WASHINGTON, DC; May 26, 2022 – PBS has named GBH Vice President of Development, Winifred Lenihan, as the recipient of the 2022 C. Scott Elliott Development Professional of the Year Award. The award was established in 1990 in memory of Scott Elliott, who raised more than $100 million for PBS member stations in Detroit, Buffalo and Cincinnati over the course of his career.
“PBS is happy to recognize Winifred for her extraordinary contributions to her station and community,” said PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger. “This award represents the highest level of professional achievement in the public broadcasting development community, and we are thrilled to recognize her contributions.”
Lenihan has devoted her professional fundraising career to GBH with remarkable results. After joining GBH in 1983, she started GBH’s first major gifts program, establishing the Ralph Lowell Society. This patron program now raises over $6 million in unrestricted support annually. Lenihan has led GBH through four successful campaigns, including “Breaking New Ground,” which raised over $64 million and allowed GBH to build a state-of-the-art headquarters in the early 2000s. Most recently, she spearheaded the "Leadership in the Digital Century” campaign, which raised a record $215 million for children’s media and education, history, arts, journalism and science.
Under her leadership, innovative new fundraising programs have been developed, attracting millions in support for public media. These include the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund, the Documentary Investment Group, the NOVA Science Trust and the MASTERPIECE Trust.
Through the years, Lenihan’s responsibilities have grown to encompass GBH’s Major Gifts, Gift Planning & Endowment, Foundation Development and Board Relations teams. Each group has benefitted from her experience, counsel and deep commitment to the values and mission of public media. She is an integral member of GBH’s executive leadership team and commands the respect and trust of our trustees and her peers throughout the system.
The C. Scott Elliott Award is part of the PBS Development Awards, which recognizes member stations for outstanding corporate support, membership and philanthropy efforts in local communities. Among the previous winners of the C. Scott Elliott Award are Tom Karlo, Jon Abbott, Tom Axtell, Don Derheim, Glenn Fisher, Kent Geist, Paula Kerger, Paige Meriwether, Dan Metziga, Russ Peotter, David Preston, Lisa Tait, Mel Waggoner, Earl Blauner, Sue Ellen Stuebing, Rob Hilbert, Becky Magura, and Maura Daly Phinney.
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