TPT Leadership

Sylvia Strobel

PRESIDENT & CEO
[email protected]

Sylvia Strobel joined Twin Cities PBS (TPT) 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.

You can learn more about Sylvia’s vision and the strategic plan she has for TPT here.

Sylvia has worked for more than 30 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. Assuming the role of CEO and President at TPT is a homecoming for Sylvia. Her passion and dedication to public media was developed in her first public media role—Legal Intern 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 MacPhail Center for Music, The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, the Mary T. and James J. Hill Library Foundation, and Latino Public Broadcasting. Sylvia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from St. Olaf College, her Juris Doctorate (JD) from Mitchell Hamline College of Law, and her Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Business.

Amina Jaafar

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
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For nearly 15 years, Amina has worked to advance diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and social and racial justice, across higher education and the nonprofit sector both nationally and internationally. Amina most recently served as the Assistant Vice President in the Office for Equity and Diversity at the University of Minnesota, where she provided oversight for education programming, strategic planning and communications, evaluation, and campus climate initiatives. Through her work, Amina focuses on cultivating strong working relationships to create cultural change; facilitating challenging conversations to help individuals and communities move towards understanding and partnership; and providing strategic direction to help organizations meaningfully advance their DEI work.

In addition to her leadership role at the University, Amina also served as an affiliate faculty member in the College of Education and Human Development, where she taught courses on developing intercultural competence, intercultural communications, and the social and cultural foundations of education. Amina received her Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development from the University of Minnesota, where she studied how representations of BIPOC communities impact policy and practice.

Stacie Reiner

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
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Stacie began her career as an auditor at Clifton Larson Allen. Throughout her career, she has held finance and business leadership positions at Target and was VP of Finance and Administration at Top Ten Liquors. Most recently, she worked with Salo where she contracted with nonprofits undergoing leadership change to provide interim support. Stacie has a BS in Accounting and Computer Science from Minnesota State University in Mankato, and an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

Stacie has been a problem-solver and team-builder throughout her career and has a proven track record of unlocking organizational value. At TPT, she is responsible for overseeing all organizational financial functions and systems while fostering a culture of data-driven decision making. She will work to promote financial transparency, build organizational financial acumen and accountability, and develop financial strategies to enable TPT’s mission.

Christian P. Siebeneck

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
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Christian comes to TPT from Ideastream Public Media in Cleveland, Ohio where he was the Chief Technologist. At Ideastream Christian was responsible for the Technology team which included all of IT, Production, Radio Operations, Building and Facilities, Radio and Television Engineering. Before coming to public media, Christian served as CEO/CTO to a regional telecommunications company which provides telephone, ISP, and cable television’s services. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Technology from Kent State University.

Christian has been an innovator throughout his technology career. He has worked to build solutions that bridge technology gaps within organizations while removing technology barriers. At TPT, Christian is responsible for the strategic vision of all technology and innovation. He will lead the technology teams to develop solutions to enhance our viewers experience online and over the air, while building solutions for the staff at TPT to better collaborate and innovate.

Shona Koester

CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
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Shona comes to TPT with considerable experience as a public media leader. Her most recent role was as President of iPondr, a digital media startup using the power of multimedia storytelling to foster empathy. In this role, she oversaw all aspects of the business, including building a sustainable business model, platform development, and revenue growth. Shona previously served as Chief Strategy Officer at PRX and Vice President of Distributions and Partnerships at American Public Media.

During her career, Shona developed new programming opportunities, increased revenue, strengthened stations’ relationships with audiences, and cultivated strategic partnerships. She is a results-driven leader who has consistently delivered outstanding revenue growth. Her knowledge, experience, and skills will contribute to building a TPT legacy that serves viewers now and for generations to come.

Maureen McGinn

VICE PRESIDENT OF MAJOR AND PLANNED GIFTS
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Maureen started at TPT in 2019 and served as Managing Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving before her promotion to Vice President. Maureen came to TPT with over 20 years of development and marketing experience in the nonprofit sector. Maureen led the advancement services team at Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She served as Director of Marketing and Communication at the Saint Paul Jewish Community Center and Membership and Marketing Manager at the local historical society. Over the years, she has assisted numerous local nonprofits with their development and communications needs on a contract basis and via board and committee service. She attended the College of Visual Arts in St. Paul.

During her time at TPT, she has developed a strong team that has seen great success, contributing to a secure and stable financial future for the organization. Most importantly, Maureen has deepened our engagement with more of our supporters and highlighted giving opportunities that meet donor passions. She will continue to guide our major and planned gift efforts, driving our relationship-oriented approach to development.

Amie Miller

VICE PRESIDENT OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
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Amie has worked in public media for over 20 years and has been with TPT since 2015, leading TPT’s Institutional Giving Program. Under her leadership, the Institutional Giving team has successfully raised funds for multiple high-impact local and national initiatives, including Almanac’s One Greater Minnesota and Racism Unveiled, Facing Suicide, ART IS, and more. Amie received her BA in History from DePauw University and MA in Theology from Union Theological Seminary.

As Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Miller is advancing integration in content and philanthropy strategy, and leading planning and execution of all grant fundraising from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. She also oversees TPT’s Government Relations program.

Kristin Pederson

VP, TPT EDUCATION
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Kristin Pederson joined Twin Cities PBS in 2001 to lead educational outreach and public relations for DragonflyTV, an Emmy Award-winning national PBS children’s science series. Her roles within TPT have since varied, but they have held a distinct emphasis on science, health, history, gender equity, and cultural responsiveness. She has developed, contributed to and led projects supported by the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Institutes of Health, and NASA, as well as multiple corporations and foundations.

While Kristin focused on multiple STEM projects, such as SciGirls and When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time, she has developed and led outreach, engagement, and promotion on many of TPT’s award-winning general audience projects. These include Depression: Out of the Shadows, The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s, The New Medicine, FAT: What No One Is Telling You, Slavery by Another Name, and Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Speech communications from St. Olaf College and a Master of Arts in English and Communication Development from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

David Preston

VP, MEMBER SERVICES
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As Vice President of Membership & Viewer Services, David Preston leads a team of staff and volunteers who advance the station’s legacy of viewer support by welcoming and stewarding over 110,000 members. A native Minnesotan, David received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Minnesota and has worked at Twin Cities PBS for more than 35 years. During that time, he has been instrumental in building one of the largest and strongest membership programs in the nation. He is also a leader in the PBS system, and for more than a decade has served on the PBS Development Advisory Council where he provides guidance on fundraising to stations and is an expert mentor and trainer to station staff nationwide. In 2014, David was awarded the PBS Development Professional of the Year award in recognition of his positive impact.

Andy Rausch

VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL COUNSEL
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Andy comes to TPT with extensive experience as in-house legal counsel working within complex organizations, including positions at Best Buy, Bluestem Brands, and OneBeacon Insurance Group. Most recently he served as the Vice President of Compliance and Associate General Counsel at Goodness Growth Holdings in Minneapolis.

Michael Rosenfeld

VP, NATIONAL PRODUCTIONS
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Michael is an award-winning filmmaker and writer with extensive leadership experience in documentary production and digital media. He began his career at WNET, the public television station in New York, and then joined National Geographic Television, where he served as a producer, writer, executive producer and company president. In a career spanning network, cable, and public television, Rosenfeld has won dozens of industry awards, including 11 News & Documentary Emmys. He received his BA from Haverford College.

As Vice President of National Productions at Twin Cities PBS, Michael Rosenfeld oversees programs about history, science, and American society for national broadcast on PBS. Most recently, he has been Executive Producer on two ground-breaking national productions: Facing Suicide and America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston.