Media 2024: PAULA A. KERGER

As the longest-serving president and CEO in the 55-year history of PBS, Kerger has served as its leader for nearly two decades, and in June, PBS’ board extended her contract five more years. She has grown it from traditional TV broadcasting to multiplatform digital media, with 330-plus member stations.

Before joining PBS, Kerger was with the Educational Broadcasting Corp., the parent company of WNET, for more than a decade, ultimately becoming chief operating officer. Before that, she was principal gifts director for the Metropolitan Opera. She completed her bachelor’s degree at the University of Baltimore.

Honored with the Giants of Broadcasting and Electronic Arts Award, Kerger also has received the Advancing American Democracy Award from the Benjamin Harris Presidential Site.

Kerger is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Women’s Forum and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. She is a board member of the Dana Foundation and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History, where she formerly served as chair.

PBS’ latest accolades include being named the Webby Media Company of the Year in the spring while also receiving 11 nominations for the 84th annual Peabody Awards, the most of any organization.