C. Patrick Roberts
cproberts@fab.org
President & CEO
C. Patrick Roberts has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of FAB since 1988 where he oversees FAB’s various capacities across the state and works to promote cooperation and understanding among broadcasters, government, businesses and other organizations associated with the broadcast industry.
Mr. Roberts, who began his career in the broadcasting industry in 1987 as a consultant for FAB, has been praised for his outstanding commitment to the industry and for making FAB one of the strongest organizations in the country as a national model for Emergency Alert Systems, emergency communications and the Amber Alert System.
In 1987, Mr. Roberts, along with a team of lobbyists, was successful in his bid to repeal the ad services tax that crippled the broadcasting industry. Newspapers from around the state credited Mr. Roberts for his role in the defeat of the resurfacing of the 2002 ad tax initiative spearheaded by then-Senate President John McKay.
Mr. Roberts has testified before the US Senate Commerce Committee, several FCC counsels and panels, and the National Summit on Emergency Alert Systems and Communications where he also serves as the 2007 co-chairman. Mr. Roberts serves as the chairman of the Florida Emergency Communications Committee and has assisted in the development of numerous public service campaigns dealing with subjects such as pre-natal care, early childhood programs, environmental issues, hurricane preparedness, responsible drinking and highway safety.
Mr. Roberts is active in a number of charitable organizations including the Seaside Chapel and the National Jewish Medical and Research Center. He serves on the following boards: Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida, Cities and Schools, Kids Voting, and Partnership for a Drug Free Florida.
Prior to beginning his 20-year career with FAB, Mr. Roberts served as a personal assistant to Mr. Jack Eckerd, founder of Eckerd Drugs, was the Vice President of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, and was a political and management consultant for more than a decade specializing in national, state and local elections.
Mr. Roberts and his wife, Pam, have two sons, Austin and Madison, two grown daughters from his previous marriage and one beloved grandson. Mr. Roberts is a native of Pensacola, Florida and a graduate of East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, Texas.
David Browning
dbrowning@fab.org
Vice President
David Browning has been the Vice President of the Florida Association of Broadcasters since 2006. He began working with FAB in 1995, and has also been involved in political consulting for many years on statewide and legislative levels. He is currently one of the top campaign fundraisers in the state of Florida. Prior to joining FAB he began forming relationships with Broadcast professionals by working for local TV stations. When joining FAB he assisted in the conversion from the Emergency Broadcast System to the Emergency Alert System. He has also joined Pat Roberts on many occasions at the Emergency Operations Center when natural disasters have affected the state. As the Vice President of FAB, he assists in the execution of NCSA contracts and oversees Special Projects of the Association. He works with the Board of Directors and General Managers all over the state in facilitating Association activities. Mr. Browning is a 1994 graduate of Florida State University, and currently lives in Tallahassee with his wife and two sons.
Lindsay Varn
lvarn@fab.org
Director of NCSA Program and Membership
Lindsay Varn has served as the director of the NCSA Program and Membership since 2006. She oversees the Non-Commercial Sustaining Announcement (NCSA) Program, where she coordinates the NCSA Program schedules and traffic instructions, and distributes the campaigns to member stations statewide. She creates and delivers monthly reports to the participating state agencies, which enable them to determine the public’s reception to their campaign. Mrs. Varn has organized many NCSA programs during her time at FAB, and all of the programs have exceeded their guaranteed in-kind match and goals for the airtime and value given. In addition, she oversees all aspects of the Association’s membership including dues, career opportunities, and FAB’s annual Convention. Mrs. Varn is a 2005 graduate of Florida State University, and currently resides in Tallahassee with her husband.
Nikki Stewart
nstewart@fab.org
Executive Assistant to the President
Nikki Stewart has served as the Assistant to the President since May 2008. Before joining the staff full-time, she worked as an intern for the Association beginning in August 2007. She is the main contact when trying to reach FAB’s President, Pat Roberts. She organizes his calendar, projects, and day to day activities. Ms. Stewart also oversees the Alternative Inspection Program, and deals directly with the FCC and Inspectors regarding this program. In addition, she assists in the planning and sponsorships of the annual Convention. She is a May 2008 graduate of Florida State University with a Bachelors in Communication and a minor in Political Science.
Governmental and Legal Affairs
Matt Leibowitz
General Counsel
Matt Leibowitz, founder and managing partner of Leibowitz & Associates, P.A., has served as counsel to FAB since 1981 and is a former associate member of FAB’s Board of Directors.
Mr. Leibowitz represented FAB in the contentious “radio war” with Cuba and subsequent international negotiations. In addition to his work for FAB, he has successfully represented clients in radio, television, cable, and wireless matters.
In the early 1980’s, Mr. Leibowitz served as counsel to Florida Governor Bob Graham’s Task Force on Cable Television. He has also represented more than 70 local franchise authorities in complex renewal and transfer cases, telecommunications ordinances and wireless tower siting ordinances.
More recently, Mr. Leibowitz founded and is president and chief executive officer of Communications Dispute Resolutions, LLC, the first and only alternative dispute resolution group created and operated exclusively for the communications and telecommunications industry.
Mr. Leibowitz has played a major role in protecting local government’s interests in Tallahassee on communications issues and has authored several books and articles on all facets of the communications industry.
Reginald Garcia
Legal Counsel & Legislative Consultant
Reggie Garcia, partner of Law Firm of Reginald R. Garcia, P.A., has served as legal counsel and legislative consultant to FAB since 1994.
In 2004, Mr. Garcia helped write Florida’s new “Pirate Radio” law and now assists with its enforcement as FAB’s principal liaison to the FCC, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Florida’s sheriffs and state attorneys. Mr. Garcia has spoken at numerous FAB conventions on legislative and regulatory issues including pirate radio, legal advertising, the advertising services tax, game promotion, and GATT-Spectrum tax.
In addition, Mr. Garcia has successfully represented clients in executive clemency cases before two governors and the Florida Cabinet. He is also an arbitrator in Florida property and commercial insurance rate-filing cases and on securities matters.
Mr. Garcia is the chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tallahassee scholarship program and a member of the Florida Consumer Council. He received a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida College of Law and a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from the University of Florida, where he was president of Florida Blue Key and a member of the U.F. Hall of Fame.
David Griffin
Florida Executive Branch Counsel
David Griffin, president of David Griffin Consulting, has served as the Florida executive branch counsel to FAB since 2003.
Prior to his service for FAB, Mr. Griffin was Florida Lottery secretary under Governor Jeb Bush from 1999 to 2003. Under Mr. Griffin’s leadership, the $2.8 billion sales and marketing enterprise achieved four straight years of record-setting sales and profits, while operating costs were reduced to under $130 million – the lowest level in the lottery’s 17-year history.
During his tenure with the Bush administration, Mr. Griffin also served as chair of the Governor’s State Agency Mentoring Initiative and as communications liaison to all executive agencies for the Governor’s Service First Initiative, which overhauled Florida’s career service system.
In addition, Mr. Griffin is immediate-past chairman of the board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Big Bend and is chairman of the Florida Technology, Research and Scholarship Board. He serves on the boards of Transforming Ministries, Florida Tax Watch and is a member of Volunteer Florida Foundation. Mr. Griffin was also a 2004 Florida elector for President George W. Bush.
Mr. Griffin received a law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law, a Master’s in Business Administration from Lake Erie College and a Bachelor of Science in Community Development from Penn State University, which he attended on a full athletic scholarship. He and his wife, Debbie, have two children.
Jim Rathbun
State Government Affairs Lobbyist
Jim Rathbun, president of Rathbun & Associates, has served as the state government affairs lobbyist to FAB since 2000.
As owner and president of Rathbun & Associates since 1997, Mr. Rathbun represents a host of Fortune 500 companies, as well as many smaller entities and associations, through services such as lobbying, strategic analysis, issue management, and grasstop programs.
In the past, Mr. Rathbun has worked as a governmental affairs consultant for the law firm of Fowler, White, Gillen, Boggs, Villareal & Banker and as staff director for the House Republican Office.
Mr. Rathbun graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate.
Bud Gardner
State Tax Policy Advisory
Angie Sellars
Certified Public Accountant
Radio Consultant
Tom Kennington
Radio Consultant
Tom Kennington has served as a radio consultant to FAB since 2000 where he provides extensive knowledge and guidance on radio broadcasting issues.
Prior to his service to FAB as a consultant, Mr. Kennington spent 16 years working for Walt Disney World Marketing where he dealt with radio and television operations that originated on the Walt Disney World property. In addition to his responsibilities with Walt Disney World radio and television, Mr. Kennington also worked on many state and national promotions. During his tenure with Walt Disney World, Mr. Kennington served on the FAB board for 15 years.
Mr. Kennington worked for more than two decades in the radio industry as an on-air personality, program director, national program director, and general manager.