WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Broadcasting Board of Governors today
established an interim management structure for its International
Broadcasting Bureau that appoints three senior executives to manage
the day-to-day operations of the agency and helps pave the way for a
future Chief Executive Officer.
Under this interim management structure, André Mendes will serve as
Director of Global Operations, Robert Bole will serve as Director of
Global Strategy, and Suzie Carroll will serve as Director of Global
Communications. Mendes, Bole and Carroll will provide oversight and
direction to the Directors of the Voice of America and the Office of
Cuba Broadcasting, as well as the other offices of the federal agency
until a CEO is hired.
"The Board proposed this structure to leverage the strengths of three
exceptional leaders and set the stage for important agency reforms,"
said Jeffrey Shell, chair of the BBG's governing board.
BBG Governor Matt Armstrong will serve as the Board's Management
liaison and will provide support to the interim IBB management team.
In addition, the Board has created a Special Committee on Creation of
a Chief Executive Officer.
"We believe the BBG needs a CEO to be fully effective and to support
all operational aspects of U.S. international broadcasting," he said.
"We are consulting with both Congress and the Administration on
meeting that goal."
Mendes has directed the IBB's Office of Technology, Services and
Innovation (TSI) for the past four years. He provides executive
leadership in the planning, development, and operation of all agency
engineering and technical systems, including a world-wide satellite
and transmitting station network, as well as planning for the use of
new technological improvements and efficiencies. Before joining the
agency, Mendes served as senior vice president, strategic planning and
global CIO for Special Olympics International. Previously, he served
as Chief Technology Integration Officer for the Public Broadcasting
Service, where he was responsible for both Information Technology and
Broadcast Engineering during a $1.8 billion transition to digital
television.
Deputy TSI Director Terry Balazs, will serve as Acting TSI Director,
given Mendes new leadership role.
Robert Bole joined the BBG in 2011 as Director of Innovation to lead
the agency's use of technology to improve storytelling, news delivery
and crisis response. As head of the Office of Digital and Design
Innovation, he directed the agency's digital strategy and worked with
journalists to innovate digital media products, focusing on engaging
and connecting audiences. Previously, Bole served as the Vice
President of Digital Media Strategies at the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, where he helped lead the creation of a unified digital
distribution platform. He also created a strategy to improve public
media's use of social media to engage citizens in journalism, civic
dialogue and education. Prior to that, Bole worked for the One Economy
Corporation, a global non-profit organization that leverages the power
of technology in underserved communities around the world.
As Bole assumes his new role in the IBB, ODDI's Director of
Technology, Adam Martin, will serve as Acting Director of Innovation.
Suzie Carroll has been with the BBG since 2012. As BBG Executive
Director, she serves as the principal liaison for the Chairman and
members of the Broadcasting Board of Governors and manages
implementation of Board priorities. Before being tapped by the Board
to be its Executive Director, she served as the agency's Congressional
Coordinator for a year, cultivating support from Capitol Hill for
high-priority agency initiatives, conducting day-to-day interactions
with Congress, and coordinating these activities with counterparts at
the BBG's networks. Carroll joined the agency from the Peace Corps,
where she served as Acting Director and Deputy Director of
Congressional Relations. As a member of the Peace Corps' senior staff,
she was responsible for developing and implementing legislative
strategy. Prior to that, Carroll held positions, focusing on
government affairs and legal services in Washington, DC and Los
Angeles.
Carroll will continue to serve as BBG Executive Director in addition
to her new duties.
IBB Deputy Director Jeff Trimble will now take on a new role with the
Global Strategy team working to advance collaboration and coordination
across the BBG. Trimble will play a leadership role on the content
side of the operation to strengthen the BBG's position in a period of
increased global competition.
The IBB is responsible for the agency's strategic planning and
oversight, including U.S. international media's innovation strategy,
and transmission, marketing, and program placement services. The IBB
is also responsible for integrating activities across the federal and
BBG-funded grantee networks for greater organizational efficiency.
The IBB manages the agency's communications, financial operations, and
legal support along with a global network of transmitting sites, an
extensive system of leased satellite and fiber optic circuits, and
rapidly growing Internet and mobile audience platforms and services.
It provides research and evaluations of broadcasts, VOA editorials,
and human resources, Equal Employment Opportunity, procurement,
security, information technology, and other essential administrative
support for the agency.
(BBG Press Release)
