Women Rule

The longtime president & CEO of PBS describes how she psyches herself up to fundraise, what businesses can do to foster talented women and how PBS has responded to the #MeToo movement. For 13 years, Paula Kerger has led PBS, making her one of the media industry's most powerful players — which is probably not something you expect to hear about someone who considers herself an introvert. In that time, she's led the organization through a lot — from the rise of online streaming services, to battles with the Trump administration over funding, to the “Me Too” movement, when sexual harassment allegations brought down one of PBS’s biggest stars: Charlie Rose. Through it all, PBS has remained a place known in the industry for the number of women in meaningful leadership roles — both on-camera and off. That’s by design. And Kerger sees that diversity as a fundamental component of PBS fulfilling its mission.