Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

Hi, I’m Kate Drennen Ryan, Vice President of Membership at Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB). I’ve been working in public media for close to two decades.

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I’m most excited to collaborate with smart, curious peers who are willing to test new ideas and learn quickly from what works (and what doesn’t). Being part of a group that’s focused on real experimentation and sharing results across the system feels both energizing and necessary right now. 

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?  

When I was young, it was Sesame Street, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, The Electric Company and Zoom. Then I’d put 3-2-1 Contact and Reading Rainbow on in the background. As I grew older, Nature and NOVA became part of my education, and the MacNeil/Lehrer Report was required watching for more than one of my classes. Then came early adulthood and the absolute love of new Driveway Moments on NPR, and the desire to listen to news without bias. There’s never been a time when public media wasn’t part of my life. And now it’s my job. HOW COOL! 

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I jumped out of the first plane I was ever on. 

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

Hi there. I’m Louise Lee, Chief Development Officer at Kansas City PBS. I’ve been here for the last six years and was previously with the OETAF (Oklahoma Educational Television Authority Foundation) starting in 1989 (yikes!).  

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I’m excited about the opportunity to collaborate with brilliant, mission-driven professionals across our system. At a time when support for public media is more vital than ever, being part of a group that’s committed to testing, innovating and sharing impactful solutions is both energizing and deeply meaningful.  

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?  

My public media journey began as a newly married Brit, fortunate to land an entry-level role as a Development Assistant at the OETA Foundation. At the time, I knew nothing about PBS, but I quickly fell in love with its mission and the vital service it provided, not just across Oklahoma, but nationwide. I’d also never heard of Lawrence Welk, but that changed fast as OETA went on to produce all his specials, and they were a powerhouse for generating support back in the day! I’m proud to be part of the PBS family and to contribute to a legacy that informs, inspires and connects communities.  

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

Before moving to the U.S., competing with my horses was my whole world. They even made the journey with me to Oklahoma, but now my saddles have been made into stools. My husband and I love to travel and explore, whether it's a weekend road trip or an occasional journey across the globe.  

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

I’m Aimee Granger, Managing Director of Legacy Giving at PBS Wisconsin and Wisconsin Public Radio. I found my way into public media in 2003 at KPBS in San Diego, drawn by a deep belief in our shared mission to inform, inspire and serve our communities. Since then, I’ve been grateful for every opportunity to help people connect with and support the programs that reflect their values and enrich their lives. Like many of you, I quickly discovered that this work isn’t just a job, it’s who we are. 

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I’m honored to be part of the CDP Innovation Council and excited by the spirit of collaboration and bold thinking I’ve already seen in this group. I believe this is a moment of real opportunity for all of us — especially when it comes to growing and strengthening legacy giving across the system. It’s work that takes time and commitment, but the long-term impact is transformative. 

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?  

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping supporters connect their values to the work we do — and of hearing countless stories about how public media has touched lives across generations. Legacy giving, in particular, has become my passion. There’s something profoundly meaningful about helping people make a gift that reflects what they care about most — and ensures that the programs they love will be here for the next generation. As a PBS Kid now raising a couple of awesome PBS Kids myself, I see that impact every day, and I’m proud to play a part in sustaining it for the future. 

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

Outside of work, my family shares a love of exploration and learning. We travel whenever we can, with the goal of nurturing curiosity and perspective in our kids. Like public media, we believe in lifelong learning, and in creating a broader, more connected view of the world. 

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

My name is Ian Vosburg, and I’m the director of annual giving (membership) at Nebraska Public Media. I started in public media (and at Nebraska Public Media) a little over 10 years ago. Looking back on it, it’s amazing how much public media has always been in my life — from watching PBS KIDS programs growing up, playing the MASTERPIECE theme song for my first and only marching band performance, and listening to NPR on my commutes, to now enjoying programs available with PBS Passport and watching new PBS KIDS shows with my own kids. It’s always been there for me, and I want to help keep it that way for others. 

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I’m excited to be on the Innovation Council because it gives us a chance to talk with others in the system about how we can try new things and improve our funding! And then beyond talking about it, we can actually work toward testing new approaches. 

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I’m an occasional soap carver. 

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

After a career in marketing, I directed development for KSPS PBS, a mid-sized public television station raising $6M annually in Spokane, Washington. In my eight years in public media, I've served on the PBS Passport Station User Group and Passport 2.0 Working Group, the Digital Fundraising Cohort, the Sustainer Growth Initiative and the Inland Northwest Development Council. I’ve also presented at PBS Annual Meeting, Tech Con, Accelerate, Public Media Learns, American Public Television Marketplace and the “Chronicle of Philanthropy.” My experience in marketing and revenue management has enabled me to detect actionable trends in data and create tests to adapt fundraising strategy nimbly. I'm a Certified Fund Raising Executive, and I just completed my Master of Science in Nonprofit Administration. I’m passionate about public media as a keystone of early learning, a pillar of democracy and a bulwark against global climate catastrophe.

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

As a member of the Contributor Development Partnership Innovation Council, I'm most excited by the opportunity to explore and test novel public media solutions to be confidently deployed across the system.

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?    

I'm a former PBS Kid and a current PBS Nerd who discovered NPR on the ski shuttle in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I'm a plant-powered progressive who likes to read, make art, exercise outside, and travel.

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

My name is Keegan Vail and I'm the Director of Membership at Rocky Mountain Public Media (Rocky Mountain PBS, KUVO Jazz and THE DROP 104.7). I've been in public media for 7 years.

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

This is a pivotal moment for public media and innovation is essential to the sustainability of our collective work. Even during challenging times, we have a lot of opportunity ahead of us that we need to explore. I'm excited to be a part of a talented group that's helping to drive this forward.

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?    

Like so many of us, I grew up on PBS Kids learning from shows like Arthur and The Magic School Bus. I drifted away for a short time but was drawn back in by Ken Burns' deep dives into history and a fascination with locally rooted media. This combined with my strong belief in nonprofit, community organizations led me to Rocky Mountain Public Media and public media fundraising. It's fulfilling to working for a cause I believe in.    

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I was a 10-year 4-H kid, completing projects from microwave cooking to LEGO engineering. These days, I’m still thriving in the microwave department, but I’ve traded LEGO for Magna-Tiles when building with my daughter.

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

Kristina Martin, Director of Development at Montana PBS. I’ve been in public media for 6 years now but have been a nonprofit Development Director for over 20 years. 

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I am really excited about working together to find creative solutions to challenges that we all face, taking a few risks and learning a lot along the way. I’m also thrilled to share successful solutions with our colleagues throughout the public media system, so the whole organism can benefit. Public media feels like one big community; almost like a family. I’m willing to put myself out there and try new things to help my colleagues and also find the best solutions to challenges within my own organization. I’m also excited to get to know another amazing group of colleagues, make some new friends, and continue collaborating well into the future. 

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?    

I have been a public media fan my whole life. My mother swears that my good grades in school were due mostly to the fact that I learned to read at a very early age from watching Sesame Street. I grew up here in Bozeman, Montana, home of Montana PBS. I remember when the station first came on air (due to the efforts of a local mom who wanted her kids to be able to watch Sesame Street! Long story, but co-founded the station). Prior to the formation of Montana PBS, we were able to watch KUED out of Salt Lake over cable TV and I always thought it was weird/didn’t understand why I wasn’t watching a Montana station, so I remember vividly when Montana PBS first came on air. It was a big deal. After moving away for years after college, I am now back in my hometown, and feel very lucky to be working for the station that had such an impact on me and my brother when we were both growing up. My family and my lifetime friends are now among the community members that I serve.  

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I have a fantasy of creating a cooking show that features recipes using locally foraged food (wild game, fresh caught trout, veggies and fruit from local gardens and forests, fresh dairy from local farm, etc.). It would also focus on entertaining around meals, how to host a great dinner party, etc. In the meantime, I’ll just keep hosting great dinner parties for my friends and family!  

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

I’m Lauren Little, Managing Director for Membership and Development at KUT and KUTX in Austin, Texas. I’ve been in this role for nearly eight months, but my public media journey began at WBUR in Boston, where I worked on the development team from 2015 to 2018.  

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

I’m thrilled to connect with a diverse group of stations and collaborate to test new ideas and innovate. Together, we have the opportunity to create impactful solutions that advance public media as a whole. 

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?    

Public media wasn’t a big part of my childhood, but I grew up watching PBS at my grandparents’ house, and I loved Reading Rainbow, Lamb Chop’s Play-Along and Mister Rogers Neighborhood. My connection deepened in early adulthood with the rise of podcasts — favorites like Planet Money and Pop Culture Happy Hour brought me closer to NPR. When I moved to Boston, WBUR became my go-to for trusted news and a way to feel more connected to my new community. Now in Austin, KUT and KUTX play that same role in my life, keeping me informed and engaged. Today, public media is an indispensable part of my daily routine.  

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

I’m a proud mom of two kids (ages 4 and 8), and as they are growing more independent, I’ve been exploring new hobbies. My latest adventure is rock climbing! I’ve joined a climbing gym and discovered a passion for bouldering — it’s been both a challenge and a joy. 

Tell us your name, your role at your organization and how long you've worked in public media.    

Sam Harris, Director of Membership, and I’ve worked at PBS Reno for almost 7 years.   

What excites you most about being on CDP’s Innovation Council?   

Our current fundraising and tech landscape is constantly changing and the need to adapt is paramount. I am energized by the opportunity to be in an active, forward-looking group of professionals in our industry. What excites me most is the opportunity for collaboration, new ways to apply data, and trying new ideas.    

What’s your public media story? How has public media impacted your life?    

When I was a kid, I grew up in a poor, rural neighborhood. The only channel I watched was PBS and I absolutely fell in love with Wishbone and Reading Rainbow. I would go to the library once a week and pick up the books I had heard about recently, all written down in my little notebook. (This did result in me making the questionable decision to read The Tempest when I was 8. Or at least attempting it!) Growing up and learning that all the shows that I valued were funded by my community and neighbors inspired my journey and my career path. I’m proud to be a part of the work that highlighted my childhood, and the lives of so many others.   

Share a fun fact about yourself that others may not know about you.  

Before I worked in public media, I was a special collections archivist at a local history and genealogy library. My focus was helping patrons trace their family tree (think Finding Your Roots, but all the parts they edit out of the show like manually scanning through microfilm). Research has always been one of my favorite things, and why I’ll absolutely talk anybody’s ear off about genealogical research, or history in general.