St. Louis, MO—February 17, 2021—Nine PBS introduces its first cohort of Raymond H. Wittcoff Community Engagement Fellows. As a founding member of Nine PBS, Raymond H. Wittcoff was known for his civic leadership and pioneering vision of television’s potential to improve the quality of life for the citizens of our communities. Wittcoff passed away in January 2018 at the age of 96.
To honor his memory, three part-time fellows will work to foster strong relationships with educators, connecting them with our high-quality, highly engaging PBS KIDS® educational media and resources to boost learning for our region’s youngest and most vulnerable members. These fellows will deepen Nine PBS’s commitment to ensuring that all children have access to high-quality early education.
Paula Vickers, North St. Louis City Fellow (right), has more than seven years of experience as a social worker serving diverse communities and using creative ideas to develop community, including as a community engagement manager for Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri.
Gina Watkins, North St. Louis County Fellow (center), has worked in the fields of mental health, guidance counseling, and peer mediation for more than 15 years, most recently as a site administrator for Aim High St. Louis.
Meghan Steineker, East Saint Louis Fellow (left), worked as a community access program manager at Support, Inc., leveraging her background in public policy and social equity to develop programs and outreach to better serve individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
The fellows’ work is part of Nine PBS’s Community Impact Initiative, which takes innovative approaches to addressing inequalities in education and workforce development by leveraging our unique media assets and network of trusted partners for a greater, collective impact.
About Nine PBS
As an essential community institution, Nine PBS exists to enable access to information, knowledge, and learning opportunities for all. We tell stories that move us. We meet people where they are the most comfortable consuming content. Nine PBS’s platforms include four distinct broadcast channels (Nine PBS, Nine PBS KIDS®, Nine PBS World, and Nine PBS Create), ninepbs.org, social media, the free PBS Video App, streaming services, live and virtual events, and the Public Media Commons. Since 1954, Nine PBS has accepted the community’s invitation into their homes, schools, and businesses.
For more information, contact:
Angie Carr
Vice President and Chief Impact Officer
(314) 512-9021
acarr@ninepbs.org