FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stephen Budihas, 610.984.8107, stephenb@wlvt.org
Lehigh Valley Public Media Announces Lehigh Valley Native Hasanna Birdsong as Chief Executive Officer
BETHLEHEM, PA (June 5, 2025) – Lehigh Valley Public Media, the Lehigh Valley’s community-owned nonprofit source for local news, educational programming, and community engagement, today announced the appointment of Hasanna Birdsong as its new chief executive officer effective June 30.
Birdsong, a Lehigh Valley native, is a seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience. Most recently, she was managing director at Adept Group, an Allentown-based packaging engineering consultancy, where she led the organization and developed growth strategies across the food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, and life science sectors. Under Birdsong’s leadership, the firm exceeded profit goals and was recognized as a Best Place to Work in Pennsylvania.
Before her time at Adept Group, Birdsong was vice president of advertising at The Express-Times and lehighvalleylive.com. In that role, she led a digital-first transformation that significantly increased revenue and audience engagement, positioning the media brands as a regional leader in digital media.
“Hasanna’s extensive experience leading transformation and innovation across media and technical consulting industries makes her the ideal leader to guide Lehigh Valley Public Media into its next chapter,” said Michael S. Keim, Lehigh Valley Public Media’s board chair. “She has built a career at the intersection of community, content, and strategy, which aligns perfectly with our mission to connect, inform, and inspire the Lehigh Valley region through independent local news, impactful educational programming and community engagement.”
Birdsong said, “I am honored to lead Lehigh Valley Public Media at such a pivotal moment, when trusted local journalism, educational programming, and community connection are more essential than ever. Lehigh Valley Public Media has the power to inform, uplift, and reflect the vibrant local communities it serves, and I’m excited to work with the organization’s incredible and talented team to deepen impact, expand access, and innovate for the future.”
A passionate advocate for equity, education, and community development, Birdsong serves on several Lehigh Valley nonprofit boards and committees including Community Action Lehigh Valley’s Generation Next program, Northampton Community College Foundation, and Friends of Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks.
Birdsong earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration and marketing from DeSales University. Residing in Bethlehem, she is a proud mother and stepmother of adult children, with her daughter serving as a missionary in Ecuador and her stepson serving in the United States Coast Guard.
# # #
About Lehigh Valley Public Media
Lehigh Valley Public Media is a community-owned, non-profit public media organization serving Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey. Headquartered at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, Pa., Lehigh Valley Public Media is home to PBS39, Lehigh Valley’s public television station; WLVR 91.3 FM, Lehigh Valley’s all-day everyday NPR news station; and LehighValleyNews.com, the region’s only nonprofit and locally operated digital news platform providing free local news and information across more than a dozen editorial beats. The organization also engages over 90,000 children, families and educators annually through its educational programming.
