FOR RELEASE: December 5, 2025

Contact: Richard T. Kaplar
The Media Institute
703-506-8030

Vienna, Va., Dec. 5, 2025 – Two distinguished leaders in the media industry, 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.

Kathleen Kirby has been a media lawyer for more than three decades. She is a partner at Wiley Rein LLC in Washington, D.C., 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 Federal Communications Commission.

Ms. Kirby is a past president of the Federal Communications Bar Association. She 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.

Ms. Kirby is a member of The Media Institute’s First Amendment Advisory Council and serves on the Steering Committee of the Institute’s Madison Project.

Heidi Raphael is Chief Communications Officer of Beasley Media Group, where she oversees all corporate branding, public relations, and internal and external communications strategy for one of America’s leading multi-platform media companies.

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), where she spent seven years as the organization’s spokesperson. She also served as an elected member of the NAB Radio Board of Directors.

Ms. Raphael currently serves on the Florida Association of Broadcasters. She is a past recipient of the Broadcasters Foundation of America’s Leadership Award.

“We are delighted to have Kathy and Heidi joining our Board,” said Media Institute President Richard Kaplar. “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.”

The Media Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specializing in communications policy and the First Amendment. Visit the Institute at www.mediainstitute.org.

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