People

Thomas Moody was elevated to senior vice president, program planning and acquisitions, A&E Network and Bio Channel. He had been VP, program planning at A&E Television Networks.

Vienna, Va.-based business and technology consultancy Acumen Solutions has tapped Paula Birth as director, communications and media practice. She comes from Comcast Business Services, where she was director, sales operations, Eastern region.

BigBand Networks has named Susan George regional vice president, cable sales, responsible for Comcast, Cablevision Systems and other accounts.

Kyle Hollifield has joined Bristol Virginia Utilities as the Bristol, Va.-based municipal electric utility and triple-play provider’s vice president, marketing and business development. He had been CEO of Atlas Telecom Product.

Lewis Simons has joined Cox Communications as executive director, online customer care. He comes from Dell, where he was senior manager responsible for support call center management.

Also, Ken Bukauski joined Cox as executive director, e-commerce. He had been VP, sales and marketing at National Pen Co.

Coni Rechner advanced to vice president, digital sales at Discovery Education, based in Evanston, Ill. She had been VP, marketing.

Also, Kurt Fichtman was tapped as sales director and Jeanie Staton was named sales manager.

Karen Ramspacher has been named vice president, research at Fuse. She comes from Oxygen Media, where she was vice president, research.

Craig Parks was elevated to vice president, digital media at the Independent Film Channel. He had been VP, branded entertainment and business development.

Internet Broadcasting in St. Paul, Minn., has named Libby Freligh vice president, product marketing. She comes from Brightcove.

Tapan Dandnaik was upped to senior vice president, customer service and financial operations at Middletown, N.Y.-based MSO Mediacom Communications. He comes from cable overbuilder RCN, where he was director, corporate initiatives.

Madison Square Garden has named Scott O’Neil president of MSG Sports, responsible for business operations of the New York Knicks, New York Rangers and New York Liberty as well as MSG’s college and high-school basketball, boxing and track and field properties. He comes from the National Basketball Association, where he was senior VP.

MTV Networks Entertainment Group has promoted Rebecca Keszkowski to vice president, digital integrated marketing. She had been director, Spike Digital Entertainment Group.

Linda Alexander was elevated to executive vice president, corporate communications at MTV Networks International, based in Miami. She had been overseeing communications and public affairs for MTV Networks International and Latin America.

Also, Sandra Lee has joined MTVNI as New York-based director, MTVNI corporate communications. She comes from Thomson Reuters.

And Seema Alibhai has joined MTVNI as London-based director, MTVNI corporate communications. She comes from CNN International.

Finally, AnneMarie Kane will continue as vice president, communications, Nickelodeon International and Bob Seely will continue as director, communications, MTVNI.

Jericho, N.Y.-based Optimum Lightpath has named Christopher Rabii as senior vice president, technical operations. He had been VP, engineering at AboveNet in White Plains, N.Y.

Also, Julia McGrath was named vice president, strategic integration. She was senior VP, fulfillment operations at Optimum Lightpath parent Cablevision Systems.

RCH Cable has promoted Brian Hickey to vice president, client relations, Western Region. He previously was director of client relations.

Anjelica Cohn was named senior vice president, business affairs at Telemundo Communications Group. She had formerly worked at MGM Networks Latin America, where she served as senior vice president, business affairs.

Thomson has named Alan Wright senior vice president, business development, Technicolor Network Services. He comes from Motorola, where he led strategy and business development for Europe, the Middle East, Africa and India.

Verizon Communications has tapped William V. Petersen as Philadelphia-based vice president, associate general counsel, responsible for state regulatory matters in the Northeast. He will retain his previous role as president, Verizon Pennsylvania.

Vonage Holdings has named Marc Lefar CEO. He is the former chief marketing officer of Cingular Wireless.