The person who will take over as the leader of the National Association of Broadcasters in January is an experienced lobbyist with a background on the Democratic side of the political aisle.
Curtis LeGeyt is currently the chief operating officer of the NAB, having succeeded Chris Ornelas in early 2020. In 2011 he was named SVP of government relations at the association and in 2014 became SVP of public policy.
For five years he then worked as executive VP of government relations, a key lobbying post at NAB.
Key issues during that time, according to the association, included reauthorization of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR), inclusion of $1 billion to reimburse stations affected by the spectrum auction repack, and passage of the Music Modernization Act.
Prior to joining NAB, he was senior counsel to Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy of Vermont. According to an NAB bio, in that role he advised Leahy and the committee on intellectual property, antitrust and first amendment issues. Earlier he worked on the staff of the 2008 Obama For America presidential campaign.
Famously, current NAB President/CEO was a two-term U.S. senator and is a Republican. He is widely seen as a pragmatist who can work with both parties; but LeGeyt’s Democratic connections certainly can’t hurt with a Democrat in the White House and current slim majorities on the Hill.
The NAB in general has historically avoided partisan rhetoric and focuses its public statements on issues of media deregulation, freedom of speech and the value of free radio and TV in America.
LeGeyt also worked on antitrust litigation and merger reviews as an associate with the Howrey LLP law firm, as a management consulting associate with Putnam Associates.
He received his J.D. from Cornell University Law School and his B.A. from Providence College in quantitative economics.
