WICT Announces Magness Institute Classes

Women in Cable & Telecommunications announced the members of Class XII and Class XIII of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute Tuesday.

The program provides intensive, yearlong training to prepare senior-level women to take on significant leadership responsibilities.

The members of Class XII are: Pamela Baratta, vice president, sales, Comcast Spotlight; Linda S. Chambers, group VP, human resources, Florida group, Bright House Networks; Lori Chee, VP, affiliate marketing, Music Group and Logo, MTV Networks; Lori Conkling, VP, national accounts, Disney and ESPN Media Networks; Mary Connolly, VP of HR, Comcast Corp.; Rochelle DiRe, executive VP of HR, Court TV Networks; Robin J. Feller, VP, affiliate point of sale, Starz Entertainment Group LLC; Valerie Gillespie, VP and general manager, Comcast Cable Communications Inc.; Lisa Hyams, acting senior VP of operations, Discovery Latin America/Iberia; Janice Janik-Fries, account VP, Showtime Networks Inc.; Ziba Kaboli, VP, affiliate relations and national accounts, Court TV; Sloan Kennedy, director, HBO Services Inc.; Kathryn Koles, senior counsel, Comcast; Robin A. Pearson, VP, business development, Women in Cable & Telecommunications; Wendy Rasmussen, VP/GM, Los Angeles Metro markets, Charter Communications Inc.; Karen Rivenburg, director of financial planning and analysis, Portland (Ore.) market, Comcast; Jen Robertson, director, consumer marketing, WE: Women's Entertainment; Dawn Rodney Tranchitella, VP, creative, National Geographic Channel; Misty Skedgell, VP, corporate communications, Turner Broadcasting System Inc.; Suzee Smith-Everhard, director, community relations and TeleVideo, Cox Communications Inc.; Darlene Stapleton, director of operations, customer care, Time Warner Cable; Tina Thornton, coordinating producer, ESPN; Katy Uhl, senior director, HR, Comcast Media Center; Robyn Ulrich, senior VP, marketing and public relations, Do It Yourself; Gatsie H. Wall-Jones, director, network-programming operations, Home Box Office; and Jennifer Yohe Wagner, VP, business affairs, Time Warner Cable.

The members of Class XIII are: Tracy Baumgartner, VP of PR, West division, Comcast; Lisa Chang, senior VP, HR, The Weather Channel Cos.; Chris Choun, VP, production management, VH1, MTVN; Parthavi Das, VP, strategic initiatives, WICT; Cynthia S. Derick, VP, Western division, affiliate sales and marketing, Disney/ESPN; Anita Dorf, VP, marketing, Adelphia Communications Corp.; Jennifer Dorian, senior VP, branding and business development, TBS and Turner Network Television, Turner Broadcasting System Inc.; Paula Doyle, VP, affiliate marketing, Oxygen Media Inc.; Bridget A. Farley, VP, affiliate field sales, NBC Universal Cable; Jody Fennell, VP, distribution and business development, TWC Interactive; Kathleen Finch, senior VP, primetime programming, Food Network; Laurie Giammona, regional VP, customer care, Comcast; Toby Graff, VP of public affairs, Lifetime Entertainment Services; Barbara Hagen, regional VP of business operations, Comcast; Trish Jones, senior VP and deputy general counsel, Turner; Rebecca R. Lim, senior director, advanced services, Starz Entertainment; Katie Miles-Ley, VP, HR and organizational development, Starz Entertainment; Nicole Mussenden, director, affiliate sales and marketing, Fox Cable Networks Group; Sharon Otterman, VP, integrated media and market planning, ESPN; Staci Parker, VP, cable sales, EarthLink Inc.; Leslie E. Russell, VP, sales and marketing, Comcast Media Center; Mary Beth Schubert, area director, corporate affairs, Comcast; Cathy Serksnas, VP/GM, Northern region, Los Angeles division, Time Warner Cable; Jacqueline D. Vines, VP/GM, Greater Louisiana, Cox; Loretta Young Walker, senior VP, HR, Turner; and Sandra Weicher, area VP, Comcast.