MEET THE 25-26

BOARD OF GOVERNORS!

DONALD ALBRIGHT

Atlanta-based entrepreneur, former music industry veteran, and current CEO/Co-founder of the award-winning independent podcast production studio Tenderfoot TV. Since launching in 2016, Tenderfoot has released critically acclaimed and hit podcast series including “Up and Vanished,” “Monster,” “Radio Rental,” "Dear Alana," “To Live and Die in LA,” and more, amassing over 900 million downloads. Albright is a founding Governor of The Podcast Academy, non profit professional organization for podcasters, where he served as Chairperson for three years, and now chairs the Ambies/Awards committee. He is also an Executive Advisor for BIPOC Podcast Creators, an organization dedicated to the amplification of BIPOC talent, as well as a member of the Advisory Board for The Podcast Show London, the biggest international festival for the business of podcasting.

NIKKI BOYER

Three-time Emmy®-winning host, producer, actress, and podcaster, best known for Dying for Sex, which won the 2021 Ambies Podcast of the Year. She’s the Executive Producer of FX’s TV adaptation starring Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate.

With over 600 podcast episodes, she has hosted Call Me Curious, The Daily Smile, and Straight Talk with Ross Mathews. She has co-hosted The Drew Barrymore Show, Access Hollywood Live, and The Talk, and was an entertainment correspondent on The Wendy Williams Show. She also hosted Yahoo!’s Daytime in No Time, amassing nearly a billion views.

As an actress, Nikki has appeared in Gilmore Girls, 90210, and The L Word, and will be in Dying for Sex. She co-executive produced Step Girlfriends, a CBS Studios project based on her life. She’s also a dog rescue advocate, certified life coach, and Suicide Prevention Hotline volunteer.

JEN SARGENT

CEO of Wondery, the award-winning podcast studio acquired by Amazon in 2021, known for its immersive storytelling with hits such as Business Wars, Dr. Death and Even The Rich. Prior to Wondery, Jen was President of Uproxx, a Comscore Top-100 digital publisher and award-winning content studio programming cultural content for young adults. Jen earned an MBA from HBS and a BS degree in EE from UVa.

E.B. MOSS

A content strategist, creator and B2B marketer, known for driving revenue through "explanatory journalism," podcasts, promotions, and compelling collateral. In addition to running ad sales marketing for major media organizations – from Food and Lifetime to Cumulus, AdLarge, and Brand Innovators, she served as Editor for two trade publications. She has produced and moderated conferences, and executive-produced podcasts for major companies. Her own long-running show features leading media and marketing executives. E.B. has a reputation as a nimble multi-platform content creator, with bylines in Ad Age, Cynopsis, MediaVillage, OOH Today, and more. E.B. is proud of having moderated the first-ever panel on Voice at CES, in 2020... and of playing a singing elf in a Chuck E. Cheese holiday cartoon special. Her main hobbies are swing dancing and photographing lost toys.

DR SIRISHA KUCHIMANCHI

An entrepreneur, semiconductor tech executive, TEDx speaker, author, podcast host, board member, and investor. She is the founder of Sahita Technologies, which specializes in consulting services that encompass semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and workforce development. With over 20 years of experience at Texas Instruments and Applied Materials in engineering, manufacturing, quality, and technology development, she has made significant contributions to the industry by driving improvements for both internal and external customers. Sirisha has a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, is an IEEE Senior Member, and sits on the SRC workforce advisory board. She co-chaired her company's manufacturing women’s ERG, which supported over 500 employees across three continents and eight countries. Sirisha hosted the Podcast “Women, Career & Life”, a top 30% of Spotify podcast with listeners in 50 countries across 6 continents.

TI KING

A dynamic entrepreneur, passionate podcaster, and dedicated community leader based in Little Rock, Arkansas. With a deep love for podcasting and a keen eye for storytelling, Ti is the co-founder of the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting podcasters in Arkansas.

Under his leadership, the Arkansas Podcast Collaborative hosts an annual festival for podcasts called ARKAST, bringing together podcast enthusiasts from across the region to celebrate the art of storytelling in audio form.

Ti is also the producer of two impactful podcasts, "Longterm" and "Smart Justice". "Longterm" delves into the stories of individuals who have overcome adversity and achieved long-term success, inspiring listeners to persevere through their own challenges. "Smart Justice" focuses on criminal justice reform and features conversations with experts and advocates working to create a fairer and more equitable system.

Outside of his podcasting endeavors, Ti is also involved in community service and philanthropy, using his platform to support local initiatives and charitable organizations.

PAT SHAH

Global Head of Content Acquisition, Strategy, and Partnerships at Audible. In his role, Shah oversees Audible's content strategy, global dealmaking for original and exclusive content, and content partnerships. A seasoned industry entertainment executive with over a decade of experience building digital content products and partnerships, Shah joined Audible in September 2020 from Twitch, the world's leading live streaming platform for gamers, where he was Head of Music Strategy & Licensing. Prior to that, Shah led Spotify’s original content strategy from the licensing and business side, which yielded major initiatives like Spotify’s expansion into podcasts. He also served as VP of Digital Business Development at Universal Music Group, where he worked on complex licensing transactions with Spotify, YouTube, and Samsung, among others. Shah is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and received an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

CHRISTY MIRABAL

A media executive with over 10+ years of diverse marketing and content strategy experience. She has worked for companies such as SiriusXM, Sony Music Entertainment, Stitcher, Panoply Media, Frederator Networks Inc., HarperCollins Publishers, and Bloomsbury USA. Throughout her career, she has successfully launched and marketed numerous podcasts and shows, managed multi-million dollar marketing budgets, and developed innovative audience growth strategies. She has also led teams, overseen partnerships, and implemented marketing tactics to increase brand awareness and engagement. Christy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is actively involved in industry organizations and initiatives, including co-founding The Podcast Academy, where she is currently chair. She’s also an experienced non-profit board member.

MATTY STAUDT

A podcasting pioneer and radio legend. Fifteen years ago, he left a successful radio career to join the founding team at Stitcher and has been in podcasting ever since. He has helped develop close to 400 shows and numerous networks and was the first VP of Podcasting at iHeartRadio, where he helped build that network. Creating one of the first branded podcast houses in 2012, Matty has launched shows for Ford, Estee Lauder, Pfizer, Morgan Stanley, Vistaprint, The Beef Council, and the Federal Reserve Bank. Matty is also an educator, teaching podcasting and marketing classes at the Academy of Art University and West Virginia University. He is the Founder of Jam Street Media. He is a Webby Winner and Ambie-nominated producer passionate about working with creators. Matty just returned to radio where he is Executive Producer and third mic for the top ranked Sarah and Vinnie Show.

Over the past few weeks, TPA members cast their votes to select the individuals who will guide our community, ensuring that diverse voices and fresh perspectives continue to drive podcasting forward. Governors serve two-year terms, with at least 40% representing independent podcast professionals from companies with 20 or fewer employees.

In addition to our newly elected governors, we’d like to recognize our continuing governors who remain dedicated to TPA’s mission:

  • Chris Colbert

    CEO & Founder, DCP Entertainment

  • Jay Green

    EVP, Business Strategy & Partnerships, 
    QCode Media

  • Fallon Jethroe

    Founder & CEO,
    Hello Fallon Entertainm

  • Steve Lack

    Founder, Steve Lack Audio

  • Arielle Nissenblatt

    Founder & Curator, Earbuds Podcast Collective

  • Sangeeta Pillai

    Founder & CEO, Soul Sutras

  • Seth Rubinroit

    Senior Manager, Audio and Digital Strategy

    (NBC Universal Local)

  • Brandon Schexnayder

    CEO, Southern Gothic Media

  • Ami Thakkar

    Host & Producer,
    Tuckered Out with Ami Thakkar

  • Alejandro Vargas

    Founder & CEO,
    Podway Podcast Network

  • Ilana Susnow

    Executive Marketing & Audience Development Consultant, Heard of Media