About

Kristin Pederson joined Twin Cities PBS in 2001. She has developed, contributed to and led projects supported by the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Institutes of Health, and NASA, as well as multiple corporations and foundations. While Kristin focused on multiple STEM projects, such as SciGirls and When Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time, she has developed and led outreach, engagement, and promotion on many of TPT’s award-winning general audience projects. These include Depression: Out of the Shadows, The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s, The New Medicine, FAT: What No One Is Telling You, Slavery by Another Name, and Constitution USA with Peter Sagal. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Speech communications from St. Olaf College and a Master of Arts in English and Communication Development from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.

Caylee leads TPT’s efforts to create educational programs for adults, educators, and families. She develops standards-based learning resources that go along with TPT’s media and works closely with the PBS LearningMedia team. She loves to share her passion for learning with others and you can find her at community events such as our Summer STEM events with MELSA libraries, Viewers Like Us Clubs, or educator workshops around the state of Minnesota.

Katie Hessen serves as Executive Producer and Manager of Children’s Media & Education in the Twin Cities PBS Lifelong Learning Department. In her role, she works with both production and education teams, focusing on creating and distributing media and educational materials nationwide. Katie provides support to organizations across the country in implementing education programs through various means such as webinars, in-person and online trainings, and curated online tools. She holds the position of Science Producer for the Emmy award-winning PBS Kids series SciGirls and is the Executive Producer for the new digital series Book Drop. Her passion for science education is underscored by her MS in geophysics and over 15 years of dedicated experience in the field. Her prior experience includes teaching college physics and astronomy, working in science museums, contributing to NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter education team, and coaching high school robotics. Katie is committed to inspiring the next generation of learners through her work at the intersection of media and education.

Niki Beverly is the Project Manager for Lifelong Learning. She manages partner relationships, designs and facilitates professional development trainings, creates educational resources, and manages Twin Cities PBS’s Education websites. Niki received her certification as a Professional Project Manager from St. Thomas University. She has a history in public media, beginning with her work at Minnesota Public Radio in the Human Resources and Marketing departments before joining Twin Cities PBS in 2012.

Kalia Vue, Ph.D., is the General Audience Engagement Specialist for Lifelong Learning, where she supports educational programs for adult and intergenerational learners. She received her Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning from The Ohio State University. Her research in informal learning focuses on asset-based pedagogies, highlighting the voices of BIPOC and underrepresented individuals, refugees, and immigrants, all within the context of social justice education. Kalia is committed to creating inclusive and engaging educational programs that empower diverse audiences to share their stories. She draws from her educational background and experience in informal learning environments, such as museums and cultural institutions, bringing a diverse perspective to her work.

Anee Thor is the Educational Engagement Specialist for Lifelong Learning. She manages partner relationships, facilitates STEM professional development, and actively engages with partners to run STEM programming. Anee has a strong background in the afterschool space and the school system, where she has consistently demonstrated her passion for educating youth workers. She is dedicated to providing youth with the best possible experiences in their programs and is always exploring new and creative ways to engage and inspire them.

Kevin coordinates the marketing and communication needs of the Lifelong Learning team on platforms such as Facebook, email newsletters, and the TPT website. As a former youth worker and out-of-school educator, Kevin is deeply passionate about sharing the breadth of resources TPT and PBS has to offer with educators, parents, and caregivers.

Julie is the Lead Administrative Specialist for the TPT Lifelong Learning team, providing strategic support for initiatives that serve pre-K-12 students, educators, parents/caregivers, and the general audience. Her work involves coordinating national and local programs, which includes media production, the development of instructional and learning resources, partnership coordination, and the creation of digital and in-person programming. With a background in marketing and community relations, Julie brings substantial experience to her role. She holds a degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability.

Mai Yang has been an educator for five years. Passionate about both STEM and the great outdoors, she believes in hands-on learning and making education an exciting adventure. At TPT, Mai is delighted to bring STEM programs out into the community, connecting people with the wonders of science and technology.