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PBS Reno Welcomes
Ashley Smith and Taylor Adams to Board of Trustees

 

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Photo: Ashley Smith (Left) and Taylor Adams (Right)

RENO, NV (DEC 10, 2024) — PBS Reno is pleased to welcome Ashley Smith and Taylor Adams to the 2025 PBS Reno Board of Trustees.

“We are honored to have these two business professionals and community leaders join our board,” said Kurt Mische, PBS Reno President & CEO. “Their experience and perspectives provide useful guidance as we continue to expand PBS Reno’s services to our region.”

Ashley Smith is an Officer, Client Advisor with Whittier Trust Company in Reno, where she serves as a primary point of contact for ultra-high-net-worth clients, providing support to Senior Advisors in managing accounts and driving business development for personal trust and investment management services. In her free time, Smith volunteers for nonprofit organizations including Community Health Alliance, Classical Tahoe, and TEDxReno.

“I am truly excited to join the board of PBS Reno and be part of such an incredible organization that makes a positive impact in our community,” said Smith. “The Curiosity Classroom workshop program has always inspired me, and it was one of the key reasons I was drawn to PBS Reno from the start. I love how the programs bring people together, whether through educational content, documentaries, or classics. I am thrilled to help continue providing valuable resources and educational opportunities to our town in such meaningful ways.”

In 2023, Taylor Adams joined the Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada (EDAWN) where he currently serves as President & CEO. Prior to coming to EDAWN, Adams held professionally responsible positions in Finance and Economic Development and served the City of Virginia Beach as the Deputy City Manager for Economic Development, Convention and Visitor Bureau, Resort Management, and Cultural Affairs.

“Joining the PBS Reno board is an incredible opportunity to support a vital institution that enhances northern Nevada’s cultural and educational landscape,” said Adams. “I’m inspired by PBS Reno’s commitment to cultivating meaningful connections through its programming and look forward to being a part of advancing its mission in our community.”

PBS Reno Board of Trustees meetings are held quarterly at PBS Reno (1670 N. Virginia Street in Reno) and are open to the public. For more information, call (775) 600-0555 or visit pbsreno.org/about/board-of-trustees

Board of Trustees:

  • Taylor Adams
  • Will Arndt
  • Mercedes de la Garza
  • David Dehls
  • Christine Fey
  • Lori Gilbert
  • Mark Herron
  • Karin Hilgersom
  • Casilde Isabelli
  • Bradley Johnson
  • Nathan Kanute
  • Donald Kowitz
  • Sara Lafrance
  • Megan Lowe
  • Kurt A. Mische
  • Stacey Montooth
  • Terry Oliver
  • Michael Rooker
  • Floyd Rowley
  • Ashley Smith
  • Kaya Stanley
  • Tom Taelour
  • Sue Wagner

Board of Trustees Officers:
Term: January 1 – December 31, 2025

  • Sara Lafrance, Chair
  • Lori Gilbert, Vice Chair
  • Nathan Kanute, Secretary
  • Donald Kowitz, Treasurer
  • Christine Fey, Past Chair
     


Emeritus Board:

  • Bill Bradley
  • Mark Knobel
  • Gail Sande
     


Honorary Lifetime Trustees:

  • Joan Bradley (1927-2004)
  • Scott Craigie (1945-2014)
  • Robert Pearce (1922-2010)
  • Dick Schuster (1927-2005)
  • Jim Pfrommer (1955-2019)
  • L. Mark Newman (1939-2024)

About PBS Reno

As of November 2024, PBS Reno is enjoyed by more than 540,000 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.

Contact us:

Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org

Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503