Manager of multiplatform marketing
PBS, Arlington, Va.
Age: 28
In three words: “Inventive, thoughtful, trustworthy”
What colleagues say: Emily exhibits thought leadership and the ability to move things forward at PBS that helps us adapt to the changing media landscape. On top of managing campaign strategy for Nature and climate-focused programming priorities, and implementing tools that enhance our marketing capabilities, Emily leads a federated Search Engine Marketing program for PBS stations.
Emily pitched this idea in 2023 and has since scaled the program to support 25 local stations in using Google search ads to promote local content and other organizational priorities. She has partnered with digital teams at every level, from PBS stations across the country, to grow this program. Emily single-handedly spearheads this program and provides participating stations with new researched campaigns to run each month, building on the national PBS SEM approach and sharing insights from local SEM successes to optimize campaigns. Today, there is a growing waitlist of stations ready to onboard.
What Emily says
Decision to work in public media: I grew up a PBS Kid. I even went to a PBS camp where we made short films. The staff was so knowledgeable and keen to help us learn. When I had the opportunity to work at PBS, I was excited to work in television and to return to a place that had such great people. I love that my colleagues believe in the mission and the value of PBS content. It’s motivating to be in a place where we all want the best for the organization.
Key accomplishments: Launching the Spy in the Ocean VidCon Baltimore activation was a huge highlight. Cross-generational viewers had an opportunity to interact with the robotic stars of the show and ask questions about the animatronic sea creatures.
I’m proud to be a part of expanding our app store optimization and search engine marketing. We’ve grown our organic and paid listings across the Android and iOS marketplace, which has increased awareness for the PBS app and PBS streaming. Collaborating with stations to activate their Google ad grant funds, which provide free paid search ads to nonprofits, has been a privilege.
Inspired by: Different forms of storytelling. We live in a cluttered universe with diverse platforms constantly vying for our attention. Within that clutter, however, emerging artists share their work through innovative multimedia. When scrolling on platforms like YouTube, TikTok or Webtoon, I’m always impressed with the constantly evolving formats people use to share their stories and passions — film edits, fan art or animated illustrations.
Advice for young public media professionals: Lead with research and pitch your ideas. It never hurts to discuss an idea with your team and ask them what they think. While one idea may not gain traction, it could spark a dialogue about a current problem or become a building block to a future solution.
Advice for public media leaders: Lean into our audience and meet them where they are. PBS has a strong and supportive viewership that trusts in the brand. While we may not be able to change viewer behavior, we can modify our own and learn what content resonates the most. Part of our mission is to talk with our audience rather than at them. Investing in data analytics and market research as early as possible can help us better understand what people want to watch and how.
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