(Rochester, New York) December 18, 2025 — WXXI Public Media is proud to announce the appointment of Kevin Kalvitis as the organization’s first ever Chief Marketing Officer. A creative leader with a proven track record in transforming brands and driving audience growth, Kalvitis brings 20+ years of marketing and sales experience in the communications industry. In the aftermath of deep federal funding cuts, WXXI looks to adapt its business model to sustain and grow, and the Chief Marketing Officer is a key part of this work.
“As we look to optimize our business model without relying on federal funding, hiring Kevin is essential to our sustainability and future growth,” said WXXI President & CEO Chris Hastings. “His strong background in the media industry and his forward thinking makes him the right leader to help us envision a new future for public media in our community.”
As Chief Marketing Officer, Kalvitis will lead WXXI’s marketing, brand, creative, and corporate sponsorship teams in a unified strategy to grow brand visibility, increase earned revenue and build audience loyalty across all platforms — radio, television, digital, CITY Magazine, and The Little Theatre. He will be responsible for building business development strategies that fuel mission-aligned growth, expand corporate sponsorship, monetize content in new ways, and unlock innovative partnerships across platforms.
“As a proud, lifelong Rochesterian, I’ve always seen WXXI as a trusted voice and a pillar of our community’s storytelling. This is an exciting moment and chance to reimagine how public media connects, engages, and grows moving forward,” said Kalvitis. “I’m honored to join WXXI and look forward to working with such talented teams to strengthen our brand, deepen audience relationships, and foster innovative partnerships that will ensure our essential service thrives for generations to come.”
Throughout his career, Kalvitis has helped companies, from startups to established brands, define their voice, build audience connections, and drive measurable results through strategic, creative solutions. He has led marketing efforts at Greenlight Networks, News10 NBC, Mason Marketing, and 13 WHAM.
Kalvitis will begin his new role on Monday, January 5, 2026.
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