PBS Reno Announces Retirement, Change of Leadership in PBS Reno Education Services
RENO, NV (OCT 1, 2026) – Today PBS Reno announced a retirement and change of leadership in PBS Reno Education Services.
Nancy Maldonado, PBS Reno Vice President of Education, will retire in December 2026. Lori Crawford joined PBS Reno in early September as interim Vice President of Education and will assume the role upon Maldonado’s retirement.
“Serving as Vice President of Education at PBS Reno for the past nine years has truly been my dream job,” said Maldonado. “I am deeply proud of the impact our Education team has made through Curiosity Classroom workshops, the Writers Contest, and Reading Buddies—helping thousands of children discover the joy of learning. The heartfelt comments from teachers, parents, and students have filled my heart with joy and reminded me every day why this work matters. As I look toward retirement, I am filled with gratitude for PBS Reno, our Dream Team, and the communities we have had the privilege to serve.”
Crawford is an experienced educational leader with a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and has enjoyed 30 years serving students, families, fellow educators, and school communities within the Washoe County School District. She has held a variety of roles including instructional coach, dean of students, athletic director and classroom teacher, all while supporting student achievement, behavioral growth, and school improvement.
“I was drawn to PBS Reno because of its deep commitment to making a meaningful impact in our community,” said Crawford. “I’m passionate about ensuring every student has access to high-quality educational opportunities and the resources they need to thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances. I’m excited to bring that passion to PBS Reno and help expand the ways we support students, educators, and families throughout our community. I’m incredibly grateful to be joining such a kind, welcoming, and dedicated staff.”
PBS Reno Education Services delivered 6,873 Curiosity Classroom workshops to 130,378 students in nine school districts in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California during the 2025-2026 school year. From providing additional educational resources including the PBS Reno Reading Buddies program, to hosting dozens of Family Engagement opportunities and many more educational events, Maldonado has created an indelible legacy for herself and for PBS Reno Education Services for years to come.
“While it is difficult to put into words what Nancy has meant to PBS Reno and the community we serve, the incredible growth and impact of our Curiosity Classroom program speak for themselves,” said Kurt Mische, PBS Reno President & CEO. “In the nine years that she has led our program, each year has seen increases in the numbers of teachers and students who benefit from these in-person workshops. Nancy guided our program through Covid and has been a valued member of our leadership team. The thought of replacing her was daunting until we met Lori. Lori’s experience and perspective make her the ideal candidate to fill the very big shoes that Nancy leaves behind. We are so fortunate to have these two exceptional people lead our education program. Our region will continue to benefit.”
About PBS Reno
In fiscal year 2024-2025, PBS Reno reached 592,189 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube Channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom Workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
About PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom
PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshops include an engaging video clip, a read aloud, and fun hands-on activities. Each lesson is aligned to the Common Core Standards, Next Generation Science Standards and Nevada Academic Content Standards. All materials are supplied and a trained facilitator leads each 45- to 60-minute workshop. PBS Reno currently offers nearly 50 different workshops for students in preschool through 4th grade. For more information about PBS Reno Education Services and PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshops, call 775.600.0551 or email education@pbsreno.org
Contact us:
Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org
Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503