Director of Development, KEET-TV Redwood Empire Public Television

Valerie Eurs

Valerie Eurs is the Development Director for KEET-TV, one of the smallest television stations in the public broadcasting system. She was hired by KEET in May 2015 as Development Associate/Office Manager, after many years of serving as on-air talent for KEET’s fundraising auctions and pledge drives. She is not shy in front of the camera! Just before the start of the pandemic, she was promoted to her current position. Along with developing the station’s Major Giving program, she continues to perform general membership duties, work on pledge drives, help with production and outreach activities and so much more!

After graduating from high school in southern California in 1999, she made the trek to the other end of the state to study wildlife management at Humboldt State University (and never left). Growing tired of the itinerant life of a wildlife field technician, Valerie jumped at the chance to work at KEET and find a bit more financial stability. While in high school, public television ignited her passion for birds (Life of Birds series) and she hopes her work at KEET can help inspire others to explore the world. As a Scout, she believes in community service and as a scientist, values lifelong learning. And doesn’t that just about sum up the mission of public media?

In her spare time, Valerie serves as a leader in the 124 Redwood Rangers, part of the Outdoor Service Guides, a group dedicated to inclusive scouting. And she just celebrated her 8-year anniversary as a beached bird surveyor for COASST, a citizen science project with the University of Washington. She enjoys kayaking, birdwatching, cooking and playing board games with friends. Favorite PBS show? Masterpiece Mystery!, which feeds her love for, as her partner Sean patiently puts it, “British detective stories.”

Valerie hopes this course will help her develop her a “landscape view” of management responsibilities, advice on how to work with the Board of Directors effectively and how to keep KEET functioning as a vital community resource. The station has been focusing more on local productions as the means to keep it relevant and unique in the community. For over 50 years, KEET has provided educational, entertaining and high-quality television to the residents of northern California. Whatever form this takes in the future, Valerie wants to be there to help make it happen.