President and CEO

WHRO Public Media seeks an accomplished and visionary President and CEO to lead one of the nation's most distinctive community-licensed public-media organizations at an important moment of opportunity. The new President and CEO will lead WHRO’s continued evolution as an integrated public-media organization, expanding its audience and impact across broadcast, streaming, digital journalism, education, and community engagement.

The new leader will be a highly visible fundraiser, with the experience to strengthen and diversify WHRO’s funding base through strategic initiatives that support growth, innovation, and long-term financial sustainability.

Based in Norfolk and serving communities across Eastern Virginia, WHRO employs 100 professionals with a $19 million operating budget and a $60 million endowment. The organization operates in the nation’s 44th-largest television market and has a strong community support base, including more than 25,000 member households. WHRO has been recognized multiple times as one of the region’s best places to work .

WHRO Public Media occupies a distinctive position at the intersection of public media, education, journalism, and community service.

It is a community licensee owned by a consortium of 21 local school districts. A 35-member governing board representing communities throughout Eastern Virginia oversees the President and CEO. The President and CEO reports to the board and serves as an ex officio voting member.

WHRO’s assets include PBS and five additional broadcast TV channels on WHRO-TV; the region’s NPR station, with a growing local news presence digitally and on WHRV 89.5 FM; a 24/7 locally hosted classical music station on WHRO 90.3 FM; and WFOS 88.7 FM, a recently acquired radio station with an oldies format.

WHRO’s core mission extends well beyond broadcasting. Since its founding in 1961, it has played a vital educational role in Virginia’s schools. WHRO’s education division includes 18 staff members and operates with a budget of more than $2.4 million. Its services include online courses and a web-based library of multimedia learning resources used by over 286,000 students and 25,000 teachers.

• Grow and diversify revenue. Build on WHRO's strong philanthropic base by personally cultivating major donors, strengthening development, and expanding fundraising beyond the traditional public media donor base.
• Advance an integrated public‑media strategy. Bring television, radio, journalism, streaming, digital, education, and community engagement together around a coherent audience strategy.
• Accelerate digital transformation and innovation. Guide WHRO’s digital evolution, including audience development, product strategy, data and analytics, mobile and streaming experiences.
• Strengthen local journalism. Strategically build on WHRO's role as a trusted source of independent, high‑quality, non‑partisan local journalism.
• Leverage the education mission. Further deepen WHRO's relationships with the region's school systems and unlock the strategic value of its education assets.
• Lead change and develop the next generation of leadership. Navigate uncertainty and complexity in the public media landscape, while developing the executive team, attracting outstanding talent, and sustaining a strong, collaborative, and productive organizational culture.

Home to over 15 distinct localities, residents can enjoy the vibrant city life of Norfolk, the sunny beaches of Virginia Beach, the peaceful farmlands of Suffolk, and the storied past of Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown.

Hampton Roads is shaped by significant institutions including the world’s largest naval installation,…