2024 Lifetime Achievement Award
Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), founder and chair of the Congressional Public Broadcasting Caucus, for his extraordinary leadership on public broadcasting issues throughout his 28-year congressional career.
This is only the third Lifetime Achievement Award given by APTS. The first was to Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) in 2014, the second to Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) in 2020.
Congressman Blumenauer formed the Public Broadcasting Caucus in 2001, along with five other founding members. Members of the Caucus are committed to ensuring the continued services of local public television and radio stations, and supporting a strong and financially sound public media system that provides essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people.
As a longtime friend to public broadcasting, Congressman Blumenauer skillfully advocates for public media with other Members of Congress, and directly engages with public broadcasting stations, first and foremost in his home state of Oregon, but also with stations around the country to encourage them to continue their important work in local communities.
“No organization has ever had a more passionate, committed and effective champion than public broadcasters have in Congressman Earl Blumenauer,” said APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler. “For almost a quarter of a century, he has been tireless and relentless in his support for our cause. His eloquent advocacy is matched only by his profound and his towering integrity, and he has set a standard for public service to which every political leader should aspire.
“We present our Lifetime Achievement Award only rarely, and no one has ever deserved it more. It is with profound gratitude that America’s Public Television Stations give this very special recognition to the incomparable Earl Blumenauer.”
2024 Champion of Public Broadcasting Awards
The Champion of Public Broadcasting Award is given to political leaders and other individuals who safeguard the ability of local public television stations to provide education, public safety and civic leadership services to their communities.
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for the majority of public broadcasting’s federal funding.
As the chair of the Senate Labor Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Baldwin recommended continuing record funding levels for the public media accounts under her subcommittee’s jurisdiction, despite an overall budget agreement among the Senate, the House of Representatives and the White House that restricted spending to fiscal year 2023 levels. This funding, part of the larger LHHSED bill crafted by Senator Baldwin and ranking Republican Senator Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV), was reported out of the full Appropriations Committee by an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 26-2.
By contrast, the House LHHSED subcommittee proposal to eliminate public media funding altogether was not reported out of Committee.
As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, Senator Baldwin also worked to ensure the reauthorization of the Ready To Learn program during the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which resulted in the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. Ready To Learn is a competitive grant program at the Department of Education that uses the power of public television’s on-air, online, mobile and on-the-ground educational content and engagement to build the math and reading skills of children between the ages of two and eight, especially those from low-income families.
“Senator Baldwin has been a stalwart and effective champion of public broadcasting in countless ways for decades” said APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler. “She recognizes the valuable services public broadcasting provides to the people of Wisconsin and throughout our nation, and how vital it is to safeguard the highly cost-effective federal investments in public broadcasting’s essential public safety, education and civic leadership services. And she has dramatically demonstrated that bipartisanship can flourish even in challenging budgetary and political conditions when talented lawmakers wish to make it so.
“America’s Public Television Stations are profoundly grateful for Senator Baldwin’s leadership and support, and it is my honor to present her with the well-deserved 2024 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award.”
Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the ranking Republican on the Senate appropriations subcommittee responsible for most federal funding for public broadcasting.
As the top Republican on Senate Labor Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Capito helped lead a bipartisan effort among Senators to sustain funding for public broadcasting after the House Appropriations Committee proposed to eliminate most of this funding. Working with Senate Appropriations Committee chair Patty Murray (D-WA), vice chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and LHHSED subcommittee chair Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Senator Capito proposed level funding for public broadcasting in a bill reported from the Appropriations Committee by a vote of 26-2.
In addition, as a leader on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Capito helped secure funding for local public television stations’ public safety and homeland security missions, including infrastructure investments to ensure the reliability of stations’ emergency communications services.
“Senator Capito has been a long-time friend of public broadcasting and has been a supporter of our work for over two decades” said APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler. “Senator Capito understands how essential our services in education, public safety and civic leadership are to people in West Virginia and across the country, and how vital the federal appropriation for public broadcasting is to providing these services to everyone, everywhere, every day for free.
“America’s Public Television Stations are immensely grateful for Senator Capito’s leadership and support, and it is my honor to present her with the 2024 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award she so richly deserves.”
2024 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award
The APTS board of trustees created the David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award in honor of its former president and CEO, David Brugger, the longest-serving leader of the organization.
Dorothy Pacella, former Executive Director of Friends of Thirteen, Inc., and Friends of Thirteen Advocacy Board at The WNET Group in New York
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the 2024 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award to Dorothy Pacella, former Executive Director of Friends of Thirteen, Inc., and Friends of Thirteen Advocacy Board at The WNET Group in New York. Pacella retired in December 2023.
Since joining the Friends of THIRTEEN in 1989, Pacella has been instrumental in helping The WNET Group encourage youth involvement with public media, advocate for federal funding for the station, strengthen local partnerships, support local initiatives, host events and expand grassroots awareness of The WNET Group’s education resources and quality programming in the New York Metropolitan area.
As chair of the board of trustees of the National Friends of Public Broadcasting for over 20 years, Pacella led a vast network of public media volunteers and volunteer coordinators across the country, organizing them to take action on behalf of public television stations.
She also served on the board of trustees of America’s Public Television Stations from 2008-2014 bringing a powerful perspective of lay leadership to the national membership organization and the public broadcasting system.
“No one has played a more effective role, over a longer period of time, marshalling grassroots support for the work of public television than Dorothy Pacella,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.
“As executive director of Friends of Thirteen for almost 35 years, and as the guiding light of National Friends of Public Broadcasting for more than two decades, Dorothy has been the heart and soul of grassroots advocacy for public broadcasting.”
“We all hate to lose such a powerful, passionate and personable champion of our mission, but we are deeply indebted to Dorothy for all that she has done, and done so well, for so long, to advance the mission of public broadcasting in America. It is my honor to present the 2024 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award to Dorothy Pacella, which she so richly deserves.”
2024 Pillar of Public Service Award
Molly Phillips, former Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the 2024 Pillar of Public Service Award to Molly Phillips, former Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS, for her pioneering work in creating remarkable educational programming and content for the people of Iowa.
The Pillar of Public Service Award recognizes the contribution of an extraordinary leader and innovator in one or more of public television’s three essential public service missions: education, public safety, and civic leadership.
Under Phillips’ leadership, Iowa PBS has become deeply embedded in the life of the State. From the station’s high-quality educational resources that help prepare Iowa’s children for success in school, to its hyperlocal coverage of agricultural news, to its broadcast of high school sports State championships, Iowa PBS provides services unique to Iowans that are unrivaled by anyone else in the State.
“Over the course of a 34-year career at Iowa PBS, Molly Phillips has pursued public television’s public service missions in extraordinary ways,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.
“Having served a variety of professional roles, including human resources, communications and community engagement, and culminating with her service as Executive Director and General Manager, Molly has made extraordinary contributions to communities across Iowa and to the entire public broadcasting system.
“Molly and her talented team at Iowa PBS have dramatically demonstrated the power of public television to deliver a broad range of essential public services across the State of Iowa. Iowa PBS is doing what public television stations do best: educating our children and serving our communities as partners in public service.
“Molly has been an innovative and relentless advocate for community service at its finest, both on television and through on-the-ground initiatives, and has set a standard of public service to which every public television station should aspire.
“We are all inspired by Molly’s dedication and passion for our public service missions and are immensely grateful for her decades of commitment to Iowa PBS and our system. It is my great honor to present Molly Phillips with the most well-deserved 2024 Pillar of Public Service Award.”
2024 Excellence in Innovation Award
Edward J. Ulman, President and CEO of Alaska Public Media (AKPM)
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the 2024 Excellence in Innovation Award to Edward J. Ulman, president and CEO of Alaska Public Media (AKPM), for his groundbreaking leadership providing innovative public services throughout the State of Alaska and overcoming the challenge of reaching the State’s most remote communities.
Under Ulman’s leadership, Alaska Public Media in 2021 won a competition to manage Alaska’s Rural Communications Services (ARCS), a satellite-based network of low-power translator transmitters serving more than 115 communities throughout rural and bush Alaska. A significant number of Alaska Natives live in these communities and without Alaska Public Media, these people would have no access to television service, including the essential weather information, emergency alerts, and educational programming that Alaska Public Media provides daily.
“Under Ed’s determined leadership, Alaska Public Media is serving people who are almost impossible to reach,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations. “This daily miracle is powerful evidence of public television stations’ commitment to serve everyone, everywhere, no matter the challenge of doing so, and Ed and his talented team are an inspiration to our entire system and to anyone wishing to do the hard work of public service. As the people of Alaska know well, Alaska Public Media is a robust, resilient and essential lifeline to every corner of The Last Frontier, and Ed Ulman proves every day that he is among the most resourceful, visionary and innovative leaders in all of public television.”
2024 National Advocacy Award
Kurt Mische, President and CEO of PBS Reno
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) presented the 2024 National Advocacy Award to Kurt Mische, President and CEO of PBS Reno, for his legislative work in Nevada and California.
The APTS National Advocacy Award is presented to station leaders who excel in telling the story of their local station’s service in education, public safety and civic leadership and the essential role of federal and State funding in make that service possible.
“Because Reno sits on the Nevada-California border, Kurt Mische has been unusually influential in his advocacy for public television in both States,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations. “He has been an effective liaison with Nevada Congressman Mark Amodei (R-NV), the vice chair of the Congressional Public Broadcasting Caucus and a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, as well as with other members of the Nevada delegation in Washington. And as chairman of the California Public Broadcasters Association, Kurt has helped advance our partnership with the State in early earthquake warnings and remote learning.
“As PBS Reno celebrates its 40th anniversary, there is no more appropriate time for us to honor its long-time leader, who has done so much for the mission of public broadcasting in America,” Butler said.