16th Annual Mentoring Women Leadership Program Successfully Completed
2024 Graduates with Featured Speakers including
Erica Farber, Kim Johnson, and Trisha Yearwood
The Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB), Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI), Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW) and Xperi, joined forces for the successful execution and completion of the 16th annual “Rising Through the Ranks”program. The program began with a virtual session on Tuesday, August 13, and continued with in-person sessions on August 20-22 at the BMI Nashville office. Attendees were selected following an application process. The two-day curriculum focused on the specific needs of women in radio leadership or those aspiring to move into leadership positions. The program worked to enhance their overall knowledge and skills. The classroom materials, including participants’ notebooks, were sponsored by Mr. Master. Sessions included such topics as: Having it All, Building Your Personal Brand, Beyond Management: Unlocking the Leader Within, and Building Team Culture. Featured speakers included: Hartley Adkins, president, market groups, iHeartMedia; Rob Babin, EVP, radio, Cox Media Group; Danni Bruns, OM/PD of mornings, Cumulus Media; Kristin Cantrell, owner/CEO, Seven Mountains Media and CapCity Communications; Joe D’Angelo, SVP broadcast radio and digital audio, Xperi; Erica Farber, immediate past president/CEO, RAB; Kelli Frieler, owner, Vibrant Impact and director, Guaranty Digital Media; Kim Johnson, VP of professional development, RAB; Susan Larkin, COO, Audacy; Ruth Presslaff, board president, MIW; Jeff Schmidt, senior vice president, professional development, RAB; Erika Sylvia, market accounting manager, Houston/Dallas, Radio One; Sandye Taylor, SVP and chief DEI officer, BMI; Brooke Williams, SVP, membership, RAB; Trisha Yearwood, award-winning artist; and Linnae Young, EVP, operations and revenue development, Salem Media Group. The curriculum was customized to feature practical and real-world applications that participants can immediately utilize within their companies and for their personal development. “This year’s graduates join the 440 women who have participated and benefited from RAB’s Rising Through the Ranks,” noted Mike Hulvey, president/CEO, RAB. “We are immensely proud of the initiative and its impact on the business.”