Polly Anderson Announces Retirement as OETA Executive Director
Oklahoma City, OK (October 24, 2024) – Polly Anderson, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA), has announced her retirement, effective March 31, 2025. During a recent Friends of OETA board meeting, Anderson expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to lead the organization and highlighted her appreciation for her dedicated team.
“It has been the capstone of my career to lead OETA,” said Anderson. “This team is the best I have ever worked with, and I am deeply thankful for their professionalism and dedication to OETA and to Oklahoma.”
A Legacy of Leadership
Anderson has been instrumental in building relationships and garnering support for public broadcasting within Oklahoma’s federal congressional delegation and the state legislature. In recognition of her exceptional advocacy for public media, she received the National Advocacy Award from America’s Public Television Stations in 2022.
“It has been incredibly rewarding to spend my career supporting the mission of public television,” she continued. “We provide essential public services in education, public safety, and civic leadership. I see every day the profound impact our programming and services have on young learners across the state, delivering access to high-quality educational content and laying a strong foundation for their future. In moments of crisis, OETA serves as a vital source of communication, being the only network capable of delivering essential statewide emergency alerts to keep Oklahomans informed and protected. Knowing that our work makes a difference in the lives of Oklahomans has made my career deeply fulfilling,” Anderson noted.
Nearly 30 Years in Public Broadcasting
With nearly 30 years of experience in public broadcasting, Anderson has held key leadership positions at various stations, including CEO roles at WUCF in Orlando, Florida, New Mexico PBS, and the PBS and NPR licensee in Waco, Texas. She has served on numerous national boards, including chairing America’s Public Television Stations and the National Educational Telecommunications Association. Currently, she serves as Chair of the Organization of State Broadcasting Executives (OSBE) and is a member of the Affinity Group Coalition.
Mr. Garrett King of Weatherford, who serves as President of the Board of Trustees of Friends Of OETA, Inc. and is a trustee of America’s Public Television Stations, Inc., as well as previously serving three consecutive terms as Chairman of the OETA Board of Directors as an appointee of Governor Mary Fallin remarked, “Polly Anderson leaves a lasting and powerful legacy at OETA. Her trailblazing service as the first woman to lead America’s most-watched PBS station will be remembered as a tenure marked by the most profound professionalism, high-caliber management, and steadfast devotion to OETA’s work in public safety, education, and civic engagement. A veteran of public media, Polly retires having worked with lawmakers and private supporters to effectively modernize the entirety of OETA’s physical and digital infrastructure, ensuring the viability and utility of this critical state asset for another quarter-century. It has been a great honor to serve OETA alongside the indomitable Polly Anderson, and I wish her very well on her next adventure,”
Next Steps for OETA
As Polly Anderson prepares for her next chapter, the OETA Board of Trustees will begin a national recruitment process to find her successor, ensuring the continued growth and impact of public broadcasting in Oklahoma.
Join us in celebrating Polly’s remarkable career and the lasting contributions she has made to OETA and the people of Oklahoma.
Thank you, Polly, for your dedication and leadership!