American Community Television is a non-profit, 501 (c) 4 organization dedicated to the preservation of public, educational and government access television channels through the promotion and advocacy of positive federal legislation. ACT works, through communication with federal officials, for the passage and protection of federal statutes which establish and enhance the ability of local communities to use electronic media for the benefit of their citizens via public, educational and government access (PEG) television channels and to insure the accessibility for all citizens regardless of their socio-economic status.
Board of Directors
John Rocco, President, is currently the Executive director of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Access Corporation in charlotte, North Carolina and has 22 years of public, educational and government access management experience. Prior to arriving in Charlotte in 2006, John served as Executive Director of C-NET, a government and education access channel, in State College, Pennsylvania from 1988-1998. In October of 1998, he was named Executive Director of Dayton Access Television, a public access facility in Dayton, Ohio, where he served until his hire as Executive Director of CMPAC. He also has served as a member of the National Board of Directors of the Alliance for Community Media from 1996 to 2002, including four years as Mid-Atlantic Region Chair, and is a Past National Chair of the ACM serving in that capacity in 2002. In addition to his current position as Chair of American Community television, he also serves as Chair of the Public, Educational and Government Access Committee on the Executive Team of the Southeast Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.
Lori Panzino-Tillery, Secretary, is the Manager of the Office of Business Development for the City of San Bernardino’s Economic Development Agency (EDA) and General Manager for the Inland Empire Media Group, IEMG, the City’s television channels which currently offer a government channel, a public access channel and an educational channel. IEMG also offers studio and contract video services for other cities and public groups. She is also the City’s Franchise Administrator who has actively worked on local government franchise issues for over ten years. Ms. Panzino-Tillery also consults the EDA on utility and telecommunications issues and is the staff advisor to the City’s Community Television Commission. As a Past President for the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA) Ms. Panzino-Tillery testified on telecommunications issues on behalf of local governments across the nation before a US Senate Committee and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Richard Treich, Treasurer, is the CEO of Front Range Consulting, Inc. (FRC). FRC was formed in December 2002 shortly after the closing of the Comcast/AT&T merger. Dick was the SVP of Rates and Regulatory Matters for AT&T Broadband and its predecessor, TCI Communications since 1995. Mr. Treich has been actively supporting local governments in reviewing regulatory filings by cable operators, franchise negotiations and litigation issues with cable operators since forming FRC. Prior to forming FRC, his responsibilities with AT&T Broadband included setting the strategic direction on the rate and regulatory policies within AT&T Broadband including basic service and equipment rates, FCC technical filings, telephony filings and copyright filings. Additionally, he was a key contact for the FCC regarding AT&T Broadband’s regulatory filings and appeals of local rate orders. During his tenure with TCI, Dick was also responsible for TCI’s Franchising group. Prior to joining TCI, he was the Partner-in-Charge of KPMG’s National Cable Consulting Practice and held similar positions within KPMG in the Electric, Gas, Water and Telecommunications Utilities practice. Dick has over 25 years of regulatory experience and has been an expert witness in several hundred regulatory proceeding and several court cases.
Stephen J. Guzzetta represents clients around the country on a variety of cable television and telecommunications matters, including broadband deployment, software licensing, contract preparation and enforcement (such as fiber-optic capacity lease agreements and cell tower leases), cable television franchising and renewal, open video system franchising, First Amendment questions, cable television rate regulation, cable system transfers, tower siting, municipal right-of-way management, telecommunications system franchising and litigation before the FCC, state utility commissions and state and federal courts. He also has experience advising clients on state legislative issues and strategic telecommunications and infrastructure planning. Stephen has been named a “Rising Star” by Minnesota Law and Politics. Prior to becoming a founding partner at Bradley & Guzzetta, LLC, he worked for Miller & Van Eaton, PLLC, a Washington, DC-based law firm with a national telecommunications practice, and the District of Columbia Office of Cable Television and Telecommunications. Stephen is a frequent speaker at cable/telecommunications association conferences. He is a member of the Federal Communications Bar Association, the MSBA’s Communications Law Section and several telecommunications associations. Stephen is licensed to practice in MN, MA, and the District of Columbia. Stephen graduated from Boston College magna cum laude and received his law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law.
Kathie Pohl has worked for the city of Mentor, Ohio since 1989 directing a broad range of communications programs targeted to residents, businesses and tourists. In 1990 she created the city’s government access channel, now known as the award winning Mentor Channel. Before joining the city, Kathie worked in advertising and broadcasting. She is a member of the Alliance for Community Media, the National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors, and a founding member and former President of the Ohio Chapter of NATOA.
Melissa Tench-Stevens majored in Broadcasting at San Jose State University. She has worked at KGSC TV, ABC affiliate KNTV and KICU TV. While at KICU TV she was Director of Programming and Station Operations for over ten years. In 2000 she became President and CEO of The Evers Group. Since October of 2008 she has been Executive Director of Tri-Valley Community Television in Pleasanton, overseeing three PEG stations. Melissa has been recognized with several Emmy nominations from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Telly awards and received the Tribute to Women in Industry “TWIN” award from the YWCA.
Bunnie Riedel started Riedel Communications in January 2005. Her client list includes federal government as well as local government entities, nonprofit organizations and most recently, a retail business. Before creating Riedel Communications, Bunnie was the longest serving executive director of the Alliance for Community Media. Bunnie has delivered hundreds of speeches (nationally and internationally) on telecommunications and the First Amendment,and has written extensively on these topics as well as nonprofit management. She also has advised regulators and elected representatives at the local, state and federal level as well as nonprofit boards of directors and CEO’s. Bunnie has most recently taken on the role of Executive Director of American Community Television, a 501 (c) 4 organization, to educate and advocate on behalf of Public, Educational and Government (PEG) access television stations across the country.
American Community Television is a non-profit, 501 (c) 4 organization dedicated to the preservation of public, educational and government access television channels through the promotion and advocacy of positive federal legislation. ACT works, through communication with federal officials, for the passage and protection of federal statutes which establish and enhance the ability of local communities to use electronic media for the benefit of their citizens via public, educational and government access (PEG) television channels and to insure the accessibility for all citizens regardless of their socio-economic status.
Board of Directors
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Executive Director
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