KPBS 2018 Hall of Fame Honorees Announced

KPBS is announcing station supporters and local philanthropists Sandra Timmons and Rick Sandstrom, and Catherine Stiefel and Keith Behner as the 2018 honorees to be inducted as Visionaries into the KPBS Hall of Fame. Established in 2010, the KPBS Hall of Fame honors the individuals and families who have made KPBS one of the leading public media organizations in the country.

“Sandra and Rick, and Cathy and Keith have made an incredible impact on KPBS,” said KPBS General Manager Tom Karlo. “Their leadership and generosity inspires each of us to examine the value public media has in our lives and to ensure a bright future for years to come.”

Encinitas residents Sandra Timmons and Rick Sandstrom have been involved with KPBS for almost 40 years. Rick co-founded CYMER and served as senior vice president and chief technical advisor. Sandy has dedicated herself to the education of children and adolescents, believing it is core to democracy. She also worked as a producer and writer for KPBS in the early 1980s. In addition to being members of the KPBS Producers Club, Sandy and Rick have made major gifts to support science and technology reporting as well as the general fund.

“KPBS is a family,” says Sandra Timmons. “It’s been friendships. It’s been work. It’s an organization that we’re really proud to be a part of.”

Catherine Stiefel and Keith Behner are passionate supporters of KPBS. Cathy is a certified public accountant with more than 20 years of business experience. Keith is a retired city planner and land-use planning consultant. The Point Loma couple is active in many non-profit and charitable organizations like SDSU, San Diego Zoo, Barrio Logan College Institute, and San Diego Coastkeeper. Their philanthropy has focused on conservation and sustainable causes and they have supported KPBS’ coverage of the environment.

“We operate a charitable fund that supports three broad areas, education, environmental sustainability, and social justice,” says Keith Behner. “These are the topics that KPBS covers very well indeed, so we really appreciate the job that KPBS and PBS do.”

An event to celebrate the couples’ induction will take place on Saturday, May 12, 2018, at the Lodge at Torrey Pines. NPR White House Correspondent Scott Horsley will be the featured guest and will speak about his experiences covering the White House, the role media has in today’s democracy, and the future of non-profit journalism.

Since its inception in 2010, more than 23 honorees have been recognized in the KPBS Hall of Fame for their work, philanthropy, and leadership.The Visionaries are generous supporters and leaders whose commitment helps KPBS advance its mission and service to the community. Past Visionary honorees include MASTERPIECE Trust donor Darlene Shiley, major donors to the KPBS Newsroom Joan and Irwin Jacobs, and former SDSU President Stephen Weber and Susan Weber.

The KPBS Hall of Fame 2018 Celebration is sponsored by the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation with additional support from Honorary Committee members including chairs Carol Vassiliadis, Fenner Milton, and Dick and Carol Hertzberg. Tickets to attend the event are $200 each or $2,000 for a table of ten. Details and registration information are available online.

About KPBS:

KPBS serves San Diego and Imperial counties with trusted news and programs that inspire, respect and educate. KPBS delivers this content to more than one million audience members weekly via multiple outlets, including television, radio and digital media. As a public service of San Diego State University, education is a core value – from our children’s programming to our local news coverage. KPBS is committed to being a reliable source for in-depth, thoughtful and high-quality content. For more information, visit kpbs.org.