Washington - Jan 11, 2011 - Ann Marie Cumming will join the National Association of Broadcasters Communications department on Jan. 18 as vice president, communications. Cumming will report to Dennis Wharton, NAB executive vice president, communications.

Cumming joined the NAB government relations staff in 1994 following a stint on Capitol Hill with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT). She later moved to the communications department where she worked for five years and was promoted to director, media relations. In recent years, Cumming has been serving as a consultant to NAB, handling media relations and managing the newsroom for the NAB Show, NAB's annual convention in Las Vegas and the industry's largest trade show. In that capacity, she has managed a team that oversees press relations for more than 1,200 reporters while assisting exhibiting companies in outreach to the news media.

In her new post, Cumming will support the department's public policy outreach and will continue to manage media-related activities at the NAB Show. She will also be responsible for NAB public service initiatives, a division that promotes and facilitates the community service efforts of thousands of free and local radio and television stations and the broadcast networks.