Sue Miller Buske Leadership Award

The Sue Miller Buske Leadership Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated commitment to the mission and goals of the Alliance for Community Media, leadership within the organization within the last three years, a high degree of involvement in the organization nationally, regionally and at the chapter level, and continuing service to the ACM.

Nominees must be an ACM member to qualify for this award.

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2023 Winner: DONNA T. COUEY

Donna T. Couey (formerly Keating) worked in community media for over thirty years. She was the Media Services Manager – Digital Equity Programs Co-Manager for Montgomery County, Maryland.  Her duties included developing and recommending broadband technology and digital equity strategies to the Chief Broadband Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer, Planning, Policy and Special Projects Manager, senior staff, elected officials, and other departments. 

She also provided centralized technical management and oversight of County Cable Montgomery (CCM), the award-winning government access channel, including budget development and management, day-to-day and long-term decisions concerning engineering, procurement, equipment acquisition, contract administration, programming, social media applications, marketing, community engagement, fostering partnerships, and establishing broad policy objectives. Donna also oversaw the County’s Technical Operations Center which monitored the signal quality of the County’s eleven public, education and government channels.

Donna was actively involved with the Alliance for Community Media serving on the Board of Directors for six years. Donna served as board chair during the challenging times associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.  She also served on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Telecommunications of Officers and Advisors participating in the Annual Conference and Government Programming Awards committees. Donna retired in January 2022.

Donna holds a Bachelor of Arts, Mass Media Arts, from Hampton University and a Juris Doctor from George Washington University – National Law Center.

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List of Winners by Year

2023 - Donna T. Couey
2022 - Keith Thibault, Fall River Community Media
2021 - Barbara Chisholm, WACA TV & Jon Funfar, City of Pasco
2020 - Mary Van Sickle, Dakota Media Access
2019 - Anthony Riddle, BRIC
2018 - Shelley Wolfe, PSTV
2017 - Ross Rowe, Village of Elk Grove
2016 – Rob Brading, Metro East Media
2015 – John Hauser, Access Humboldt
2014 – Antoine Haywood, Philadelphia Community Access Media (PhillyCAM)
2013 – Matt Schuster, TV Santa Barbara
2012 – Michael Wassenaar
2011 – Keri Stokstad, The Santa Barbara Channels
2010 – Colin Rhinesmith
2009 – Nancy Richard
2008 – Tom Bishop
2007 – Debra Rogers
2006 – Sean McLaughlin
2005 – Brian Wilson
2004 – Harry “Hap” Haasch
2003 – Ron Cooper, Access Sacramento
2002 – Erik Mollberg
2001 – John Donovan
2000 – Alan Bushong
1999 – Deb Vinsel
1998 – Steve Fortriede
1997 – Carl Kucharski
1996 – Hubert Jessup
1995 – Rika Welsh
1994 – Andrew Blau
1993 – Lynn Carillo-Cruse
1992 – Sharon Ingraham
1991 – Gerry Field
1990 – Chuck Sherwood
1989 – Dirk Koning
1988 – Jan Lesher Ireland
1987 – Sue Miller Buske