MATC Names Debbie Hamlett Vice President and General Manager of Milwaukee PBS

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) is pleased to announce that Debbie Hamlett has been named vice president and general manager of Milwaukee PBS effective June 12, 2023. Her appointment is pending approval by the MATC District Board.

Hamlett currently serves as executive director and general manager at WCMU Public Media in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, which serves viewers and listeners in central Michigan and parts of Ontario. In her current role, she manages 38 staff members and 20 college interns. Like Milwaukee PBS, WCMU is a licensee of an institution of higher education — Central Michigan University.

Prior to her time at WCMU, Hamlett served for seven years as the assistant general manager and chief strategy officer at Nebraska Public Media. She also worked in development roles at Illinois Public Media and South Carolina ETV, the state’s public educational broadcasting network. Hamlett’s accomplishments include growing community engagement and education initiatives, exceeding donor goals, and expanding social media presence. She also participated in the first cohort of the Public Media Diversity Leaders Initiative.

“Ms. Hamlett has an extensive and impressive track record in public television and public media that will be an asset to Milwaukee PBS and the college. We’re confident that under her leadership Milwaukee PBS will attract, maintain and increase viewership,” said MATC President Dr. Vicki J. Martin. “We’re excited to have Ms. Hamlett on our outstanding team. We know she will continue to develop award-winning programming that serves our community.”

Hamlett succeeds Bohdan Zachary, who served as vice president and general manager for seven years before relocating to California in October 2022.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the Milwaukee PBS team and Milwaukee Area Technical

College,” Hamlett said. “Together, we will continue to serve Milwaukee and surrounding communities with engaging educational programs and services. I look forward to working with the creative and innovative staff to build upon a strong legacy of work.”

As vice president and general manager of Milwaukee PBS, Hamlett will work with a staff of 60 employees to bring national and local programs to its viewers throughout southeastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Her responsibilities will also include planning and developing the station’s goals and objectives and implementing short-term and long-range strategic planning to meet the needs of the more than 600,000 viewers who watch Milwaukee PBS’ two primary broadcast channels each month.

She will ensure that the station complies with all Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules and regulations and serves as the college’s representative to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and Wisconsin’s Educational Communications Board (ECB).

Hamlett received a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and Advertising from the University of South Carolina. In her free time, she loves to draw and paint, discover new restaurants, and travel.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.