BMLI Class 50

Aimee Akhlaghi is a tenured sales leader having spent the past fifteen years in Media and Entertainment. For the past eleven years she has led a team of high performing builders that are focused on delivering business outcomes for their client, a prominent Broadcaster. Prior to AWS, Aimee spent fourteen years at Microsoft where started her technology career in Public Sector Marketing before transitioning into sales.

Aimee holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and an M.BA. from Loyola Marymount University. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, cooking and spending time with family.

Susan Anable, Phoenix Market Vice President, has been with Cox Communications in various roles since 2001. Prior to joining Cox, Susan spent 10 years on the Arizona State Senate Research Staff, serving as Staff Director and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Analyst when she left to join Cox in 2001.

She is currently serving her second term as Public Affairs Chair and Board member of the Greater Phoenix Chamber and served as Chair of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry Board from 2018 – 2020.

She is a former President and member of the Phoenix Suns Charities Board and in 2015, Susan was named to the Banner Health Foundation Board of Directors. She currently serves as Secretary of the Board.

Susan was appointed to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey’s Workforce Arizona Council in 2016 and served until 2022 in that role. She has also served as an appointee on numerous City of Phoenix Task Forces dealing with regulatory simplification, pension reform and technology.  Susan is the past President of the Southwest Cable Communications Association and a past member of the Executive Board of the Arizona Tax Research Association.

Susan was selected for inclusion in the Arizona Big Media’s 2022 AZ Business Leaders publication, as well as being recognized by Arizona Big Media as one of the “Most Influential Women of 2020”. She was also inducted as a Southwest Cable Communications Association’s Cable Pioneer in 2022. In 2019,   Susan was recognized as a “Woman to Watch” by Women in Cable Television (WICT), and as Woman of the Year by the Arizona Capitol Times in its 2019 Women of Achievement Awards. She has also won numerous company and industry awards for government relations and public affairs initiatives.

Susan graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from The Walter Cronkite School of Broadcast Journalism at Arizona State University in 1991, and is a graduate of the Cable Television Public Affairs Association’s Institute for Public Affairs.  She is married to Mike Anable and they have two adult children, Nicholas and Ellise.

Rebecca Black serves as Vice President of Business Affairs, Platform Distribution at The Walt Disney Company. Leading a dedicated team, Rebecca oversees contractual strategy, analysis, and negotiation efforts critical to advancing Disney’s Platform Distribution priorities. Her responsibilities encompass guiding internal stakeholders on strategic initiatives and distribution strategies across a robust network portfolio including ESPN, Disney Channel, Freeform, ABC Stations, FX, and National Geographic. Rebecca’s expertise in media distribution strategy, contractual analysis, and negotiation support extends to optimizing outcomes for linear networks and DTC  services like Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu.

With nearly 25 years at Disney, Rebecca has cultivated a deep understanding of the industry landscape, consistently leveraging her skills to navigate complex negotiations, mitigate risk  and shape impactful agreements. Her career journey within Disney has seen her ascend from roles in affiliate sales to her current leadership of the Business Affairs team. Rebecca’s commitment to building a team focused on collaborative problem solving underscores her pivotal role in advancing Disney’s distribution footprint across traditional and emerging platforms.

Rebecca holds a B.S. in Communications from Boston University. She also received a Women in Leadership Certificate from Cornell University. In 2022 and 2023, Rebecca was named a Media Play News Women in Home Entertainment Nominee.

Rebecca resides in New York with her husband, two sons, two cats and a dog.

Valerie Brown is the Senior Director of Plant Maintenance at Charter Communications for the West Region. Based out of Southern California, Valerie leads strategy, development and execution of maintenance strategies aimed at enhancing network performance, outage response and repair process, and overall customer experience across the Southern California and Hawaii footprint.

Valerie boasts a robust 21 years career in the telecommunications industry. She began her career in the front lines as an install technician working her way through Field Operations and into the Maintenance organization gaining firsthand experience in Field Operations and Engineering before transitioning into a leadership role. She progressed steadily through the ranks from Supervisor to Manager ultimately leading to her current role as Senior Director Plant Maintenance. She has completed numerous technical and leadership courses while advancing, including all NCTI coursework required to certify as a Master Technician. She is driven and motivated to challenge the status quo and find better ways to operate the business.

Valerie is goal oriented, analytical, and drives change in the business. Her leadership has driven improvement with the local maintenance teams in multiple categories improving overall performance of the Region.

Valerie resides in Thousand Oaks, California where she entertains her love for cars by collecting trucks from the nineties and rebuilding them. She also enjoys watching movies and could be considered a movie buff by most.

Trista Caldwell is an avid problem-solver and has spent her career in pursuit of solutions. Starting with her emergency management consulting work for local, state, tribal and federal governments agencies, Trista worked to drive emergency strategies for preparedness, response, recovery, and continuity in the face of catastrophic disasters.

Trista joined Comcast West Division PMO in 2013. She supported the portfolio for all programs and projects within the Division, working closely with stakeholders across all business areas. That role expanded to include both program delivery and operational teams, focused on operational efficiencies and reliability of newly launched products, such as X1, working closely with field partners.

Trista transitioned to a role within Xfinity Mobile at Comcast HQ, working with the retail locations and supply chain – which served as both an incredible learning experience and problem-solving opportunity, with mobile being a brand-new product. While with Xfinity Mobile, Trista was fortunate to attend the Denver Leadership Academy at the University of Denver which ignited her passion to further develop leadership skills within herself and others. She continues to serve as Executive Sponsor as the program begins its 10th year.

Since then, Trista held roles within the product organization of Comcast, and currently serves as the VP of Strategic Planning, responsible for ensuring the portfolio of programs and projects requiring TPX resources are aligned and prioritized to achieve the business plan.

Trista lives Centennial with her husband, son, daughter and two dogs. She loves the outdoors, reading, yoga and travel with her family.

Liz Carrasco is a Senior Vice President Engineering, Paramount Streaming. She leads the Advanced Technology Group, with a focus on cloud-native systems across video, applied machine learning and big data, user management, quality engineering, and cloud security.
Under her leadership, Paramount has launched numerous significant platforms including CBS All Access, CBSN Digital, CBS Sports HQ, ETLive, and Paramount+.

A software and systems engineering leader with over 20 years of hands-on experience, Ms. Carrasco has broad technical knowledge that is strategically combined with 15+ years in senior leadership and problem-solving roles.

Ms. Carrasco joined CBS in 2011 with the purchase of Clicker, where she served as Chief Technology Officer.  She has also held technology leadership positions at Yahoo!, Monster, and United Online, and recently served on the Google Multi Cloud Advisory Board.

Carrasco holds a BS, Engineering & Applied Sciences from the California Institute of Technology

Caitlin Crawford is Vice President of Marketing for U.S. Networks Distribution at Paramount Global. In her current role, Caitlin oversees strategic messaging, communications, and trade marketing, driving value and supporting revenue goals for the Paramount portfolio of brands. Known for her ability to analyze and synthesize complex business issues, she develops messaging and materials to inform and advise internal and external decision makers, including the company’s senior leadership and board of directors. She also leads the team responsible for implementing and optimizing workflows for operational efficiency across the department.

Caitlin has honed her B2B marketing acumen over twenty years at a diversity of media platforms, including print, digital, social, digital out-of-home, live events and television. Prior to Paramount, she was head of marketing for Adweek, where she singlehandedly built the department from the ground up and drove significant increases in revenue from advertising and events. Her career includes marketing roles at Live Nation, where she successfully expanded digital and content revenue opportunities, and at Federated Media, where she oversaw a team dedicated to developing influencer marketing programs. She began her career at The Wall Street Journal, where she grew new business in consumer advertising categories and was the sole U.S. marketing support for all international publications. She was named to the FOLIO 100 list in 2018, honoring her thought leadership and impact within the media industry.

Caitlin is an alumna of Wellesley College. She lives in New York City with her husband and son.

Vice President of Programming Finance

Chelsea DeGiacomo serves as the Vice President, Programming Finance for AMC Networks (AMCN), where she is responsible for the financial and strategic support of content costs for AMCN’s Linear Networks and Streaming Services. She is a key business partner and stakeholder who oversees the financial budgeting / forecasting and partners with the content leads to develop a comprehensive investment strategy across the AMCN portfolio.

Prior to joining AMCN, Chelsea worked at Amazon in their Amazon Shopping Videos division where she oversaw financials for their livestreaming platform, Amazon Live. In addition to P&L ownership, she supported the operational business by providing financial guardrails and establishing KPIs to assist the team in making decisions that best serve the customers.

Chelsea began her career across a variety of roles within NBCUniversal, primarily within their Entertainment Group where she oversaw programming finance. She partnered across the organization to build financial greenlight analyses for original and acquired content for their cable platforms and Peacock.

Chelsea holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from Pennsylvania State University in State College, PA. She is from North Jersey, currently resides in Jersey City, NJ, and she enjoys weekend trips to visit her family at the Jersey shore.

Denice has 24 years of experience in the telecommunications, media and technology industry. Currently Denice is the Vice President of Finance and Accounting in the Comcast Global Accounting Organization overseeing International Accounting and Finance, Operations Audit, Product Accounting, and Fixed Asset Accounting.  Prior to her current role, Denice served as Vice President in the Comcast Global Audit Team. In this capacity, Denice was responsible for the internal audit function as it relates to NBCUniversal. She has held several other positions in Comcast including Vice President of Finance and Controller for Comcast Business, Comcast Corporate consolidations and external reporting teams and the Sprout channel (Now Universal Kids).

Passionate about service and giving back to her community, Denice has volunteered on numerous boards. As a resident of West Deptford in New Jersey, Denice first engaged with the community as a member of the West Deptford School Board and later the Township Committee. She served as the Mayor of West Deptford from 2015 to 2021, where she focused on stabilizing the tax rate and facilitating economic development.  She currently serves as Gloucester County Commissioner, overseeing Veterans Affairs, Emergency Management, and IT operations.

Denice graduated from the University of the State of New York with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA).  Denice and her husband are proud owners of Southwood Bar and Grill, an establishment that has been woman owned since 1953.  Her and her Husband John have raised five children.

Kristi Flood serves as Vice President of Finance in Comcast’s Central Division where she provides strategic, operational and financial support for the Residential consumer business.  Kristi leads teams focused on financial planning and analysis and operational excellence for Sales and Marketing, Residential Revenue and Credit and Collections.

Kristi has enjoyed taking on challenges and opportunities at the region, division and headquarter levels since joining Comcast in 2010.  Prior to her current role, she held finance leadership roles supporting a variety of businesses and functions including Comcast Business, Technical Operations, Capital, Business Assurance and National Accounting.

Kristi began her career in banking, first as a commercial real estate analyst and next as a financial analyst at Citibank.  Since then, she has served in financial analysis and leadership roles at telecom and technology companies most notably at Lucent Technologies where she participated in their Financial Leadership Development Program in New Jersey, the UK and Australia.

Fulfillment at work for Kristi comes from witnessing the growth and success of her team. She fosters an environment that is rooted in a growth mindset, personal development, mutual respect, empowerment and accountability…as well as FUN.

Kristi earned a BS in Finance from DePaul University and an MS in Accounting from Babson College. Kristi lives in Atlanta with her dogs Penny and Lincoln. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering, playing golf and pickleball, live music and exploring all things Atlanta.

Carmela Fournier is Vice President and General Manager, Data for Comcast Advertising.

In this role, Carmela oversees data monetization and licensing offerings that deliver impactful solutions for clients and partners while ensuring data is managed to the highest standards of consumer privacy and security. As an advocate for the business, Carmela’s team sets data product strategy, leads data and technical due diligence efforts, and forges partnerships to advance TV advertising.

Carmela and her team have been at the helm of many initiatives aimed at evolving the video advertising industry. She is spearheading media measurement innovation and building data licensing offerings that will deliver the highest fidelity audience measurement, brand effect and attribution capabilities to the industry. Additionally, she has a keen focus on privacy and protection for consumers and is leading the way for safe practices across the industry, as evidenced through her work with companies such as VideoAmp, Comscore and Nielsen.

Before being promoted to this role in 2020, Carmela was an Executive Director for FreeWheel’s Data Platform Operations. In this role, she worked across FreeWheel’s business units to implement data solutions to progress advanced advertising and reach extension opportunities and worked to build FreeWheel’s compliance programs with respect to data privacy regulations. Prior to this role, she served as the company’s resident expert on audience measurement, having formerly managed FreeWheel’s data and measurement partnerships.

Prior to joining FreeWheel, Carmela served in a variety of new product development roles in Global Media Products at Nielsen, where she led the company’s North American audience measurement operations.

Carmela is a regular speaker at top conferences including the Consumer Electronics Show and Cynopsis Measurement and Data Conference. Additionally, Carmela’s industry contributions have led her to be featured in top media outlets such as Beet.TV.

Passionate about the industry’s future, she mentors the next generation of video advertising leaders across Comcast Advertising and is actively involved in The WICT Network as a former Global Board of Directors member as well as Comcast’s Women in Advertising & Media ERG. In her free time, she enjoys Pilates as well as hiking, drawing and playing ball with her seven-year-old daughter.

Carmela holds a Bachelor of Science in Operations and Strategic management from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration from Babson College. She resides in the New York area with her family.

Kathleen Griffin is the Marketing Communications Group Vice President with Spectrum. In this role, Kathleen is responsible for direct to consumer and small business retention and product marketing, programming, and legally required communications across all lines of business (Video, Voice, Internet and Mobile). Kathleen is responsible for the customer experience for key product launches, including, Mobile, Xumo and Spectrum’s new strategy for inclusion of direct-to-consumer apps for video customers.

Kathleen has over 30 years of telecommunications experience. She started her career at Comcast, in Customer Service, Programming and Marketing roles. In 2005, Kathleen accepted a position with Charter Communications, leading Marketing and Sales for the Texas market with Verizon’s entry into the video marketplace. She expanded her role in Regional and Corporate capacities building and leading teams for competitive strategy and the successful execution of company-wide Marketing Communications programs. In 2016, Kathleen led the customer communications strategy for the Time Warner acquisition, making Charter the 2^nd largest telecommunications provider in the United States.

Kathleen spends time mentoring others within the organization on an individual basis, as well as, providing group mentorship.

Kathleen lives in Rowayton, Connecticut and enjoys boating and other water sports. She also travels abroad whenever she can and spends time with friends, family and with her rescue dog Little Bit.

Kate Jackson joined ESPN in 1999 and was promoted to vice president, production, in September of 2022.

Her primary responsibilities include oversight of Award Shows including ESPYS, the Heisman Trophy Presentation and College Football Awards. She also oversees NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball including the National Championship, NCAA Division I Gymnastics and the National championship, WNBA, Formula 1 Racing and Special Olympics.

Her previous experience with ESPN includes working on NASCAR, IndyCar, and NHRA. Jackson worked the College Football Playoff in 2014 and 2015, as well as the 2019 CFP National Championship halftime show and traveled around the world as a figure skating associate producer in 2004-2005. She also worked as an account executive in ESPN’s affiliate sales department.In 2016, she earned a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Trans-Media Sports Coverage for the presentation of the College Football Playoff National Championship Megacast.

She started her ESPN career as a production assistant on outdoor programming, later working on college football, Major League Baseball, the College World Series and ESPN’s Summer and Winter X Games. Before joining ESPN on a fulltime basis, she worked as a runner for four years for ESPN and ABC on remote productions including baseball, golf, college football and basketball and the X Games.

Jackson is a graduate of the University of Iowa. She lives in West Hartford with her husband, two sons and he dog Satchel Paige.

Krista Kauffman serves as Vice President of Accounting at Cable One, Inc. She is a seasoned accounting executive with over 30 years of experience who is passionate about providing accurate, timely and meaningful financial information to allow informed decision making in the pursuit of overall Company goals.  She builds teams that are committed to innovation, change and self-evaluation and most importantly, staying curious. She currently oversees a team of nearly 60 associates who are responsible for Revenue & Programming, Capital, Fixed Assets & Leasing, General Accounting, Accounting Operations and the Oracle Fusion Support team.

Starting her career in public accounting, she spent 10 years working in the Big 4 serving public clients in the utility, real estate and telecommunications industry.  In the subsequent years she has taken on various roles within controllership with increasing responsibilities including internal audit and global shared services.  These roles have provided significant expertise in accounting, internal controls, integrations, system implementations, accounting standards adoption, and acquisitions and dispositions.

Krista graduated from Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Science in accounting.  She is currently residing in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband Kyle and their three children and two labradors.  When not working, you can typically find her poolside or courtside cheering on her kids in swimming or volleyball.  When she finds spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, reading and hanging out with friends and family.

Julia Lucas, UP Entertainment

UPTV, Aspire, UP Faith & Family, Aspire TV Life, Aspire TV+, Ovation, Cine Romantico

Vice President, Content Services and Production Management

As Vice President of Content Services and Production Management, Julia oversees the complex landscape of content operations across three linear networks, two SVOD services, AVOD platforms, FAST channels, and international markets. Her leadership has expanded the SVOD service’s scope, managing content partnerships with major platforms including Apple, YouTube, Amazon, Roku, Comcast, Cox, Google, Dish/Sling, Vimeo and AT&T.

In addition to overseeing content delivery, Julia manages the production of original content created by external partners. This involves budget approvals, talent management, ad sales integrations, and overseeing the entire lifecycle of creative content from initial concepts to final delivery. Her role encompasses everything from managing electronic press kits and gallery shoots to handling PR tie-ins and digital marketing needs, all while maintaining close communication with production teams and network executives.

Before her current role, she served as Director of Operations for Turner Broadcasting’s New Products Group, where she developed innovative revenue streams, and as Director of Original Production for the Turner South network and Turner Studios.

She earned her Bachelor’s Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Georgia State University and pursued film and video production studies at UCLA. She has completed the leadership program Half the Sky under Grace Killelea, is an Executive member of WICT, a member of WIFTA, Georgia Production Partners and the Atlanta Film Society.

She resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

Alexandra MacDowell oversees nonfiction, reality and alternative programming production management for all A+E Networks (History, A&E and Lifetime). Alex works closely with executives and outside production companies to ensure that both creative goals and budgeting needs are met in ways that make for the most dynamic, commercially successful programming possible that is also cost effective. MacDowell has been at A+E Networks since 2001. Before that she worked in production management at several Viacom networks in addition to many production companies. She is a graduate of Cornell University, and is a member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Producers Guild of America, Women In Film, Women’s Production Society, Women in Cable Telecommunications and serves on the Media Council at Paley Center for Media.  She is currently a WICT Betsy Magness Leadership Fellow and is also a mentor for Women in Film’s Fellowship program. 

Heather Manning is the Vice President of Business Operations, supporting Residential Marketing and Sales at Cox Communications. With over 15 years of experience in the Telecommunications industry, Heather has held various leadership roles, consistently driving growth and operational excellence. As an Executive Sponsor for the Diversability Employee Resource Group (ERG), Heather is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion within the organization.

Previously, she served as Chief of Staff to the Chief People and Operations Officer at Cox Enterprises, where she played a pivotal role in navigating the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and spearheaded the development of the company’s return-to-work program. Heather began her career in Financial Consulting, which laid a strong foundation for her expertise in strategic operations and business development.

Heather holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Emory University. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling and spending quality time with her two young daughters, Elin and Parker and loving husband, Chris.

Tamika McClung is a native New Yorker with over 25 years of experience in the telecom industry. Tamika began their career at Cablevision Systems Corp, now Altice USA. In 2018, they joined Charter Communications as a Senior Director of Support Credit Services and quickly excelled. Recognizing their exceptional skills and leadership, Tamika was promoted to Vice President in 2020, where they now oversee and manage Credit Services. In 2023, their responsibilities expanded to include Fraud Operations, showcasing their ability to adapt and take on new challenges.

Tamika’s success in the telecom industry can be attributed to various factors. Firstly, they credit their achievements to their faith in God, which has provided them with guidance and strength throughout their career.  Secondly, Tamika’s strong work ethic has been instrumental in their professional growth. They have consistently demonstrated dedication, diligence, and a commitment to excellence in all their endeavors. Furthermore, Tamika acknowledges the importance of having a supportive network throughout their career. They have been fortunate to be surrounded by mentors, colleagues, and loved ones who have provided encouragement, advice, and opportunities for growth. This network has played a crucial role in their development, offering guidance and a sense of community.

One belief that strongly guides Tamika is the principle of ‘To Whom Much is Given, Much is Required.’ She recognizes that with success and blessings comes a responsibility to give back and make a positive impact, a belief that inspires and motivates her in all her endeavors.

In summary, Tamika’s success can be attributed to their faith, strong work ethic, and supportive network. Their belief in the principle of giving back serves as a guiding force, inspiring them to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Outside of work, Tamika enjoys a fulfilling personal life. She resides in New York City with her husband, Charles, and their beloved and sassy chihuahua, Jack. Tamika’s dedication to her career, coupled with her strong family ties, is a shining example of her commitment to both personal and professional success, inspiring those around her.

Grace McLean is a media executive specializing in architecting industry-leading measurement and analytics frameworks for the media and television sectors. Currently serving as the Senior Vice President of Measurement Operations at Paramount Global, Grace built and leads a dynamic and inclusive team responsible for the development and implementation of cutting-edge measurement strategies and data governance for Paramount, ensuring accurate data and actionable insights for optimizing business performance and enabling outstanding customer experiences.

Prior to joining Paramount, Grace spent ten years at The Walt Disney Company, where she led the measurement team for ESPN.

Grace resides in Connecticut with her husband and pets and enjoys gardening, exercise and spending time with her family.

Alicia Niedzielski is Vice President of Channel Marketing for Comcast Business. She has been with the company for 16 years, both in field and headquarter marketing roles and has been a driving force in its explosive growth, which is now over $10B in revenue.

In her current role as VP of Channel Marketing, she provides strategic direction, sales enablement and marketing support globally for Comcast Business, taking solutions to market via both the direct and indirect sales channels. Alicia is a dynamic, results-driven executive with over 25 years of effective Marketing & Sales leadership in both B2B and B2C Fortune 100 companies. From her leadership roles within the telecom industry, she has vast experience developing and growing teams, managing strategic programs and driving business growth.

Prior to joining Comcast in 2008, Alicia served as Director of Marketing Services for Motorola’s Broadband Division and led a team responsible for marketing communications, channel management, affiliate marketing and market research. Alicia received her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Michigan State University, and her Master of Business Administration from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. She resides in Worcester, Pennsylvania with her husband and two sons.

Marietta Obfenda is an Executive Director of Finance & Accounting at Comcast.  In her 27-year career at Comcast she served in the areas of Corporate External Reporting, Cable HQ Accounting and is currently the leader of Cable Cash & Accounts Receivable Accounting.  Her vast experience includes external reporting and consolidations; internal controls; system implementations; billing system conversions; retail cash handling; centralized accounting and reconciliation for cash and accounts receivables; bank account governance; support in acquisitions, divestitures, new product launches and international expansions.

Marietta served on the WICT Philadelphia Chapter Board from 2011 – 2014 holding various positions including Treasurer, Mentoring Co-Chair and Administrative Chair. She is also an alumnus of the WICT Rising Leaders Program and Executive Development Series Programs. Marietta has a passion for mentoring and leadership development.  As a member of the Comcast DE&I Finance Committee in 2018, she co-led the efforts to establish the Finance DE&I Mentoring Program and continues to serve as mentor supporting Comcast and WICT Philadelphia Chapter mentorship programs.

Marietta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from La Salle University. Prior to joining Comcast, she was an auditor with Ernst & Young where she became a licensed CPA.

In her free time, she serves as a board member of the Mutya Philippine Dance Company and teaches Sunday School to 3^rd graders at her local church. She enjoys spending time with friends and family vacations at the beach.  Marietta resides in Elkins Park, PA with her husband and four daughters.

Amy Oliver is on the senior leadership team of IS Solutions group at Comcast. IS Solutions group providing system support companywide, Amy serves as Vice President of Operation Solutions and has 36 years of industry experience. Her overall role accountability is enablement and acceleration of new revenue opportunities and subscriber strategies supporting Customer Experience Strategy & Operations, Engineering, Credit & Collections, and Finance teams. She leads a virtual team of approximately 100 employees across 24 states.

Amy has served in a leadership role for multiple initiatives such as organizational transformations, COVID-19 response, migration of offer management and data integrity, mergers and acquisitions, platform conversions, and change management programs.

Amy received the Women in Technology Award by the Greater Texas Chapter of Women in Cable & Telecommunications in 2010. In addition, Amy and her team have also received the prestigious Comcast Circle of Success Award in 2018, 2021, 2023 and 2024 for operational excellence, innovation, or customer experience.

Amy is active in her community, has served as a Big Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and a board member for the Athletic Booster Club in the local independent school district. She currently resides in Houston, Texas and outside of work she enjoys college football, golf, vacations, and spending time with family and friends.

Dana Ortiz is currently the VP of Platform Marketing and Emerging Brands at A+E Networks, where she is charged with attracting & retaining monetizable audiences for FAST, SVOD, DTC and DTO. With over 15 years of experience in the television industry, she is a seasoned marketing executive with proficiencies in brand, digital/social and experience marketing.

Prior to A+E Networks, Ms. Ortiz served as an Executive Marketing Consultant with truTV, where she led the brand campaign that established truTV’s stake in the comedy genre, award-winning brand awareness lifting social campaigns, and benchmark live events for the channel’s franchise flagship series, Impractical Jokers.

As Vice President, Brand Marketing for N.B.C. Universal’s Syfy Channel, she led the industry in network and industry firsts on social and digital platforms.

Throughout her career, she has consistently been identified as a frontrunner and leader in innovative digital strategies and first-ever applications and platform exploration by industry peers and organizations, as well as in national media outlets.

Ms. Ortiz is a hands-on, performance-based, and analytical team player who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

She has demonstrated success in leading high-performing teams and day-to-day relationships across divisions in fast-growing and changing conditions.

The broad spectrum of her experience in marketing and communications gives her a unique perspective of the future of entertainment in a highly competitive consumer-driven ecosystem.

Originally from El Paso Texas, Dana now resides in New York City where she has lived for over 20 years.

Kianta Prince-Bryant is Vice President of Project Planning & Implementation for Comcast Cable’s Central Division. She is responsible for seamless implementation and process development throughout Technical Operations and Engineering. Her team drives growth, improves reliability, executes tool and process deployments, and supports a world-class customer experience.

Prior to Comcast, Prince-Bryant held various positions at Florida Power & Light, an energy provider based in Juno Beach, Florida. She served as IT Business Solution Manager for the Project Management Office, leading IT deployment of customer service projects. In addition, she has worked in the education, telecommunications, and non-profit sectors.

Prince-Bryant is a Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Prosci® Change Management Practitioner and Trainer. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Meredith College in North Carolina and her MBA from Baker University in Kansas.

Actively supporting the community is a responsibility Prince-Bryant takes seriously. She’s a lifetime member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, a member of the Dogwood City (GA) Chapter of the Links, Inc. and devotes time and resources to such organizations as the American Heart Association and NAMIC. At Comcast, she serves as co-chair of Women in Tech and is active with various Employee Resource Groups.

Prince-Bryant lives in the Atlanta area and has been married to her husband, Tim of more than 25 years. They share two adult children, Emmanuel, and Kailyn.

Rose Roth is the Vice President of Service Delivery, Project & Program management for Comcast Business with over 20 years in operational roles largely supporting B2B customer relationships both nationally and internationally.

The early years of her career saw Rose gaining valuable experience in the U.S. Air Force, XO Communications and Level3. During this time, she honed her skills in leadership development, customer experience and employee engagement. This experience not only solidified her ability to lead and motivate but to also create an environment that galvanizes her team to do the same. Over the past 10 years, Rose has been in 7 different leadership roles both in Operations and Sales Ops for Comcast Business.  Rose is known for her innovative thinking, building high performing teams, and leadership These qualities have been instrumental in their professional journey, enabling her to create and build workstreams from the bottom up which have by and large become model examples for operational excellence.

Looking forward, Rose aspires to continue lead teams of talented professionals, innovate new technologies, make a significant impact in the industry. She is committed to living a life built on her strong faith which have led her through overcoming obstacles, adverse situations and mentoring others to do the same.

Outside of work, Rose enjoys spending her time with her husband, Jerrod and their growing family.  She especially loves to travel and having the ability to cultivate a lifestyle for her children, grandchildren and others that she was not afforded.  She finds her inspiration in volunteering for Veteran related events and in support of mentorship to those just starting their career or seeking out what their passion is in life.

Ingrid is the Vice President of Spectrum Reach’s Transformation Management Office at Charter Communications. She leads the execution of the company’s most impactful initiatives, generating hundreds of millions in revenue and profits. At the forefront of technology and consumer data integration, she drives strategic projects and operational improvements that help accelerate the transformation from linear to multi-screen, boost the company’s streaming capabilities, and sustain competitiveness in the digital age.

Ingrid’s expertise in growth strategies leverages technology disruptions to foster innovation. She is passionate about storytelling and building trusted relationships to enhance the end-user experience and the company’s bottom line. She thrives in environments that embrace innovation and a start-up mindset, combining resources with a vision to bring ideas to life. Ingrid values cross-functional collaboration to achieve outstanding consumer outcomes and advocates for leadership at all levels.

Known for her ability to simplify complex concepts, Ingrid brings vision, and a disciplined approach grounded in strong metrics and effective processes. Her track record showcases flexibility and success in overcoming obstacles and redefining goals. Ingrid excels in forging strong relationships and strategic partnerships, demonstrating leadership in building productive and committed teams. Her passion, work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit, and innovative ideas are key drivers to her success.

Dedicated to industry improvement, Ingrid brings extensive global experience across EMEA, APAC, NA, and LATAM. Multilingual and holding a Ph.D. in business and economics, Ingrid is poised to elevate an organization as a corporate visionary.

Lori Spencer (formerly Lantz) has worked in the field of Human Resources for 30 years in healthcare and high-tech industries. She is currently the Chief People Officer at CableLabs in Louisville, Colorado. As a member of the executive team her focus is on the organizational and cultural development of CableLabs and its subsidiaries. One of Lori’s priorities is to provide professional development opportunities for employees that create exceptional leaders and enable high functioning teams to thrive. Lori is passionate about being a volunteer mentor in the WICT Rocky Mountain program and the WICT Network Women’s TechConnect program. She was named Woman of the Year in 2024 by WICT Rocky Mountain.

Lori is also the co-host of a weekly podcast called “The Corporate Bartender” which brings together a live audience of HR professionals and people leaders. The podcast originated out of the abrupt changes posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and the content has evolved into broader subjects that impact people, work and culture.

Lori received her Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management from Pacific Lutheran University, and Master of Science in Organizational Leadership from Regis University. She holds the Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification, as well as certifications in a variety of organizational development and personality assessment tools. A native of Colorado, Lori enjoys spending time at her mountain cabin, traveling with her family and friends, and loves all things musical including singing, playing the piano, and attending concerts and music festivals. She is a proud mother of two children who are all-around awesome human beings.

Nicole Tragesser is a VP, Human Resources for Freewheel, the Comcast global ad tech company with operations in 11 countries across Europe, North America and Asia. She and her teams in New York, Beijing and Paris provide people and culture support to the global technology, non-US sales, and globalization operations teams across FW in developing people strategies that empower organizational growth. She has been with Comcast for 15 years supporting Freewheel, Effectv Advertising and cable operations while residing in various regions across the US. Prior to Comcast, she held several roles in global logistics and manufacturing organizations.

Nicole has her M.S. in Adult Learning & Instructional Design from Indiana University and her B.S. in Marketing. She currently resides in New York City with her husband and two dogs and enjoys art, reading, podcasts about history, and traveling with family and friends.

Rebecca Tyrrell is an accomplished technology executive and currently serves as Comcast’s Vice President of Engineering & Technology. In this role, she drives the modernization of technology for go-to-market initiatives, encompassing digital and marketing technology strategy and software delivery. Known for her problem-solving prowess, Rebecca guides strategic direction and transformative programs.

Previously, Rebecca led Sallie Mae’s digital product organization as Vice President of Digital Experience and Marketing Technology. There, she established the company’s first digital organization, including marketing technology strategy and operations, user experience (UX) design, and digital product management. Before joining Sallie Mae, she was with Bank of America as a VP of Consumer Product Strategy.

Beyond her professional role, Rebecca actively engages in community initiatives that focus on the growth and mentorship of future leaders. She serves as a member of the Advisory Council at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business Administration and volunteers her time with the Lerner Executive Mentoring Program and Women’s Leadership Initiative at the University of Delaware. Additionally, she is a board member of The WICT Network: Greater Philadelphia chapter, showcasing her passion for leadership and driving positive change.

Altruism, Courage, and Legacy

These are the core values that guide Shabana Walker both personally and professionally.

Ms. Walker is a technology executive and people leader who is committed to employee growth and collaborative success. As the vice president of Customer Experience in Comcast’s West Division, she has a proven track record as a dynamic, collaborative leader who transforms and enhances the customer experience with thoughtful strategies and innovative programs.

Ms. Walker practices data-driven decision-making to identify and prioritize department efforts; works to improve operations with greater efficiency and quality; partners with cross-functional leadership to align projects with the strategic goals of the company; and improves employee culture and turns around underperforming teams through meaningful change, empathetic oversight, and an emphasis on high performance.

A champion for children, Ms. Walker is committed to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging; and reducing food insecurity. She is a proud supporter of organizations including the Autism Society of Colorado and the Food Bank of the Rockies. Shabana sits on the board of directors for ACE Scholarships.

Ms. Walker holds a master’s degree in Organization Development and Change from Pennsylvania State University and is pursuing her doctorate in Education from the same institution. She is also a graduate of the Wharton Women’s Executive Leadership: Business Strategies for Success program. In 2023, Shabana was named one of the Power 100 by Diversity Woman magazine.