broadcast station — blossoming into a true 21st century media organization ensuring all have access to quality, educational content on multiple platforms.”