President and CEO

Before being selected by AKPM, Ulman served as Development Director, Interim General Manager, and after a national search that concluded in 2014, Executive Director and General Manager for KBTC Public Television. Based in Tacoma, WA, KBTC reaches 1.8 million TV households and 4.3 million viewers in the Seattle/Tacoma Designated Market Area.

Under Ulman’s leadership, significant growth in viewership, resources, partnerships and communityengagement occurred. According to November 2014 Nielsen data, over 900,000 viewers tune into KBTC each week, nearly double the viewership of 2012 — due in large part to a revamped programming strategy; a major station rebranding campaign; a long-term community engagement strategy; and a recommitment to local, regional and national public affairs.

In 2013, PBS President Paula Kerger acknowledged KBTC’s Ready To Learn partnership with the Tacoma Housing Authority in an interview on CNN and again, at the PBS Annual Meeting. With his Seattle counterpart at KCTS 9, Ulman received the Association of Public Television Stations 2015 National Advocacy Award. In addition to his public television responsibilities, Ulman served as Dean of Instruction for the Bates Technical College broadcast, audio, video production and digital media programs.

Ed is also a jazz musician and an art enthusiast. Ulman began his public broadcasting career, first as volunteer fundraising talent on KUAT-TV and KUAZ-FM in Tucson, Arizona, and then at New Mexico PBS in Albuquerque, where as the Education and Outreach Manager, he led teams that earned a National Educational Television Association award for Take One Step: A Women’s Health Initiative in 2007 and a PBS Development Award for KNME Science Central in 2008. He has served on the PBS Teacher’s Advisory Panel, the WGBH Teacher’s Domain Implementation Advisory Committee and KCET’s A Place of Our Own Station Advisory Committee.