WVIA Announces Kate Sickora as New Chief Development Officer WVIA, the PBS and NPR affiliate for northeastern and central Pennsylvania has announced that Kate Sickora is the organization’s new Chief Development Officer. Sickora will start at WVIA in July. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work with Kate and proud that we can attract such talent to join the WVIA team” said Carla McCabe, WVIA President and CEO. “Kate brings the perfect mix of fundraising experience and commitment to the public media mission.” Kate Sickora is an award-winning Development Professional and Major Gifts Officer who has spent her career in public television and radio raising millions of dollars over her twenty years in the industry. Starting first at KLRN Public Television in San Antonio, Kate then moved to Oregon Public Broadcasting for her role as Director of Major Gifts. She then served as a major gifts and board development consultant to over a dozen stations creating new major gift programs and coaching station staff how to strengthen those already in place. After NPR received the transformational bequest by Joan Kroc, NPR hired Kate to work collaboratively with stations to build trusting relationships so further philanthropic opportunities could thrive. She is delighted to work in the space where her personal passion for a stronger public media system and her great honor in connecting with inspiring philanthropists overlap. “I am thrilled to join Carla McCabe and her strong team at WVIA,” said Sickora. “The station has such a great history, a talented and committed board of directors, and a long history of loyal support from the community. To me this signals WVIA’s value as a very special regional treasure and I believe in Carla’s vision for making the station even stronger for the future. My children and I are looking forward to embracing the NEPA community as our new home.”
WVIA Wins 2021 Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award WVIA has been awarded the 2021 Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters Award in the Judges’ Merit Television Category for the presentation of the Scranton Civic Ballet’s production of ‘The Nutcracker’. “WVIA was honored to present this performance to the people of northeastern and central Pennsylvania. This award is a credit to the talented performers in front of the camera and behind the scenes that made this presentation a possibility.” Said Carla McCabe, WVIA President, and CEO. “It is always an honor to be recognized by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters for the work that we do.” Said Ben Payavis II, Chief Content Officer at WVIA. This inaugural collaboration was made possible by a generous COVID Creative Community Grant from the Lackawanna County Council on the Arts. “The Nutcracker” presentation, which annually presents an educational performance for 1,200 school children at no charge was seen across 21 counties throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and schools received a digital link to enhance their virtual curriculum with this artistic performance. Under the artistic direction of Helen Gaus, 60 students and adults, ranging in age from 8 to 50, shared the timeless tale of Clara, Drosselmeyer, and the Nutcracker that unfolds as the delicate Sugar Plum Fairy and all of Tchaikovsky’s musical sprites weave their enchanting spell. WVIA’s presentation of the Scranton Civic Ballet’s production of ‘The Nutcracker’ is available to watch anytime, on-demand at https://www.pbs.org/video/the-nutcracker-presented-by-scranton-civic-ballet-company-lmihxl/, as well as on the PBS and WVIA apps. The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters endeavors to promote collaboration between radio and television broadcast station owners, managers, and staff across the Commonwealth. We assist our member stations in serving their communities, audiences, and advertisers through FCC licensed free over-the-air broadcast program operations. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, please visit https://pab.org.
WVIA to Air Special Rebroadcast of War Stories: Pat Solano In remembrance of Pat Solano, WVIA will air a special rebroadcast of the award-winning original documentary film War Stories: Pat Solano on Friday, January 29th at 7:30pm and on Sunday, January 31st at 1:30pm on WVIA TV. Solano, a resident of Pittston Township, was a decorated veteran of World War II having completed 23 combat missions with the Eighth U.S. Air Force Heavy Bombardment Group. During his military career he earned multiple military honors and medals. For more information and to watch War Stories: Pat Solano on-demand please visit https://on-demand.wvia.org/video/wvia-special-presentations-war-stories-pat-solano/
