Lisa Chader is a senior communications executive with 25 years of experience in corporate PR for top television and entertainment entities, holding leadership and management positions at such companies as CMT, Viacom, Comedy Central and TBS. She is the President & CEO of Chader Consulting; and is the Co-Founder and Chief Communications Officer of The Change Agent·cy, a social impact firm that better connects the entertainment and corporate sectors with the causes they care about.
A tried-and-true publicist, and TV junkie, who has filled and overseen a wide spectrum of roles in entertainment public relations, Chader has long championed divergent thought, big ideas and common-sense solutions. She began her PR career at TBS in Atlanta and Los Angeles, launching the network’s original movies franchise and leading publicity efforts on all environmental and documentary programming, allowing her to work alongside such esteemed organizations as the National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, National Geographic, Cousteau Society and more.
In 2000, Chader joined Comedy Central as Director of Corporate Communications overseeing publicity on all West Coast-based programming, including South Park, The Man Show, Jiminy Glick with Martin Short, Chappelle’s Show, I Can Do That with Wanda Sykes, the animated series, The Kid Stays in the Picture with Robert Evans, and more. She worked alongside network development executives, forging key relationships throughout the LA production and media communities.
Following a corporate merger, Chader began handling PR for a variety of MTV Networks such as VH1, Spike, Comedy Central, and contributing on major tentpole events for MTV, VH1 and TV Land. Her work with MTV Networks led to her Nashville in her next role leading the Corporate Communications division at CMT. There, she served as key member of the network’s senior executive team, responsible for creating and executing all network and program publicity strategies for original series and live music events, managing staff in LA and Nashville.
In 2014, Chader left her post as Senior Vice President at CMT to pursue PR roles outside of a corporate structure and began independently representing a variety of clients covering music, digital media, pro-social initiatives and events.
Focusing on creating collaborative work environments within smaller groups, Chader joined NPG PR, capitalizing on the city of Nashville’s growing popularity, helping introduce outside brands to the market; clients included: NCAA Women’s Final Four, dick clark productions, Zodiac Vodka, the launch City Winery Nashville and various premieres, parties and red carpet events. Also specializing in music, NPG PR represented various artists, BMI’s annual Country Awards, the launch of Cox Media Group’s RareCountry.com, and ongoing work with CMT, including its annual live broadcast, the CMT Music Awards.
Chader’s work with Cox Media Group grew into solo representation of the Rare and Rare Country brands, creating and launching such initiatives as the “Rare Under 40” campaign, a 360 effort that honored individuals from around the country who were making significant differences in their communities via music, politics, social work, military service, media and more. The campaign culminated with a star-studded event in Washington, D.C., one that further established the Rare brand within the political media market.
After launching Chader Consulting, she began serving as Brand Marketing Consultant for Rare Country, helping to build the media property into a leading source of country music and lifestyle news with the launch of numerous sponsorships and partnerships, and the creation of multiple events including the annual Rare Country Awards. The team’s biggest success was the first-time livestream production of the 2017 Rare Country Awards, featuring multi-platinum artist Kane Brown, which drew a record number of impressions, online voting and page views.
Chader Consulting is known for forging lasting relationships as she continues to consult with former colleagues and employers including CMT, NPG PR, Legacy PR, Triple 7 PR and more.
In October 2019, Chader teamed up with former CMT executive Lucia Folk to create The Change Agent·cy, focusing on advocacy, civic strategies and social impact for the entertainment, nonprofit and corporate sectors. The Change Agent·cy serves as a resource on social and civic issues, including local legislation and advocacy opportunities, providing constituents with the necessary tools to take positive action while strengthening their overall brands. For more information, visit thechangeagentcy.com.
Originally from the Atlanta area, Chader is a graduate of Florida State University and resides in Brentwood, Tenn., with her family. She’s a certified Pilates instructor and an alumnus of Leadership Music, Class of 2009; as well as a graduate of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute via Women in Cable and Telecommunications (WICT), past Board Member of the TJ Martell Foundation, and current member of the Country Music Association and Americana Music Association. She’s also a mentor for ACM’s OnRamp program and serves on the ACM’s Lifting Voices Council.