Cable Executive Is an Advocate of Lifelong Learning

After three decades of leadership in the cable television industry, Nomi Bergman ’24 MBA expanded her horizons by taking on the role of an adjunct professor at Syracuse University’s iSchool, teaching Information Policy and Decision Making. Despite her extensive experience, she had reservations about not holding a master’s degree.

At the same time, Bergman was increasingly hearing about online education in her role as a trustee of the University of Rochester, her undergraduate alma mater. That combination of factors sparked her to begin an online MBA program. “Many of the world’s challenges can be solved by broadening access to education, and I wanted to better understand the online experience, which can enable a greater reach,” she says. 

Bergman is completing the last three credits of an online MBA program at the Whitman School. “I took my time so that I could enjoy the experience and keep up with my job at the same time,” she says. “I appreciate that Syracuse thoughtfully accommodated that.”

She was pleasantly surprised by the robust educational experience her online courses provided. “There’s a misconception that online learning lacks meaningful interactions with professors and peers, but that was not my experience,” she says. “When you have exceptional professors like I experienced, the courses become truly engaging. And in an MBA program, the small cohort size and group projects foster strong connections among students.”

Bergman admits she did not share the extent of her professional accomplishments with her classmates. She is a senior executive at Advance and president of Advance/Newhouse Investment Partnership, a subsidiary of Advance, and has served as president of its cable company, Bright House Networks, and CEO of 1010data. Over her career, she’s been recognized with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association’s Vanguard Award for Distinguished Leadership 
(2008), as Woman of the Year by Women in Cable Telecommunications (2011) and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame (2022). She is also a longstanding member of the FCC Technological Advisory Council, serves on the board of directors for HawkEye360, Visteon and Black & Veatch, and is a former Comcast board member. She joined the Syracuse University Board of Trustees in November.

Even with her distinguished career, Bergman found new skills to hone and develop. “I had a wonderful time taking the Negotiation course taught by Chancellor [Kent] Syverud and truly cherish how the course honed my perspective in negotiations,” she says. “I take pride in officially joining the ranks of the Orange.”

By Renee Gearhart Levy