She’s been associated with the nation’s largest single owner of broadcast television stations since May 2009 and before that was VP of Legal Affairs for First Broadcasting. She’s also been Counsel at Drinker Biddle & Reath, and an associate at Arter & Hadden LLP.
Now, she will serve as Executive VP/General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Directors of the company founded 30 years ago by Perry Sook.
Earning the full-time role at Nexstar Media Group is Elizabeth Ryder, who holds a Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School. For the past four years she has served as Nexstar’s senior outside legal counsel. However, she was within Nexstar from 2009 until 2022.
“We are very pleased to welcome Elizabeth back to Nexstar’s executive team on a full-time basis,” said Sook, Nexstar’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Her counsel over the past four years has been invaluable. She brings a depth of legal experience unmatched in the media industry, knows Nexstar and its mission intimately, and understands the evolving media landscape as very few do.”
The elevation for Ryder at Nexstar comes as the company also brought new roles to three other senior executives:
- Scott Weaver has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Government Relations
- Lindsey Knapp has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Human Resources and Associate General Counsel
- Jason Roberts has been promoted to Senior Vice President/Deputy General Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary.
Weaver joined Nexstar in 2024 as SVP/Government Relations, and has been responsible for setting the company’s legislative and regulatory priorities, representing Nexstar’s interests to the executive branch of the federal government, Congress, and a variety of regulatory bodies. He established Nexstar’s first Office of Government Affairs in Washington, D.C., shortly after joining the company.
Knapp has served as SVP of Human Resources and Associate General Counsel since 2024, directing “comprehensive due diligence during mergers and acquisitions and advising on workforce composition, culture, and integration issues.” She joined Nexstar in 2022 as Vice President of Human Resources and Associate General Counsel and reports to Nexstar President/Chief Operating Officer Michael Biard.
Roberts joined Nexstar as Associate General Counsel in 2019, following the company’s acquisition of Tribune Media, where he served as Assistant General Counsel for a decade. He will report to Ryder.
“Scott, Lindsey, and Jason are talented and experienced leaders in their respective fields who are deeply committed to Nexstar’s long-term success,” Sook said. “Each of them has a keen understanding of our media businesses and our people, the forces that are shaping the industry, and the critical role we play in the communities we serve. We are fortunate to have them as members of our management team.”
