PBS Announces the Election of Five Leaders to Serve on PBS Board of Directors

September 29, 2026

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger announced today the election of five leaders in public media to serve as Professional Directors on the PBS Board of Directors. These include newly elected Board members Jennifer Cook, Executive Director of WUCF in Orlando, Fla., Andrew Batt, Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS, and Adrian Velarde, General Manager of KWRG Public Media in Las Cruces, N.M.; and incumbents Susan Goldberg, President and CEO of GBH in Boston, and Greg Petrowich, President and CEO of WFYI Public Media in Indianapolis.

“Our Board of Directors plays a vital role in helping PBS deliver the programming and services American audiences count on from public broadcasting," Kerger said. “Each of these leaders understands what the American people need from public media, and I am grateful for the perspectives they bring. Their voices will help guide our system through one of the most consequential periods in our history."

The 27-person PBS Board includes both Professional Directors, who are station leaders elected by PBS member stations, and General Directors, who are lay members elected by the Board. The Board provides strategic guidance and oversight to PBS, ensuring that the organization continues to deliver high-quality, educational, and inspiring programming to more than 330 member stations and their local viewers.

Jennifer Cook

Jennifer Cook serves as Executive Director and Assistant Vice President of WUCF TV & FM, Central Florida’s PBS and NPR Jazz station. She is an award-winning media executive with more than 25 years of experience spanning public media, commercial broadcasting, corporate communications, fundraising, content strategy, and digital innovation. She began her career in local television news and public broadcasting, working at both WKAR and WMFE before gaining experience in corporate communications with The Walt Disney Company and spending 14 years in leadership positions at Spectrum News 13.

Andrew Batt

Andrew Batt serves as Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS. Batt has spent more than 20 years in public media, holding leadership roles in journalism, production, programming, and executive management. Before being named Executive Director in 2024, he served in several senior leadership positions at Iowa PBS, helping oversee local programming, statewide public affairs coverage, digital initiatives, and content strategy. Throughout his career, he has led teams responsible for public affairs, agriculture coverage, documentaries, education initiatives, sports telecasts, and election coverage.

Adrian Velarde

Adrian Velarde is General Manager of KRWG Public Media (PBS and NPR) in Las Cruces, N.M. His career spans more than 35 years across television, radio, video production, engineering, operations, and organizational leadership. Since joining KRWG in 2009, he has held leadership roles in engineering, finance, regulatory compliance, grant administration, and operational planning. In 2018, he was named Director of New Mexico State University Broadcasting, overseeing both KRWG Public Media and AggieVision — a role in which he manages media operations supporting public broadcasting, educational programming, and university athletics.

Susan Goldberg

Susan Goldberg is President and Chief Executive Officer of GBH in Boston, the largest producer of multiplatform content for PBS. A nationally recognized journalist and leader, Goldberg has transformed media organizations by diversifying staff, expanding coverage and executing multi-platform transformation. Prior to joining GBH in 2022, she was Editor in Chief and Editorial Director of National Geographic, where she led the magazine to 11 National Magazine Awards, among other honors, over eight years. She was the Editor of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer, the Executive Editor of the San Jose Mercury News, and has held editorial positions at Bloomberg News, USA Today, the Detroit Free Press and the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

Greg Petrowich

Greg Petrowich has 30 years of leadership and operational experience in public media and currently oversees WFYI, which is the public broadcasting hub for communities throughout Central Indiana. Before joining WFYI, Petrowich was Executive Director of WSIU Public Broadcasting on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where he managed the public radio and television operations for 10 years. He was the General Manager of KUAC FM and TV in Fairbanks, Alaska and served as the top leader for public broadcasting at the University of Alaska and AlaskaOne Public Television.

ABOUT PBS 
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 42 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from Pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X (formerly Twitter).