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.