The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes about $450 million annually to public radio and television stations, funding everything from “Frontline” to “Radiolab.” Patricia de Stacy Harrison, the group’s chief executive, is the one holding the purse strings.

In the role for well over a decade, Ms. Harrison brings a diverse skill set to the job. She served as an assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs under Colin L. Powell, was co-chair of the Republican National Committee and before that founded a public relations firm.

A Brooklyn native with deep ties in Washington, Ms. Harrison draws on her political network when championing public media. While the Corporation for Public Broadcasting does not produce any programming, it is the steward of the federal appropriations to public media, distributing millions of dollars to organizations like National Public Radio, PBS and local television stations around the country.

In recent years, President Trump has suggested eliminating funding for the corporation. So far, that hasn’t happened. But with her organization under attack from the president and with the media industry in flux, Ms. Harrison believes that public media’s mission — producing nonpartisan, commercial-free, educational content — is more important than ever.

This interview, which was condensed and edited for clarity, was conducted in New York City.

I’d like to talk about what it was like for you growing up.

This is hard for me.

Why?

Because I’m used to testifying.

Just pretend I’m Congress.

I don’t know. I’ve spent most of my life not talking about me. I have this theory about social media and the press. The more you’re out there, it doesn’t matter what you say, but there are now legions of people who will not only push back but come with threats and all kinds of stuff. That’s part of the reason I wanted to do this. To not do it sort of gives in to what’s happening today.

So what was your childhood like?

I was thinking about this, which I never do, and I don’t like to. But I was thinking of who my mentor was, and it was Brooklyn. Brooklyn was the biggest influence on my life, rather than any particular person. Now Brooklyn is all artisan cheese and all that crap. But when I was growing up, it was working class, lower and burgeoning middle class.

I didn’t have parents who said, “My darling, anything you want to do, you can do.” They were like, “Work hard. Then we’ll see.”

What was your first job?

I got a job at a department store in Downtown Brooklyn. But it wasn’t behind a counter. It was in the back room putting on price tags. I thought, “I’m never going to be in a back room as long as I live again.” It was horrible.

So you went to college.

I did, but the whole family had to get together in a meeting. Why was I going out of town? Why wasn’t Brooklyn good enough? My whole life was discussed by aunts and uncles. “Who’s out there? Why would you want to go? What’s in Washington? It’s a terrible place.”

What did you study?

I was an English major with a history minor. I thought, “This is like being paid to read books.” I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am.

Looking back, memory is so faulty. You pick certain memories to support what you already want to believe about yourself. Nothing was tougher than Brooklyn. So everything seemed like a piece of cake once I got out of that place and escaped. But it was great. I felt sorry for people who didn’t live in New York.

What did you do after college?

I got married, and my husband and I created a public affairs firm that we eventually sold. We had clients who wanted to talk to politicians, so once a month we would have this lunch at the Willard and clients would pay to have conversations with a Bob Dole, a John Dingell, all off the record. I built up a lot of my political relationships through that.

So you’re the one that brought money into politics.

Yes. I am. Hashtag I’m dead.