The Television Academy has appointed veteran marketer Linda Swain as vice president, membership and outreach, to provide strategic leadership to both grow membership and deepen the Academy’s connection with current members. The new role was created as part of the Academy’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and objectives set in 2021.
With nearly 560 scripted TV series airing across cable, broadcast and streaming services last year, the Academy is aiming to foster a greater sense of community and cohesion among the rapidly growing ranks of television creators.
“We are thrilled to have Linda on board to guide our membership team,” Frank Scherma, chairman and CEO of the Television Academy, said in a statement. “Linda’s extensive marketing and leadership experience will help propel new membership initiatives and drive systemic change across our organization.”
Swan’s goals are not just to recruit new contributors to the Television Academy that better reflect the growing chorus of voices entertaining audiences across the globe, but also to spearhead the development of programs and initiatives to strengthen member engagement with the Academy. She joins the Academy after more than 10 years of experience working on membership, engagement, retention and customer loyalty programs for global brands in the airline, financial services and publishing sectors.
Swain’s hire to orchestrate the Academy’s new initiatives comes at a time when the industry is demanding progressive change from other entertainment institutions in the areas of diversity and inclusivity. A boycott of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s lack of internal diversity and variety among its nominees led to NBC dropping the 2022 ceremony from its broadcast schedule.
The Television Academy throws its muscle behind various programs, publications and events to empower and connect the diverse community of storytellers driving the medium while celebrating industry excellence and recognizing achievement through awards and accolades, including the Emmy Award, the Hall of Fame and Television Academy Honors.