WKAR’S Elkins Re-elected to APTS Leadership Position
Susi Elkins
Susi Elkins, Director of Broadcasting and General Manager of WKAR Public Media at Michigan State University, has been re-elected as Professional Vice Chair on the board of America’s Public Television Stations (APTS). The announcement was made by APTS on Wednesday (2/2). Elkins’ term begins on Monday, February 28, 2022.
APTS is a nonprofit membership organization that works to ensure a strong and financially sound public television system and help member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people.
“Over the past three years, I’ve had the privilege to see first-hand the critical role APTS plays in securing critical funding and resources to support education, public safety and civic leadership,” said Elkins. “I’m honored to continue to serve an organization dedicated to helping member stations provide essential public services in communities across the country.”
Under Elkins’ leadership, WKAR established a strategic plan focused on expanding, diversifying and engaging audiences. Elkins also played a key role in the launch of the statewide educational channel, Michigan Learning Channel, led the launch of a new WKAR News/Talk FM station for the capital region and strengthened local news coverage with an emphasis on education and public affairs reporting.
In collaboration with MSU, Elkins led the effort to launch the first ATSC 3.0 experimental station licensed to a public media organization and established WKAR’s NextGen Media Innovation Lab to accelerate development of public service applications, including the launch of a NextGen TV Course, through the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA) Public Media Learns platform. During Elkins’ tenure, WKAR has established and fully funded three endowments to support experiential learning opportunities for students, education services and original content creation.
Elkins holds a bachelor’s degree in telecommunication and a master’s degree in educational technology, both from MSU. She currently serves on the PBS Board, the board of the Reseda Group, the University Licensee Association Executive Council (ULA) and is a Public Media Diversity Fellow at The Riley Institute, Furman University.
Elkins joins these other reelected trustees: Carolyn Edwards, Lay Trustee of Vegas PBS in Las Vegas, Nevada; Franz Joachim, General Manager and CEO of New Mexico PBS in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Garrett King, Board Member, Friends of OETA in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Vickie Lawson, President and CEO of East Tennessee PBS in Knoxville, Tennessee; and David Steward II, Immediate Past Board Chair, Nine Network of Public Media in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as the newly-elected trustees: Annette Herrington, Commissioner of Arkansas PBS in Conway, Arkansas, and John D. Zeglis, Retired Chairman and CEO of AT&T Wireless Services, former President of AT&T, and a member of the board of WNIT Public TV of South Bend, Indiana.
Visit apts.org for a full list of board members and leaders.