NAMIC Names Six National Board Directors

The National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC) has named six industry executives to its board of directors.

The six new board members, who will serve three-year terms, include Ann Carlsen, founder and chief executive officer, Carlsen Resources, Inc.; Jerold Lambert, group vice president, Legal Affairs, Mediacom Communications Corp.; Bill Lee, vice president, Sales Professional Services, ARRIS; Joiava Philpott, vice president, Regulatory Affairs, Cox; Pragash Pillai, executive vice president, Operations, Optimum Region, Altice USA; and Dane Snowden, chief of staff, NCTA.

“As NAMIC works to advance diversity and inclusion in this era of shifting business models and consolidation, we welcome these outstanding new board members,” said Michelle L. Rice, chair, NAMIC National Board of Directors and executive vice president, Content Distribution & Marketing, TV One. “Their leadership and expertise in strategic business management will be invaluable as we move NAMIC's mission forward."

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.