WASHINGTON — February 27, 2012 — The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) today presented the David J. Brugger Grassroots Advocacy Award to Catherine Ann Stevens for her work this past year during the most challenging federal funding crisis of the past 15 years, as well as her long-time service on the WETA board of trustees.
The APTS board of trustees created the David J. Brugger Grassroots Advocacy Award in honor of its former president and CEO, David Brugger, who worked tirelessly to recognize the tremendous contribution of grassroots advocates to the system.
“We are delighted to present Catherine Ann Stevens with this year’s Brugger Award,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS. “Catherine is a steadfast advocate for public broadcasting, tirelessly engaging members of Congress during last year’s funding crisis. She went above and beyond the call of duty in advocating the mission of public broadcasting, and we are very grateful for her most influential support.”
Catherine Ann Stevens is a partner in the law firm Mayer Brown. In addition to her work as an attorney, Stevens is currently on the board of WETA, Washington, D.C.’s flagship public television and radio stations, having served in this role for 8 years. Stevens has is a member of the television and radio committee on content creation and broadcast, the committee on trustees, and the communications and outreach Committee for the WETA board.
“I am deeply honored to receive the David J. Brugger Award,” said Catherine Stevens. “Growing up in Alaska, and later traveling the state with my late husband, Senator Ted Stevens, I have seen first-hand the positive impact public broadcasting can make on lives in the most remote villages. And through serving on the board of WETA, I have learned the importance of support for new programs which educate our children and capture our history, science and culture. Public broadcasting serves a vital role throughout our country, and we must, in Ted’s words, commit ourselves to this “essential service” for our country.”
Butler concluded: “Public broadcasting is most fortunate to have Catherine Stevens as one of our most accomplished and passionate advocates. She understands how important the entire system of public media is to America, from the signature public affairs programming produced by WETA here in Washington to the information and cultural lifeline that public broadcasting provides in her native State of Alaska. No one delivers this message to Members of Congress more compellingly than Catherine, and we have been blessed by her support and that of her late husband, Senator Ted Stevens, whose name will live forever as a champion of public broadcasting.”
The David J. Brugger Grassroots Advocacy Award was presented to Catherine Ann Stevens during The APTS Public Media Summit on Monday, February 27.
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. APTS provides consistent leadership and information that helps our members better accomplish their own missions and goals. Through its affiliate APTS Action, APTS promotes the legislative and regulatory interests of noncommercial television stations at the national level through direct advocacy, and grasstops and grassroots campaigns designed to garner congressional support. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
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