NAMIC (The National Association for
Multi-Ethnicity in Communications) has, for the seventh
consecutive year, selected four executives to honor
as Next-Generation Leaders.
Chosen in cooperation with Multichannel News,
the awards honor executives of color who demonstrate
exceptional business acumen and embody
NAMIC’s mission to educate, advocate and empower
to achieve multi-ethnic diversity in the communications
industry.
These leaders will be honored at NAMIC’s Annual
Awards Breakfast. Held as part of Cable Connection:
Spring, the event is set for Wednesday, May 23, from
7:30-9 a.m. at the Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel.
Twelve Luminaries — bright and shining industry stars
— also will be recognized at the event.
Event hosts are Lourdes Stephen, co-host, Sal y Pimienta,
and Fernando Fiore, co-host, República Deportiva,
both of Univision Communications. Irene Esteves,
executive vice president and chief fi nancial officer, Time
Warner Cable, serves as honorary chair of the event.
NEXT-GENERATION LEADERS
Rosalyn Durant, vice president,
ESPNU and ESPNHS, ESPN
Rosalyn Durant has been VP of ESPNU since
April 2008, a role that was expanded in 2011
to include ESPNHS. Her responsibilities include
setting the strategic direction for the
24-hour college-sports network, overseeing
all programming and leading the interdepartmental
team responsible for the channel’s
continued growth and development, as well as
ESPNHS and all related multimedia initiatives.
Prior to joining ESPNU, Durant served as
VP, programming and acquisitions, managing
ESPN’s relationships with the NBA, FIFA, UEFA,
U.S. Soccer, Major League Soccer and other
rightsholders. She played a significant role in the
eight-year contract extension with the NBA announced
in June 2007.
Durant first began at ESPN in 1998 as an
intern. She joined the company full-time after graduating from the University of South Carolina
with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and a minor in marketing.
Durant has a passion for mentorship inside and outside of the company. In addition
to her leadership roles at ESPN, she serves on the board of directors of the T. Howard
Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofi t, charitable organization dedicated to increasing diversity
in the multimedia and entertainment industries. She was a member of Multichannel
News’ 2012 class of “40 under 40.”
“Knowing the core principles of NAMIC — to educate, advocate and empower multiethnic
diversity — it is a great honor to represent ESPN as a next-generation leader on
those pedestals,” she said.
Fernando Laguarda, vice president,
External Affairs and Policy Counselor,
Time Warner Cable
As VP, external affairs, and policy counselor,
Fernando Laguarda helps Time Warner Cable
develop and advance its policy positions and
manages its relationship with policy stakeholders.
He launched and directs the Time Warner
Cable Research Program on Digital Communications,
which seeks to expand scholarship of
relevance to the industry. Prior to Time Warner
Cable, Fernando was a partner at two prominent
communications law firms.
Laguarda received his bachelor’s degree
from Harvard University and his law degree
from Georgetown University. He is a member
of the Federal Communications Commission’s
Consumer Advisory Committee and
serves on numerous non-profit boards, including
the Technology Policy Research Conference Program Committee, the League of
United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) Corporate Alliance, the Family Online Safety
Institute (FOSI), the Friends of the National Museum of the American Latino and the
Harvard Alumni Association. He resides in Washington, D.C., with his wife and four
children.
“I am proud to represent Time Warner Cable as a Next Generation Leader,” he
said. “Our commitment to diversity and inclusion comes straight from our chairman
and CEO, Glenn Britt. He and [EVP and chief government affairs officer] Gail
MacKinnon help us succeed by opening doors and minds. Working with the best
team in the business makes inclusion easy.”
Sree Kotay, senior vice president, chief
software architect, Comcast
As chief software architect for Comcast and SVP,
technology design and development, Sree Kotay
works across the company to align its overall
technical execution strategy for software services.
He also is responsible for the engineering
and operations of consumer products, including
next-generation application and video platforms,
mobile development, online consumer portals,
EPG software and consumer premises hardware.
Kotay joined Comcast in 2007. Prior to
that, he served as AOL’s SVP of technology.
There, he led desktop client software, mail
services, AIM engineering, publishing technologies,
search engineering, and platform
technologies. He was responsible for
improving technology and product stability,
reducing costs and enabling the deployment
of AOL products and content on the Web at large.
Prior to AOL, he was a co-founder and CTO of Viewpoint Corp., a public software company
focused on rich-media advertising, advanced 2D/3D and motion-graphics technology
development and licensing. Earlier in his career, he worked as director of R&D for Metacreations/
HSC Software, a “pro-sumer” digital arts tools software firm, and was the president
and founder of Intrepid Systems, a high-end printing and publishing solutions company.
“Abraham Lincoln extolled that one should never seek recognition, but should always
strive to be worthy of it,” he said. “NAMIC is an organization that exemplifi es that
sentiment by advancing the agenda of diversity in the workplace. I’m gratified to be in
such esteemed company and grateful for the recognition.”
Pawan Mehra, co-founder and executive
vice president, Améredia
Pawan J. Mehra’s affiliation with the multiethnic
communications industry goes a long
way, from the foundation of Améredia, his
multicultural agency, to the establishment
and growth of his strategic client partnership
with Comcast. Today, Améredia has emerged
as one of the fastest growing diverse-market
agencies nationwide, serving prestigious
global clients.
Under Mehra’s leadership, the agency’s work
for the cable industry has won myriad recognitions,
including six years of consecutive Excellence
in Multicultural Marketing Awards. Mehra
is an ADCOLOR Change Agent and sits on the executive
committees of the American Advertising
Federation’s Mosaic Council and the Advertising
Hall of Achievement. He is a member of the U.S.
Pan-Asian American Chamber of Commerce Brain Trust and sits on its governing board. He
often speaks on the topics of cross-culturalism and diversity in communications.
Améredia has global representation from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, which
enables it to manage campaigns in more than 20 languages. Red, Améredia’s multicultural
marketing newsletter, spotlights a different ethnic community each month.
“Améredia shares NAMIC’s vision, that of growing multi-ethnic diversity within the communications
industry,” he said. “The two organizations are at the forefront of an industry
experiencing rapid change and continue to build that vision together. I’m proud, honored
and humbled to receive this recognition on behalf of my team, partners and communities
that we serve.”
LUMINARIES
Michelle Bailey, VP,
Corporate Market Research,
BET Networks
As VP of corporate market research
for BET Networks,
Michelle Bailey oversees all
Nielsen Media Research data
for both BET and Centric. As a
dynamic, results-driven marketing
executive with extensive cable experience, she
possesses a proven record of accomplishment and
success.
Bailey is a recipient of the “National Alumnae
Achievement Award,” one of the highest honors bestowed
upon a Spelman College alumnae for career
and community-service achievements. She also received
NAMIC Mid-Atlantic’s “Event Management Excellence”
award.
She is active in many organizations, including
NAMIC, WICT, the National Black MBA Association,
and the Spelman College Alumnae Association. She is
also a graduate of WICT’s Betsy Magness Leadership
Program.
A Nashville, Tenn., native, Bailey has a bachelor’s
degree in economics/marketing concentration from
Spelman and an MBA in entertainment management
from USC.
“It is truly an honor to receive such a prestigious
award from an organization that fosters the precepts
I believe in,” she said. “Humbled by this noteworthy
achievement, I am even more committed to advocating
workplace diversity while empowering others toward career
advancement as I continue to ‘lift as I climb.’ ”
Superna Kalle, senior
VP, networks and general
manager,
Sony Movie Channel,
Sony Pictures Television
As Sony Pictures Television’s
SVP, Networks, and general
manager, Sony Movie Channel,
Superna Kalle has oversight of
the group’s television networks
business in North America. As general manager of
Sony Movie Channel, she oversees distribution, marketing,
programming and all other operations for the
network.
Based at SPT’s global headquarters in Culver City,
Calif., Kalle provides leadership to SPT’s television
networks business in the U.S. including its joint ventures
— 3net, the first 24-hour, fully-programmed 3D
television network; cable channel GSN; and FearNet,
the horror/thriller cable channel, website and videoon-
demand service.
She also sits on the board of Horror Entertainment
and Game Show Network LLC.
“I’m honored to be recognized as a NAMIC Luminary
for my efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion
within the cable telecommunications industry,”
she said. “I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to
reinforce the importance of diversity and to make an
impact on the professional development and success
of others at SPT.”
Berto Guzman, VP,
Affiliate Sales & Marketing,
nuvoTV
Berto Guzman has more than
15 years of experience in
television in companies
from operators to networks,
domestically and internationally,
and in positions ranging
from marketing to sales.
As a division VP at Starz, Guzman led negotiations
on multi-year affiliate deals representing more than
$700 million in revenue. As SVP at International Channel
Networks, he oversaw the completion of dozens
premium-channel distribution agreements. Now, as
VP at nuvoTV, Guzman has achieved distribution and
video-on-demand deals throughout the Western region
and nationally.
A graduate of the first NAMIC Executive Leadership
Development Program class, Guzman has
continued to participate within NAMIC. He regularly
volunteers in cable outreach programs, including
at Los Angeles youth shelter A Place Called Home,
rebuilding Katrina-damaged schools in New Orleans
and building homes in Denver with Habitat for Humanity.
Guzman also serves in the L. Patrick Mellon
Mentorship Program and is an associate California
Cable Telecommunications Association board
member.
“Receiving the Luminary Award from NAMIC, an
organization that is shaping the industry it serves
through fostering diversity throughout, is my fi nest
career milestone,” he said.
Erika Kennair, VP,
Scripted Development, Syfy/
NBCUniversal
Erika Kennair was recently
promoted to VP, scripted development,
at Syfy, responsible
for developing new original programming
and talent.
She joined the NBCUniversal-
owned network in 2008 as
director of development, overseeing creative aspects
of series such as Alphas, Stargate: Universe, Sanctuary
and the miniseries Alice and Neverland. She is currently
shepherding the series Defiance and the pilot
Rewind.
She joined NBC Entertainment in 2006 as manager,
entertainment diversity programs. She has
worked closely with the National Hispanic Media Coalition
Writers’ Workshop and, in 2011, she was voted
one of the Most Influential and Powerful Latinos in
Media by the Imagen Foundation.
A Cuban-American born and raised in New Orleans,
Kennair graduated from Loyola University with a bachelor’s
degree in television production and earned a
master’s of fine arts degree in screenwriting from
Loyola Marymount University. She was awarded a Humanitas
Prize, the David Angell Fellowship in Comedy
Writing.
“As a Latina executive, I feel it is my responsibility
to bring my diverse perspective to the table and seek
out a variety of voices,” she said.
Aljit Joy, senior VP, Strategy
& Product Development,
Comcast
Aljit Joy is a member of the
Technology and Product team
at Comcast and leads Comcast
Innovation Labs (CIL),
in Philadelphia, Denver and
Silicon Valley, focused on rapid
identification, adoption and deployment of emerging
technology opportunities for Comcast. Previously, he
led product development for Comcast’s Communications
and Data products, including Comcast Digital
Voice, SmartZone, Caller ID, and Comcast’s mobile
application.
He has been working on next-generation platforms
for Comcast and founded and led the initial development
of Comcast’s Xcalibur video platform, HD Video
Conferencing and Text Messaging platforms. He
joined Comcast as Director of Strategic Planning in
2005.
Joy serves on the board of trustees at Eastern University
and Intel Capital’s Consumer Advisory Board.
He received his bachelor of science degree from
Widener University in Pennsylvania and an MBA with
honors from F.W. Olin School at Babson College in
Massachusetts.
“It’s an incredible honor to receive this luminary
recognition from an organization like NAMIC,” he said.
“I hope this serves as an encouragement for all to
continue empowering, motivating and inspiring people
on our teams and attract even more incredible talent
into our industry.”
Rodrigo Lopez,
regional vice president,
Mountain Region, Comcast
The regional vice president of
Comcast’s Utah operations,
with general-management
responsibility for a subscriber
base of 312,000 and more
than 1,400 employees,
Rodrigo Lopez has been with
Comcast for more than 19 years.
He began his career as a part-time customer account
executive at Comcast’s former Orange County,
Calif., operation. He then held various positions of increased
responsibility within the business-operations
organization in Orange County, Calif.; Delaware; Washington;
Utah; and most recently as regional VP of
business operations in Sacramento, Calif. He was a
member of the Comcast team that helped to successfully
integrate field operations for the former Lenfest
Communications properties in Western Pennsylvania
and Delaware as well as the former AT&T Washington
market.
“It is an honor to be selected for this award,” he
said. “I am proud to work for a company that embraces
NAMIC’s vision of advocating and empowering
diversity and inclusion in the communications
industry.”
Guhan Selvaretnam,
senior vice president,
Product, Content &
Operations, Digital Media,
Discovery Communications
As SVP, product, content and
operations, Guhan Selvaretnam
and his team are charged with
creating content and experiences
across Discovery’s U.S. Digital Media portfolio
that delight audiences and offer innovative digital solutions
for advertising partners.
Prior to joining Discovery, Selvaretnam led Turner
Broadcasting System’s innovation and incubation
group, launching and operating new businesses, products
and capabilities leveraging Turner brands. Previously,
he served as vice president at Reuters Group,
managing product, marketing and operations for their
U.S. digital media business.
Selvaretnam holds a bachelor’s degree from Tufts
University and an MBA from The Kellogg School of
Management at Northwestern University.
“I’m proud to work at Discovery Communications
with colleagues and leadership that place an emphasis
on diversity and inclusion in the workplace,”
he said, “and I thank NAMIC for the honor and for
elevating these important issues in our industry and
beyond.”
Crystal B. Washington,
VP, External Relations,
Diversity & Inclusion,
Scripps Networks Interactive
As VP of external relations,
diversity and inclusion for
Scripps Networks Interactive,
Crystal Washington oversees
the program office of diversity;
assists in identifying and
achieving core diversity objectives and managing
and developing philanthropic and community partnerships;
provides oversight for company-wide employee
resource groups and programs; and coordinates relationships
with industry professional organizations.
Prior to joining Scripps in 2002, Washington worked
in the banking industry for 15 years.
She is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati
with a bachelor’s degree in communications and
holds a master’s of business administration from
Capital University in Columbus.
“It’s a privilege and honor to be recognized as a
2012 NAMIC Luminary,” she said. “NAMIC’s commitment
of advocacy and development for people of
color has helped shape our industry successes. And
with diversity as one of our core values, I’m proud of
Scripps Networks Interactive’s commitment to making
our workplace and industry into inclusive environments.”
Tina Shah,
assistant general counsel,
Turner Broadcasting System
As assistant general counsel for
Turner, Tina Shah oversees the
legal support for Turner Sports
television programming and new
media businesses, including the
NBA on TNT, the NCAA men’s
basketball tournament, Major League Baseball on TBS,
NASCAR.com, PGA.com and NBA Digital, among others.
Before joining Turner in 2001, Shah was an associate
in the litigation department of Alston & Bird in
Atlanta, focusing on general commercial litigation.
Shah earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science
from the University of Florida and a law degree
from Emory University.
“I’m honored to be recognized by NAMIC among
this distinguished group of industry professionals,”
she said. “NAMIC provides valuable opportunities
to enhance leadership skills and to connect with
others in our industry. I am grateful to NAMIC and
to Turner Broadcasting for their commitment to fostering
diversity.”
Cheryl Wingate,
VP, Talent Acquisition,
Time Warner Cable’s
East Region
As VP of talent acquisition for
Time Warner Cable’s East Region,
which employs more than
17,000 people and serves more
than 1,300 cities in nine states,
Cheryl Wingate is a seasoned talent-acquisition executive
with more than 10 years of experience in leadership,
sales, coaching, recruitment and client relations.
Prior to joining Time Warner Cable, she spent seven
years at Hewitt Associates. As client service-delivery
manager, she was responsible for managing the firm’s
recruiting activities and 5,000 hires annually.
Before joining Hewitt, she served as a vice president
for Bank of America, leading a team supporting the recruitment
needs for more than 400 banking centers.
Based in Charlotte, N.C., Cheryl Wingate is a member
of the Junior League, Circle of Red, Society for Human
Resource Management, Women in Cable Telecommunications,
NAMIC, and the Cable & Telecommunications
Human Resources Association.
“I have always had a passion for people development,”
she said. “Throughout my career, I have worked
to foster an environment that embraces the unique
skills that individuals bring to the workplace and their
communities. I am extremely honored to be recognized
by NAMIC, an organization that shares and promotes
these same values.”
Emory Walton, VP,
Distribution Field Sales,
A&E Networks
Emory R. Walton III started his
career at A&E Networks as
an assistant in affiliate sales,
then advanced to account representative,
account manager
and account director, where he
managed sales, marketing, demographic research.
He also contributed to the launch strategy for History
en Español, securing the network’s first carriage deal.
Now, he leads the West Coast distribution field
sales team, overseeing relationships with the top
10 MSOs. He is also responsible for developing and
executing distribution strategies across an array of
platforms for all of A&E Networks.
An active member of NAMIC since 1997, he served
two terms as president of the Southern California
Chapter. He currently serves as a mentor for the
L. Patrick Mellon Mentorship Program and serves
on NAMIC’s Multicultural Marketing Committee. He
received a bachelor’s degree from the University of
California and received an executive master’s of business
administration degree from Loyola Marymount
University, earning Beta Gamma Sigma honors.
“NAMIC has been a consistent and essential part
of my career,” he said. “It’s a great honor to be a part
of this year’s distinguished class of luminaries and to
be recognized in this way by an organization that has
made such a profound difference in my career and
personal development.”
Ninoska Zucconi,
VP, Marketing Services,
Distribution Sales & Marketing,
Univision Communications
As VP, marketing services of the
Distribution Sales & Marketing
division at Univision, Ninoska
Zucconi is an advocate for diversity
within her organization and
the industry at large. She currently serves on NAMIC’s
Multicultural Committee and the WICT Florida Chapter
Board of Directors.
Zucconi’s ability to communicate her own experience
as a U.S.-born Hispanic-American provides these
organizations, and Univision’s distribution partners, with
insights into this emerging consumer segment. Zucconi,
who is bilingual, acts as the cultural and linguistic
bridge uniting the diversity of our clients, viewers and
colleagues.
In 2011, she was selected to participate in Univision’s
inaugural Leadership Development Program. She brings
years of distribution marketing experience to Univision,
having held management positions at Turner Broadcasting
Systems and Discovery Communications Inc.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in pysychology from
Vanderbilt University and an Executive MBA in international
business from the University of Miami.
“I feel privileged to be part of a company that doesn’t
just support diversity, but makes it an integral part of its
mission,” she said. “I am especially grateful for their support
in allowing me to serve both our industry as well as
our community.”
