About

Katina Arnold is Vice President, Corporate Communications for ESPN, overseeing PR for many business and content areas including NFL, NBA, MLB, digital, research, ESPN Audio, ESPN+ and DTC businesses.

Arnold joined ESPN in January of 2002. She first served as director of affiliate and corporate communications, for which she was responsible for all of ESPN’s announcements on affiliate sales, marketing initiatives, communication with the cable industry media and all other corporate communication projects. She was promoted to vice president, affiliate and international communications in 2005.

Prior to her employment with ESPN, Arnold served as director of media relations for High Speed Access Corp. (HSA), a broadband company based in Littleton, Colo. Prior to that, she was the media relations manager for AT&T Broadband out of Englewood, Colo., formerly Tele-Communications, Inc. Her career began as a sales and marketing specialist for TCI Media Services in Madison, Wis.

Arnold has been named a Top Women in PR by PR News, one of CableFax magazine’s top 30 “Women on the Move,” and was a CableFax influential executive in cable. She was selected as a Betsy Magness Fellow in Women and Cable and Telecommunications’ Class XI in 2004-05. She is on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Women in Media and is a member of its executive council. She served as Co-Chair of the FORUM, the Association of Cable Communicators’ annual conference. Arnold is very active in WICT and in CTAM, sitting on its Communications Steering Committee. She is Grand Marshall of the seventh District of the Daughters of Penelope, an organization promoting Hellenism, Education, Philanthropy and Individual Excellence. She also serves on the Wisconsin Sports Business Conference Alumni Advisory Board.

Arnold, a Milwaukee, Wis., native, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in family and consumer journalism.

Monica Bloom is currently Chief Marketing Officer of MHz Choice and Topic streaming, a joint venture of Kino Lorber and First Look Media. She was instrumental in building the Topic brand and securing its acquisition. She is currently responsible for the growth and profitability of all SVOD ventures.

Previous to this position, Monica was SVP, General Manager of startup streaming service, Tribeca Shortlist, a joint venture of Lionsgate Entertainment and Tribeca Enterprises. There she was responsible for the repositioning of the brand and implementing aggressive growth strategies.
Bloom relishes challenges, embraces change and is driven by results. Monica has created effective marketing campaigns, innovative products and impactful partnerships in a number of leadership positions in her career. With over 20 years working in entertainment and content, Monica has worked with some of the most iconic brands. Monica built Bono’s (RED) brand into one of the most valuable CSR brands in the world, developing programs that effectively targeted the hard-to-reach youth demographic through brand experiences both in situ and virtually. During her time at (RED), over $185 million was generated for AIDS programs in Africa. Monica was the chief architect of the rebranding of SundanceTV that impacted the entire organization both in articulation and behavior and ushered in a new era of programming. In the 3+ years she was at SundanceTV, her marketing leadership resulted in an increased average viewership of more than 50% across all programming with an impressive viewership increase in original programming by 500%. While at Getty Images, Bloom launched their first global integrated campaign across platforms (paid, earned, owned); increased direct search volume by 30%+ in the first six months; increased total subscription revenue by 18% YoY and website traffic by 32%. She was also responsible for multiple high-profile events and partnerships showcased at Cannes Lions, The Future of Storytelling and UNGA week.

Monica has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences around the world, is the former President of the Women in Cable Telecommunications New York, a 2012 Fellow of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute and is a founding member of the San Francisco chapter of Chief. She serves on the advisory board of Magnet Media Films and lifestyle brand, Mocktail Nation. Monica is an executive board member of homelessness non-profit, Shood based in Richmond, VA. She began her career in advertising working for top agencies including Ogilvy, The Martin Agency and the Omnicom Group. Bloom is a proud alumna of Clemson University. She lives in San Francisco with her husband Tim and is a verified Peloton addict.

Annie Howell is Chief Communications Officer, Hallmark Media. As an executive level communications consultant, Howell has over 25 years of experience leading teams that excel in strategic communications, brand launches and awareness building, corporate and crisis communications, financial PR, public relations, talent management, publicity and social media. Her current clients include Poker Central, the world’s first 24/7 TV network devoted to poker, Half Yard Productions, Toronto-based Subscription On Demand service AeroCinema, among others. She is currently enrolled in a year-long education program where she is earning certification as a professional executive coach, expected in May 2016.
Howell was formerly interim head of communications at AMC Network’s SundanceTV in New York, where she played an integral role as a member of the brand’s senior strategy team during a leadership transition and restructure. Before that, she served as executive vice president of corporate communications & media relations for Crown Media Family Networks, home of Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel. As the primary spokesperson for the networks, Howell provided strategic guidance to all Crown executives and was responsible for directing the full scope of Crown Media’s communications, public relations and social media strategies.
Prior to Crown, Howell served in a number of senior executive positions at Discovery Communications including as senior vice president of communications & public affairs at Planet Green and TreeHugger.com and for 7 years, as head of the U.S. Networks Communications group where she oversaw all aspects of communications and publicity for the company's networks (Discovery, TLC, Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Discovery Health, Discovery Times Channel, among others), Discovery's film unit, distributions and ad sales teams, marketing and research. She oversaw the company's talent relations team as well as the PR for company sponsored pro cycling team. Howell was honored by CableFax as one of the 2012 “Most Powerful Women in Cable”, was “PR Person of the Year” by CableFax magazine in 2009 and is a 2008 Fellow of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute.

Annie began her career working in the Washington-DC based public affairs agencies of Ogilvy & Mather as well as Powell Tate.

Catherine Badalamente is the President & Chief Executive Officer for Graham Media Group. In her current role, Badalamente oversees digital sales, content, and technology for GMG. Starting March 1, 2022, she will become Graham Media Group’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
Badalamente has been at the forefront of the changing television landscape and transition to new media throughout her career. Prior to her current role she served as VP, 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 at WKYC, the NBC affiliate in Cleveland as an Account Executive in 1997.
Badalamente is chair of the board of directors of the Local Media Association and serves as treasurer of the board of directors of the Local Media Foundation. She is immediate past chair of the National Association of Broadcasters Digital Officer Committee and was the recipient of the National Association of Broadcasters Digital Leadership Award in 2017.
Badalamente is a graduate of John Carroll University with a BA in Communications.

Marie Tedesco was appointed as Chief Financial Officer of Beasley Media Group, LLC on January 1, 2017, previously serving as Vice President of Finance since 1996. She began her employment with Beasley Media Group in 1991 as Corporate Controller.

Ms. Tedesco is a native of Sweden, where she attended Olympia College and graduated from UCLA with a B.S. degree in finance.

She previously worked at Radio and Records, Inc., Westwood One, and she assisted in the launching of Pirate Radio/ KQLZ-FM in Los Angeles.

Consistently named among the Most Influential “Women in Radio” by Radio Ink magazine, Ms. Tedesco currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the Media Finance Management (MFM) Association, and she serves on the board of The Alliance for Women in Media (AWM).

As Senior Vice President, Entertainment Unscripted Development, Crime and Documentary Development, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, Cori Abraham oversees all unscripted crime and documentary development across NBCU’s broadcast, cable and streaming platforms: NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, SYFY, USA and Peacock. She reports to Rachel Smith, Executive Vice President, Development, Entertainment Unscripted Content, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming.

Previously, Abraham served as Senior Vice President, Development, Production and International, Oxygen Media, where she was responsible for overseeing the development team as well as led up International for the network. Abraham is the executive behind the development of series’ creative concepts and innovative formats which reflect Oxygen’s true crime programming filter. She was a key player in propelling Oxygen to new heights as it became one of the fastest growing cable entertainment networks and developed thoughtful and groundbreaking series for the network including In Ice Cold Blood, Injustice with Nancy Grace, Mark of a Killer and Up and Vanished, as well as break out event series like Catching a Serial Killer: Sam Little, Dirty John, The Dirty Truth, The Disappearance of Natalee Holloway and Aaron Hernandez Uncovered.

Prior to Oxygen, Abraham served as Vice President of Development at Bravo overseeing development on both coasts. During her tenure, she executive produced such hits as the two-time Emmy® award-winning Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, and developed The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. She was also behind the development of the freshman series Bethenny Getting Married?, which at the time became Bravo’s highest rated series premiere in the network’s history. Previously, she served as Director of Development and Executive Producer at VH1 and spent three years at FX as the Director of Comedy Development.

A highly regarded industry executive and member of The Television Academy and the Producers Guild of America, Abraham has won two Emmy® Awards and her shows have received numerous NAMIC and GLAAD awards. She is an active participant with NBCUniversal’s Executive Mentor Program, providing guidance, advice and a positive outlook on the media business. Over the course of Abraham’s involvement, her mentees have continued on in their careers becoming heads of production companies and top industry executives. Abraham has also served as an industry expert speaking on many panels including those at Realscreen Summit and has also been honored by CableFAX as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Cable.”

Abraham graduated from the University of Wisconsin with two bachelor degrees, one in Communications Arts and the other in Theatre Arts.

Kenetta Bailey is senior vice president of marketing for Clear Channel Outdoor Americas. She is responsible for leading the organization to enhance its digital and social footprints, create insight-driven sales initiatives and craft a relevant story for CCOA. Kenetta has been instrumental in refreshing the company’s Mission, Vision and Values.

Kenetta joined CCOA in November 2019 with years of experience in brand and B2B marketing in support of media organizations. Prior to joining CCOA, Kenetta held senior marketing roles at companies including Sony Music, NBC Universal’s Telemundo, AMC Networks, TV One/Comcast, GroupM, and CBS Radio.

After graduating from Northwestern University with an MBA, Kenetta started her career as a classically trained brand marketer with roles at Kraft Foods and PepsiCo. And, as an entrepreneur, Kenetta is a former women’s fitness club owner and she founded her own agency to help digital start-ups and non-profits drive growth. She has taught as an adjunct instructor of marketing and communications at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. As of 2021, Kenetta serves on the national board of directors of the Alliance for Women in Media.

Considering herself an expert in pop culture, Kenetta is a die-hard Chicagoan who just happens to live in and love New York.

Jayne Bussman-Wise has worked at the intersection of sports, technology, media and entertainment for over 20 years. Currently serving as the Vice President of Team Business Operations for the newly launched Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Jayne oversees the business operations for all six teams in the US and Canada including New York, Toronto, Boston, Montreal, Minnesota, and Ottawa.

Prior to joining the PWHL, Jayne helped launch Amazon’s live audio service, Amp, where she managed Creator Growth and Content Acquisition and spearheaded Amp’s sports strategy.

Throughout her career, Jayne has consistently taken on new challenges and opportunities. From serving as the first-ever Digital Director for Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Nets to helping launch New York City FC, Major League Soccer’s 20th franchise. Jayne also led content and communications for the New York Red Bulls and Red Bull Arena and managed social media and marketing for the NHL’s New York Rangers.

Jayne was honored as a 2019 Cynopsis Top Women in Media and recognized among Fast Company's Most Creative People 1000 in 2014. Jayne has served as a mentor for Women in Sports & Events, a judge for the Sports Technology Awards, and a Stonewall Day Ambassador with Pride Live.

Jayne has spoken at events such as SXSW, NAB, AdWeek, and Internet Week NY. She holds a B.A. in Economics from Brandeis University, where she captained the women’s basketball team.

Marsha Cooke currently serves as vice president & executive producer for ESPN Films and 30 for 30. She is responsible for overseeing development, production, distribution, branding and strategy of all projects under the ESPN Films umbrella, including the 30 for 30 series.

Cooke joined ESPN from VICE Media Group, where she served as senior vice president of global news and special projects. In her role at VICE, Cooke developed and produced special news and entertainment projects across VMG digital and broadcast platforms, leading the youth media company in pushing the limits of broadcast news formats and playing a key role in integrating VICE’s forward-thinking values with its award-winning content.

Cooke was instrumental in leading VICE News’ first-ever live coverage of the 2020 Iowa Brown and Black Forum, the nation’s oldest and only non-partisan presidential forum dedicated exclusively to addressing issues facing communities of color. With unprecedented candidate attendance and a groundbreaking, engaging format, the program won a national news Emmy. Cooke also previously led IMPACT at VICE, where she directed social good and community engagement in order to build and strengthen VICE’s culture, partnerships, and social responsibility initiatives, with a focus on ensuring the company’s work would affect long standing change in local and global communities.

Prior to VICE, Cooke spent 24 years at CBS. She was the first Black Asia Bureau Chief, responsible for coverage across the continent, producing stories for various CBS News shows and she served as VP of news services, in charge of the Newspath newsgathering group serving 200 CBS affiliates nationwide and broadcasters around the world. Before that, Cooke was executive editor of content at CBSN, the 24-hour digital streaming news network, where she led the unit’s push into original documentaries and helped guide breaking news coverage, and also was a senior broadcast producer for “CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley.”

During her time at CBS, Cooke was the recipient of a News & Documentary Emmy Award and a Gracie Award. She is a graduate of Temple University, where she is also a recipient of the Lew Klein Media Award, an inductee of the Alumni Hall of Fame and the university’s Gallery of Success. She was featured in O Magazine in 2019. She is on the board of Solutions Journalism, Capital B, The City, an online, nonprofit newsroom, the Alliance of Women in Media and is a founding member of The Meteor.

Cooke lives in New York City where she is a voracious reader, ridiculous foodie, long-suffering NY sports fan and a proud first generation Jamaican-American.

Isabel Lara is NPR's Chief Communications Officer. The CCO is a new senior executive role that elevates and focuses strategic oversight of NPR's communications with all audiences, ensuring a unified and consistent voice and a strong representation of the NPR brand across channels. Lara oversees the combined team that leads NPR's press outreach, crisis communications, audience relations, talent relations, corporate messaging and stakeholder communications.
Lara has led NPR's media relations team and acted as the organization's spokesperson since 2014. She feels privileged to support the people who work around the clock every day to bring millions of listeners the news they need about the world and their communities, as well as art, music and science stories that enrich and give meaning to their lives.
Lara is a veteran communications expert, with over 20 years of experience in the field. During her tenure at NPR, she has demonstrated communications excellence in designing and implementing proactive press strategies around key news, programming, and organizational developments that have built visibility, awareness, and audience for NPR and Member stations. She has also led NPR's public messaging for a range of corporate issues and developments, including reputation management and strategy.
Before coming to NPR, Lara worked at the National Education Association, the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian Latino Center, as well as Hispanic Broadcasting Corporation in New York and El Universal in Caracas. She graduated cum laude with a degree in Literature from Universidad Católica Andres Bello in Caracas and has a Master's in Media Studies from the New School in New York.

With a dynamic career spanning over three decades in the media industry, Jaclyn Levin has established herself as a formidable leader and innovator in television and digital media. Currently serving as the President of Shriver Media since January 2021, she has been instrumental in shaping the strategic vision of this multi-platform, award winning company. Her role involves amplifying and monetizing various assets, including newsletters, websites, digital platforms, documentaries, films, books, podcasts, virtual summits and series, sponsorships, and a paid membership community.

Prior to her current role, Jaclyn was an executive-level consultant for CBS Entertainment's "The Talk" (March 2022 - July 2023), where she worked closely with the senior leadership team including the President of CBS Entertainment. Her expertise significantly enhanced the show's presence and editorial content.

Jaclyn has an impressive history with NBC News (1994 - 2020), where she held several high-profile positions. As the Executive Producer of the 3rd Hour of TODAY from November 2018 to August 2020, she managed all of the show's editorial, programming, and production aspects. Her leadership skills shone brightly as she rebuilt the entire show format in less than 48 hours. Under her tenure, the show consistently outperformed its competitors and achieved significant audience growth.

As the Executive Producer for Megyn Kelly TODAY from June 2017 to October 2018, Jaclyn created and launched the show, which received a Gracie Award and was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Best Talk Show in less than a year on the air.

Jaclyn's journey with NBC News also includes her time as a Senior Producer and Senior Publishing Producer for TODAY, where she was responsible for oversight of award winning, exploratory series and event programming, maintaining relationships with publishing insiders and overseeing all book-related content.

Her career began at ABC News, where she worked in various capacities from 1988 to 1994, culminating in her role as an Associate Producer for Primetime Live.

Jaclyn's illustrious career is marked by numerous accolades, including 4 Emmy Awards, 3 Gracie Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Award, 2 Daytime Emmy Nominations, and an Anthem Award. She was also recognized in Variety’s 2020 Power of Women Impact Report. Her commitment to excellence, visionary leadership, and vast experience in media production and management continue to influence the industry significantly.

Chesley Maddox-Dorsey is the Chief Executive Officer of A Wonder Media Company (AWMC), parent company of American Urban Radio Networks (AURN) and Superadio. American Urban Radio Networks is the #1 Nielsen-rated national audio network company connecting African Americans to national advertisers. Through its streaming, audio, and digital platforms, AURN reaches an estimated 40 million weekly listeners. Superadio is a national syndicator with 25 multi-format radio programs and podcasts. Superadio shows are broadcast in every major market and throughout the U.S.
The first Black media company to enter the gaming space, AURN announced a 3-phase effort launching in 2023 that includes Superadio’s syndicated radio show “SIC 60”, AURN GAMING – Tournament Series and AURN GAMING – Game-casts.
Chesley was previously the CEO of Access.1 Communications Corp.-NY. Access.1 owned and operated 15 radio stations, Vita, a bilingual magazine, an NBC-affiliated TV station, Superadio Networks; and was a minority partner of AURN.
Prior to joining Access.1, Chesley was a Senior Vice President in the Investment Banking division of Brenner Securities. In this capacity, she was responsible for the media and entertainment practice of the firm and worked both on mergers, acquisitions, and the capital raising side for the firm’s media and entertainment clients.
Chesley is consistently listed as a top industry leader and a recipient of a “2022 Gracie’s Leadership Award”. An engaged and committed citizen, she spearheaded the AWMC’s support of HARLEM WEEK, Hetrick Martin Institute, and the National Cares Mentoring Movement. A graduate of Oberlin College, her commitment to education is reflected in her family’s enduring support of Oberlin College and her longstanding role on Oberlin’s Board of Trustees. An active member of The Riverside Church of New York, she is also the proud mother of Kai Dorsey, an aspiring TV writer based in LA. Chesley resides in New York with her husband, musician, and educator Leon Lee Dorsey.

THEA MITCHEM is a forward-thinking music veteran who has been recognized for her ability to turn creative ideas into entertaining and informative radio programming. Her passion for music has led to a successful 20+ year career pioneering change and breaking down barriers in the media industry. She is an inspirational leader who is committed to coaching, developing and motivating her team of personalities, programmers, producers, and brand marketers. Regarded as one of the “most influential women in the radio industry,” Mitchem’s aptitude for effective decision making, cultivating talent and brand curation has earned her a respected seat at the table.

Currently, as Executive Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia, the leading media company in America with a greater reach in the U.S. than any other radio or television outlet, Mitchem oversees the programming and operations of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston and Washington, D.C. Mitchem also serves as the Executive Vice President of Hip Hop & R&B Programming Strategy for iHeartMedia. She is an Executive Producer of iHeartRadio’s Living Black! an audio and visual celebration. In addition, Mitchem serves as the Program Director for WWPR Power 105.1, New York’s Hip Hop and R&B, home of the nationally syndicated morning show “The Breakfast Club,” with DJ Envy, Angela Yee and Charlamagne Tha God. Under her leadership, “The Breakfast Club” have become the most-listened-to Hip-Hop and R&B morning show in America.

Mitchem’s expertise across business development, strategic planning and radio programming has allowed her to successfully fulfill diverse roles throughout her career. Previously, she served as President of iHeartMedia’s Washington, D.C. and Baltimore markets. During this time, Mitchem grew revenue and audience share for a diverse portfolio of assets including radio stations, total traffic and weather network, local digital platforms, and live events. She has also served as the Director of Operations for the Philadelphia market. Mitchem began her career in programming with WPGC-FM for CBS Radio in Washington, D.C.

Mitchem holds a B.A. in Mass Media Arts from Hampton University. Mitchem is a Billboard “Women in Music” and Billboard “Hip Hop Power Player” Honoree, and recognized by her industry peers as a Living Legend Honoree and was showcased on the cover of Radio Ink’s Most Influential Women in Radio 2019 and was named in Radio Ink magazine’s “Best Program Directors in America” 2021.

Marie Tedesco, Chief Financial Officer, Beasley Media Group

Christine Moran is currently the Head of Creator Partnerships at Electrify Video Partners, a next-generation media company backed by Capital D and MEP that invests in and scales established creator businesses, including YouTube channels that together have over 30 million subscribers and over 10 billion views. As such, Christine identifies and develops opportunities with world-class creators for Electrify to partner with and invest in their growth. In doing so, she leverages over 10 years of experience in the media and consumer technology space developing strategic partnerships, licensing content, and collaborating with emerging companies to established creators from film/TV, music, podcasts, social media, and more for CBS, VERO (social network start-up), and Amazon. Christine is driven to empower creators to expand their audience reach, drive content innovation, and develop thriving creator brands and businesses. This is fueled by her passion to ensure inclusivity and representation in the media since she firmly believes that storytellers are the key to uplifting and fostering unity among all communities and cultures, especially those historically marginalized. She is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, with additional degrees from the London School of Economics & Political Science and Brooklyn Law School, and is based in the NY metro area with her husband and two children.

Debra OConnell is president of News Group and Networks, Disney Entertainment, reporting into Disney Entertainment Co-Chairman Dana Walden.

In her role OConnell adds ABC News to a purview that includes the ABC Owned Television Stations and P&L responsibilities across the company’s multiplatform linear entertainment networks, including ABC broadcast network, Disney Channels, FX Networks, Freeform and National Geographic Channels. ABC News is home to the No. 1 evening news program with “World News Tonight,” the No. 1 morning news program with “Good Morning America,” the No. 1 network program in daytime with “The View” and Friday’s No. 1 newsmagazine with “20/20.” Disney Entertainment’s eight owned TV stations are multiplatform leaders in local news and information, reaching 23% of households and more than 34 million total viewers and 62 million digital visitors each month. In addition to WABC-TV New York, the station group includes KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno.

Previously, OConnell led WABC-TV New York as president and general manager, where she had overall management responsibility for the station and all of its ancillary businesses as well as “Live with Kelly and Ryan.” Under her leadership, the long-running hit series became the No. 1 syndicated daytime talk show for the first time in franchise history. In her previous executive roles, she served as executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, of Disney|ABC’s consolidated advertising sales group; president, National TV Sales, ABC Owned Television Stations; and vice president of marketing at WABC-TV.

This year, Broadcasting & Cable will induct OConnell into its Hall of Fame, Class of 2024. Previously, they awarded her Broadcaster of the Year in 2022. Additionally, she was honored with a 2022 Gracie Leadership Award from the Alliance of Women in Media.

OConnell is on the board of directors for A&E Networks, National Geographic Partners and TVB, a not-for-profit trade association representing America’s local broadcast television industry. She also serves on advisory boards for the Ryan Seacrest Foundation and League of Women Voters of New York City.