Carla Lewis-Long

Lewis-Long drives distribution, marketing and awareness of Participant Media’s Pivot. And this past year, she has expanded the network’s VOD footprint and TVE availability with MVPDs while increasing Pivot’s presence at colleges and universities—more than 50 campuses to date. A diverse working environment “embodies and reflects the world we live in,” she says, “where every voice is heard and every voice and perspective is valued and matters.”

Best business advice you’ve received?

If you’re in an environment where you’re not learning, growing or valued, you must make a change before you start believing you’re not smart or you become complacent and you lose your self-worth.

How do you define diversity?

A place that supports employees’ talents and supports an environment that is inclusive and respective. A working environment that embodies and reflects the world we live in. Where every voice is heard and every voice and perspective is valued and matters.

How can cable better support diversity?

Believe it or not, the cable industry was more diverse 20 years ago. The industry was built on the belief that the little guys mattered and every voice was important and should be heard. We used to embrace the independent operators and programmers alike, and you had a lot more diversity within the walls of the programming companies. But as diverse candidates left the industry, they were never replaced which is unfortunate.  We need people to step out of their comfort zones and hire great, talented, qualified candidates that don’t look like them. We need the cable industry to be more reflective of the world we live in.