Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) has tapped BBC America president and general manager Sarah Barnett and Comcast executive vice president and chief communications officer D’Arcy Rudnay as its respective 2017 programmer and operator “Woman of The Year” honorees.

WICT also announced its “2017 Women To Watch” honorees, which include Samira Panah Bakhtiar, Director of Media Operations for Cisco Systems -- the first award recipient of the newly established Technology category -- Tina Thornton, Senior Vice President of Production & Multimedia Sponsorship Integration and Management Operations for ESPN; and Charlene Keys, AVP, Field Operations, Western North Carolina, for Charter Communications. 

Honorees will receive their awards during the WICT Touchstones Luncheon on Monday, Sept. 25, at the WICT Leadership Conference, part of the cable industry's annual Diversity Week. AMC Networks will once again return as the exclusive Premier Sponsor of the Touchstones Luncheon. 

"WICT is honored to applaud and celebrate the achievements of these extraordinary individuals," said Maria Brennan, CAE, President and CEO of WICT, in a statement. "Each honoree embodies the WICT Touchstones of Leadership and serves as a shining example for others in the industry to emulate. We look forward to showcasing their accomplishments during this year's Touchstones Luncheon as part of Diversity Week 2017, and we thank AMC Networks for their continued support of this important event."

Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) Thursday named Scripps Network Interactive executive Kathleen Finch as its “Woman of the Year,” the organization’s highest individual accolade.

Finch, chief programming content & brand officer for Scripps, will receive the "Woman of the Year" award – given to a leader who has made increasingly significant contributions throughout her career to her company and the overall cable telecommunications industry – during WICT’s  Sept. 19 Touchstones Luncheon in New York in conjunction with the annual WICT Leadership Conference that's part of Cable's Diversity Week.

Also at the luncheon WICT will honor Laura Gentile, senior vice president, espnW and Women's Initiatives at ESPN and Mary McLaughlin, senior vice president, Beltway Region for Comcast Cable, with its "Women to Watch" award, which recognizes leaders who show tremendous promise for transforming the industry through her professional accomplishments.

"WICT is proud to recognize and honor these three highly accomplished professionals," said Maria Brennan, CAE, president & CEO, WICT in a statement. "All of our honorees exemplify the WICT Touchstones of Leadership and offer other women compelling role models to emulate. We look forward to showcasing their achievements during this year's Touchstones Luncheon as part of Diversity Week 2016."