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Forecast 2026 Speakers

Floyd Abrams is a preeminent constitutional lawyer renowned for his defense of free speech and press freedoms. He has argued numerous landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, where he defended corporate and union political speech rights. Abrams’ distinguished clients have included The New York Times in the Pentagon Papers case, CNN, CBS, NBC, and Standard & Poor’s. As a scholar and advocate, he has taught First Amendment law at Columbia and Yale and inspired the creation of the Floyd Abrams Institute for Freedom of Expression at Yale Law School. Frequently cited as the nation’s foremost First Amendment attorney, he has been honored with awards from Yale Law School, The American Lawyer, and the Freedom Forum. Author of Speaking Freely and Friend of the Court, Abrams continues to shape public discourse on media freedom and constitutional law.

Rob Babin is President, Cox Media Group/Radio. He leads the strategic vision, operational execution, and overall profitability of the company’s radio division, which encompasses 49 stations across 10 major U.S. markets. Babin also oversees the company’s digital revenue division, Local Solutions. Over the years he has held a series of senior leadership roles, including Regional Vice President overseeing five markets (Miami, Houston, Tampa, San Antonio, and Long Island), Vice President/Market Manager in both Atlanta and Miami, and various sales leadership positions in Atlanta and Orlando. Before joining CMG, he began his career in the Baton Rouge and New Orleans markets. Rob currently serves on the Board of the NAB and is a member of the Executive Committee of the RAB.

Erin Callaghan is Futuri’s President/Enterprise Partnerships. She works with broadcasters and digital publishers worldwide, helping them keep pace with fast-changing technology. She has built her career helping her partners win in challenging environments. Callaghan delights in using Futuri’s technology to help partners increase revenue, grow their audiences, and create better content faster and more efficiently. Prior to joining Futuri, Callaghan spent more than 25 years in broadcast sales and sales management at companies including Cox Media, Journal Broadcast Group, and Capstar.

Sean Compton was appointed President of Nexstar Networks in November 2020. He joined Nexstar Media Group, Inc., as the Executive Vice President of WGN America (now known as NewsNation), WGN Radio, and Director of Content Acquisition in connection with Nexstar’s acquisition of Tribune Media Company in September 2019. He is responsible for the long-term strategy and day-to-day operations of The CW Network, NewsNation, Antenna TV, Rewind TV, The Hill, and WGN Radio. Compton also oversees programming acquisitions for Nexstar’s broadcasting division. Prior to joining Nexstar, Compton was President of Strategic Programming and Acquisitions for Tribune Company from 2008 to 2019, where he oversaw programming for 42 television stations and nationally distributed digital network Antenna TV. He previously spent 16 years in the radio industry, working at Clear Channel Radio & Premiere Radio Networks, where he served as Vice President of programming for 10 years.

Brian Fisher is a dynamic media sales leader with over three decades of experience driving revenue across digital, linear, and advanced TV platforms. As SVP of Video Sales at Estrella MediaCo, he leads network, national spot, and digital (CTV/OTT) strategy, fueling growth across AVOD, FAST, and premium platforms. Fisher’s career includes key roles at Disney, ABC, Bloomberg, Tribune, and McCann-Erickson, where he launched and scaled innovative ad solutions. Known for his expertise in cross-platform strategy, multicultural marketing, and team leadership — consistently delivering impactful, future-focused solutions in an evolving media landscape — Brian was promoted in August 2025 to Chief Revenue Officer of MediaCo.

Todd Hartman is the Executive Vice President of Kalil & Co., Inc. and has been brokering radio, television, outdoor, and tower transactions since 1999. Todd sees the entire playing field of the media brokerage business with uncanny vision. He can not only identify the logical buyer but is also able to think outside the box for other buyers the world does not know about. Todd is a consummate supporter of the broadcast industry, having been a member of the NAB for over 25 years. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce.

Jessica Hogue is Chief Data Officer, Consumer Media at Hearst. In this role, she develops enterprise data strategies, leads a data engineering and product development function, and spearheads governance and quality initiatives. Hogue joined Hearst in 2023 from Innovid, where she was General Manager, Measurement and Industries, responsible for developing product vision and strategy for Innnovid’s measurement portfolio, establishing market entry and client adoption, and developing a vertical practice for global CPG, automotive, and financial services marketers. Prior to Innovid, Hogue spent over a decade at Nielsen in senior commercial and product roles, working with the largest media companies, digital platforms, and global marketers. An active mentor, committed to the development and exposure of rising talent within the industry, Hogue currently serves as executive sponsor of Hearst’s Women in Tech group.

Brett House, a 20+ year adtech and martech veteran, is the Senior Vice President of Product GTM & Growth at MediaRadar. Prior to MediaRadar, Brett helped build and grow industry-leading data and measurement SaaS businesses, including Neustar Marketing Solutions (acquired by TransUnion) and eXelate (acquired by Nielsen). He’s a frequently published author, public speaker, and podcaster on all things advertising transformation. Brett has an MBA from Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.

Curtis LeGeyt is the president and CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters. He serves as the chief advocate for America’s free, local television and radio stations and their network partners. He previously served as the NAB’s COO before assuming his current role in January 2022. LeGeyt leads NAB’s charge for policies and innovations that enable the availability of local broadcast programming to all consumers. He and his team advocate for policies that level the playing field between local stations and Big Tech companies, prevent harmful new regulations that hinder broadcasters’ ability to serve their communities, and promote the vital and trusted local journalism broadcasters provide. LeGeyt serves on the boards of directors of the NAB Leadership Foundation, the Broadcasters Foundation of America, and Tracy’s Kids, a nonprofit helping children with cancer. He also serves on the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention’s Executive Committee.

Brian Lilly serves as Founder and Co-owner of Lilly Broadcasting. His companies operate television affiliates in Elmira/Corning/Horseheads, New York, and Erie, Pennsylvania. The privately held company also owns radio stations in Erie and Warren, Pennsylvania. Lilly’s portfolio also includes One Caribbean Television, a channel dedicated to Caribbean lifestyle and information programming that began in 2004. Additional affiliates include CBS-Puerto Rico, CBS-Guam, and CBS/ABC in the U.S. Virgin Islands. WZMQ, a MeTV affiliate in Marquette, Michigan, was added in 2017. Brian was inducted into the Pennsylvania Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2018. He has been a member of the WideOrbit Board of Directors for over 20 years. He is also a member of the board of directors of the Cable and Wireless Caribbean Foundation, Northwood School in Lake Placid, New York, and Mercyhurst University of Erie, Pennsylvania.

Alysia Long leads the Law & Policy team at Cox Media Group. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Alysia has developed an in-house regulatory and government affairs practice at CMG, guiding the company on compliance with FCC regulations, business strategies with regulatory considerations, and its federal policy and advocacy positions. Before joining CMG, Alysia held legal and regulatory roles at Cox Enterprises and Cox Communications, as well as a senior attorney position at Equifax. She began her legal career in private practice at Nelson, Mullins, Riley & Scarborough. Alysia received her J.D. from Duke University School of Law and a B.S. in Commerce from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. She is also a graduate of the McKinsey Executive Leadership Program and the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program at UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Management.

Rio Longacre is a Partner, Advertising and AdTech at Omnicom’s Credera and former Managing Director of Advertising and Marketing Transformation at Slalom Consulting. A veteran of the digital world, Rio has been helping leading organizations solve their toughest advertising/marketing challenges since Al Gore invented the Internet. A prolific author, public speaker, blogger, and podcaster, he is a thought leader on customer experience, martech/adtech, and digital business transformation.

DuJuan McCoy, owner, President, and CEO of Circle City Broadcasting, is a 35-plus-year broadcaster who has owned and operated TV stations since 2007, including Big 4, Independent, CW, and MyNet-affiliated stations throughout the U.S. He currently owns WISH-TV CW (News) and WNDY MyNet in his hometown of Indianapolis. DuJuan is an active member of the broadcasting industry currently serving on the NAB Television Board, as Chairman of the NAB Leadership Foundation Board, and on the board of directors for the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB).

Mike McVay is President of McVay Media. He’s been a station owner, general manager, program director, and served as Executive Vice President of Content and Programming for Cumulus Media and Westwood One. He is a partner in Benztown + McVay Podcast Network and has been involved in the launch of several successful syndicated programs, including Delilah and The John Tesh Show. McVay was recently inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame and awarded NAB’s National Radio Award. In 2024 he was recognized with the Broadcasters Foundation of America Leadership Award and the Giants of Broadcasting & Electronic Arts Award from the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation. Mike serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the Country Radio Broadcasters, and the Radio Committee for St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Research Center and is a voting member of the Country Music Association as well as the Academy of Country Music.

Eric Meyrowitz was named executive vice president and group head of Hearst Television in 2021, with operational oversight over a portfolio of Hearst Television markets. He had previously been Senior VP of Sales since 2017. Meyrowitz joined Hearst Television as Vice President/Sales in 2014; he had previously served as national sales manager for WBAL-TV, Baltimore. Meyrowitz is currently the immediate past chair of the NBC Television Board of Affiliates and treasurer of the Television Bureau of Advertising (TVB). He previously served on the Nielsen Local Media Alliance as well as on the board of the International Radio & Television Society. He earned his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Boston University.

Randy Michaels describes himself as a “mediocre broadcast technician who has dabbled in programming, management, and station ownership. He has been attributable in more U.S. broadcast licenses than anyone else and therefore has extensive experience in guessing what stations might be worth.” As CEO of Jacor Communications, he led one of the nation’s most successful radio groups, selling the company to Clear Channel in 1999 and remaining as that company’s CEO until 2002. Michaels later served as EVP of the Chicago-based Tribune Company and CEO of Interactive and Broadcasting Operations as part of the management restructuring following the consummation of the Tribune Company privatization transaction. Michaels is the sole proprietor of Radioactive, LLC, a holding company for radio broadcast licenses. He has been actively purchasing stations in Ohio and Kentucky over the past couple of years. He recently closed on a deal for WYDB-FM in Dayton and last year bought WOXY-FM in Cincinnati, extending the reach of “The Oasis” format heard on Grant County Broadcasters-owned WNKR (106.7) throughout Cincinnati and Dayton. He also purchased WAKY-AM & FM in Louisville around the same time as the Dayton deal.

Francisco “Frank” Montero is a partner with the law firm of Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, specializing in telecommunications, broadcasting, media and technology. Montero is well known as an early advocate for Hispanic and Spanish-language media in the U.S. and Latin America. He is on the board of the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) and serves as the Washington, DC, legal representative for the Puerto Rico Broadcasters Association. Frank has been recognized by numerous publications and organizations as a top media attorney and is a recipient of the Hispanic Radio Conference’s Medallas de Cortez Distinguished Leadership Award for significant contributions to Spanish-language and Hispanic-targeted broadcasting. He serves on the Advisory Boards for Bloomberg BNA Now: Tech and Telecom and the Radio Ink Hispanic Radio Conference.

With more than 25 years of distinguished experience spanning media, sales, marketing, and executive management, Tina Murley is widely recognized as an accomplished leader and innovator within the industry. As Chief Revenue Officer at Beasley Media Group, Tina is at the helm of the company’s revenue strategy, steering growth initiatives across both legacy platforms and digital enterprises. Before stepping into her current role, Tina served as Vice President of Sales at Beasley Media Group, where she oversaw revenue operations for the Boston cluster. Her strategic oversight led to significant business expansion and elevated market performance. Tina has also held key positions at CBS Television, Hearst Television, and CBS Radio.

Steve Newberry serves as CEO of Quu, Inc., creators of innovative technology enabling radio stations to provide an enhanced listener experience and monetize visual advertising through full control of the RDS/HD in-car visual display. Before joining Quu, Steve was EVP/Industry Affairs and Strategic Planning for the NAB in Washington, DC. In that capacity, he had primary leadership responsibility for NAB’s technology initiatives with the automotive industry and led the construction of the organization’s new Washington, DC, headquarters. He has also served as the NAB’s Radio Board Chair, NABPAC Chair, was twice elected to lead the association’s Joint Television and Radio Board, and was a recipient of NAB’s National Radio Award, the industry’s highest leadership honor. Newberry is the founder and chairman of Commonwealth Broadcasting Corp., a radio broadcast group with facilities throughout his home state of Kentucky.

With more than two decades of experience reporting from Washington, Steven Portnoy is one of America’s preeminent audio storytellers. From every major dateline in DC, he has brought listeners to presidential inaugurals, congressional debates, State of the Union addresses, and Supreme Court oral arguments. A past president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, Portnoy spent seven years covering the Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations from the second row of the White House briefing room. Portnoy returned to ABC News — where he began his career in 2002 — in 2023 after more than eight years at CBS News, where he served as a congressional correspondent before reporting from the White House. Over his career, Portnoy has been named a Peter Jennings Fellow by the National Constitution Center, received the Bayliss Horizon Award by the John Bayliss Broadcast Foundation, and took first place in the radio competition at the Hearst Broadcast News Championships.

Andrew Rosen, with more than 20 years of experience, leads Miller Kaplan’s Media group, which specializes in the operational and financial structures of broadcast and media clients. Beyond working with clients to provide revenue measurement, Andrew also offers audit services within the media and broadcast industries.His knowledge and impact in the media and accounting fields have led to his committee membership in the Media Financial Management Association, in addition to other industry roles.

Natalia Sanchez Alvarez is the CEO of Norsan Media, where she leads daily operations and drives strategic execution across more than 50 radio stations, television outlets, and print and digital publications in the Southeastern United States and Texas markets. With over a decade of experience at Norsan Media, Natalia has developed deep expertise in national sales, community festivals, media operations, and station acquisitions — skills that have been instrumental in positioning the company for its next phase of growth. She also championed the integration of digital platforms into the company’s portfolio, broadening Norsan Media’s reach and creating new opportunities for advertisers and audiences alike. As a proud first-generation Mexican-American, Natalia brings a personal passion to her work: amplifying the voices and stories of the Hispanic community. She recognizes the cultural, social, and economic power of Hispanic radio and media, and is dedicated to ensuring that Latino audiences are authentically represented and connected through the platforms Norsan Media provides.

Gregg Skall is a veteran telecom lawyer who advises broadcasters and telecommunications companies in their FCC regulatory matters and their business dealings. Gregg has served on the U.S. Department of State Advisory Committee on International Communications & Information Policy, and on the Pike and Fischer Communications Regulation Advisory Board from its formation until its merger with Bloomberg BNA. He has chaired the Regulated Industries Committee of the Federal Bar Association and served as co-chair of the association’s Professional Responsibility Committee. Gregg has been listed for multiple years in the Washington Post editions of Legal Leaders of Washington, in Top Rated Lawyers of Washington, DC, and in Super Lawyers for Washington, DC, and has been rated by Martindale-Hubbel AV Preeminent, a peer rating for the highest level of professional excellence and ethical standards.

Stephen A. Smith, an HBCU graduate of Winston Salem State University, rose from a reporter on high school sports at the New York Daily News, and a college NBA beat reporter at the Philadelphia Inquirer, to become the face of ESPN and its most important on-air personality. Smith’s successes include a journalism career in newspaper, radio, and television. His career spans 30+ years in the sports and entertainment industry. He is the Executive Producer and Host of The Stephen A. Smith Show™, a lead commentator and Executive Producer on ESPN’s First Take, a panelist on NBA Countdown on ABC, and CEO of Straight Shooter Media. He now also has two new radio shows on SiriusXM: a daily radio show on Maddog Sports Radio, and a weekly show on politics for their POTUS channel. In January 2023, Smith released the New York Times best-selling book Straight Shooter; A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes, where he revealed his untold story for the first time. Mr. SAS, Inc. oversaw the marketing and distribution of the book, published by Simon and Schuster and Gallery 13.

Jen Soch, Executive Director of Channel Solutions at WPP Media, oversees audio and local video, dr, publishing, and AdvancedTV. Her career spans over three decades in media agencies. Previously, as Integrated Global Investment Lead at Mindshare, a WPP Media Brand, Jen spearheaded the Facebook business, managing all investment channels including video, audio, programmatic, image, search, social, and digital. Her strategic oversight ensured cohesive campaigns and seamless integration across channels and tactics. Jen’s track record includes roles as EVP, Commercial at The Guardian, where she led U.S. Commercial Operations, and a strategic position at Domo focusing on analytics and investment. Her agency experience encompasses leadership roles at Ammarti-Puris, Dentsu-Aegis, MEC, and MediaVest, where she guided planning, strategy, and investment for diverse client portfolios.

Jeff Sottolano is the Chief Programming Officer of Audacy, responsible for the content strategy and performance of Audacy’s local brands in all formats across broadcast, streaming, and podcast distribution platforms and for overseeing the programming leadership team, talent, and content creators nationwide. Sottolano works closely with the company’s product and technology teams as it enhances its creator tools and delivers new digital experiences for consumers and advertisers, and he also collaborates with Audacy’s music initiatives and live events team as well as its podcast leadership team. In recent years, Sottolano has led key company initiatives, including developing new national and syndicated programs across its music portfolio, the creation of its sports podcast studio and its multiplatform sports betting content platform, BetQL Network, and various artist partnership programs, including Audacy LAUNCH. Sottolano joined the company in 2001 as an intern and has served as Executive Vice President and head of programming since 2021.

Gigi Stone Woods is an award-winning national TV on-air host, anchor, correspondent, and producer. She currently works as a rotating TV news anchor and business reporter on various networks. She is also an executive coach and media trainer, teaching presentation skills, message writing, public speaking, and how to best resonate with an audience. Stone Woods has worked as an anchor for NBC News and ABC News and as a daily correspondent for Good Morning America, Nightline, and World News. At CBS News, Stone Woods anchored CBS Moneywatch and  appeared regularly as a correspondent on CBS This Morning.  At Bloomberg Television, Stone Woods co-hosted Bloomberg Enterprise, a program profiling the CEOs of fast-growing companies. She also created, produced, and hosted the Inspiring Women In Business interview series on Bloomberg TV. Stone Woods has interviewed countless Fortune 500 CEOs, politicians, and celebrities. She has covered presidential elections, the financial crisis, and major global and national breaking news stories.

Marcos Torres is a Managing Director and Global Head, Communications, Media & Entertainment investment banking group at RBC Capital Markets. Marcos started his investment banking career began at J.P. Morgan 27 years ago and joined RBC in 2012. He is a member of the boards of three prominent national nonprofit organizations: Hispanic Federation (currently serves as Chairman, Board of Directors), Ballet Hispanico, and Latino Donor Collaborative. As a result of experiencing a very challenging childhood, including losing both his parents at a young age, poverty, and homelessness, Marcos remains vigilant and focused on making positive and impactful contributions to his community. Marcos has been recognized as one of America’s young and emerging leaders. He is proud to have been featured in Hispanic Executive magazine, selected as a CUP Catalyst by the Council of Urban Professionals, awarded Ballet Hispanico’s Civic Inspiration Award, and received Hispanic Federation’s Corporate Leadership Award.

Jeff Warshaw is a seasoned media entrepreneur, investor, and operator. He is the founder and CEO of Connoisseur Media, which he built through strategic acquisitions and operational excellence. Jeff’s investment career began while still an undergraduate at the Wharton School, when he purchased his first radio station. Over the decades, he has led or partnered in numerous high-return investments, including the creation and sale of Connoisseur Communications Partners to Cumulus Broadcasting for $258 million and the restructuring of distressed radio assets with such firms as Farallon Capital, ABRY Partners, and MatlinPatterson. He also founded Ferocious Digital, one of the first digital marketing companies launched by a legacy media firm. Jeff currently serves as Chairman of the Nielsen Advisory Council and is the outgoing Chairman of the RAB Board. He has been inducted into the New Jersey Broadcasters Hall of Fame and is consistently recognized as one of Radio Ink’s “40 Most Powerful People in Radio.” He is also a recipient of the prestigious Ward L. Quall Leadership Award.

Chris Winkle is the President & CEO of the Kentucky Broadcasters Association. His nearly four decades of broadcast experience brings a unique perspective and understanding when serving the needs of Kentucky’s broadcasters. Winkle’s career includes multiple stations in Kentucky, with experience in every aspect of the industry, from traffic to programming, on-air to senior management, and now ownership. In 2005 Chris embraced the opportunity to purchase his hometown radio station, which he continues to own and operate to this day. Chris was recently selected by his peers to serve on the National Alliance of State Broadcasters Associations (NASBA) Executive Committee. He will serve as the NASBA President in 2028.

Jeff Ziesmann is a career radio broadcaster, with the vast majority of that time spent in his hometown of Cincinnati. He has spent long portions of his career with Federated Media and Jacor and shorter periods with many other broadcasters, large and small. His career has largely been spent in sales, sales management, station management, and station ownership. Since 2002, he has been the CEO of GCB, Inc., which owns and operates three FM radio stations in the Cincinnati and Dayton markets. As a hobby, he is an accomplished music producer, specializing in jazz recordings of area musicians.