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PMCC is governed by a Board of Directors that serve 3 year terms, with a limit of two consecutive terms. Below is a listing of the 2024 PMCC Board of Directors.
Vice President of Content – Cincinnati Public Radio
Jenell is a Cincinnati native and has a long career in media and nonprofit management and governance. She was a reporter and anchor at WCPO-TV, a reporter for The List nationally syndicated news magazine and a reporter with WLWT for 16 years before working for Cincinnati Metro, the Urban League of Greater Southwestern Ohio and the Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau. She has served on numerous governing and advisory boards, including Women in Film Cincinnati. Jenell oversees all programming on classical music WGUC-FM and non-news programming on WVXU-FM, as well as marketing, outreach, events and online/social media activities.
Senior Producer – The Assignment with Audie Cornish
Matt Martinez became Senior Producer of The Assignment in in 2022 after 2 years with On Being and 6 years at Tacoma’s KNKX as Director of Content, overseeing all editorial channels and the station’s 24-hour global jazz stream. Matt served as project manager for the “Save KPLU” campaign, which successfully saved the station from being sold. Before KNKX, Matt was a Senior Producer for NPR in Washington, D.C. He spent 15 years at NPR producing shows like All Things Considered and Weekend Edition. He created The Bryant Park Project, a multi-platform morning show on Sirius Satellite Radio produced at NPR New York. He was also the executive producer of Weekend All Things Considered.
Content Director – WUWM
Ele Ellis is Content Director at WUWM in Milwaukee where she is responsible for all of WUWM’s content and programming across broadcast and digital platforms. She previously spent 7 years as Director of Programming at WKSU in Northeast Ohio and was instrumental in helping the station transition to a news-forward format. She previously served as Program Director for WUGA, Boise State Public Radio, and WNCW. After getting a taste for radio working as a folk DJ in college, Ele began her public radio career as a host at WNCW in Spindale, North Carolina, where she also sold underwriting, and held positions leading Operations and Traffic. She is a native of Nashville, Tennessee.
President & Executive Director – PMCC
With more than three decades of experience in the industry and a diverse background that includes major and small market stations in a variety of formats, Abby is uniquely positioned to understand the complexities of today’s public media environment. She began her career as a late night jazz host at KVLU in Beaumont, Texas where her mother ran the membership program. She spent 17 years in Dallas working at KERA and several commercial stations as well as doing event production, booking and music promotion before moving to New Hampshire Public Radio as VP for Programming. Abby helped to transform NHPR into an award winning, essential source for news and regional content. In 2012, she became GM of WYEP in Pittsburgh, leading the station to unprecedented audience and revenue growth. Abby has served on local and national boards including the PRPD Board of Directors from 2008 to 2016.
Chief Content Officer – WYPR/WTMD
With more than 30 years of experience, Jonathan’s career has included various roles in digital journalism and commercial and public radio. Before taking the content reins at WYPR/ WTMD, he served as interim director of content at WAMU, executive program director at KQED and program director at Minnesota Public Radio News. Jonathan worked in various editing and producing roles during his 13 years at NPR. He’s also worked for The Associated Press, ABC Radio News and WWJ Newsradio in Detroit. Jonathan majored in communications, earning his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, and his master’s degree from Wayne State University in his hometown, Detroit.
Program Director – CPR News
Gillian’s four-decade media career began in Singapore at MediaCorp (formerly Singapore Broadcasting Corporation) as a host of live classical, jazz, popular and world music programs, and a children’s television series. In Tillamook, Oregon, she worked at community-focused commercial big band station KTIL. In a 28-year stint at Northwest Public Broadcasting in Pullman, Washington, Gillian served as a classical music host, radio operations manager, Morning Edition host and program director. Since 2021, she’s been the News program director at Colorado Public Radio. [optional: She says she learned a lot on the job and from PRPD conferences and webinars over the years.
Chief Content Officer – Alaska Public Media
Linda has led the creative and operational teams behind television, radio, and statewide service at AKPM since 2019. In addition to managing programming for KAKM-TV and KSKA-FM, she oversees production for public affairs TV and radio programs. Linda comes to AKPM after 15 years at Nashville Public Television (NPT), most recently as Director of Digital Strategies. She began her career as a volunteer at Louisiana Public Broadcasting in Baton Rouge when she was 16, where she continued working as she earned her degree from LSU. Among her many board and leadership commitments, Linda has spent the last year on PRPD’s Strategic Planning committee, helping to guide us through foundational organizational change.
Senior Director of Radio – WABE
Douglas Bell joined WABE as Senior Director of Radio in 2024. Before moving to Atlanta, he spent more than 10 years at WAMU in Washington, DC, first as a newsroom intern, then a broadcast sound engineer, Operations Manager, and finally as the station’s Program Director. Douglas earned a B.A. in Public Communication and an M.A. in Journalism from American University.
Program Manager/Host – Hawaii Public Radio
Not only does Nick oversee programming at Hawaii Public Radio, he is also a music host. Before moving to Hawaii Public Radio, he spent 7 years as a DJ for UH Mānoa’s KTUH and also served at KTUH in various capacities, including station manager and educator. Nick continued to serve on the KTUH advisory board for years after his departure. He is a fixture in the Honolulu underground club scene, where his live sets are famous for being able to link musical and cultural boundaries. Nick has also attended the PD Workshop twice, most recently in 2019.
General Manager & Program Director – The DROP and KUVO, Denver
Nikki Swarn is the General Manager of THE DROP and KUVO in Denver, Colorado. Nikki is a 20+ year Colorado radio veteran with commercial radio stations like KS1075, KYGO, ESPN, Alice 105.9. She is a genuine and self-aware leader with a diverse background in music and music marketing ranging from artist development and content strategy to marketing research and brand development. Nikki has a BA in English and Communications, and an MBA (Honors) in Marketing. She has attended the PD Workshop and is considered a leader for the developing Urban Alternative music format.
Senior Director of Programming – WYMS 88Nine Radio Milwaukee
After a decade of DJing around the United States, Jordan Lee joined WYMS 88Nine Radio Milwaukee as morning host in October of 2008. With an extensive background in music and event production, Jordan managed many facets of the programming department before becoming WYMS Program Director in 2017. In his time with the station he has spearheaded marquee programming including the annual Radio Milwaukee Music Awards, the all-local HD2 Channel 414Music.fm and several marquee podcasts and on-air specialty programs. In early 2022, Jordan made the jump to Paragon Media Strategies as a consultant working with new Urban Alternative stations in public media and he returned to Radio Milwaukee in late 2023 as Senior Director of Programming. Jordan has committed his personal and professional efforts to use music as a catalyst for social progress and change.
Program Director – The Current
Lindsay started her career at The Current as an intern in 2005, moving into the assistant program director role, then into the director of regional membership role before becoming Program Director. She has also spent time at The Current as a host, producer, and project manager. Career highlights include partnering with August Schell Brewing Company to release a co-branded beer, Schell’s The Current, producing both of Adele’s in-studio sessions at The Current, launching streams like Rock the Cradle, Radio Heartland, and Local Current, putting together the A to Z Prince playlist for fans to celebrate his life and music, and producing broadcasts from SXSW and Iceland Airwaves. Before joining The Current, she was host and music director for KWLC at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. Lindsay graduated from Luther College with a B.A. in communications and psychology.
Director of Digital Media & Strategy – WDAV
Since joining the station in 2012, Tamberly has expanded the lens of discovery and exploration in classical music and elevated new perspectives in the genre. In addition to maintaining WDAV’s website, app, and streams, she has collaborated to develop an activity book highlighting diverse composers and artists in classical music to distribute to local schools. She has also overseen the production of several podcasts that explore the classical genre. Tamberly seeks to raise awareness of the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in public media as a committee member for Public Media for All and she served with distinction on PRPD’s Knowledge Committee as a volunteer this year.
Executive Director of Radio Programming and Content Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives – KQED
Born in East Houston, Ernesto Aguilar’s life was transformed by public media. His career has traversed daily newspapers and alternative weeklies to public radio news and program director roles. At KQED, he oversees radio broadcast content and DEI initiatives in the organization’s Content division. Prior to KQED, Aguilar served stations nationwide for five years as executive director of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters. A Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education Fellow, Sulzberger Executive Leadership Fellow, and Public Media CEO/COO Bootcamp graduate, Aguilar has a B.A. in journalism, with minors in sociology and Women’s Studies from the University of Houston. In his spare time, he writes OIGO, a newsletter on public media and Latino audiences.
