Content PLC

Tabitha Safdi is the Senior Director of Audio and Digital Operations at South Carolina ETV. At an early age, Safdi learned about storytelling sitting on the front porch swing of her grandma’s farmhouse listening to the stories of the past. It was at that small age she knew she wanted to bring those stories to life. Today, she takes that passion and puts it to work for the public media system. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina and her master’s degree from Columbia College. She’s a graduate of PMDLI (2023), PMWIL CEO/COO Bootcamp (2023), and stays actively involved with her community through Leadership Columbia Alumni (2017) and as a member of the Rotary Club of Five Points.

Ashlee Smith is the Senior Director of Content & Education for WKAR Public Media. As a content strategy professional, she works to connect and reflect community through multi-platform public media. Ashlee has worked in the PBS system for her entire career, working at PBS national as well as at the local level with PBS North and WKAR, developing a wide range of content to include cooking shows, documentaries, and more. In her current role, Ashlee develops and oversees the education team and content strategy for the station, which includes TV and digital content as well as classical radio and news talk. She believes in the power of media to educate, inform, and inspire audiences, ensuring that it remains an accessible resource for all. Ashlee is passionate about developing and sharing content created by, for, and with community members, who are the reason public media is possible.

Bob got his start in public media as a student at Vincennes University, working shifts for WVUT (TV and WBUB (radio). After a brief stint in commercial radio, Bob joined WFWA in Fort Wayne and worked from board-op to traffic, to Program Manager. Along the way, he worked on several productions and promotions, winning one APEX Award and one nomination. In 2000, bob joined NETA and has worked in content distribution ever since. He takes great pride in station service and his ability to provide a platform for independent producers to present unique programming and perspectives through the public television system.