New Mexico PBS names new general manager and CEO

New Mexico PBS will get a new CEO and general manager this spring.

Phil Hoffman, current assistant dean of media and general manager for Ball State PBS and Indiana Public Radio, will lead the station beginning April 1 following the retirement of longtime general manager and CEO Franz Joachim.

Hoffman was appointed by the NMPBS board of directors after a nationwide search beginning last October, University of New Mexico officials said Tuesday.

NMPBS is co-licensed by UNM and Albuquerque Public Schools and serves central and northern New Mexico.

“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 in a statement. “The opportunity to serve New Mexico — with its rich culture and strong commitment to education and storytelling — is energizing.”

Hoffman was hired at Ball State PBS at the beginning of 2022, according to an Indiana Public Radio news release. The network serves the east-central Indiana region. 

He worked in public media leadership at WUCF PBS and WUCF-FM at the University of Central Florida, served in media roles at the University of Akron and the University of Central Missouri, and worked as a reporter and documentary producer.

Hoffman “is a strong and experienced leader who understands the vital role public media plays in advancing New Mexico,” NMPBS board chair Teresa Costantinidis said in a statement.

Joachim took over leadership at NMPBS in 2013 and will retire on March 31 after five decades in public media. Hoffman will begin at the station on March 24 “to ensure a smooth transition,” university officials said.

Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.