Timbre Award Judges
The 2026 judges panel is packed with professional communicators, market shapers, and creative leaders. Each powerhouse judge will be part of the Timbre Award evaluation process. Check out the rules and categories for more information.
Lex Friedman
A podcast industry executive and entrepreneur with a track record of building and scaling media and ad businesses. He has held leadership roles at Midroll and ART19, helping drive major growth and acquisitions by EW Scripps and Amazon, respectively, and later served as Head of Podcast Strategy for Wondery.
Christian F. Nunes MBA, MS, LCSW
A dynamic advocate who made history as the 2nd African American President of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in more than 49 years. With over two decades of experience in mental health, social justice, and gender equity, she empowers others to lead with empathy and create meaningful change.
Arielle Nissenblatt
A podcast strategist, writer, and community builder dedicated to helping listeners discover great podcasts and creators improve their craft. She is the founder of EarBuds Podcast Collective and was inducted into the Podcast Hall of Fame in 2026 and serves on the Board of Governors for The Podcast Academy.n award-winning strategist and founder of Frontwood Strategies, where she helps business leaders, advocates, and organizations develop effective communications, messaging, and media strategies.
Ross Nover
A Partner and Creative Director at Friendly Design Co, with over 13 years of experience leading creative strategy and design for mission-driven organizations. His work focuses on translating complex ideas into clear, compelling visual storytelling through thoughtful design and problem-solving. With a strong eye for branding and audience engagement, Ross brings a creative and strategic perspective to evaluating podcast content and presentation.
Bridget Morrison
A public health lawyer and policy expert with extensive experience at the intersection of media, technology, and public interest. She previously served in the U.S. Senate as Deputy Legislative Director and Commerce Counsel for Senator Amy Klobuchar, where she worked on AI policy, telecommunications, media, and consumer protection. Now Deputy Chief of Staff at Common Sense Media, Bridget focuses on shaping a safer, more equitable digital landscape for children. Her background in media policy and public impact brings a thoughtful, values-driven perspective to evaluating podcast content.
Heather Thomas
Brilliant bio forthcoming.
Nell Callahan
An award-winning strategist and founder of Frontwood Strategies, where she helps business leaders, advocates, and organizations develop effective communications, messaging, and media strategies.