Northern California PBS and NPR member station KQED formally introduced Michael Isip as its new president & CEO today. Isip joined KQED in 2001 and has played a critical role in KQED’s growth and transformation into a 21st century multimedia organization, serving in a number of senior-level roles. He succeeds John Boland, who recently announced his retirement and who will remain with KQED as president emeritus through September 2019.
“We couldn’t be more excited and fortunate to elevate Michael to president & CEO,” said KQED Board Chair Hank Barry. “Working closely alongside John, Michael led and executed many of the strategic initiatives that have enabled KQED to become one of the largest and most successful public media institutions in the country. KQED and the people of the Bay Area will benefit from Michael’s tremendous leadership abilities and strategic vision, and especially his deep commitment and passion for public service.“
Isip joined KQED in June 2001 as executive producer in TV Productions, and moved into numerous roles that ultimately expanded his scope of responsibility to include television and radio production and programming, education, broadcast, digital and IT, engineering and operations, facilities and revenue. One of Isip’s most impactful contributions to KQED was reorganizing KQED’s content division away from distribution platforms (TV, radio, online) to a structure of multimedia teams for news, arts, science and education. This restructure facilitated greater collaboration across KQED and increased digital content and services. Today, KQED’s total audience and membership are at all-time highs.
“KQED will build and strengthen community using every means possible,” says Isip. "We will combine media, journalism and technology for good, and strive to be the leading convener of civic and civil dialogue in the Bay Area. We will inform with coverage that not only values how our community feels, but what we know to be accurate, factual and true. Our coverage will inspire by enabling audiences to explore the wonders of science and discover, experience and explore the Bay Area arts and culture. And, our educational services will continue to expand by involving youth and empowering them to create digital media, collaborate and learn critical thinking skills.”
Isip’s depth of experience leading complex projects and change will especially benefit KQED, as much of his immediate focus will be to shepherd the station through a major renovation of its San Francisco headquarters, beginning this summer. Designed by the award-winning architectural team at EHDD, the redesigned KQED headquarters “will become a place of trust for our community — more open, inviting and accessible for individuals to come and not only connect with the station, but with each other,” says Isip.