Skip to main content

NETA is pleased to welcome new members to the PLC executive committees beginning July 1, 2025. Congratulations on being selected!

Community Engagement

  • Chair • Amy Labenski, senior director of national impact and engagement, WETA
  • Vice Chair • Emmalee Hackshaw, vice president for community engagement, Georgia Public Broadcasting
  • Member at Large • Andrea Quijada, outreach & engagement specialist, New Mexico PBS
  • Member at Large • Darren LaShelle, president & CEO, NorCal Public Media
  • Member at Large • Caryline Clark, engagement manager, Iowa PBS
  • Member at Large • Stephanie McFadden, director of education and engagement, Alaska Public Media
  • Member at Large • Nathan Hofer, director of community impact, South Dakota Public Broadcasting
  • NEW Member at Large • Lorena Aguayo-Marquez, community impact manager, WGVU Public Media
  • NEW Member at Large • Kristina Kirtley, associate director community engagement, WNET
  • NEW Member at Large • Desiree Gutierrez, sr. director impact & partnerships, PBS SoCal
  • NEW Member at Large • Sarah Sykes, assistant director events & communications, WOSU Public Media

Content

  • Chair • Tabitha Safdi, senior director of audio and digital operations, South Carolina ETV
  • Vice Chair • Ashlee Smith, senior director of content & education, WKAR
  • Past Chair • Suzanne Smith, executive producer for television, WFSU Public Media
  • Member at Large • Brenda Bowyer, senior producer/director, PBS Michiana - WNIT
  • Member at Large • Emily Compton, executive producer, WTCI
  • Member at Large • Fujio Watanabe, manager of media production, Houston Public Media
  • Member at Large • Dani Cook, senior director, station relations national productions, WETA
  • NEW Member at Large • Carol Yancho, senior director of content, Arizona PBS
  • NEW Member at Large • Allison Rieff, documentary producer, Alabama Public Television
  • NEW Member at Large • Matt Grimm, director of production, KET
  • NEW Member at Large • Janette Thornbrue, vice president of operations/programming, OETA

Education

  • Chair • Cathy Cook, director of education, WQED
  • Vice Chair • Arionna Ralleigh, curriculum design manager, Nine PBS
  • Past Chair • Laura Evans, director of education, Georgia Public Broadcasting
  • Member at Large • Kari Wardle, education manager, Idaho Public Television
  • Member at Large • Amy Grant, director of education, KET
  • Member at Large • Salandra Bowman, chief learning officer, South Carolina ETV
  • Member at Large • Katie Hessen, senior STEM content specialist, Twin Cities PBS
  • NEW Member at Large • Robyn Stringfellow, manager of educational content services, WTCI
  • NEW Member at Large • Lisa Ann Sepulveda, assistant director education & community impact, Arizona PBS
  • NEW Member at Large • Brieanna Moreno, director of education, WSKG

Marketing & Communications

  • Chair • Erik Ernst, public relations director, Wisconsin Public Media
  • Vice Chair • Leandra Parks, digital marketing manager, VPM
  • Member at Large • Barbara Shipley, chief development/marketing officer, East Tennessee PBS
  • Member at Large • Jonna Kelley, promotion and marketing manager, KSPS PBS
  • Member at Large • Susan Mitchell, senior marketing representative, New Mexico PBS
  • Member at Large • Autumn Widdoes, marketing manager, Vegas PBS
  • Member at Large • Rob Elliott, on-air promotion manager, KET
  • NEW Member at Large • Landon Masters, chief public information officer, SCETV
  • NEW Member at Large • Mike Shea, communications specialist, ThinkTV

Cyber

  • Chair • Ian MacSpadden, chief technology officer, Arizona Public Media
  • NEW Vice Chair • Tim McLellan, senior security analyst, GBH 

Innovators

  • Chair • Chad Davis, chief innovation officer, Nebraska Public Media
  • Co-Vice Chair • Amber Samdahl, creative director, PBS Wisconsin
  • Co-Vice Chair • David Huppert, director of the media innovation lab, PBS North Carolina

About the NETA PLCs
The NETA Peer Learning Communities in Content, Community Engagement, Education, and Marketing and Communications are each led by an executive committee comprised of a chair, vice-chair, past chair, and members-at-large. The executive committee works on behalf of NETA member stations to foster a network of public media professionals to share ideas, challenges, best practices, and to work collaboratively to advance the educational mission of public media. NETA also facilitates PLCs for Cyber and Innovators. If you're interested in joining either of these PLCs, learn more here.

NETA Peer Learning Communities logo