ARLINGTON, VA; June 19, 2017 – Following a nationwide search, Mike Jacobson has been appointed Vice President, Human Resources of PBS, responsible for leadership and management of all HR functions within the organization. A member of PBS’ senior leadership team, Mr. Jacobson will report to Jayme Swain, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Operations. He brings to PBS more than 20 years of human resources experience in leading brand and technology organizations. His tenure begins June 26, 2017.
As Vice President, Human Resources, Mr. Jacobson will be responsible for developing, delivering and promoting best practices in HR management for PBS and will oversee all HR operations, including organizational development, talent management and development, employee relations, talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, and HR analytics.
“PBS is dedicated to serving all Americans with high-quality content that educates, informs and inspires,” said Ms. Swain. “Mike is a mission-driven leader and the perfect person to help the PBS team deliver on that mission.”
“My career has been dedicated to supporting employees so that they’re motivated, engaged and excited about their work,” said Mr. Jacobson. “I’m thrilled to join PBS and to do my part in furthering its strong legacy of serving the American public.”
Mr. Jacobson joins PBS from TED, where he was Head of Talent and Human Resources for the nonprofit, known for sharing “ideas worth spreading” through short talks. During his tenure, he created TED’s talent management and people operations function which included creating innovative development programs aligned to the organization’s unique culture; streamlining HR operations and improving performance management, compensation and benefits systems; and oversight of talent acquisition.
Prior to TED, Mr. Jacobson spent six years at Advent Software, leading organization development and people supply strategy as Senior Director, Talent, Culture and Communication. Earlier, he spent nearly seven years as Vice President, Talent Management for VISA International, and held rising HR roles at Wells Fargo Bank, ultimately holding the position of Vice President.
Mr. Jacobson began his career as an educator, teaching high school mathematics and computer science. During his HR career, he spent nearly 15 years as an adjunct instructor at the University of San Francisco, where he taught graduate-level courses in organization development and educational technology. Mr. Jacobson holds an Ed.D. in Organization and Leadership and an M.A. in Educational Technology from the University of San Francisco. His B.A. in Economics is from the University of California, Davis.
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 28 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’ premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a new 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
Contact:
Jennifer Byrne
PBS
703-739-5487
jrbyrne@pbs.org
