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VPM President, CEO Jayme Swain elected to serve on PBS's Board of Directors

VPM President and CEO Jayme Swain
Jayme Swain, President and CEO of VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media

Today, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger announced that Jayme Swain, President and CEO of VPM and the Virginia Foundation for Public Media, was one of five individuals selected to serve three-year terms as Professional Directors on the PBS Board.

"We are thrilled to welcome these station leaders to our Board of Directors," said Kerger. "They bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and passion to PBS, and we are grateful for their commitment to the essential mission of public television.”

PBS member stations elect the Professional Directors. The General Directors are elected by the entire Board, as are the PBS President and the Board officers.

At a transformational time in its history, Swain oversees VPM, a network of PBS and NPR stations across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley that connects nearly 2 million people to insightful programming in arts and culture, history, science, news and education.

Under her leadership, VPM has strengthened its position as a trusted source of information for Virginians and a powerhouse distributor of multiplatform, award-winning content for national and international audiences.

“It’s an honor to be elected by my colleagues to serve on the PBS Board," said Swain. "I look forward to representing the diverse needs of the system at a time when PBS and local stations are more important than ever.”

Swain has launched a number of impact-driven initiatives, including the expansion of original educational programming with a focus on children in underserved communities and an increase in digital storytelling and distribution across the web, social media and podcasting.

As leader of the Virginia Foundation for Public Media, she manages the stewardship and advancement of an endowment to support VPM’s mission and vision, ensuring the future of public media in Virginia for generations to come.

Swain is a media executive with over 20 years of experience in broadcast, print and digital media. Prior to joining VPM in January 2019, Swain served as Senior Vice President of Strategy and Operations at PBS, where she was a trusted advisor to the CEO and COO, led strategic planning, managed organization-wide projects and developed solutions on behalf of the entire public broadcasting system.

Swain has developed multimedia content, consumer-focused digital products and social media strategies for top brands such as PBS, CNN, FOX Sports, U.S. News & World Report and Revolution Health.

Swain is active in the community and public media. She currently serves on the Board of the Richmond Performing Arts Alliance and as co-chair of the Organization for State Broadcasting Executives. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia.