ALLEN MEDIA GROUP
Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group has promoted Melody Smalls to executive VP, human resources. She formerly served as VP, head of human resources at Allen-owned The Weather Channel.
CURIOSITYSTREAM
Matthew Blank has been named to the board of directors of factual media streaming service CuriosityStream. He is the former chairman and CEO of Viacom’s Showtime Networks.
DISNEY CHANNEL
Disney Channel promoted Theresa Helmer to executive director, Integrated Content Strategy and Development, a new post meant to foster diversity and inclusion in programming. She was director, social media strategy.
ENTERTAINMENT STUDIOS
Brooke Kahn was elevated to VP of digital sales and partnerships at Entertainment Studios. She will continue to focus on licensing theatrical titles to SVOD services, and will develop AVOD partnerships.
FCC
Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai has tapped West Virginia State Sen. Robert H. Plymale to the agency’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee, a panel of 30 elected and appointed officials.
NICKELODEON
Ramsey Naito has been promoted to president of Nickelodeon Animation, based in Burbank, California. She had been executive VP of animation production and development for the Nickelodeon Group.
NICKELODEON
Zack Olin was appointed to the newly created position of senior VP, live action for Nickelodeon. A former VP, creative development at ABC Studios, Olin most recently was a live-action development consultant to Nick.
SEQUIN AR
Augmented reality services firm Sequin AR has named Brad Rumler as VP, sales, a new post. He most recently served as VP of sales for Brainstorm, a real-time broadcast graphics solutions company.
SMI
Jason Keown has joined New York-based Standard Media Index as VP, marketing. Keown, who was head of accounts at Community Agency in Canada, will focus on expanding SMI’s business in North America.
SOUNDEXCHANGE
Esther-Mireya Tejeda has joined SoundExchange in Washington, D.C., chief marketing and communications officer. She was senior VP and head of corporate communications at Entercom.
WEATHER CHANNEL
The Weather Channel parent Weather Group LLC has named Fred Bucher as senior VP and chief marketing officer. He had been senior VP and chief marketing officer of Spectrum Reach, Charter’s ad-sales unit.
VIZIO
Adam Gaynor has joined Vizio as VP, network partnerships, tasked with building direct relationships with networks across the SmartCast and Vizio Ads businesses. He comes from AMC Networks, where he was VP, AMCN Agility.
BRIEFLY NOTED
Other industry execs making moves
The 4A’s Foundation has added five members to its board of directors: Walter Geer III, executive creative director of experience design at VMLY&R; Vann Graves, director of the Brandcenter at VCU; Ashley McGowan, global lead for business equality, Facebook; Sara Baiyu Porritt, senior director of integrated media planning and U.S. diversity and inclusion lead, OMD; and Renee Jennings, chief financial officer, Joan Creative. … Rory Read has been named CEO of cloud communications provider Vonage. He comes from Dell Technologies, where he was chief operating executive and CEO of its Virtustream unit. … Sinclair Broadcast Group has promoted Phillip Gharabegian to deputy general counsel and senior VP, business affairs for its regional sports networks. He had been senior VP, business and legal affairs. … Network development and information infrastructure firm Tilson had tapped Mike Dow as chief innovation officer. He will retain his postion as chief information officer. … Monica Fitzsimmons has joined ad-tech firm Vidoomy-USA as VP of multicultural sales.
