Heather Reese has been named interim director of Wisconsin Public Media, the division at the University of Wisconsin — Madison that oversees Wisconsin Public Radio and PBS Wisconsin. The announcement follows the recent death of Director Gene Purcell who held the position since 2018.
Reese has worked at WPM since 2010 and has served as associate director since 2020. Prior to that, she was the director of strategic initiatives and compliance.
“We’re all still grieving the sudden and tragic death of Gene, but it’s comforting to know that Heather is ready to step in as a leader. I can’t think of a better person to guide us through this transition,” UW-Madison Provost John Karl Scholz said. “Heather is uniquely qualified for this position. In addition to serving as WPM’s director of strategic initiatives and compliance for four years, she was project manager for the division during the successful transition back to UW-Madison from UW-Extension in 2018. I look forward to continuing to work with her in this new, interim role.”
