Shae Hopkins
Executive Director and CEO | Kentucky Educational Television (KET)
Shae Hopkins is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kentucky Educational Television (KET), Kentucky's statewide media network, reaching into eight states and across 10 media markets.
A 39-year veteran of KET, Hopkins has led the public broadcasting network for 15 years. She previously served in progressive management positions, including Deputy Director of Programming and Production, and as founding president of the Commonwealth Fund for KET.
Hopkins has led an expansion of local production and services, including the creation of the Kentucky Channel, nightly public affairs series Kentucky Edition, numerous documentaries and biographies, as well as nationally broadcast programs The Story of Bluegrass Music, Becoming bell hooks, The Packhorse Librarians, and others. She also guided the development of a wide range of educational content and services for PBS LearningMedia, as well as the nationally utilized GED preparation learning system FastForward, and other workforce resources.
She has overseen numerous technical and facilities milestones, including the network’s digital transition for HD production and distribution systems, completing one of the largest spectrum repacking projects in the nation, establishing production studios in the Kentucky Capitol and on Main Street in Louisville, providing 3.0 broadcast service in the Louisville and Northern Kentucky markets, localizing emergency alerting for the state, converting the technical infrastructure of the Network Center in Lexington for NexGen TV, and creating the new Louisville Production Center.
Under her leadership, the use of KET’s programs and services has doubled, steadily growing to more than two million viewers and users each week, state funding has increased 45%, and annual private support has doubled.
KET has been recognized with more than 46 national and 31 state awards, 132 regional Emmy nominations and 37 Emmy awards, and numerous other awards.
Hopkins has served on the PBS Board of Directors since 2022 and previously served two terms (2013-2019). She also serves on the Organization of State Broadcast Executives Board (Chair 2018/19), National Educational Telecommunications Association (Chair 2013/14), and as a member of the Public Television Major Market Group.
She previously served as a founding director of the national Digital Promise Board, and on the Kentucky Broadcasters Association Board of Directors, University of Kentucky College of Communications Advisory Board, Union College Board of Trustees, Central Bank Lexington Advisory Board, Kentucky Commission on Women, Governor’s Postsecondary Education Nominating Commission, Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, Kentucky Blood Center Board of Directors, and Leadership Kentucky Class of 2006.
She has been recognized 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 two Telly Awards.
Hopkins, an 8th generation Kentuckian, grew up in Lexington. She is the daughter of former congressman, the late Larry J. Hopkins and Carolyn Hopkins, and sister of actor Josh Hopkins. She has three children: Hannah Duffy (Culver City, CA), Haley Dickerson (Lexington), and Ross Martin (Cincinnati, OH), and five grandchildren.