Industry Luminaries Added to Lineup of Dynamic Speakers at WICT Leadership Conference

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Aug 22, 2012, 03:22 ET

- Unique "Fireside Chat" with NCTA CEO Michael Powell & WICT Chair Kathy Payne

- Charlie Collier, AMC President, Debra Lee, BET Networks CEO, & Cyma Zarghami, Nickelodeon President, to Share "Pearls of Wisdom"

CHANTILLY, Va., Aug. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) today announced notable additions to a stellar roster of industry executives and subject matter experts who will speak at the 2012 WICT Leadership Conference, which will take place at the Hilton New York, September 10-11.

Powerful industry executives recently added to the speaker lineup include:

Michael D. Armstrong, SVP & General Manager, BET International & Paramount Channel
David L. Cohen, EVP, Comcast Corporation
Charlie Collier, President & General Manager, AMC
Ellen East, EVP & Chief Communications Officer, Time Warner Cable
Debra Lee, Chairman & CEO, BET Networks
Kathy Payne, VP, Content Acquisition, Cox Communications
Michael Powell, President & CEO, NCTA
Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group

"WICT is honored to have such superlative leaders join us for our Leadership Conference," said WICT President & CEO, Maria E. Brennan, CAE. She added, "They join an already impressive list of thought leaders who will share their experiences and insights with our conference participants."

Michael D. Armstrong, SVP & General Manager, BET International & Paramount Channel, joins a panel of out-of-the-box thinkers on Monday, September 10, for "Risky Business: Challenging the Status Quo," during which panelists will discuss how they have positioned their organizations as innovative market leaders.

David L. Cohen, EVP, Comcast Corporation, will help open the conference on Monday, September 10, providing a special introduction of NBC News Correspondent Chelsea Clinton, who will deliver opening remarks and participate in a dynamic question and answer session with attendees.

Charlie Collier, President & General Manager, AMC; Debra Lee, Chairman & CEO, BET Networks and 2001 WICT Woman of the Year; and Cyma Zarghami, President, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids & Family Group and 2006 WICT Woman of the Year, will each share "Pearls of Wisdom" in the opening session on Tuesday morning, September 11. During this rapid-fire session, each speaker will impart what he or she has discovered about transformative leadership and the power of change.

Ellen East, EVP & Chief Communications Officer, Time Warner Cable and 2005 WICT Woman to Watch, will moderate a thought-provoking conversation during a general session on Tuesday, September 11. The Wharton School's Stew Friedman will be joined by Anne-Marie Slaughter, the former State Department official whose recent article in The Atlantic sparked a debate about women and their work/life integration challenges.

Michael Powell, President & CEO, NCTA, will share his thoughts on diversity in the cable industry in a "fireside chat" on Monday, September 10, with Kathy Payne, Chair of the WICT Board of Directors and VP, Content Acquisition, Cox Communications.

The WICT Leadership Conference is the preeminent leadership and professional development opportunity for cable professionals at all levels of their career journeys. This year's conference will take place at the Hilton New York, September 10-11, 2012 as the kick-off to Diversity Week. More information about the conference, including the complete schedule and speaker lineup, may be found at www.wictconference.org

WICT proudly recognizes Comcast/NBCUniversal and the Comcast Foundation as the Platinum Sponsor of the 2012 WICT Leadership Conference, as well as Viacom Media Networks/EPIX (Gold Sponsor); Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (Silver Sponsor); and Suddenlink Communications (Bronze Sponsor). WICT also gratefully acknowledges WE tv as the Premier Sponsor of the 2012 WICT Touchstones Luncheon.

About WICT
For over thirty years, Women in Cable Telecommunications (WICT) has partnered with cable and telecommunications leaders to provide professional development programs, research and services that help advance women in cable media. With over 9,000 members, WICT is the oldest and largest professional association serving women in the cable and telecommunications industry. Comcast/NBCUniversal, Time Warner Cable, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., AMC Networks/WE tv and Suddenlink Communications are WICT's Strategic Touchstone Partners. Please visit www.wict.org or follow @WICT on Twitter for more information.