Jonathan Barzilay

As Chief Operating Officer, Jonathan Barzilay works closely with PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger to ensure that all PBS services and activities are strategically aligned with the organization’s vision and mission. He is also charged with ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to meet business objectives, system priorities, and marketplace challenges and opportunities.

Mr. Barzilay joined PBS in 2015 from the Ford Foundation, where he served as Director, Freedom of Expression, managing the nonprofit grant-making organization’s global programs in Media and Arts & Culture. He directed the foundation’s work in support of public-service journalism, innovative business models for news programming, and press freedom, as well as support for artists and cultural institutions in diverse communities across the United States.

Before coming to the Ford Foundation, Mr. Barzilay served as Senior Vice President and head of content at Qualcomm’s mobile television service, FLO TV, where he was responsible for leading programming, content acquisition and development, and consumer research. Prior to that, he was Senior Vice President and General Manager at CBS Interactive, where he was responsible for all operations at the CBS.com and StarTrek.com websites, including the development of original online series and the launch of an online video player.

Previously, Mr. Barzilay was Senior Vice President at Disney/ABC Cable Networks and General Manager at Toon Disney and ABC Kids. In that role, he oversaw all operations at cable network Toon Disney and the ABC Kids children’s programming lineup on ABC-TV, including programming, marketing, business and operations. During the course of his 15-year career at Disney/ABC, he held numerous management posts, including Vice President and General Manager, ABC Children’s Programming; and Vice President, ABC Television Network Group. As a member of ABC’s legal department, he counseled ABC News and ABC Broadcasting on legal and regulatory matters.

Mr. Barzilay began his career as an attorney in private practice in New York, focusing on entertainment law and First Amendment issues. He received his A.B. from Harvard University and his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.