Jon Abbott is the president and CEO of GBH (Formerly WGBH), America’s preeminent public media organization, the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, and a major supplier of content for public radio and digital audio services. A nationally recognized public media leader, Abbott has transformed the way GBH creates and distributes educationally rich content to millions of Americans throughout New England and across the nation.

Abbott has expanded GBH’s investment, impact and reach in communities across Massachusetts with multiple public TV and radio services, and a significant expansion of local journalism, including launching a new NPR News station in Boston. His commitment to fostering citizenship and learning led to the launch of PBS LearningMedia, a free, national online service offering classroom-ready digital resources for educators in all 50 states. He collaborated on the creation of two national digital TV services, WORLD and CREATE, in partnership with PBS, and has championed innovations to strengthen the entire public media system.

Abbott joined GBH as Vice President and General Manager in 1998 and was named President and CEO in 2007. Prior to GBH, he served as Senior Vice President for Development and Corporate Relations at PBS and in senior management with San Francisco public station KQED. He began his career in broadcasting in 1981 at Columbia University Station WKCR-FM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Stanford University. He is a member of the boards of PBS, National Public Media, PRI/PRX, NEPM, Contributor Development Partnership (CDP), PBS Distribution and Project Healthy Children. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the recipient of the John Jay Award from Columbia University.

Jon Abbott is the president and CEO of GBH, America’s preeminent public media organization, the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, and a major supplier of content for public radio and digital audio services. A nationally recognized public media leader, Abbott has transformed the way WGBH creates and distributes educationally rich content to millions of Americans throughout New England and across the nation.

Abbott has expanded GBH’s investment, impact and reach in communities across Massachusetts with multiple public TV and radio services, and a significant expansion of local journalism, including launching a new NPR News station in Boston. His commitment to fostering citizenship and learning led to the launch of PBS LearningMedia, a free, national online service offering classroom-ready digital resources for educators in all 50 states. He collaborated on the creation of two national digital TV services, WORLD and CREATE, in partnership with PBS, and has championed innovations to strengthen the entire public media system.

Abbott joined GBH (formerly WGBH) as Vice President and General Manager in 1998 and was named President and CEO in 2007. Prior to GBH, he served as Senior Vice President for Development and Corporate Relations at PBS and in senior management with San Francisco public station KQED. He began his career in broadcasting in 1981 at Columbia University Station WKCR-FM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Stanford University. He is a member of the boards of National Public Media, PRI/PRX, NEPM, Contributor Development Partnership (CDP), PBS Distribution and Project Healthy Children. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the recipient of the John Jay Award from Columbia University.

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Molly Phillips
Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa PBS
She was elected to a second term on the PBS Board as a Professional Director 

Michael Isip
President of KQED Michael Isip
Elected to join the PBS Board as a Professional Director

Sandra Cordova Micek 
President & CEO of WTTW
Elected to join the PBS Board as a Professional Director

Jon Abbott
CEO of GBH
Elected to return to the PBS Board as a Professional Director.

“As PBS celebrates 50 years, our service to the American public has never been more important,” said Kerger. “Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of the PBS Board of Directors, public television will continue to serve as a beacon of thoughtful and thought-provoking media for generations to come.”

During this meeting, Board officers were elected as well. Founder and CEO of Palisades Strategic Advisors Donald A. Baer and Ideastream President & CEO Kevin Martin were re-elected as Board Chair and Professional Vice Chair, respectively, and Maxine Clark was selected as the new General Vice Chair of the Board.

“As PBS celebrates 50 years, our service to the American public has never been more important,” said Kerger. “Thanks to the extraordinary leadership of the PBS Board of Directors, public television will continue to serve as a beacon of thoughtful and thought-provoking media for generations to come.”

The 27-person PBS Board includes both Professional Directors, who are station leaders, and General Directors, who serve as lay members of the Board, as well as the PBS President. The PBS Board of Directors is responsible for governing and setting policy for PBS. General and Professional Directors of the PBS Board are elected to three-year terms and serve without pay.

PBS member stations elect the Professional Directors. The General Directors are elected by the entire Board, as are the PBS President and the Board officers.

PBS Board Calendar

https://www.pbs.org/about/about-pbs/board-directors/board-meeting-calendar/

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