Comcast said it has promoted eight executives to vice president within Corporate Strategy, Global Risk Management, Corporate Communications, Legal Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Affairs departments. They, and their new titles, are:
- Jon Friedman: Vice President, Strategic and Financial Planning, Comcast Corporation.
- Ashton White: Vice President, Strategic and Financial Planning, Comcast Corporation.
- Donald (Sandy) Aspinall: Vice President, Global Risk Management, Comcast Corporation.
- John Demming: Vice President, Corporate and Financial Communications, Comcast Corporation.
- Kirsten Siegel: Vice President, Internal Communications, Comcast Corporation.
- Ryan Wallach: Vice President, Legal Regulatory Affairs and Senior Deputy General Counsel, Comcast Corporation.
- Dominick Ciaraldi: Vice President, Political Affairs and Community Investment, Comcast Corporation.
- Michelle Singer: Vice President, Corporate Administration and Political Engagement, Comcast Corporation.
Here are their descriptions from the company's statement:
Corporate Strategy:
Jon Friedman, Vice President, Strategic and Financial Planning
Jon leads key strategic initiatives for Comcast and NBCUniversal with a focus on growth and creating new businesses both domestically and internationally. Since joining Comcast in 2013, Jon has co-led the effort to create Comcast’s Enterprise business unit, serving Fortune 1,000 clients, and helped drive the initial effort to license the X1 Platform. More recently, he helped bring together the capabilities of Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal to create the next generation of TV advertising.
Prior to joining Comcast, Jon spent nearly seven years as a Principal at The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). At BCG, he led a number of strategic transformations for telecommunications and technology companies, including creating new business lines, integrating and spinning-off companies, and building go-to market capabilities. He also helped create BCG’s cable practice. Jon earned his MBA from Duke University where he graduated as a Fuqua Scholar and received a B.S. with high honors in Anthropology and Human Biology from Emory University.
Ashton White, Vice President, Strategic and Financial Planning
Ashton is responsible for leading strategic planning for Comcast and NBCUniversal with a focus on implementing business initiatives. Since joining the Corporate Strategy team in 2008, Ashton has led efforts on network architecture optimization, international growth opportunities, improving customer service, and next-generation video platforms and services.
Prior to joining the Corporate Strategy team, Ashton served as Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, for Comcast Cable, where he led the processes for budgets, long-range plans, and quarterly results. Ashton joined Comcast in 1998, and has served in a variety of financial positions across Cable headquarters, division, and field operations. During his 18-year career with Comcast, he has been involved in numerous transactions, including the acquisition of AT&T Broadband, Adelphia, and NBCUniversal. He received a B.S. in Accounting from Temple University.
Global Risk Management:
Donald (Sandy) Aspinall, Vice President, Global Risk Management (GRM)
Sandy leads risk management, claims management, and risk assessment strategy, and implementation across Comcast and NBCUniversal businesses worldwide. He also provides management oversight and directs the activities of the various service providers, brokers, and insurers the GRM team selects to assist the company in efficiently financing and managing risk. Sandy is a Director of Comcast's two captive insurers and is actively involved in various insurance industry organizations.
Before joining Comcast as an Executive Director in 2013, Sandy led consulting and brokerage teams for global clients in his role as a Managing Director, Strategic Account Management at Aon Plc, a global provider of risk management, insurance, reinsurance, and human capital services. Sandy received a B.A. in History from Hobart College and completed the Executive Development Program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Corporate Communications:
John Demming, Vice President, Corporate and Financial Communications
John manages strategic communications with the media on quarterly earnings, programming content, mergers and acquisitions, shareholder initiatives and other corporate transactions. Additionally, he develops senior executive speeches, executes corporate events, partners with NBCUniversal on corporate matters and leads national media activities on Comcast NBCUniversal community investment and diversity initiatives. John also works closely with Comcast Spectacor and oversees communications pertaining to Comcast’s headquarters, as well as the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, set to open in early 2018.
Prior to joining Comcast in 2007, John spent 10 years at The Vanguard Group serving as a company spokesperson. Before that, he worked in financial communications at The Tierney Group in Philadelphia, Pa., and in the corporate finance communications group at Ogilvy Adams & Rinehart in New York. John earned an MBA from St. Joseph’s University and received a B.A. from the University of Pittsburgh.
Kirsten Siegel, Vice President, Internal Communications
Kirsten oversees internal communications and helps drive engagement initiatives for the company’s Corporate and Cable employees, working closely with senior leaders across the organization to communicate strategic goals, business priorities and key milestones. In addition to overseeing the company’s internal video production team and capabilities, Kirsten also has oversight of the company intranet, the primary communications vehicle through which the company reaches its 88,000 Corporate and Cable employees.
Kirsten previously served as Executive Director of Internal Communications for Comcast Corporation and as Senior Director of Employee Communications for Comcast Cable’s former East Division. She has also worked in employee and labor relations, serving as Director of Human Resources, Field Operations. Prior to joining the cable industry in 2002, Kirsten held various positions across the marketing, advertising, online, and TV production industries.
A United States Air Force veteran, Kirsten served as an Intelligence Analyst in Berlin, Germany and Omaha, Neb. She earned a B.A. in Journalism from Temple University.
Legal Regulatory Affairs:
Ryan Wallach, Vice President, Legal Regulatory Affairs and Senior Deputy General Counsel
Ryan is responsible for providing legal advice on regulatory matters and assisting with the company’s legal regulatory advocacy, including in proceedings before the Federal Communications Commission, Department of Justice, and other federal agencies, as well as state regulatory agencies, and related litigation and appeals.
Before joining Comcast as Senior Deputy General Counsel in 2013, Ryan worked as Special Counsel at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher, LLP for more than a decade, providing strategic guidance on regulatory and legislative policy and compliance issues and initiatives to clients, including Comcast. For the past 10 years, he has also served as a professor in communications law at The George Washington University Law School. He is an active member of the Federal Communications Bar Association and has served in a number of officer positions.
Ryan began his law career serving as a judicial clerk to The Honorable Clyde H. Hamilton at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in Columbia, S.C., and to The Honorable Harold H. Greene at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He received a J.D. with high honors from The George Washington University Law School and a B.A. in History and Political Science from Colorado College.
Corporate Affairs:
Dominick Ciaraldi, Vice President, Political Affairs and Community Investment
Dominick oversees the political activities and compliance functions of Comcast and NBCUniversal, including its Political Action Committees (PAC) and corporate political giving; federal and state PAC solicitation, administration and maintenance; integrity and ethics policies; public and regulatory disclosure; and internal reporting. Additionally, Dominick directs the philanthropic data collection, reporting and compliance efforts for Comcast Corporation and the Comcast Foundation, which deliver over $400 million in cash and in-kind services each year to schools, non-profits and our national partners, including Boys & Girls Clubs of America, City Year, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Prior to joining Comcast in 2007, Dominick administered political compliance responsibilities at Safeway Corporation and UST Public Affairs, Inc., managed the Federal Election Commission (FEC) electronic disclosure office via NIC Technologies, and served as a Reports Analyst for the FEC, in Washington, D.C. Dominick currently serves as a Board member for the Public Affairs Council and Neighborhood Bike Works. He received a B.A. in History and Political Science from the University of Rhode Island.
Michelle Singer, Vice President, Corporate Administration and Political Engagement
Michelle leads and directs research, development, planning, design, maintenance, and implementation of policies and programs that enhance Comcast's relationships with the community, the public, governmental and regulatory authorities, shareholders and employees. She also oversees corporate political initiatives and fundraising events hosted by COMPAC, the Comcast and NBCUniversal Political Action Committee. Additionally, Michelle has key corporate administration responsibilities, including oversight of Comcast’s corporate dining, conference, and event services and also leads the team responsible for master contracts across the company’s platform.
Before joining Comcast in 2009, Michelle ran her own fundraising consulting firm and led Governor Ed Rendell’s fundraising and political efforts for eight years. Michelle began her career in Washington, D.C. where she worked as Director of Events for the Democratic National Committee and was a part of the White House Advance Team and as an Account Executive at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. Michelle currently serves as Governor Tom Wolf’s designee on the Franklin Institute Board of Trustees. She also serves on the Cabinet of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey and on the Board for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh where she received a duel B.A. in Political Science and English Writing.
