KCTS 9 Management

William Mohler — President and CEO
Michal Anderson Jacob — Vice President and CFO
Cliff Anderson — Executive Director of Engineering and Technical Planning
Randy Brinson —Executive Director of Content Development
Enrique Cerna — Executive Director of Production
Jay Parikh — Executive Director of Program Development and Distribution
Monica Ramsey — Executive Director of Development
Laura Spies — Executive Director of Human Resources

William “Bill” Mohler, President and CEO

Bill Mohler joined KCTS Television as President and Chief Executive Officer on May 5, 2003, and was named permanent President and CEO on December 17, 2003.

Mohler served as a national board member on the Association of Public Television Stations from 2001 to 2007, and has more than 30 years of leadership experience in education at local, state and national levels.

From 1985 until 2000, Mohler was president of Bates Technical College. He grew Bates to be the largest technical college on the West Coast, serving in excess of 22,000 students annually. During his time at Bates, he was successful in acquiring $60 million for construction and equipment for the college. In recognition of his contributions, the Bates Technical College Board of Trustees designated its communication facility the William P. Mohler Campus. Mohler also worked as a business manager for several years, in addition to being a private sector manager and business owner.

Mohler’s other contributions and appointments have been as a life member of the American Vocational Association, Washington Vocational Association, DECA Hall of Fame, and other associations. He is a past member of the Private Industry Council, Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce, Joint Legislative Committee and Workforce Training Advisory Committee. He is an active Rotarian with Seattle Rotary #4, and has served on the Governor’s Committee on High Technology, the Governor’s Interagency Committee on Economic Development, Washington State Apprenticeship Council and State Board Transition Task Force.

Mohler graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a degree in business, and completed graduate work there and at Washington State University and Ohio State University. He has lived in Tacoma for 60 years and is married with five children. His interests include painting, camping, golf and remodeling projects.

Michal Anderson Jacob, Vice President and CFO

Michal Anderson Jacob is the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for KCTS Television. In this role, she manages the Administration Division, which includes Finance and Accounting, Human Resources, Legal, Information Technology and Facilities, and the Development Division, which includes Membership, Pledge, Foundation Relations and Major and Planned Giving.

Before joining KCTS 9, Michal served as Vice President of Finance and Property for Child and Family Service of Honolulu. She has worked as an adjunct professor for Hawaii Pacific University; as Director of Finance for Southwest Counseling and Development, a mental health service provider in Detroit; and as Customer Services Director for the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Michal graduated from Chief Sealth High School in Seattle and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations from the University of Washington, as well as a Master of Business Administration from National University in Irvine, California.

Michal is a member of the Emerald City Rotary. She lives with her husband and daughters in West Seattle.

Cliff Anderson, Director of Engineering and Technical Planning

As Executive Director of Engineering and Technical Planning, Cliff oversees the broadcast and technical facility, including Master Control and maintenance staff for the station. In this capacity, he is responsible for the transmission of our broadcast signals, broadcast equipment and the transmission system. Cliff accepted a temporary position with KCTS in 1974 and found that “public television was different from commercial stations—it has a purpose for existence.” After making his original position as transmission engineer redundant by upgrading the broadcast transmitter for remote control, Cliff became our “Special Projects” engineer. In the 1980’s, when KCTS 9 moved from the University of Washington campus to its current location at the Seattle Center, he was responsible for the design and installation of in-house cable, the microwave signal to the transmission tower, and satellite signal receive systems. Cliff became Director of Engineering and Technical Planning in 1991 and began pursuing digital television broadcast. In 1997, he oversaw the design and installation of an experimental digital transmitter, constructed by a partnership he orchestrated between Westinghouse and Harris corporations. In 1999, KCTS 9 began full-power digital broadcasting and KCTS was the first station to begin high definition television field equipment acquisition. He now looks forward to midnight February 16, 2009, when television broadcasters will turn off the analog signal broadcast.

Cliff developed his life-long electronics hobby into a career at the school now known as Bates Technical College and became a Certified Professional Broadcast Engineer in 1991. He joined the television industry first in 1963 as Assistant Chief Engineer of KIEM-TV out of Eureka, California; served as transmitter supervisor for KTVW-TV Tacoma and as assistant chief engineer at KOBI-TV in Medford, Oregon. Cliff is a past President and current Manager for the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, and is a member of the Bates Technical College Advisory Committee for Broadcast Technology.

Cliff lives in suburban Seattle with his wife, where they chose a town home near a playground to help keep their grandchildren entertained.

Randy Brinson, Executive Director of Content Development

Randy has over 30 years of experience in public television. He produced and/or directed more than 100 local and national arts and performance programs and feature segments for KCTS 9, and served as senior director, executive producer and production executive on a wide variety of other projects for the station. He also served as KCTS General Manager for four years.

Before joining KCTS 9 in 1988, Randy worked as a producer/director at the South Carolina Educational Television Network. Randy received his Bachelor of Science degree with high honors in Broadcasting with a dual minor in Film Studies and Music from the University of Florida. He earned his Master of Science in Television Production from Syracuse University and completed Seattle University’s rigorous Executive Leadership Program.

Randy lives in Woodinville, Washington, enjoys swing dancing with his wife and dreams of lowering his golf handicap index to single digits.

Enrique Cerna, Executive Director of Production

Enrique Cerna is an award-winning producer/reporter with more than 32 years of experience in the Seattle broadcast market. Since joining KCTS 9 in 1995, he has produced such critically acclaimed documentaries as Hard Times for Juvenile Justice; Ceasefire: Disarming our Kids; Behind the Walls; Salmon: On the Brink; and Reverend Samuel McKinney: 40 Years of Faith. In addition to overseeing all KCTS productions, including the weekly Northwest personal-finance program About The Money with Christine Chen, Enrique is the co-creator, host and executive producer of the weekly news and current affairs program The New KCTS 9 Connects. He has earned wide recognition for his producing and reporting, including five Northwest Regional Emmy Awards. In 2006, Seattle Magazine named Enrique one of the most influential people of the year for his broadcast work. Enrique serves on a number of community boards, including CityClub, Scoutreach and the Northwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Enrique holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Washington State University.

Enrique lives in Ballard when he’s not traveling over the mountains for reunions with his extended family in Central Washington.

Jay Parikh, Executive Director of Program Development and Distribution

As Executive Director of Program Development & Distribution, Jay Parikh manages the station’s Program Marketing and Distribution departments. He is also responsible for the planning and execution of strategic relationships that contribute to KCTS 9’ co-production agreements, domestic and international program distribution, ancillary sales and retail operations. Jay brings more than thirty years of experience to his various duties. Regionally and nationally he has acquired, produced, packaged and marketed content in a variety of media and platforms, including legitimate theater, concerts, television, home video and digital media. At KCTS 9, Jay also serves as Executive Producer for the station’s nationally broadcast travel and cooking programs. Projects under his supervision include Graham Kerr’s Gathering Place, Nick Stellino’s Family Kitchen and the James Beard-award-winning Chefs A’ Field. Jay also overseesThe Seasoned Traveler and Smart Travel with Rudy Maxaand Adventure Travels.

In 1978, Jay earned a Master of Fine Arts in Administration degree from the Yale School of Drama. He did his undergraduate work at Eastern Washington University after graduation from Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, Washington.

Jay, his wife Monica, and their three children live in Bellevue, Washington, accompanied by their geriatric dog, Shelby. The Parikhs are involved in various neighborhood and PTA activities, and have lived and traveled throughout the world. Jay’s recreational goal is to play more golf, and play it better, with his golfing partner, KCTS Executive Director Randy Brinson.

Monica Ramsey, Executive Director of Development

As Executive Director of Development, Monica Ramsey manages the station's Development, Membership and Foundation Relations departments. She is responsible for developing, leading and implementing short- and long-range strategic fundraising plans to broaden the station’s donor base, increase the level of major gifts and secure planned gifts. Her responsibilities include building KCTS 9’ mid-level giving program, growing the station’s foundation grants program, overseeing donor appreciation events, and developing partnerships with community organizations.

Prior to joining KCTS, Monica spent three years as Development Director for Seattle-based public radio station KEXP. Under her directorship, KEXP saw its membership base grow by 27 percent worldwide with regional listener groups or "KEXP Posses" established in cities around the globe. In 2004, the Development Exchange for Public Radio (DEI) recognized KEXP with a Station of the Year award for “Outstanding Membership Department.” For 11 years, Monica was CEO of Ultimate Presence Marketing Group, Inc., and grew the corporation from a $500 start-up to a highly respected, multimillion-dollar company with a national client base.

Monica is affiliated with the Northwest Development Officers Association and the Integrated Media Association (iMA). Additionally, she has a long history of serving on local nonprofit boards including the Children’s Trust Foundation, the Center for Human Services, the Gift of Giving Foundation and Studio East. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington.

From her childhood home in Bellingham, Washington, Monica and her family spent many weekends skiing, hiking and camping which gave Monica a deep appreciation of the Northwest and Canada. Monica is an avid skier, mountaineer, theater buff, reader and local music fan. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two children, who are the great passion of her life.

Laura Spies, Executive Director of Human Resources

Laura Spies joined the KCTS 9 Leadership Team in June 2006 as our Executive Director of Human Resources. She is responsible for leading initiatives in employee development and performance management, recruitment, employee relations, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiations, and ensuring compliance with labor and employment laws.

With significant Human Resources management and strategic business planning, Laura has over 20 years of experience in a variety of settings. In Seattle, she has worked as the Manager of Lawyer Personnel at Perkins Coie, HR Director at Mithun Architecture, HR Director and Executive at Ivey Imaging and Consultant with Waldron and Company. Her accomplishments include starting an HR department, creating benchmark employee surveys and utilizing results, implementing performance appraisal programs, Attorney, staff and Executive Search, and leading HR in business acquisitions.

Laura started her career as a legal assistant in labor and employment law and expanded on that experience to become an HR professional in large international law firms, first at Shook, Hardy & Bacon LLP in Kansas City, Missouri, and later at Perkins Coie in Seattle. She is a graduate of Saint Mary College in Leavenworth, Kansas, where she double majored in Business and History. Laura has held certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) since 2001, and is a board member of the Seattle Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). For 16 years, she was a member of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), where she served as a Director and in other leadership roles.

Laura lives with her daughters and husband on Bainbridge Island. She enjoys attending her daughters’ sports and music events and assisting her husband with landscaping and home renovations.