The WICT Network Celebrates 20th Anniversary of PAR Initiative

Platinum PAR Recognition to be Given at the 2024 Signature Luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street on Friday, April 19

Washington, DC – The WICT Network is pleased to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the PAR Initiative at the 2024 Signature Luncheon, taking place in New York on Friday, April 19. To celebrate this momentous occasion, The WICT Network created a special “Platinum” recognition for six companies that have most consistently ranked a “top company for women to work” over the twenty years of deploying PAR.

The Signature Luncheon will take place at Cipriani 42nd Street following The Cable Center’s Hall of Fame Celebration the prior evening. 

The PAR Initiative is the key research endeavor to recruit, retain and advance women in media, entertainment and technology. The newest AIM/PAR Workplace Diversity Survey is currently deployed with results to be announced during Diversity Week 2024.

***PLATINUM PAR HONOREES – IN ALPHA ORDER BY COMPANY***

The 2024 Platinum PAR Operators:  

• Comcast 
• Cox Communications 
• Midco 

The 2024 Platinum PAR Programmers:  

• NBCUniversal 
• The Walt Disney Company 
• Warner Bros. Discovery 

About The WICT Network’s PAR Initiative 

Since 2003, the PAR Initiative has measured the status of women employees in the cable industry based on three main criteria: Pay equity, Advancement opportunities and Resources for work/life integration. A comprehensive advocacy program helping companies to set goals, institutionalize policies, measure progress and achieve results, the PAR Initiative showcases best practices in achieving stronger gender diversity. With a goal to improve diversity metrics for women, the PAR Initiative is supported by all of The WICT Network’s local chapters and is underwritten by the Walter Kaitz Foundation. The PAR Survey is administered in partnership with the NAMIC AIM Survey.

About The WICT Network

The WICT Network is a global organization whose mission is to create women leaders that transform our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled professional development programs, commissioning original gender research, and supporting a B2B network that helps advance women. For more than 40 years, The WICT Network has partnered with media, entertainment and technology companies to help build a more robust pipeline of women leaders. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,000 members and 24 chapters strong, The WICT Network is the largest and oldest professional association serving women in media. Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros. Discovery are The WICT Network’s Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICTHQ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for more information.



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Contact: Kristin Edwards

Leigh Woisard Enters Second Year as Chair; Michelle Rice Elected as Vice Chair;
Crystal Barnes Joins Executive Committee as Development Committee Chair

New Directors At-Large include Cindy Parsons, Executive Director of Sustainability & ESG, CSG International; Asif Sadiq, Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery; and Nathan Watt, SVP, Commercial Operations, Afiniti; as well as Chapter Leader Designee, Eke Vermeer, VP, Public Affairs, Liberty Global

WASHINGTON, DC, (January 24, 2024) — The WICT Network today announced the members of its 2024 Global Board of Directors.

Leigh Woisard, Principal, Communications Consultant, enters her second and final term as Board Chair. Michelle Rice, President, TV One & CLEO TV, has been elected Vice Chair and will become Chair in 2025. Crystal Barnes, EVP, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy, Paramount, joins the Executive Committee as Development Committee Chair.

New At-Large Members of the Board of Directors are Cindy Parsons, Executive Director of Sustainability & ESG, CSG International; Asif Sadiq, Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery; and Nathan Watt, SVP, Commercial Operations, Afiniti. In addition, Eke Vermeer, VP, Public Affairs, Liberty Global, will serve a one-year term as Chapter Leader Designee. The full list of The WICT Network board members is noted below.

The WICT Network Global Board is a subset of its 10,500 members. Each board leader brings deep industry experience and astute business perspectives to ensure The WICT Network remains at the forefront of the ever-evolving media landscape. Board member bios are available online here.

“I’m honored to chair The WICT Network for a second year and am thrilled to welcome our new and returning global board members,” Leigh Woisard said. “2024 is an exciting year for the organization as we celebrate 20 years of the PAR Workplace Diversity Survey and the expansion of our international footprint. We’re growing our Rising Leaders International Programme in London and extending the UK Chapter’s reach into Ireland. And of course, we’ll continue to focus on providing powerful resources to empower our members in the media, entertainment and technology industries worldwide.”

Full 2024 Global Board of Directors for The WICT Network

Executive Committee

• Leigh Woisard, Principal, Communications Consultant, Chair  
• Michelle Rice, President, TV One & CLEO TV, Vice Chair
• Catherine Bohigian, EVP, Government Affairs, Charter Communications, Treasurer
• Crystal Barnes, EVP, Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Strategy, Paramount, Development Committee Chair
• Karen Buchholz, EVP, Administration, Comcast, Industry Relations Committee Chair  
• Justin Connolly, President, Disney Platform Distribution, The Walt Disney Company, Chapter Development Committee Chair 
• Rhonda Crichlow, Chief Diversity Officer, Charter Communications, Strategic Planning Chair  
• Alaka Williams, SVP, Human Resources – U.S. Networks, Warner Bros. Discovery, Governance Committee Chair  
• Maria E. Brennan, The WICT Network, President & CEO/Ex Officio  

Directors-at-Large

• Lisa Anselmo, EVP, Communications & Community Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer, Altice USA/Optimum
• Samira Bakhtiar, General Manager of Media & Entertainment, Games, and Sports, AWS 
• Val Boreland, Head of Content Acquisitions, TV & Streaming, NBCUniversal Entertainment
• Roy Cho, EVP, Distribution, AMC Networks 
• Patty Donaldson, Regional Director, Americas Service Provider, Cisco 
• Laura Gentile, CEO & Founder, Moonlight Drive
• Sara Edwards Hinzman, SVP, Distribution & Strategy, A+E Networks 
• Lori LeBas, EVP, Platform Distributions, The Walt Disney Company
• Soraya Loerts, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Liberty Global
• Ann McGlennen, Chief Human Resources Officer, Midco 
• Kia Painter, EVP & Chief People Officer, Cox Communications 
• Cindy Parsons, Executive Director of Sustainability & ESG, CSG International
• Laura Peterson, North America Communications, Media & Technology Industry Practices Lead, Accenture
• Asif Sadiq, Chief Global Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Warner Bros. Discovery
• Tina Simmons, EVP, HR XGIE, Comcast Cable Corporation
• Eke Vermeer, VP, Public Affairs, Liberty Global, Chapter Leader Designee
• Nathan Watt, SVP, Commercial Operations, Afiniti

About The WICT Network
The WICT Network is a global organization whose mission is to create women leaders that transform our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled professional development programs, commissioning original gender research, and supporting a B2B network that helps advance women. For more than 40 years, The WICT Network has partnered with media, entertainment and technology companies to help build a more robust pipeline of women leaders. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,500 members and 24 chapters strong, The WICT Network is the largest and oldest professional association serving women in media. Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company are The WICT Network’s Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICTHQ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X for more information.

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WASHINGTON, DC – The National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) and The WICT Network today announced the timeline for launching the 2024 joint AIM/PAR Workforce Diversity Survey, underwritten by the Walter Kaitz Foundation. The survey will open for responses in early January 2024, and key findings will be released next fall during Diversity Week 2024 in New York City.

NAMIC and The WICT Network enlisted PwC, global professional services leader, to conduct the joint survey. The survey will focus on the current state of ethnic and gender diversity within the media and entertainment industry, benchmarking data vital to the advancement of people of color and women. This original research allows companies to set goals and policies to improve their diversity, equity and inclusion practices. The industry has been voluntarily tracking this data for two decades providing a level of transparency few other industries can tout. 

Company representatives may click here to register their interest in completing the upcoming survey. For more information, please contact NAMIC or The WICT Network. 

ABOUT NAMIC AIM: Launched in 1999, the NAMIC employment survey, formerly titled “A Look Toward Advancement: Multi-ethnic Employment in the Communications Industry,” provided a baseline of statistics and perceptions about the state of multi-ethnic diversity in the cable and communications industry. Today, the employment survey — now titled “NAMIC AIM” (Advancement Investment Measurement) — provides data that is used by companies to support goals for sustaining a robust pipeline of diverse talent.

ABOUT THE WICT NETWORK PAR: The data is clear, companies with strong gender diversity are stronger companies. The PAR Initiative has measured gender diversity based on company policies surrounding Pay Equity, Advancement Opportunities, and Resources for Work/Life Integration (PAR) for over 20 years. Combined with a comprehensive advocacy program, the PAR Initiative helps companies set goals, institutionalize best practices, measure progress and achieve results to ensure they are creating organizations where all individuals can reach their full potential. 

The two surveys have been jointly administered since 2011.

ABOUT

NAMIC (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications) is the premier organization focusing on cultural diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in the media, entertainment and technology industry. More than 4,000 professionals belong to a network of 18 chapters nationwide. Through initiatives that support leadership development, advocacy and empowerment, NAMIC collaborates with industry partners to expand and nurture a workforce that reflects the cultural richness of the populations served. Please visit www.namic.com or follow @NAMICNational on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter for more information about NAMIC and its many opportunities.

The WICT Network is a global organization whose mission is to create women leaders that transform our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled professional development programs, commissioning original gender research, and supporting a B2B network that helps advance women. For more than 40 years, The WICT Network has partnered with media, entertainment and technology companies to help build a more robust pipeline of women leaders. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,000 members and 24 chapters strong, The WICT Network is the largest and oldest professional association serving women in media. Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company are The WICT Network’s Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICTHQ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for more information.

The Walter Kaitz Foundation advances diversity, equity and inclusion in media and entertainment. Through targeted grants, The Foundation funds vital industry research that inform workplace practices and advocates for improving diversity, equity & inclusion in every aspect of the industry from hiring, supplier diversity, and career advancement through development and distribution of diverse creative content. The Foundation produces unique programs and initiatives designed to educate and facilitate collaboration between partners and benefactors that align with its mission. Since 2002, the Foundation has distributed over $23M in grants. Visit walterkaitz.org to learn more.

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For immediate release
September 5, 2023

Contact: Greg Hickman

Maria Taylor, Host of Football Night in America, to Open the 2023 Leadership Conference in a Keynote Conversation with Val Boreland, EVP, Content Acquisitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment, with Special Introduction by Dalila Wilson-Scott, The WICT Network’s Woman of the Year – Operator, and EVP & Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation, and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation

Washington, DC – The WICT Network today announced that Maria Taylor, host of Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, will participate in a keynote conversation to open the 2023 Leadership Conference. Maria will be joined on stage by Val Boreland, EVP, Content Acquisitions, NBCUniversal Entertainment and member of The WICT Network Global Board of Directors, with a special introduction by Dalila Wilson-Scott, The WICT Network’s Woman of the Year – Operator, and EVP & Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation, and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.

The conference takes place Monday, September 18 and Tuesday, September 19 at the New York Marriott Marquis, and serves as the kick off to Diversity Week 2023. This conversation will open the conference on Monday from 9:00 to 10:00 am. The opening session sets the tone for what’s to come and speaks volumes about the strong reputation of our Leadership Conference. 

The WICT Network’s highly-anticipated 2023 Leadership Conference, aptly themed “Co-Create the Future,” will take a deep dive into cutting-edge business innovations and workplace solutions to address business strategy, human capital, productivity, psychological safety, DEIB and what it means to be a great leader today.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maria Taylor, Dalila Wilson Scott and board member, Val Boreland, to our esteemed group of speakers at The WICT Network 2023 Leadership Conference. Each is an exceptionally talented and inspiring role model for our industry,” said Maria E. Brennan, CAE, President & CEO of The WICT Network. “We look forward to Val facilitating a keynote conversation with Maria as she shares highlights from her remarkable career. We also look forward to special remarks from Dalila, our 2023 Woman of the Year – Operator. What an opening!”

Over an unprecedented 10-month period, Taylor hosted the NBC primetime broadcast of the NFL Draft, the NBA Finals, the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Taylor is executive producing an eight-part television documentary series on the history of the Black quarterback in the NFL. In 2021, Adweek named her one of the “Most Powerful Women in Sports.” In 2022, TIME Magazine included Taylor in their TIME100 Next list, which identifies the “emerging leaders who are shaping the future.” 

The WICT Network gratefully acknowledges the top sponsors of the 2023 Leadership Conference, including Platinum Sponsor, Comcast NBCUniversal; Gold Sponsor, Charter Communications; Silver Sponsor, Cisco; and Champion Sponsors TV One and The Walt Disney Company.

More information about the conference, including the complete agenda and registration details, may be found online at lc2023.thewictnetwork.org.

About Maria Taylor

Maria Taylor is a television host and producer. She is the host of Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports, and several other prestigious NBC Sports properties. She is the first female full-time host of Football Night. Over an unprecedented 10-month period, Taylor hosted the primetime network broadcast of the NFL Draft, the NBA Finals, the Tokyo Olympic Games, the Super Bowl, and the Winter Olympics in Beijing. Taylor is executive producing and currently in production on an eight-part television documentary series on the history of the Black quarterback in the NFL. In 2021, Adweek named her one of the “Most Powerful Women in Sports.” In 2022, TIME Magazine included Taylor in their TIME100 Next list, which identifies the “emerging leaders who are shaping the future.” Taylor was also featured in the 2022 Giorgio Armani “Crossroads” campaign, celebrating the global stories of 12 women, exploring the determination it takes to push past social conventions and limitations to achieve one’s dreams.

About Val Boreland

As Executive Vice President, Content Acquisitions for NBCUniversal Entertainment, Val Boreland oversees the buying and curating of content across NBCU’s broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Boreland’s team is responsible for high-profile deals across the entertainment portfolio, including Peacock’s agreement to bring Universal Filmed Entertainment Group releases to the platform following the theatrical release window and a multi-year movie output deal with Lionsgate. She also works with third-party studios domestically and internationally to acquire content for all of NBCU’s linear platforms and Peacock, including original films “Meet Cute” and “They/Them” and international series “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” and “Vigil.” Boreland is also responsible for bringing the enormously popular “John Wick” franchise to Peacock and the highly anticipated prequel series “The Continental: From the World of John Wick.”

About Dalila Wilson-Scott

Dalila Wilson-Scott serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. In this role, Dalila oversees all Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion initiatives and philanthropic strategy for the corporation with a focus on advancing digital equity and economic mobility through Project UP, and the company’s fully-allocated $100 million pledge to advance social justice and equality. Dalila also leads Comcast’s community impact initiatives, working across the organization to provide strategic leadership throughout all aspects of its corporate social responsibility programs, including employee engagement and volunteerism. In addition, Dalila oversees efforts to utilize Comcast’s world-class media platforms to bring greater attention to the work of our philanthropic partners. In 2020, Comcast provided nearly $500 million in total support to 4,500 nonprofit partners sharing Comcast’s commitment to creating a more connected and equitable world. 

About The WICT Network

The WICT Network is a global organization whose mission is to create women leaders that transform our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled professional development programs, commissioning original gender research, and supporting a B2B network that helps advance women. For more than 40 years, The WICT Network has partnered with media, entertainment and technology companies to help build a more robust pipeline of women leaders. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,000 members and 24 chapters strong, The WICT Network is the largest and oldest professional association serving women in media. Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company are The WICT Network’s Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICTHQ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for more information.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2023

CONTACT: Greg Hickman

Washington, DC – The WICT Network is pleased to announce the members of Classes 48 and 49 of the 2023-2024 Betsy Magness Leadership Institute (BMLI). BMLI is recognized by the industry as the premier leadership development program for women holding senior leadership positions in media, entertainment and technology. Since its launch in 1994, more than 1,200 top-ranking industry executives have graduated from the program.  

The 2023-2024 program has two cohorts, both of which will start their year with a week of training at The Center for Creative Leadership’s global headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will conclude their year in May 2024.  

The WICT Network gratefully acknowledges Charter Communications as the premier sponsor and Comcast NBCUniversal as the supporting sponsor of the upcoming classes. 

“We are proud to welcome the outstanding executives selected for the next iteration of BMLI,” announced Maria E. Brennan, CAE, President & CEO of The WICT Network. “These distinguished women exemplify the very best in leadership and strategic thinking – essential qualities for top executives. Upon completing their transformative journey, they will join an esteemed cohort of more than 1,200 graduates who are working to transform our industry.”

Members of Class 48 of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute are:  

• Tammy Adrian, VP, HR Strategy & Enablement, Cox Communications
• Tiesha Ali, Executive Director, Solutions Management, Comcast Business
• Sabrina Alimi, Executive Director, Product Management, FreeWheel
• Jessica Allsopp, VP, Marketing & Sales Operations, Comcast
• Michelle Aragon, VP, Brand Marketing & Strategy, Spectrum Reach
• Meg Aronowitz, VP, Production, ESPN
• Stephanie Babin, SVP, Billing Strategy & Design, Charter Communications
• Christina Barlowe-Villano, GVP, Business Integration, Charter Communications
• Susan Bennett, VP, Financial Analytics, Comcast
• Glenda Blough, Executive Director, Engineering Ops, Comcast
• Stephanie Brawley, Sr. Director, Video Operations, Charter Communications
• Christine Calandros, VP, Recruiting Sales & Marketing, Charter Communications
• Colleen Cone, VP, Human Resources, Comcast
• LaKendra Davis, VP, Fulfillment Operations, Cox Communications
• Sarah Flood, Senior Director, Platform Distribution Sales, Disney & ESPN Media Networks
• Sheetal Gattani, VP, eProcurement Solutions & Analytics, Charter Communications
• Christine Hodges, VP, Business Analytics, Comcast Cable
• Sally Huriaux, VP, Network Evolution Strategy, Data & Delivery, Comcast
• Jennifer Kilgo, Assistant VP, Sales Enablement, Cox Communications
• Marissa Lambrinos, VP, Diversity & Inclusion, Charter Communications
• Amber Landry, VP, Performance Marketing Ad Sales, Hallmark Media
• Alicia Matthews, VP, GA & Strategic Initiatives, Comcast
• Sumedha Mungale, Sr. Director, BI, Charter Communications
• Sarah Nix, Sr. Director Archives & Data Governance, Viacom Media Networks
• Meagan Roberts, VP, Sales, Paramount Pictures
• Jamie Roff, VP, Business Process Effectiveness, Comcast
• Laurie Seidman, SVP, Current Programs, CBS Entertainment
• Anne Tran, VP, Financial Reporting & Treasurer, Cable One, Inc.
• Amrei Wolfschuetz, VP, Content Distribution, NBC Universal Television Network Distribution
• Regan Yeldell, Executive Director, Program Management, Comcast Business

Members of Class 49 of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute are:  

• Melissa Bahoora, VP, Sales, Heartland Region, Comcast
• Laura Baker, VP, Digital Excellence & Optimization, Comcast
• Megan Barbe, VP, Consumer Insights, Hallmark Media
• Valerie Barreiro, VP, Business Affairs, Paramount Global
• Renita Butts, Executive Director, Universal Repair Performance & Operations, Comcast – CXSO 
• Jacquelyn Caridad, VP, Senior Deputy General Counsel, Privacy & Legal Information Security, Comcast
• Angela Churchill, Senior Director of Marketing, Operations and Analytics, Comcast Business
• Kaitee Daley, VP, Social Media, Next, & Content Optimization, ESPN
• Sara Dollar, VP, Production, WE tv/ALLBLK
• Amber Hall, VP, Chief Compliance & Privacy Officer, Cox Communications
• Emily Horowitz, VP, Digital Media Programming, ESPN
• Betsy Kippenhan, VP, Talent Attraction & Acquisition, Comcast
• Tara Lantieri, VP, Primary Research, Ad Sales Strategic Insights, A+E Networks
• Jackie MayBeck, RVP, Sales & Marketing, Comcast
• Colleen McKelvey, Sr. Director, Mobile Product, Comcast
• Diana Monk, VP, Learning Solutions, Charter Communications
• Jodi Muller-Stotser, Executive Director, Retention Marketing, Cox Communications
• Moya Neville, SVP, Sales, Cox Business, Cox Communications
• Amy Nisenson, Regional VP, Sales, Effectv
• Abbie O’Dell, Sr. Director, Learning Services: Field Operations, Charter Communications
• Jennifer Pirozzi, VP & Senior Counsel, Employment Law, Charter Communications
• Gwen Purtell, Executive Director, Hospitality, Comcast Business
• Stephanie Rideau, Division VP, Comcast Business Operations, Comcast
• Lauren Rodgers, Sr. Director, Sales Operations, HQ, Comcast
• Maria Sanchez, SVP, Television Licensing, Paramount Global
• Jessica Sant, VP, Entertainment Experiences, Comcast
• Anju Shunglu, GVP, Business Planning (Customer Operations), Charter Communications
• Lisa Stelling, VP, Content Acquisition, Comcast 
• Julia Vantuyl, SVP, Ad Sales and Marketing, TV One Urban One
• Elena Voonasis, Sr. Director, Pricing & Strategy, NBCUniversal

Bios and photos for each participant may be found here: Class 48 and Class 49.  

The Institute’s Founding  

Established by The WICT Network in 1994 with a generous grant from TCI’s Bob Magness and J.C. Sparkman, the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute is named in honor of one of the industry’s most charismatic leaders, a cable pioneer who combined business acumen with compassion. Betsy Magness was instrumental in transforming TCI, later AT&T Broadband and Internet Services, and now Comcast, into one of the nation’s most prominent and influential cable and telecommunication companies. Through The WICT Network’s access to the nation’s top ranking learning institutes, BMLI provides a powerful, year-long program consisting of five tailored sessions focusing on distinct leadership competencies.

About The WICT Network

The WICT Network is a global organization whose mission is to create women leaders that transform our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled professional development programs, commissioning original gender research, and supporting a B2B network that helps advance women. For more than 40 years, The WICT Network has partnered with media, entertainment and technology companies to help build a more robust pipeline of women leaders. Founded in 1979, and now over 10,000 members and 24 chapters strong, The WICT Network is the largest and oldest professional association serving women in media. Charter Communications, Comcast NBCUniversal and The Walt Disney Company are The WICT Network’s Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICTHQ on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter for more information.

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