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Community Advisory Board

PBS SoCal's community engagement efforts with its viewers and supporters would not be possible without the help of the Community Advisory Board (CAB).

Apply to join the Community Advisory Board!

PBS SoCal is looking for new members to fill vacancies on the Community Advisory Board (CAB); with the goal of having a CAB that represents the rich stories of the communities of the Southern California region and the varied and numerous audiences we serve. This is a volunteer position.

Deadline to apply is Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 11:59pm PST

As a CAB member, PBS SoCal is looking for prospective applicants to:

  • Be familiar with public media’s broadcast and digital content
  • Have a personal commitment to public service and/or community work.
  • Serve a term of 3 years. Over that term, attend virtual quarterly meetings, which take place at 3:30pm Pacific Time on Tuesdays and one in-person retreat per year (currently scheduled for August 2025).

Additionally,

  • PBS SoCal membership is strongly encouraged -- as an important part of CAB’s investment in the station and in recognition the role it plays in the community. More information on membership: pbssocal.org/support/membership
  • CAB members are also highly encouraged to join at least one Pillar group (as described below), which meet monthly, to move the CAB’s strategic plan forward.

Interested candidates can learn more about CAB expectations and commitments, as well apply by filling out the application form below.

Community Advisory Board

PBS SoCal’s community engagement efforts with its viewers and supporters would not be possible without the help of the Community Advisory Board (CAB). This active group of volunteer leaders is the station's eyes and ears of the community and plays an integral part of the planning and implementation of many of the stations’ outreach programs.

Their function, as mandated by Congress in 1979, is to advise the governing body of PBS SoCal with respect to whether the programming and other policies are meeting the educational and cultural needs of the various communities served by the station.

The Community Advisory Board members represent diverse constituencies that are engaged with a wide array of issues such as aging/senior citizens, cultural diversity, disabilities, culture and the arts, LGBTQ rights, economy, family, health/medical services, media services, substance abuse, science/technology, youth, and education/schools.

The CAB meets on a quarterly basis with an annual onboarding retreat for new members in August.

Community Advisory Board Mission

Be a Bridge to Our Local Communities

Brand ambassadors who 1) promote PBS SoCal in the community 2) become a critical channel to access and involve community experts, leaders and members through a well-developed community contact database 3) share open positions and encourage diversity of hiring of PBS SoCal staff and leadership.

Contribute to Content Strategy  

Serve as a strategic resource for PBS SoCal to ensure programming is both relevant and representative of the community by 1) providing thematic community level insights that support the programming strategy and 2) provide support to our production development process through stakeholder introductions and community connections.

Be Extenders of Content Impact  

Co-creators of community connections, partnerships, and local experiences connected to PBS SoCal programming and local content that result in measurable impact.

Four Strategic Pillars

The CAB has developed a multi-year strategic plan that involves four key strategic pillars: 

  • Pillar 1: Extend the scope and impact of the Local Heroes program and new similar programs
  • Pillar 2: Broaden and expand community input and insight into PBS SoCal programming
  • Pillar 3: Extend and strengthen impact of programming beyond the program premiere
  • Pillar 4: Optimize CAB impact through strengthened connection to PBS SoCal strategy and leadership

Community Advisory Board Members

Chair: Laarni Rosca Dacanay

Vice Chair: Dr. Wenli Jen

Soraya Ahyaudin

Sarah Bernard

Becky Cheng

Nancy De Los Santos

Rafaela Diaz

Daniel Fernandez

Sharon Glancz

Jorge Herrera

Charmaine Jefferson

Alexander C. Kim

Michael A. Mata

Melanie Mathis

Denise L. McIver, MAAM,MLS

Hope Pham

David Radcliff

Darick J. Simpson

Loren Simpson

Nadia Stanley 

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