Media Contact:
Neily Jones, Promotion & Marketing Associate
904.318.2633 • nbraren@wjct.org
WJCT Public Media Selects Karen Feagins to Serve as President and CEO
Feagins returns to the Northeast Florida public media organization on August 31
July 31, 2026 — Jacksonville, Fla. — WJCT Public Media, the independent, community-owned public media organization serving Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia, today announced the selection of Karen Feagins as its next President and CEO. She will begin her new role on August 31.
Feagins is an accomplished leader with deep ties to WJCT. She held progressive leadership positions within the organization from 2005 to 2018, rising from the ranks of a daily news reporter and “Morning Edition” host, to overseeing WJCT’s content and operations and ultimately serving as Chief Operating Officer. She transitioned into the private sector in 2018 as PNC Bank’s first Client and Community Relations Director for the North Florida market. During that time she remained connected to WJCT, serving for seven years on the Board of Trustees and volunteering on-air during pledge drives.
“Karen represents exactly what we were looking for as the next leader for WJCT Public Media. She is a talented executive who has a passion for public media and serving the community in which she lives,” said Bill Hendrich, Chair of the WJCT Public Media Board of Trustees and chair of WJCT’s executive search committee. “Her career path provides great insight into the needs of all the communities that make up WJCT’s service area. I am excited to welcome her back as our new President and CEO.”
Feagins brings nearly three decades of experience across WJCT’s core pillars of early childhood education, journalism and arts and culture — as well as a deep fluency in aligning the needs of the community and corporate partners to achieve shared goals.
At PNC Bank, Feagins has been instrumental in growing the bank’s relationships with corporate clients and community partners. Notably, she has helped shape PNC’s local strategy for sponsorships and philanthropy, including the deployment of grant funding from the PNC Foundation to support such causes as the expansion of the Museum of Science and History’s early learning programs and the Jacksonville Symphony’s “Symphony in 60” concerts. The PNC Foundation has also supported early learning initiatives at WJCT Public Media, including “Be My Neighbor Day” through PNC Grow Up Great®.
During her previous career at WJCT, Feagins oversaw content and operations across the organization. Highlights of her tenure include the Peabody Award-winning program “State of the Re:Union” and the oral history project “Voices of the First Coast.” Her earlier journalism roles included time at KOMU-TV in Missouri, WZVN-TV in Florida’s Gulf Coast and WJXT News4Jax in Jacksonville.
Feagins holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. She is a 2016 alumna of Leadership Jacksonville and was named one of the 2019 “Women of Influence” by the Jacksonville Business Journal. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Early Learning Coalition of Duval, Leadership Jacksonville, the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville, The 5 & Dime and Florida Public Media.
“Public media provides a vital service to this community, and my goal is to build on WJCT’s incredible momentum so more people can experience the value of public media in their daily lives. I have always been inspired by the passion and dedication of the people at WJCT and their commitment to serving our community. The perspective I’ve gained from the private sector will help us continue to innovate to best serve our audiences, while remaining rooted in the principles of public media,” said Feagins. “I’m overjoyed to return to WJCT, an organization that shaped my personal and professional life in countless ways.”
“A seasoned journalist with a lifelong passion for public media, Karen brings a wealth of experience, deeply respected relationships throughout North Florida and an unwavering commitment to serving our community,” said Anne Madsen, Vice Chair of the WJCT Public Media Board of Trustees. “Having previously served as a WJCT employee and member of the Board of Trustees, Karen combines a deep appreciation for our legacy with a forward-looking vision for the future. With her leadership, insight and understanding of our community’s evolving needs, WJCT is uniquely positioned to strengthen its impact, embrace new opportunities and continue inspiring and informing audiences across the region.”
Upon Feagins’ return, Geri Cirillo — who has served WJCT as Interim President and CEO since April 2026 — will resume her previous responsibilities as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
For more information about WJCT Public Media, visit wjct.org.
About WJCT Public Media:
WJCT is the community-owned and operated public media organization serving Jacksonville and the First Coast since 1958, using television, radio, digital media, and live events to help community members learn, share, and grow. For more information on WJCT’s in-depth programming content, log on to WJCT Online at wjct.org. Like WJCT on Facebook (facebook.com/wjctjax) and follow WJCT on Twitter (@WJCTJax) and Instagram (@WJCTJax).