Google Vice President-Policy and Government Relations Susan Molinari moves to senior adviser in January ... Michael Weinberg, ex-Public Knowledge, leaves Shapeways to become executive director, New York University School of Law Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy ... American Public Media Group promotes Chandra Kavati to vice president-content distribution and partnerships ... Tessco Technologies promotes Mary Beth Smith to Ventev general manager.
BMI appoints Michael Collins, from Mehlman Castagnetti, vice president-government relations ... FirstNet names Flynn Rico-Johnson, ex-office of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., to government affairs team ... Disney promotes Russell Wolff to executive vice president-general manager of its ESPN Plus direct-to-consumer video service ... Cinedigm names Bill Sondheim president-worldwide distribution; he remains president, Cinedigm Entertainment Group.
German Marshall Fund of the United States appoints Karen Kornbluh, ex-Council on Foreign Relations, director-technology policy program and senior fellow ... SoftBank appoints Gary Ginsberg, ex-Time Warner, senior vice president and global head-communications ... Riverbed hires Mark Jopling, ex-Lloyds Banking, as senior vice president-sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
CBS' David Poltrack, chief research officer and president, CBS Vision, retiring June 30, focusing until then on strategic projects with Radha Subramanyam, executive vice president-chief research and analytics officer, CBS Television Network, taking on oversight of company’s research function, effective immediately; Armando Nunez moves up to president-CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group and chief content licensing officer-corporation, following Paul Franklin retirement as head-domestic syndication and Scott Koondel departure as chief content licensing officer for own production and distribution company.
Rambus advances interim CEO Luc Seraphin to president-CEO ... Cobham Advanced Electronic announces Shawn Black, from Leonardo DRS, as chief operating officer, new post ... Galaxy Media promotes Carrie Wojtaszek to chief operating officer, new position ... Media metadata company media press Group establishes media press the US with Kathy Weidman, ex-MoonBeam Partners, as CEO.
Airbnb hires Aristotle Balogh, ex-Google, as chief technology officer ... Legend Communications of Wyoming promotes Jed Burns to vice president and general manager-Big Horn Radio Network ... Edelman names former Obama administration digital leader Tom Cochran as general manager-digital and integrated marketing ... XG Technology appoints Sue Swenson, ex-FirstNet, nonexecutive board chairman, replacing Gary Cuccio, stepping down; Kenneth Hoffman also stepping down.
In restructuring, Viacom names Comedy Central President Kent Alterman president of combined Comedy Central, Paramount Network and TV Land group and expands President Chris McCarthy’s MTV, VH1 and Logo group to include CMT; Kevin Kay stepping down as president, Paramount Network, TV Land and CMT ... CPB announces Joy Lin, ex-ABC, as vice president-journalism ... Impact Telecom hires Patrick Reilly, ex-ANI Networks, as vice president-carrier services.
FCC Office of Engineering and Technology Associate Chief Bruce Romano joins Wiley Rein as consulting counsel ... Disney and Pixar Animation Studios President Ed Catmull retires, effective year-end, when Pixar President Jim Morris and Disney Animation Studios President Andrew Millstein report to Disney Studios President Alan Bergman; Catmull won't be replaced ... New York Public Radio names Depelsha McGruder, ex-Viacom, chief operating officer.
FirstNet promotes James Mitchell to chief of staff, new post ... Sheppard Mullin taps Leif Cervantes de Reinstein, ex-Reed Smith, as partner-entertainment and digital media ... Zipwhip appoints Bob Chamberlain, ex-Big Fish Games, chief financial officer and Kirsten Spoljaric, ex-Mashery, senior vice president-people.
After Disney acquires much of 21st Century Fox, the remaining Fox appoints from AMC Charlie Collier as CEO-entertainment; Dana Walden and Gary Newman, chairmen-CEOs, Fox Television Group, stay in roles until deal's close ... Viacom taps Lars Silberbauer, ex-Lego, as MTV Digital Studios senior vice president ... Disney Television Animation promotes to vice presidents Jay Francis, current series and diversity, and Angi Dyste, production and artist management ... Five9 hires Ryan Kam, ex-Salesforce, as chief marketing officer.