NEW YORK – August 23, 2024 – RAB, in conjunction with Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW) and Xperi, is pleased to announce the successful completion of the 16th annual Rising Through the Ranks program. The program began with a virtual session on Tuesday, August 13, and continued with in-person sessions on August 20-22 at the BMI Nashville office.
2024 Graduates with Featured Speakers including Erica Farber, Kim Johnson, and Trisha Yearwood
Attendees were selected following an application process. The two-day curriculum focused on the specific needs of women in radio leadership or those aspiring to move into leadership positions. The program worked to enhance their overall knowledge and skills. The classroom materials, including participants’ notebooks, were sponsored by Mr. Master.
Sessions included such topics as:
- Having it All
- Building Your Personal Brand
- Beyond Management: Unlocking the Leader Within
- Building Team Culture
Featured speakers included:
- Hartley Adkins, president, market groups, iHeartMedia
- Rob Babin, executive vice president, radio, Cox Media Group
- Danni Bruns, operating manager, program director of mornings, CUMULUS MEDIA
- Kristin Cantrell, owner/chief executive officer, Seven Mountains Media and CapCity Communications
- Joe D’Angelo, senior vice president of broadcast radio and digital audio, Xperi
- Erica Farber, immediate past president and chief executive officer, RAB
- Kelli Frieler, owner, Vibrant Impact and director, Guaranty Digital Media
- Kim Johnson, vice president of professional development, RAB
- Susan Larkin, chief operating officer, Audacy
- Ruth Presslaff, board president, MIW
- Jeff Schmidt, senior vice president, professional development, RAB
- Erika Sylvia, market accounting manager - Houston and Dallas, Radio One
- Sandye Taylor, senior vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, BMI
- Brooke Williams, senior vice president, membership, RAB
- Trisha Yearwood, award-winning artist
- Linnae Young, executive vice president, operations and revenue development, Salem Media Group
The curriculum was customized to feature practical and real-world applications that participants can immediately put to use within their companies and for their personal development.
“This year’s graduates join the 440 women who have participated and benefited from RAB’s Rising Through the Ranks, noted Mike Hulvey, president and chief executive officer, RAB. “We are immensely proud of the initiative and its impact on the business.”
“Being part of Rising Through the Ranks and hosting the program is something we look forward to each year,” said Sandye Taylor, senior vice president and chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, BMI. “I was honored to be among such a distinguished group of executive presenters selected to educate, mentor, and help drive opportunities for women in radio and share my experiences to empower these emerging leaders to create an inclusive workplace. It was truly an unforgettable and enriching experience for us all.”
“Rising Through the Ranks is truly a one-of-a-kind program,” added Ruth Presslaff, board president, Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. “Once again, MIW is honored to contribute to the profound impact RTTR has on a select group of women who in turn positively impact the entire radio industry.”
2024 Rising Through the Ranks Graduates:
Kaylee Barr
Cox Media Group, Orlando, Florida
Laurie Clotworthy
Audacy, New Orleans/Kenner, Louisiana
Katie Doherty
Southern Stone Communications, Jackson, Tennessee
Sheri Fermoyle
Hubbard Radio Minnesota North, Alexandria, Minnesota
Hannah Hageman
WHOP, Forcht Broadcasting, Hopkinsville, Kentucky
Monique Harris
Cox Media Group, Atlanta, Georgia
Terri Hayden
BMI, Nashville, Tennessee
Nikki Kuniej
Charleston Radio Group/Saga Communications, Charleston, South Carolina
Liz Lively
Wheeler Broadcasting, Roanoke, Virgina
Alice Lobo
Premiere Radio Networks, New York, New York
Annette Malave
RAB, New York, New York
Kellie Marnin
Audacy, New York, New York
Amanda Orlando
CUMULUS MEDIA WRRM, Cincinnati, Ohio
Lauren Pallitto
iHeartMedia, Farmington Hills, Michigan
Kelly Pruitt
CUMULUS MEDIA, Indianapolis, Indiana
Samantha Randall
Seven Mountains Media, Elmira, New York
Heather Riley
Ham Broadcasting/The Edge Media Group, Cadiz, Kentucky
Morgan Spano
Cox Media Group, San Antonio/Abilene, Texas
Kristen Summers
Community First Broadcasting, Spirit Lake, Iowa
Tess Taylor
Hubbard Radio Brainerd, Baxter, Minnesota
Liz Urban
Beasley Media Group, Ferndale, Michigan
Emily Vainstein
Audacy, Los Angeles, California
Bani Werner
Alpha Media, North Mankato, Minnesota
Felicia Wong
Tampa Radio | Cox Media Group Local Solutions, Clearwater, Florida
About BMI
Celebrating over 80 years of service to songwriters, composers, music publishers and businesses, Broadcast Music, Inc.® (BMI®) is a global leader in music rights management, serving as an advocate for the value of music. BMI represents the public performance rights in over 20.6 million musical works created and owned by more than 1.3 million songwriters, composers, and music publishers. The Company negotiates music license agreements and distributes the fees it generates as royalties to its affiliated writers and publishers when their songs are performed in public. In 1939, BMI created a groundbreaking open-door policy becoming the only performing rights organization to welcome and represent the creators of blues, jazz, country, and American roots music. Today, the musical compositions in BMI’s repertoire, from chart toppers to perennial favorites, span all genres of music and are consistently among the most-performed hits of the year. For additional information and the latest BMI news, visit bmi.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @BMI or stay connected through Broadcast Music, Inc.‘s Facebook page. Sign up for BMI’s The Weekly™ and receive our e-newsletter every week to stay up to date on all things music.
About MIW
Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW) is a volunteer 501(c)(3) charitable organization of top-level female radio professionals, from across the country, who are dedicated to using their influence and resources to help other women in radio broadcasting develop management and leadership skills. The MIW organization is equally committed to advocating for the advancement of women to senior positions within the radio industry. For more information, please visit www.RadioMIW.com.
About RAB
RAB is the not-for-profit trade association representing America's broadcast radio industry. Its primary objective is to drive revenue growth through advocacy, providing the tools and resources to help the industry attract new sales talent to the medium and enhance industry professionalism through training and support. The RAB serves more than 6,000 member stations in the U.S. and more than 1,000 member networks, representative firms, broadcast vendors, and international organizations. Learn more at www.rab.com.
Media Contacts:
RAB:
Madison Wright
212-681-7215
mwright@rab.com
BMI:
Jodie Thomas
212-220-3142
jthomas@bmi.com
MIW:
Randi P'Pool
801-897-9805
randi@ppoolmedia.com
