Julie Schmidt, KET’s senior director of external affairs, received the 2016 National Friends of Public Broadcasting Volunteer Management Award. The award was presented at the recent PBS Annual Meeting, held this year in Chicago.

Among her roles as external affairs director, Schmidt serves as KET’s staff liaison to the Friends of KET Board of Directors, supporting their many hours of volunteer work on behalf of KET across every area of the state.

“Julie’s leadership and appreciation of our outstanding volunteers across the Commonwealth has resulted in a highly engaged Friends Board, which has been integral in heightening awareness of KET’s services and impact,” said Shae Hopkins, KET’s executive director and CEO.

Each year, Schmidt coordinates the Friends Board’s efforts to promote KET’s mission and services to an array of audiences across the state, from in-school demonstrations showcasing KET educational services to the annual KET Friends Day at the state Capitol in Frankfort, where Friends meet with legislators and the Governor in their offices to collectively communicate the important role KET provides to the citizens of the Commonwealth.

“Julie is a tireless advocate for the cause of public broadcasting and a treasure to KET,” Hopkins said.

Established in 1971, the National Friends of Public Broadcasting (NFPB) – a national network of public media volunteers and volunteer coordinators – operates “to support volunteerism within public broadcasting through leadership, education, training, mentoring and recognition.” For more information on NFPB, go to http://www.nfpb.org/.

KET is Kentucky’s largest classroom, serving more than one million people each week via television, online and mobile. Learn more about Kentucky’s preeminent public media organization on Twitter @KET and facebook.com/KET and at KET.org.

Contact:

Todd Piccirilli
Senior Director, Marketing and Communications
859-258-7242
tpiccirilli@ket.org