Our Staff

Maria E. Brennan, CAE, is the President & CEO of The WICT Network, the largest organization in the world representing women in media, entertainment and technology. The WICT Network was formed in 1979 and is currently a 10,000-member global nonprofit with 24 domestic and international chapters. During her time at The WICT Network, Brennan has worked collaboratively with its leaders and stakeholders to steer the organization’s strategic vision, resulting in record levels of membership, sponsor support and program participation. Brennan has over 25 years of executive management experience with non-profits ranging in size from 2,000 to 33,000 members, with expertise in the areas of strategic planning, communications and advocacy.

As the public voice of The WICT Network, Brennan is an experienced spokesperson and SME for the media industry, and diversity and inclusion. She is a frequently quoted expert on equal pay issues and work/life integration and has been published or featured in such magazines as Broadcasting & Cable, Working Mother, Association Trends, Selecta and Cablefax.

Brennan is an award-winning writer receiving an EXCEL Award for her byline, “Hear Me Roar.” She was elected to serve on the Women’s Leadership Board at Harvard University where she continues to serve for over 10 years. She is a charter member of the FCC Advisory Committee on Diversity and Digital Empowerment, having recently finished her sixth term. Brennan is a founding member of WIPP — Women Impacting Public Policy — and a Former Commissioner for the Girl Scouts Healthy Media Council.

Brennan received the Vanguard Award by NCTA–The Internet & Television Association, in recognition of her contributions to the media industry’s innovation, growth and progress. She has been named among Cablefax’s Most Powerful Women annually since 2010 and recently received their Women’s Advocacy Champion Award.

As a proud native of Washington, D.C., Maria built her career and raised her family in the DMV. And while she and her husband, Mike, still call D.C. home, their two daughters have grown and flown.

Jason E. Brown joined The WICT Network team in September 2019 as the Senior Director of Educational Programs. He brings with him over 15 years of experience in program planning in the association world.

Jessa Cooke is Senior Vice President of Educational Programs at The WICT Network, where she leads the organization’s portfolio of learning and development initiatives for professionals in media, entertainment and technology. She also oversees the organization’s annual Leadership Conference, one of the industry’s premier gatherings for leadership and professional development.

With nearly two decades of experience, Jessa is an accomplished executive in program strategy and design, known for creating high-impact learning experiences that strengthen leadership pipelines and drive organizational growth. She has deep expertise in executive education, curriculum design and partnership development, and has worked extensively on advancing leadership opportunities for women.

Prior to joining The WICT Network in July 2021, she served as Vice President of Leadership Development and Operations at the International Women’s Forum, a global membership organization of senior women executives. She began her career in the Press Office of the House Committee on Rules.

Jessa earned a BA in Journalism from the University of Pittsburgh and completed the Georgetown University Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate program. An avid traveler, she has visited 26 countries and lived and worked abroad in Sheffield, England, and Shaoxing, China. She resides in Arlington, VA, with her husband, two sons and their rather handsome cats.

Laine Culbreath joined The WICT Network as SVP, Finance & Administration in December 2023. She brings over 20 years’ experience in nonprofit accounting including prior roles at public accounting firms and nonprofit organizations such as the Association for Career and Technical Education and The Forum for Youth Investment. Laine is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Master’s Degree in Accountancy from Wake Forest University.

Kayla Daley joined The WICT Network as the Manager of Marketing & Communications in July 2024. With five years of experience in social media marketing and event planning, Kayla brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the team. Before joining WICT, she served as the Marketing & Events Manager for a nonprofit organization, where she demonstrated her passion for advocating for underrepresented groups. Kayla is dedicated to using her skills to make a positive impact, leveraging her marketing experience to directly help people and make strides toward a more equitable society.

​​​As the Chief Operating Officer for The WICT Network, Lesa is responsible for the solicitation and implementation of a broad range of activities that fuel growth in non-dues revenue for the organization. This includes sophisticated partnership and portfolio development, and other avenues of revenue-generating activities. In pursuit of these new relationships, Faris collaborates with key industry leaders to create strategies that identify high-potential target sectors and campaigns to convert them.

Faris has over 20 years of fundraising and high-end event planning experience, encompassing sales and marketing in the corporate, nonprofit, and government sectors. She has orchestrated both domestic and international events for up to 15,000 attendees, experience that has provided a strong understanding of the return-on-investment expectations of prospective corporate partners and sponsors.

Faris has remained steadfast in her focus on business development for several exceptional nonprofits within the hospitality and women’s community – namely, the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association, the American Society of Women Accountants and the National Association of Women Business Owners. She has also consulted for the SCORE Association, a nonprofit dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. Faris produced remarkable results acting as executive director for a small, charitable nonprofit in the health arena. During her time with the Ehlers-Danlos National Foundation, she turned the nonprofit from red to black by appealing to a small, but passionate and loyal membership base and a close cadre of corporate supporters nearly doubling revenues within a year. However, her business acumen and strong judgment is best utilized when following her passion of working for organizations that are in support of women in growth and leadership positions in all areas.

Faris is a social sciences graduate from Michigan State University, where she pursued a multidisciplinary major focusing on labor law, economics, and sociology. At present, she is an active member in both American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Faris received her Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) certification in 2008 and is a believer in ongoing professional development.

Cindy joined The WICT Network in 2014. As the SVP of Strategy & Business Development for The WICT Network, Cindy focuses on maintaining a strong ROI for the company’s current partners as well as expanding its sponsor portfolio by establishing relationships with potential stakeholders. Additionally, she assists in the solicitation and implementation of activities that fuel growth in non-dues revenue for The WICT Network & manages Governance for the organization.

Cindy has been a non-profit association professional for over 12 years, with extensive experience in governance management, sponsor development, and event planning. Prior to transitioning to the business development team at The WICT Network, she supported The WICT Network’s President & CEO as the Executive Assistant. She has also served in professional roles at other nonprofit organizations, managing many functions with members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. Cindy started her career in Professional Development & Career Services at both Liberty University and its School of Law.

Cindy graduated summa cum laude from Liberty University in 2006 and lives in Washington, DC.

​Megan serves as The WICT Network’s AVP of Program Administration. In this role she manages the day-to-day operations for The WICT Network’s suite of programs consisting of over a dozen professional development programs and two conferences annually. Megan joined The WICT Network in 2012.

She first became involved in the non-profit world interning for Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, where she managed their Auxiliary social media and assisted with fundraising events.

Megan received her bachelor’s degree in Communications from San Diego State University. She lives in San Diego with her husband and two children.

Louise Martin joined The WICT Network in October 2025 as the Manager of Membership & Chapter Development. She is a seasoned membership and partner engagement strategist with more than two decades of experience leading recruitment, retention, and member experience initiatives for national and international associations throughout the Washington, DC area.

Louise brings deep expertise in developing data-informed membership strategies, strengthening chapter and stakeholder relationships, and driving sustainable growth through targeted marketing and operational improvements. In her role, she supports the Vice President of Membership & Chapter Development in implementing initiatives designed to strengthen chapters, enhance the member experience, and grow overall membership across The WICT Network.

Kathleen serves as the AVP of Membership Operations. In this role, Kathleen works closely with the leaders of The WICT Network’s chapters to provide guidance and oversee implementation on all database operations. Additionally, she assists in developing strategies to strengthen and grow the chapters and overall membership.

Prior to joining The WICT Network, Kathleen became involved in the non-profit world through her work with an organization raising awareness and funds for young adult cancer research. During this time, she managed merchandise inventory and represented the organization at fundraising events.

Kathleen graduated from George Mason University in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Having completed several courses regarding social inequalities and gender inequalities in the workplace, Kathleen joined The WICT Network in 2011 with a genuine passion for the mission.

Elena Montañez first joined The WICT Network in 2010 and returned in 2021 after working in the healthcare industry during the pandemic. In her role as Executive Administrator, Elena provides support to the President & CEO, as well as to the Senior Staff, Administration and Operations departments to ensure the organization runs smoothly day-to-day.

Elena comes to The WICT Network with 25 years of hands-on administrative experience in both the non-profit and private sectors, and has held roles at The Mason Companies, AdvantEdge Workspaces (formerly Chevy Chase Executive Services), IBA Molecular and Valley Health.

Elena lives in the beautiful Northern Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, Virginia, with her family. In her spare time, Elena enjoys spending time with friends and family (preferably while at the beach), cooking Puerto Rican food, and fighting racial and social injustices, causes that are near and dear to her heart.

Luisa serves as the Programming & Business Development Coordinator at The WICT Network. In this role, she supports the coordination and delivery of the organization’s professional development programs, conferences, and events, while also contributing to business development efforts that support The WICT Network’s growth and partnerships. Luisa is a 2025 graduate of Stockton University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations & Advertising with a minor in Digital Studies. She previously completed an internship with The WICT Network in fall 2025 through The Washington Center program while completing her final semester, gaining hands-on experience supporting program operations and organizational initiatives. With a background in communications and digital strategy, Luisa is committed to supporting programs and partnerships that advance The WICT Network’s mission.

Amanda Sawney first joined The WICT Network in 2013 and returned in 2024, bringing over 15 years of diverse experience in marketing and communications. Her career is driven by a passion for media, entertainment, diversity and inclusion, women’s leadership, and empowering others.

In her current role, Amanda leads the development of comprehensive marketing strategies and oversees digital marketing and communications efforts to amplify The WICT Network’s mission and initiatives.

Prior to rejoining The WICT Network, Amanda served as Senior Manager of Partnership Marketing at SiriusXM and Pandora. There, she elevated brand awareness and drove growth through innovative integrated marketing strategies, partnership cultivation, and implementation of sponsorships and industry events. She was an active participant in employee resource groups, including the Women’s group, Black Leadership Advisory Council (BLAC), and the National Leadership Committee for Mixtape, advocating for diversity and inclusion. Amanda is also an alumna of McKinsey Academy’s prestigious Management Accelerator program.

Her experience extends to managing communications and marketing for globally renowned associations, demonstrating her ability to maximize organizational impact and nurture brands through strategic communications, integrated marketing, and creative execution.

Amanda holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Journalism from Howard University and a Master’s degree in Corporate Communications and Public Relations from Georgetown University. A native New Yorker, she currently resides in her hometown of Brooklyn.