John Ford, ex-Discovery, becomes Ion Media Networks president-programming … Martha Stewart Living promotes Sarah Gormley to senior vice president-communications and marketing.

Patrick Webre, ex-FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau associate chief, hired by Charter Communications as senior director and senior counsel of government affairs in Washington office … Nokia hires Jerri DeVard as executive vice president and chief marketing officer … Cincinnati Bell CBTS President John Burns resigns to pursue other interests; Ted Torbeck, Cincinnati Bell Communications president and general manager, to run the data center colocation, managed services and IT equipment provider … Meredith Corp.’s Local Media Group promotions to vice presidents of digital: Tom Cox for sales and Steve Schwaid for content … Brightpoint promotes Alex Paskoff to executive vice president of sales and marketing, North America … Intelsat promotions: Flavien Bachabi to head of Luxembourg headquarters office and vice president, business operations and intergovernmental initiatives; he’s replaced by Jon Osler as managing director of Intelsat’s Africa sales team.

Mark Seifert, ex-Commerce Department and House Commerce Committee, becomes partner at Brunswick Group consulting firm … Joseph Titlebaum, ex-XM Satellite, becomes Ion Media networks general counsel … Changes to Rainbow Media ad sales: Bill Rosolie moves to executive vice president-Rainbow National Services, new position; Executive Vice President Scott Collins adds responsibility for advertising sales for AMC … Kerry Johnson, Sinclair, adds responsibility as general manager, KGAN-TV Cedar Rapids … Weather Channel Cos. hires Nancy Mazzei, ex-Most & Co., as vice president of design.

Ron Garriques leaving Dell Jan. 28 as president of communications solutions … Rentrak eliminates position of President Ken Papagan, who becomes consultant to company … Fox Broadcasting promotes Toby Byrne to president of sales … Brad Shaw promoted to Shaw Communications CEO effective immediately and earlier than planned, succeeding Jim Shaw, who remains vice chairman and a director.

Ronald Sugar, ex-Northrop Grumman, joins Apple board … QuadrantOne Web ad sales joint venture of Tribune, Gannett, Hearst and New York Times Co. promotes Mario Diez to CEO … Mallun Yen, ex-Cisco, becomes executive vice president of patent firm RPX … SkyCross names Ben Naskar, ex-Atheros Communications, CEO and chairman, succeeding Dennis McKenna, who had announced retirement plans … Wireless machine-to-machine company Digi International elects Steven Snyder, ex-Gearworks, senior vice president and chief financial officer … Also elected at NARUC: David Wright, North Carolina PSC, first vice president; Phil Jones, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission, second vice president … Beasley Broadcast Group promotes Denyse Smith Mesnik to newly created position of vice president of corporate communications … Changes at Westwood One’s Metro Television: Fred Bennett promoted to president and general manager, replacing Jonathan Marshall, leaving to return to entertainment industry; Mike Haake upped to executive vice-president of radio and TV affiliate sales.

FCC promotes Gregory Hlibok to chief of Disability Rights Office … Corporation for Public Broadcasting election: Bruce Ramer, Gang Tyre, chairman; Former Sen. David Pryor, vice chair … Neustar board elects James Cullen as chairman and elects CEO Lisa Hook to fill board seat vacated by outgoing chairman Jeff Ganek … Gary Stone to retire as chief operating officer of Univision Radio at year-end … Cricket Communications names Alphonso King, ex-MetroPCS, vice president-Midwest sales … SeaChange accepts resignation of ReiJane Huai … CableReady promotes Tatiania Figueiredo to director of sales.

North Dakota Public Service Commissioner Tony Clark, ex-state Republican Party president, has been elected president of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners at the NARUC annual meeting, replacing David Coen, Vermont Public Service Board … Barry Ohlson, ex-Wilkinson Barker, becomes Cox Enterprises chief policy counsel … CompTel names Alan Hill, ex-XO Communications, vice president-government relations … Clear Channel confirms it hired Robert Pittman, Pilot Group, as chairman of media and entertainment … Brightpoint names Larry Paulson, ex-Nokia, executive vice president-chief marketing officer … Paul Saleh, ex-Menza Partners, hired by Gannett as senior vice president and chief financial officer; Gracia Martore gives up CFO title, remains president, chief operating officer.

FCC promotes Sarah Whitesell to deputy chief, Media Bureau … Luis Silberwasser promoted to executive vice president-chief content officer, Discovery Networks International … Among the new board members at Alliance for Community Media: Mark Monk; Barry Verrill; Colin Rhinesmith; Barbara Chisholm; and Erik Mollberg … New Harmonic vice presidents, from its acquisition of Omneon: Geoff Stedman for marketing communications; David Price for business development; Mark Carrington for sales; and Ron Howe for service and support.

Phoebe Yang, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski’s senior advisor on broadband, to leave FCC in December to lead acquisitions strategy at The Advisory Board Company …Ian Dillner, ex-FCC Wireline Bureau and House Communications Subcommittee, becomes Verizon vice president of federal regulatory affairs … New at FCC Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau Office of Native Affairs and Policy: Deputy Chief Irene Flannery, ex-Wireline Bureau Telecommunications Access Policy Division; Senior Legal Advisor Cynthia Bryant, ex-FCC Enforcement Bureau; and Senior Advisor for Consultation Policy Dan Rumelt, ex-senior advisor for outreach in Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau … BitTorrent names Shahi Ghanem, ex-DivX, chief strategist and executive vice president of marketing … Richard Chernock, Triveni Digital, elected chairman, Advanced TV Systems Committee Technology and Standards Group, replacing John Henderson, CEA, whose term expires Dec. 31 … Comcast promotes J.T. Ramsay to chief blogger … Longtime New York State Broadcasters Association President Joseph Reilly to step down June 30 … Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing hires Mark Snow, ex-Swire Marketing, as vice president and general manager of direct marketing.

News Corp. names Joel Klein, ex-New York City Education Chancellor and Justice Department Antitrust Division chief, executive vice president-office of the chairman … Pac-West Telecom names Todd Wallace, ex-Transcomm Enhanced Services, senior vice president, engineering and network operations … Michael Solomon resigns from World Wrestling Entertainment board.