Kentucky Educational Television’s executive director and CEO Shae Hopkins, who led the public television network for more than 17 years while the network amassed viewers and brought in regional and national awards, died Thursday. She was 69.
Hopkins had planned to retire from her role at the end of the year while a search committee looked for her replacement.
“Hopkins was admired and beloved by her coworkers, board members, volunteers, and colleagues throughout the public broadcasting system. Her impact was far-reaching, and her loss will be felt for many years to come,” a Friday press release stated.
Hopkins served in several management positions over her four decades at the network, including Deputy Director of Programming, Production and Education, according to a past press release. Under her leadership, the number of users of KET’s programs and services has reached over 2 million a week, and the network has won dozens of national and regional awards, according to the release.
In 2025, Hopkinsreceived the Daniel Miller Station Leadership Award from PBS as recognition for her decades of service to KET.
In a provided statement, Kentucky House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, said he extended his “heartfelt condolences to her family, close friends, and the men and women she led at KET.”
“I am deeply saddened by the passing of Shae Hopkins, whose life and career were defined by an extraordinary commitment to the commonwealth and the people who call Kentucky home. For more than 40 years, Shae dedicated herself to Kentucky Educational Television and understood the important role it plays in bringing people together,” Osborne said. “Through her leadership, she helped connect Kentuckians to one another and to the many remarkable people, places, traditions and stories that make our commonwealth special. Her work allowed us to see the very best of our commonwealth, while still challenging us to be better and do better. She believed in Kentucky, recognized the incredible things happening in communities across our state and made it her life’s work to share those stories with the world.”
“We are grateful for her remarkable service and the legacy she leaves behind,” Osborne said.
The Friday press release stated she was preceded in death by her father, former Congressman Larry J. Hopkins, and is survived by her mother, Carolyn Pennebaker Hopkins, brother Josh Hopkins, sister Tara Hopkins West, three children, five grandchildren, as well as longtime companion Bud McSpadden.
Arrangements are pending, according to KET.
This story was originally published by the Kentucky Lantern.
