CBS Communications EVP Kelli Raftery to Depart

By Brian Steinberg

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Kelli Raftery, a veteran CBS communications executive who has worked in many different roles over more than two decades at the company, is poised to leave, one of several executives departing in the wake of the company’s recent merger with Viacom.

“It was important to me to be here for the early innings of the merger, but I realized over the past few months that this is the right time for me to start writing my next chapter. I will say my final goodbye on a day that feels perfectly fitting for me… in the crowd at the NCAA Men’s National Basketball Championship on Monday, April 6, with many of my co-workers, friends and family in attendance and my dad on the game call,” Raftery said in a memo to staffers Wednesday. “There’s really no other way I would want it! ”

Raftery is the daughter of Bill Raftery, a longtime college basketball analyst for CBS Sports and former head basketball coach at Seton Hall University.

Dana McClintock, CBS’ chief communications officer, on Monday announced he would exit in June.

Raftery has logged time in many different communications roles at the company, including overseeing press outreach for CBS’ daytime schedule and serving as a spokesperson for “The Talk.” In more recent years, she has been a go-to contact at CBS’ corporate communications department, often delivering first word on news about the company’s advertising sales, distribution and corporate maneuvers.

“CBS has been my home away from home for more than 20 years, and the amazing people here have been my extended family… even my real family in one case! I have been fortunate to work across so many of our businesses – sports, entertainment, syndication, news and corporate – and I am extremely proud to have been a part of something very special for so many years,” said Raftery. “I will always cherish my time and memories here.”