ARLINGTON, Va., June 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — PBS announced today that veteran PBS attorney Jill Patrone will be the new Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of PBS, replacing Katherine Lauderdale, who will become Chief Legal Officer Emerita and Senior Advisor to the CEO.
“There has never been a more critical time for PBS to have strong, experienced legal counsel,” said Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS. “Jill has been a trusted partner across every aspect of PBS for 26 years. She knows our system, she knows our mission, and she knows what’s at stake. I am also deeply grateful to Katherine Lauderdale, whose extraordinary stewardship for more than two decades helped build the excellent foundation PBS stands on today.”
Patrone, who has been Acting Chief Legal Officer since March 2025, will continue to oversee all legal areas, including intellectual property, business affairs, litigation, regulatory, employment, corporate transactions, as well as board affairs and governance.
“It’s an extraordinary honor to step into this role at PBS,” said Patrone. “I am especially grateful to Katherine Lauderdale, whose leadership, integrity, and commitment over more than two decades helped shape both the legal department and PBS itself. I look forward to working with my PBS colleagues as we continue advancing our mission in a rapidly evolving environment.”
Patrone succeeds Lauderdale, who led PBS’s Legal Department since 2002, serving as Chief Legal Officer since 2016.
Patrone joined PBS in 2000 as Assistant General Counsel and later advanced to Associate General Counsel, Labor and Employment Counsel. In 2007, she was named Managing Corporate Counsel, and in 2019, she was promoted to Vice President, Deputy General Counsel. She was elevated to Senior Vice President, Acting Chief Legal Officer in March 2025. Over the course of her career at PBS, she has worked closely with internal and external stakeholders to help advance PBS’s mission of service to the American public. Before joining PBS, she worked at FindLaw.com and was an associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. She is a graduate of Stanford University and Duke Law School.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 36 million adults on linear primetime television, 16 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, 53 million viewers on YouTube, and 60 million people view PBS content on social media, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature, and public affairs and to take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on X.
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