Joseph Tovares has been named vice president and chief content and engagement officer at WMHT Public Media, a locally-owned, not-for-profit organization.

The company launched a nationwide search earlier this year. Tovares will begin his new job on April 22.

Prior to WMHT, Tovares worked as an independent producer and media consultant. Among his clients are The Boston Globe, WNET, and Harvard University, according to a release from WMHT; he has expertise in a variety of areas — management, business development, documentary and studio production, digital media, and philanthropy.

Tovares has a long history in public media. He served as the senior vice president and chief content officer at the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB) where he oversaw the Diversity and Innovation Fund, worked closely with Independent Television Service (ITVS), supporting specials such as “Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” “All The Difference,” “TED Talks: War and Peace,” and many other high-profile projects.

As a producer, Tovares’s credits include “Zoot Suit Riots” and “Remember the Alamo,” two films for The American Experience.