
Congratulate our 2023 Award Winner
At CTAM Think on Nov. 2, 2023, industry colleagues honored this year’s winner. Join us in congratulating our 2023 recipient for her impactful industry contributions by posting a comment below.

The CTAM TAMI Award honors individuals for their exceptional contributions to initiatives critical to driving the continued success of the industry.
2023 Honoree
Meghan Dering
Charter CommunicationsMeghan Dering
VP of Consumer & Market Research
Charter Communications
Industry Contribution
Meghan Dering has been instrumental in revitalizing the MSO Research Working Group that is so heavily relied on for industry insights and cross-company innovative research practices. Her insights have helped our work become more connected to the industry’s research needs and has helped get us to the heart of tough questions about our business. She actively involves members of her team for both their contributions and development becoming an amazing partner to CTAM, the research community and to the industry at large.
“Meghan is a consummate Insights professional and collaborator. Her voice in the research community is an important part of our group’s success in learning from each other and in advising CTAM’s industry research. Congratulations on a well-deserved award and acknowledgment!”
Fun Facts:
What is your favorite quote to live by?
We cannot direct the wind, but can adjust the sails.
Who is one person that you admire most in the industry, and why?
Jon Hargis – I admired his leadership style – the ability he had to guide his team and also trust and support them to make the best decisions for the consumer and the business. Jon saw the value in research and how it fit into business decisions.
Past TAMI Award Honorees
Educational Foundation
Tom Adams
Charter Communications
Business Services
Rob McFarland
Cox Communications
Piracy and Password Sharing Mitigation
Ben Toombs
Warner Bros. Discovery
Business Services
Steve Gorman
Cox Business
Chris Hebbard
Spectrum Business
Customer Retention
Tony Maldonaldo
Cox Communications
Anti-Piracy
Al Perry
AMC Networks, Inc.
Password Sharing
Todd Greenbaum
Adobe
Marketing and Sales
John Hays
Cox Communications
Business Services
Jennifer Ingram
Charter
Piracy
Don Jones
Comcast
Metadata Management
Jeff Kreger
Align Broadcasting
Company Honorees
Data Partners
Equifax
HarrisX
Horowitz Research
HUB Entertainment Strategies
Magid
ShareTracker
Nielsen
Piracy
David Green
Vice President, Public Policy and Creative Content Protection
NBCUniversal
Kevin Leddy
SVP, Technoloy Planning and Application
Charter Communications
Kevin Taylor
Fellow
Comcast
Business Services
Mitch Lopez
Director, Channel Marketing
Spectrum Enterprise
Brett Tolbert
VP, SMB
Comcast Business
Content Discovery
Brad Grant
Sr. Director, Content Operations & Strategy
WarnerMedia
Supplier Award
TK Interactive
Director of Mover Marketing
Cox Communications
Jim Maiella
SVP and Co-Head, Corporate Communications
AMC Networks
Lisa Majdi
Senior Director, Segment and Channel Marketing
Cox Business
Susan Mattia
Senior Director, Affiliate Marketing
ESPN
Lita Vernick
Director, Program Management
Comcast Business
Rebecca Whittington
Director, North American Sourcing
Gracenote
Paul Wolfe
Senior Director, X1 Data Quality
Comcast
Company Honoree:
SYNACOR
Catherine Frymark
SVP, Corporate Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc.
Michael Gnojewski
Sr. Director, Marketing
Viacom
Beth Harrison
Director, Advanced Services
HSN
Michael Locke
VP Retail Sales
Charter Communications
Christy Martin
Content Discovery Analyst
NBCUniversal
Ben Pyne
President, Global Distribution
Disney Media Networks
Mary Roben
Director, Product Management Video Platform
Altice USA
Mary Savery
Director of Marketing, Business Services
Cable ONE, Inc.
Dalyn Wertz
Executive Director, Indirect Channel Management
Comcast Business
Company Honoree:
ARRIS
Andrew Borak
Vice President, Marketing
Viacom
Horia Galatanu
Sr. Product Manager
Adobe Primetime Authentication
Jen Garrett
SVP National Sales
Cox Communications
Victor Guss
Director, Advanced Services
Fox Networks
Roger Heuring
Customer Marketing Director
Comcast
Amy Kim
Senior Director of Marketing
Charter/Spectrum Business
Ken Kraft
VP Marketing
Cox Business
Julius Lee
Senior Director, Affiliate Partnership Development & Operations
Disney & ESPN Media Networks
Bella Metcalf
VP, Marketing & New Products
Discovery Communications
Reece Ritter
Director, Consumer Insights
Cox Communications
Company Honoree:
Frank N. Magid Associates
Sr. Director, Product Management
XFINITY at Comcast
Julya Fridman
VP, Multiplatform & Distribution Analytics
A+E Networks
Peter Grewar
Director of Sales
Armstrong
Steve Necessary
Vice President Video Product Development and Management
Cox Communications, Inc.
Alexandra Sewell
Vice President of Mid-Market & Enterprise Marketing
Comcast Business
Jimmy Dan Smith
Director of Marketing
Suddenlink Communications
Brian Snortheim
Director of Partner Channels and Alliances
Time Warner Cable Business Class
Mary Trepp
Vice President, Analytics and Decision Sciences
Time Warner Cable
Greg Weinstein
Vice President, Audience Development
Univision Communications, Inc.
Hub Entertainment Research
Company Honoree
2014 Honorees
SVP, Chief Marketing Officer Business Servic es
Time Warner Cable
Director, Domestic Network Distribution
Home Box Office, Inc.
Sr. Director, TVE Content & Product Strategy
Comcast
Executive Vice President, Digital
Scripps Networks Interactive
VP, Product Marketing
Cox Communications
EVP & COO
Suddenlink Communications
Vice President, Customer Retention
Suddenlink Communications
Market VP, Northern Virginia Operations
Cox Communications
Vice President, Distribution Marketing
Fox Networks
VP, Distribution Marketing
A+E Networks
VP, Business Development and Multi-Platform Distribution, Turner Broadcasting
EVP, Chief Research Officer
Viacom Media Networks
Sand Cherry and Assoicates
Sr. Director, Customer Marketing
Comcast
SVP and GM, Video Services
Comcast
2013 Honorees
Kenetta Bailey
EVP Chief Marketing Officer
TV One
Ed Gordon
Senior Director, Distribution & Audience Research
ESPN
Skip Harris
Harris Communications
2012 Honorees
John Barker
President
Barker DZP
Jamia Bigalow
Senior Vice President, Distribution Marketing
Fox Cable Networks
Kathy Filosa
Vice President, Direct Marketing
Cablevision Systems, Corp
Janet Gallent
Vice President, Strategic Research
NBCUniversal
Rick Lang
Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Central Division
Comcast
2011 Honorees
Artie Bulgrin
Senior Vice President, Research and Analytics
ESPN, INC.
Todd Cunningham
Senior Vice President, Strategic Insights and Research
MTV Networks
Michael Diamond
Senior Vice President, Marketing Strategy and Intelligence
Time Warner Cable
David Gray
Regional Vice President
Time Warner Cable
Danielle Mintz
Vice President, Distributor Marketing and Strategy
AMC Networks
2010 Honorees
Sharon Desmond
Senior Vice President, Revenue and Business Operations
Comcast
Rachel Dreyfus
Vice President, Marketing Intelligence
Time Warner Cable
Joan Gillman
President, Time Warner Cable Media Sales and
Executive Vice President, Time Warner Cable
Pat Kehoe
President
PK Network Communications
Carla Lewis-Long
Vice President, Affiliate Distribution
SiTV
Karen Ramspacher
Vice President, Research and Insights
Fuse
2009 Honorees
Marvin Dorson
Senior VP, Creative Services
Hallmark Channels
Colleen Fahey Rush
Executive Vice President, Strategic Insights and Research
MTV Networks
Gregg Graff
SVP, Field Operations
Insight Communications
Katie Lacey
SVP Marketing
ESPN
Brad Samuels
EVP, Content Distribution, Fuse and MSG Media
Fuse
Horst Stipp
SVP Strategic Insights and Innovation
NBC Universal Global Networks
2008 Honorees
Linda Finney
truTV
Paul Hockenbury
Comcast
Doug Hurst
Scripps Networks
Heather McCallion
NBC Universal
Reece Ritter
Cox Communications
2007 Honorees
2006 Honorees
Holly Leff-Pressman
Nielsen Entertainment
Steve Schiffman
National Geographic Channel
2005 Honorees
Kim Cannon
GM
Time Warner Cable.
David S. Charmatz
SVP, Research, Analysis, & Strategy
Starz Entertainment Group LLC
Paul S. Lenburg
President
Media Frontiers, Inc..
Mark Tomizawa
President/CEO
SMASH Advertising
Adriana Waterston
Director of Marketing
Horowitz Associates, Inc.
2004 Honorees
2003 Honorees
2002 Honorees
Joe Boyle
Vice President Corporate Communications
iN DEMAND
Tim Brooks
Senior Vice President, Research
Lifetime Television
Tom Feige
President, Los Angeles Division
Time Warner Cable
Rob Goodsell
Vice President, Business Development
weather.com
Roland Grybauskas
CEO & Executive Creative Director
Blue Dingo/GB
Jim Horner
Division Director of New Products
Comcast Mid-Atlantic
Lynn Rutledge
Vice President Trade Communication & Promotion
Showtime Networks
John Zamoiski
President, GEM Entertainment
The GEM Group
2001 Honorees
Jenifer Cistola
Director Network and Applied Business Development
Scientific Atlanta
Marshall Cohen
Senior Vice President
AOL Time Warner
Fontana Fitzwilson
VP Marketing Research
TV Guide Networks
Mike Hale
SVP Marketing and Business Development
Starz Encore Group
Bruce Leichtman
VP Corporate Strategy
Vividon
Shauna McCaffrey
Manager Marketing and Programming
Canadian Cable TV Association
Patty McCaskill
VP Programming and Pay Per View
Charter Communications
Michael Mohamad
SVP Marketing
A&E Television Network
Larry Oliver
VP and Group Publisher
Cahners Television Group
2000 Honorees
Lou Borelli
Chairman and CEO
ISoft, Inc.
Thomas Cullen
VP Internet Services
MediaOne Internet Services
Lynne Elander
Director Product Development
Cox Communications
Christoper Lammers
EVP and COO
CableLabs
Jamie McCabe
VP Worldwide PPV
Twentieth Century Fox
Thomas Michel
VP Affiliate Marketing
MTV Networks
Anthony White
SVP Marketing and Network Development
Playboy TV Networks
Debora Wilson
President and CEO Weather.com
The Weather Channel
1999 Honorees
Pam Euler-Halling
SVP Marketing and Programming
Insight Communications
Barry Kresch
SVP Research & Marketing Services
Lifetime Television
Joe Lawson
VP Marketing
Bresnan Communications
Angelina Li
VP Marketing Research
Cox Communications
Julie Minor Hoffman
EVP Client Services
Grey Entertainment
Terry Rich
President
Rich Heritage, Inc.
Rick Sperry
President
Sperry & Associates
1998 Honorees
Jim Braun
Director New Product Development
Time Warner Cable
Bruce Friend
VP Worldwide Research & Planning
Nickelodeon
Pete Gatseos
VP Strategic Research
TCI Communications
Karin Henderson
EVP and Creative Director
MK Advertising Partners
Scott Kurnit
Founder and CEO
The Mining Co.
Ted Livingston
Business Development Executive
Dana Ritchie
SVP New Media Development
Disney TeleVentures
Joe Rooney
Executive Director Marketing
Cox Communications
1997 Honorees
Judi Allen
SVP Marketing
Century Communications
Peter Gulla
VP Marketing
Time Warner Cable
Brian Kelly
VP Sales & Marketing
Time Warner Cable
Carter Maguire
EVP
Turner Network Sales
Kate McEnroe
President
American Movie Classics
Mary Tassini
Regional Director, Sales & Marketing
Cablevision Systems
Gemma Toner
SVP
American Movie Classics
Sandy Wax
VP Research & Planning
Discovery Communications
1996 Honorees
Kate Adams
General Manager
Bell Atlantic Video
Jeff Bernstein
SVP Marketing & Programming,
Request
Hilda Chazanovitz
VP Marketing
Viewers Choice
Lou Borrelli
EVP/COO
Marcus Cable
Bill Goodwyn
SVP Affiliate Sales
Discovery Networks
Barry Kresch
SVP Research & Marketing
Lifetime
Katherine Lewis
VP Marketing
Sega Channel
1995 Honorees
Nancy Anderson
VP Pay Per View
Jones Intercable
Pete Gatseos
Director of Strategic Research
TCI
Julie Minor Hoffman
SVP/Group Management Support
Grey Entertainment & Media
Gary Knisely
Managing Director
Johnson, Smith & Knisely
Kim Lemon
VP Marketing Research
Showtime Networks
1994 Honorees
Lucy Bates
Time Warner Cable
Greg DePrez
Tele-Communications, Inc.
Barbara Greenberg
TV GUIDE
Nancy Harris
Buena Vista Home Video
Seth Morrison
US WEST Broadband and Multimedia Services
James O’Brien
Jones Intercable
1993 Honorees
John D. Clark, Jr.
Crown Media
Robert A. Maxwell
Home Box Office
Michael D. Smith
The Disney Channel
Brenda R. Stevens
Continental Cablevision
Winifred B. Wechsler
The Disney Channel
Thomas Wszalek
The Disney Channel
1992 Honorees
Jefferey Bernstein
Warner Brothers Pay TV
Thomas M. Kirkwood
NewsChannels Corporation
Eric Kisch
Warner Cable Communications
Dennis Patton
Rainbow Programming
Kathleen D. Rederscheid
Times Mirror Cable
Database Advisory Committee:
Jefferey Morris
Showtime Networks, Inc.
Todd Felker
CENCOM Cable
Cate Mumford
Home Box Office
Margaret Troha
Cox Cable Communications
1991 Honorees
Tim Hanalon
Warner Cable
Eric Kisch
Warner Cable Communications
Paul Lenberg
ASI
Jeff Morris
Showtime Networks, Inc.
Tom Neville
Showtime Entertainment Television
Bill Revell
Media General Cable
1990 Honorees
Isabella Arace
TKR
Kathy Bardsley
Times Mirror
Chris Forgy
Times Mirror Cable Television
Dan Levinson
Home Box Office
Jerry Maglio
United Artists
Frank Modrak
Cox Cable
Mike Ritter
Continental Cablevision
1989 Honorees
Ron Christensen
Jones Intercable, Inc.
Lee Clayton
Bortz & Co.
Bill Doten
Home Shopping Network, Inc.
Dan Levinson
Home Box Office
Don Mathison
Media General Cable
Terry O’Connell
Warner Cable Communication
Andy Orgel
Video Jukebox Network
Margaret Troha
Cox Cable Communications
1988 Honorees
Nancy Anderson
Graff Pay-Per-View
Marshall Cohen
MTV Networks
Ajit Dalvi
Cox Cable
Rick Howe
Showtime/The Movie Channel
Ted Livingston
Continental Cablevision
Terry Rich
Heritage Communications
Sheldon Satin
Sheldon Satin Associates
Robert Townsend
NYT Cable
1987 Honorees
Susan Bishop
Johnson, Smith and Knisely
Shelley Blain
Arts & Entertainment Network
Del Heintz
Arts & Entertainment Network
Patti Kantner
American Cable Systems Corporation
Nimrod Kovacs
United Cable Television Corporation
Paul Lenburg
ASI
Margaret Richebourg
Richebourg Marketing
1986 Honorees
John K. Billock
HBO
Lee Clayton
United Cable Television
Dean Gilbert
Paragon Communications
Jack G. Heim
Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc.
Sue Ellen Jackson
Heritage (Dallas)
Frederick (Ted) Livingston
Continental Cablevision, Inc.
John D. Reardon
MTV Networks, Inc.
Marianne Seiler
Viacom Cable
1985 Honorees
Matt Blank
HBO
C. Ron Dorchester
Prime Cable
Marty Lafferty
Turner Broadcasting
Ewan Mirylees
Warner Amex
Rod Thole
Turner Broadcasting
1984 Honorees
Char Beales
National Cable Television Association
Barry Lemieux
American Cablesystems
Alex Papagan
Colony Communications
Scott Reid
Storer Cable
Charles Townsend
United Cable Television Corporation
1983 Honorees
Edward Bennett
Viacom Communications
Marty Lafferty
Group W Cable
Terry McGuirk
Turner Broadcasting System
Bob Sieber
Turner Broadcasting System
Gary Weik
Harte-Hanks Cable Communications
1982 Honorees
David Batalsky
Showtime
Bob Bedell
HBO
Susan Burch
Storer
Art Dwyer
Cox Cable
Craig Ehrlich
Falcon
Charlotte Hincir
Cable Registry
Bob Mariano
CBS Cable
Alan McDonald
ATC
1981 Honorees
Bill Aubrey
Lisa Connor
Winston (Tony) Cox, Sr.
Home Box Office
Jim Faircloth
William (Bill) Fogarty
Daniels & Associates
Wayne Harris
Butch Henlay
Charlotte Hincir
Mike Jackson
Barbara Kirbach
Ken Lahey
David Lewine
Netia Lowell
Chip Morris
Mike O’Connor
Ernest (Ernie) Olson
Metrovision
Rick Perrone
Leonard Reinsch
Warner Amex Board of Directors
Barbara Ruger
Charles Smithgale
Past Beacon Award Winners
A seasoned communications executive with over 30 years of experience, Annie Howell currently oversees Hallmark Media’s communication functions, including corporate communications, media relations, publicity, and government relations, as well as talent relations and events.
Rob Stoddard is an extraordinary communications executive, a mentor and trusted ally to many in our business; his insights and guidance helped cultivate opportunities during challenging times and foster collaboration within our industry to ultimately achieve greater success.
Rob oversees the NCTA’s member relations efforts and industry-wide public affairs programs, and he helps manage NCTA’s relationships with other cable industry associations and societies. Before joining NCTA, he served as chief communications officer for a variety of major cable companies, including AT&T Broadband, MediaOne, and Continental Cablevision.
Leigh Woisard SVP, Public Affairs, Cox Communications received the 2020 CTAM Beacon Award for communications excellence. The award spotlights communications executives for extraordinary accomplishments, innovative thinking and inspiring excellence in others. This year’s Beacon showcases a leader who distinguished themselves by successfully navigating communications efforts during COVID-19.
“At a time when the community was struggling to adapt to life at home, Leigh quickly established new, innovative ways for Cox to effectively communicate through the crisis,” said Vicki Lins, president & CEO, CTAM. “It’s a pleasure and honor to acknowledge her extraordinary communications efforts during a time of uncertainty.”
CTAM is pleased to announce that the recipient for the 2019 CTAM Beacon Award for Communications Excellence is Quentin Schaffer, former Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications at HBO with an extraordinary 39-year tenure at the company. The award, established by the CTAM Communications Steering Council, spotlights communications executives for extraordinary accomplishments, while exemplifying the pillars of communications and public relations excellence. The Council selected Schaffer as a bow to his impressive career, stellar expertise, professionalism and reciprocal relationship with the press that paved the way for HBO’s tremendous success.
“Quentin played a vital role establishing cable’s reputation for excellence in original programming,” said Vicki Lins, CEO, CTAM “It’s an honor to acknowledge his remarkable accomplishments in the field of communications.”
Schaffer joined HBO as a senior publicist in 1980 and rose to executive leadership where he pioneered the first premiere of a TV show in a theater with Sex and the City in 1999. As one of the originators of HBO’s Emmy campaigns, he led publicity for landmark series Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, The Wire and many more. Most recently, he helped facilitate the launch of HBO Now with Apple.
CTAM is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2018 CTAM Beacon Award for Communications Excellence is Chris LaPlaca, senior vice president, corporate communications, ESPN. The award, established by the CTAM Communications Steering Council, spotlights communications executives for extraordinary accomplishments, while exemplifying the pillars of communications and public relations excellence. The Council selected LaPlaca as a bow to his impressive career, spanning 38 years.
“Chris LaPlaca is just as good as it gets for our function, our industry and – most importantly – as a person, all of which make him the perfect choice for the first CTAM Beacon Award,” said Jim Maiella, SVP and co-head of corporate communications for AMC Networks. “His leadership of a dynamic team of highly achieving communicators at ESPN, across a broad array of activities and business opportunities over many years, has been remarkable. Yet, he still finds the time to be a trusted friend and ally for so many of us focused on driving results at our own companies through our shared function and expertise. We couldn’t be more pleased to present him with this well-deserved recognition.”
Congrats Meghan!
Congratulations Meghan!! Kam