Randy Altman
VP Sales & Marketing, ProVantageX
Randy is a veteran of the local buying community having spent more than 30 years managing General Motors Northeast local media investments. She was recruited by Zenith to run the local broadcast group for their New York office focusing on negotiating group deals and value solutions for clients. It was there that she saw early signs of the need to improve the buy sell process to keep local media on pace with other mediums. Randy joined ProVantageX looking forward to educating colleagues about how automation could maximize value for clients and make local linear TV more attractive to advertisers. She is proud of the evolution of PVX and how they have been able to navigate the media landscape, standing stronger today with valuable solutions for the industry.
Abby Auerbach
EVP, Chief Communications Officer, TVB and Executive Director, NEXT Women
Abby is responsible for advocacy, public relations, corporate communications, events/conferences, and TVB.org. She directs TVB’s NEXT Women program and leads the organization’s DEI Task Force. Previous to TVB, she ran the local broadcast buying unit at Ogilvy as Senior Partner, U.S. Director. Ms. Auerbach serves on the board of the International Radio & Television Society, is a former director of the Alliance for Women in Media, and a member of She Runs It. She is a past chair of the 4A’s Local Broadcast and eBusiness committees. In 2019, she was a recipient of the TVNewsCheck Women in Technology Futurist Award for her work leading the development and adoption of ePort.
Nicole Besen
Buyer, Local Investment, Havas Media Group
Nicole Besen is a 2018 graduate of the University of Miami and has been with the Havas Media Local Investment team for four and a half years, first as an associate and currently as a buyer. In her current role, she carefully constructs TV and radio buys based on current market trends and looks forward to a more active role working cross-functionally to coordinate and implement campaigns. An avid TV watcher herself, Nicole enjoys the deeper understanding of the industry that this job provides.
Craig Broitman
EVP, Chief Operating Officer, Katz Television Group; Chair, NSAC
Craig Broitman is the Chief Operating Officer of Katz Television Group, the nation’s leading television representation company, serving as the trusted sales partner to more than 800+ television stations and an expansive portfolio of digital partners. Katz uses its unparalleled national reach, technology, and insights to create custom campaigns to help advertisers connect with local consumers nationwide. A 30-year veteran in the media business, Craig oversees Katz’s day-to-day operations to drive growth for advertisers, agencies, and all Katz clients, including ad sales operations, agency and broadcaster connectivity, sales training, and the development of the company’s political, unwired and direct marketing units. Craig is currently a board member of TVB and the chair of its National Sales Advisory Committee, and a former member of the Executive Board.
Tom Butler
VP, Media & Data, Vivvix
Tom leads the Media & Data group at Vivvix, overseeing digital media and ad tech clients as well as traditional publishers. With 20+ years experience in executive roles, Tom is a trusted resource in innovative media measurement solutions. He got his start at Petry Media and has played pivotal roles at NetRatings and Nielsen, leading digital practices. Formerly Chief Revenue Officer at StatSocial and Affectiva, he also previously led Merkle’s Media & Entertainment practice. Skilled in ad intelligence, market research, and media measurement, Tom’s expertise spans ad tech, behavioral targeting, and data/content monetization. A go-to source for the industry, he’s a dynamic leader with a proven track record.
John Casesa
Sr. Managing Director, Guggenheim Partners
John Casesa is Senior Managing Director at Guggenheim Partners, a global investment and advisory firm. He was previously Group Vice President, Global Strategy at Ford Motor Company, where he led strategy and business development and reported to the CEO. At Ford he created numerous new businesses including Argo AI, a rapidly growing developer of an autonomous vehicle software platform built to serve customers industry-wide. Casesa was one of Wall Street’s leading auto analysts for almost two decades, at Merrill Lynch and at Schroders. His thought-leading research changed the way investors understood many aspects of the auto industry. Prior to Wall Street, he was a member of GM’s Marketing and Product Planning Staff.
Joe Cerone
Executive Vice President, Local Investment, MAGNA
Joe leads a renowned team of local-investment experts, negotiating on behalf of clients across the IPG Mediabrands network, spanning UM, Initiative and Mediahub. Earlier in his career, Joe spent seven years at Initiative in the greater Atlanta area, later joining Publicis Media’s Zenith, where he served as Executive Vice President, Director of Local Investment. His career has included time as a broadcast VP at Carat USA, and he started as a buyer at Ogilvy & Mather. Clients that Joe has advised span the universe of global brands, including CVS, American Express, Estee Lauder, Hyundai Motor America, and Toyota Motor America/Lexus Motor America.
Toni Coonce
Chief Revenue Officer, WideOrbit
Toni joined WideOrbit in 2006, bringing over 20 years of media industry experience on both the client and vendor sides of the business. Prior to WideOrbit, Toni worked for Marketron Solutions, holding positions in support, project management, sales engineering, and sales. Before that, she was Finance Manager at a small broadcast group for two years. As CRO, Toni leads all Sales efforts at WideOrbit.
Pete Doe
Pete Doe, Chief Data Officer, Nielsen
Pete Doe has decades of experience in market research, audience measurement, big data, and statistical modeling techniques. In his current role, he leads Nielsen’s Data Science Organization, overseeing the development of audience measurement methodologies across video, digital, and audio globally. From 2004-2015 he was a primary architect of Nielsen’s data integration products and contributed to patented innovations in Set Top Box measurement, Digital and Outdoor Advertising Research. Between 2015-2022, Pete was Chief Research Officer at clypd, an advanced TV platform start-up acquired by Microsoft in 2022. Pete was a board director at RSMB TV Research in the UK, where he worked primarily on the BARB TV audience measurement currency as well as data fusion projects.
Missy Evenson
Vice President Sales, Local Media, Scripps; Chair, TVB Board of Directors
Missy has been with Scripps for eleven years and in her current role as VP Sales, Local Media for five years. Prior to this role Missy was a Regional Director of Revenue Strategy for Scripps, Director of Sales at KMGH in Denver and held previous management roles in broadcasting in Texas. She has been on the planning, buying and sales side of the media business. Missy is the current Chair of the TVB Board of Directors, Member of the Scripps Employee Women’s Resource Group and member of the executive women’s program Chief.
Sara Fagen
Co-Founder and CEO, Tunnl
Sara Fagen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Tunnl, a decision intelligence company re-defining the market for audience creation, insights, and activation for digital, CTV, and linear TV advertising. A serial entrepreneur, Fagen founded Resonate, a consumer intelligence platform, sold to ZMC in 2022. She was also a partner at leading public affairs firm, DDC, acquired by Omnicom in 2014. Before she began building businesses, Fagen had a successful career in government and campaign politics. Fagen served as White House Political Director for President George W. Bush, helping enact some of President Bush’s most significant legislative accomplishments. Fagen played a key role in the President’s 2004 re-election campaign, in which she served as a senior strategist directing opinion research, paid media, and microtargeting. An innovator from the start, The Wall Street Journal once referred to her as a “data whiz.”
Bethany Fife
Senior Director, La-Z-Boy
Bethany Fife has served as the Senior Marketing Director for an independently owned La-Z-Boy® Furniture Galleries organization for over 13 years. A graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University with a background in radio sales and retail, Bethany built the foundation for her strategic management and insight to highlight the La-Z-Boy® brand in her local markets. She manages all media buys, promotional campaigns, and special events across 8 showroom locations in Greater Tampa Bay and Southwest Florida. A long-time resident in Lakeland, FL Bethany is committed to community enhancement through education. She dedicates her marketing knowledge and time as President of an adult literacy organization, and as an RYT200 teaching a weekly heated yoga class at her hometown studio.
Sara Gallegos
Senior Director, New Business Development, Scripps; Chair, SSAC
Sara Gallegos has been senior director of new business development for the Local Media division of The E.W. Scripps Company since 2018. Previously, she was regional director of new business development for Scripps for over two years. Gallegos has worked in broadcasting in Denver since 1997, including time as an account executive at KUSA-TV and KCNC-TV and an integrated account executive, then local sales manager at Denver7 (KMGH-TV). She has served as co-chair of the TVB SSAC/NSAC committee since 2020.
Hadassa Gerber
EVP, Chief Research Officer, TVB
Hadassa Gerber was named Chief Research Officer of TVB in June 2014. Hadassa joined from the Syndicated Network Television Association (SNTA), where she served as the Director of Research and Systems. Prior to joining SNTA, she served in several senior and executive director roles for leading advertising agencies including Y&R, Media Edge, DeWitt Media, and McCann Erickson. Known as an industry thought leader in media analytics, media strategy and digital, Hadassa has worked with numerous blue-chip companies, agency executives, and brand managers to help develop innovative solutions to complex marketing challenges and maximize return on investment. She is a board member of the Media Ratings Council (MRC), a member of NAB’s COLTAM, the ARF and CIMM.
Dave Heller
President, Main Street Communications
Dave Heller is one of the top media consultants and campaign strategists in the Democratic Party. As president of Main Street Communications, Dave has compiled the best won-loss record in the Democratic Party helping clients win election to Congress. His clients have won 15 out of 19 open seat House races and all four of his congressional clients won their elections in 2022. He’s handled the media for 30 different Members of Congress and earned 19 Pollie Awards for his TV and radio ads. Dave also owns two affiliated minor league baseball teams, the Quad Cities River Bandits and Wilmington Blue Rocks.
Carol Hinnant
Chief Revenue Officer, Comscore
As Chief Revenue Officer, Ms. Hinnant guides Comscore’s revenue-generating operations across the global digital, television, and cross-platform business. Prior to that, Ms. Hinnant served as the company’s Executive Vice President, National Television Sales, managing the sales and account management team and working face-to-face with Comscore’s network clients developing new, innovative approaches to industry challenges using Comscore’s granular television and digital measurement insights and driving cross-platform solutions. Ms. Hinnant also served as Senior Vice President, National Television Sales at Rentrak since 2006 and spent 16 years growing multi-platform distribution channels for cable network giants and emerging niche networks.
Jennifer Hungerbuhler
EVP, Head of Local Video and Audio Investment, dentsu Media US
In her role Jennifer Hungerbuhler oversees the investment strategy for local video and audio channels across all screen/devices for all dentsu Media clients. Jennifer is charged with reinventing the supply side of media, innovating consistent and scalable buying and investment capabilities, and developing richer media owner partnerships, locally and globally. She oversees staff in New York, LA, Detroit, and Atlanta, and is responsible for over $2B of media spending. Jennifer has over 25 years of experience in advertising and media buying across a variety of categories including Quick Serve Restaurants, Fine & Causal Dining, Travel and Entertainment, Retail, Automotive, CPG, Spirits/ Beer, Pharma, Gaming and Tune-In.
Jennifer Kempton
Account Executive, 9News, TEGNA
Jennifer Kempton is an established Account Executive at TEGNA, 9News, in Denver, Colorado. She was previously an Account Executive at KSE Radio Group, where she exceeded annual goals and was awarded “Employee of the Year” in 2018. Over her 4.5 years with TEGNA, she has consistently exceeded revenue goals, was nationally recognized as a “Corporate MVP,” and was awarded as the “9News to the Core Employee” in June, 2023. She continually learns and adapts to the ever-changing media landscape and hopes to grow her skills as an Account Executive and business professional within TEGNA over the next 5 years.
Steve Lanzano
President and CEO, TVB
Steve Lanzano is President and CEO of TVB. Steve joined TVB as president on January 1, 2010. He came to the association from HAVAS U.S., where he was the Chief Operating Officer. Previously he was the North American CEO of Mediaedge:cia (now Wavemaker), responsible for overseeing the agency’s operations across the U.S. and Canada. Steve was also global media director at sister agency Mindshare, where he was responsible for the American Express business.
Nancy Larkin
EVP, Managing Partner, LocalONE Investment; DEI Impact Team Leader, Horizon Media
Nancy Larkin is EVP Managing Partner LocalOne at Horizon Media. She is an industry veteran who has been with Horizon for 30+ years. Throughout her tenure she has worked to make sure that Local Investment operation is second to none. She has guided the team through the many changes in this ever-evolving multi-screen world as well as leading the team in the development of automation, advanced TV & targeting platforms. Over the years, Nancy has led the department through the many changes in measurement and has been instrumental in the development of simplified and efficient communication with stations and sales representative organizations. She fearlessly leads a division managing across 50+ distinct client needs bringing dedicated expertise and accountability to a legacy and evolving medium.
Bob Liodice
Chief Executive Officer, ANA
Bob Liodice is CEO of the ANA. He was previously EVP, responsible for member relations, business development, strengthening relationships with ANA member companies, and broadening the membership base. Prior to joining ANA, he was VP of global marketing and sales for Grupo Televisa, and he worked for over 15 years in marketing and financial management at Kraft General Foods. Bob serves on the boards of directors of The Advertising Council, Better Business Bureau National Programs, Geopath, ANA Educational Foundation, Digital Advertising Alliance, Trustworthy Accountability Group, and World Federation of Advertisers.
Brian McCord
SVP/Executive Director, Media Strategy, RPA
Brian has built a 20+ year career in media strategy and investment, fueled by a relentless curiosity to learn about a variety of categories, holding senior-level roles on Honda/Acura, Carl’s Jr. & Hardee’s, Microsoft Xbox, and Bank of America, among others. He currently leads Media Strategy across all RPA clients. His foundational belief in the importance of media and target audience fundamentals combined with a commitment to test and learn initiatives has kept him fascinated by the continuing evolutions in marketing. He is a dedicated leader of teams, empowering and driving them to deliver best-in-class strategic products for clients.
Becky Meyer
SVP, National Sales, Gray Television
Becky Meyer is the SVP of National Sales for Gray Television, joining the company in September of 2015. In this role she oversees the coordination and execution of national transactions in 113 markets and manages agency relations across the country. Prior to Gray, Becky worked at Katz
Television for 23 years in the Chicago office ultimately as VP Director of Sales. In 2001, she took a break from the National business and became the Local Sales Manager for WAOW in Wausau, Wisconsin. Becky serves on the Media Ad Sales Council, the MRC, is a member of Nielsen’s Local Alliance, Comscore’s Local Advisory Council, and is a member of the Media Ad Club of Chicago.
Geraldine Moriba
SVP News, Entertainment, and Empowerment, TheGrio, Allen Media Group
Geraldine Moriba is the SVP of theGrio, the largest Black newsroom in the nation, covering social justice, lifestyle, and entertainment. In her first two years in this leadership role, she has expanded theGrio to five revenue and content businesses, including a news site, a streaming and mobile app, live events, a podcast network, and a cable network. Her work has earned her five Emmy Awards, an Alfred I. DuPont Award, two Peabody Awards, the Princeton University Ferris Professorship of Journalism Fellowship, the Anita Hill Gender Justice Award, two RTNDA-Unity Awards, four New York Film Festival Awards, two NABJ First Place Documentary Awards, and more.
Danielle Norris
Director, ProVantageX
With over a decade of experience in the local television industry, Danielle has worked in sales across cable, local TV stations, and technology sectors. Currently at PVX, she is passionately focused on creating better tools to elevate the industry. Her goal is to drive innovation, educate, and enhance both the buyer and seller experience through cutting-edge solutions.
Vanessa Otero
CEO & Founder, Ad Fontes Media
Vanessa Otero is the Founder and CEO of Ad Fontes Media, the company that rates news for bias and reliability. Ms. Otero founded Ad Fontes in 2018 with a mission to rate all the news to positively transform society. She created the original Media Bias Chart in 2016, which was the seed idea for creating the company. She is passionate about bringing people together and overcoming the challenges of political polarization in our present environment. Prior to starting Ad Fontes, she practiced as a patent attorney specializing in software.
DJ Perera
Chief Media Officer, Ad Council
DJ works to develop strategic partnerships across the media ecosystem, using pro bono and paid media elements to enhance the Ad Council’s impact. She works to develop engagement strategies and explore trends and innovation in emerging media and technology. An accomplished media executive, DJ was previously at Boehringer Ingelheim where she led their US Media Center of Excellence. Prior to that she was head of US Integrated Media at Beiersdorf. DJ is a digital native having started her career in the late 1990s during the NYC dot-com boom – leading digital initiatives at iXL, Proxicom and Qwest Communications, followed by ten years at a marketing agency. She is active on many industry committees and boards, most recently being appointed as Chairperson of the ANA’s Media Committee.
Kyle Roberts
President/CEO, AdImpact & Smart Media Group
Kyle Roberts has been active in politics and media buying since 1992. Since starting Smart Media Group in 2005, they have helped elect 45 U.S. Senators, 19 Governors, 119 House Members and 117 down ticket Republicans. Some of his clients included John McCain for President, Marco Rubio for Senate and President, John Thune for Senate, and Representative Young Kim CA-39. Kyle is also the CEO of AdImpact, started in 2014, which has become the leading media intelligence company in American Politics. AdImpact tracks ad spending and creative for more than 6,000 campaigns. Recently, AdImpact just announced ad detection on streaming devices.
Brad Seitter
EVP, Local and National Business Development, TVB
Brad oversees TVB’s business development team including two regional SVPs, VP of Digital, Automotive Expert and Marketing Administrator. Brad develops presentations and strategies for the division, presenting directly to advertisers via one-on-one consulting, large auditorium group settings and national conventions across all 210 DMAs. He also oversees all of TVB’s sales work in the Political category. TVB’s business development team, led by Brad, has successfully moved millions of dollars in ad spend from other media to broadcast TV. Brad’s broadcast background includes 30 years in television in the sports and sales departments with TVB, Scripps and FOX O&O. Previous to his work with TVB, Brad was the Executive Producer for the Kansas City Chiefs official television show handling all content, talent, production, sales and syndication.
Aisha F. Thompkins
Director, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, Cox Media Group
Aisha F. Thompkins has over twenty years’ HR experience in public and private sectors. Her areas of expertise include Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws, Employee Relations, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) strategies for business. Mrs. Thompkins specializes in driving inclusive and equitable workplace cultures and minimizing liabilities associated with discriminatory policies and practices. She holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from Florida State University, a Professional Certification in Diversity & Inclusion from University of Georgia, and a Professional Certification in Management Development from Nova Southeastern University.
Jon Watts
Managing Director, Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement
Jon Watts has 25 years of professional experience in media and advertising, in the US and internationally, working as an advisor and consultant to major media and technology enterprises, investors, policy makers and regulators. At CIMM, Jon is leading a range of initiatives, including work on the future of cross-platform measurement, the transition to a multi-currency market, and the use of data across the TV ecosystem. Jon is also Executive Director at The Project X Institute and Editorial Director of Beet.TV’s events and industry retreats. Prior to moving to the US from the UK, Jon founded and led MTM, an international research and strategy consultancy.
Mitchell West
Director, CMAG, Vivvix
Mitchell West is the Director of Vivvix CMAG. Prior to becoming Director in 2020, Mitchell held just about every position possible at the company, from business and product development to data analysis and visualization. His work has been cited in articles by the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg News, the Associated Press and many other publications, and after 17 years at CMAG, it’s safe to assume that few people on Earth have watched as many political ads as he has.