WASHINGTON – February 25, 2025 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) today presented the 2025 David J. Brugger Community Leader Award to Garrett King, representing Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA).
Garrett King has been a tireless advocate for public broadcasting, both on the national and state levels. King served on the OETA Board of Directors and is currently Board President of The Friends of OETA, an independent charitable and advocacy group. Additionally, King is a member of the APTS Board of Trustees and serves as Chair of the APTS Board Legislative Policy and Advocacy Committee.
“Garrett King is an extraordinarily effective advocate for public broadcasting, and he has a long and distinguished history as a leader and supporter of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority,” said Kate Riley, President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations. “Garrett’s expertise, creative thinking and exemplary ability to get the job done have been instrumental to public broadcasting’s success protecting and growing federal funding and to OETA’s continued state funding.
“When OETA state funding was under threat two years ago, Garrett was an eloquent and relentless champion for public television with the Oklahoma legislature. His steadfast advocacy and longstanding relationships with state lawmakers were essential in maintaining state funding for the station. Additionally, Garrett’s commitment to engaging with his congressional delegation has been unwavering, helping to enhance congressional understanding of the impact OETA has on the lives of Oklahomans and resulting in strong support for public television from the Oklahoma congressional delegation.
“We are immensely grateful for Garrett’s generous investment of time and energy on behalf of public broadcasting, and we are honored to present the 2025 David J. Brugger Community Leader Award to Garrett King.”
“Garrett King is an exemplary and indefatigable advocate for public media and for the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority,” said Polly Anderson, Executive Director of OETA. “His volunteer work over the years has made an immense difference in the lives of Oklahomans by bringing educational broadcasting to all 77 counties in the state. OETA is as strong as it is today because of Garrett’s tireless devotion to our mission. We are immensely grateful to Garrett King and to APTS for recognizing his good work.”
“I am truly honored to receive this award and I thank my APTS colleagues and commend the hardworking professionals at OETA. I share this national recognition and credit with the large bipartisan majorities in both chambers of the Oklahoma legislature and in the Oklahoma congressional delegation who continue to support OETA’s vital public safety and educational services to all Oklahomans,” King said. “Further, I share this award with my fellow OETA viewers in all 77 counties of the Sooner State who, like me, count on OETA for critical emergency alerts and objective information.”
King served three consecutive terms as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA), Oklahoma’s statewide PBS station, as an appointee of Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin. He currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees of OETA’s designated philanthropic and advocacy auxiliary, Friends Of OETA, Inc.
King currently is employed as Vice President for Institutional Advancement & Chief of Staff to the President at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU). From 2007 to 2014, King served on the personal staff of U.S. Representative Frank D. Lucas (OK-3) where his work focused on issues related to education, agriculture, Indian affairs, energy, transportation and the environment. King represented Oklahoma on the Young Republican National Committee from 2008 to 2013 and in 2009 was named Oklahoma's Young Republican of the Year.
In addition to his extensive volunteering with OETA and APTS, King has served or is serving on the governing boards of the Oklahoma Policy Institute, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy, the General Tommy Franks Leadership Institute & Museum, the Friends of the Weatherford Public Library, the Weatherford Community Habitat for Humanity, the Weatherford Food & Resources Center, Wisdom Knot Basketball Camps, the Oklahoma-Israel Exchange, HOBY Oklahoma and the local advisory board for Hope is Alive Ministries. In 2024 King was named “Weatherford’s Young Professional of the Year” by the Weatherford Area Chamber of Commerce.
King is a fifth-generation Oklahoman and a native of northern Caddo County where he was raised on a peanut farm. He holds an M. Ed. in Social Sciences and in 2025 will complete a Ph.D. in History at the University of Swansea in the United Kingdom. King and his wife, Carissa, reside in Weatherford with their daughters, Nellie and Margie, who attend Weatherford Public Schools. The Kings are members of the Federated Church.
The Brugger Award, named for APTS’s long-time former President and CEO, David Brugger, is presented annually to a community leader who has supported the work of public television through their dedicated leadership and service.
The 2025 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award was presented to Garrett King during the APTS Public Media Summit on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
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About APTS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and community connections to their local areas and the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Contact:
Stacey Karp
202-654-4222
skarp@apts.org