PBS12 

Denver

News: Kristen Blessman is the new president and general manager of PBS12, Denver’s independent PBS station. Her selection follows a nationwide search for the successor to Kim Johnson, who retired in early July to join her husband in his job transfer to Albuquerque, N.M. 

Kim Carver, vice chair of the PBS12 board, will serve in an interim capacity until Blessman starts work on Oct. 18. 

Blessman comes to PBS12 from the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce, where she had spent almost five years as president. During her tenure, she helped guide the organization to record membership and revenue while expanding community engagement to encompass a broad spectrum of Colorado businesses and community organizations. 

“Kristen Blessman … is a dynamic and charismatic leader with a unique voice who fosters deep community engagement in Colorado,” said Micah Schwalb, chair of the PBS12 board. “She is the right leader for the times, for this station and for this team. I look forward to seeing where she will take PBS12 from here.” 

Search committee chair Dessa Bokides added: “We are excited to partner with Kristen to grow the PBS12 brand and reach. Her passionate support of inclusion in local communities will be a perfect fit with PBS12’s mission to be the heartbeat for local content in Colorado.” 

Prior to joining the chamber, Blessman was a vice president at Goodwill Industries of Denver. Most recently she was among the 31 leaders that CiviCo chose to be  Colorado Governors Fellows.  

In a Facebook post, Blessman wrote that she is “So honored to lead this organization. I can’t think of a better way to bring our collective voices together.” 

Leanna Clark, president and chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Colorado and chair of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce board, is leading the search to find Blessman’s replacement. Simone Ross, a consultant with 15-plus years of experience in the corporate world, will lead the chamber on an interim basis. 

Under Blessman’s leadership, Clark said that the CWCC approached $1 million in revenue, elevated its brand with fresh, new events and programming, created a young professionals board and created other leadership committees to help grow the CWCC mission. 

About the organization: PBS12’s mission is to share the real, personal stories of the Colorado experience that “Celebrate our lifestyles and tackles the issues that define our state. We’re your neighbor. We’re rooted in independence and diverse viewpoints. We champion diverse voices, celebrate community, delight audiences and expand perspectives for all Coloradans.” 

Website: pbs12.org 

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