The WPSU Board of Representatives is an advisory board of community members that gather on a regular basis to advise the station on programming and other activities. In this blog post series, WPSU Board Member Spotlight, we sit down with these individuals and discuss their love of public broadcasting and its impact in the communities throughout the viewing area.
Kellie Goodman Shaffer, president/CEO of Bedford County Chamber of Commerce, grew up in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania and started watching PBS at a very young age. She attended Penn State, where she played varsity softball and studied broadcast-cable communications and business administration. She worked in local media for more than 20 years, first at WJAC and then at WTAJ, where she led their award-winning sports department as sports director, executive producer, and main anchor for 10 years (the first woman in Pennsylvania to hold this position at a local television station). In addition to other freelance television and radio work, she wrote a sports column for the Altoona Mirror from 2008–2020. After two years of managing the PSFCA East-West All-Star Game and serving as marketing director for the Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau, she accepted the position as president/CEO of the Bedford County Chamber, where she has served in this role since 2010.
Kellie has been a member of the WPSU Board for two years. During her television career in Central PA, she had the incredible fortune to work with WPSU in the role of freelance on-air talent and writer as part of the station’s sports programming, including the Penn State women’s basketball coaches shows, Big Ten women’s basketball play-by-play, a Penn State football talk show, and special projects. She appreciates serving on the board representing Bedford County and loved seeing the Chestnut Ridge area featured as part of the Our Town series last year.
What inspired you to begin volunteering at WPSU?
I have always loved public television. It was a huge part of my childhood for offerings like Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, but I also fell in love with programming like Nova and Austin City Limits, as well as classic movies, British TV, and music programming from around the world. I am a huge fan of the Celtic Thunder group and have followed the artists since the group launched on public television in 2007. We have been very fortunate to bring individual Celtic Thunder artists to Bedford County as part of our Education Foundation’s Concert Series, and it has been a pleasure to share tickets for these shows as part of thank you packages for WPSU pledge drives. I love that WPSU brings the world to Central Pennsylvania through news, documentaries, and cultural programs; but I also love that the station shares gems of this Central PA viewing area with the world as well. I am honored to serve on the board in support of this very important media asset.
What WPSU programming do you connect with the most?
I love WPSU programming in general. I appreciate the local series and documentaries, like Our Town, Culinary Connections, and documentaries like The Chance to Wrestle. I also love tapping into old programs via the Passport app, like The Pennsylvania Game — so fun! And, of course, I love the cultural programming like specials featuring Celtic Thunder and Celtic Woman, but also shows like Great Performances, which can expose local residents to world-class shows from Broadway and beyond. And for the littlest members of our community, I still very much appreciate Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arthur, etc. — trusted programming that enriches young viewers and our communities.
How do you see WPSU positively impacting the communities throughout Central Pennsylvania?
There are so many ways that WPSU makes an impact locally. First, public television offers programming that you can’t get anywhere else, both locally produced content and content from around the globe. Programming can be entertaining but also informative and enlightening, helping us to understand our place in the world. But in addition to what you see on TV or on the Passport app, the educational offerings of WPSU are amazing — so many resources for teachers and students, as well as online career exploration videos, industry profiles, and stories of outstanding local individuals who choose to make Central PA home. As someone who works for the business community of the Bedford County region and beyond, I appreciate the information available through WPSU to support connecting our future workforce to career and leadership opportunities.
As a board member, what would you like to share with the public about why they should support WPSU?
WPSU is a vital part of America’s media landscape, both television and radio, but also plays a significant role locally. Unlike commercial television stations, public television is limited in revenue options and currently facing a significant budget cut of university and government funding. I think about the movie It’s A Wonderful Life and how George Bailey had the chance to see what his community would be like without him. I would ask the public to think about what our region would be without WPSU — its programming for all generations and interests, its voice in news, society, and culture, and its important role in creating a vibrant and inclusive community. I can’t think of a better or more important investment.
What do you wish people knew about WPSU?
I would like people to know that WPSU is powered by incredibly talented, community-minded people who are the best in the business at what they do. From the management and production teams to the board of directors and many volunteers, WPSU is a community of professional storytellers, leaders, and educators working to make our region the best we can be — by telling our stories and lifting up local people, groups, businesses, and organizations. We are so very fortunate to have such a wonderful team supporting our region.