Stephanie Budaker

Program Coordinator

Tim Dotson

Vice President, Development

With over 25 years working in the broadcasting industry, Tim knows a thing or two about broadcast sales and management. As the Director of Development, Tim takes the lead on the fundraising, sponsorships and donation funding that help support our programs, initiatives and events.

From Hearst Television (WBAL-TV) to Allbritton Communications (WJLA-TV), from Scripps Howard Broadcasting (WMAR-TV) to Sinclair Broadcast Group (WBFF-TV and WJLA), Tim understands what it takes to stand out in this industry to meet and exceed sales revenue goals.

Tim works closely with industry-specific and related businesses to identify partnership opportunities and help both sides reach business goals together. From recruiting the next generation of sales professionals or securing your seat at the Celebration of Service to America Awards, Tim works tirelessly to ensure your organization and brand is involved and exposed to the current and aspiring leaders of our industry.

When Tim isn’t capitalizing on the Foundation’s funding and future, you can find him spending time with his family or catching up on the latest binge-worthy television series.

Why do you enjoy working for the NAB Leadership Foundation?

I enjoy working for the Foundation because in my role as director of Development, I have the opportunity to collaborate with all broadcast groups. I work with executives from every broadcast company, creating partnerships that involve their people in our programs. It is a true win/win, as they benefit by providing leadership training to their own people while supporting the Foundation. When I reach out to a broadcaster or a broadcast-related vendor with an opportunity and they say, “This is perfect, just exactly what we have been looking for,” it makes my day.

Looking to partner with the NAB Leadership Foundation or want to learn more about our programs, initiative and events? Reach out to Tim to learn more about how we are shaping the future of broadcasting.

Paloma Johnson-Walker

Program Manager

As the Education Program Coordinator, Paloma ensures all our programs and initiatives exceed participant expectations and help shape the future of broadcasting.

From matching mentors with college students to analyzing speaker and program evaluations, Paloma specializes in managing our programs and supporting the workforce of our industry. With over 40 program participants, Paloma works with individuals, partners and institutions to improve the quality of our program content and finding the best ways to expand program experiences outside the classroom.

As the NAB Leadership Insights podcast producer, Paloma is dedicated to giving the people who work in our industry a platform to discuss the industry’s future. She ensures the podcast provides leadership and industry insights and empowers students to display their expertise and knowledge.

When Paloma isn’t developing our future programs, you can find her supporting her NBA team, the Washington Wizards, producing podcasts or whipping up a delicious matcha tea.

Why do you enjoy working for the NAB Leadership Foundation?

I enjoy working for the NAB Leadership Foundation because of the people we serve and the experiences we create. I get to be inspired by college students with dreams of making a difference in broadcasting and to learn from top-level executives who are making that difference. This job is more than a job for me: it aligns with my mission to increase diversity in the communities we serve and every day I get to work with a great team of genuine people who know that the future of broadcasting is necessary and vital.

Curious to learn more about our programs or application process? Reach out to Paloma to learn more about program development and how these programs help shape the future of broadcasting.

Sue Kim

Senior Manager, Marketing and Events

Sue Kim is a career marketing professional who has worked with a wide variety of non-profits and professional associations and excels in developing and managing creative outreach campaigns. She is especially interested in applying data analytics and business intelligence to inform marketing decisions and enjoys learning and trying new technology platforms. As the Senior Manager, Marketing and Events, Sue supports the promotion and engagement efforts of all the foundation programs, industry events and awards, and fundraising initiatives. Away from the office, she spends time with her rescue pets and loves a good crossword.

Why do you enjoy working for the NAB Leadership Foundation?

Being part of a mission-driven organization that prioritizes education and diversity is very important to me. I’m excited about influencing current and future leaders, and I truly enjoy interacting with so many interesting and innovative people. I love my team, and it’s fun to work with such an enthusiastic and passionate group.

Questions about the communications and marketing activities of the foundation? Contact Sue Kim to learn more.

Pamela Cervera

Senior Program Manager

Pam Cervera manages various initiatives, including the flagship Broadcast Leadership Training (BLT) program, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Prior to joining the NAB Leadership Foundation, Cervera served as a senior account manager at Ruder Finn Public Relations working as a liaison between the Ford Motor Company Fund and a number of national Latino organizations and grantees. She has also worked in development and partnership roles with The League of United Latin American Citizens and the Aspen Institute, as well as serving as a Teach For America corps member teaching Spanish to middle schoolers. Cervera has a bachelor’s degree in American studies from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Amanda McMahon

Operations Coordinator

Artie Altman

Executive Vice President
Katz TV Group

Artie started his career in media sales at MMT in New York in 1986. In 1995, he left to launch United Television Sales as New York manager and director of Sales for the Chris Craft Television Group.

In 2001 he joined the local sales staff at Tribune-owned WPIX 11 in New York.

During that time, he was recruited by The Katz Television Group to run the newly acquired and consolidated Sinclair Broadcast Group sales teams.

In 2012 he was promoted to his current role as executive vice president, where his days are spent cultivating and maintaining relationships with station owners, sales managers, agency local broadcast directors and media buyers. He feels fortunate to count many of these colleagues as friends. In addition, Artie maintains oversight of the Katz New York office and New York sales training program.

Artie serves on the TVB Board of Directors and is a member of the Broadcasters Foundation of America.

Artie’s sometimes known as one half of the first couple of New York media after 36 years of marriage to Randy Altman, a seasoned media professional who, after a career in local broadcast buying, recently landed on the side of sales for ProvantageX selling and developing enterprise level media automation software.

Media runs in his DNA: his son Bryan is a social media strategist for Conde Nast and his daughter in law Jessica is senior video/audio media strategist for OpAd media in New York City. Daughter Lindsay works in New York City as an occupational therapist. Artie’s sister Candy Altman is a very well respected and now retired vice president of News, having spent more than 30 years with Hearst Television. Together Candy and her husband Joe Bergantino, a respected TV news journalist and director of the New England Center for Investigative Reporting, stay involved teaching and promoting ethics in journalism and reporting.

Catherine Badalamente

President and Chief Executive Officer
Graham Media Group

Catherine Badalamente is the President & Chief Executive Officer for Graham Media Group, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). In her role, Badalamente oversees seven local media hubs — each in a top-71 market, representing just under 7% coverage in the U.S. The television stations, web, and mobile platforms are recognized as news leaders across the media spectrum: KPRC-Houston (NBC); WDIV-Detroit (NBC); WKMG-Orlando (CBS); KSAT-San Antonio (ABC); a duopoly in Jacksonville: WJXT (Fully Local) and WCWJ (CW); and WSLS-Roanoke (NBC). GMG also owns Graham Digital, a digital media and technology development group based in Detroit, and Atlanta-based Social News Desk, a leading provider of social media management tools designed to connect newsrooms with their users.

Badalamente has been at the forefront of the changing television landscape and transition to new media throughout her career. Before being named CEO, she held the role of VP, Chief Innovation Officer since 2019 overseeing digital sales, content, and technology for GMG and served as VP, of Digital Media since 2012, helping to create successful multi-platform convergent campaigns for clients and stations and was successful at driving growth in both audience and revenue for the group.

Badalamente began her Graham Media Group career in 2000 at WDIV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit. There she held a variety of roles including Director of New Business Development from 2006 to 2010. She began her television career as an Account Executive at WKYC, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland in 1997.

Badalamente is chair of the board of directors of the Local Media Association, serves as treasurer of the board of directors of the Local Media Foundation, and is a member of the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters and the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation. She is the immediate past chair of the National Association of Broadcasters Digital Officer Committee.

Lynn Beall

Executive Vice President and COO
TEGNA Inc.

As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Media Operations for TEGNA Inc., Lynn Beall leads operations across the company’s 64 broadcast stations, reaching approximately thirty-nine percent of all television households nationwide. This includes setting the vision and strategy for content and sales innovation initiatives that are transforming local journalism and marketing solutions in the digital age. Due to these efforts, TEGNA has won more national Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University, Edward R. Murrow, and Peabody awards than any other local broadcaster in the past five years.

Beall is currently chair of the CBS Television Affiliates Association Board, vice chair of the National Association of Broadcasters Television Board and serves on the T. Howard Foundation Board of Directors. In 2018, Beall received the Alliance for Women in Media’s Gracie Leadership Award recognizing the media industry’s outstanding business leaders.

Previously, Beall was executive vice president and senior vice president of Gannett Broadcasting, positions she held while President and General Manager of KSDK-TV, the NBC affiliate in St. Louis, MO. Earlier, Beall was Gannett Television's general executive, working with stations on special projects and retransmission agreements. Prior to her corporate roles, Beall held marketing, programming, and sales positions at five TEGNA stations, including WUSA in Washington, DC; KPNX in Phoenix, AZ; KTHV in Little Rock, AR; WKYC in Cleveland, OH and KSDK in St. Louis, MO. She has twice been named Manager of the Year during her tenure.

She has previously served as a board member or advisor for organizations including the Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the St. Louis affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the Urban League, and the St. Louis Sports Commission Board.

Caroline Beasley

CEO
Beasley Media Group

Caroline Beasley was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. on January 1, 2017, previously serving as interim Chief Executive Officer from March 18, 2016 until December 31st, 2016 and as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary beginning in 1994. Ms. Beasley has served as a Director of Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. since she joined the Company in 1983. Over her tenure prior to 1994, she was employed in various positions, including Business Manager, Assistant Controller and Corporate Controller.

She currently serves as the Joint Board Chair of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Board of Directors and is a past Chairman of the NAB Radio Board. In addition, Ms. Beasley is a member of the BMI Board of Directors and the Broadcasters Foundation of America Board of Directors.

In 2017, she was honored by Radio Ink magazine as “Radio Executive of the Year”. Ms. Beasley was named one of the “40 Most Powerful People in Radio” in 2011, 2012, 2016 and 2017. In addition, she has been recognized in the magazine’s “Most Influential Women in Radio” listing on an annual basis since 2003.

Ms. Beasley received the 2016 “Distinguished Service Award” from the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters and was the 2012 recipient of the “Frances Preston Trailblazer Award” from the Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio Group (MIW), a national organization dedicated to promoting the advancement of women to senior positions in the radio industry.

She is a member of the Board of Visitors at her alma mater, the University of North Carolina, where Ms. Beasley earned a B.S. degree.

Tony Coles

Division President Multiplatform Group
iHeartMedia
President
Black Information Network

ony Coles is the President of BIN: Black Information Network and Division President of Metro Markets for iHeartMedia. He was instrumental in the launch of BIN, the first and only audio network that provides 24/7 news and objective information with a full focus on the Black community. As President, he leads all operations for the network. In his role as Division President of Metro Markets, he oversees the complete profitability for 21 iHeartMedia markets across America.

Coles has more than 35 years of experience in the media industry. He has been with iHeartMedia since 2004 and has held on-air and leadership roles in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Portland, and Seattle. Most recently, Coles served as the Executive Vice President of Programming for the company’s West Region. Prior to that, he was the Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Chicago and served as National Hot AC Brand Manager. Coles began his career in Zanesville, Ohio as an on-air personality.

Coles holds a B.A. in Communications from Marylhurst University and an MBA from Western Governors University School of Business. He volunteers with several industry organizations including the National Association of Broadcasters and serves on the Board of Directors for The Conclave. Coles is a two-time recipient of the Worldwide Radio Summit Senior Programmer of the Year award. He currently lives outside of Chicago with his wife and two sons.

Joe DiScipio

Senior Vice President, FCC Legal & Business Affairs and Assistant General Counsel
Fox Corporation

Joseph M. Di Scipio is Senior Vice President, Legal and FCC Compliance, for Fox Television Stations, LLC. He joined FTS in 2009. He is responsible for all FCC regulatory matters relating to the Fox-owned-and-operated television stations, negotiating retransmission consent and other distribution agreements, spectrum matters, M&A activity, and other special projects.

Before joining Fox, he was a member of Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, P.L.C. Mr. Di Scipio's broadcast media practice focused on providing advice on FCC compliance in complex transactional matters and credit facility placements, as well as all other aspects of practicing before the FCC. He also negotiated network affiliation agreements and retransmission consent agreements on behalf of his broadcasting clients. While at Fletcher, Mr. Di Scipio served as a Practitioner-in-Residence for Communications Law at Syracuse University College of Law.

Before joining Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, Mr. Di Scipio was a partner at Cohn and Marks in Washington, D.C. He also has worked as a field agent for the Federal Communications Commission in Denver, CO, where he was awarded the Catherine Forster Public Service Award for outstanding public service. After graduating from law school, he worked as an attorney in the FCC’s Compliance and Information Bureau and the Common Carrier Bureau.

Mr. Di Scipio is a past president of the Federal Communications Bar Association and is a past chair of the FCBA Foundation. Before chairing the Foundation, he served a three-year term on the Executive Committee of the FCBA. He has also served as co-chair of the CLE Committee and co-chair of the FCBA Young Lawyers Committee. In 2008, he was awarded the FCBA Distinguished Service Award.

Mr. Di Scipio is a member of the University of Denver Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Advisory Board. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the Syracuse University Alumni Association and is a former president of the Syracuse University Law Alumni Association. He is the recipient of the Syracuse University College of Law 2005 Distinguished Young Alumnus Award. Mr. Di Scipio graduated magna cum laude from the Syracuse University College of Law. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship, and a Bachelor of Arts degree (magna cum laude) from the University of Denver. He is a member of the New York and District of Columbia Bars and is an associate member of the Virginia Bar.

Jan Goldstein

Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Gray Television

Tamron Hall

Emmy Award-winning talk show host, journalist, producer, and author
NABLF Industry Ambassador

Rebecca Hanson

Director-General
North American Broadcasters Association

Rebecca is EVP and General Counsel for HC2 Broadcasting, which operates a broad range of television stations in the U.S. She was previously head of Policy for Sinclair Broadcast Group. Prior to that, she was a senior advisor, Broadcast Spectrum with the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission, and served on the Incentive Auction Task Force as the point person for broadcaster participation and issues affecting nonparticipating broadcasters. Prior to joining the FCC, from 2007 to 2009, she was the vice president, Strategic Initiatives at Sprint Nextel. She also held the positions of senior vice president, Business Development and vice president and deputy general counsel at XM Satellite Radio, Inc.

Julie Koehn

President
Lenawee Broadcasting Company

Julie began her broadcasting career in 1985 as an account executive after graduating from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in both industrial and labor relations and political science. Julie is a veteran of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) Board of Directors, having served as chairman in 2005-2006. She served on the board of directors of the MAB Foundation from 2011-2012 as the vice chair and is currently the board chair. She is also a trustee for the MAB Political Action Committee.

Julie has also been a featured and panel speaker on small market radio at multiple National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) and Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) annual conferences. Under her management, station accomplishments include three NAB Crystal Radio Awards, two NAB Leadership Foundation Service to America Awards, Service to Children Awards, one NAB Marconi Award for AC Station of the Year in 2004, one NAB Marconi Award for National Small Market Station of the Year in 2011 and five MAB Station of the Year Awards.

Brian Lawlor

President of Scripps Sports
The E.W. Scripps Company

In addition to the company’s 52 television stations, Lawlor is also responsible for local digital operations, Scripps local programming initiatives and the five Katz multicast networks. Since assuming his current role in 2009, Lawlor has overseen the rapid growth of the broadcasting assets from 10 TV stations in 2009 to Scripps’ current portfolio, which makes Scripps one of the largest independent owner of TV stations in the country.

In 2012 Broadcasting and Cable magazine named him Broadcaster of the Year and one of the 80 Most Influential People in Television. In 2019, Radio and Television Business Report named him one of Broadcast Television’s Best Leaders. He has been the driving force in the successful launch of Scripps national programming which includes “Right This Minute” and “The List.”

Lawlor is currently the chairman of the ABC Board of Governors and a board member of the Broadcasters Foundation of America. He serves on the advisory board of the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Mass Communication at Arizona State University. He is the former television board chairman for the National Association of Broadcasters. He also previously served as the president and chairman of the NBC Affiliates Board.

Lawlor holds a bachelor’s degree from King’s College and an MBA from the University of Miami, Florida.

Curtis LeGeyt

President and CEO
National Association of Broadcasters

Curtis LeGeyt is the president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters. In this role, he serves as the chief advocate for America’s free, local television and radio stations and their network partners. He previously served as the chief operating officer of the association before assuming his current role in January 2022. LeGeyt also served as the executive vice president, Government Relations, from 2015-2020.

As president and CEO, LeGeyt is leading NAB’s charge for policies and innovations that enable the availability of high-quality local broadcast programming to all consumers. He and his team successfully advocate for policies that level the playing field between local stations and Big Tech companies, prevent harmful new regulations that hinder broadcasters’ ability to serve their communities, and promote the vital and trusted local journalism broadcasters provide.

LeGeyt has been featured in Washingtonian magazine as one of Washington, D.C.’s 500 most influential people, named “Radio Executive of the Year” by Radio Ink magazine and as a top lobbyist by The Hill newspaper. LeGeyt is also a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Association Committee of 100, which brings together trade association CEOs to build partnerships and discuss issues facing their industries.

Prior to joining NAB in 2011, LeGeyt served as the senior counsel to then-Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (VT), advising the chairman and committee on intellectual property, antitrust and First Amendment issues. Previously, LeGeyt practiced law at Howrey LLP, where he focused on antitrust litigation and merger reviews. LeGeyt began his career as a management consultant for Putnam Associates and worked on the staff of the 2008 Obama for America presidential campaign.

LeGeyt serves on the boards of directors of the NAB Leadership Foundation, the Broadcasters Foundation of America and Tracy’s Kids, a nonprofit helping children with cancer.

He also serves on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Executive Committee, and is an alumnus of Leadership Music, a Nashville-based program that fosters community and collaboration among music industry leaders.

LeGeyt received his J.D. from Cornell University Law School, and his B.A. from Providence College in quantitative economics where he serves on its National Board of Overseers. He resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife Kacey and their three children.

Chad Matthews

President
ABC Owned Television Stations Disney Entertainment

Chad Matthews, president, ABC Owned Television Stations, has chief management responsibility for the eight ABC-owned television stations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno.

Matthews was previously president and general manager of WABC-TV, and had overall management responsibility for ABC7/WABC-TV and its ancillary businesses, including operation oversight of “Live with Kelly and Ryan.”

Matthews was also the news director of WABC from 2018-2021. In that role, he oversaw the overall function of exclusive content creation and operations for WABC’s television and digital channels and the launch of connected TV apps on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV and Roku.

Matthews is a multi-award-winning news executive, receiving nine Emmy® Awards. In 2020, under his leadership, WABC-TV New York was awarded 17 Emmy® Awards and three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for Overall Excellence, Best Newscast and Best News Documentary, including a national Murrow award for Best Newscast. At the close of 2021, Broadcasting and Cable named Matthews GM of the Year for 2021. Matthews has an extensive background in local TV journalism and significantly in the tristate region. He started his career at WABC in 2000 and later promoted to senior executive producer in 2002. He spent 12 years in senior roles for Eyewitness News and won both a Peabody Award in 2001 as the live control room producer for the station’s 9/11 coverage and an Emmy Award in 2007 for Best Evening Newscast. In 2012, Matthews temporarily left WABC for a five-year stint as assistant news director at NBCowned WTVJ in South Florida. At WTVJ, he won another Emmy Award in 2017 for breaking news coverage during the Ft. Lauderdale airport shooting incident before returning to WABC as the assistant news director later that year.

Matthews has a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication from Westfield State University. In 2020, he proudly served as a board member for the nonprofit organization Dance to Unite, which provides free dance instruction and promotes diversity for innercity children. He’s a member of NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists and serves as a senior adviser and executive champion on PRIDE at ABC News and ABC Owned Television Stations Business Employee Resource Group.

Wendy McMahon

President and Chief Executive Officer
CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures

A highly accomplished media executive with a record of driving audience growth and business success across all broadcast, digital and streaming platforms, Wendy McMahon is president and chief executive officer of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures (CMV). She assumed this newly created and expanded role that includes singular oversight of CBS News and Stations as well as leadership of CBS’ domestic syndication business in August 2023.

McMahon leads all of CBS News’ broadcast and streaming operations, 27 local television stations, 14 local news streaming channels and CMV’s top-rated first-run syndication programming, as well as its content licensing to television stations and the division’s national advertising sales business. Prior to assuming this role, she served as president and co-head of CBS News and Stations, since May 2021, and shared responsibility for bringing together for the first time the people and resources of CBS News, CBS News Digital and CBS Television Stations to create the leading local-to-global news organization in the United States.

Under McMahon’s leadership, CBS has reimagined its approach to operating the Company’s television stations in 17 major U.S. markets, the stations’ websites and mobile platforms, local news streaming channels, and Newspath, the CBS Television Network’s affiliate news service.

Embracing what she calls “The Three C’s: Content, Culture and Community,” McMahon has championed initiatives that have increased the local news hours produced by CBS Stations from 26,000 in 2021 to more than 35,000 in 2023 – with an emphasis on solutions-oriented community journalism that aligns with the stations’ mission of making the markets they serve better places to live. The station group’s expansion efforts also include the creation of the CBS Local News Innovation Lab in Dallas-Fort Worth, where a curated team of journalists produce next-generation storytelling and investigations that leverage data and technology to deepen viewer engagement; the “Newsroom of the Future” at CBS News Detroit; and the first-ever morning news franchise at KCAL in Los Angeles.

Under McMahon, CBS News and Stations has prioritized diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, hired and promoted several women and/or people of color to serve in key roles and dramatically improved the workplace environment for all of its team members.

In the past year, McMahon has been recognized for her leadership by being named as one of Variety’sWomen’s Impact Report honorees and a Wonder Woman of Los Angeles by Multichannel News and Broadcasting & Cable.

Prior to returning to CBS in 2021, McMahon was president of the ABC Owned Television Stations, with direct responsibility for the Walt Disney Company’s eight broadcast stations, local newsrooms and streaming assets. Before that, she was the senior vice president of ABC Owned Television Stations’ Digital, where she crafted a multiplatform future for the group and was responsible for leading digital content, products and technology, and audience development strategies and initiatives.

Previously, McMahon served as vice president of marketing at KABC in Los Angeles and as a creative services director at CBS-owned stations WBZ in Boston and WCCO in Minneapolis-St. Paul. She began her career as a promotion manager for WTOC in Savannah, Ga.

In 2019, McMahon was named the Young Alumna of the Year by her alma mater, Louisiana State University, and the Digital Leader of the Year by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Throughout her career, her teams have received numerous Emmys, Associated Press and regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, as well as National Murrow Awards during each of the last three years: (2020, Breaking News), (2021, Best Newscast) and (2022, Investigative Reporting). Her creative teams have also been honored with several Promax, Telly and Broadcast Design Awards for excellence in marketing and brand development.

McMahon graduated summa cum laude from Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication – broadcast journalism. She is married to William Burton and they are proud parents of an 11-year-old son.

Kevin Perry

Chief Operating Officer and Vice President
Perry Publishing & Broadcasting

Kevin S. Perry is the president and CEO of Perry Publishing & Broadcasting, a second-generation family owned company based in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Perry Publishing & Broadcasting Company owns and operates 13 radio stations in Oklahoma and five radio stations in Georgia and South Carolina. In addition, Perry Publishing & Broadcasting owns and distributes the Oklahoma statewide newspaper, The Black Chronicle. Perry Publishing & Broadcasting also owns O’City Source, an apparel and music store in Oklahoma City. As a native Oklahoman, Mr. Perry is involved in the community through several boards and civic activities. Mr. Perry obtained a BA in Banking and Finance from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. In addition, Mr. Perry is a graduate of the National Association of Broadcasters’ Leadership Development Program and the Broadcast Leadership Training Program. Mr. Perry is husband to his lovely wife Tori and the proud father of two sons, Miles and Sebastian.

Marian Pittman

EVP Product, Content, and Innovation
Cox Media Group

Marian Pittman is Executive Vice President, Content, Product & Innovation of Cox Media Group, overseeing the development of the company’s multi-platform and award-winning content.

Along with her overarching content duties, Marian is also responsible for distribution, optimization, and audience engagement – including CMG’s OTT platform, which streams local, original content 24/7. Marian also leads the company’s ongoing efforts to innovate how content is created, presented, and delivered.

Marian is a proven industry leader and innovator. Her esteemed media career began more than 30 years ago at CMG’s WSOC-TV in Charlotte; followed by stints at WHIO-TV in Dayton, Ohio; WFTV in Orlando; and WSB-TV in Atlanta. As Station Manager for WSB-TV, Marian led the daily news operations and long-term planning for more than 45 hours of news coverage each week. Under her direction and alongside her high-performing team, the company’s flagship station strengthened its dominant position in the broadcast industry and continues to be a leader in news. In 2013, Marian joined CMG’s leadership team as Vice President of News and Marketing, overseeing the news and strategic marketing vision for the company’s award-winning television markets.

Throughout her career, Marian has been recognized as a trailblazer in the realm of content. She has been honored with multiple individual and station Emmy awards. Under Marian’s leadership, WSB-TV was awarded Best Newscast, Best Staff Coverage, and Pacemaker Award from the Georgia Associated Press Broadcasters Association. In 2010, the station was awarded the prestigious Alfred I. DuPont Award for journalistic excellence and the Edward R. Murrow Award for overall excellence.

Marian is a fixture in media industry organizations, representing Cox on the board of directors for the Interactive Advertising Board (IAB), and is certified in Digital Media Sales – a globally recognized, accredited certification created specifically for digital media sales. She has also served as executive sponsor of the award-winning Georgia News Lab, a Georgia State University program that allows diverse college students to learn investigative news skills by working alongside veteran reporters in the Atlanta market.

An active member of her community, Marian currently serves on the board of directors for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. She is co-chair of Choose ATL, a committee whose mission is to retain and recruit millennial talent to Atlanta. In 2013, she was honored as a Woman of Achievement by the YWCA.

Marian earned a Bachelor of Science in Communications from East Carolina University and resides in Atlanta, where she enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.

Craig Robinson

Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer
NBC Universal

Craig Robinson is the executive vice president and chief diversity officer for NBCUniversal. He reports directly to NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke. Craig is responsible for defining, enabling and fostering a corporate culture that values diversity of talent, ideas, values and backgrounds across all parts of the company. He acts as the main liaison between NBCUniversal and key national and local figures and oversees the company’s diversity and inclusion commitments, working closely with senior executives to promote these efforts throughout the organization. He also helps guide the company’s multiple internal affinity groups and serves as a member of Comcast and NBCUniversal’s Joint Diversity Council.

David Santrella

Chief Executive Officer
Salem Media Group

In 2022 Dave became Chief Executive Officer of Salem Media Group.

In his native Chicago, Dave worked for NBC's WMAQ and then for CBS's WBBM. In 2001, Dave joined Salem to manage the Chicago market. He progressed steadily within Salem becoming VP/GM in his region and Ops VP. In 2010 he became President of Radio, and in 2015 President of Broadcast Media.

Due to his depth of expertise in the industry, Dave collaborates with many industry organizations. From June 2021 until June 2023 he served as the Joint Board Chair for the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) and also served as Radio Board Chair prior to that. Following the completion of his term, Dave moved into the position of Immediate Past Joint Board Chair. He also now sits on the board of the NAB Leadership Foundation. He is also a member of the President's Council for NRB (National Religious Broadcasters).

In 2021, 2022, and 2023 he was included in the Radio Ink “The 40 Most Powerful People in Radio,” and was featured as “Motivator, Innovator, Warrior” on the cover of Radio Ink Magazine in December 2021.

Melody Smalls

Executive Vice President, Global Human Resources
Allen Media Group, LLC

Melody Smalls serves as executive vice president of global human resources for Allen Media Group. In her role, Melody oversees global human resources strategy for all Allen Media Group divisions: Entertainment Studios, Entertainment Studios Networks, The Weather Channel, Allen Media Broadcasting, Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures, Freestyle Digital Media, Local Now and The Grio. She also spearheads security and facilities operations teams across the company.

Previously, Melody served as Chief Human Resources and Compliance Officer at The Weather Channel television network, where she led the development and execution of all human resource strategies and acted as a trusted advisor to senior executives on all human capital matters.

Prior to joining The Weather Channel, Melody served as director of human resources for Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., leading human resources for Turner’s entertainment and animation networks: TNT, TBS, TCM and Cartoon Network. She has also served in various human resources roles at MTV Networks, First Chicago Trust Company, JP Morgan and Chase Manhattan Bank.

Melody received her master’s degree in organizational psychology from Columbia University and a dual bachelor’s degree in marketing and human resources administration from Temple University’s Fox School of Business, where she was named HRM Alumnus of the Year in 2014. Melody also holds a certification in change management.

Melody is a member of Women in Cable Telecommunications, the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications and a certified 360 facilitator. Melody is a member of the governing body of Evanta's CHRO Leadership Summit and a member of the Human Resources Leadership Forum. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Cool Girls, Inc. and is a mentor for the Pathbuilders organization which shapes the future for high-performing women leaders. In 2018, Melody was named one of the Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine. In 2016, she was named one of the Most Powerful & Influential Women by the National Diversity Council.

Jordan Wertlieb

EVP, Chief Operating Officer
Hearst

Karen Wishart

EVP, Chief Administrative Officer
Urban One

Karen Wishart is the EVP and Chief Administrative Officer at Urban One. Before their current role, Karen served as the President & CEO of Curzon Staffing and Executive Search, where they successfully expanded business growth/operations. Karen has also served as the General Manager of REVOLT TV and as an Advisory Board Member for Emory University - Goizueta Business School. Karen is a seasoned executive with experience in strategic planning, sales, marketing, business development, team leadership, brand management, and P&L responsibility. Karen is a proven leader with a track record of success in revitalizing underperforming operations, increasing process efficiencies, and improving financial/reporting accuracy. Karen has grown companies from 26 to 70+ employees, achieving 38% YOY growth and an 8% annual average COGS reduction. Karen has also reduced temp staffing from 96% to 67% while increasing direct hire from 4% to 33%.

Karen Wishart has an MBA from Emory University - Goizueta Business School, a Doctor of Law from the University of Windsor, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from McMaster University.

Karen Wishart reports to Alfred C. Liggins, III, CEO. Karen Wishart works with Laura Clark - SVP, Political & Governmental Sales, Peter Thompson - EVP, CFO, and Tony Spinelli - CIO.

Téa Gennaro

NAB Leadership Foundation Board Treasurer
National Association of Broadcasters

As Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Operations, Téa Gennaro leads NAB’s office and the 1M real estate administration, financial and accounting operations and IT. She also serves as the NAB treasurer and secretary.

Previously, Gennaro oversaw the accounting, finance and facilities functions at ABC National and its affiliated organizations, including the association’s political action committee, retirement and savings plan, foundation and for-profit subsidiary. Prior to her promotion to CFO, Gennaro was the controller at ABC National overseeing Finance and Accounting.

Formerly, Gennaro was a controller in the Outsourced Accounting Client Service branch of Tate & Tryon, a CPA firm specializing in associations and other nonprofits.

Gennaro has a M.B.A. in Global Business from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Pensacola Christian College. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and an award-winning professional. In 2017, she was honored with the “Trending 40 Association and Non-Profit Finance Leaders” award by DCA Live and in 2018 received the “Non-Profit CFO of the Year, Rising Star” award. In 2022 she received the “2022 Non-Profit CFO Stars” award from DCA Live.

Gennaro serves on the board of governors of The Greater Washington Society of CPAs, an organization serving more than 3,000 CPA and non-CPA members in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. She is a former board member of Byte Back, a nonprofit whose mission is to close the digital divide by providing under-resourced communities an equitable pathway into the digital economy.

Rick Kaplan

NAB Leadership Foundation Counsel
National Association of Broadcasters

Rick Kaplan is the chief legal officer and executive vice president, Legal and Regulatory Affairs at NAB. Mr. Kaplan joined NAB in October 2012 as the executive vice president of Strategic Planning and was named general counsel in November 2014.

In his current role, Mr. Kaplan is responsible for directing NAB’s advocacy at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other federal agencies. Mr. Kaplan also manages all NAB’s legal affairs, including litigation and regulatory compliance.

Prior to joining NAB, Mr. Kaplan served in a number of leadership capacities at the FCC. During his three-plus years at the FCC, Mr. Kaplan was the chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, chief counsel to Chairman Julius Genachowski and chief of staff and media advisor to Commissioner Mignon Clyburn. Mr. Kaplan also played a leading role at the FCC in reviewing nearly every major transaction brought before the agency during Chairman Genachowski’s tenure. These included Comcast/NBCU, AT&T/T-Mobile, AT&T/Qualcomm, DISH/DBSD and TerreStar and Verizon Wireless/SpectrumCo and Cox.

As chief counsel, Mr. Kaplan managed the Commission’s overall policy agenda and was responsible for policy coordination among each of the bureaus and offices. During that time, Mr. Kaplan worked with Congress on the passage of its groundbreaking incentive auction legislation, negotiated a resolution to the nearly decade-old TV white spaces proceeding, brought to decision rules requiring wireless carriers to offer data roaming on commercially reasonable terms and helped navigate an evolution in the retransmission consent marketplace, ensuring that the government did not unnecessarily interfere with private market negotiations.

Before joining the Commission, Mr. Kaplan practiced appellate litigation and regulatory law at Sidley Austin LLP and served in the Office of the General Counsel at the U.S. House of Representatives. At the U.S. House, Mr. Kaplan helped orchestrate the Judiciary Committee’s successful and historic litigation in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to obtain documents and testimony from White House officials in the face of claims of executive privilege. Mr. Kaplan began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Harry T. Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. Prior to his legal career, Mr. Kaplan founded and operated a sports management and public relations agency that represented and served professional athletes and sports-related organizations. Kaplan earned his Juris Doctor from Columbia Law School, where he served as editor-in-chief of the Columbia Law Review, and his undergraduate degree from Wesleyan University.

Laura Kaufman

NAB Leadership Foundation Corporate Secretary
National Association of Broadcasters