Starting April 1, Phil Hoffman will serve as New Mexico PBS’ (NMPBS/KNME-TV) new general manager and chief executive officer. The Board of Directors of New Mexico PBS named him following a national search.
The search process began in October 2025 and included a comprehensive national recruitment effort, according to UNM News.The Board led multiple rounds of evaluations and interviews in collaboration with leadership from The University of New Mexico and Albuquerque Public Schools.
Teresa Costantinidis,UNM’s executive vice president of Finance and Administration and NMPBS Board chair, talked about the search process. She said it attracted a highly competitive pool of candidates from throughout the PBS system and public media landscape.
“Dr. Phil Hoffman is a strong and experienced leader who understands the vital role public media plays in advancing New Mexico,” Costantinidis said.
Costantinidis expressed confidence that Hoffman will provide steady leadership as the station continues to inform, educate and serve communities statewide.
Who is Phil Hoffman?
Hoffman is currently assistant dean of Media and general manager of Ball State PBS and Indiana Public Radio. He has over 20 years of experience in public media leadership, multimedia strategy and higher education administration.
“I look forward to working with the team at New Mexico PBS to build on its legacy of civic service while adapting to today’s media environment,” Hoffman said. “The opportunity to serve New Mexico—with its rich culture and strong commitment to education and storytelling—is energizing.”
At Ball State University, Hoffman led Ball State PBS, which serves more than 23 counties in east central Indiana. He also managed Indiana Public Radio, a four-station network reaching 22 counties. Additionally, he serves as Indiana vice president for the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. He co-chairs Vision Maker Media, a national public media distributor supporting Indigenous storytelling.
Hoffman holds a doctorate in Higher Education Administration. He has led innovation initiatives at multiple institutions, including the Public Media Accelerator Program at Ball State University. An Emmy Award–winning editor, director and writer, he has worked as a reporter and documentary producer. His 2009 documentary, Turn Blue: The Short Life of Ghoulardi, received two regional Emmy Awards.
New Mexico PBS Board Thanks Outgoing General Manager and CEO
Hoffman will start as co-general manager on March 24 with retiring general manager and CEO Franz Joachim. This is to ensure a smooth leadership transition. Joachim will step down on March 31.
The Board expressed deep appreciation to Joachim for his five decades of service in public media and his leadership at NMPBS since 2013. During his tenure, the station expanded statewide reach, strengthened its financial position and advanced innovation in broadcasting.
New Mexico PBS serves northern and central New Mexico and the Navajo Nation. It is co-licensed by UNM and Albuquerque Public Schools. In addition to broadcast programming, NMPBS streams content statewide via the PBS app.