CPB’s board members unanimously elected Ruby Calvert as chair. Calvert most recently served as vice chair and will serve a one-year term.
“We have a saying in Wyoming, that you hold things you love and that are near and dear to you in trust,” Calvert said during the meeting. “That’s how I feel about CPB and public media. It is so important for us to protect them, to preserve them, to prepare us for the future.”
Calvert previously worked as president of the Wyoming PBS Foundation and was also GM and director of programming for the state network.
Laura Ross, who was previously chair, shifted to vice chair for a one-year term.
Ross is a retired attorney who was chief of staff for the New York Attorney General legislative counsel to a New York state senator. She has also been on the boards of the WNET Group and New York Public Radio.
“After two years as Board Chair working with Ruby as Vice Chair, I look forward to continuing our work with my fellow board members and CPB to guide public media through these challenging times,” Ross said in a news release.
PBS hired Geoff Daniels as VP of programming and development.
Daniels most recently worked as executive director of Jackson Wild, a media outlet focused on conservation and natural history, which he joined last year.
He has also been EVP of unscripted entertainment for Nutopia, EVP of global unscripted entertainment for National Geographic, VP of global video for Reader’s Digest and VP of new product development for Time Life Television.
“We are thrilled to welcome Geoff to PBS,” said Chief Programming Executive Sylvia Bugg in a news release. “He has a passion for finding stories that truly illuminate the world around us, and his expertise will help bring new productions to every platform where viewers seek out PBS content. Geoff’s leadership ensures that we will continue to engage audiences in a way that inspires wonder while reflecting a variety of lived experiences.”
Brendan Kinney was appointed COO of Vermont Public.
Kinney joined the radio side of the organization in 2010 as VP of development and marketing. He has also been SVP and interim CEO.
Before Vermont Public, Kinney was executive director of marketing and communications and later associate VP of institutional advancement for SUNY Plattsburgh. He also worked for Saint Michael’s College as director for advancement services and was senior marketing specialist for GE Healthcare.
Communications
Olivia Wong left her position as VP of marketing and communications for American Public Television. Wong joined APT in 2021. She previously worked as senior director of strategic communications and director of public relations for WETA in Washington, D.C. She has also worked in public relations for GBH in Boston.
Content
Rick McNulty, music director for KUTX in Austin, Texas, became an afternoon host for the station. He succeeds Jody Denberg, who retired from the station in August. McNulty joined KUT, the music station’s parent organization, in 2007. He has also been host of Left of the Dial and was appointed music director in 2019. “I’m very excited to have Rick in this new position,” said KUTX PD Matt Reilly in a news release. “His energy, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge about all kinds of music make him perfectly suited to host this show. I imagine Steely Dan and Prince fans will be extra pleased that Rick has more airtime now too.”
Haley Taylor joined Detroit PBS as a host for WRCJ, its classical and jazz station. Taylor most recently worked as an audio engineer for Dreamscape Media and was also a producer for Madhouse and a host and producer for WGTE Public Media in Toledo, Ohio. “We are fortunate to have a seasoned veteran host who knows the music and the craft,” said Peter Whorf, WRCJ’s director of station operations, in a news release. “It’s an exciting time here at the station with a new crop of music personalities and different approaches. We are bound to attract new audiences and excite our current listeners.”
Fellowships
All Classical Radio in Portland, Ore., named two musicians as its 2024/2025 artists in residence. They are violinist Emily Cole and clarinetist James Shields, both in the Oregon Symphony. “For the first time since the program’s launch in 2019, All Classical Radio is thrilled to invite two Artists in Residence for the coming year,” said Kristina Becker, communications and operations manager, in a news release. “We are honored to celebrate and support Emily and James, a dynamic husband-and-wife duo whose artistic achievements and commitment to music and education are beautifully aligned with All Classical’s vision and values.”
Wisconsin Public Radio selected two reporting fellows. Nick Rommel, a recent graduate of the University of Chicago, became the Second Century News Fellow. Rommel has also been an intern for Prairie Public Broadcasting in Fargo, N.D. Anna Marie Yanny became the Lee Ester News Fellow. Yanny previously worked as an intern and reporter for KQED in San Francisco.
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