Julia Ragona
Chief Broadcast Operations Officer
RFE/RL Inc
Julia Ragona is the Chief Broadcast Operations Officer of RFE/RL where she is responsible for business, operational, distribution and broadcast strategy issues. Producing radio, web, video and television content in 28 languages, RFE/RL currently has more than 1100 journalists working in their Pragueheadquarters and 21 international bureaus around the world including Russia, Central Asia, Iraq, Iranand Afghanistan.
Julia joined RFE/RL in 2003 to develop the organization’s re-branding strategy to more effectively connect content with target audiences and refresh the company’s image in its broadcast regions. Following the initiative’s roll-out in 2005, Julia became Director of Marketing and Affiliate Development where she restructured delivery channels to optimize placement of radio, web and video content and introduced a new model of television co-productions resulting in 5 shows in 3 markets. Since becoming RFE/RL’s first CBOO in 2008, Julia has introduced private-sector operational standards and has focused on developing new strategies to expand audiences in complex and increasingly competitive markets. This has included leading initiatives in alternative delivery such as development of branded apps for mobile platforms and social networking sites, partnerships with mobile telcoms to provide SMS headlines and distribution of web proxies to circumvent closed markets.
Prior to joining RFE/RL, Julia spent seven years inMoscow. She was managing director of an international marketing firm and went on to serve as a management consultant advising both Russian and Western companies before becoming Regional COO and Business Development Director of a leading international law firm’s network of CIS offices. Prior to moving toRussia, she worked for several years as a global strategy analyst on Wall Street before moving into international film production and marketing inNew York andRome.
Julia speaks Russian, Italian and Spanish. She holds an MBA from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in Soviet Studies and US Foreign Policy from Vassar College.