ITVS Announces Leadership Transition

Independent Television Service (ITVS) today announced that President and CEO Carrie Lozano has stepped down from her role to focus on treating a complex autoimmune condition. The ITVS Board of Directors has appointed public media leader and Independent Lens founding executive producer Lois Vossen as Interim President and CEO, effective August 6, 2026, while the Board conducts a national search for the organization’s next president and CEO.

During her tenure, Lozano led ITVS during public media’s defunding crisis and stabilized the organization, enabling it to innovate and present high-impact films through new funding and distribution initiatives and a robust partnership with PBS. During her tenure, ITVS garnered numerous accolades and high-profile premieres with films like Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore and American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez.  

“Carrie has led ITVS with vision, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to independent storytelling during one of the most consequential periods in public media,” said ITVS Board Chair Garry Denny. “We are deeply grateful for her dedication and service to ITVS and wish her all the best as she focuses on her health.”

Board Chair Denny continued, “ITVS enters this next chapter from a position of strength, with an exceptional team, enduring partnerships, and a deep commitment to independent filmmakers. We are fortunate that Lois Vossen has agreed to serve as interim president and CEO. Throughout her career at ITVS, Lois has championed documentary film, helped shape the organization’s creative vision, and expanded the reach and impact of its work. She is uniquely positioned to lead ITVS through this transition as we begin the search for our next president and CEO.”

Vossen brings more than three decades of leadership at ITVS, where she’s been a driving force behind the organization’s mission to bring bold, human-centered documentaries to public media audiences nationwide. Under Vossen, Independent Lens has become one of the most impactful documentary series in the country, engaging millions of viewers each year while earning 28 Emmy Awards, 27 Peabody Awards, and 10 Academy Award nominations. As a champion of change and adaptation, she has helped usher ITVS into the streaming age by expanding its presence on YouTube, embracing the work of vertical video creators, and advancing innovations that have broadened the organization’s reach.

“The world needs ITVS more than ever because diverse voices and independent storytellers must be heard,” said Vossen. “At a pivotal moment for public media, I’m honored to serve as interim president and CEO alongside an extraordinary team whose talent, creativity, and unwavering commitment to our mission inspire me every day. The public is counting on us, and ITVS will remain committed to our mission to support independent creators, strengthen partnerships across media, and help people understand themselves, each other, and the world around them.”

“Lois Vossen has long been a valued partner to the Television Academy and a respected leader whose work has elevated documentary storytelling within the industry. She understands the power of exceptional storytelling to inform, inspire, and connect audiences, and I know ITVS will benefit from her steady leadership during this transition,” said Maury McIntyre, president and chief executive officer of the Television Academy. 

Long recognized as a force for innovation and diversity within public television, ITVS is working alongside partners, funders, and creators reshaping the future of media that serves the public interest. Throughout this leadership transition, ITVS will continue its mission in supporting independent storytellers, strengthening partnerships across media, and ensuring that inclusive storytelling continues to reach audiences wherever they are.

URL Media is conducting a national search for the organization’s next president and CEO. 

About ITVS 

Independent Television Service (ITVS) is the largest co-producer of independent documentaries in the United States. For more than 30 years the San Francisco nonprofit has funded and partnered with documentary filmmakers to produce and distribute untold stories. ITVS incubates and co-produces these award-winning titles and premieres them on our Emmy Award-winning PBS series, INDEPENDENT LENS. ITVS titles appear on PBS, WORLD, NETA, and can be streamed on various digital platforms including the PBS app. ITVS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Park Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. For more information, visit itvs.org.

About Independent Lens

INDEPENDENT LENS is an award-winning documentary series that fosters understanding, seeks to build empathy, and encourages a more united society. Produced by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS documentaries have premiered on PBS for 25 years and streamed on YouTube, helping Americans foster deeper connections between communities and themselves. From the Oscar-nominated “I Am Not Your Negro” to the Peabody-acclaimed docuseries “Philly D.A.” and the Emmy Award-winning “The Invisible War,” INDEPENDENT LENS provides viewers with in-depth, nuanced storytelling reflecting the experiences of people from a variety of voices and communities. INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting: a private corporation funded by the American People, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Acton Family Giving, Park Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation. Stream anytime on the PBS app or YouTube. Learn more at pbs.org/independentlens.