With gratitude for their years of service, Vegas PBS congratulates three of its colleagues on their upcoming retirements this week.
As previously announced, Mare Mazur retires from her position as President and General Manager on September 3, 2026 — marking the conclusion of five years of visionary leadership.
When Mazur joined Vegas PBS in January of 2021, she became the first woman to lead the station in its 53-year history. During her tenure, she helped grow the station’s mission of solution-based programming — content designed not only to inform audiences, but to equip them with practical tools for navigating real-world challenges.
Under Mazur’s leadership, Vegas PBS expanded its broadcast reach, which now covers 86 percent of the state of Nevada. In addition to providing tentpole PBS programming, the station also offers locally produced, community-focused productions that amplify the diverse voices unique to the region and the West as a whole.
Mazur expressed that this is the right moment for new leadership to carry the station forward onto the next phase — deepening community engagement (including building upon the wildly popular annual event, Be My Neighbor Day), expanding educational services, and advancing Vegas PBS’s position as a trusted voice reflecting Southern Nevada and its own unique sense of place and aesthetic.
“Vegas PBS is better positioned than ever to grow as the forward-thinking, trailblazing public media organization I always envisioned,” she said.
A national search for the next President and General Manager is currently underway — with leadership from Clark County School District and the Vegas PBS SNPT Board focusing on identifying a successor who is prepared to advance the station’s mission, execute its strategic direction, and build on the strong foundation already in place.
In the interim, Vegas PBS Chief of Broadcast Operations and Emergency Response John Turner will step into the station's top role.
"During this transition, my focus is pretty simple," Turner said. "To support and work with our teams, maintain the momentum we’ve built, and make sure Vegas PBS continues moving forward while staying focused on the community we serve."
An Emmy Award-winning television manager with over 30 years in commercial television news, Turner currently supervises all information technology, engineering, and emergency response functions. He also directs technical planning and the direction of Vegas PBS’s broadcast systems.
"Vegas PBS has always been about more than television. It’s about education, storytelling, public safety and serving our community," Turner continued.
"I’m proud of this station and the people who make that work possible every day."
Vegas PBS is also preparing to bid a fond farewell to TV Operations Manager Jackie Whiteman and Custodian Jeffrey Leary on September 4.
Whiteman first joined Vegas PBS in 1996 as a Television Assistant. She subsequently also served as TV Operations Manager; oversaw Master Control, Traffic and library operations; and was a member of the station's Emmy Award-winning production team.
But her broadcasting career began well before she came to Las Vegas. In fact, she has spent more than 34 years working in public broadcasting — with past roles including technical director, videographer, floor director, and on-air promotion director.
In 2011, the Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame inducted Whiteman in recognition of her career and contributions to broadcasting.
Leary joined Vegas PBS as custodian in 2019 — but by then, he was already a familiar face at Clark County School District, where he'd worked since 2006. A fixture at several venues in Las Vegas (including the convention center), Leary has consistently been recognized across several roles for his excellent work ethic.
He believes, he said, "You only use sick time when you're actually sick"!
Here's wishing all three of them the best for the next chapter.
