Who We Are
TPT IS YOUR LOCAL PBS STATION
TPT is one of the preeminent PBS affiliate stations in the country, producing and broadcasting public media programming in the Twin Cities and its surrounding areas.
TPT believes that media is profoundly powerful – shaping how people and communities understand themselves, each other and the world in which we live.
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1955What is now Twin Cities PBS is incorporated as Twin City Area Educational Television -
September 16, 1957KTCA (channel 2) begins broadcasting as the first non-commercial public television station in Minnesota from a WWII-era wooden structure on the University of Minnesota Agricultural Campus -
May 5, 1965A second station, KTCI (channel 17), is launched -
1967KTCA becomes the first educational station in the nation to broadcast in color -
1970Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) founded; KTCA becomes a member station -
1984“Almanac” premieres on KTCA -
1989KTCA moves to Lowertown, St. Paul and into the building that we now occupy -
1994Iconic documentary, “Hoop Dreams” is produced by KTCA -
2000KTCA officially becomes Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) -
2003TPT becomes the first broadcaster in Minnesota (commercial or public) to launch a television channel (TPT HD) fully devoted to high-definition programming -
2005TPT launches the statewide MN Channel public television service -
2010TPT begins capital campaign for strategic station initiatives and building remodel -
2012TPT launches national website, Next Avenue, “where grown-ups keep growing” -
2015TPT’s Lowertown studios undergo a major renovation and Twin Cities Public Television becomes Twin Cities PBS (TPT)
Sylvia Strobel – President & CEO
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Sylvia joined Twin Cities PBS in February of 2020. As the CEO of one of our nation’s foremost PBS stations, she is leading the organization into an exciting new future: expanding TPT’s content, distribution, and funding strategies to take full advantage of 21st century tools, technologies, and consumer interests.
Before joining TPT, Sylvia worked for more than 25 years in the public media industry as an executive and attorney, with positions at ideastream, American Public Media Group, Pennsylvania Public Television Network and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. She began her career in public media in TPT’s legal department. Sylvia has served on numerous national boards and commissions, including the board of NPR, the Alliance for Women in Media, the Association of Junior Leagues International and the FCC’s Advisory Committee for Diversity in the Digital Age. She currently serves on the boards of the Minnesota Humanities Commission and Latino Public Broadcasting. Sylvia received her undergraduate degree in biology from St. Olaf College, a juris doctor from Mitchell|Hamline College of Law and a master’s in business administration from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business.
Jenny Masters-Wolfe – Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness
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As the leader of the Human Resources department, Jenny Masters-Wolfe is responsible for all employment practices at Twin Cities PBS. Her primary focus is to build and sustain an organization of talented, engaged staff with the skills to achieve the objectives in our strategic plan and deliver maximum impact to the communities we serve. Jenny has over 25 years of experience as senior leader in HR, and joined Twin Cities PBS in 2000. Before starting her work in public media, Jenny lived in Seattle, Washington where she held several senior leadership roles with Restaurants Unlimited in their Operations and HR departments. Jenny earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota in Strategic Human Resources and Psychology. She is a certified trainer for a variety of organizational development tools, including Myers-Briggs, Strengths Finders, EQI and Hogan.
Jennifer (Jenn) Schmidt – Senior Vice President of Finance & Business Administration
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Jenn oversees Finance, Accounting and Building Services at TPT. Her focus, in addition to providing financial leadership to the management team, is to design and deliver efficient processes related to high quality financial information and TPT’s physical environment. Prior to joining TPT, Jenn held leadership positions in Finance at several Minnesota organizations including Archway Marketing Services, Pearson, Ameriprise, US Bank, and Pillsbury. She earned her degree in Business Administration/Accounting from Augsburg College and is a Certified Management Accountant (CMA).
MELISSA WRIGHT – Chief Content Officer
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Melissa leads all content departments at Twin Cities PBS (TPT), and is responsible for driving the strategy, vision and execution of all multi-platform content, including local and national broadcast and digital programming, publications, educational curriculum, websites, marketing and communications. Melissa previously served as TPT’s Senior Vice President of Legal.
Prior to joining TPT, Melissa was the Externship Director at William Mitchell College of Law, Senior Counsel at Wells Fargo Corporation, and Assistant Attorney General at the Minnesota State Attorney General’s Office. She currently is on the Board of Directors of the Schubert Club, Board of Trustees of Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and serves on St. Olaf College’s Equity and Inclusion Committee. Melissa received her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and her Bachelor of Arts from St. Olaf College.
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