Theresa Navarro

Theresa Navarro is the Deputy Director of Advancement & Strategy at KALW Public Media. She manages the Development team with a focus on fundraising strategy, institutional storytelling, and partnership development.

Theresa's career in media spans over two decades. Before joining KALW, she held leadership positions at Catapult Film Fund and American Documentary, the producer of long-running PBS series ‘POV.’ An Independent Spirit Award-nominated producer, her credits include Peabody Award-winning anthology series ‘America Reframed,’ Sundance Award-winning fiction film ‘Advantageous,’ and feature length documentary ‘What We Become,’ acquired by ARRAY for Netflix. Theresa was selected for the prestigious Rockwood Institute Documentary Fellowship in 2023, and has been featured on juries, panels, and workshops including Allied Media Conference, CAAMfest, Australian International Documentary Conference, DOC NYC, and SXSW, among others.

A proud product of California public schools, Theresa holds undergraduate degrees in history and ethnic studies from the University of California at Riverside and completed her graduate work at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. She currently serves as an appointed commissioner for the Alameda County Arts Commission representing District 2 (Hayward, Fremont, Union City), and cultural envoy for the American Film Showcase, the premier film diplomacy program produced by USC School of Cinematic Arts and the U.S. State Department during the Biden administration.

Born and raised in the East Bay, Theresa is a Libra sun who is bringing up her young daughters among extended kin and beloved community. When not working, she is exploring new playgrounds with her family, connecting with friends over coffee (or karaoke!), and trying to keep her plants alive.