Russ Hanser and Kristin Buch Named as New Leaders
NCTA today announced the upcoming retirements of two senior leaders: Rick Chessen, Senior Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Legal Officer, and Mark Bell, Senior Vice President, Creative Services.
Rick Chessen
Since joining NCTA in 2009, Rick Chessen has led the association’s strategy and advocacy before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), playing a key role in many of the most significant regulatory proceedings in the industry’s history.
Prior to NCTA, Chessen served more than 14 years at the FCC, where he held several senior roles including Senior Attorney in the Cable Services Bureau, Legal Advisor to former Commissioners Michael Copps and Gloria Tristani, and Acting Chief of Staff during Commissioner Copps’s tenure as Acting Chairman in 2009.
To succeed Chessen, Russ Hanser has been named Senior Vice President, Legal and Regulatory Affairs and Chief Legal Officer. Hanser joined NCTA in 2024 from the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he served as NTIA Associate Administrator for Policy Analysis and Development, Senior Policy Advisor to Secretary Gina Raimondo, and Director of Communications Policy Initiatives. He was also a partner at Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP for over 15 years, representing clients before the FCC, Congress, and courts. Hanser holds degrees from Amherst College, Harvard Law School, and Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies.
Mark Bell
Mark Bell joined NCTA in 1990 and has served in various capacities over his tenure. As Senior Vice President, Creative Services, he led NCTA’s experiential storytelling and live event production division. He also spearheaded the association’s Membership and Industry Affairs efforts, focusing on member engagement and recruitment. Bell played a critical role in producing NCTA’s annual trade show and supporting industry emergency response efforts.
Kristin Buch, who joined NCTA in 2012, will succeed Bell as Senior Vice President, Creative Services. Buch currently serves as Vice President, Creative Services, where she has led major strategic initiatives and high-profile events, playing a central role in evolving NCTA’s creative direction. She previously held marketing and public affairs positions at Discovery Communications, where she helped develop impactful campaigns to elevate brand recognition and public engagement.
