Anthony “Tony” Papa is an Emmy® Award-winning executive and producer recognized for his leadership at the intersection of media, technology, and business innovation. With a distinguished record of achievement across public broadcasting, entertainment, and digital media, Tony combines creative vision, technical expertise, and fiscal discipline to transform ideas into compelling, multi-platform content that engages audiences and drives organizational growth.
As Executive Consultant for KLCS Public Media, Tony applies his extensive experience in media operations, digital transformation, and strategic planning to guide the Los Angeles educational television station through an evolving public media landscape. His work focuses on leveraging emerging technologies, audience engagement strategies, and process efficiencies to strengthen KLCS’s public service mission and digital reach.
Tony began his public media career at KVCR Public Media, advancing from television producer and post-production consultant to Director of Operations for the PBS | NPR station and First Nations Experience (FNX)—the nation’s only television network dedicated to Native American and Indigenous programming. There, he successfully managed a $16 million facility renovation, delivering the project on schedule and $170,000 under budget. His leadership modernized the station through digital monetization initiatives, mobile and streaming platforms, podcasting partnerships, and enhanced reporting systems. Tony also introduced cloud-based production tools and financial workflow improvements that increased accountability and operational efficiency.
His programming achievements include 21st Century Dialogues, IE Latino Voices, and Inland Edition—projects designed to foster civic discourse and broaden community representation. In 2022, he secured a $1.4 million educational grant to executive produce Learn with Me, a bilingual children’s animated series that received the 56th Annual Public Media Award. His financial stewardship yielded $2.8 million in cost savings during Fiscal Years 2020–2021 and guided an $8 million annual operating budget across television, radio, FNX, a nonprofit foundation, and nearly 30 grant-funded programs.
Before his public broadcasting tenure, Tony contributed to numerous high-profile productions and digital media ventures. His credits include work on National Geographic’s Emmy® Award-winning documentary Science Fair and production partnerships with SoulPancake (Disney/ABC Digital) and LightWorkers Media (MGM). As producer and editor of The Terry Kath Experience, he premiered the documentary at the Toronto International Film Festival and secured worldwide distribution through FilmRise. His broader production portfolio includes more than 200 projects for global brands such as Facebook, American Express, MTV, Sony, Honda Music, Uproxx, Vogue Italia, and Vanity Fair.
Earlier in his career, Tony demonstrated his entrepreneurial and technical leadership as Vice President of Web Development at CarsDirect.com (Idealab), where he co-authored the company’s business plan, led engineering and content teams, and contributed to a $350 million Series C funding round. He also served as Marketing Manager for Dental Advantage, developing a CRM software platform and driving nearly $900,000 in sales within a quarter.
Tony holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California Lutheran University and is an alumnus of the PBS Executive Leadership Program at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Tony enjoys hiking, running, and camping in the mountains. An avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, he has whitewater rafted in Costa Rica and aspires to one day enjoy orecchiette with broccoli rabe in Volturara Appula, Italy—the hometown of his great-grandparents.