As Comcast’s senior vice president, regulatory and state legislative affairs, Kathryn A. Zachem is responsible for the company’s advocacy before federal agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission and state regulatory and legislative bodies. The NCTA is honoring her for her significant impact on promoting a positive public image and advocating public policy positions for the cable industry at the national and state levels.
“Receiving the Vanguard Award for Government and Community Relations is quite an honor not only because it is given by our industry, but because I join a group of industry advocates which I hold in the highest regard, and none in that group more so than my fellow Comcast recipient s — David Cohen, D’Arcy Rudnay, Joe Waz and Sheila Willard,” Zachem said. “While they have different styles, they each take on public advocacy in an ethical, intelligent and thoughtful manner, following a great deal of real, ‘roll up the sleeves’ hard work. I have learned a great deal from them and so many others in the industry who advocate on a daily basis and I am proud to be part of that group.”
Zachem joined Comcast in 2008 from the law firm Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, where she was a founding partner and practiced communications law for 23 years. During that time, she represented clients from nearly every segment of the communications sector, including media, telecom, wireless, satellite and Internet-service providers.
She was named one of the Most Powerful Women in Cable and is regularly named to the Cablefax Top 100 list. She was honored by Multichannel News as a member of its 2014 class of Wonder Women and by Legal Momentum with a 2012 Aiming High award. Washingtonian recognized her as one of Washington’s best lawyers, and Chambers USA listed her as one of the leading lawyers in the telecom, broadcast and satellite fields.
Zachem is an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association, where she has served several terms on its executive committee and foundation board. She is also a board member of the Washington Tennis & Educational Foundation.
She received her juris doctor from the George Mason University School of Law and a joint bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from The George Washington University. She is admitted to practice law in Virginia and the District of Columbia. Zachem lives in Arlington, Va., with her husband, Dan, and daughter, Alexandra.
