Community Relations
Bonnie J. Hathaway
Vice President of Public Affairs
Time Warner Cable
Throughout her 20-year career in cable pubic affairs, Bonnie J. Hathaway has helped mold community relations for Time Warner Cable and the cable industry as a whole. Her tireless leadership and hands-on execution have helped Time Warner build stronger ties with its customers and the communities it serves. Over the years she has mentored countless employees and peers, sharing with them her strategic vision and energy and helping them in their quest for excellence in public affairs.
Education has always been Hathaway’s passion, and her commitment is evident in Time Warner Cable’s continued emphasis on education and community. She has been visibly active in promoting education through community outreach programs such as the National Teacher Award and the company’s employee volunteer literacy program “Time to Read.” She serves on Cable in the Classroom’s advisory board and has extended her education efforts to HIV/AIDS awareness through work with Cable Positive where she is vice chairman.
An advocate for a partnership between programmers and cable operators, she has created numerous award-winning initiatives such as “The Common Good” with C-SPAN, “Know TV” with the Learning Channel and “My Hometown” with The Travel Channel to demonstrate this partnership to local communities. HBO’s signature “Project Knowledge” was implemented during her tenure as director of affiliate relations at the network.
As a long time member of CTPAA, Hathaway helped shape the organization into what it is today and was instrumental in creating the Beacon Awards program. Hathaway has served as CTPAA’s President for two, non-consecutive terms.
Hathaway also has held positions as a consultant to The Coca-Cola Company in new product development, marketing services director for the Cable Coupon Network in Atlanta and director of public information for the seven-station Georgia Public Television Network. She holds a B.A. degree in communications from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton and completed a New York University Junior Year Abroad program at the Universidad de Madrid in Spain. A mother of two grown children, Hathaway resides in Manhattan.
Government Relations
Ivan D. Johnson
Vice President of Community
Relations/TeleVideo
Cox Communications Inc.
For more than 30 years, Ivan D. Johnson has been a cable industry leader advocating for equitable treatment of cable by government at all levels. Currently he leads one of Cox’s most accomplished system-level public affairs departments in Phoenix, Ariz., where his work “on the ground” exemplifies public affairs at its most strategic and successful.
In 1996, he launched the company’s first charitable organization, Cox Charities. Since then the organization has donated more than $950,000 in cash to dozens of organizations throughout greater Phoenix.
Johnson’s efforts in government relations have been a tremendous asset to Cox. Under Johnson’s watch, no city in the Phoenix urban market has ever had a rate regulation. He has successfully negotiated elimination of 70% of public access requirements in the greater Phoenix operation. Both of these claims can be made by few if any other urban markets. Johnson also spearheaded a benchmark for license renewals that reduced costs to Cox and saved the Mesa-area customers more than $40 million over the 15-year life of the renewal.
Johnson has been fundamental in developing revenue generating partnerships with community organizations and in designing “political tools” including E-Roots, an electronic grassroots effort, the Cox Political Action Committee, and the Political Connexion newsletter. With his help, the system has won numerous Beacon awards including the ESPN Good Sports Award in 2004 for the Everday Heroes initiative.
Before joining the Cox Communications team, Johnson was the first executive director of the Arizona Cable Television Association where he helped establish the first cable licensing law in the state and one of the first cable theft statutes in the country. Johnson was also vice president of association affairs for NCTA where he created its first, formal grassroots program. He serves on CTPAA committees, frequently shares his expertise at FORUM as a speaker, and is active in the Phoenix community.
Johnson holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Arizona State University. He is married to Dr. Janet Johnson and they have three children.
Media Relations
Rosa M. Gatti
Senior Vice President, Corporate
Communications and Outreach
ESPN Inc.
During her 25 years in cable and at ESPN, Rosa M. Gatti has been a groundbreaker, one of the industry’s first proponents of communicating the value and consumer benefits of cable television through media relations at the national and local levels. She has an outstanding relationship with the media and has dedicated herself to her company, her industry, and her community.
Gatti has been responsible for ESPN’s public relations since its first year of operation when it was only one network. Today, she oversees the communications initiatives for all of ESPN Inc., and spearheads corporate outreach including the company’s employee volunteerism, corporate giving, and cause marketing initiatives.
Gatti joined ESPN in 1980 and built the communications department, establishing policies and procedures pertaining to media relations, viewer response, and speaking engagements. She was one of the first people in the industry to introduce co-branded public affairs initiatives with cable operators, such as the current program “Play Your Way,” that encourages healthy physical development in children. Gatti has directed countless publicity efforts including the America’s Cup, the NFL, SportsCenter, SportsCentury and the countdown of the top 100 athletes of the 20th century, the X Games and ESPN’s anniversary campaigns and events.
In 1992, Gatti founded ESPN’s Diversity Committee, to accelerate employee awareness of diversity issues and recommend ways to cultivate diversity in the workplace. She has also been instrumental in the success of The V Foundation for Cancer Research, a cause that is close to her heart.
Prior to joining ESPN, Gatti held positions in Sports Information at both Brown University and her alma mater, Villanova University. She graduated from Villanova University in 1972 and was a trustee for 10 years.
In addition to the CTPAA Board, Gatti currently serves on the Board of Directors for The V Foundation for Cancer Research, and Women in Cable and Telecommunications. An active community leader, she has previously held board positions with the Bristol Family Center for Girls and Boys, The Franciscan Life Center and the 1995 Special Olympics World Games. She has been recognized by a myriad of organizations for her outstanding achievements in communication.
