Read the September 2023 issue of Justin Chapman's free Substack email newsletter, featuring the return of his band Whatnot after 20 years, an interview with ArtCenter College of Design president Karen Hofmann on the TV show "Pasadena Monthly," stories to keep an eye on, book recommendations, and more!

Pasadena Media’s award-nominated local TV talk show, “Pasadena Monthly with Justin Chapman,” formerly known as the award-winning “NewsRap Local with Justin Chapman,” continues this Friday at 5 p.m. PT on Pasadena Media’s cable TV channels and streaming apps. The episode will feature a discussion with Karen Hofmann, the sixth and current president and CEO of ArtCenter College of Design.

Hofmann is an educator and industrial designer, and the first woman, alumna and Provost to serve as ArtCenter’s president. As ArtCenter Provost, she led a process to envision the “Future of Education 2030” and helped lead the College through the pandemic, pivoting to a remote teaching and learning environment and ensuring a safe return to campus.

Prior to being named provost, she served as chair of ArtCenter’s Product Design department and taught at the College. In 2018, she was presented with the Industrial Designers Society of America Education Award in recognition of her significant and distinguished contributions to the field of industrial design education. DesignIntelligence, published by the Design Futures Council, named her one of their Most Admired Educators.

Hofmann graduated from ArtCenter in 1997 with a bachelor of science degree in product design and earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from California State University, Northridge in 1990. She currently serves on the advisory board of the MADWORKSHOP Foundation, supporting artists and designers who will make radical, sustainable and lasting contributions to the design discourse and society at large. She serves as a board member of Full Circle which provides scholarships and funding for programs to support ArtCenter students during their educational journey.

“Pasadena Monthly” airs at 5 p.m. PT on the fourth Friday of every month on Pasadena Media’s Arroyo Channel and streaming apps, available on channel 99 on AT&T U-verse, channel 32 on Charter Spectrum, YouTube, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku. The show is written, hosted and produced by Chapman, directed and edited by Jeffrey Stanfill and executive produced by George Falardeau, CEO and executive director of Pasadena Media.

“This is must-watch television each month for everyone who cares about this city,” Falardeau said.

Earlier this year, Chapman won two 1st place journalism awards from the Los Angeles Press Club, as well as a 3rd place award and two finalist positions. He has won a total of nine awards from the LA Press Club in recent years, including three 1st place awards. Last year, the previous iteration of the show, “NewsRap Local,” won a 2nd place award in News Programming at the Alliance for Community Media West’s WAVE video awards.

Guests on “Pasadena Monthly” and “NewsRap Local” have included Congress member Judy Chu (D-27); Congress member Adam Schiff (D-28); Assembly member Chris Holden (D-41); Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo; Pasadena city manager Miguel Márquez; LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger; JPL director Dr. Laurie Leshin; and many others.

Chapman was the youngest elected official in LA County when he served on the Altadena Town Council at age 19. He has served on a number of local boards and wrote hundreds of articles for two dozen print and digital publications, including KPCC/LAist, Alta Journal, Huffington Post, LA Weekly, Irish Post, Berkeley Political Review, Pasadena Weekly, Pasadena Star-News, Pasadena Now and many others. He currently serves as the District 6 Council Liaison/Field Representative to Pasadena City Councilmember Steve Madison.

Learn more at justindouglaschapman.com and pasadenamedia.org.