Media Institute Board Adds Kirby & Raphael

• Two distinguished media industry leaders — Kathleen Kirby of Wiley Rein LLP, and Heidi Raphael of Beasley Media Group, have been elected to the Board of Trustees of The Media Institute, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specializing in communications policy and the First Amendment.

Kathleen Kirby (left) has been a media lawyer for more than three decades and is a partner at Wiley Rein LLC in Washington, DC, where she co-chairs the Telecom, Media, and Technology practice and sits on the firm’s Executive and Management committees. Ms. Kirby represents media clients, including major radio and television group owners and programming networks, on a host of business and transactional issues as well as regulatory matters before the FCC. Ms. Kirby is a past president of the Federal Communications Bar Association and has received leadership awards from both RTDNA and the Broadcasters Foundation of America and was inducted into the National Freedom of Information Hall of Fame.

Heidi Raphael (right) is Chief Communications Officer of Beasley Media Group, overseeing corporate branding, public relations, and internal and external communications strategy. Ms. Raphael has served as Co-Chair of the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) for the past five years and previously held key leadership roles with Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio (MIW), including seven years as the organization’s spokesperson. Ms. Raphael also served as an elected member of the NAB Radio Board of Directors. She is a currently member of the Florida Association of Broadcasters Board of Directors and is a past recipient of the Broadcasters Foundation of America Leadership Award.

“We are delighted to have Kathy and Heidi joining our Board,” said Richard Kaplar, President of the Media Institute. “Each is highly respected in her field, and their complementary areas of expertise will be a valuable addition to our Board and to the Institute.”