ARLINGTON, VA; October 12, 2022— Today, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger announced the results of the PBS Board elections, in which five individuals were elected as Professional Directors and three individuals were elected to serve as General Directors on the PBS Board.
Newly elected Professional Directors include General Manager & CEO of New Mexico PBS Franz Joachim, and Shae Hopkins, Executive Director & CEO of KET (Kentucky Educational Television), who are filling vacancies on the Board. Dolores (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso, President & CEO of South Florida PBS, also joined the PBS Board. Additionally, Rob Dunlop, President & CEO of Cascade Public Media and Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO of Arkansas PBS, began their second terms as Professional Directors.
The Board reelected the following General Directors to the PBS Board: Secretary Chuck Hagel, who served as Secretary of Defense and United States Senator from Nebraska; Catherine Robb, Media Attorney & Counsel at Haynes & Boone, LLP; and Geoff Sands, Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Comcast.
During the meeting, Board officers were elected as well. Larry Irving, President & CEO of the Irving Group, was reelected Board Chair; Catherine Robb was elected General Vice Chair of the Board; and Molly Phillips, Executive Director & General Manager for Iowa PBS, was elected Professional Vice Chair.
“The PBS Board of Directors is essential to our mission in public media: to educate, engage and inspire our audiences,” said Kerger. “This exceptional group of people will bring a rich diversity of perspectives and experiences, and play a critical role in guiding our system forward."
The 27-person Board includes both Professional Directors, who are station leaders, and General Directors, who serve as lay members of the Board, as well as the PBS President. The PBS Board of Directors is responsible for governing and setting policy for PBS. General and Professional Directors of the PBS Board are generally elected to three-year terms and serve without pay.
PBS member stations elect the Professional Directors. The Board of Directors elects the PBS President and all General Directors and fills Board vacancies.
Biographical Information on Professional Directors
Rob Dunlop, President & CEO of Cascade Public Media
Rob Dunlop is the president & chief executive officer of Cascade Public Media, serving western and central Washington State and British Columbia, Canada. The organization is comprised of PBS member stations KCTS 9 and KYVE 47 and public-interest journalism site Crosscut, which publishes content daily on local issues in news and politics, arts and culture, and science and environment. In addition to its long-form written work, the organization produces a wide range of web and interstitial series distributed via its OTT, online, social and broadcast platforms. The company also operates Piranha Partners, a for-profit production and animation studio that supports commercial, corporate and non-profit clients. In addition, Cascade Public Media hosts dozens of local civic conversations through the Crosscut Festival and its Civic Cocktail series.
Prior to joining Cascade Public Media, Rob was the chief operating executive for Fisher Communications until its sale in 2013. He was responsible for driving organizational performance from the company’s television, radio and digital media properties; crafting its strategy and technology path; and overseeing mergers and acquisitions, and real estate. During his 22 years with the company, he also served in roles leading its developing media and radio groups. He started his career at WTVN Radio in Columbus, Ohio as an on-air news anchor and host before moving to the local ABC affiliate, WSYX-TV.
Rob holds a BA degree in organizational psychology from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and an MBA from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Rob is Chair of the Strategic Planning Advisory Group. He also serves on the PBS Finance Committee, Executive Committee, PBS Foundation Board, and PBS Foundation Endowment Fund Committee.
Shae Hopkins, Executive Director & CEO of Kentucky Educational TV
Shae Hopkins is the executive director and chief executive officer of Kentucky Educational Television (KET), the only statewide media network in Kentucky, reaching into eight states and across 10 media markets. A 36-year veteran of KET, Hopkins was appointed Executive Director and CEO in January 2010.
Hopkins has overseen the development of a wide range of educational content and services, including the new online early childhood resource Let’s Learn Kentucky, as well as nationally utilized resources in PBS Learning Media, the high school equivalency preparation system FastForward and other workforce resources.
She has led an expansion of local programs, including the new nightly statewide public affairs series Kentucky Edition, as well as nationally broadcast programs including Big Family: The Story of Bluegrass Music, The Farmer & the Foodie, Angels on Horseback: Midwives in the Mountains, and others.
During this time, KET has achieved numerous technical and facilities milestones, including establishing production studios in the Kentucky Capitol and on Main Street in Louisville, completing the largest spectrum repacking project in the public broadcasting system, providing 3.0 broadcast in Louisville, implementing localized emergency alerting communications, and converting the technical infrastructure of the KET Network Center for NexGen TV.
Under her leadership, the use of KET’s programs and services has steadily grown to more than 1.8 million viewers and users each week, annual contributions have doubled to more than 50,000 members, and the agency’s net assets have increased 128% to more than $68 million.
Over the last decade, KET has been recognized with more than 35 national and 29 state awards, 111 regional Emmy nominations and 23 Emmy awards, and numerous other awards. Hopkins has been recognized personally with various industry awards, including the National Advocacy Award from America’s Public Television Stations, Kentucky Daughters of the American Revolution Media Award, two regional Emmy Awards, and a gold Telly Award).
Hopkins previously served in progressive management positions at KET, including Deputy Executive Director, where she was responsible for day-to-day operations and oversaw the development of a wide range of content and production, as well as the network’s digital transition for HD production and distribution systems, and the creation of the Kentucky Channel. She also led KET’s private fundraising for more than a decade and was the founding president of the Commonwealth Fund for KET, helping to establish KET’s first endowment.
Hopkins serves on the Organization of State Broadcast Executives Board (Chair 2018/19), National Educational Telecommunications Association (Chair 2013/14), Public Television Major Market Group, University of Kentucky College of Communications National Advisory Board, Union College Board of Trustees, and the Kentucky Broadcasters Association Board of Directors. She previously served on the PBS Board of Directors and chaired the PBS Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee (2018-2019). Hopkins was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as a founding member of the Digital Promise Board of Directors.
A national leader in public broadcasting, KET is recognized for its commitment to educational services and creation of resources for early childhood, P-12, adult education, teacher professional development, and literacy.
Franz Joachim, General Manager & CEO, New Mexico PBS
Franz Joachim is the General Manager and CEO of New Mexico PBS, serving Albuquerque, Santa Fe, central and northern New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. He has been involved in television production for over 45 years, starting in high school as an AV nerd and then on the student production crew at the University of Arizona PBS station KUAT-TV. He barely graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Radio/ Television with an emphasis on Electrical Engineering, having squandered much of his college experience playing with video cameras rather than studying.
Franz continued work in television production as a photographer, editor, director, and manager in a variety of production environments, including industrial, commercial, news, studio, and long-form documentary production.
Franz is also an accomplished underwater videographer, shooting in diverse locations from the Andaman Sea, to Turks & Caicos, to the Sea of Cortez. He has spent time chasing Whale Sharks, saving Sea Turtles, and running from a Sea Lion Bull who thought Franz was flirting with one of his does. All while trying not to lose very expensive underwater camera housings.
Franz started with KNME-TV as Production Manager in 1999, served as Manager of Production and Broadcast Operations from 2003 until 2010, where he oversaw the conversion to file based editing and our first multi-stream digital master control. He was promoted to Director of Content in 2010. Franz was named General Manager and CEO of New Mexico PBS in 2013.
Under Franz’s leadership NMPBS has become the alpha station in the PBS system for implementation of the sIX Interconnection, the first PBS station to fully implement ATSC3.0 broadcasting, and one of a few stations to offer Datacasting services for both Education and Public Safety.
Franz has served as Chair of the University Licensee Association, Chair of the Affinity Group Coalition, a Trustee of APTS, Board Secretary for Vision Maker Media, member of the 2019 CSG Review Committee, and AGC Representative to the PBS Interconnection Committee.
Franz has been married to Dr. Lorna Joachim for thirty years and they have one son, Gabriel. Lorna’s career as a field primatologist makes Franz’s career seem tame. Ask her about the alligator sometime. Gabriel is in grad school at Wageningen University in the Netherlands and is a Field Ecologist and Entomology Tech for Wageningen. Of Franz’s many accomplishments raising Gabe to help save the planet is his most significant.
Courtney Pledger, Executive Director & CEO of Arkansas PBS
Courtney Pledger is Executive Director & CEO of Arkansas PBS, the statewide public media network serving Arkansas’ three million people. Courtney joined Arkansas PBS in early 2017, bringing with her more than three decades ofdiverse experience in content creation and distribution, and media management.
Since joining Arkansas PBS, she has led the network to a focus on refreshed local connection and resonance, creative multi-platform storytelling and distribution, increased impact in education, and technological innovation. She has expanded Arkansas PBS’s local relevance through groundbreaking efforts in K-12 teacher professional development and as well curriculum-based content for K-5 students for distribution on multiple platforms and in classrooms across the state. Under her leadership, the organization created online network AR-CAN (Arkansas Citizen’s Access Network) to build civic literacy and provide transparency in state government. Arkansas PBS Sports celebrates student athletes in their championship performances while also telling the personal stories of athletes and their communities on digital and broadcast. The network’s partnerships with independent filmmakers has led to a number of Arkansas and Southern stories being told nationally.
From 2012-2016, Courtney served as executive director of Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, where she reimagined the longest-running nonfiction festival in North America, gaining designation for the festival as an Oscar-qualifier in Documentary Short Subject and building a donor base to help sustain the festival into the future.
Courtney began her career at Hearst Entertainment, Rastar and the IndieProd Company and has held senior leadership roles at multiple film and television organizations including Universal’s Illumination Entertainment, Radical Pictures, UK-based Jigsaw Films/Miramax and Aardman Animations where she was a creative consultant.
Courtney has been the recipient of Women in Film's Lillian Gish Producing Award. Projects she has produced or shepherded have garnered multiple primetime and regional Emmy Awards.
On the PBS Board, Courtney serves as Chair of the Station Services Committee and the Working Group on Unserved Areas. She also serves on the Executive Committee, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and Member Services Access Working Group.
In addition to serving on the PBS Board of Directors, Courtney is the current chair of the National Educational Television Association (NETA) and is past chair of the Organization of State Broadcasting Executives (OSBE). She serves on the board of American Public Television (APT). She is currently on the board of the Brent Renaud Foundation, a nonprofit organization with the primary mission ofproviding mentorship for aspiring filmmakers. Born in Arkansas, Courtney grew up in Jackson, Mississippi.
Dolores (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso, President & CEO of South Florida PBS
Dolores (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso serves as the President & CEO of South Florida PBS, the merged organization that brings together WPBT2 and WXEL to collectively represent the 7th largest TV market in the United States. She is one of the first women in PBS to have led a merger, to launch a 24/7 Health Channel and to have quadrupled the size of the South Florida PBS endowment.
Ms. (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso is a visionary and a leader in NEXTGEN TV and immersive media, preparing her stations to meet the demands of ATSC 3.0. She is a strong proponent of experiential learning and as such, has made it an integral part of South Florida PBS’ mission. This has resulted in the creation of Emmy award-winning 360-degree content and educational apps. Her leadership in integrating the digital space into all station productions has propelled exponential growth on SFPBS’s streaming and social media platforms with YouTube views increasing 130% in the last year. Through her solid stewardship, she has secured the funding for the expansion of the SFPBS studios in Palm Beach County to include an Arts and Cultural center complete with an immersive igloo for experiential learning opportunities for the South Florida community.
Ms. (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso began her television career in 1990 at the international newsgathering division of Disney/ABC News Inc. - Worldwide Television News in New York, NY. In 1998, Dolores joined WPBT2 as Vice President for Facilities Services where she was responsible for the for-profit activities. She was promoted to Station Manager in 2002 and to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in 2003.
She is currently a Board Member of the America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) and a member of its Finance and Membership Committee; Member, The Strategic Forum; Member, NSU Levan Ambassadors Board; Member, FIU School of Communication, Architecture and Arts Advisory Board; Past Chair for Florida Public Media, a statewide consortium of Florida public television and radio stations; and Past President of the International Women’s Forum (IWF) Florida; Additionally, she is past Chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) Nonprofit Business Committee, and of the GMCC Creative Industries Committee.
As a proud bilingual Hispanic, Dolores (Sukhdeo) Fernandez Alonso earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Spanish Literature from Columbia University and a Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Miami.
Biographical Information on General Directors
Chuck Hagel, Former Secretary of Defense
Chuck Hagel was the 24th Secretary of Defense, serving from February 2013 to February 2015. He is the only Vietnam veteran and the first enlisted combat veteran to serve as Secretary of Defense.
Some of Hagel’s current commitments include service on the Board of Trustees of RAND; Advisory Board of Corsair Capital; Senior Advisor to GALLUP and to the McCarthy Group; Centennial Scholar, Georgetown Walsh School of Foreign Service; Distinguished Scholar, University of Nebraska at Omaha; Distinguished Statesman at the Atlantic Council; Board of Directors of Public Broadcasting Service (PBS); Director and Founding Member of the American Security Project; and Advisory Board Chairman of the HillVets Veterans Organization.
Hagel served two terms in the United States Senate (1997-2009) representing the state of Nebraska. Hagel was a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; and Intelligence Committees. He Chaired the Foreign Relations International Economic Policy, Export and Trade Promotion Subcommittee; and the Banking Committee’s International Trade and Finance, and Securities Subcommittees. Hagel also served as the Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the Senate Climate Change Observer Group.
Previously, Secretary Hagel was a Distinguished Professor at Georgetown University, Co- Chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, Chairman of the Atlantic Council. He served as a member of the Secretary of Defense’s Policy Board, Secretary of Energy’s Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of Nuclear Power, Systemic Risk Council Board of Directors; and as a member of the Board of Directors of Chevron.
Prior to his election to the U.S. Senate, Hagel was president of McCarthy & Company, an investment banking firm in Omaha, Nebraska. In the mid-1980’s, Hagel co-founded VANGUARD Cellular Systems, Inc., a publicly traded corporation. He was President and CEO of the World USO, Private Sector Council (PSC), and Chief Operating Officer of the 1990 Economic Summit of Industrialized Nations (G-7 Summit). Hagel also served as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration under President Ronald Reagan and Deputy Commissioner General of the 1982 World’s Fair.
He is the author of the book, America: Our Next Chapter and was the subject of a 2018 book by General Daniel Bolger entitled, Our Year of War, and a 2006 book by Charlyne Berens entitled, ChuckHagel: Moving Forward. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Hagel and his wife, Lilibet, have a daughter (Allyn) and son (Ziller).
Secretary Hagel is Co-Chair of the PBS National Policy Advisory Committee. He also serves on the Finance Committee and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.
Catherine Robb, Media Attorney & Counsel at Haynes & Boone, LLP
Catherine Robb is of counsel in the Business Litigation Practice Group in the Austin office of Haynes and Boone, LLP. Catherine represents clients in the broadcast industry. Her practice is focused on commercial and business litigation, First Amendment litigation, pre-publication review and editing, copyright and trademark litigation, general commercial litigation, open government issues and privacy concerns. She advises clients concerning media law issues for an extensive array of content providers including online and traditional newspapers, magazines, radio and broadcasters, cable television stations, production companies and music entities.
Ms. Robb is the immediate past Co-Chair of the Women in Communication Law committee of the ABA Forum on Communication Law, and a member of the Texas Bar Association, and the Austin Bar Association. She is also a member, and current President of, the Lloyd Lochridge Inn of Court. She served on the Judicial Relations Committee for the State Bar of Texas (2001-2004 and 2009) and graduated from The First Amendment Institute's First Amendment Leadership Program in 2002. After completing law school, Ms. Robb clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (Chambers of W. Royal Furgeson) before going into private practice.
Ms. Robb is the founder and Chair Emeritus of the LBJ Library Future Forum. She serves as a board member and past Board Chair of KLRU (where she also serves on the Austin City Limits Committee) and serves on the board of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM), the Texas Lyceum, and the Mayor's Health and Fitness Council, and on the Advisory Council for the University of Texas School of Undergraduate Studies and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. She is a past board member of the Austin Film Society (where she served as Board President), Humanities Texas (where she serves as an Alumni Board Chair), the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders, the Austin Music Foundation, and is a past Advisory Council member of the Texas Exes. Ms. Robb served on The University of Texas' Commission of 125 (and Service to Society Committee) and is a member of Leadership Austin.
In addition to these positions, Ms. Robb volunteers for several non-profits in the community, including Reading is Fundamental of Austin, Trinity Center, Back on My Feet, and Volunteer Legal Services. She was awarded the 2007 Austin Under 40 Award in the category of Community Service. In her free time, Catherine runs and does triathlons. Ms. Robb earned her J.D., 1998, with honors, from the University of Texas School of Law. She received her B.A., 1992, from The University of Virginia.
Ms. Robb is the Chair of the Audit Committee. She also serves on the Executive Committee, Station Services Committee, National Policy Advisory Committee, Member Services Access Working Group, and Editorial Standards Working Group.
Geoff Sands, Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Comcast
Geoff Sands heads strategy for Comcast Corporation, a global Fortune 50 company with three primary businesses, Comcast Cable, NBCUniversal and Sky. He is an Emeritus Director of McKinsey & Company, where for many years he led the firm’s client service to consumer technology, media, and entertainment companies, and served as the industry advisor to the World Economic Forum. Before McKinsey, Geoff was a lead partner in Booz-Allen's TMT practice and has in total over 30 years of experience working in the industry.
Geoff has been a prominent supporter of public media, journalism, and independent film. He served as Chairman of the Board of The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) from 2009 to 2014. He is presently a Trustee of the Sundance Institute, where he served as Vice Chair, and Participant Media.
Geoff received his BA and MBA from Yale University.
Mr. Sands is the Vice Chair of the PBS Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. He also serves on the Station Services Committee, National Policy Advisory Committee, and Strategic Planning Advisory Group.
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