WASHINGTON, D.C. - National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) President & CEO Robert Sachs announced today that Rob Stoddard, Senior Vice President, Public Relations, AT&T Broadband, will join NCTA as Senior Vice President, Communications and Public Affairs, effective January 2, 2002.
In this newly created NCTA position, Stoddard will directly report to Sachs and be responsible for developing public relations strategies to support NCTA’s public policy activities. Two existing NCTA departments - Communications and Public Affairs - will be unified under Stoddard’s leadership. NCTA Vice President-Communications David Beckwith and NCTA Vice President-Public Affairs Jim Ewalt will report to Stoddard.
The combined Communications and Public Affairs department at NCTA will be responsible for the association’s media relations and outreach efforts; creation, deployment, and management of industry-wide public affairs programs; public relations support for industry-based community outreach and constituent relations activities; and promotion and publicity for NCTA events and activities. In addition, the new department will support Cable-in-the-Classroom, the industry’s premier education program.
"Rob Stoddard is a highly talented public affairs professional and the ideal candidate to guide NCTA’s combined communications and public affairs activities. Having worked together earlier in our careers, I am delighted to have the opportunity to work with Rob again," said Sachs.
Stoddard has worked in the cable and broadband industry for more than 16 years, serving in communications senior leadership roles for former cable operating companies MediaOne and Continental Cablevision; as vice president of Communications for the former Cable and Telecommunications Association (CATA); and as Washington, D.C., bureau chief for several trade publications covering telecommunications and defense. He also worked as press secretary for former U.S. Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-Kan.), as a news reporter and marketing executive for United Press International in Boston, and as news director and reporter at several New England radio stations. Stoddard holds a B.A. degree in broadcast-journalism and political science from American University, Washington, D.C.
"I’m eager to return to Washington in the service of NCTA and Robert Sachs, my good friend and former Continental Cablevision colleague," Stoddard said. "The chance to serve this great industry and work directly with so many talented friends and associates makes this a world-class job. My goal is to lead a great team of people in making communications and public affairs potent tools in supporting our public policy agenda."
Of his upcoming departure from AT&T Broadband, Stoddard said he was honored to have had the opportunity to serve AT&T and to lead a seasoned and dedicated team of communications professionals. He expressed admiration for the leadership of AT&T Broadband and confidence in its ability to succeed.
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