2023 Speakers

 

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Alfonso AguilarAlfonso Aguilar, a recognized political analyst and strategist, is Political Director for Americano Media. For more than a decade, as president of the Latino Partnership for Conservative Principles, he led public campaigns to build Hispanic support for conservative causes and candidates. In addition, as president of the International Human Rights Group, he worked to advance and defend the fundamental rights of individuals through the Inter-American Human Rights System. Aguilar has been a member of the Holy See delegation to several General Assemblies of the Organization of American States. Aguilar was head of the U.S. Citizenship Office in the administration of President George W. Bush and served in several high-ranking positions within the federal government under George W. Bush and the government of Puerto Rico, including deputy director of Communications for the U.S. Department of Energy, executive director of the Puerto Rico Office of Federal Affairs, and press secretary to former Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Rosselló.

Liz Rebecca AlarcónLiz Rebecca Alarcón is a media entrepreneur and political analyst with expertise in Latin America and U.S. Latinos. She is founder and Executive Director of Pulso, a nonprofit media outlet reaching more than 1 million Latinos with history, culture, and commentary by and for Latinos. Alarcón’s writing and commentary have been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, MSNBC, Time Magazine, and The Miami Herald, among others. She’s a former Fulbright Scholar to Costa Rica and an alum of the University of Miami and the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. She lives in Miami with her husband, Julián, their baby daughter, Eva, and their unnecessarily large dog, Papriko.

Angelica "Angie" Balderas Angelica Balderas is the Senior Vice President of Integrated Marketing Solutions for Entravision Communications, overseeing operations and sales for the Sacramento market including top-rated KXSE/Jose 104.3 and Tricolor 99.9FM, as well as 101.9FM Wolf and Hot 103.5FM. Previously she was the Director of Sales for Adelante Media Group; in that role she oversaw local, national, network, and digital sales. She earlier served as Adelante’s NSM, working with national advertisers and their agencies, and before that she was President/Principal of Aztec Media and launched KTTA-FM (Kebuena 97.9FM), KLNA (Power 105.5FM), and KBBU (Ke Buena 93.9FM); the stations were sold in 2004 to Bustos Media. Balderas’ experience includes 20-plus years of local direct and agency transactional business and retail activation as well as event marketing. She has served on the NAB Radio Show Steering Committee, on the advisory board for Radio Ink’s Hispanic Radio  Conference, and on the board of Nielsen Audio’s Multi Cultural ANA Conference.

Fernando BauermeisterFernando Bauermeister was born and raised in Puerto Rico.  His passion for radio goes back to 1995, when he began his career doing overnights as an on-air personality until going into sales in 1997. He started working for SBS in Puerto Rico, serving for 10 years as an AE and later as Sales Manager. In 2005, he moved to iHeartMedia as Director of Sales of the Tampa cluster for 15 years. Moving back to Orlando in 2020, he joined Cox Media Group as Sales Manager for three of its properties. Rejoining SBS in 2022, he helped launch the new stations in Orlando and Tampa, where he currently serves as General Manager and VP of Sales for Orlando’s WPYO-FM  and WSUN-FM.

Gloria CostanzaGloria Costanza, Partner/Chief Contact Strategist, d exposito & Partners, is an accomplished and widely recognized leader of multicultural media in America. She is one of the key architects of the U.S. Hispanic market’s media landscape and its explosive growth, and she was fundamental in establishing media commitments from blue-chip clients including AT&T, Sears, U.S. Postal Service, Kraft, and Bank of America. She has continued to introduce new brands to the Hispanic, multicultural, and broad-market media environments, helping to strategically guide clients like AARP, Amica, McDonald’s, and the U.S Army. Costanza, a New Yorker who hails from the Dominican Republic, has lent her expertise to the monumental task of reaching out to diverse U.S. audiences, including all Latino sub-segments, with messages from the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census, permitting the Census Bureau to finally assess the numerical impact of the Hispanic population in America.

 

Aleksandra Cuprys Aleksandra Cuprys, Chief Legal Officer of Latino Media Network, is an accomplished global legal and compliance executive with extensive experience helping companies grow at all stages across industries, including media, telecommunications, and infrastructure. Over the course of her career she has acquired expertise leading teams and projects in multinational business environments, with specialization in litigation, deal negotiation, cross-border expansion, regulation, anti-competitive behavior, and business ethics and compliance. Previously, Cuprys served as Global General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Phoenix Tower International, a global wireless infrastructure operator; joining the company during its startup phase, she was instrumental in its growth to over 20 countries and its ultimate sale. Prior to PTI, she served in various leadership positions at publicly and privately held global corporations, including Univision Communications, World Fuel Services Corp,, and LATAM Airlines.

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Shirley DavenportA North Carolina native, Shirley Davenport grew up in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where her parents were Christian missionaries. Her early years in South America, combined with her fluency in Spanish, give her a unique perspective on marketing to the growing Hispanic community in North Carolina. With her unique blend of retail management, radio and television media sales and management, including a Hispanic market focus and a broad and deep knowledge of the Triangle area, Davenport is the perfect leader for the La Ley sales team. She was a top account executive with Univision television in Raleigh-Durham before joining CMG in 2014, and has built a customer-focused sales team for the popular Spanish Regional station. Her passionate understanding of the Latino customer, her trademark customer service for clients, and the professional development of her team members are the keys to success for this unique radio property.

Bill DayBill Day is Senior Vice President of Strategy at Magid, where he focuses on helping media companies, advertisers, and agencies improve their business models. Day is an experienced media executive with a successful record leading project teams to improve sales and reduce expenses for Fortune 500 companies. He has spent the better part of the last two decades working in and with multi-media companies, helping to build and implement market-leading applications for properties from major metros to community papers.

 

 

Nio FernandezNio “Encendio” Fernandez serves as Director of Latin Formats for Beasley Media Group. He began his radio career in 1996 at WRMD and WMGG in Tampa, where he gained experience in numerous  facets of the industry and was the Spanish play-by-play commentator for the Super Bowl Champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1999-2002. He has worked in markets from Tampa to Miami and Los Angeles and alongside radio icon and Bill Tanner protege Pio Ferro. Fernandez has been recognized for his excellence in broadcasting by the City of Tampa and the National Latin-American Institute of Journalism, and he was awarded the Medallas de Cortez award for Program Director of the Year in 2020.

Joe FerreroJoe Ferrero has spent over 30 years achieving an impressive career in the radio industry. He has worked with major networks such as Spanish Broadcasting Systems, Univision Radio, iHeartMedia, Entravision, and Heftel Broadcasting, leaving his mark on each of these organizations. One of the reasons Ferrero is regarded as a hero in the Cuban and Venezuelan communities is for his infamous prank calls to leaders like Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez. These prank calls were humorous, but also helped to raise awareness about the situations in these countries, making Ferrero a champion of free speech and democracy. His accomplishments have been recognized by media outlets including Newsweek, The New York Times, The Miami Herald, and Billboard Magazine, and he has made appearances on CNN, the BBC, Televisa, TVE, Univision’s Don Francisco Presenta, El Gordo y La Flaca, Telefutura’s Escandalo TV, Telemundo’s Al Rojo Vivo, and many more. Currently, Ferrero is working for Davis Broadcasting in Atlanta as a program director and on-air personality.

Eric GarciaEric Garcia is Vice President Multiplatform Sales/New York and VP/Audio Sales, Eastern Region for Televisa | Univision, heading up linear, digital streaming, branded social, and experiential platforms in New York, including ViX, the biggest Spanish-language video streaming platform globally. His responsibilities also include developing revenue strategy for Univision’s Eastern audio markets across all linear and non-linear verticals, including an extensive live events distribution platform. Most recently, he has also taken on the role of station manager for Televisa | Univision’s operations in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Before  joining Televisa | Univision, Garcia enjoyed a 13-year career at Spanish Broadcasting System, where he served in various executive positions including VP/GM of WSKQ and WPAT in New York. Garcia started his career as an AE at Interep National Radio Sales. Garcia has a strict discipline and passion point for the nontraditional space. His hands-on approach to business, open-door policy, and overall passion for continuously evolving and redefining audio as a leader in the nontraditional revolutionary media space are the things he considers to be most exciting about the industry.

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Hernan GarciaHernan Garcia is Director of Podcast Development and Production at TelevisaUnivision Inc., the world’s leading Spanish-language media and content company. Based in Miami, he is responsible for the company’s podcast production and development, as well as working with key clients and strategic partners for the Uforia Audio Network. Additionally, Garcia produced the highest-ranking Spanish language podcast in the U.S. and leading show in Mexico, En Boca Cerrada, and the critically acclaimed dramatized true crime show Crímenes Paranormales. Garcia has been instrumental in optimizing, growing, and shaping the Uforia Podcast Network by extending Univision’s and Uforia’s existing and successful IP into the podcast universe and bringing new audiences to its ecosystem. Garcia joined TelevisaUnivision to lead and embrace a growing industry in the Spanish-language landscape. He has worked with top media and content companies including Disney, Fox, LiveNation, Viacom, and other media groups. Throughout his career he has been known as a trailblazer in the execution of programming, content, talent, and technology product strategies to reach Hispanic and international audiences.

Said Garcia SoliaSaid Garcia Solis is Content Director for Estrella Media’s KBUE (Que Buena)/Los Angeles. He is a show member and producer for Estrella Media’s nationally syndicated Don Cheto Al Aire, the number one morning show in Los Angeles. Garcia has also served as a producer for the company’s Premios de la Radio Regional Mexican music awards show. Before joining Estrella Media, he held positions at TV Azteca and Televisa. Garcia is also an actor, appearing in the 2021 film Finlandia and the forthcoming 2024 release Sobre las Olas.

PJ GonzalezPedro Javier González is a bilingual communications executive with a proven track record in all aspects of content operations in the radio industry, specializing in the Hispanic market. A strategic leader in the intersection of digital platforms and broadcast radio, González has been the driving force behind the growth of the iHeartLatino brand with a team-player, business-savvy approach. He oversees operations and programming strategies fo the national brand and is responsible for the acquisition of new programmers and on-air talent, as well as directing digital strategies for the company’s Spanish brands. Before joining iHeart, González served as vice president of content for Univision Radio, responsible for branding and content strategies across radio and all digital platforms for New York, Miami, and Puerto Rico, among other markets, and managed talent development for all radio brands.

Natalie Henderson Natalie Henderson, an audio enthusiast, serves as Senior Audio Investor at Horizon Media. Her career began on the promotions team at radio, gathering audio sound bites from listeners and setting up meet-and-greets with upcoming artists for her local stations, WBAB-FM and WBLI-FM. From there, she joined Horizon’s promotions department, where she crafted hundreds of successful local and national experiential opportunities for clients. In her current position, Henderson leads broadcast and digital audio strategy and investment for retail, insurance, and tune-in brands. Her expertise on the audio landscape has led to innovative thinking and successful delivery that exceeds her clients’ goals and proves the effectiveness of audio.

 

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Stephanie "Chiquibaby" HimonidisA winner of six Emmy Awards for outstanding work in television, Stephanie Himonidis — also known as “Chiquibaby” — has been one of the most recognized communicators and influencers in the Hispanic market in the U.S. She is the host and Executive Producer for her syndicated radio network show, El Show de Chiquibaby, currently broadcast coast-to-coast in more than 80 cities nationwide. Mexican by birth but with Greek roots, Himonidis is a bilingual personality and social media influencer with close to 2 million followers and has been a brand ambassador for many companies. For close than 10 years, Himonidis was part of Univision Radio in San Diego and Los Angeles, and she started a career in TV in 2009 when she participated as a celebrity judge for the reality competition program Viva el Sueño. In 2019, she and her family moved to Miami, where she has since hosted the Billboard red carpet show, Detrás de la Fama, and several other specials.

Cecilia Jato BitzCecilia Jato Bitz is VP/Sales Director of National Audio Services at Nielsen. In this role, she provides audio measurement solutions to radio networks, program syndicators, audio producers, and podcasters. Prior to Nielsen, she worked for Univision in its Network Radio division, where she served as Director of Strategic Planning and Account Management. Jato Bitz has also worked on behalf of major advertisers as a Supervisor of National Audio Investments at OMD. She started her audio career at Interep in 2003. Jato Bitz has earned awards for her team contributions and was recognized in Radio Ink’s “African American Leaders in Radio” issue in 2023.

 

Dara KalvortDara Kalvort, VP/Digital Sales, DigIdea (SBS), is a seasoned multi-media professional with over 20 years of experience in fields including broadcast TV, cable, radio, and streaming. Having worked in various roles in these industries over the years, she has gained a wealth of knowledge and expertise in developing winning marketing strategies. In the past decade, Kalvort shifted her focus toward digital marketing, realizing the potential for growth and engagement in the online space. Today, as a leading authority on digital marketing, she has trained sellers, leaders, and advertisers on products and integrated solutions, sharing her knowledge and skills across a range of industries. Renowned for her exceptional insights and creative ideas, Kalvort has made a name for herself in the industry as an innovative thinker, consistently delivering results for her clients. With a passion for staying ahead of the latest trends and technologies, Dara Kalvort is committed to helping businesses stay ahead of the curve and achieve success in the rapidly evolving world of digital marketing.

Richard LaraRichard D. Lara has been EVP and General Counsel at Spanish Broadcasting System since 2016. Before joining the company, he counseled domestic and international corporate clients regarding business disputes, including serving as lead litigator in high-stakes trials in federal and state courts. Lara led and managed numerous outside advisers and bankers, including Fried Frank, in achieving an extraordinarily successful and complex recapitalization for SBS that closed in 2021; this transformative transaction provided the platform for SBS to continue its market-leading growth in radio, television, digital, and live event operations for the U.S. Hispanic audience.

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Jeffery Liberman Jeffery A. Liberman is President and COO of Entravision. He has been involved in the management and operation of Spanish-language television and radio stations since 1974. He earlier served as COO from 2012 until 2017, and then as president of the Radio division from 2001 until 2012. From 1992 until Entravision’s acquisition of Latin Communications Group in 2000, Liberman was responsible for operating Latin Communications Group’s 17 radio stations in California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington, DC.

 

 

Clark LoganClark Logan has a 25-year career in radio and publishing that includes 15 years at the helm of the HRN Media Network, a leader in syndicated Hispanic radio programming. Under Logan’s leadership, HRN has partnered with some of the biggest names in Hispanic broadcasting including Don Cheto of Estrella Media, nationally syndicated Erazno y Chokolata, World Cup broadcaster Fernando Fiore, Univision network morning host Anna Maria Canseco, and more. Prior to HRN, Logan worked in national radio sales at Interep and was Northeast Sales Manager at Televisa Publishing. He began his career in broadcasting as an on-air traffic reporter for Westwood One’s Metro Traffic and CBS-TV in New York.

 

Steve MandalaSteve Mandala is Chief Revenue and Local Media Officer for Estrella Media. In this role, Mandala leads network, national, and local sales teams, driving growth across the company’s platforms and increasing brand value for its partners. Mandala most recently served as President, Ad Sales & Marketing at Univision, where he was pivotal in growing Univision’s valuation before its sale. Before that he was at NBCUniversal, where he led sales throughout the cable group, and at Telemundo, driving double-digit sales growth. He earlier held numerous positions at NBCUniversal and played a key leadership role in integrating cable and broadcast channels following Comcast’s acquisition of NBCU. Mandala has been a featured speaker at many industry events including ANA Multicultural, Advertising Week, and AHAA. In addition, he is a board member of the Cultural Marketing Council.

Tomas MartinezAs the CEO and owner of Solmart Media, LLC, Tomás Martinez is responsible for all management aspects of Southwest Florida stations WZSP-FM/HD and HD2 and WTMY-AM & FM. Martinez has more three decades of experience in the radio industry. A native of Cuba, he launched his career at WOJO-FM in Chicago before moving to Miami to manage WQBA-AM and WAQI-AM. In subsequent years he worked at Heftel Broadcasting Corp., for the State of Florida on behalf of Shadow Broadcast Services/Westwood One, and for Radio Unica Network. Additionally, he spent 10 years at Prisa Radio as GM of Radio Caracol Miami. Before assuming the position of CEO and owner of Solmart Media, he spent three years as GM and COO of Actualidad Media Group in Miami. Martinez is an acting board member for the Florida Association of Broadcasters, the NAB’s Small and Medium Market Forum, and Sarasota’s Jazz Club. He has also contributed his expertise to the Hispanic Radio Conference for the last five years.

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Maire MasonMaire Mason joined Spanish Broadcasting System as VP/GM of New York in February 2018, arriving from Cumulus Media, where she launched NASH-FM, the first Country station in the New York market. In September of 2022 she was elevated to VP/GM of SBS’s New York and Chicago markets, and in April of 2023 she was promoted to EVP/GM of WSKQ-FM & WPAT-FM/New York and WLEY-FM/Chicago. Mason’s background includes a 20-year tenure at CBS Radio as VP/GM o New York’s iconic WCBS-FM, WXRK-FM, and WNEW-FM.  From 2010-2012, she was the Director of Sales for Univision New York: WADO-AM, WXNY-FM & WQBU-FM. In 2012 she launched the first ever FM News station, WEMP-FM, and in 2013 launched the first Country music station in New York, WNSH-FM. Mason’s other accomplishments include numerous years on Radio Ink’s Most Influential Women in Radio annual list and Medallas De Cortez General/Market Manager of the Year in 2022.

 

Alina McComasAlina McComas is a VP/Senior Consultant for The Center for Sales Strategy, a sales performance consulting company with a 40-year history of working with media companies to turn talent into performance. Her 25 years of successful sales, management, and consulting experience are matched with training and developing sales teams to drive revenue. She is a digital subject matter expert and has the ability to help the novice as well as the expert understand the ever-changing world of advertising sales. Her clients value her accessibility, critical thinking, and her willingness to jump in and help create solutions that produce results.

 

Mike McVayMike McVay is President of McVay Media Consulting, working globally as a full-service consultant in the areas of content creation, program consultation, syndication, digital delivery, production and imaging, podcasting, and talent coaching. He was most recently the Executive Vice President of Content and Programming for Cumulus Media and Westwood One. McVay is a 40-year programmer with national and local management, ownership, sales, major market programming, and major market on-air experience, and he has owned and operated radio stations in multiple markets. He is a partner in Benztown + McVay Media Podcast Network with experience in curating podcasts for Westwood One, NatGeo, and Disney+. He has also developed and launched several highly successful nationally syndicated programs. In his role as a programming consultant, he has counted KLAX/Los Angeles; WFID/San Juan, PR; Liberman Broadcasting; and Border Media among his clients. McVay is a 2021 inductee to the West Virginia Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Frank MonteroFrank Montero is a co-managing partner with the law firm of Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth, focusing on telecommunications, broadcasting, media, and technology. Montero’s practice includes FCC regulatory counseling, corporate finance, asset and securities acquisitions, intellectual property, and real estate and commercial transactions. Montero was an appointed member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Diversity for Communications in the Digital Age, and he has served as the Director of the FCC’s Office of Communications Business Opportunities. While at the FCC, Montero worked extensively with industry, trade associations, financing institutions, and governmental agencies to create business opportunities for entrepreneurs, startups, and other small businesses in the telecommunications and technology sectors.

Jay MeyersJay Meyers is president and CEO of Broadcast Management and Technology.  BMTllc has advised many of the large media lenders and well-known PE firms in the media space as well as broadcasters both domestically and internationally, and provides expert witness, trust, and receivership services in the broadcasting space. Meyers was also CEO of Adelante Media Group, which specialized in Spanish-language programming, and served on the board of R Communications, which owned radio stations on both sides of the Texas-Mexico border. Earlier in his career he was a senior vice president at both Jacor Communications and Clear Channel Radio and president/COO of Sherman Broadcasting Co. Under the BMTllc banner, on an outsourced basis, Meyers provided services as CEO of BCA Radio of San Diego, which owned the U.S. rights to three Mexican-licensed radio stations, and currently is CEO of Horizon Broadcasting of Florida.

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Nicole OvadiaNicole Ovadia serves as BIA Advisory’s Vice President/Forecasting & Analysis, overseeing the forecasting process across all local media segments. Additionally, she helps with strategic and financial consulting projects by providing insights and analysis on broadcasting and digital trends. Ovadia began her career as the Editor of Inside Radio before a five-year stint in finance working for BNP Paribas, where she focused on operations. Missing media, she then spent 14 years at Emmis Communications at the corporate level in the Strategy Group focusing on sales and acquisitions, as well as at the local level in New York, where she served as Vice President/Customer Success. From there, she worked with the New York State Broadcasters Association advocating for New York City radio.

 

Otto PadronOtto Padron is president and CEO of Meruelo Media. His mass-media experience, leadership skills, and vision have been key to the transformative expansion of Meruelo. Before leading the Meruelo team, Padron was SVP/Programming for Univision Television Network, the leading Spanish-language network in the U.S. Padron is the only executive to have successfully headed programming for both major U.S. Spanish-language networks, Univision and Telemundo. As a shaping member of these powerhouse brands, he skillfully blended solution-based ideas with a value-oriented management style driven by bottom-line results. During his 20-plus-year tenure programming these competitive networks, Padron developed a keen understanding of relevant entertainment formats and established a reputation for delivering winning results through production excellence and flawless execution.

Bob PerryBob Perry is an international consultant specializing in increasing the ratings for radio stations that target the Hispanic audience in both Spanish and English formats. He has programmed and consulted more than 60 top-rated radio stations in 20-plus different markets in the United States and Mexico. In addition to clients throughout the U.S., Perry is the programming consultant for Mexico’s largest broadcasting company, Mexico City-based Grupo Acir, which consistently has the top-rated stations in markets throughout Mexico. Perry has an extensive background in market research including market perceptual studies, online music testing, weekly callout research, and audience focus groups. His biggest enjoyment is finding and teaching the future programming and air talent superstars of the radio industry.

 

Patrick QuinnPatrick Quinn founded PQ Media LLC in 2002 following a distinguished career as an award-winning journalist, editor, market research analyst, and management consultant. Since then, PQ Media has developed into a highly respected market research, business intelligence, and strategic advisory firm, providing actionable market intelligence and strategic guidance to executive management teams at the world’s leading media and technology organizations. The firm is considered a pioneer in developing the first ever econometric data for projecting growth across a wide range of previously unmeasured digital and alternative media, including digital out-of-home advertising, branded entertainment and product placement, content marketing, social media advertising, online and mobile marketing, brand activation, and word-of-mouth marketing. Quinn’s unique holistic perspective, keen market insights, and deep knowledge of major industry trends and key performance indicators are frequently quoted by major press outlets and other agencies.

Roberto RamirezRoberto R. Ramirez is assistant division chief of Special Population Statistics in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. During his 20 years at the Census Bureau, Ramirez has studied Hispanic and other minority ethnic and racial population groups and published reports based on related data from the Current Population Survey, the American Community Survey, and the 2000, 2010, and 2020 Censuses. Ramirez has presented key Census Bureau findings about the Hispanic population to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and during numerous radio, newspaper, and TV interviews, including C-SPAN’s America by the Numbers weekly program. He received Census Bureau Bronze Medal Awards for his analysis of Hispanic data from the 2000 and 2010 Censuses, and was among key Census Bureau experts responsible for providing leadership and guidance for the 2015 National Content Test.

Rick RamosRick Ramos, a 25-year multicultural media sales specialist, currently serves as the Senior VP of Multicultural Partnerships at Katz’s Eastman Radio unit. His extensive career includes terms as New York Sales Manager of Katz Hispanic Media, Vice President/Regional Sales Manager of HBC National Sales, Vice President of Univision National Sales, and SVP/Director of Sales for Business Development at Eastman Radio. As a true multicultural specialist, Ramos has worked with many of the top Hispanic radio companies including Univision Radio, Hispanic Broadcasting Corp., Entravision, Spanish Broadcasting System, and Tichenor Broadcasting. In his current role, Ramos is tasked with driving strategy to maximize the multicultural offerings of the rep firm’s audio partners, overseeing the creation of dynamic multicultural audio marketing campaigns with national scale and local execution. He continues to lead advocacy efforts for multicultural advertising while developing relationships with marketers and agencies. Ramos also manages the development of a multicultural marketing mentoring program, with a goal of showcasing the radio industry and motivating young multicultural professionals to consider careers in marketing and advertising.

Mararys Ríos-VargasMerarys Ríos-Vargas is chief of the Population Division’s Ethnicity and Ancestry Branch at the U.S. Census Bureau. Ríos-Vargas serves as a subject matter expert while leading, guiding, and advising research on the reporting patterns and demographic characteristics of the Hispanic-origin population and ancestry groups in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Island Areas. Throughout her career, Ríos-Vargas has conducted outreach, presentations, and workshops to various stakeholder groups, and has represented the Census Bureau in numerous interviews as a commentator and subject matter expert on Voice of America, CNN, Telemundo, Univision, and other international media outlets. She has authored and co-authored publications including Race Reporting Among Hispanics: 2010 and The Hispanic Population: 2010. Ríos-Vargas began her career at the Census Bureau in 2006 as a survey statistician in the American Community Survey Office’s Education, Communication, and Outreach Branch.

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Jesus SalasJesus Salas, a 20-year broadcasting veteran, is Chief Content Officer and EVP for Spanish Broadcasting System. Salas began his career as an air personality and got his first programming job at age 19. In 1997 he was named PD for WSKQ-FM & WPAT-FM/New York. Salas also held a post as senior PD with XM Satellite Radio. While at XM, he spearheaded a successful national marketing campaign to grow the Hispanic subscriber base. In his current post with SBS, Salas oversees stations in the top U.S. Hispanic markets of New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, and Puerto Rico.

 

Isabella SánchezIsabella Sánchez is Zubi Advertising’s Vice President of Media Integration, overseeing all strategic media planning and execution for Zubi’s clients as well as new business development. She has over 30 years of media experience with many of the largest advertisers in the U.S. Hispanic market across multiple categories. Prior to Zubi, Sánchez was VP/Managing Director of Tapestry, a division of Starcom MediaVest Group, and she has also served as VP/Director of Media Services for the Bravo Group. Her passion for marketing to diverse audiences is evidenced by her commitment to always elevating the industry profile while helping marketers understand and capitalize on the biggest growth opportunity in the U.S.  Sánchez currently serves as Chair for the Hispanic Marketing Council and is a member of the RAB’s Audio Advisory Board. She is also an Advisory Board member for Texas Tech University’s Institute for Hispanic and International Communication.

Rick SanchezRick Sanchez has been a journalist, author, correspondent, and television news anchor for more than 25 years. He’s been described as a “populist,” a “fighter for the little guy,” and a talent who “breaks through the television screen.” Sanchez has worked over the years as a host and producer at networks such as CNN, MSNBC, FOX News, Univision, and iHeartRadio. Many of Sanchez’s interviews with newsmakers have gone viral and can still be seen on YouTube. Among the most notable: Fidel Castro, Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Bill Clinton, and Manuel Noriega. He’s reported on the Contra War from the jungles of Nicaragua, the landing zone for Marines in the war in Grenada, and the slums of Port Au Prince, Haiti, where he almost lost his life. He has also been on the scene reporting live from major events such as 9/11 and Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew. Sanchez recently co-founded Agua Media, a podcasting network, with business executive Sol Trujillo. The podcasts will share stories that provide needed perspective and information about U.S. Latinos.

Justin SassoJustin Sasso has served as President and CEO of the Colorado Broadcasters Association since 2011. Sasso spent 25 years in radio broadcasting, working for multiple broadcast groups along Colorado’s Front Range. Prior to his current position, he was a CBA board member for over five years while operating his Northern Colorado radio station. Having parents who were both in radio and television, Sasso was bitten by the “broadcast bug” early in life. In his spare time, he enjoys skiing, cycling, and aviation.

 

 

Edgar "Showboy" SoteloEdgar “Shoboy” Sotelo is a bicultural-bilingual award-winning radio host, content creator, motivational speaker, and entrepreneur. His independently owned syndicated radio show, The Shoboy Show, is the only bilingual Latino lifestyle radio program in America heard coast to coast in over 22 cities and in Mexico. He and his wife, Janet, also have an inspirational relationship podcast, Hanging with Los Sotelos. Sotelo began his career in 2007 in the Latin Urban/Top 40 format on La Kalle/San Francisco and later moved to Dallas’s Latin Urban/Top 40 Mega 107.5. He also hosted mornings in the Regional Mexican format on La Grande 107.5 in Dallas before crossing over to English Top 40 in 2015 on New York’s 92.3 Amp Radio. Sotelo is a recipient of the NAB’s Marconi Radio Award for Personality of the Year and the U.S. Senate’s Most Influential Leader Award, and, due to his impactful work with youth, he was invited to the White House to meet President Barack Obama. He hosted the Marconi Awards in 2012 and 2014, moderated the first Latino Youth Summit hosted by the U.S. Senate, and spoke at the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute’s Annual Conference.

Manuel Fernandez TellezManuel Fernandez Tellez has been the head of programming for Grupo ACIR Mexico for 15 years. He is in charge of programming across a dozen different radio brands who lead their markets in 23 cities throughout Mexico, from CHR to Mexican Regional to Oldies to News/Talk, to English-language formats. Since 2020 he has also served as head of promotion and marketing. Over the last several years, Fernandez Tellez has led Grupo Acir’s production of massive-scale concerts, all profitable and many with audiences that exceed 25,000 people. More recently, he has created a digital effort that in very short time has become the number one digital platform for radio in Mexico, part of an exclusive partnership with iHeartRadio for the Grupo ACIR brands. Fernandez started in radio at 1993 as a CHR DJ and worked first in Mexico City, and then nationally for virtually all of his career. He comes from a talented family of musicians and has performed on stage, in voice acting, and in a band.

Paul VignauPaul Vignau is a General Sales Manager for Audacy in Miami. He has 25 years of experience in the media industry, working for some of the largest media companies in the country, including Viacom, NBC Universal, and Comcast. Vignau specializes in sales leadership and is responsible for building successful sales teams that exceed revenue goals. Throughout his career he has led digital sales and today specializes in directing sports sales. Vignau is a powerful force in the workplace and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. He enjoys giving back to the community by serving on several boards and is inspired daily by his wife and two sons. In his free time he likes to play golf, play the drums, watch his actor son perform, and coach football.

Nomar VizcarrandoNomar Vizcarrondo is a media professional with 40 years of experience in the radio industry. Following in his father’s footsteps, he began at a young age on WNEL, a local radio station in his hometown of Caguas, PR. He later worked for 10 years in various capacities for the programming department at WKAQ-AM & FM in San Juan, PR, and in 1993 moved to New York City to join Spanish Broadcasting System’s new WSKQ (KQ-97.9) as APD and later OM/PD. After SBS, he joined Mega Broadcasting’s first station in Philadelphia, WURD-AM, which became Mega 900, and later he was a key figure in the launch of Mega’s other stations in Hartford; Washington, D.C.; and Tampa; and the first Spanish All News station in New York City, WNNY-AM. In 2001, he joined HBC, which became Univision Radio (now TelevisaUnivisión) as News Director and later Program/Content Director for WADO-AM. Vizcarrondo served as Communications Specialist for Congressman Albio Sires (NJ-08) from 2019 to 2023, and currently works for the Township of West New York, New Jersey, dealing with communications and media issues.

Larry Walke joined the National Association of Broadcasters in October 2001 as associate general counsel. While at NAB, Walke has focused on safeguarding broadcasters’ spectrum, radio policy, emergency preparedness, the Emergency Alert System, cybersecurity, equal employment opportunity, accessibility of broadcasting, and advertising issues including political broadcasting, among other broadcasting policies and regulations. Walke began his legal career at the FCC, where he worked on a broad range of broadcast and cable television policy issues before moving to a large D.C.-based law firm, where he represented competitive local and long-distance telecommunications companies. He later moved to a competitive local telecom carrier as regulatory counsel before joining NAB.

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Fabian ZamarronFabian Zamarron is Senior Manager/Business Development, Mexico & Latin America for Xperi. He joined iBiquity in 2013, leading the efforts to push the adoption of HD Radio technology in Mexico. At Xperi he is responsible for the development of business opportunities for digital radio, hybrid radio, streaming radio apps, studio systems, and more in the LATAM region, providing commercial and technical expertise to the broadcast and automotive industries. Before joining iBiquity, Zamarron served as Senior Marketing Manager at TV Azteca, where he launched the first digital terrestrial television system, as well as Totalplay, the first home fiberoptic pay TV service in Mexico.