Steven Schupak Brings Decades of Media Expertise to Leadership Role at Maryland Public Television

Steven Schupak assumed the presidency of Maryland Public Television in July 2025, becoming the sixth leader in the organization's 55-year history. His promotion from station manager represents the culmination of a 22-year career at MPT, where he has progressively taken on greater responsibilities in content creation, operations, and financial oversight. The $42 million noncommercial educational media operation, headquartered in Owings Mills, serves as a state licensee member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), making Schupak's leadership transition particularly significant for public media in Maryland.

Schupak's impact on MPT's programming has been substantial since he joined the executive team in 2003. He created Chesapeake Bay Week® in 2005, an annual programming initiative that has received multiple industry awards. Under his content oversight, MPT earned recognition for national productions including the 2014 Star Spangled Spectacular: The Bicentennial of our National Anthem and the 2018 documentary Breaking Heroin's Grip: Road to Recovery, which received major honors. His leadership in growing MPT's position as a digital content provider has been particularly noteworthy, reflecting the evolving landscape of public media distribution.

Before his extensive tenure at MPT, Schupak built a diverse media career that prepared him for his current leadership role. He served as vice president at Henninger Media Services, running the firm's production and distribution group while supplying cable networks and international markets with award-winning programming. His experience includes work at Eon Corporation (formerly TV Answer), a pioneering interactive TV firm, and at COMSAT Video Enterprises, where he developed and produced content for subscription and pay-per-view video services. Schupak launched his television career at the ABC Television Network, serving as production manager for major events including World News Tonight, Monday Night Baseball, Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve, the men's U.S. Open, The America's Cup Race, and the 1986 Liberty Weekend Statue of Liberty Celebration.

Schupak's educational background includes a bachelor's degree in film and television from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University and a master's degree in marketing from the Graduate School of Management & Technology at the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC), where he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2019. His industry recognition includes induction into the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter Silver Circle in 2020, the Maryland International Film Festival's Mendez Award for professional excellence in 2023, and selection as an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record in 2024. Schupak also serves on the board of directors of the National Educational Telecommunications Association and as vice chair of the board of the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California.