The Charles J. Busta III Business Forum is designed to showcase the thoughts and experiences of business leaders to encourage creativity and personal growth.
Busta Forum 2026
Behind the Narrative: The Role of Media Executives
Thursday, November 12, 2026, 12:00 – 1:30 PM
Register for Lunch | Join Us Online
The role of the media is important in an era when misinformation increasingly creates false narratives that impact public policy and erode public trust in institutions. Who controls the media sources you depend on for information? What role do media executives play in setting editorial focus, standards, and priorities? The distinguished panel of local media executives will discuss these topics and more.
Register for Lunch | Join Us Online
Panelists & Student Moderator
Courtney Bode, Market President & Publisher, Baltimore Business Journal
Courtney Bode is the Market President & Publisher of Baltimore Business Journal, a division of American City Business Journals. She oversees the editorial, sales and membership of the local office and leads the organization in delivering the local business intelligence and data to the community through its multiplatform ecosystem, to include, print, digital and events. Before joining Baltimore Business Journal in 2023, she oversaw the sales department for sister publication, Triangle Business Journal in Raleigh, NC for four years. Under her leadership, the sales division at the Triangle Business Journal saw significant growth and was recognized with an American City Eagle Award for Excellence. Before that, she was a senior account executive at another sister publication, Washington Business Journal, in Washington, DC for seven years. Bode holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from George Mason University, Costello College of Business.
Paris M. Brown, Publisher, The Baltimore Times
Paris M. Brown is the Publisher of The Baltimore Times, leveraging over 30 years of experience in business development and marketing. She has led the publication’s transition to a digital-first strategy, focusing on innovative growth and sustainability. She has significantly increased digital revenue through targeted campaigns and new revenue models built on the company’s evolving technology stack. She serves on several industry boards, including the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), NNPA Fund, and Local Media Consortium. She was recognized in 2025 Who’s Who in Black Baltimore by Real Times Media and AFRO Newspapers and the 2025 Innovation of the Year Award by the Local Media Association, among other accolades. She is an alum of Howard University and a graduate of Bernard Baruch College (CUNY) and the New York School of Interior Design. She is a graduate of the Executive Program in News Innovation and Leadership at the Craig Newmark School of Journalism at CUNY.
Kathy Hostetter, President & General Manager, WJZ-TV CBS Baltimore
Kathy Hostetter is the President & General Manager of WJZ-TV, the CBS News Baltimore streaming channel, and wjz.com. She has led the Baltimore team since April 2022 and was named an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record in 2024. Hostetter is also an active participant with the Maryland-DC-Delaware (MDCD) Broadcasters Association, and is an avid supporter of the United Way of Central Maryland, The Maryland Food Bank, and Pets on Wheels, Inc. Prior to her current role, she led newsrooms at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, WTHR in Indianapolis, WAVE-TV in Louisville, WAVY/WVBT in Hampton Roads, and WISE-TV in Fort Wayne. Hostetter’s background also includes executive producer and newscast producer roles in the San Francisco Bay Area, Indianapolis, Moline, Grand Rapids and Fort Wayne. She earned her bachelor’s degree in French & Telecommunications from Ball State University, and while there, she was a David Letterman Intern at WBST Public Radio.
Tassilo Lehmkuhl ’27, Student Moderator, International Business Major
Tassilo Lehmkuhl is a senior studying International Business with a minor in Economics, graduating in December 2026. Originally from Berlin, Germany, he is an NCAA student-athlete, captain of the NDMU Men’s Soccer team, and an NDMU Student Ambassador. He has been named to the Dean’s List every semester at NDMU. On the field, he has been recognized as the 2023 NDMU Rookie of the Year, a two-time team MVP, and a multiple-time United East All-Conference selection. He was also selected as a 2025 Albrecht Fellow by the World Trade Center Institute. Lehmkuhl spent this past summer in Munich, Germany, as a management consulting intern at Kemény Boehme Consultants (KBC). After graduating, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in finance in Europe and build a career in the field.
About the Forum
The Charles J. Busta III Business Forum was created in memory of Charles J. “CB” Busta, a Notre Dame trustee and marketing executive who died in 1999. All individuals invited to speak are accomplished in their chosen fields. We seek inspirational professionals of integrity who have made a real difference, overcome significant obstacles, or delivered dramatic success. We primarily seek women professionals with these credentials to present strong role models who can set a standard of achievement for Notre Dame students.
Our invited speakers are chosen based on a strong set of credentials, including:
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Innovation
- Humor
- Competitive spirit balancing business, personal and spiritual life
