BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Lehigh Valley Public Media (LVPM) a trusted public media resource for the region, today announced two strategic additions to its senior leadership team: Emma Patti as Vice President of Content, and Chris Johannessen as Vice President of Product. The appointments mark a significant step in LVPM's ongoing commitment to its mission of engaging the community through public media resources to make the Lehigh Valley better tomorrow than it is today.
"Public media is changing because the way people discover information, connect with one another, and engage with their communities is changing," said Hasanna Birdsong, President and CEO of Lehigh Valley Public Media. "To build an organization that remains relevant and sustainable for the next generation, we need leaders who understand both the future of media and the communities we serve.”
Emma Patti, Vice President of Content
Emma Patti joins LVPM as Vice President of Content, bringing 15 years of experience building and transforming audience-centered newsrooms. Previously, she was Managing Editor at The Baltimore Banner, a nonprofit, digital-first newsroom that has become one of the most closely watched success stories in local journalism nationally. Emma joined the Banner's team in 2022, just ahead of its launch as an independent alternative to legacy Baltimore media, and helped lead its growth into Maryland's largest newsroom, growing subscribers by more than 50% in a single year and building a sustainable revenue model blending subscriptions, advertising, and philanthropic support. The Banner's investigative reporting on Baltimore's overdose crisis won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting, and the organization has been named News Organization of the Year by the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association. As Managing Editor, Emma oversaw the digital, audience, visuals, and regional strategy behind that growth.
At LVPM, Emma will lead content strategy across the organization, bringing the lessons of that transformation to bear as she helps accelerate LVPM's work building trusted local news, educational programming, and community-centered storytelling.
Chris Johannessen, Vice President of Product
Chris Johannessen joins LVPM as Vice President of Product, bringing more than two decades of experience in digital strategy, analytics, marketing technology, and product leadership. He has held senior roles at organizations including McKinsey & Company, eBay, Omnicom, NBC Universal and General Electric; holds U.S. patents from his work in digital innovation; and has advised Wharton's Customer Analytics Initiative and Temple University's Global Center for Big Data and Mobile Analytics. His work and thought leadership have been featured in publications such as the Harvard Business Review, several books, and The Journal of AI, Robotics and Workplace Automation (which Chris serves as Editor). He also serves on the Industry Advisory Board of DeSales University’s Center for Data Analytics and holds an MBA from Penn State University. A Lehigh Valley resident and longtime LVPM donor, Chris brings a personal investment in public media to his work leading the products and platforms that will help LVPM reach audiences wherever they choose to engage.
A Renewed Commitment to Community
"Emma and Chris bring complementary strengths that are critical to our future," Birdsong said. "Emma has helped build and transform audience-centered media organizations during a time of sweeping industry change, while Chris brings world-class expertise in digital product strategy and innovation, along with a longstanding commitment to public media and the Lehigh Valley. Together, they will help us build stronger relationships with our community and create more meaningful ways for people to stay informed, connected, educated, and engaged.”
# # #
About Lehigh Valley Public Media
Lehigh Valley Public Media is the Lehigh Valley’s community-powered home for news, stories and events that connect residents to issues affecting life in the region – with clarity and context to understand what is happening and why it matters. Headquartered at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, Pa., Lehigh Valley Public Media includes PBS39, 91.3 WLVR FM and LehighValleyNews.com, the region’s only nonprofit and locally operated digital news platform providing free local news and information. The organization also engages over 90,000 children, families and educators annually through its educational programming.