Long-time TEGNA leader and former News-Press & Gazette CRO Nicki Harkrider-Probey will spearhead local media growth and expansion while former Cox Media Group executive Mindy Buckalew will lead omnichannel operations
NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Madhive, the leading operating system for local media, today announced the appointments of Nicki Harkrider-Probey as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Mindy Buckalew as Senior Vice President of Operations. As local advertisers demand greater precision and accountability amid its shift toward data-driven outcomes, Harkrider-Probey and Buckalew will strengthen the company's leadership and operational velocity toward data-driven, outcome-based advertising at scale.
"Nicki and Mindy bring deep experience in revenue transformation and digital operations at a critical moment for local media," said Jim Wilson, CEO of Madhive. "They don't just understand the landscape; they've spent their careers reshaping and innovating it. These trusted leaders will be instrumental in helping our local media partners further transform how they sell, operate, and deliver measurable results for advertisers."
Harkrider-Probey is an industry-leading expert in media sales and revenue growth bringing more than three decades of experience leading sales and revenue organizations across local and national media. She specializes in building high-performing teams, modernizing go-to-market strategies, and strengthening long-term client relationships. As Chief Revenue Officer, Harkrider-Probey will lead Madhive's revenue strategy, focusing on driving partner growth, client expansion, scalable monetization, and aligning the company's local-first platform with evolving advertiser demand. She has been recognized by the Alliance for Women in Media with a Silver Award of Excellence for leadership, an honor that underscores her long‑standing commitment to elevating the media landscape.
"I've partnered with Madhive for years and have seen firsthand how it delivers precision at the local level with unmatched scale," said Harkrider-Probey. "I'm thrilled to join the team as we accelerate our local-first DSP and operating system. By integrating Maverick AI and sophisticated planning tools into their workflows, we are giving local media buyers and sellers the actionable insights they need to drive real outcomes. Madhive is the most important growth engine for the industry today, and I'm ready to lead this next chapter."
Buckalew joins Madhive to champion operational excellence, bringing a 19+ year track record of driving digital business and media transformation. Most recently, she served as Vice President of Digital Business Operations at Cox Media Group, where she led digital planning, execution, and workflow optimization across teams. In her role at Madhive, Buckalew will oversee digital business operations, with a focus on execution efficiency, platform scalability, partner integrations, and supporting continued product and operational innovation to ensure the company continues to deliver frictionless performance at every touchpoint.
"Having sat in the customer's seat at Cox Media Group, I've experienced firsthand how Madhive's 'pitch to pay' workflow transforms local execution," said Buckalew. The strength of the system lies in its ability to consolidate fragmented channels and systems into a single pane of glass. In my new role, I look forward to championing the operational rigor that ensures our clients maximize these efficiencies, reducing their overhead while elevating their execution."
"To capture the $170 billion local advertising market, the industry needs more than just tools—it needs massive, unified scale," added Wilson. "Madhive exists as the powerhouse operating system built to provide that scale, eliminate the complexities of execution, and capture a larger share of the local advertising market. Nicki and Mindy will bolster our leadership team's deep understanding of the landscape today and what it will take to compete tomorrow."
With over 400 employees, the appointments reflect Madhive's continued investment in top-tier talent as it cements its role as the leading platform for planning, analytics, and outcomes solutions for local media. The company has earned the trust of media leaders, including Fox and Hearst, and continues to expand its digital advertising hub for local, offering both managed and self-service solutions.
About Madhive
Madhive is the only unified operating system built to empower local media companies to scale their advertising businesses and extend their reach to new audiences. Madhive's customizable end-to-end platform supports the entire campaign lifecycle from proposal generation and planning to omnichannel buying, real-time optimization, and measurement. With robust workflow software that integrates seamlessly into existing systems, Madhive equips sellers with powerful tools to drive revenue. Trusted by the leading local media and broadcast companies and agencies, Madhive powers over 50,000+ campaigns reaching local audiences and delivering outcomes every day. To learn more, visit Madhive.com.
Media Contact
Elizabeth Philbin, Madhive, [email protected], https://www.madhive.com/
SOURCE Madhive
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