Chantilly, VA - Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) today announced the 120 designees of its 2011 Rising Leaders Program (RLP), which is comprised of emerging industry talent who have demonstrated leadership potential within their companies.

A grant from the Walter Kaitz Foundation, including eight full scholarships, has enabled the Rising Leaders Program to double the number of applicants selected this year, expanding from two classes to four. Nearly 250 women applied for the 120 available slots. The top candidates were designated based on an established selection process led by 38 cable professionals who served on the 2011 Application Review Committee.

WICT’s Rising Leaders immerse themselves in an intensive week-long program. The training includes in-depth instruction on leadership analysis, high-performing affinity groups, cable telecommunications business acumen, and strategic communications development. A new feature this year is a health and wellness element, which includes nutrition training, stress relieving tips and an exercise program called intenSati. The learning continues throughout the year through affinity group activities, and culminates with a presentation to their peers.

"Each year we receive a record number of applications from an impressive group of rising professionals, and we’re thrilled that we can offer additional opportunities to more individuals this year. We believe this serves as both a testament to the success of past Rising Leaders programs and the significant demand for leadership development," said Christina Vergara, WICT vice president of education and program development. "WICT’s Rising Leaders Program provides these future industry leaders with critical tools and techniques that better enable them to advance their companies and careers," Vergara concluded.

The 2011 WICT Rising Leaders designees are:

• Danielle Acampora, Director of Accounting; ESPN
• Leah Altman, Director, Ad Sales Marketing; Scripps Networks Interactive
• Lynne Antinarelli, Manager, Integrated Marketing; CMT
• Danielle Arnold, Senior Manager, Finance; PBS KIDS Sprout
• Shaheena Arshad-Trijillo, Director, Operations Engineering; Comcast
• Amanda Bader Perry, Manager, Internal Audit; Insight Communications
• Sakshi Bajaj, Technical Team Lead; Comcast
• Meghan Ballantyne, Director, National Accounts; Scripps Networks Interactive
• Tiffany Barnes, Senior Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis; MTV Networks
• Stephanie Bastin-Wells, Senior HR Manager; Comcast Spotlight
• Renee Beck, Director, Production Services, Programming & Production; National Geographic Channel
• Megan Bishop, Director of Business Operations; Comcast
• Jennifer Blaxland, Senior Interconnect Traffic Manager; Comcast Spotlight
• Susan Blum, Director of Retention and Competition; Comcast
• Carrie Bocian, Senior Director, Programming; Time Warner Cable
• Audrey Boecklen, Senior Product Manager - Technology & Product Development; Comcast
• Elizabeth Braiman, Manager, Distribution Business Development; AETN
• Laura Brayton, Director; Comcast
• Catherine Butler, Senior Finance Manager; ESPN International
• Eliana Castro, Senior Manager, Wireless PMO; Time Warner Cable
• Ruth Cheng, Director, Human Resources; MTV Networks
• Sharon Codeanne, Manager of Government & Community Relations; Comcast
• Sara Corcoran, Associate Director, ESPN Multimedia Sales Research; ESPN
• Norma Cordova, VP, Business Operations & Project Management, West Region; Time Warner Cable
• Dana Cox, Director, Commercial Operations; Time Warner Cable
• Trisha Coy, Senior Director of Customer Care; Comcast
• Dana Crose, Assistant Collections Manager; Insight Communications
• Kristi De Tienne, NASR - Senior Manager of Repair and Incubation; Comcast
• Kelly Deen, Senior Manager, 360 Consumer Marketing; Cartoon Network
• Gimette DeLaughter, Video Operations Support Manager; Cox Communications
• Christine Delestowicz, Field Manager, Distribution; Hallmark Channels
• Wendy Deyton, Director of Sales Operations; CommScope
• Lisa Donaldson, Marketing Manager; Cable One
• Wanda Doran, Executive Producer, On-Air Promotion & Branding; WE tv
• Jordana Drell, Senior Director, Preschool Games; Nickelodeon
• Heather Dworakowski, Marketing Manager, Partnerships & Promotions; Time Warner Cable, East Region
• Amy Emmerich, Vice President, Production & Development; Travel Channel
• Lisa Engelke, Manager, Product Management Team; Charter Communications
• Melissa Filippone, Research Director; WE tv & Wedding Central
• Patty Fowler, Director, New Product Support; Comcast
• Jennifer Frager, Manager of Sales and Customer Retention; Suddenlink Communications
• Janet Glenn, Director of Billing Carolina Region; Time Warner Cable
• Kate Gross, Manager of Operations, Creative Services; truTV
• Corinne Harradine, Regional Director, Affiliate Sales; NBC Universal Television Network Distribution
• Aaliyah Harris, Manager, Partner Marketing; MTV Networks
• Ramonica Harton, Director, Business Development & Multi-Platform Distribution; Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Becky Henderson, Founder, EVP, General Manager; Halogen TV
• Heather Hipke, Director of Finance; Time Warner Cable
• Shelley Hoffmann, Producer; Food Network/Cooking Channel
• Betsy Holland, Director, Corporate Responsibility & Civic Affairs; Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Melissa Ingram, Counsel, Business and Legal Affairs; GMC
• Olivia Jarvis, Director, HR; Comcast
• Shelly Jones, Midwest Region IT Director - Commercial Services; Time Warner Cable
• Kealani Kimball, Associate Director, Event Development; ESPN
• Brenda Kinne, Senior Director of Marketing; Time Warner Cable - Wisconsin
• Deborah Lamb, Local Content Vehicle, Coordinating Producer; C-SPAN
• Shana Lebofsky, Director, Finance & Operations; Comcast
• Traci Loonstra, Director, Sales & Marketing; Charter Communications
• Erin Lorenz, Director of IT, HR Applications; Suddenlink Communications
• Laraine Mancini, Senior Director, Investor Relations; Time Warner Cable
• Beth Marchetti, Customer Care Manager; Insight Communications
• Monique Marcil, Director of Features; Tribune Media Services
• Corrie Marden, HR Generalist; Midcontinent Communications
• Karen McCague, Director of IT Service Management; Scripps Networks
• Samantha Meiler, Editorial Director; Nickelodeon
• Robbin Meyers, Senior Manager, HRIS; Time Warner Cable
• Kukis Moran, Senior Manager, Market Design; Comcast
• Louise Moran, Producer; ESPN International
• Julie Morris, Production Supervisor; Turner Broadcasting - truTV
• Sandra Nelson, Director of Finance; Bright House Networks
• Marietta Obfenda, Director of Accounting & Finance; Comcast
• Kathy O'Brien, Senior Manager of Workforce Management; Comcast
• Courtney Oliver, Director, Human Resources; Nickelodeon
• Sharon Orloff, Manager, Customer Service Centers; Comcast
• Alessandra Otero-Reiss, Director of Targeted Marketing; Time Warner Cable
• Rachel Ozias, Marketing Manager; Comcast
• Sandra Parks, Director of Marketing Operations; Comcast
• Lorelei Pate, Project Manager, Voice & IP Operations; Time Warner Cable
• Ursula Pfeiffer, Coordinating Producer; ESPN
• Christa Pickel, Senior Marketing Operations Manager; Comcast
• Adele Plumail, Director, Integrated Marketing; MTV Networks
• Anne Porter, Manager, Finance; Comcast
• Emily Powers, Director, Business Development, Digital Distribution; NBCUniversal
• Lara Pritchard, Vice President, Communications - Northeast; Time Warner Cable
• Patricia Ragsdale, Senior Engineering Project Manager; Comcast
• Devi Ramachandran, Director, Technology; Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Katherine Reeves, Principal Engineer; Time Warner Cable
• Lisa Reeves, Senior Counsel; Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
• Eilisa Reid, Director, Device & Network Application Engineering; Comcast
• Jean Rench, Senior Director of Advanced Advertising Operations; Time Warner Cable Media Sales
• Luz Reval, Customer Service Manager; Cable One
• Sara Richardson, Operations Manager; Comcast
• Marie Robinson, Director of Product Management; Comcast
• Severn Sandt, Senior Operations Manager; ESPN
• Michelle Scheuermann, Director of Communications; The Sportsman Channel
• Soluna Shah, Corporate Director, Online Strategy; Bright House Networks
• Nicole Siegel, Regional Manager, Distribution Field Sales, East Region; AETN
• Ingrid Simunic, Senior Director, Voice/Wireless Product Management; Time Warner Cable
• Joy Sivec, Senior Manager, Customer Care Training; Time Warner Cable
• Jennifer Smardo, Senior Director of Engineering and Business Operations; Comcast
• Beth Smith, Finance Director of International Digital Media; MTV Networks
• Kenley Smith, Manager, Consumer Marketing; HGTV
• Tammy Smith, Senior Director of Research; Outdoor Channel
• Nadia Sookram, Senior Manager, Finance; MTV Networks
• Erin Spurling, Marketing Communications Manager; Comcast
• Ebony Staton Weidman, Senior Manager, Human Resources; Comcast
• Lauren Stevenson, Director, National Accounts; Disney and ESPN Media Networks
• Carol Ann Sweeney, Manager, Procurement; Comcast
• Bonna Tanaka, Senior Project Manager; Time Warner Cable
• Chandni Thakrar-Ochoa, Director, Corporate Voice Operations; Suddenlink Communications
• Tina Thompson, Manager, Programming; GMC
• Johnna Turner, Customer Experience Manager; Suddenlink Communications
• Marshelle Walker, Project Manager, New Development; Cable One, Inc.
• Lisa Walsh, Senior Director of Human Resources; Comcast
• Robyn Watson, Director, Corporate Communications; Time Warner Cable
• Heather Whitley, Senior Producer; CNN Idea Lab
• Caryn Williams, Project Manager, Customer Service Strategy & Operations; Comcast
• Mickey Williams, Project Manager - All Digital; Cable One, Inc.
• Helen Wilson, Director of Marketing Operations; Comcast
• Liza Wyles, Executive Producer; WE tv

Visit the WICT website for complete bios and more information about the Rising Leaders Program.

About the WICT Rising Leaders Program
WICT’s 2011 Rising Leaders Program is a competitive, application-based program and all applicants must be approved by their companies in order to participate. The program is limited to four classes of 30 women per class. This year, two classes will run concurrently in Delray Beach, Florida from May 22-27, and San Diego, CA from September 11-16. The program helps young professionals design their individual leadership blueprint by participating in an intensive weeklong immersion program, comprised of leadership analysis, high-performing affinity groups, cable business acumen and tactical personal leadership skill development. The in-depth leadership course curriculum will be led by Erika Andersen, Founder of Proteus International, and is supported by Proteus' senior staff members, Cindy Swensen, Jennifer Sherman and Therese Miclot.

In addition to support from the Walter Kaitz Foundation, WICT gratefully acknowledges Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. as the Gold Sponsor of the Rising Leaders Program. Further support is provided by Comcast as a Silver Sponsor, and Suddenlink Communications as a Bronze Sponsor of the program.

About WICT
For over thirty years, Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) has partnered with cable and telecommunications leaders to provide professional development programs, research and services that help advance women in cable media. With over 8,100 members, WICT is the oldest and largest professional association serving women in the cable and telecommunications industry.  Comcast, Rainbow Media/WE tv, Time Warner Cable and Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. are WICT’s Strategic Touchstone Partners.  Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICT on Twitter for more information.

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