ARLINGTON, VA; May 18, 2026 – PBS has named Idaho Public Television Director of Charitable Giving Jenifer Johnson as the recipient of the 2026 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.
"Jenifer is very deserving of this honor. Not only has she had an incredible career in fundraising, but she also uplifts those around her through true mentorship and collaboration," said Susi Elkins, Senior Vice President of Station Services at PBS. “I am honored to present her with this award, and I know that she will continue to be a shining light for the entire system for years to come."
Jenifer has dedicated more than 40 years to media and fundraising. Beginning her career at KUID, the PBS member station at the University of Idaho, she went on to produce telethons for the Muscular Dystrophy Association and Easter Seals in Spokane and Seattle, created children's programming and commercial content, before transitioning into nonprofit leadership. She successfully completed a capital campaign for Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area and led fundraising and food acquisition efforts at The Idaho Foodbank during the peak of the Great Recession.
She joined Idaho Public Television in 2015 as Director of Charitable Giving, where she oversees all institutional fundraising including major and planned giving, corporate support, membership, grants, on-air fundraising, and digital development. During her tenure she served on the PBS Development Advisory Council — including a term as co-chair — and the PBS Children's Media and Education Council, earned designation as a PBS Major Giving Fellow, completed CSPI corporate support training through the management level, and participated actively in system-wide mentorship.
Since joining IdahoPTV, Jenifer has led the station to consistently meet or exceed its $6 million annual private fundraising goal. Applying nonprofit best practices and donor-centric fundraising models across the organization, the Friends of Idaho Public Television has maintained GuideStar Platinum and Charity Navigator 4-star ratings for nine consecutive years — a mark of transparency and accountability. Under her leadership, her team secured $120,000 in annual sponsorship for the launch of the station's 24/7 KIDS channel and wrote the grant that funded IdahoPTV's first full-time educator. She established the station's Gift Acceptance Policy, now foundational to its planned giving program. Her reorganization of the fundraising team created a new digital fundraising position, and her launch of a cross-departmental AI Strategy group has positioned Idaho Public Television as an innovative, relevant, and mission-focused organization committed to serving all Idahoans.
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, Maura Daly Phinney, Winifred Lenihan, Linda Taggart, Anne Ibach, and Ryan Howlett.
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