Each week we feature “Meet the Staff Mondays” to help our viewers (and even our own staff members) learn more about the folks who work behind the scenes, out in the community, at locations around the state, and in front of the cameras here at Idaho Public Television. Today we introduce one of our newest employees, Education Specialist Brady Kissel.
IdahoPTV’s Carol Beres sat down with Brady to learn more about what she does as a member of the education team. “I am in charge of the whole South Central region. So, kind of around Twin Falls and out,” Brady says. “And I will travel to all the different libraries, schools and events down there and connect people to different IdahoPTV resources.*”
Brady is an Idaho native, from the Treasure Valley. “I’m from here, out in Meridian. I went to high school at Mountain View.” After high school, she didn’t travel very far for college. At Boise State, Brady earned her bachelor’s degree in both English literature and fine arts. “I am an interdisciplinary artist. So, I do a lot of mixed media installation stuff…a lot of fiber art. Weaving and embroidery.”
Brady was drawn to work at Idaho Public Television for the mission of bringing education to all of Idaho’s kids. “A few months before I started, I read a book called, Sunny Days: The Revolution of Children’s Television and I was just so amazed by it; it’s about the beginning of Sesame Street and The Electric Company, and how they made all these teacher cohorts and got all the information from actual educators,” she says. “The fact that it was connecting educators with a greater resource, a greater power, that was really exciting to me. This job just seemed really perfect when I read the description.”
In her down time, Brady likes to hit the books. “I read a lot. I worked at the Meridian Public Library for seven years and my girlfriend still works there. So we’re big library people.” And when the urge to snack strikes, they make a trip to Taco Bell “once a week.” As far as Brady’s favorite spot in the Gem State, “I’m obsessed with the Oregon Trail…my family lives down in Gooding. I drive through there a lot. I love the landscape and just driving along, pretending you’re a pioneer and this is the first time you’re seeing any of this.” Brady likes to read the diaries of pioneers, especially women. “The wives, who were always like, ‘I never wanted to be here in the first place. But here I am, trying to lead my whole family out here,’” she says. “I just love the resilience.”
Fun fact: Brady watched a lot of The Joy of Painting growing up. At the library, Brady remembers, “I even taught a class for a while. People would come and I was trying to teach the therapeutic benefits of art. Just the process of doing something, not necessarily a masterpiece that he (Bob Ross) was making. We would watch along with the episode and we would paint along with him.”
*If you want to learn more about our resources for kids, check out the Kids menu on our website to see all that we provide — from games and activities, to watching programs with your kids, to managing screen time, to Science Trek, a science-based program for elementary-aged kids; it’s available for free.
Idaho Public Television News 