FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Melissa A. Hicks, 484.888.6766

NAPERVILLE, ILL., AUGUST 1, 2024 —Today C2HR, the Content & Connectivity Human
Resources Association, announced the 2024 class of HR Game Changers. This distinguished
awards program celebrates extraordinary talent across C2HR’s community of 4,800 human
resources professionals in the technology, media and entertainment sectors by honoring the
professionals who go above and beyond their human resources roles to innovate, drive results and
elevate the employee experience.

“This year’s HR Game Changers have thrived amid changing workplace dynamics to make an
indelible impact within their organizations. We celebrate their achievements and applaud their
success,” said Kia Painter, C2HR President and EVP and Chief People Officer at Cox
Communications.

The 35 HR Game Changers, including teams and individuals, span five award categories. To view
photographs of the winners, please visit https://c2hr.org/2024-winners/.

Advocates
Advocates are individuals and teams who elevate the people within an organization through
diversity and inclusion initiatives. They remove barriers and create opportunities to empower
diverse talent across the organization. The 2024 HR Game Changers in the Advocates category are:

Barbara Cowan, VP, Talent & Inclusion, Comcast Advertising
Patti Hawkey, Director of HR, Midco

Cultivators
Cultivators build culture and amplify employee engagement by encouraging cross-department
communication and collaboration. They are true ambassadors of relationship building and the
glue that binds countless employees into a unified, synergistic team. The 2024 Cultivators are:

Sarah Furber, Senior Director, Talent & Engagement, Comcast Advertising
John Kim, Director of Employee Relations, Disney
Christina Simonetti, Vice President, Human Resources, NBCUniversal
Melissa Talamini, Manager, Talent Acquisition, Warner Bros. Discovery
Deeyun Wheeler, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Specialist, ESPN
Comcast Accelerated Development Team
Comcast NBCUniversal Enterprise Rotational Programs Team
NBCUniversal HR Leadership Team & Talent Lab

Ignitors
In their quest to elevate others, Ignitors champion development and mentoring programs. Their
commitment to creating a clear pathway for advancement is inspiring. The 2024 Ignitors are:

Genevieve Bochanty, Senior Manager, Learning & Development, A+E Networks
Mike Hess, Founder & Executive Director, Blind Institute of Technology
Masai Turner, Director of Learning & Development, Midco
Kristle Westry, HR Business Partner, ESPN
Cox Communications Grow with Us Team
NBCUniversal Innovate Experience

Strategists
Recipients in this category have the ability to see the big picture. They work tirelessly to advance
their vision from a concept to a reality, thus helping their organizations achieve greater success.
The 2024 Strategists are:

Keva Hargrove, Benefits Analyst, A+E Networks
Kiara Marquez Mitchell, Manager, HR Business Partner, ESPN
Katie Warren, Manager, Human Resources, DreamWorks Animation
Comcast Talent Management Council
Comcast Global Talent Acquisition Team
Cox Communications Red Teaming Coaching

Transformers
Transformers leverage data, technology and creative thinking to innovate programs, processes
and initiatives. These award recipients are passionate agents of change who exhibit agility and a
fierce determination to drive results. The 2024 HR Game Changers in the Transformers category
are:

Maria Ceravolo, Vice President, Human Resources, Comcast Advertising
Elyssa Fox, Senior Director, Talent Acquisition Operations, NBCUniversal
Shefali Kumar, HR Business Partner, Cox Communications
Tanmay Manohar, Vice President, People Analytics & Workforce Planning, Paramount Global
Kelly Martinko, Senior Director of Global Flex Talent, Warner Bros. Discovery
Susan Plungis, Program Manager, Learning & Development, ESPN
Garrett Wilson, Director of Human Resources, Midco
Comcast Sales Lab Team
Cox Communications Curriculum Development & Creative Media Team
Cox Communications Pay Transparency Team
NBCUniversal Compensation Team
Warner Bros. Discovery Ad Sales People & Culture Team
Warner Bros. Discovery Studio Operations Talent Acquisition Team

All recipients will be honored during the C2HR CON on August 6 in Brooklyn, NYC, in Cablefax Daily
and HR Pulse. Cablefax is the media partner for the C2HR awards program.

ABOUT C2HR
Content & Connectivity Human Resources (C2HR) is a professional association serving 4,800
members from 50 companies spanning the technology, media and entertainment sectors. C2HR
provides industry-specific analytics, information and resources, as well as networking and
educational opportunities. Its groundbreaking initiatives include its Annual Compensation
Surveys and HR Symposium. For more information, visit www.C2HR.org.

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