A 40-year veteran of “KET,” the noncommercial educational television licensee that owns and operates PBS Member stations in Kentucky, has announced her intention to retire at the end of 2026.
Shae Hopkins has led KET as Executive Director and CEO for nearly 17 years, leading a “consistent expansion of local productions and services,” including numerous series, documentaries and biographies, in addition to launching The Kentucky Channel.
Hopkins began her career at KET as a temporary employee working on pledge production. Over the years, she served in progressive management positions, including leading private fundraising for 10 years, as founding president of the Commonwealth Fund for KET, and as Deputy Director of Programming, Production and Education. She has also overseen multiple technical and facilities milestones, creating production studios in the Kentucky Capitol in Frankfort; establishing the Louisville Production Center; and guiding recent Network Center and studio improvements.
Kentucky Authority for Educational Television Chair Dan Griffith commented, “We are deeply grateful for Shae’s exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to KET’s mission to serve Kentuckians across the commonwealth. Her dedication, knowledge and experience will be hard to replicate. Her profound impact on KET’s programming and operations is a lasting legacy that is recognized and celebrated by us all.”
Hopkins commented, “It was my good fortune to have been mentored by KET’s founder Len Press and to have had the opportunity to engage in such meaningful service with such an extraordinary organization all these years. It has been an honor to work with and learn from dedicated professionals, and to engage with viewers, generous supporters, committed board members and passionate volunteers, all the while making dear friendships along the way. It has been an immense privilege to serve everyone who values and relies on KET every day.”
Hopkins has agreed to stay through a transition as a search committee begins its work in the coming weeks to determine her successor.
She has been a prominent national advocate, serving on the PBS Board of Directors since 2022 and previously for two terms (2013-2019). She is a member of the Organization of State Broadcast Executives (Chair 2018/19), National Educational Telecommunications Association (Chair 2013/14), and the Public Television Major Market Group.
Hopkins was appointed in 2011 by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a founding director of the national Digital Promise Board, and has served on several other boards, including the Kentucky Broadcasters Association.
