A fourth-generation Californian, Mary G. F. Bitterman became President and Chief Executive Officer of KQED, Inc. on November 1, 1993. Previously, Dr. Bitterman served as Executive Director of the Hawaii Public Broadcasting Authority, Director of the Voice of America, Director of the Hawaii State Department of Commerce and Consumer Affiars, and Director of the East-West Center's Institute of Culture and Communication.

Dr. Bitterman has served on various committees of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and on the boards of the Pacific Mountain Network, Hawaii Public Radio, the Pacific Telecommunications Council, and the International Center for Communications in San Diego. She has been vice president of TIDE 2000, an international telecommunications development consortium. She has produced several documentaries for public television and has written numerous papers on telecommunications development and the role of media in developing societies. She is an Honorary Member of the National Presswomen's Federation and a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.

Dr. Bitterman received her B.A. from Santa Clara University and her M.A. and Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College.