Cascade PBS

Annual Report 2025

Fiscal Year: July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

Previous Reports
Cascade PBS Annual Report

CEO Message

A Message of Thanks from Rob Dunlop, President & CEO

Highlights

Cascade PBS 70th Anniversary

On December 7, 1954, at 7 p.m., Cascade PBS (then KCTS) aired its first broadcast from the University of Washington campus and became an essential part of the Seattle, and Washington, community. Seventy years later, we are still committed to the region.

For seven decades, Cascade PBS has brought viewers thoughtful programs—from national PBS news and entertainment to local stories and reporting. Long before Downton Abbey, there was Upstairs, Downstairs. And before the PBS News Hour, there was The MacNeil/Lehrer Report. And let’s not forget the decades of Washingtonians who first got to know Cascade PBS with a trip down Sesame Street. Cascade PBS has also been a home for showcasing the best of the Pacific Northwest. Local shows have made a big impact, like Bill Nye the Science Guy. No matter what the program, families have trusted us to bring them the news, education and entertainment programs they rely on.

Personalities of all sorts sent greetings for 70th Anniversary; Cascade PBS shared them on social channels. From Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to actor Joel McHale, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell to public media legends Judy Woodruff and Ken Burns, fans saluted the work of the storied station. Watch the full collection of greetings now!

Vote 2024

Vote 2024

Cascade PBS delivered comprehensive 2024 election coverage. Locally, we created a Washington State Voter Guide covering statewide races, all legislative districts and congressional seats, and provided live election results on Election Day as well as contextual pieces such as the Northwest Reports series The Elephant in the Room, which examined the state of the Republican Party in Washington heading into the second Trump administration. National PBS programming explored the broader electoral landscape with FRONTLINE: The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump, VOCES: Latino Vote 2024, Counting the Vote: A Firing Line Special with Margaret Hoover and more to help voters make informed decisions.

Cascade PBS App Relaunch

Cascade PBS App Relaunch

Cascade PBS successfully relaunched its streaming app on new infrastructure from Local Public, a Cascade PBS-owned venture that powers streaming apps for 13 PBS stations nationwide. The latest update expands availability to Samsung and LG smart TVs, increasing the total number of supported platforms to 10. The app features a streamlined design with improved navigation and locally curated collections organized by theme and genre. Additional content discovery features are coming soon.

PBS Programming

PBS continued to offer an abundance of essential news coverage and compelling programming spanning drama, history, culture, science and the arts.

Wolf Hall on Masterpiece

Drama

PBS delivered another exceptional lineup of British mysteries and dramas. Masterpiece favorites such as All Creatures Great and Small, Miss Scarlet and Grantchester returned alongside new mysteries including The Marlow Murder Club and Patience. Spring brought historical drama Miss Austen and the highly anticipated return of Wolf Hall. Walter Presents continued to offer international variety with returning series such as Danish post-World War II drama Seaside Hotel and French detective series Astrid.

Walking with Dinosaurs

Science and Nature

PBS showcased the wonders of the natural world. The groundbreaking Big Cats 24/7 used cutting-edge technology to follow big cats around the clock. NOVA: The Solar System took viewers on a five-part journey across our cosmic neighborhood. We captivated audiences with intimate wildlife stories, from the three-part series Nature: Katavi: Africa's Fallen Paradise to Bugs that Rule the World, which revealed the beauty and importance of insects. Nature: Museum Alive with David Attenborough used CGI to bring extinct creatures back to life, while the six-part series Walking with Dinosaurs transported viewers to prehistoric times.

Ken Burns' Leonardo da Vinci

History

PBS history programming explored diverse perspectives on the past. American Masters profiled cultural icons from Hazel Scott to Liza Minnelli, while American Experience: The NAACP and Its Architects examined the legal minds behind the Civil Rights Movement. Ken Burns presented his first non-American subject with Leonardo da Vinci, and British historian Lucy Worsley investigated enduring mysteries surrounding figures from Jack the Ripper to Bloody Mary. Pompeii: The New Dig took viewers inside the biggest excavation in a generation, while Secrets of the Dead continued uncovering historical mysteries around the globe.

Austin City Limits

Arts

PBS arts programming celebrated creativity across disciplines and generations. Great Performances brought viewers to acclaimed productions including Next to Normal, Girl from the North Country and Kiss Me, Kate. Now Hear This explored the lives and music of Chopin, Boccherini and Rachmaninoff, while special concerts featured work from Henry Mancini, Patsy Cline and Andrea Bocelli. Austin City Limits marked its 50th anniversary with salutes to Willie Nelson and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Renaissance: The Blood and the Beauty brought the intense rivalries between Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael to life through dramatic recreations.

Great Migrations: A People on the Move

Culture

Cascade PBS celebrated American experiences and cultural heritage throughout the year. During Hispanic Heritage Month, VOCES: American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos, hosted by John Leguizamo, revealed Latino contributions often overlooked in American history. Black History Month featured Great Migrations: A People on the Move, Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.'s four-part series examining Black migration in the 20th and 21st centuries. Also throughout the year, Finding Your Roots connected celebrities to their ancestral stories; in addition, chef Pati Jinich traced culinary connections across the Americas in Pati Jinich Explores Panamericana, and Caregiving offered an intimate portrait of diverse caregivers navigating family challenges.

Local Original Programming

Over fiscal year 2025, our team expanded our original series lineup. We were proud to produce eight unique series and three documentaries, as well as an exciting new partnership with SIFF.

Asahel: The Curtis Collection

The Washington State Historical Society is digitizing 60,000 images by renowned photographer Asahel Curtis, whose work from the 1890s to 1940s captured the Pacific Northwest’s transformation. Curtis documented logging, railroads and growth, advocating for industry while also fighting to preserve wilderness areas such as Mount Rainier. The digitization reveals fascinating stories behind striking images capturing a hotel illuminated for Teddy Roosevelt’s 1903 visit, a school’s birdhouse curriculum and more. The original film is narrated by Knute Berger of Mossback’s Northwest.

Art by Northwest

In August 2024, we premiered the new original series, Art by Northwest. The series explores the connections between artists and their local environment, capturing the essence of how the diverse landscapes of the Northwest shape their artistic expressions. Each episode provides an intimate portrait of the creative process, as the artists reveal the meanings and motivations behind their work. Hosted by longtime Seattle arts journalist Brangien Davis.

Mossback’s Northwest

Season 10 of Mossback’s Northwest began by exploring the Columbia River’s rich history. Host Knute Berger delved into geological forces, early pioneers, Indigenous connections and the river’s dangers. Featuring geologist Nick Zentner of Nick on the Rocks, the first episode examined how lava, glaciers and floods shaped the river before Grand Coulee Dam.

The Newsfeed

In fall 2024, The Newsfeed introduced a new format, with a weekly short episode in our Friday night news block. Host Paris Jackson cuts through the headlines, providing original reporting, exclusive interviews and community insights on what’s happening in the Pacific Northwest.

Priced Out

The Cascade PBS investigative team examined the practices of mobile home park ownership group Hurst & Son in Washington state. Residents said sudden increases in rent and cuts to maintenance made it difficult to continue to afford their homes. This short documentary follows the ensuing tenant organizing efforts and examines the effectiveness of legal protections for residents.

SIFF Selects

Cascade PBS was delighted to introduce our partnership with SIFF, home of the Seattle International Film Festival, with a three-month film series. Cascade PBS broadcast 13 films from previous SIFF festivals. Highlights included “Enormous: The Gorge Story” and “East of the Mountains,” starring Tom Skerritt.

Nick on the Rocks

Host Nick Zentner, senior geology lecturer, Central Washington University, returned for a new season of Nick on the Rocks. This season, he explored Washington’s dramatic landscapes, from ancient bedrock in Anacortes to massive mudflows from Glacier Peak.

Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir

This year, Alison Mariella Désir’s Out & Back journey took her from the mountains to the sea, from cliffhanging in the Cascades to wading into Puget Sound, from snowshoeing to skateboarding to beekeeping. Désir continued to champion the outdoors as a space for everybody.

Origins: The Last Reefnetters

This season, the Origins series told the story of the last 12 reefnet fishing captains on the Salish Sea. The series highlighted how this ancient Indigenous practice developed by the Lummi Nation was nearly destroyed by legislation, environmental damage and commercial canneries. Today, only one tribal member holds a reefnet license.

The Nosh

The Nosh returned for a second season in the spring. Hosted by the Your Last Meal podcast’s Rachel Belle, this season’s local culinary exploration took viewers to new places around the region. Belle discovered wilderness cooking, Seattle-style pizza, sustainable food practices and more.

Wolf Land

In northeastern Washington’s dense forests, where wildlands meet human spaces, wolves and ranchers have long been at odds. In this Cascade PBS documentary, “wolf-protecting cowboy” Daniel Curry bridges these divided worlds, partnering with fourth-generation rancher Jerry Francis to find common ground through innovative nonlethal methods that protect what both communities hold dear. Wolf Land premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival in May 2025. Look for more exciting updates on this film in FY26.

Black Arts Legacies

In May 2025, Cascade PBS said farewell to Black Arts Legacies. The final season celebrated Seattle’s influential Black artists through digital portraits spanning generations—from 1940s gallery curator Zoë Dusanne to 1970s television producer Nate Long to contemporary ballerina Amanda Morgan. View the full collection of artists at BlackArtsLegacies.com.

Top 10 Cascade PBS News Stories

Community Engagement

MOSSBACK'S NORTHWEST SCREENING

We celebrated 10 seasons of Mossback’s Northwest at a special event with Knute “Mossback” Berger. The audience enjoyed a sneak peek at the new season, behind-the-scenes stories and Mossback-themed prizes. Cascade PBS members joined Knute at our exclusive pre-reception featuring Northwest-inspired refreshments. The event also featured geologist Nick Zentner of Nick on the Rocks, who discussed the crossover episode that kicked off Mossback’s 10th season.

FOOD FIGHT WITH RACHEL BELLE

Rachel Belle, host of the popular food podcast Your Last Meal and the original series The Nosh, hosted a celebratory evening saluting all things food. The upbeat event was full of fun, featuring games, trivia and appearances by celebrity-chef guests.

EXPLORE THE OUTDOORS FAMILY FAIR

Out & Back’s Alison Mariella Désir hosted a family-inclusive outdoors event. Outdoor organizations of all kinds tabled and interacted with guests at the annual community event. Families enjoyed games, treats and workshops, and met outdoor enthusiasts featured in Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir.

ORIGINS SCREENING

Cascade PBS hosted a preview screening of Origins Season 3, “The Last Reefnetters,” at SIFF Uptown in Seattle. The preview was followed by a discussion with local filmmaker Samuel Wolfe of Fishboat Media and other special guests.

CASCADE PBS IDEAS FESTIVAL

In May 2025, the annual Cascade PBS Ideas Festival featured live podcast recordings and studio television tapings. Journalists, newsmakers and thought leaders from around the world took on hot topics and dissected the biggest issues of our time. Guests included Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, travel expert Rick Steves and author/podcaster Amanda Knox, to name a few. The event featured popular podcasts such as The Gist, Criminal and Radiolab. Event attendees also enjoyed community meetups, speaker meet-and-greets, micro-sessions, food trucks, DJs and artists.

2025 Awards

Cascade PBS Awards

Cascade PBS’s ‘ASAHEL’ documentary wins Northwest Emmy® Award

Cascade PBS took home a Northwest Regional Emmy® Award for the documentary ASAHEL: The Curtis Collection. 

Documentary - Cultural/Historical
ASAHEL: The Curtis Collection • Cascade PBS • Shannen Ortale, Director • David Quantic, Producer • Stephen Hegg, Producer • Knute Berger, Producer • Bryce Yukio Adolphson, Photographer • Amanda Snyder, Photographer • Kalina Torino, Animator • Christopher Shreve, Animator • David Wulzen, Editor • Madeleine Pisaneschi, Graphic Designer • Greg Cohen, Art Director

ASAHEL: The Curtis Collection chronicles the Washington State Historical Society’s project of digitizing 60,000 photos by renowned Pacific Northwest photographer Asahel Curtis taken between the 1890s and the 1940s. It was the first Emmy® nomination and win for director and producer Shannen Ortale.

“We’re really honored to have been able to tell some of the stories behind Asahel Curtis’ photos, and to have worked with the Washington State Historical Society to tell them,” said Ortale. “This project was a testament to the collaborative nature of our team.”

Cascade PBS was nominated for 13 awards, including episodes of Out & Back with Alison Mariella Désir, Black Arts Legacies, The Nosh with Rachel Belle and Mossback’s Northwest. Cascade PBS was also nominated for the Overall Excellence award, as well as craft nominations for photographer Bryce Yukio Adolphson and editors David Quantic, Andy Motz and Danielle Driehaus.

Cascade PBS wins 10 SPJ Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards

Cascade PBS won 10 of the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists’ Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards. The editorial team won across a range of media types, including awards for audio, short-form video, documentary, photo and news writing. Cascade PBS competes against other “large” newsrooms in SPJ’s region 10, which encompasses Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

Here is the list of winners from Cascade PBS, including judge’s comments when provided:

  • Audio Series - Large 

First Place: Sara Bernard, Maleeha Syed, “Northwest Reports: First Response,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: Impactful reporting on a crisis viewed from the people treating victims of gun violence and other trauma. First-person accounts of success and failure and the personal impact to those involved make this series compelling.

  • Audio - Investigative Reporting - Large 

First Place: Sara Bernard, Lauren Gallup, Lizz Giordano, Maleeha Syed, “Northwest Reports: How building maintenance affects veteran care in Seattle,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: Nice reporting on a problem affecting those who’ve given part of their lives to serve their country. Good focus on trying to hold people accountable and find solutions. Good work.

  • Writing - Feature (Hard News) - Large 

First Place: Lizz Giordano, “‘Beyond failure’: WA teen loses legs at school-based work program,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: Incredibly tragic story. A teenage man losing both legs from an accident that could have been prevented is cause for alarm and cause for reviewing the process of using teenage labor this way. Nice work tracking down the family of the young man and getting thorough responses from all sides involved.

  • Writing - Feature (Soft News) - Large 

First Place: Charles R. Cross, “Why Seattle lost its mind over the Wallingford Taco Time closure,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: This is a fun first-person account of the closing of just one restaurant. The breezy style makes for a true connection with reader. Nice work.

  • General News Photography - Large 

First Place: Genna Martin, “Dueling Israel/Palestine protests on UW campus remain peaceful,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: The first-place winner is a wonderfully composed protest photo.

  • Feature Photography – Large 

Second Place: Genna Martin, “Under God: How Christianity permeates Yakima city politics,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: Color and composition combined to make this a winner.

  • Video - Investigative Reporting - Large 

First Place: “Priced Out: Fear and Resistance in WA Mobile Parks,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: EXCELLENT WORK! This is the best investigative piece I’ve judged in years. The focus is on the people impacted and that's what resonates with viewers. Thorough reporting. Well-produced. Nice work.

  • Video Series - Large 

First Place: “Mossback’s Northwest,” Cascade PBS 

Judge’s comments: Absolutely, incredibly fascinating stories. Excellent use of stills, video and narration. Superb!

Second Place: “Out & Back,” Cascade PBS 

  • Video - General Assignment (Pre-Produced) - Large 

Second Place: “THE NEWSFEED: Phone restrictions paying off at one WA school,” Cascade PBS 

Cascade PBS podcast team honored with Best of the West award

The Cascade PBS podcast team won a “Best of the West” Second Place Award for Audio Storytelling from the 2025 Best of the West journalism contest. The team was honored for their work on the podcast episode “First response" from the Northwest Reports series.

AUDIO STORYTELLING

Second Place: Sara Bernard and Maleeha Syed, Cascade PBS, Seattle for “First response.”

“This is a thoughtful, well-produced three-part series about an important issue—gun violence. The reporters chose to explore this difficult issue from a perspective not often heard — the medical community.

“Beginning with a compelling cold open, the series weaves together powerful interviews with a concise narrative. Strong use of music that gave space for the voices highlighted in the series. Beyond providing listeners with a deeper understanding of the medical community’s role in responding to gun violence, it also presented a fascinating conversation around advocacy and who has the right to speak out against a public epidemic.”

Our Donors

Cascade PBS Donors

Cascade PBS expresses sincere gratitude to the many individuals, families, businesses and organizations that invested in our organization between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this list. If your listing is incorrect, please accept our apologies and call us at 206.443.6768 so that we may correct it for future lists.

2025 Financials

Total$56,214,666
Total$29,440,118

Net Income

Operating Income, Less operating Expenses$11,011,221
Planned Giving (Capital Campaign & Endowment) Contributions$15,763,327
Depreciation and Amoritization( $2,529,856 )
Total$24,244,692

Who We Are

Cascade PBS Original Programs

About Us

Cascade PBS is a publicly supported media organization with a mission to inform and inspire our community to make the world a better place. We serve millions of people throughout the Pacific Northwest each year—on air, online and in person—with beloved PBS programming, local original productions and community events.

We are committed to delivering enriching programming and experiences that engage a diverse audience, reflect the values of our community, and make an impact on people’s lives.

We employ more than 115 dedicated team members who work tirelessly each day in pursuit of our mission.

We are committed to building a culture that celebrates diversity of thought, experience and personal background. Along with race, gender and physical ability, we believe that each individual’s ethnicity, national origin, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identification and age are dimensions that strengthen us collectively. Such diversity enhances the relevance and substance of our work.

In a world bursting with stories, public media have a unique and powerful responsibility to reflect not just what’s happening, but who we are; to slow down, to listen deeply, to reveal and amplify underrepresented voices, and to be a mirror of the richness of our community.

Our commitment to community representation and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging isn’t just part of the job. It’s at the heart of our mission. When our team, leadership, board and storytellers reflect the full spectrum of experiences across the Cascade region, we are better able to inform and inspire our community.

Our Team

Our Staff

Cascade PBS employs 115 staff members who are dedicated to bringing you stories that will educate and inform as well as entertain – both on television and online. Today, we find ourselves even more committed to providing essential public media services to everyone in our community.

Cascade PBS Board of Directors

During the period July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025

Cascade PBS is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. They are responsible for the strategic, operational and financial performance of the organization.

OfficersAffiliation
Barbara Bennett - ChairFormer President & COO, Vulcan Inc.
Karli Barokas - Vice ChairManaging Partner, FINN Partners
Robert Moser - TreasurerRetired, President & CEO, Laird Norton Wealth Management
Essex Porter - SecretaryRetired Television Journalist
DirectorsAffiliation
Christopher ParkerProfessor Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara 2022 – present; Stuart A. Scheingold Prof. of Social Justice and Political Science, Department of Political Science at University of Washington, 2006 - 2022
Linh HoMarketing Executive
Mona Lee LockeFormer Chief Communication Officer, Swedish
Carole TomkoOwner, Peanut Productions
Tammy YoungChief People Officer, Prescryptive Health, Inc.
Andrew SundPresident of Heritage University
Sonny WongCreative Director, Hamazaki Wong Marketing
Rebecca LovellCOO, Greater Seattle Partners
Brenda AnibarroVice President of Learning and Community Engagement, Inatai Foundation
Bob CreminFormer Esterline Technologies CEO and Chairman
Sunae ParkVice President, Finance, TransWest
Mike VaskaPrincipal, Foster Garvey PC
Tina AdelsteinVice President of People at Brighton Jones
Vivian PhillipsFounder, President, ARTE NOIR

Community Advisory Board

The volunteer Community Advisory Board is responsible for informing Cascade PBS management and staff about community issues and stories appropriate for content development and engagement to support the communities we serve.

We are grateful for the time and talents board members share with our organization.

Cynthia Rekdal - Chair

Krista Edwardson - Vice Chair

Charro Cruz

Tom Conlon

Dr. Daudi Abe

Mary Ellen Robinson

Scott Fraser

Candice Gibson

Nimisha Goyal

Mytyl Hernandez

Rick Jones

Sonu Lake

Son Michael Pham

Dori Peralta Baker

Ana Ruiz Kennedy

Gregory Ryan

Jon Shellenberger

Paul Sontz

Dr. Susana Reyes